We need to talk about PirateSoftware’s interview.

I'm thoroughly disappointed with this interview.

The interviewer barely touched on what SHOULD be added during phase two - content we still haven't seen - and instead focused mainly on features for mega-guilds that few players actually care about.

What's more concerning is that Steven, instead of standing firm on his vision, seemed to be tailoring his answers to meet Pirate's expectations. Once again, he acted more like a salesperson than a creative director.

So Steven, let me be clear: we don't need you to keep selling us future features that only heaven knows when we'll see. What we need is honesty and transparency.

Focus on delivering FEWER features but actually releasing them, rather than constantly discussing 100 new features when you haven't even released 90% of what was promised for phase 2.

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lukedawuke

Steven doesnt owe us anything, its his vision.

nanfoodle

The plan was always within reach of large guilds. Before Phase 1 of A2. The plan was pick your guild path. Buffs and keep the guild at 50 and at ever progression you can pick more buff or grow your guild.

Aliance chat was always planed. So you could have 4 guilds of 300 working as one unit. Or is there something else?

Pham

DottorMorte wrote: »

I'm thoroughly disappointed with this interview.

The interviewer barely touched on what SHOULD be added during phase two - content we still haven't seen - and instead focused mainly on features for mega-guilds that few players actually care about.

I'm inclined to doubt the veracity of this statement. What makes a mega guild? Lots of players.
That being understood, what affects mega guilds affects lots of players. Shouldn't lots of players care about things that affect them?

AirborneBerserker

Pham wrote: »

DottorMorte wrote: »

I'm thoroughly disappointed with this interview.

The interviewer barely touched on what SHOULD be added during phase two - content we still haven't seen - and instead focused mainly on features for mega-guilds that few players actually care about.

I'm inclined to doubt the veracity of this statement. What makes a mega guild? Lots of players.
That being understood, what affects mega guilds affects lots of players. Shouldn't lots of players care about things that affect them?

Most things that affect Mega guilds don't really affect anyone else. Things like reducing the number of artisanship that can be maxed out while have almost no affect on large guilds, because if their access to large numbers. Has a huge impact on smaller guilds and solo players, especially in a game which has 22 different professions.

Mega guilds already bypass most of the "restrictions" that other people have to deal with. Focusing on more features which give them an even greater advantage enabling them to dominate them even more.

Its_Me

DottorMorte wrote: »

I'm thoroughly disappointed with this interview.

The interviewer barely touched on what SHOULD be added during phase two - content we still haven't seen - and instead focused mainly on features for mega-guilds that few players actually care about.

What's more concerning is that Steven, instead of standing firm on his vision, seemed to be tailoring his answers to meet Pirate's expectations. Once again, he acted more like a salesperson than a creative director.

So Steven, let me be clear: we don't need you to keep selling us future features that only heaven knows when we'll see. What we need is honesty and transparency.

Focus on delivering FEWER features but actually releasing them, rather than constantly discussing 100 new features when you haven't even released 90% of what was promised for phase 2.

It was nothing more than a PR stunt that hid behind pre-arranged fluff questions and content to make both Thor and Steven look good. That is it- period.

Noaani

DottorMorte wrote: »

I'm thoroughly disappointed with this interview.

The interviewer barely touched on what SHOULD be added during phase two - content we still haven't seen - and instead focused mainly on features for mega-guilds that few players actually care about.

What's more concerning is that Steven, instead of standing firm on his vision, seemed to be tailoring his answers to meet Pirate's expectations. Once again, he acted more like a salesperson than a creative director.

This game has always tailored itself to large guilds.

That is essentially the purpose of this game.

Steven's MMO history is thst of running large guilds where he dictates what people do, and people generally do as they are told.

This is what Ashes is being built as. Always has been.

Orym

In the most respectfull way, it was a weird one.

Pirate: "Any plans on improving the chat functions, like whispering?"
Steven: "Yes we have plans on improving the chat functionality"

That was more or less the entire theme of the interview. OBVIOUSLY they have plans on improving stuff.
I think they would be better of just explaining the vision to new people. Or actually show something new in-game with pirate, like rouge gameplay or something that is soon coming. No need to do an interview to say, "yes we are still working on the game"
Just imo. I like both steven and pirate.

Volgaris

It was a puff piece. But some good info came out too. A good way to spread some news between Intrepids own streams.

It does appear to be pandering to the mega guilds. And there was skirting around the issue of large guilds and how they can throw the balance off in the game. The vassal system and the guild progression systems can balance this, but we won't know more until we get to test them. And thats a ways off. As it was said though this game is met to be played in groups and generally greater numbers will have the advantage. As the game is now the mega guilds have a massive advantage. And the guild progress system still won't prevent pirates from having multiple guilds, and there's no telling if any of those pirate guilds will even choose to increase their numbers over taking passive perks. Maybe make it against the user agreement or something or TOS. but then enforcement would still be hard to do.

not everything was future stuff, some of the stuff was reportedly put in like the caravan name plates. pirates brought up a good point about name plates for loot too. They need to make sure guild, node, and religion will show on those name plates. We also learned that we should get to test rogue by about the end of feb. that's good stuff.

i'm not going to white knight the game and i'm not going to trash it. it has issues that if not address will likely lead to an early death of it, but also they still haven't put everything in so those issue could actually not even be a design issue we're just playing a game with missing pieces. we haven't even seen iteration one of these systems. What i do see is frequent updates and changes for the better. Steven has a vision and he shouldn't be swayed away from that trying to please everyone. i still don't agree with his approach to testing or his use of the term alpha but that's okay.

nanfoodle

I watched the interview and nothing said does not pre-date any info Steven and IS has stated outside of the plan. Anything new had nothing to do with guild size. I think everyone was expecting alliance chat to one day be just one big guild. IMO I'm just waiting for smaller guilds fully buffed up spank larger guilds. PS already having problems with smaller guilds that are organized.

SmileGurney

I didn't like that multiple of his questions were self-serving due to Pirates needs as a zerg guild.

Noaani

SmileGurney wrote: »

I didn't like that multiple of his questions were self-serving due to Pirates needs as a zerg guild.

Why?

He is asking questions from his perspective - which is what we would want.

Questions from the perspective of a smaller guild or solo player should come from the perspective of someone wanting to play as part of a smaller guild, or that wants to play solo.

Essentially, people asking developers questions should be sticking to self serving questions.

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