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Very good description of Shadowbane
Stravus-EB
Member Posts: 79
In a game like Evercrack, PvE is challenging because PvE is one of the few activities other than farming and crafting available.
PvE represents an artificially enhanced time-sink in which to spread out the experience of game content.
In ShadowBane, PvE is necessarily limmited and not nearly as hyped up because ShadowBane has a unique concept: that of the player created end-game.
The political situations, board-warrioring, and maneuvering in game represent a depth of gameplay rarely seen outside chess games. Leveling is simply a nod in the direction of lore and traditional MMORPG's. There is no valid reason for leveling a character once game mechanics are learned.
After one month or so of playing this game, I had personally visited very single camp and spawn on the server (Fear) and been to every NPC in the game to discover what i could about the world of ShadowBane. At first I was dissapointed, expecting more of a storyline and at least one quest from the developers.
I soon discovered that individual players and guilds and their stories, far surpassed that of any imaginative enterprise on Ubi's or Wolfpack's behalf.
Within the world of SB, you must be prepared to discard the traditional perspective of a MMO*. This game is player driven, the content and Lore player made, and the end-game, player made.
I doubt even Wolfpack knew the consequences of their inital idea, but I'm glad they forged this path; no other game on the market has the depth or intricacy of shadowbanes PvP system. The character creation and development system is unparralleled, save for AD&D, and the PvP balance is far closer to true balance than any other so called PvP game on the market (Save for the FPS's, as they utilize the fact that each of their players is a clone of the other, and no differences exist in which to differentiate playstyles.)
The bugs, the sbexecutions, the crappy CCR support, the admittedly inferior engine... all those things would have driven a lesser concept into the ground.
I'm sure, if you've been playing as long as I have, that you can wholeheartedly agree; Despite Shadowbane's problems, it is still, without a doubt, the absolute best MMO on the market. No other game comes close to the fun factor.
They still think that spending 2 full years (gametime, not subscription time) is reasonable (hell, they know its profitable) in order to achieve and experience end-game content.
Instead of abusing our obsession, WP has been relatively honorable and has fulfilled their obligation to do their best to provide us with a premier PvP, NvN, siege oriented game.
They haven't provided many time-sinks, which has led to some early burn-out and disillusionment, but overall, they have kept this game fun.
Asset destruction, open PvP, the probability of rPK and griefing, the player driven content.. all those things are what we play for. You might as well play a red-EQ server if you can't handle losing a city.
Without asset destruction, theres no reason for PvP. Without a city to defend, theres no reason to siege. Without an enemy to hate (zerg vs rPK vs small guilds, etc) theres no reason to board warrior. Without a reason to board warrior, theres no reason to engage in active politics. Without a reason to engage in active politics, theres no reason to attack your neighbors. Without a reason to attack your neighbors, theres no reason to solicit terrritorial rights. Without a reason to claim territory... theres no reason to fight those who encroach.
The game centers around sieges and siege balance. The economy and power centers orbit around those with the largest numbers or those with the best siege strategy. Without cities or personal assets... well, you do the math.
Fortunately, we have some real gaming geniuses on our side.
This was posted by a SB player by the name The-Guru. It is one of the best descriptions of SB that I have ever seen. I thought I would share it with everyone
Comments
L2-
Immaculate- DE assassin
Sabac- De Oracle
SB(retired for now)
Immaculate Confession- probably a fessor huh?
FondleMy HorseNuts- Cent Prelate
Carp TheUnseen- Ireiki Mage Assassin
IrishCarp-HG Warrior
Sabac Red- Mino Warrior
Q-Unique-Human Channy
L2-
Immaculate- DE assassin
Sabac- De Oracle
SB(retired for now)
Immaculate Confession- probably a fessor huh?
FondleMy HorseNuts- Cent Prelate
Carp TheUnseen- Ireiki Mage Assassin
IrishCarp-HG Warrior
Sabac Red- Mino Warrior
Q-Unique-Human Channy
It only took about three months of playing initial retail for me to see many, many cities of my own and of others fall, and for a variety of reason. "This person pked this person." "You stole our camp." "Rumor has it you're going to attack us." It gets old.
-----They haven't provided many time-sinks, which has led to some early burn-out and disillusionment, but overall, they have kept this game fun.
No time sinks? So cities pay for themselves? but i thought:
-----Asset destruction, open PvP, the probability of rPK and griefing, the player driven content.. all those things are what we play for. You might as well play a red-EQ server if you can't handle losing a city.
You play for the rush you get when your city is at risk. Why? I thought there were no time sinks. Getting a new city should be as easy as 1,2,3.
-----Without asset destruction, theres no reason for PvP. Without a city to defend, theres no reason to siege. Without an enemy to hate (zerg vs rPK vs small guilds, etc) theres no reason to board warrior. Without a reason to board warrior, theres no reason to engage in active politics. Without a reason to engage in active politics, theres no reason to attack your neighbors. Without a reason to attack your neighbors, theres no reason to solicit terrritorial rights. Without a reason to claim territory... theres no reason to fight those who encroach.
What good is territory if it lacks content, content to which you have already stated is so miniscule that all that is to be known about it was ascertained within the first month of gameplay.
-----The game centers around sieges and siege balance. The economy and power centers orbit around those with the largest numbers or those with the best siege strategy. Without cities or personal assets... well, you do the math.
The truth of the matter is that people cared so deeply about the destruction of their cities because they are a huge timesink. You spend alot of time farming the cash to pay for the buildings and you spend alot of time twidling your thumbs while said buildings grow in rank.
People got dissillussioned w/ Shadowbane because this game lacked high end content. Nowadays w/ server populations so low I am sure it takes a considerable amount of time to experience it all. However, at release cities fell and rose hourly and nearly all possible political scenerios got exhausted in a matter of months.
Anyone who has stuck with this game since release has issues.
Seriously, go play Eve Online (which I only played for two weeks, recognizing its similar grind and endgame before I had to make a 30$ commitment). If offers very similar political engagement and in a new environment.
You CAN handle the truth...it's just really slippery.
Yeah that kind of resource hoarding makes the game good. At the time of the example you mentioned, what was the server population? Were there any mega-guilds? If so why did they let such a thing go on?
Have they lowered the building and up-ranking times? If cities are easily obtainable why care to GvG?
I should go over to Ubi and read what content they claim to be offering w/ their upcoming expansion. Hopefully it is something in the order of resources that can permantly increase your characters attributes and PvP capability, not simply their wallet.
You CAN handle the truth...it's just really slippery.