grimjim wrote:actually persistent and consistent content rather than one-time additions (...)Even huge developers with massive amounts of money and coders can't keep up with quest/instance based
(sorry for the offtopic, I should have split to another thread)
While I agree globally with you, I must admit I still fail to see how the ring will be different, without demanding a huge effort from devs/players. In what a player created scenario is different from an instanced scenario (call it quest if you want) and unless the player is online and acting real time, in what makes a ring scenario different and in what sense will ring scenarios not be "play once" as well? In what sense the Ring solves the demand for updates? isn't "a Save the princess" ring scenario basically the same as an instanced quest? the only answer I see is that players creativity will be impressive, but imho the problem remains in both cases, unless it basically reduces to the fact that by using players as content creators, the updates will be more often and streamlined. And the ring is not again the answer to everything. In other threads other player have discussed the limitations of the ring, specially if decoupled from the main game, and its non-usefulness in other features as new lands, new craft plans, new bosses, new skill areas, so I won't re-explain them here.
The Airfix model you put together step by step, following the instructions and you end up with (for example) a model B52 model
The Lego you CAN put together in the limited and obvious ways described on the box, or you can come up with your own models using the same pieces without instruction. Those who can figure out how to make a spaceship out of a racecar set are going to get more fun and longevity out of the toy.
Your analogy does not contemplate the dual-role of the ring, creator and simple player. No matter how powerful and big your Lego is, it is of no use if I am simply not interested in Legoing, but indirectly and relying in others creations and limited to what their Lego can provide. A well made Airfix model does provide entertainment and specially at the beginning, Lego creations from creators will simply be Airfix models to simple players. Imagine I play, just play, chat, kill etc. and I have no interest in playing with map editors, triggers and events, then I rely on the creations of players and devs to create airfix models for me. And the ring is a set of tools for that, not much different from other in-house tools, just made available to players by means of a robust, although limited interface. And this is without mentioning that if Lego pieces are only squares, in a limited amount and geared towards a quite specific set of possible lego creations, without the possiblitites of well thought Airfix models, the possibilities are not-so-endless
Don't get me wrong, I like the Ring idea, I am confident community creativity will be impressive and so on, but the ring is not everything, "wait till ring comes out" is the usual answer, "devs will also use the ring" comes to mind. But then, what will ring scenarios be but instanced quests? the game is also in need of expansions related to key features. You can see this both ways: the stagnation of Ryzom in gameplay features is a consequence of an effort made to allow players be content creators, or this stagnation is consequence of the lack of in-house tools to create instanced quests and the openness is an opportunity for Nevrax to extend its use.
