Post by cerebralscission on Aug 22, 2010 11:21:54 GMT -5
Ok, so I haven't gotten too far yet in the game (8 Marauder, 5 Miner, 2 Smithy, Phys Rank 10), but I just wanted to give my impressions of the beta so far! (You guys can do so too)
Graphics:
The graphics in the game are VERY nice, as most know already. The style is also pretty nice, animations wonderful, and lighting great. The problem is the steep requirements to be able to play at its full potential!
I have a computer that I can play basically every other MMO out full (Or pretty close to it), Starcraft 2 on Ultra, etc. Now I don't have the best computer, but I need to turn things down considerably to even be able to play...
Sound/Music:
The music so far, is pretty decent. Nothing great, but good (and I love Nobuo Uematsu). As of right now though there is only a limited selection. The sound design is pretty good also. Nice sounds you can hear all over town, from cooking to smithing, that helps immerse you in the game. Battles sounds visceral as well!
Gameplay(BattleSystem):
Alright so here is an important one. The battles.
I as of right now have NOT grouped up. No one is simply willing to do so. (On a side note - the game is pretty quiet when I play... no one grouping or chatting, but no one being assholes either. Just everyone keeping to themselves)
Battles ARE fun though. Even by yourself. The only thing keeping it from being great though... the the damn UI lag. I'll get to that later though!
Gameplay(Crafting/Gathering):
I can say I was pretty excited for crafting in this game and I can also say for the most part... I still am.
Gathering is fun because you feel much more invovled and immersed into the game. You get a hot and cold mini game when gathering using your main hand tool. As of right now you only gather like any other MMO when you use your secondary tool. (IE: Using your sledgehammer to Mine inside of caves)
Crafting is also MUCH more invovled and feels like you are actually doing something! The problem though (at least my problem) has been the difficulty in even getting you DoH ranks up. Materials are hard to get (At least for Blacksmithing) and you only get Rank points when you get the synthesis to 100%.
a great thing for DoH/DoL are the leves you can get for them. The offer experience and a reward. They are especially good for DoH because the items needed by an NPC is GIVEN to you to make. So it is basically free rank exp! (If you can complete it)
Gameplay(GuildLeves/Missions):
Another very big part to this game are guild leves. Your primary souce to making level more rewarding and fun. It a good idea. You go to camp, initiate a leave (Only one at a time though). The leve appears in the top left and a marker on your map and mini map show you where to go. Do said mission and you get this weird flash (Like you jsut hit your head really hard or something), victory music begins to play, Aetherial Node apears to complete your Leve. Now you have the option to return to camp, which I suggest you do, lest you prefer to be stuck in an endless loop of victory music.
You get multiple types of Leves: Regional, Local, Faction, one for DoH (I forget >.>).
Nowww.. here's the caveat. Leves have a 48 hours cooldown. What does that mean? You finished your leves? Well now you gotta grind! You can also join groups for group play and take on other leves people are doing, which can net you more fun and I believe the Gil reward! But it is kinda depressing that there is only so much you can do before HAVING to grind. (Fighting or Crafting)
they also have Story Missions to do. So far I have donet he Treasure of the Main Quest line. It similar to FFXI, do some stuff, cutscenes, do other stuff, cutscenes. It fun and a nice change of pace from doing leves. To move thing around you often have to talk to the link pearl given to you by NPCs. When glowing, it allows you to talk to an NPC continuing the Quest line (be sure to select it a few times though so they finish talking!)
Economy(Wards):
Crafted a sweet sword? Cooked up some sexelllent shrimp? Wanna sell it to the closest chump you can find?! Well prepare your Retainer for Market battle! If you have something in need of selling the only way is through your Bazaar/Shop. You can have one active on your charactrer exactly like in FFXI, but you can also hire a retainer (at a very low price... 100gil/day I think). This man(or woman) acts as a merchant for your goods, as well as a bank to store things.
This is also the primary way of buying things or course. Stop, open your menu, Browse their goods, look at their list, and probably be disappointed. If you are looking for something in specific, get ready to spend some time doing so!
As of now they said they will add no search function and no AH. Maybe at a later date though...
