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Game Longevity
BlekTheSnek
Member
Hi there,
I had just learned about AoC last week and was blown away by the gameplay and aspects of the game that are unique. I think a lot of genius ideas are being implemented and i can't wait to get started whenever I can. I do, however, have concerns of buying into a game that I will end up dropping a few weeks playing after realizing my dream was just a dream. Theres a slew of information out there and i'm sorry if it has been asked before but...
Has there been any discussion from the devs about how they are going to handle the longevity of the game where so many mmo's before them have failed? I'm talking power creep, not enough servers to handle release day, pay to win/micro transactions, etc etc.
I would love to bring my community of friends to the game, gift them beta keys, and invest in a game I think i would play for years to come. Just looking for some sort of guarantee of not killing a good idea with bad business decisions.
I had just learned about AoC last week and was blown away by the gameplay and aspects of the game that are unique. I think a lot of genius ideas are being implemented and i can't wait to get started whenever I can. I do, however, have concerns of buying into a game that I will end up dropping a few weeks playing after realizing my dream was just a dream. Theres a slew of information out there and i'm sorry if it has been asked before but...
Has there been any discussion from the devs about how they are going to handle the longevity of the game where so many mmo's before them have failed? I'm talking power creep, not enough servers to handle release day, pay to win/micro transactions, etc etc.
I would love to bring my community of friends to the game, gift them beta keys, and invest in a game I think i would play for years to come. Just looking for some sort of guarantee of not killing a good idea with bad business decisions.
0
Comments
When it comes to longevity there are a few interpretations of how this game will be upon release. It being a hybrid game, there are a lot of systems it is taking from other games, and people want the systems they like to be the main focus. I always refer people to this page https://ashesofcreation.wiki/Design_pillars because if you have played any of the games on that list of inspirations it might help you to understand what the DEVs are aiming for. Most of those games would retain a modest player base with zero updates or power creep due to their more sandbox nature. Some people on here don't see it that way, and think the game needs constant updates and level increases to keep the game moving. Ultimately we don't know what power creep will be like until we are living with the game. The same goes for longevity. In my opinion if the game is remotely easy or casual friendly it wont have much longevity. Others think all MMOs just need constant updates, and new stories to keep players attention. It is too soon to really tell.
I made my choice to support the game based on the fact that Lineage 2, EVE, and SWG are inspirations for the game. AOC might not be the second coming of any of those games, but I expect it to share enough of those games DNA to be wroth my time and support.
I also don't think we have to worry too much about mismanagement. Steven has 40mill of his own money on the line here. That is a little different than having something like NCsoft or Activison breathing down your neck trying to get you to squeeze dollars out of your player base.
At the very least spend some time on the WIKI before you gift keys. I have friends who would love this and friends that would hate AOC. I don't think its gonna be for everyone, and that is perfectly fine.
If I had more time, I would write a shorter post.
Thats refreshing
I guess my main concern with power creep is in one of the videos i watched they mentioned crafting gear being an essential gameplay mechanic, and i definitely want that to be true. All too often, in really any mmo I've played, gear becomes obsolete when a new expansion releases. That would completely destroy someone who has gone down that crafting path if they release a boss that drops something that blows it out of the water as an example. I know i would quit if i was a blacksmith of sorts in one of these towns & they just made what i do second-rate.
as for whether the constant updates or not that really depends on how immersive the end game is. So whether they do or don't depends on how bored the playerbase would be after experiencing all of the gameplay
Thats actually super reassuring hahaha
Yeah i will definitely be doing all the research i can, but i also don't want to spoil my first time actually playing if that makes sense. I saw the node system which i'm super stoked about with towns & hoping they give player owned houses, guilds, and roleplay life for the longevity. Thats all stuff unrelated to the thread though. I would still be curious if there was any developer content addressing a roadmap or talking about staving off game killing business decisions like classics Runescape/WoW
As long as the leveling is fun i'm down for a long journey.
As for the frequency of updates i don't really care whether they do or don't so long as the core of the game remains consistent. I don't want to have to relearn mechanics, have something i like nerfed into the floor, or feel like if i take a month off everything has completely changed.
Ashes should be rather living and breathing. The core fundamentals will cross the expansions like the main game but the expansions will add new flavours etc.
The raid bosses generally drop crafting materials so Crafters can make the best gear. If you're an armour crafter, you'll always have a job.
https://ashesofcreation.wiki/Raid_bosses#Loot_tables
yeah I understand, I also agree with the stance. Fortunately, most massive changes should happen before Betas.
sweeeet
you would think but not all developers share that game philosophy
In fact, it's likely that the artisan experts will play a major part in actually extracting these elite materials.
From the same link as above:
"If you want to be able to get those mats from the boss, they're just not going to drop for anybody. They will only drop for a master gatherer who is capable of extracting those resources from the creature itself... The reason why we say there's a lot of interdependencies between the crafters of the world and the raiders of the world and our PvPers of the world is because we don't want to house the capability to attain these things all within the adventuring class. We want there to be an influence necessary from the craftsmen's guild to come in to either come and participate and spoil the boss and gather the goods or something along those lines.[33] – Steven Sharif"
I'm not saying that this is what I want personally, but it does bring up some questions.
exactly, i couldn't agree more
Traveling through the exciting world with all its changes is a very meaningful time.
Going back to your hometown in between is also a meaningful time where you can find peace.
I think that this kind of unchanging goodness is one of the most important factors in enjoying games for a long time.
From that perspective, perhaps nostalgia can be thought of as something that is gained not from the streets and familiar dungeons, but from the close players who are active in various places
One thing I wish they would do is allow players to de-level to help new players enjoy the experience when they have trouble finding a party and make a heroic or mythic mode out of beginning content.
Don't quote me, but I think in Asmongold's interview with Steven, he mentions update spacing... or it might have been in the interview with Ashen Forge..
Asmongold:
Ashen Forge:
Too late i already quoted you
thanks for this this is exactly what i wanted to see from this forum post.
There will be a mentor program allowing you to de-level and help your friends but not to scale up and do higher content.
https://ashesofcreation.wiki/Leveling#Mentor_program