KickStarter Shroud of the Avatar - Lord British's Not-Ultima Online 2

[taxalot]

I like how he isn't able to say what's so great about the game.

"Greatness" (says multiple times, to convince himself lol)

Man. Why has Garriott sunk so low? It's very obvious they made sure to sponsor this guy due to his history with UO. He would've been the loudest critic otherwise.

Wonder if they offered Spoony "some beers" and he declined...

 

[Deathsquid]

So... never then?

 

[Junmarko]

Given he's basically the no1 Ultima fan, thought it was bizarre he didn't put up a video on it - even a 30min "first impressions". Especially after driving to Texas to interview Rich in light of the Kickstarter success...

...guess he's clearly played it then

 

[taxalot]

He is a character in Lord British's Throne Room. Of course he has.

 

[grimace]

He is a character in Lord British's Throne Room. Of course he has.

Spoony cannot publish a critical impartial unbiased review of a game he's a part of, right?

And if he does plan to review the game ... he cannot review it until after the release and polish of Episode 5.

It would be un-virtuous otherwise.

 

[Junmarko]

He is a character in Lord British's Throne Room. Of course he has.

...forgot about that Still think they're friends? lol

he cannot review it until after the release and polish of Episode 5.

Once Portalarium has mined as much BitCoin as they can - Noah's family will be set free.

 

[taxalot]

You have to grant one thing to Spoony. While most of the Ultima Dragons are sucking up to Garriott in ways that are absolutely unimaginable (Markee Dragon, WTF/Ultima Codex) and are wholly responsible for this entire fucking mess, Spoony's silence is on the other hand absolutely deafening. The entire Ultima series review, the interview with Garriott, promotional videos, the game has him as a character and ingame jokes reference him (What's a Paladin ? is actually a loading screen tip) and then... nothing. Nada. Zero.

It's to the point where you can't know if he doesn't want to talk about it, which says everything you want to know, or he's forbidden to say what he wants, which also tells what you want to know.

 

[Junmarko]

You have to grant one thing to Spoony. While most of the Ultima Dragons are sucking up to Garriott in ways that are absolutely unimaginable (Markee Dragon, WTF/Ultima Codex) and are wholly responsible for this entire fucking mess,

Spoony's silence is on the other hand absolutely deafening.

...it is...

The entire Ultima series review, the interview with Garriott, promotional videos, the game has him as a character and ingame jokes reference him (What's a Paladin ? is actually a loading screen tip) and then... nothing. Nada. Zero.

It's to the point where you can't know if he doesn't want to talk about it, which says everything you want to know, or he's forbidden to say what he wants, which also tells what you want to know.

Why was he banned from Twitter?

 

[SausageInYourFace]

You have been tweeting at fake account Spoony, taxalot .

 

[taxalot]

Was I ?

Damn sorry then. But It's hard to know if the real Spoony still really exists.

 

[SausageInYourFace]

Real Spoony was banned but is back. Difference is, his name is Noah Antwiler and handle is @TheSpoonyOne . With the fake account you tweeted to, its the other way round. He made that account when original Spoony got banned.

You can tell easily because real Spoony is followed by Garriot.

 

[Junmarko]

Damn sorry then. But It's hard to know if the real Spoony still really exists.

You can tell easily because real Spoony is followed by Garriot.

It would be un-virtuous (to criticise SotA) otherwise.

*thinks again at how man's biggest troll was invited to Texas ranch...

...ok I'm out. Don't want to know any more.

 

[taxalot]

Just went through a part of the main quest whose solution was looting a chest while the shadow of a statue passes through it.
Now it seems quite a novel idea, initially. Except :

-When you have to wait for 20 to 30 minutes IRL for the shadow to be in the right position.
-There is a graphical option to turn the shadows off, which must mean that this quest must be incredibly confusing to the people with low end computers who made it to that point.

But whatever, because to get there, do you know what kind of shit i had to go through ?

Platforming sections.

There are fucking platforming sections in SOTA.

