It's actually interesting, because December 2013 saw the second highest number of projects funded last year. One could assume then, that there were in fact more pledges made, but at significantly smaller amounts.
I'm pretty sure we can bank on Pantheon getting funded no matter when it launches... It'd just be nice to see it funded with as many stretch goals as possible... And that means launching at a time when people are flush with cash.
Meh, I'm betting the only reason last december is such a difference is star citizen. Concluding from that, I think while there is a small influence depending on the timing you pick, it doesnt make too much of a difference. The decision wether something gets funded is based on the kickstarter proposal, how solid and interesting is the concept.
Remember the early EQN leaks? With Enchanters having to find tombs and wizard needing to find some of their spells in the world.. I definitely want that to be in. I'm not saying decapitate a class by withholding it's best spells but I loved that a lot of class spelled were found adventuring in the world. It did a lot for the economy too.
I loved that. I had nothing but a list of spells from w??o??w??h??e??a??d? some site that pre-dated Allakhazam for my enchanter and where to get them and was determined to travel to Highkeep and Neriak at lvl8 to buy them. With no idea where those places were or even how to get off Faydwer, it was quite the journey even with looking at some zone connection lists and maps.
I really feel like by this time we can come up with a more organic solution to advertising quest opportunities than an actual visual cue. The voice-over system from early EQ2 could have been a good system for this kind of thing (it wasnt, it was actually just annoying). Short of actual voice-overs requesting help (budget) maybe make interacting with NPC's an integral and easily accessible part of the game. EQ did this, to a degree. I recall spending a lot of time running around hailing everyone just to see what was going on. Mind you, part of that was ignorance to the genre but I imagine a system could be created to facilitate the same result.
What was bad about in EQ2 (didnt play)? In GW2 npcs sometimes run up to you or adress to direct you to events taking place, or merchants just ask for mercenary escorts in chat and you can talk to them to start the event. I liked how that was handled, it was immersive and not intrusive at all and you might actually feel bad for not helping the little girl lost in the cave you're passing through (P.S. Brad make her start sobbing if the players continue their planned direction instead of helping).
Also on the grinding vs quests ,I've mentioned before , make some sort of slight bonus to long standing mobs to encourage exploring mixed with grinding. As in if it's in your level range , off in some far off corner that folks haven't gone much/lately and it hasn't been killed in a while double the xps for the mob. Would make traveling around everywhere and simply hunting different mobs encouraged as much as questing along any sort of path or set grinding camps. (note I'm not asking for fast leveling in any way , just seems like a simple system to code in to add a little bonus to the explorer types)
Totally in favor of that. Apply it to every mob in the world, and if someone wants a fast track they can go kill the rarely farmed dorf guards at the shore for mucho xp and the cost of their dorf standing.
I think this illustrates an overlooked , but important part, of one of the reasons many of us enjoyed EQ so much that seems minor at first but isn't. The rails and "helpful" systems over the years have basically been destroying the "you're in our world now". There is little to no "world". The map/GPS system is just one example.
Having to actually remember landmarks or POI , see the direction the sun is setting to get your handle on east/west and which direction Qeynos is and so on is something I'd much, much prefer over fantasy-world with drone accuracy GPS.
I think there is no need for a gps mini map. It's an immersion-killing convenience item and nothing else. Give players a compass. Make cartographer one of the professions so players can create their own maps as they explore a zone, or buy one off a cartographer that has made that effort. This suggestion adds immersion, content and player interaction instead of convenience.
@??? The person suggesting different paths for a class. I'm pretty much against anything that smacks of specs or talent trees. I wasn't a fan of the three types of Shaman in VG or three types of Monks etc - It never worked, they were never really balanced against each other and it was a lot of extra work for limited return. If you're a class you should be able to get everything available to that class - though it might require drops for spells, quests for the class epic, etc.
Now since there is an exception to every rule: I'd make one for Clerics who maybe get one - and only one - special blessing (curse) related to whichever god/ess they're following, just to make that choice meaningful.
That's kinda unfair though, what about paladins? Or beastmasters all being stuck with a bear, while mine really wants a warthog? What I do not want is talent trees you spec back and forth, but the game should have TONS of ways for you to keep advancing your character outside of items. AAs, faction, having done quests for specific abilities like the dragonsbane spell or a special monk attack only taught by that reclusive grandmaster, and so on.
So, I've been thinking about dungeons recently... And my experiences at WoW launch vs. Kunark/Velious era EQ, and then later in EQ2 & Vanguard.
I think it's safe to say the days of static camps + pulling are over. That was an emergent gameplay mechanic that the EQ devs never intended for. It arose because of certain ability mechanics (lull, FD) in concert with loot distribution methods (named spawns on predictable timers separated by trash)This was illustrated in EQ2 + VG when, while dungeons remained uninstanced, players ran through dungeons to their 'completion', or simply ran around them over and over clearing all spawns, in a similar fashion to WoW's instance runs.
Anyway, if you played these games, my question is this:
If players aren't going to do the pull/camp technique, and are going to dungeon crawl anyway, are large social dungeons even necessary? What did they add to the gameplay experience besides waiting in queues at the zone line (+social interaction) and potential trains (+danger/risk)? Would it not be preferable given these conditions to just run instanced dungeons to their completion, which means loot/hour was more predictable, and encounters could be designed more intricately?
Which do you think is more valuable to the gameplay experience?
I'm leaning towards well designed instances...
Instancing should only be used for very specific story purposes. Not to simply multiply the availability of the Best-in-SlotT loots. GW2's instancing of outdoor content is extremely flexible but used rarely (pretty much only during personal story steps and rarely during the living story chapters). I would like something similar - their dungeons are standard WoW fare though so pass on that. If you put repeatable loots in an instance then make sure accessing it is limited. Example, take Sebilis upper floor as it was, but make the crypt door the entrance to an instance. Instead of (or in addition!) to needing someone that can use lockpicks or a knock spell you can find the keys as uncommon drops from all krups.
"A modern, group-focused mmo-game", if it wasn't Brad developing this i would automatically assume a game with a strong focus on instanced dungeons designed for 1 group right through and including endgame... maybe even something like Neverwinter (essentially a lobby-game).
This is an interesting observation. Here's a related question to Brad: Is Pantheon going to be an RPG and putting a focus on that, or just an MMOG? Do you place value on immersing the player in a fantasy world that makes sense within it's own rules?
The difference to me is that a game valuing the rpg part places emphasis on consequence of actions and a wide variety of character development choices that are permanent. If the focus more towards the MMO dungeon experience then open world, persisting features outside of your own character all take a step to the background, and even the character development choices are usually all reversible (i.e., WoW and today I'm a male Horde Orc warrior on server A, $30 later I'm a female human warrior on server B; class changes for $20 coming soon!).
