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Katrishar
Minmatar
Rayn Enterprises
Test Alliance Please Ignore
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Posted - 2011.05.25 23:06:00 -
[1]
I love Eve, CCP, and the whole IDEA of Incarna; but the current state of the duality test server has me very concerned. What prompted me to type this post was seeing the announced release date of June 21st for Incarna 1.0 and then comparing that date with what the players have seen as of today, less than a month ahead of release. Incarna obviously has the potential to bring in hundreds of thousands of new players, and bring back old players who canceled their accounts due to lack of overall sci-fi character immersion. I realize the fact that Incarna 1.0 is just the beginning of a much bigger overall vision; but I wonder if CCP realizes how important it is from a marketing standpoint to get 1.0 right. I have therefore assembed a checklist that I would like CCP to PLEASE READ and consider before launching Incarna 1.0.
1.) The three main video screens. You guys are on the right track with this, and I will break this down into a few sub points as I feel that the video screens giving practical data is ESSENTIAL to the success and acceptance of Incarna 1.0
1a. The main screen: great ideas here CCP, but it all needs to WORK ON DAY 1, or you risk looking really bad to existing players and missing noobie retention potential.
-customizable market ticker
-breaking news ticker at the top
-sovereignty changes
-incursion data
-titan kills (with relevant system and alliance data)
-and more
All needs to be ACCURATE AND FUNCTIONING on day 1 of Incarna 1.0 in my opinion. I hope you realize that this could be a make it (and shut up some bitter vets) or break it ( and loose bitter vets plus thousands of noobs) type feature.
1b.) CORP SCREEN: This needs to work well and attract new players in to corps with some type of interface elements that make a new player want to look into it, and find a Eve University type corp to retain them as an account past the 14-21 day trial period.
Once you are IN a corp, it should show you relevant corp data, even corp players online or something. Bits of info you can pick up as you walk by and glance at it.
1c.) Planetary interaction screen: The player base and I really have no idea what you want to do with this, but some cool graphical motion pictures of planets you have PI set up on, with data on how full storage is/ survey data seams like a great use of the wall space. Either way, this screen needs to DO SOMETHING on day 1.
2.) All 4 races captain quarters really should be in and fully functional on day 1. The art needs to be done. There is worry building that you are going to change the build to Incarna 1.0 and only have the minmatar CQ.
3.) The NEW tutorials for all 4 races need to be DONE and HAVE AURA VOICE IMPLEMENTED. I have forced many friends to install and try Eve, only to have them quit half way through the tutorial because reading those tutorial boxes is in no way shape or form a good way to start a video game, even one as serious and hardcore as Eve. I would even consider having a video after character creation that is similar in style to the excellent new intro; that in a cool way explains that eve is a big awesome sandbox with tons of fun stuff to do, but before you get to do that, you must learn the BASICS, so please pay attention. I feel like there needs to be some type of addenda that is set for players after character creation but BEFORE the tutorial begins to inspire more players to FINISH the tutorial. CCP you spend TONS of money on marketing this game, then drop new customers into one of the most distancing tutorials imaginable. You may really want to consider adding an additional video (or something else) that inspires and "nudges" players a little more to finish the tutorial, and then venture out into the sandbox. Basically, show some snippets of the sandbox, before the tutorial. |
Katrishar
Minmatar
Rayn Enterprises
Test Alliance Please Ignore
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Posted - 2011.05.25 23:09:00 -
[2]
reserved
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Katrishar
Minmatar
Rayn Enterprises
Test Alliance Please Ignore
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Posted - 2011.05.25 23:14:00 -
[3]
reserved
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Sarmatiko
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Posted - 2011.05.26 00:42:00 -
[4]
Thanks Captain Obvious! But you know that current Duality client is not even close to latest Incarna build, right?
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Henry Haphorn
Gallente
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Posted - 2011.05.26 00:47:00 -
[5]
Well, the fact that CCP is pushing the release of Incarna this quickly could suggest that CCP has gathered enough data from the Duality server and the CQ experience has been refined to withstand the load seen in the Tranquility server. Of course that is just speculation on my part, so don't quote me on that.
I agree that the tutorials need improvement in order to allow newcomers to better understand the true nature of Eve Online without having to subject them to mind-numbing reading and age-old crackpot jokes we get from the agents. However, let's not forget that Eve Online is for those folks who are willing to work hard in order to progress. Simplify the tutorials, yes. But don't dumb it down to the point of turning newcomers into carebears. Just because your friends didn't continue playing Eve doesn't always mean that Eve sucks. It could be that that your friends were just not meant for Eve. And if they can't survive mind-numbing tutorials, what makes you think they can survive a trade-window scam (let alone understanding why they were suicide ganked)?
Overall, there is plenty improvements to be had. But let's not forget that the purpose of CQ in Duality is to gather as much of our input as possible. I have a gut feeling that CCP already has multiple variations of the CQ ready and is just waiting for enough data to refine them just enough to go ahead with the subsequent releases. But that's just my gut feeling.
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Katrishar
Minmatar
Rayn Enterprises
Test Alliance Please Ignore
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Posted - 2011.05.26 01:01:00 -
[6]
Edited by: Katrishar on 26/05/2011 01:03:55
Henry, I think we are both on the same page, and yes eve is not for everyone. But I know tons of gamers that would be "elite pvpers" in Eve, but don't give it a fair shake because all they see is THIS during the trial...... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMSjd6HNQdY&feature=channel_video_title
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Desert Ice78
Gryphon River Industries
R-I-P
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Posted - 2011.05.26 01:29:00 -
[7]
I sure hope that this is not the latest build, as I tried it out a couple of days ago and it was laggy as hell and promptly crashed when trying to undock, and now that I've logged back in for a second look, I find that I am still stuck on the "Entering space: checking nav systems" notice.
