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Linear Questing: Will the Explorer Path fix this?
I can handle the Graphics of the game, even though I am no fan but usually once I get into a game I forget all aspects of graphical quality. (usually I turn gfx down to eek out that extra few FPS) What I am having a hard time with Wildstar is its completely WoW styled Quest Hub, linear style questing. To me this is a huge deal breaker but since you can choose a "Path" I am wondering if anyone thinks the "Explorer Path" will break up the linear questing enough to give the game longevity?
Sandbox means open world, non-linear gaming PERIOD!
Subscription Gaming, especially MMO gaming is a Cash grab bigger then the most P2W cash shop!
Bring Back Exploration and lengthy progression times. RPG's have always been about the Journey not the destination!!!
Comments
Why do you think we are here.
my speculation on the explorer path is something of searching for clues in a area highlighted on your minimap type of quest, or it can be something like exploring the top of that giant ass tree or mountain . I think explorer is rather typical.
I'm more curious on settler path, because i have no idea what type of questing you will be doing.
To OP:
Can you describe non-linear questing, or your interpretation of it? Some people associate it to level and some people associate it to quest hubs.
Can you also describe a game that did non-linear questing well? Simply so I have a point of reference to what your ideal world is.
To "Settler" question:
I imagine settler quests will be kill/collect/defend quests, associated to an end goal. i.e.
Phase 1: We're looking to expand our control over Crimson Isle, we need you to head south and find a suitable spot to set up an outpost for our recon forces.
Phase 2: Now that you've found a suitable spot, you'll need to clear this area of baddies and start collecting some resources in order to build defensive structures to protect the outpost. Here's the schematic for basic defensive turret a, which should help you out.
Phase 3: Nicely done! We've got two defensive turrets set up, but it looks like a number of the locals aren't too enthusiastic about us moving in on their territory. Keep building and defend the Outpost from the incoming baddie assaults.
Completion: Congratulations, you've defended the outpost and reinforcements have arrived!
Living World: Baddies will continue to assault the outpost every X minutes, with their forces becoming progressively larger and more dangerous. On average the outpost falls every 15-20 minutes, and thus a new group of settler(s) will recieve the quest and the loop will start all over again (think of Rift Onslaught questing)
at least.. that's my 2 cents.. there's tons of quest things they can do with settlers.
Just a heads up. Your path lvl and your character lvl are based on different experience. Sure you may get some exp for your character lvl, while you are fulfulling a path based quest, but the big end reward exp will be path based.
Now onto quests and the variety of them
This game has dynamic quests and all that (like Rift, GW2, and the others). For example in Deradune, there is a dynamic traveling game hunter. This character moves around in the map and sets up camp, giving out a quest based on his location. The soldier path also spawns enemy encounters which scale to group size / player numbers.
The game has towns out in the open world, which may be regarded as quest hubs, but if you just head out exploring - you'll be getting specific area triggered quests (which is what most dynamics really are). For example, you head out near some Rhinos and get a call (communication device on player) that some scientist has been swallowed hole and needs saving before he is digested. Also if you pass up some quest hub, folks there may just call you and give you the option of taking a quest out in the field (can also turn in via this).
While doing a normal quest, exploring the world, or just fighting some mobs, another form of quests called Challenges (and maybe Adventures, not entirely sure what they include) will pop up for you. I think most of these are timed based or if it's jumping based, something like taking no fall damage is the trick to winning.
Well, I think that's about it off the top of my head. Not like WoW questing, unless that has changed drastically since I last played. I'd say it is as un-linear as any themepark game is going to be offering.
I think GW2 is a good reference point for him, so I based my response partly on that.
MMO's: Asheron's Call and GW2 also Neverwinter's Foundry Content (currently leveling up my TR through 100% Foundry missions)
Single Player Games: Skyrim/Oblivian/Morrowind, Just Cause 2 and Two Worlds 2
Sandbox means open world, non-linear gaming PERIOD!
Subscription Gaming, especially MMO gaming is a Cash grab bigger then the most P2W cash shop!
Bring Back Exploration and lengthy progression times. RPG's have always been about the Journey not the destination!!!
Was afraid of this, makes it an almsot 100% deal breaker to me. Guess it all depends when WS and ESO come out then. Cause I already know ESO will have non-linear questing.
Sandbox means open world, non-linear gaming PERIOD!
Subscription Gaming, especially MMO gaming is a Cash grab bigger then the most P2W cash shop!
Bring Back Exploration and lengthy progression times. RPG's have always been about the Journey not the destination!!!
Wut? Eso has similar questing to Skyrim, which is just as hub focused as Wildstar. Every hold had atleast 5-6 quests associated with it, and thats ignoring the chains from the Jarl's themselves.
http://chroniclesofthenerds.com/nerdfight/
Y U NO FLIP TABLE?!?!?!
@ about questing style in mmo's. for me leveling is a short process used only to reach max lvl, where my game really starts. i only care for the quality and the quantity of the end game content. i will spent 99% of my time there, so i don't care how it will be the 1%.
tbh the only thing i care as it concerns leveling, is a good looking world and different starting areas for every race.
You should seriously look into the game more than listen to this guy, who not only appears to not be well informed but also speaks down on the game in every posting I've read. And I already replied to the rest, which should be on par with GW2 - unless you really love the design of those
(and being able to do 4 different tasks).
