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Phase I of Alpha Two testing will occur on weekends. Each weekend is scheduled to start on Fridays at 10 AM PT and end on Sundays at 10 PM PT. Find out more here.
Check out Alpha Two Announcements here to see the latest Alpha Two news and update notes.
Our quickest Alpha Two updates are in Discord. Testers with Alpha Two access can chat in Alpha Two channels by connecting your Discord and Intrepid accounts here.
My only worry about the game
Chunka
Member, Alpha Two
Imo visual progression is a big thing in MMOs, especially in a game as big as AoC. Considering it will take a long time to hit max level, the feeling of visual progression should be slow and satisfying.
With that said, there should be big difference in looks of players who play the game for a long time and a new player.
Also a player should not be able to look "amazing" until they reached max level, even then it should take them some time to get that badass gear/costume.
I can understand selling cosmetics (as part of test access packs) to some extent even though im not the fan of it.
With that said, i would like visual progression to be present in AoC and here is my way of making that possible:
Make cosmetic store cosmetics obtainable only through cosmetic store, also make ingame cosmetics obtainable only through playing the game.
Let's make ranks for cosmetic's looks for easier explanation(1-10 -->> 10 being only legendary items).
Cosmetic shop should include cosmetics up to look "7"( the prelaunch ones could go to "8"), and ingame ones obviously to "10".
*Also apply a common/uncommon/rare/epic/exotic/legendary status to all cosmetics, also apply item level to them. Then cosmetics can only be placed on items corresponding to their appropriate rarity and item level.
For costumes, I would make prelaunch ones usable only on max level and for postlaunch ones i would do the same thing as said above(*).
It feels very sad seeing all the people in game looking good with no effort. It demotivates me to grind for that cool looking armor i want because it's on par with theirs, so i only "caught up" with them and for that i had to do a lot while all they did was put some money in.
Also there is nothing worse than seeing some lvl 1's looking better than some max lvls, it kills that "starter" feel as well as that excitement when you finally start looking decent.
This is my only worry about this game and i hope to see it resolved. All feedback is welcome and i'd like to discuss more about it.
With that said, there should be big difference in looks of players who play the game for a long time and a new player.
Also a player should not be able to look "amazing" until they reached max level, even then it should take them some time to get that badass gear/costume.
I can understand selling cosmetics (as part of test access packs) to some extent even though im not the fan of it.
With that said, i would like visual progression to be present in AoC and here is my way of making that possible:
Make cosmetic store cosmetics obtainable only through cosmetic store, also make ingame cosmetics obtainable only through playing the game.
Let's make ranks for cosmetic's looks for easier explanation(1-10 -->> 10 being only legendary items).
Cosmetic shop should include cosmetics up to look "7"( the prelaunch ones could go to "8"), and ingame ones obviously to "10".
*Also apply a common/uncommon/rare/epic/exotic/legendary status to all cosmetics, also apply item level to them. Then cosmetics can only be placed on items corresponding to their appropriate rarity and item level.
For costumes, I would make prelaunch ones usable only on max level and for postlaunch ones i would do the same thing as said above(*).
It feels very sad seeing all the people in game looking good with no effort. It demotivates me to grind for that cool looking armor i want because it's on par with theirs, so i only "caught up" with them and for that i had to do a lot while all they did was put some money in.
Also there is nothing worse than seeing some lvl 1's looking better than some max lvls, it kills that "starter" feel as well as that excitement when you finally start looking decent.
This is my only worry about this game and i hope to see it resolved. All feedback is welcome and i'd like to discuss more about it.
1
Comments
That said, I really don't agree w/ people's worries of players looking "too good" at the start of the game b/c that's entirely subjective and I'd like to think that the days of people looking like a melted bag of skittles ended w/ Classic WoW.
If you look good as soon as you start the game then there is no motivation to grind for looks at all, but only for stats. Especially if someone can get armor (on par with yours in terms of looks) in few seconds, while you struggled for hours to get it.
Legendaries should not be the only tier of ingame cosmetics that look better than store cosmetics. There should be at least 1 more tier ingame which is better looking than store cosmetics and is not legendary.
I'm a bit more fine with it than some people since visual progression is something I've never really cared about, and if there is a tier above the shop cosmetics that is only obtainable in-game and looks way better than shop cosmetics, then that's good enough for me personally.
It's not a game breaker but it's still a big thing to me. Nonetheless i can get over it considering all the other game's ideas a very well thought out.
Yeah i could also roll with that 1 tier in between those 2.
I'm not worried that people will look too good. I am worried that people will look fake AF with glowing wings, halos, floating spheres and any other garbage visual I have seen in some games. I'm hoping for a rustic earthly (verraly?) tone to the in game cosmetics.
As long as the stats are higher than your's
I'm just hoping they don't go the Blizzard route and go full edgelord with their gear. "Cool gear' doesn't mean the discount aisle at Hot Topic.
