You know WoW came out in 2004/5. Storage and server tech as advanced quite a bit since then, so technically it could be possible. Its the shitload of designs you would have to make that I find to be the true stumbling block to planets this huge.
Just a thought.
I would like to throw in a oooohhhh yeaaah for player ships here. Basically player housing and quest hub from the get go? Hopefully customizable for individual tastes? A starting point for a future space combat expansion?(you know they will). Drool.
Kipling217 on
The sky was full of stars, every star an exploding ship. One of ours.
Limed for truth. Running back and forth for quest there? Awfull. Not only does it take shitloads of time, but the place is quite literaly a maze. Designer of that zone should be taken outside and shot.
Kipling217 on
The sky was full of stars, every star an exploding ship. One of ours.
You know WoW came out in 2004/5. Storage and server tech as advanced quite a bit since then, so technically it could be possible. Its the shitload of designs you would have to make that I find to be the true stumbling block to planets this huge.
Just a thought.
I would like to throw in a oooohhhh yeaaah for player ships here. Basically player housing and quest hub from the get go? Hopefully customizable for individual tastes? A starting point for a future space combat expansion?(you know they will). Drool.
True, hardware evolves and software also, speeding up the pipeline.
IIRC they are using a modified version of hero engine. The one that allows realtime development in the same world by several designers at the same time.
shelak on
0
GnomeTankWhat the what?Portland, OregonRegistered Userregular
edited June 2010
That's another great point, about the Hero engine. Things like the Hero engine exist now, when WoW was created they either didn't, or were in their infancy. The middleware for these style of games has gotten really good.
You know WoW came out in 2004/5. Storage and server tech as advanced quite a bit since then, so technically it could be possible. Its the shitload of designs you would have to make that I find to be the true stumbling block to planets this huge.
Just a thought.
I would like to throw in a oooohhhh yeaaah for player ships here. Basically player housing and quest hub from the get go? Hopefully customizable for individual tastes? A starting point for a future space combat expansion?(you know they will). Drool.
True, hardware evolves and software also, speeding up the pipeline.
IIRC they are using a modified version of hero engine. The one that allows realtime development in the same world by several designers at the same time.
I wasn't saying it was limited by hardware or server technology, or anything like that.
I was saying it was limited by what human beings are capable of creating content for given a certain amount of time and money.
Creating an order of magnitude more content than World of Warcraft strikes me as very difficult to believe, and if they have I will be mightily impressed.
So, with these vast planets, I assume we're either getting tons of content that rewards little experience, or lots and lots of travel between the relatively generous experience generation.
So, with these vast planets, I assume we're either getting tons of content that rewards little experience, or lots and lots of travel between the relatively generous experience generation.
I would personally like to see more of the 2nd choice, to be honest.
I'm gotten so burned out on the questing equivalent to "busy work". Shit like...
Walk into a town.
Take 4-6 meaningless quest that don't take you more than 1 minute outside town.
Go out and circle the town, finishing each quest.
Go back to town and turn them in for small fractions of XP and crap/sidegrade gear.
Get a quest to move on to next town.
Give me quests that are long, involved, filled exploration along the way, and have arching storylines and I'd be more apt to pay attention to the hard work all your writers and voice actors went through. Constantly asking me to do busy work is going to not only get your quest writing ignored, but 1 less subscription at the end of the month.
Personally I don't think that is asking too much. If I wanted to play a meaningless quest grind, there are COUNTLESS other MMOs to do that in. I would much rather spend 10 hours playing through, and traveling for, a 20 quest-arch that has me play a major part in an engrossing story, than do 50 bullshit quests in a fraction of the time for the same XP.
Give me quests that are long, involved, filled exploration along the way, and have arching storylines and I'd be more apt to pay attention
I like this attitude.
We should date.
Melkster on
0
reVerseAttack and Dethrone GodRegistered Userregular
edited June 2010
I really hope they cut down on the "kill 20 rats" bullshit that infests other MMOs. I don't want to kill rats, I want to do something cool and heroic (or villainous). Also, less fedex quests, kthx. I'm not your mailman.
I really hope they cut down on the "kill 20 rats" bullshit that infests other MMOs. I don't want to kill rats, I want to do something cool and heroic (or villainous). Also, less fedex quests, kthx. I'm not your mailman.
They really need a Nuke From Orbit option with those.
