Please join us Wednesday, October 29th at 3pm CDT for our next Hangout of the Avatar! Richard, Starr, and Chris will be chatting about Release 11, recounting their favorite moments while also looking ahead to Release 12. And as usual, I’ll be taking your questions and feedback about R11 live in the chat-room and also in advance, right here in the comments section!
I’ll have the link to the broadcast posted Monday shortly before we’re set to go live. 
See you then!
When reaching higher levels, forcing expanded deck size becomes a problem, especially when trying to specialize and to continue adding to passives like Health and Intelligence. Are there plans to re-evaluate that?
The removal of individual hexes has brought up some discussion. After reading some of the feedback, has your commitment to the new style changed?
Related to the overland map:
With the new direction, is the intent now to create larger wilderness scenes that encapsulate what was previously going to be many templated ones?
Vote yes like the new direction but thinks bigger hexes would be good.
Ok, one more followup related to this:
How does the new map direction affect the cap on number of players per instance?
From my personal experience, locating resources to gather seemed to be much more difficult with this change.
Are there plans to make a staff work as a melee weapon. Mages need a weapon that helps keep mobs off of them. A staff that could stun or knockback would be much more valuable than a sword. Also, the auto-attack features of staves and wands made mobs aggro to me before I was ready…
It seems that with every release pure mages are less and less viable as a combat style, especially when compared to the other combat types. it seemed there were less and less mages being played by experienced players. The changes keep suggesting that pure mages were never intended to be a viable combat style and only fighters, archers, and hybrids were intended as viable combat styles. If that isn’t the case, when will pure mages be a viable alternative?
Hi. I am a nobody. My preferred char would b an archer. Archers don’t hit hard, so I don’t play one. I have wondered what is going on much the same as you. I have also noticed that as a ranged fighter one can find a position that is frequented by mobs that is inaccessable to them. Standing across a stream, or high on a rock pile. A meld player could not figure out how to get to you before they were dead. I am waiting to see. By the way..if you use the same glyph set you can bounce back and forth between decks with no penalty. I don’t know if that is viable at some point. I have tried it… It works great but I got my as kicked for lack of socialization.
Haha. Ok read the post I put up…(if you like) with an eye to putting the correct words in ,,,,bah.
It was good.
I’d love to see hexes back and actual or at least have the encounters work where there are no “entry” points on the map. Seems strange that standing over one part of forest I can’t go in where standing over the other part I can. I’m fine with the names not being visible until you get close… I like that.
I’d like to hear your thoughts about why you guys penalized avatars for leveling? No, not penalized, but it felt like it: decks get 5 slugs every ten levels? That means I fill up my deck with useless stuff and I’m less likely to “know what to do while in the situation” as I practice (to use Richard’s example of being a fencer and practicing before a match). That feels backward. Can you address if you’ll possibly scrap that completely? Please?
I’d like to hear statistics about quests and crafting. I think the questing is great and the repeatable content is killer. I love having different feeling areas with swamps, forests, grasslands, ruins, etc. I loved having more stuff to craft. How many people actually tested that stuff and what was the average playtime?
I’d like you guys to address your thoughts about scaling content.
First point in scaling content: Currently you get stronger as you level… mages at level 10 are WAY lower quality/dmg than mages at level 30. If that’s the case, the content needs to scale with you which means not all areas will be playable at level 10 and not all areas will be enjoyable at level 30… I thought there weren’t supposed to be level requirements? Is this no longer the case?
Second point in scaling content: Additionally, the game isn’t scaling in OPO/SPO modes right now. Seems like that’s an important thing to be getting on as we’re going persistent… I’d like to be able to do everything solo as whatever build I enjoy playing. Currently only the full plate warriors can do this… and some areas are too hard for them! Are you guys going to adjust this to make the encounters easier for single player enjoyment and HARDER for 8 party groups? (I mean, 3x to 4x harder if you have 8+ in a control point… please? I should die sometimes ;))
Finally, I’m curious to know which zones had the highest concentration of play time. I felt like the community had a LOT of great content for people but then there is also this whole “progression and leveling up” that was going on… where did the average player spend their time? I heard a lot of negative feedback that OoV wasn’t in The Brave Coast this release (don’t worry, we’ll be back in R12!!!) due to our roleplay and story we wanted to tell… how many people actually went and PvP’d?
