Dev Diary Feedback: Skirmishes Overview

[TurbineCommunity]

"Skirmishes are short, accessible, randomized, scalable, story instances with incremental rewards. Why Skirmishes became this can best be explained by discussing what the designer’s goals for the system are. Everything we added to Skirmishes was done with a high level “vision” in mind. By sharing this vision with you, I hope that you will see why we made the choices we did, and how we ended up where we are now."

Read up on how the Skirmish system came into being in and discuss it here!

[TheOneRinger]

Sweetness! ... oh wait not much actual info. Oh well, can't wait for the next installments.

[Potvin]

well, that was a whole lot of nothing.

[Killien]

As I enjoyed Orion's blogs, I enjoyed a little peak into how this new system came about.

I got a kick out of this bit in particular - "Keep play-time short, allowing Skirmishes to fit into other activity cycles. Internally we've called them- "Pop-corn" experiences. If one is short and good, why not try another?"

Sounds like a Hobbit swingers party

[.Spartan]

I'm looking forward to trying the system out.

[Sonofman]

I love how casual this chat was. Nice insight into how things happen within Turbine. Can't wait for part 2. THANKS!

[swattz101]

well, that was a whole lot of nothing.

Other than the Horse Dev Diary, the other 2 felt more like one of the higher ups said "the natives are getting restless (hit level 7 on the scale from one of the other posts) so give them something that really tells them nothing but makes them feel good".

Other than that, I did enjoy what information we got and I am looking forward to more. I also enjoyed the look ZC gave us on the original idea behind the skirmishes and how some of the planning panned out. I just wish there was more.

[Sapience]

Other than the Horse Dev Diary, the other 2 felt more like one of the higher ups said "the natives are getting restless (hit level 7 on the scale from one of the other posts) so give them something that really tells them nothing but makes them feel good".

Other than that, I did enjoy what information we got and I am looking forward to more. I also enjoyed the look ZC gave us on the original idea behind the skirmishes and how some of the planning panned out. I just wish there was more.

There is! The Skirmish system is so large and covers so many things that a single massive dev diary would have literally been a Wall of Text. ZC came up with the idea of breaking the whole thing up into easy to digest bits at regular intervals. A lot like Skirmishes themselves!

[corkster]

Bahh, so what.. so there wasn't a lot of information on skirmishes themselves written down...yet!

That was still a great read, well written and interesting! I like learning about how things go down behind closed doors. I mean it's all well and good to see/learn about the end product, but c'mon ain't it cool to see how we arrived at the end product too?

[toltus]

so in effect shallower, less meaningfull gameplay kinda like WOW or mortal combat only with robot followers?

instances and raiding bores the hell out of me! so what if some mob has 60,000 hit points
basicly it and that 3rd level goblin have identical AI brains YAWN! its all just who can dish out the damage longer yada yada yada there is no stratagy besides brute force.


how about a real full blown fortress siege where you have to coordinate siege engines and multiple groups attacking at the same time either in a all out stabing attack or multiple attacks around a perimeter not to menton sneeking and assassination attacks
crafters could craft cantapult ammo ect. on and if you think this is too big, too many mobs,, you could allways use a movie tactic and break different sides of the fortress into its own part but the outcome is effected by the whole participation.
so are they the main thrust? or hyst a harassing attack? or a stealthy advance?

[witchking782]

AWESOME SYSTEM!

glad to see such improvement, I hope turbine continues to add more and more areas/instances to skirmish system in the future.

[Polvere]

Interesting, I am looking forward to the next parts. This system sounds like it has great potential to really add to the game. Come on 1st Dec !

[Cembrye]

•Give players a feeling of participating in epic struggles, and of being leaders of small armies.

***

Not sure this is a good step. There are already tons of games out there that do not bear the title of MMORPG that do this sort of thing. Why not play Rome Total War instead?

I would rather see more effort to develop PvM. MMORPGS should aim to encourage player to player interaction, not player to AI.

[sMAk]

we came up with the idea for LOTRO instances where the player would set up soldiers and siege weapons and use them against waves of incoming enemies

Please tell me they're still in!!

Look forward to more info. This is the standout feature of SoM for me. Can't wait to give it a go. I love tower defense games! Who doesn't!

[Mines_of_Moria]

I can't wait to try these out!

[yurick75]

Nice to know how this idea was born. System sounds like a great step forward and I will be eagerly awaiting further additions to this diary!

Cant wait to try them out. Anyone got a time machine!

[LeRaginAsian]

there is no stratagy besides brute force.

But this rationale, any group of any 60 champions should be able to churn through any and all endgame no sweat.

.... riiiiight.

Seriously though. You're joking. Right?

.... right?


BTW, skirmishes are sounding like a good time. Just please, please, please don't let them turn into the daily grind that crafting instances did.

[Banaticus]

Siege engines/catapults, that would be awesome -- why let AoC have all the fun?

[Tannus]

I think the skirmish system is the most exciting part of the expansion and i'm really looking forward to trying it out.