We'll pull a Taris.
Melkster on
0
reVerseAttack and Dethrone GodRegistered Userregular
edited June 2010
One thing I really wish MMO quest designers would understand that bullshit grind quests aren't fun. When you tell me to go kill 20 rats, I just think "oh, great, a pointless fucking task to draw out the experience". How about, instead of making me do that, you send me to get something, like the lost Orb of Phantasmagoria, which just happens to be surrounded by armed henchmen who belong to the Rat Cult. In order to get to the Orb I have to kill loads of these guys, resulting in a similar time spent as if it was a "kill 20 rats" quest, but I don't mind because the lost Orb of Phantasmagoria sounds important and retrieving it makes me feel like I accomplished something as opposed to making me feel like I'm just some shmuck with the ability to kill rats.
MMO developers, you don't have to make me do grindy boring bullshit to keep me subscribed, shit like that will sooner or later cause me to drop the game entirely. If, however, you make the experience, y'know, fun, I'll probably buy another month of game time.
Hopefully with SW:TOR being the first MMO to put a primary focus on the storyline as opposed to levelling as just a means to the end game, many of these problems won't be present. I have a feeling Bioware will manage to make the vast majority of the quests interesting. I mean, for the most part even the side quests in Mass Effect 2 were intriguing enough that I actually wanted to do them. Sure, you're still just wrapping up a kill some guys quests in a prettier package, but when you tell me they belong to this merc group that I've had past reason to come to dislike greatly, and the goal is not 0/20 guys killed but rather explore their ship and sabotage some droid assembly line or something, it feels more fun.
Joshmvii on
0
reVerseAttack and Dethrone GodRegistered Userregular
edited June 2010
Yeah, killing dudes should be something you do on your way to the objective, not the objective in and on itself.
Exception being killing named dudes, because they have a name and are therefore important enough for me, the great champion, to bother going after them specifically.
Yeah, killing dudes should be something you do on your way to the objective, not the objective in and on itself.
Exception being killing named dudes, because they have a name and are therefore important enough for me, the great champion, to bother going after them specifically.
Two things. One I'd like to see done and the other I think would be interesting if done right...
Like to see:
Credit proactively given to me for the times I kill a named mob BEFORE I'm asked. I can't tell you how many times I've killed a named mob while exploring, or while doing a quest to kill his minions, only to have the quest to kill him come up right after. Just have named mobs drop a item as "proof of death" so when someone asks you to do it, you can drop it on the table in front of them, smirk and say "Oh, you mean THIS monster?....So about that reward..."
Might be interesting:
If they insist on making us do bullshit quests with multiple follow-ups, at least change the formula to a "Multi-objective single quest" with minimum requirements for turn-in. I'd like for once to have a quest giver tell me everything he wants me to do rather than just the first step. I hate it when quest chains have me go back and re-kill mobs I've already dealt with, in order to do something to/with a piece of scenery I was literally JUST next to. Instead, give me 1-2 main goals and a list of "if you can" secondary goals.
Example
"That thief stole my droid program and is now trying to use it to build and sell his own droids. Use this key to get get into his facility, steal it back and bring it safely to me. Also, if you can, on your way out scan any his droid prototypes that are currently being built, to see if they are using my code. If so, I'd appreciate it if you can destroy them."
Yeah it's a bullshit quest, but the only real requirement is to bring the quest giver his program back, so you could technically turn the quest in once you've found the program. But if you want extra XP/larger reward you can also scan for and destroy the prototype droids that match his coding. And this can all be done in 1 fucking trip.
Example
"That thief stole my droid program and is now trying to use it to build and sell his own droids. Use this key to get get into his facility, steal it back and bring it safely to me. Also, if you can, on your way out scan any his droid prototypes that are currently being built, to see if they are using my code. If so, I'd appreciate it if you can destroy them."
Yeah it's a bullshit quest, but the only real requirement is to bring the quest giver his program back, so you could technically turn the quest in once you've found the program. But if you want extra XP/larger reward you can also scan for and destroy the prototype droids that match his coding. And this can all be done in 1 fucking trip.
No No, its much much more fun to make multiple trips...
"I Scanned those droids for you sir"
"HURRRR those weren't the droids I was looking for... go back and scan more."