People all have different opinions and tastes so where one person might not care what they look like, another might only like a certain cosmetic, while another changes their design every day.
As for people starting off wearing a bunch of different things: it kind of makes sense. Considering all these people were just living normal and various lives (wearing a bunch of different kinds of clothes) when the portals opened up any-who.
I am not overly concerned about looks, but given the option I would pick used over new looking.
^ This
I can't share the OP's concerns, at all. Yeah, some games tend to put out some stuff available at low-levels - especially through cash shops - that give a very 'accomplished' or 'end-game' type of look.
However, there's typically something that yours truly finds as "off", about default sets of armor. The boots could look better, the gloves don't need to be as long - or aren't long enough - for the set. This or that shield doesn't fit quite right, because it's a size too small. The helmet that's supposed to go with the chest-piece that I really, really like covers the eyes at this-or-that angle, so I'll find one that gives an armored head appearance, but has an open face.
Will there be people who look *amazing* on day one? Sure - but even without a cash shop, there always will be - even if they've simply gotten lucky and looted something that looks great with this-or-that piece of gear that players start with or get early on.
What you seem to be getting at is that players *shouldn't* be able to look amazing on day one - but if they've paid to do so, why not? Is your own vanity too much to bear the fact that people who have spent some money might look adventure-fabulous out-the-gate, or are you concerned about RP? Because if it's the latter, remember: each culture has an upper class. Just because we're all coming through the portals upon returning to Verra (except the mole-people), doesn't mean we all had the same upbringing and level of privilege, on Sanctus; Some people will have come from a wealthier class, and if that's their character's back-ground, they should be free to spend the money to make their appearance reflect this.
I don't think anyone is defending the cash shop, so much as saying "new players shouldn't look good" is too subjective of an argument against it.
I personally prefer keeping a fairly consistent look throughout my leveling experience and then "progressing" when I see fit and if that means some people are running around w/ wings at level 1 then I really don't care b/c it doesn't affect me in the slightest.
I do not consider WoW a good comparison because they continue to charge 40-120€ (edition depends) per expansion, even if they added to sell mounts with even some special features and some pets.
I don’t mind the cosmetics store, or that people look incredibly good or not,
seeing that perhaps a simple transmog as a lumberjack I would like more for my character who is lumberjackall, this as long as they keep what they say and do not contribute anything more than aesthetics to the game, nothing of statistics or some extra modification
in my opinion this IF could be a problem but for it before, we must analyze and compare the payment suits vs the ones you get within the game, if they get lazy for the suits you get playing and become super ambitious by the payout , if I would see most complaints, but if they get a natural balance in which there is not so much difference, I do not understand why not
I could just buy that suit and wear it until I get another one that I like better in the game, without looking horribly bad until I get to that point
They are separate. You might see similar models of individual pieces on NPCs but Steven has said that there will not be recolors or material swaps.
He's talked about it fairly recently here.
I also prefer more subdued looks but that is personal preference. Some people like looking like court jesters. Was a thread about this couple days ago.
When a game has a cash shop, it almost inevitably steers toward the direction you are mentioning here. Of course it can also happen and has happened in games without cash shops, too, but it takes longer to reach the point of complete saturation. The reason being that whatever new content comes out (in the cash shop, or in the actual game content) is usually designed to be flashier than the last, as to incentivize people to keep playing (and paying). However, unlike regular content which requires time investment and skill, cash shop items can be purchased outright at a moment's notice, so there always needs to be a fresh supply of new, shiny cosmetics available.
You have to remember, that the way you play and imagine something should be is completely subjective and demonstrates your insecurities. Shouldn't you be more worried about your own character's progression and gear acquisition than Betty over there with the big bewbs and her silky dress. "Rogues shouldn't be allowed to wear dresses because..." This is pretty much the same argument. This is a fantasy world... common logic doesn't always exist because you believe it so.
My character is going to be a Vek rogue most likely. I bought all of the December cosmetics because I like snow and ice. Now, I don't think rogues wear ice armor, but you bet your ass I am going to wear it still. I will be a Vek from an alternate dimension, where everything on Sanctus was post-apocalyptic and brought the thousand years of winter. Ice was common and therefore the best building resource around. With just the right amount of chemicals and preservatives, we were able to stabilize the ice in a permanent form, no longer affected by temperature. Now, with the portals of Verra opening back up, I was able to escape my death world of ice and depression, but something inside of me never wants to forget about where I came from. My Ice armor cosmetic is how I will identify with my character, how I will be towards other players, and most importantly because I bought the freaking item in the cash shop.
If you do not like it, maybe you need to reevaluate what real problems the game currently has than whether or not what your friends and freehold neighbors are putting on in the morning to go adventure in.
Jeez, some of you people really make me worried that I have to play with you possibly in the future.