Forums » General Pantheon Discussion

FAQ, Tenets, and Features revamp.

    • 999 posts
    August 17, 2016 11:06 AM PDT

    I'd suggest the following changes - some of my rewording doesn't sound as elegant as what is currently listed, but, with mission statements, core values, etc. (which I'd equate to the tenants), I think simple, concise, and to the point is the most important.

    Game Tenets (All tenets are clickable links to FAQ - Tenent Q&A):

    1.  (Keep) An Awareness that Content is King

        - Define this - many games have a lot of content, but what content is King in Pantheon?  Epic Quests, the Journey, progression from 1-50, multiple zones to level from any given level range, etc.  versus Quest Hubs, linear leveling paths, etc.  Basically, discussion on how more content provides more depth which equals better game.

    2.  (Re-write) Class Interdependence is key.  No one class can do it all.

       - Discuss how classes have distinct roles, skills, and abilities, and it is from grouping where the true efficiency can be found, versus in games today where you can solo and fulfill all roles.

    3.  (Re-write) A belief that game economies should strive to minimize inflation and item value deflation.

        - Discuss what this means - mechanics to remove coin from the economy, items/equipment retain their value much longer (i.e. not changing equipment every 1-2 levels).

    4. (Re-Write)  A commitment to a style of play that contains engaging group mechanics and strategic gameplay.

       - Discuss what this means: group-focused combat, climate system, pre/post combat strategy with crowd control etc. versus burst DPS.

    5.  (Keep) An expectation that with greater risk comes greater reward.

     - Discuss how this will be implemented - through death penalty, deeper parts of the dungeons, raids, etc.  Define what constitutes "Risk" in an MMO.  Define how risk in Pantheon may be different than in current MMOs. /Agreed with Dullahan on addressing the concept of loss aversion and how it relates to risk from the Wolfshead article.

    6.  (Keep) A truly challenging game is truly rewarding.

     - Discuss why this is different, define what constitutes "Challenge" in an MMO, and how that is different than the concept of "Risk."  Provide examples of specific challenges.  Discuss how Pantheon challenges may be different than the current MMO market. /Agreed with Dullahan on addressing the concept of loss aversion and how it relates to challenge from the Wolfshead article.

    7. (Rewrite).  This one is more difficult, but I believe I get the gist of what you're meaning here, but I do think due to the length it becomes a bit convoluted.  An understanding that player involvement is required for progression and that actions or lack thereof have consequences. 

    - Discuss positive/negative consequences to actions.  What are some examples?  Completion of a quest results in a quest reward?    Discuss and define the idea of "player involvement" in progression.  Does that mean time commitment?  Does that mean epic quests?  Does that mean group focused, etc. 

    8.  (Rewrite) I like to stay away from absolutes - or the "always" in this case.  A belief that meaningful character progression will involve a player increasing in both power and prestige.

    - Discuss what this means?  What is "meaningful character progression" in the context of Pantheon?  Define both the concepts of power and prestige.  Power = levels? or is the some other measure of power unique to Pantheon.  Same with prestige - does it only mean you've increased in faction?  Or is there some other prestige?  And, I can't help but read this tenet and think of only veritcal progression.  What about horizontal progression?  I realize there still could be an increase in both power and prestige, but, perhaps there wouldn't always?

    9.  (Rewrite) A mindset that some degree of downtime is necessary, which provides the opportunity for players to form strong social bonds and promote strategic gameplay.

    - Discuss the concept of "downtime."  And, the positives that are created as a result of it.  Yes, you are given more opportunity to socialize, but, I think that is only one positive side effect (and, I'd argue, not even the most important).  This is where I would focus on strategic gameplay from the reference of resource management, one of my hot button issues.    I think this could be a tenet that could be fleshed out that makes Pantheon's combat and social possibilities far different than the current crop of MMOs.  You have to use strategy (crowd control, root parking, etc. versus DPS checks), you have to be efficient (can't burn through all your mana every fight), you have to pay attention, etc.

    10.  (Keep)  A belief that an immersive world requires intelligent inhabitants

    - Define "intelligent inhabitants."  Does that mean Dynamic NPCs, changing factions, world events, GM events?  Is this referring to the Disposition system?  etc.  We've also had some good discussion on the concept of creating intelligent inhabitants in the https://pantheonmmo.com/content/forums/topic/3824/i-once-logged-in-as-a-lizardman-shaman-quot-project-m-quot thread (Shameless plug).

    11.  (Keep) An understanding that faction and alignment should be an integral part of interacting with the world and its citizens.

    - Differentiate between faction and alignment.  Is faction similar to EQ?  And, what is alignment?  Is it Lawful Good or Chaotic Evil?  Or is it referring to Dieties?  What are some examples of how faction will play a part in a player's experience?  Why do player's choices matter?

    12.  (Re-write) A commitment to creating a world in which the greatest challenges must be overcome with cooperative gameplay.

    Discuss why this is important?  Why is needing others in a virtual world to overcome obstacles and challenges necessary to make the world feel alive?  How is this different from current MMOs?  Again, this is another area where I believe Pantheon can separate themselves.

    13.  (Re-write) A belief that accomplishments are more meaningful when they are shared and earned.

    Define accomplishments - are you meaning only group adventuring content?  Or Raid content? And, define "earned."  How will Pantheon differ from other MMOs when you accomplish something?  Why will it feel that you "earn" it more?  Does it mean time commitment, challenging mechanics, social challenges? etc.

    14. (Re-write) A belief that player levels should be meaningful, memorable, and merited.

    Define Meaningful, Discuss Memorable (maybe use an example?), and I used Merited for consonance - you could also have use earned, but I don't like to repeat words.  I'd define merited as challenging, hard work that is earned through cooperative gameplay, overcoming various challenges (social, environmental, etc.).  Or, perhaps, this is where you also have to earn your stripes as well by accomplishing something in Pantheon other than "just" obtaining experience to level?

    15.  (Keep) An assertion that player vs. environment should involve more than just NPCs -- Engage the World!

    Discuss environment - how is environment going to be different in Pantheon than traditional PvE?  Climate System, Perception cues, etc. 

    ...I had a few more thoughts but I've already gone to long in this post...  Feel free to ignore any and all suggestions :).


    This post was edited by Raidan at August 21, 2016 9:43 PM PDT
    • 112 posts
    August 17, 2016 6:04 PM PDT

    @Raidan

    agree on all points.  its easy enough to type vague concepts. content is king? no kidding. plenty of games have a ton of content. the issue is if anyone wants to do it, how long it is relevant, things like that. WoW has as much content as any mmo, the problem being that their is no reason to care about anything beyond the max level stuff. can Pantheon solve this problem? we have no way to know, because they wont/cant tell us their ideas outside of vague 'game tenets'

     

     

    • 1778 posts
    August 17, 2016 7:35 PM PDT

    Really enjoy all the helpful comments from Brad. Thanks!

     

    @Raidan

    Good stuff brother. Keep it up.

