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.
Playing the "Has-Been....?" Cosmetic vs Levelling-Gear Commentary:
Tyranthraxus
Member, Alpha Two
Seeing a LOT of threads/posts lately, from people who are new-to-life, in-general (age <25).
Are the REST of us not allowed to have LIVED A LIFE ALREADY, allowed to come to Verra, from Sanctus?
What makes you so certain that only the poor/distitute are the only ones that will be coming through the Divine Gates?
SS and I are only a year apart, in IRL age - and yet? We'll both be coming to Verra from a non-magical world (Sanctus) at the same time; And both of us have already known a degree of success, in the hard-reality/non-magical worlds that we'll be immigrating, from.
If it were a busines venture? I'd send ALL of the rest of you through the Divine Gates - and then give it 6+ months, to see how profitable the venture is, before *I* ever step foot on Verra. You know - like REAL-LIFE investors would? Why risk MY life, when I could risk *YOURS*?
Think ye NOT like a "poor person", my fellow adventurers; Think ye like a fisherman first casting his line into the waist-deep ponds of phiraanha-infested waters.... Do you REALLY want to be the 1st pound of flesh entering into a new arena of contest - or would you rather measure your ventures upon the first 5% of successful parties, versus the 95% of failed/blood-letted parties that came, before you?
Are the REST of us not allowed to have LIVED A LIFE ALREADY, allowed to come to Verra, from Sanctus?
What makes you so certain that only the poor/distitute are the only ones that will be coming through the Divine Gates?
SS and I are only a year apart, in IRL age - and yet? We'll both be coming to Verra from a non-magical world (Sanctus) at the same time; And both of us have already known a degree of success, in the hard-reality/non-magical worlds that we'll be immigrating, from.
If it were a busines venture? I'd send ALL of the rest of you through the Divine Gates - and then give it 6+ months, to see how profitable the venture is, before *I* ever step foot on Verra. You know - like REAL-LIFE investors would? Why risk MY life, when I could risk *YOURS*?
Think ye NOT like a "poor person", my fellow adventurers; Think ye like a fisherman first casting his line into the waist-deep ponds of phiraanha-infested waters.... Do you REALLY want to be the 1st pound of flesh entering into a new arena of contest - or would you rather measure your ventures upon the first 5% of successful parties, versus the 95% of failed/blood-letted parties that came, before you?
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If you sent others through to set up shop, you have no way at all of knowing how it's going until you yourself go through that portal and have a look - at which point there is no turning back.
who is ss?
Salazar Slytherin
Actually this has been asked, and the answer was "we don't want to spoil anything" So if you have a quote that says the portals are one way from anyone at Intrepid, let me know.
Sanctus is a key story arc, that will likely have very little revealed about it prior to the Betas.[33] – Steven Sharif
We actually aren't the first through the portals at all. Many have become before us, even on day one of launch. Many who have failed before we even set foot on Verra, but who still paved the way for us. Think of the cultists: https://ashesofcreation.wiki/Cultists
Thinking of it from the pov of a business venture, you need to take a risk at some point. Even if you are a tired old has-been. Opportunity rarely comes without risk. In Ashes, we are not the tip of the spear. They went ahead of us some months ago.
The threads with people complaining about other players looking good at low levels just keep popping up.
I'm not finding anything that states this, in the wiki page about the Divine Gateways. In fact, it references a "story-arc" that will occur on Sanctus - so we might be able to go back-and-forth. However, there'd have to be a mechanic wherein your "mortal coil" is bound to a specific gateway, or this could otherwise constitute a system of fast-travel, to pop out at the different gates across Verra.
Did SS mention this in an update video?
Is it crazy to think that some of us won't be penny-less, socially un-advanced 20-year-olds, coming through the portals? ....Or do you mean because of all the CAPS?
You'll see this a lot, on the forums. It refers to Steven Sharif, our Creative Director ....And God of Sandals, before some kind of IRL foot injury.
