Pantheon: with our current team size this would take some time to complete

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Byolante: Mar 23, 2008; by Cyrano4747

retpocileh posted:

On second thought, I don't want to completely dismiss EQ's combat as being less challenging than WoW's all around.

Given that the dungeon/raid boss encounters were much more challenging, engaging, and elaborate in WoW, I do think the day to day combat in EQ was oftentimes more challenging and strategic.

Charm soloing as a necro or enchanter in Howling Stones, for example, is far more challenging an experience than any soloing I've done in another MMO. Like, if you're trying to break into a room with 6 mobs that can each individually kill you in 5 seconds flat, you have to do some creative poo poo and know what you're doing, but you can pull it off with the the right approach. Even with that right approach, poo poo can go wrong, and your ability to adapt and respond quickly to that means the difference between life and death.

When trying to break up a spawn, or fear kite, or set up a camp, you have to be very careful about when you pull what, where you're pulling it to, what abilities you're using to pull it, what mobs are pathing around, the timing of your pulls and kills, etc.

You also had so many different approaches you could take: face tank a mob, root rot, AoE kite, fear kite, charm solo, reverse charm, swarm kite, FD pulling, etc.

That kind of complexity simply doesn't exist in games like WoW.

It might be more accurate to say that the combat in EQ had more of a strategic challenge to it? Either way it definitely feels more meaningful, strategic, and rewarding than the AoE button mashing that WoW seemed to have turned into from the base leveling experience up to Mythic dungeons in Legion.

Mage Tower, green fire, rhok/lok, extreme soloing (m+10 or more). You haven't interacted with the hard content in wow if you thing charm twisting is difficult.

# ? Feb 18, 2019 09:31

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# ? May 26, 2024 11:17

Dropbear: Jul 26, 2007; Bombs away!

Holyshoot posted:

I'm curious how many "eq was way more hardcore then how mmos are now" players have completed mythic wow or savage ffxiv raiding.

Those seemed interesting in FFXIV but the content outside them was so unbelievably dull I quit before getting there. Nearing the base game's max levels even group content was so simple you basically couldn't fail if you knew how to make your character attack.

I think most of the folks pining for old EQ didn't even raid at all, that's not what they're nostalgic about.

# ? Feb 18, 2019 12:26

Givin: Jan 24, 2008; Givin of the Internet Hates You

I said come in! posted:

Is there a confirmed death penalty for Pantheon?

Playing the game if it ever comes out.

# ? Feb 18, 2019 17:01

Chomposaur: Feb 28, 2010

Modern themepark MMOs basically have one difficulty knob, mechanical skill, and it's turned down to -1 for the content that most players complete.

There are other kinds of challenges that are slower paced -- stuff like breaking spawns, watching for pathers, situational awareness, locking down adds, navigating huge dungeons, organizing groups of people to help someone with a quest, managing aggro, conserving mana, etc. I think people looking for the EQ1 experience find those types of challenges to be more their speed, and would like a game where they're the focus. Something a bit more RPG and less action.

So sure, a lot of my EQ1 buddies suck at mechanics and couldn't clear the first WoW mythic boss if they were doing 80 hour weeks with the best gear, which is why they'd like a game that presents those different kinds of challenges. I think that's what most people mean when they say EQ1 was "hardcore" -- class rotations and raid mechanics weren't really a thing, but newbies who didn't watch their step got dropped into a shark tank or merced by Holly Windstalker or pulled the entire Estate of Unrest.

# ? Feb 20, 2019 06:30

Ehud: Sep 19, 2003; football.

February newsletter is out:

https://www.pantheonmmo.com/newsletter/2019_february_intro/

Nerdy art/design stuff here: https://www.pantheonmmo.com/newsletter/2019_february_under_wraps/

Q&A with Brad McQuaid: https://www.pantheonmmo.com/newsletter/2019_february_dev_spotlight/

Some new info on the game's atmosphere system here: https://www.pantheonmmo.com/newsletter/2019_february_behind_the_design/

quote:

The Inspiration
If you watch our live streams, you may hear me gush from time to time about early adventure games on consoles like the Super Nintendo � particularly games like A Link to the Past, Super Metroid, etc. As simple as those classic era games were, they still offer much to modern game design.

One thing I still love about those games is how they thoughtfully create inaccessible (or �hard to inhabit�) areas of the world early in the game. These could be areas too high for you to currently reach, hidden rooms within a labyrinth of darkness, a treasure chest sitting across a chasm too wide to jump, or a lever surrounded by life-draining magic. We can all agree: mysterious, locked doors and their elusive keys are cool. But if this is the only method of gaining access to new areas, the sense of accomplishment is static and weak � it quickly loses its impact.

With Pantheon, we�ve said from the beginning that we want the environment to matter. One of the ways we are accomplishing this is with our Climate and Acclimation System (which I�ll cover in an upcoming Behind the Design). But while Climate deals with the extremes of natural phenomena players will encounter in Terminus, Atmospheres will present players with unnatural, metaphysical phenomena � the kind of phenomena that might occur when fantastical worlds collide.

