"The game is not linear single-player" -James Ohlen (flashback Q&A)

[Drewes]

But Mortal Online is a completely different type of game. In a level based game, you have to have level based content. If you don't like level based games and everything that comes with them, you won't like SWTOR. Simple as that. Bioware have been crystal clear on what type of game SWTOR will be - from the very start. And SWTOR is a very good themepark mmo.

 

After years of testing and trying, I've found out that I prefer themepark MMOs (AoC, SWTOR) to sandbox ones (late SWG, EVE). Each to his own.

 

But why not try to combine them? Instead of having 20 odd planets that have a small fenced in area, why not create 5 "complete" planets with all that is needed to level from 1-50 ? You didn't even need to leave planet 1 if you didn't want to, but you could also spend time on all the planets if that was what you wanted? Those 5 planets could then have elements of a sandbox and a themepark area. Is it really THAT hard to create?

[Lord_Ravenhurst]

One thing´s for sure, this game needs a "NGE". This time in good way perhaps?

 

Funny how it´s with these Star Wars MMOs... one is good at start with a great concept and gets ruined later, and the other one desperately needs a change in concept right from the start.

[Bloodstealer]

But why not try to combine them? Instead of having 20 odd planets that have a small fenced in area, why not create 5 "complete" planets with all that is needed to level from 1-50 ? You didn't even need to leave planet 1 if you didn't want to, but you could also spend time on all the planets if that was what you wanted? Those 5 planets could then have elements of a sandbox and a themepark area. Is it really THAT hard to create?

 

I think if they chose this path then the game would b egin to feel even more railed and linear than it is now... the key to any good MMO is allowing the players to take in something different and make choices.. having all this on few planets would begin to feel very enclosed and thus make the walls stand out much clearer... but I see and understand your point and lots of MMO's do this with varying levelst of success... but those MMO's dont have the heart and soul based around a storyline covering a vast expance of Space.... and love it or hate it but Star Wars kinda feels dead without space travel, space combat, search and destroy, exploration... enclosing it into fewer options could make it have... fewer option for us even though there might be a varierty of things to do on those planets.... there is only so much snow and yetimen I can take on Hoth before I m bored for example...

Edited May 29, 2012 by Bloodstealer

[DiabloDoom]

But Mortal Online is a completely different type of game. In a level based game, you have to have level based content. If you don't like level based games and everything that comes with them, you won't like SWTOR. Simple as that. Bioware have been crystal clear on what type of game SWTOR will be - from the very start. And SWTOR is a very good themepark mmo.

 

After years of testing and trying, I've found out that I prefer themepark MMOs (AoC, SWTOR) to sandbox ones (late SWG, EVE). Each to his own.

 

You wanted an example of a sandbox without starter zones, I gave you one, and no the point wasn't to eliminate levels, it was that all around each town consists of mobs that anyone can slay, this is how you would structure it.

Edited May 29, 2012 by DiabloDoom

[Gradivus]

You wanted an example of a sandbox without starter zones, I gave you one, and no the point wasn't to eliminate levels, it was that all around each town consists of mobs that anyone can slay, this is how you would structure it.

 

This sounds like the system of scaling levels that Oblivion used and Skyrim also does to a lesser extent.

Maybe you remember that this was the main criticism point of Oblivion - although you could go pretty much everywhere from the very start because the environment scaled to your level, you never became more powerful, because everything scaled with you.A wolf was lvl 1 when you were lvl1 and it was lvl 20 when you were lvl 20 and was just as easy/difficult to kill. Same with bandits, guards etc. I think this eliminates the sense of progression in an RPG.

 

Levels and skill stats are a part of the very core of RPG's - you become more powerful and can take on enemies which you couldn’t previously. If everything scales with you, you never become effectively more powerful, and having played Oblivion - that is a bad feeling.

[Bluerodian]

I think one thing that would certainly help deflect the linear feeling of the game would be to allow the class quest, or variations of specific points in the quest to take place on differing planets.

 

Finish with one planet and then get the option of going to two or three others, each with a different branch of the class quest and a different outcome of it, all within the same level range. Creating real and genuine branches in the story instead of all roads leading to one inevitable outcome would help considerably, but it would require work.

