Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Quick Links
I've found it worth a college try.
SomethingUnusual
Member UncommonPosts: 546
Greetings fellow gamers!
Up front, I've found Mortal Online to be a solid concept. Though -- as I've read numerous times on this site alone -- the game is not without it's bugs. But is any game really?
I stayed very skeptical of this game since I had found it a couple years ago, and not until the recent updates have I decided to try it. In the past there have been several videos around that showed what I would find to be game breaking.
- NPC pathing. Monsters/NPC's would attempt to get way to close to the point where they could hit the player, but the player was defenseless or worse resulting in a quick demise.
The pathing I am happy to say is now working smoothly and in fact the reason that I decided to give it a try in the last week.
- Independent development team. While not always a bad thing, let's face it, MMORPG's involve a lot of resources and man-hours. Which Star Vault definitely lacks.
At least they are trying with what they have, I've watched the game begin to flood with updates over the last year by a very small team working as hard as they can with what they have.
Notably -- though I am new to mmorpg.com and this is my first post here in fact -- I usually stay clear of such because of obvious reasons (Slow updates, inexperienced teams) But as I mentioned, they are giving it their all in anticipation of their steam launch. I truly hope it remains that way.
So, where am I going with this? Honestly? I don't know but I wanted to share my thoughts in the least biased way I can.
Quite simply other than some upcoming titles (Everquest Next, Chronicles of Elyria etc) this game has it going on when it comes to immersion possibilities... I feel like it's 1999 all over again from my last week of trying this game. Notably getting trained by skeletons in the newbie city graveyard (*cough* Commonlands/Befallen) Perhaps it's a level of nostalgia.
I don't have enough experience in this game yet to give a solid review of any sorts, and will likely not for a very long while (It's a big game) So, I won't go into any details on gameplay.
Wanting to try it? Be my guest or don't. Be warned though that similar to Darkfall Unholy Wars, it's a niche and requires a bit of thick skin. Welcome to the internet.
Graphics? 2010 Unreal Engine 3... Good for what they had to work with. For today? I give it a 7/10, it isn't ugly, but it isn't TERA (Using the same engine and released in the same time frame, though I will note that I'm not a fan of Asian art-style or games)
Sound? The ambient music is okay, it fits the setting. Combat sounds, interaction etc are to the point and not obnoxious. I'll mention Darkfall: Unholy Wars here again for comparison, I HATE the "hit indication" gong in that game, Mortal at least has good sound indicators, hitting with a weapon sounds like hitting with a weapon and not a smashed tambourine. 8/10
UI? Minimal, I like that. Indications of when you are struck, from what direction and of what section of your body, I like that as well. Game elements stay within the graphical area and less so in the UI. 10/10 (So sue me)
The game so far as I've experienced is a breath of fresh air from the questing/kill x stuff that floods the market these days. Though on a technicality the questing/kill x is still there but kind of goes back to the Everquest style that I loved 15 years ago. No quest log, no map, just basic interaction. To each their own on this subject. I've been dying for a game that makes me use my brain a little instead of having a direct reference.
I don't have much to go on. I'm no expert and certainly a newbie to this game.
I would ask what you guys think... But I'm likely not even going to have this post glanced at, yet alone care about feedback. I just felt like writing something about something.
How about that sliced bread? Good stuff eh?
Comments
I commend you for giving it a go. I find too many people can't be bothered to try something just because they have heard bad things about it.
Fallen Earth was my game that I was absolutely positive I would not like. Somehow I convinced myself that I at least had to try it to find out. It has been one of my favorite games ever since,
Uncharted waters has given me a lot of enjoyment lately also. Despite the dated graphics, it has a bit of depth to it and a decent player base.
Mortal online sounded to me like the game that a lot of the hardcores here were asking for. But once the problems show up they all run and start bitching about how bad it is, effectively killing the games hopes and their own, in a way. Same thing happened to Vanguard and probably a few others.
I am with you and I think a lot of these games have much to offer and could use some love for the good of the genre. But as gamers, we need thicker skins, to be able to overlook some flaws, and work constructively with people making these games, in order to improve them, rather than trying to tear them down for whatever selfish reason.
So by all means keep posting your experience here, so people can get a true idea of the game. You might even get me to try it sometime!
FFA Nonconsentual Full Loot PvP ...You know you want it!!
Great point, the "I want something different crowd" stating every game out there sucks and they want something "hard" and old school, then spend 30 mins with games like MO, and come back basically saying "Its not perfect it totally sucks!" there are bugs and.....stuff.
