Before commenting on anything, a while ago I deleted this game from my hard drive (it was on an SDD; 25gb seems excessive for a product with these characteristics) because it no longer even served me to kill time and pass the time. At some point it became, not to repeat myself, into a casino with many tables and bets. Like other video games, ToS has lost what (perhaps) made it attractive … Except in the group of gamblers and submissive people who have lost the capacity for criticism, self-criticism and self-reflection, sadly every day bigger, which worsens when it contaminates other more serious matters outside of leisure.
From time to time I go to the forum to see what good news there is (bad news, better said) and rarely do I find a topic like this, which, yes, they are useless because it does not reach the VIP people who have power or are They are in charge of managing this video game … It reminds me of others not necessarily massive, online or (supposed) RPG, even paid, like Stellaris from Paradox, a game that I bought in its day and that I deleted, I had my money returned after certain updates and company policy (it was horrible, not just gameplay anymore).
I have abandoned other massive RPGs like Black Desert Online, it literally takes the same path as this … And that, like here (the “preorder” that I paid before being a mere horrible F2P more), I bought at the time . I am not talking about other online games, I will continue to say that the payment in monthly installments is a scam, just like the purchase of video games online (the day they close you will run out of money, without games, and what is worse, without time you’ll never get back). Simply, so that you understand my point (my tastes?), It is sad that the most fun, uncensored (politically correct is somewhat pathetic) and open games are indies from companies and people with not as many resources as the great ones we know.
Now, entering the topic that is discussed here. As a reader of this sad and forgotten forum of a video game in a zombie state, I like the messages that Hillgram leaves, at least it shows that he has not forgotten the “no”, “I do not accept” or “cancel” button when he asks us one Web (surely, an inaccurate analogy) to accept their conditions of use or cookies. Sadly, each of the points he makes is correct. Now, my grain of sand … Whether to promote a debate, improve them or at least, an alternative:
*About points 1-7-8-9-10-11. There are very interesting formulas, perhaps as old as some role-playing board games or role-playing forums, that offer that diversity of gameplay in an RPG (often Western) versus the “meta” formula, or at least one way to reduce its influence. To give an example that could work, how the online Path Of Exile (Passive Skill Tree), what if instead of dividing the game by trades, ranks, classes and the like, everything is unified? Some skills you learn (at the level you want) open others, combinations of several open some more. For example, if I learn one ice magic and one fire magic at level 1, enable the learning of water magic; if I learn the handling of swords (a single point, I would not necessarily have to invest so much even though it improves the damage I do with it, because I may also want to handle as an alternative weapon -or several- for when I am at a distance or another works better against a certain enemy … a bow? a magic wand? You may want to invest points in sword forging), enable learning one-handed sword skills. Of course, you would not need Rank LVL or anything like that, simply a limited number of skill points at each base level (in total at the maximum level it would be several points, but that would have to be available at the expense of others).
Why not? Make the abilities depend on their recharge times (more powerful = more recharge) and not energy, that the basic attacks are the same abilities similar to Guild Wars 2 (in consumption); remove the unnecessary and annoying SP bar.
Even the parameter system (stats)… Why not return the old one similar to the RO? Leave each point to the player’s decision, after all, it would be necessary in a system such as the one I propose. With these two things, not only is the system simplified (the capabilities, now ARTS, would be activated according to their level without any type of secondary system); It becomes more fun and diverse, and as Hillgram says, the player’s decisions would matter much more, what would be the goal? Of course, but it would be playable even by those who do not like to follow the leader and like experimentation. That the player decides, that he does not decide (BMI and friends) the game for you … We have enough of this in real life (in the end, deep down everything depends on the decisions of second people and our environment, not our free will, it is a fallacy that of “you can be and do whatever you want in life”).
Of course, this would not kill the system that IMC and company have to earn money, without being harmful, it would encourage the purchase of spaces for characters without limiting the experience of those who do not invest money or are not so much; and of course, except exceptional case like drastic change of abilities etc. NO to any reset of any kind (or pay), bad day when they were put up for sale by four whales who do not know what the real RPG game is about.
*About points 2-3. One of the serious problems, yes absolutely right, the casino tables and the mountain of tasks that you must do in order to have fun, after all, there is the invisible wall that decides what content you can do and which one you have blocked. An interesting idea, the one that I take from some games (Kenshi, and to a lesser extent Black Desert), to reduce the amount of non-sense equipment and “improvements” that the game has and simplify it to a varied list, but clear and simple; each team, depending on which weapon, independently, will offer benefits over others (for example, a greatsword that has the highest damage rate against a more defensive greatsword, a magic wand that improves fire versus another that improves ice or lightning) and works with simple multipliers on the Stat of our characters; x1 would be normal, x0.1 would be negative (a magic wand of ice can be terrible in fire, then in fire apply a negative) and x1.X would be the improvement … In similar armor, even give interest to the type of damage physical depending on the weapon (a rapier is not the same as a knife or a hammer).
