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This is a good game
I've been on for about a week and I can see that this game has great potential.
- The learning curve is steep but well worth the payoff, and I get the feeling I'm just beginning to learn.
- The community is great. Had a veteran player get on a beginner alt just to come spend 3 hours with me and a group of new players showing us around. Before I knew it there were six of us helping each other out to accomplish what we needed to do.
- The system for creating your own attacks/spells/etc, or stanza system, is really great and brings lots of variety, though it was quite difficult for me to grasp at first (I went to public school). As you gain new skills, you can combine them together to make different attacks/spells/etc.
- The crafting system is very in depth, and everything in the game is made by players for the most part.
This game is worth your time if you are looking for something to replace your longstanding and still irritating swg itch. Or at least it has been for me so far. Numbers are small but it seems to be growing. There is a real excitement among the playerbase, and they are happy to have you there.
If you are going to play this game, you MUST ask for help, because you will need it, not so much to finish things but to ask what in the hey is going on. I like it that way. I haven't been this immersed in years, and i've been playing EVE for 5 now...hasn't even come close.
The free trial is 21 days, but I've subbed after 6. Join up! You won't find anything this good for $11 a month, or $15 for that matter.
Comments
Thanks for the nice, Mini-Review
CU
SaM
Do you dare to adapt?
Couldn't have said it better myself Plowhorse. Although the graphics are so-so even when turned up high, in my first two weeks in the trial I have absolutely concluded that gameplay > graphics.
I've thought about trying to promote this game in other forums and gaming websites, but I actually think that it's one of those MMO's that is better off kept quiet, found only by those that are really looking for something different. I say that because the majority of gamers out there obviously prefer the "themepark" MMO, and this certainly is NOT a themepark!
I relate it to when I try and suggest a game, book, or movie to one of my brothers. Once I've recommended it, they'll either never try it...or if they do, they'll never admit that they'll like it!
So, I guess I've decided it's better just to make the world of Atys more inviting to those that try it out of their own volition.
With all of that said, I do think the new player experience could be better. It didn't run me off because I'm a nerd and was determined, but I can see it being a stumbling block for someone else. There were a couple of times where I was stuck and would have bolted if I were a lesser geek. The biggest reason? The new player experience is needlessly unclear if not confusing.
I don't think this means dumbing anything down at all, but maybe better communication is in order. I think something very simple could help a lot in this area, and here it is:
Tell me right from the beginning, before I do anything, in big neon letters
These were questions that took me some time to figure out. I'm sure a 5 year old could, but I couldn't. And during that time it took me to figure all this out, my feet were firmly planted in mid air. This, for me at least, made the complexity of Ryzom, instead of the blessing it should be, a source of frustration. Many people, once frustration enters, quit. Knowing one's own situation is the first step in deciding what to do next. Given that everybody will be experiencing the same level of complexity in Ryzom, I think most people will enjoy that complexity more if they have some sort of framework to define their reality...a worldview so to speak. Game lore and storyline attempt to do this, but we can't escape the fact that we're dealing with humans living in Texas, or wherever. Most of us want at least the comfort of knowing where we are and at least a high level general synopsis of whats g. I know this info is available everywhere on the web or even in the game as you talk to Chiang and so on, its just not readily apparent. There needs to be something in glowing Neon there that in someway says "THIS IS WHAT IS GOING ON!"
There are some people who don't need such things. They are fine just going off and discovering without any explanation. These are most hardcore gamers. But others need something more substantial before committing. If they can't make sense of it, they won't see any reason to continue on. This is a matter of personality type rather than the typical carebear vs. hardcore distinction. Some are trailblazers and risktakers, others are plodders and calculators. Both are important.
Right now as it stands, to me at least, the new player experience seems to be more like a culling process that weeds out those who are not the trailblazers, and not the gentle nudge from the developers to continue on. This may be by design, and if so, it is a shame, b/c this is a good game that would be greatly enhanced by more people experiencing it. Once again, I don't think a little hand holding is going to turn Ryzom into WoW, by any stretch of the imagination. The game is way too complex for that to happen. Get people into the heart of the game and let Ryzom speak for itself. To me, the new player experience doesn't allow that to happen, because it is needlessly unclear if not confusing.