The only people bold enough to make games like this don't get the support from the people that say they want them, and your right, the haters kill their own hopes and dreams, because no big studios are going to make a game like what people say they want.
While I do agree with you Bone that supporting indie devs and not expecting AAA level content in the games they put out is a good thing, I do have issues with unfullfilled promises, GM corruption and other issues that StarVault has been accused of. If the OP is actually a genuine person who honestly just tried this game out and liked it then I'm happy for him but how many times in the past have we had shills come here and create accounts and post about what a wonderful game this is? Isnt it the least bit odd that this person started an account today and only came to this one games forum and then spent 4 hours in general topics offering advice on role play and computer builds?
This game has been out for over 5 years, is free to play, and has been mentioned on most gaming sites including steam and yet it is only able to attract 3000 actual subscribers from around the world and that assumes they are listing player donations in some category other then gross revenue. Again, if the OP is an actual person and not a shill sent here by StarVault then I'm glad he/she found a game he likes but an unusually large amount of other gamers have not found the joy in this game that he has.
If it's unusual for someone like me...
Umm sure whatever.
Honestly? I've been skeptical about this site alone for years. While I have certainly frequented it to read the various comments and articles, the community isn't exactly known here for it's ability to be polite.
The game has been getting a little love, and as I've mentioned even I have been skeptical. Someone needed to say something about it from outside the box.
For all I know I'll dig further in and the game will end up flying off my RADAR... But before then, at least I'm giving it a shot. The games these days are either too Asian, or too... garbage. Skyforge probably a great example of garbage, was invited to phase 2 CB played for a week and gave the account away.
Granted, it's just one opinion. As we all know, opinions are like assholes, everyone has one and it stinks.
I enjoyed it, but the territory update kinda killed it for me. Everyone turtled up and the small clans or solo players (npks, merchants, etc) kinda didn't have a place in the game anymore.
Definitely worth a try, if for no other reason but to experience the way they did skill and crafting systems. There is also a tremendous amount of lore, history and science to it all which is pretty impressive, too.
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
"Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
Well I agree that there can be real issues with games, companies, Dev's, whatever, that can be gamebreaking for some. But if anyone has an agenda, here, I would say it is that small but very vocal group that just never seems to get everything they want in a game. And when they don't get what they want, their first instinct is to trash the very thing that tried to give it to them.
I am not a big fan of the shill theory either and I absolutely hate the term fanboy. Anyone that likes a game that you don't is instantly a fanboy. It has no meaning and serves no purpose other than to attempt to demean and discredit someone who believes a game has merit. I fail to see how anyone could look at the OP and say this could be a shill post. All I saw were facts about his experience in the game. And I would not call it glowingly positive. All this calling people shills, whenever they post positively about a game, especially a game that has taken a lot of heat ( DMKano and Archeage come to mind) is getting really stale. To me what is worse than a shill, is someone who plays a game for an hour, doesn't like it and then spends countless hours talking about how no one else should play the game because they did not like it.
Anyway sorry about the rant. I think this game at launch was a bit of a buggy mess on top of being an indie game with open PvP. Thats not exactly a recipe for large numbers of players. That it only has small numbers is no surprise. But I think the whole point of the OP was to point out that this game might have something to offer for people that aren't finding it elsewhere. Whats the harm in that and what does anyone really have to lose by trying it?
Wish we could see more posts like this and less of the conspiracy theory type.
Of course, that would cause a huge drop in the popcorn futures market wouldn't it? Everybody loves drama!
FFA Nonconsentual Full Loot PvP ...You know you want it!!
Indeed...
The last thing on my mind is starting a forum war. I'm too old for that shit.
Am I looking to coerce people towards this game? Absolutely not. Games like this scream niche, and quite honestly anyone that would be interested in such a niche will find their own way to it.
A problem I see with a lot of games from my own point of view is the aim to bringing in as many people as possible. Of course that is also the point of any business. Games are no longer made for gamers, far from it, they are made for people. The games that do release for gamers occur on occasion, Chronicles of Elyria for example is heavily on my list of games to look forward to... But, certainly can see that it will not be a game that is aiming for the masses.
It's hard to say these days about any game or upcoming game, particularly now that software has become a lot more complex and capable. While -- for lack of better terms -- features are quite capable of being very rich. When it comes to a business perspective those features would never sell and likely not even be a thought to implement.
Money talks in the gaming industry, something any gamer hates but at the same time can't do without.
