Why you should back Chronicles of Elyria.

Flute

I have watched many games rise, many games fall.  Most before they even made it to day 1.  Remember Light and Dark, anyone?  How about ... the list is long.  So many kickstarters, so many promises, so many failed dreams or half-baked products.

So yes, I've been around a while.  Another jaded gamer, wishing for something decent to play and talking about the good old days of pre-Trammel Ultima Online, or the 500+ player sieges of Darkfall (original) that made the servers cry. 

So why would I say something totally uncharacteristic like "you should back Elyria"?

Quite simply because this genre needs games like this. 

We need to get out of the doldrums of endless themeparks will pretty graphics and sloppy gameplay, of pay to win and micro transactions shoved into your face every time you try to log in.  Buy now, buy now!  No, I want to play a game.  A game with depth, with meaning attached to player actions, and with politics. 

Will Chronicles of Elyria make it?  Yes, actually given who is on their team, the footage they have shown so far, the engine they are using, and that they are not at kickstarter with a blank sheet of paper or wildly unrealistic promises, I genuinely believe that they will make it.

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Edit: Added by request below.

The point here, for me, is not the tech or the art style.  It is more that they have actually coded something worth looking at in HD, and have music for it, all before kickstarter.  Could others make the same thing?  Who cares: Soulbound *did* make it, so for me this little snip reveals a great deal more than slick advertising or interviews about grand plans: to me, this gently says "these guys can actually make a game I would want to play in."

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And if they don't?  It's still worth $25.  This game already has an in-character newspaper, politics, and drama.  Not to mention devs who actually talk to players.  Even if the game never ships, or fails to meet the dream in some way - the time between now and launch (or not) will be entertaining.  I know that, because it already is.  Star Citizen promised open development, and then gave us canned news and cheesy questions for "10 for the who is that?"  No, I don't actually care what your favorite feature of the latest patch is, thanks, I want to know where the hell Star Marine is already.  Somehow, without even promising it as a feature, Soulbound Studios is actually delivering very real open development.  It's refreshing.  It's what independent should be ... not "lets become EA2.0!". 

So yes, these guys deserve your $25 in my book.  You probably will even get a hell of a fun game out of it. 


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Edit added:
Hey if you agree and do sign up ... use a friend code!  Because ... why not.

10D1C4

Dullahan

Flute said:

I have watched many games rise, many games fall.  Most before they even made it to day 1.  Remember Light and Dark, anyone?  How about ... the list is long.  So many kickstarters, so many promises, so many failed dreams or half-baked products.

Contrary to popular propaganda, there have actually been very few crowdfunded games that have "failed." Considering the development life cycle of an MMO is 3-5 years and people haven't even been kickstarting MMOs for that long, "so many kickstarters... failed" is a dishonest claim.

Nanfoodle

I was going to but then the whole permadeath thing made me walk away. Its tied into their payment model. You keep aging even when you're not playing. As a casual gamer, it just turned me off. 

Rusque

Okay, I'm a skeptic - of most things not just CoE. So don't take my questions/comments as an intent to attack or be negative.


1. Yes, I do remember failed promises and poor deliveries. People said great things about the ideas and the teams behind them then too. Why is CoE exempt from the same fate?


2. We need more games like this? What kind of game is this? It's currently a feature list, and I've seen lots of fantastic feature lists over the years, but they haven't all translated into the end product. So I'm not sure we need more games like this until this comes out and we know what kind of game it is.


3. We did get out of the themepark doldrums. I feel like I'm in a time warp whenever people say this. The last 3-5 years have been dominated by OWPvP concepts. FFARR is the most recent "doldrum themepark" and it came out in 2013 as a re-release of it's failed original version.


4. I don't know of CoE will make it, based on what I've seen, I'd say no. But if you have some compelling footage, I'm happy to take a look and change my mind.


5. I look forward to seeing their development progress, like I said, I'm a skeptic which isn't a synonym for a naysayer. So if things are looking good, I'm happy to jump in.

Shaigh

The game has already reached its crowdfunding goal so there is no need for me to back it. At this point the only reason for me to pledge would be to get it cheaper and given the risk its cheaper to wait until full release.

Nanfoodle

SedrynTyros said:

Nanfoodle said:

I was going to but then the whole permadeath thing made me walk away. Its tied into their payment model. You keep aging even when you're not playing. As a casual gamer, it just turned me off. 

I can understand that.  This game isn't really suited to the casual approach.

