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[Column] Shroud of the Avatar: Release 18 - Return to Immersion
SBFord
Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
Shroud of the Avatar takes a hard turn towards immersion in their 18th release, and Red Thomas heads to Austin in order to get details from the team. Take a look at what got him so excited.
Read more of Red Thomas's Shroud of the Avatar: Released 18 - Return to Immersion.
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Comments
The combat system is the biggest drawback for me. I think it's silly. We're not playing poker or a turn-based game. Combat is fluid and muscle memory is crucial with fighting. Staring at which card may show up.
So, Shroud will be a crafting game as far as I'm concerned.
Proud member of Hammerfist Clan Gaming Community.
Currently playing: RIFT, EQ2, WoW, LoTRO
Retired: Warhammer, AoC, EQ
Waiting: SWToR & GW2
I was holding off also, but went ahead and decided to get it for this long weekend that just passed. Needless to say, I wasn't as impressed playing it as I have been watching others play it.
In concept, it seems like it's going to be a great game, however it has a long way to go. And as someone else mentioned, combat animations, sounds, etc., is a major drawback.
Having said that, though, this game is in PRE-Alpha. So, many things like sounds and animations are just place-holders (as I'm told) until they can be properly completed. I will keep checking in with each patch to see how the game progresses as it has much potential. Definitely one to keep an eye on.
Sadly after that long read i forgot almost everything i read.Most of it especially the first few paragraphs sounded like advertising,every statement was a vague not getting to any real points.
Charities are definitely a very nice gesture but i think the majority,including myself do not trust any of them as being 100% legit.
26 years for every real one is way too fast,i have no idea what their thought process is behind that ,unless they want space ships flying around within a couple months.
Improving combat,ya most always make that claim,none the less it is a very important aspect in gaming to be constantly improving it.Would be nice if some detail on HOW was mentioned rather than vague statements.
The crafting idea sounds good,not sure how it would actually work out with those Astrology bonuses and how long between waiting for a different bonus.
I feel MOST articles on this site need video and pictures to back up what we are reading to make it more interesting and to show us precise topics.There is just too many meaningless vague statements made in articles by all the writers.
The articles always come off as an example ..."Canada is going to improve by moving forward with it's people,by listening and working with it's people"You see it says something but at the same time says nothing.
Never forget 3 mile Island and never trust a government official or company spokesman.
Release 18 include a new combat sound system that has different sounds based on damage and also on the armor of the opponent. Guys in platemail go clang with them with a sword vs guys in leather who go thwack.
Also, this release will include a number of improvements to the combat system including a major change to how the deck system works to make it more predictable, more strategic, and generally easier to play without taking your eyes off combat.
Lastly, just a reminder that you have to put extra effort into switching to the deck system. The standard fixed bar is the default and has been for 5 releases. Go give the new release a shot. We're focusing on combat heavily from here on out so you should see big improvements each release!
Thanks!
Chris from the Shroud team.
To those not liking the deck system, the last time I knew, you could choose a bar or deck system.
Knowledge is power.
twitch.tv/itpaladin
@ITPalg
YouTube: ITPalGame
I utterly cannot understand the hard headedness in some of these developers these days. They claim they listen and they are here for the community and yet they ignore vital demands from the consumers themselves over and over again. Us the Gamers know what we want. We have jumped from game to game since the 90's. We know what we want and we know it really doesnt exist anymore in modern games. UO has been over for a while now. It is a dinosaur.
Like it has been said time and again, I DO NOT WANT YOUR GARBAGE CARD SYSTEM IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM. GET RID OF IT! IT"S RUBBISH. No one does. If they do they are probably carebears anywways and who the hell wants to cater to carebears. They ruin games as it is anywhere you find them whining on the forums about full loot and PVP. I am sorry but i like a good cardiovascular response from real intense PVP. Nothing less. Stop catering to these pansies.
The overland Map is completely another botch in it's own. I hate it. As long as SOA continues to support using it i will not be playing this game. RUINS IMMERSION. GONE! I could give a flying F about fighting a worthless pack of wolves or anything for that matter.
