Gideon Aryeh Posted January 17, 2014 Share #1 Posted January 17, 2014 I am a huge fan of the anime series Log Horizon [video=youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6SJQ_gTA1o One of the best things about the series Log Horizon is its emphasis on old fashioned grouping similar to classic mmorpgs like Everquest and Final Fantasy XI. There is no comparisons to the design of the more group oriented Log Horizon to the solo races to endgame mmorpgs like World of Warcraft and other modern mmorpgs. Log Horizion like FFXI takes many of its gameplay designs directly from Everquest. There is no soloing in Log Horizon, no hand holding. distances are vast between places. There is no current quick travel. Need to go somewhere? Pull out your mount or walk. Want a nice Gryphon? Finish a High Level Raid first. Things are not easily gained in Log Horizon, nor will they be easily gained in Pantheon. Both games emphasize the fact that they are worlds, and if you never played Everquest or Final Fantasy XI they were both indeed worlds and not mere games. And honestly looking at even the differences of the shows Log Horizon compared to Sword Art Online, Log Horizon embraces old school classes and classic group oriented gameplay. The world feels huge, is huge and in it you see classic Everquest classes like the Enchanter. The same class of the lead character. Where as Sword Art Online is closer to your typical more solo friendly mmorpg where the show is not about the group experience and the main character soloed his way the entire time. Personally I like both shows alot. But I will say this; I'd much prefer to watch SAO and play Log Horizon. Right now Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen is on Kickstarter, the devs many from several mmorpgs including Everquest are putting together an mmorpg that embraces old school gameplay and group focused gaming. It needs as much help as it can get. Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen Kickstarter Akatsuki- Log Horizon class: Assassin Log Horizon's dps class, Akatsuki is one of the highest damage dealers on the show. Known for having impressive stealth abilities she often has put down enemies in one blow. The Pantheon Connection: The Rogue https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1588672538/pantheon-rise-of-the-fallen/posts/735588?ref=dash Assassin: Specializing in taking down their targets quickly, whether by poison or blade, an assassin embraces death. As an Assassin the rogue and their targets dance with death. Once marked by an Assassin the target’s chances of survival are all but none. Their specialty lies in pointed and edged weapons which they use to great effect. When mixing poisons together Assassins can enhance their innate abilities further solidifying their role as a DPS specialist focused on bursts of high damage. Naotsugu - Log Horizon Class: Guardian The tank of the show our armored friend here has kept the team safe many times keeping all eyes on him. With abilities like Castle of Steel he makes sure that nobody else on the team has to deal with incoming damage. The Pantheon Connection The Crusader https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1588672538/pantheon-rise-of-the-fallen/posts/728324?ref=dash Role: Tank Style: Proficient in most melee weapons and can cast beneficial spells when following a god. Can equip two shields for ultimate defensive abilities. Specializations: Cavalier: a warrior who uses physical prowess to overpower his or her enemies The Crusader is a powerful knight whose devotion to king or deity is so great that he has been blessed with divine powers. A paragon of virtue, the Crusader commands the battlefield and defends the weak. Brave and bold, the Crusader is always at the front of any fray, guarding his allies against harm with armor and faith. *Special note about the Crusader class: It is a class that can use two shields, one for fighting and one for defending at the exact same time One of the big classes missing from the many of the newer mmorpgs is the Enchanter. Yes, the same Enchanter class that Shiroe is in Log Horizon, which is directly taken from Everquest. the Enchanter class is what is referred to as a Crowd Control Class. In times past the trinity consisted of three classes: Tanks, Healers and Crowd Control, not DPS. With the advent of more solo friendly mmo's the Crowd Control Class was pushed to the wayside and dps took over the third slot. Which is unfortunate if you have ever gotten the chance to see a pro Crowd Control player at work. But if you have watched the show you already have. Shiroe - Log Horizon Class: The Enchanter The main character on the show his class is a perfect one due to his strategic mindset. Controlling both the battlefield and the situations around him this Enchanter fits his chosen class perfectly and represents Crowd Control at its finest. Using his tradmark spell Thorn Bind Hostage, Shroe has influenced and won many battles for his team Pantheon's Connection https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1588672538/pantheon-rise-of-the-fallen/posts/738030?ref=dash The Enchanter Role: Utility Style: Master of crowd control. Proficient at buffing, stunning, mesmerizing and charming the enemy to do their bidding. Beguiler: Assists the group through stuns and mesmerizing multiple enemies. Maintain and use mesmerized enemies to power your magical strength On the battlefield, they focus on dominating their enemy and changing the course of battle to flow by their will. Enchanters are eager to find victory but are not proficient at direct combat. They buff and strengthen their allies As a Beguiler, they will stun the enemy's attack to give their allies additional time to defend and react. When times are tough and the group is engaged by multiple enemies, the Enchanter can mesmerize them and hold them in place, making them unable to act in any way. In this state, the Enchanter may tap into their planar connections and use their magic source to power themselves or their allies. Though the enemy magic source is limited and cannot fuel the Enchanter forever, there have been cases where Enchanters were able to tap deeper into the source for additional power, thus causing an overload which would lead the enemy to explode, damaging all around them. If the enemy is still mesmerized, then the Enchanter can redirect the blast to other enemies and avoid damaging allies. If it is not mesmerized then there will be dire consequences. Interested in backing the project? Well there is a 25 dollar tier where you can get into late beta and get a digital download of the game as one of the tiers. See you in game! Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen Kickstarter Link to comment
Gideon Aryeh Posted February 5, 2014 Author Share #2 Posted February 5, 2014 The Final Fantasy XI connection Straight from the developer's mouth the combat system will be very similar to that of FFXI https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1588672538/pantheon-rise-of-the-fallen/posts/728944?ref=activity All About Combat in Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen Slowing things down Combat in Pantheon will be built around a desire to change things up in the MMO space. Contemporary MMOs have become very fast paced and, for lack of a better term, spammy. While the combat is still reactionary in nature it tends to break down to focusing on your rotation while moving left or right. With Pantheon the desire is to shift things back to a slower paced combat where the frequency of ability execution is slower and your rotation is dictated more by your response to the encounter than just a sequence of abilities. How will we accomplish this? By reaching into the past, and looking at games like EverQuest, Dark Age of Camelot, and Final Fantasy XI, and focusing on fewer abilities, and a slower pace of combat. In these games combat involved longer ability activation times, and refresh. They focused on the player or group reacting to cues from NPCs and environment and reacting through the use of ability or position. Current MMOs retain this mechanic but if you stop to watch and react you are not focused on your rotation that fills the in-between time. This results in a potential loss of DPS which ends up taking precedence over utilizing your utility abilities. The values of these abilities is then reduced because they end up just becoming a part of a rotation unless a particular encounter is designed around using them. Abilities like stun, slow, snare, and root have lost their usefulness. In games like those mentioned previously these abilities were important to manage or execute at the right time. With Pantheon we want to bring some of that back while mixing in some current mechanics that exist in today’s MMOs. Preparation One of the key things related to combat is preparation. Similar to the spell slots system from EQ the player is limited in how many abilities they can have available to them in combat. Abilities are stored in ability sets which carry with them certain parameters and limitations. For instance, abilities all have a color influence based on their magical school and adding an ability to a set may require an ability of a certain color before it can be slotted. When out of combat the player can swap abilities if they so desire. The strategic selection of abilities and creation of ability sets will be important when taking on bigger encounters as you explore Terminus. Abilities Abilities in Pantheon are very special. Each ability was used by a powerful hero. These heroes are no longer around but their essence imbues the world of Terminus. When harnessed, these abilities can be used in many combinations with other abilities.There are two types of abilities regular and enhanced. Regular abilities are the common abilities that will be executed more frequently. Enhanced abilities must be powered up through the use of regular abilities. Regular abilities are all defined with a color and power level, on top of what they do. The color represents the magical influence of the hero. Power level represents how powerful that ability is relative to other abilities. Enhanced abilities are special abilities that require the activation of other abilities in their ability group. Each enhanced ability is linked to a group of abilities themed after a hero. Like regular abilities these abilities have a color influence and must follow the same slot rules as regular abilities. Enhanced abilities can only be activated when their growth bar has reached 100% or higher. At 100% the ability does normal damage, every 100% after that increases the damage of the ability by 100%. Super ability growth happens when an ability in the same ability group is used. Skill Chains and Sympathetics Skill chains are a series of super abilities executed in a particular order. These abilities are executed by multiple players. When a skill chain is completed an additional effect fires, this effect is called a sympathetic ability. There is only a certain window of time between each ability activation that the next qualifying one can be. If the player has discovered the chain their ability will light up if they have a qualifying ability letting them know they need to fire that ability next in order to take the chain to the next level. Chain discovery occurs through experimentation. In order to discover they must try different combinations until they successfully complete the chain. When a chain is initially discovered it is entered into the tome of war. Only through practice can the player unlock the chain, fully gaining its biggest benefit. Harnessing a Hero While the player can combine