|
IMPORTANT: New travel system
Posted: 27 Feb 2004 09:57 PM |
Hi folks :)
What We want is HONEST feedback on the new travel system....... i.e. what you think of the cost? waiting times? etc etc etc....... what do you like about it? what do you hate about it?
Please be open and forthright in your opinions, as we are seeking some feedback on this and will look to make alterations as necessary.
Many thanks
- Ara |
Vives Screenshots!
|
|
  |
|
|
Re: IMPORTANT: New travel system
Posted: 27 Feb 2004 10:01 PM |
Only gripe I have is that the ship captains are skeert o the dark :)
other than that, I think its great. |
My lamentable plight... I am calamity.
fire... burning....agony...
sultry shivers of a dark essence
why am i tortured with this nihilistic existence?
-Maddox |
|
|
|
|
Re: IMPORTANT: New travel system
Posted: 27 Feb 2004 10:53 PM |
I know that vives is trying to be as accurate as possible on time and waiting period
But Face it waiting 20 RL minutes for a boat -is- boring
15 X what I used to pay for the same service is quite a lot, but i can manage it and it limits te travel somewhat between Midor and PR wich is a good thing in itself
But the boat workin only during Daylight that realy is too much. |
|
|
|
|
|
Re: IMPORTANT: New travel system
Posted: 27 Feb 2004 11:07 PM |
If they started a bit earlier, and ran a bit later at night (ship rides) then I think that would do.
Even if they charged a bit more to travel in the dark, I would be fine with it. |
My lamentable plight... I am calamity.
fire... burning....agony...
sultry shivers of a dark essence
why am i tortured with this nihilistic existence?
-Maddox |
|
|
|
|
Re: IMPORTANT: New travel system
Posted: 27 Feb 2004 11:10 PM |
| I think the travel system is fine..yes it can be frustrating waiting for the ferry , but it is realistic....gives us all a chance to RP more with others while waiting. Price is fine as well. Although maybe add one night trip to alleviate someof the waiting. |
ONWARD AND UPWARD! |
|
|
|
|
Re: IMPORTANT: New travel system
Posted: 27 Feb 2004 11:16 PM |
| I lvoe it, its alllllll good. Its totally goofy to have people zippin all over vives from one side to the other in under a minute. This will also slow peoples meta attempts at calling their friends with tells. |
mannaka no
ana ni sounyuu
awari kana |
|
|
|
|
Re: IMPORTANT: New travel system
Posted: 27 Feb 2004 11:24 PM |
It does make it tougher to get from one place to another and sometimes prevents it at all. The biggest problem I see is the every other day run between the two major centers. I could see if there was a couple of (game) hour wait, but a day seems excessive especially as the alternatives are so limited
Callia. |
Rutger_13
---------------------------------------
Not all who wander are lost |
|
|
|
|
Re: IMPORTANT: New travel system
Posted: 27 Feb 2004 11:35 PM |
| l like it... it makes people travel the roads more and plan out where they are going.. Death could be right around the corner |
|
|
|
|
|
Re: IMPORTANT: New travel system
Posted: 27 Feb 2004 11:44 PM |
I don't much care for it...ok I hate it. :)
I posted a few days ago about getting stuck in Ferien. I went there on a lark and since I was so low level (5th at the time) there was no chance of returning on foot. I had to wait 1.5 game days for the ship to return. It was a very long wait and absolutely no fun.
As for this "it is a roleplay experience", well, I will try not to be overly bitter but standing around the docks in Ferien all alone is not my idea of roleplaying.
I would drop the 'no boats at night' and put all cities on one route that is always running. Seems kinda strange that only one shipping company is in service for the entire world. The travel times and the prices are fine. |
|
|
|
|
|
Re: IMPORTANT: New travel system
Posted: 28 Feb 2004 12:27 AM |
Once you figure out the overland route from PR to Midor, its fine. It is probably unrealistic to assume only one boat and only leaves once every other day. besides that point, it seems fine. Maybe on odd days they charge 200% more so you can choose to wait or not.
Over all I like it, more realistic... makes you appreciate boat and cart travel more and not take it fro granted.
