MassivelyTV: Anarchy Online Edition!

[Tazalanche]

LMAO @ those claiming something that was previously everywhere in the game (punctuation boxes to signify quest related locations) would "ruin the atmosphere" if it were to return.


Either consider things like that to help keep new players that are used to being spoon-fed in other MMOs or continue watching the population decline. It is your choice.

[BeauHindman]

For the record, I would not want exclamation points or something similar over the heads of NPCs, and do believe it would ruin the atmosphere.

Simply make the map or quest details better. Perhaps allow a player to contact the mission giver, via handheld device (it IS the future) for more details or to recap what was said with MORE details. The problem I am finding is that the details are vague. I mean, it's the future...if someone were to give me a mission, at the very least I would be able to get better directions out of them.

For me, such hand-holding is fine in many games, but is only one solution to the issue.

Beau

[-Klod-]

For the record, I would not want exclamation points or something similar over the heads of NPCs, and do believe it would ruin the atmosphere.

I don't care about NPCs, I was thinking about visible pointers over mission entrances and stuff.

It's freaking annoying for a newb when you have, f.ex, multi-store building, with several doors and you have to waste your time figuring out which one houses the current mission.

[Krisalee]

For the record, I would not want exclamation points or something similar over the heads of NPCs, and do believe it would ruin the atmosphere.

Simply make the map or quest details better. Perhaps allow a player to contact the mission giver, via handheld device (it IS the future) for more details or to recap what was said with MORE details. The problem I am finding is that the details are vague. I mean, it's the future...if someone were to give me a mission, at the very least I would be able to get better directions out of them.

For me, such hand-holding is fine in many games, but is only one solution to the issue.

Beau

Not a bad idea there, Beau. Could be as simple as just adding a link to contact the quest-giver inside the mission descriptions currently accessible in-game. That'd open a remote conversation window and allow recap or further details, or in the case of a machine-rolled mission, an indication such as "This client contacted you via the Rubi-Ka freelance terminals and wishes to remain anonymous," to indicate that A. this is a rolled mission, and B. You're on your own.

The best part is the nuts-n-bolts for this solution are already in the game, it'd probably just be a matter of implementing, which would likely involve adding appropriate links to every mission description in the game. It'd be a pain, but not as involved of one as some of the other suggestions I think.

[vallikat]

Hooray! I'm a star!!

(ok, not really, but I was seen in the little bit about GSP.)

[Woodnote]

I am half way watching the video as I am at work, but I sure hope Beau stays!!!

Or does a few chapters at different levels to show off high game instances ie totw, borgs, is and bs.

[BeauHindman]

Typically, I only stay the week and move on. It's not a matter of not liking the games I play but simply a matter of time. Today, I had enough to do that I was only able to get in an hour or two with AO. On top of that, I have my CMA column game to play for the next 6 weeks and I was in a test for an unreleased game as well.

In other words, I talk enough about games that I might not have time to play them! lol

Within the week I like to get between 10-15 hours of game time for each column. Of course, I have my favorites that I will continue to play when I can, and they are usually games like AO that allow a player to make up their activities. Sandboxes are typically better for this, since there is not the same linear pressure on the player. This also explains my "laziness" as a player. When I am exploring a game, I try not to get to bogged down with one area, so I am a little loose on all of them.

Either way, I hope to find time to continue to play. It also runs wonderfully on my notebook, so I get to play while watching TV in bed from 10 -11 -- my "me time."

Still, it was a very enlightening experience so far! And what a fantastic community!

Beau

[Regidoc]

Typically, I only stay the week and move on. It's not a matter of not liking the games I play but simply a matter of time. Today, I had enough to do that I was only able to get in an hour or two with AO. On top of that, I have my CMA column game to play for the next 6 weeks and I was in a test for an unreleased game as well.

In other words, I talk enough about games that I might not have time to play them! lol

Within the week I like to get between 10-15 hours of game time for each column. Of course, I have my favorites that I will continue to play when I can, and they are usually games like AO that allow a player to make up their activities. Sandboxes are typically better for this, since there is not the same linear pressure on the player. This also explains my "laziness" as a player. When I am exploring a game, I try not to get to bogged down with one area, so I am a little loose on all of them.