     

     

     

    I just got through reading over the reddit AMA. There is a lot of good stuff in there. And if Im not mistaken quite a few clarifications as well as a few new tidbits (as far as i know anyway). Some of it might be new FAQ worthy!

    I want to get more involved in this, but I Lkely wont be able to add anything else til this weekend. But I know we have some great forum warriors here, so Im sure it will work out.

    • 1434 posts
    August 17, 2016 8:25 PM PDT

    On the challenge and risk portions of the tenets/features, I think it would be great to see you address loss aversion and some of the things discussed in the recent Wolfshead article.


    This post was edited by Dullahan at August 17, 2016 8:26 PM PDT
    • 1778 posts
    August 20, 2016 9:29 AM PDT

    @ Brad

    Please use some of those awesome Q and As in the FAQ reboot. I know there were several questions that I had never heard the answer to before that Im aware. As well as more clarification on others too. Its definitely a good start. Could probably gain a few from the 2 streams as well. Other areas like posts in other forums like MMORPG.com are a bit harder for me to track down. But I know both you and Kilsin have posted some real gems too.

    • 1778 posts
    August 20, 2016 9:46 AM PDT

    I like the way the Pantheon Difference is laid out. As features are more fleshed out we could just continue with links to more detailed info as was done with The Living Codex (which is really cool btw).

     

    But Perhaps we could flesh out the Future Features section a bit more. Add things that are more in flux with the caveat that they are still under testing/discussion and may not make the final product? And I realize some of these are things that might only happen well after launch but based on the some of the information posted recently, I see no reason that each current section (Building Outposts, Housing and other UGC) cant have a small paragraph to at least get the gist of it.

    • VR Staff
    • 587 posts
    August 21, 2016 8:36 PM PDT

    Thanks all, very helpful.  Now if I may impose upon you further, I'd also like to update the FAQ with quesitons and answers from the AMA that you guys think should be in the FAQ -- could you help us out and identify the ones you think should be there?  Then, hopefully in the next 1-2 weeks, we do a major FAQ update, plus any tweaks to the tenets, etc.

    thanks big time in advance.

    • 221 posts
    August 21, 2016 8:54 PM PDT

    I'm more cautious about laying down precise features before a game hits beta.  I think some stuff could be elborated on and still end up being general in detal... but a lot of featues just need to be straight up tested.  So many companies make this mistake.  Keep your cards close, IMO.  appreciate the openess but we all need to understand that these ideas have life and sometimes die an ugly death so let's keep that in mind with a big disclaimer. 


    This post was edited by Convo at August 21, 2016 8:55 PM PDT
    • 1434 posts
    August 21, 2016 9:55 PM PDT

    I think this needs to be somewhere:

    Aradune said:There's no easy answer here. Keeping players interested and playing a long time, whether in one session or spread out over days, involves creating compelling gameplay. Player rewards and leveling and earning new abilities and acquiring more powerful items at a reasonable rate is one way to make your game sticky. Add in that grouping with others will be encouraged and rewarded and that people will be making new friends in-game and you have a situation where your friends need you to log in with them or order advance -- and most people who want to be part of a team, a team player, respond well to this pressure. As for Pantheon not being as hard core as EQ, I don't think I said that. I said it wouldn't be as grindy, and the type of grind I was referring to involved tedious repetition. But that doesn't mean Pantheon won't be difficult, or involved, or require time invested in order to advance -- in fact, virtually all MUDs and MMOs are built around time invested as the primary advancement mechanism.

    In fact probably should appear on every section of About Pantheon.

    • 999 posts
    August 21, 2016 9:56 PM PDT

    *Edit - Nice work Evoras, saved me some time :)


    This post was edited by Raidan at August 22, 2016 8:22 AM PDT
    • 205 posts
    August 21, 2016 10:54 PM PDT

    Hmmmm... I have no idea why I keep thinking about "hell" levels like in EQ. I know it was a bug but MAN did that unify and create a great talking point among players. I know I must have read/heard it somewhere about is presence or lack thereof ... but maybe clarification on that :)

    • VR Staff
    • 587 posts
    August 22, 2016 1:14 AM PDT

    Dullahan said:

    I think this needs to be somewhere:

    Aradune said:There's no easy answer here. Keeping players interested and playing a long time, whether in one session or spread out over days, involves creating compelling gameplay. Player rewards and leveling and earning new abilities and acquiring more powerful items at a reasonable rate is one way to make your game sticky. Add in that grouping with others will be encouraged and rewarded and that people will be making new friends in-game and you have a situation where your friends need you to log in with them or order advance -- and most people who want to be part of a team, a team player, respond well to this pressure. As for Pantheon not being as hard core as EQ, I don't think I said that. I said it wouldn't be as grindy, and the type of grind I was referring to involved tedious repetition. But that doesn't mean Pantheon won't be difficult, or involved, or require time invested in order to advance -- in fact, virtually all MUDs and MMOs are built around time invested as the primary advancement mechanism.

    In fact probably should appear on every section of About Pantheon.

    We'll just spray paint it everywhere and spam the world!

    • VR Staff
    • 587 posts
    August 22, 2016 1:18 AM PDT

    Convo said:

    I'm more cautious about laying down precise features before a game hits beta.  I think some stuff could be elborated on and still end up being general in detal... but a lot of featues just need to be straight up tested.  So many companies make this mistake.  Keep your cards close, IMO.  appreciate the openess but we all need to understand that these ideas have life and sometimes die an ugly death so let's keep that in mind with a big disclaimer. 

    I tried to do just that with the AMA -- I wanted to answer as much as I could, but avoided going into detail that is still up in the air, or even detail we feel good about but that could change and isn't really that helpful for someone interested in the game to know right now.

    I know there was some criticism of this -- that it was all talk and purposely vague in places.  But, really, what is the alternative?  I could not answer such questions at all.  I could say something generic:  'we are not yet ready to answer this question'.  Or, I can do what I did, and that is answer it vaguely but with enough detail that the person could at least get a general idea of what our thoughts and plans are, and that these are things we're thinking about.

    • 263 posts
    August 22, 2016 1:19 AM PDT

    The voices of Terminus will help you with that @Aradune!

    We will get right on that - Guildies hear, hear go out fourth into this world and spray paint --- Got out of hand there for a minute!

     

    • VR Staff
    • 587 posts
    August 22, 2016 1:22 AM PDT

    Amsai said:

    I like the way the Pantheon Difference is laid out. As features are more fleshed out we could just continue with links to more detailed info as was done with The Living Codex (which is really cool btw).

     

    But Perhaps we could flesh out the Future Features section a bit more. Add things that are more in flux with the caveat that they are still under testing/discussion and may not make the final product? And I realize some of these are things that might only happen well after launch but based on the some of the information posted recently, I see no reason that each current section (Building Outposts, Housing and other UGC) cant have a small paragraph to at least get the gist of it.

