Glorious Alpha Two Testers!
Alpha Two Phase II testing is currently taking place 5+ days each week. More information about testing schedule can be found here
If you have Alpha Two, you can download the game launcher here, and we encourage you to join us on our Official Discord Server for the most up to date testing news.
Alpha Two Phase II testing is currently taking place 5+ days each week. More information about testing schedule can be found here
If you have Alpha Two, you can download the game launcher here, and we encourage you to join us on our Official Discord Server for the most up to date testing news.
Dev Discussion #11 - Biomes
LieutenantToast
Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
Glorious Ashes community - it's time for another Dev Discussion! Dev Discussion topics are kind of like a "reverse Q&A" - rather than you asking us questions about Ashes of Creation, we want to ask YOU what your thoughts are.
Our design team has compiled a list of burning questions we'd love to get your feedback on regarding gameplay, your past MMO experiences, and more. Join in on the Dev Discussion and share what makes gaming special to you!
Dev Discussion #11 - Biomes
What are your favorite and least favorite biomes in MMOs?
(What's a biome that just needs to go away? ex. Please, no more deserts!)
Keep an eye out for our next Dev Discussion topic regarding raid & event difficulty!
5
Comments
1. Island biomes, white beaches, clear water, mean beasts and jungles
2. Jungles
3. Underworlds (deep below the ground in caves with crystals als tall as trees)
4. Deep creepy woods (they are lways awesome!)
My least favourite:
1. Mountains
2. Plains
3. Elven forrests (you know the type, all nice and friendly.... bleagh)
Molten lava areas
Dark caves
Not a fan of the desert or just grass plains.
Addon Developer
OG Backer
we shall pretend you never said #3
trust me its better for your own good XD
I do not enjoy sand areas, i dont like snow or blizzardy areas for the same reason which is boring, bleak landscapes
Bah, what would you elven princelings do to me? Tickle me with your pointy toys or hug me to death? :'D
But if there is snow, there have to be footprints too!
edit: I have to add underwater biomes with translucent elements and bioluminescence. And not barren underwater biomes, but ones full of life and perhaps primitive NPC/mob villages
Least favourite, think something like Orr from Guild Wars 2... gosh that was terrible to level in.
1: living breathing world and enchanted forests or landscapes with lots of life going on around it
i hate dead and dry places that has no life and is so empty and so gloomy for no reason than just "having it"
now if i wanted to show by pictures what i mean here is how :
You just triggered my PTSD from Orr... GOD DAMN YOU! An Asura should not have to remember the torture of those times....
Let's see...
Favorite:
1. Dark-vampiric-demonic-undead, burnt/charred earth, blackened skies, shadowy lurking figures everywhere, trees that are twisted and decayed. Open graves and skeletons scattered about. Thick fog or smoke that hinders your sight.
2. Snowy areas without snowfall (old PC's might burn up) the ground and settlements are covered in thick white ice, your character is struggling to get through it, you can see your own breath and monsters are hungry for their next meal.
3. Islands-clear water, white beaches, trees of pinks and whites, cities of glass and marble glistening in the sun.
4. Mountainous- The peaks waiting to be climbed, what secrets await inside and the creatures that lurk.
Least Favorite:
1. Deserts-they are just boring-I've yet to see a desert biome in a game that keeps my interests
2. swamps-these tend to just be covered in unnecessary water and a few deadly creatures but there are rarely any settlements that have a reason to be in this biome and the threats feel underwhelming.
I'm more scared of a dying of old age than you elves
I can't think of a biome i'd want to go away as i appreciate the diversity, even if I want to get out of them as soon as possible.
Another would be absolutely massive mountains. The kind of mountain peaks where you feel like you reached a whole new world when you get there. Almost touching the heavens.
Then again great redwood forests are great. (No pun intented)
Ah and anything too flat like large plains or deserts is a big no no. Unless you find an interesting way to make deserts work. Deserts are either amazing or really bland.
That type of environment will always be my absolute favourite, but I'm also fond of snowy biomes and mountains as well.
Not fond of deserts and hate bleak, depressing "corrputed" lands. (Hjerim mentioned Orr in GW2 and I fully agree - that was horrible and if I never play through another zone like that, I'll be thrilled).
2 Mountains
Personally I really hate the desert, so annoying and empty..
Anyway, I love obscure biomes in general, especially dense forests with lakes.. so creepy
I remember my first time playing Aion. The flying spirit fish above the lakes amazed me and i just stood there for about 20min, and then my characters randomly started fishing and playing sith his feet. Thats what i want to see in mmorpgs since then.
Least favorite is deserts/plains for sure. Deserts/plains are boring
1. Snowy mountains and beneath them labyrinths of dwarven cities, some hospitable, some hostile, taken by monsters and darkness.
But also - varied biomes that are huge, not like "let's do everything within small compartments". I want to feel that it's actual climatic zone I'm traversing than just - oh ok, this quadrant is desert, the last one rapid changed into forest, schematic.
I would love to see some magical zones, like pseudo-postapocalyptic zone after magical explosion with unstable main rifts etc with cool light effects and thematic colors. Also places that feel like edge of the world with void staring at you while you stare at it lol. Maybe a bit psychodelic, feeling weird and dangerous, yet beautiful.
Least favorite:
1. Generic forest maps.
2. Deserts when made empty just for sake of traversing them.
I hate dead places:
- Burned down woods.
- Deserts with no end.
- Sea as far as eyes can reach.
I don't feel like these place have many points of interest.
That being said, some of favorites are deserts which tend to be underrated, and not done well, bamboo kinds of forests, and beaches.
Theres also a lot to be said about how the architecture of the towns and such look within the biome.
It is not the endless sea, which should have your interest... it is what is beneath it that should catch your attention.
So if I'm doing quest I like a Biom with multiple elevation levels and lots of secret placese to discover(like a cliffside at a shore) , whil if I want to go from City A to City B Where there should be as litle obstales as possible.
Snowy places, or the regular ones with snow in winter, are cool too. Love those.
Like someone pointed out though should have a footprint, any prints even, staying until snowfall again, showing more on warmer winter days (wetter snow) and less on colder winter days (drier snow).
Deserts are usually rather boring. Need some kind of showing that it's as hot as it is (if a heat desert) by having character worse and worse in either health or skills, preferably both (only fully removed when back to and rested in less heat and if resting inside tent only recovering part of what was lost until such a time).
Sandy deserts having a prints mechanic as well, reduced and removed over time with natural winds, or instantly when a sandstorm passes.
Rocky deserts just need the removal of moisture to be noticeable even if cold and not hot desert, though less so than in a hot one.
Rocky shores and landscapes with lots of exploring needed, caves, valleys, caverns, are also fun.
i like the dwarven mines
ilke to be in the Arabian nights mostly.