The Mechanics

I. The Atmospheres

The Atmosphere System presents the player with environmental dangers and obstacles (or �questions� as we refer to them internally) that require specific �answers� the player must acquire for themselves.

Here is a short list of possible Atmospheres you could encounter as you explore Terminus:

� Silencing Mists

� Fog of Confusion

� Gloom

� Frenetic Floor

� Curse of Intangibility

� Heavy Air

� Shifting Walls

Let�s take a closer look at one of these (details subject to change, of course):

Gloom
The Gloom atmosphere can be found permeating most Undead ruins, crypts, graveyards� places with a high concentration of Undead. This particular Atmosphere impacts players negatively and Undead non-player characters (NPCs) positively while in its area of effect.

Negative Effects on Players

� Drains Mana over time

� Reduces healing effectiveness

� Increases damage inflicted by Undead enemies

Positive Effects on Undead

� Bonus to all stats

� Increases Aggro and Assist radius

So how will players �answer� these strange and often dangerous environmental �questions�?

II. The Artifacts

By seeking and acquiring Artifacts. Artifacts are legendary rare items players can discover that offer unique utility. They are necessary to explore and overcome areas of the game where Atmospheres exist.

In the Gloom example above, players would need to acquire and equip the Bone-Woven Veil to mitigate Gloom�s negative effects.

Here is another short list of possible Artifacts you may discover and the special utility they provide:

� Shield of Mirrors: Forged by the master smiths of Khadassa, it can reflect light and has a chance to reflect magical attacks when blocking.

� Skyhold Grappler: Fashioned by the Gnomes of Skyhold to assist in advanced terrain traversement, the Skyhold Grappler can latch onto special surfaces and pull you to the target location.

� Ring of Anchors: Infused with the bitterness of the Dark Myr, this ring was designed to sink the wearer to the deepest reaches of the oceans.

� Crest of Illumination: This Archai crown was imbued with a powerful, resonating light source that can shine through the blackest darkness.

# ? Feb 20, 2019 19:33

Byolante: Mar 23, 2008; by Cyrano4747

There are other kinds of challenges that are slower paced -- Looking at wow

stuff like breaking spawns - Mythic +

watching for pathers - Mythic +

situational awareness - Mythic + and raids

locking down adds - Basically everything from pvp to dungeons to raids to hard solo content

navigating huge dungeons - There are plenty of sprawling dungeons in wow, new one getting added next patch

organizing groups of people to help someone with a quest - Isn't this called being a raid leader?

managing aggro - all dps classes at all times

conserving mana - most classes are burn and build based, from a marks hunter thats a very short window to an arcane mage thats a long window

Everything you want exists in content the majority of the player base take part in, you just have decided it doesn't for whatever reason and wax lyrical about EQ instead.

# ? Feb 23, 2019 00:09

Kak: Sep 27, 2002

Byolante posted:

There are other kinds of challenges that are slower paced -- Looking at wow

stuff like breaking spawns - Mythic +

watching for pathers - Mythic +

situational awareness - Mythic + and raids

locking down adds - Basically everything from pvp to dungeons to raids to hard solo content

navigating huge dungeons - There are plenty of sprawling dungeons in wow, new one getting added next patch

organizing groups of people to help someone with a quest - Isn't this called being a raid leader?

managing aggro - all dps classes at all times

conserving mana - most classes are burn and build based, from a marks hunter thats a very short window to an arcane mage thats a long window

Everything you want exists in content the majority of the player base take part in, you just have decided it doesn't for whatever reason and wax lyrical about EQ instead.

Yeah, but the player base in WoW is poo poo

Also the latest expansion is probably the worst ever and it doesn't look to be getting any better

# ? Feb 23, 2019 03:15

Byolante: Mar 23, 2008; by Cyrano4747

Kak posted:

Yeah, but the player base in WoW is poo poo

Also the latest expansion is probably the worst ever and it doesn't look to be getting any better

That wasn't the argument tho

The player base for any game now will be terrible, and I doubt brad and the opiate gang will somehow crank out something less poo poo than wow

# ? Feb 23, 2019 08:29

Schubalts: Nov 26, 2007; People say bigger is better.

But for the first time in my life, I think I've gone too far.

Kak posted:

Yeah, but the player base in WoW is poo poo

Like there weren't garbage people in Everquest and Ultima.

# ? Feb 23, 2019 10:02

I said come in!: Jun 22, 2004

Yeah, Everquest and Ultima both had garbage playerbases. Everquest was especially bad with super toxic elitist attitudes and community enforced rules of etiquette that only benefited the hardcore no life players.

# ? Feb 23, 2019 20:13

milkman dad: Aug 13, 2007

Byolante posted:

There are other kinds of challenges that are slower paced -- Looking at wow

stuff like breaking spawns - Mythic +

watching for pathers - Mythic +

situational awareness - Mythic + and raids

locking down adds - Basically everything from pvp to dungeons to raids to hard solo content

navigating huge dungeons - There are plenty of sprawling dungeons in wow, new one getting added next patch

organizing groups of people to help someone with a quest - Isn't this called being a raid leader?

managing aggro - all dps classes at all times

conserving mana - most classes are burn and build based, from a marks hunter thats a very short window to an arcane mage thats a long window

Everything you want exists in content the majority of the player base take part in, you just have decided it doesn't for whatever reason and wax lyrical about EQ instead.

