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Somewhat worried...
Zarynterk
Member UncommonPosts: 398
To be honest, I could care less about the NDA seeing as people who pre-ordered the game are getting hosed in obtaining refunds. However, that is not what this thread is about and we will save that for another time.
I have played the game, and from the 3 times that I have actually been able to login...and from the 6 hours of playtime, there is one thing that worries the hell out of me. It is the similarities to the beta of Vanguard. This game looks incredible at first, so you are taken aback visually. However, thats where the honeymoon ends. In my time in the game, I ran from one side of the actual gaming "world" to the other...and to be honest its about as big as...the barrens (if that). I was not able to travel farther due to running into an invisible wall...this wall encircled the entire "world" of the game and literally took about 30 mins to travel across. This is where the comparison to Vanguard comes in, for those that remember the start of VG, it was a huge empty world. MO's world is not huge however it is completely empty. Devoid of almost any type of mob, except for pigs, deer, and bison looking things which number about 20 in all..At this level of production to date, I expect volumes more...
The combat is decent, much like what you would expect from an Oblivion type mmo. It is a tad clunky, and slow to respond however being one of the first twitch based mmos I would tend to forgive the issues. The armor and such is visually pleasing, more realistic which I prefer.
I would have to say that overall out of 10 I would give the game a 4... And before people start up with the "its only beta, blah, blah" I would ask themselves to think back on all the games that they have beta tested. Those games were at a point where they could be released and survive to a certain extent (SWG for example). Good or bad, there was at least a finished world where you can see where the game is headed...not just an empty "zone-world". And that in itself is the issue with Mortal Online. If the beta is any example of where the actual "status" of the game is...it should be pushed back at least another couple years. Just my 2 cents...
Comments
the reason il never pay for a mmorpg maded by a small unknown company
Did you consider the fact that since it is in beta they are only releasing only so much content (i.e One Zone) because its only one part of the beta testing phase?
MO is made by a small, independent developer. You can't hold them up to the same measuring stick as SOE, Blizzard or Turbine. Their beta is a true beta. Not some marketing, gimmick "beta" test which is what a lot of games are doing these days. They've stated that the beta test is going to happen in phases, gradually introducing more and more aspects of the game.
When I played in the LotRO private beta, the game was far from finished. Invisible walls all over the place. Bugs with various parts of the game. Gimpy fast travel. Ghost bear. Etc. When the game was finally released, it was much more polished and quite stable. There were still issues, but it went from being a "this game isn't ready for release at all" kind of game to one of the smoothest, best launched games I've ever played.
Current: None
Played: WoW, CoX, SWG, LotRO, EVE, AoC, VG, CO, Ryzom, DF, WAR
Tried: Lineage2, Dofus, EQ2, CoS, FE, UO, Wurm, Wakfu
Future: The Repopulation, ArcheAge, Black Desert, EQN
As a matter of fact I did, and if this "zone" is an example as to what to expect... The game should still be delayed due to lack of content. The zone was completely empty...
I agree with you 100% on LoTRo... However bugs and issues can be addressed prior to release...an empty gaming world devoid content cannot.
From www.mortalonline.com/news/july-13-07-09
Beta testing and gameplay
The Beta is starting July 20 with the features from Combat Beta active, as well as a few new ones. The very first steps have to do with architecture, back-end and network-performance. To begin with, we are aiming to test:
MO Updater (auto-patching system)
Account System, Login, Logout
Character Creation (The “human family” only, like Tindremenes, Khurites etc, male and female)
General Network and Server stability and speed
Crowd congestion tests
Seamless World-streaming
Updated Prediction System
Sound
Client System Performance
This is not very fun from a gameplay-perspective, although crucial from a technical standpoint. To make you run around in the world and have some feeling of purpose in this crude beginning, we are also testing:
Attribute balancing, basic Skill gain (a few example skills)
Further real time PvP, Melee and Archery Combat testing and balancing
"Vendor-crafting" (you bring resources to a vendor, who then crafts stuff for you according to your instructions, like in Combat Beta). The Skills and GUI (Graphical User Interface) for the "real" crafting is still in development
Very basic resource-gathering (refining, prospecting etc will be in together with crafting later on, meaning at the moment you will get magically pre-refined resources when mining, etc)
Fundamental AI-behavior, a few creatures
World traversing, Swimming and Combat Swimming
Around 32km^2 of the Myrland continent
Basic banking (global at first, local if we manage to get it in before this weekend)
Local chat (no languages)
The Flagging System (complete with temporary insta-guards in guard zones)
That's it. Nothing more, nothing less. These first important steps will be the foundation of the game, and updates will come quickly and at a regular basis once we are confident most of the above is working in the new massive environment.
