The Tail of The Comet

[btamilio]

A while back, there was an interview with David Cohen of Nevrax discussing some of the long-range plans for the game. One of the things that caught my eye then was the following excerpt, translated from the original French:

Q: All that seems very good but what about casual gamers?

A: They are not forgotten, one can compare the game with a comet, those which play much will be very implied, that is to say the front of the comet, and those which play less will be nevertheless, but more in the tail of comet. They will be able to take part in defense facing the kittins, to choose a personality and choices but will have less influence on the Ryzom universe.

http://mmorpgs.info/showthread.php?t=1853 (Francais)
http://vnboards.ign.com/Ryzom_General/b ... 7504448/?5 (Crude English Trans)

As a casual gamer -- one who has muscled his way to 75 without much grouping, I have come to the realization of just how far behind I am, and how far behind I will continue to be as the weeks go on. After forming powergamer guilds and helping each other out, there are already many players 200+ (or closing in on it) in multiple skills in 6 weeks of release. The Head of the Comet is already established -- it's a few tightly knit guilds who are deaf to the rest of the game -- and it's getting pretty crowded up there.


Anyway, What I'm getting at is that the players who have the time are only widening the gap between the haves and havenots. I see a lot of lost people running around trying to find people or things to do and banging their head against the wall. Not a lot of tools in-game to really help them out, and without any real endgame incentive to get to 250 (REAL PvP, cool weapons/armor, Spaceships, Free Pizza, whatever), and a feeling of inadequacy with so many uberly-high people around rubbing it in, what's keeping the "Tail of the Comet" from falling off completely?


In any event, Kitin Meat Shield was not what I had in mind; Anyone else?

[zukor]

A while back, there was an interview with David Cohen of Nevrax discussing some of the long-range plans for the game. One of the things that caught my eye then was the following excerpt, translated from the original French:




As a casual gamer -- one who has muscled his way to 75 without much grouping, I have come to the realization of just how far behind I am, and how far behind I will continue to be as the weeks go on. After forming powergamer guilds and helping each other out, there are already many players 200+ (or closing in on it) in multiple skills in 6 weeks of release. The Head of the Comet is already established -- it's a few tightly knit guilds who are deaf to the rest of the game -- and it's getting pretty crowded up there.


Anyway, What I'm getting at is that the players who have the time are only widening the gap between the haves and havenots. I see a lot of lost people running around trying to find people or things to do and banging their head against the wall. Not a lot of tools in-game to really help them out, and without any real endgame incentive to get to 250 (REAL PvP, cool weapons/armor, Spaceships, Free Pizza, whatever), and a feeling of inadequacy with so many uberly-high people around rubbing it in, what's keeping the "Tail of the Comet" from falling off completely?


In any event, Kitin Meat Shield was not what I had in mind; Anyone else?

Basically I agree with all of what you just said....see my thread below "perspective of a new player". I haven't leveled my char as high as you have, but everything else you say certainly rings true.

Doctor Z.

[loyats]

And the search for a game that even a soloer can entertain themselves with goes on.

[btamilio]

And the search for a game that even a soloer can entertain themselves with goes on.

Yup. Perhaps it's time to dust off the X-Box and purchase a copy of Fable.

[mordred3]

Yup. Perhaps it's time to dust off the X-Box and purchase a copy of Fable.

No offense but why are you paying a monthly fee to play with thousands of other players and then proceeding to complain that you can't do X well enough alone?

I dont think these games should aboslutley force grouping and teamwork, but I defintley believe they should reward it and anyone who does so should get far ahead of those who enjoy their online solitude. You seem to be complaining that people that work together in an online game (the gall) propser and get ahead of you? Zuh?

Really though. You might need to reavaulate what you are doing here in the first place.

[loyats]

Still got it.

[btamilio]

No offense but why are you paying a monthly fee to play with thousands of other players and then proceeding to complain that you can't do X well enough alone?

Naw, I hear that. I posted a while back about grouping, and some of the complications. http://ryzom.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4114

I'm not complaining about soloing -- It's boring, but at least it's doable. I just don't have the time to waste an hour putting a group together to go hunt. So I solo so I can make the best use of my 1-2 hrs to play.

And basically, that's my point. Players who don't have the time end up playing a different game then those that have 20+ hours and are well connected. We don't have insta-guild-group ready when we log in. We have to struggle to find things, people, and learn about the game.

I'm just curious what the long haul is for we the casual ilk of player who will advance our characters slowly over an extended period of time, what other people in this position are thinking. No MMO really addresses this kind of player well, but all of them want to keep us on the books because we pay for more than we consume.

[eschiava]

A while back, there was an interview with David Cohen of Nevrax discussing some of the long-range plans for the game. One of the things that caught my eye then was the following excerpt, translated from the original French:




As a casual gamer -- one who has muscled his way to 75 without much grouping, I have come to the realization of just how far behind I am, and how far behind I will continue to be as the weeks go on. After forming powergamer guilds and helping each other out, there are already many players 200+ (or closing in on it) in multiple skills in 6 weeks of release. The Head of the Comet is already established -- it's a few tightly knit guilds who are deaf to the rest of the game -- and it's getting pretty crowded up there.


Anyway, What I'm getting at is that the players who have the time are only widening the gap between the haves and havenots. I see a lot of lost people running around trying to find people or things to do and banging their head against the wall. Not a lot of tools in-game to really help them out, and without any real endgame incentive to get to 250 (REAL PvP, cool weapons/armor, Spaceships, Free Pizza, whatever), and a feeling of inadequacy with so many uberly-high people around rubbing it in, what's keeping the "Tail of the Comet" from falling off completely?


In any event, Kitin Meat Shield was not what I had in mind; Anyone else?

Personally, I will never be any where near the level of the power gamer, and I likely will never belong to a power gamer guild. So, I tend to ignore the top, I'll never get there, they pay me little or no attention. But I can still enjoy the low-mid game. There are plenty of low-mid levelers out there, why don't we form a second tier of guilds and enjoy grouping with like leveled player, RPing with like leveled players, and eventually PvPing as well?

Miy

[zzeii]

To be honest.... I dont know of many lvl 200+ characters...

And all of them are harvesters... while their other primary skill is in the low 100s.

There are a number of people who are 150+, but even those aren't as numerous as one would think.

You aren't being left out in the cold. The story does, and will be coming for all those who can log into the game. It's currently the calm before the storm. People preparing themselves for the oncoming story that everyone will have the chance to participate in. Whether it being on the forefront of every battle, or helping out defending a capitol when the battle hits home.

[drech]

Personally, I will never be any where near the level of the power gamer, and I likely will never belong to a power gamer guild. So, I tend to ignore the top, I'll never get there, they pay me little or no attention. But I can still enjoy the low-mid game. There are plenty of low-mid levelers out there, why don't we form a second tier of guilds and enjoy grouping with like leveled player, RPing with like leveled players, and eventually PvPing as well?

Miy

I tried that approach, started Tribal Rage initially as a guild for people who want to group. Not one person expressed interest. Ok, so maybe the idea was bland. Posted a recruitment in the guilds section in an RP style to get people fired up.

Not a single response.

/shrug, I'm done trying to find groups/guilds/people to play with. SoR is all about cliques. That precedent has been set and I'm not interested in kissing someones ass to get into their guild so I can be forced to harvest or craft (94 melee and not interested in anything else).

I'll wait for patch 1 to see if the increased mob output makes grouping more of a necessity, although I'm afraid that will just mean more guild groups instead of more open groups. Just more of the same most likely.