When we pick up a quest that takes place in a special instance, how will we get to that instance? In City of Heroes we had to run to a particular door to enter the instance (which I very much liked). Will there be hundreds of entry points, and one is randomly selected when we get the quest (like in CoH), will there be only one entry point per zone (which would mean that people could "pile" around them, each moving to a different instance and would remove some immersion), or will we simply be teleported instantly to the instance with our group when we accept the quest (also removing immersion)?
"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." -Dr. Seuss
Originally posted by Shroom_Mage Will there be hundreds of entry points, and one is randomly selected when we get the quest (like in CoH). . .
I think you ask a terrific question, and it's something I hope this next generation of instance-using games figures out. Even CoH has immersion problems along the lines you describe, especially (if memory serves) in the horrible, horrible Hollows. I rarely played during peak hours, and deliberately chose a low-population server, and still I would see groups of 18-20 toons loitering around a brick building, waiting for their friends (no doubt being killed by rock creatures on their way to the instance) so they could have a chance to get killed by Frostfire's minions once inside.
Originally posted by Shroom_Mage I don't think anyone's asked this yet. When we pick up a quest that takes place in a special instance, how will we get to that instance? In City of Heroes we had to run to a particular door to enter the instance (which I very much liked). Will there be hundreds of entry points, and one is randomly selected when we get the quest (like in CoH), will there be only one entry point per zone (which would mean that people could "pile" around them, each moving to a different instance and would remove some immersion), or will we simply be teleported instantly to the instance with our group when we accept the quest (also removing immersion)?
This has not been released yet by the home office. Great question though.
Lemme see if I can get someone to sneak in here and answer it later today.
Originally posted by Shroom_Mage I don't think anyone's asked this yet. When we pick up a quest that takes place in a special instance, how will we get to that instance? In City of Heroes we had to run to a particular door to enter the instance (which I very much liked). Will there be hundreds of entry points, and one is randomly selected when we get the quest (like in CoH), will there be only one entry point per zone (which would mean that people could "pile" around them, each moving to a different instance and would remove some immersion), or will we simply be teleported instantly to the instance with our group when we accept the quest (also removing immersion)?
And the answer that I am allowed to give to all of the above questions is...
This is a really informative thread, I'm glad I found it.
I have a question regarding combat animations/styles. I noticed among the classes you listed as available, monk was one of them. Do you mean a martial artist type of character, or more of the Guild Wars style of Monk (a divine caster). If it is indeed a martial arts-type, how are the animations for the moves? Do they look different from a character who is just brawling or something? I'm concerned because most games do a rather poor job with this kind of character, and they often just don't feel much like martial arts heroes, they end up seeming more like people who just do more damage with that staff or standard punch/kick than normal characters. I'm really hoping they have some cool-looking stances and moves of their own,things like that. Have you seen any of this yet, or have any insight into what they're doing with it?
As a real-life martial artist, I generally don't play them in MMOs, simply because they never feel right to me. I don't mean realistic, that'd be boring, but a game where you can play a character that feels like a cool action-movie-style martial artist would be great.
-Gobbo Knight
"Tie two birds together...they have four wings, but cannot fly." -Blind man, Circle of Iron
Originally posted by GobboKnight This is a really informative thread, I'm glad I found it. I have a question regarding combat animations/styles. I noticed among the classes you listed as available, monk was one of them. Do you mean a martial artist type of character, or more of the Guild Wars style of Monk (a divine caster). If it is indeed a martial arts-type, how are the animations for the moves? Do they look different from a character who is just brawling or something? I'm concerned because most games do a rather poor job with this kind of character, and they often just don't feel much like martial arts heroes, they end up seeming more like people who just do more damage with that staff or standard punch/kick than normal characters. I'm really hoping they have some cool-looking stances and moves of their own,things like that. Have you seen any of this yet, or have any insight into what they're doing with it? As a real-life martial artist, I generally don't play them in MMOs, simply because they never feel right to me. I don't mean realistic, that'd be boring, but a game where you can play a character that feels like a cool action-movie-style martial artist would be great.
