Craig Morrison: Genius

[Religolibri]

It's not just the industry that thinks like this. Journalism in general are kind to this "method".

[Kurt2013]

Agree with Nusquam about the making of games. Still companies are not democracies...so many good ideas of the team can get twisted somehow by a single or small amount of people. Also it is easier to blame a scapegoat, than to look for the more complicated reasons why things do not turn out as expected.

For example there was a HUGE hype, when an expansion was announced. People speculated about Kush, Hyperborea and the road of kings. Then obviously influenced by pure real life marketing (not even economic as it turned out!) reasons khitai as a whole was chosen (and it was far from as popular as RingOfSet stated (there was a turning point in grind and focus...good for some, bad for some)...at least on the non-pve servers). I find it really sad, that the original idea (there was a developer video or interview where i found it) of a "trip" through Turan, Vendhya and Hyrkania to Khitai and thus splitting the now localized story amongst several nations/cultures was scrapped

Also it was unfortunate that the timing of khitai and Bori was closely together (both immensely affecting pvp and pve).
Khitai through the grind focus and AA exploits and Bori through big guild focus and rock exploits.

[Nusquam]

For example there was a HUGE hype, when an expansion was announced. People speculated about Kush, Hyperborea and the road of kings. Then obviously influenced by pure real life marketing (not even economic as it turned out!) reasons khitai as a whole was chosen (and it was far from as popular as RingOfSet stated (there was a turning point in grind and focus...good for some, bad for some)...at least on the non-pve servers). I find it really sad, that the original idea (there was a developer video or interview where i found it) of a "trip" through Turan, Vendhya and Hyrkania to Khitai and thus splitting the now localized story amongst several nations/cultures was scrapped

Also it was unfortunate that the timing of khitai and Bori was closely together (both immensely affecting pvp and pve).
Khitai through the grind focus and AA exploits and Bori through big guild focus and rock exploits.

When I was working to set the scope for the team for the Godslayer expansion I made 3 scenarios with the team which were presented upwards.

The first was conservative - 5 playfields set only in Khitai.
The second was larger - 8 playfields, including Turan and Hyrkania and Khitai.
The third was the largest - 10 playfields, Turan, Hyrkania, Zamora e.t.c.

Khitai was mandatory due to the business arrangement made with Neowiz. (Not marketing, business drove that decision).

After reviewing the scope and the budget and deadlines, wiser, more experienced people told us to make the conservative version project.

It was the right call, as we managed to deliver the Khitai expansion with a small delay (two months) and within the proposed scope.

My dream for that project was to have the players start in Zamora and follow the repercussions of Conan's encounter with Yag-kosha all the way into the mysterious east. But looking back, I was naive and inexperienced and without managers who had "been there and done that" the expansion would have blown out of budget and scope if we had tried anything more.

[Suctum]

Population is always greedy for too much all at one time. Joel's idea to start in Zamora and move on would have been great if they did the content in a limited way and released it like TSW issue's system.

However, the pressure of the community wanting things all at once and an overzealous project (releasing it ALL at once rather than in bits) creates just as much disdain as want in my opinion.

Over the years, I understand the vision of the game I played and loved is not for everyone, and I understand why things changed. The only thing I ask is no more Asian/Korean content, we have seen enough.

[Pondtus]

Good decisions and bad, in the end AoC is still the game I love the most. I have left a few times but I have always returned. Nothing touches the combat and raid encounters in this game! (imho)

I agree with no more asian content, I mean we're STILL grinding Khitai haha!

I don't know about the rest of you but I love the new Dragon's Spine content. Especially the new dungeons. The graphics are beautiful the the encounters fun and challenging.

[Kurt2013]

When I was working to set the scope for the team for the Godslayer expansion I made 3 scenarios with the team which were presented upwards.

The first was conservative - 5 playfields set only in Khitai.
The second was larger - 8 playfields, including Turan and Hyrkania and Khitai.
The third was the largest - 10 playfields, Turan, Hyrkania, Zamora e.t.c.

Khitai was mandatory due to the business arrangement made with Neowiz. (Not marketing, business drove that decision).

After reviewing the scope and the budget and deadlines, wiser, more experienced people told us to make the conservative version project.

It was the right call, as we managed to deliver the Khitai expansion with a small delay (two months) and within the proposed scope.

My dream for that project was to have the players start in Zamora and follow the repercussions of Conan's encounter with Yag-kosha all the way into the mysterious east. But looking back, I was naive and inexperienced and without managers who had "been there and done that" the expansion would have blown out of budget and scope if we had tried anything more.

