I like to log in, group up with friends, maybe meet some new friends, and just progress through the game. Take on some challenges, all while cracking some jokes or having some random humorous moment.
My gaming sessions are as much about progression as they are about clearing my mind from the daily trials in RL.
The magic and wonder of an open world. Interacting with a community again; heavy emphasis on community. #communitymatters#makenightmatteragain
Also: a hard, hard, hard game. Looking forward to it.
Kilsin said:What type of experience, in a typical play session, are you typically looking for in an MMORPG like Pantheon? #MMORPG #communitymatters
typical - explore/investigate --> adventure --> meet folks --> find some common goal/interest --> group up --> murder the local fauna/flora --> become wealthy and powerful/screw up,die,lose xp.
--- My opinions are not humble, they are just my opinions. ---
I feel like since Pantheon is a group-based type of game, the leveling content will be more difficult than usual and the amount of XP it will take to level will be grueling(something I appriciate). When I log in I want to be able to have the option of getting into a qroup quickly. Since I will be spending between 2-4 hours during my play sessions, I'll want to use most of it in a group farming mobs. I dont want to feel overwhelmed by quests, but I definelty want those to be an option when I either cant find a quick group or when im burned out on only grouping and want to explore.
I want the experience to be adventurous each time I leave the city Im parked at (i.e. 5 different places to level from 20-30) I dont want to stay in 1 zone for 10 levels. I'd like to delve deep into Terminus and also climb the highest peaks, take over Forts, or take back Villages and Keeps. That sort of thing. But then something like having to go torwards the cored of Terminus and have there be vibrant colored elements and rocks and glowing stalagtites everywehre like Im in a completely new area. I want every new territory and enviriornment to feel undiscovered.
Really depends on my mood. Somtimes I like to stay up all night with a couple friends, red bull and vodka, and some burritos taking on some content that requires teamwork and really challenges our problem solving skills.
Other times I prefer to take it slow with some bong hits and a pizza practicing tradeskills, working on quests or just exploring a zone and the lore.
Despite my strong preference for very slow progress so I don't get anywhere very fast - a preference most of us share, I have to admit that I enjoy a game session most if I make some progress. Harvesting useful materials, gaining part of a crafting tier, getting some experience points, knocking off a quest or two - any of these.
Yes I want to explore. Yes I can spend hours talikng in guild chat or whatever world or zone chat there is. But I like the option of being able to advance one or more characters at least a *little* even in a more casual session.
I took a look at one of the other MMOs in development that was much where we are - but wiith a smaller team and slower development. Similar emphasis on group content - maybe even *more* emphasis on it (very much based on AD&D which is not even remotely solo friendly). They said they will have (my words not theirs) trash mobs near towns and settlements so a player can go out and kill something by him or her self and get some loot and experience but anything *serious* would require a group. That type of approach works for me - always something to solo even in high level areas but for *real* progress you group.
For the record, I was pursuing my endless search for something better than LOTRO to do until alpha is available here. That game won't be it - their alpha is quite likely to come well *after* ours. Nothing there to see ...move along.
As usual dorotea has beaten me to the punch. So for my answer, it's really "what dorotea said".
I think the key things that matter to me, long-term, are:
1) Having a wide variety of goals so that I can choose what I want to work on in any given session.
2) My various character goals need to involve different types of activities. If they're *all* the same kind of gameplay - ie dungeons, raiding, crafting - I will stop feeling like I'm part of a larger world.
3) I need to have goals that are really big and meaty and that I can sink my teeth into for a long play session, and other goals that are more snack-sized for when I don't have as much time.
4) I don't want all my goals to require me to go pull together a group, but many of them absolutely should
I'm not sure that it's really a very useful answer, but it's my answer.
Kilsin said:What type of experience, in a typical play session, are you typically looking for in an MMORPG like Pantheon? #MMORPG #communitymatters
A challenging and engaging experience irrespective of the location or environment. Now the questions is: What defines challenging and engaging? For me, it is where the outcome is never guaranteed, where those creatures my group is facing not only utilize the skills and abilities appropriate to their class but actually act like their class should act. Melee should fight in melee range, casters should fight at range. In the end, nobody in the group should ever come out unscathed.
Rather than say what is typical or expected I'll paint a picture of what could be a great experience.
What I would love to see recaptured is the classic tabletop gaming session. Each session is one of 3-5 3 hour gaming session. The first session you pick your group quest, get your specialty items needed for the quest(Plot hook) from the market, do some research and travel to the primary location. Usually the first session ends with the group getting onsite and realizing they have bit off more than they can chew.
Sessions 2 and 3 are a combination of exploration, problem solving, and combat. The sessions are intended to challenge the group, consume party resources and lead to the peak conflict tied to the quest in the 4th session.
The 4th session contains usually a hard tactical choice with an RP consequence, a risky combat with a real chance of failure, an option to flee also with negative RP consequences, and final wrap up and extrication from the danger zone.
The fifth session consists of traveling away from a danger zone, deciding how to complete the quest or deal with partial failure, division of material gain and character maintenance.
Would love to see the concept of the adventurers party to extend from one gaming session to the next in a greater way than just grouping. Think almost like a small temporary guild that is in addition to guilds. Everyone gets some credit for the amount effort they contribute and can include alternates outside of the 6 person group limit.
There is a chance for Brad's “adventure-harmony“ could match people by play times, play style, personality into adventurer groups week by week to run level appropriate quests. Helping adventurer parties pull themselves together physically when members are online is one instance I would be ok with a limited instant travel to facilitate quickly starting.
A key part to this concept I have never seen in an MMO is a group quest. Specifically where everyone must personally make choices that affect the final group outcome. There would also be opportunities for the system to track and award group contributions. These contributions can be a combination of damage done, damage healed, damage prevented, clues discovered through perception, and even consuming or providing crafted items over multiple sessions.
I know this is a bit of a different way of looking at how gaming sessions couls be.
Trasak
Make some new friends, maybe obtain a gear piece, get a part of a quest done, do some crafting, downing a raid boss, finding a quiet place to fish, exploring for something mysterious and lore related, selling and buying from w/e trade stuff we get, or just logging on and doing nothing but chat.
For me it is a three path adv. First is the grouping, to find a solid group wether it be old friends or new. That work for what ever end was set out in the beginning of the night. Second for me is crafting. I want to fine places that I can return to so I can harvest items to craft. I was hoping that the items we craft would stand out and players could ID them as your work. Third would be working with a Guild more them along in the Adv Terminus has to offer.