Funny how so many people come into new MMORPGs and always expect Raid content at level cap. Games like TERA and Guild Wars 2 will have a hard time converting such people, to their own forms of Endgame.
Raiding is boring a a lazy form of game design just to play the loot lottery...there are plenty of features in MMOs across the board that are 10x better than raids.
Games developers need to try something different to WoW clones.
My favourite game is Eve Online - If Pokket lead a fleet, I definately watch that! The potential for smack-talking over TS when the stuff hits the fan is certainly there! That would be a giggle, and I'm sure we would all have a good laugh (but it might be at Pokket's expense though!).
"You can't turn your camera without turning your character."
You can, actually. While you are running, you need to hold down the left mouse button and turn it to face behind you while you switch from holding down the "W" key to the "S" key.
Other than that, I agree with everything she said about the beta. It's going to be a great game. Tera honestly caught me offguard.
This was one of my main complaints about TERA as well. I don't want to have to do a bunch a fancy keying just to be able to controll the camera. When they can't even get something as basic camera control down it becomes a deal breaker.
You know I don't post very often because like very few I let people make their own judgements based on their own mistakes. ( those mistakes make us who we become)
However... I did not play K-Tera either and the some of your concerns like the camera turning sound like a Blizz-kid where you feel like you want to know whats behind you before you turn it. Oh and like mmoDAD Says " You can, actually. While you are running.
I'm sorry but todays MMO society has become soft. I don't mean to Judge because like I've said, "I don't post anything on any forum often," but... now a days every Kid of person under 30 years of age wants everything in the "NOW" and that just ruins the TRUE MMO experience which is to feel a sense of a accomplishing something.
However... MMO's now a days cater way too much and cave in too much to a soft player base who in fact truely doesn't know what it takes to create an MMO and just want the "GIMMIE GIMMIE GIMMIE" factor.
Thanks Pokket for the impression. I really giggled at "Dr. Giggles". XD
It seems not to be my kind of MMO. I am a mouse clicker. I NEVER could get used to click abilities with the keyboard, it just isn't my way. And in this game that just seems not to be viable. All details sound like something I am not so find of.
People don't ask questions to get answers - they ask questions to show how smart they are. - Dogbert
You can turn your camera without having to do a lot. You guys just have no clue on how to do it. And Pokket is to dumb to know this. I cannot stand her and her reviews. She is the worst person to listen to when it comes to reviews.
There seems to be some naysaying here, as on other servers. Some of you didn't even bother listening to Pokket. I did, and took the time to write the following, which is posted on the TERA boards.
I decided to take a little time and listen to her 'cast. What I find is that much of the arguments I've read and on her post are a tad overblown. KDeviL, above, is correct as were several other posters in noting that her critiques are sound.
First, she qualified a lot of what she was critiquing by the experience range: She only leveled to 21 on one character, and pushed a few others up. But, bear in mind that she only played during CBT 1, meaning the max level was ... 21! Thus some of her experience is based on the fact that she had a limited environment with which to work, and she was also playing with a group of "guildies." Having played in other MMOs, it is possible these are friends of hers with similar experiences, and thus this may have an isolating effect on sociality and experience. Everyone is essentially learning the game along with her. We stand here having the benefit of watching KTERA streams, having played most if not all CBTs, possible even the EUTERA CBTs.
None of her critiques were about any of the classes in particular, but rather general gameplay. She was nothing short of astounded/pleased by the environment and detail.
Her specific arguments can be placed into several categories:
[b]1. Questing Experience[/b] Many quests seem repetitive, without detailed quest markers yet with the qualifier that the target of the quest is often near the quest giver. Mobs are reused constantly, rather than showing degrees of variation. A good example on the Isle of Dawn are the grades of Ghilliedhu, Noruks, Sporewalkers, Terrons, and so forth. Little differentiates them appearance-wise, if at all. This causes the quests to blur and be lackluster. Despite this, she claims that the question does not seem as "grindy" as games like Aion.
[b]2. Nameplates[/b] During combat, your fellow player's nameplates may and will disappear, including their health bars.