EQ2's model of me and my wife doing the same quests and each time we kill a wasp we each get a wing that is not in our inventory but just tracked in the quest log = Good.
WoW's model of me and my wife doing the same quests and 1/8th of the mobs drop a god damned wolf pelt and we're punished because we're questing together and have to kill twice as many to finish it but we have to do it anyway because I'm OCD and it'll drive me nuts to give up mid quest = BAD.
Hopefully the bullshit quests like that won't be present, but for fuck's sake, if they are, don't punish me for grouping in an MMO.
So, as everyone knows I've been playing KOTOR for the first time.
Did they really send a Darth Brandon to kill me?
Seriously, Bioware, Darth Brandon?
Okay, it was Darth Bandon, but still. I could not help but chuckle at good 'ole Darth Brandon.
If you're chucking at Darth Brandon, wait until you hear what Darth Malek's real name is.
NEO|Phyte on
It was that somehow, from within the derelict-horror, they had learned a way to see inside an ugly, broken thing... And take away its pain.
Warframe/Steam: NFyt
0
Saint JusticeMercenaryMah-vel Baybee!!!Registered Userregular
edited June 2010
Darth Jason Priestly
Saint Justice on
Some people play tennis, I erode the human soul. ~ Tycho
Darth Chad is totally going to hit you with some of that force lightning, bro, if you don't hand over the beers. Darth Brodious and Darth Vabro and are waiting on that natty.
I'm currently leveling a rogue in WoW because I want to get into the Engineering and Jewelcrafting profession. Level 1-15 has such hideously dumb quests. You need bear pelts? You're a god damn level 30. Your stare could kill any bear in this area. I feel like the best games are ones that make the destination and the ride equally enjoyable. That's how WoW is beatable. If I feel engaged with this story and the combat isn't designed to make you take forever (ie: soloing the first 30 levels as a priest in WoW,) I could see myself playing this a long time.
Yeah, killing dudes should be something you do on your way to the objective, not the objective in and on itself.
Exception being killing named dudes, because they have a name and are therefore important enough for me, the great champion, to bother going after them specifically.
City of Villains had a lot of missions that were either killing a specific dude or destroying / interacting with some object or another. And they even had bank heists as missions.
On the uncommon occasion, there were missions where you had to kill x number of guys are all of them present at some location, but the narrative behind it at least made some sense and it didn't happen enough that it was a problem I felt.
I think they can pull it off with TOR. Quests to steal launch codes, sabotage something, retrieve weapon shipments or destroy them, etc.
Yeah I've been following that thread in the official forums.
The moderator said something very cryptic. The rumor just might be correct.
However, given the nature of the NDA, we have no idea if people will be telling the truth about beta invites - as though they are permitted to say that they are part of the beta, they are strictly prohibited from posting anything about the beta.
Keep in mind that Beta frenzies have emerged before with very little to back them up. But still, it's fun. And I am checking my e-mail a bit more than normal. :P
(June 26th is my birthday, too, so oh my god if I got a beta invite, oh god. You have no idea.)
What's the nature of that screenshot those Darth Hater commentators are discussing? I didn't catch that in the official forums before it was apparently deleted?
What's the nature of that screenshot those Darth Hater commentators are discussing? I didn't catch that in the official forums before it was apparently deleted?
A supposed Launcher screen... with lots of paint scribbles on it...
Edit: I think this is legitimate and that closed beta invites have probably actually gone out.
- Darth Hater has confirmed that the Launcher in a screenshot looks very similar to the E3 one.
- The moderators at the official BioWare forums are not locking the Beta rumor thread as they otherwise usually would.
- Said moderators are deleting certain posts (presumably with a link to said screenshot) and have said:
The Game Testing Agreement that was agreed upon (when signing up for game testing) states:
PERMITTED DISCLOSURES
1. The fact that there is a Game Program.
2. The fact that you are a member of the Game Program.
Outside of that, it is a violation of the agreement to do anything more such as posting images or screen captures of anything related to Game Testing that is private and confidential and not already publicly revealed by The Old Republic team.
So if anyone gets a beta invite, let us know here!
Melkster on
0
CorehealerThe ApothecaryThe softer edge of the universe.Registered Userregular
edited June 2010
Closed Beta right before summer would be like swimming in a pool of chocolate.
Damnit. I want in the beta extremely bad, and I'm pretty sure that posting in the official forums increases your chances. Or at least other companies have said it does for their betas.
