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Archaegeo

First Impressions: Excellent, But Some Tedium For Tedium's Sake

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I started as a brand new player on the 12th. Honestly Ive played most of the MMOs and was the developer of the hardcore ruleset for Neverwinter Nights, so I appreciate a challenge and a place where you get results for your efforts.

I have spent 200.00 in the game so far, bought a nice plot on pristine (28EW x 27NS), a trader, a merchant, and have used silver for hiring others to do some manual labor.

I am loving it, and really feel that any MMO in the future where I cannot change the face of the world will really be a letdown.

Basically of course this is a survival simulation, rather than a full fledged MMO, since Release was launched with so much land left on Pristine, and our population on Pristine is about 200 now (online at a time) which I understand is great for here, but isnt really a MMO number.

But I am totally hooked on the game.

I have two gripes. Character animations are abysmal. I know they just got added, and some have said its a Java limitation thing, and I am glad they are there, but I am sure we lose potential players due to it.

My largest problem with the game though, tedium for tedium's sake.

Here is what I mean. I am NOT opposed to the level of grind. I understand it, and understand it makes Wurm more of a niche game than it would otherwise need to be. But i love the sense of accomplishment I get when I finish a project.

What I hate is the fact that the MECHANICS OF THE UI seemed designed to give carpal tunnel to each and every player. I bind where I can, but there are so many actions where you cannot bind.

WHY oh WHY must we right click for right clickings sake? What is the valid justification of not having a Repeat Last Action command?

Do not say it limits macro'ing or botting, it doesnt. Macro and bot programs are so sophisticated that it would be easy to automate everything you do in Wurm, and I am sure some people do so, even if they stare at the screen to make sure they are paying attention.

In my opinion, this will lose us more of the new people trying out the game than anything else.

If I have the materials in my inventory, I should be able to click to build something, say a rowboat, and it should go through the actions without requiring me to click over and over.

I am not saying it should happen any faster, nor should it have any more chance of success, I like the struggle and difficulty in that area.

What I am saying is that a number one rule of a MMO is the UI MECHANICS (not gameplay) should not hassle the players for the simple sake of making life harder. This attitude leads people to either macro or quit.

I love the game, ive put my money into it and am enjoying my labors, I just wish the UI did not have to be so unfriendly.

Even a simple Repeat Last Action command would do so much to alleviate the stress of the UI as it is now.

Keep up the work with the graphics, the environment, the little things like fireflies and a fog that prevents you seeing 2 tiles in front of you. So much good in this game. But do not make us click just to click.

Thanks for listening :) Back to my mine.

  • Like 10

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Don't worry, a new UI implementation that should fix a lot of the required right clicking especially for bulk goods is going to implemented soonâ„¢. I think there's a forum thread around here somewhere asking for a repeat last action command, I'll see if I can find it.


/>http://forum.wurmonline.com/index.php?/topic/60616-repeat-last-action/

Edited by Laiwyn

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No, it was mentioned by one of the client developers. Budda specifically I believe. I'll have to find out where it was said but I am 100% sure it was mentioned by him.

I have only the relevant part here. The part highlighted is where Budda says something about the new crafting system. This is from the wurmqa channel on the day of the Wurm Q&A session on IRC:

[15:10:33] <Davee> That menu is bad enough for crafting/other things. :P

[15:10:40] *** reflektionz has quit (Quit: http://www.mibbit.com ajax IRC Client)

[15:10:43] <Budda> i'll convince rolf to change combat

[15:10:44] <Davee> Budda: Wet dreams

[15:10:49] <Budda> but that'll be down the road a bit

[15:10:52] <DarkMalik> repeat last action forthcoming?

[15:10:55] <atazs> Question: Will the crafting system get an overhaul?

[15:10:56] <Budda> it'd be a decent sized change

[15:10:57] <wobbles> Are the fighting stance skills going to do anything as of 1.0?

[15:11:02] <Kuzym> lol click to attack more like clicklcikcliclckaaahmyhand

[15:11:04] <atazs> actually

[15:11:10] <Ruger-IRC> lol

[15:11:17] <atazs> a better question would be: Will the VOLUME system get a huge overhaul?

[15:11:18] <Pingpong> i prefer to bind attack moves to keyboard, less carpal :P

[15:11:21] <atazs> pelts not fitting in backpacks etc

[15:11:23] <Budda> speaking of repeat last action, im planning on getting the creation window done early next year (for bulk items)

[15:11:38] <atazs> early next year 2014?

[15:11:47] <DarkMalik> unless someone buys you a lot of 'magazines' for xmas aye?

[15:12:10] <Ruger-IRC> Creation window?

[15:12:11] <Budda> shaders first though

[15:12:12] <Kyrmius> thank you Budda :)

[15:12:12] <Pingpong> that sounds cool b udda

[15:12:14] <Ruger-IRC> Stealing from minecraft?

[15:12:37] <Brqqq> ... lol

[15:12:47] <atazs> well budda can i ask you when is imping going to be fixed? an item using up 0.10kg lump when improving but also the same item can use up a 0.01kg

[15:12:55] <Raybarg> ... yeah lol, Ruger dont make fun of yourself like that, I might spew my cola out of my nose

[15:12:56] <atazs> why is that

[15:13:00] <Arndell> Lol, please dont let minecraft become to sandbox as WoW is to MMO

[15:13:01] <Kyrmius> there is no such thing as stealing ideas in MMOs, there is just borrowing and imitating ;)

[15:13:08] *** Kuzym has quit (Quit: http://www.mibbit.com ajax IRC Client)

[15:13:08] <Davee> Less click would make Wurm a lot, lot better.

[15:13:10] <perodin> my god budda, yes please

[15:13:15] <Davee> I endorse this

[15:13:16] <Donangelo> whats minecraft..?