Because everyone loved them in U8 & U9.

So they decided it would even be better in a fucking MMO.

Jesus Christ.

Anyways, 9 of the 11 items of the Ultimate Fetch Quest are now recovered. I suppose the game ends shortly after I get the rest of the two ? I don't know, but god, please, let it be that way.

 

[grimace]

Anyways, 9 of the 11 items of the Ultimate Fetch Quest are now recovered. I suppose the game ends shortly after I get the rest of the two ? I don't know, but god, please, let it be that way.

What keeps you playing? Are you a "completionist" or a person who wants to finish the story line?

Do any of the "sandbox" elements interest and entertain you?

 

[taxalot]

I have already answered that question... And by that point I'm almost to the end of the storyline, so it would make even less sense to give up now.

It's a terrible game, but that doesn't mean I'm not having fun once in a while

 

[Mustawd]

taxalot , I salute ur commitment man.

 

[grimace]

The reasons for continuing may have changed or altered in some way.

I want to check your sanity. How has the game changed you?

We all know role-playing games are dangerous and Satanic and the elements of ethical hedonism on display might make you a danger to yourself and to society at large. Unless the ultimate role playing game does not have that lasting impact.

 

[taxalot]

I thank you for your continued worry about my mental health ; it is also something I question once in a while, especially the few minutes every couple of hours I actually think while playing "Hey. This is fun.". Hopefully, this doesn't last.

Why do men do things they do not have to do and entirely dissaprove of ? That is a strange topic to ask. Is it okay to watch ISIS decapitation videos if you are not a fundamentalist islamist ? After being puzzled for a while, I think I finally have the answer to this question :

-It's okay to if you plan to review them
-why stop now the guy's head is almost 90% off anyway

There is also a strange urge, actually. Who knows how long this game is going to stay up ? I might be living a historical moment.

edit : Also, posting here because if I write a review, it's nice to write my ongoing impressions and reread them before.

Also : seriously, it's a lot of actual fun but from a "meta-gaming" point of view. What went wrong ? How did it go wrong? What is the share of well intended actual failure, and the share of fraudulous intent ? How did the game evolve and stopped evolving ? What's going to happen next ? What the fuck is wrong with the people who seem to actually enjoy this game : do they really enjoy it ? Is is lack of knowledge of other games ? Is it just being together once again in a game, and to be closer than ever to Garriott ? (FFS, I was in a Google Video talk with him!)

I'm serious here, this game absolutely fascinates me. I just wish it was for other reasons.

 

[Grauken]

I really hope you write a long review, somebody has to chronicle this failure, because the only other people talking or writing about it seem to be sycophants

 

[Big Wrangle]

Why was he banned from Twitter?

He was having a mental breakdown due to a then-undiagnosed(?) bipolar, which manifted in a series of barshit tweets. The Twitter staff decided to suspend his ass because of the way he wrote them.

 

[grimace]

I'm serious here, this game absolutely fascinates me. I just wish it was for other reasons.

I am with you on this.

I've been playing consistently (casually) since release 7 and did some QA playtesting.

I do enjoy seeing what's new from month to month and what systems have improved (and what has not improved). The decoration and ability to create mazes and gardens and basements can be fun.

There is potential for creative people to craft interesting quests and run live events (humans acting as NPCs for some LARPing in a virtual world). Real estate agents can simulate property sales too. Towns can run their own governments.

None of these interesting and compelling elements are part of a single player campaign and this frustrates many people who wanted a new Ultima 7. Those people have run out of patience since 2013.

 

[taxalot]

https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/f...he-future-of-the-game-request-to-devs.125034/

 

[Grauken]

Begs the question, What's worse, Shroud of the Avatar or its dedicated fans?

 

[grimace]

https://youtu be/OefMUhpvLNY
The path of Anti-Virtue: Nefario

Spoiler

Cut an avatar in half for twice the virtue

 

[Blaine]

https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/f...he-future-of-the-game-request-to-devs.125034/