Okay, I think that sums it up… hopefully at least one or two of these get addressed. Cheers!
I don’t so much mind the additional slugs, it the fact that you can’t increase certain skills beyond five levels (thus increasing the slug count but forcing us to take a skill we may not want.) If you raised level limits in some of the lower tier skills, i.e. can now have up to 8 piercing attacks in deck now, it would add some balance I think, allowing those skills to come up as frequently while allowing for new skills to be added as well.
I want hexes back in. It is great to have focus points where more people gather, but I also want to feel emptyness. If I am at some random hex, I should be there alone or with my friends who know where I am.
And I totally agree about the size of deck, as we level up we should get good glyphs more often and not less often. I hope for smaller decks. Or maybe larger decks with more than 9 cards in hand…
1. Can you give us more information about the effects of Strength, Dexterity and Intelligence on gameplay both as it stands and going forward into R12 and on? (combat and non-combat).
2. Archers are now weaklings with the movement penalty
Can arrows do more damage, specifically the special shots such as ‘armour piercing’ etc
Is there any chance to dropping the Leveling system and using the UO style skill up system? If not, Why?
…. Do not know why this went here … My question above is a standalone one and does not reflect the parent post.
3. I really enjoy the dodge – side to side and backwards, even though it is pretty ineffective.
Is it possible to make this more effective by having it use less focus or move the player further? It’s a great way to make combat more dynamic.
In PVP players move through other players, turn immediately and hope for a critical hit on their opponents back. Have you considered limiting movement further and using collision during combat mode to contain this type of tactic?
Polearm reach and latency doesn’t play nice. What is your current thinking towards balancing this in the future?
I’d like to see collision with NPC/Player in cities turned off and collision in PvP turned on to help with this… if you run into me (aka run through me) you’re going to physically slow down… just makes sense right?
Now that we have some of the core systems up and running, can you talk a little more about the macro economy? Will towns trade with each other? Will there be defined trade routes that bandits (players) can attack? Will players have need to form caravans for protection and efficiency? How will control points factor into all of this? What kind of motivation will players have to trade over long distances?
Will there be stealing of any kind in this game?
Why I it that when I usually go with my pattern weapon “pole arms” I can PvP and PvE.
this R11 I worked really really hard at Dual Weild I got to lvl 43 I could kil 3-4 PvE mobs at one time.
But in PvP I was killed in 1 swipe of the pole weapon. I would keep all my skills up maxed out including focus tactics armor. I paid big time for RF armor and kept it repaired.
Had the most fun in this build, but combat still needs tweeking. One thing I’d love to see is floating damage/healing numbers with aN emphasis on critical numbers. Also a cleaner combat log and definable chat logs.. yea I’m asking a lot just think about these there cool.
How linked are single player online and multiplayer online in the current release? For example, are resource nodes or vendor’s supplies linked between the two online modes? If I buy something in multiplayer online does it affect what someone in single player online can buy? How linked will they be in the final release?
With new skills like back stab and stealth coming online. How do you intend to improve positioning of players in combat (and out of combat with 3rd person mode) to preserve competitive play?
Viewing some of the fully furnished homes in R11, the current limits seem a bit harsh. The smaller items like books (for example) are impacted significantly. Can you raise the limits of items in housing? Or is there another way to improve this situation for home owners?
Will other input devices be added? I.E a game controller like the XBox type?
this time my game crashed several times, starts with a kind of frame problem and then, crashes.
Will the upscale stable fit on a village lot?
We have the amazing Chess Board which I think was an absolutely great idea! However, I wonder if there are other games that might be brought into game for spending spare time on?
With that said – Whaleduck of Avatars Radio has thoughts on running a D&D style game over the radio for those that would like to sit back and just have a game night in a tavern together. We would require dice for this type of thing. Any thoughts on bringing out D4-20 sided dice?
Lol. I was just thinking about a dice set a couple of days ago. That would be awesome.
