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Embers Adrift Review In Progress | MMORPG.com

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  • KnightFalzKnightFalz Member EpicPosts: 4,522
    I will have to disagree with combat strategies being a big deal in this game.

    The positioning system is paper thin at best, there are no telegraphed attacks ect to make positioning anything more than which side of the mob you park your character at, little arrow even lets you know if your doing it right.

    Combat skill strategy is more or less manage your stamina, which regens during the fight. All characters have an extremely restricted and limited tool set. Defender role gets taunts, support gets heals, DPS gets more dps. The end. Its super straight forward. I see they maybe tried to make skill use strategic, any buff or debuff on DPS skill is super short lived so you maybe want to time all your attacks at once kind of thing, or not....one class has one CC so like in EQ where you manage pulls isnt even a thing.

    I will say there is a foundation of a decent game here, but its really...REALLY bland incorporating the bare basic min.

    But combat is legit, you stand there, auto attack, and fire off your skills as needed. The end. Positions really dont matter, and your character wont have the skill set to do anything interesting. You manage stamina in fights, which accounts to waiting while auto attacking, and maybe not using a high stamina skill at certain times.

    Positioning matters. If it didn't there wouldn't be an arrow letting you know when you,re doing it right. There is also the matter of range. Many of my support abilities are limited in that regard so I must try to find a position that allows their use without overly exposing myself. One must also time ability use well as a good many of them have long cooldowns

    Stamina is spent faster than it regenerates, and prolonged fights can easily deplete it when it isn't being bolstered by characters with the ability to do so.

    Specializations provide different areas of focus for each of the three character types, each having three of those. This effectively functions as the game having nine classes. For example, support classes have differing buffs and personal attack potential.

    When I solo combat is indeed standing there and auto attacking and using cooldowns as needed. In groups it is entirely other than.
    Kyleran
  • KnightFalzKnightFalz Member EpicPosts: 4,522
    Tokken said:
    Checking in, hope the game is  doing well and people are still playing. Good to finally see a MMORPG again in my lifetime LOL.

    People are still playing. I have no idea how the game is doing as I don't have access to the data needed to gauge such.
    Tokken
  • BrainyBrainy Member EpicPosts: 2,163
    kitarad said:
    Does this game not have any skill where attacking from behind the mob does more damage or skill chains that do more damage? Is there skills that buff certain attacks or heal over time or big heals versus little heals?
    Nope not really any of that.  There are 2 different heals per class, but pretty much you going to use them when cooldown is ready in a tight spot, so there is no skill to it.

    There is no skill chains.  There are a few buffs, where buffing someone will give them 1 extra attack before wearing off or a shield that lasts for 1 attack, And yes 1 single attack not a series of attacks LOL, absolutely worthless.

    Buffs and skills in this game is absolutely worthless.  You can be AFK and nobody would even know.  If it wasn't for various icons popping up, you would never even know if someone put a debuff on a mob or you were buffed.  The skills in this game are absolutely trash and Beta testers have been complaining sine the beginning.

    Apparently the devs think if you can notice a debuff/buff actually works then its too powerful.  They want characters too feel weak, and they accomplished that.

    You can run it 100 times in a test, and cant distinguish them from randomness.
    Kyleran
  • BrainyBrainy Member EpicPosts: 2,163
    Tokken said:
    Checking in, hope the game is  doing well and people are still playing. Good to finally see a MMORPG again in my lifetime LOL.
    The game right now is holding steady at around 600 concurrent during peak time.

    Currently the average player is between level 10-14.  I wouldn't expect a big drop-off until the average hits 20+ which I think will be around middle of November.  People will be dropping off BIG time at 25+ with less than 1% getting to 35+

    The hardcore alpha/beta types are around level 25 with many already remaking alts.

    The fun part of this game is level 5-15.  
    TokkenKyleran
  • BrainyBrainy Member EpicPosts: 2,163

    Positioning matters. If it didn't there wouldn't be an arrow letting you know when you,re doing it right.


    I think they are saying it doesn't matter much.  Your weapon tells you which direction to attack from and you attack from that position every time for a better attack chance or better damage bonus based on weapon.  There is no changeup, no skill, no nothing.  There is no skill chains, no prone state, no special attack bonus, no dodge rolls, no nothing.

    You position next to the mob, and hit a button when the cooldown is ready.  If you get a couple high level mobs then you run out of stamina so you cant even use all your abilities.  You just auto-attack while waiting for stamina regen then hit the most efficient skill you have when you have enough stamina.