Sure, these "business" decisions, e.g. existing contracts, budgets and allowed approaches are exactly what i meant with non-team factors influencing decisions.

I guess we will never know, who was right...the "been there, done that" managers or your "inexperienced" self I think i remember now, it might have been even an interview you made, i was referring to.

I can only give you feedback from my limited customer point of view and having some experience in game and system design myself. Back then, there was a huge resentment amongst friends ingame because of the localized focus (these players actually left). I still would like to see Shadizar, Hyperborea or other original places sometimes. And part of the resentment against the khitai only approach came from neglecting that "original" atmosphere in favour of just one (rarely mentioned) culture. With House of Crom, Turan and Dragonspine that relevated a lot...and even the grind factor changed, but i was referring to the original effect such a localized expansion had (imo, it was simply too big for such approach and thus limited or reduced the chances of other cultural expansions coming later...and as you could see, turan was already a LOT smaller (and the faction or culture gear aspect is far from comparable to even the vanir in conalls valley, not speaking of even khitai...the other ones (HoC, Dragonspine, unchained) also lack the depth (though worth a place and some nicely done)). For many the main reason to buy it was not to experience the nicely designed areas, but to get the AA and the purple armors. More diversed content would have relevated that effect.

You see, I am truly doubting, the localized focus on khitai was NECESSARY cheaper or better than the other...but then, you definitely have a better overview of your situation at the time (and as it seems, you really had not much of a choice, being scheduled a certain timeline and external musthaves). And seeing that the "conservative" approach was the smallest of the three presented, i can understand the "experienced" decision.

[Nusquam]

You see, I am truly doubting, the localized focus on khitai was NECESSARY cheaper or better than the other...but then, you definitely have a better overview of your situation at the time (and as it seems, you really had not much of a choice, being scheduled a certain timeline and external musthaves). And seeing that the "conservative" approach was the smallest of the three presented, i can understand the "experienced" decision.

I don't really know the details of the contracts at the time, but Neowiz gave us quite a chunk of cash for AoC rights in Korea - but part of that contract included the Khitai expansion.

It is important to separate my professional opinions from my personal preferences as well. I understand why we did Khitai, but as a Howard fan I would have preferred to do something else entirely.
But once the decision was made I poured my energy into making Khitai as authentic to the few snippets Howard had, as possible.

Still there is plenty of material left for the future and once we have cleared some of the bigger promises off our plates, I want us to start exploring other regions and cultures, even if they have to narrower of scope than Khitai.

[Kurt2013]

Don't get me wrong...i think now the expansion feels like a real addon to the game and is certainly worth the money. I guess some of the effects (scale and localization) it had would be similar, had it been a whole Vanaheim expansion or whole Kush expansion. Also back then in 2010 it was a complete different approach to gameplay, not finished and exploitable with lasting effects.

The story is interesting and main flaw might only be, that the progression slows down, once the grind starts and there is some break point missing (as with the grim grey god for solo and then the thoth amon raid chain)...so if you are forced by whatever reasons to solo or smallgroup most in khitai you will be left out on a lot of the story.
Still imo, with the MoA changes and the different factions, there is quite a replay value, despite the grind (for example it was fun to see each factions view on what happened).

If future expansions are planned, and they would include a main cultural playfield with more than one faction allowing for easy access to cultural looks, different povs and player decisions (like the green armor in khitai and the blues), one scaling solo instance with "unchained" option (like the breach), one or two group instances, not necessarily a raid and it would include one or two larger quest chains (maybe one concluded solo and the other in groups), i would certainly spent money for it.

[EmSi86]

i dont agree about past GD - i really hated him - he neglected so many sides of this game and went easy ways to rip us of money with promises and letting us expect more and more which was never delivered, he made this game pve grindfest - im sure even hitting rocks with some from time to time pvp encouter is more interesting then doing for xxx same in pve - you are dealing with living opponents on other hand your just stride on greed and lust to obtain better items for power or let it be vanity - and imo no real rp happens on non pvp servers - Hyboria is harsh and brutal world and we have to be aware of it...

i love rp i started on aquilonia in past but pvp is other diamond in this game which i love too and with constant progres and disbalance it makes you more like puke then have fun - i know when kill/deaths stats where on it brought a little of competition but as well it brought bad manners and Coward alike approach to certain acitivities - mini games for example, well as rp fun im not that confused about it since everyone would care for his life and run for it - maybe not cimmerian berserkers who would die in glory on batllefield but still last who stands alive gets all the fame and riches ...

