46 replies to this topic

[Simms59]

I am pretty excited about this game as it seems intent on building a very strong community. When I first saw the list of classes I was pretty happy. They seemed very similar to WoW, but I was okay with that because those are the classes that are essential to the game. Plus, I play a healer and the healer class seemed like it could deal some DPS which is exactly the way I like to play. However, when I discovered that only 4 of the classes would be available to start, I was disheartened. I am completely okay with the dev team only opening small fractions of the world at a time. It gives the world a sense of discovery. However, I think it is a terrible idea to delay the classes. The reason is simple, some of my friends prefer the classes that won't be ready. This will prevent them from starting the game with me when it releases. My best friend plays Rogue classes and the Assassin will not be ready at release. Likewise, my other pal loves Druids and will not be able to play the Warden until they are unlocked, so to speak. This leaves me without two of my pals to experience a truly cool game. I just don't understand why the devs would even put the other classes on the site as a tease if they won't be in the game? Guild Wars released new classes with each expansion, but didn't tell the players what they would be until the expansion came out. In fact, there is even concept art of humans and Talrok as Assassins, yet the class will not be ready for release. It baffles me. So basically, I am hoping the devs go into crunch mode and try to add all the classes. I understand the motto of Quality over quantity, but I hope they can pull it off nonetheless.

[Dificeman]

I am pretty excited about this game as it seems intent on building a very strong community. When I first saw the list of classes I was pretty happy. They seemed very similar to WoW, but I was okay with that because those are the classes that are essential to the game. Plus, I play a healer and the healer class seemed like it could deal some DPS which is exactly the way I like to play. However, when I discovered that only 4 of the classes would be available to start, I was disheartened. I am completely okay with the dev team only opening small fractions of the world at a time. It gives the world a sense of discovery. However, I think it is a terrible idea to delay the classes. The reason is simple, some of my friends prefer the classes that won't be ready. This will prevent them from starting the game with me when it releases. My best friend plays Rogue classes and the Assassin will not be ready at release. Likewise, my other pal loves Druids and will not be able to play the Warden until they are unlocked, so to speak. This leaves me without two of my pals to experience a truly cool game. I just don't understand why the devs would even put the other classes on the site as a tease if they won't be in the game? Guild Wars released new classes with each expansion, but didn't tell the players what they would be until the expansion came out. In fact, there is even concept art of humans and Talrok as Assassins, yet the class will not be ready for release. It baffles me. So basically, I am hoping the devs go into crunch mode and try to add all the classes. I understand the motto of Quality over quantity, but I hope they can pull it off nonetheless.

The reason the devs are not releasing all the classes at launch is to ensre much better quality from each class than we have seen from recent MMO's. They put up a list of all the classes they original plan to have in the game because they are nice enough to let us know what they have planned out. this doesnt mean that after those have made it in that they may not come up with a few more. But I be entirely agaisnt them trying to crunch code to put in these classes at launch. Most of us here who have followed the game and researched what they are doing are very pleased to have them only release 4 classes at the launch with high quality rather than 8 classes with the typical sub-par quality in most current mmo's.

[Vanpry]

Why can't your friends play a different class until their desired classes comes out?

Sorry but I'd much rather wait to play a quality class over a rushed out class.

[Simms59]

Why can't your friends play a different class until their desired classes comes out?

Sorry but I'd much rather wait to play a quality class over a rushed out class.

I agree with you guys. I don't want them rushed. But 4 classes is a terribly small amt by today's standards. Then again, considering Qwest is consdering limiting the number of players, maybe their intent is not to get as many players as possible?

[Razurescens]

I'd much rather wait to play a quality class over a rushed out class.

qfe

[DeLang]

The team is striving for class balance.

We've seen too many games launch with poor class balance. The more classes, the more challenging it is to balance. The fewer people playing, the harder it is to balance classes, since you have fewer exploits coming to light and less data to analyze.

Once the game launches and post-release class balancing continues a while, I'm sure we'll see the other classes added in a way which enhances the game. Start simple, add the masses, get it calibrated again, *then* think about opening pandora's box.

Until then, four polished, balanced classes at launch will probably bring in and keep more subscribers in the long run than 24 unique but unfinished and unbalanced classes.

[Vanpry]

I agree with you guys. I don't want them rushed. But 4 classes is a terribly small amt by today's standards. Then again, considering Qwest is consdering limiting the number of players, maybe their intent is not to get as many players as possible?

