Goblin Squad Member
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A few that leap immediately to mind, that I've seen brought up. I'm sure more will come to me.
Character Collision:
Are there any plans for this in game?
If so, do you see it being passive (characters always collide) or active (I choose to block this position) or some situational combination thereof?
Core vs Active alignment:
Is the plan for settlement membership to be based off of Core or Active Alignment?
What about non-skill alignment-based effects such as PVP flags?
What about effects that change based on the target's alignment, such as Smite Evil, Detect Law/Chaos/Good/Evil, or the Champion flag's ability to safely attack an evil target?
For a character with few or no alignment-based abilities, is there any detriment to Core and Active alignment not matching?
Looting:
Are there any plans for how looting in a group will work? Will items/coin go to the person looting the body, or will there be some sort of automated distribution?
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Goblin Squad Member
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What does Twice-Marked of Pharasma do? Not necessarily exact game effects, just a hint to help the undecided choose whether or not to apply Add-On funds to it.
What's the latest projected tentative date for the arena combat sim to start?
What's the latest projected tentative date for the start of Early Enrollment?
What's the latest projected tentative date for the start of Open Enrollment?
How do Chartered Companies, Settlements, and adventuring parties interact? More specific questions: If a Settlement is captured, what happens to any companies chartered in that Settlement? If a Settlement changes alignment, what happens to companies whose alignment is now incompatible?
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Goblin Squad Member
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-can an individual character build on and own a (non-watchtower) POI? If so, can it be attacked/captured/razed by other individuals
-what is the 'defining attribute' of each class? (barbarians are about rage, but are rangers about archery, animal companions or wilderness skills? are rogues about sneak attacking, stealth, traps or skills? etc. will there be overlaps so that a rogue already knows many of the skills for leveling up as ranger?
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Goblin Squad Member
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Will the mechanics of non-spontaneous divine spellcasting (cleric, druid) be similar to the wizard casting process already described?
Will clerics have the ability to selectively channel? Will cleric channeling affect all non-enemies, party only, party and allies only, etc.?
Are there any plans to add races beyond the base group? Would additional races be 'monster' races like goblins and kobolds, or would they be the exotic hybrids of the base races, like aasimar/tiefling and the genie/elemental hybrid races?
Will other races have sub-races/cultures like humans?
-To branch off Randomwalker's question, will taverns and farms and similar structures be feasible to run independent of settlements or CCs (i.e. via adventuring party or the like)?
-Will there be non-violent Escalations like plagues, or Escalations that can be worked with long-term (like a settlement forming an uneasy alliance with a Gorumite tribe)?
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Goblin Squad Member
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Will there be large combat classes. For example being able to advance your character as a unit commander or a phalax team member. Is this something GW is still looking to add.
Please explain some of the addons (twiced marked, the various packs..etc.)
Will merchants be able to build wagons and caravans to transport goods or will they carry everything themselves.
What game aspects are you looking to crowdforge?
Territory/Contiguity issues of different groups totally surrounding each other by land/impact on game dynamics.
How are newby players supposed to begin interacting with arbitrary settlements isolated away from the starting points?
Any concerns/solutions for players isolated from other areas by alot of unfriendly hexes in-between?
Any plans to mix that up, perhaps by 'caverns/tunnels' connecting disparate hexes on the map?
(it would be cool to have actual 'underground' hexes/sub-hexes with monster hexes as well as wilderness/settlements within the 'corridor' connecting above-ground points. having this area be always dark unless you have torches/etc would be interesting, everybody knows that before they go in so they can be prepared.)
Water in the game: full hexes/sub-hexes/other water formations? (also already posted in other thread)
How does water change the game dynamics, particularly re: the large contiguous land-area which seems to be the general set-up, given the basic map we've seen?
What 'points of interests' would there be for water, either as full water hexes, or smaller portions of a hex?
Would these be fixed in place, or more mobile? (barges, fishing fleets, etc)
What kind of terrain is planned to exist? Besides vegetation that 'populates' the terrain...
