›

Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!

Sign In Register

Quick Links

A Tale in the Desert III: Q&A with Andrew Tepper

DanaDana Member Posts: 2,415
in News & Features Discussion

Andrew Tepper drops in to answer our questions for our latest Q&A. This interview focuses on the third installment of his social-Egyptian MMORPG. Unlike most games, A Tale in the Desert begins anew with fresh challenges once the players solve the goals of the previous tale. Recently, A Tale II came to an end, sending this game back into beta.

image MMORPG.com: What would you say are the major distinguishing features between ATITD3 and ATITD2?

Andrew Tepper: In ATITD 1 and 2, we had a very good retention rate – 50% - through the point when a player becomes a Citizen. Typically that is 5 or 6 hours. And the game was very good about letting you know a good first goal – the path to Citizenship was laid out as a checklist that could be accomplished in any order.

Once a player became a citizen, the game branched enormously, and provided no “snack-sized” goals. Only the most self-directed, focused players did well in that post-citizenship phase, and that was a huge flaw in the game design.

In ATITD 3, we've introduced the concept of Levels. All the main goals (the Tests) post-citizenship have checklists associated with them. Complete a checklist, and you have completed “Principles of (the Test)”, and advance by one level. So for example, the Test of the Obelisk challenges you to build the tallest Obelisk in your region. Principles of the Obelisk requires you to build a 14 cubit-high Obelisk. While Tests sometimes have goals like “the biggest”, “the most highly rated”, or “the most complete”, Principles all have fixed goals.

You can read the Q&A here.

Dana Massey
Formerly of MMORPG.com
Currently Lead Designer for Bit Trap Studios

Comments

  • EvolAdvocateEvolAdvocate Member Posts: 9
    Wow, I had never even heard of this game before now. It sounds facinating. So when part II was completed by the players the servers just shut down until part 3 comes out? By "completing" the game, is that something players could do in a matter of days if the servers were to be reset? Is it more problem solving oriented than grinding?

  • HughJassHughJass Member Posts: 5
    I played ATITD 1 & 2 and it truly is unlike other mmorpgs - however the thing stopping me from playing anymore is the graphics. Seriously we are talking about one of the most primitive 3D engines out there - the graphics may have cut it 6 or 7 years ago, but now it is just painful.

    Yes I know the whole argument about playability vs. graphics, but until the game gets a way overdue graphical upgrade, I know a number of us former ATITD fans will be sitting this one out.


  • theanimedudetheanimedude Member UncommonPosts: 1,610

    Originally posted by HughJass
    I played ATITD 1 & 2 and it truly is unlike other mmorpgs - however the thing stopping me from playing anymore is the graphics. Seriously we are talking about one of the most primitive 3D engines out there - the graphics may have cut it 6 or 7 years ago, but now it is just painful.Yes I know the whole argument about playability vs. graphics, but until the game gets a way overdue graphical upgrade, I know a number of us former ATITD fans will be sitting this one out.

    yes and no. Do not forget that the engine is platform independant, so there are a lot of things that hold it down in that sense. It is possible to do everything platform independant just like you see in windows based games, but it is also a lot harder since you dont have the "easy way out" with all the pre-created windows based libraries.

    The graphics might not be all that good, but other than the AAA games you see coming out soon, neither are the current games.

    I haven't played ATITD yet, but now that III is coming out, I might give it a try. A fresh new world adds to my fun ::::01::

    image

  • HughJassHughJass Member Posts: 5

    Originally posted by theanimedude


     lot of things that hold it down in that sense. It is possible to do everything platform independant just like you see in windows based games, but it is also a lot harder since you dont have the "easy way out" with all the pre-created windows based libraries.
    The graphics might not be all that good, but other than the AAA games you see coming out soon, neither are the current games.


    Ah the old OpenGL vs DirectX debate... There are plenty of OpenGL games that look absolutely fantastic - that being said, circa 1999 graphics = a no deal in my book.

