EQNext Alpha will launch 4th quarter 2015 or1st quarter 2016. They should announce it at SOELive 2015.
Just 1 more year guys.... That's also the release window for the Oculus Rift I might add. 2015 Christmas is going to be amazing. 2018 will destroy them all though.
Yes it's all very cool stuff, but before I see some improvements to the build tools and voxel behaviour in general, I am really not interested in returning. We need better building freedom, to escape the voxel styled look everything has - what you can do with the current voxel system is too limiting. Building stuff should be the core of Landmark if you ask me, and so far it's not good enough.. I will keep watching for that core improvement.
Tools to fix voxel abnormalities without the tedious task of fixing single voxels with voxel magic and voxel boards.
Multiply voxels (aka smaller voxels) so it is possible to build detailed.
And/Or some kindof solution to voxel snapping, so it is possible to put voxels next to eachother without it morphing.
Or something else that I haven't thought of..
I've been playing since alpha, and this to me should be the number one priority in the game. Better tools. As it is now, if you're a new player, you're going to need to watch hours and hours of videos to create anything really nice that we that have been playing since alpha can create. For a building game the tools are pitiful, and off putting for new players.
I've been playing since alpha, and this to me should be the number one priority in the game. Better tools. As it is now, if you're a new player, you're going to need to watch hours and hours of videos to create anything really nice that we that have been playing since alpha can create. For a building game the tools are pitiful, and off putting for new players.
I don't really agree. There is a learning curve, but that comes with most games. I've been playing from day 1 alpha also. I had to learn all the tricks myself, didn't even watch any videos and had most of it down pretty early on.
Not that I'm bragging, it's just that the tools are kind of easy to use and you can freely play around with them to figure things out. Anyone with half a brain can make some really nice lookthing things without feeling the need to go watch hours of youtube "How Too" videos.
On top of which, the game has gotten a lot smoother, and the tools more refined. We had to do some crazy tricks back in alpha to get things done that new players never have to experience.
Landmark's PvE arrives today; SOE shifts to EQ Next full-time in 2015
When we get to those game mastering systems [after the start of the year] that means we are working on EQN full time. Because those are the systems we need for EQN, and that's what we're building when we're building those game mastering tools. So we're so close to transitioning the team almost entirely to EQN, and then we'll take the elements that we build for EQN and port them over into Landmark, but our focus will shift almost entirely to EQN after the new year.
That's not how voxels work. You don't actually place a voxel, you only give that particular voxel a texture, making it solid. Every single voxel in the world is already at its fix spot, you only "activate" it. That's why placing a voxel will always affect the voxels surrounding it. It's a grid that you cannot take apart.
People figured out how to actually manipulate voxels to fit their specific needs. Or how else do you explain this being made with cubic voxels brought into all kinds of shapes:
No dungeon to show. with no mobs in dungeon.. = No shocker there..
Patch is live tomorrow....
First was the talk that achievements will unlock more for you as you progress instead of the "lame" NPC quest system.. UMMMM Is it just me, or is there any difference there? Does it really matter if an achievement log tells you to kill 10 rats, or an NPC? More linear breadcrumbs.. Grrr In addition, that in itself is an anti social group formula.. People will be on different achievements just like they were on quest chains, which equates as reasons to NOT group.. Bad idea Sony..
Achievements teach players how to play and give rewards. "Go Kill 10 Rats" doesn't seem like the main goal of the achievement system. No matter what design a game has, unless players 100% play together, they will always be on different steps or completely different paths if they aren't clones of one another. Not sure how else a game could function. Unless you would prefer no goals at all and people just stand around chatting. Why this would cause someone to not want to group is lost on me. Unless the game is solo focused entirely, grouping would be more entertaining and rewarding, I'd hope.
Second thing mention which reminded me of a previous post I had made weeks ago.. They said there would be spawn points..... BINGO.. Which is what I said that you'll NEVER push a race or mob population too far back.. They will always be present due to FIXED spawn points.. This is like the old EQ days when mobs would spawn from a fixed location and roam the zone.. This is what I see happening in EQN.. Which is good, because I hate static mobs, but is this really storybricks AI, or just a way to create magnets in the zone for those mobs to roam to..
You are making some large assumptions. They've specifically said that players can push mobs out of an area, where they will pack and and move. Not just overpowering the spawn timers. Might not be in Landmark on the very 1st mob draft, but hopefully this is still true for EQN.
There also has to be spawn points, how else would mobs exist? All there on day 1? Yet to be seen, but they've said things like Orcs might come out of spawn cave or something instead of just popping into the world in the middle of a field. Could be a Orc barracks in a Orc camp as the spawn point as an example.
In conclusion, I'm still waiting for some meaningful intel to come to light..
