Glorious Alpha Two Testers!
Alpha Two testing is currently taking place five days each week. More information about Phase II and Phase III testing schedule can be found here
If you have Alpha Two, you can download the game launcher here, and we encourage you to join us on our Official Discord Server for the most up to date testing news.
Alpha Two testing is currently taking place five days each week. More information about Phase II and Phase III testing schedule can be found here
If you have Alpha Two, you can download the game launcher here, and we encourage you to join us on our Official Discord Server for the most up to date testing news.
Where is the soul
Chicago
Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
First time logging in, in about 2 months so I decided to check out the new biome the anvils, I'll start by saying the new starting area is actually pretty cool, and a step up from the Riverlands although it definitely feels out of scale but was definitely a good and new experience
But once I reached the top of the cave, I was quite disappointed, the game visually looks nice and I can see improvement but the anvils basically looks like another Riverlands with different elevations, after running around for 25 minutes and feeling like I was just running in a circle because the zone basically all looks the same I decided to just log off
This is not a hate post I hope that I trepid do take this feedback on board but what is going on with the art team? None of the biomes seem to have any fantasy, any soul, and exploring them seems boring as you can basically stand on a high rock and see the entire biome from every single point of the anvils, I think the team needs to work on how the biomes actually look instead of just trying to make them as big as possible which again is another issue in its self as the world is going to feel quite empty and what's the point of having a huge world if it's basically just one biome spread out through 2 continents, I understand it's an alpha and a work in progress but this feedback isn't new, infact it's the same feedback quite a few people have been asking for, for over a year now, please add some mist or big trees we can't see past or canopies, the world really needs some life to it, some fantasy, some mystery and allure.
But once I reached the top of the cave, I was quite disappointed, the game visually looks nice and I can see improvement but the anvils basically looks like another Riverlands with different elevations, after running around for 25 minutes and feeling like I was just running in a circle because the zone basically all looks the same I decided to just log off
This is not a hate post I hope that I trepid do take this feedback on board but what is going on with the art team? None of the biomes seem to have any fantasy, any soul, and exploring them seems boring as you can basically stand on a high rock and see the entire biome from every single point of the anvils, I think the team needs to work on how the biomes actually look instead of just trying to make them as big as possible which again is another issue in its self as the world is going to feel quite empty and what's the point of having a huge world if it's basically just one biome spread out through 2 continents, I understand it's an alpha and a work in progress but this feedback isn't new, infact it's the same feedback quite a few people have been asking for, for over a year now, please add some mist or big trees we can't see past or canopies, the world really needs some life to it, some fantasy, some mystery and allure.
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Comments
I personally think it is - same as always - like this, because it is still the (early) Alpha 2. I personally see the true Length of Alpha 2 only by then as "in the Middle",
when BOTH Continents and all the Islands around them are complete,
when ALL the Archetypes/Classes are complete,
(including secondary Archetypes)
when ALL Races are in the Alpha Two.
Things like -> "fleshing out of Nodes" - counts as completing the Environment for me.
Things like -> fleshing out the ENVIRONMENTS(Landscapes) - counts as completing the Environment for me.
Right now - if they would already "completely COMPLETE" (lol) the Anvills for example -> that would nigh border on Scopecreep - wouldn't it ?
I personally hope there will be a HUUUUUUUUUUGE Underdark/Underworld underneath the Western Continent as well - connecting most if not all the different Lands (Biomes) with each other.
The "Soul" usually comes by placing unique Nature ("Doodads"??), Rockformations/Rock-Textures, Grass, Earth, Ground-Colors/Textures into the Zone,
PLUS of course the important Weather-Effects which only the Biomes have - in which the dominant Climate independent from the four different Seasons affects the Weather.
Towards the SECOND half of the Alpha Two,
when all the Races are complete,
when all the Classes are complete,
when HOPEFULLY all the Races will get an optical Overhaul by then,
when the Underdark/Underground of Verra will be patched in and completed,
when the Oceans of Verra are completed - not YET including Underwater-Landscapes/Ruins/etc.
