Forums » General
http://www.vendetta-online.com/h/news.html
It's been awhile, some of what's there has been said (by me) elsewhere in threads on here, but I hope it helps.
It's been awhile, some of what's there has been said (by me) elsewhere in threads on here, but I hope it helps.
Yay Incarnate!
Very nice Incarnate.
I tell you, I've been gaming for quite awhile and have had the opportunity to play many different games, especially mmo's, and I have yet to come across the caliber of the community here. This is both in terms of the player base and the development staff.
Keep on keeping on and keep up the good work.
I tell you, I've been gaming for quite awhile and have had the opportunity to play many different games, especially mmo's, and I have yet to come across the caliber of the community here. This is both in terms of the player base and the development staff.
Keep on keeping on and keep up the good work.
=)
Very good.
Oh how I yearn for a letter of Marque. Finally we shall be known as the freedom fighters we are!!!
Chuck at it, WE LOVE IT HEERE
Chuck at it, WE LOVE IT HEERE
Ummm... December promos will start from 10th and VO faction & FF redux is scheduled for the end of December or January next year.
New players will start playing and after a few days ingame they will get confronted with a completely new set of rules for gameplay (faction & FF changes).
Don't know if anyone sees this as a potential problem but... imho there will be a lot of confusion and chaos.
New players will start playing and after a few days ingame they will get confronted with a completely new set of rules for gameplay (faction & FF changes).
Don't know if anyone sees this as a potential problem but... imho there will be a lot of confusion and chaos.
and when they're confused ill shoot at them and they'll leave forever!
I agree with Bojan... bad plan, Inc. You really need to either get the faction/FF redux done and working perfectly in the next seven days, or you need to hold off on the promotion until you have that done. I don't see the former actually happening short of a miracle, so that just leaves the latter...
Confusing new players is a *really* bad way to get them to stick around.
Confusing new players is a *really* bad way to get them to stick around.
It's amazing how the same people can spout off on how "confusing new players is a bad idea" and support needless additions and complications to the game.
Changes don't confuse people, especially when they're as well documented and talked about as with Guild. Changes excite people and encourage them to stay to see what's coming next
Changes don't confuse people, especially when they're as well documented and talked about as with Guild. Changes excite people and encourage them to stay to see what's coming next
We are not holding off on the promo. We need the subscribers. Yes, there might be some confusion. I don't expect it to be too chaotic, as the new people will not likely have time to accumulate triple-PoS like many of you. The biggest single "transition" will be those UIT people with high Serco and Itani standing having to choose which one they want to keep.
Of course I would prefer to have everything "done" before getting a new influx, but that isn't likely to happen anytime soon.
This does, however, illustrate why I chose to make the changes I could to ship prices, trading and the economy when I did, in advance of the influx. The Faction/FF changes should be far less visible and chaotic than watching the advanced ships increase in price by a factor of 10.
Also, as Genka says (!), the changes will be explained and hopefully give the impression of a product that is interesting and evolving.
Of course I would prefer to have everything "done" before getting a new influx, but that isn't likely to happen anytime soon.
This does, however, illustrate why I chose to make the changes I could to ship prices, trading and the economy when I did, in advance of the influx. The Faction/FF changes should be far less visible and chaotic than watching the advanced ships increase in price by a factor of 10.
Also, as Genka says (!), the changes will be explained and hopefully give the impression of a product that is interesting and evolving.
Simple solution: drop your standing down to neutral with the two main factions that aren't yours! Then you won't even notice the transition! That's what I did, and I haven't looked back!
This promotion brought to you by the (mind-melting) power of physics.
This promotion brought to you by the (mind-melting) power of physics.
Additionally, please be kind to any newbies who arrive during the December promos.
Hahahaha. Oh, okay. Will do.
I will be posting some of our major milestone goals and bullet points in the not-too-distant future.
FINALLY! I wanna see the project roadmap!
By "stabilize" I mean "make less broken"
Hooray! Less broken things is good!
And Inc. DID say that FF/faction fix is coming... Will we see 13-dimensional hypercubes?
Hahahaha. Oh, okay. Will do.
I will be posting some of our major milestone goals and bullet points in the not-too-distant future.
FINALLY! I wanna see the project roadmap!
By "stabilize" I mean "make less broken"
Hooray! Less broken things is good!
And Inc. DID say that FF/faction fix is coming... Will we see 13-dimensional hypercubes?
Woo!!
I vote for new command
/hypercubes
^^ shows hypercubes!@
break19
I vote for new command
/hypercubes
^^ shows hypercubes!@
break19
With the influx of new players, I think it would be a good time to update the www site to be a 'bit more current' (tm).
If you are really wanting to make a good impression, then having an out of date Manual is not the way to go.
Just my 2c worth.
If you are really wanting to make a good impression, then having an out of date Manual is not the way to go.
Just my 2c worth.
Oh ya, that'll happen by Dec. 10th. Keeping the manual current is a moving target, and imho not worth the time at this point, given that things are in a extreme state of flux.
I am suprised I have to point this out, but every system is "in an extreme state of flux". If developers waited until the system was 'complete' before updating user manuals, they would never be updated - woops - maybe that is why they are so out of date.
Updating the manual should (read 'critical') be part of the rollout regime of new functionality and not just an afterthought. It is crucial that it be made part of the process.