UI:
Oh the UI... What to say. Well it looks pretty nice. the problems being though.. You gotta dive through menu after menu to do anything. That is somewhat annoying on its own, but the major problem being: The terrible UI lag. EVERYTHING you do that involve the Interface/UI lags. Getting loot lags, starting battles lags, selecting abilities to use lags, equipping things lags, etc.
It is pretty bad and something that NEEDS to be fixed by the time the game comes out
Uhhh, thats it for now. Have I missed stuffed?
It wasn't meant to be too long or super in-depth. Just kind of an impressions sort of thing.
P.S.
here are a few other gripes... remember that grinding you have to do. Well there is a problem with that.
They have decided to add a Surplus system to the game... what's that? Well if you play one Class to much... you starting getting a Surplus. Surplus TAKES AWAY exp you gain from the class you are losing. continue to play said Class? Well now your Surplus is getting higher and even more Exp is taken away! I've heard people getting all the way to 75% of their exp on everything being taken away.
Supposedly they give this "Surplus" to players who have not been playing often so they can level faster when they do play.
The player who had gotten a 75% Surplus needed to wait TWO DAYS before it fully decayed and could play that class again with full Exp gain.
The only way to prevent Surplus is: Don't play too much or Don't play too much of one Class. Each class gets its own Surplus... in fact. Even your Phys rank gets a Surplus. Yay!
Another one is Fatigue. On your merry way harvesting and mining? Enjoying the scenery? Listening to some tunes... wait.. whats this?! You are too tired to gather things! Yes, you get gain Fatigue when Gathering! Gather to much, now you can no longer gather for awhile.
I am not too sure on the mechanics of this (as SE has yet to explain.. well anything really) or the time it takes for them to go away. But hopefully they find some balancing, tweaking, or something for it...
I'm all for making this easier for people who don't play too often, but why penalize the people who do? You already said there is no end game as of now... Is that the reason why? Incomplete end so you want to stifle peoples progress? I'm not too sure...
yfrog.com/f/2iorzkj/ (SURPLUS IN ACTION!)
Another thing... No mailboxes. And also - No friends list!
Thanks for reading... if you did! ;D
I'll add updates if I feel like there is anything to note!
Graphics:
The graphics in the game are VERY nice, as most know already. The style is also pretty nice, animations wonderful, and lighting great. The problem is the steep requirements to be able to play at its full potential!
I have a computer that I can play basically every other MMO out full (Or pretty close to it), Starcraft 2 on Ultra, etc. Now I don't have the best computer, but I need to turn things down considerably to even be able to play...
Sound/Music:
The music so far, is pretty decent. Nothing great, but good (and I love Nobuo Uematsu). As of right now though there is only a limited selection. The sound design is pretty good also. Nice sounds you can hear all over town, from cooking to smithing, that helps immerse you in the game. Battles sounds visceral as well!
Gameplay(BattleSystem):
Alright so here is an important one. The battles.
I as of right now have NOT grouped up. No one is simply willing to do so. (On a side note - the game is pretty quiet when I play... no one grouping or chatting, but no one being assholes either. Just everyone keeping to themselves)
Battles ARE fun though. Even by yourself. The only thing keeping it from being great though... the the damn UI lag. I'll get to that later though!
Gameplay(Crafting/Gathering):
I can say I was pretty excited for crafting in this game and I can also say for the most part... I still am.
Gathering is fun because you feel much more invovled and immersed into the game. You get a hot and cold mini game when gathering using your main hand tool. As of right now you only gather like any other MMO when you use your secondary tool. (IE: Using your sledgehammer to Mine inside of caves)
Crafting is also MUCH more invovled and feels like you are actually doing something! The problem though (at least my problem) has been the difficulty in even getting you DoH ranks up. Materials are hard to get (At least for Blacksmithing) and you only get Rank points when you get the synthesis to 100%.
a great thing for DoH/DoL are the leves you can get for them. The offer experience and a reward. They are especially good for DoH because the items needed by an NPC is GIVEN to you to make. So it is basically free rank exp! (If you can complete it)
Gameplay(GuildLeves/Missions):
Another very big part to this game are guild leves. Your primary souce to making level more rewarding and fun. It a good idea. You go to camp, initiate a leave (Only one at a time though). The leve appears in the top left and a marker on your map and mini map show you where to go. Do said mission and you get this weird flash (Like you jsut hit your head really hard or something), victory music begins to play, Aetherial Node apears to complete your Leve. Now you have the option to return to camp, which I suggest you do, lest you prefer to be stuck in an endless loop of victory music.
