Game News Not-Ultima Online 2: Shroud of the Avatar Kickstarter is Live

[Globbi]

I don't really understand how is this game better than any other MMO. Only difference explained is that there will be no exclamation marks over NPCs for quests.

Another thing, how is addition of cloth map one of key features for a good RPG? Even most backers won't ever see those physical goodies.

 

[Capitalism]

From comments section:

@Derek, would you prefer subscription? We've talked to a ton of people and most seemed to prefer an opt-in micro-transaction system to a mandatory subscription. Actually, I suspect most want the game for free, to not have a monthly subscription, and no money ever but that just can't happen.
No worries, we're shooting for a fair shake on all that stuff and avoiding selling power by most everyone's definitions. We're also trying to avoid artificially punishing people just to extract money from them to make the punishment stop. That is very much a "social game" mentality and does not build help build the kind of player base we're looking for.
Give us a shot, we'll keep revealing more info over the coming weeks and hopefully we'll address your concerns. - Chris

@Derek, the game can be played single player without an additional dime spent. The main story lines are all single player focused and will live up to Richard's standards for a single player experience.
The multiplayer experience is very MMO like and I think we're just confusing people by saying it is not. You will be able to see other players in game and meet new people. The only thing that will be different is that where possible, we won't be driving 100% of the experience through our servers. Instead, we'll be letting players direct connect to each other. Obviously there many situations where that isn't possible due to exploits but where possible we'll be letting the players drive much of their own scenes locally.
Again though, if players choose to play solo, we let them. Our current thinking is that we'll be showing them evidence of shared elements like other players houses and banners and dynamic content just to keep the world feeling more alive but even that is up for discussion at this point.

Yeah, not MMO, game is JUST LIKE ULTIMA!!1
Fuck this GEArriott dude. LB asked people to give him money to create MMO game and then he will monetize them for DLCs and "episodes".
This is disgusting.

Hey, dude, if you asking for money for MMO game, then open your source code and give players ability to create their own servers. Then someone will consider backing your project.
But such respected managers as GEArriott don't work this way.

 

[Severian Silk]

Hey, dude, if you asking for money for MMO game, then open your source code and give players ability to create their own servers. Then someone will consider backing your project.

I actually think this is how it will work. Like Minecraft where players host their own servers and allow a small number of other players to join a running instance.

 

[Anthony Davis]

No thanks.

 

[Capitalism]

Hey, dude, if you asking for money for MMO game, then open your source code and give players ability to create their own servers. Then someone will consider backing your project.

I actually think this is how it will work. Like Minecraft where players host their own servers and allow a small number of other players to join a running instance.

No, just read through this marketing BS:

You will be able to see other players in game and meet new people. The only thing that will be different is that where possible, we won't be driving 100% of the experience through our servers. Instead, we'll be letting players direct connect to each other. Obviously there many situations where that isn't possible due to exploits but where possible we'll be letting the players drive much of their own scenes locally.

Not 100% expreience through their servers. But 65% of your social engagement with immersive experience will flow through their servers.
Notch doesn't have problem with mods and player created servers, but guys like LB-R6 are sure that they loose all their jewgold if they try such things.

LB-R6 can try to decieve you with cool stories, like one publisher:"Always-on DRM is needed, because we calculete everything on our servers, so your poorfag's PC can actually run it". Don't believe him, he is full of Tabula Rasa.

 

[Metro]

Highly doubt that since th

Hey, dude, if you asking for money for MMO game, then open your source code and give players ability to create their own servers. Then someone will consider backing your project.

I actually think this is how it will work. Like Minecraft where players host their own servers and allow a small number of other players to join a running instance.

Why would you think that when they flat out said they'll do either subscription or, at least, have microtransactions.

 

[Great Deceiver]

This is comically sad.

 

[Severian Silk]

Why would you think that when they flat out said they'll do either subscription or, at least, have microtransactions.

My mistake. I read in other comments that there would be no subscriptions. If there are no subscriptions, why would LB pay for the needed servers?

