Hi all, I'd like to give some basic feedback after a couple of hours (just gotten to level 2). As a multi-decade-long pen&paper player, I have really been looking forward to try a game like Embers Adrift (EA). I am fine with most of the system design decisions made, even though they took some getting used to in an MMO (e.g., having to run to Guards to drop aggroed mobs).
When I GM pen-and-paper games, the main draw for my players and myself are the stories that we develop and experience together. Challenging and interesting combats are just the cherry-on-top (or spice) of these stories. In a CRPG/MMO, there fewer ways to tell or experience a rousing interactive story. However, it certainly is possible to succeed in doing so (e.g., TSW's Tyler Freeborn arc, classic WoW's Katrana Prestor / Onyxia chain). In EA, at least at the moment, there does not appear to be much storytelling. That can certainly be just due to the early state of the game. But for the release version, there would need to be considerably more going on in that area in in order to keep me engaged.
Given my background, I was a bit disappointed, even taking into account the early state of the game, that what few quests I was able to complete, did not give any XP but awarded only items. In the many PnP RPGs that I have participated in over the years, both as a GM and player, it was (and still is!) customary to give XP (or whatever other means of advancement are used in the specific game) for every contribution the characters make to the game, be that completing (sub)quests, defeating foes, or entertaining roleplay, to name just a few options. Getting XP only for defeating enemies (as seems to happen in EA) seems terribly one-dimensional to me and a bit limited for an MMO that claims to be so heavily inspired by PnP RPG roots as EA does.
But in any case, many thanks for giving me the chance to try the game and I do wish Stormhaven all the best in bringing it to release!
When I GM pen-and-paper games, the main draw for my players and myself are the stories that we develop and experience together. Challenging and interesting combats are just the cherry-on-top (or spice) of these stories. In a CRPG/MMO, there fewer ways to tell or experience a rousing interactive story. However, it certainly is possible to succeed in doing so (e.g., TSW's Tyler Freeborn arc, classic WoW's Katrana Prestor / Onyxia chain). In EA, at least at the moment, there does not appear to be much storytelling. That can certainly be just due to the early state of the game. But for the release version, there would need to be considerably more going on in that area in in order to keep me engaged.
Given my background, I was a bit disappointed, even taking into account the early state of the game, that what few quests I was able to complete, did not give any XP but awarded only items. In the many PnP RPGs that I have participated in over the years, both as a GM and player, it was (and still is!) customary to give XP (or whatever other means of advancement are used in the specific game) for every contribution the characters make to the game, be that completing (sub)quests, defeating foes, or entertaining roleplay, to name just a few options. Getting XP only for defeating enemies (as seems to happen in EA) seems terribly one-dimensional to me and a bit limited for an MMO that claims to be so heavily inspired by PnP RPG roots as EA does.
But in any case, many thanks for giving me the chance to try the game and I do wish Stormhaven all the best in bringing it to release!