The whole "we're too busy doing higher priority stuff" excuse is just that - an excuse. Writing manuals sux. No developer likes it, its one of those tasks that is constantly neglected - unless it is an integral part of the criteria that constitute a 'done' task.
It just exposes a system development process that is lacking.
The devs are happy to farm out other work to enhance the game - like missions - why not open the user manual up for player contribution?
Alternatively, replace the whole manual section of the site with a link to the vo-wiki.
Updating the manual should (read 'critical') be part of the rollout regime of new functionality and not just an afterthought. It is crucial that it be made part of the process.
The whole "we're too busy doing higher priority stuff" excuse is just that - an excuse. Writing manuals sux. No developer likes it, its one of those tasks that is constantly neglected - unless it is an integral part of the criteria that constitute a 'done' task.
It just exposes a system development process that is lacking.
The devs are happy to farm out other work to enhance the game - like missions - why not open the user manual up for player contribution?
Alternatively, replace the whole manual section of the site with a link to the vo-wiki.
As I understand it, an Itani can never go into Serco space without being KOS under the Redux system, right? And vice versa. That limits the roleplaying aspects of the game for me: ie. an Itani trader/miner.
While not objecting to the Universe Redux changes as such (I can see how this will make VO a completely different game) I have an option to offer the devs regarding the faction standings:
Add a "Military" badge to the ones already existing.
Why?
Because that will allow players who have no interest in combat (but who do want to mine and trade) access to Red/Blue space respectively. Before you say: that's what UIT is for, may I point out what if I want to roleplay an Itani trader?
So for those Itani without the "Military" badge you can enter Serco space if necessary, and change your standing from "hate" to "neutral" or "dislike"... and that's it. you can't be "admired" or "PoS" obviously. So it aids roleplay in the sense that... serco space can be entered, but it's extremely risky... you can be cheated, shot at, and no one will care. Also obviously, you can't accept escort missions. Probably the only ones you can accept are trade and mining missions. But that's what you're there for, right?
But once you get a "Military" badge, you're automatically KOS for the respective factions where it matters, and you can NEVER raise standing again.
Add extra honours to the Military badge: how many BS/BP's won that kind of thing.
This adds flexibility to the game under VO Redux, in that those who prefer the non-combat aspects of the game can still mine and trade in all systems, just more... dangerous. Treat Serco space as grey space for Itani and vice versa.
Anyway, hope this will give the devs some food for thought, late as it is.
Either that, or allow us to sell/trade ships between players. ;-)
While not objecting to the Universe Redux changes as such (I can see how this will make VO a completely different game) I have an option to offer the devs regarding the faction standings:
Add a "Military" badge to the ones already existing.
Why?
Because that will allow players who have no interest in combat (but who do want to mine and trade) access to Red/Blue space respectively. Before you say: that's what UIT is for, may I point out what if I want to roleplay an Itani trader?
So for those Itani without the "Military" badge you can enter Serco space if necessary, and change your standing from "hate" to "neutral" or "dislike"... and that's it. you can't be "admired" or "PoS" obviously. So it aids roleplay in the sense that... serco space can be entered, but it's extremely risky... you can be cheated, shot at, and no one will care. Also obviously, you can't accept escort missions. Probably the only ones you can accept are trade and mining missions. But that's what you're there for, right?
But once you get a "Military" badge, you're automatically KOS for the respective factions where it matters, and you can NEVER raise standing again.
Add extra honours to the Military badge: how many BS/BP's won that kind of thing.
This adds flexibility to the game under VO Redux, in that those who prefer the non-combat aspects of the game can still mine and trade in all systems, just more... dangerous. Treat Serco space as grey space for Itani and vice versa.
Anyway, hope this will give the devs some food for thought, late as it is.
Either that, or allow us to sell/trade ships between players. ;-)
Jackscream: I'm surprised that you have pointed that out too, as it isn't true from my experience. When it comes to games, every system is certainly NOT in "extreme" flux. Most games arrive on the market fully-developed with a sparse but reasonably complete manual. Sometimes there's a bit more on the website, or a little bit of paper wedged in the glossy manual, but essentially complete. The developers DO wait until the game is essentially complete. I know of another game that is larger, much further along, and much more expensive that does not even attempt a formal manual. Instead their forum is filled with various player-written guides of varying degrees of usefulness - and nobody seems to mind. I do agree that the wiki would be a much more worthwhile source of information.
I think you are not fully aware of how Guild Software has come to operate this way. You should look into it.
I think you are not fully aware of how Guild Software has come to operate this way. You should look into it.
Thank you for making my point Whistler. Which was that an out of date manual serves no purpose. Either keep updating it as part of your software rollout process, turn it over to your user base to maintain, or leave it out all together.
If GS wants to make a good impression to fully benefit from the promo, then having an out of date manual is not the way to go. It would be better not to have one at all in that case.
BTW - the kind of games you mention are completely different from how VO is being engineered. As you said, they arrive on the market fully-developed, VO is a plane being built while flying. A completely different model. But I get your point.
If GS wants to make a good impression to fully benefit from the promo, then having an out of date manual is not the way to go. It would be better not to have one at all in that case.
BTW - the kind of games you mention are completely different from how VO is being engineered. As you said, they arrive on the market fully-developed, VO is a plane being built while flying. A completely different model. But I get your point.