Sending mix signals there. Where you join a group and you can play with your friends when they advanced farther than you but you can keep playing with them. If they dont want to make this game casual friendly and thats the plan, well that just counts out me and my friends. Except one cousin who still plays games like he has no life. Odd market to target with how things are. Wildstar's focus was just the hardcore players, that went well. 

Zultra

Stretch goals make the game come quicker if you look the stretch goals come with additional staff such as the first one brings in a environmental artist

Shaigh

Zultra said:

Stretch goals make the game come quicker if you look the stretch goals come with additional staff such as the first one brings in a environmental artist

Statistic says something entirely different. There is a strong correlation between big projects and longer delays for kickstarters which means that adding stretch goals is likely to delay your project.

kuruma0510

have you ever seen a game the encourages grinding having to cycle thru multiple lives just to play the game. total waste of time. the game smells P2W all thru out. just read the features you will see that a player can always pay extra to "catch up" with his friends. its gonna be pay2win where the whales will rule 100%. seen it over and over again. not worth my time and money.

Drakenhoff

I'm a casual gamer yet I'm going to be able to play with my friends thanks to bolstering and the opc model

Sovrath

Flute said:

Quite simply because this genre needs games like this. 



So yes, these guys deserve your $25 in my book.  You probably will even get a hell of a fun game out of it. 

While the genre might need games like this I just don't like the devs. I realize that shouldn't be an issue but the more I read interviews, comments, the more I was rubbed the wrong way.

I like "professional". Always have. They will have to actually make a game to show that they can make a game and then I will be willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

But right now my impression of them isn't very high.

GrumpyHobbit

Well permadeath is kind of misleading. 

You have to look at the game differently. 

You are not really playing a single character but more of a family of characters.

When you die you are passing on your legacy to your heir. Your achievements are the foundation for your heir and also the foundations for the next generation of your family. So even if your 'character' dies the family lives on. 

I think it is a really exciting dynamic and brings in elements from strategy games like how Crusader Kings works by marrying, having kids and then passing on the kingdom to your heir. 

Add in the extra dynamic of having your 'guild' being your family members and blood feuds become even more dynamic. 

All in all I think far too many people don't take the time to think through what permadeath in this game actually is and instead just go with what they THINK it is when they are wrong. 

Nanfoodle

Drakenhoff said:

I'm a casual gamer yet I'm going to be able to play with my friends thanks to bolstering and the opc model

Only mechanic that helps casuals. To bad the rest of the game has nothing for you.

Ceironx

Flute said:

Will Chronicles of Elyria make it?  Yes, actually given who is on their team, the footage they have shown so far, the engine they are using, and that they are not at kickstarter with a blank sheet of paper or wildly unrealistic promises, I genuinely believe that they will make it.

You kidding right?!!

Drakenhoff

Nanfoodle said:

Drakenhoff said:

I'm a casual gamer yet I'm going to be able to play with my friends thanks to bolstering and the opc model

Only mechanic that helps casuals. To bad the rest of the game has nothing for you.

The whole game has things for me. The only reason for comments like this are ignorance

Nanfoodle

Drakenhoff said:

Nanfoodle said:

Drakenhoff said:

I'm a casual gamer yet I'm going to be able to play with my friends thanks to bolstering and the opc model

Only mechanic that helps casuals. To bad the rest of the game has nothing for you.

The whole game has things for me. The only reason for comments like this are ignorance

Please enlighten me. What else in this game is for casuals?

RPGMASTERGAMER

NO... JUST NO

show me a gameplay trailer ( a real one ) or a alpha demo for free or anything it can prove they have done something already on the games, papers and drawing dont qualify, im not a fool, i want a games of this genre but im not going go get stealt at all these news game who say everything any mmorpg players want and never releases.

can then supports the game with 100-200$ or more, i dont care i have money but im not stupid enough give it aways !!!

also why they dont go see a bank ?? burrow MONEY for your idea... peoples act like kickstarter are the only way, they can go see a bank with a business plan and they can get investment or they can go see peoples to burrow money, but ho well better get it on kickstarter, that free money, if the game fail they just say sorry, not the same with a bank huh !!

the fact they dont go ask money the usual way make me think they are not 100% sure they will deliver a games. they dont do any risk, peoples who back the kickstarter do it ....

if it was me and im confident in my game i would invest money and burrow money, if that fail i would go bankrup, but that just like any others company of any kinds, that the real world.

not this kickstarter free money world

Drakenhoff

You said this game had nothing for me. I'm saying that the only reason for that comment is your ignorance. 
You have no clue what I intend to do in this game so therefore you don't know what this game can offer me.but since your insistent I will enlighten you.

