Posts made by kellewic

After hanging around for a few days, reading the forums and re-digesting the Spotlights; I am officially excited for this game - what it could be. So far, I think, though the community has its "sides" (specifically PvP vs PvE), that there is a respectfulness (for the most part) of ideas.

The role play thread started by @Darian gives me hope that people might act how their characters might act given their alignment and even racial tendencies. I think this is something sorely missing in games today. Mostly it's just min/maxing based on some template.

The Correlation between School and Alignment Poll() @Gothix started was interesting to see the results. It will be interesting to see how it actually plays out through alpha and beta periods.

The many replies in this thread were fantastic to read and engage with and although I don't agree with everything (I mean, who would?); I'm always interested to understand the various points of view and how, in some cases, they are diametrically opposed.

@gothix said in Role play?:

I prefer neutral evil.

Same here.

@darian said in Role play?:

@kellewic They are. But the world does not make it easy for them. In fact, a chaotic evil should be greeted with hostility even by those of his own alignment. That's why there are very few serial killers IRL. And even fewer who last long enough to have an impact. The problem with most open world PVP games is that there is no real punishment from being a pk-er. The world does not react to you ant you don't stand to loose pretty much, anything. Unlike your victims. It's incredibly bad for business as well, but that's a story for another time!

Agree. Chaotic Evil beings would be loners since they are all about themselves and would not take direction very well - that already puts them at a disadvantage in a hostile world. Getting them to work together isn't impossible - promises of chaos and destruction, valuable items, etc. They would likely make good shock troops. But any relation with them would be tenuous at best.

@darian said in Role play?:

@jetah ... You see, IRL, people are not very fond of killing each other. That's why I generally find pvp without purpose to be plain stupid when you are trying to create an immersive world. If it's just an arena, then yes... it makes sense, and it's fun. But immersive worlds can't have mindless killing. That basically destroys the world you are trying to immerse yourself into. By role play, I don't necessarily mean talking like a Shakespeare fanboy. I mean making decisions as if you where that very character, not an outside god toying with it. I mean, taking into account your character's beliefs, fears, needs and desires, and acting accordingly.

I want to provide a counterpoint to this in that if this game is allowing Chaotic Evil as an alignment, it is immersive for those players to be killing others for no reasons but their own. I'm not saying it's my thing, but by your definition they are doing what a Chaotic Evil character would do - causing chaos and destruction for no other reason than their own selfish ones.

I could see things like

• Beastmen guilds designed to protect against attacks (whether by Demons or Humans) and possibly take the fight to them.
• Humans hiring mercenary Demons to help attack their rivals and time it to an eclipse - possibly so those Demons can gain easier access to Arboreus resources the Humans can collect easier
• Demons allying with Humans to scout Arboreus for intel

@target said in I want to get excited but...:

@kellewic said in I want to get excited but...:

So if these resources aren't special why do others covet them? Why would they stir greed?

Equal doesn't mean interchangable. Let's say Arboreus will be more abundant in resources for mana potions, and Tartaros will be more abundant in resources for health potions. Both valuable and sought after and can't be substituted for one another. Maybe Arboreus' materials and weapon crafting recipes are designed for lighter and faster versions of weapons, while Tartaro's are slow but heavy hitting. If you were a beastman and wanted a slow, heavy hitting axe, it would need to be Tartaros crafted.

That's a valid point and I hope it is that way since it would make resources more interesting and races would have a valid reason for seeking them out and potentially guarding them or fighting for them.

I'm asking these questions since the kickstarter is supposed to be in June and I'm debating if that's something I want to be involved with or not.

I guess I just tire of the same old no risk, zerg everything since you can't lose anything type of games - especially in a PvP-centric game where if there's no risk then attacking someone or venturing too far too fast carries no real consequences. Same with PvE encounters - with no risk, strategy just flies out the window. PoE has this problem since there I can just keep portaling back to finish off whatever I'm fighting.

@finland said in I want to get excited but...:

@kellewic There are 2 planets full of risk people should stop arguing about Arboreus. 'll go explore everything to get all knowledge as possible but for sure I'll go gather on Arboreus. The most thing I hate is lose time so I will try to avoid to be pked while gathering.

Not arguing at all; just concerned about the rift of player expectations and what the developers have specifically said in the Spotlights. From a pure RP perspective Demons want to kill Beastmen and Humans to spread death and chaos - direct from Spotlight #1. It's their function.

After reading more and more of the forums (after my initial post here) I've seen the same concern over and over - going back months.

@finland said in I want to get excited but...:

Well we are here to give our feedback and point of view. A FFA on Arboreus would have been a fail

I agree about a FFA since this isn't a pure PvP game; but the aspect of having some risk entices me even if I play a Beastmen character. Right now I'm leaning towards Demon just for the challenge.

I think if Beastmen venture into non-safe areas and are killed that's their choice and need to accept it. Just as Demons need to accept if they venture to Arboreus and lose all their stuff that's their problem

@vengu said in I want to get excited but...:

@kellewic Because what the spotlight says and what Prometheus says on the forum doesn't always add up.