Please also remember that both your possessions and your Characters can be wiped from the server at any moment, and that this may happen several times during the Beta.
You're in for a rough ride, but we are excited for those of you who want to embark on this journey with us!
/the MO Dev Team
About what I expected would happen. I constantly check the leaks and know what's in the game, and as a comparison Darkfall 2 months before launch had more content and was more polished.
Yes that Darkfall....lol
If they release as planned in the next 2-3 months (Q3 2009) I wish the best to the people who paid 110 dollars for it.
But as the fanboys shout out everytime "ITS MADE WITH UNREAL ENGINE OMGOMOGOMG" like that matters in the slightest bit...well they may have some customers.
Thanks for posting that, it does clear some of it up. However, if they are saying the game is 2-3 months out from being release ready, they are smoking crack... I have seen the state of the game, and its early alpha, if that.
Not to mention the fact, that when they do actually start adding the content imagine the amount of issues that will create by itself. I have beta'd many, many games and never once have I seen a "beta" where they have yet to add 90% of the content... Good luck rationalizing that.
Thanks for posting that, it does clear some of it up. However, if they are saying the game is 2-3 months out from being release ready, they are smoking crack... I have seen the state of the game, and its early alpha, if that.
Not to mention the fact, that when they do actually start adding the content imagine the amount of issues that will create by itself. I have beta'd many, many games and never once have I seen a "beta" where they have yet to add 90% of the content... Good luck rationalizing that.
It's at Q4 mate so, presumably Oct/Nov/Dec, but knowing MMORPGs in general (and taking into account the fact that they are Indie developers I'd say it will be pushed back to Q1 2010. To be honest though, I think people would still sub onto the game if it is released half finished next month, let alone in December for example. There simply isn't much to offer when it comes to alternatives to Mortal. Furthermore I think you're kinda missing the point. True, there perhaps should be more mobs and stuff, but as said previously this is largely due to the fact that it is an Indie-Beta. It shouldn't be difficult to add in some mobs etc. Finally you may have forgotten that it is a player driven sandbox. What is this content which you expect? Epic quest lines and hubs? Of course there should/will be some NPC cities, but the game is meant to flesh out fine once players create their own spaces.
Call me a fanboy but I think it's way to early to criticise - especially for SV. Alot of the MO community has alot more patience and understanding too - this isn't just some on-the-side game which they are half watching.
LoL that was the most bullshit troll post.
Mortal Online/EarthRise/Project V13
TheVindicators.com
Actually it's not even Q4, they are aiming to release in Q4, but they want all core features in and stable before they start charging monthly fees for the game. I would look for release in jan-feb 2010.
LoL that was the most bullshit troll post.
This from a guy who already has the guild for MO... Fanboi in its finest uglyness. Bet 20 bucks you didnt even read passed the 2nd paragraph. And you still play Planetside and SWG based on your bio which should automatically get you kicked off mmorpg.com on principle alone lol.
Really 4 of 10? I recall Darkfall got 2 of 10 after release.
you crossed the whole beta in 30 mins? i call BS on this as i've been walking around for hours(10+), in a (sort of) straight line, through all sorts of terrain (snow, lakes, desert, forests, mountains) and i have yet to explore the whole area. yes i have run into those 'invisible walls' of which you speak, but that is because only 1/2 of the first continent is present in beta...