P.S. how about a high seas adventure some time? randomly depositing people on an island from a shipwreck or have a sea monster attack? that could get hairy. also.. pirates?
P.P.S. love the split sceane on the open opcean where you can go below decks |
Humbly Submitted,
Sinjin Kane |
|
|
|
|
Re: IMPORTANT: New travel system
Posted: 28 Feb 2004 12:33 AM |
I like the new travel system. the other system was not terribly realistic in any way. One should not be able to ravel around the world in a few seconds for 10 gold pieces at any given time.
At least it is possible to take a boat some of the time. If it were left to me, the ride would take alot longer and you could be attacked at sea by pirates. |
|
|
|
|
|
Re: IMPORTANT: New travel system
Posted: 28 Feb 2004 12:35 AM |
| The problems I see are yes it is silly to assume there is only one boat doing all this , should be fleets / companies going to different places daily. And I come originally from a town on a large river and any captain worth his oars knows how to travel the waters he sails day or night . |
|
|
|
|
|
Re: IMPORTANT: New travel system
Posted: 28 Feb 2004 04:13 AM |
| I love the new system, though I would rather see an inner sea ship that is different from the outer sea one. The inner see one would travel throughout the daylight hours while the outer see one would travel only to Midor on odd days and only to PR on even days. There is also the possibility for asking the captain of the vessel to change direction mid way to get two special areas. This would mean knowing what direction you would need to travel to get to that special area. |
~Alosynth
|
|
|
|
|
Re: IMPORTANT: New travel system
Posted: 28 Feb 2004 05:09 AM |
I generally have no problems with the new system, though Alo's suggestion appeals.
What does concern me is the implications for new characters on the server. While Elvalia - provided she can remember where she's going - has the abilities to get where she wants to go overland (even if she has to 'sneak' to do it), lower level characters will find it much more difficult. I started a new character last night, and to some extent had an advantage because I knew what was where. I still had problems in that the opportunities to gather cash for the journeys are limited, and once you'd travelled one way you were stuck there to a certain extent unless you could find a party to go back overland with - this is what happened to me - when I was ready to return I had no money, and nobody about to tag onto.
For someone new to the server I can see that these problems might be enough to spoil their enjoyment to the extent that they would look elsewhere.
I like the new system but there is room for improvement |
Elvalia - Chosen of Aros
Elrith Mellin
Perin - 'Cleric (an' drewid) o' Elbreff' Weddin's an' pies a speciarality
|
|
|
|
|
Re: IMPORTANT: New travel system
Posted: 28 Feb 2004 05:29 AM |
It should work at night. 24 min waits for that are stupid- though only on alternate days is alright/understandable.
It's very expensive. That would cripple the exploration of lower levels, and means that you can't quickly and cheaply get anywhere.
For the first time, I -have- to take Fri'el out looting. I don't like doing that. However, she has to pay a lot for travel, and it's boring running her through the desert. Especially so since she, as a PC, is only like to to come on for 30mins-2hours, RP with a group, then log. Spending 30 mins -getting- to the group makes that boring. However, that's not a normal concern, so I won't be selfish =P.
I like the added realism the system brings; and Kusin was annoying.
And I'll side with the "Standing around waiting for a boat is not good RP" club.
WOW! It's so wonderfully IC! It's also boring. My characters sleep for 10 hours a day. I'm not going to sit there and RP them sleeping. *turns over*. *scratches head* for 10 hours. Likewise, I don't want to RP standing around on some Gods forsaken dock for 24 mins. Of course, people do come past when the servers busy- but for GMTers who come on during the few times the server is quiet, it's boring.
I've actually got a book by my laptop again now so I can sit and read during stuff like that.
In conclusion, the added realism is good, however I feel the not-nighttime feature leads to too much waiting around. I also feel that the cost is too high, and swung towards heavy looters/higher level PCs.
My latest PC was level 5 and with 14 hours before she got a magic item. She also had a sum total of 400 gold on her person. With the new system, she would have had to pick an area and stayed there. As was, she could roam and join in RP in any non-combat area.
