Realism is important for MMORPGs which aim at being virtual worlds rather than games, in my opinion.
We think so. Almost every single design choice we've made, and all of our mechanics, are designed from a "how can we make this as realistic as possible", while also keeping it fun.
This is exactly the direction I dreamed of mmorpgs would go before the wow themepark era began and everyone started making story driven mmorpgs.
A living breathing world was what eq aimed to be and it was probably the best shot we have seen at that, now with better tech and knowledge it should be possible to continue those ideas.
EqNext were making some of the same noices though maybe not on the same level, Pantheon might be on the same path but it is still an unknown because they do not express it as precise and straight forward as this video does.
I just really really hope for the genre that a game based on these ideas will succeed and show how rewarding it is for a player to feel like an adventurer in a virtual world, instead of herosheep#18652 in a themepark.
And I do not think this is tied to old players or oldschool thinking - New players are being born every day, and some of them will like this kind of game; they are not in the 10 million numbers as they never were, but they are there seeking and all it takes is a game popping on their radar and be interesting (fun) enough.
This is exactly the direction I dreamed of mmorpgs would go before the wow themepark era began and everyone started making story driven mmorpgs.
A living breathing world was what eq aimed to be and it was probably the best shot we have seen at that, now with better tech and knowledge it should be possible to continue those ideas.
EqNext were making some of the same noices though maybe not on the same level, Pantheon might be on the same path but it is still an unknown because they do not express it as precise and straight forward as this video does.
I just really really hope for the genre that a game based on these ideas will succeed and show how rewarding it is for a player to feel like an adventurer in a virtual world, instead of herosheep#18652 in a themepark.
And I do not think this is tied to old players or oldschool thinking - New players are being born every day, and some of them will like this kind of game; they are not in the 10 million numbers as they never were, but they are there seeking and all it takes is a game popping on their radar and be interesting (fun) enough.
I would estimate that about 1/2 of the pre-orders we've generated so far have been players who never played EverQuest or Ultima Online, but they can envision what we're building and are excited to try something different.
The other half are the old-school players or tabletop junkies who are like those of us developing the game.
Pantheon is doing some exciting things, and we're eager to see what they're doing. However, I think there are some major differences in what they are building (in the vein of EverQuest, and Vanguard, classic MMORPGs), and what we are building, which is a much more tabletop-based experience, and we are significantly more group-oriented than they are (they've got 6 man groups and some solo content; we have zero solo content and 8-man groups).
We're also "unique" in that we are building a game on existing lore that is very structured and has four set volumes; we have publicly talked about potentially sunsetting the game after we wrap the four volumes over an 8 - 10 year period of time. We see no point in an EverQuest-style game that just keeps going and going and going and adding dozens of expansion packs over the years.
Either way, we're having fun building our world, and folks seem to be having fun alongside us, so that's all that matters!
When you say that you have zero solo content, do you mean it literally or does it mean it will be very limited?
Like for instance collecting resources could be considered as a solo content in traditional MMORPGs. Will you be able to roam the world on your own collecting resources or will this not be possible at all (e.g. because of strength and density of the monsters, etc.)?
I am just curious. I wonder if you are really without anything to do in the game when you are on your own. I am not saying it is bad. I think you can always join a guild, find friends, or just join a pug group.
You can work on some crafting, roleplay with others, and discover lore/find rumors of nearby adventures in cities/outposts by yourself. That's the limit of solo content in our game.
100% of the content outside of cities and outposts is group-based. Starting with small-group content in the direct vicinity of patrolled areas outside of the safe zones where groups of 3-4 players (or a couple of well-geared players) can wander without too much hassle. From there, zones get progressively more dangerous, with bandit camps and wandering pathers set for groups of 4-8 players, as well as the Hunters & Seekers who are raid mobs and large raiding parties that will require full groups and multiple groups working together to combat.
All dungeons are designed for 8 man parties, with raid zones requiring multiple groups.
So no, you won't be able to collect resources without at least a couple of people at your side. This is what we are calling micro-content; the 30 minute to 1-hour sessions where you get together with some PUG people you find in your local outposts and you head out to kill lions, tigers, bears, or scout out and look for encampments while you wait for your guild mates to log in.
Dungeons and the like are set up for players who can sit down for 2-4 hours and play a significant session alongside their friends.
