(This post is broken into two threads in order to cut down on the wall of text, the other part will be in the beta feedback forum)
Let me start off by saying that it was awesome to be able to participate in the beta test for ToS. IMC has a great start to a game that shows a lot of promise down the road as it develops. So now that the beta has ended I would like to offer some of my feedback and constructive criticism towards both IMC and our developing community.
To the community:
So far it has been a real pleasure playing with you guys so far, it already brings back old feelings of what it used to be like in some of the classic MMOs. I think that as this game develops our community will develop with it to be something memorable. Though there are a few things I would like to bring up from recent topics that were present during the beta and may still be ongoing.
The first issue is regarding the exp grind and the two sides. Some feel that the grind is too much while others felt that it is fine where it is. For those who feel the grind is too much, I agree that this is very time consuming and it feels like it’s difficult to get anywhere but at the same time the difficult grind can become the cause of some of the most memorable and interesting parts of the game. For example one player, I believe it was Maelstrom, mentioned during the beta that she found that the grind led her to form a party with others who turned out to be really cool people which made the game even more enjoyable. This is one of the biggest reasons that the grind can be desirable, because of the community that grows around it. Everyone finds their own ways to deal with the grind and push forward, whether its through just being in non-stop grind parties, playing solo, or just not grinding from time to time and exploring other parts of the game and being social. All of it helps build the experience that we get from the game as a whole and we go through the journey of the game. Now I am supportive of keeping a difficult grind in the game but I do not think that if xp rates are boosted some that it will kill the enjoyable element of the game since we do not know what IMC has in store for us beyond level 100. But if your finding the grind difficult just know that most of us have been through it too, we just found ways to enjoy it as a collective. This also means that when someone complains about the grind the reaction should not be to look down on that person but rather help them be part of the cul-…I mean community.
The other thing I want to bring up is the comparing of this game to Ragnarok Online. Honestly the entire reason I know about this games and what brought me to it is because I played RO, and I loved that game, sure it had its flaws but it also gave memories and experiences I have never gotten from any other MMO out there. When I saw this game and that it was being led by the same person behind RO I was thrilled. When I got to participate in the beta, I was not disappointed this game gives a very similar feel to RO and what I loved about it. It has honestly lived up to the idea of being a spiritual successor to RO. But, with that being said, this game is not RO, it is a completely different game and that’s ok. RO was good for what it was but it was not without flaws, and honestly I do not want this game to become just a clone of RO, rather I think that IMC can give us something even better. So for all you RO veterans out that miss that game lets try not to think of this game as RO and stop directly comparing it to RO and instead let it become its own game with something new that we wouldn’t have expected. But on the flip side there are somethings that RO did right that it wouldn’t hurt to see show up here, but we don’t need to turn this game into a modern RO replica.
A lot of this may have already been said and if so then great! But this game will be shaped by us as well as IMC, as the community we have a chance to create a unique and enjoyable experience for everyone who will be a part of the journey that will be Tree of Savior.