Aye - all the more reason to think that some of us *should* look good, early-on; Maybe our roleplay will involve having sent parties ahead to represent/establish our business interests, and now we've come through to collect our prizes - jewelry over silk robes, and all.
Yeah, but it's not "Terminator" rules; We're not *NAKED* when we come through the portals. And you've counter-pointed yourself, in your reply: Some of us *would* have fancier (cosmetic) gear than others, depending on the lives we've lived on Sanctus.
Not quite the same thing as arriving with nothing.
Which thread for example? I wonder if mine is included. I am curious. And your decision is to make a thread to complain about those who make a thread ?
Lol - yes, specifically yours is definitely the latest, bud.
You've un-knowingly joined a long list of players who seem to be concerned about what *other* players will be wearing, as they are levelling. Nothing in your thread was a concern not voiced, already.
If you want to push for a "toggle" to see what other players are really wearing, that's fine - but those of us whom have purchased the cosmetics have done so with the understanding that we'll be able to use the cosmetics from the moment that we have all the under-gear (real gear) over which to place it - which probably *won't* be at level one.
To clarify? No one will be creating a character, spawning into the game environment, and then IMMEDIATELY donning their cosmetic gear, to look shiny and awesome; You have to have looted/obtained gear *over which* to place the cosmetic gear, before we'll be able to use it. I don't feel this will be possible before levels 4 or 5.
Even then - what do you care what other players will be wearing? It's an MMO; In PvP, you'll be looking between 3 things: 1) where you are, in-relation to the enemy, 2) your ability cooldowns bar, and 3) you and your enemy's health-and-buffs/de-buffs bar. Number 3 will show you which armor-type an enemy is wearing, if you're wanting to know which types of weapons and attacks to be using, against them.
Anything you can complain about this aspect of the game is ultimately trumped by the fact that we've purchased the cosmetic gear with the understanding that we'll be able to use it from the point of having all of the pieces of gear over which to place it. The only useful effort you could make towards a dislike for this would be to push your support for a cosmetics "toggle" option, in-regards to other players.
To clarify. The pets you have bought can be equipped and used from level one. The costumes, which are the full armor sets that people have bought can also be equipped without gear. What you are talking about is the transmog system and the individual pieces that were not costumes.
Costumes don't have a level restriction or require an in-game item to be obtained first.[9][10]
We might have to @Vaknar or @SomethingWitty on this one. I see it too, on the wiki - but it's also contrary to everything that's ever been said about them in the Q&A's.
To my understanding, we won't be able to use cosmetics right out of the character generator.
Even if we can? I don't mind; Look however you want, while levelling and PvP'ing.
The best way to explain this is to point out that cosmetics and costumes are probably different things.
Costumes are purchased from the store, and are as they sound - a full costume replacing the appearance of everything you have on. These are purchased (may or may not be available in game), and can be equipped at level 1.
It is likely that the game will have a costume slot so players can swap these in and out with ease.
Cosmetics are obtained in game (perhaps purchased as well, who knows...). These only apply their image to an individual item, rather than replacing everything.
From what has been said, it appears that cosmetics are applied to items, meaning you need an appropriate item that you can equip in order to use cosmetics.
I'm flattered that someone would take the time to open an entire thread about one of my threads. On the other hand, it looks like the exessive reaction of a lobbyist worried about his interests.
But unfortunately, I don't care what players wear, I do care about the possibility of transmog affecting PvP.
@Depraved suggested the possibility of being able to disable transmog.
I understand that what interests you is not to express your opinion in my thread but rather to impose your opinion by creating a new thread that doesn't denigrate my ideas precisely, but seems to warn against an obscure malevolent tendency.
You don't need to gather followers before expressing your ideas, nor do you need to make absurd generalizations.
But if we were naked one might argue in todays age the game could be more popular.. especially with a slider.