So if these resources aren't special why do others covet them? Why would they stir greed?
Also tied directly to the knowledge system

For example, according to this post by Prometheus, the resources on Arboreus aren't strictly better or worse. https://forum.fracturedmmo.com/topic/1091/clarification-on-the-target-audience/58

Right; and I guess the source of my confusion. If they aren't better or worse then all the text about coveting and greed is just hype.

I know it's still early in development so I'll take a wait and see approach on how they try to balance the PvP and PvE aspects. I usually play PvE, but the challenges regarding Demons interest me.

This means Demons must explore other planets (where they are able to access anyway) and encountering Beastmen is inevitable.

True, but there are zones on Arboreus that cannot be accessed by Demons. Beastmen who stay in those zones won't run into Demons.

Correct, but I expect not all Beastmen to stay in those areas all the time. Even pure PvE players want knowledge and if the lure is great enough they might risk venturing out and getting killed - even if by chance that a Demon or group of Demons happen to be there at that time since it's been stated Demons getting there will be hard.

From what I've read on the forums, it seems many people want Arboreus to be completely free from PvP, or at least not forced on them, creating a point of contention. I think pure PvE players need to accept they might get killed just like PvP players need to accept it will be hard to get to Arboreus let alone survive for long.

Spotlight #6 says Beastmen are "unlikely" to be attacked - that's not a guarantee. I think the difficulty of "raiding" Arboreus is the catalyst for Demons to want to make it happen. I'm sure Demons will spend more time with Humans simply because it's easier to get there, but that lure of "it's really hard to do" will be seen as a challenge, even if much of the planet is cut off from Evil.

I'm excited yet reserved due to this basic conflict of game tenet and some player expectations I've seen on the forums.

@vengu said in I want to get excited but...:

@phaethonas PvE carebears don't have to worry because a good amount of Arboreus is strictly PvE. Also, Prometheus hinted that a lot of the PvE content on Arboreus will be located in those PvE areas.

@finland said in I want to get excited but...:

@esoba there is a 100% chance demon invading if you read threads around, pkers (demon mostly) care to play fractured just to harass Arboreus ;).

I have to agree it's quite hilarious how some people on this forum are calling Fractured a carebear PvE game just because 1 of the 3 planets is a PvE planet. Some people are truly here for the sole purpose of harassing PvE players, and don't seem to show much interest in the other PvP aspects of this game. Says a lot about their skill level imo.

Mainly if you want to unluck all the knowledge system you need to travel everywhere. It's one game just with 3 places with 3 different playstyle. Resources are non necessary better, Tartaros prolly will get the most rare resources. Anyway the purposo of invading Arboreus is just to kill people and brin chaos, the resource it's just an excuse

I agree, I've seen a lot of excuses. Some claim they want to invade Arboreus for resources, others claim they want to invade Arboreus to kill bots (lol).

According to Spotlight #2

Compared to Syndesia and Tartaros, Arboreus is the planet that most resembles its father Elysium, especially given it’s the only one that still retains Elysium’s primal energy, which manifests itself into ever-growing deposits of magical crystals, coveted by all the creatures of the System.

Crystals aren’t the only resource on Arboreus that stirs the greed of the people who don’t inhabit it, however. The planet is rich in wood, stone and minerals, although beastmen usually don’t take an interest in mining and blacksmithing. Indeed, the homes of beastmen are mostly made of wood, while stone is usually kept to erect public buildings.

So if these resources aren't special why do others covet them? Why would they stir greed?

Also tied directly to the knowledge system

Exploration is a staple of the Fractured experience, strongly tied to the progression of your character. In Fractured, you’ll want to travel to faraway lands to discover every inch of the world to extract all the knowledge hidden there and expand the options given to your character.

This means Demons must explore other planets (where they are able to access anyway) and encountering Beastmen is inevitable.

And

Demons are a notable exception to this rule, having been gifted by Babilis the ability to travel to other worlds more easily to bring terror to the other much hated races. However, the penalties they’ll be subject to are no smaller than those suffered by the other races… and sometimes, actually worse.

So Demons wanting to "invade" other planets is not an excuse; it's part of the core game.

I'm not trying to "argue" PvP vs. PvE, but from that Spotlight alone, these things are what the developers see as core to the game. This is the exact point I have reservations about since many PvE only players don't want to take part in that aspect, and even want to limit or completely remove it. yet the game is built on it.

@phaethonas said in I want to get excited but...:

@kellewic said in I want to get excited but...:

@finland

Yes, I've read the many threads and pages about PvE vs. PvP and it's definitely not only a heated topic but also a hard problem to tackle.

I really like the idea of the potential struggle between races/alignments. I agree with some statements made by @Phaethonas in another thread I read this morning as well - https://forum.fracturedmmo.com/topic/1481/feature-spotlight-6-pvp-alignment-crime/52 - regarding Demons seeing this huge disadvantage as a challenge and alliances being created. But, this is only half the story in my opinion. If such an alliance did form, I could see one being formed on the Good side as well - this could create a very interesting inter-planetary struggle for resources

I doubt that such a "Good" alliance would be formed, and that (such an alliance not forming) would be a problem actually.

