Author Topic: Varyag's testimony on the current state of cRPG  (Read 25787 times)

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Offline Varyag

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Varyag's testimony on the current state of cRPG
« on: April 22, 2011, 01:32:19 am »
+3
Hi folks,

To start with, this is not a rage or drama thread (I hope). It’s the voice of despaired.

In this thread I will share with you my thoughts and concerns on the current state of cRPG project. To start with, I will present my cRPG experience, just to show that I have a right to say.

I started playing cRPG the next week it came public. I was the second player that bought horse in cRPG, which was immensely expensive at that time.  I am a member of Mercs clan. I am a donator. Also, this week I was permanently banned on all EU servers for attacking friendly tincans with my LVL 1 CHAR ARMED WITH KNIFE! Yes, I am a dangerous man!

It gave me time to think about what’s going on in cRPG.

Ok, enough about me, I shall get to the topic. What we now call the “early cRPG beta” (and what I consider the only true cRPG) attracted me in the first place with the idea that I could have a persistent character THAT IS CONSTANTLY IMPROVING AND DEVELOPING. I.e. every time you levelled up at that time, or bought new piece of equip, was like a holiday, a celebration if you wish. Huge amounts of joy, and I am very grateful to chadz for these moments! Levelling was very slow, items were very expensive, cRPG life was full of meaning. The dev team is constantly talking about balance, nerfs, rebalance, tweaks. IMHO the “early beta” paradoxically was the most balanced and joyful cRPG experience I had so far. You may disagree with that, but THAT’S MY IMHO.

So, where are we now? Where is that CONSTANTLY IMPROVING AND DEVELOPING thing now? Well, pretty much it’s gone. As soon as you hit lvl 31 (and for me it takes about one week and a half), the IMPROVING AND DEVELOPING part is over, since I can afford pretty much everything, every equip. I am not a cRPG millionaire, but I have 200k gold and masterwork primary weapon. As for levelling, as you know, lvl 35 is the cap, and there is no big difference between lvls 31 and 35. So, personally I kept playing only for the sake of funny fights, 3 vs 1 fights I can win, for adrenalin. Now tell me what is the big difference between current cRPG and Warband? In both games players have same levels, same weapons (albeit a bit smaller variability in Warband), same armors. And this is very sad. I mean, c’mon, when was the last time we saw large scale PEASANT WARS?

Another thing that bothers me is the ease with which you can be teamkilled and can teamkill yourself. No real penalties. IMHO this is a shame. Now if you teamkill someone, your whole team suffers (as if it is their fault), while before only you were personally responsible for TKs. And responsibility was harsh, and for good. I would be glad to see the old TK penalty system back.

To conclude, cRPG is clearly loosing it’s magic, and this is sad. And probably very soon cRPG will lose me (which will make some of you, my old virtual enemies, very happy, but I really don’t care).

I hope this testimony will trigger some deep reflection in general public and the dev team. And no disrespect meant.
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Offline Cris

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Re: Varyag's testimony on the current state of cRPG
« Reply #1 on: April 22, 2011, 01:57:37 am »
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I agree with this post. Am just back after around 5 months not playing this game and mod....it doesn't feel the same...it doesn't flow as it did before...sad but true.
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Offline Armpit_Sweat

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Re: Varyag's testimony on the current state of cRPG
« Reply #2 on: April 22, 2011, 02:17:02 am »
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Agree with OP.

I remember a huge post called "cRPG lost its soul", that came shortly after the patch on the old forums. I said it then, and i say it now:
I love cRPG, and will keep playing it, respecting the rules and decisions of the mod "administration". But I used to have more fun pre-patch.

Predicting lots of comments like "dirty grinders", "crymore", "coolstorybro","quit, if you don't like it" and such, i would like to add - its my opinion. Please respect others right to "whine" :)
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Offline Seawied

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Re: Varyag's testimony on the current state of cRPG
« Reply #3 on: April 22, 2011, 03:52:21 am »
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I agree. A lot of the time I feel like I'm just grinding with low cost equipment to wear  my top gear for a few minutes. The last major patch ironically solved grinding... by forcing everyone to grind.