You�re still missing the point. Yes, there are similar game mechanics in wow. It�s not the mechanics that are being argued, in the context in which the mechanics were practiced that folks are reminiscent over.

The experience people are recollecting are principally during the leveling process. Mythical content how you describe it sounds like a opt-in game mode. In Everquest the entire world, for the most part, felt dangerous. Moreover there was an interesting element of comradeship because of how all communication, at least as I remember it, was via text. The only exception I had was calling a friend over a landline but he quit leveling in the teens.

The other piece you�re missing are the consequences for screwing all this up. Corpse rot and corpse recovery were generally really big deals.

# ? Feb 24, 2019 00:31

Byolante: Mar 23, 2008; by Cyrano4747

milkman dad posted:

You�re still missing the point. Yes, there are similar game mechanics in wow. It�s not the mechanics that are being argued, in the context in which the mechanics were practiced that folks are reminiscent over.

The experience people are recollecting are principally during the leveling process. Mythical content how you describe it sounds like a opt-in game mode. In Everquest the entire world, for the most part, felt dangerous. Moreover there was an interesting element of comradeship because of how all communication, at least as I remember it, was via text. The only exception I had was calling a friend over a landline but he quit leveling in the teens.

The other piece you�re missing are the consequences for screwing all this up. Corpse rot and corpse recovery were generally really big deals.

Mythic+ in wow is about as opt in as leveling to cap was in EQ. Its part of the general daily gameplay loop along with world quests and pvp as something thats always there and ready to play.

On voice chat I can remember using some sort of voip solution from about 2003 onwards but not everyone had it way back then. Voip really became ubiquitous around the time of Guild Wars 1 releasing.

Consequences are ok in a game with a short time to cap/max out your gear but it actively discourages trying out the hardest content in the game for new entrants if everything they have worked for for months can get lost for good on one bad pull.

# ? Feb 24, 2019 01:21

TheAgent: Feb 16, 2002; The call is coming from inside Dr. House; Grimey Drawer

I said come in! posted:

Yeah, Everquest and Ultima both had garbage playerbases. Everquest was especially bad with super toxic elitist attitudes and community enforced rules of etiquette that only benefited the hardcore no life players.

and then those people got hired on at blizzard

really

# ? Feb 24, 2019 01:39

Byolante: Mar 23, 2008; by Cyrano4747

TheAgent posted:

and then those people got hired on at blizzard

really

In a way its funny that those cancerous people left for other game teams but the people who replaced them were even worse caricatures of them

# ? Feb 24, 2019 01:59

frajaq: Jan 30, 2009; #acolyte GM of 2014

So.. any more news about this game?

# ? Feb 24, 2019 02:30

Drfishback: Nov 5, 2009

My last hope for a self policing persistant PVP world lies here,hoping like hell this comes out so I can get killed by a rogue whilst farming some lovely leggings or some such scenario. I do understand it is primarily a PVE game but thats precisely the reason i want to PVP in it since I will hunt that loving rogue down for the next 3 months or however long it takes. I have tried many single player MMOs and the like, no one ever talks and after like 3 months you do a /who guild all and it comes up with just you on the list. Where else am I gonna backstab some jerk while he is turning in bone chips for some lovely faction grind?

Not saying that 99-04 magic is going to be as euphoric or strong but I will give it a shot,what I wont do is pay for any frontier/alpha/beta cash grab so gonna wait until it (hopefully) at least goes open beta.

P.S. Please Brad don't do pills.

# ? Feb 24, 2019 06:45

Node: May 20, 2001; KICKED IN THE COOTER; Taco Defender

Schubalts posted:

Like there weren't garbage people in Everquest and Ultima.

In Ultima you could just kill them or steal something from them. Until Trammel at least.

# ? Feb 24, 2019 09:35

Gildiss: Aug 24, 2010; Grimey Drawer

Drfishback posted:

My last hope for a self policing persistant PVP world lies here,hoping like hell this comes out so I can get killed by a rogue whilst farming some lovely leggings or some such scenario. I do understand it is primarily a PVE game but thats precisely the reason i want to PVP in it since I will hunt that loving rogue down for the next 3 months or however long it takes. I have tried many single player MMOs and the like, no one ever talks and after like 3 months you do a /who guild all and it comes up with just you on the list. Where else am I gonna backstab some jerk while he is turning in bone chips for some lovely faction grind?

Not saying that 99-04 magic is going to be as euphoric or strong but I will give it a shot,what I wont do is pay for any frontier/alpha/beta cash grab so gonna wait until it (hopefully) at least goes open beta.

P.S. Please Brad don't do pills.

Lmao, guess you got no hope then, because this is the absolute last place I would expect that to happen.

# ? Feb 24, 2019 09:53

Drfishback: Nov 5, 2009

Gildiss posted:

Lmao, guess you got no hope then, because this is the absolute last place I would expect that to happen.