anyway all that progres made it so you actually had to pay for premium sub to be competetive and golden idea of undisturbed pvp/rp fun at the game release went gone - thx to mr Craig - i remeber how little it took to be competetive at game start - i remeber when had guard lvl 60 in crafted gear and could easily fight against lvl 80ties with rather even advantage - i remeber when at lvl 56 i nearly killed as rager some main tank of some guild who did yakhamr past then - that was fun not items and money spent that makes you better - i believe in bright future with this game - with unchained mini games what is one thing and maybe complete f2p model with interesting things like crafting revamp that would bring powerfull items !easily obtainalbe! on par with other end game gear - and maybe fc to let to sell gold in their shop - ofc on some nice price - diablo 3 got its auction house and lets ppl buy gold for real money why not FC and AoC shouldnt make it? it would get rid of gold sellers spammers - it would revive game economy and certainly would make ppl happy - and progres for example to get on to adventure to get rare item skin would be fantastic - that would be the treasure, the prize and actuall thing that would make ppl play pve - with nice sotry telling/quests for it it could be really something letting all of you join in Conans alike Sh1it - really great idea - and all to get richer, idk maybe to help others - ofc Hyboria world is full of spoiled greedy merchants, helpfull characters and adventurers

for the end i got mini game idea - i think it would be great with pvp crafting side of game - the concept is basic to get your hands on the treasure - it would be kind of last man standing match - only for 4 players starting with piece of key in 4 seperate corners of the map - which would be also some sort of fortress with walls - ranged dealing spots and so on - hide would be avaible - in those fortresses there would be mechanism to spot hidding players to avoid easy from hide kills or sneaking up on not knowing oponent into his base - in center there would be the treasure - cheast let it be that would drop money, pvp tokens, recipes for skins and maybe materials - and when starting all 4 players would have one part of key dying would mean losing it - gathering piece would be capped on some time to let ppl fight over it even when carrier died - last man standing - when one player gathers all 4 pieces he can open chest and finish mini game - treasure would differ of time spent in mini game - shortest means better loot and score you made - like maybe didnt drop you starting piece of key, killed many key holders, kill/deaths stats etc. it wouldnt be many resources to implement such a thing and would become fast 1vs1vs1vs1 entertainment for players ofc i would exclude it from tournament mode since it would be easily grinded/exploited by some guilds and as said last/one man standing so it would exclude also group joins, also would spent some time on making diferent kind of maps for it poping on randomly on start - let it be 3 or 5 for start - it would cut off bordom and would make it more interesting and making 3 such a small maps more like arenas wouldnt be hard

ok time to go off - while waiting for server merge i go play fallout 2 online :/ cya

[KullOfValusia]

You can say what you like about RotGS but apart from BRC and T3/T1 its probably where 80% of the population spends their time. It was a GREAT expansion and you can feel the quality difference between old world and khitai the minute you port in.

With that being said I would like to see end game content have more horizontal rather then vertical progression. For instance crafting I see a ton of potential in. Rather then having crafting become a "side-job" for a player it could be made into the sole goal of a toon rolled up on the onset. In essence crafting could be rewarding enough and have enough depth for a player to roll a toon and completely dedicate that toon to crafting. 3 ways to accomplish this,

1.) Any further drops in end raid or dungeons should drop only templates or ingredients for armor. Such as a "rusted Atlantean sword" which drops from a hypothetical t5 raid. This combined with the weapon "blood nilus sword from t3" , "star metal", several ingots, and the obligatory vial of blood(from the last boss in t5) can be combined to make the "sword of Atlantis" with +80 to crit instead of +80 to hate(which requires another recipe of ingredients).

2.) Crafted Raid gear will be the most powerful items in the game. But, the level of power varies by the crafter. Crafting shouldn't have any skill cap, and should be largely open ended. What I would like to see is a handful of dedicated crafters specializing in weapons or armor to be able to make that absolutely perfect piece of armor or weapon. So, that "sword of atlantis" in the hands of "Bob the greatest weaponsmith on the server" receives a +100 to critical hit rather then just +80. Associated with each attempt will be a cooldown of 1 week for the weapon to be forged, to avoid mass production by 1 smith and to keep the weapon valuable.

3.) Recipes are complicated and must be discovered through trial and error. This will give crafting less of a grind feel and more player interaction skill feel. It'll make the player feel unique that he alone knows the recipe to make the "sword of Atlantis" with + 100 to hate . Also, crafting should only be done in and around certain areas like guild armorys or weapon/armor shops around hyboria with possible bonuses attached to these places. Randomly seeing someone craft right in front of the traders not only breaks immersion but clogs up the trade posts.