Cliffs? Very steep slopes, canyons? Will large scale differences in altitude exist/be noticeable/important?
Will permanently altering the terrain eventually be an option (by settlements)?
Vegetation like forests being cleared by logging or fire (or planting new forests)?
Infrastructure like locks on rivers/ elevators at cliffs/ roads/ BRIDGES/ etc?
Will there be options for 'non-line-of-sight' attacks? What would these be, and how would they work? (UI, etc)
Siege Weapons, or individual scale archery (although formation combat archery would not be small scale), magic...?
Will flight be possible, and how so? Magic? Flying Mounts? Dirigibles/Airships?
What hardware are you targetting as the minimum playable?
Or, besides actual minimum, what would be the "lowest 25%" you will be designing to as the baseline?
Any plans for means other than the main game client to access in-game features?
e.g. settlement management, etc, available thru web site or 'lite' client on mobile platforms?
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Goblin Squad Member
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Inns - What features will be included in these lovely taverns? What knobs can chartered companies play with independent of settlements?
Deities and their Clergy - Will choosing specific deities bring any particular advantages or disadvantages beyond the domains and alignments associated with them?
I believe there was a 'Traitor' Flag mentioned at one point. What's up with that?
Only for CC's or also Settlements/Kingdoms? Only for intra-group PVP, or more broad?
How will Divinations work, as a school? Scrying? Premonition? Commune? Augury? Detect Thoughts? Track Ship, Locate Object, Blood Biography, Spherescry? Contact Other Plane, Telepathic Bond, Legend Lore / Vision, Foresight? Don't tell me there just won't be a school of Divination, that would just be silly. Don't insult us by just putting in True Sight and Detect Magic and calling it a day, either. Think of the intrigue and drama players could get into with the information warfare between Diviners and Illusionists! In-depth information about planned design concerning the non-combat spells, in general.
Utility spells, powers and such: what assurances can you give us that PFO won't be just EVE with swords and horses? Tell us about what non-combat activities our characters will be capable of -- transcendence into lichdom? Personal lair design and fortification? Ownership / control of slaves / constructs / undead? What about animal companions, mounts, familiars...? Can we scribe Sigil spells? Create Teleportation Circles? How will Magic Circle vs. Alignment work? Un/Hallow and Consecrate / Desecrate? Antilife Shell, Antipathy / Sympathy? How will Invisibility work? How will cantrips like Message, Prestidigitation, Arcane Mark, Spark and Mage Hand work?
What about "fun" spells like Youthful Appearance, Vocal Alteration, Animate Rope / Object, Ventriloquism, Lock Gaze, Unseen Servant, Hold Portal and Alarm...?
Telekinesis? Wall of Force/Ice/Stone/Fire/Wind? Flesh to Stone? Clone? Time Stop? Rock to Mud to Rock? Soften Earth, Warp Wood...? Will we see these sorts of spells in play that aren't just "push button, deal damage"?
Reincarnation? Control Weather? Dare I ask -- Wish and Miracle?? What about Contingencies and Permanency? How will Flight be handled? And Wild Shape? Tell us those things are in PFO, surely?
There are some Necromancy spells (besides the obvious Animate Dead-type) that leave questions: like Cursed Earth, Clone, Orb of the Void (how would you ever steer it?), Curse, Astral Projection, Familiar Melding, Magic Jar / Skinsend and Blindness / Deafness -- how will those be handled?
How will Illusions work? Silent Image? Veil and False Image? How will Disguise Self interact with Assassins? Dream, Mirage Arcana, Nightmare?? Simulacrum?
How will Enchantments interact with PCs? If I cast Dominate Person on a PC, what happens? Charm Person? Suggestion and Hypnotism?
How will Appraise work? Bluff, Diplomacy and Intimidate? What about the Knowledge skills -- how will that work? And Spellcraft, how will that work, especially in PvP? Players would be able to just remember what spell animations look like and never need to invest in such a skill -- and Wizards have precious little else besides Knowledge and Spellcraft, in terms of skills.
Will we see expensive material components for spells? How does Metamagic currently work?