The only variable that could alter these benefits (and penalties) upward would be the quality of the piece of equipment or consumable item; (Legendary; only as a prize for events, and not necessarily better than masterpieces)> Masterpiece> Excellent> Good> Average> Mediocre> Horrible> (Props; as the name suggests, for plays, rusty borrowed equipment to fix …), of course, the NPCs would only sell the horrible ones … The rest, it would depend on other players specialized in forging or goldsmithing (according to the system that I propose) and buy it in the store (here we can propose the system that it handled RO, people made their shops in each place (with a search system; it would be fun, having to go to a dangerous map because whoever has the store and sells that is there … Or someone selling potions in a place where they would have sales success), or apply the current market … But without stupid nonsensical limits to the quantity of products and the high tax charged by IMC and friends).
Of course, you must return the money in the field, among others, or at least bet on the system that RO used to obtain money (it was based on selling objects - to the NPC or to the people - that the bugs released). To avoid casinos and luck, do not fall for the same thing, make everything safe, of course, with their corresponding numbers of required materials; You will need more (apart from the skill, if you are the one who forges, weaves or manufactures) and stronger bugs to make a Good weapon, than a Normal one. You will save materials if you only improve it and not make it from scratch. With this I would add more richness to the diversity, and above all, greater decision and way of playing RPG online, than not just going to do what everyone else (I can also specialize in making high-quality potions and different types than in weapons and pretend to focus on the usual game of killing monsters).
*About sections 4-5-6. I thought I remembered some interesting tips about the AI in this forum and the behavior of the enemies; that there are various types of behaviors, for example, some monsters run away as soon as you see you, others rush at you like crazy (as most are now), some are measured and flee if they are very hurt or face if they are healthy, others that go in packs or groups and are challenged by your leader, some who help or protect their peers, etc. Even that from time to time they face each other or with others of different species (food chain, predators and all that). At the player level, it even allows you to tame them, anyone, and tame them, use them anywhere according to their AI -skills according to the suggestion-, sell your “Pokémon” in the market or your bird shop, go hunting, cook their meat or vegetables, etc. (it doesn’t have to just be alchemist potions).
Of course, for this, as Hillgram says, they would have to reduce the combat speed, among others, such as limiting the maximum level and the time required for each character to progressively reach the maximum (they would have to review and redo the experience curve , Among many other things).
*As a bonus, they would enrich the game if each building or structure in the set can be bought or rented (to another player owner) as a house or guild barracks, including skills to make functional furniture to store objects, etc. Set up a business alone or together , an inn or a consumable store in that house lost in the middle of a dangerous map. Etc? And no, I don’t mean this or what they have in other games like Black Desert. Fall in love with an NPC and marry him? Do it with another player? Enable adoptions between players or NPCs? Give a player the decision to organize a family tree together with other players - or among his own characters - that gives his puppets a historical “base”? It reminds me of what could be done in TES Skyrim. Of course, this does not depend on paid items … And if there are, they are merely for their unique design or aesthetics outside of the lore of the game itself, whose functionality would be equal to its normal equals.
If 64bits really works for them (it is not an optimization of the game, for that many more things would be needed), also take advantage of it to solve the PVP (why not, a tournament or coliseum mode, organizable anywhere, among those who sign up in different modes of play, free or limited by the sponsors -either in an event by the Staff or by the players themselves who have excess objects and money- or bettors -it would be fun to bet some Silver on who or who will win- put the prizes) , even add a PK system (well controlled and limited to avoid abuse) and “searched” for PKK to these.
In missions, I would bet on a system of free missions without history, random ones that depend on who your NPC boss is (yes, and there are as many as maps, or else, that there are several specialized in different things … Why not? Let them be our favorite goddesses, city mayors, guild leaders, and demons - crafting missions, killing missions, transport missions, “wanted” missions, barter missions, etc.) And with this, open a system of factions to organize big things (total wars or battle royale).
Anyway, a lot of text and a lot of useless ideas (they won’t put into practice) … I know very well that no one of importance will read this and will apply nothing minimally, after all, ToS is a Korean video game, and we know that culturally they follow other different models . We will see when they put the 64bit, depending on how everything is, I will occupy the 25gb again or I will simply leave this game as impossible. Im not english, so I need use a translator (my english is poor)…
Emm, another theme, localization of the game. Not all people talk and write english, that should a good improvement in business view.