I'll post this on Ryzom forums as well.
Strangely enough, the NPCs, including the first one you´ll meet, do tell you exactly those things.
You´ll just have to read their texts.
Yes, I know... not big and neon enough... *sigh*
Ok, I´ll shut up.
CU
SaM
Do you dare to adapt?
I just started playing this game a few days ago, and I think this is a top notch mmo. Seriously, half price of the industry "standard" and it delivers orders of magnitude more than most mmos out right now.
Definitely recommend it.
If you stand VERY still, and close your eyes, after a minute you can actually FEEL the universe revolving around PvP.
As I replied earlier in this thread, I couldn't agree more Toq, and now that I found out how to really max out the graphics, I no longer see the graphics as "so-so"
For example...
This game is a step in the right direction!
"The question that sometimes drives me hazy: Am I, or the others crazy?" - Albert Einstein
This game seems to have a big learning curve, but if you read everything that pops up in your face, it tells you excately what has to be done.
When Ryzom first was released, there were 4 starter islands, one for each race. Now if you think this is bad you should of been there. There was really no information other than this cute fuzzy animal that managed to kill me. Yes Yubos use to kill plus pee on your leg.:).
It is a great game, and I think everyone should at least give it the 3 week trial
Remember Universe channel is for questions and there are many players that will be more than happy to help you.
And don't forget the Ring. I've had a complete blast designing my own scenarios and then publishing them! Watching other players play your design, with you as the dungeon master, is mind-boggling fun!
------------
2025: 48 years on the Net.
Oh yeah I forgot about the Ring. That is awesome. You can develop your own scenarios. Other players can come in and enjoy it.
Thanks for reminding me.
I agree the game is fantastic.
With that said I am dying for the developers to let us post Ring scenarios to the server so people could play through them while im offline.
Do that and I would never play another non-spaceship mmo again.
Playing: Rift, LotRO
Waiting on: GW2, BP
Only on day two, and I'm enjoying it a lot. I find myself drawn to Ryzom, even when I have other "triple-A" mmos I could be playing. There's something oddly addictive about this game. I love the Modular Actions, extremely cool and engaging. I've been leveling up all of the skills and getting my hands dirty in all the facets of the game. Can't wait to play later tonight. Awesome-sauce.
You can't use the tools if you don't know they exist...
http://www.ic3.gov - Internet Crime Complaint Center - Report cyber crimes to the FBI.
http://www.spamcop.net - SpamCop.net - Report spam and scam emails.
http://www.networksolutions.com/whois/ - Network Solutions WHOIS - Investigate and reveal suspcious websites.
*wishes more people would think like this and more German Newbes would show up*
We need every hand we can get. So get them DIRTY!
CU
SaM
Do you dare to adapt?
I remember trying this game out for like 2 years ago and thinking this game has true potential. After getting to mainland i could really see how this game can be really good.
But after my computer sadly crashed forever RIP havent played in forever.
But now new computer going to try it out wish me luck cya in game!
This voices.. This voices i hear them.. And when they talk i follow i follow..
This is exactly how things went down for me. Crazy thing is, I'm on day 45 now and I still find myself itching to play when I've got a free moment.
What I'm finding, however, is that many players continue to get turned off by the low population. They talk about how they love the game and all of the unique and innovative mechanics...then drop it for the AAA Vanilla MMO's because there's more players. It's a vicious cycle, and one that I can't entirely blame those that leave.
Not be overly dramatic, but nothing is ever going to change until gamers decide to support the games that are daring enough to try something different. So, I hope that if you continue to enjoy Ryzom, like I have, you'll buck the overwhelming trend and subscribe!
The amazing thing is that Ryzom's developers took that step five years ago, even before gamers started asking for a deeper, more challenging game experience. It arrived ahead of its time but thankfully Ryzome is still here.