Heroes, champions, Archtypes?!

[cramit845 1]

   From the character creation screen that was release yesterday, I was a bit worried of more of a MOBA playstyle and design than something more traditional.  For instance the different classes all seem to be pictures of specific characters, which would promote the MOBA idea, in my eyes.  However, you look at the stats associated with the character and that makes you think it would be more of a traditional style, in my eyes.

    In the end, I truly hope for a traditional style gameplay and progression system.  I'm more interested in being able to make my character anyway I want, even if I end up gimping them.  I would rather have more control than less.  Time will tell and it will be interesting to see what they put out there over the next couple weeks, but my vote is for traditional for sure.

 

(Gave me goose bumps looking at that EQ1 pic BTW)

[cramit845 1]

       A Healer or Tank is pretty much my typical Go-too's.  There is always room for a support or range DPS but in the end Healer or Tank is really what I choose.  Everything else doesn't really need to be specific, as long as I get to ensure my group makes it through whatever type of encounter it is is all I care about.

[lucius 437]

JToddColeman replied to these concerns. His reply was a non-reply honestly. Which leads me to believe one of the following:

 

1) They are gender/race locked but there is a very very good reason, which we will be excited for.

 

2) They are not locked but it's more complicated than simply picking m/f

 

3) Based on feedback, they are changing this aspect.

[bairloch 2,136]

Good post Flex. What if your assumption is right. What if by selecting a certain archetype, you are in sense buying into a toolkit. Taking the MOBA analogy even further, what if "gear" as we know it in the classic mmorpg setting doesn't apply. Character customization through other enhancement methods. You could still create a rich and complex progression mechanic, and I wonder if this could also tie into a whole new loot concept. Or lack thereof.

 

I know many would buck this idea....I would personally love it.

 

Just put up a thread on this topic. Wish I'd come in here first.

[andybbtt11 0]

The graphic style is awesome to me, but if this turns out to be an iso style Moba type game, I'll probably pass.

[kraege 94]

There was a twitter conversation asking if Crowfall would be an MMORPG like Wizard101. The response was that it was a MMO that was nothing like Wizard. The Devs have many times made it clear it is not an MOBA (unless they are making an MMOMOBA? *shudder*)

On the other hand, I can almost see them going the tactical way of Pirate101.

In truth, I also prefer the open MMO world style. While still hoping for a good crafting system, I am always skeptical of such a thing nowadays. If there is world chat, be prepared for 'I need a girl', even with no family-friendly filters in place (which would not make sense for PvP). Lots of speculation and plenty of ideas. It does seem they are closer to beta testing than I thought previously.

 

Looking forward to more news

[ren 1,355]

JToddColeman replied to these concerns. His reply was a non-reply honestly. Which leads me to believe one of the following:

 

1) They are gender/race locked but there is a very very good reason, which we will be excited for.

 

2) They are not locked but it's more complicated than simply picking m/f

 

3) Based on feedback, they are changing this aspect.

 

My immediate reaction was along the lines of #1, and that it may be a developmental resource-based (eg manpower) decision. 

 

Lets say with their budgeted time if they went the traditional MMO direction they could create animations for three racial models with male and female options (6 body types), and then all the associated work for each piece of equipment in the game (so that's 6 options for each).  And inevitably after all that effort someone's hair sticks through a helm.

- OR-  

They can give us 24 MOBA style fixed gender and maybe even fixed equipment models, but the characters can be super whacky (elk, badger, centaur, etc) since they don't have to accommodate all the equipment options for each model.  And gear progression is handled in some other way such as imbuements or PARTIAL LOOTABLE booster equipment slots.  This saves a bunch of time which they can they put into wearable cloaks (a request in every game!), which by the way the Knight is wearing.  And you can plaster your gear with your guild colors and emblem, which by the way the Knight is also showing an emblem on shoulder and shield, making a coherently style army when your guild marches on an enemy.

 

This is an argument I might be able to get behind - I just want to know the tradeoffs.  What are we getting instead?!