Also, the draw distance in this game is immense. i left the town in which i started, following a river so i wouldnt get lost, after leaving the wooded area i was originaly in i could see mountains in the distance with water snaking down the sides, so i decided to explore in that direction. after 10 minutes i came to a lake, which took me a further 15 mintues to traverse the length of (running) and was still a good distance from the foot of that mountain. There is my first 30 minutes of solid walking for you. after i reahed the foot of the mountain, i turned round and went the other way (sticking to the river so i wouldnt get lost) and i went this way for literally hours, all the time surrounded by beautiful scenery. I have found temples, castles, villages, stone formations, bridges, all of which i noticed from afar and went to explore, before continuing on my voyage. Only managed to travel to two of the four starting positions after countless hours of running around. So what im basically saying, is that i dont believe you've even PLAYED the game with the comment you made about the world being tiny...
Yes 30 mins...and yes I followed the exact same river which takes you to the lake at the bottom of the mountain leading up to the other starting area... You point is what? That it also took you 30 mins? And what did you see exactly? Nothing right? Other then the exact mobs I spoke of? Call BS on yourself for not seeing this alpha stage for what it is.
One man's alpha is another man's beta? Sounds like alpha testing to me, comparing to alpha's I've participated in days past.
Thank you, you summed up pretty much what I wanted to say, however on these forums no one ever takes anyone at face value. Anyone who speaks critically of a game must be a troll, or some conspiracy nut who wants to see the game fail. And my post was not meant to be that, and infact I said some positive things... It was simply to discuss my playing expeience. Which from all the betas I have been a part of, this game in its current state is the furthest from being release ready.
I dont get that "emty world" thing! MO is a sandbox MMO, so the players will fill it with content. But in a beta its not enough people to fill it. What did you expect to see? WoW mobs every 13th meter?
This is a classic example of where someone has misunderstood the word "beta". Games like Aion have ruined the classification of beta so much that people now expect a polished game when playing beta.
I agree with you 100% on LoTRo... However bugs and issues can be addressed prior to release...an empty gaming world devoid content cannot.
There is nothing in the world because they havent put anything in it yet. They are testing ability to login, stability and character cust. a bit. Read the forums it will tell you what they are testing first.
I saw someone posted the page what they were testing. My bad for not reading the entire thread first
I personally see exactly what I expect from a proper beta game and not a preview beta we are used to seeing from large name companies. Its a very rough beta, I'll admit and even though I preordered the game I am still skeptical at this stage. However I think many people are freaking out way too much over the beta not being "complete enough".
I think that at this point we have to see how things go. I don't think that being critical or even overly critical of a game is anything close to trolling. Infact most beta testers seem to have forgotten that not only is a beta NOT a free trial, but that your much more helpful when you are critical.
The Devs don't need a pat on the back, they need critical and precise info.
SWG was a sandbox/skill box type mmo yet SOE found ways to add content (crazy I know)... Its not that hard to do. Dont ask for a sandbox mmo and expect the playerbase to add all the content, that is a ridiculous statement. There has to be some type of established lore/content for the player to interact with... Without it MO is a bunch of naked cavemen killing pigs, now that is fun.
Nope, I say it again for those who are reading impaired... I have beta'd many games...and what I do expect from a beta is a game with at least most of the content ready to be tested. And at this point, the game is at about 10%. Don't get pissed at me for actually getting to test the game unlike some, and reporting what I have seen.
I've been in quite a few betas and most arent the just the fundamentals. They are the core game, including, quests, mobs and game systems.
Saying the game is supposed to be a sandbox is a cop out. A sandbox without sand or tools is just an empty pit of nothingness.
On the flip side of the coin, it's easier to narrow down issues with fewer variables. Focused testing produces really good results. Instead of letting players loose and handling stuff coming from every direction, they can specify and fix a piece at a time.
I would say once the fundamentals exist it wouldn't be hard to add in more content.
I said one thing about something I saw on a leaked beta video, and I was banned for 2 weeks. Things sure are changing around here.