Either way, I hope to find time to continue to play. It also runs wonderfully on my notebook, so I get to play while watching TV in bed from 10 -11 -- my "me time."

Still, it was a very enlightening experience so far! And what a fantastic community!

Beau

If you enjoy exploring, then hopefully someone will be able to donate some creds to get you a yalm so you can fly around and really take a look at some of the areas in AO. There are some truly unique areas in AO. I'm a fine of the mass drivers in Clon**** myself.

Oh, FYI, one of the most important skills, regardless of profession, is to raise your comp lit. That will allow you to travel around in the grid as some site require a certain level of comp lit to use them. It also allows you to put on higher quality component belts as well as NCU to store more buffs.

[Gunfytr]

Great vid. And its a PEFECT example of how to fix the "Starter expirience". ADD INFO. Hes a Soldier, (he thinks), and is adding Rifle skill, 'cause, u know...hes a SOLDIER. Some kind of tutorial explaining the IP system, with serious examples.

[Darkstabber]

Only pity you didn't have a chance to check out the perk/research systems, or the shadowlands/outpost/LoX playfields, but then again those are paid content...

[lainbr]

=D HAI Beau.

I liked your livestream so much! Makes me remember when I started the game.

Come again to show us, Vets and Devs, what the game really need to dont makes n00bs scary >.<

[bitnykk]

This viddy prooves 3 sure things :
- AO need an interactive audio (&/or video) tutorial to welcome newcomers & teach them some basis (heard Lindelu was working on something in this area),
- we want the new engine released FFS, so push DD on it plox,
- as already said, people DO need clearer markers both on map & mission windows.

[lainbr]

I think grid-blueish markers would not ruin the imerssion so bad and help newbies to know what to do and where to go.

[SoapTarder]

gotta remember, there's always the F10 menu to enable/disable certain "features". having big bubbly question marks above quest related npc's is not a bad thing if it can be turned off, much like having someones name above their head can be enabled/disabled (played for first few months without knowing about being able to always see peoples names above head).

[Ayria]

Wonder if they could make it client side... like you have a quest to talk to this NPC or go here so only you can see this question mark or whatever marker while everyone else doesn't.

We see that kind of thing with the "ding backflip". There's other games where you can see the effect of gaining a level on other players as well as your own, here's it's client side only you see it.

I think, if it were possible, that a optional bubble/questionmark/symbol/etc, shown client side saying "Talk to this guy" would be good.

[BeauHindman]

I'm finding a lot of confusion from the maps, as you could see from the vids. I have no issues looking for something, but for me it really doesn't make sense to not have a working GPS in the future!

On one hand, you don't want to give an "easy" button to players, but on the other you don't want them to be doing what I am doing now, which is looking at the local map and the plant map (with the mission marker on it) and going "huh?"

For example, I took a mission right outside of Old Athens (called just "Athens" on the Woom-Pahs?) and ran towards that general direction. I can see my little guy on the map, moving towards it. Now, once I got out into the area, the little dot representing me disappeared, and the "character" button (used to center the map on my character) is greyed out. So, I open the local map and see nothing that looks like the area on the Planet map.

Of course, a lot of this is learned over time. When you move to a new town you get lost a lot, even with a GPS, until you learn the landmarks. I imagine that this is the case more than likely. Still, it would seem that in the distant future one of the first technologies to be relied on would be of the directional sort!

At the same time, I enjoy getting lost and think it even helps to "force" players to work together/ask questions -- something that I think is lost a bit in more modern MMOs.

Beau

[Mastablasta]

Not really sure how you disappear on planetmap when zoning out of OA O.o

Also, isn't Wartorn Valley and such part of the starter map package everyone gets when doing quests on newbie island?

[Dagget]

He is neutral, he had gotten, at best, the neutral starter maps but no clan starter maps.

[Regidoc]

He is neutral, he had gotten, at best, the neutral starter maps but no clan starter maps.

Just make sure he doesn't explore too far into tir if he's neutral

[Lackofgravy]

Just make sure he doesn't explore too far into tir if he's neutral

Ill be there to loot his remains.