    That's fine with me as long as it remains clear that this is long term stuff and that Pantheon, at launch, will have plenty of features, mechanics, and content to stand on its own.  I don't mind talking about the Grand Vision in general, but I do fear at times that it could distract or cause people to focus more on whats years away than what's going to be an awesome game at launch.  Anyway, trying to strike a balance here -- not avoid post-launch completely, but also not overly hype post-launch either -- surely there is a healthy middle ground.

    • 1434 posts
    August 22, 2016 2:20 AM PDT

    I know its sort of off topic, but I'd love to see a general list of things that are being achieved each month or so and the things currently being worked on. I don't just mean monthly updates, but a bit more detailed like the patch notes last week. I think that sort transparency helps people know whats up and builds confidence.

    • 763 posts
    August 22, 2016 5:39 AM PDT

    For those of you who missed the AMA and the points Brad made.... Below is:

    Transcript of AMA with Brad:

    + Categorised by content / subject (may be errors)

    + Labelled to facilitate 'amendment' and discussion

    + Predominently RAW text, with small edits for clarity.

    Find a piece that interest you/should be included in the FAQ and cut/paste as response to build up framework for Brad etc.

     

    1. GENERAL and OVERVIEW:

    Q1-1. How does the development team plan on combating past programs like ShowEQ and MacroQuest?
    Well, having lived through all that definitely made a lasting impression. We had to learn the hard way to make the client as dumb as possible. With Pantheon, however, we are designing the client to be as dumb as possible and only sending to the client the bare minimum of information.
    Q1-2. A common theme is that no MMO is as good as your first. Do you agree? How do you plan to effectively immerse veteran gamers into your world?
    We may never be able to truly replicate that very first experience a person had when playing their first MMO. But I don't think we need to. What we need to do is re-capture the magic of the earlier games by making sure community, teamwork, socialization, the building of true in-game friendships, and share experiences all return to the genre via Pantheon.
    Q1-3. Everquest Next really opened up the debate on how a world develops. What, if anything, do you intend to put into Pantheon along those lines ? Where we players will feel as if we really are forging the world, not just passengers on it ?
    Well, while that kind of system was hardly new to EQN (UO dabbled with it as did several MUDs/MUSHes in the 80s/90s) the issue is really deciding to what importance making a game first and then expanding upon that game later, or making a simulation and true open world first, and then letting people make games within that open world. Our plan with Pantheon is the former. The latter, while I'm sure it will be seriously attempted at some point in the future, is currently out of reach and will likely be a product of a different type of vision.
    Q1-4. One of the game tenets talks about building an environment that actively works against item deflation.Can you explain the importance of maintaining a healthy economy in the world of terminus, and what steps are being taken to prevent item value deflation?
    That's a tough one to explain briefly. Slowing and controlling mudflation, having lots of item and money sinks, etc. is essential. Please see the write up on MUDflation that I did -- it should be on our web site under the dev diaries.
    Q1-5. What about Text-Localization? Will the Client be avail in different Languages?
    If it makes sense and we can find a partner that will take on the challenges of localization, then there's no reason why we wouldn't
    Q1-6. What kind of AI do you plan on using? Anything fancy?
    We have a full scripting language we are finishing up. This should allow us, at least for special cases (important boss mobs, NPCs that are key to telling a story, etc.) to create compelling behavior. Additionally boss mobs will have different Dispositions, such that one could be a coward and run, while another calls for reinforcements, and another that seeks out your healers and kills them first.
    Q1-7. Have you considered making any 360° promotional videos for Pantheon?
    Haven't thought too super hard about it.... do you have any good examples other games have done? Thus far we've found it both much more effective and much more fun to make twitch streams as opposed to movies.

    -A- The Pantheon Difference
    Q1A-1. What do you think Pantheon delivers that another MMO hasn’t already done?
    One could perhaps argue that the MMO market is saturated with single player oriented casual MMOs. At the opposite extreme, however, it is definitely missing any challenging, group oriented, community focused, social and cooperative games with a big emphasis on making the E in PvE really matter. Pantheon in this respect and many others is unique and brings a very different experience to the table, one that has been sorely missed by MMO gamers who prefer cooperative play, and one that will be embraced by many younger players who, while they enjoy cooperative play in session based games, have never experienced it in a true MMO with a persistent world.
    Q1A-2. This game seems like an updated version of EQ1. I'd like to know what the key differences between your game and EQ1 will be?
    The best way to see the differences and where we're taking Pantheon further, far further than EQ, is to head to pantheonmmo.com and go to the Pantheon Differentiators page.
    Q1A-3. What would you say is the most significant departure from "classic" Everquest and Pantheon, from a game design perspective?
    It's hard to pick one, because there are several, but I'll pick one anyway. In EQ you pretty much had to figure out how important socialization, making friends and teamwork was the hard way. You either figured it out and embraced it, loved it, etc., or you figured it out and decided the game wasn't for you. With Pantheon, we are NOT taking the 'throw the baby bird out of the nest approach', hoping he'll do ok. Rather, we are taking a very proactive role in helping build friendships and the community.

    -B- Identified Mechanics
    Q1B-1. Is the progeny system still on the table? And if it is, will there be any benefit from the progeny system besides cosmetic improvements?
    It's on the table and it having actual in-game effects would be essential -- likely certain aspects of an alt's parents would be passed onto the alt, giving it certain advantages and abilities a normal alt would not have -- the trick, of course, is to reward long term players for making alts while not overpowering their alts and furstrating new players.

    -C- Economics
    Q1C-1. Will the cheapest support package remain at the current level of $100?
    We will be unveiling a new set of pledges that should be ready mid-september which include changes based on how many more alpha testers we need and which we think players will be interested in based on their feedback. I can say at this point that there will indeed be a $50 tier.
    Q1C-2. I'm sure you're well aware of stuff like Pay to Win and never-ending beta/alpha games that are seemingly everywhere today. How is Pantheon going to be different?
    I can assure you that pay-to-win will have no place in Pantheon and that our entire business model relies on actually commercially launching it.
    Q1C-3. As this is going to be a subscription based game, is it going to be possible to buy several months in advance for a (possibly) cheaper value? Will it be possible to buy a life-time subscription as well?
    Yes, and likely yes.
    Q1C-4. you were toying with the idea of the game being free/trial up to level 10. if this is true, or still on the table, any restrictions in mind?
    Excellent questions. Yes, in general, a new player will be able to download and play Pantheon to a certain level for free, with a minimum of impediments. It's important to us that players, especially those who might not be familiar with classically based MMOs, be given a chance acclimate and truly enjoy the game. That said, some restrictions on the free character may have to be made in order to avoid it being used by farmers, griefers, etc.
    Q1C-5. Many on the forums have said they want a store for Pantheon swag (physical items like t-shirts, mugs, etc.) would you consider reviving this store sooner rather than later?
    At this point we are simply too focused on making the game. We don't have the resources to create an online store and to order and stock Pantheon related swag.
    Q1C-6. So, any news on the business model? Have you looked at Elder Scrolls Online (lots of cosmetics, XP boosts and regular DLC expansion releases)?
    Leaning heavily toward, at least in the West, the sub model. It works, it's proven, and it is what our target audience wants. VR strongly believe that a revenue model needs to match the game and its audience -- there is no magic model that works for all games in all regions.


