As far as I can see the cataclysm is going to be exactly what they said:
It will shape the world both physically, in the form of a new map, and through the inversions which will apply different effects to the laws of physics throughout the course of the event.
...
That's a bit too much of mental gymnastics for my taste right there. Everthing that isn't alternative skybox and reskinned enemies like they showed before release is a positive though. But branding new map release is now "world-shaping"... lol. They took a bite they couldn't deliver. May that be a lesson, but it seems publishers and devs never learn.
What else do you think that phrase would mean? It's the whole essence of what a cataclysm is. Cataclysms change the way the world looks and works. That's the whole essence of the background of the game. That was all that phrase was ever going to mean.
Surely you don't think they were actually talking about changing the real world in some way? It's just game content!
So the best loot will drop from an activity that is time gated in a period of 6 weeks. Think about what this means - Anthem's endgame being a time gated event... Just let the thought sink in. See any issues?
...
Where did you get the idea that there is some special loot that will only drop during the cataclysm?
Ever heard of The Ace of spades?
To be fair, that's what it sounded like. Everything in the cataclysm drops at +5 levels. There is new stuff you can buy from a special vendor with in-game gold which cycles during the event.
It's a legitimate concern to worry if access to all this stuff is going to go away after the event ends leaving people who missed the event at a disadvantage.
It's by no means certain that that will happen and I doubt it will but it's presented as being part of the cataclysm event so it's reasonable to worry if it goes away when the event does.
That's a bit too much of mental gymnastics for my taste right there. Everthing that isn't alternative skybox and reskinned enemies like they showed before release is a positive though. But branding new map release is now "world-shaping"... lol. They took a bite they couldn't deliver. May that be a lesson, but it seems publishers and devs never learn.
What else do you think that phrase would mean? It's the whole essence of what a cataclysm is. Cataclysms change the way the world looks and works. That's the whole essence of the background of the game. That was all that phrase was ever going to mean.
Surely you don't think they were actually talking about changing the real world in some way? It's just game content!
There's a fair amount of viewable area past the existing map. There's nothing that says "world-changing" doesn't mean a change to the area past/outside the current play area. In fact, I would think the existing play area has to be remain unchanged so new players can continue to play the initial story content.
What else do you think that phrase would mean? It's the whole essence of what a cataclysm is. Cataclysms change the way the world looks and works. That's the whole essence of the background of the game. That was all that phrase was ever going to mean.
Surely you don't think they were actually talking about changing the real world in some way? It's just game content!
There's a fair amount of viewable area past the existing map. There's nothing that says "world-changing" doesn't mean a change to the area past/outside the current play area. In fact, I would think the existing play area has to be remain unchanged so new players can continue to play the initial story content.
Changing the current map isn't even an interpretation I had thought of! They've done it in WOW a few times but, yes, anything significant would compromise the levelling experience so I can't see that being likely so soon in the game's lifetime. Other than temporary changes to the weather and the colour of the sky and stiuff, of course (which they've done before).
I'm not concerned, I think the Anthem codebase and co-op GAAS model will improve Dragon Age, but probably a debate for another sub-forum.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3 decades of RPG gaming from green screen to 4K. Moderator posts mostly marked by 'Police' emoji. Other views shared are just personal ones. On UK time zone.
I'm not concerned, I think the Anthem codebase and co-op GAAS model will improve Dragon Age, but probably a debate for another sub-forum.
You cannot be serious...
I have diametrically opposed views of both the Anthem codebass and the co-op GAAS model. They both will hinder and destroy what made Dragon Age what it is.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3 decades of RPG gaming from green screen to 4K. Moderator posts mostly marked by 'Police' emoji. Other views shared are just personal ones. On UK time zone.
Don't knock the little winds. They're important - for morale.
Games: Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, KOTOR, Baldur's Gate, Jade Empire, Mass Effect Andromeda, SWTOR, Anthem Origin: correctamundo1 Prime Posts: A thousand and then some. Prime Likes: They never liked me! No one likes me! Posts: 2,830 Likes: 5,270
Where did you get the idea that there is some special loot that will only drop during the cataclysm?
Ever heard of The Ace of spades?
To be fair, that's what it sounded like. Everything in the cataclysm drops at +5 levels. There is new stuff you can buy from a special vendor with in-game gold which cycles during the event.
It's a legitimate concern to worry if access to all this stuff is going to go away after the event ends leaving people who missed the event at a disadvantage.
It's by no means certain that that will happen and I doubt it will but it's presented as being part of the cataclysm event so it's reasonable to worry if it goes away when the event does.
They also put forth the possibility of the increased power level be retroactive. Thus changing all legos and mvs. What would then be the point of reducing it again post event?
As I understood it you get the usual loot from the vendor. Like a The Division global event. 😎
So the best loot will drop from an activity that is time gated in a period of 6 weeks. Think about what this means - Anthem's endgame being a time gated event... Just let the thought sink in. See any issues?