I've seen it before on Asherons Call Darktide and Vallon Zek/Sullon Zek. I guess we shall see if Wiggo Sneakypants will ride again.

# ? Feb 25, 2019 03:56

Six AM: Nov 30, 2008

Drfishback posted:

I've seen it before on Asherons Call Darktide and Vallon Zek/Sullon Zek. I guess we shall see if Wiggo Sneakypants will ride again.

Werent those like 20 years ago

# ? Feb 25, 2019 04:46

Freakazoid_: Jul 5, 2013; Buglord

Node posted:

In Ultima you could just kill them or steal something from them. Until Trammel at least.

This was an unreliable enforcement mechanism, but it did make the garbage cleanup crew feel better.

# ? Feb 25, 2019 08:03

Jebediah: Oct 7, 2009; Grimey Drawer

I said come in! posted:

Yeah, Everquest and Ultima both had garbage playerbases. Everquest was especially bad with super toxic elitist attitudes and community enforced rules of etiquette that only benefited the hardcore no life players.

I never experienced any of these folks because I never raided in EQ

# ? Feb 27, 2019 17:42

Zaodai: May 23, 2009; Death before dishonor?
Your terms are accepted.

Every MMO has a garbage community, the old ones just made information harder to come by for casuals and resources require larger coordinated groups to get (or keep) so it made some groups of players more overtly smug about it.

# ? Feb 27, 2019 17:58

Ehud: Sep 19, 2003; football.

March Newsletter. This game will never come out.

https://pantheonmmo.com/newsletter/2019_march_under_wraps/

quote:

Project Faerthale is broken down into monthly goals, and this month�s goals have us all quite excited. By the end of March we should see a new area populated with an encounter that will be playable in a basic form.

Much like our approach to worldbuilding, we are doing a �graybox� version of the event. This means that not only are parts of the environment left untextured, but also the basic sequence is laid out from start to finish in a primitive form. During our event there is a weather-type occurrence. This is broken down into a set of effects that we can block in, like slowing the player down or pushing him or her back. The animations, visuals, and sound may not be fully implemented yet, but we can start to see how it comes together. We�ll continue this process through the entire event, blocking in basic conditions and effects. By the end of the month we should be able to play through the entire event and get a feel for how it plays.

This is an important step because sometimes something sounds fun on paper but in practice it doesn�t have the same quality. When that happens we have to consider why it isn�t fun. Are there a few minor things that take away from the enjoyment? Is the implementation off? Or does the idea itself just not translate into something fun to play? You have to be prepared for that possibility, too, no matter how small a possibility it is, and that�s why grayboxing is such an important step. If changes are needed, you haven�t gone down the rabbit hole and burned a lot of valuable time polishing things you end up not using.

So, as I mentioned, the entire team is very eager to try this event by the end of the month. Then April, at least in part, will be spent refining it and adding in more layers of finishing.

One of those many layers is visual effects.

As you may have noticed, we had an opening for a Visual Effects Artist for Pantheon. That is no longer the case. I�m happy to tell you that the position has been filled by a wonderfully talented individual by the name of Fernando Flores. Fernando joined us at the beginning of the month and has already dived head-first into the world of Terminus to infuse some incredible visual effects that make the world�and the game as a whole�come to life. As a VFX Artist, he not only works closely with Creative, but he�s also working side by side with Programming as there are a lot of technical aspects to VFX. He is working closely with Technical Artist Bruno Rime and they are making magic happen. Like, literally� they�re working on magic-based visual effects.

In terms of game systems, things are being fleshed out there too. Senior Designer Corey LeFever has completed a deep design on crafting and CTO & Lead Programmer Daniel Krenn and his team presented a first pass of it this past week. It�s a very basic system right now. This iteration is serving as placeholder so we can block out the tools and UI needed for the full system, which will come later. Sorry, crafters�no full crafting system yet, but it�s now blocked out in game, so it�s coming!

Also, Programming has been working diligently on the climbing system. We always wanted Pantheon�s climbing to be engaging, so we�ve worked it into Project Faerthale. While the idea itself is relatively straight-forward, its potential impact is much greater. Design is thinking of clever ways to use it in the environment, in the story, and even in some events.

And that�s what�s happening at Visionary Realms this month. Soon we�ll be able to play through the special event, climb the walls, craft some equipment, and enjoy some magical sparkles. Can�t wait to share more in April!

https://pantheonmmo.com/newsletter/2019_march_behind_the_design/

quote:

Behind the Design: Dispositions
When we say Pantheon will be a challenging game, what does that mean exactly? Difficulty can be measured in many ways and is rarely one-dimensional. Some games tune and measure difficulty in terms of actions per minute (APM) or rapid pattern recognition and response. They are challenging because combat requires the player to respond on cue to exact patterns or to fire off a rapid sequence of keystrokes in a short timeframe with little margin for error. But with Pantheon, our philosophy of challenge puts less burden on nimble fingers and more on what we call strategic depth: designing gameplay around a longer-term curve that asks players to make decisions not based purely on reaction time, but by increasing players long-term reward or lowering their long-term risk based on a growing knowledge of the game.