You get multiple types of Leves: Regional, Local, Faction, one for DoH (I forget >.>).
Nowww.. here's the caveat. Leves have a 48 hours cooldown. What does that mean? You finished your leves? Well now you gotta grind! You can also join groups for group play and take on other leves people are doing, which can net you more fun and I believe the Gil reward! But it is kinda depressing that there is only so much you can do before HAVING to grind. (Fighting or Crafting)
they also have Story Missions to do. So far I have donet he Treasure of the Main Quest line. It similar to FFXI, do some stuff, cutscenes, do other stuff, cutscenes. It fun and a nice change of pace from doing leves. To move thing around you often have to talk to the link pearl given to you by NPCs. When glowing, it allows you to talk to an NPC continuing the Quest line (be sure to select it a few times though so they finish talking!)
Economy(Wards):
Crafted a sweet sword? Cooked up some sexelllent shrimp? Wanna sell it to the closest chump you can find?! Well prepare your Retainer for Market battle! If you have something in need of selling the only way is through your Bazaar/Shop. You can have one active on your charactrer exactly like in FFXI, but you can also hire a retainer (at a very low price... 100gil/day I think). This man(or woman) acts as a merchant for your goods, as well as a bank to store things.
This is also the primary way of buying things or course. Stop, open your menu, Browse their goods, look at their list, and probably be disappointed. If you are looking for something in specific, get ready to spend some time doing so!
As of now they said they will add no search function and no AH. Maybe at a later date though...
UI:
Oh the UI... What to say. Well it looks pretty nice. the problems being though.. You gotta dive through menu after menu to do anything. That is somewhat annoying on its own, but the major problem being: The terrible UI lag. EVERYTHING you do that involve the Interface/UI lags. Getting loot lags, starting battles lags, selecting abilities to use lags, equipping things lags, etc.
It is pretty bad and something that NEEDS to be fixed by the time the game comes out
Uhhh, thats it for now. Have I missed stuffed?
It wasn't meant to be too long or super in-depth. Just kind of an impressions sort of thing.
P.S.
here are a few other gripes... remember that grinding you have to do. Well there is a problem with that.
They have decided to add a Surplus system to the game... what's that? Well if you play one Class to much... you starting getting a Surplus. Surplus TAKES AWAY exp you gain from the class you are losing. continue to play said Class? Well now your Surplus is getting higher and even more Exp is taken away! I've heard people getting all the way to 75% of their exp on everything being taken away.
Supposedly they give this "Surplus" to players who have not been playing often so they can level faster when they do play.
The player who had gotten a 75% Surplus needed to wait TWO DAYS before it fully decayed and could play that class again with full Exp gain.
The only way to prevent Surplus is: Don't play too much or Don't play too much of one Class. Each class gets its own Surplus... in fact. Even your Phys rank gets a Surplus. Yay!
Another one is Fatigue. On your merry way harvesting and mining? Enjoying the scenery? Listening to some tunes... wait.. whats this?! You are too tired to gather things! Yes, you get gain Fatigue when Gathering! Gather to much, now you can no longer gather for awhile.
I am not too sure on the mechanics of this (as SE has yet to explain.. well anything really) or the time it takes for them to go away. But hopefully they find some balancing, tweaking, or something for it...
I'm all for making this easier for people who don't play too often, but why penalize the people who do? You already said there is no end game as of now... Is that the reason why? Incomplete end so you want to stifle peoples progress? I'm not too sure...
yfrog.com/f/2iorzkj/ (SURPLUS IN ACTION!)
Another thing... No mailboxes. And also - No friends list!
Thanks for reading... if you did! ;D
I'll add updates if I feel like there is anything to note!