    2. DEVELOPMENT plus (PRE)ALPHA and BETA

    Q2-1. In the Pre-Alpha test, do you plan on having more classes available, or just the core ones shown in the livestreams so far?
    In the first test where outside testers will be brought board who pledged for that access, the plan is to have all classes available, but likely only up to a certain level.
    Q2-2. how confident are you in your programmers and coders to make Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen a success for MMO gamers with modern and lower end pc spec hardware?
    With Pantheon we are optimizing at least once a month, often more frequently, and our target PC is very middle of the road. YOu will NOT require a high end gaming machine to run Pantheon.
    Q2-3. Around how long will each phase of testing (Pre-Alpha/Alpha/Beta) last?
    We want to be in full testing for a full year -- it helped EQ launch in a solid, fairly balanced way, and we want this for Pantheon as well.
    Q2-4. Can you provide any sort of timeframe for alpha/beta?
    Nothing to specific or set in stone, no, because the most important thing is that we are ready, that the game is ready. Remember, alpha and beta are not like early access, where by design a portion of the game is sold to people. Alpha and beta for us is all about people helping us test the game, the mechanics, the features, the content. If enough of the features and mechanics are not present, or if there is not enough content, then starting bringing in outside people would actually do more harm than good. It would frustrate the tester and it wouldn't provide us with much useful information. So the answer is when we're ready, and we hope to be by the first quarter of next year, but again, no promises.
    Q2-5. What is your best estimate at this time of when we could get access to the game?
    You mean to help test? Likely early 2018. (possible error? Alpha=2017, retail=2018)
    Q2-6. you want death to mean something, but not so much as to discourage exploration. Can you give us any details on the current plan for the penalty upon death of a character?
    Not yet -- going to work out the fine details with our alpha and beta testers -- death penalties are not something one should design in a vaccuum.

    3. SERVER and CLIENT

    Q3-1. Will unscripted world PvP be included?
    PvP by launch we hope to have one shard, and that would likely be an FFA shard. That said, PvP is very important to us, with one of Pantheon's expansions likely centered around it. It would be at this time that a variety of PvP settings and rulesets would be exposed to the segment of the player base who enjoys the extra dimension of gameplay PvP brings to an MMO.
    Q3-2. Will you launch with servers that have different rulesets?
    We would very much like to launch with alternate ruleset servers. For sure we will launch with at least one, an open PvP server. How many alternate ruleset servers we have, however, is directly dependent on how many servers we have overall, which directly depends on how popular the game is.
    Q3-3. What is your idea of an ideal primetime server population for Pantheon?
    Too early to know. The zones, especially the outdoor ones, are HUGE, so we will likely require fewer to launch with. But to really get a good feel for how many players feels right in a zone or an entire shard, you have to bring those people into the game, so much of this will be determined in alpha and beta, when we start bringing in outside players.
    Q3-4. What advantages do you see to having multiple servers, over something like the elder scrolls has done having a mega server?
    Our servers exist in the cloud and it is extremely easy and quick to make adjustments based on load or other in-game changes. It is also very easy and quick to launch new shards.
    Q3-5. Would you say that the world is being designed more for 1st or 3rd person view? Will there be claustrophobic dungeons that make 3rd person play difficult?
    We test consistently in both and plan to support both. That said, I must say that while I was more of a first person player in pervious MMOs, in Pantheon I have become a third person player. Why? Situational awareness. If i do not look around, behind me, ahead of me... if I get distracted... if I am not prepared... I will likely run into something deadly, or something deadly will run into me, and I'm going to regret it. So, live and learn and next time: pay attention.
    Q3-6. Addons? Also will we be able to customize our own UI in-game without addons? A tank's UI and a healer's UI are very different things for me, and not being able to move bars around is annoying.
    Yes, the UI will be customizable and skinnable.


    4. CHARACTER - CLASSES and RACES

    Q4-1. How far will Pantheon go to making classes and races feel truly different from one another?
    Well, first, the issue with balance and PvP vs PvE is not one that is that difficult to solve: you just use different formulate and data - you don't cross your streams. That way, if I need to make Paladins in PvE more powerful, I can do that without disrupting PvP balance. And vice versa. Ones race and class should definitely result in a different experience and playing an alt should feel reasonably different. As for significant racial penalties, like exp penalties, I don't think anything like that will be necessary in Pantheon.
    Q4-2. What's you guys' stance on cross-race or cross-faction communication/interaction? One of my favourite things about my years in EQ was the ability to do things like practically learn other languages or even effectively "betray" your home faction with all the risks/rewards thereof. Is Pantheon taking a more open, EQ-esque stance on communication, or something more team/alignment based?
    We like all of that in general -- the question comes up though, to what degree should these factions matter and does this sort of thing slip into PvP territory. If it does, you'd only see it in PvP servers. But changing your factions so NPCs will react differently to you -- this is all key to the game -- our faction system will be quite robust. Yes, you could betray your home or default factions.
    Q4-3. With all these races and classes, are they going to become homogenized for easy balancing, or will some just naturally be better at other things than others?
    On a high level, overall, there must be balance. If not, everyone would feel compelled to play only the race that is more powerful than the others. That said, what race you choose will involve receiving different racial innate abiliities that can and will be handy while adventuring. So there will be times when the race you choose is to your and your parties advantage, other times nuetral, and other times to your disadvantage. Same with classes. They will all be useful in any serious dungeon or other adventure area.
    Q4-4. What are the current plans for character customization?
    Nothing too crazy and unusual -- take one of the more recent MMOs and its safe to assume similar functionality will be present in Pantheon.

    -A- Race Specific
    Q4A-1. Will the female dark myr player character model look as pretty as depicted in the races section?
    I sure hope so :) The female playable characters in Pantheon brings up an important point: they will be very attractive, heroic in appearance, a persona anyone could look up to. But they will not be overly sexualized. I want, for example, my 18 year old daughter to be able to create a female character and feel proud of that character and its appearance. We think it's very doable to create fantastic, attractive, and impactful female characters without overly sexualizing them.
    Q4A-2. Any plans for adding the Troll race to Pantheon or is it pretty much only Ogre's?
    No specific plans, but, post launch, I don't see why not.
    Q4A-3. Can we expect to see racial bonuses, traits and/or abilities that will give minor adjustments to the effectiveness on specific classes?
    Absolutely. Choosing a race should really make a difference in an MMO and not only a cosmetic one.
    Q4A-4. Will my dwarf be able to smoke a pipe?
    I sure hope so... or at least vape :)
    Q4A-5. What are the plans for race-restricting classes? What about XP penalties for certain classes?
    Race based class restrictions are still under discussion, but I think they do make sense in some cases. Racial innate abilities should also play a role, both potentially benefitial and detrimental. XP penalties though? That's probably taking it too far for me.