But reading the official forums. Surely there has to be something less drastic that Bioware could look at. Listen, Bioware, I could live without my left leg. Want a kidney? I've got a spare.
Mandalorian Rooster on
0
CorehealerThe ApothecaryThe softer edge of the universe.Registered Userregular
Dear god they already have a thread about how imperial agent is going to have problems in PvP, just by judging how the class looks like it plays at early levels.
Damnit. I want in the beta extremely bad, and I'm pretty sure that posting in the official forums increases your chances. Or at least other companies have said it does for their betas.
But reading the official forums. Surely there has to be something less drastic that Bioware could look at. Listen, Bioware, I could live without my left leg. Want a kidney? I've got a spare.
The official forums really need a full time crew doing nothing but clamping down on every single stupid post until the fundamental way people communicate changes (on that forum).
Melkster on
0
BloodshedI smoke my friendsDown to the FilterRegistered Userregular
edited June 2010
It just wouldn't be a forum without massive misunderstandings, rediculous theories and flagrant ingorance.
Posts
Just a thought.
I would like to throw in a oooohhhh yeaaah for player ships here. Basically player housing and quest hub from the get go? Hopefully customizable for individual tastes? A starting point for a future space combat expansion?(you know they will). Drool.
Limed for truth. Running back and forth for quest there? Awfull. Not only does it take shitloads of time, but the place is quite literaly a maze. Designer of that zone should be taken outside and shot.
True, hardware evolves and software also, speeding up the pipeline.
IIRC they are using a modified version of hero engine. The one that allows realtime development in the same world by several designers at the same time.
I wasn't saying it was limited by hardware or server technology, or anything like that.
I was saying it was limited by what human beings are capable of creating content for given a certain amount of time and money.
Creating an order of magnitude more content than World of Warcraft strikes me as very difficult to believe, and if they have I will be mightily impressed.
Then I was all like "well before I go to bed I guess I'll fly to my next planet and see what kind of cutscenes they have for me."
Then crazy shit happens and I can't take myself away from my computer for the next hour. And here I am at work about to fall asleep.
Edit: Also, Mandalore, I know you're reading this. Post more.
I would personally like to see more of the 2nd choice, to be honest.
I'm gotten so burned out on the questing equivalent to "busy work". Shit like...
Walk into a town.
Take 4-6 meaningless quest that don't take you more than 1 minute outside town.
Go out and circle the town, finishing each quest.
Go back to town and turn them in for small fractions of XP and crap/sidegrade gear.
Get a quest to move on to next town.
Give me quests that are long, involved, filled exploration along the way, and have arching storylines and I'd be more apt to pay attention to the hard work all your writers and voice actors went through. Constantly asking me to do busy work is going to not only get your quest writing ignored, but 1 less subscription at the end of the month.
Personally I don't think that is asking too much. If I wanted to play a meaningless quest grind, there are COUNTLESS other MMOs to do that in. I would much rather spend 10 hours playing through, and traveling for, a 20 quest-arch that has me play a major part in an engrossing story, than do 50 bullshit quests in a fraction of the time for the same XP.
I like this attitude.
We should date.
They really need a Nuke From Orbit option with those.
We'll pull a Taris.
MMO developers, you don't have to make me do grindy boring bullshit to keep me subscribed, shit like that will sooner or later cause me to drop the game entirely. If, however, you make the experience, y'know, fun, I'll probably buy another month of game time.
Exception being killing named dudes, because they have a name and are therefore important enough for me, the great champion, to bother going after them specifically.
Two things. One I'd like to see done and the other I think would be interesting if done right...
Like to see:
Credit proactively given to me for the times I kill a named mob BEFORE I'm asked. I can't tell you how many times I've killed a named mob while exploring, or while doing a quest to kill his minions, only to have the quest to kill him come up right after. Just have named mobs drop a item as "proof of death" so when someone asks you to do it, you can drop it on the table in front of them, smirk and say "Oh, you mean THIS monster?....So about that reward..."
Might be interesting:
If they insist on making us do bullshit quests with multiple follow-ups, at least change the formula to a "Multi-objective single quest" with minimum requirements for turn-in. I'd like for once to have a quest giver tell me everything he wants me to do rather than just the first step. I hate it when quest chains have me go back and re-kill mobs I've already dealt with, in order to do something to/with a piece of scenery I was literally JUST next to. Instead, give me 1-2 main goals and a list of "if you can" secondary goals.