As of this posting Monk is no longer on our tenative list of classes.
They are currently, Warrior, Ranger, Rogue, Wizard, Necromancer, Gearknight, Healer, Cleric, and Bard.
But let me stress... that is a tenative list and subject to change/upgrade/expansion. (again)
And if we did it anyway, it would just be fun as hell to play... period.
Thanks for the question GK. Sorry it wasn't an answer you wanted though. Keep reading back here though and check the main site at www.play.net/hj
Originally posted by HJ-Royce Originally posted by GobboKnight This is a really informative thread, I'm glad I found it. I have a question regarding combat animations/styles. I noticed among the classes you listed as available, monk was one of them. Do you mean a martial artist type of character, or more of the Guild Wars style of Monk (a divine caster). If it is indeed a martial arts-type, how are the animations for the moves? Do they look different from a character who is just brawling or something? I'm concerned because most games do a rather poor job with this kind of character, and they often just don't feel much like martial arts heroes, they end up seeming more like people who just do more damage with that staff or standard punch/kick than normal characters. I'm really hoping they have some cool-looking stances and moves of their own,things like that. Have you seen any of this yet, or have any insight into what they're doing with it? As a real-life martial artist, I generally don't play them in MMOs, simply because they never feel right to me. I don't mean realistic, that'd be boring, but a game where you can play a character that feels like a cool action-movie-style martial artist would be great. As of this posting Monk is no longer on our tenative list of classes. They are currently, Warrior, Ranger, Rogue, Wizard, Necromancer, Gearknight, Healer, Cleric, and Bard. But let me stress... that is a tenative list and subject to change/upgrade/expansion. (again) And if we did it anyway, it would just be fun as hell to play... period. Thanks for the question GK. Sorry it wasn't an answer you wanted though. Keep reading back here though and check the main site at www.play.net/hj
No problem, and thanks for the quick response. I look forward to possibly seeing that sort of character in an expansion then. The current list has plenty of interesting options that I can tell (what is a Gearknight, though?). Taking into consideration the possibility that we can choose a primary/secondary combo from the list, and I can see myself creating about a ton of characters to experiment with. I always do that when faced with detailed and robust character creation in a game, and this seems like it'll have that in great amounts. I hope they let us have a fair number of character slots, heh. I confess, I'm an alt-aholic, and many of the friends and guildmates I game with are the same way.
-Gobbo Knight
"Tie two birds together...they have four wings, but cannot fly." -Blind man, Circle of Iron
I don't think it's really fair to open new class combos later on, because I would be SO MAD if something I liked better came out, and I had to start a new character...... That's the only thing I dislike about not being able to change classes.... I wouldn't change it though.
Originally posted by xDivianaDRx That's actually pretty probable.
I don't think it's really fair to open new class combos later on, because I would be SO MAD if something I liked better came out, and I had to start a new character...... That's the only thing I dislike about not being able to change classes.... I wouldn't change it though.
Personally, I liked FFXIs take on that. I like being able to persue new ideas or newly introduced classes without starting over from (complete) scratch.
The people who are really gonna touch the sky in any given class will be those that have the discipline (or narrow-mindedness, whatever you want to call it) to stick to their chosen class.
And in FFXI you could choose to make more than on character and devote each one to a given class combo exclusively.
yeahhhhhhh, I had one of those FFXI things. I had an Elvaan WHM/SMN.. I was actually really good at what I did, because that's just all I played... I didn't like the way FFXI was done, I guess I was too spoiled with DR.. My WHM/SMN, even though she was Elvaan, was as good if not better than any Taru whms my level (56 when I quit)..