Well I'm assuming you'll be in Landmark tomorrow giving it a try. First hand knowledge is best. Although I can't wait for the dust to settle and EQN to become the main focus within the upcoming month(s).
Multiply voxels (aka smaller voxels) so it is possible to build detailed.
And/Or some kindof solution to voxel snapping, so it is possible to put voxels next to eachother without it morphing.
Both of these have had in-game solutions already. Half-voxels and offset voxels both exist now, and in fact, Dave demonstrated offset voxels on a recent Landmark Live.
I've been playing since alpha, and this to me should be the number one priority in the game. Better tools. As it is now, if you're a new player, you're going to need to watch hours and hours of videos to create anything really nice that we that have been playing since alpha can create. For a building game the tools are pitiful, and off putting for new players.
I don't really agree. There is a learning curve, but that comes with most games. I've been playing from day 1 alpha also. I had to learn all the tricks myself, didn't even watch any videos and had most of it down pretty early on.
Not that I'm bragging, it's just that the tools are kind of easy to use and you can freely play around with them to figure things out. Anyone with half a brain can make some really nice lookthing things without feeling the need to go watch hours of youtube "How Too" videos.
On top of which, the game has gotten a lot smoother, and the tools more refined. We had to do some crazy tricks back in alpha to get things done that new players never have to experience.
You still have to do crazy tricks to build anything that is not free floating squares. Sure it was worse in alpha, but you still have to know really hardcore tricks and understand voxel behaviour logic to make something nice. No newbie would be able to build a round tower or an arched doorway without knowing the tricks and then spend hours and hours on it. Well ok I don't really mind that there is challenge involved, it is just that the challenge right now is manipulating voxel abnormalities and doing this with a pretty basic toolset that makes it really tedious work.
On top of that, you do not create what you want, but what the voxel mechanic allow you to. Detailed stuff can only look a certain way due to voxel size and the way voxel surfaces snap to neighboring voxels. No doubt there are amazing creations out there and sure it looks good, but there is a clear voxel styled appearance to all of them - You can see that the creators had to compromize on many things, and it is obvious they are no longer trying to build their vision in voxels but rather exploring what the voxels will allow them to create.
So as I said, smaller voxels would definately be the most obvious solution - If your lion statue infront of your castle door is not unworkable 8x6 voxels but instead 80x60, now that would allow for making it look like a lion and not some voxel monster.
And if you could then place that lion on the ground without the ground voxels reaching up and morphing with the marble lion voxels, that would be a huge improvement aswell.. How to do it technically I am not sure, maybe some 4th dimension behaviour voxels. Or if the voxel size became so small that the morphing would be unnoticable, that could work aswell.
So this game is finally now adding the same features Trove has had for a long time? Why did this take so long? The complicated game engine? I still see that as no excuse.
Trove may have a learning curve, but Landmark's is downright annoying. I don't really want to take hand full of hours course, just to play a game. For that reason I will stick with Trove, vast depth, yet easy to grasp and learn as you go.
This is what I've been saying since the beginning:
1. The reason why Minecraft has over 50 million players is because *anyone* can build there - the accessibility and ease of play is king
2. Landmark on the other hand - the exact opposite - the difficulties in tool usage are a huge limiting factor - try making a cylindrical shape - theres an almost 30min tutorial for that.
That's inexcusable
Totally agree, but I think the plan is for there to eventually be a huge pool of dev/player created things for others to use. That's where player studio and making profit by devs/players comes into play. Although they are going to provide basic shapes and what not for free as well.
They were starting from scratch. What enough has been made, it shouldn't be such a hassle. Much easier to acquire a Roman looking column and then play with it, then build it from scratch. Those with the skill and time are doing the leg work now for future players.
Yes it's all very cool stuff, but before I see some improvements to the build tools and voxel behaviour in general, I am really not interested in returning. We need better building freedom, to escape the voxel styled look everything has - what you can do with the current voxel system is too limiting. Building stuff should be the core of Landmark if you ask me, and so far it's not good enough.. I will keep watching for that core improvement.
Tools to fix voxel abnormalities without the tedious task of fixing single voxels with voxel magic and voxel boards.
Multiply voxels (aka smaller voxels) so it is possible to build detailed.
And/Or some kindof solution to voxel snapping, so it is possible to put voxels next to eachother without it morphing.
Or something else that I haven't thought of..
I've been playing since alpha, and this to me should be the number one priority in the game. Better tools. As it is now, if you're a new player, you're going to need to watch hours and hours of videos to create anything really nice that we that have been playing since alpha can create. For a building game the tools are pitiful, and off putting for new players.