Edited January 14, 2015 by ren

[lucius 437]

@Ren

 

My first thought was budget constraints as well. But he said (paraphrasing) "we'll explain later and I think you will be really excited."

 

Budget constraits tempered with "here's another feature instead", imo, does not fit what he said. Sure I'll get excited by this other awesome feature, but budget woes or not, I'm still going to be insulted by the lack of such a huge feature of MMOs.

 

That wouldn't make me excited for not having gender choice. I could understand. I can be accepting. But not excited.

Edited January 14, 2015 by lucius

[lucius 437]

Another thought I had, if this F2P, it could be more Archetypes could be available as microtransactions. But again, that's not something I'd be "really excited" for. I dont think the devs are so blind to their audience to not realize thats not anything to get excited over, so I don't think that is it either.

[flex 983]

JToddColeman replied to these concerns. His reply was a non-reply honestly. Which leads me to believe one of the following:

 

1) They are gender/race locked but there is a very very good reason, which we will be excited for.

 

2) They are not locked but it's more complicated than simply picking m/f

 

3) Based on feedback, they are changing this aspect.

 

I saw his response as well,

 

Hey gang,

 

Re: "gender locking" -- i.e. archetypes being locked to a particular gender -- let me say this: 

 

We will answer this question in the coming weeks.  

I don't think you will be disappointed with our answer.

 

Now, back to the game of rampant speculation!

 

Todd

ACE

 

 

I sincerely doubt too many people would be put off by character creation NOT being gender/race locked, as such I agree with your #1. take on the reveal. With that said I've been burned far too many times by new MMOs to assume that their rationale for MOBA style locked characters is something for either my own good or something I should be very excited about, I'm willing to wait out the 40 days and see what happens. I'm open to changing my mind.

 

I'd just greatly prefer the traditional system I look forward to learning more.

Edited January 14, 2015 by flex

[headlight 5,743]

Just for the sake of argument, they wouldn't have shown just one gender on the startup screen because it would appear sexist. That could be some reason everyone thinks it's gender-locked MOBA.

[Agelmar 1,662]

Just for the sake of argument, they wouldn't have shown just one gender on the startup screen because it would appear sexist. That could be some reason everyone thinks it's gender-locked MOBA.

 

Where's my lady badger!

[flex 983]

I too fear that CF will feature locked MOBA-style characters, I'd much, much prefer a traditional MMO character creation system

[aggelos 8]

MMO Style all the way. I want to create my own identity in MMOs not pick a random character that was already pre-made.

[macky 1]

If you look at the character creation screenshot there seems to be a potential gender select option underneath the character.

 

I don't think this game is going to lock you into a specific race or gender for the class.  This is a pre-alpha screenshot.  A lot of work has to be done still.

For comparison, this is World of Warcraft's pre-alpha media:

 

http://i.imgur.com/7p1TK3U.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/FZSIWS9.jpg

http://youtu.be/hnM1q6lpOUY?t=33s

Edited January 14, 2015 by macky

[firen898898 0]

a Fire Warrior...A warrior if u want it EXACTLY

[Swagorn 8]

I think what they're trying to do is simplify everyone's request to skill up in whatever you want. I think they want to make it so that if you make a knight, you can only get "knight" skills or "knight" skills do more damage on you.

[Astraerie 316]

The MOBA avatar feel could just be a general "race" avatar for now. I think it will have some options like.. hair, face, color, etc.

[lycrates 12]

I think you should be able to at least change the head of the character. I do not mind if they use the same body, as long as we get to customize the hair/eyes/face that we like.

[flex 983]

Personally I'd rather select a Deer Guy, then select priest, then pump some starting attributes into say strength to try and make a Battle Cleric (or whatever) or maybe Deer Guy Knight than select a pre-determined Pokemon character with a few hair options to distinguish you from all the other Deer Guys with roughly the same abilities because Deer Guy is relegated to a ranger -esque class with 3 or so variants thereof as promotion classes.

 

I love "builds" and min-maxing or unique novel builds, the MOBA style of limited pokemon options isn't as interesting to me personally, we'll see.

Edited January 14, 2015 by flex