abilities into various sets, true power comes from combining a number of abilities from the same heroes creating a special ability set called a Hero’s Essence. A form of advanced ability set, hero essences can grow through use like other ability sets, but they have higher tiers and when advanced fully some of these essences will allow the player to take on the look of that hero granting them access to more paths of power. Roles With Pantheon we want to bring back class roles that involve more than just tank, healer and DPS. In EverQuest crowd control, utility, and debuffing were a major part of combat and so will it be in our world. This means that each class falls into a particular role but it does not mean that they do not have some basic attributes from other roles. Using EverQuest as an example, damage shields were the domain of druids and mages, enchanters owned the domain of mana regen and haste but a shaman could give you a less powerful haste if an enchanter was not available. Then there were bards who could do almost everything but nowhere near as well as the classes they were mimicking. In general the classes of EverQuest kept their identities which made for varied memorable experiences as players took on challenges in different ways. It is these moments that have driven our class and combat designs. Here is a list of the roles that will exist in Pantheon. Tank: Tanks are the defenders of their groups. When it comes to taking damage they do it like no other. If a group mate is in trouble, tanks are there to attract the attention of their foes with a timely shield bash or a quick snap of their blade. They care not for the glory of highest damage only that the members of their group survives long enough to tell the tale. Healer: Feeling ill and need a pick me up? That is what a healer does. From buffing your health and curing a deadly disease to stitching up those 'flesh wounds' this role is the cog that keeps the group machine rolling through its enemies like a steam train. DPS: Adept at dealing death, those classes that fit in the DPS role are revered for their ability to execute both burst and sustained damage. Not big fans of taking damage, DPS classes leave the job of tanking to the tanks so they can focus on what they do best...crush their enemies and you know the rest. Utility: While tanks can take damage and healers can help recover that damage sometimes the situation can get out of control. When this happens you may need some crowd control, or maybe a haste buff or two, maybe someone can sing a merry tune. The utility role includes the classes that don’t care about doing big damage or making a mob angry at them, these classes enjoy managing the chaos that comes with a fight. They enjoy manipulating all of the variables that can affect the outcome of things, as if they were playing a grand piano. In this sense I guess you could say the utility class is the maestro of their group. Summary To sum it all up, Pantheon’s combat will be a slower paced strategic combat that incorporates some modern day ideals. Allowing the player to survey the battle will give them the ability to make tactical decisions bringing back the utility of ability effects like stun, snare, and root. It will focus on pre-combat preparation and ability, allowing the player to adjust the way they play depending on their mood or the challenge ahead. With depth through all aspects including the ability to slot growth, group leveling, and chain skills, players will have many ways to grow in power and exploit their targets. Link to comment
Gideon Aryeh Posted February 5, 2014 Author Share #3 Posted February 5, 2014 [video=youtube] An interview with Boogie2988 from youtube You can also find several Q&A videos here with Brad and the team Community Q&A videos Link to comment
Gideon Aryeh Posted February 5, 2014 Author Share #4 Posted February 5, 2014 Groups, Guilds and Friendships vs Single Serving Friends [video=youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmslkdpDmX8&feature=c4-overview&list=UU5N2pm4GV1T3XxYsfqwh8MQ Why old school mmorpgs are important to the market Link to comment
synaesthetic Posted February 5, 2014 Share #5 Posted February 5, 2014 These kind of games are really important to the market and I wish them all the best success. ... so that all of the people who want these kind of games stop playing the modern games I enjoy and stop making me miserable by constantly spewing negativity about how "bad" *insert modern accessibility-focused MMO* is. :frustrated: Seriously. I don't want them to die in a fire, or to go ef themselves or any of that nonsense. I want them to go enjoy themselves in games designed for them, rather than trying to take their frustration out on people who actually enjoy modern MMO design philosophy. I don't want them being miserable here and making miserable everyone else who has the misfortune of coming into contact with them. And dear lord, if they would all go play a game like this, the official forums might actually be a pleasant place to read and post on! Every time I visit them, I see nothing but an endless sea of negativity from people who want a completely different type of game, but for some reason keep playing this one. It's infuriating, especially since I can't reply after being permabanned heh... I honestly don't get why people who claim to love first- and second-generation MMO game design continue to play modern MMOs and complain about how easy/casual/boring they are when there are tons of really great "oldschool" MMO concepts on Kickstarter, from Camelot Unchained to Shroud of the Avatar to this new one here! Link to comment