    Gear is completely worthless in the game, so don't expect to get anything cool off of that to allow you to change things up.  Once your group gets really efficient, you will literally be chain pulling using 1 skill (most efficient) the entire time.

    Timing doesn't matter at all, because you will be out of stamina most the time if you are getting 3up XP which is best.  If you spam your attack EXACTLY when its ready it has ZERO benefit at all.  Because someone can AFK for 5 attacks then when they get back, they will just have 5 attacks worth of stamina they can use, and catch right back up to the person who wasn't afk.

    So player skill at high levels is not that important.


  • MadBomber13MadBomber13 Member UncommonPosts: 133
    The wife and I decided to give it a try and bought it last week. Is it perfect? No. Are there some issues that need major improvement? Yes.

    That being said, we are having a blast playing it together. We even ran our fist dungeon tonight and partnered up with a full party we met in dungeon and they helped us fight our way out (wife and I were sure we weren't making it out alive). Reminds me of the old MMO fun days when you actually talked to people.

    Who knows how we will feel in a month or two but right now no regrets. 
    TokkenKyleran
  • KnightFalzKnightFalz Member EpicPosts: 4,522
    Brainy said:

    Positioning matters. If it didn't there wouldn't be an arrow letting you know when you,re doing it right.


    I think they are saying it doesn't matter much.  Your weapon tells you which direction to attack from and you attack from that position every time for a better attack chance or better damage bonus based on weapon.  There is no changeup, no skill, no nothing.  There is no skill chains, no prone state, no special attack bonus, no dodge rolls, no nothing.

    You position next to the mob, and hit a button when the cooldown is ready.  If you get a couple high level mobs then you run out of stamina so you cant even use all your abilities.  You just auto-attack while waiting for stamina regen then hit the most efficient skill you have when you have enough stamina.

    Gear is completely worthless in the game, so don't expect to get anything cool off of that to allow you to change things up.  Once your group gets really efficient, you will literally be chain pulling using 1 skill (most efficient) the entire time.

    Timing doesn't matter at all, because you will be out of stamina most the time if you are getting 3up XP which is best.  If you spam your attack EXACTLY when its ready it has ZERO benefit at all.  Because someone can AFK for 5 attacks then when they get back, they will just have 5 attacks worth of stamina they can use, and catch right back up to the person who wasn't afk.

    So player skill at high levels is not that important.



    A better chance to hit and do damage when attacking from the correct position sounds like it matters to me. The rest of your paragraph refers to something that may or not involve position by your description, but sound interesting in either case.

    I don't position myself next to mobs and hit buttons on cooldown. I generally soften them up at range as they approach and them swap to melee on their arrival. I use cooldowns only as needed. If I run of stamina due to a prolonged battle then I must do the auto-attack shuffle but that doesn't happen often.

    I get killed a lot faster with my gear off than on. That is the primary purpose of armour so it seems to be doing the expected job to me. It they want to expand on that with cool abilities that would be fine but I don't much expect it. Maybe they'll work it in with alchemy, with the transmuting power usually associated with that adding properties to gear and weapons that could change things up.

    Obviously you and I play the game differently. My timing does matter and I'm not stamina drained all the time. However, this could easily be another aspect of our level disparity. Your experience is with play at a much higher level than my own. What I feel of consequence now I may no longer then.
  • KazuhiroKazuhiro Member UncommonPosts: 608
    I've already canceled my sub to this game, lasted maybe 5 days before I was so bored I just uninstalled it.

    The group focused gameplay is what drove me to the game, EVERYTHING else about it is what drove me away from it. Poor graphics, boring gameworld, uninteresting and pointless quests, entirely mob-grind based leveling system. (Quests give zero xp, just gold and maybe an item.) You have to farm from hundreds to THOUSANDS of rats/wolves/spiders/deer/bears to gain a level. Combat is slower than molasses and boring to watch. Crafting is quite possibly the worst mechanic in the game, possibly even the entire mmo genre, yet is 100% REQUIRED to make progress in the game, you WILL be forced to make 3 characters and use them all to craft basic equipment, since you can't buy gear.

    Dungeons in groups are the best aspect of the game and even those suffer from major problems, like having 12+ players all overlapping each other in cramped corridors with poor camera angles so you can't tell what the hell is going on.