When Whaleduck approached me with the idea i was stoked about it. I do D&D away from the computer. To consider the fact we can bring people around the world with the same interest together, to have a game. Imagine how large this could be! Do not wish to go out and hunt, do not wish to craft, but you wish to sit around the table with a few beer and pizza, and waiting for your DM to decide if they want to kill you that night.
There are of course other great dice games. But the D4-20 request spawned from this.
I’m not sure if this has been answered somewhere. When will vendors come online?
I’m curious is to what you thought would be the highest level someone would reach over the initial playtime period.
I truly am enjoying all the amazing buildings we are seeing coming out. Even if sadness did strike seeing that FireLotus tavern was available to everyone.
I have a question, request, and well I am sure everyone is truly tired of hearing about me asking for it (about as tired of me asking for.. and then being excited about recieving pie!) . So i will ask it again, just because that is how i roll. Will we at any time be able to purchase our own Moon Tower for our lots, for our towns. Perhaps living area in the big ball on top?
You had to know I was going to ask – What is a radio station without the Moon Towers great power source!
Will there be an incentive given to players that select to be flagged open PVP? This choice seems like a great deal of added risk, so I’m curious if there’s a corresponding reward for that choice.
Right now the leveling is done by grinding. You kill as many respawning monsters as you can to get as many EXP as you can and advance even those skills by killing monsters which you did not even use.
Will this change for the “final” game or will grinding still be a part of SotA? If not what will you do to prevent grinding?
When will SotA t-shirts be for sale again?
I’m considering upgrading to Duke. I’d like unobstructed open space, as an alternative to the Keep walls. Are there any plans to offer this as an option?
I’m considering running a player town. Committing to a lot ratio upfront is challenging. Are there any plans to allow for rezoning lot sizes in already built towns? I realize there are limits depending on terrain, but imagine with some consideration upfront some number of lots could be converted up or down in size.
HANGOUT QUESTION: Vertas Pass was a lot of fun, but I’m trying to understand the current implementation as opposed to the release one. For example, there is currently a bypass path you can use to ignore the control point. Is that by design, or will it be blocked off unless you faction holds the fortress? Also will there be a break after you hold off “X” amount of waves and “secures” the passage, say a few hours before the enemy tries again?
Is there any chance for a change in the magic system? I think it would be more interesting and tactical if we would have to find spells in ancient ruins or learn them form powerful mages and then add them to a spellbook. Only those spells in the spellbook can be used and spells have to be prepared in advance by using the reagents required to “create” the spell. Only those spells that have been prepared can then be cast. This would make combat and spellcasting more interesting and tactical and less of an actionfest like Quake with mages shooting fireballs like from guns…
What is the rationale behind increasing fizzle and attack skill when holding a wand or staff in the main hand? Unless I’m missing something, there isn’t an instant spell (ignoring those that are affect weapons such as flame fist). Spells have an execution and casting time, so the mage needs to stand still to cast. So why the movement penalty?
Chess set is awesome. I’d love to see more in-game mini games. I’d also love to see user content that’s developed by community members. Are there any dreams to introduce an API to users to control some aspect of the world? Some things that come to mind: Servant control of lights, servant conversation with players, servants giving out items to players. Rules engine for player vs servant chess, and perhaps other mini games. This is my dream
I second MulGirtab’s question on the present skill system and why we cant have the old UO style ( use to increase) which i personally find the best i have used. It also gives players freedom to build their ideal skill set, nerf’s and changes are less unpopular as anyone wishing can change accordingly.
I was thinking that the map should be built while thinking about the gathering of the player. Building area that target a certain range of player’s level.
Like, for example, putting two or three dungeons meant for xy level next to a town, that would make only that certain players that can afford to fight in that area.
Just a random thought on how to meet other people that are at your same level and want to join your same battles.
Cheers!
I challenge you to a game of chess, Tarsin.
I accept! Shall we try to do this in R11, or postpone for R12?
Please no respawning at least in SP mode, or make the respawning take really long. It doesn’t make sense for monsters to just reappear when you killed them. If there has to be a respawn then it should take really, really long for monsters to reappear. Eben if you enter a scene after leaving it, the creatures should stay dead. And bossmonsters should never respawn otherwise it doesn’t make sense to kill them at all and there would be no consequence in doing such a quest if everything you thought you accomplished would be for naught…