-Barnas |
|
|
|
|
|
Re: IMPORTANT: New travel system
Posted: 28 Feb 2004 06:23 AM |
| well no-one says you have to wait for 24 minutes at the docks.. several other places one could go to in that time.. Than return when the morning begins and take the boat to wherever you want.. |
"ehehehehe,.."
Try to look unimportant, they may be low on ammo. |
|
|
|
|
Re: IMPORTANT: New travel system
Posted: 28 Feb 2004 06:27 AM |
The waiting overnight isnt what bothers me...its the waiting overnight and THEN finding out that there are no boats scheduled for that day, please come back tomorrow. At which stage Im almost ready to kill the dang dock master! :0)
Cheers,
Sean |
'The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other's life. Rarely do members of one family grow up under the same roof.' - Richard Bach, Illusions. |
|
|
|
|
Re: IMPORTANT: New travel system
Posted: 28 Feb 2004 07:32 AM |
Perhaps when all the links are in place, the boats will be workable. As it is, I agree that waiting overnight plus 24 hours (which in RL is over an hour) in order to join some people for RP in the other city simply encourages players to leave the server if they can't weather the trip across the desert. There's only so much you can do alone on one end of the island, for crafting and non-DM questing, with that split as well. The alternative is to spend a hour talking OOC, via Tells or in the OOC Lounge. This breaks the immersion quite thoroughly, IMO.
The carts are now pointless. The original error in the conversation scripting has now been made into intentional greed and insolence on the part of the cart drivers. That might be amusing, if your sense of humor runs that way, and if you were not a new player already short on gold and ignorant of the geography of the land. Loli once defended Kusin, against a half-orc who killed him for stealing the 10 GP by accident. I assure you she would not have done so had the conversation been as now. |
Dieties preserve us from the evil chaotics named Lag, Crash, and Server Reset.
PCs: Loli Dankirk (Ftr 18/Brd 8.5 @ 1777 hrs) left Vives for Origins; Gnora Gnombody (Sor 5 @ 54 hrs) and Amanda Stark (Wiz 3 @ ~10 hrs) left Vives for Feline Providence. |
|
|
|
|
Re: IMPORTANT: New travel system
Posted: 28 Feb 2004 08:38 AM |
Yep, I'd say that this could be the single biggest thing to make new people leave the server within five minutes of joining it. I very nearly did the same thing myself, the only reason I didn't leave was because I knew Phoenix_F who helped me out.
As someone who is still low level with approximately 20 gold at the moment, this is not a workable system at all.
It would be alright if the starting point of the module was in a sensible place, but unfortunately it's in the middle of nowhere. The signpost situation has been rectified, but there is a 90% chance that the character will die on there way to find anywhere where there might be a chance of interracting with other characters.
I admit that this system might be more realistic, but as someone mentioned earlier, standing around alone trying to get to other players is not a roleplaying opportunity. It's just game destroying.
It was reasonably okay to get to Port Royale and take the wagon from there, but new players cannot now afford the boat to Midor from there, which means they have to walk, and they WILL end up dying. |
|
|
|
|
|
Re: IMPORTANT: New travel system
Posted: 28 Feb 2004 09:32 AM |
I never use the boats or the carts anymore ... I like traveling overland and helping folks to travel those routes safely ... It has made for a lot of good RP ... on the other hand new players on the server are going to have a hard time of it ... the lack of anything to equip their characters with at the Four Winds and the inability to get to somewhere that they could buy a Longsword and basic chainmail makes for a difficult starting experence ... at the very least make the merchant in the Four Winds persistant ... I sell a lot of stuff there in hopes a new player will find it before he dumps it in the trash ...
Ken |
|
|
|
|
|
Re: IMPORTANT: New travel system
Posted: 28 Feb 2004 09:59 AM |
Let's think about this from a real-life perspective: My son falls asleep for a nap, hes fed, changed so dad has about 45 minutes to play YIPPEE! I quietly dash upstairs, log on and drool as I wait for Vives to connect. This is gonna be GREAT!
I say to myself, "Hey, I am an elf and I have never seen my homeland. I should go check it out so I can RP it when people ask me where I am from." I run to the docks and the man there says SURE he can send me Feiren. I hand him the gold and off I go. Having fun.
