Node Level Confusion.

Xeeg

Vhaeyne wrote: »

@ELWOW
I think we just have fundamentally different priorities for what Ashes should be, and that’s okay.

You’re concerned the game might lean too hard into sandbox design—I’m more worried it won’t lean far enough. Personally, I’d be thrilled if they ditched most of the scripted story elements and leaned fully into a true player-driven experience, more like EVE Online on foot.

Ashes is going to be a niche game no matter what. The gamers who crave story, exploration, and hand-crafted lore already have tons of high-quality options. I doubt Ashes will pull many of them away from titles that already do that better.

Where I think Ashes has the strongest potential is in appealing to PvX sandbox players who want long-term investment and systems that create emergent gameplay. That’s the crowd that won’t get bored—just look at how EVE has endured for decades by staying true to its niche. It’s not mainstream, but it’s still thriving.

I agree node balance matters, but I see it more as a tool for emergent gameplay than as something that needs strict leveling ranges or developer-shaped hotspots. To me, a well-designed sandbox can outlast a sandpark if players are truly shaping the world.

Exactly, players that are only playing for some kind of storyline or questline, or just to grind to max level will only last a couple months in the game. The players that will be playing the game for years are the ones who are invested in the competitive node systems and the PVP around them. Part of that is having balanced options right from launch on which nodes to go grind at and progress.

It also helps distribute the player base so we arent all bunched up in one zone right off the bat either. If we could get to level 6ish from lionhold and then run to desert or jundark and start leveling/gathering, it would alleviate many of the "not enough copper" complaints.

I hope phase 3 starts out like this, but then how do they ensure that each node has item drop potential? Should every node have a tower of Carphin level POI, with a variety of bosses that can gear up players? They have invested alot of time and effort into getting the riverlands POIs well developed and fully sustainable.

I can understand the hesitation in making every node as complex as Miraleth or Winstead, but what is the alternative, cutting back on their content just to balance them with new nodes?