    Honestly the entire game feels like a college student's game design course project. The core idea of the game is solid, but the rest of it is salvageable.
    Brainy

    To find an intelligent person in a PUG is not that rare, but to find a PUG made up of "all" intelligent people is one of the rarest phenomenons in the known universe.

  • KyleranKyleran Member LegendaryPosts: 43,975
    edited October 2022
    Kazuhiro said:
    I've already canceled my sub to this game, lasted maybe 5 days before I was so bored I just uninstalled it.

    The group focused gameplay is what drove me to the game, EVERYTHING else about it is what drove me away from it. Poor graphics, boring gameworld, uninteresting and pointless quests, entirely mob-grind based leveling system. (Quests give zero xp, just gold and maybe an item.) You have to farm from hundreds to THOUSANDS of rats/wolves/spiders/deer/bears to gain a level. Combat is slower than molasses and boring to watch. Crafting is quite possibly the worst mechanic in the game, possibly even the entire mmo genre, yet is 100% REQUIRED to make progress in the game, you WILL be forced to make 3 characters and use them all to craft basic equipment, since you can't buy gear.

    Dungeons in groups are the best aspect of the game and even those suffer from major problems, like having 12+ players all overlapping each other in cramped corridors with poor camera angles so you can't tell what the hell is going on.

    Honestly the entire game feels like a college student's game design course project. The core idea of the game is solid, but the rest of it is salvageable.
    Well actually, it pretty much was just a group of players with zero experience in creating games who managed to release a group centric MMORPG with an old school feel.

    Regardless how well it was done they reached a milestone many with far more experience have yet to achieve, so they deserve big props considering the resources and talent at their disposal.

    I'm sure they all learned much from the experience and should it ultimately fail and close in the near future they can proudly include this in their list of achievements when interviewing for their next gaming job.

    Pretty impressive IMO, and certainly better than most critics could do.





    MendelkitaradSlapshot1188KnightFalz

    "True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde 

    "I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant

    Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm

    Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV

    Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™

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  • kitaradkitarad Member LegendaryPosts: 8,164
    You're right, should give them a lot of credit for releasing a game considering so many games collect money and scam players without releasing a product.
    MendelKimo

  • MendelMendel Member LegendaryPosts: 5,609
    Haven't played, probably won't play.  But they *did* manage to launch something they call complete, and that's far better than larger, more experienced, and better funded companies have managed to do.

    Maybe they learned something, even if it's only that game development is tougher than they thought.  And customers, especially players, are the harshest critics.



    kitaradKyleran

    Logic, my dear, merely enables one to be wrong with great authority.

  • BrainyBrainy Member EpicPosts: 2,163
    Mendel said:
    Haven't played, probably won't play.  But they *did* manage to launch something they call complete, and that's far better than larger, more experienced, and better funded companies have managed to do.

    Maybe they learned something, even if it's only that game development is tougher than they thought.  And customers, especially players, are the harshest critics.

    Its an Alpha that released.  They can call it what they want, but most games have more stuff in "Early Access" then this did.

    But I agree there are some companies with millions in funding that haven't even did early access yet.  How low can we set the bar.  Its so low now you can trip over it and not even notice its there.
    KyleranMendel
  • Slapshot1188Slapshot1188 Member LegendaryPosts: 17,586
    Brainy said:
    Mendel said:
    Haven't played, probably won't play.  But they *did* manage to launch something they call complete, and that's far better than larger, more experienced, and better funded companies have managed to do.

    Maybe they learned something, even if it's only that game development is tougher than they thought.  And customers, especially players, are the harshest critics.

    Its an Alpha that released.  They can call it what they want, but most games have more stuff in "Early Access" then this did.

    But I agree there are some companies with millions in funding that haven't even did early access yet.  How low can we set the bar.  Its so low now you can trip over it and not even notice its there.
    I dunno.  I think they pretty much delivered what they said they would.  Sure maybe SoL was supposed to have Relics and this one doesn't and maybe some minor gameplay items, but overall I think they delivered what they said years back. I mean they quite literally said they were making this while keeping their day jobs.

    Are there "Early Access" games with more content?  I'm sure there are but I don't know if it matters.  

    I do not give them a pass because they are small.  But I judge them based on delivering what they said they would deliver.  And I think thats what we got.  A Throwback MMORPG made mostly by part-time folks as a hobby until a year or two ago.

    Now whether the end product is FUN or not?  Well that's a different discussion and one I can't actually weigh in on as I have't logged into release.