[b]3. Combat Mechanics[/b] Several issues arose surrounding interaction with mobs, including the inability to cancel attacks, the lack of an ability queue, or the presence of delays between activating and initiating a move. It was not possible for her to set up a precise order of moves before hand, or while abilities were going, making the combat seem to stall or slow.
Moreover, her impression of bosses was that combat is very similar across other games in the form of "Avoid A, Avoid B, Attack." This impression was garnered by the reading of "tells," a necessary function of the game. Her impression was that this was "simple."
[b]4. Interface/Interaction[/b] She voiced a concern about camera controls during action/movement, which would enable her to rotate her character or camera relative to one another. In addition, she expressed interest for players who primarily turn/click through keyboards, i.e., not mouse-based games.
[b]5. Lack of PvP[/b] She also was concerned that there was no actual PvP outside of dueling.
Responses to these points can be pretty simple. In some cases, this is either a matter of experience, or perspective, but also due to the fact that this was CBT1 and few people knew how to do anything. Even Domeran's initial Youtube guides on classes were heavily influenced by early CBT play, and his only progressing to the end of the Isle of Dawn, which severely limits experience. Yet he continued to develop experience. Pokket also indicated that she [i]intended[/i] to keep playing, and to broaden her experience ... and I reiterate, that she herself stated this was her FIRST impression. She passed no judgement on the game.
[b]Response to 1. Questing Experience[/b] Questing [i]is[/i] dull and repetitive. The mobs [i]are[/i] often copy-pasted, with slight variations players might miss. She did not, for example, examine the range of diveristy in Orcan from the Valley of Titans, while Ghilliedhus and Noruks can be differentiated by the slight variations of their "headgear." These differences are subtle and often overlooked because of the typical "[name][qualifer]" form of mobs that is present, but this is also a feature that pervades ALL MMOs.
[b]Response to 2. Nameplates[/b] This issue has been raised by others, and is a concern for a variety of players, including healers, who want to either focus their attention away from the UI, or have their attention pointed towards the action regardless of whether they are in a group. Several other players have vocally requested ways to fix nameplate/HP bars above characters' heads during gameplay.
[b]Response to 3. Combat Mechanics[/b] As a Warrior leveling to and al level 21, you don't have a whole lot of abilities. It is easy to overlook your complex mechanics and ways to dodge out of abilities when you do not have a whole lot of them. Moreover, some abilities you cannot simply abilitiy/block/evade out of, and are commited to. This is considered part of the strategy of certain abilities. However, the idea that she should set ability queues meant largely she was more familiar with, or preferred, the model that uses this system. This is endorsed for players who are locked to a global cooldown system, without realizing that TERA lacks a global cooldown. You can only perform a different action given the nature of those actions, and learning this is part of learning your class.
Her argument about bosses is apt, but she doesn't extend the premise to her own experience. When killing Kumases in Celestial Hills, it is relatively easy to read their tells and get out of the way. But when she fought Nakarash, which you can't throw a Binding at for easy mode, she died repeatedly. She was both delighted at this, and missed the distinction that Nakarash is a far more complex mob than a typical Naga, with special tells. This is part of learning how to move around bosses, and how to control them and avoid them. This game thus has a learning curve apart from class play.
[b]Response to 4. Interface/Interaction[/b] This is essentially lack of experience. Pokket was a keyboard turner/clikcer, which makes it difficult to learn how mouse + limited keyboard options are considered the optimal form of play. She was also likely unaware of the ability to use a controller with twin analogues, which allows movement + camera controls while using abilities at the reach of a mere three fingers. I use a combined keyboard/mouse system, and learned WASD from a primarily keyboard clicker to play this game, but I only started doing this in CBT2; during CBT1, I was using a controller, and enjoyed both methods of play. So this argument can largely be laid at the feet of a control-system preference.
I will note that one common complaint of naysayers was NOT voiced, and that was tab-targetting. Not raised once. She got that immediately.
[b]Response to 5. Lack of PvP[/b] This is a valid concern as at the time the interface for deathmatches and guild vs. guild was not enabled. PvP was only available on the relevant server, or through dueling. There were no battlegrounds available.