The exception to the rule is if you are "beyond" an area, such as coming back to a starting zone three months after you started the game. Then, you could likely solo some of the content, but there will be little reason to do so beyond helping friends, since you don't get skill ups or experience points and we'll likely have a trivial loot code in place to keep players from dropping back to farm things meant for lower tiers.
That, and the Hunters and Seekers and other mobs will still be seeking you out, and you need a group/raid force to be able to handle them.
Thanks for the comprehensive explanation. It sounds really good. I will be definitely checking the game out when the development gets a little further.
The fact that you have a vision which you follow regardless of the impact of particular decisions on the overall demand for the game is the best part of it. Triple As with large development costs cannot afford it which is the primary reason why these games lack soul if you know what I mean.
I think a core component is that we're working on this game as a result of passion, not paychecks. We're pursuing it like any other hobby: something we're doing because WE enjoy it, and if we pick up others along the way, great. The other side of the fence is building a game to generate a profit, and that's why you see the cookie-cutter productions churned out by AAA and beyond
Pillars of Gameplay
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We think so. Almost every single design choice we've made, and all of our mechanics, are designed from a "how can we make this as realistic as possible", while also keeping it fun.
A living breathing world was what eq aimed to be and it was probably the best shot we have seen at that, now with better tech and knowledge it should be possible to continue those ideas.
EqNext were making some of the same noices though maybe not on the same level, Pantheon might be on the same path but it is still an unknown because they do not express it as precise and straight forward as this video does.
I just really really hope for the genre that a game based on these ideas will succeed and show how rewarding it is for a player to feel like an adventurer in a virtual world, instead of herosheep#18652 in a themepark.
And I do not think this is tied to old players or oldschool thinking - New players are being born every day, and some of them will like this kind of game; they are not in the 10 million numbers as they never were, but they are there seeking and all it takes is a game popping on their radar and be interesting (fun) enough.
"I am my connectome" https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HA7GwKXfJB0
The other half are the old-school players or tabletop junkies who are like those of us developing the game.
Pantheon is doing some exciting things, and we're eager to see what they're doing. However, I think there are some major differences in what they are building (in the vein of EverQuest, and Vanguard, classic MMORPGs), and what we are building, which is a much more tabletop-based experience, and we are significantly more group-oriented than they are (they've got 6 man groups and some solo content; we have zero solo content and 8-man groups).
We're also "unique" in that we are building a game on existing lore that is very structured and has four set volumes; we have publicly talked about potentially sunsetting the game after we wrap the four volumes over an 8 - 10 year period of time. We see no point in an EverQuest-style game that just keeps going and going and going and adding dozens of expansion packs over the years.
Either way, we're having fun building our world, and folks seem to be having fun alongside us, so that's all that matters!
You can work on some crafting, roleplay with others, and discover lore/find rumors of nearby adventures in cities/outposts by yourself. That's the limit of solo content in our game.
100% of the content outside of cities and outposts is group-based. Starting with small-group content in the direct vicinity of patrolled areas outside of the safe zones where groups of 3-4 players (or a couple of well-geared players) can wander without too much hassle. From there, zones get progressively more dangerous, with bandit camps and wandering pathers set for groups of 4-8 players, as well as the Hunters & Seekers who are raid mobs and large raiding parties that will require full groups and multiple groups working together to combat.
All dungeons are designed for 8 man parties, with raid zones requiring multiple groups.
So no, you won't be able to collect resources without at least a couple of people at your side. This is what we are calling micro-content; the 30 minute to 1-hour sessions where you get together with some PUG people you find in your local outposts and you head out to kill lions, tigers, bears, or scout out and look for encampments while you wait for your guild mates to log in.
Dungeons and the like are set up for players who can sit down for 2-4 hours and play a significant session alongside their friends.
The exception to the rule is if you are "beyond" an area, such as coming back to a starting zone three months after you started the game. Then, you could likely solo some of the content, but there will be little reason to do so beyond helping friends, since you don't get skill ups or experience points and we'll likely have a trivial loot code in place to keep players from dropping back to farm things meant for lower tiers.
That, and the Hunters and Seekers and other mobs will still be seeking you out, and you need a group/raid force to be able to handle them.
I think a core component is that we're working on this game as a result of passion, not paychecks. We're pursuing it like any other hobby: something we're doing because WE enjoy it, and if we pick up others along the way, great. The other side of the fence is building a game to generate a profit, and that's why you see the cookie-cutter productions churned out by AAA and beyond