Will character Traits be in the game? How will they work, how would characters gain them?
How will Wands and Staffs be handled? Can players Craft their own Staffs and just keep adding Spells to it? Wouldn't that break the Spellbook mechanic? Would it be a bad thing if it did, considering how horribly unsatisfying the currently proposed Spellbook and limited slots mechanics are?
Tell us PFO won't be just EVE with swords and arrows. We already have EVE. Tell us why we should bother playing PFO and why it's worthy to be called Pathfinder.
Goblinworks Executive Founder
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There's lots of stuff that I want to know, but that's not the proper subject of the FAQ.
How does the sandbox nature impact the user experience?
How will player looting work?
What will the player experience be like during gameplay, with separate emphases on each major system (PvP, PvE, crafting, exploration)?
Why is my characters' reputation important to me?
What could I get locked out of due to alignment?
How different are the different races?
How can new people get into EE?
How does the divorce of skills/abilities from 'class levels' effect things?
Many class abilities in TT are tied to 'class level' to scale effects.
How do abilities scale if they are just their own autonomous abilities?
Or what dynamic makes 'scaling' of individual abilities less relevant?
(probably not one short paragraph ;-)...)
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Goblin Squad Member
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How does the divorce of skills/abilities from 'class levels' effect things?
Many class abilities in TT are tied to 'class level' to scale effects.
How do abilities scale if they are just their own autonomous abilities?
Or what dynamic makes 'scaling' of individual abilities less relevant?
(probably not one short paragraph ;-)...)
Many of our questions probably can't be answered in one sorry paragraph, but sometimes it's hard for us to know which can and can't ("That won't exist in PFO" is a very short answer, after all), so we're asking lots of questions.
Edit: Short, not sorry. Stupid autocorrect.
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Goblin Squad Member
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There's lots of stuff that I want to know, but that's not the proper subject of the FAQ.
How does the sandbox nature impact the user experience?
How will player looting work?
What will the player experience be like during gameplay, with separate emphases on each major system (PvP, PvE, crafting, exploration)?
Why is my characters' reputation important to me?
What could I get locked out of due to alignment?
How different are the different races?
How can new people get into EE?
One of the better constructed and more realistic posts I've seen so far. Bravo, sir.
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Goblin Squad Member
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To add to the tract started by @randomwalker, @Kobold Cleaver, and @Virgil Firecask:
There appears to be a development sequence for POI to become settlements, with watchtowers becoming forts becoming settlements. Will the POI smaller than settlement have any ability to provide training or host crafting before settlement level is reached? Can watchtowers and forts become specialized, as in monasteries or chartered company bases? Can other buildings be built around watchtowers and forts (as part of the evolution to settlement)?
What is the envisioned long-term role of the NPC settlements (Thornkeep, etc)?
Are those 3 areas where all new characters will start, or is there more flexibility in starting location?
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Goblin Squad Member
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1. Will players be able to reward another player with a small amount of reputation for:
Healing; Giving free items to new players; Giving helpful hints / tips; rescuing someone form the jaws of death; etc...
2. Have you worked out a system for weaponless combat (or at least using some kind of hand wrap; writs bands; or some other itemization to to simulate a weapon)?
3. Will master crafters be able to make unique items, from rare dropped, limited use recipes / schematics? These items can then become part of the legend of Pathfinder Online.
4. Will Bandits have an NPC faction, similar to what Assassins have? This would allow us to remain on the fringes of society as true outlaws.
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Goblin Squad Member
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Goblin Squad Member
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I tried to read through everything posted thus far, but if I duplicate, forgive me.
I would like to know more about the possible types of achievements/badges assigned to a person to gain the feats their experience will "buy" them. What type of activity/task will be required and how easy/difficult will they be as you progress up through that branch of skills?
My concern is, even if you've accumulated the experience, and meet the prerequisites, will earning the badge be so difficult, especially for higher tiers of the skill, that it becomes prohibitive.
Do you envisage GM's actively policing the harassment of rp? I am not talking about pvp necessarily so much as the those that so love to disrupt any rp event in other games just for the lulz?