    -B- Class Specific
    Q4B-1. Will Rangers be forced to have pets, or can they be a (viable) petless archer?
    While I'm not going to go into any real detail today on classes we've not already revealed, I can say that Rangers will not require the use of pets.
    Q4B-2. As a long time EQ Bard that feels no other game has gotten them right, why won't there be a Bard class in Pantheon?
    That's just it -- Bards deserve to be done right. Right now I can't promise we'll have the time to do them right by launch. If I do, we'll get 'em done. If I don't, we'll get them post launch -- either way, they will be a unique and important class.
    Q4B-3. I've been noticing gender pronouns used in the class descriptions. Does this mean gender locked classes for Warrior/Crusader for example?
    No gender locking, but yes to gender diversity.
    Q4B-4. When it comes to learning new spells, will players be able to purchase their spells ahead of time similar to everquest, or will they have to return to a trainer to learn them as they go?
    I believe they could buy up those they didn't want to return for. An important factoid however: not all of your abilities and spells will be on trainers sitting in safe little villages and towns; rather, the more exotic and desired abilities you'll have to train from others, whom you'll have to find, and to whom you'll have to travel to rather than die trying.
    Q4B-5. A newer trend among many of the games over the last 5 years or more has been for character classes to have multiple trees to build and grow in. Is this an approach Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen is intending to take? Or will it be warrior 12 = warrior 12?
    Pantheon is a traditional level based system with skills and abilities that are unlocked and practiced as you level up. Some customization and specialization will be present, but never to the point where a warrior ceases to be a warrior.
    Q4B-6. Do you see people specializing in roles such as a puller or crowd control? Or do you expect everyone to have tools to help with CC, and groups to move around a lot rather than find a nice spot to camp and pull to?
    There are four core roles -- DPS, tanking, healing and CC. It is important that each of the classes is good at one of these roles, and also as good as another class which shares a role. The difference will be that one class will express that role through abilities and spells very differently than the other.
    Q4B-7. Are we warriors still the master of all weapons?
    I wouldn't say warriors are masters of all weapons, no. They are masters of some weapons, and this may vary on what race of warrior you are. Warriors generally have the most varied melee combat skills, like parry, dodge, reposte, dual wield, etc. But other classes will be very formidable in melee combat as well -- they'll just express their deadliness using different items, skills, and tactics.

    5. GAMEPLAY

    -A- Overview
    Q5A-1. Would you please give your thoughts on boxing vs. botting, and how it would be handled in Pantheon?
    My reaction to multi boxing is to try something first before I even entertain the idea of artificially restricting it: I want to make combat, especially mid and higher level combat, so tactically intense, with so much going on, so much to do, so much to counter, so many companions to keep alive, and the timing of many abilities crucial, that multi-boxing is, if not impossible, extremely difficult and likely far inferior to having an actual real person in your group.
    Q5A-2. What details can you give us regarding the loot distribution systems for group, raids, and/or guilds? Will the system be able to distribute loot to players in other zones or offline? Will the system prevent players without looting permissions from looting (aka prevent ninja looting?)
    We believe strongly that the group or group leader should determine the looting rules. What that means for us is that we need to provide the player with a flexible and powerful loot system. Ideally this system should be easily configured in a short period of time with the rules the group or group leader prefers. I'm not ready to list out all of the functionality, but if you look at the better loot systems out there in other MMOs, you can reasonably expect something comparable.
    Q5A-3. Will trains behave like they did in EQ1? Will they cause collateral damage?
    Yes.... in fact with our better mob pathing, they can be even more dangerous.
    Q5A-4. Wondering if there will be high-level instanced content like vanilla/tbc wow raids, with bosses with multiple mechanics that offer a really difficult challenge. I feel like this is impossible to do outiside of an instance because bosses would just be zerg by 100+ players?
    No instanced combat. Dungeons will be huge and shared. Certain areas and specific mobs may be assigned to the group that got their first, leaving others to more passive roles, but you will be in the same environment. As for zerging and other similar behaviors, mobs in Pantheon will not simply stick around and be destroyed by vast numbers of players -- they will act and react, whether that means leaving the area, calling in friends, etc.
    Q5A-5. More importantly, will systems like that (complex spawn conditions, irregular spawn periods) be present in Pantheon?
    our Event system works on spawn conditions, etc.
    Q5A-6. What does Pantheon have to offer a sandbox player like me?
    Pantheon is definitely more open world and sandboxy than many MMOs, but it is still at its core a game system, not a true sanbox sans rules. But they key point is that you can go where you want to go, take on whatever you want to take on (tho you may die), and travel to wherever you can see (assuming you don't freeze to death enroute). So the decisions are yours -- you are not being led around by the game on rails, with only so many options.
    Q5A-7. Some games seem to be going the route where you are limited to certain abilities available to you at a time. Are you taking that route with Pantheon?
    You may be limited to a subset of your abilities for the next encounter, causing you to have to intelligently plan ahead and memorize the spells most effective against the upcoming enemy. Likewise you'll want to mem spells that counter the upcoming mobs abilities. Lastly, you may have some abilities that work synergistically with others in your group. But the key point here is that these tactical decisions can be made right before the actual encounter. Then, say you move on deeper in to the dungeon and are about to confront a different boss, with different abilities and a different disposition, it may make tactical sense to mem different abilities. So yes, you are limited to that extent (you cannot simply use any of your 80+ abilities whenever you wish) because planning for the battle ahead and doing so effectively is key to Pantheon.
    Q5A-8. I can typical only play 2-4 hours per day. I am worried with no quick travel or lfg features I will spend my time lfg and traveling then be forced to abandon my group mid way though.
    First, 2-4 hours is great -- you should in most cases be able to complete something in that time period that you can feel good about, where you get a real sense of accomplishment. As for travel and lfg, please allow me to clarify. First, there will, in addition to mounts, be ways to travel quickly over long distances. These will involve abilities limited to some of the classes. More detail at this time would be premature other than to say that you'll likely have to had explored on foot an area before another class can teleport you to it. LFG features... we will have LFG features galore. Please see my previous reply about how important it is for us to find groups, make real friends, and to keep our players together.
    Q5A-9. Will there be hidden things all over the world? Things that encourage players to travel off the beaten path? Not just for "story" progression, not just for quests, but for the sake of just... adventuring?
    Yes, linked to our Perception system. If your perception skill is not high enough or the wrong type, what may be visible to others will not be visible to you.
    Q5A-10. Will you incorporate any type of in-game Magelo system? Where you can view other players stats and/or 'rank' players?
    Yes, likely so.
    Q5A-11. Outside of combat, do you think there's room for more sophisticated behavior such as through objective-oriented AI?
    Basic behavior of an NPC is based on their race, class, and stats. Special or significant NPCs may have actual scripted dispositions and/or other special behaviors. NPCs move around and are generally not static. Events can cause special NPCs to spawn.
    Q5A-12. Will Pantheon focus on say live events and changing world's say every 2-3 months for players to keep it exciting. GM events beefed up
    GM events are great for making the world more dynamic, and we will have them, but we're not stopping there. Our Event system will cause the population of a zone or region within that zone to vary depending on different triggers. Someone finishing a quest may cause an event to trigger. Killing a certain mob could cause an event to trigger. The weather, or time of day, etc. could cause an event to trigger. So the world will be more dynamic than what has been seen in many other MMOs. That said, it will not be too dynamic -- players should still be able to learn their way around the game and the world and use that knowledge to their advantage. No one wants complete unpredictability.
    Not just GM events, by an intricate Event system to keep the world more dynamic and a commitment by the live team to revamp older zones to keep them popular as well.
    Q5A-13. With the environments in the game will there be specific encounters and creature based on them? Will we see things like this and would the player have to adjust for climate during the encounter?
    The general answer is yes, and that our Lore Master Justin is constantly coming up with interesting areas, and not just interesting to explore but interesting in terms of surviving the denizens that live in those regions.

