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[Column] TERA: Five Things TERA Got Right

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Comments

  • lotapartylotaparty Member Posts: 514
    this game could have had survived if it was handled by ncsoft . 
  • lotapartylotaparty Member Posts: 514
    Originally posted by Renoaku

    They might have got some of this right but this doesn't excuse how bad Enmasse really is as a company.

    Remember why I complained so much when I bought the collectors of TERA?

    Because I made my account way before the game was ever released I was never required to agree to anything, and when I purchased the game looked in the Manual for an agreement there was a web address that did not take me to the agreement, I know there was a correct one on another link on their page, but assuming I was a dummy I assume there was no agreement.

    I also beleived that by buying this game I would have full access to everything in the game including recustomize of characters, I was wrong, instead just after buying the game they told me I had to pay a subscription fee then pay $9.99 USD per character change? Okay I am fine with buying Extra skins, and unlocks, but having to pay $9.99 to change a hair per character, and then change any other little detail on a character no way.

    So Paid for one month after got the gold weapon skins then quit the game, I will wait until this game goes Free 2 Play before ever giving it a try again if I do by then there will likely be something else better out than this company.

    Also lets not forget how many servers they had on launch I believe it was over 8 servers, and now they got 3 servers?

    http://tera.enmasse.com/server-status

    This is just very pathetic of a game company, and the only way I am going to return or even give this game a try is when they do what is right and give me what I thought I was actually paying for without being mislead by their company in so many ways.

    I wish I had the hundreds of thousands of dollars to sue this company in a big court and lived near one I would absolutely do it over their agreement thing. I spoke to friends who are in the legal business, and they advise me based on the physical evidence I have, and the video I made that it is more than enough to go on.

    However my point is just do not play TERA as a game, I would stick to games like.

    EVE Online, DarkFall, StarTrek Online, and why you may ask?

    Because these games give unlimited customizations for free they do not restrict me to anything once I have paid for it the only restriction in EVE is a resulpt but mining 500 million isk for a plex is like the easiest thing that can be done in any MMO.

     

    i think they tell you that the agreements parts are subject to change . what idiot will think that if there is no agreement on present day that there will be no agreement in the future .i hardly read any agreement of the game .are you a lawyer or what ?

  • PivotelitePivotelite Member UncommonPosts: 2,145
    Originally posted by lotaparty
    this game could have had survived if it was handled by ncsoft . 

    Probably because NCsoft would have been smart and not released it two months before Pandas, GW2 and TSW.

     

    Mass exodus before the game even released, I know many people who loved it in BETA but didn't pick it up because they were waiting for one of those three above mentioned titles.

    image

  • dimasokdimasok Member UncommonPosts: 183
    I would go back if it went F2P..
  • JudgeUKJudgeUK Member RarePosts: 1,672

    Read a few posts about EnMasse - in the EU we had Frogster (now Gameforge).

    You don't know how lucky you are in the US.......can we swap? please?

     
  • ZylaxxZylaxx Member Posts: 2,574
    Originally posted by BadSpock

    The questing was just so, so bad... but beyond that I actually really liked the time I spent with the game. Might look into the free-to-28 deal they're offering.

    I'd give it a shot if it went F2P and got rid of the quests and just featured grinding as the leveling technique.  Also they would have to do away with the self rooting animations.  Yes I know it makes it authenticate and realistic, doen't mean I like it.  If its a balancing issue why not balance another way and leave the combat which would be "very" enjoyable if it didn't have this feature?

    Everything you need to know about Elder Scrolls Online

    Playing: GW2
    Waiting on: TESO
    Next Flop: Planetside 2
    Best MMO of all time: Asheron's Call - The first company to recreate AC will be the next greatest MMO.

    image

  • JudgeUKJudgeUK Member RarePosts: 1,672
    Originally posted by Pivotelite
    Originally posted by JudgeUK

    Add some serious end game content -  and not just run a dungeon xxx times on the hope of getting an item with a 0.0000001% drop rate.

