2011-05-18, 07:32 PM
I miss the old community. I even miss the older henehoes. People were so much more fun back then. Nostalgic raving that no one cares about, commencing:
Spoiler
Did anyone else ever form a team of complete strangers and venture into the sleepywood dungeon? These days, you can't even go there until you're level 50, and if you encounter anyone along the way they'll just fire a missile at you and ask you to vacate the map. And forget escorting lost newbies (who took the VIP cab from Lith Harbor) out of the dungeon; victoria island isn't even remotely dangerous anymore.
Speaking of danger, there's no thrill for the player, and certainly no exploration; his or her hand is held through a linear experience. Maple island is a straight shot. Back in the day, beginners used to live on that island because it was so much bigger, and they called themselves Islanders because of it. The player's first weapon is given to him. The player's first potions are stockpiled for him. The first levels are accomplished in a "training zone" located just outside of town, effectively discouraging exploration. People can't even reliably hit monsters a few levels above them, so their options are limited and their path is consequently set in stone.
The game is more user-friendly because of this, but it also ensures that a new player never needs to ask for help, and we are seeing the effects of that already. The whole community feels closed off, isolated. Haven't you noticed how it's harder to meet new people in this game? Or how quiet boat rides have become? It's because people don't need anyone anymore. A few years ago, the game had mystery. It wasn't user friendly, but that made its veterans all the more valuable because they knew pomegranate. They knew where Pig Beach was, and you could bet that you had to ask about its location back then, because hidden streets weren't glowing and screaming "here, here, I'm a hidden street!" at the player. They knew where the new player could train, and the new player had to ask because he couldn't just open the map and find it himself. People had to rely on each other somewhat, and the community was better for it, not worse. Older players felt good about the time they wasted on a game that offered no real world value, and new players felt cool because they accessed content that everyone and his dog wasn't already aware of. And maybe they befriended the person who helped them.
And sure, the new player could always go to hidden-street.net or something, but who do you think referred him there in the first place? Do you see what I'm getting at? One way or another, players relied on each other. They don't have to anymore. Hell, when you get strong enough, you can solo bosses that used to take several teams. It is absolutely ridiculous how single-player oriented this multiplayer game has become. It's done nothing but suffer as a result.
Speaking of danger, there's no thrill for the player, and certainly no exploration; his or her hand is held through a linear experience. Maple island is a straight shot. Back in the day, beginners used to live on that island because it was so much bigger, and they called themselves Islanders because of it. The player's first weapon is given to him. The player's first potions are stockpiled for him. The first levels are accomplished in a "training zone" located just outside of town, effectively discouraging exploration. People can't even reliably hit monsters a few levels above them, so their options are limited and their path is consequently set in stone.
The game is more user-friendly because of this, but it also ensures that a new player never needs to ask for help, and we are seeing the effects of that already. The whole community feels closed off, isolated. Haven't you noticed how it's harder to meet new people in this game? Or how quiet boat rides have become? It's because people don't need anyone anymore. A few years ago, the game had mystery. It wasn't user friendly, but that made its veterans all the more valuable because they knew pomegranate. They knew where Pig Beach was, and you could bet that you had to ask about its location back then, because hidden streets weren't glowing and screaming "here, here, I'm a hidden street!" at the player. They knew where the new player could train, and the new player had to ask because he couldn't just open the map and find it himself. People had to rely on each other somewhat, and the community was better for it, not worse. Older players felt good about the time they wasted on a game that offered no real world value, and new players felt cool because they accessed content that everyone and his dog wasn't already aware of. And maybe they befriended the person who helped them.
And sure, the new player could always go to hidden-street.net or something, but who do you think referred him there in the first place? Do you see what I'm getting at? One way or another, players relied on each other. They don't have to anymore. Hell, when you get strong enough, you can solo bosses that used to take several teams. It is absolutely ridiculous how single-player oriented this multiplayer game has become. It's done nothing but suffer as a result.