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Goblin Squad Member
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| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
We're looking for the sort of things new posters bring up over and over, as well as subjects that there's simply a lot of speculation about.
I tried to look over question on these lines:
- How does PFO interact with pathfinder rpg and what sort of cross-overs will there be?
- Will Pathfinder use the D20 system?
- Is it story-driven and can it be played by yourself or in a group like NWN2?
- Doesn't sound anything like Pathfinder: It should be renamed Golarion Online, surely?
- Isn't Goblin Works sucking up all of Paizo's resources on this risky software project?
- What will make a pathfinder table-top/rpg pnp player like pathfinder online?
General:
- Not another fantasy mmorpg/wow clone. What makes PFO different from all the other "failures"?
- I heard there's a cash shop: How much will the game turn into Pay-To-Win, then?
- I've heard sandbox mmorpgs are only worth playing if you are one of the first to get in. For later players it's impossible to catch up: How will PFO resolve this problem?
- What makes PFO a sandbox mmorpg?
- PFO is using Unity: What other major mmorpgs are using this middleware. Is this the best choice for PFO? Really?
- Where can I see screenshots of PFO?
- What is Crowdforging more precisely?
- Why is the website not updated and when are we going to get proper forums? What's up with goblin works website's security certificate?
Combat:
- Why is it tab-target combat and not actiony combat?
- Will this be another Holy Trinity combat game?
- If items can be looted, won't everyone wear "low level gear"?
- What's the death penalty in PFO?
Kickstarter:
- Oh No! I'm too late to pledge the kickstarter: I'm throwing money at the screen but nothing is happening. How can I pledge?
- Why is it a Paid Beta? Sounds very suspicious to me?
- Where can I find out about how to join a guild?
- What exactly are the Regional Traits in the kickstarter?
- Please make this for Linux. Pleazzzze.
- How will Character Customization System work and how will character development customize those original choices?
- Open PvP = griefer's paradise. I don't want to be ganked like I was back in '02 in Ultima. Goonswarm will dominate this game won't they?
- What information is available on character inspection?
- Can Solitary Buildings in POI be built and used for non-settlement groups?
- What sort of gameplay for non-settlement or solo players (nature Druids eg)?
- What's the difference between in-game currency, gold, skymetal and goblin balls: I'm confused!?
- The Timers seem WAAAAAY too short for the various flags: Are they going to change based on feedback?
- Will melee be a realistic option in combat and if Monks don't need to use weapons in melee then they will also not need consumables?
- Will there be a foundary sort of system as per NWO for player-created content?
- Evil/Chaotic is already disadvantaged before I have even started: I want to play my character's alignment but this is severely putting me off. Why? I also want to be Evil Chaotic but not pvp, how can I do this?
- Can we sticky eg Nihimon's Useful links and Guild info? Also when will a PFO wiki be available?
- How will crowdforging actually work? Can we have some examples?
- How many characters are there in a Chartered Company? What is the Chartered Company's role: It seems to keep changing from what is said in the blogs?
- How will I know which skills to train to fit the character concept I have?
- How will army formations work?
- Have you confirmed the Hex size now?
- Will PFO be heavy instanced zones or seamless?
- What sort of non-combat things can we do in-game?
- What things will be in the cash shop?
- Can we have an update on how the networking is coming along?
- If settlements are alignment restricted then there are no interesting sub-districts as you'd find in a real city, will there be any exceptions?
- Is the game time still x4 in-game compared to normal time? How does that work ie is it out of phase so I get to play different times of day in game?
- What sort of Dev Events are we going to see in PFO?
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Goblin Squad Member
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I'd like more information on the interrelationship between crowdforger guild, chartered company, and settlement. Do guilds found settlements? Do chartered companies? Both?
Given that settlements have alignment restrictions, do guilds and/or chartered companies have the same restrictions (I seem to remember reading that chartered companies do not)? If not, how do the varying alignments of members affect a guild or chartered company's ability to found, or even belong to, a settlement?