 

[FrancoTAU]

I don't understand what the game is supposed to be. The pitch video focused on world simulation aspect but didn't explain any gameplay. If the focus is on the MMO part than I have no interest, but i can't even tell so far.

 

[Jaesun]

I don't understand what the game is supposed to be. The pitch video focused on world simulation aspect but didn't explain any gameplay. If the focus is on the MMO part than I have no interest, but i can't even tell so far.

It's a single player game with all of the budget that should be spent on making the single player game better on the MMO part.

 

[Metro]

Why would you think that when they flat out said they'll do either subscription or, at least, have microtransactions.

My mistake. I read in other comments that there would be no subscriptions. If there are no subscriptions, why would LB pay for the needed servers?

I don't think they've decided one way or the other but the developer comments essentially guaranteed one of them.

 

[Broseph]

Are any Codexers going to join in on the discussion on their forums/persuade the devs into inclining this project in some way? Would probably be a fruitless effort, but still.

 

[Kiste]

Just in case you missed it: the single-player content will be episodic. From the comments:

"@Doji, the current plan is for 5 episodes and we have a story drawn up through all 5. This will be a full blown game with significant content and story lines and not a watered down 1/5th of a normal sized game. We haven't set how we'll be selling the upcoming chapters. Richard and I disagree on how that should work (*shakes fist at Lord British!*) currently and you can guess who usually wins those disagreements. I think Richard's proposal was that we charge some nominal fee like $20."

Episodic single-player plus MMO gameplay with micro-transactions.

Sounds like a winner to me.

 

[Jaesun]

Gariott doesn't want to make a single player game. What is the point?

 

[Capitalism]

Lord British presents:​

Rent: the Game​

 

[FrancoTAU]

I really don't understand MMORPGs and the people who play them for more than a month. Until we reach the technologic singularity where some kind of AI can act as a meta Dungeon Master than it's all shit no matter how much polish you put on it.

I doubly don't understand anyone wanting to make one at this point. They can't hold any interest for the creative type and they mostly lose money for the business minded.

 

[Jaesun]

Check the thread in rpg discussions FrancoTAU.

 

[l3loodAngel]

Looks better than I thought, pledged for now.

Remind me why I took you out of my ignore list?

Seems like a hybrid MMO to me. Part MMO, part single player. In a bid to please absolutely everyone so as to rake in as much cash as possible. Another soulless game designed by marketing droids. As if we didn't already have enough.

Every MMO has a single player aspect to it, you just can't move past a certain point without more players. There is no such thing as a single/multiplayer game...

 

[Shannow]

The Kickstarter page does a poor job of emphasizing that Shroud of the Avatar is intended to be a primarily story-driven, single-player game experience.

It's definitely not an MMO, nor is it Ultima Online 2. It is not subscription-based. There will be a free trial version which you can install and explore the world, but you need to buy the game in order to advance on the skill trees.

As it currently stands, the game will install to your PC and you can play it entirely offline as a "story-based, classic Ultima-style, virtual world, sandbox game." There is no centralized server that hosts a world that you log into, and the current intent is that you never actually have to even connect to the internet other than to apply patches and updated content.

There is a persistent world aspect in the towns and settlements of the game, which is impacted by all players. When another player sets up a shop in a town, it will appear in everyone's game world, and you can interact with his shopkeeper. When you go online, the persistent world will update.

You designate who your real-life friends are, and once designated as such, you can see them in the game world and interact with them.

I'm cautiously optimistic about this one. I hate MMOs with a passion, but the idea of being able to play parts of the game with a small number of real-life friends is somewhat appealing. I'm not sure how I feel about the persistent world being affected by the other players of the game, as players with more limited playing time (like me) can get locked out the opportunity.

Ultima VII was pretty much the last game that Garriott made without corporate meddling. I am very interested in seeing what he is able to accomplish without having to answer to executives. Ultima IV through VII Part 2 were influential enough for me to warrant a $25 pledge.