I am still scratching my head about you guys at this point. Is this all about money or is this about creating a game that will stand on it's own? If you fail to listen, BET the game will flop. It's your choice. Stop giving me reasons to get so frustrated that i search for UO freeshards to play in memory of what i miss about gaming. Drop the Overland map. Drop Shroud of the cardvatar. We are not playing fucking cards over here.
So is there like a plan B where you guys actually listen?
It is not one or the other, TRUST ME. Its trash. Go ahead and play. It gets old REALLY fast. I have already written this game off as a flop and it hasn't even released yet.
CARDS for combat... GTFOutta here
Overland Map? TERRIBLE... This game is so heavily instanced i cannot even log in anymore. They should have used a capable engine to build this game on so they wouldn't have to keep using excuses as to why they have a game with no immersion due to instances, Wolf packs. Everything is packaged up in nice little instances for you as you are delivered on your train track..
You can't explore. This was a big let down for me but i am used to it by now with promises from devolopers. I am already in line waiting to hear about the next "UO Like" game i can play. Lord British himself couldn't do it. I am losing hope.
Looks like i'll be waiting to play the upcoming real sandbox - Identity.
at least i know i wont have to fuck with cards to PVP and i wont travel around on a OVERLAND map and still have TOP notch graphics.
I am breaking up with SOA. END OF RANT
This started out sounding like a great game, Large open world,Crafting, Player Housing, PvP and a great single player RPG.
No mention that it was just a lot of individual instances boxed in by trees and mountains.
Then along came the Online Shop, end of game creation now its all about cash grabbing.
Don't buy into the Hype wait for release then read some REAL REVIEWS, it could save you Thousands of Dollars.
Ok, I know I shouldn't bait and respond to a troll, but this is simply way too tempting. Which mysterious engine is it that you'd have suggested? Given the incredibly harsh budget restraints of less than a tenth the normal minimum MMORPG funding?
On the astrological crafting resulting in items having special magic abilities. I find it very interesting. I've never heard of this existing in a game. This is the video-game equivalent of actual astrology based magick (black magick), I would know, I just read 2 books on the subject. I'm not a fan of practicing it, but I'm interested in esoteric stories so in actual medieval astrological magickal workings if you create X magic wand on X day it is 'infused' with the power of one of the 7 astrological powers at the time, mercury, venus, the moon, mars, jupiter, saturn, etc. I don't believe in it, but it is an obscure medieval astrology belief that is cool to see existing in a game. Just one more reason for someone to claim the game is evil though, heh. I would say it is innovative and would make the crafting system more immersive than any other game from that one tiny detail alone.
--- Razimus
Well you should understand frustrations as often devs as in this case sort of market the idea of a UO game trying to lure in a certain crowd.
I am all for trying new ideas but a card game really is dumb,it is not a plausible pvp idea,it is like a mini game.
You will NEVER make a good pvp game without covering every single aspect of pvp and no rpg on this planet has ever done it,not DCUO not UO and imo never will.That is why for me personally,if i even see any remote mention of pvp being a staple in the game,i am turned right off.
Now if some magical developer comes along with a LOT of pvp knowledge and fully understands pvp in a passionate manner,i might take a serious interest in their game.The problem however is no matter how good pvp is,there are always times when one party is not interested while the other is,so you end up with non consensual pvp which will NEVER work.
Also to incorporate interest and value from pvp you likely need systems that cater to 24/7 pvp,ruining ANY and ALL other immersion qualities that a RPG SHOULD have.Point is pvp belongs in Arena type consensual pvp NOT in a RPG,otherwise you just need to accept that pvp will always be shotty at best in your rpg,accept it or don't play it.
Never forget 3 mile Island and never trust a government official or company spokesman.
Have the game but since the combat system most likely is the worst ever created in a MMO i see no reason to play it. It is spectacular someone actually can think out such a horrible combat system.
This game will become a major fiasco and i feel for the ones that have put thousands of $ into it.
Give me innovation exactly like they did it in the days of yore!!
In games, everything is an abstraction. Unless you think banging on keys or buttons somehow relates greatly to real sword swinging.
If you are holding out for the perfect game, the only game you play will be the waiting one.