So in sum, several of her comments were apt, others based on a preferred gameplay style (both preferred group option and control system), and yet others based on lack of experience or availablility of the system (PvP). None of her arguments were BAD, and she admitted at the beginning that her observations were based on a limited experience in CBT1. She said nothing damning nor detrimental about the game, and she did not once dismiss it. I didn't even bother tracking how many times she praised the game for its gameplay, graphics, and movement, which were numerous.
And this is what you can say if you actually paid attention to what she said.
Comments
Raiding is boring a a lazy form of game design just to play the loot lottery...there are plenty of features in MMOs across the board that are 10x better than raids.
I like Pokket's reviews.
Games developers need to try something different to WoW clones.
My favourite game is Eve Online - If Pokket lead a fleet, I definately watch that! The potential for smack-talking over TS when the stuff hits the fan is certainly there! That would be a giggle, and I'm sure we would all have a good laugh (but it might be at Pokket's expense though!).
This was one of my main complaints about TERA as well. I don't want to have to do a bunch a fancy keying just to be able to controll the camera. When they can't even get something as basic camera control down it becomes a deal breaker.
You know I don't post very often because like very few I let people make their own judgements based on their own mistakes. ( those mistakes make us who we become)
However... I did not play K-Tera either and the some of your concerns like the camera turning sound like a Blizz-kid where you feel like you want to know whats behind you before you turn it. Oh and like mmoDAD Says " You can, actually. While you are running.
I'm sorry but todays MMO society has become soft. I don't mean to Judge because like I've said, "I don't post anything on any forum often," but... now a days every Kid of person under 30 years of age wants everything in the "NOW" and that just ruins the TRUE MMO experience which is to feel a sense of a accomplishing something.
However... MMO's now a days cater way too much and cave in too much to a soft player base who in fact truely doesn't know what it takes to create an MMO and just want the "GIMMIE GIMMIE GIMMIE" factor.
Thanks Pokket for the impression. I really giggled at "Dr. Giggles". XD
It seems not to be my kind of MMO. I am a mouse clicker. I NEVER could get used to click abilities with the keyboard, it just isn't my way. And in this game that just seems not to be viable. All details sound like something I am not so find of.
People don't ask questions to get answers - they ask questions to show how smart they are. - Dogbert
Tera has one of the best combat systems of any game. It actually takes skill to play the game.
I decided to take a little time and listen to her 'cast. What I find is that much of the arguments I've read and on her post are a tad overblown. KDeviL, above, is correct as were several other posters in noting that her critiques are sound.
First, she qualified a lot of what she was critiquing by the experience range: She only leveled to 21 on one character, and pushed a few others up. But, bear in mind that she only played during CBT 1, meaning the max level was ... 21! Thus some of her experience is based on the fact that she had a limited environment with which to work, and she was also playing with a group of "guildies." Having played in other MMOs, it is possible these are friends of hers with similar experiences, and thus this may have an isolating effect on sociality and experience. Everyone is essentially learning the game along with her. We stand here having the benefit of watching KTERA streams, having played most if not all CBTs, possible even the EUTERA CBTs.
None of her critiques were about any of the classes in particular, but rather general gameplay. She was nothing short of astounded/pleased by the environment and detail.
Her specific arguments can be placed into several categories:
[b]1. Questing Experience[/b]
Many quests seem repetitive, without detailed quest markers yet with the qualifier that the target of the quest is often near the quest giver. Mobs are reused constantly, rather than showing degrees of variation. A good example on the Isle of Dawn are the grades of Ghilliedhu, Noruks, Sporewalkers, Terrons, and so forth. Little differentiates them appearance-wise, if at all. This causes the quests to blur and be lackluster. Despite this, she claims that the question does not seem as "grindy" as games like Aion.
[b]2. Nameplates[/b]
During combat, your fellow player's nameplates may and will disappear, including their health bars.
[b]3. Combat Mechanics[/b]
Several issues arose surrounding interaction with mobs, including the inability to cancel attacks, the lack of an ability queue, or the presence of delays between activating and initiating a move. It was not possible for her to set up a precise order of moves before hand, or while abilities were going, making the combat seem to stall or slow.
Moreover, her impression of bosses was that combat is very similar across other games in the form of "Avoid A, Avoid B, Attack." This impression was garnered by the reading of "tells," a necessary function of the game. Her impression was that this was "simple."
