Your Thoughts on Axios

[Andustar 4143]

15 minutes ago, _pok_ said:

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

This. Anthos, like somebody said, would realistically have drained itself some time ago. I think it'd be interesting to go back and sort of see giant ruins of our past. If we want to avoid literally copy/pasting Anthos, we use the flood as a reason to sort of re-shape the map in a way that makes it feel slightly different. 

Eddywilson2 actually made a post on this a while back just around when Axios came out. Similar idea of the flooding changing the continents appearance. I think this would be a great idea as players such as myself never got to experience Anthos.

 

[Parion 1130]

Axios' prime setback has been the implementation of a huge environment with an insufficient level of content - from ruins to events, the potential of this map has been unexplored and stifled due to the significant curb. Although, with further development and reflection, I am certain the staff teams could collaborate to design storylines, narratives and activities to keep the playerbase engaged. Reflect on the features that make more advanced open-world RPGs entertaining to play and compelling for exploration; then figure ways in which these elements could be adapted into a minecraft environment. There are obvious proposals, of course: a comprehensive, fleshed out storyline that influences every nation and supplements RP; more accessible ways in which Axios' existing lore can be uncovered (or devised, if the maps' lore is not already thoroughly determined); ruins that have interactive components - redstone adaptation and pre-set treasures might be interesting (nothing extreme, just simple artefacts that could spur further RP between players or connect with the former notion of discovering map history). We would have been better off sticking with Tahn alone. Unless new content is to be implemented or the server community expands, inbefore mainline events to destroy the surrounding islands?  Winks.

 

Of course, I am also going to express my bothers concerning the expansion of settlements as well. It definitely occurred too promptly and now, as anticipated, we have watered down RP for certain regions as well as littered the map with unused builds. I wouldn't encourage a compulsory dissolving of all settlements (maybe I would), yet methods to remove these areas might be beneficial if inactivity and such is evident.

 

What am I talking about though? I've just gone off on a tangent.

[ARCHITECUS 4788]

Just now, bungo said:

This is the worst map we've ever had.

 

I don't believe that the polls will accurately relay my distaste for the map so I will answer the questions in this post.

 

1. What is your favourite Isle of Axios?

There is only one island where there are actually players.  However the Map is massive and it's just badly worldpainted in general.  I think the Sutica one is worldpainted decently though I've been there once.

 

2. Do you feel we have too many settlements?

Yes but there is nothing you can do to fix this. The amount of active settlements is fine however there are a lot inactive settlements. Players will always want to go out and build there own settlements.  They will always find a way.  It would be nice if the ET turned these unused settlements into ruins after some amount of time.  

 

3. How do you feel about the map's size?

Whoever thought making 3 massive maps is an idiot.  The fact that there was no fast-travel from roleplay hubs before a month ago or something shows that the map was not thought out by someone with an IQ above 75.

 

4. Do you feel the Lore created for the map was sufficient for release?

Do you mean the ooga booga we wuz shamanz lore?  I don't think the lore developed by the lore team has much impact on the server as a whole to be honest.  Most people just ignore it don't know about it.  All I know is there was a Axios storyline when I logged in and I thought it was dumb.

 

5. Do you believe an additional few months of development would have greatly improved the map?

No the map is an inherently flawed and bad map.  Trying to sculpt **** doesn't change the fact that it's ****.

 

6. Do you feel that the creation of the map was too rushed?

I believe that the team designing the map was out of touch with the playerbase and they focused on the wrong things.  They wanted a map where you can admire the exotic and cool biomes but they didn't realize that most players sit at roleplay hubs and type.

 

7. Would you like to see more Events directly related to the story line and Lore of the map?

If we are still on Episode 1 of the Axios storyline then it shows how useless the Event Team is and it reinforces my opinion that the Event Team should be turned into a Nature Team that improves areas and makes unused settlements into ruins.  Most people are on the ET for the pex might as well keep the builders which are useful.  You don't need a team to promote roleplay and it just hasn't worked in my opinion.  