Example
"That thief stole my droid program and is now trying to use it to build and sell his own droids. Use this key to get get into his facility, steal it back and bring it safely to me. Also, if you can, on your way out scan any his droid prototypes that are currently being built, to see if they are using my code. If so, I'd appreciate it if you can destroy them."
Yeah it's a bullshit quest, but the only real requirement is to bring the quest giver his program back, so you could technically turn the quest in once you've found the program. But if you want extra XP/larger reward you can also scan for and destroy the prototype droids that match his coding. And this can all be done in 1 fucking trip.
I don't know. Just a thought.
No No, its much much more fun to make multiple trips...
"I Scanned those droids for you sir"
"HURRRR those weren't the droids I was looking for... go back and scan more."
:P
EQ2's model of me and my wife doing the same quests and each time we kill a wasp we each get a wing that is not in our inventory but just tracked in the quest log = Good.
WoW's model of me and my wife doing the same quests and 1/8th of the mobs drop a god damned wolf pelt and we're punished because we're questing together and have to kill twice as many to finish it but we have to do it anyway because I'm OCD and it'll drive me nuts to give up mid quest = BAD.
Hopefully the bullshit quests like that won't be present, but for fuck's sake, if they are, don't punish me for grouping in an MMO.
This has to be in the game somehow.
Only if I have a "dialogue option" to punch that quest giver in the dick.
That's fine. I just like to see easter egg content like this.
Did they really send a Darth Brandon to kill me?
Seriously, Bioware, Darth Brandon?
If you're chucking at Darth Brandon, wait until you hear what Darth Malek's real name is.
Warframe/Steam: NFyt
I'm currently leveling a rogue in WoW because I want to get into the Engineering and Jewelcrafting profession. Level 1-15 has such hideously dumb quests. You need bear pelts? You're a god damn level 30. Your stare could kill any bear in this area. I feel like the best games are ones that make the destination and the ride equally enjoyable. That's how WoW is beatable. If I feel engaged with this story and the combat isn't designed to make you take forever (ie: soloing the first 30 levels as a priest in WoW,) I could see myself playing this a long time.
SteamID: devCharles
twitter: https://twitter.com/charlesewise
City of Villains had a lot of missions that were either killing a specific dude or destroying / interacting with some object or another. And they even had bank heists as missions.
On the uncommon occasion, there were missions where you had to kill x number of guys are all of them present at some location, but the narrative behind it at least made some sense and it didn't happen enough that it was a problem I felt.
I think they can pull it off with TOR. Quests to steal launch codes, sabotage something, retrieve weapon shipments or destroy them, etc.
It covers the non disclosure.
SteamID: devCharles
twitter: https://twitter.com/charlesewise
The moderator said something very cryptic. The rumor just might be correct.
However, given the nature of the NDA, we have no idea if people will be telling the truth about beta invites - as though they are permitted to say that they are part of the beta, they are strictly prohibited from posting anything about the beta.
Keep in mind that Beta frenzies have emerged before with very little to back them up. But still, it's fun. And I am checking my e-mail a bit more than normal. :P
(June 26th is my birthday, too, so oh my god if I got a beta invite, oh god. You have no idea.)
What's the nature of that screenshot those Darth Hater commentators are discussing? I didn't catch that in the official forums before it was apparently deleted?
A supposed Launcher screen... with lots of paint scribbles on it...
3DS FC: 5086-1134-6451
Shiny Code: 3837
- Darth Hater has confirmed that the Launcher in a screenshot looks very similar to the E3 one.
- The moderators at the official BioWare forums are not locking the Beta rumor thread as they otherwise usually would.
- Said moderators are deleting certain posts (presumably with a link to said screenshot) and have said:
So if anyone gets a beta invite, let us know here!
But reading the official forums. Surely there has to be something less drastic that Bioware could look at. Listen, Bioware, I could live without my left leg. Want a kidney? I've got a spare.
Drowning in awesome.
God damnit I can't do it.
The official forums really need a full time crew doing nothing but clamping down on every single stupid post until the fundamental way people communicate changes (on that forum).
Battletag: Kain#1658
Kind of like our own D&D subforum.