Can we play too ?

[d1sco123]

I'd like to put in my two cents here, as a SWG refugee that's been looking for a home ever since. I think I might have found it here on Ryzom, but that would have never happened if not for the newbie island training zone, the new Cho server, and I for one am happy that Ryzom has been gearing itself toward making it's presence known.

Since playing SWG, I've floated through EVE, EQ2, GuildWars, WoW, and DDO, not to mention a pirate RO server, and a slew of cheap free Korean MMOs. It's been a slippery slope, and I wish someone had told me about Ryzom two years ago. It would have saved me a boat load of wasted time and money.

To say that Ryzom's recent changes are like SOEs changes of SWG is kinda ludicrous though. The similarities in the games exist solely in the playstyles. And yes, I realize that people are upset about the playstyle of Ryzom changing, and I realize that SOE scared the crap out of people to the point where we're now paranoid about any company homogonizing our "little baby." Believe me, I know that feeling better than most. It took me a little over two years to even consider looking at another SOE game after they screwed over SWG.

Here's the main reason why the CU is so frustrating and is STILL a major hotbutton issue for many SWG fans: SOE had no reason whatsoever to even consider making the changes they did. They had no shortage of players, they were never anywhere near bankrupt, and the fans weren't asking for it at all.

Ryzom and SWG both fit into a niche in terms of MMOs, but only because of their playstyles. But there's a HUGE factor no one's yet discussed: SWG is a Star Wars franchise game. That means it has access to one of the largest Sci-Fi/Fantasy fanbases in existence. SOE never even had to advertise their game, or make it mainstream, to make it popular. The Star Wars name did all that for them. Nevrax, and Ryzom by proxy, have to do more work to make their game make money for them. They don't have the massive piles of cash to fall back on, and they don't have the fanbase either.

To conclude this rather lengthy reply, I think that if Nevrax needs to change a few things to make the game appeal to more people, it'll be necessary. The game industry is brutal and cutthroat. There are hundreds of new games being released each month, with dozens of new MMORPGs every year. This amounts to a "kill or be killed" situation. If Nevrax has to lose a few players to gain a few dozen, it would be worth it to them, and I can't blame them.

Hell, it got me into the game after all.

[cloudy97]

The fundamentals of Ryzom can't really be simplified, in my opinion. You can't make crafting simpler and still call it Ryzom, you can't take away the stanzas, you can't make the game class based.

What you can do, to make things smoother for a new player is the following:
- Remove the necessity to buy tickets to TP so you can return. No need to make the first trek to another land, and no risk of forgetting to buy tickets.
- Remove the Kitin patrol (it's done already, I know)
- Make Mektoub food harvestable
- Make ammo lighter
- Include a book of crafting recipes in the game (that you fill yourself ofc)
- Make some more storybased quests available for newly arrived at the mainland, for smoother transition from RoS
- etc

I don't agree on all (maybe even any) of the above, but if things like these were included - would it lower the game experience, and would it make the game stupified? I'm not always sure I we all mean the same thing when we say "stupify". To me stupify was when you choose alignment and class at character creation, when the game chooses your path and I can't see Ryzom ever doing that.

And ... no teenager ever dreamt of being a Luke Karavanwalker, so we don't have that Jedi dilemma. Oh, and Han shot first.

[raynes]

I am talking about a game ...you are focused on the Business. I have enough responsibility and obligations in my life without being concerned for the salary of folk who provide me entertainment. I am here for ENTERTAINMENT..once that ends I am out of here, it's a harsh reality of life some folk cannot seem to grasp.

Well there are lots of people who are here for ENTERTAINMENT. That ENTERTAINMENT means being able to have high level content that is rewarding. That gives me SOMETHING OTHER than what I will have GOTTEN for the first 200 levels. Because honestly if there is a new high level area that is going to give me a damn mat at the end, I won't bother.

[raynes]

I'd like to put in my two cents here, as a SWG refugee that's been looking for a home ever since. I think I might have found it here on Ryzom, but that would have never happened if not for the newbie island training zone, the new Cho server, and I for one am happy that Ryzom has been gearing itself toward making it's presence known.