If you are right and such a "Good" alliance forms, then the pvpers will have the challenge that we want and the pvers will be protected to a certain, and possibly sufficient degree. The problem though is that, the "good guys" won't be incentivised to form such an alliance. Any "good alliances" formed will be limited at Syndesia, the human planet, and will be formed around politics and dynamics at that planet.

I was thinking more in response to a consistent threat from an Evil alliance, which gives the incentive. Granted getting any large number of players together consistently is a challenge in of itself.

These alliances will have no reason to go to Arboreus and protect the care bears there. The Arboreus players could be split to two categories. The spine-less care bears and those who realize that when you try to marry pve and pvp in an open world environment (as Fractured tries to do), you have to accept that you may be killed at times by that pvper who is roleplaying a "bad guy". The spine-less care bears, won't be able to form nor participate in an Alliance of Good. So who is gonna protect them? Who is gonna rush to support/help them, when they won't be helping themselves? People tend to help other people in need, if the latter (those who are in need of help), are trying to help themselves. So no "Alliance of Good" will be formed at Arboreus, and no "Alliance of Good" formed at Syndesia will bother to protect the care bear beasties.

This is the part where I'm still a bit unclear. Each planet has it's own unique resources; not necessarily better, just different. Is there any incentive for other planets to want said resources and thus potentially creating strife or is this really just 3 games with one engine?

@fibs said in I want to get excited but...:

@kellewic said in I want to get excited but...:

There is this universe of planets with 3 distinct races. It seems most people playing Humans or Beastmen (specifically) don't want to deal with PvP and the Demons should just stick to killing each other. So basically we end up with what every other MMO has except we call the segregation planets instead of servers (yawn).

Wrong.

Characters on different servers are completely unable to play with one another, except for extremely limited cross-server events which tend to be chaotic mass guild wars or world bosses.

The statement was in regards to Demons specifically which seem to depend mostly on eclipses. However, I wasn't very clear in that regard.

In Fractured, Arboreus is a strictly Good (PvE) planet, Tartaros is a strictly Evil (PvP) planet, and Syndesia is the meeting grounds for both of them. Players will be perfectly free to go to any of the three planets they desire, although Good-aligned players are harshly limited on Tartaros and Evil-aligned players are harshly limited on Arboreus.

Are Demons free to do this at will or strictly depend on eclipses? I remember something about Stargates, but haven't read any specifics on the mechanics yet.

Disadvantages aside; I guarantee Demons will find a way to invade Human and Beastmen territories - it's their nature.

They won't be able to invade Beastman territories because Evil-aligned characters (of any race) are completely unable to enter the bulk of Arboreus. The few areas they will be able to enter will see them effectively burned away by the planet itself.

Immediately burned away? So far there's a 30m time span they can "survive". The threats they face may not be insurmountable - wildlife, plants, whatever. If experience has taught me one thing, developers can never anticipate what their users will do.

On and off again for Path of Exile; just started playing Project Gorgon maybe a week ago; played Citadel for a bit a while back. Trying to find my new "home".

Played a bunch of others previously: EQ, EQ2, WoW, DAoC, Horizons (beta), Shadowbane (beta), ArcheAge, TERA, Anarchy Online, The Secret World; probably a few I'm forgetting.

EQ and WoW were my longest runs by far followed by PoE then The Secret World. The rest I either only played the alpha/betas or didn't play release very long due to changes in the game that made them less fun.

I'm really interested in the inter-planetary dynamic and how that might play out.

@finland It seems any avenue to create more "buzz" would be something worth looking at. I don't know the particulars of how Steam works as far as the developers/publishers are concerned (like what percent of revenue is given up), but everyone I know who games uses it - mostly for convenience. One "thing" to install and start each game. I also had the Blizzard one when I played WoW and Overwatch.

• I'm suspect of reviews everywhere.
• 99% of the games being shit are going to be shit regardless of if they are on Steam
• I can say if I didn't look for this game specifically via Google and the only places they were at is Twitch, Facebook, and YouTube; I'd never have seen it.

Wondering how others found it last year - was there a marketing campaign on some MMO site? I just got back into gaming after a few months hiatus - before that I was playing the last Path of Exile league (Abyss).

Thanks for sharing your thoughts regarding Steam.

@finland you don't have to use it Steam could extend the reach of the game to users that might not find it otherwise. I found the game through a Google search but I was specifically looking for up and coming MMOs.

Why don't you like Steam if you don't mind me asking?

@target

the gods would probably revoke their blessing.

and possibly not allow a second chance

Well then @Sunti, amazing work!

My favorite is this one https://assets.fracturedmmo.com/images/universe_feature_01.jpg - I honestly don't know why, but I can just look at it all the time. I would hang this in my house if it was available

I don't know if the home page art was done purely with a computer, but they look drawn with maybe some charcoal - the shadowing and texture is awesome.

I hope so eventually since it's nice to have all my games in one spot. I typically see these kind of games do their Alpha phases outside of steam and during Beta maybe they get in on Early Access for additional exposure and fund raising.

Kudos to whoever you have doing your art - it's amazing.