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What Mechanisms are in Place to Avoid the End Game Race

It's great there will be hardcore players that race to the top and discover new things as a matter of pride. However, casual players would like to be engaged in the economy, character building, and raids without being left behind. In one game (not to be mentioned) they add servers at intervals so all players on that server start at the beginning. At the same time, we don't want to begrudge power players their high level characters. How will mechanics avoid a bi-modal population of advanced versus average players?  Thank you.   

Comments

  • ArchivedUserArchivedUser Guest
    edited June 2018
    And how would adding new servers achieve that? It would just be another round in the game of "server 1st".

    Other mechanics, like limiting the maximum amount of xp you can get per day, are extremely frustrating and just lead to people stop playing.
    There is no fair way to do what you are asking. A player who plays for four hours a day should achieve twice as much as a player who only plays two hours per day.

    That being said, IS has the nodes system, which will require hundreds of players to work together to actually achieve something. It would take months for a few dozen players to even create a village...

    Links to nodes videos:
    Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMvubbX-SHg
    Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44HChA1Kkfk
    Part 3: Will be releases just after Half-Life 3
  • Didn't suggest adding servers - far from it. Perhaps what I perceive is there is no leveling in a classical sense?  More like node and character development that influences an increase in types of proficiency. Trying to get a general grasp as to how a balance will be struck and AOC has staying power. How will new players enjoy the game by participating instead of catch-up infinitum of a mature node. Perhaps the destruction of a node will be the balance - starting again from the ashes?  Very interesting. 

  • ArchivedUserArchivedUser Guest
    edited June 2018
    It sounds like progression at max level will be more horizontal then vertical. A lot of progression will be more about specialization instead of just getting a higher numbers. In a stream with lazypeon, he mentioned that he wanted to find a balance between progression and skill so people are rewarded for progression but skill can always play a role in a fight. 

    https://youtu.be/hIVnt8SDdrY?t=4m10s
  • How will mechanics avoid a bi-modal population of advanced versus average players?  
    You never presented a reason as to why this should exist.
  • ArchivedUserArchivedUser Guest
    edited June 2018
    I'm surprised no one answered this buuuut
    • The term " EndGame " does not exists. Instead, the term " end-game " will be an integral part of the core game 
    • There is NOTHING TO RUSH TO ... you are NOT supposed
    • Mostly everything will revolve around the Nodes - all activities will be ever-changing depending on what Node LvL the Node is at within each ZOI - and there are Multiple ZOIs 
    These are near-exact words from Mr. Jeffery Bard -  Because i distinctly remember the Stream when Mr. Jeffery Bard discusses this 
    ( just can't remember* which Stream specifically because i would have to find it )

    Again, EndGame will not exists - but it will be integrated into the Core Game. 
  • ArchivedUserArchivedUser Guest
    edited June 2018
    Eragale said:

    Again, EndGame will not exists 
    After the recent failure of Bless, and with one of the (many) reasons for it's failure being a lack of end game, it's probably not wise to make this blanket statement without the actual full quote and the context around it.

    Ashes *WILL* have end game content - assuming you define end game content as content such as group dungeons and raids that are aimed at characters at maximum level.
  • taking a guess but...
    #1 on the server can still lose a fight to 2 and 3.  End game content will most likely be PvP.  Not in fighting each other, but end game character just needs an item from a world boss, the trick then is him taking it out before 2 and 3 do.  Alternatively the best craftsman in the game can't produce more epic/mythic/whatever items than the second best with a backing gathering guild etc.  This leaves a lot of room for imbalance and annoying play though (mega guilds) so I hope they have put a lot of thought into this.
  • Noaani said:
    Ashes *WILL* have end game content - assuming you define end game content as content such as group dungeons and raids that are aimed at characters at maximum level.
    Mr. Jeffery Bard hates the term " end-game " - that is the utter truth of it - and i'm happy for that.  Mr Jeffery Bard  OPENLY STATED THIS DURING THE LIVESTREAM. The Term " end-game " is something you see in Themepark MMOs - not in SandBox MMOs

    The segment of you comment which i italicized ... " that "  ( and so much more ) is what I'm talking about - the core game will well-rounded and not meant to " run-out " . 

    Most players who got into MMOs only witnessed Themepark MMOs - and thus only have a ... " ThemePark MMO Mindset " - thats not how SandBox MMOs work.

    The interesting part is, Intrepid never openly stated if its going to be SandBox nor ThemePark - as evident of their KickStarter Page.


