I like the idea of "voicing concern". However, a pattern I've noticed is it isn't people making their concerns heard, but rather being aggressive in stating that "in their opinion, development isn't going fast enough".
Past track records for some, show that publishers forced their hand in releasing games early when they weren't fully ready. Let's not be like those publishers and try to force their hand. We ask for transparency and we mostly get that. We get monthly newsletters with screenshots, interviews, and updates. Some of those newsletters include great news such as pre-alpha and upcoming streams.
Pre-alpha isn't supposed to be a set time frame for each game ever made. It's different for all games. I spent like 2 years playing Fortnites PVE Alpha...
There hasn't been a single timeline mentioned. They had SCOPES or goals they'd have liked to achieve; some which were mentioned on the failed kickstarter. However, money plays a big role in this projects. Even if they started in 2012, working with such a small group of people who still need to feed their families by working full time and then working on a game part time - that game isn't going to be done for SEVERAL years without proper funding. To sum it up, they never truly made promises to have it done by a certain year. It's simply impossible to make that kind of promise while balancing out hiring new people for the team, trying to find more funding/investors, fixing bugs that might pop up during Pre-alpha, and developing a new website/forums for your very impatient community.
No one is saying you can't have concerns or voice your opinions. We're simply saying be more respectful about it. Don't simply say "This game sucks" because that doesn't help anyone. Explain what the game is lacking or has that you don't like. Aggressively voicing your opinion in the forums doesn't help the community. You end up getting other people riled up; either against you or with you. And even though you have valid concerns that others SHOULD share with you, they choose not to because of how aggressive you're being towards the game and the VR team. I love the Pantheon community because majority of people can have very level headed discussions even if we disagree. I'm not trying to tell you how to think, I'm trying to make sure our community is on the same page with how we interact with one another and the VR team.
Your concerns are valid. I have some of the same concerns. I'm just waiting a bit longer to see if they release anything for us. Pre-alpha has been in progress since the very end of 2017. We are past the first quarter of 2019 and on our way to 1-1/2 years of Pre-Alpha. Of course that doesn't look too good. And maybe they have a good reason for that, or maybe they don't. In the end I'm going to have to wait to find out anyways.
Good news though; there's a stream on the 25th. Everyone can ask their questions and voice their concerns and get a real-time answer from the team. And who knows, maybe they'll surprise us with good news within the stream. They love surprising us...
Adinirahc said:I think the people voicing concerns over recent events in terms of the development of this game, have valid points. I share many of those same concerns. I hesitate to post here, because these are VR's forums. I get that these forums are intended to be largely game positive.
I really don't understand how people aren't seeing some of the concerns many of us have. Timelines have consistently been way off. It certainly appears that expectations are being dampend. The reduction of launch continents comes to mind.
The thing is, being negative or questioning VR's schedule or comparing timelines to other games is pointless. Negativity can only stand to hurt the game by either being a poor attempt to try to rush VR into releasing the game in an "unfinished" or otherwise under-promised state (and then failing as a whole) or possibly end up with the game not being released at all.
I think it would be absurd to assume they are not hard at work and deeply invested in this passion project. I can understand the desire to see the game finished ASAP as many have been waiting for a game like this for 15+ years now, but in this case it's really just best to consider what you've given a donation and walk away for a while with the assumption it might never happen but check in from time to time. When the game is done it will come out and be everything we are looking for/have backed until now, or it wont come out at all and we will be no better/worse off than we are now.
@Kilsin Did you remove my thumbs-up ASCII image or did it not post? (Is ASCII not allowed?)
add: I wish there were simply a "like" button we could select on a post, because sometimes that is all I feel like contributing to the conversation... a simple agreement/acknowledgment/affirmation with the post.
@Fancy,
OMG,
Thank you for a voice of reason. Hit the nail on the head. I bet we all at time worry about this game and its outcome. Its because we all yearn for it to be THAT game, which fills our heart and soul with the feeling of adventure, strife and challenges to over come. As well as fullfilling some hopes and dreams to be a truely remarkable game with years of fun to come.
Newsletter topic I feel would be kool for folks to make comment towards is the community spotlight. I personally think it is cool to meet a few fellow gamers and learn a bit about them, how they came up with their name etc. I also know theres probably a sect whom could care less and dont bother to read it at all. To each their own. I personally dig it.
I think it will be nice to see Halnir's again. Will Kilsin be in the group again? I hope so. Last time If I recall correctly, he "accidentally" pulled a train and then faded. The group derailed it, though.
But even then we only saw some parts of Halnir's. With a game like this I think there has to be some suprise when you open the box, by that I mean you dont see the whole game or the whole world before you buy the game. Part of the thrill is discovering the other parts of the world. Take Myst for example. Promo screenshots were fine, cool looking, but it was the spaces inbetween those screenshots or the written reviews that had people buy the game. Movie critic's don't give away the plot of the movie in their reviews, but people read them to decide if its worth their time to go see the movie.
Likewise, I think the same presentation has to be taken for an MMO, you leave something in the box.
