First off I really like what I have been seeing in the streams, its exactly what I been hoping for in a MMO again. It has me thinking back in my EQ days, started in March of 2000. I recall looking at the back of the box at a Walmart thinking a AD&D type game online, I gotta try it.
I always felt the inns or taverns in the game needed a purpose other than a NPC standing behind the counter selling vendor junk. When you read Fantasy books there are many scenes involving meeting at the inns, dicing, cards, a place to gather so to speak. Without making it complicated but could you imagine walking into a inn/tavern and joining other players in a dice game, card game some kind of gambling system among aventurers to pass some time, check out others wares and gear. Some reason or purpose to see each other in one place. I think of the tunnel in EQ, was that by design did it accidently become a auction location?
I was thinking of ways to reinforce that social interaction aspect I keep hearing about in Pantheon. Make the towns, buildings feel alive have a purpose.
I think instead of fast travel or super slow travel, there should be limited fast travel (class abilities like teleport/speed, and things like caravans that have been discussed). So, tying this into your idea--which I really like, btw--I think it would be really cool to have at least one of these taverns in most zones, and these could be the "hubs" where people wait for a caravan, which they can use to AFK/offline travel long distances. I think that waiting to join caravans would be a good reason for a fair amount of people to meet up at these taverns/inns.
Just a thought :)
I have been advocating for an idea somewhere between the East Commons Tunnel and the conventional Auction House. A News Paper (has been referred to as Craigslist) where it could be sitting on the table of an Inn (something found in any tavern/inn) and browsed or searched there for free, or for a cost, a portable (yet no longer living) copy could be purchased and taken with you to be read during down time in your adventures.
This "paper" could not only have the advertisement section but could also have tabs for actual game news, patch notes, guild info, etc.
Why is an actual auction house, or even an auctioneer needed? Just a newspaper on the table of the local Bar would work.
On Roleplay servers, taverns are ususally made into meeting places and havens to find other roleplayers. They also would be places where many players would have their residences set up. (Actual instance your character paid for and could decorate.) We make the place come to life ourselves. I suppose those who aren't willing to cultivate that atmosphere themselves may need more incentive to hang out in those types of places. :)
Kaen said:I think instead of fast travel or super slow travel, there should be limited fast travel (class abilities like teleport/speed, and things like caravans that have been discussed). So, tying this into your idea--which I really like, btw--I think it would be really cool to have at least one of these taverns in most zones, and these could be the "hubs" where people wait for a caravan, which they can use to AFK/offline travel long distances. I think that waiting to join caravans would be a good reason for a fair amount of people to meet up at these taverns/inns.
Just a thought :)
So you're saying that in certain towns there could be special "transport-taverns"? So for example players could walk in there, queu in for hopping the next boat overseas. So for example as long as they stand inside the tavern and are listed to travel.. the game would automatically transport all those players in the boat when it arrives? So even if you are afk you would not miss the boat?
Or would you have people having to move onto a platform or on the boat/caravan itself if they want to travel? And those boats and caravans just dock adjacent to the tavern?
I'ld prefer the second, as the first wouldn't do much for player interaction if one can just go afk and still succeed in travelling.
Barin999 said:Kaen said:I think instead of fast travel or super slow travel, there should be limited fast travel (class abilities like teleport/speed, and things like caravans that have been discussed). So, tying this into your idea--which I really like, btw--I think it would be really cool to have at least one of these taverns in most zones, and these could be the "hubs" where people wait for a caravan, which they can use to AFK/offline travel long distances. I think that waiting to join caravans would be a good reason for a fair amount of people to meet up at these taverns/inns.
Just a thought :)
So you're saying that in certain towns there could be special "transport-taverns"? So for example players could walk in there, queu in for hopping the next boat overseas. So for example as long as they stand inside the tavern and are listed to travel.. the game would automatically transport all those players in the boat when it arrives? So even if you are afk you would not miss the boat?
Or would you have people having to move onto a platform or on the boat/caravan itself if they want to travel? And those boats and caravans just dock adjacent to the tavern?
I'ld prefer the second, as the first wouldn't do much for player interaction if one can just go afk and still succeed in travelling.
Inn/taverns may be a great way to localize the diplomacy aspect of game. It has been expressed that not on initial release but after that the dev team would like to see diplomacy play a role. In vanguard it was a card game. (everquest had an offline card game that yielded actual in game rewards) Having the diplomacy only available in inns or taverns would make them definetly have a purpose. What greater place to have you increase your local influence then in a Tavern or inn. I can not really see them putting in message boards though. If they already accept that voice chat may not be put in game due to other platforms already effectively doing that... I can see it a much better resource to have a actual website to do those same activities then have dev resources dedicated to it.
I really disliked having inns turned into something that were crucial to players. Most noticably the exp boost in WoW. I really don't see them as that important in any fantasy world as many are just smaller Shell stations and a few others are Motel 8's with drinks served over the counter. If their stock is relevant, people will come, unless you force them with something arbitrary. If they made sleep relevant to the player, I can see a reason. Otherwise there is no reason anyone should have (be forced) to go to an inn, ever.
If they added specific games to inns, like Pazaak or Gwent to the inns for players, fine that would be really cool. But don't force people who don't want to have to add stops to their trip to go. They served their purpose in EQ, need batwings/water/food/other ingredients, go get them and leave. It's still just a gas station/La Quinta.