    Kyleran

    All time classic  MY NEW FAVORITE POST!  (Keep laying those bricks)

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    Proudly wearing the Harbinger badge since Dec 23, 2017. 

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  • KyleranKyleran Member LegendaryPosts: 43,975
    Brainy said:
    Mendel said:
    Haven't played, probably won't play.  But they *did* manage to launch something they call complete, and that's far better than larger, more experienced, and better funded companies have managed to do.

    Maybe they learned something, even if it's only that game development is tougher than they thought.  And customers, especially players, are the harshest critics.

    Its an Alpha that released.  They can call it what they want, but most games have more stuff in "Early Access" then this did.

    But I agree there are some companies with millions in funding that haven't even did early access yet.  How low can we set the bar.  Its so low now you can trip over it and not even notice its there.
    I dunno.  I think they pretty much delivered what they said they would.  Sure maybe SoL was supposed to have Relics and this one doesn't and maybe some minor gameplay items, but overall I think they delivered what they said years back. I mean they quite literally said they were making this while keeping their day jobs.

    Are there "Early Access" games with more content?  I'm sure there are but I don't know if it matters.  

    I do not give them a pass because they are small.  But I judge them based on delivering what they said they would deliver.  And I think thats what we got.  A Throwback MMORPG made mostly by part-time folks as a hobby until a year or two ago.

    Now whether the end product is FUN or not?  Well that's a different discussion and one I can't actually weigh in on as I have't logged into release.



    Also remember, they did have several free beta or stress test weekends right before launch so people who only recently learned about the game could try before buying.

    Now no help for people who bought in early I realize, but again, they did the best they could have been expected to do.

    But as you said, doesn't mean people can't feel it's a deficient product or not to their liking.


    "True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde 

    "I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant

    Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm

    Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV

    Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™

    "This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon






  • KnightFalzKnightFalz Member EpicPosts: 4,522
    Kyleran said:
    Brainy said:
    Mendel said:
    Haven't played, probably won't play.  But they *did* manage to launch something they call complete, and that's far better than larger, more experienced, and better funded companies have managed to do.

    Maybe they learned something, even if it's only that game development is tougher than they thought.  And customers, especially players, are the harshest critics.

    Its an Alpha that released.  They can call it what they want, but most games have more stuff in "Early Access" then this did.

    But I agree there are some companies with millions in funding that haven't even did early access yet.  How low can we set the bar.  Its so low now you can trip over it and not even notice its there.
    I dunno.  I think they pretty much delivered what they said they would.  Sure maybe SoL was supposed to have Relics and this one doesn't and maybe some minor gameplay items, but overall I think they delivered what they said years back. I mean they quite literally said they were making this while keeping their day jobs.

    Are there "Early Access" games with more content?  I'm sure there are but I don't know if it matters.  

    I do not give them a pass because they are small.  But I judge them based on delivering what they said they would deliver.  And I think thats what we got.  A Throwback MMORPG made mostly by part-time folks as a hobby until a year or two ago.

    Now whether the end product is FUN or not?  Well that's a different discussion and one I can't actually weigh in on as I have't logged into release.



    Also remember, they did have several free beta or stress test weekends right before launch so people who only recently learned about the game could try before buying.

    Now no help for people who bought in early I realize, but again, they did the best they could have been expected to do.

    But as you said, doesn't mean people can't feel it's a deficient product or not to their liking.



    I got plenty of hours of play in during beta, and a month of access for what I spent. I consider it value enough for the money spent. Whether I continue with it or not I have no complaints in that regard.
  • BrainyBrainy Member EpicPosts: 2,163
    It doesn't matter to me if they delivered something along the lines of their vague write-up.  I am not complaining about spending money.

    My issue is this game is subpar.  What MMO has less content, seriously.

    Dreamworld is in early access, if they deliver a product then we give praise?

    In another thread I put out a list of features normally in MMOs.  What area of Embers can someone even rank higher than a 5.  This game ranks a solid 2 of 10 in pretty much every category.  People have put their expectations so low, this is what MMO space looks like now.  Really subpar games.
    Tokken
  • QuizzicalQuizzical Member LegendaryPosts: 25,483
    Brainy said:
    Mendel said:
    Haven't played, probably won't play.  But they *did* manage to launch something they call complete, and that's far better than larger, more experienced, and better funded companies have managed to do.

    Maybe they learned something, even if it's only that game development is tougher than they thought.  And customers, especially players, are the harshest critics.