The Disposition system will play an important role in achieving that strategic depth and evolving an aspect of MMORPGs that has been dormant for a long time.

The Inspiration
The genesis of this idea came while mulling over the �groundhog day� conundrum of MMO content. Sure, dungeons can be extremely challenging to crawl through. Camps can be woefully difficult to carve out and hold. All of this can be compounded based on the group makeup, the group�s levels, and quality of gear. But with enough time, repetition will win the day as players learn the fights and the risks. Before long, the sameness of the experience leads to an auto-pilot mentality and the excitement and challenge is lost.

Fast forward a year or so and I find myself playing Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor. One of the things that resonated with me was the trait system for the Uruk Captains and Warchiefs. It was a unique challenge every time I encountered one because I couldn�t anticipate what their unique strengths, weaknesses, and behaviors would be. It was possible I could find myself lacking the resources or the positioning to deal with a particular trait and get in trouble fast. In other cases, I might find I was able to take full advantage of particular weaknesses and charged headlong to meet them.

At some point, the two worlds collided. What an amazing way to breathe excitement, challenge, and unpredictability into the NPC landscape of MMORPGs. These were the ingredients that gave rise to the Disposition system.

The Mechanics
The Disposition system will give NPCs a chance to spawn with one of many possible Dispositions, granting them unique strengths, weaknesses, and behavioral qualities. These Dispositions will typically be portrayed by an adjective at the beginning of the NPC�s name, though there will be Dispositions only identifiable through the Perception system and rare, vision-altering Artifacts.

To share a few of the more basic examples of Dispositions, if you were about to attack a group of Lizardmen in a dungeon, you might see "A Deranged Lizardman� and �A Cunning Lizardman� in it. As a discerning player, over time you've learned:

A "Deranged" Lizardman

� Is immune to Stun, Mesmerize, and other disorienting effects.

� Will attempt to flee at unpredictable times and in erratic ways

A "Cunning" Lizardman

� Can see through Stealth.

� Cannot be attacked from behind or pick-pocketed.

� Is vulnerable to ranged attacks.

Here is a short list of possible Dispositions you could encounter as you explore Terminus:

� Cunning

� Deranged

� Predatory

� Pyrophobic

� Alarmist

� Sniper

� Bloodthirsty

� Acrobatic

� Truesight

� Avenging

� Playful

� Mastermind

Over time, as a player learns these Dispositions and is able to associate them with different NPC types, they will become more "skilled" within our strategic depth framework of challenge. Players who choose to go the extra mile and learn, even networking with other players to learn, get rewarded with long-term, strategic benefits within the game.

Immersive Impact
As a final note, combat will not be the only place you will see unique and surprising behaviors in our NPCs. Seeing townsfolk go inside and close their doors at night. Seeing a farmer run and ring a warning bell when a wolf has wandered too close to the chicken pen. Seeing small cave creatures scatter and disappear when you pull out your torch in a dark cavern. NPCs doing thoughtful, odd, and believable things is part of what will make Terminus feel more immersive, impactful, and truly alive.

https://pantheonmmo.com/newsletter/2019_march_reader_questions/

quote:

Caine asks: How subtle can the perception system get? Will my appreciation for exploring every nook and cranny of the world pay off?

CP: Yes. The Perception system is designed to cover a broad spectrum of story-related, discoverable content. This will include epic, overarching storylines and insight into prominent events and points of interest. But it will also guide players into discovering the smaller, more intricate details of the world. The goal is that as players become more familiar with the Perception system, they will carry a sense of expectation for what things they might discover, great or small, in the �nooks and crannies� across Terminus.

Jamie Stewart asks: What do NPCs do to make the world feel real?

CP: I�ll offer a couple of quick examples. You can expect NPCs in cities and villages to have certain social and domestic behaviors that add to the immersion and realism of the game world. Things like guards lighting torches and braziers while on patrol at night. Certain citizens of cities and villages will return to their houses and close/lock their doors at night. But most notably, our Disposition system is designed to give most NPCs a layer of behavioral AI that will make their actions unpredictable in combat and certain non-combat situations as well.

Obelisk asks: Will nighttime be dark and will it make the world a different place?

Chris Perkins: Nighttime will certainly be dark, and nighttime in certain places throughout Terminus could be darker than normal depending on the environment and/or other mystical forces at work. On the whole, we want nighttime (and darkness by extension) to be considered dangerous. Not only will your vision be more limited and light sources more important, but there will be several unique events, quests, and NPCs that only come out at night�and a host of vicious creatures that will send chills up your spine.

@TravDood asks: Will there be wandering OP mobs in lower level zones for a random element of danger?

CP: We definitely plan to do this in many areas, and have some exciting gameplay ideas to go along with some of the more significant NPCs that fill this role.

@_Quest_ asks: How in-depth will character creation be? (This is less my question and more my wife�s.)

CP: You can expect a character creation and customization process that is comparable to modern MMORPGs, including facial customization and certain Race-specific flourishes.