The game plays more like native now. Most characters are very generic. I find that other people are posting my exact character builds, even though I've never posted my stats, and the game is in desperate need of some new vision.
So with PT >10 stones become simple too effective
:lol:

Offline Christo

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Re: Varyag's testimony on the current state of cRPG
« Reply #4 on: April 22, 2011, 04:12:50 am »
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Totally agree with you.
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Offline Xant

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Re: Varyag's testimony on the current state of cRPG
« Reply #5 on: April 22, 2011, 04:34:38 am »
-1
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Meaning lies as much
in the mind of the reader
as in the Haiku.

Offline Banok

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Re: Varyag's testimony on the current state of cRPG
« Reply #6 on: April 22, 2011, 04:47:19 am »
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Sounds like you just play way too much tbh.

if you want to be constantly leveling, simply constantly reset your character. TA DA!

but you can't expect to play the game 15 hours a day for months solid and not get bored (31 in a week and a half?!)

its a great thing that people cant grind a massive lvl advantage over everyone else like they used to!

if grinding is all you like doing find another game, I recomend something korean.

Offline Kalam

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Re: Varyag's testimony on the current state of cRPG
« Reply #7 on: April 22, 2011, 04:54:06 am »
+2
I think Strategus would solve everything, but that's me.

Offline Lorenzo

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Re: Varyag's testimony on the current state of cRPG
« Reply #8 on: April 22, 2011, 05:15:08 am »
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I agree with Kalam.

Im only playing since january but I am already getting bored of playing in the ''public'' servers. It's allright if you play with a team and do some coordination and stuff but it's only to get ready for strategus...

Offline Wallace

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Re: Varyag's testimony on the current state of cRPG
« Reply #9 on: April 22, 2011, 05:48:28 am »
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I understand that the way to make a game successful is to cater to the general populace... i don't think this is working on crpg due the the majority of inherent characteristic of elitism.. the game isn't about number crunching but rather player skill vs player skill which breeds elitism

Strategus will get a lot of ppl interested again, but as of now I have more fun in the duel server than I do in actual games
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Offline Garrus

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Re: Varyag's testimony on the current state of cRPG
« Reply #10 on: April 22, 2011, 05:53:51 am »
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I agree. A lot of the time I feel like I'm just grinding with low cost equipment to wear  my top gear for a few minutes. The last major patch ironically solved grinding... by forcing everyone to grind.

The game plays more like native now. Most characters are very generic. I find that other people are posting my exact character builds, even though I've never posted my stats, and the game is in desperate need of some new vision.

I wanted to tell you how I play (with prices, etc.) but I delete it, you wouldn't care about it.
Obviously, you like complaining.

I give an idea: forget Siege for some days, and play ONLY Battle instead.
Of course, you will have less playtime because you die early (I think I'm right, but with time you can play even more on Battle then Siege).
On the other hand, you will earn much more in long-term. So don't try it for 1-2 hours. Play Battle for 2-3 days or a week.

If you want to wear your Gothic Plate, dont start it when you have 10000 gold, it will just drain your gold.
Wear leather or mail, and collect 20-25000. Then pick up your plate, but for a reason.
Seriously, don't use it because it keeps you warm or it lookes shiny, or you will suck.
Face damage and don't hide behind Siege Shields whole round, but attack the enemy.
Don't focus on supporting others, but be the supported one.

About the plagiarized builds: There are logic builds, many ppl found or will find it, just like you.

Enter a clan or experiment with unique builds. Make a 3str-36agi with practice sword.

Try to forget about that green bar in the bottom-left corner :)
just play or not

EDIT: you really dont do a favor for anybody (neither for chadz, nor for us), if you play this game.
the game is to entertain you. if you play it twice a month, come on, do it.
and if developers see that playerbase dramatically decreases, then they will look for its cause.
I like this game while I can duel in it and I can get out any situations using skills, so it's not unfair.
I don't care if I'm thrown into face, I should have dodge, etc.
But if chadz implements fire blowing dragons which fly over me, and I cant reach 'em with my sword..
(deja vu: horsearchers :shock: )

EDIT2: like Native ? Native is much more Arcade.

