My thoughts on the easy/hard debate

[Greymain]

Just read the article on how easy or hard Vanguard should be and it appears to me that there is an on going fiction that Vanguard is simply a EQ clone and that features from that game will be cut and pasted into Vanguard.

I really hope this is not the case. A corpse run in WoW was different from that in EQ2 or AC2 or Helbreath. So should Vanguards implementation be unique. To argue whether the penalty should be exp debt or loss, with or without level loss, implies a level of pre knowledge which we simply should not have.

For instance Dungeons in Vanguard are supposed to be far more extensive and complex than any other MMORPG, taking many hours to reach the far deeps. This must have an impact both on the nature of a CR and that other debatable feature the map.

EQ and EQ2 were zoned games not seamless. Dungeons smaller. Vanguard will be far larger and navigating at sea without charts could be a problem, getting lost can be fun. Learning to find your way around is empowering but spending an valuable afternoon trying to find that dungeon entrance, you discovered a few months ago is just frustrating.

There should also be a balance between hard and complex. Frequent death and huge obstacles to leveling can result in frustrating grind. making you solve puzzles and use tactics can create a good sense of achievement plus promoting team work.

One last point if Vanguard is to succeed most of the players will not be ex EQ players, they will not have any idea about the fixation ex EQ players have in recreating a sense of community which only applies to your first MMORPG.

[Siencyn]

I enjoy exploring, but I dislike wandering aimlessly wasting hours of "valuable" game time wandering in an area that might be nothing (out of lvl range), and then having to wander hours back. I truly hope that they add some sort of map system into the game. Exploration can still be fun and rewarding even with a mapped system.

[Aredhel]

I get lost trying to find my front door, so I'm really hoping for a good map system, as well! I've had a nick name for the past 6 years, so it's probably going to stick.

I really hope it's different than the games out now. I'm tired of the mentality of going in with your power guild and rushing to the top to "win", which really does a number on the economics of the game, as well as some other stuff. It's inevitable that those in beta now will have an edge, which is sad, but necessary. I'm hoping for a few "surprises" for them, once the character wipe is done and launch actually occures!!

[Flagg]

I pretty much think that fighting should be hard that we should die ever now and again. There should be mobs normal ones that challege us mentally not like eq that is what I wish for when I wish for hard content. The corspe string sounds like something that just takes away frustriaion unlike spamming loc,the death pently sounds like some people will be in pemra debt, but I can live with that, the map system in a seemless wolrd is needed imho as long as they don't put some markings for mobs , I would rather just have a good map with no markings for player loc like I have heard is in. As far as a clone I think they are taking the things that I loved about eq and adding apon them with to me is a very good thing.

[Arctic_Slicer]

I dislike the idea of having maps available for everything, including places you have never been. Of course I do think maps are valuable. I would actually like to see some sort of system where your world map gets created as you travel only revealing areas you have already visted or something like that.

[Greymain]

My wish for maps is that the default map shows the terrain, road system and location of items of interest and that it is revealed as you explore. The extent of the revealed map around your location being related to your perception skill.

I agree that Radar is a cheat. There should be a text warning based again on perception indicating that you sense a hidden mob the higher your perception and tracking skill the more detailed the information.

That cities & dungeons have maps that you must purchase or not exist at all. You should be able to find/buy maps showing extra detail of the world but they are not necessarily accurate in the same way that medieval maps where often more guess work than anything else. Also some maps should be ancient depicting towns and cities that are now just ruins.

[Morgore]

Originally Posted by Greymain

My wish for maps is that the default map shows the terrain, road system and location of items of interest and that it is revealed as you explore. The extent of the revealed map around your location being related to your perception skill.

I agree that Radar is a cheat. There should be a text warning based again on perception indicating that you sense a hidden mob the higher your perception and tracking skill the more detailed the information.

That cities & dungeons have maps that you must purchase or not exist at all. You should be able to find/buy maps showing extra detail of the world but they are not necessarily accurate in the same way that medieval maps where often more guess work than anything else. Also some maps should be ancient depicting towns and cities that are now just ruins.

Yes.. this is exactly what I was going to say.
maps should be purchased and or found and then you'll be able to open a map of that area. Perhaps even have a map reading skill? or even a map making skill... then you could sell these maps? I don't know, this should probably be a different thread.
As far as hard and easy.. well.. i think we all agree it should be hard enough to keep our interest in continuing our character... but not so hard/easy that its frustrating and we quit. If it becomes too easy, i wont hang around very long. I want a game thats challenging and when i accomplish a task or quest I want it to feel l"proud" That may sound weird, but someone here knows what I mean... lol... I don't want get the quest and wait a few weeks for the design team to change it and make it easier... thats just crazy and take away from the value of the item.. and even the game for that matter.