NativityInBlack's page

Hello everyone,

Just wanted to take a few minutes to share my list of concerns with the current Pathfinder Online kickstarter and MMO model.

I will be brutally honest, as will be the end consumer someday, while we have time to correct the course or at least think about.

First, paying a subscription for a beta. That's a really flawed concept if you measure that we already have pretty decent subscription-free premium games, like Guild Wars 2. I understand the "Gmail Beta" concept, but if we are already paying for the product (Gmail is free by the way), having a monthly upkeep for a project you're trying to help will not keep this game afloat, even if the target is just 2000 players, if the game is not better than all the options out there, with a subscription, they will just leave and won't look back.

Second, the flagship tagline for the product is: "A game where your actions are persistent, your characters can build kingdoms, and YOU are the storyteller!" and yet the plan is to offer the product without even a basic player housing. By 2015 I'm pretty sure we will have Archeage out and other premium online/lan games that really let you build, and with decent graphics too. I've found little on the current model that screams on how we will actually build our kingdoms or even a hut.

Third, forced PVP. Forced PVP games are all fun on paper but they haven't been floating that well, even more on the Western community. I (sorta) know the EVE PVP model but I personally don't believe it will translate that well for a game that's selling point is trying to let us "be the Storyteller". Pwning n00bs exploring is hardly roleplaying and every breach you leave open will be exploited and will drive many crafters/roleplayers away. More options on how to play the game won't hurt it, let PVP'ers face each other, for as long as they want, but a pacifist flag will not hurt the product either.

Anyhow, I'm currently backing the MMO, after backing the Demo, and I'm craving for a decent MMO but please believe when I say that you have one opportunity to make a good impression and you can make it without being a WoW clone or EVE on foot with swords. Not trying to argue either, just took sometime off my Sunday to voice my ideas, as this is a collaborative project.

Godspeed,

Given the success of the kickstarter please get a decent engine.

Several multi-million dollars games are in trouble because they picked the wrong engine and it's way too late to go back now.

Warhammer Online - used Gamebryo, it was laggy, unresponsive and could not handle a lot of players at once.

Star Wars the Old Republic - uses the Hero Engine, ugly, dated graphics. Elder scrolls online is already doomed by that engine and it's not even on beta yet.

I remember rumors that Ultima Online 2, the last attempt on a sandboy MMO, had their engine melt when they had too many players at once. EverQuest 2 was really traumatic as well, I remember buying a top line PC and it still played awfully.

Please go play TERA online just to try out a modern combat, I believe it's powered by EPIC and while it can't hold an horde on screen it's fluid and fun. Part of the WoW success it's on the fluidity of the animations and combat-response time.

Even if you decide to build it in-house, please get some external consultants and real-deal dev modules.

A decent engine is the most important part of any game project, to have a real shot you guys -must- test how many simultaneous players the system can hold at once - and interact and the combat response time (DX11 support would be nice, if possible).

Godspeed,

The kickstarter of the technology demo is here if anyone haven't helped yet:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1675907842/pathfinder-online-technology -demo