I would have to say running into the forest because there isn't a beaten path, getting lost of hours, finding landmarks (multiple times), until you eventually end right back up where you started. Then do it all over again until you learn the zone!
P.S.
Please make cartography a tradeskill.
Sneak/invis that's only mostly reliable. I find it important to test and retest awareness/escape readiness while also seeing all the things. For strategery! And my inner cat (don't tell my dog).
Also, I'll take all the movement speed I can get. I go to plaid - make whoosh noises. My alts' alts get J-Boots, even if they're naked otherwise. I stand around plenty and learn every inch of every zone, but when I want to go somewhere, I like to zip about.
But really, I'll do anything that gets me around. I've enjoyed the many forms of RPG travel I've encountered, from flying a dragon in through a window to jump a rare mob - to bouncing off rocks at ludicrous speeds, dismounting midair and plummeting something like miles before pulling up at the last instant, juggling stealth and sprint while chaining one-shot backstabs across a camp, swimming(!), playing leapfrog with a group of random people I just turned into puppies, invis-levitating through monster infested lanscapes of every variety, kiting half a zone before ducking over a hill for sudden naptime (bio break!)... As long as I can have fun with it. The real question is, what am I going to name my boat?
Edit: So far, the boat name winner is Hot Sail.
I think Trasak touched on something here as far as perception and gameplay. The fastest way to get around is the one the player anticipates. Think of being in traffic behind a truck that you cannot see over. This is aggravating because you cannot see over the truck to determine yourself what the problem is so you end up hating the truck in front of you blocking your view and not the traffic.
It's important to be able to see the end point, or the goal in some environments. Dungeons are different, for sure, but they should offer glimpses to keep the maze runner engaged or interested.
A wide open plain where you can see the horizon with some mountains occluding your way is pleasing because you know those mountains will be an obstacle you can anticipate to overcome.
Am area with sharply upward curving ramps that you cannot see over the top or where they head to, is as frustrating as the truck blocking your view in traffic because you cannot anticipate. If you are climbing but see to the side that the goal you need to go to is in the distance but to the side, that is pleasing because you can anticipate getting there.
Likewise in a place where you cannot anticipate what is coming, any gradual signals of what could be coming is - for lack of a better word- "enjoyable" even if what is coming is impending doom or death because of the anticipation that is being built up. Think of Frodo in Shelob's Lair, getting deeper and finding random skeletal body parts but then more concentrated and more whole wrapped animal and bodies as he got closer- as the realization hit.
I would like 4 servants to carry me from city to city on a nice throne.
There will be climbing. Will there be a game mechanic where my 4 servants can climb and carry my throne at the same time? I mean how can you not have this type of system in the game.
Geography and world lore are important. Personally, I want to find hidden places. Like a barely noticable underwater cave that leads to a hidded point of interest. Or a well hidden rock climb that leads to a hidden modest temple that has a hidden dungeon.
I want hundreds (thousands after a couple expantions) of hidden places in the world. if you go to all the trouble of adding climbing, swimming and a perception system anything less than hundreds of hidden places will be a let down. don't forget the puzzles either. Your asking your entire fan base to be patient and we are: Will you deliver?
Fast travel should be a great advantage to the people that don't use it.
Jothany said:Caine said:Fast travel should be a great advantage to the people that don't use it.
That's an awesome principle!
It should be sticky-noted to the screen of every landscape-content creator.
Kilsin, can you please make sure they all get the memo? :D
I second that!
disposalist said:Kittik said:Paved Roads offer 15% movement bonus while out of combat
Roads/Paths offer 10% movement bonus while out of combat.
Yeah I would like something like this - even more of a boost. Useful *and* immersive. Encourages meeting people on the road (as they would have in times gone by).
I'm sure there was a game that did this. Do you know of it? I can't remember...
Istaria: Chronicles of the Gifted. Still an active game and when running around if you stay on the roads you get a movement speed bonus.