I already know what I'm going to be when I play HJ. It's a super secret, and it's going to kick ass. I don't have any plans to even make another character.. When I played DR I had Diviana and some mules.. I tried to play them but I just didn't like the other guilds... So Diviana was pretty much it. I stuck by her, and now she's like 32nd circle (which is actually pretty sad, she SHOULD be like 60 by now)
Originally posted by boondoggle42 Originally posted by jackbelt20 Is there going to be a preorder available? And if so any idea when it will be available?
Like Diviana, I don't think they'll be able to answer.
I've still got my eyes, ears, and everything else peeled for info on beta.
Anyone got anything? is any kinda of beta happening now? super exclusive closed beta of some sort? anything?
I went back to DR about 6 months ago to tide me over, but I'm kinda pining for some visuals.
This is Fluffy. He is the destroyer of worlds!!!!
*ahem* anyways...
Right now they're probably going through various levels of internal testing, as well as a selective level of alpha testing. Meaning they probably have about 100 or so people they recruit in order to "play around" with the new system fuctions during a restricted portion of the day. If they plan to release on the schedule they claim, that this has to be the LEAST that they've done. Of course, anyone who is involved in it, even if it went so far as a limited closed beta, they can't talk about it because they'll have signed an NDA which will extend until the game is ready to go into an open beta/stress test. If they'll even have an open one. Open betas are usually useless for determining anything other then population induced problems, such as lag, server stability, and compatability with as many kinds of builds as there are people.
In grand old fashion, I imagine that they're going to have a preorder. It IS the wave of the future after all. Companies like to have an impression of they're potential sales right before they go gold. It helps them to roughly estimate the production volue they'll need. Besides, companies love preorders simply for the fact that its guarenteed money.
Poor wish tried to estimate its end userbase by the level of applications it had for the second stage closed beta. *goes off to cry himself to sleep*
I hope they let us have a fair number of character slots, heh. I confess, I'm an alt-aholic, and many of the friends and guildmates I game with are the same way.
You are not alone in the alt thing. Myself and my friends from various games are like that.
One of those friends had 16 accounts! Accounts, not characters.
I am an alt-aholic myself. I am that type who like to have one of each type of character, but I am not blessed with anywhere near enough money to pay for enough accounts to have one of each type of character.
I hate having to make those choices, which is probably why I continually change my mind and remake characters into different classes all the time, therefore never really getting anywhere in the game. I've been known to reroll high level so called "Mains" because of this too.
Originally posted by xDivianaDRx That's actually pretty probable.
I don't think it's really fair to open new class combos later on, because I would be SO MAD if something I liked better came out, and I had to start a new character...... That's the only thing I dislike about not being able to change classes.... I wouldn't change it though.
Ths post is from a personal POV and not one as a GM for Simutronics.
I'm in the same boat you are Div, once I play a couple characters I stick with them and don't start over at a later date.
But that being said, we are the minority I think. Countless people do this and enjoy every moment of it and I don't see it changing any time in the future.
Originally posted by jackbelt20 Is there going to be a preorder available? And if so any idea when it will be available?
Like Diviana, I don't think they'll be able to answer.
I've still got my eyes, ears, and everything else peeled for info on beta.
Anyone got anything? is any kinda of beta happening now? super exclusive closed beta of some sort? anything?
I went back to DR about 6 months ago to tide me over, but I'm kinda pining for some visuals.
This is Fluffy. He is the destroyer of worlds!!!!
*ahem* anyways...
Right now they're probably going through various levels of internal testing, as well as a selective level of alpha testing. Meaning they probably have about 100 or so people they recruit in order to "play around" with the new system fuctions during a restricted portion of the day. If they plan to release on the schedule they claim, that this has to be the LEAST that they've done. Of course, anyone who is involved in it, even if it went so far as a limited closed beta, they can't talk about it because they'll have signed an NDA which will extend until the game is ready to go into an open beta/stress test. If they'll even have an open one. Open betas are usually useless for determining anything other then population induced problems, such as lag, server stability, and compatability with as many kinds of builds as there are people.