Ah yes today's standards which are half @$$ed buggy messes.

Blizzard has the market on the masses having 10 million subscribers is not the bench mark of success. Which is the trap so many companies have fallen into. Look at CCP (?), the creator of Eve, which is very successful just on a much smaller scale.

Now don't get me wrong I hear what you are saying. Having such few classes is a bit crappy, but classes for the sake of classes is not the answer.

[Aonaran]

I will admit when i first heard that Assassin wouldnt be available initially I was a little upset...but then got to thinking about quality, balance and all that and am now fine with their move to not release all the classes at launch.

Another thing to remember as well is that each of the four classes will have 3 specialisations plus the core specialty. So you could argue for the fact that there will be 16 possible classes to play come launch.

Another thing I have noticed is I rarely ever play as a main the first character that I roll in an MMO. I like to work out the game and stuff like that and go through several toons before finding my main. So I will roll either a Ranger or Mage (or possibly both...or more than likely all classes) and play that for a while and get used to the game and then play an Assassin when they are released

[Suthainn]

Anonaran summed it up pretty well and I too thought the same thing as the OP, but when I read more and more about Alganon and the dev's master plan, I now hoenstly don't care about having limited classes and races at release. By the sounds of it the four classes will well and truly make up for the other classes not being available and will only make those classes even better once they are released.

[Velkyn]

Another thing I have noticed is I rarely ever play as a main the first character that I roll in an MMO.

So true; I can't tell you how many times I've done exactly that.

[Aonaran]

Just about every MMO I have played I have entered into it loving either the ranger or assassin type classes. I have never played one of these classes as my main....in Horizons I was a Reaver...which was kinda like a tank with some dark spells, in WoW I was a mage, in AoC I was a Conquerer, in Vanguard I was a blood mage and in Runes of Magic I am a mage/scout. SO maybe I need to concentrate on magus instead of ranger./...oh well...time will tell

[Gold]

The number of base classes may not be the most important statistic. Being able to modify the secondary traits will expand on that exponentially. I could start with the 4 primary and love finding my niche within each. As long as I have a dozen or so options within each of the 4 primary classes, I am happy.

[Jaxylir]

When the new classes come out there is normally a huge mass migration to the new ones until people see if they like it or not. Some will go back to their original class, whereas others go onto maxing out the one they just started. It normally evens itself out. 4 classes sound a bit small, but if they are incredibly smooth, I'd give them a break.

[Grymmoire]

As I noted in another thread, if the release of the remaining classes (and races) is not unreasonably long, no problem imo. And if it allows the developers to consider letting we players "unlock" them through a series of community events\quests, then it will actually be well worth waiting on for solely that reason, let alone a more quality product as expressed by others in this thread.

Although, it would be a pleasant surprise to hear form staff (hint, hint :wink: ) as to whether or not non-humanoid races are planned, being consider or are a potential for those "blank" ones. helps when we speculate in those other threads.

[Suthainn]

Although, it would be a pleasant surprise to hear form staff (hint, hint :wink: ) as to whether or not non-humanoid races are planned, being consider or are a potential for those "blank" ones. helps when we speculate in those other threads.

Grymmoire, that's a great question to submit in the Community Roundtable No. 10 thread.

[Syndic]

Although, it would be a pleasant surprise to hear form staff (hint, hint :wink: ) as to whether or not non-humanoid races are planned

I'm sure I seen a post many moons ago that said at least one of the races would be non-humanoid, I've been trying to find it, but no luck so far.

Edit: Found it here although it does say not "human like" as apposed to non-humanoid, not sure if there is a difference but chance there could be.

[Grymmoire]

.....Although, it would be a pleasant surprise to hear form staff (hint, hint :wink: ) as to whether or not non-humanoid races are planned, being consider or are a potential for those "blank" ones. helps when we speculate in those other threads.

I must have been half asleep when I posted that. I Had forgotten the information contained within the World History:

".....And thus the Kodian were born, a unique bipedal race with origins from the dangerous realm of Greenwood, an ancient and dark forest. These massive and magnificent bear-like creatures attuned to nature and defense took the world by surprise.

In response to the Kodian, the gods on the side of Chaos choose to create a counter balance race that embodied what they thought would represent their beliefs and strengths, but more importantly, the threat that the Kodian posed to the world. And thus the Fiends were born. Dark human-like demonic servants of the gods,...."

