Shroud of the Avatar?
- Thread starter Edward78
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Have you got any links?
Initially I was interested in this, right up until I found out that you dont actually travel around in the gameworld, instead you kind of move across a zoomed out overland map when moving between cities, a little like those console rpgs of long ago. That killed it for me. Thats not an MMO in my book.
Yes, that is really odd... I heard it is more like Ultima 1-9, not UO... Which sucks, because this game wants to be a MMO, but the devs. seem to not know what the first M in MMO stands for...
I've been playing a few weeks now. This turned out to be tldr sorry.
+
The skill system very is interesting, much like UO. Skills go up as you use them and you can pretty much be anything you want. All of the melee, magic and ranged types you would expect are here and you can mix and match. I'm currently an archer with lightning magic, taming and earth magic.
The world is really nice although as stated, it is split up into zones or scenes as they call them. Some of the scenes seem small and unfinished at the moment (they are, it's still alpha pretty much). Some are really big though and the world is big with plenty of exploration.
It has a real old school MMO/RPG feel to it. The interface can be a bit clunky and if you are used to modern MMO's this may be an issue.
There is an extensive housing system with player run towns and what not. There are a ton of decorations and furniture for houses (a lot of them in the cash shop).
Things you will like or hate depending on your MMO preferences:
The quest and chat system is all based around a select a keyword mechanic. It can feel clunky at times and a conversations flow can be a mess. When it works though it's really good. NPC's remember you. If you pass an NPC you have recently helped they will shout out your name and thank you.
The trade skill system is incredibly complex, unintuitive with even the most basic recipes needing a number of resources. I've decided to leave this until I am richer.
Because of the nature of how you raise skills, it can feel grindy although this is pretty much the same with any MMO I guess. Experience comes from killing mobs and not so much from questing (although there are quests in there with more being added).
- (Depending on if you have a problem with this kind of thing or not):
The combat at the moment is very basic. It's all based on your attack versus their defense with little in the way of combo's or effects created from what skills you choose to use. There is some interaction between some skills but it's very small.
This game allows RMT (Real Money Transfers) between players and it's the thing I'm struggling with at the moment. It has an odd system of play where you can play it offline like a single player RPG or online in single player, friends only or MMO mode. This means you can always find a mode away from farmers and bots but I've never liked RMT in any MMO.
There is a feeling on the forums of favouritism. Some of the big initial pledgers are involved in the development and have access to the devs. There are also some characters who have access to the devs with dubious RMT involvement in past games breaking terms of service and what not. The devs are really open about the development of the game and act on feedback from players but I've found this a mixed blessing.
I'm not keen on players being involved closely in the development of the game just because they had big pockets. Also with RMT and the chance to make real money from the game I'm not convinced all of the suggestions will always be for the good of the game.
The economy is player driven with no weapon or armour drops from mobs I don't think beyond the basics. The economy is a big complaint with players at the moment with a few players with loads (mostly the pledgers) and the large percentage struggling for gold. I've found it to be somewhere in the middle.
Cash shop. A lot of the housing decorations are in the cash shop and can't be crafted. It's how they will make their money I guess.
This is only part one of the game. There are 5 parts I think that will each require a new kickstarter. That they are not attracting enough new players to fund the next part of the game is worrying.
It's unfinished but I've enjoyed it so far. The RMT side is spoiling it for me though as even though you can play in a mode on your own or with friends, its always there lurking.
+
The skill system very is interesting, much like UO. Skills go up as you use them and you can pretty much be anything you want. All of the melee, magic and ranged types you would expect are here and you can mix and match. I'm currently an archer with lightning magic, taming and earth magic.
The world is really nice although as stated, it is split up into zones or scenes as they call them. Some of the scenes seem small and unfinished at the moment (they are, it's still alpha pretty much). Some are really big though and the world is big with plenty of exploration.
It has a real old school MMO/RPG feel to it. The interface can be a bit clunky and if you are used to modern MMO's this may be an issue.
