Shattered Kingdoms

Skip this if you don't care for outsider/newb opinions.

I got into SK because a friend of my reminisced about it while I was a bit bored and my schedule kept me out of the games I'm fond of [longs story but RP was tough when I was the main person up so damn late].

This game gave me serious EQ flashbacks. Not all in the bad way either. There's something delightfully retro about the gameplay and all that.

Overall the the game is just a big pain. Most of the problem areas revolve around how aggressively the game hides any useful information from the player [untill of course they've played long enough to find/use OOC info to get along]. This is the only MUCK/MUD with a 'game engine' in it so I don't know if that's normal or not.

But even EQ eventually let up and showed the numbers.. a decade ago.

Anyway, the RP community is great. The people are fun, mostly. And the world is HUGE if kind of sketchily explained.

It's all like playing 2nd Ed AD&D; the game itself it clunky and terrible in soooo many ways. But get a good group together and it all fades into the background, mostly.

I'll be mostly returning from the game, my schedule's changing so I can get back to RP in a game that doesn't make me angry playing it and I've got a pretty long list of non-mmo games to catch up on.

If anyone wants my specific complains, ask but I'd rather leave with a friendly wave to the RP people that made it bearable.

I've actually got a current char who's working to help with this in at least one small area, and I've worked on char sketches that could provide make more info learnable in a completely IC way. My only issue is I have yet to hear back from any IMMS on how to get going on making the books.

Who was your character?

I don't generally discuss living chars outside of faction/religion affiliations, but if I recall, you played Menkh, in which case our chars definitely met, specifically when Menkh was working on her study of the unique religious prayers, if that rings a bell.

I remember that character! I was talking to forgemccain though, sorry if that wasn't clear. Just wondering who he played to see if I knew the character and someone tainted his opinion. :/

Phew! I thought I was going crazy. I thought he was asking forgemccain too and about to be all like "Uhmm....".

Interesting review though. I can somewhat sympathize. However, that said, I see a potential that SK has that quite a few games lack. And it is hard to explain, for me! With all the bug fixes, and feature updates, SK can really keep shooting for the stars!

It is the potential and constant evolution that brings me back time and time again, and the dedicated playerbase. Dulrik, you and your staff are doing a fantastic job! I can't wait to see what is next!

I've played three so far, Argente, Nyssia and Anastasia

Or merc, bard and mage

I should make one other set of comments, to try and help the game.

I know this is a labor of love for those who still play and develp this game, so bear with me.

But this game has got to get away from not telling the new player things, or even the old player things if you're at all serious about the 'not using ooc' info rule.

Some of the cities are very confusing [Sith, the pixie village, etc.] , a few are just incomplete and need a revamp [Exile.. really exile]

Merchants need to tell you what your selling, that color coded sign in Menengoth is an example of how it should be; not the exception [I mean really, why wouldn't a merchant tell you what his wares do?]

Skills should level quickly and easily, it's a class feature not some secret power.

And on that note, I shouldn't have to waste hours of pvp or rpo time hunting down or use ooc info to find a trainer, seriously. Hiding the 'advanced trainers' ok.. sure but don't make me hunt down a class feature.

I know this 'in the dark' thing seems fun to the old hands or the the Imms.

But if you want NEW people, especially anyone that's been a part of gaming in the last decade, that has got to be fixed. Just saying.

I'm just waiting for the old to be new again. Not having everything handed to you on a silver platter is going to make a retro comeback. Like bell bottoms.

What's that you say? Bell bottoms went out of style years ago AGAIN?

I'm going to respond point by point because I think you're doing this in good faith and I think you're a nice add to the game. See italics.

There is 'not using ooc' and there is 'developing a char rather than springing fully grown from zeus' head'. It's generally considered admirable to carry forward knowledge as long as it future characters have a well reasoned background for what knowledge you allow them. It's generally easiest as a player/human being to assume in the absence of evidence otherwise that people do have such a background in mind; it is after all a game.

I think these actually add a lot of flavor. If you have specific suggestions you're actually encouraged to do something about it - get in touch with the locals in game and see about starting a project to add/revamp what you feel merits it.

Agreed! An "ask merchant what x he's selling does" feature has been requested before. At the end of the day, though, there's no replacement for asking someone a bunch of level highers than you for guidance. This is a team game.

Wholeheartedly disagree, skill leveling is one way to differentiate long-lived chars from new ones, while players have the option of working to rapidly skill up by using various tactics if they don't want to wait til their char gets old - pm me or ask someone in game if you're curious how. They might be nonsecret powers but you're not supposed to be a god 20 hours in.

Ask arouuuund! Lots of people are happy to help. Don't give up if you get stonewalled by 1 guy who's either an ooc or ic jackass.



Bit of homering there, but hopefully it's some perspective. Hope to continue seeing you in game.