EDIT3: I can play continously in my plate if I want, without much loss. Am I cool ?
« Last Edit: April 22, 2011, 06:07:03 am by Garrus »
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Offline Tzar

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Re: Varyag's testimony on the current state of cRPG
« Reply #11 on: April 22, 2011, 06:21:05 am »
+1
Plate is total shit is just a money drain that gives u nothing but a cool look and makes u slow as hell...
I've never played a server where people split up as much or as often as on EU1.  No wonder range is having a field day.

Offline Garrus

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Re: Varyag's testimony on the current state of cRPG
« Reply #12 on: April 22, 2011, 06:23:36 am »
0
Plate is total shit is just a money drain that gives u nothing but a cool look and makes u slow as hell...

that is also an opinion

EDIT: reading OP haha :) i think im the only guy who is waving between 5000 and 30000 constantly

EDIT2: anyway Varyag, I agree with you in the manner, that the virtual maxlevel 30 narrows the level of players,
and you will also face guys who are slowly grinding somewhere close to 30.
Wasn't the problem that if I'm lvl52 and I play 24/7 then you, as a beginner will never catch me  ?
« Last Edit: April 22, 2011, 06:40:28 am by Garrus »
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Offline Garrus

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Re: Varyag's testimony on the current state of cRPG
« Reply #13 on: April 22, 2011, 11:28:06 am »
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I miss that I can't choose among real possibilities, what to do when I reach lvl31.
I either retire or I play virtually forever the same build.
I don't know what will I do when everything is lordly and mw.

First I wanted to write this into my previous post but I think it worths to read, so:
 
I think you should have a choice whether to retire (upgrade+bonus+restart), or to continue.
(hero,ronin,master, etc. however you call, it's covers "continue").

It would work this way: If you retire, then the skills I will write about gonna be vanished.
Maybe it worths to run through some generations before passing through, to have a well upgraded gear
and a nice xp boost.

To master an expert skill you have to apply for it, and then grind some levels.
You can apply for an expert skill from the moment you reach level 31,
but while you are learning these skills, you won't gain neither attributepoints nor skillpoints.
This is to avoid überbuilds.
Above level 31 the xp boost wouldnt work anymore for higher generation player,
but every XP gap between levels would be something sane, like ~1-2million xp, with a slight increase.
 
You can enter an expert skills only once, so for example: not possible to have
two different Weapon Specialist II., one for bow and another for 2h, but you can
have I., II., or even III. for bow, if you want.
It is called specialism, because it bounds your character to a single weapon.

In my next example I would say you have 4 points to spend.
So possible builds would be:
- WeaponSpecialistI+StealthIII
- Healer+StealthIII
- LeaderI+StealthIII
- WeaponSpecialistIII+LeaderI
- etc..

My quick example ideas:

(click to show/hide)

as you can see, getting the very cool StealthIII lasts 12 levels, so it's not one day or two!

I have lot other ideas, but I'm not really sure that even a single soul thinks that it can be implemented :)
I just felt like to write about it a bit, maybe somebody reads it.

What I wrote here is only a basic concept, I know there are many factors, but it can be planned.
Important to notice that this ADDON will not "produce" supermen.
It just puts some color into the game. I think useless to put into suggestion's corner, they will say its unimplementable :) but would be fun.
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Offline Digglez

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Re: Varyag's testimony on the current state of cRPG
« Reply #14 on: April 22, 2011, 11:35:23 am »
0
I understand that the way to make a game successful is to cater to the general populace... i don't think this is working on crpg due the the majority of inherent characteristic of elitism.. the game isn't about number crunching but rather player skill vs player skill which breeds elitism

Strategus will get a lot of ppl interested again, but as of now I have more fun in the duel server than I do in actual games

Yes, a gameplay mode that requires an active clan....thats sure 'the general populace'.