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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.
Comments
I"ve done this in mmorpgs for ages to help them level, though i think I'm starting to understand why you have a hard time finding groups.
Not possible at every moment of playing during the next 10 years. Also for you that's not possible, if you state this, you are a liar.
Me personally? Of course, I'm also grouping up with different "randoms". That's just normal. But I'm not doing this every day and every time I play, because there are situations or circumstances where group play is not desired or needed. If my time invested is rewarded meaningful, I also play alone. And I see no single reason why I shouldnt do this, as long as I keep pace with my character so I'm not wasting my time, because character progression is, beside good storytelling/questing, a major reason why I'm playing a game where I'm acting within my role and class - MMO(RPG).
It's not, as long as the game provides good rewards, good progression and choices for solo gameplay without getting harmed from other players that destroy this progression and rewards.
Ummmmm
https://ashesofcreation.wiki/Mentor_program
Super funny.
It is always a choice. If you chose to run around in a group the pvp aspect is still there.
If you chose to run around solo the pvp aspect is still there.
I just don't expect to get "meaningful" anything with out the risk and effort to get it.
Just like the loot thread. Me,me,me...
The last paragraph is the same for everyone entering the arena of Ashes of Creation.
Solo and Uber guild a like
First off, I want to address those arguing against this post and those who have similar arguments:
I think some people who are coming here to argue these points are coming from a wrong angle. The way those people argued the point made it seem how you HAVE to be grouped up whenever you play the game, because this game is made for groups, and only group content matters. That's also why I was stuck arguing those points, that lead nowhere.
That's completely missing the point though, and has made the conversation go backwards.
The argument should be about explaining that players will not have to only do group content 24/7 whenever they're logged in, and how you need filler content that you will do in-between group stuff. You cannot expect the game to only have group content, and you cannot expect to be in a group all the time.
So instead of arguing that, instead just say "You don't have to be in a group 24/7, there is content that's doable solo, here's an example...". (Hey, and some people have done that, which has actually made me change my stance on this issue, but not completely).
We have examples, and we should now discuss why those are or aren't enough.
And onto those examples we go:
@Chaliux @AirborneBerserker
I'm just going to mention that world events and caravans will be group content, that's doable solo. You don't have to join a pre-made group, you can just run around, do the event, assist people around you, while playing alone. When it comes to Caravans specifically, there's a Highwayman system - read about it if you aren't aware of it. You will be rewarded for participating.
It very much is content that's doable solo.
I will agree that some of the 15 pieces of content listed really are just "playstyles", as mentioned.
That would really depend on how the corruption system works, and how punishing it is. It might not be worth to flag up for that. I also don't agree at all that world events are PK bait at all.
I'll again mention that most of this stuff will be done in between, when you can't get a group.
It is still expected that you will get a group at some point, and that's when you will do the group content that the game has to offer, which is also the main content of this game.
Let's take a look at this example:
If I log in in the morning, when there are not a lot of players online, and when maybe my group/guild isn't doing group content (simply due to numbers, or just because it's in the morning, and they don't want to), I will simply go out and do my own thing, because remember, that stuff can also be done in this game.
I'll go gather materials, maybe do some crafting, I'll join some events on the way, maybe I'll run into a caravan, and I might just join that event, I might go out and farm some mobs, whether for certain drops, gold, or whatever. I can also queue for BGs/Arena,
All of that stuff will help me get richer, which in turn makes me stronger.
Then I can maybe log out, I'm going to work, or whatever. When I come back, I can join a group, do some dungeons, maybe contest a world boss, maybe run some caravans, or whatever other group content is available in the game at that time. At certain days you will have huge events like sieges (castle or node).
---
Here's where I'm seeing issues:
- This might not be enough content. Which is why I asked, what do you want to be added? Give an example from other games maybe.
- People are afraid of PKers, and corruption system not discouraging PKing enough (wow would you look at that, somehow we always end up talking about this point). They feel like even if they do solo content, they're at very high risk of getting PKed. It's a valid concern, we just have to see how the system works.
But here's an even bigger issue:
- It seems that the issue people have here is simply with the game's design which is centered around group content, and where group content is the main content.
You would just have to get over it, because that's not going to change. However, that's also why i keep asking, WHAT SOLO CONTENT DO YOU WANT TO BE ADDED? because an answer to this questions will help a lot. If it's something that doesn't clash with group focused content of Ashes, where both can co-exist, then it's not a problem at all, and I don't see why it couldn't be added.
If it is something that's going to take away from the group content, however, then you simply are maybe looking for something that Ashes isn't about.
Be glad he doesn't choose to ignore You.
✓ Occasional Roleplayer
✓ Guild is " Balderag's Garde " for now. (German)
So they created a system so that people couldn't get power leveled and then created a system that makes that pointless...Jesus this game is fucked.
No it allows you to go help your friends without taking all their xp because you have over leveled them.
Don't think it will force delevel you though,but maybe.
But power leveling is another thread
Here's the problem I have to wander into one, or wait in areas where I'm likely to find one. And you should look at the Highwayman systems it rewards defending caravans with better caravan gear which is useless for more solo oriented players. Which means I always want to be on the attacking side every single time since there will be no point in me defending since I will get basically nothing. So yes you "can" do this but spending 4 hours waiting for someone else to attack a caravan doesn't sound like fun to me.
