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Game start / starter zone idea

polarbearpolarbear Member
in General Discussion
I think it would be really interesting for the player to spawn on the other side of the gateway(https://ashesofcreation.wiki/The_return), complete a quest or two and at the end of those quests, you step through the gateway into Verra. I think this would work well because it would give an explanation for the starter zone to not have PvP and I also think it would have way more impact on the player. When you start on the other side of the gateway you can introduce the idea of Verra through narrative-driven quests that make the player want to explore this new and unknown planet. It would establish the driving factor for why everyone is rushing to Verra and lets the player establish their own motive for exploring the unknown.
From a game dev perspective, I also think it makes sense because it lets the player learn the mechanics and be introduced to the lore without being overwhelmed. It would also let give the devs a controlled environment to introduce new players without all the, amazing, chaos of Verra.
This may be a common idea though I couldn't find anything about it on the wiki. Thoughts, Comments?

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    McShaveMcShave Member
    I imagine this kinda like walking through the gate in WoW to get to BC.

    Right off the bat I imagine that it would be a waste of time and memory to develop a zone that people will only see for the first few levels. You can have all these introductory quests in the first node area that you spawn into when you get to Verra.

    Would be really cool from a lore perspective, to see the world everyone is leaving behind to venture forth in the new world, but ultimately not worth it imo.
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    bloodprophetbloodprophet Member, Braver of Worlds, Kickstarter, Alpha One
    Like how Rift does it. Starter zone for first few levels and then the real game starts. Give people a chance to learn some of the basics and a sense of why.
    Most people never listen. They are just waiting on you to quit making noise so they can.
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    ShoelidShoelid Member, Alpha One, Adventurer
    It has some upsides, but in my opinion, one of the worst things an online game can have is a tutorial that blocks you from playing with your friends. Many times I've convinced a friend to play some online game with me, only for them to be stuck in the tutorial for the next 45 minutes. It really kills the momentum
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    DreohDreoh Member
    edited April 2021
    Shoelid wrote: »
    It has some upsides, but in my opinion, one of the worst things an online game can have is a tutorial that blocks you from playing with your friends. Many times I've convinced a friend to play some online game with me, only for them to be stuck in the tutorial for the next 45 minutes. It really kills the momentum

    That's why I like the GW2 tutorial instances.

    Short, informative, and multiplayer
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    HevelHevel Member
    edited November 2021
    I like the idea from a thematic perspective, but I don't think it would work well mechanically in this game. Going back to a starter zone in a game where the devs have stated they "want distance to matter" would be a pain in the rear.

    Edit: I have since changed my mind and I like this idea.
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    JxshuwuJxshuwu Member
    Instanced tutorial zones isn't a very good idea imho, i personally like being thrown into the world where i dont know where to go yet, and just exploring till you find something to do.
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    Th3 m3nTh3 m3n Member
    The idea is good since it immerses you more in the lore and the history of the game, but as some say it may be a waste of creation and programming time that could be used in something more useful .. maybe with a good cinematic explaining all this may be worth to understand the reason why we are arriving and starting in the beautiful world of Verra :)
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    DreohDreoh Member
    edited April 2021
    Hevel wrote: »
    I like the idea from a thematic perspective, but I don't think it would work well mechanically in this game. Going back to a starter zone in a game where the devs have stated they "want distance to matter" would be a pain in the rear.

    This is why instanced tutorial zones are a better and valid option as I'll describe below.
    Jxshuwu wrote: »
    Instanced tutorial zones isn't a very good idea imho, i personally like being thrown into the world where i dont know where to go yet, and just exploring till you find something to do.

    Those aren't mutually exclusive.

    Like GW2, ESO, Wildstar, Tera and many MMO's you can have a tutorial instance and also the open world intro experience.

    Like GW2, ESO, Wildstar, Tera and many MMO's the setting of Ashes of Creation leads extremely well to a tutorial instance.

    It's actually the exact same kind of story setting as Wildstar. In Wildstar you're part of a great faction about to arrive on a new world. The beginning 15 minutes of Wildstar is you on your colony ship getting ready to arrive and running through your colonisation/exploration basics/preparedness. You never return to this ship after the tutorial/introduction story sequence is over.

    In AoC you're part of the Sanctus population exploring a new world/old world, and like they've said before many times, you begin AoC from the Sanctum -> Vera gates. You'll probably never return to Sanctum.

    There's no reason there can't be a Sanctum prep instance where your expedition leader NPC tells you what to expect or even that he doesn't know what to expect and prepares you or tests your preparedness.

    Edit: It absolutely doesn't need to be long either. It could be as simple as you standing in a castle courtyard the entire time where the gate portal is with NPC's bustling about getting the expedition ready as your expedition leader is doing a last minute test of your skills or running through a checklist on if your character has everything he/she needs. The map doesn't even need to be crazy developed either. It could literally be the courtyard, with tall buildings peeking over the courtyard walls hinting at a bigger world outside it.
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    DaeraxDaerax Member
    polarbear wrote: »
    I think it would be really interesting for the player to spawn on the other side of the gateway(https://ashesofcreation.wiki/The_return), complete a quest or two and at the end of those quests, you step through the gateway into Verra. I think this would work well because it would give an explanation for the starter zone to not have PvP and I also think it would have way more impact on the player. When you start on the other side of the gateway you can introduce the idea of Verra through narrative-driven quests that make the player want to explore this new and unknown planet. It would establish the driving factor for why everyone is rushing to Verra and lets the player establish their own motive for exploring the unknown.
    From a game dev perspective, I also think it makes sense because it lets the player learn the mechanics and be introduced to the lore without being overwhelmed. It would also let give the devs a controlled environment to introduce new players without all the, amazing, chaos of Verra.
    This may be a common idea though I couldn't find anything about it on the wiki. Thoughts, Comments?

    Isn't Sanctus supposed to be world without magic? If I am correct, several classes wouldn't really make sense at all in that environment. You being mage right out of the gate doesn't either I guess, but anyway, it's big enough reason for that idea to not work, even though it would be nice to see the other side of the portal in some way.
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