Gideon Aryeh Posted February 5, 2014 Author Share #6 Posted February 5, 2014 These kind of games are really important to the market and I wish them all the best success. ... so that all of the people who want these kind of games stop playing the modern games I enjoy and stop making me miserable by constantly spewing negativity about how "bad" *insert modern accessibility-focused MMO* is. :frustrated: Seriously. I don't want them to die in a fire, or to go ef themselves or any of that nonsense. I want them to go enjoy themselves in games designed for them, rather than trying to take their frustration out on people who actually enjoy modern MMO design philosophy. I don't want them being miserable here and making miserable everyone else who has the misfortune of coming into contact with them. And dear lord, if they would all go play a game like this, the official forums might actually be a pleasant place to read and post on! Every time I visit them, I see nothing but an endless sea of negativity from people who want a completely different type of game, but for some reason keep playing this one. It's infuriating, especially since I can't reply after being permabanned heh... I honestly don't get why people who claim to love first- and second-generation MMO game design continue to play modern MMOs and complain about how easy/casual/boring they are when there are tons of really great "oldschool" MMO concepts on Kickstarter, from Camelot Unchained to Shroud of the Avatar to this new one here! While I personally like both styles of mmorpgs I hope those wanting to see more of the classic types support the project. Link to comment
Dogberry Posted February 5, 2014 Share #7 Posted February 5, 2014 Yeah, I had a lot of fun in FFXI, but even then I had a hard time doing anything AND holding down a career. Now my career's ramping up, I'm married, and it's only a short matter of time before I'm a dad. I can't imagine ever playing another old school MMO ever again. The kind that requires groups that take an hour just to get started, and three more if you want to progress through anything. I'm glad they exist, and they can be a lot of fun if you have the time to play them, but I look at these games like the weekend long D&D sessions I used to do every weekend. The kind of fun you get to have when you don't have as many obligations in life. Link to comment
Gideon Aryeh Posted February 5, 2014 Author Share #8 Posted February 5, 2014 Yeah, I had a lot of fun in FFXI, but even then I had a hard time doing anything AND holding down a career. Now my career's ramping up, I'm married, and it's only a short matter of time before I'm a dad. I can't imagine ever playing another old school MMO ever again. The kind that requires groups that take an hour just to get started, and three more if you want to progress through anything. I'm glad they exist, and they can be a lot of fun if you have the time to play them, but I look at these games like the weekend long D&D sessions I used to do every weekend. The kind of fun you get to have when you don't have as many obligations in life. Well the good thing is that Brad and Co. realize that alot of the playerbase grew up so they are putting things in to make sure that grouping does not take nearly as long. Check it all out in the video I posted! He does touch on people's personal time. Link to comment
Dogberry Posted February 5, 2014 Share #9 Posted February 5, 2014 Well the good thing is that Brad and Co. realize that alot of the playerbase grew up so they are putting things in to make sure that grouping does not take nearly as long. Check it all out in the video I posted! He does touch on people's personal time. I will when I have the time. 1 Link to comment
synaesthetic Posted February 5, 2014 Share #10 Posted February 5, 2014 While I personally like both styles of mmorpgs I hope those wanting to see more of the classic types support the project. I'm tempted to support the project even though I can't stand these games. I just want them to be out there, obvious, apparent, accepting new players/subscribers, so that the people who want to ruin my play experience in a modern MMO can instead go play a 1998-era grindfest like they want. (The truth is, most of them don't actually want that, they're just horrible people, but options are always good for consumers and so I hope they do well!) Link to comment
Ezra Posted February 8, 2014 Share #11 Posted February 8, 2014 I would totally support this! If I won the lotto id support 10mil if I could! We need more MMOs like this. Which is why I play Everquest 2 and I play a illusionist, an enchanter class jus like shiroe Link to comment
Steel Wolf Posted February 9, 2014 Share #12 Posted February 9, 2014 Seriously. I don't want them to die in a fire, or to go ef themselves or any of that nonsense. I want them to go enjoy themselves in games designed for them, rather than trying to take their frustration out on people who actually enjoy modern MMO design philosophy. ALL THE THIS. Honestly, I've played XI for around...three years? Something like that. Looking back at it now, and with my priorities being the kind they are, I'm not sure I could do that to myself again. That said, I don't begrudge those who want this sort of game....ESPECIALLY if it will create a Hadrian's Wall between players like myself and Syn and those who are vitriolically against modern MMO design....not to presume, of course, that the OP is one of those folks. Actually, if anything Rock, you need to bloody well speak up more and illustrate that there are level-headed players who like EQ1-style gameplay. Having said all of that...I'm not a supporter of this game or this game style, but considering McQuaid's name, the recent shuttering announcement of Vanguard, and the general malaise of players who opine for those halcyon days where staying in one town and clogging the chat channel for a group to get one or two levels...this game's time seems ripe. I wish it, and its fans, all the best. ^^ Link to comment
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