Heya folks. Before we start, I just want to say I understand this is alpha and all subject to change. I just want to discuss the design as it currently stands, as far as I can glean from all the info posted. Looking for some dev feedback, but you guys feel free to point out anything I may have missed, as I have not been here for a year scouring the forums I certainly may have

So, the crux of the issue I am seeing is the game seems to be stacked well against the demons, and they don't seem to have enough pros to balance them out in line with the other race's utility. Again, feel free to point out any pros or cons you know about that I don't list here. I'm attempting to keep these pros and cons as 1:1 as possible to give a more accurate representation. So, starting with the baseline, we have:

Humans:
Pros:

• Can choose any alignment from the start.
• Take no debuffs on other worlds by default.
• Free access to their world, fairly free access to the beats world, relatively free access to the demon world depending on alignment and god.
• Fairly high access to all resources in the game due to this world access.
• Fairly easy access to all shrine quests again do to world access.
• Can have safe zones if desired, based on alignment.
• Artifact system to modify their bodies (stats?)
• Can grind positive karma through combat with evil players and criminals.
• Can grind negative karma through combat with mobs and players.
• Easy access to 6/6 gods.

Cons:

• No attributes above 20 by default.
• No attribute affinities.

Beastmen:
Pros:

• Can choose any alignment as soon as they leave their world.
• Take no debuffs in human world.
• Can grind negative karma through combat with mobs and players.
• Can grind positive karma through combat with evil players and criminals.
• No need to use temple offerings to adjust karma.
• Have safe zone cities by default.
• Easy access to 5/6 of gods.
• Free access to 2/3 of the planets.
  • Thus easy access to 2/3 of the resources in the game.
• Some attributes above cap.
• Some attributes with affinity.
• Have access to abomination form for added options.
• Abomination form is easier to reach due to the ease in general of gaining negative karma.

Cons:

• Can only choose good by default.
• Lose access to ancient power when not in home world.
• Gain debuffs in the demon world.
• Very limited access to 1/3 of the planets.
• Some attributes with lowered cap.

Demons:
Pros:

• Can grind negative alignment through combat like other races.
• Some attributes above cap.
• Some attributes with affinity.
• Easier teleportation to other worlds (but what are the limitations?)
• Have access to angel form for added options.

Cons:

• Can only choose evil by default.
• Can not choose neutral or good even when the leave their world.
• Can not grind good alignment through combat like other races.
• Easy access to only one god, limited access to 2 more, and low access to the other 3.
  • Thus much lower access to temple offerings and shrine quests to adjust karma.
• Much higher reliance on temple offerings and shrine quest than other races to adjust karma.
• Can not have safe zones.
• Free access to only 1/3 of the game world, limited access to 1/3 of the game world and very limited access to the last 1/3.
  • Thus much lower access to resources than the other races, unless teleportation takes up the slack.
• Lose demonic power when they leave their world.
• Take vitality damage when they leave their world.
• Actively rejected by beast world.
• Angel form is harder to reach due to the difficulty in general of gaining positive karma.

I think it's pretty clear from this list that there's a bit of a disparity here. I also want to point out that the karma mechanics in general seem to favor negative karma, with much less ability to gain positive karma unless you already have positive, so that makes it even harder for a demon to raise their karma. So, it seems to me some more balance work needs to be done to make these races still different, but relatively equitable in terms of pros and cons.

Just so this is more constructive criticism rather than just complaining, here are a few suggestions I have to even the system out a little bit, just for starters:

1. If you are above 2500 karma you can only pick good alignment.
2. If you are between 2500 and 1 karma you can pick good or neutral.
3. If you are between 0 and -2500 karma you can pick neutral or evil.
4. Neutral demons no longer take vitality damage in the human world.
5. Demons can pick neutral gods at character creation.

To be fair, to say that it's a reflection on the game is kind of unfair. It seems to be more of a reflection on your own mentality if you care to be self reflective. I know I for one read about the game before ever making an account. I am sure others did as well. So broad statements about "this is what it causes" are not really accurate. The fact you went so deep into FOMO about a product you had literally no info on, and no emotional investment in, is a more telling about you than the product itself. Additionally these forum elements were added at some time mid development. You can find that information in one of those news articles you clicked but didn't read It was something added to give people something to interact with while they waited. That to me seems fairly different than the gotcha you seem to be coloring it as.

That hour and a half you say you spent only took my wife and I about 20 minutes each, and that was with actually reading some of the better posts. It might be that you're overestimating that time a bit. I also feel compelled to point out that there is literally only one daily quest in the whole system, so your complain about FOMO fueled daily quests is a bit disingenuous.

While this post seems negative, it is not meant that way. More of a "hold up and think about this a minute" kind of thing. You might find your opinion changes a bit. Or not. Either way it's interesting to dig into.

@asspirin There are 6 major gods, but if you look back at the KS there are some packs that allow you to design a minor deity, so apparently that is a thing. Maybe some of the minor ones will have a bit more flavor.

Some attributes give the same stat increases. For example Constitution gives life, but Strength also gives life to a lesser degree. One would assume that it would add these bonuses together, and you would benefit from both. Right now it seems as though only the higher of the two is counted. Is this intended behavior, or a bug in the current system?

I don't see how this movement is any different than any other top down/isometric game. It's pretty standard.