Chris Rostant asks: How in depth is the perception system? Like, does it create full-on quests with a quest log that I can track in case I go down a rabbit hole? Or is it more of, oh you notice this thing, good for you bud here is a reward?

CP: It�s both. The Perception system will present you with full quests called Storylines, which can be epic in nature in terms of depth and length. When you initiate the Perception system by becoming a Keeper, you will receive a Tome of Keeping which will serve as a quest log of sorts, helping you keep track of the different clues, triggers, and information you�ve come across on your Perception journey.

Andrew Peters asks: Will there only be one way to deal with acclimation? Or will there be multiple ways of acclimating a character to an environment?

CP: Players will acclimate to various climates primarily through the use of Glyphs that are applied to specific parts of the body. The amount of acclimation provided by these Glyphs is determined by the power and rarity of the Glyph used, and the part of the body it is applied to. The various parts of the body are weighted differently, therefore applying a Glyph to the chest will result in a higher acclimation score than applying a Glyph to the hands.

In addition to these Glyphs, players can improve their Acclimation score to a lesser degree via special items, buffs, and certain racial passives. Players may also be able to raise their Acclimation through prolonged exposure to individual climate types.

Beefcake asks: How will progeny work?

CP: We�re not ready to go into details on the Progeny system yet.

Mathir asks: Why is the "Control" role considered as part of the "Quaternity" of the four main group-based roles in this game, yet unlike every other member of the group (heals, tank, DPS), there is only one class (Enchanter) that specializes in that role? And even if the Bard does make it in by launch, and also specializes in that role, that would only be two class options available for people wanting to play a "Control" role in a group. Why are there not at least three distinct class playstyle options available for the Control role as there are for every other role in the quaternity?

CP: Ultimately, we didn�t set out with a �3-per-archetype� approach in mind. There are three Tanks and three Healers, but actually five Classes that fit into the DPS archetype: Monk, Ranger, Rogue, Wizard, and Summoner. And, two that are focused on Control (Enchanter and Bard). Now, while this may inflate the issue and make Control seem that much more under-represented, it�s meant to highlight the uniqueness and specialty of that role.

There is a careful amount of CC spread among some of the other Classes. A Rogue or Ranger or Paladin can choose to stop their DPS/tanking for a time to focus on pulling off some feats of Crowd Control, but the Enchanter and Bard are unique in that their design and kit revolves around CC.

oneADseven asks: With the name of the game being Pantheon, how much of an impact will the "Pantheon" for each race have on gameplay, progression, and character customization?

CP: I won�t say much on this topic just yet, but because of the Celestial Boundary, the direct involvement or influence of each race�s Pantheon is heavily diminished. Without going into detail on if or how that changes, you can expect the Perception system to reward you with a great deal of insight on the various Celestials and the roles they may yet have to play.

Zoltar asks: I want to know if the ability for Wizards to regen mana through arcane dps and Enchanters to drain mana reflects an overall philosophy for enabling active-mana regeneration that will be extended to other non-healing casters (Summoner/Bard/Necro) and possibly healers OR should they just be considered unique mechanics for those classes?

CP: For now, these should be considered unique mechanics for these specific Classes.

@Fuel_ssbm asks: How exactly will the different races impact the class? For example will a Halfling Ranger be faster or an Elf Ranger have faster mana regen?

CP: In addition to variations in starting attribute and resistance scores, each of the nine Races will have their own innate passive and active abilities that will further differentiate them. With this in mind, there will be many different synergies between a Race�s unique stats and abilities and the Classes they become.

@aa99barnsey asks: Are totems still planned as part of the shaman class?

CP: No.

MauvaisOeil asks: Will "hirode's" fox depend on the druid's race or be the same for everyone? (i.e.: Tuna for dark myr, Bear for ogres, etc...)

CP: Hirode (he-RO-day) the White Fox will be the same for all Druids.

A bit of backstory: after arriving on Terminus, the Halfling Ward Masae�s powerful affinity with nature has caused her role in Terminus to transcend far beyond the Halflings. Much of her devotion is now focused on cultivating the Druid order at large, and to that end she has gifted each Druid with a manifestation of her personal companion, Hirode.

Speaknoevil 2 asks: What are the team's goals/desires behind pet classes and pet mechanics? Namely, will pets be relatively the same in terms of attack and ability to control across all classes, or will some pet classes rely more heavily on their pets than others? Will there be �quality of life� concepts like an EQ /pet hold to allow for more pet control or will they just run amok?

CP: The goal is for the pet classes to feel meaningfully different from each other in their own playstyle and the playstyle of their pets.

The Summoner will rely heavily on their pets for their damage output. But it goes deeper than that, because Summoners will also be seeking to improve the power of their pets through upgrading special, persistent gear their pets will be able to equip. So for Summoners, their pets� growth and equipment will be just as important as their own.

The Druid, on the other hand, will use Hirode to heal and protect instead of engaging in combat because it cannot attack or be attacked. So while the Druid will manually control Hirode, it will be in different ways and for different reasons than the Summoner.