Then the critical Part will be there.
Then will come the critical Moment and Time in which Sir Steven and his mighty Crew should tackle the "Soul" of each different Landscape/Biome.
It will greatly and dominant Word is here also GREATLY - influence the Popularity of the Game and how much People will love the World of Verra and will be willing to do monthly Subscriptions to stay inside of it.
I dare say it right here and right now,
the Game will have " ABSOLUTELY - ZERO PROBLEMS " - with being immensely popular -> if they include all these nice visual Effects, Graphics, Views and Optics like in the Presentations a few Years ago.
✓ Occasional Roleplayer
I am in the guildless Guild so to say, lol. But i won't give up. I will find my fitting Guild "one Day".
Thanks for the reply mate! I really hope so! I agree that I think polish comes later but I think there are definitely things that can be done whilst creating the biomes to add immersion, I think intrepid are probably aware of this but I also think it's important feedback as we are not really " early alpha " anymore, technically we have been in alpha for 4 years, with A2 about to hit the 1 year mark, and these are issues that alpha 1 just did not have, the alpha 1 world did have soul and mystery and fantasy and that was 4 years ago so I don't know if it's just a time thing
Oh!! Thanks again for this Information.
Didn't knew Alpha 1 was that awesome. Makes me think that right now they can just not include all the cool, unique Traits and Visuals into each Biome -> which gives said Biomes their " Souls ".
People said in the last Weeks to Critics on YouTube,
that USUALLY - Companies wouldn't even have ANNOUNCED their Game/s -> at this Point of Development. This was a nice Answer to all these People constantly commenting (nagging^.^) on YouTube whenever a monthly Presentation comes up -> or a known Ashes-Streamer uploads another Video.
Because the Critics concerned constantly - and "only"(?) - talk as if all of us would have already waited like FOURTEEN TO TWENTY YEARS or so for the Game
That actually made me think and smile a bit. Would make Sense, right ? That most Companies would not even have announced their Game yet. I think even Ludullu/Nikr here on the Forums recently stated the same, if i don't confuse this.
( https://forums.ashesofcreation.com/profile/discussions/Ludullu )
Maybe it was him - maybe not. But it was also stated that "Open Development" might have been a Mistake or WAS for sure a Mistake.
Why ?
Because now People constantly nag on YouTube (lol) or are Perma-concerned here in the Forum. Meaning probably that a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOT of negative Energy is being created by the Open Looks into the State of Alpha Two.
I admit i am partially one of the concerned People as well. I want the Game to look as awesome as in the Presentations around 2022 and 2023 and so on.
I think most Companies announce their Games first and only when their Alpha nears it's End towards the Beta and when they are 100% confident they will be able to release their Game.
✓ Occasional Roleplayer
I am in the guildless Guild so to say, lol. But i won't give up. I will find my fitting Guild "one Day".
did the exact same thing a few days ago ..had the same thoughts as you also in fact i also went around the jundark and despite all the foliage and trees ..etc they shoved into it , it didnt feel like a jungle at all , it felt empty and souless and the way the zones ground/topography designed is just bad
Yeah man, no idea why they keep praising the art team for this, if I was funding this game I would be pretty annoyed at this point, the world is so boring, and it's sad to see
I assume late 2027 at earliest - and i am "NOT" saying that Sir Steven and his Crew are making slow Progress. I am kind of excited that apparently to about the Start of Phase Three,
most of the Western Continent will be ready already - won't it ? But i know that there is still S~OOOOOO much more left to add - and that does not even include Quests in all the Area's. Or Quest-Chains. Or Events. Or corrupted Areas.
Or Weather-Effects. Or the four different "Seasons" with their Weather-Effects. Or the Oceans. Or the Underground. Plus the Archetypes are not yet complete.
Still much, much to do. This is why i keep saying this is still "relatively early Alpha 2".
✓ Occasional Roleplayer
I am in the guildless Guild so to say, lol. But i won't give up. I will find my fitting Guild "one Day".