I get to Feiren, look around, explore some and then I begain to discover that it is unlikely I can get back. I think to myself, "No problemo. I will just hop the boat back and go dungeon crawling a bit before the Twerpster wakes up."
*brakes screech* *mangled metal sounds*
Not so fast buckethead...no boats at night. "Ok", I think to myself, "I can hang around the docks for a few minutes."
20 minutes go by. grrrrrr Not much time left.
Oh wait! No boats to Feiren today SOOOO I am stuck like Chuck. Might as well log out and go play pong.
You cannot assume that players have 2-4 hours each time they long on to endure such 'realistic' systems. This is a game. We do not simulate realistic sleeptime, eating, grooming, bowel movements (THANK GOD). WHY? Because it is not fun. Now, apply this same tenet to this travel system.
I promise you the mechanics WILL drive the gameplay. Players will forgo this system in-leiu of more meta-game'd options. I for one will NEVER return to Feiren even though I am an elf. Why? Because a 1.5 hour wait for a boat is NOT FUN. Yes, there is an overland route back. Yes, SOMEDAY I will be able to explore the regions around that area to find it back and survive. Still, the reality of it is that at this moment I cannot. I am not strong enough.
So far eveything I have seen in Vives has been centered around the idea of systems not getting in the way of your character. I have been impressed at how one can simply do what you do best and succeed. No powergaming needed, just be. This system is a dramatic departure from that philosophy.
Please change it. It fails the fun test miserbly. |
|
|
|
|
|
Re: IMPORTANT: New travel system
Posted: 28 Feb 2004 10:17 AM |
Whilst I also like the realism of having to wait for a boat, the fact that you can run from Port Royale to Midor in about 20mins RL, makes having to wait for a boat seem silly.
The fact that I would drag about 100 monsters chasing after me into PR or Midor is another problem !!
I understand it hard to get a RL/RP balance, but my humble suggestion, as some others have said, is to make PR to Midor an IG daily trip, and extend the hours a bit.
My two-pence worth !
Jane aka Solitaire |
- Solitaire, Wizard
- Ilyana Fiirhaart, High Priestess of Naruth |
|
|
|
|
Re: IMPORTANT: New travel system
Posted: 28 Feb 2004 12:09 PM |
Here's what I would change...
1) Different boats between Midor and PR, as opposed to the inner sea one. It's just more realistic IMO, making another boat isn't that hard at all. This also solves the every other day situation.
2) Inner Sea Boats work every day, during the day but not at night. Outer Sea Boats work every other day, into the night, but take off a day and a night. This has about the same wait time but opens a much larger window.
3) Pricing change from 150 to 100.
4) Ability to shout out coordinates for the captain (15 latitude, 50 longitude), and if a correct combination is given, you go to secret islands off the coasts, etc.
~Fenarisk |
|
|
|
|
|
Re: IMPORTANT: New travel system
Posted: 28 Feb 2004 12:13 PM |
You know, I feel that too much realism breaks a game. The boat system, although I haven't used it owing to Shaz'jen being in the slammer will probably drive me nuts...
Forcing people to wait 25 minutes for a boat is boring. It's realistic, but boring. As Barnas says, making your character eat, sleep for 10 hours a day and nip behind a tree every so often is not fun. And well, if a character CAN run - RUN! - from Port Royale to Midor in 20 minutes (which even Shaz'jen can do...)...well, what are you going to do about the 'realism' there? Add in 100+ areas so it takes a proper amount of time to go from one to the next?
As I said, too much realism takes the game part out of RPG. This isn't d20 Modern. This is d20 Vives :] |
- Who needs Epic Levels when you have Epic Eyebrows? |
|
|
|
|
Re: IMPORTANT: New travel system
Posted: 28 Feb 2004 12:23 PM |
| It would appear my major concerns have been addressed, which were to make transportation between the Port and Midor more frequent and cheaper. I dont find the delay getting to and from Ferein to be particularly onerous, but then my chars dont really mind being stuck in Ferein all that much. |
|
|
|
|