Re: my dream, your nightmare
@Dardar, My personal experience.
1. You're trying to double as both public relations guy and programmer. I've no doubt that you're successful at the latter, but from a PR standpoint I can't give you any credit, and that based on your posts alone! In your first post you admit to being tossed around like a yoyo where systems are concerned, where things can change on a daily basis; it shouldn't work like that. Systems in a game should be carefully considered, methodically and meticulously planned. Thorough questions must be asked about the system you're trying to implament; does one group benefit over another? Does one group suffer more than another? What are the perks and faults concerning this system? Can we introduce another system that'll balance it out? How will it work with everything else currently in place? All of these and more are questions I'd be asking if I were in your shoes, understanding that I can't truly know the outcome of any system I introduce, nor can I know how people are going to react to it, but aware that you have to have a listening ear that is capable of pulling apart the fans from the fools willing to say anything to see if they can push your buttons. Some people can double as both coder and promotional voice of their product; your short answers sometimes make me wonder if you've thought about this aspect of things at all. More often than not I'd come across statements and other particulars while playing that made me wonder if you wanted to be taken seriously or not, IE, jokes about being too fat to walk through walls, and leaving unattended typos on both your game and your website. Were I anyone else, I'd think you didn't care. There is tons of repetitious writing especially in descriptions, as of this writing something is busted which doesn't allow people to teleport out of the beginners accademy and go home, and I keep getting spammed by the 32nd survey requiring my attention.
2. Saving your data manually versus paying to have it saved automatically... Why, for the life of me, is this even a thing! I get it! You want donation incentives, but I struggle to find why this was even an idea, given this is not an offline game and there are far more greater conveniences you could be offering. Telling people they have to pay to save their progress after a certain level is nothing short of telling your fans that if they value their progress at all on your game they had better not be stupid, because you can't be bothered putting in any extra effort on your part unless they cough up a chunk of change they otherwise wouldn't need. Can you imagine how many people would dump Alter aeon if this became a thing out there? Not only that, but getting a spammy message about being a complete newb every 10 minutes or so is somewhat distasteful.
3. Excess material... I have no idea what half of it is or why I should even consider it! Thankfully, the accademy now exists and tells you a bit about where you should go, but it still seems rather vague!
4. Character creation? Still spurious and has far more clutter in it than is entirely necessary. Let people go color their hair in hair care parlors and beautify themselves in beauty salons or what have you, but having to pick through a list of a few dozen plus options for my hair color, nail color, etc etc... Do some of those even exist in real life? I shudder to think they might, just might!
5. Menus are busted! Example:
1: Message board. Price: 7,644,695.4 credits, level: 1. Items in stock, 39
2: Message board. Price: 8,518,374.8 credits, level: 1. Items in stock, 35
May I kindly ask what the blazes is up with that?
6. Grouping is currently a fit of giggles waiting to happen. I followed nightshade, but was apparently able to break the whole thing by getting a taxi, claiming I was going somewhere entirely different, then she, by moving, was able to just, bring me back to where she was.
7. Cities are spuriously huuuuge!
8. Scanning really shouldn't be as difficult as it is now, something else which is exceptionally spurious; why in this supposedly high-tech modern day and age can this mining scanner not just give me the closest items to me first? Admitedly, that last line is rather cool, but seriously!
And now, for the stuff I do like!
1. Thankfully, your host/admin/assistive people who help out are more prominant and able to help! We left for home almost 10 minutes after I wrote up my first set of statements; thank Lara Stardust for us if you get the chance.
2. newbie tips: freaking awesome little bit since I last played!
3. Mentors! Another little addition I find welcoming!
4. Extensively documented help files, both a help and a hindrance because you're not exactly sure what you should be reading when, but I think I like it, mostly.
Will be back with more as I go; I plan on giving this as much time as I possibly can.
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