My play style will be that of a breeder, therefore I can log on ensure that my character has all the things he needs and then leave him to look after the herd / deal with customers.

Nanfoodle

Nanfoodle said:

Drakenhoff said:

Nanfoodle said:

Drakenhoff said:

I'm a casual gamer yet I'm going to be able to play with my friends thanks to bolstering and the opc model

Only mechanic that helps casuals. To bad the rest of the game has nothing for you.

The whole game has things for me. The only reason for comments like this are ignorance

Please enlighten me. What else in this game is for casuals?

Drakenhoff said:

You said this game had nothing for me. I'm saying that the only reason for that comment is your ignorance. 
You have no clue what I intend to do in this game so therefore you don't know what this game can offer me.but since your insistent I will enlighten you.

My play style will be that of a breeder, therefore I can log on ensure that my character has all the things he needs and then leave him to look after the herd / deal with customers.

So when you said "The whole game has things for me."  You really meant you will be happy with one thing lol. Thanks for the education. LOL

GrumpyHobbit

Nanfoodle said:

So when you said "The whole game has things for me."  You really meant you will be happy with one thing lol. Thanks for the education. LOL

Is that a bit like saying you like to play computer games but what you really mean is you are happy with just 1?

Really don't think there is a need to try telling people what they will find enjoyable. You don't like it, fine. stop telling other people not to like it. 

Drakenhoff

Nanfoodle said:

Nanfoodle said:

Drakenhoff said:

Nanfoodle said:

Drakenhoff said:

I'm a casual gamer yet I'm going to be able to play with my friends thanks to bolstering and the opc model

Only mechanic that helps casuals. To bad the rest of the game has nothing for you.

The whole game has things for me. The only reason for comments like this are ignorance

Please enlighten me. What else in this game is for casuals?

Drakenhoff said:

You said this game had nothing for me. I'm saying that the only reason for that comment is your ignorance. 
You have no clue what I intend to do in this game so therefore you don't know what this game can offer me.but since your insistent I will enlighten you.

My play style will be that of a breeder, therefore I can log on ensure that my character has all the things he needs and then leave him to look after the herd / deal with customers.

So when you said "The whole game has things for me."  You really meant you will be happy with one thing lol. Thanks for the education. LOL

That's more than one thing. But it's one aspect of what i'm looking forward to. Your comments are childish and unnecessary. 

Gralius

So why would I say something totally uncharacteristic like "you should back Elyria"?

Quite simply because this genre needs games like this. 


Perma Death will answer that question for a lot of people, me included. 

I would be far more optimistic if the perma death 'feature' were dropped.

 

flizzer

I shouldn't back this game because I don't like open world PvP gankfest games. 


I'm not backing this game.


Easy. 

Nanfoodle

GrumpyHobbit said:

Nanfoodle said:

So when you said "The whole game has things for me."  You really meant you will be happy with one thing lol. Thanks for the education. LOL

Is that a bit like saying you like to play computer games but what you really mean is you are happy with just 1?

Really don't think there is a need to try telling people what they will find enjoyable. You don't like it, fine. stop telling other people not to like it. 

Never told him not to like it. I said this game is very limited to casual game play. Its their design and the dev team have spoken very loudly about it. Matter of fact, there is no solo play. Most mobs in the game will take a min of 2-3 players to kill. Nothing wrong with that its just how they made their game. He said as a casual gamer, the whole game has things for me. When I asked to be informed have gave me one thing. This is not a casual game and is not designed for that kind of play style. If standing around a pig farm is your fun, Im not knocking it but I am sure you will need to go into the world to keep your farm going. 

Kayo83

Nah... yeah the genre needs a boost and indies are probably the best bet for it at this point but I got other indie MMO's id consider help funding way before CoE. 

Archlyte

Gralius said:

So why would I say something totally uncharacteristic like "you should back Elyria"?

Quite simply because this genre needs games like this. 


Perma Death will answer that question for a lot of people, me included. 

I would be far more optimistic if the perma death 'feature' were dropped.

 

Dropping Perma-Death would kill the concept of the game. It's not really Perma-Death but forced reincarnation. In essence your soul is your character and the soul gets more powerful with each life. This puts a tension in the game of how much/what can you achieve in that incarnation's lifetime. 

The lifetime given is not inconsequential unless you back to back murder in order to voldemort your lifespark and shorten your lifespan for that life dramatically. So it isn't a life that goes by in a flash. 

CoE isn't Perma Death like RUST or DayZ, it's something different.