    Nonetheless, Tepper certainly deserves kudos for the amount of work he has put into his product.
  • YaosYaos Member UncommonPosts: 153

    Originally posted by EvolAdvocate
    Wow, I had never even heard of this game before now. It sounds facinating. So when part II was completed by the players the servers just shut down until part 3 comes out? By "completing" the game, is that something players could do in a matter of days if the servers were to be reset? Is it more problem solving oriented than grinding?


    ATITD2 took well over a year to finish, maybe 1.5 or maybe 2. The developers keep the pace of the game, so if they want they can change a new technology to require x+10,000 of something instead of what they originally planned. For your last question it is both. The people in the game have to figure out how the world works. You can cross breed plants, make better tools through real skill in button clicking and not character skill, and all sorts of other stuff. One problem people have is the insane grind which is aleviated through guilds. When a new skill comes out (which is researched by the universities, which are given resources by the players) you have to pay resources to learn it, however somebody who has already learened it can teach part of the skill to you. After a few lessons you can learn the skill for free.

    Unlike other MMOs the game gives you a reason to be in a guild though. If you hate clicking the grass button (yes, there is a grass button) the crazy guy that plays 18 hours a day can collect it for you. There are also offline chores you can set up so if you go away for a while your character will collect stuff.

    One serious problem I had with a guild way back when I played ATITD2 was the fact that so many people were SERIOUS BUSINESS WHY ARE YOU NOT DOING EXACTLY AS I SAY SHUT UP!!!! and yet refused to allow people who have proven their worth because they are not in a clique that costs :10bux: to join.
  • britocabritoca Member Posts: 1,484

    I played ATITD2 for one month.  I'd give this game a 11/10 for originality and immersion.

    It did however lack a bit of "game" perse, action, dynamism.

    If they can speed the game pace a bit more, I think I'll be sold.

    Looking forward to it!



    -virtual tourist
    want your game back?
    image

  • apophusapophus Member UncommonPosts: 2

    Im a tale 2 vet and currently in tale 3 beta but  hehehe as most have said the graphics are not  good at best but the immersion and the  always having something to do and the community is by far the best ive ever had the pleasure to play with ..  it is in beta guys dl the  client and give it a whirl and dont be afraid to ask questions .. imho  if you want to play a game that where what you do really counts then  play this one ..

    apophus

    7 lakes reagion

  • Z[MMOsmart]Z[MMOsmart] ATITD RepresentativeMember UncommonPosts: 82
    Thanks Again for the Q&A Session, It's nice to see so many people just finding out about the game here or old players discussing there views. Nice work MMORPG.com, keep it up!

    -Z
    eGenesis creators of A Tale in the Desert


  • qotsaqotsa Member UncommonPosts: 835

    Originally posted by HughJass
    I played ATITD 1 & 2 and it truly is unlike other mmorpgs - however the thing stopping me from playing anymore is the graphics. Seriously we are talking about one of the most primitive 3D engines out there - the graphics may have cut it 6 or 7 years ago, but now it is just painful.

    Yes I know the whole argument about playability vs. graphics, but until the game gets a way overdue graphical upgrade, I know a number of us former ATITD fans will be sitting this one out.



    I've been playing the beta and the graphics look beter to me now. Especially the character models. Maybe I'm crazy. It's kind of an addictive game.
  • pikofaradpikofarad Member Posts: 1
    Thank you for developing this fantastic orijinal game..This game is the best game before i have ever played.Thank you egenesis and thank you Teppy ;)
  • GorukhaGorukha Member Posts: 1,441
    I played this game in the original beta, it was actually a nice break from all the other games but eventually I figured out I was spening time making bricks and planting seeds for hours on end and stopped :)

    The concept of a community working towards a common goal is very cool, but my problem was that there was a reset.  Most people play mmorpgs and pay for them because they know their characters and whatever they gain in the game wont just dissapear, and that's what this game kinda lacks.


    It's better be hated for who you are, than loved for who you aren't.
    image

  • cjbadcjbad Member Posts: 1

    will ATiTD3 be geared to better serve the loner? ever think of bringing 1 back and making it a single player game with interactive NPC's?

    Have fun but never forget HONOR

Sign In or Register to comment.