     A huge exagerration there... regardless most drops are not BOP, so you know, you get a different item drop or some fodder and you sell it and save up and I don't know... buy the gear off the Auction house?

     

    Also there's no problem with 100% alkahest to counter RNG, it's just like saving up money to buy a better piece of gear, except you're saving up money to increase it's stats guaranteed.

    Yes it was an exageration, and glad to hear that something is being done about the RNG - which shouldn't have been there in the first place. Why? Because that's when the game has the best opportunity to create a strong playerbase.

    Bringing a fix in after the event is of course a positive step, but by then players who got fed up with the rng have moved on - and whilst a few may come back, the majority are by then involved with another mmo. And for Tera this was really bad timing with the other new launch and expac releases that subsequently took place.

    So, rng getting a fix - good.

    Now, about the end content......it is unfair to ask a new game to have as much end content as one that has been out there for years. It doesn't need that at launch. What it does need is a minimum acceptable level. (I'd say Rift got it about right with their launch content). Then increase the content on a regular basis.

    But - this is where Tera tripped up, badly. Firstly it is not a new game. By the time it came to the west it was at least a year old, maybe more. It had a history of losing players after launch, in Korea, in Japan, because of lack of end content.

    The lessons where there - and not learnt for the western launch. Result - identical pattern of player fall off in the west and the east.

     
  • Yavin_PrimeYavin_Prime Member Posts: 233

    I agree TERA did a lot of stuff right. However I will say that I'm desperate for this game to go F2P, not because I think it's no good or dosn't diserve a sub but rather I feel that the market is ripe for an awsome F2P game like TERA. When I put TERA next to GW2 I can't justify paying the sub. I can however justify buying rare mounts for cash in TERA's cash store if it were F2P just like I buy ships on STO.

     

    TERA is a great game and I like it a lot, I just wish it were F2P like GW2 and STO (my two favorite games of this generation).

  • NBlitzNBlitz Member Posts: 1,904
    Originally posted by JudgeUK
    Originally posted by Pivotelite
    Originally posted by JudgeUK

    Add some serious end game content -  and not just run a dungeon xxx times on the hope of getting an item with a 0.0000001% drop rate.

     A huge exagerration there... regardless most drops are not BOP, so you know, you get a different item drop or some fodder and you sell it and save up and I don't know... buy the gear off the Auction house?

     

    Also there's no problem with 100% alkahest to counter RNG, it's just like saving up money to buy a better piece of gear, except you're saving up money to increase it's stats guaranteed.

    Yes it was an exageration, and glad to hear that something is being done about the RNG - which shouldn't have been there in the first place. Why? Because that's when the game has the best opportunity to create a strong playerbase.

    Bringing a fix in after the event is of course a positive step, but by then players who got fed up with the rng have moved on - and whilst a few may come back, the majority are by then involved with another mmo. And for Tera this was really bad timing with the other new launch and expac releases that subsequently took place.

    So, rng getting a fix - good.

    Now, about the end content......it is unfair to ask a new game to have as much end content as one that has been out there for years. It doesn't need that at launch. What it does need is a minimum acceptable level. (I'd say Rift got it about right with their launch content). Then increase the content on a regular basis.

    But - this is where Tera tripped up, badly. Firstly it is not a new game. By the time it came to the west it was at least a year old, maybe more. It had a history of losing players after launch, in Korea, in Japan, because of lack of end content.

    The lessons where there - and not learnt for the western launch. Result - identical pattern of player fall off in the west and the east.

     

    I would urge people not to forget the situation Bluehole Studio was in while trying to bring TERA out and the time post launch in S-Korea. If it was or wasn't their fault, that discussion has been done to death. I'm talking about the consequences.

    Followed by a snowball effect (players leaving, less money coming in etc.) to not be on the ball with bringing out decent content.

    This is what I believe.

  • Reas43Reas43 Member Posts: 297
    Originally posted by NBlitz
    Originally posted by JudgeUK
    Originally posted by Pivotelite
    Originally posted by JudgeUK

    Add some serious end game content -  and not just run a dungeon xxx times on the hope of getting an item with a 0.0000001% drop rate.