[b]4. Interface/Interaction[/b]
She voiced a concern about camera controls during action/movement, which would enable her to rotate her character or camera relative to one another. In addition, she expressed interest for players who primarily turn/click through keyboards, i.e., not mouse-based games.
[b]5. Lack of PvP[/b]
She also was concerned that there was no actual PvP outside of dueling.
Responses to these points can be pretty simple. In some cases, this is either a matter of experience, or perspective, but also due to the fact that this was CBT1 and few people knew how to do anything. Even Domeran's initial Youtube guides on classes were heavily influenced by early CBT play, and his only progressing to the end of the Isle of Dawn, which severely limits experience. Yet he continued to develop experience. Pokket also indicated that she [i]intended[/i] to keep playing, and to broaden her experience ... and I reiterate, that she herself stated this was her FIRST impression. She passed no judgement on the game.
[b]Response to 1. Questing Experience[/b]
Questing [i]is[/i] dull and repetitive. The mobs [i]are[/i] often copy-pasted, with slight variations players might miss. She did not, for example, examine the range of diveristy in Orcan from the Valley of Titans, while Ghilliedhus and Noruks can be differentiated by the slight variations of their "headgear." These differences are subtle and often overlooked because of the typical "[name][qualifer]" form of mobs that is present, but this is also a feature that pervades ALL MMOs.
[b]Response to 2. Nameplates[/b]
This issue has been raised by others, and is a concern for a variety of players, including healers, who want to either focus their attention away from the UI, or have their attention pointed towards the action regardless of whether they are in a group. Several other players have vocally requested ways to fix nameplate/HP bars above characters' heads during gameplay.
[b]Response to 3. Combat Mechanics[/b]
As a Warrior leveling to and al level 21, you don't have a whole lot of abilities. It is easy to overlook your complex mechanics and ways to dodge out of abilities when you do not have a whole lot of them. Moreover, some abilities you cannot simply abilitiy/block/evade out of, and are commited to. This is considered part of the strategy of certain abilities. However, the idea that she should set ability queues meant largely she was more familiar with, or preferred, the model that uses this system. This is endorsed for players who are locked to a global cooldown system, without realizing that TERA lacks a global cooldown. You can only perform a different action given the nature of those actions, and learning this is part of learning your class.
Her argument about bosses is apt, but she doesn't extend the premise to her own experience. When killing Kumases in Celestial Hills, it is relatively easy to read their tells and get out of the way. But when she fought Nakarash, which you can't throw a Binding at for easy mode, she died repeatedly. She was both delighted at this, and missed the distinction that Nakarash is a far more complex mob than a typical Naga, with special tells. This is part of learning how to move around bosses, and how to control them and avoid them. This game thus has a learning curve apart from class play.
[b]Response to 4. Interface/Interaction[/b]
This is essentially lack of experience. Pokket was a keyboard turner/clikcer, which makes it difficult to learn how mouse + limited keyboard options are considered the optimal form of play. She was also likely unaware of the ability to use a controller with twin analogues, which allows movement + camera controls while using abilities at the reach of a mere three fingers. I use a combined keyboard/mouse system, and learned WASD from a primarily keyboard clicker to play this game, but I only started doing this in CBT2; during CBT1, I was using a controller, and enjoyed both methods of play. So this argument can largely be laid at the feet of a control-system preference.
I will note that one common complaint of naysayers was NOT voiced, and that was tab-targetting. Not raised once. She got that immediately.
[b]Response to 5. Lack of PvP[/b]
This is a valid concern as at the time the interface for deathmatches and guild vs. guild was not enabled. PvP was only available on the relevant server, or through dueling. There were no battlegrounds available.
So in sum, several of her comments were apt, others based on a preferred gameplay style (both preferred group option and control system), and yet others based on lack of experience or availablility of the system (PvP). None of her arguments were BAD, and she admitted at the beginning that her observations were based on a limited experience in CBT1. She said nothing damning nor detrimental about the game, and she did not once dismiss it. I didn't even bother tracking how many times she praised the game for its gameplay, graphics, and movement, which were numerous.
And this is what you can say if you actually paid attention to what she said.