    Its an Alpha that released.  They can call it what they want, but most games have more stuff in "Early Access" then this did.

    But I agree there are some companies with millions in funding that haven't even did early access yet.  How low can we set the bar.  Its so low now you can trip over it and not even notice its there.
    On what basis do you call this an alpha?  Are you using "alpha" to mean "I don't like it"?  Because that's not what it means.  There are plenty of bad games that are fully launched and not in alpha testing.  There are also plenty of very simple games with very little content that are fully launched and not in alpha.
    Slapshot1188Kyleran
  • BrainyBrainy Member EpicPosts: 2,163
    Quizzical said:
    Brainy said:
    Mendel said:
    Haven't played, probably won't play.  But they *did* manage to launch something they call complete, and that's far better than larger, more experienced, and better funded companies have managed to do.

    Maybe they learned something, even if it's only that game development is tougher than they thought.  And customers, especially players, are the harshest critics.

    Its an Alpha that released.  They can call it what they want, but most games have more stuff in "Early Access" then this did.

    But I agree there are some companies with millions in funding that haven't even did early access yet.  How low can we set the bar.  Its so low now you can trip over it and not even notice its there.
    On what basis do you call this an alpha?  Are you using "alpha" to mean "I don't like it"?  Because that's not what it means.  There are plenty of bad games that are fully launched and not in alpha testing.  There are also plenty of very simple games with very little content that are fully launched and not in alpha.
    Based on no system they have feels complete?  I asked this in Beta Forums already with no takers.  Back then the response was wait until release.  Well there was no change from then until now.  What system do they have below that feels completed?

    Skills/Abilities
    Crafting
    Armor/Weapons
    Zones
    Content past level 35?
    Mob Mechanics
    Loot
    Content
    Any fun game loops


    At some point there is going to be something in the game you can check off and say yeah this looks ready for prime time.  I mean some people are saying the newbie dungeon.  Sure I will give them that, its probably good enough MAYBE.  If you don't count mobs where you can run in circles to avoid getting hit.  No boss mechanics.  No good loot. On and on it goes.
  • KyleranKyleran Member LegendaryPosts: 43,975
    edited October 2022
    Well hey, maybe we could say they really nailed the "Naked and Afraid" vibe?


    harken33

    "True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde 

    "I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant

    Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm

    Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV

    Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™

    "This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon






  • KnightFalzKnightFalz Member EpicPosts: 4,522
    Kyleran said:
    Well hey, maybe we could say they really nailed the "Naked and Afraid" vibe?


    It is more aptly described as "Clothed and Disconcerted" I think.
    harken33Kyleran
  • Cybersig211Cybersig211 Member UncommonPosts: 174
    After a week of heavy play:

    Pros:
    It does have EQ1 vibes in progress and how you interact with the world
    Active devs
    You can play it

    Cons:
    No compass is a deal breaker for many as there is no tracking or useful mapping in the game.
    No magic classes
    Low amount of skills
    Low depth combat makes grouping boring
    No real side progressions, character building, ect
    Poor preforming client
    Combat appearance is equal to a 22 year old game, however skills are worse looking than EQ somehow.
    Unity store assets
    Everything is restricted, crafting, weapon use, it would work better as a sandbox with skills weapons crafting ect.
    No raids or plans for endgame. Just level up.
    50 levels but 30 levels of content.
    Boring AF enemies to farm, seriously people are farming bunnies not dragons in this game....
    Every class feels like a melee class with a couple role specific skills (heal, taunt, more dps)

    Bottom line, its an oldschool grinder, of many in development, that stands out from the crowd in that its playable right now, for $30. The devs are active and seem to be interact well about development and feedback, even if heavily biased towards "were gonna make P99 look like retail wow" point of view. It does work however, the world is dangerous, youll be lost a lot, dark is stupid dark use torch, death drops some bag items, its like 200+ mobs per level at 15.

    If you are into this type of game youll get a few weeks of solid solo grinding, or 6 man farm parties. Progress is slow, the struggle is real, and its a nice change of pace. Purchase it to support the devs ect and you get a game you can realistically play hardcore for at least a month. Its not for everyone. Know this before you get into it, youll love the game for a while as an EQ player but miss the variety of classes races and skills that made this type of game so fun.

    I will likely stop playing after first month, and maybe check back in after a year. I really need magic classes, more fun skills so that a party doesnt feel the same every single time....because it does right now.
    Renfail
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