     A huge exagerration there... regardless most drops are not BOP, so you know, you get a different item drop or some fodder and you sell it and save up and I don't know... buy the gear off the Auction house?

     

    Also there's no problem with 100% alkahest to counter RNG, it's just like saving up money to buy a better piece of gear, except you're saving up money to increase it's stats guaranteed.

    Yes it was an exageration, and glad to hear that something is being done about the RNG - which shouldn't have been there in the first place. Why? Because that's when the game has the best opportunity to create a strong playerbase.

    Bringing a fix in after the event is of course a positive step, but by then players who got fed up with the rng have moved on - and whilst a few may come back, the majority are by then involved with another mmo. And for Tera this was really bad timing with the other new launch and expac releases that subsequently took place.

    So, rng getting a fix - good.

    Now, about the end content......it is unfair to ask a new game to have as much end content as one that has been out there for years. It doesn't need that at launch. What it does need is a minimum acceptable level. (I'd say Rift got it about right with their launch content). Then increase the content on a regular basis.

    But - this is where Tera tripped up, badly. Firstly it is not a new game. By the time it came to the west it was at least a year old, maybe more. It had a history of losing players after launch, in Korea, in Japan, because of lack of end content.

    The lessons where there - and not learnt for the western launch. Result - identical pattern of player fall off in the west and the east.

     

    I would urge people not to forget the situation Bluehole Studio was in while trying to bring TERA out and the time post launch in S-Korea. If it was or wasn't their fault, that discussion has been done to death. I'm talking about the consequences.

    Followed by a snowball effect (players leaving, less money coming in etc.) to not be on the ball with bringing out decent content.

    This is what I believe.

    That's another thing, the NA launch was not the same TERA that launched in Korea a year earlier.  Among the early Korean difficulties TERA had was lack of content at launch.  Level 60 was not the max level it was 58 (or 50 at launch?).  A racial capital city and the whole northern western continent were not available.  Many changes EME intorduced for the NA version were not yet in the K and J versions.

    By the time TERA launched in NA it was practically caught up with the K versions, which over that time added Kaiator and the Argon front as well as the Queen of Argon update. TERA launched in NA the way it would've optimally launched in KR.

    But it is what it is.  That's just to adress those "TERA is not a new game" comments.

    Since the topic is what TERA did right - because it's not the perfect MMO (and anyone who argues any MMO is perfect is being silly) so future development can take what's good and discard what's bad:

    * Combat's amazing (for those people who feel they get "rooted" while in combat, start with melee classes while you get used to it.  Every class as they gain levels, unlock glyphs and learn how to chain certain combos the "stutters" are bypassed, both because some attacks provide the momentum and propulsion by themselves and because when chained the animation of the chain attack is unlocked.  But that takes practice, levels and skill.

    * Graphics AND aesthetics.  It's time MMO's stop catering to run on 5 yeard old toasters.

    * Good customer support:  MMORPGs should be treated as a service and community, not as "oh you bought it, well, send a ticket we may or may not respond to it sometime this week BS" that the gamer community seems to have gotten accustomed to.

  • PivotelitePivotelite Member UncommonPosts: 2,145

    I always felt the same way Nblitz, they had so much planned and have so many systems half finished, the forced early release most likely through the lawsuit and the heavy blow the mass exodus caused probably really cut into most of their ideas and forced them to just put out half assed systems, which is unfortunate. There's half finished zones you can find even with NPCs in them, Vanarch is not finished, Guild housing is not finished but is started, guild vs guild is not finished, remember that old chart with their plans for each quarter ? Yeah what happened to all that...