In grand old fashion, I imagine that they're going to have a preorder. It IS the wave of the future after all. Companies like to have an impression of they're potential sales right before they go gold. It helps them to roughly estimate the production volue they'll need. Besides, companies love preorders simply for the fact that its guarenteed money.
Poor wish tried to estimate its end userbase by the level of applications it had for the second stage closed beta. *goes off to cry himself to sleep*
The only "official" thing I can say about testing is this...
We test the daylights out of everything we make during each step of creation. Half (if not more) of my time is spent checking to make sure things are going as planned with the system I'm working on. Remember, I'm a Dev GM. But that also applies to each aspect of GM'ing.
Originally posted by kaieedge I am an alt-aholic myself. I am that type who like to have one of each type of character, but I am not blessed with anywhere near enough money to pay for enough accounts to have one of each type of character. I hate having to make those choices, which is probably why I continually change my mind and remake characters into different classes all the time, therefore never really getting anywhere in the game. I've been known to reroll high level so called "Mains" because of this too.
I just want to make sure you all have seen this...
Comments
HJ-Royce
Simutronics Staff (GM)
http://www.play.net/hj/
I don't think anyone's asked this yet.
When we pick up a quest that takes place in a special instance, how will we get to that instance? In City of Heroes we had to run to a particular door to enter the instance (which I very much liked). Will there be hundreds of entry points, and one is randomly selected when we get the quest (like in CoH), will there be only one entry point per zone (which would mean that people could "pile" around them, each moving to a different instance and would remove some immersion), or will we simply be teleported instantly to the instance with our group when we accept the quest (also removing immersion)?
"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." -Dr. Seuss
I think you ask a terrific question, and it's something I hope this next generation of instance-using games figures out. Even CoH has immersion problems along the lines you describe, especially (if memory serves) in the horrible, horrible Hollows. I rarely played during peak hours, and deliberately chose a low-population server, and still I would see groups of 18-20 toons loitering around a brick building, waiting for their friends (no doubt being killed by rock creatures on their way to the instance) so they could have a chance to get killed by Frostfire's minions once inside.
This has not been released yet by the home office. Great question though.
Lemme see if I can get someone to sneak in here and answer it later today.
HJ-Royce
Simutronics Staff (GM)
http://www.play.net/hj/
And the answer that I am allowed to give to all of the above questions is...
Yes.
Read into that what you will
HJ-Royce
Simutronics Staff (GM)
http://www.play.net/hj/
This is a really informative thread, I'm glad I found it.
I have a question regarding combat animations/styles. I noticed among the classes you listed as available, monk was one of them. Do you mean a martial artist type of character, or more of the Guild Wars style of Monk (a divine caster). If it is indeed a martial arts-type, how are the animations for the moves? Do they look different from a character who is just brawling or something? I'm concerned because most games do a rather poor job with this kind of character, and they often just don't feel much like martial arts heroes, they end up seeming more like people who just do more damage with that staff or standard punch/kick than normal characters. I'm really hoping they have some cool-looking stances and moves of their own,things like that. Have you seen any of this yet, or have any insight into what they're doing with it?
As a real-life martial artist, I generally don't play them in MMOs, simply because they never feel right to me. I don't mean realistic, that'd be boring, but a game where you can play a character that feels like a cool action-movie-style martial artist would be great.
-Gobbo Knight
"Tie two birds together...they have four wings, but cannot fly." -Blind man, Circle of Iron
As of this posting Monk is no longer on our tenative list of classes.
They are currently, Warrior, Ranger, Rogue, Wizard, Necromancer, Gearknight, Healer, Cleric, and Bard.
But let me stress... that is a tenative list and subject to change/upgrade/expansion. (again)
And if we did it anyway, it would just be fun as hell to play... period.