Bored with this...
CCP: Consistency since 2003 |
Henry Haphorn
Gallente
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Posted - 2011.05.26 02:54:00 -
[8]
 Originally by: Desert Ice78
I sure hope that this is not the latest build, as I tried it out a couple of days ago and it was laggy as hell and promptly crashed when trying to undock, and now that I've logged back in for a second look, I find that I am still stuck on the "Entering space: checking nav systems" notice.
Bored with this...
That's... because... it's... a test... version. Alpha and beta releases within either the Sisi or Duality servers always have a "work in progress" label slapped onto them. And you're probably right that this may not be the latest build that's ready for release. Otherwise, CCP would have setup a later release date than the one they posted.
Oh, and if you want to solve that little issue of the "entering space", press shift+backspace as soon as that message comes up after logging in. It might help. Also, it will help if you could at least read the disclaimers before trying the test servers out. Also, try joining the "CQ Info" and CQ Testing" channels in Duality if you like to give your input directly to the GMs who are there. That way, you can feel better knowing that CCP will get the message.
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Mara Rinn
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Posted - 2011.05.26 04:55:00 -
[9]
Originally by: Henry Haphorn
That's... because... it's... a test... version. Alpha and beta releases within either the Sisi or Duality servers always have a "work in progress" label slapped onto them.
CCP doesn't have a particularly good track record of fixing things that were broken on Singularity before releasing them on Tranquility.
What will be fixed? More commodities on your dresser, which you won't be able to do anything with.
What won't be fixed? Missing textures, very slow framerates, missing racial CQs.
They'll be iterated on right after all those subscribers come back.
Originally by: CCP in two years time
Guys? Where'd you go? We fixed CQ, super serious! It should work for you now!
Sorry CCP, busy playing World of Goo. Your game is too awesome for me now.
--
[Aussie players: join ANZAC channel] |
Obtuse Sai'dar
Gallente
Rayn Enterprises
Test Alliance Please Ignore
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Posted - 2011.05.29 07:41:00 -
[10]
So, just the minnie CQ?
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Katrishar
Minmatar
Rayn Enterprises
Test Alliance Please Ignore
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Posted - 2011.05.29 20:32:00 -
[11]
Originally by: Obtuse Sai'dar
So, just the minnie CQ?
No one seams to know. It would be cool if we got a response on this.
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ELECTR0FREAK
Eye of God
United Front Alliance
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Posted - 2011.05.29 21:47:00 -
[12]
Edited by: ELECTR0FREAK on 29/05/2011 21:53:24
Originally by: Katrishar
Originally by: Obtuse Sai'dar
So, just the minnie CQ?
No one seams to know. It would be cool if we got a response on this.
Given the fact that I am currently looking at the model and texture files for the Caldari and Gallente CQs right now rendered in 3D means that I have a pretty good idea they'll all release.
The models and texture files are modular so I'm trying to piece it all together. I'm an amateur (figured out how to do this just yesterday) but making decent progress.
The Amarr CQ files aren't there except for a rough blockout that seems to place the couch & TV area directly across from the balcony tunnel and 2 other small areas to either side (almost a 'cross' shape... coincidence?!)
But anyhow back to the point, if what I'm seeing is any indication, we'll see all 4 race CQs when Incursion launches.
Discoverer of the Original Missile Damage Formula |
Katrishar
Minmatar
Rayn Enterprises
Test Alliance Please Ignore
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Posted - 2011.05.29 22:25:00 -
[13]
Elect0freak; you would be my hero if you could post some screens of them here. (actually that may be against the terms of use.) but do it anyway!
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ELECTR0FREAK
Eye of God
United Front Alliance
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Posted - 2011.05.29 23:20:00 -
[14]
I don't think it would be a problem. But it's slow going because there are about a bajillion objects per CQ and I have to convert each one individually before I can export it. Then I've gotta figure out where each one goes and apply the appropriate texture. Forget normal, gloss and specular maps, just getting the objects in the right order has been tricky enough. I wish the block layouts like the one for Amarr were included in this build for Caldari and Gallente.
TL;DR - It's like doing a puzzle in 3D.
Discoverer of the Original Missile Damage Formula |
Katrishar
Minmatar
Rayn Enterprises
Test Alliance Please Ignore
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Posted - 2011.05.30 00:44:00 -
[15]
That's cool that the layouts look to be different for the different races. Nice work on getting to render that.
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ELECTR0FREAK
Eye of God
United Front Alliance
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Posted - 2011.05.30 04:14:00 -
[16]
Edited by: ELECTR0FREAK on 30/05/2011 04:15:29
While I was screwing around with getting the new CQ models put together for Caldari and Gallente, I noticed another new category buried in the .stuffs. "Establishments".
Here is the basic blockout for the Gallente Establishment (now with rendering! I'm learning a lot!):
http://imageshack.us/f/42/gallenteestablishment.jpg/
I've got the Caldari one pulled up but I've run into some trouble getting the roof stripped off. Lets just say I suck at using Blender and I spent far too much time on trying to set up a transparency section for the roof that I couldn't get to work right.
The Minmatar Establishment isn't in there yet... the model exists but it's just a cube. That's either a placeholder or some dev humor for yah. 
Here's where it gets interesting... the Amarr Establishment folder is, unlike the others with just the blockout, is brimming with models and textures. Like the CQs, they're modular, so it's a bunch of work piecing it all together.
I was able to make some progress on the other race CQs but again, I suck with Blender and theres a lot of models and textures and I keep getting sidetracked. I have to work tomorrow so I've gotta call it quits for the night. Any of you graphics pros out there feel free to give it a shot.
Discoverer of the Original Missile Damage Formula |
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