    -B- End Game + Raiding Specific
    Q5B-1. What do you envision the end game scene to be like?
    the term 'end game' has evolved into something far different : the perception that the true game, the fun game, didn't begin until the 'end game'. With Pantheon there will not be a 'rush to the final levels' Pantheon is not a primarily raiding game, though we know many in our community enjoy raiding. Same with soloing -- it is not Pantheon's focus, but some people like to solo occasionally. Also, there is no reason why we couldn't have, say, level 20 or level 30 raids. In other words, there is nothing magical or special at the final levels that somehow allow you to experience an aspect of Pantheon that was previously hidden. That is not the case.
    Q5B-2. Having read your answer on "endgame", how do you plan to keep player interested to play for a long time, as the game won't be as "hardcore" as Everquest grind was?
    There's no easy answer here. Keeping players interested and playing a long time, whether in one session or spread out over days, involves creating compelling gameplay. Player rewards and leveling and earning new abilities and acquiring more powerful items at a reasonable rate is one way to make your game sticky. Add in that grouping with others will be encouraged and rewarded and that people will be making new friends in-game and you have a situation where your friends need you to log in with them or order advance -- and most people who want to be part of a team, a team player, respond well to this pressure. As for Pantheon not being as hard core as EQ, I don't think I said that. I said it wouldn't be as grindy, and the type of grind I was referring to involved tedious repetition. But that doesn't mean Pantheon won't be difficult, or involved, or require time invested in order to advance -- in fact, virtually all MUDs and MMOs are built around time invested as the primary advancement mechanism.
    Q5B-3. Do you plan on those raids to be instanced?
    No, nothing instanced, although it is possible specific encounters would be locked to the guild doing that content such that others could not interfere. Its still too early to talk about how many people would be in a raid at any given level. We also have some ideas we want to try in alpha and beta that would restrict zerging and make it hopefully not very productive to go back as a high level player and participate in, say, a mid-level raid.
    Q5B-4. Will the in-game guild functions include raid attendance tracking or dkp tracking for guild events? Will there be any tie-in with loot distribution to allow a raid leader to distribute loot through the guild tool using the aforementioned tracking systems?
    Yes, pretty much all of that and more.
    Q5B-5. One of the early concepts in Everquest which I absolutely adored, was the willingness to place serious raid encounters within an xp zone. I still remember the first time I saw a raid engaging Gorenaire, and thinking "Holy, that's what I want to do!". I'm hoping that you guys want to keep up this philosophy :)
    I think keeping people on their toes and not being always predictable is a healthy thing :)
    Q5B-6. While I am no fan of raiding, to each his own. What about zone-wide triggered /or periodic encounters ala Rifts, Warhammer where participants in a battle can work together informally to defeat an invading force or greater threat? And if so, will this potentially be sequenced into chained event worthy battles that will not require formal grouping, organization in order for all participants to be rewarded?
    Yes, all of that and other things are part of our Event System.
    Q5B-7. You mentioned you want to get away from the term "End Game" which I totally agree with but what about the other big problem with long living MMO's the ever increasing need to raise Level Caps. Could you see a Pantheon where maybe the expansions are just purely new content for low/high players?
    I think that always raising the level cap can be a mistake. Having an expansion focus on more things for higher level players to do would be great. That said, at some point, players want to see their characters level up, so some expansions will always need to raise the level cap.

    -C- Economy
    Q5C-1. Will a player run economy be a priority in future development?
    Yes, a player driven economy is a huge part of what makes Pantheon tick. Buy/sell locations will largely be determined and driven by the community.

    -D-Levelling
    Q5D-1. How will the leveling process compare to EQ's. Is the perception system substantial enough that players will in dungeons for reasons besides experience? Is leveling by killing monsters still the primary means of gameplay and progression?
    Gaining experience by any means, including killing mobs, finishing quests, etc. is still the fundamental way to keep track of a characters vertical progression and accomplishments. That much is similar between EQ and Pantheon and, really, between almost all MMOs. The Perception system is our answer to boring quest hubs and being told to accomplish things that really had nothing to do with the environment and the lore. By using your Perception skill, by finding Perception triggers, and by following them where they lead, you will be doing 'quests', but quests given to you in context by the environment. You can be rewarded in just as many ways as a traditional quest: exp, item, quest token, etc.
    -E- World Events
    Q5E-1. One thing I've always wanted to see are gods/deities that impossible to defeat and live among the world. We saw this with Kerafyrm in Velious  Do you have any plans to include this in Pantheon? Additionally, can we expect to see any one-time encounters, again, like Kerafyrm, that are a first-come battle with lasting affects on the server(s)?
    It is possible that killing a god in spirit form is impossible. At least, if there is a way, no one remembers how. When a god loses devotion, or worshippers, however, he becomes corporeal, a God-King, and is then part of the physical world and subject to that world. So yes, we can create NPCs that are not killable. One time encounters are a bit of a challenge because a lot of work is put into one -- I'd like to see epic scenarios like Kerafyrm or something similar, but not have it a one time event.

    -F- Combat related
    Q5F-1. What are your plans to keep combat fun and engaging for new players yet please fans of the original EQ style combat systems?
    I don't think there's really some significant chasm separating old school players and younger players. In any group you'll find people who have different tastes, whether it be in food, drink, or gaming. Typically if a particular playstyle seems underrepresented at some point it's not because there aren't players in each age group that would love a game with that particular style, but rather that a compelling game using that play style is absent. For a long time action RPGs were considered no longer in demand, but then Blizzard put Diablo out and suddenly everyone, old, young, etc. was fiending on that game. This is also true with MMOs. Some prefer more action twitchy combat, while others a tab targeted more tactical combat experience. What's important here is that there are games with those different experiences available to play. Unfortunately classicly styled MMOs have been mostly abandoned leaving a huge player base orphaned. Without going into why at the moment I will say that Pantheon and VR are happy to fill that void created by those who felt it somehow necessary to create a 'wow-killer' and chase the dream of mass market appeal.
    Q5F-2. If I figure out, mid encounter that I've got the wrong skills up, I'd like to be able to switch mid battle to test. Is there a way to drop combat and switch out if we need to mid battle, or would we have to wait to disengage to change our available abilities?
    You could flee combat and reconfigure yourself. Your guildmates may frown upon this, especially if it results in their death, but there's nothing stopping you (assuming the mob isn't aggro on you at that moment).