I don't speak for everyone but I know I certainly have spent so much on games alone over years that if I were to have invested in the stock market or furthering my own businesses I wouldn't be living pay check to pay check.
Originally posted by laokoko
"if you want to be a game designer, you should sell your house and fund your game. Since if you won't even fund your own game, no one will".
So I've heard. Just by throwing my two pennies in about it I've probably ruined my reputation here, particularly being an mmorpg.com newbie. Could be worse I suppose.
This is my first time here in over a year and I'm sad to see the same people spewing the same negative crap they were literally 3 years ago...
Try it once and quit forever.
I don't care enough about MO to actually "hate it".
What I do not care for is people trying to get others to pay for this monstrosity, when there are all the threads and videos in the world showing what a wreck MO actually is. And it is.
I think i'll give it the old college try as well.
In my opinion it's not just the fact it had bugs (has there ever been a new release without them?), MO had bugs but it provided what most of those who bought it wanted. When I read complaints I always think of that old proverb "Becareful what you wish for ... because you might just get it!"
As to the game itself, 5 years ago it was a massive homo-erotic fist fight on the starter beach as I remember. Getting out of that was a great relief, kind of like a reward? After that I had to face the Mongol Terror that was gangs of players roaming the countryside on horse back ... I cannot say it wasn't exciting.
I didn't have anyone to play with so I couldn't advance further in the game and didn't know of any guilds, it had just released. Since MO was not your standard MMORPG (which in reality is a single player where you can team up with others if and when the mood suits you), and without back up it was too tough for me to hack it (yes computer hard man admits he has digital limits!) I gave it in.
So fast forward and it goes on steam, I just tried it again and found the game a breath of fresh air. So I've signed up for a month and after my skills are trained I'll be looking for a guild. I found my old account is still there and was pleasantly surprised to see I had some old skills trained up.
From what I can tell MO is a better game now, they have done a lot of work on it and I enjoy playing it. If it hadn't come on steam again I'd never have known, and it is like being in 1999 again ... in a good full on PvP way
"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience"
CS Lewis
This scribing thing looks cool too.
As of this reply, I am reinstalling, I just need a game with some depth to it, something that feels like an experience and not a 9-5 job.
My experience.
--John Ruskin
I can't bring myself to play any more tab target games. Miss that sense of adventure, and danger. Is it anymore active? Or pretty much the same 100 people these days?
It was quite awhile ago so i obviously don't remember a lot but i do remember that it wasn't all that bad.I think i had a bit of a problem with UI but the real reason i did not stick around is i was playing too many mmorpg's and they take time,so i cannot play every game i think playable.
Usually what will happen is i take a break from my fave games and then spend some time with 1-2 other games,sometimes as much as 6 months or even a year.Example i spent easily 6 months in Ruins of Magic,i spent 6 months playing the old Silkroad,several other games along the way.
I think only reason i never went back to try MO is because i figured the game was such low population it would be basically a dead game.As of right now i don't really find any of the mmorpg's very intriguing,nothing creative or new happening just more linear questing to which i have done likely 20k of those boring quests,so i have had enough of that junk.
Never forget 3 mile Island and never trust a government official or company spokesman.
The reports of their top donators giving them more than 1000$ in a month just to get banned a week later.
Just to pay the same amount right again because they are too addicted to leave this game.
No I don't want to be part of this Stockholm Syndrom.
All time classic MY NEW FAVORITE POST! (Keep laying those bricks)
"I should point out that no other company has shipped out a beta on a disc before this." - Official Mortal Online Lead Community Moderator
Proudly wearing the Harbinger badge since Dec 23, 2017.
Coined the phrase "Role-Playing a Development Team" January 2018
"Oddly Slap is the main reason I stay in these forums." - Mystichaze April 9th 2018
I hear a lot about "shady business practices," never anything from an official media source, only forum posts.
So forgive me for being skeptical in that department.
On that note though, re-subbed DFUW. and going to stick to free-to-play on MO for a while. Both are great games from my experience. What one lacks, the other has and vice-versa.
All time classic MY NEW FAVORITE POST! (Keep laying those bricks)
"I should point out that no other company has shipped out a beta on a disc before this." - Official Mortal Online Lead Community Moderator
Proudly wearing the Harbinger badge since Dec 23, 2017.
Coined the phrase "Role-Playing a Development Team" January 2018
"Oddly Slap is the main reason I stay in these forums." - Mystichaze April 9th 2018