My Pre-Alpha Playtime First Impressions

Aspenglade

***THIS IS POSTED WITH ETHAN'S PERMISSION***

 

 

Hi folks,

 

I had the opportunity to get into the pre-alpha last night for the first time and take a look around at what Ethan has done with the Divergence Online world.  I won't be posting any screenshots here as I wasn't given permission to do so, but there was an MMORPG column writer that was on with us last night and screenies were taken and will be posted along with their writing soon.

 

When I logged into the game, it was the middle of the night and I was facing into what looked like a very very dark jungle.  So dark in fact that I wondered if my gamma settings were messed up.  I gave my mouse a quick spin to look around first and my breath was taken away as I received my first look at the night sky.  It was simply amazing....  I forgot about the gamma settings as my turn had put a hill in front of me and I decided to climb it to get the best vantage point I could.  Once I climbed up over the top of the hill and looked out I was in for an even better treat.  

 

Spread below me on one side was a vast jungle canopy with a tower soaring up above it in the distance.  On the other side, the glittering lights of the beautiful night sky reflected in the ocean waters.  I was on the coastline and could see for a very long distance in both directions and even in the darkness of night it was gorgeous.  Seeing the deep darkness of the interior landscape and contrasting it with the bright, brilliant colors of the stars off the water was a sight to behold.

 

Ethan logged in shortly after this and currently he has the day/night cycle set client side just to allow users to set their own time frame.  He gave me the instructions on how to shift through this and over the next few minutes of my time in the game I moved through that cycle several times watching the sunrise and sunset over the jungle and water.  There was no time during this that the simple beauty he has been able to put into the environmental graphics made me feel it just wasn't enough.  Having had my first start in MMO's in Star Wars Galaxies the looks of the environments gave me the same feeling of wanting to go over the next ridge just to see what the landscape looked like there and reminded me of sitting with friends watching the sunsets and chatting away.

 

The column that will be written for MMORPG shortly will hopefully delve further into what happened last night but I wanted to let those who are following Divergence Online know that when you get into the game, you will love what you see.

 

Thank you for the invite Ethan and I look forward to coming back to your world soon.

 

-Aspenglade

Dracus

In other words,

Welcome to a limited Tech Demo of the Esenthel Engine.

Aspenglade

There was much more to my time in game than what I posted but that wasn't what I was writing for nor what I was given a go ahead to bypass NDA for.   This was just meant as a my very first impressions and wasn't about the other 3+ hours I spent playing.

polySurface

And the pew pew? please tell.

Aspenglade

Originally posted by polySurface
And the pew pew? please tell.

Sorry, only telling about what was told was ok to tell about!

polySurface

Not interisted in pretty, im guessing Ineisis.

Dracus

Oh yeah... the NDA and secrecy... I did get a big laugh years ago about that and Big World (... just until the check clears...).

Can pretty much get around the secrecy by just reviewing the forums there and at Esenthel.

Seems that is the case of using Esenthel's codes, such as Ineisis. 

Currently at the World Creation Stage.

 

My curiosity has been settled and can pretty much fill in the blanks along with the state of things.

I imagine the Kickstarter will do fine (actually beyond expectations, since this always has to have big words).

Oh but the drama afterwards.

 

Reminds me of those times of Derek Smart and the touting of an adaptive AI for Battlecruiser.

I foresee a repeat of history...

Kraken999

I was listening in your night on TS3 and heard the wonderment in your voice as you and Ethan chatted about mmo' in general and how you were impressed with the game even in early pre alpha stages.  I know Ethan has really worked hard on this project and under his request nobody release too much about it....well for just a bit longer.  From what I have seen, heard, felt, and experienced so far with MMORPG.com there will be people here just to shoot down every game that gets posted.  I am speaking personally when I say that I really feel sorry for these guys who's only joy in life is to try to kill buzzes about these games who have had tons of man hours put into them.  Besides what anyone posts I believe this game will be the game that will be the refuge for all who want the "this" type of game.  I don't want to give away what "this" is.  Other games had 50% at most of it and I believe this game will have all of it.  Anyone can join the divergence online forums and I suggest you do it soon because once this game breaks loose to the general public people will be scrambling to get in on this truly one of a kind type of game.  There is tons I would love to talk about but I will absolutely respect Ethans requests.  I am not a dev, mod, or any way connected with the game other than a forum member and now a huge fan of what this game is going to be completely ground breaking.   

 

When Ethan releases content people will see what you are taking about and will be amazed.  Cant wait to read the rest of your review.

Aspenglade

Yeah, I barely bother to skim Dracus' posts because from what I have seen, he is only interested in trashing on Divergence.  Looking through a little of his post history it is easy to see that every post he does about Divergence is trash talking.  Just a troll who rather than finding a game he can talk about positively chooses to be negative about another.

 

When it comes to the actual gameplay that is available currently, it gives me great hope for the future of Divergence and what it will bring to both MMO's and the style of gameplay that Ethan is building the game on.  Like you said, it brings this type of game up just that much further

Herko

It´s dawning on Rook.

 

I´m frikkin´ looking at it, right now!!

Fraden

Originally posted by Dracus

Oh yeah... the NDA and secrecy... I did get a big laugh years ago about that and Big World (... just until the check clears...).

Can pretty much get around the secrecy by just reviewing the forums there and at Esenthel.

Seems that is the case of using Esenthel's codes, such as Ineisis. 

Currently at the World Creation Stage.

 

My curiosity has been settled and can pretty much fill in the blanks along with the state of things.

I imagine the Kickstarter will do fine (actually beyond expectations, since this always has to have big words).

Oh but the drama afterwards.

 

Reminds me of those times of Derek Smart and the touting of an adaptive AI for Battlecruiser.

I foresee a repeat of history...

 

 

So he forgot to mention this but the new campaign is tomorrow, Aug 1st, in which everything that we cannot tell you about due to NDA (We want the reveal to be HUGE) will be all revealed tomorrow with a huge video and plenty of other types of coverage. 

 

Trust me when I say this isn't a repeat, real work has been done I've seen it and you'll get to see it tomorrow as well.

Mr_Truth

I dont see a "I played 3+ hours and hated it" so I guess that is a good sign. I am interested to see the reviews, screenshots, and videos.

Dracus

Essentially, as long as realistic expectations are sought for this niche game, then the Kickstarter campaign should be successful.  If lessons have been learned from the past years, then the game should do well.

Bare in mind, this is a niche marketed game, not for mass consumption, and I state that, not as an insult.  Niche marketed games can be successful and if given time, to grow.  But if this is to be considered as something akin to the success of WoW and such.... m'yeah.

As so with a tip of my hat, Auf Wiedersehen.

polySurface

Originally posted by Dracus

Reminds me of those times of Derek Smart and the touting of an adaptive AI for Battlecruiser.

I foresee a repeat of history...

Ha Ha, Ethan makes Derek Smart look like Stephen Hawking.