    6. CRAFTING

    Q6-1. Will crafting gear be useful at all? And are you planning to have more than one instance or area to get the best possible gear for each class?
    Crafted gear will be just as important as dropped gear, but will likely perform a slightly different precise purpose. Pantheon will have virtually no Instanced zones -- certainly not combat zones. The best loot will be spread out over a vast, epic world of planar high fantasy -- you better go get it because it's not coming to you :)
    Q6-2. With regards to crafting, 1 - Can you give a glimpse into how in depth the crafting system is intended to be ?
    Our Crafting and Harvesting system will be a significant part of the Pantheon experience but also one that we are not focused on and implementing at this stage. In a few more months, when we do focus on these systems, I will be much more able and willing to explain it's mechanics and intricacies.
    Q6-3. How will crafting be at the higher end of the game. Will we be able to create gear for our own characters and trading between other members of the community?
    Not ready to go into details about how crafting and harvesting are going to fundamentally work. Its a very important system and hopefully we'll start revealing aspects of it in a few months.

    7. QUESTS

    Q7-1. With no plans for quest hubs as I understand it, how will Pantheon appeal to players who aren't interested in a grind and want story-driven content?
    First, it's important to point out that even though Pantheon will not use the 'quest hub' style found in many MMOs, story-driven content, lore, etc. is still very important to us. In Pantheon you will learn about the world's rich backstory not as often through conventional quests, but more often via our Perception system. We are still telling a story, but it's less 'on rails' or themepark-ish and more open world.
    Q7-2. My favorite feature from the original EQ: The ability to actually converse with npc's, without any leading prompts or "!" or "?" signs above npc heads.
    no fear, there will be no ! or ? signs above NPCs heads.
    Q7-3. Are there plans to do the truly hard epic quests?
    Yes, I think those seeking truly epic class quests will find what they're looking for in Terminus.
    Q7-4. Will there be lore based questing for lore stories?
    Absolutely. Virtually all quests and perceptions will be based on the lore of the world.
    Q7-5. Will you be introducing class quests, such as Armor of Ro, Fiery Avenger, etc?
    We are definitely going to try to bring that experience back and level defining epic quests are a great way to do so.
    Q7-6. Do you anticipate there being long questlines for end game items in Pantheon ?
    my general answer at this point would be sure!


    8. SOCIAL ASPECTS inc GUILDS

    Q4-1. Is there something being done to make playing with friends/guildies easier? Mega-Server technology? Free transfers, etc?
    Bringing people together, finding new friends for them, connecting old friends, helping them play in the same environment -- all of this and more is incredibly important in Pantheon because of the social and community core nature of the game. There will be all sorts of features, services, etc. that will bring groups together and keep them together. Helping hold together this vital social glue is paramount and there are not one or two ways to do it -- it will require a holistic approach and a full social system approaching the issue from all different angles if we are to make a successful, fun, and rewarding grouping MMO.
    Q8-2. How are you going to encourage strangers to start talking to each other and play together in the game?
    As per my reply just before this, there will be an entire System of features, policies, etc. to help people find new friends and others to group with -- there is no one special solution to such a challenge -- it has to be a priority and addressed from many angles. Some quick and easy examples, of course, would be to reward people who don't know each other to group together, to help them stay in contact, to allow them if they want to share personal information, to allow searching for new friends, assuming that person chooses to participate in matchmaking. The main point is that we'll be doing all sorts of things to proactively bring people together and KEEP them together. This is the complete opposite of something like a dungeon finder that randomly brings in people you need to do an instance, you do the instance likely not even speaking a word, and then once the instance is over, the group disperses. This is what destroys communities and true social interaction.
    Q8-3. Will there be Guildhalls (Like in EQ2) /w workbenches, Guildbank and stuff?
    Likely yes, after launch, but also likely a part of an outpost as opposed to occupying a fixed point in world space.
    Q8-4. Will there be scrambled text when drinking and typing in-game?
    Will be tempting to put something like that in, yes.
    Q8-5. Will there be a built-in voice chat system?
    Yes
    Q8-6. I'd love to hear about public spaces that encourage RP and community building.
    The entire game world is open and public and often the best of friends are made by surviving something very dangerous and, by necessity, learning to be an effective team. This is where RP and community building will be at its finest in Pantheon.
    Q8-7. Have you considered any mechanics that will encourage players seek out other players to grow the community and increase interaction?
    Yes, several. Taking a proactive approach to bringing people together, helping them make friends, and involving them with the community is paramount -- in 2016 you cannot simply let people do that by themselves -- for too long games have made this unnecessary and, in a sense, we need to help de-program them and re-reveal the magic and fun that comes from teamwork and shared experiences.
    Q8-8. What sort of things would you like to see within Pantheon that would enhance the guild experience ?
    That goes into the Social System I refered to earlier, which would include guild management tools, the ability for guilds to be rewarded or pentalized, possibly leveling up, etc.


    9. POST-LAUNCH Expansion and UPDATE

    Q9-1. I know this would be something for further down the road, but would you like to revisit the social mechanic from Vanguard and iterate on that?
    As for adding Diplo to Pantheon? Post launch we will be very interested in adding horizontal paths of player advancement, and diplo is pretty high on my list.
    Q9-2. Are you open to the idea of additional classes post launch?
    We are indeed open to adding them but only if done correctly and with care. You are correct that implemented poorly later classes can have diminished roles in the world and in lore. We are committed to not taking short cuts and doing things right and we are stubborn enough to execute on these commitments.
    Q9-3. Really curious about one of the future game features of Building Outposts, could you give any info to clarify what it's about at this time?
    It's post launch, so I'm not going to focus much on it. I will say this: the general idea is that instead of building a home in non-instanced space, having that home sit there, take up room, etc., players will instead build temporary outposts out in the world as they explore. Once they have outleveled a region, they will pack up there outpost and moveon. Lastly, players with outposts will greatly benefit if other players take advantage of their outpost, so they will encourage others to visit.