Are all settlement buildings built/created/owned by the settlement's owners, or can individuals, groups, or chartered companies own property within a settlement to which they belong?
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Goblin Squad Member
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| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Here are a few of mine, some are tongue-in-cheek (i.e. read the blogs), but people will ask anyway:
Generic
What makes this game better than other MMO games out there?
Compare and contrast a theme-park MMO vs a sandbox MMO.
What will the cost structure be like (sub vs free-to-play with content purchase vs both options)?
How much will it cost per month to subscribe?
How many character slots per server will be allowed?
How do I get in on the action (donation/Kickstarter/swag)?
Content
What classes and playable races available in Pathfinder will be available in PFO at release?
How players will be allowed in each group (is that what Chartered Company means)??
How well will I be able to solo? How well will I be able to find a group when my friends/guildmates aren't online?
How familiar with Pathfinder / D&D rules will I need to be to play the game?
Will there be just open content, or will it be story-driven?
Explain the point of escalations.
Will quest-based choices affect my alignment / reputation, or will that be solely based upon interactions with other characters?
Will there be "raid"-type content other than PvP battles? How many players will be able to participate at a time?
Explain the relationship between guilds and settlements.
Combat
Will there be an auto-attack button? =)
Will I have a limited spell-book and a mana-bar, or a complete spellbook with a number of casts per in-game "day"?
Will melee types be obligated to specialize in certain weapon classes / types in order to be effective, or will they be able to use any weapon they pick up?
Can we find a way to avoid loot squabbles? (i.e. explain the loot system)
Misc
Explain how threading and PvP looting will work.
Will gold farmers / scripters be "shot" on sight?
Explain the concept of the PC flagging system, both voluntary and involuntary flags.
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Goblin Squad Member
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I am interesting in going the crafting route.
How will that work?
If I ultimately want to craft magic items I will need both the craft, say metalsmith/blacksmith or herbalist and the mage or alchemist. How do I do this?
I expect that I will be doing skill development and mainly PvE until I have some craft reputation?
How do I make income while this is happening?
What do I do/sell to maintain an income until I have reputation that brings customers?
What mechanism is there to protect me or do I just hire other players?
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Goblin Squad Member
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What game mechanic is envisioned to prevent an unwilling combatant fleeing an engagement?
In EVE effects such as warp scramble, web and to an extent energy neutralisation are employed to this effect. Yet dev blogs have stated crowd-control spells such as hold person will have limited effect.
Will a character’s religion have a mechanical effect? Will it be possible to change religion without significant penalty if more options are introduced later in the game?
I’m thinking this is an issue for a potential cleric character. Suppose I’m dreaming about playing a follower of an elven moon goddess, or a dwarven craft god, or a primeval hunter deity. If they don’t exist early in the game I might have to compromise, and switch later. However if I know that that won’t be possible or will incur a penalty I might delay proceeding with a cleric character, and it might not be good for the game if many potential cleric/healer players are deterred.
Will there be spell effects that have significant effect in the game, which can be cast outside the combat arena, such as rituals or cooperative spell casting?
In a team working and world building game such as this it would be nice to see thematic ritual effects along the lines of 3E ceremonial feat effects or spells such as heroes feast. On a larger scale Shadowrun or Ars Magica style cooperative casting would be neat, and even better Birthright style realm magic could work well.
Will suitably skilled and equipped characters be able to provide leadership bonuses to the whole team, akin to command ship pilots in EVE?
Membership of chartered companies and settlements is alignment based. Is there any mechanism for secondary or less formal team structures which are open to multiple alignments? Can I be a member of multiple organisations such as chartered companies at the same time?
Characters may join chartered companies based on character’s career/political objectives. However players may also want to adventure or engage in occasional PVE activity with their tabletop buddies or an eclectic mix or acquaintances. Similarly suppose I'm a spy for one organisation, can I join and infiltrate another while still a member of my 'real' organisation.
Is there any mechanism for a settlement or company to be race rather than alignment based, such as halfling-only?
