This game is almost scary!!

luclinraider

I came back after about 11 years now.

Dunno why, I have a high end gaming PC, but sometimes it's just fun to see all the old stuff I played when I was 12 or 13.

Plus I was a dragon....I mean....c'mon....best MMO race ever :P

I came back to find a game that reminds me more of Silent Hill than the game I left.

The giant dragon city I logged out next to all those years back is now a hole in the side of a mountain, spiraling down a staircase into a wall...it's gone.  I left the used to be city and wandered around for over an hour.  Running up mountains, down hills, anywhere and everywhere. To find the game devoid of life itself.

Let me explain this. THINK SILENT HILL!!!! There are no monster....no NPC's....and no players.  I found 2 small towns, only to find them abandoned and completely empty. Nothing to fight, no one to talk to, and not even any players.

After about 70 minutes after running into my 3rd abandoned city I finally saw someone up ahead.  I ran over there and hailed him only to be greeted with "I am here to guard the citizens.  If you don't have business with me, please leave me be". Now this would be fine normally, he's a guard.  But this just made it MORE creepy since there are NO CITIZEN, Player or NPC....there arent even monsters for christ sake 0.0....it made him seem more like a ghost than a guard lol.

Oh...and all of this is accompanied by extremely eerie  music. Well done music.....but still spooky.

Anyway...does anyone currently play this game and know maybe if all the old zones were scrapped and I need to go somewhere new?

Or is this just supposed to be Silent Hill the MMO.

Thanks :P

Lithuanian

I play Istaria. To tell truth - returned there after another mmo's developers virtually told me to get out.

Istaria has 3 servers and few admins. There are players, sometimes you could find lvl.100 Dragons socializing in New Trismus (yes, newbies starter territory). Some, like me, are running back and forth grinding crafting materials.  Old zones, as far as I remember, were not scrapped, just you did not meet players there.

This could happen in Istaria: I remember teleporting to Bristugo or Trandalar-Acul and never meeting anyone.

And no, this game is not supposed to be Silent Hill. Yes, it is small, but you can always find some Guild either in game or local forums. If you happen to play on Order, you can meet my toon there also.

Pratt2112

Originally posted by Lithuanian

I play Istaria. To tell truth - returned there after another mmo's developers virtually told me to get out.

Istaria has 3 servers and few admins. There are players, sometimes you could find lvl.100 Dragons socializing in New Trismus (yes, newbies starter territory). Some, like me, are running back and forth grinding crafting materials.  Old zones, as far as I remember, were not scrapped, just you did not meet players there.

This could happen in Istaria: I remember teleporting to Bristugo or Trandalar-Acul and never meeting anyone.

And no, this game is not supposed to be Silent Hill. Yes, it is small, but you can always find some Guild either in game or local forums. If you happen to play on Order, you can meet my toon there also.

I recently returned to Istaria to check it out, and I'm finding it to be even quieter and more unfriendly than it's ever been.

In the course of about a dozen play sessions now, I have logged in, said hello... asked questions.. made comments.. in the Dragon, New Player and Market channels. Not just one comment. Several per session. In all those attempts, I've had exactly 2 people respond, or even acknowledge I was there.

Now, there was a number of people in the channel, and they were all talking among themselves "around me". I was even in NT and saw a few of them sitting right in front of me, while talking in the chat window. Still, when I asked a question.. nothing. Complete silence. They continued talking to each other, but no on answered me. Out of 30-something people, not a single response. I know people who like the game will try to explain that away, but sorry.. there is just no excuse for that kind of behavior. It's just flat out rude.

Then I go to forums, especially the official ones, and see people bragging and congratulating themselves on how friendly and social the community in Istaria is.

Yeah... it's friendly and social if you're one of the clique, or are friend with one of the clique.  If you're an outsider, forget it. You're pretty much invisible.

Horribly clique-ish and anti-social community in Istaria. It's really bad.

It almost seems like they go out of their way to shun new/unknown players, so they can keep the whole game to themselves.

grimgryphon

Originally posted by Pratt2112

It almost seems like they go out of their way to shun new/unknown players, so they can keep the whole game to themselves.

Reminds me of SWG.

Lithuanian

To be honest, it is very weird to hear.

I rarely use other chats - only Universal Soldiers. There we have almost competition (much like in Lotro) about who could help first.  One player started a plot at a very good location: i was lucky to aid first, then one of the most respected players helped, then yet another, our Guild leader told if plot owner is out of money, it's no problem - leader will help him. Now we have many players helping one player with a plot. We gain nothing of this - no xp, no money, just being happy ot help others.

I used to go to New Trismus, stand/run around, ask new players if they needed help or wait untill they ask me. Now, when there are so many plots to aid with, I could hardly afford this.

So, if you are on Order server - feel free to join Universal Soldeirs chat and I beleieve your questions will be answered, should you need help - you will be helped.

Boneserino

Originally posted by Pratt2112

Originally posted by Lithuanian

I play Istaria. To tell truth - returned there after another mmo's developers virtually told me to get out.

Istaria has 3 servers and few admins. There are players, sometimes you could find lvl.100 Dragons socializing in New Trismus (yes, newbies starter territory). Some, like me, are running back and forth grinding crafting materials.  Old zones, as far as I remember, were not scrapped, just you did not meet players there.

This could happen in Istaria: I remember teleporting to Bristugo or Trandalar-Acul and never meeting anyone.

And no, this game is not supposed to be Silent Hill. Yes, it is small, but you can always find some Guild either in game or local forums. If you happen to play on Order, you can meet my toon there also.

I recently returned to Istaria to check it out, and I'm finding it to be even quieter and more unfriendly than it's ever been.

In the course of about a dozen play sessions now, I have logged in, said hello... asked questions.. made comments.. in the Dragon, New Player and Market channels. Not just one comment. Several per session. In all those attempts, I've had exactly 2 people respond, or even acknowledge I was there.

Now, there was a number of people in the channel, and they were all talking among themselves "around me". I was even in NT and saw a few of them sitting right in front of me, while talking in the chat window. Still, when I asked a question.. nothing. Complete silence. They continued talking to each other, but no on answered me. Out of 30-something people, not a single response. I know people who like the game will try to explain that away, but sorry.. there is just no excuse for that kind of behavior. It's just flat out rude.

Then I go to forums, especially the official ones, and see people bragging and congratulating themselves on how friendly and social the community in Istaria is.

Yeah... it's friendly and social if you're one of the clique, or are friend with one of the clique.  If you're an outsider, forget it. You're pretty much invisible.

Horribly clique-ish and anti-social community in Istaria. It's really bad.

It almost seems like they go out of their way to shun new/unknown players, so they can keep the whole game to themselves.

I had a similar experience when I played the Repop as well.  Just completely ignored.   It is very offputting to be sure.  

I think this is what communities in games have become now.   Cliquish and isolated.   Another reason I strongly believe in moderated chat channels in games.   It stops all the flaming, and promotes helpfulness which helps community greatly, IMO.

Obviously this game does not have the player base for that,  so it is not surprising.