The Kodian are a direct "hint" of a non-humanoid race as well as possibly the form of the Fiends. Also, the info Syndic found and linked. Doh!!! :ohmy:

[Dravokx]

I sort of hinted at this topic before, and I'm pretty split by good arguments on both sides. Yes, it isn't to much to ask to just play another class until yours opens up, with respect to quality. On the other hand it isn't a good idea to push something that isn't done and just deliver half of it. It really limits that first hook you get into a game if you know the character you playing doesn't even matter and you don't care. If the MMO market has taught us anything it's that the first month matters... alotl. From a game play perspective having everyone start as the same 4 classes could lead to some pretty heavy polarity in the over all class distrubution as well. In whatever time it would take to get the other races and classes in, the hardcore players will already have well establish if not maxed out "main 4" characters. Entire guilds will be composed of just those 4 classes, gear drops for the nonexistant classes would be clouding backpacks, or just not around and suddenly disrupting loot tables. As far as the "unlocking" suggesting, personally I am not a fan at all. Instead of adding to the "mystery" or "pristege" of the class, it becomes an annoying chore, again, on a character you don't care about to get to what you want and makes you happy. I don't think that is every a good idea, hurdles to happiness.

I admit my point of view might be slightly bias because I'm one of the people who's perfered class isn't one of the starting 4. I fully understand the reason for the limitation from the developmental perspective, but really I almost would have rather not known about them then been shown everything and had half taken away. More polish and better balance are always a plus, but that implies to a whole package. It could just as easily be looked at as, since it's not all ready, the halfing of the classes and races is infact "not" polish, and bad sign, regardless of how much it might help in the short run.

So like I said, good arguements on both sides. Do I want there to be more, yes, do I want more to equal less quality, no. It's a hard decision all around, but the Dev's looked it over and made thier call.

It's our job as the players to realize it wasn't an easy choice, and be supportive of them taking the lead and doing their best. It might not be great, or enough, but it's what we got and we gotta roll with it Anything is worse if you cast it in a bad light, so, I snicker at it, but I move on.

[Grymmoire]

.... From a game play perspective having everyone start as the same 4 classes could lead to some pretty heavy polarity in the over all class distrubution as well. In whatever time it would take to get the other races and classes in, the hardcore players will already have well establish if not maxed out "main 4" characters. Entire guilds will be composed of just those 4 classes, gear drops for the nonexistant classes would be clouding backpacks, or just not around and suddenly disrupting loot tables. As far as the "unlocking" suggesting, personally I am not a fan at all. Instead of adding to the "mystery" or "pristege" of the class, it becomes an annoying chore, again, on a character you don't care about to get to what you want and makes you happy. I don't think that is every a good idea, hurdles to happiness.

I admit my point of view might be slightly bias because I'm one of the people who's perfered class isn't one of the starting 4. I fully understand the reason for the limitation from the developmental perspective, but really I almost would have rather not known about them then been shown everything and had half taken away. More polish and better balance are always a plus, but that implies to a whole package. It could just as easily be looked at as, since it's not all ready, the halfing of the classes and races is infact "not" polish, and bad sign, regardless of how much it might help in the short run.

This pretty fairly sums up my major concern with race\class release and post-release race\class introductions. The sole exception is that I disagree about the "unlocking" being "an annoying chore" as it was a source of community and server pride, in Horizons, to complete the necessary tasks that released the new races; it became a community event that did not require mandatory participation. Of course, some player's "hurdles" are other's " challenging fun"; hard to please all in any game.

Since races in Alganon are going to be released over time, one has no choice but to wait, if their race\class combo is not one issued on opening day, ergo, the manner in which we as a community get them could be made more fun than the typical, here are 2,4,6 more new races\classes, go get em boys and girls approach commonly employed.

[Syndic]

I think the term unlock is the confusion here. From what I get from Dravokx post unlocking would mean each person would have to unlock each of the additional races themselves. The reference above that, using Horizons as an example, is saying that the server works to unlock the race and once done everyone has access to the new race.
I don't think either way would be much of a pain as you'd only need to do it once. Although I don't think this will be happening as QOL has mentioned that we will be able to see these races around the world, just not be able to play them. So the situation would not be the same as the Dryads or Satyrs from Horizons.