Requiem for a Game

[d1sco123]

Well folks, I've played now for about a month, and I have a few observations to make. It doesn't matter if anyone agrees or not, because these are my opinions. And as these are forums, I am wont to voice my opinion in a way that might upset some people, because that's what forums seem to be good at doing.

First off, let me tell you the best MMO I've ever played is Star Wars Galaxies. I know a slight ton of the community here is made up of SWG "Refugees", so I won't expand on that anymore. I just think that the point should be made for contextual purposes.

One of the things that really appealed to me about this game was the feeling that I got that reminded me vaguely of the tingle that SWG gave me the first time I played. There's a sense of wonder, of hope, and scale that makes Ryzom a fantastic game. The systems, particularly the customizable skills and the player-built expansions, are just ground-breaking and unabashedly amazing.

However, there's something missing from Ryzom. Story. Characters. These things make a true RPG. Sure, the argument could be said that it's up to the player to make the characters, but there has to be somewhere to start, and Nevrax hasn't done a satisfactory job in my opinion of starting that ball rolling.

There's also many many problems with bugs in the game, and incomplete functions that should have been made years ago. Why is Nevrax adding more content when it hasn't finished the content they started already? I know the long-term plan is probably to bring in more customers with enhanced PvP and such, to make the money needed to finish the original designs. But if people want PvP, they play WoW because that's a damn good PvP game. So Nevrax should include PvP, but they shouldn't try and make it a focal point of the game. They're never going to take customers from WoW, and SWG has lost most of their customers to other games already. Instead, Nevrax should be focusing on making the game the best that it can be, and then bringing customers to them by having the best of the best.

For those SWG players that know what the pre-CU game was like, they should understand two things:
First, SWG will never be what it was, and if you want pre-CU style gameplay, Ryzom is your game.
Second, SWG sucked pre-CU too, just in different ways. There were massive balance issues, tons of bugs, and the game-killing Hologrind. If you want to grind out levels day in and day out, Ryzom is your game.

Now, none of that means that I hate Ryzom by any means. It just means that if Nevrax wants to get me back, and to keep the new players they want to attract, they need to fix the problems that they already have. The mobs are very well scripted, though the models are a bit passe and very repetitive. The harvesting and crafting systems are very well designed and implemented, almost up to the quality of SWG (which is my favorite crafting system ever). Combat is a bit quirky still, but the magic system is just done perfectly.

Until the problems get fixed though, I'll keep my eyes on Ryzom and I might return. But for now, I have found a nifty little game that allows me to play with my friends, socialize all I want, have a developing story and evolving characters. It's called Neverwinter Nights 2.

[katriell]

However, there's something missing from Ryzom. Story.

You've played for a month? I'm sorry, but you're not qualified to say that.

[raynes]

Once you find a MMO that is what you think a MMO should be, no other MMO will ever be able to match it. For me that MMO was Earth and Beyond. Eventually you just have to accept that your favorite game is gone and not coming back and find something that can fill some of the void.

There is something that annoys me about your post though. You say characters and stories are missing from Ryzom. In fact that is a common complaint. Yet I created a VERY story rich scenario with the Ring editor, but somehow I have only been contacted a few times in game about it. Maybe 20 people have tired it. So I have to ask you, are you really trying all aspects of the game? I know that other people have created story rich scenarios, have you gone to any of them?

I'm not trying to toot my own horn here. It's almost a slap in the face though to have people say there is no story content, yet be sitting in a scenario waiting for people to try it for hours with no bites.

[grimjim]

I would be Raynes, but your slant on Ryzom is incompatible with mine and from what you've let out about your scenario it seems somewhat 'outside' to me. I want a bit of continuity between the main lore and my scenarios. I'm sure its good but it just doesn't pull me towards it. If you get what I mean. No insult, that's just why I haven't shown interest, which given my RPaholic status one might think I might.

But yeah to the OP, there's plenty of story and characters out there.

[totnkopf]

You've played for a month? I'm sorry, but you're not qualified to say that.

I think he is. And he made a good point. The majority of the lore and story behind Ryzom isn't in the game. Its all sorted into various sections of the Ryzom sites.

I'm willing to be that there was more lore in the Encyc missions, but at this rate, we'll never know

(my join dates to the left if the amount of time you've been here matters...)

[mugendo]

A nice post Disco123, I will not comment as you are presenting your opinion...not asking for debate.
If/when you do decide to return I know I will welcome you back.

[mrshad]

I think he is. And he made a good point. The majority of the lore and story behind Ryzom isn't in the game. Its all sorted into various sections of the Ryzom sites.

I'm willing to be that there was more lore in the Encyc missions, but at this rate, we'll never know

I have to agree.

There is lore and culture in Atys. Potential for deep conflict and drama, but not a lot of it gets played out in the game. There might be some ring submissions that advance the plot, or go on on a seperate tangent; but these are temporary additions with little or no connection to the official lore.

We need something more IN GAME to move the story along. More tools with wich to make our mark in a permanent fashion. R2 is fun, but it is clumsy and limited; and most of all, not avialable all of the time. You can't create a guild hall or training area and have your guild mates be able to come and go as they please. Even if you could, there wouldn't be any real sense of guild ownership, as all that was done to get the new structure was to click and drag in the editor.

We certainly do need more permanent content, more in-game character, and deeper implementations and presentation of Atys lore.

[geezas]

However, there's something missing from Ryzom. Story. Characters.

Uhm. I won't comment on your time ingame and your first paragraph made me laugh and give you a friendly punch but there are is a story and there are characters, you have been looking at the wrong kind of characters. NPC' sjust dole out quests. It's the player characters who make the story! We all make the story happen with comments on the sideline, player made stories etc. ( we have a guild poet/bard/writer in guild and we adore drakfot! )

There is a lot of lore about and some verry interesting stories posted, I find it hard to believe you miss something, maybe you haven't found it yet ?

[geezas]

Once you find a MMO that is what you think a MMO should be, no other MMO will ever be able to match it. For me that MMO was Earth and Beyond. Eventually you just have to accept that your favorite game is gone and not coming back and find something that can fill some of the void.

There is something that annoys me about your post though. You say characters and stories are missing from Ryzom. In fact that is a common complaint. Yet I created a VERY story rich scenario with the Ring editor, but somehow I have only been contacted a few times in game about it. Maybe 20 people have tired it. So I have to ask you, are you really trying all aspects of the game? I know that other people have created story rich scenarios, have you gone to any of them?

Raynez is very right here. there is loads of content you just have to find it and add a little of yourself to it

And your first MMO is like your first love, and you will never forget and will compare every other one you love with it

[iwojimmy]

I am ignorant of the SWG MMO game.. but presumably it has some contextual link to the StarWars (tm) (r) (whatever) franchise..

So the universe that has a major movie series, some very good writers doing extra storylines, no requirement for the game company to do any plot development.. has a better story than Ryzom ?

Explain JahJah Binks.