    A. TEASERS

    QA-1. What is a rough percentage of the landmass currently complete? Can you give us a estimate on the size of the world on release, as compared to original EQ/VG or other?
    I can't give you a rough percentage completely because so many variables are involved. As for total world size, that really means 'quantity of content'. Our goal is to have enough content at launch to go at least 6, perhaps 9 months, before releasing an expansion. So, in a way, similar to EQ at launch.
    QA-2. Are you ready to leak any info small shred of info on the Summoner class yet?
    No, we are not ready to go into any significant detail on classes we haven't already covered. Class info is usually revealed through our newsletter -- as far as I know that will continue.
    QA-3. Will Gnomes be able to play the Monk class?
    We're not quite ready to reveal which races can be which classes -- all in good time :)
    QA-4. Are there any plans for a fairy/Fae to be a playable race?
    Not currently in the plans, but maybe post launch
    QA-5. What is the level cap going to be?
    At this point, still relatively early on, the plan is either 40 or 50.
    QA-6. Frogloks?!
    Some things can be done in homage to the classic games and the MUDs that came before them while other parts of the classic games should stand on their own and always be a differentiator.
    QA-7. Will there be achievements? If so, is there any plan to make them actually interesting beyond a point tally or little stub in a menu?
    If we do use them, I would use them as positive reinforcement. For example, giving someone an acheivement in order to encourage them to explore the world and take risks.
    QA-8. I loved the typing conversation and quest system of Everquest1 where you learned about tasks you could perform via typing [important keywords] into responses with npcs. I left me feeling engaged and creative, does pantheon have anything akin to this?
    Once we reveal our next expansion of the Perception system, this should be revealed
    QA-9. Will there be some, any, form of sea/ocean travel to get across large bodies of water? Will swimming be an option?
    We've not finalized how sea travel will work at launch, but eventually you'll be able to sail ships around the world.... before all of that is implemented, however, some limited class abilities, similar to those that teleport you over land would likely teleport you over water. Swimming not only an option, but a very important skill with one of our player races being aquatic.
    QA-10. Are there any plans to sell cosmetic armors and appearance gear, or will aesthetics always be tied to your in-game accomplishments?
    Uncertain as of yet. The only thing that's been decided that, in a combat region, the way you look will be based on the actual adventuring items you are wearing and wielding. We also want lower level players to encounter higher level players and see their amazing gear and to be inspired. If you can just willy nilly appear anyway you want, that inspiration, which is very important, can be impeded. To that end, there will probably be some restrictions as to where you can appear using your cosmetic gear.

     EDIT: How could there not be errors on a post this size!


    This post was edited by Evoras at August 22, 2016 5:41 AM PDT
    • 221 posts
    August 22, 2016 6:36 AM PDT

    Really nice job Evoras! 

    • VR Staff
    • 587 posts
    August 22, 2016 8:14 AM PDT

    Convo said:

    Really nice job Evoras! 

    Agree, awesome.  From there we can grab new FAQ questions.  Still need to consolodate existing FAQ questions that need updates/re-writing and also any changes to the tenets.

    With all of your help we should be able to get this wrapped up this week I would think - thanks!

    • 793 posts
    August 22, 2016 8:44 AM PDT

    Aradune said:

    That's fine with me as long as it remains clear that this is long term stuff and that Pantheon, at launch, will have plenty of features, mechanics, and content to stand on its own.  I don't mind talking about the Grand Vision in general, but I do fear at times that it could distract or cause people to focus more on whats years away than what's going to be an awesome game at launch.  Anyway, trying to strike a balance here -- not avoid post-launch completely, but also not overly hype post-launch either -- surely there is a healthy middle ground.

     

    You make it sound like we lack focus...... Oooooh look a squirrel.....

    ;) 


    This post was edited by Fulton at August 22, 2016 8:45 AM PDT
    • 1778 posts
    August 22, 2016 10:10 AM PDT
    @Evoras

    You have my vote for Pantheon Forum MVP.
    • 613 posts
    August 22, 2016 10:56 AM PDT

    Evoras said:

    Response #1: Considering the TENETS

    TENETS (in numberical order as per the Pantheon official web-page): changes indicated in bold.


    2. A requirement that classes have identities. No single player should be able to do everything on their own.

    change to

    2. A requirement that classes have distinct identities and roles. No single player should be able to do everything on their own.

    ensures you reinforce the 'non-overlapping roles' aspect that is unlike most modern MMOs

    ---

    3. A belief that game economies should be predicated on delaying and minimizing item value deflation.

    change to

    3. A belief that game economies should be primarily player centric and predicated on delaying and minimizing item value deflation.

    explicitly putting players, as a whole, front-and-centre to drive this MMO.

    ---

    5. An understanding that a truly challenging game is truly rewarding.

    change to

    5. An understanding that to be a truly rewarding experience, a game must be truly challenging.

    OR

    5. An understanding that only a truly challenging game is truly rewarding.

    needed for clarity. Ie you cannot have a rewarding game unless it is challenging.

    ---

    13. A belief that the greatest sense of accomplishment comes when it is shared - and earned.

    change to

    13. A belief that the greatest sense of accomplishment comes when it is shared - and hard earned.

    small change, but puts focus back on high challenge to balance 'greatest'.

    ---

    14. An agreement that player levels should be both meaningful and memorable.

    change to

    14. An agreement that player levels should be both meaningful and memorable achievements.

    here it is essenctial to reinforce that 'levels' are actual achievements in their own right (hence the 'ding' as an important milestone) and not a 'means to an end' ie rush to end-game and ignore the gazillion of dings over the 3 nights it takes to get to max-level from level-1. It links in with the idea os 'slower' paced advancement.

     

    Possible EXTRA Tenet:

    16. The belief that your journey through our rich world is just as rewarding as the destination you seek to eventually reach.

    here, I beleive that we need to establish a tenet to cover PACE. Players need to understand that there is no need to rush 10 levels in one night ... and that it is not possible in any case. A sense of achievement must be gained by enjoying the ride through an immersive world as you journey towards your ultimate goal. This dovetails neatly with the other tenets that cover downtime and social play. This is a game to enjoy AS you play.. not just once you have 'finished' it.

     

    Response #2: Considering the FAQ

    to follow at some point...

    Nailed it...

    I think we are getting into that area where more details need to be put forward.  #14 is a great one!  I love to see this stuff.  This community is really pulling together to help make this a great game!

     

    Ox

    • 9115 posts
    August 22, 2016 4:28 PM PDT

    Great job Evoras and Raidan, really nice consolidation and info gathering :)

    Fulton said:

    Aradune said:

    That's fine with me as long as it remains clear that this is long term stuff and that Pantheon, at launch, will have plenty of features, mechanics, and content to stand on its own.  I don't mind talking about the Grand Vision in general, but I do fear at times that it could distract or cause people to focus more on whats years away than what's going to be an awesome game at launch.  Anyway, trying to strike a balance here -- not avoid post-launch completely, but also not overly hype post-launch either -- surely there is a healthy middle ground.

     

    You make it sound like we lack focus...... Oooooh look a squirrel.....

    ;) 



    Haha, that sounds like a few of the CM meetings! :D

    • 432 posts
    August 22, 2016 7:08 PM PDT

    Just dropping in to say I am seriously proud of how the forums have come together to help out like this. Way to go guys! This is a great example of how simply brainstorming can help speed the game along.

     

    -Todd

    • 1303 posts
    August 22, 2016 7:11 PM PDT

    @Evoras, you're a freakin machine. Holy cow that's good stuff.