*puts on glasses* So far I have seen Avendyr's pass and its orcs. Thronefast, with its high ramparts and developing art. Halnir's cave, followed by Amberfaet. Then the tower of the Reckless Magician, and nice to pass the other group with the dwarven mowhawk. Then that other area with the snake- the big snake- and that undead clan in that atmosphere- you know the one that followed the group back to their spawn point and killed them again! I forgot the name of that area. And we all know Black Rose Keep and its ramparts and its well-trained *ahem*, wandering officers. Also, considering the newletter and its reference to orcs- the north Tusk orcs in particular who we also saw Cohh and the all stars take a shot at, who are seperate from the orcs I mention at the start in avendyrs pass.
That's 8...zones? I guess you would call them
I have also seen screenies of Ratkins and wolf folk that each have two sub groups apiece and spriggans and tree things from pasyt newsletters
Thats 6 "MoB"'s that I haven't seen moving about.
But I have seen orcs, tusk orcs, bats, wolves, rats, snakes, boss snakes, human guards, scorpions, skeletons, griffons, human miners, human zealots, harrying spiders, boss spiders,spectres, rat-men
Thats 17 "MoB's I have seen moving about if memory serves in multiple numbers in those 8 zones above.
I have seen all the races except 1.
I have seen all the classes VR intended to start out with, except 1. I am aware of a populist movement to encourage 2 additional classes.
So, what I think I am going to see, is a normal group of players getting together to play a game....as if it were an already finished small piece *bites knuckle*
My opinion, my opinion only.
@Darch
If I recall correctly, the "thumbs up" bit has already been mentioned a couple times in previous posts when some mods mentioned a new website. And again, if I recall correctly, I believe they said that it either would be implemented or that it was a good idea to consider for the new website. No promises that this is accurate though. The problem with this current website is the god awful search function (no offense intended towards anyone). It's impossible to properly search for what you're looking for, and I believe thats why some questions, that have already been answered, get re-asked several times. This is also why I couldn't locate said topics/comments about the new website and suggestions.... I know they are here somewhere because I believe I mentioned it myself!
As for the Community Spotlight in the newsletters, I always end up enjoying them. I love learning how people came up with their names and reading which class they are picking and why. I've already come up with several names (first and last) for at least 4 characters I intend to play - hopefully we'll be allowed to create this many characters. I've switched my character names several times, so I'm definitely not one of those who keeps a name for 20 years. I do think it is really cool to hear that someone has kept a name for that long, though. It's truly inspiring how dedicated some are to their names.
Darch said:@Kilsin Did you remove my thumbs-up ASCII image or did it not post? (Is ASCII not allowed?)
add: I wish there were simply a "like" button we could select on a post, because sometimes that is all I feel like contributing to the conversation... a simple agreement/acknowledgment/affirmation with the post.
Yes, I removed it mate, it is not appropriate for these forums and we have a rule about no images or memes unless in a specific thread or requested by a dev.
Manouk said:I think it will be nice to see Halnir's again. Will Kilsin be in the group again? I hope so. Last time If I recall correctly, he "accidentally" pulled a train and then faded. The group derailed it, though.
But even then we only saw some parts of Halnir's. With a game like this I think there has to be some suprise when you open the box, by that I mean you dont see the whole game or the whole world before you buy the game. Part of the thrill is discovering the other parts of the world. Take Myst for example. Promo screenshots were fine, cool looking, but it was the spaces inbetween those screenshots or the written reviews that had people buy the game. Movie critic's don't give away the plot of the movie in their reviews, but people read them to decide if its worth their time to go see the movie.
Likewise, I think the same presentation has to be taken for an MMO, you leave something in the box.
*puts on glasses* So far I have seen Avendyr's pass and its orcs. Thronefast, with its high ramparts and developing art. Halnir's cave, followed by Amberfaet. Then the tower of the Reckless Magician, and nice to pass the other group with the dwarven mowhawk. Then that other area with the snake- the big snake- and that undead clan in that atmosphere- you know the one that followed the group back to their spawn point and killed them again! I forgot the name of that area. And we all know Black Rose Keep and its ramparts and its well-trained *ahem*, wandering officers. Also, considering the newletter and its reference to orcs- the north Tusk orcs in particular who we also saw Cohh and the all stars take a shot at, who are seperate from the orcs I mention at the start in avendyrs pass.
That's 8...zones? I guess you would call them
I have also seen screenies of Ratkins and wolf folk that each have two sub groups apiece and spriggans and tree things from pasyt newsletters
Thats 6 "MoB"'s that I haven't seen moving about.
But I have seen orcs, tusk orcs, bats, wolves, rats, snakes, boss snakes, human guards, scorpions, skeletons, griffons, human miners, human zealots, harrying spiders, boss spiders,spectres, rat-men
Thats 17 "MoB's I have seen moving about if memory serves in multiple numbers in those 8 zones above.
I have seen all the races except 1.
I have seen all the classes VR intended to start out with, except 1. I am aware of a populist movement to encourage 2 additional classes.
So, what I think I am going to see, is a normal group of players getting together to play a game....as if it were an already finished small piece *bites knuckle*
My opinion, my opinion only.
Unfortunately, I won't be Manouk! I wish I could but the time difference is tough to make for this one, hopefully, next time I can join the guys and play a hand in more "accidents" haha :D