Goblin Squad Member
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Looking at some postings here on the Paizo boards you feel you can despair if you compare your own smaller settlement with the large alliances. Production of +weapons and +armor in full swing - complete collections of tier 1 recipes, escalations being slaughtered.
I also played 20 hours+ the last weekend - but this was a tabletop meet up with a few fellow players who hadn't even logged in to PFO yet and I gave them some advice what would be best for our own settlement. Later that night I phoned an old friend (or should I say gaming buddy) whom I lost track with but whom I had gifted an account as gaming was what brought us together. He had finally a computer cappable of PFO and had all installed and asked for directions. He wasn't even aware he had a destiny twin.
Not all was bad - some activity has happened in my settlement in my absence (well - I was logged in a little now and then). Bits start to self-organize - but off course that is at a slower pace.
This is when it daunted to me - this is actually no sprint - whoever gets a +3 weapon first wins. PFO is rather a marathon. Crafters are limited to rank 4 now no matter how grant their alliance. Just a few of the right refined materials or enough raw materials and a new player will catch up in a few hours playing only part of it.
For me it is still exiting to find any new tier 1 recipe - and there is no disappointment that is isn't one of the 10% 'missing' ones. With a slower pace you don't worry to burn out. My main has 7000 XP right now - that I keep for emergencies / to fill a desperate gap - or just to have buy whatever I want when I'm logged in next time. Our crafters aren't waiting for 2 days to get to the next rank - they just wait for the right refined goods or recipes.
And yes - the game nicely allows a slower pace. We will see how this changes once PvP starts. But that is where politics come in. So yesterday when I finally had time to game - I chatted with our neighbours instead. Probably more important long term as if I would have slain 50 goblins in the same time and got 2 more recipes.
I hope this post will encourage other smaller settlements. You 'lost' the sprint to be first to many goals already. But this game is to stay for years and you haven't really missed anything and slow and steady will be perfectly fine.
In general, I think people need to pace themselves, or they will quickly outstrip availability of features in game and -
1) burn themselves out
2) get bored
3) get frustrated and rant all the time
If you think about it, not a heck of a lot has changed gameplay-wise with the start of EE, since the last Alpha update. The game still as a long way to go since it is only year 2 in a 5 year development plan.
Cheers Thod
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Yeah, I see it as a long term preoccupation, but I still tapped into my new game mania to lose a long weekend to PFO.
It's an exciting time, and it is fun to see everyone actually logging in now.
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Goblin Squad Member
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I think it's important to build a solid foundation and settlement plan. If you have a long term plan and a good foundation to build on, it doesn't matter if you 'had it first'.
Remember the larger the settlement the more they need to craft, the more training they need, etc. Getting that +2 armor only matters if there is a settlement member who can take advantage of it. Otherwise it could be a fancy looking +0 armor if in the hands of an untrained adventurer.
I play to enjoy the environment so, I take the time to meet the surrounding settlements and give aide where needed, make friends, etc.
That said, I really love this game so far and I have little care to have the first T2 item or be the best crafter in game.
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Goblin Squad Member
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The race for better plus weapons and armors is more for Kudos and recruitment publicity.
I have had the potential to make +2 armor and weapons for sometime (have all the necessary +2 recipes except wire) but have not bothered investing the day or two of XP . I am also enjoying the freedom of "what the hell its only basic gear lets charge in and damn the torpedoes" .
I might get around to it on the weekend but have to get Sawyer up first to supply some poles to someone making high plus wizard staves.
Note that the higher "plus" items give a nice edge but that is all.
Getting Tier 2 weapons and armor happening is another matter altogether. The advantage with Tier 2 is substantial.
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Goblin Squad Member
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In an open world territory control game with player looting it's a sprint AND a marathon.
In an open world territory without player looting and everyone starting with a club it is neither as everyone still loves each other and you more often get suprising help as being killed.
Emjoy while you can.
PS: And the list of recipes and plus items increased substantial for the Emerald Lodge since I wrote this. I could do +2 longswords now - if I wanted.
And the first +1 Runespun Robe is also in production. Guess we have all important bts covered to +2 before the weekend as well.
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Goblin Squad Member
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I am liking the pacing. Right now I have my short term, "wealth acquisition" plans (aka gathering and looting) while thinking about the long haul of what to do.
I got lucky and got a recipe that will allow me to make some +1 armor that I planed to use. But I know it is a long way to get to the level of "self reliant" that I like to be in these games.
Anyone who came from EVE will not have problem of waiting days (or months) to get their next skill :) But it is not for everyone. There are some good "sprinting" games out there, so I am glad this one is not one of them.