This is what I've been saying since the beginning:
1. The reason why Minecraft has over 50 million players is because *anyone* can build there - the accessibility and ease of play is king
2. Landmark on the other hand - the exact opposite - the difficulties in tool usage are a huge limiting factor - try making a cylindrical shape - theres an almost 30min tutorial for that.
That's inexcusable
30 minute tutorial just for that. Wow. Still, they are going to get a ton of players. I just think it won't release in 2015.
Kyleran: "Now there's the real trick, learning to accept and enjoy a game for what
it offers rather than pass on what might be a great playing experience
because it lacks a few features you prefer."
John Henry Newman: "A man would do nothing if he waited until he could do it so well that no one could find fault."
FreddyNoNose: "A good game needs no defense; a bad game has no defense." "Easily digested content is just as easily forgotten."
LacedOpium: "So the question that begs to be asked is, if you are not interested in
the game mechanics that define the MMORPG genre, then why are you
playing an MMORPG?"
30 minute tutorial? You're either exaggerating or just have no clue what you're talking about. Sure anyone can build in Minecraft because all you can create are blocks. Let's see the Minecraft tutorial for creating a cylinder.
In Landmark, there are 3 very easy ways to make a cylinder, none of which require watching even close to 30 minutes of video:
Create a square column and smooth it using the smooth tool. Copy out the middle section, then use the delete tool (with the sphere shape) to delete out of the middle, or use a smaller disk and paste it into the center with the option "remove voxels". Now you've got a circle and can stack it to make a cylinder.
Create a sphere of the desired diameter using the add tool, delete the center of the sphere using the delete tool at a smaller setting, then copy out the middle slice and stack it as many times as you want.
Select the desired curve size from the starter template provided by the game for every player, paste the curve 4 times to create a circle, then stack the circle as many times as you want.
If you need to watch 30 minutes of video in order to accomplish any of that, maybe, just maybe, the game isn't the problem.
Edit: Actually there is a 4th way. You can create a "circle" with blocks, the dimensions for which can be found by using https://donatstudios.com/PixelCircleGenerator, which is what is often used in Minecraft. The difference is that in Landmark, you can then stack them and smooth the stack to create an actual circle.
Yes it's all very cool stuff, but before I see some improvements to the build tools and voxel behaviour in general, I am really not interested in returning. We need better building freedom, to escape the voxel styled look everything has - what you can do with the current voxel system is too limiting. Building stuff should be the core of Landmark if you ask me, and so far it's not good enough.. I will keep watching for that core improvement.
Tools to fix voxel abnormalities without the tedious task of fixing single voxels with voxel magic and voxel boards.
Multiply voxels (aka smaller voxels) so it is possible to build detailed.
And/Or some kindof solution to voxel snapping, so it is possible to put voxels next to eachother without it morphing.
Or something else that I haven't thought of..
I've been playing since alpha, and this to me should be the number one priority in the game. Better tools. As it is now, if you're a new player, you're going to need to watch hours and hours of videos to create anything really nice that we that have been playing since alpha can create. For a building game the tools are pitiful, and off putting for new players.
This is what I've been saying since the beginning:
1. The reason why Minecraft has over 50 million players is because *anyone* can build there - the accessibility and ease of play is king
2. Landmark on the other hand - the exact opposite - the difficulties in tool usage are a huge limiting factor - try making a cylindrical shape - theres an almost 30min tutorial for that.
That's inexcusable
There is also no creative mode which makes it frustrating if you just want to build stuff.
Comments
Mark my words:
EQNext Alpha will launch 4th quarter 2015 or1st quarter 2016. They should announce it at SOELive 2015.
Just 1 more year guys.... That's also the release window for the Oculus Rift I might add. 2015 Christmas is going to be amazing.
2018 will destroy them all though.
I've been playing since alpha, and this to me should be the number one priority in the game. Better tools. As it is now, if you're a new player, you're going to need to watch hours and hours of videos to create anything really nice that we that have been playing since alpha can create. For a building game the tools are pitiful, and off putting for new players.
What happens when you log off your characters????.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFQhfhnjYMk
Dark Age of Camelot
I don't really agree. There is a learning curve, but that comes with most games. I've been playing from day 1 alpha also. I had to learn all the tricks myself, didn't even watch any videos and had most of it down pretty early on.
Not that I'm bragging, it's just that the tools are kind of easy to use and you can freely play around with them to figure things out. Anyone with half a brain can make some really nice lookthing things without feeling the need to go watch hours of youtube "How Too" videos.
On top of which, the game has gotten a lot smoother, and the tools more refined. We had to do some crazy tricks back in alpha to get things done that new players never have to experience.