Thanks for the question GK. Sorry it wasn't an answer you wanted though. Keep reading back here though and check the main site at www.play.net/hj
HJ-Royce
Simutronics Staff (GM)
http://www.play.net/hj/
No problem, and thanks for the quick response. I look forward to possibly seeing that sort of character in an expansion then. The current list has plenty of interesting options that I can tell (what is a Gearknight, though?). Taking into consideration the possibility that we can choose a primary/secondary combo from the list, and I can see myself creating about a ton of characters to experiment with. I always do that when faced with detailed and robust character creation in a game, and this seems like it'll have that in great amounts. I hope they let us have a fair number of character slots, heh. I confess, I'm an alt-aholic, and many of the friends and guildmates I game with are the same way.
-Gobbo Knight
"Tie two birds together...they have four wings, but cannot fly." -Blind man, Circle of Iron
Is there going to be a preorder available? And if so any idea when it will be available?
HJ-Diviana
Hero's Journey GM
Hero's Journey Official Site
Hero's Hall
If I recall, each base class combo has it''s own name. So, if this is true, is Monk simply out as a base class and is possibly a combo-class name?
That's actually pretty probable.
I don't think it's really fair to open new class combos later on, because I would be SO MAD if something I liked better came out, and I had to start a new character...... That's the only thing I dislike about not being able to change classes.... I wouldn't change it though.
HJ-Diviana
Hero's Journey GM
Hero's Journey Official Site
Hero's Hall
Personally, I liked FFXIs take on that. I like being able to persue new ideas or newly introduced classes without starting over from (complete) scratch.
The people who are really gonna touch the sky in any given class will be those that have the discipline (or narrow-mindedness, whatever you want to call it) to stick to their chosen class.
And in FFXI you could choose to make more than on character and devote each one to a given class combo exclusively.
yeahhhhhhh, I had one of those FFXI things. I had an Elvaan WHM/SMN.. I was actually really good at what I did, because that's just all I played... I didn't like the way FFXI was done, I guess I was too spoiled with DR.. My WHM/SMN, even though she was Elvaan, was as good if not better than any Taru whms my level (56 when I quit)..
I already know what I'm going to be when I play HJ. It's a super secret, and it's going to kick ass. I don't have any plans to even make another character.. When I played DR I had Diviana and some mules.. I tried to play them but I just didn't like the other guilds... So Diviana was pretty much it. I stuck by her, and now she's like 32nd circle (which is actually pretty sad, she SHOULD be like 60 by now)
HJ-Diviana
Hero's Journey GM
Hero's Journey Official Site
Hero's Hall
Like Diviana, I don't think they'll be able to answer.
I've still got my eyes, ears, and everything else peeled for info on beta.
Anyone got anything? is any kinda of beta happening now? super exclusive closed beta of some sort? anything?
I went back to DR about 6 months ago to tide me over, but I'm kinda pining for some visuals.
I don't think there is any kind of beta going on yet, not even super secret.
I'm going to guess in about three months they'll start... Hopefully less, although I doubt I'll get in.
HJ-Diviana
Hero's Journey GM
Hero's Journey Official Site
Hero's Hall
Like Diviana, I don't think they'll be able to answer.
I've still got my eyes, ears, and everything else peeled for info on beta.
Anyone got anything? is any kinda of beta happening now? super exclusive closed beta of some sort? anything?
I went back to DR about 6 months ago to tide me over, but I'm kinda pining for some visuals.
This is Fluffy. He is the destroyer of worlds!!!!
*ahem* anyways...
Right now they're probably going through various levels of internal testing, as well as a selective level of alpha testing. Meaning they probably have about 100 or so people they recruit in order to "play around" with the new system fuctions during a restricted portion of the day. If they plan to release on the schedule they claim, that this has to be the LEAST that they've done. Of course, anyone who is involved in it, even if it went so far as a limited closed beta, they can't talk about it because they'll have signed an NDA which will extend until the game is ready to go into an open beta/stress test. If they'll even have an open one. Open betas are usually useless for determining anything other then population induced problems, such as lag, server stability, and compatability with as many kinds of builds as there are people.
