Glorious Alpha Two Testers!
Alpha Two Realms are now unlocked for Phase II testing!
For our initial launch, testing will begin on Friday, December 20, 2024, at 10 AM Pacific and continue uninterrupted until Monday, January 6, 2025, at 10 AM Pacific. After January 6th, we’ll transition to a schedule of five-day-per-week access for the remainder of Phase II.
You can download the game launcher here and we encourage you to join us on our for the most up to date testing news.
Alpha Two Realms are now unlocked for Phase II testing!
For our initial launch, testing will begin on Friday, December 20, 2024, at 10 AM Pacific and continue uninterrupted until Monday, January 6, 2025, at 10 AM Pacific. After January 6th, we’ll transition to a schedule of five-day-per-week access for the remainder of Phase II.
You can download the game launcher here and we encourage you to join us on our for the most up to date testing news.
Comments
I was a pirate once, but then I took a potion launcher to the knee.
Bro I think there was a flying car in the Harry Potter series,
Engineering is a constant thing with anything human-like which includes the fantasy races like dwarves and elfs and so on... I Don't see anything off with the potion launchers, both the ship and the hand held version. It's fits well.
Greek fire is just as out of place as gunpowder in the European medieval fantasy genre.
Verra isn't Europe. It's a bit far from Europe.
This isn't nitpicking. The world is inspired by multiple cultures; European, Polynesian, Asian, Middle-Eastern. Why shouldn't the technology?
And just FYI, Greek fire was in use in medieval times in parts of what is modern-day Europe. Proper Greek fire was first recorded in 672 CE, toward the beginning of the medieval period as it was in Europe (which is considered to have been from the 5th century up until the late 15th century). It was used primarily by the Byzantine Empire (which at the time included parts of Greece and Italy) in its war against the neighboring Arab people. In the 13th century, it was recorded as used by the Saracens against Crusaders.
So, while not used in most of Europe, it did exist there throughout the medieval period, and also used against Europeans when they invaded.
Also remember, potion launchers bear some similarities to Greek fire, but they aren't Greek fire. Rather than a chemical composition, they deliver magical potions.
Meanwhile black powder was not developed until a few centuries after Greek fire, and contained entirely to China. It didn't reach the Middle East until the late 13th century, which was around the time that Europeans learned about it. The following century, Europeans began manufacturing it, and also started developing cannons around that time, though the first reports of them actually being used in war didn't occur until the early 15th century.
So yes, Greek fire itself is a bit out of place if you are considering its historicity for a simulation of medieval Europe (which we aren't), but not as much out of time as gunpowder which wasn't truly developed as a proper weapon of war until the early Renaissance.
So was gunpowder. The medieval period was a long span of time.
You really ran with that comment. I have nothing more to add.
This is objectively incorrect.
Just to set some baselines, the period in question is from the 5th to the 15th centuries.
Greek fire was used in Europe starting from the 7th century. Gunpowder was not used (effectively) in Europe until the 13th century.
So there is a period of 500 years in Europe where Greek fire was a thing and gunpowder wasn't.
Any game set in Europe in that 500 year period would have Greek fire being a perfect fit, yet gunpowder would not.
As an aside, which game is it that we are talking about that is set in Europe in this time period? Kingdom Come perhaps? A new Total War game?
Not in war. You need to bone up on history before lecturing people about history.
OPs question: The potion launcher - should that technology exist?
If it makes the game more fun - yes.
How is my single sentence incorrect? You literally state in this comment that the medieval period runs until the 15th century, and gunpowder was used in Europe during that time. So, I don't believe that "objectively" is the correct word choice here.
Notice that I did not specify a time period; this was intentional. The point is that, in my opinion (recall my first statement was an opinion), they are equally out of place. You can also rephrase this as they should be included in the game to the same extent (more or less). You may not agree, and that is fine. I have not argued for this position, either. I have simply stated an opinion.
If you want, I can clarify and provide a basis for that opinion, but I don't have the time at the moment. Perhaps, I will do so later, because there seems to be an issue with understanding what I was trying to communicate.
You and @Atama have basically made my argument for me, but it needs to be tied together a little tighter.
As others have pointed out correctly, you actually did have such devices during the medieval period.
For naval combat, I almost think its a necessity to have cannons, guns, fire launchers, etc.
This being said, AOC has a really nice tolkien feel to it and I feel it could do well even without but still.
Generally I think diversity in terms of weapons and gear in general is a great thing to have in a game.
In Tolkien’s world, magic is very rare. There are a half dozen wizards in the entire world. Most people who do magic have subtle effects.
On Verra, the Essence and Corruption infuse everything. Everyone you meet is brimming with magical power. Even down to animals and plants. It’s very far from Tolkien.
Potion launchers make no sense in a Tolkien setting because of magic’s rarity. In AoC, they’re logical.
Greek fire has been a thing for hundreds of years. It is as old a technology as the basic telescope is to us.
Yet gunpowder is simply not around.
As such, your single sentence of "Greek fire is just as out of place as gunpowder in the European medieval fantasy genre" is just untrue.
How can it not be untrue if there is 500 years in that period where Greek fire exists in the region, yet gunpowder does not?
Since you used the words "just as", this denotes equivalence. In terms of how much each of these two things are at home in the time period in question, there is straight up no equivalence.
Sure, gunpowder was around for 200 years of the time span in question, but Greek fire was around for over 700 years of that same time.
Thus, "just as" is objectively incorrect.
Unless you want to tell me that 200 years is the same thing as 700 years.
Greek fire is only mentioned here as a historical technology similar to what is in AoC.
There’s no Greek fire in this game, they are using magic potions.
Steven has previously said that the potion launcher will be similar to gun powder but with an arcane feel to it. Never heard him compare it to greek fire.
He didn't.
We did.
We can make all the comparisons we want.
It will be launched from a cannon, so it’s like gunpowder in that sense. But the projectile will be potions, and you can launch different kinds. It will be using alchemy in the way that Greek fire used chemistry. That’s why the comparison was made.
The delivery will be nothing like Greek fire though, which was sprayed out in relatively short range like a flamethrower. The potions will be fired at great distance like a cannonball, except instead of a big metal ball it’s a magical splash of something that’ll do magic to you.
Of course, you can.
And I can say it was a bad comparison. Until Atama clarified his position anyway.
I was talking about visual aspect.
I would accept this. Unless players can modify arrows by the secondary archetype. It's not yet decided that do bows require arrows as ammo.
That's kind of what I was picturing anyways