  • But you always see " End-Game " in ThemePark MMOs. Never in SandBox MMOs
  • But that's the thing @Eragale there needs to be "end game". There needs to be content not everyone can beat, there should be content that take organization and individual responsibility instead of a click/match/faceroll. There should be some broad goal or struggle for the people who are able to put in a lot more time than others. That's why we buy and play MMOs cause your not supposed to beat them in 40 hours. We want to work together and achieve something. For some people "end game" is raiding, pvp, crafting, traders and exploring. Saying there is no end game gives you no goal and no reward for any effort you put in to that point. 
  • ArchivedUserArchivedUser Guest
    edited June 2018
    You must have never heard of a " Conudrum " ? xD
     For some people "end game" is raiding, pvp, crafting, traders and exploring. Saying there is no end game gives you no goal and no reward for any effort you put in to that point. 
    You must not have seen Intrepid's Dungeon Stream for Ashes of Creation ? 
    You must not have seen their Stretch Goals for Kickstarter ?


    Are you also forgetting the Starting-Devs who began to design this Game ?
    • EQ, EQ2, EQN, SWG and Vanguard: Sage of Heroes ? 
    • The Devs that came after are a mystery though :l  ... it makes me concerned that Viewers can no longer freely view their Bio/ History either ... 

  • ArchivedUserArchivedUser Guest
    edited June 2018
    @Argentdawn

    Intrepid doesn't want these experiences to be at the End of the Game - it should be experience THROUGHOUT the game - enjoying the experience, it should feel like a journey. And to those that try to ... " rush through it " will come to find that they're Guide-less. In every ThemePark MMO there is always a map-marker/ mission-tracker/ quest-tracker/ glowing-object etc ... specifically telling you where to go/ what to do.  Without those " guides " there'll be nothing to rush to since Ashes of Creations will be ever-changing due to everything being sporadic

    • Side Note: The Node will not breach the 1st LvL in less than a Day ... that only happened in PAX Presentation because they wanted to give an idea as to what it'll be - they planned for Node LvL to take at least 1 month. EDIT: Could be longer than that
    • Although, that - and everything else - would need to be tested first ... which is fast approaching :3 ( EDIT: Such as testing the Bounty Hunter System via Military Node )
  • ArchivedUserArchivedUser Guest
    edited June 2018

    B)

  • It's great there will be hardcore players that race to the top and discover new things as a matter of pride. However, casual players would like to be engaged in the economy, character building, and raids without being left behind. In one game (not to be mentioned) they add servers at intervals so all players on that server start at the beginning. At the same time, we don't want to begrudge power players their high level characters. How will mechanics avoid a bi-modal population of advanced versus average players?  Thank you.   
    I'm not sure I get what you mean. It seems that any player can, at any time, pursue any of those game elements you mentioned - nothing's stopping people crafting/selling stuff, building their own character, or organising raids with others (or is there?). 

    That said, why would we want to avoid having a population of players at various levels of progression based on their individual time and effort spent on the game?
  • ArchivedUserArchivedUser Guest
    edited June 2018

    I would rather not engage in a lengthy debate. The point being, some of have JOBS.  Perhaps a day and a half time to casually enjoy AOC per week.  We pay the same monthly fee, right?  I hope people of means that have such passion to be Uber players reap the rewards for their dedicated time invested in-game, as they should.  I am sure ‘us’ part-time players won’t be cast aside for groups because were not proficient, craft items at our levels become unsellable, and nodes are mature as we step-in.  The bright spot is likely to be guilds that will mentor and aid new members in the catching up component.  In conclusion, looks like some good information provided above.  End game understood. Thank you.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9F8bs_THKiY

  • ArchivedUserArchivedUser Guest
    edited June 2018
    @Skafftaruss
    You are welcome  o:)

    While I am unsure of everything specifically ... i ultimately feel as though every Activity will be " broadened-out " ; i feel that every activity will be have an unfathomable things to do in each area - favoring/ putting more emphasis on horizontal progression. So much so, i strongly feel as though those who rush won't make much progress - i honestly feel as though they'll be " too much to do " ... which is a good thing in an MMO.


    So as long as they make Combat diverse + many variables to consider for builds + removing the term ... " meta " 
    • Meta prevents diversity. And thus ... you'll see many players with the exact same build ... especially if/when Raids come into the fray ... and other things ( ike PvP)

    From personal experience, i still remember how Low-LvL Players had a chance to beat high-level players - and thats because the Devs for " this MMO "
    • " SevenSwords " MMO ( its was a Mobile MMO )... 
    the Devs for that MMO didn't let Gear be the sole-deciding factor. Rather they had defensive abilities that alter the output/ dmg of the ability based on the Level difference of the attackee & attacker
    But the above mentioned is just an example

    I too am hoping things go as planned  o:)
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