Then it doesn't help with grouping at all which means it has nothing to do with what we were talking about. Why bring it up then? Ill tell you because your critical thinking skill are null and void. When people say something negative you don't think at all about what they said you just react.
And it doesn't level scale at all. Its literally go do this. Its a way for players to guide other players in what to do.
What?
What?
We were pointing out how people that come into the game 6 months after launch will have very few options for grouping due to the lower number of players that will be their level. Then you posted the mentor link like they would be grouped. Your not thinking or you just see something that you think is a good counter point. Take 5 minutes and think about what is being said.
This is one of the reasons developers speed up leveling speed in most games post launch - they know there aren't many existing lower level players, they don't want to ask their existing players to operate at that level, so they make it faster in order to get new players straight to where the bulk of players are at.
Soloers also can have Personal Caravans, which means Caravan Gear is not a useless reward.
You could also donate Caravan Gear to allies so that you can all get better rewards upon completion of the Caravan mission.
Again, it is your own personal paranoia that has you believing Solo Caravan Defenders basically get nothing.
Same for waiting 4 hours per day for a Caravan raid.
If you have 4 hours to play, you have time to find several Groups and do a bunch of stuff - if you want to Group.
There's also plenty of other stuff you can do Solo in 4 hours - especially with Social Orgs and Religions - besides just hunt for a Caravan.
How does the Mentorship Program not help with Grouping?
There will be a mentorship program where upper-level players are able to benefit from partying and/or helping lower level players; and getting them situated in the game.
Again not thinking. People will be able to be power leveled which they said they don't want.
Who, exactly, is "they"?
Where is the powerleveling dev quote?
And, how will the Mentorship Program inherently cause powerleveling?
Because either the higher level player can help them which means they would be power leveling them or they wont be able to which means them grouping up is pointless and doesn't address the problem.
The devs said they will be implementing a system which prevents people gaining experience with players that are 10 or more levels above them to help prevent power leveling because they dont want people artificially lowering the leveling time. Cant find the quote but heres the wiki page.
https://ashesofcreation.wiki/Leveling#Level_cap
5th bullet point under the Experience section.
I'm not sure what you mean by helping.
The Mentorship Program has specific Quests that Lowbies and Veterans can do together. It's not anything like powerleveling. It's not like haphazardly traveling to a high level Dungeon or a low level Dungeon and farming mobs.
It's more like Veterans helping escort deliveries or participating together in Caravan Defense/Offense.
The XP the Lowbie gains is from completing a Mentor Program Quest; not from killing mobs while Grouped with a Veteran.
The Mentorship Program provides individual Quests that can be initiated by the Mentor based off of what Node that they are part of. So these are like Quests that are determined by either certain buildings and/or organizations or the Mayor; and there are specific ones that are available for Mentors to provide Mentees; and they can also participate in some of those Quest lines as well: Whether that be leading your Mentee through a Dungeon or providing a location for them to arrive with you at, or escort Quests for the NPC Caravans. These types of things, when done together with your Mentor, will provide benefits both for the Mentor and the Mentee as well, so you're incentivized to participate with new players.
---Steven
Available also in other MMOs... Not everybody will be a mentor, the ration between available mentors and available players is not equal.
Do you know mentor programms from other MMOs? Which did you play so far?
So no choice that there is no pvp aspect?
Or if yes, how can the player by himself do this choice that he cannot be attacked? Which flag in the UI he can disable that there is no chance to get attacked at all? Would you please provide the source for your answer, probably I didn't see it on wiki or somehwere else. Because my state of information is, that the player has no choice that he cannot be attacked. If you wants to be attacked, he has a choice, it's called pvp-flag, combatant.
So, non-combatant is no real choice then?
Choice: I don't want to get attacked and play pvp for the next 2 hours during gathering fish.
Game systems: Not possible. Game choice is: You still can be attacked, you have no choice.
Why not? Why is reward something elisist and exclusive? We are still talking about a computer game or are we already in business on the job?
There seems to "plenty" of solo content (5 topics/clusters). Playing solo is the highest risk in the game. Is the reward the highest one than? The entire logic is wrong. IF non-combatant would be real non-combatant, than that would change a bit.
What's the high risk of a 40 man raid running around and terminating all other players and small groups on their way? They get all the rewards/loot than, right?
Some Mentors may have several Mentees. Some Mentees may have several Mentors.
You know mentor programs from other MMOs and experienced that? What will AoC do better here? Maybe you can explain it to us / me.
What I mean by helping is people will need other people to group with early on to do things like dungeons and other activities. Those people will not have access to other people due to thier late arrival. This system doesn't assist in that because of the level disparity which will be present. Which means it's not relevant to the discussion.
Yes, but the problem is this system will be used mostly by people in guilds trying to level people, alts or new players, as fast as possible so they wont teach them anything they will just tell them what to do, ultimately defeating the purpose of the system.
Late arrival does not prevent newbies from having access to veteran player characters.
Level disparity is irrelevant with regard to the Mentorship Program.
The claim that the Mentorship Program will mostly be used by Guilds trying to Level their own members or alts is merely your own pessimistic paranoia.
Are you now complaining that Soloers need other players to teach them how to play?
The primary purpose of the Mentorship Program is to incentivize veteran player characters to interact with newbie player characters, so...
Quests that provide rewards and benefits for veterans and newbies Grouping together does not defeat the purpose of the system. People can learn stuff from being told what to do.