     

    I mean what we got isn't too bad, but it could have been so amazing.

    image

  • NBlitzNBlitz Member Posts: 1,904

    You mean this? https://forum.tera-europe.com/showthread.php?t=14806

     

    [tinfoil hat] NCsoft succeeded in what it wanted to do :-) [/tinfoil hat]

  • SenadinaSenadina Member UncommonPosts: 896
    I think I may be the only person here who hates this action combat craze. It has turned me off every new MMO since SWTOR. Yes, even GW2 and the game I looked forward to the most for years: TSW. I don't undrstand why circle-strafing is "better" than hotkey spamming. To me it's just annoying. I think an RPG should be about using your toons skills strategically, not about the players reflexes. Yeah, I'm too old for this shit.

    image
  • KoSPr0KoSPr0 Member Posts: 66
    Originally posted by Senadina
    I think I may be the only person here who hates this action combat craze. It has turned me off every new MMO since SWTOR. Yes, even GW2 and the game I looked forward to the most for years: TSW. I don't undrstand why circle-strafing is "better" than hotkey spamming. To me it's just annoying. I think an RPG should be about using your toons skills strategically, not about the players reflexes. Yeah, I'm too old for this shit.

     

    hotkey spamming,  strategic.

  • WraithoneWraithone Member RarePosts: 3,806

    Totally agree. I quite enjoyed my time in TERA.  I have three characters to max level (Lancer, Slayer, Warrior) and was well on my way to maxing out Berserker, when they changed the block dynamics of lancer.  I've seen this nerf cycle way too many times before, so it was time to call it a day. 

    Lancer was one of my favorite classes.  It was one of the best examples of pure tank that I've seen in many years.  Changing the block dynamic was simply petty, and a demonstration of the bad design judgement, that will no doubt cascade out to other parts of the game. 

    Now, with the NA version down to only three servers, I can't see any point in continued investment of my time.  BH/EM could pull the plug, out of the blue at any time. 

    Its really too bad, as TERA had so many things going for it.  I *really* liked the eye candy graphics, and the combat system is one of the better ones I've seen. 

    I'm currently playing RaiderZ, and while its graphics aren't as good, the combat system is very much like that of TERA. In some regards, I like it even better (it feels more smooth, and flexible).

     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLB2gF88pDU

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtvjfmjK8JA

    So, once again we see in TERA a great deal of potential, that for a number of reasons hasn't been realized.  Its too bad, as it was a quite entertaining game. 

     

    "If you can't kill it, don't make it mad."
  • WraithoneWraithone Member RarePosts: 3,806
    Originally posted by lotaparty
    this game could have had survived if it was handled by ncsoft . 

    Sure it could... If you over look NCsofts past track record of axing western games, that don't produce *enough* profit to keep their bean counters happy...  What is the total now? Five or six at this point?  NCsoft should be one of the LAST publishers any western game company looks at.  Which is why I really worry about Wildstar. 

    "If you can't kill it, don't make it mad."
  • Reas43Reas43 Member Posts: 297
    Originally posted by Wraithone

    Totally agree. I quite enjoyed my time in TERA.  I have three characters to max level (Lancer, Slayer, Warrior) and was well on my way to maxing out Berserker, when they changed the block dynamics of lancer.  I've seen this nerf cycle way too many times before, so it was time to call it a day. 

    Lancer was one of my favorite classes.  It was one of the best examples of pure tank that I've seen in many years.  Changing the block dynamic was simply petty, and a demonstration of the bad design judgement, that will no doubt cascade out to other parts of the game. 

    Now, with the NA version down to only three servers, I can't see any point in continued investment of my time.  BH/EM could pull the plug, out of the blue at any time. 

    Its really too bad, as TERA had so many things going for it.  I *really* liked the eye candy graphics, and the combat system is one of the better ones I've seen. 

    I'm currently playing RaiderZ, and while its graphics aren't as good, the combat system is very much like that of TERA. In some regards, I like it even better (it feels more smooth, and flexible).

     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLB2gF88pDU

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtvjfmjK8JA

    So, once again we see in TERA a great deal of potential, that for a number of reasons hasn't been realized.  Its too bad, as it was a quite entertaining game. 

     

    Jeebus Brist, I know your pain.  I've played other games where they've had the push and pull of class changes.  That is  something every game will (and should) have - but for the love of everything the Lancer changes were NOT a nerf!  O.o They were a BUFF, a huge buff. 