In grand old fashion, I imagine that they're going to have a preorder. It IS the wave of the future after all. Companies like to have an impression of they're potential sales right before they go gold. It helps them to roughly estimate the production volue they'll need. Besides, companies love preorders simply for the fact that its guarenteed money.
Poor wish tried to estimate its end userbase by the level of applications it had for the second stage closed beta. *goes off to cry himself to sleep*
You are not alone in the alt thing. Myself and my friends from various games are like that.
One of those friends had 16 accounts! Accounts, not characters.
HJ-Royce
Simutronics Staff (GM)
http://www.play.net/hj/
Probably. Most stores offer this. EB-games, Game Stop, Babbages, Amazon... etc.
As for internal, we-ship pre-order... my guess is yes. But there has been no official word from the home office that I can find... yet.
HJ-Royce
Simutronics Staff (GM)
http://www.play.net/hj/
Nothing has the name Monk currently in HJ.
Although, I do call one of my friends a hermit... does that count?
HJ-Royce
Simutronics Staff (GM)
http://www.play.net/hj/
I am an alt-aholic myself. I am that type who like to have one of each type of character, but I am not blessed with anywhere near enough money to pay for enough accounts to have one of each type of character.
I hate having to make those choices, which is probably why I continually change my mind and remake characters into different classes all the time, therefore never really getting anywhere in the game. I've been known to reroll high level so called "Mains" because of this too.
Humility before Honor.
I'm in the same boat you are Div, once I play a couple characters I stick with them and don't start over at a later date.
But that being said, we are the minority I think. Countless people do this and enjoy every moment of it and I don't see it changing any time in the future.
HJ-Royce
Simutronics Staff (GM)
http://www.play.net/hj/
Like Diviana, I don't think they'll be able to answer.
I've still got my eyes, ears, and everything else peeled for info on beta.
Anyone got anything? is any kinda of beta happening now? super exclusive closed beta of some sort? anything?
I went back to DR about 6 months ago to tide me over, but I'm kinda pining for some visuals.
This is Fluffy. He is the destroyer of worlds!!!!
*ahem* anyways...
Right now they're probably going through various levels of internal testing, as well as a selective level of alpha testing. Meaning they probably have about 100 or so people they recruit in order to "play around" with the new system fuctions during a restricted portion of the day. If they plan to release on the schedule they claim, that this has to be the LEAST that they've done. Of course, anyone who is involved in it, even if it went so far as a limited closed beta, they can't talk about it because they'll have signed an NDA which will extend until the game is ready to go into an open beta/stress test. If they'll even have an open one. Open betas are usually useless for determining anything other then population induced problems, such as lag, server stability, and compatability with as many kinds of builds as there are people.
In grand old fashion, I imagine that they're going to have a preorder. It IS the wave of the future after all. Companies like to have an impression of they're potential sales right before they go gold. It helps them to roughly estimate the production volue they'll need. Besides, companies love preorders simply for the fact that its guarenteed money.
Poor wish tried to estimate its end userbase by the level of applications it had for the second stage closed beta. *goes off to cry himself to sleep*
The only "official" thing I can say about testing is this...
We test the daylights out of everything we make during each step of creation. Half (if not more) of my time is spent checking to make sure things are going as planned with the system I'm working on. Remember, I'm a Dev GM. But that also applies to each aspect of GM'ing.
Sorry I can't give you more yet.
HJ-Royce
Simutronics Staff (GM)
http://www.play.net/hj/
I just want to make sure you all have seen this...
http://www.kmtdesigns.com/hjfaq/index.php?action=artikel&cat=13&id=65&artlang=en&highlight=characters
Might save on re-rolling a tad.
HJ-Royce
Simutronics Staff (GM)
http://www.play.net/hj/
HJ-Diviana
Hero's Journey GM
Hero's Journey Official Site
Hero's Hall