You can also lvl up in pvp just like in GW2.
I just watched this http://www.twitch.tv/weekingeek/b/401781209 from a few hours back.
and at 53:00 on, Jeremy Gaffney answers OP's question.
Edit: 41:30 + is WildStar if you want to catch everything. Talk about settler path briefly, building quest hubs was interesting.
While Wildstar promises to break up questing with things like path-related missions, dynamic events, Public questing, missions given to you via radio etc., I do not think the questing will be anything too different from what we are used in theme-parks.
Though from what I heard of ESO, I cannot say it is any different. Yes, you will get quests from looting a certain item, killing a certain enemy even without having a quest telling you do do so... you even get bonus quests(achievements) for killing certain enemies in a certain times or killing X enemies in a single blow etc. they even give you a slot machine like loot system, yay.
What sounds good is that the Devs are all veterans and in their interviews they are all aware of how boring levelling up can be if it is always the same and they promised they will break up the experience as much as they can. Here is to hoping.
"If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day, if you teach him how to fish, you feed him for a lifetime"
"Negaholics are people who become addicted to negativity and self-doubt, they find fault in most things and never seem to be satisfied."
^MMORPG.com
Just because there is quest lines doesn't mean there is linearity in design. I've played 4 different characters in Skyrim, my latest being a level 142, 2H/Destruction build and I have yet to follow the main storyline past Whiterun. Running off in a particular direction and finding content and quests is the hall mark of TES games and is how ESO is being designed as well.
Sandbox means open world, non-linear gaming PERIOD!
Subscription Gaming, especially MMO gaming is a Cash grab bigger then the most P2W cash shop!
Bring Back Exploration and lengthy progression times. RPG's have always been about the Journey not the destination!!!
Sort of. There is that pesky problem in Eso that you have no soul and need to complete that single player questline to get it back. Honestly though I would disagree with the "linear" comment, as you can choose not to do a number of quests in a number of games that claimed to be linear. Eso is still split by zone with classic level ranges in each one. Wildstar is doing just as good a job of breaking that up as what has been said of Eso.
http://chroniclesofthenerds.com/nerdfight/
Y U NO FLIP TABLE?!?!?!
The Paths aren't intended to make progression less linear, rather to offer lines of content that are of interest to different playstyles.
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
"Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
Chosing not to do the main quest is an option in any TES game as it is in GW2.
Being split by zone has no bearing that within the zone I am on I can wander off and discover content for me to explore. Also you could disagree all yo uwant but theres only been a hand few of MMO's that allowed you to level and explore at about the same pace regardless of following the scripted themepark ride. Games like WoW, Rift, SWTOR and most like Wildstar will only allow you to follow the mainstory or quest hub design to level efficiently. Can you do it without following the quest hubs? sure but at a fraction of the speed and scale as following the main path. ESO, NWO, GW2 can all be leveled as quick as and efficiently off the beaten path as on it. To me this is the hall mark of a successful game. Linear Storylines set within a non linear world because of not in spite of.
Sandbox means open world, non-linear gaming PERIOD!
Subscription Gaming, especially MMO gaming is a Cash grab bigger then the most P2W cash shop!
Bring Back Exploration and lengthy progression times. RPG's have always been about the Journey not the destination!!!
By your definition, Wildstar will not have Linear questing. There will be level ranges associated to Zones - like GW2, but you are free to perform any activities within those zones that you wish to in any order. They also confirmed that you do not have to return to, or initially go to quest hubs to even pick up quests. You may be running through an area and decide to skip the town, and you will receive a "Call" from one of the quest mobs in the town on your radio saying like "hey, while you're out there, if you want to do X - and let me know when it's done, i'll give you a reward".....
Thus, you are only limited by the content level, the same as all of the other games you described. Thus, but your definition, it is a non-linear game.
The information out there strongly ties WildStar with GW2 progression. After the starting zones, there will be multiple same levelish zones to explore per side. You can just head out in the world and do pop-up quests. You can lvl via instanced pvp only. You can lvl via open world pvp. At end game in WildStar, if you want to do more single player story quests to figure out the lore you can, if not - then nothing is stopping you from doing other content.
Seriously, how bullheaded do you have to be going into a thread asking a question, only to not pay attention to what people are saying? What's the point of having a thread like this, when you disregard the evidence entirely? Go watch that video I linked lol. Sounds like you have the exact same mindset as entering, asking a question, receiving all sorts of responses, not considering them, and being back to where you never even started the thread. Are you seriously trying to "defend" the linearity of this game, or do you actually want some information you may not know?
Saying this game's combat is more like WoW's combat than action (GW2's) combat is about the same as this thread. It's wrong.
Well then now I am back on board. Was afraid it was going to be another WoW/Rift/SWTOR clone with no deviation off the main storyline and going from quest hub to quest hub.
Thanks for clearing up the confusion.
Sandbox means open world, non-linear gaming PERIOD!
Subscription Gaming, especially MMO gaming is a Cash grab bigger then the most P2W cash shop!
Bring Back Exploration and lengthy progression times. RPG's have always been about the Journey not the destination!!!
From what I remember, the fastest way to level in WOW was straight out mob-grinding, if you could take it. At least, a couple of expansions back.