There is an extensive housing system with player run towns and what not. There are a ton of decorations and furniture for houses (a lot of them in the cash shop).
Things you will like or hate depending on your MMO preferences:
The quest and chat system is all based around a select a keyword mechanic. It can feel clunky at times and a conversations flow can be a mess. When it works though it's really good. NPC's remember you. If you pass an NPC you have recently helped they will shout out your name and thank you.
The trade skill system is incredibly complex, unintuitive with even the most basic recipes needing a number of resources. I've decided to leave this until I am richer.
Because of the nature of how you raise skills, it can feel grindy although this is pretty much the same with any MMO I guess. Experience comes from killing mobs and not so much from questing (although there are quests in there with more being added).
- (Depending on if you have a problem with this kind of thing or not):
The combat at the moment is very basic. It's all based on your attack versus their defense with little in the way of combo's or effects created from what skills you choose to use. There is some interaction between some skills but it's very small.
This game allows RMT (Real Money Transfers) between players and it's the thing I'm struggling with at the moment. It has an odd system of play where you can play it offline like a single player RPG or online in single player, friends only or MMO mode. This means you can always find a mode away from farmers and bots but I've never liked RMT in any MMO.
There is a feeling on the forums of favouritism. Some of the big initial pledgers are involved in the development and have access to the devs. There are also some characters who have access to the devs with dubious RMT involvement in past games breaking terms of service and what not. The devs are really open about the development of the game and act on feedback from players but I've found this a mixed blessing.
I'm not keen on players being involved closely in the development of the game just because they had big pockets. Also with RMT and the chance to make real money from the game I'm not convinced all of the suggestions will always be for the good of the game.
The economy is player driven with no weapon or armour drops from mobs I don't think beyond the basics. The economy is a big complaint with players at the moment with a few players with loads (mostly the pledgers) and the large percentage struggling for gold. I've found it to be somewhere in the middle.
Cash shop. A lot of the housing decorations are in the cash shop and can't be crafted. It's how they will make their money I guess.
This is only part one of the game. There are 5 parts I think that will each require a new kickstarter. That they are not attracting enough new players to fund the next part of the game is worrying.
It's unfinished but I've enjoyed it so far. The RMT side is spoiling it for me though as even though you can play in a mode on your own or with friends, its always there lurking.
Hmmm, the RMT sounds not that good if certain players can have more chance of getting stuff developed in game, the cash shop is a good way for $ making, if they only stay with decorations & the 5 part thing is worry worthy if each needs to be funded separately... I am mixed, looks like it might be cool to try, but it maybe failing completion worries me, also, it is odd they went towards the direction of making it more like Ultima 1-9 & not UO... Oh & how is the magic system, do you need reagents??
Reagents are in. Some of the early spells in the tree's require none but the best ones seem to although I've seen people running reagent free builds. There are around 8 magic tree's covering pretty much everything.
I think I paid £29 for it and so even if it goes **** up, I'll get my monies worth many times over.
Performance can also be an issue sometimes, mostly in towns where there are a lot of player owned buildings and equipment.
I think I paid £29 for it and so even if it goes **** up, I'll get my monies worth many times over.
Performance can also be an issue sometimes, mostly in towns where there are a lot of player owned buildings and equipment.
It would be nice to take my mind off wanting to move back to the midwest for awhile... Central NY state well, the calm weather is depressing... I love watching lightning/hearing thunder & it is rare here, I miss it very very much... Sorry for that...
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I backed it in kickstarter on the expectation of another ultima online. Since then have basically been email spammed to spend real money to buy plots of ingame land and other rubbish. I doubt I'll ever play it and really regret backing it.
Can you send me your pass, I mean if you aren't going to play hehe... Have you heard of
Shards online? It is a Ultima game also... The skill system sounds great (on SoTA), a game with those features, needs a world like Mortal Online has...
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