 

8. Do you like the tile system?

No it just makes it easier to split up roleplay.  If I manage to see a Charter I sign it to show how useless the charter system is.  Just split land between nation leaders and give them a restriction on the amounts of settlements and make it so that if the settlement goes inactive the settlement is destroyed or turned into ruins.

I agree with Bungo B. completely here, but as one of the ET working on the mess of a map that became 5.0, I have some things to add.

1.

     Tahn is the map with the greatest population, but, unfortunately, it's ****. I was met with so much furious resistance from the other staff working on it when I tried to give suggestions and solutions to ugliness, I eventually just gave up. I was disallowed from fixing myself the problems I saw, supposedly because the blobby worldpainted terrain was so precious to its creator. There were so many random, nonsensical features around the map that looked absolutely horrible- too much and too big for just one ET to handle in the time we had. For next map, just hire a pro worldpainter with donation money so we actually get a nice map to play around on. We don't need moonrock terrain or The Burning Sands ( t. Arteh ) when people just want snow, deserts, swamps, forests, and plains (and some water for Sutica).
     Ceru is the nicest map, but it suffers from scale issues that really rile me. The mountains are literally shorter than the trees surrounding them. From the highest peak of all the mountains on Ceru, I believe there was still ~100 blocks of free space up in the air to go.

 

2.

     Just allow ET to ruin inactive settlements. I would have petitioned to get this thing going while I was on the team, but I was selfishly hammering away on my own projects that never really panned out.

 

3.

     We really only need one map with two continents (classic MMO setup).

4.

    I, as an experienced ET, revile things like these so called "main storylines" that always seem to fall into the hands of the same clique of tall, handsome; radiant High Elven Aengulically blessed men and their big-bosomed She-Elven sidekicks also with Aengulic powers. The fight against Setherien was actually very fun besides a few problems (like giving PvP powers to the wrong people).

5.

    Everything besides Asul really just needed a complete replacement. At least the mossy cobble covering everything was removed after I screamed  enough.

 

6.

     As @bungo said, the unshakeable power of this map's development was absolutely out of touch with player needs. I had a hard time getting suggestions in, and was usually just brow beaten into silence by people trying to win said power's favor.

 

7.

     Same thing as my answer to 4, and what bungo said.

 

8.

     Just refer to bungo on this one. I don't like leading in RP.

[Man of Respect 5471]

I wrote a large reply, but no, nevermind. :(

[_pok_ 1768]

The problem with doing Tahn alone (and please don't take this as a knock on the Dwarves or Oren), is that it has for the most part been swallowed up under the influences of the Humans and Dwarves. For the remaining races to move and settle there, you'd essentially have to carve land out of those two racial nations which will inevitably cause problems. If we're going to try to centralize roleplay, then we might as well develop a nice new map (or a re-furbished old one). 

[bungo 3965]

Agree with Pok go to Anthos but improve it and make it slightly different to fit what happened to it.  

[Samoblivion 532]

9 minutes ago, _pok_ said:

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

This. Anthos, like somebody said, would realistically have drained itself some time ago. I think it'd be interesting to go back and sort of see giant ruins of our past. If we want to avoid literally copy/pasting Anthos, we use the flood as a reason to sort of re-shape the map in a way that makes it feel slightly different. 

 

[Bohra reviving intensifies]

[Thomas 3014]

This is all really great information, thank you all for offering your opinions. I would respond individually to each one, though it seems a general consensus is present. More information is gladly appreciated and I will be taking all of this on board. Expect some more polls up in the following weeks regarding more specific topics, I'm gathering player opinions to ensure the same mistakes aren't repeated. The results from the poll are pretty concrete, which is good, it means there ins't too large of a split between player opinion.

[Andustar 4143]

Just now, DPM said:

Can we get a return to Anthos poll haha? Would like to see the community's general opinion on returning to the map as a potential next map.

eddywilson2 already made one as an idea

[Ethan the epic 115]

If we're talking about the look of the map it is good and way better than vailor, if we're talking about anything else the map is with all due respect :) ****, asul is the worst isle and always has been, the only playerbase there Is Haria which I can't find due to the poor road and incredible lack of signs, also I want road taverns, without them road rp (hahahha) is even more dull. I can tolerate this map I suppose but it's nothing really that memorable.