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Goblin Squad Member
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Can we have a little more detail on the types of non-combat roles players can do? Eg Fishing, Trapping, Blacksmith, Carpenter, Stonemason, Cook, Brewmaster, Fletcher, Tanner, Merchant, Horse Rancher, Diplomat etc etc... in addition to more combat oriented: Soldier, Assassin, Bounty-Hunter, Bandit, Guard et al.?
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Goblin Squad Member
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What sort of chat channels do you expect to make available? Game-wide, CC, settlement, party, open speech, whisper? A dedicated "help" channel (see Hobs' thread here)?
What controls will players have over individual channels?
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Goblin Squad Member
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Compare and Contrast Guilds, Chartered Companies, and community/settlements. (for the mid-term)
How many guild may one belong to? What determines?
How many chartered Companies can one belong? What determines?
How many settlements can one belong (Consider a merchant with shops at both ends of a route)? What determines? Can one be a member of as many as can be afforded (taxes)?
Can a settlement have multiple guilds, Chartered Companies, or ??
Alignment is important to belonging to a settlement. Can remote alignments reside in settlements as non-members? For how long (or until they are demonstrated to have violated community standards)?
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Goblin Squad Member
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How is a character's affiliation displayed in-game?
If I encounter a character in the wilderness can I see at a glance that he is a member of the Very Rich but Defenceless Merchant Consortium, or that the character next to me in town is a member of the Very Secret Sneaky Assassin and Murderer Guild?
Chartered company or settlement membership is intended to be alignment based. What mechanic enforces that?
If I submit a membership application does the company leader get to see my alignment? Does the game interface do the checking and stop me submitting an application in the first place (lore justification?)? Is it the case that I can submit an application if I am the wrong alignment, and potentially be accepted into the organisation, but because I am misaligned I am penalised in some way and at risk of being ejected?
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Goblin Squad Member
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@Rich Baker
And thank you, too! It was really interesting seeing everyone's questions. I don't know about anyone else, but getting the chance to ask some specific questions in my areas of interest - even if they're not answered until much later in the process - helped clarify some of my thinking.
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Goblin Squad Member
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- Cash Shop and keeping the items in it less powerful/effective than player crafted items.
- How will magical items, weapons and other gear work withing the MMO system.
- In the same vein, Scrolls and how they will work
- Familiars and Bonded items for Wizards.
- More info on Companions, including Familiars, but also Druid and Ranger animals/plants and Paladin horses.
- Racial weapon abilities, such as will Elves still get Longsword and Bows; Dwarves get axes, etc?
- Additional NPC groups/factions, like a band of Elves living in the Echo Woods, or a group of Druids living also in the Echo Woods, or a band of river pirates, etc...
First one is my biggest concern, though - a Cash Shop can be a very unbalancing thing to an MMO, so what does GW plan to do to make it helpful, but limited in scope? Player Crafters should ALWAYS make better items than any cash shop item, and have access to higher tier crafting (that is to say cash item shop may have T1 items, but only Crafters can make T2-T3 items).
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Goblin Squad Member
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Will Goblin works tell us what Character Model System(s), they are planning on and will there be a Early Character Creator Demo like for Dragon age Origin, or Phantasy Star Online 2
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Goblin Squad Member
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Probably too late to add this one, but a discussion in another thread made me think of it. Is GoblinWorks goung to set up separate PFO forums - hopefully with some subforums and willingness to sticky useful threads - prior to Early Enrollment?
I personally don't see what is wrong with this forum?
1. It is brings together both the PFRPG and PFO consumers.
2. It is cheaper for Paizo / GW to maintain just one forums.
3. Paizo forum is tagged as a Publishing forum, and so may of us can access it from work. A new forum for just PFO would likely be tagged as "Gaming", barring access from most work places.
4. The PFO community has already established itself as a community here. We have a history, a reputation, a personae here.
The wheel ain't broke, in my opinion.
This forum is fine except for the following items
No sub forums available
No stickies available it seems
The forum is flaky in its performance for a lot of people, timing out, not being accessible etc