[15:13:17] <Pingpong> wow that'd be "epic'!

[15:13:22] <DarkMalik> 'looks at his crippled fingers'

[15:13:23] <Sheridan> question: will inventory follow-order ever be made stable (like will things finaly stay where I want them and put them)?

[15:13:30] <Donangelo> (means, that name is banned in here <.< )

[15:13:31] <Ruger-IRC> Who uses their shoulder to play wurm o.o

[15:13:39] <DarkMalik> armless people?

[15:13:42] <eladia> guessing he does

[15:13:43] <Schwanke2> Budda less click click click .... OMG?

[15:13:55] <Pingpong> i'll call hax now on budda

[15:13:59] <atazs> less click click click more macro

[15:14:00] <Raybarg> Rugers arms dont have shoulders :)

[15:14:03] <Pingpong> think that's not allowed in wurm :P

[15:14:04] <Raybarg> Maybe hes amoeba.

[15:14:07] <Ruger-IRC> Im kind of upset about this crafting window all i see right now is a 3x3 block you put items in and out comes items

[15:14:07] <Reddd> Get to Chaos already xD

[15:14:19] <Ruger-IRC> you put your ore in and a little arrow goes red and pop you got iron

[15:14:24] <DarkMalik> good Q

[15:14:38] <DarkMalik> travel times being sped up maybe?

[15:14:43] <Raybarg> Ruger that you have limited imagination, stupid ideas of what it could be (only one of those) doesnt mean it is like that.

[15:14:44] <Pingpong> heresy!

[15:14:47] <atazs> maybe boat speeds

[15:14:49] <atazs> but no portals

[15:14:52] <DarkMalik> aye boat speeds

[15:14:53] <Pingpong> wurm must stay insanely slow

[15:14:56] <atazs> yea

[15:14:57] <Gus> Question - is there any ideas if you are working on equipping armours etc? instead of the monotonous drag drop as we have atm?

[15:14:59] *** eladia has quit (Read error: Connection reset by peer)

[15:14:59] <DarkMalik> and ALLY PORTALS

[15:15:01] <Raybarg> Its like... every other MMO has crafting window and all youre capable of seeing is Minecraft crafting window.

[15:15:03] <Arndell> Wurm being "second job" is what makes things feel worth it..

[15:15:04] <atazs> i dont really want things sped up

[15:15:10] <atazs> yea something like that

[15:15:17] <Pingpong> boats on pve servers need a speed up

[15:15:18] <Arndell> Dont speed it up to attract more people :S

[15:15:19] <Ruger-IRC> Sorry i dont play EVERY OTHER mmo

[15:15:30] <Davee> We all know this game is for people who like to watch progress bars and navigate context menus! Right? Hmm.

Eh, that was disappointing. Maybe it was a thread that he alluded more to it. I'll keep looking.

Edit: Aha, found it. Read the third page on for the comments Budda makes about it here: http://forum.wurmonline.com/index.php?/topic/70781-qa-log-discussion/page__st__40

Edited by Laiwyn

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I fully agree with you Archaegeo. I have been spewing very similar observation for so long I no longer remember when I started.

Budda's project has my curiosity. But I can't help but wonder why they didn't just didn't make a key bind that does this: use current active tool on mouse over object and send the last action. That last action could be anything from create bricks to, cut down a tree.

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I'm so tired of the "make it easy for macro-ers" argument. Macroing is already very easy, and honestly, people will macro and remain undetected regardless. In my opinion, that shouldn't even be considered an argument. I sincerely hope that the creating/improving interface becomes easier to use, although I will continue to abuse my wrists if they don't.

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Making the inventory stay as you put it is another one in this field. Highly irritating to have to put everything back where you want it after every single disconnect even (of which we do have our share).

Edit: I can't agree on the animations being abysmal, I think they are fine for a large part. It is the 'tedious for wrong reason as if it would stop macroing' part I do agree with though.

Edited by Kianga
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lol before the release recently there were no real animations at all. imagine seeing people stand still 99% of the time. When riding horses they appeared to be standing on top of them.

To someone that has been playing the game for a long time, the animations we have now is jaw dropping amazing.

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I believe you Crag, and I am glad for what we have, but compared to any non solo developer title releasing these days, they are abysmal, thats just the way it is, and will drive off some new players.

And new players, who stay and pay, are what every MMO needs to survive and more importantly, pay graphics designers and coders a good salary, thus making our game better.

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Its not such a big problem in my opinion, (other that it could be dangerous to my health), Been playing the game since 2007 and the UI functionality it really the least of my concerns, but that's just me. I fail to see why most people make such a tragedy out of it.

The animations are good enough as they are for Wurm, trough the fighting animations could get a but more attention, the Dev team just needs to fix the memleaks and bugs that make them freeze >.<

Edit: What do you mean about abysmal animation, please explain.

Edited by Iulianx

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I wouldn't say abysmal. I've played MMO's, everything from UO to SWTOR and almost everything in between. I've payed out lots of my hard earned money to play this game even when it had no animation and the graphics were less than they are now. I don't think Wurm will have as many problems keeping players as you say.. It's one of those games that yes, has its problems- but you either love to play it and stick with it or you go back to playing something else. Sandbox games aren't for everyone.

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lol before the release recently there were no real animations at all. imagine seeing people stand still 99% of the time. When riding horses they appeared to be standing on top of them.

To someone that has been playing the game for a long time, the animations we have now is jaw dropping amazing.

I still have no animations, on the Mac. None. Not even wiggling feet like before 1.0. Every single model in the game slides along the ground like a plastic action figurine. Yeah, my settings are correct. Yep, I already /supported it.

Animations, at least for me, are abysmal. They exist only in the abyss.

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