Mortal Online - Analysed @ Incgamers

Bill Vaughan has analysed Star Vault's MO presentation.

The aim of the lengthy presentation is set out right at the beginning: to make it perfectly clear that Mortal Online is no generic MMORPG:

“We would like you to please forget your preconceptions of MMORPGs. Mortal Online deviates from most modern fantasy MMO's, and although it contains a lot of elements from let's say World of Warcraft or Age of Conan, the playing experience is very, very different from those games.”

We've heard this claim from plenty of other game developers in the past, and sometimes we've even believed it, until we find ourselves in the game looking at the same UI, same mini map, same taskbar and so on. However, as the presentation goes on it becomes clear that Star Vault isn't just full of hot air. For instance, Mortal Online has no levels, no experience points, no quests, no 3rd person view, no global chat, no minimap, no instances and no dragons that drop swords.

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More information.

This game sounds interesting. I will have to check it out.

I see a problem I've seen too many times. Too many changes. I like it that there's no 3rd person view, but I don't like full PVP, but I like full crafting, etc. It's bound to aggravate everyone for one reason or another.

wolfing said:

I see a problem I've seen too many times. Too many changes. I like it that there's no 3rd person view, but I don't like full PVP, but I like full crafting, etc. It's bound to aggravate everyone for one reason or another.

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Aggravation is part of the appeal for some of us.

That's motivation to improve, basically.

DArtagnan said:

Aggravation is part of the appeal for some of us.

That's motivation to improve, basically.

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No, I didn't mean aggravation as in 'damn, the dude killed me I better improve', I meant it as 'two hours lost because my connection dropped and someone killed me and took everything I had in my inventory'.
There's also the problem of 'naked mages', basically, classes/skills that don't depend so much on armor/weapons are at an advantage, as they don't lose much when someone kills them, as opposed to a warrior, who depends on being fully armored to survive.
I just wish they had two different types of servers, have the full pvp people in their server, while those of us who prefer a PvE game can enjoy it without having to log-out every time we have to go to the restroom.

wolfing said:

No, I didn't mean aggravation as in 'damn, the dude killed me I better improve', I meant it as 'two hours lost because my connection dropped and someone killed me and took everything I had in my inventory'.
There's also the problem of 'naked mages', basically, classes/skills that don't depend so much on armor/weapons are at an advantage, as they don't lose much when someone kills them, as opposed to a warrior, who depends on being fully armored to survive.
I just wish they had two different types of servers, have the full pvp people in their server, while those of us who prefer a PvE game can enjoy it without having to log-out every time we have to go to the restroom.

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Since it's a skill-based system, people are free to mix and match as they please. So people won't be "better" because they chose the right class. Then again, ideally skills will all be useful and there's nothing inherent in the idea that prevents a system like this from being functional and balanced - if they think it through.

The connection issue is a part of reality that you can either deal with or not - but that has nothing to do with game design. Lots of players have enjoyed hardcore mode in Diablo 2 - even despite these issues. It would be a pretty unfortunate thing if the realities of technology held back game design. If you can't deal with the risk involved - then the game isn't for you. But please don't ask the impossible or request integral features be eliminated because you're not personally willing to make that sacrifice.

About having two different server types, I wouldn't mind it personally, as long as it didn't interfere with the core vision of the game. But really, I think the point of this game is PvP - and having a PvE server would be futile - because I don't think anyone would truly want to play this game without PvP. Sure, some might try it out - like yourself - but I don't believe for a second that this game is for you - based on your comments here.

I agree that there should be big consequences to being killed. That would mean actually getting a bit of a rush in a fight as opposed to 95% of all MMO's where it's just annoying.

That's one reason why I started playing EVE.