The Mana World

Hi,


Please NO.

(Note that I understand that an offline mode should be implemented (for testing purpose of client-only functions and graphics, but only for that...)

Just think of it carefully, there are many bad points in your offline tutorial proposal:
- 1. The very spirit of it:
> It's an MMORPG, not an Allacrost clone.
> Doing a tutorial offline, you'll lose everything the players want to get from a MMORPG: interaction with other players, immersion in the community, etc ...
> Play 1 or 2 hours offline, and lose everything I've done to go into the 'real' world?

- 2. Technically speaking, pragmatism:
> Each and every server functionalities should then be readded on the client? really ready to do that?
As far as I'm concerned, the movement protocol (which is the very basic essence of it) stayed broken for more than two years, and you want to rethink all of this offline?
> We've got many features almost ready with the new server, just a few more inches and we're done, even if for us, it's meaning again a few months.

Again, please, the tutorial zone should be a peaceful place for newbies where they can gently get their first levels and get the needed help before getting into it.

A certain person from Eve Online once said: "You can say a game tutorial is good when the players didn't realized it was one."

Regards,

It'd just show off the client, it's features, and help you with it. Unless we do something odd, we can't use the player's keyboard shortucts in a server-side tutorial, like we can in a client-side tutorial.

One future addition we've discussed is support for single-player(/limited multiplayer/etc) games that don't need the Internet. Likely using a reduced TMWServ running locally, yes, but managed by the client.

Hi Jaxad,

Thanks for your answer.

Sorry to say that each and every arguments of yours aren't in favor of an offline game mode, as for release1 remember:


The online one would, too. Plus the fact that you can interact with other newbies, keep your experience, and the few items for later on.
On the technical side, quick server updates would be possible without releasing another client, etc...


Yes, we could easily display current player's shorcuts, and even trigger them server-side.
For triggering, a simple trigger protocol would do.
For displaying in a text for instance, symbols could be used in the text given by the server, that
the client automatically transform into the correct shortcut sentence.
Many online games already do that.
Is this the only point in favor of a offline tutorial?


Anything you want but not for release1. <- Release a tutorial with the main components of a MMORPG, helping us to strengthen the basic components.
Let's reach core client generalization with support of adapted network code, before even speaking about this.

Don't be mistaken, I see where you want to go and it's a good wish, but let's stay pragmatic.
That's why it's definitely a No for me.

Best regards,

I've only been talking about the future, not release 1. But we should get back on topic.

I vote for the tutorial area boss to have a "Elder maggot" that you kill by dragging into the grips of a fire demon.

Hi,

Not a bad idea at all.

I wish we have a bigger boss, one day, but as for now, it seems good to me.

Regards,

I was actually hoping to have a fire based monster you draw into water.

But either way my vision of having a test for particle effect usage with fire would be fulfilled.

Hi Rotonen,

Of course, your idea a good one, too.

Again, we're in need of the sprites.

Generally speaking, shall we take existing things (for a monster or something else), or shall we start only with new graphics?

If we're gonna take the best sprites from tmwdata, a list should be set up, so we can see what we've got, and what is missing.

Regards,

I'd like the playerset, tilesets and mapping to be done for release1 before going into the details of actors to go into the setting.

We also need to decide on the fashion issues of all the NPCs in the area: I want areal consistency to show one's background in the game.

For now I'm waiting for in the other threads: finishing the playerset and deciding what the setting (both the island and the academy) will look like.

CR1, so TMW is finally getting its act together (I remember trying to get something like this going back when I was in power)

how much are you guys planning on redoing

I think after CR1 we should consider to recycle existing content. The Argaes area for example has been mapped according to the plans on the wiki and the graphics are well done. There is no reason to throw all of this away and start from scratch. Just the scripted content and the monster population has to be redone.

We will try to recycle as much as possible. This is something everyone agrees on for many reasons: from simple laziness to respect towards effort gone into all the work so far.

Since the finer details of this are probably going to cause a lot of debate and tooth gnashing, please, let's get CR1 done, take a small break after that (we deserve a few weeks after giving birth to this mammoth) and then bring all of this to the table for CR2 conceptualization and goal setting.

Sorry but I don't agree, there is a lot of work to do in Argaes maps and graphics too. (but is just my big mouth talking) there is a mix of good, not so good and really bad graphics and they need to be revisited.

Hi Axltrozz,

I fully agree with you: The walls of Tulimshar are a good example.

Regards.