     

    I'm sorry the RE mechanic no longer allowed one to turtle with impunity, but regaining RE through attacks is so incredibly fast if you remain engaged and react fast the only difference if makes if you kill faster and gain aggro faster.

     

    Anyone playing Lancer before and after can tell you that.  Anyone reading the patch notes of before and after can tell you that.

    And finally, I did download and jump on RaiderZ to be able to make educated comparisons with TERA.  I'm sorry man that "game" makes F2P looks bad.  Not only did I have to uninstall but I feel I have to disinfect my machine from that. 

  • WraithoneWraithone Member RarePosts: 3,806
    Originally posted by Reas43
    Originally posted by Wraithone

    Totally agree. I quite enjoyed my time in TERA.  I have three characters to max level (Lancer, Slayer, Warrior) and was well on my way to maxing out Berserker, when they changed the block dynamics of lancer.  I've seen this nerf cycle way too many times before, so it was time to call it a day. 

    Lancer was one of my favorite classes.  It was one of the best examples of pure tank that I've seen in many years.  Changing the block dynamic was simply petty, and a demonstration of the bad design judgement, that will no doubt cascade out to other parts of the game. 

    Now, with the NA version down to only three servers, I can't see any point in continued investment of my time.  BH/EM could pull the plug, out of the blue at any time. 

    Its really too bad, as TERA had so many things going for it.  I *really* liked the eye candy graphics, and the combat system is one of the better ones I've seen. 

    I'm currently playing RaiderZ, and while its graphics aren't as good, the combat system is very much like that of TERA. In some regards, I like it even better (it feels more smooth, and flexible).

     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLB2gF88pDU

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtvjfmjK8JA

    So, once again we see in TERA a great deal of potential, that for a number of reasons hasn't been realized.  Its too bad, as it was a quite entertaining game. 

     

    Jeebus Brist, I know your pain.  I've played other games where they've had the push and pull of class changes.  That is  something every game will (and should) have - but for the love of everything the Lancer changes were NOT a nerf!  O.o They were a BUFF, a huge buff. 

     

    I'm sorry the RE mechanic no longer allowed one to turtle with impunity, but regaining RE through attacks is so incredibly fast if you remain engaged and react fast the only difference if makes if you kill faster and gain aggro faster.

     

    Anyone playing Lancer before and after can tell you that.  Anyone reading the patch notes of before and after can tell you that.

    And finally, I did download and jump on RaiderZ to be able to make educated comparisons with TERA.  I'm sorry man that "game" makes F2P looks bad.  Not only did I have to uninstall but I feel I have to disinfect my machine from that. 

     

    The new lancer abilities *could* have been added without changing the block dynamics.  I agree, the new abilities make lancer much more enjoyable to play.  Yes, anyone who is still interested can adjust to the new system with just a bit of practice.  But why should they have to? The old system had worked fine for more than a year.  It served its purpose well. 

    As difficult as it seems to be for some people to comprehend, not everyone is as good at timing as some are.  Timing in BAM and boss fights is critical. Thats why the ability to use block more often helped smooth out the rough edges.  The new system makes it much easier to make mistakes, and that drains healer mana and focus. It can also lead to wipes. 

    But its the poor judgement in the design department, that is critical to keep in mind.  The new system took staff time/talent to create/code and add to the code base.  Time/talent that could have gone to any number of bugs, and content creation, that should have been MUCH higher on the list.  The fact that it was expended on something this un necessary is an indication of bad things to come. 

    As for RaiderZ, I'm quite enjoying it.  Which is more than I can say for the vast majority of F2P games that I've tried over the years.  Yes, it has its share of bugs (its only open beta...^^), but I'm hoping those get addressed before launch. 

    But unlike the endless stream of shovel ware we've seen in the F2P area, its obvious that at least some of the Dev's loved what they are doing.  I'm quite looking forward to what comes next. 

