Discussion: Preview of Steam Release and Ronin Expansion

I like what you guys are doing to the place. Good stuff.

 

I like most of what I've seen, but two points you will NEED to heed or die:

1: Don't rush this, as stated before.

2: MAKE IT LOOK SLICK. People will NOT play a game that has a clunky handling and doesn't look elegant.

 

Everything looks so good ... my hopes have been restored.

 

please don't rush the steam release, let us test the changes first. those changes sound very good btw.

 

I'm encouraged by this preview. A lot of the little things we've not had for a long time seem to be covered, which then leaves us with a Map review - Drums of War being fixed and a new Ranking system left to do.

Things are looking up.

 

Rune accessibility is still a problem, can you confirm whether or not Legendaries will be forgeable ? Too many of them are key runes and theme enablers to not make this happen.

 

Awesome news! Keep up the good work!!

 

Please, please, PLEASE don't rush this. I beg you. It seems like the re-launch is happening very soon, and I'm getting concerned about it.

Two huge hurdles that don't seem to be addressed here: 1) Rune accessibility and 2) Ridiculous learning curve / information overload / game chock-full of counter-me-or-lose mechanics like Ghost, which is a dead horse I won't beat in this thread since I've said my piece about it countless times.

If there's just one thing you can implement to make sure these new players from Steam actually stay instead of getting frustrated and leaving: Vastly improve rune accessibility.

GabrielQ posted that MMOHut video, which I think exposes a big weakness (ignoring the irritating fact that michaelleo was preying on guests in Casual Play and potentially driving them away), the guy in the video states that his cards he got for free are basically terrible.

I keep hearing the same types of things being brought up:

• All base set runes are given free to every account so they can begin customizing decks immediately.
• All runes in the game available in the Rune Forge
• Cash Store for individual runes (although I've also heard repeatedly that this, somehow, is not possible)

This stuff would vastly improve the new player experience for the Steam launch. It's not just about taking new players through the different factions and helping them learn the basics of how to play (deploy this there, cast this spell here, spend Nora this way, press A/1 to attack, etc.) it's about giving them the customization they need to get hooked on the gameplay, and the Rune Forge carrot they need to get them motivated to play more games.

Everything Bondman listed here is helpful: http://forums.poxnora.desertowlgame...ds/owls-learn-from-your-former-partners.7008/

As far as learning curve, a lot of things need to be simplified. I am going to link some more threads that I think bring up some important points:

DMr's thread on faction bonuses: http://forums.poxnora.desertowlgame...-you-were-to-re-balance-faction-bonuses.7600/
Thread on range, particularly Legato's post: http://forums.poxnora.desertowlgames.com/index.php?threads/revamp-the-range.5616/#post-79103
Thread by yours truly on ability consolidation: http://forums.poxnora.desertowlgame...ity-consolidation-and-renovation-thread.5277/

I feel like I've talked this point to death, but I feel like after this game releases on Steam it'll be too late to change the things I think desperately need to be changed.

ON A POSITIVE NOTE... Are those old icons I see? (Pete1 screenshot) Because I am super hyped about that. Skull icons ftw!

 

Nice!

 

Don't worry they are taking notice. We'll be covering some of these issues right at the start of the Q&A tomorrow.

 

Can we a get a preview of a champ from Ronin please?

 

It make more sense now that you edited it

 

And it feels great to be just there. Remember a year ago? you couldn't even fit an image that wide to the left, you would break the forums.

 

Everything looks fantastic!

 

Single player and bazaar changes look cool

 

Going to go ahead and echo the acessability concerns. Personally, I like theme decks balanced against each other with a dedicated lobby. It allows players to learn the basic mechanics, and gives us a deck to use while teaching them. Player council could probably handle that, with some play testing.

Besides that, I am absolutely flabbergasted. I had a feeling you were quiet for exactly this reason, but wasn't sure. Well done. Sorry for doubting you. I hope this is sucessful, and you make tons of money.

 

looks good so far, but NUX isn't what gets players addicted to a game. daily realization of some sense of progression does. I don't think unlocking the new modes is the type of progression what will keep players coming back. opening packs and improving decks is what gets them drooling. right now your f2p model does not allow for a player to open a pack every day. I think that's part of what makes hearthstone so engaging. please reconsider your forge pricing and maybe spruce the process up a bit visually and audibly. another thing that will keep new players interested is an active competitive scene so please don't neglect the concerns of the older players with regards to balance.
would be interested in hearing more about dogs of war.

 

Nora is being depleted from Poxanthru AGAIN?
Geeze guys, stop wasting it.
We haven't even been using that much recently.