You can expect a wide variety of controls for your pets and several QoL considerations to make that process more responsive and enjoyable.

@Turiaix asks: Can I level up without ever leaving the starting city?

CP: There will be ways to gain experience within city walls, but it should not be considered an effective way to take a character to max level.

Ernest Scribner: Is solo viable to level max? Is there any solo content?

CP: Currently, there are no plans to design content specifically for solo players. It will be up to the players to find ways to solo within Pantheon and it will certainly be possible to do so, with some Classes being more adept at it than others. As we�ve said in the past, we are not discouraging solo play, we simply aren�t designing for it.

@Bazgrim Tv asks: In such a group-oriented game, how will systems (such as the caravan system) work to allow people with limited play time to make progress with sessions of only a few hours at a time, without often inconveniencing the groups they join?

CP: Maximizing group play time for people with limited schedules is an important part of our design philosophy. We have several ideas in mind for how we want to approach this, including the Caravan system, but we are not ready to share details at this time.

@IDDQD90617269 asks: Will the game launch with an AA system and an alternate way to use character xp?

CP: We are exploring a few ideas, but nothing concrete to share at this time.

Nina Felwitch asks: Will it be possible to adjust your level to group members? If I'm level 50 and my friends just started playing, can I play with them without ruining their experience because I kill everything with one hit? Other games let you scale down your level, either by choice or automatically.

CP: The goal is to have a mentoring system like this in place to facilitate higher level players adventuring with lower level players without penalty to those lower level players. Further details yet to come.

Jabit asks: With an emphasis on challenging group content, how will you prevent people from circumventing such challenges by simply turning up in greater numbers?

CP: I know this is an important question for many players, and as soon as we are ready to share details on this we will make a big splash about it.

@Dayhjawk asks: How are the worlds connected so players can travel and meet up with friends?

CP: The world of Terminus at launch will consist of three separate continents: Kingsreach, Reignfall, and Whitethaw. Players will be able to travel between these three continents via sea-faring vessels�and possibly air ships, if Gnomes are involved

In addition to these general forms of transportation, certain Classes like the Druid and Wizard will gain special abilities at higher levels that will allow them to transport themselves and members of their group to various locations throughout Terminus. You can expect more information on Wizard Gateways and Druid Wandering Stones in the future.

Our faction system will ensure that travel is meaningful and often risky, depending on how your race, your class, and the decisions you�ve made along the way are viewed by the NPCs that occupy the area you are traveling to.

Bloodfire asks: How do you locate a quest? I understand you want it to be part of the perception system, but can you give us a solid example of how this will play out in game? I'd really like to see the text of a typical quest. Will they be as cryptic as EQ1? I realise that is three questions, but I guess it will need one answer.

CP: There is a distinction between �basic� quests, which are available to everyone, and the quests connected to the Perception system, which we call Storylines, available only to Keepers. Since I did a Behind the Design on the Perception system recently, I�ll use this opportunity to explain basic quests more clearly.

You will find basic quests scattered throughout every part of Terminus, especially around residential areas such as outposts, villages, cities, etc. Any time you encounter an NPC who will speak with you, there is a chance that NPC could have a quest available. And the only way you will know is if you speak with them. The only exception to that being certain NPCs who will /wave or a similar emote as players walk by to announce they have something they want you to hear or do.

Most conversations with NPCs will include a bit of personal insight about the individual you are speaking with and some context about local or regional happenings. But if the NPC has a quest available, they will also include making a small request of you on the NPC�s behalf. These basic quests will not be cryptic in nature and will use a keyword system to progress the dialogue. The keywords will be highlighted, and instead of typing the keywords into chat, you will be able to click the keyword to progress the dialogue.

@Woppledinger asks: Will there be underwater caverns and places on the ocean seabed that will be explorable?

CP: Absolutely. In fact, this is some of the content I�m most excited about, personally. And you can bet the Anaerobic and Pressure extreme climates will be a force to be reckoned with on the seafloor!

Holyay asks: Will you have raid mobs/zones for all level ranges? Wouldn't be a huge rush to max level if we can do max level stuff at lvl 25.

CP: I wouldn�t go as far as saying all level ranges, but our goal is to introduce a raid-like encounter around the mid-20s and then every 10 levels or so leading up to the max level content.

Vandraad asks: What will be the raid size for Pantheon? 30? 36? 42? I believe it was mentioned that some raids could need fewer people while others might call for more, but there would need to be some number which a guild can use to determine the appropriate quantity of members.

CP: Currently we are designing our raid encounters around 12 and 24 person sizes. Once Alpha and Beta testing begins and raid feedback starts coming in, we could change that 24 to 30. Additionally, we are open to considering encounters for even larger raid forces post-launch.

Jake Edwards asks: I'd like more info on the Guild system and the features it will have. Stuff such as, will there be guild halls, will guilds have guild emblems and can those guild emblems be put onto cloaks/shields? Will guild names be visible over character heads? Will there be a cap on the number of guild members? Will guild ranks (e.g. Rank names, accessibility, guild restrictions, etc.) be definable? Will there be any other in-game features to being in a guild? And so on...