Yep, that sound more like what I took away from the pitch and page.
Still not interested. Might have been tempted if there had been a 10-20$ digital download tier without time constraint.
But I don't like being forced to decide "right now!", stinks of scam and money grabbing. Not mention that the 25$ tier is already gone. What would it look like if I donated 40$ to this while staying under 25$ for projects that really sound good. No way, José.

 

[Shannow]

Every MMO has a single player aspect to it, you just can't move past a certain point without more players. There is no such thing as a single/multiplayer game...

Ever tried Minions of Mirth? You could even make your own parties in single player. The problem being twitch skills to use all their active skill in real time...
No, I don't really see a problem here as long as multi-player is kept to 2-100 or so. Imagine several players playing M&B blade on the same overland map. Sounds perfectly viable.

 

[Humanity has risen!]

Looks better than I thought, pledged for now.

Remind me why I took you out of my ignore list?

Seems like a hybrid MMO to me. Part MMO, part single player. In a bid to please absolutely everyone so as to rake in as much cash as possible. Another soulless game designed by marketing droids. As if we didn't already have enough.

Every MMO has a single player aspect to it, you just can't move past a certain point without more players. There is no such thing as a single/multiplayer game...

Garriott does say some encouraging things, like his hatred of quest compasses, the sheer monotony and insipidity of MMO questing, the importance of exploration of a huge world, or the scripted nature of modern games versus gathering up clues on your own. It looks like it could be a bit like a mix of Demon's Souls and Guild Wars, which could be interesting if it is well designed. Also the $25 pricing is limited, and $40 is the next tier, and will be the launch price. If the subsequent updates are too lame, it's easy as pie to cancel the pledge and let someone else have the $25 slot.

If he releases mostly cosmetic or minor microtransactions, although I despise them, I ultimately don't mind that much if it allows independent studios to have more funding and it doesn't distract too much from the nature of the game.

 

[l3loodAngel]

Every MMO has a single player aspect to it, you just can't move past a certain point without more players. There is no such thing as a single/multiplayer game...

Ever tried Minions of Mirth? You could even make your own parties in single player. The problem being twitch skills to use all their active skill in real time...
No, I don't really see a problem here as long as multi-player is kept to 2-100 or so. Imagine several players playing M&B blade on the same overland map. Sounds perfectly viable.

LB: let's try to reinvent the wheel, AGAIN! This time less square and more rectangle, that should do it!

A single player game with good multiplayer component is much better than any MMO on the market will ever be. I remember that in NWN people could build their own towns, adventures, share experiences and etc. But LB just wants micro transactions, house rent and etc. What's the point of renting a house in single player game?

 

[Stabwound]

Looks better than I thought, pledged for now.

Remind me why I took you out of my ignore list?

Seems like a hybrid MMO to me. Part MMO, part single player. In a bid to please absolutely everyone so as to rake in as much cash as possible. Another soulless game designed by marketing droids. As if we didn't already have enough.

Every MMO has a single player aspect to it, you just can't move past a certain point without more players. There is no such thing as a single/multiplayer game...

Garriott does say some encouraging things, like his hatred of quest compasses, the sheer monotony and insipidity of MMO questing, the importance of exploration of a huge world, or the scripted nature of modern games versus gathering up clues on your own. It looks like it could be a bit like a mix of Demon's Souls and Guild Wars, which could be interesting if it is well designed. Also the $25 pricing is limited, and $40 is the next tier, and will be the launch price. If the subsequent updates are too lame, it's easy as pie to cancel the pledge and let someone else have the $25 slot.

If he releases mostly cosmetic or minor microtransactions, although I despise them, I ultimately don't mind that much if it allows independent studios to have more funding and it doesn't distract too much from the nature of the game.

Exactly. I don't believe this game is 100% failworthy. There are some good philosphies in there and I can tell he is has a slice of bro in him somewhere regarding his disdain with hand holding/quest martkers/etc. Imagine Ultima with quest markers.

 

[winterraptor]

Kickstart an MMO? Nah.

 

[jewboy]

If Garriot is really, really lucky I may be willing to pirate it at release, but I won't promise anything.