[_pok_ 1768]

Just now, DPM said:

Can we get a return to Anthos poll haha? Would like to see the community's general opinion on returning to the map as a potential next map.

Run conducted by the administration. Also, if there were a way to volunteer for it that would be cool because I know there's a fair amount of us who were around then and could probably contribute a lot in the form of ruins and lore and what not.

[Pandan 1452]

I'm just going to chisel out a few thoughts, as the main 'lead' within map development for Axios. I'll state I'm not trying to blame anymore for actions that have occurred, nor defend myself. If anything I acknowledge I made fatal flaws within the production of the map, but in essence, everyone is a genius within hindsight. 

 

I did just write out quite an intensive story about the production of the map but realised that within reality very few care about the production process, the true subject is the finished product. I will state there were an unbelievable amount of issues present during its creation, Tahn was far too big for its own good but due to a significant lack of time, we didn't have the choice to go elsewhere. Other maps were given to us that actually in many aspects were better than Tahn, but, they were even bigger. 

 

My main piece of advice to whoever takes the monumentally stressful and tiring process of map creation allow it to be your creative vision. Take the thoughts of the community and process that into a final product, when I created the map I had so many.. voices? Tythus had asked me to create three different maps, 501 was working on obtaining maps and the playerbase wished for a summer release. I tried to listen to them all and it mostly flopped like a sack of potatoes. My end vision was malformed until it just became something we were forced to rush out within 'playable status'. When you work on something for so long, with so much consistent failure.. It's just difficult to continue onward within a progressive manner. Try to avoid relying on too many people also (rip manpower plugin). 

 

I suppose what I'm trying to say is don't underestimate map development. It honestly is a hellish task that isn't as simple as anyone would hope. A vision is only so much. 

 

 

 

Edit: If anyone did wish to discuss anything further, I'd happily speak to you privately. Skype or on the forums! 

 

 

[Ioannis 1480]

Just like the name of the map Axios(Worthy in Greek), I find the map interesting and well made.

[Jonificus 2741]

Too many islands, too shitty biomes, legit had no idea we even had lore or story for this MESS. I want a new map for christmas.

[_pok_ 1768]

Just now, Pandan said:

I'm just going to chisel out a few thoughts, as the main 'lead' within map development for Axios. I'll state I'm not trying to blame anymore for actions that have occurred, nor defend myself. If anything I acknowledge I made fatal flaws within the production of the map, but in essence, everyone is a genius within hindsight. 

 

I did just write out quite an intensive story about the production of the map but realised that within reality very few care about the production process, the true subject is the finished product. I will state there were an unbelievable amount of issues present during its creation, Tahn was far too big for its own good but due to a significant lack of time, we didn't have the choice to go elsewhere. Other maps were given to us that actually in many aspects were better than Tahn, but, they were even bigger. 

 

My main piece of advice to whoever takes the monumentally stressful and tiring process of map creation allow it to be your creative vision. Take the thoughts of the community and process that into a final product, when I created the map I had so many.. voices? Tythus had asked me to create three different maps, 501 was working on obtaining maps and the playerbase wished for a summer release. I tried to listen to them all and it mostly flopped like a sack of potatoes. My end vision was malformed until it just became something we were forced to rush out within 'playable status'. When you work on something for so long, with so much consistent failure.. It's just difficult to continue onward within a progressive manner. Try to avoid relying on too many people also (rip manpower plugin). 

 

I suppose what I'm trying to say is don't underestimate map development. It honestly is a hellish task that isn't as simple as anyone would hope. A vision is only so much. 

 

 

Then perhaps a way of fixing this problem would be to limit the development time? It feels like the time of development for each map gets longer and longer, and that ultimately leads to changes occurring that in reality don't really need to happen. For example, Asulon was developed probably in the span of about 3 months, and that was one of our largest maps. I don't think a new map needs to take a whole lot of time to create, especially if we allow more players to get involved in the development of the map rather than keeping it a very vague and obscure process.