Dave on massively
TSW - AoC - Aion - WOW - EVE - Fallen Earth - Co - Rift - || XNA C# Java Development
That's not how voxels work. You don't actually place a voxel, you only give that particular voxel a texture, making it solid. Every single voxel in the world is already at its fix spot, you only "activate" it. That's why placing a voxel will always affect the voxels surrounding it. It's a grid that you cannot take apart.
People figured out how to actually manipulate voxels to fit their specific needs. Or how else do you explain this being made with cubic voxels brought into all kinds of shapes:
"stupidity is its own reward"
Both of these have had in-game solutions already. Half-voxels and offset voxels both exist now, and in fact, Dave demonstrated offset voxels on a recent Landmark Live.
You still have to do crazy tricks to build anything that is not free floating squares. Sure it was worse in alpha, but you still have to know really hardcore tricks and understand voxel behaviour logic to make something nice. No newbie would be able to build a round tower or an arched doorway without knowing the tricks and then spend hours and hours on it. Well ok I don't really mind that there is challenge involved, it is just that the challenge right now is manipulating voxel abnormalities and doing this with a pretty basic toolset that makes it really tedious work.
On top of that, you do not create what you want, but what the voxel mechanic allow you to. Detailed stuff can only look a certain way due to voxel size and the way voxel surfaces snap to neighboring voxels. No doubt there are amazing creations out there and sure it looks good, but there is a clear voxel styled appearance to all of them - You can see that the creators had to compromize on many things, and it is obvious they are no longer trying to build their vision in voxels but rather exploring what the voxels will allow them to create.
So as I said, smaller voxels would definately be the most obvious solution - If your lion statue infront of your castle door is not unworkable 8x6 voxels but instead 80x60, now that would allow for making it look like a lion and not some voxel monster.
And if you could then place that lion on the ground without the ground voxels reaching up and morphing with the marble lion voxels, that would be a huge improvement aswell.. How to do it technically I am not sure, maybe some 4th dimension behaviour voxels. Or if the voxel size became so small that the morphing would be unnoticable, that could work aswell.
"I am my connectome" https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HA7GwKXfJB0
Its incredible the patch notes this time.
I love that you can now link things together for events, ie, a player steps on a pad, and it unlocks a nearby door, etc.
Explorer 73% Achiever 53% Socializer 53% Killer 20%
So this game is finally now adding the same features Trove has had for a long time? Why did this take so long? The complicated game engine? I still see that as no excuse.
Trove may have a learning curve, but Landmark's is downright annoying. I don't really want to take hand full of hours course, just to play a game. For that reason I will stick with Trove, vast depth, yet easy to grasp and learn as you go.
1. There will be monsters out in the open but quite a bit less than in caves. Also, they will stay off claims.
2. Only 5 types of mobs to start with. No mention of ambient critters.
All die, so die well.
Totally agree, but I think the plan is for there to eventually be a huge pool of dev/player created things for others to use. That's where player studio and making profit by devs/players comes into play. Although they are going to provide basic shapes and what not for free as well.
They were starting from scratch. What enough has been made, it shouldn't be such a hassle. Much easier to acquire a Roman looking column and then play with it, then build it from scratch. Those with the skill and time are doing the leg work now for future players.
30 minute tutorial just for that. Wow. Still, they are going to get a ton of players. I just think it won't release in 2015.
Epic Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAigCvelkhQ&list=PLo9FRw1AkDuQLEz7Gvvaz3ideB2NpFtT1
https://archive.org/details/softwarelibrary_msdos?&sort=-downloads&page=1
Kyleran: "Now there's the real trick, learning to accept and enjoy a game for what it offers rather than pass on what might be a great playing experience because it lacks a few features you prefer."
John Henry Newman: "A man would do nothing if he waited until he could do it so well that no one could find fault."
FreddyNoNose: "A good game needs no defense; a bad game has no defense." "Easily digested content is just as easily forgotten."
LacedOpium: "So the question that begs to be asked is, if you are not interested in the game mechanics that define the MMORPG genre, then why are you playing an MMORPG?"
30 minute tutorial? You're either exaggerating or just have no clue what you're talking about. Sure anyone can build in Minecraft because all you can create are blocks. Let's see the Minecraft tutorial for creating a cylinder.
In Landmark, there are 3 very easy ways to make a cylinder, none of which require watching even close to 30 minutes of video:
You are missing the point here. Landmark is a sandbox. EQN is a sandbox game. And that is a difference.. there is not much game in Landmark.
There is also no creative mode which makes it frustrating if you just want to build stuff.
so, what is THIS
pic about?
are there actually "abandoned mineshafts"? because i surely couldn't find em yet.
and for the record, they never claimed to release 2k15, what john said was "we will do beta as long it is needed"
"I'll never grow up, never grow up, never grow up! Not me!"