I think the game has a good foundation, but it feels more than 3 months away from release.
I can understand the way you feel. I think someone once told me that if you wait for a game to be perfect, before release, then no game will ever be released...because no game can ever truly be perfect to everyone. Your perspective is important though and it may be that you need more before you'll call a game "good enough" for release. There's a lot still incoming on the roadmap.
There are some solid blocks to build on like the combat pacing and strategy. I don't feel this is as great as some do and feel it still needs work but the group combat is a strength. It's no classic EQ but then nothing is really.
I don't know if EQ was really as good as its players remember upon release. My wife seemed to remember a lot of strife (I didn't play). I'll bet the horrors were worse than EA is today. Again, a lot of growth planned. I remember hearing (and saying) that New World had good bones...too bad that's all it seems to have gotten! I don't feel the same, here in Embers - quite the opposite.
The world is large but vast expanses of it feel empty. I think maybe it is almost too big for the population. Maybe some performance could be gained by shrinking them a bit.
Okay, so I love this part. When all "open" areas are trimmed and there's nowhere to just rest/explore or "take in" the world between dense, purposeful areas...then it's just a playpen. I couldn't stand Rift for this - or WoW, really. Give me large open, empty space to roam between - make me feel like the world is real.
Recent changes like the light and heavy weaponsmith feel odd. That is a separation just for the sake of increasing the amount of crafting skills than any logic. The crafting system particularly now seems heavily reliant on a certain number of consistent players.
Agreed. The divided weaponsmithing crafting professions issue is on my short list of things I'd change, stat. I will say that the crafting changes made do reflect more...accuracy? Maybe I just like them, or they just "feel" right, even if we're all now even more dependent on others than previous builds (which I think is FULLY intended). I'll also say this: The team made MANY adjustments to their original plans for crafting to reflect what the community wanted. They are listening and modifying with us.
3 months from release and with the current population (I don't feel "it's in beta" is an excuse here) it doesn't feel ready at all. There still seems to be a lot of systems to go in and test and 3 months will go by in a flash. That 3 months also includes the Christmas period. I hope they get there but would rather more time was taken not only with development but also marketing when the game is closer to release.
I think there are "complete" pieces waiting in the wing for release - at least that's the impression that I get. Still, I respect your point of view here and it may not be ready for
you in it's current state. That said, it truly IS in beta right now, so I think the level of forgiveness we have for now (population, current offering, etc.) is in-bounds. True, 3 month will fly by, but I'm still excited for release even as-is and I think most of us are level-set on expectations. I think their focus on the game, and not marketing, fits their current workload and strategy right now, but I get it - I'm sure we'd all love a AAA budget/investment for them hire a marketing firm.
Perhaps you have friends who game at this level, board-brought-3D-MMO-esque games with challenging group content? Perhaps see if they like the idea of a game that they could help contribute to and "be heard" by the development team (often, directly)? I know I've shared it out simply because, for what it is in beta, both my wife and I can't wait for the servers to come online each weekend (and Wednesday, when we can fit it in).
Again, great input, thanks for sharing with us fellow gamers.