    "If you can't kill it, don't make it mad."
  • JudgeUKJudgeUK Member RarePosts: 1,672

    Notice of EU server merges

    http://tera-europe.com/home/news/article/upcoming-server-changes-for-tera.html

    PVP server in 3 languages should be interesting. Will have to brush up on my French and German.

     

  • ScotScot Member LegendaryPosts: 22,741
    Getting from A to B quicker just means end game looms faster, so early mounts is never good. Apart from that the 5 list looks good but centres on graphics and combat. We need more from MMO's than just that, but all plus points none the less.
  • AddersAdders Member Posts: 28

    TERA, ah - such wasted potential (at least that's the verdict if it still has a subscription fee)...

    Loved the game graphically, even if one race was a bit creepy. A beautiful world, beautiful characters.

    Combat system was like CPR on the near-corpse which was MMO combat otherwise (Fallen Earth possible exception).

    I was really excited about it and played the Korean version for a while (challenge!) before it came out in English.

    But I already have a job. I won't pay a subscription fee to sit in front of a computer and grind.

    Damn it, why won't some group of bright people come up with an MMO that has story, graphics, combat etc without grind, without tab targeting, without lame 'go there do that' quests. Oh, that's right, because then it would be  a single player game.

  • DeeweDeewe Member UncommonPosts: 1,980

    Funny how people point at the automount system, while it's a very good improvement in the MMO world.

     

    Before that, you walk/run then stop, summon a mount and hit forward again. Not only it's cumbersome but the devs make sure as soon as you start moving again your summon is stopped.

    Speak of an annoying feature.

     

    Now watch this movie Darth Maul on Tatooine. Reverse the first few seconds and imagine the following: while running you call your speeder then when nearby you force (or not) jump on it and zoom away.

     

    You can apply this concept with any mounts. Zorro (or your character) whistle for his horse while running, grab his collar when closing in then zooms away.

     

    Now you speak of an interesting feature.

  • WraithoneWraithone Member RarePosts: 3,806
    Originally posted by Deewe

    Funny how people point at the automount system, while it's a very good improvement in the MMO world.

     

    Before that, you walk/run then stop, summon a mount and hit forward again. Not only it's cumbersome but the devs make sure as soon as you start moving again your summon is stopped.

    Speak of an annoying feature.

     

    Now watch this movie Darth Maul on Tatooine. Reverse the first few seconds and imagine the following: while running you call your speeder then when nearby you force (or not) jump on it and zoom away.

     

    You can apply this concept with any mounts. Zorro (or your character) whistle for his horse while running, grab his collar when closing in then zooms away.

     

    Now you speak of an interesting feature.

     

    One of the main reasons that WoW and a few others have delays is to allow any one or thing chasing you to catch up and interupt your mounting.   It comes from a certain mentality, thats rather common in some games. 

    "If you can't kill it, don't make it mad."
  • DeeweDeewe Member UncommonPosts: 1,980
    Originally posted by Wraithone
    Originally posted by Deewe

    Funny how people point at the automount system, while it's a very good improvement in the MMO world.

     

    Before that, you walk/run then stop, summon a mount and hit forward again. Not only it's cumbersome but the devs make sure as soon as you start moving again your summon is stopped.

    Speak of an annoying feature.

     

    Now watch this movie Darth Maul on Tatooine. Reverse the first few seconds and imagine the following: while running you call your speeder then when nearby you force (or not) jump on it and zoom away.

     

    You can apply this concept with any mounts. Zorro (or your character) whistle for his horse while running, grab his collar when closing in then zooms away.

     

    Now you speak of an interesting feature.

     

    One of the main reasons that WoW and a few others have delays is to allow any one or thing chasing you to catch up and interupt your mounting.   It comes from a certain mentality, thats rather common in some games. 

    I'm fully aware of that, still if the devs wanted they could make it so you can't summon your mount while in combat mode. Also don't forget for PvP other players couls also summon mounts on the run and for NPC just give them an iterrupt ability.

  • JimmyYOJimmyYO Member UncommonPosts: 519
    The problem with Tera is it didn't feel like an MMO at all. it felt like you were playing Diablo with a different camera angle.
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