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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.
Instanced content should be cross-server.. or perhaps not?
Tetterian
Member, Founder, Kickstarter, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
We have been told that Ashes of Creation will have an approximately 80/20 ratio for open world vs instanced content. That's all good since the essence of the game is based on player choice in the open world. However, instanced content doesn't affect the open world; therefore, cross-server allows for a more diverse interaction for the player base.
From what I've seen and read, the instanced scenarios are:
With the option for cross-server gameplay, players can play with their friends even if they're on different servers. Other pros can be if some servers go dead the players can still queue up without a 1 or 2-hour queue time.
With pros are of course cons too.
I've had experiences in past games that cross-server gameplay can ruin the social aspect of the game with everyone being strangers to each other since we cannot meet up in the open world to do quests or run laps in the big cities. This brings the "join and rush the mission and leave without a word" mentality which is something Ashes of Creation tries to distance itself from.
These are just some quick thoughts about the option for cross-server gameplay in instanced content.
From what I've seen and read, the instanced scenarios are:
- Specific dungeons and raids (IDEA: these can be queued up for outside of their entrance).
- Player Housing in a stage 3 node (Offers an option for a more RP style of gameplay).
- Arenas and battlegrounds (Makes sense to battle other players from other servers to make queues go faster).
- NOT Cross-server - Castle Sieges have instanced locations which of course will not be cross-server.
With the option for cross-server gameplay, players can play with their friends even if they're on different servers. Other pros can be if some servers go dead the players can still queue up without a 1 or 2-hour queue time.
With pros are of course cons too.
I've had experiences in past games that cross-server gameplay can ruin the social aspect of the game with everyone being strangers to each other since we cannot meet up in the open world to do quests or run laps in the big cities. This brings the "join and rush the mission and leave without a word" mentality which is something Ashes of Creation tries to distance itself from.
These are just some quick thoughts about the option for cross-server gameplay in instanced content.
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Comments
The comments about cross server for the Arena makes sense, it opens up more diverse teams and different compositions to verse and makes the ques faster.
Why? Each server will be unique, right? So, some will be more advanced than others. This suggestion would allow those who have friends on more advanced servers to advance their buddies on less advanced servers through the drops from these instances. Such an opportunity would not be available to those players who do not have 'friends' on another server.
Heck, the players on the 'advanced' server could easily charge real world money to their 'buddies' on the less advanced server for such a service. They would probably advertise such services.
I think I will change my 'no' vote to a "NO" vote.
The distribution of rare and legendary drops will most likely follow the 80/20 open world versus instanced as well. If there's an opportunity to fight a legendary world boss in an instance, you might want to have all hands on deck (in my opinion).
You can do those kinds of dishonorable activities on the same server too ... it's not limited to cross-server. Players simply give their login credentials to another veteran player to clear content (usually achievements).
Housing and dungeons wouldn't be though. Housing is base on your node which is unique to your server, not a separate area as in FFXIV.
Dungeons offer some of the best materials for crafting so the supply and demand mechanics are critical to the economy. You lose that if you are effectively importing materials cross server.
I'm in this camp too.
Makes me wonder if one could invite a Friend from another Server, just to hang out inside a small Lobby that is the Apartment.
If People are worried about others trying to do something like "trading Items" and then putting them on other Servers - like for Example trying to switch an unique Legendary Item to a different Server despite said Legendary Item being told to be only "ONE OF IT'S KIND" per Server,
then we can simply have it deactivated that Players from different Servers could give each other Items in instanced Rooms like for Example Apartments. 😁
✓ Occasional Roleplayer
✓ Guild is " Balderag's Garde " for now. (German)