Since playing SWG, I've floated through EVE, EQ2, GuildWars, WoW, and DDO, not to mention a pirate RO server, and a slew of cheap free Korean MMOs. It's been a slippery slope, and I wish someone had told me about Ryzom two years ago. It would have saved me a boat load of wasted time and money.

To say that Ryzom's recent changes are like SOEs changes of SWG is kinda ludicrous though. The similarities in the games exist solely in the playstyles. And yes, I realize that people are upset about the playstyle of Ryzom changing, and I realize that SOE scared the crap out of people to the point where we're now paranoid about any company homogonizing our "little baby." Believe me, I know that feeling better than most. It took me a little over two years to even consider looking at another SOE game after they screwed over SWG.

Here's the main reason why the CU is so frustrating and is STILL a major hotbutton issue for many SWG fans: SOE had no reason whatsoever to even consider making the changes they did. They had no shortage of players, they were never anywhere near bankrupt, and the fans weren't asking for it at all.

Ryzom and SWG both fit into a niche in terms of MMOs, but only because of their playstyles. But there's a HUGE factor no one's yet discussed: SWG is a Star Wars franchise game. That means it has access to one of the largest Sci-Fi/Fantasy fanbases in existence. SOE never even had to advertise their game, or make it mainstream, to make it popular. The Star Wars name did all that for them. Nevrax, and Ryzom by proxy, have to do more work to make their game make money for them. They don't have the massive piles of cash to fall back on, and they don't have the fanbase either.

To conclude this rather lengthy reply, I think that if Nevrax needs to change a few things to make the game appeal to more people, it'll be necessary. The game industry is brutal and cutthroat. There are hundreds of new games being released each month, with dozens of new MMORPGs every year. This amounts to a "kill or be killed" situation. If Nevrax has to lose a few players to gain a few dozen, it would be worth it to them, and I can't blame them.

Hell, it got me into the game after all.

Exactly. Thank you for posting. It's nice to see a SWG player understanding the reality of things.

[grimjim]

Change isn't necessarily bad, if it follows on an evolutionary progression.
Aping something fundamentally different in the hopes that some of its success will rub off is, however, doomed.

[mugendo]

Ryzom, just as any other game needs to evolve. I am not oblivious to this fact.
You assume I dislike PvP Raynes.....check my post history and you will see I am in favour of the PvP, supporting removal of 'safe status' in PvP battles/zones.
There is many aspects of Ryzom that make it unique and attractive... I see This is attracting new players every day.
I have confidence in Nevrax to improve and continue to deliver a gaming experience we all enjoy.
This is supported by the community with sound reasoning and strong opinions.

None of this can remove my innate concern that it is 'possible' to dumb down the game to cater to the masses...
*points to 'Been there - Seen it - Done it-' T-shirt*

[mugendo]

If Nevrax has to lose a few players to gain a few dozen, it would be worth it to them, and I can't blame them.

Hell, it got me into the game after all.

I agree there D1sco123.....but you must remember this very same reasoning also got you Out of a game too

[geezas]

After reading a the first post I was confused. Reading some reply's and I still am.

[d1sco123]

I agree there D1sco123.....but you must remember this very same reasoning also got you Out of a game too

That's not true, Mugendo. The reasoning that got me out of a game was that the change they made was unnecessary. SOE had absolutely no need whatsoever to change anything about their game. And it's quite obvious that when they did the CU, they lost more than they gained.

[rothimar]

I wonder how many people will leave if mobs/missions start dropping items that compete with player crafted stuff?

While I can understand your frustration... I am concerned with the addition of loot drops to more content.

Well there are lots of people who are here for ENTERTAINMENT. That ENTERTAINMENT means being able to have high level content that is rewarding. That gives me SOMETHING OTHER than what I will have GOTTEN for the first 200 levels. Because honestly if there is a new high level area that is going to give me a damn mat at the end, I won't bother.