Watemper said:The best way is flying....not the most enjoyable since you miss a lot of stuff...but obviously the best way.
We clearly have very different reasons for playing an MMO.
I play for enjoyment. Since you agree that flying is not the most enjoyable, then 'obviously' flying is not the best way for me.
Walpurgis said:Dead Man Floating
I might be missing the reference, but I am not agaist traveling by river. Grab a canoe and paddle down stream. good fishing, spot a cave or two. don't feed the crocs. Water falls suck you under, falls do damage. Swimming skill should matter. underwater caves should be real dangerious and rewarding. It should be complicated and dangerious. Maybe you get lost in a cave system and need to "Gate" out back home. It should be profitable for a player to specialize in time consuming river travel. Make it real. Think Rogue "length of rope" skill.
I prefer running/exploring. And yes I play mostly Wizard classes. Don't get me wrong it was nice in EQ to make a chunk of change porting people around but I also think back to the days when there wasn't even maps and you had to run through kithicor forest to get to high pass. Or sitting at the docks waiting on the boat. I met some people sitting there waiting passing the time. Chatted up people had conversations and got to know people. Even grouped up with them to make the run and started a group with them. And I think that is as valuable as anything.
To me what makes a strong game is the community. Eventually the excitement of a game fades, and people are max level and starting alts, or grinding out flags or just trying to find things to further their characters progression. And once that level of excitement about the game fades you turn to that community to make it your home. If you have friends and a good guild it's hard to leave a game for something else. It's easy to drop what you are doing and help a fellow guildmate/friend out.
Sure there are other ways than slow travel to make this happen but I really feel like part of the community immersion was the waits at the dock, sitting at a portal spot hoping a passerby wizard or druid would take you home, or sitting at the zone line in kithicor waiting for the uglies to go back to sleep.
I'm not opposed to portals, like if you have already explored the area you are allowed to gate to that area, I don't mind a new implement of a travel system. I just prefer the old way of running and seeing other people in their travels to wherever they are going. Makes the world feel more busy and vibrant, and you don't have everyone cluttered at one area checking auction houses or something like that.
@Sunglare Two thumbs up to both your posts! ^^
#communitymatters #makenightmatteragain #factionsmatter #riskvsreward #deathpenalty #HardRaiding #respectyourguild #HellLevels
Caine said:I might be missing the reference, but I am not agaist traveling by river. Grab a canoe and paddle down stream. good fishing, spot a cave or two. don't feed the crocs. Water falls suck you under, falls do damage. Swimming skill should matter. underwater caves should be real dangerious and rewarding. It should be complicated and dangerious. Maybe you get lost in a cave system and need to "Gate" out back home. It should be profitable for a player to specialize in time consuming river travel. Make it real. Think Rogue "length of rope" skill.
I love the idea, had already hoped to make one of my chars exactly what you are describing. And it's already real, just race based. Dark Myr is innately qualified to be a 'River Runner' with faster swim speed and water breathing.
Honestly though if similar abilities can be had by other races simply by training a skill, that seriously undermines the value of playing a Dark Myr. So I wouldn't support this as a skill/ability that's available to other races.
I think the key to every single one of these what is best questions is the same.
All of the above.
Variety is the spice of life and in my opinion at least, it is too limiting to handicap a game to only one choice. Some places should allow every conceivable method of travel while others should restrict travel to only one method. Most areas (Note I say area and not zone as an area could be a very small thing like a tiny portion of a zone or a huge thing that could cover multiple zones) would and should be somewhere in the middle where they allow certain modes and restrict others.
The "best" way to get around is flying as it is the fastest mode of travel and you can get from Point A to Point B by flying in a straight line, vs having to take a scenic route for travel.
That being said flight is also the one of the most disruptive modes of travel as it removes players from the world and allows them to bypass many of the unique and potentially challenging areas the world has to offer.
I think that for Pantheon the best modes of travel should come from three to four sources.