Edited May 29, 2012 by Bluerodian

[davidpop]

That's cute.

 

Or sad, really whenever you see a interview with the devs, its like they are living in their own little fantasy world.

[Gradivus]

Or sad, really whenever you see a interview with the devs, its like they are living in their own little fantasy world.

 

I keep asking everyone in this thread to point out what exactly is incorrect in Ohlen's statement, but noone answers...

[davidpop]

I keep asking everyone in this thread to point out what exactly is incorrect in Ohlen's statement, but noone answers...

 

The game is linear, and while he is right that phasing is not used everywhere, it is used alot(way to much), almost every single quest in the game is instanced, you run from instance to instance.

 

Just overall when i see interviews with devs, the game they talk about and the game i play is two different games.

[Drewes]

I think if they chose this path then the game would b egin to feel even more railed and linear than it is now... the key to any good MMO is allowing the players to take in something different and make choices.. having all this on few planets would begin to feel very enclosed and thus make the walls stand out much clearer... but I see and understand your point and lots of MMO's do this with varying levelst of success... but those MMO's dont have the heart and soul based around a storyline covering a vast expance of Space.... and love it or hate it but Star Wars kinda feels dead without space travel, space combat, search and destroy, exploration... enclosing it into fewer options could make it have... fewer option for us even though there might be a varierty of things to do on those planets.... there is only so much snow and yetimen I can take on Hoth before I m bored for example...

 

Just to adress the last thing: Then DONT go to Hoth, ever. If there are 5 vastly different plants, ie. Hoth, Tat, etc. then in "my" idea, dont like a planet? never go there. In the current form of SWTOR you HAVE to go to Hoth to advance your class quest, even if you loathe the planet. And in SWTOR atm. you have NO real space travel ( moving your instanced ship from planet hover point to planet hover point is NOT space travel imo ) , a rail space-shooter solo mini-game is NOT space combat, exploration.... what is there to explore when all the content is static? And i talked about trying to combine the sandbox and themepark MMO's. Ie. a themeparked experience on 5 planets ranging from level 1-50 on each planet. And then the ability to go off the beaten track and on to explore the far reaches of each planet. There could be random generated gangs, tribes, whatnot with random generated quest's that once picked up by 1-2-10 players it dissappears. Thus creating something unique for each player.

[Gradivus]

The game is linear, and while he is right that phasing is not used everywhere, it is used alot(way to much), almost every single quest in the game is instanced, you run from instance to instance.

 

Just overall when i see interviews with devs, the game they talk about and the game i play is two different games.

 

Well I suppose that's a matter of perception and taste, then, because I've never felt a lack of choice of overuse of instancing in the game. The quests that are instanced use more sophisticated scripted events and cutscenes, making them a lot more fun.

 

I'm sure there is an MMO for everyone out there.

[Bluerodian]

 

I'm sure there is an MMO for everyone out there.

 

Not anymore.

Edited May 29, 2012 by Bluerodian

[Gradivus]

Just to adress the last thing: Then DONT go to Hoth, ever. If there are 5 vastly different plants, ie. Hoth, Tat, etc. then in "my" idea, dont like a planet? never go there. In the current form of SWTOR you HAVE to go to Hoth to advance your class quest, even if you loathe the planet.

 

The class quests on a planet can probably be done in about an hour. Plus, you don't need your class quest to go to a planet. As soon as you get your ship, you can travel to any planet.

For some, you need special equipment (cold-weather clothing for Hoth and some vaccine for Quesh), which is granted in quests, accessible at certain levels. I suspect this was introduced to prevent player from being boosted through the main story line by a lvl 50 friend, while being level 10 or something.

[LexiCazam]

Hello everyone!

 

We've said this time and again: we do appreciate feedback, both positive and negative. However, we also ask that this feedback be constructive.

 

With that in mind, we're closing this thread now. If you have a specific suggestion or individual piece of feedback, we encourage you to post in the Suggestion Box forum or to make a thread regarding your issue in the relevant subforum.

 

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