My experience as new player

A place to ask beginner questions to be answered by other players. / Ein Platz für Anfängerfragen, die von anderen Spielern beantwortet werden.

Moderator: Gamemasters

Post Reply
User avatar
Seajiha
Developer
Posts: 95
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2016 12:02 pm

My experience as new player

Post by Seajiha »

So after I've read for quite some time in this forum, even wrote some answers to threads, mostly in the general forum, mostly from my viewpoint as new player who has more experience in programming than rp-ing, I decided to post a short summary of my time in Illarion. Maybe you'll regard it as useful to see some bricks of this game not from the perspective of an older players or a developer but from a new one. I have used the template available in the general forum. Oh, if someone is really interested in this but wants a german version just pm me.
How did you hear of Illarion, what made you decide to make a char and play?
This one's easy. I heard of Illarion from my BF, who is sort-of a long-time-player here. Because I really liked the idea of a fantasy RP (or RP in general) I decided to create a new character (a drawf, because they're sweet). Before Illarion I've just played singleplayer-RPGs and a RP mod for the game Freelancer (Discovery if you know the game), which has very strict rules on what your char is allowed to do and what not (e.g.: which items you are allowed to equip while in faction xyz). I remembered it was nice (with 100-200 ccu) and decided to give Illarion a chance. Maybe it would have the same quality of RP.
What was your first impression whether negative or positive about the game?
If positive, was that the defining factor that made you decide to stay?
My first impression of the game was really positive. Although, the game is technology-wise not really up-to-date, one really perceives that the players are the important factor in here. I am quite sure I've stayed in the game because every time I've logged in i got quickly involved in some RP. Even on the newb island. And even after I lost the "New Player" tag. Maybe I was just lucky but this got me in.

Also, players were really kind (even more after they heard I was a new player); yes, yes, also that evil guy outside of Galmair.
What is your most exciting time in game, something that keeps you coming back?
That is hard to answer, because my character isnt that developed. Maybe the most exciting thing is my idea of how my character will developed and how the world will change through the impact of other players.
Do you think you will continue to play and why or why not?
I'm quite sure I will contine to play. I'm not the most active guy here, because... university, work, relationship, friends, my steam library, but I keep logging in and doin' things.
Do you feel comfortable with roleplay, had any experience before Illarion, or feel still learning?
Already answered I think. I'm still learning. Also my english isn't the best, therefore it's really hard to respond quickly, make some emotes on the side and add a dwarfish dialect at the same time.
Anything else to add?
Yes! First: I really don't want to add any character-names here. This whole forum is ooc and all information should be obfuscated here.

Now the rest:
While the roleplaying and kindness in the game is really high, sometimes you really think the illarion community is quite hostile if you read the forums. Maybe a litte less ranting from both, the players and the devs and a little more constructive discussion would be better for the game itself (note: it has really been quite a long time since the last ranting here, so thats good).

The development process: I really honor what the devs are doing here. Developing a game in their free-time since years. But: You are asking for support in your development. However, the development itself is not really transparent. Yes, the source-code is available on git and you have a bugtracker (slightly misused as feature-tracker :p), but the community does not really know what you are doing next and what are your concepts for contents still missing in the game (e.g.: magic). I don't want you to create a development diary, with a new post every few days. But I propose to post concepts which already have some structure to the whole community. The worst you can get is some ranting. But the best you can get are more detailed ideas, maybe something you have even thought about. Also this would really motivate developers from "outside" to help you on the game. Because currently, I'm not that motivated. Think of it: I make some basic magic system. I invest quite some time in it. Then I commit it and it gets denied or totally altered because it does not match with the magic concept. Now, if I would have access to some concepts I can build it that way. Or even propose some useful changes. Please, discuss if a little more transparency is good for the game.
As part of this: Please think about the possibility to change concepts. As I said, I really honor what you are doing and I know that it really s#cks to change a feature you have carefully planned and implemented, but if a good share of the players want it, there has to be a really good reason to not change it and not simply something along the lines "It was never concepted that way".
Last part to this: I would focus the development on features that will improve RP. Yes magic. But also some better support for criminals (I'm none of them btw). Some better options to work on intrigues - being cut of because the leader of each town is an npc/gm is not that good.
Please, I don't wish to harm anyone with these words, but I think this may be a reason why many new players (and some potential developers) bounce of the game.

Also (I know there's a economy overhaul planned) I sense a problem between older and newer players. Older players have often amassed a huge amount of resources. This may be linked to the fact that there is infinite storage room for one player. For example, because it is quite up-to-date: there this post about the rebuilding of the walls of cadomyr. After it was posted all the materials were already deliviered by the house of the sea serpent. Because all these players just own so many goods, that they could build walls everywhere on the map. This storage of goods will most likely devalue money in the game and will render a change of the crafting system useless (because: older player are still having so many resources). Think of how the game would be, if the maxmimum amount of resources a player can own would really be limited. I'm quite sure it would be a better place.

So yeah. I think that was all. If you have any questions for me, feel free to ask :)
Post Reply