Lol - no, not *specifically about* your thread - but yours did specifically trigger this thread; There have been probably 3 or 4 of these threads that have popped up, every year since yours truly started following the forums back in 2020. Overall, players concerned with this do seem to be in the minority - but they ARE vocal!
As far as PvP goes? Again, it's an MMO with a LOT of graphics; The notion that you'll have the time to stop and visually assess the best stuff to use against an enemy or a group of player-enemies is a tad off. Managed to find Steven's direct remarks about this and the better/more-reliable way to identify other players' gears/protections, from a Q&A from a couple of years ago, skip to 16:49:
And yes - I wouldn't want to specifically insult/denigrate people who are expressing genuine concern for such a great passion-project as AoC. I don't find ill-intent/malevolency in most of these threads, but some of them in the past have been quite imperative in a "need" to protect other concerns, such as "ruining immersion" while levelling; Notions such as restricting cosmetic gear to max level are quite absurd, given the amount of time it's to take us to REACH max-level.
People usually think naked beaches are great.... before going to them. And Unreal Engine 5 is going to be *VERY* detailed.
Just remember: It's not just attractive people that have the confidence to be naked....
I've already seen this video, which is over three years old. A lot has changed in three years. Intrepid has changed its graphics engine version, for example, so why not the transmog rules?
And as Steven has said many times, everything is subject to change. So everything's open to debate, so relax grandpa.
You can expect that we will be able to use the Founders, Merchants and Royalty costumes from the Kickstarter immeditaely after character creation.
Armor cosmetics - we probably need to acquire specific armor tiers before we can apply them.
because that would be a very stupid idea,
their monetization scheme is monthly sub + cosmetics, they ain't making as much money on cosmetics if people can just disable them, that's why no other developer does this, unless its required for performance reasons, but that's a different story
From a broad perspective?
Sure, that's true for the vast majority of the systems of a game that's still in Alpha. I don't think you'll get much disagreement from anyone (including the OP).
But, the context of pre-paid cosmetics is different.
Players have already spent millions of dollars on a product they've been promised in-game ... regardless of the Ashes content type they choose to participate in.
Changing the conditions of that promise would seriously undermine the rapport Steven has with the players. Not to mention the extra administrative and accounting work in issuing refunds for players wanting their money back.
Depraved's idea won't work either. The whole point of cosmetics is to show off your finery to other players. Adding a toggle to turn it off in the PvP areas devalues what players paid for.
It's 2023. Time to use the tools the game provides to assess an opponent ... versus what the opponent dug out of the armoire to wear for the day's PvP.
Other MMOs don't have a problem with it. Ashes won't either.
Bottom Line: The OP and reply above mine are both right.
Rather than "everything is subject to change", a better comment would be "everything other than purchased costumes is subject to change".
I personally think the idea of being able to appear as if you are wearing plate, yet having the stats and effects of a robe is stupid. Yet, it is what Intrepid have sold costumes as, and as such it absolutely should not change.
In a world with magic and enchantment and illusion.. it doesn’t make a lick of sense to say that anyones fashion decisions should have anything to do with their stats or combat ability.
You can't use this excuse.
The reason is simple - magic enchantment is a thing, but items need not go through that process in order for players to appear as if they are wearing items.other than what they are wearing.
Now, if Intrepid were to make it so that it counted as an enchant (as you are basically suggesting), then I'd be all for it.
As for considering it an illusion - if no dispel illusion ability exists, then this illusion is one of the strongest magical abilities in existence, and seems to be wasted on fashion - in a world where survivability isn't guaranteed day to day.
You are basically saying peope should just accept this because it's [jazz hands] magic! [/jazz hands]. I reject this notion entirely - if such magic exists, it would be put to work on the major issues facing people in Verra, not just on fashion.
You can't just wave things away and claim magic without it making sense.
It exists because Intrepid needs it to exist, not because of any reason in game.
The nameplate is designed to provide hints about the actual type of armor that is worn beneath the transmog.