CP: Great questions. Once our Guild system is further developed, we�ll do a dedicated feature on it to answer all of these questions and more.

@Everyone asks: When is Alpha?

Ben Dean: We�d love to share a date with you but we are not yet ready to do so. There are still more pre-alpha phases to go.

# ? Mar 20, 2019 19:58

TheAgent: Feb 16, 2002; The call is coming from inside Dr. House; Grimey Drawer

just a reminder that this game has been in development since late 2012 / 2013 and they still don't even have an alpha yet

# ? Mar 20, 2019 20:10

Frog Act: Feb 10, 2012

Yeah I've completely given up hope on them ever releasing anything playable. I remember watching a video of a party in a super generic Everquest ripoff world like six years ago, then again three years ago, then again last year and the only discernable difference was some detail and a new class that was also ripped wholesale from Everquest. That's fine because I want them to just appropriate that poo poo and make a game but its unimaginable to me how just stealing design ideas from the past and implementing them in a Unity game has taken them so long.

its because brad mcquaid needs to do a bunch of crushed up roxies every morning that spell out the word "vanguard" on his desk before he'll do anything

# ? Mar 20, 2019 21:42

Groovelord Neato: Dec 6, 2014

brad nobody wants any of that poo poo. they want eq with qol changes.

# ? Mar 20, 2019 23:01

Ehud: Sep 19, 2003; football.

Groovelord Neato posted:

brad nobody wants any of that poo poo. they want eq with qol changes.

Yeah...I used to think they'd release a game because I thought this is what they were going for.

This project Faerthale thing has been the focus of the last six newsletters. I wonder if they're trying to get it all working so they can demo the game and get an investor or publisher on board.

# ? Mar 20, 2019 23:12

Frog Act: Feb 10, 2012

Is project faerthale or whatever somehow different from the development on the core game? is that why they keep coming up with these crazy half-baked ideas for incredibly in-depth mechanics, and then promise to somehow implement them everywhere?

# ? Mar 21, 2019 00:10

Kak: Sep 27, 2002

Frog Act posted:

Is project faerthale or whatever somehow different from the development on the core game? is that why they keep coming up with these crazy half-baked ideas for incredibly in-depth mechanics, and then promise to somehow implement them everywhere?

It is supposed to be the first zone that has all of the games core features.

# ? Mar 21, 2019 01:55

Ehud: Sep 19, 2003; football.

My theory is they realized they don�t have enough funding to build the entire game so they�re trying to get everything working on a small scale as a proof of concept in the hopes of securing more funding.

# ? Mar 21, 2019 03:46

retpocileh: Oct 15, 2003

So, they're hoping that with their entire team working for a month, they'll be able to "block out" a single encounter, meaning it won't even be fully completed at that point.

As long as the game only has 2-3 encounters total, and nothing else left to complete, everything should be fine not sure why anyone has doubts.

# ? Mar 21, 2019 03:57

Givin: Jan 24, 2008; Givin of the Internet Hates You

His post should have been titled "Relapse" because this is how Vanguard began.

God I can't wait.

# ? Mar 21, 2019 16:13

Solarin: Nov 15, 2007

in awe at the continued existence of this video game project

# ? Mar 22, 2019 04:28

Groovelord Neato: Dec 6, 2014

do we know how much money they've raised? everquest cost the equivalent of ~5 million in today's dollars.

# ? Mar 22, 2019 19:15

Cool Buff Man: Jul 30, 2006; bitch

It's cool that a number of you dingos convinced yourselves this was real again only to come back to "no wait this isn't real" even though nothing happened to warrant optimism in the first place

# ? Mar 22, 2019 22:30

Ehud: Sep 19, 2003; football.

Cool Buff Man posted:

It's cool that a number of you dingos convinced yourselves this was real again only to come back to "no wait this isn't real" even though nothing happened to warrant optimism in the first place

oh yeah?

well what about this dingo puppy

# ? Mar 22, 2019 22:49

Malachite_Dragon: Mar 31, 2010; Weaving Merry Christmas magic

Cool Buff Man posted:

It's cool that a number of you dingos convinced yourselves this was real again only to come back to "no wait this isn't real" even though nothing happened to warrant optimism in the first place

# ? Mar 22, 2019 23:04

Ehud: Sep 19, 2003; football.

Real talk - the reason I had any optimism is because I liked the streams they did and would have been happy playing EQ 1.5 which is what they showed us.

It seemed realistic that they�d be able to release a game like that.

But all this new stuff and the way they seem to be spinning their tires trying to get it working has killed my optimism.

# ? Mar 23, 2019 01:14

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# ? May 26, 2024 11:17

frajaq: Jan 30, 2009; #acolyte GM of 2014

Ehud posted:

Real talk - the reason I had any optimism is because I liked the streams they did and would have been happy playing EQ 1.5 which is what they showed us.

This is the weird part for me because it was exactly those streams that made me go "wait what, people are excited...for this?"

# ? Mar 23, 2019 01:53

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Video Games > The MMO HMO > Pantheon: with our current team size this would take some time to complete

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