No way this remains as they plan. Would be a monumental screw up in the history of looter shooters. Time gated event for cosmetics? Sure. But for the best endgame gear? What the actual fuck?
I am certain Bioware is very well aware of all this. If not, well... Anyway, I can see it unfolding in several directions. One way is that the event will remain permanent. Other option is to give it a better chance to drop loot and the same type of loot to be applied to all activities, maybe even right after the event, with a smaller drop chance.
But if this remains as currently explained, then I can only see it as a desperate attempt to get back players with the "get it now or never" bait. Which worked wonderfully for other games like...never? But I might be wrong because SWTOR does time limited events (cosmetic/exp rewards only) and Bioware might be seeing a player surge there during the events. But this doesn't apply to Anthem and exclusive endgame gear rewards. If anything it will only annoy the players more. And not to mention it sounds like the rewards will be in a form of a random "loot box". Because that also worked so well for SWTOR, amirite?
Where did you get the idea that there is some special loot that will only drop during the cataclysm?
Ever heard of The Ace of spades?
From the stream:
Cataclysm loot:
New weapons
New masterwork gear (different Masterwork/Legendary variants of existing gear)
Melee equippable slot (not items but variants, e.g. a detonator for Ranger rather than a Primer)
Masterwork and Legendary Support Gear
All NEW items will have a higher power level than existing items. Currently, the Masterwork and Legendary items are 5 levels higher.
What else do you think that phrase would mean? It's the whole essence of what a cataclysm is. Cataclysms change the way the world looks and works. That's the whole essence of the background of the game. That was all that phrase was ever going to mean.
Surely you don't think they were actually talking about changing the real world in some way? It's just game content!
There's a fair amount of viewable area past the existing map. There's nothing that says "world-changing" doesn't mean a change to the area past/outside the current play area. In fact, I would think the existing play area has to be remain unchanged so new players can continue to play the initial story content.
The initial story content is instanced and there is no reason for it to be affected in any way by eventual changes in the Freeplay map.
Welcome to the shill-zone, where new maps are somehow world-shaping and shit is not shit but simply the brownest material on Earth.
It may be great or may be less so, but we kinda need to experience it.
The people on the PTS get to play first.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3 decades of RPG gaming from green screen to 4K. Moderator posts mostly marked by 'Police' emoji. Other views shared are just personal ones. On UK time zone.
There's a fair amount of viewable area past the existing map. There's nothing that says "world-changing" doesn't mean a change to the area past/outside the current play area. In fact, I would think the existing play area has to be remain unchanged so new players can continue to play the initial story content.
The initial story content is instanced and there is no reason for it to be affected in any way by eventual changes in the Freeplay map.
True, it probably could have been done that way, but I'm struggling to see the downside of deciding to add entirely new sections of the map for the cataclysm as opposed to changing existing ones. Why is that a negative thing?
Don't knock the little winds. They're important - for morale.
Games: Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, KOTOR, Baldur's Gate, Jade Empire, Mass Effect Andromeda, SWTOR, Anthem Origin: correctamundo1 Prime Posts: A thousand and then some. Prime Likes: They never liked me! No one likes me! Posts: 2,830 Likes: 5,270
The initial story content is instanced and there is no reason for it to be affected in any way by eventual changes in the Freeplay map.
True, it probably could have been done that way, but I'm struggling to see the downside of deciding to add entirely new sections of the map for the cataclysm as opposed to changing existing ones. Why is that a negative thing?
Welcome to the shill-zone, where new maps are somehow world-shaping and shit is not shit but simply the brownest material on Earth.
It may be great or may be less so, but we kinda need to experience it.
The people on the PTS get to play first.
Amazing! Really it is.
We've come so far since the early days of game demos in CDs to try out the game before making a purchasing decision. Now, we pre-order a game in development, get it as is (sometimes in very rough shape), then we get the privilege of being the guinea pigs in testing new stuff. But, most of all, I find it amusing that some players actually are happy in getting a lemon, trying out an add-on lemon and then actually playing the fixed lemon.
Talk about the Stockholm Syndrome.
Me, when I buy a car, I make sure it works.
Morpheus: "know what happened happened and that it could not have happened in any other way".
Don't knock the little winds. They're important - for morale.
Games: Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, KOTOR, Baldur's Gate, Jade Empire, Mass Effect Andromeda, SWTOR, Anthem Origin: correctamundo1 Prime Posts: A thousand and then some. Prime Likes: They never liked me! No one likes me! Posts: 2,830 Likes: 5,270
Where did you get the idea that there is some special loot that will only drop during the cataclysm?
Ever heard of The Ace of spades?
From the stream:
Cataclysm loot:
New weapons
New masterwork gear (different Masterwork/Legendary variants of existing gear)
Melee equippable slot (not items but variants, e.g. a detonator for Ranger rather than a Primer)
Masterwork and Legendary Support Gear
All NEW items will have a higher power level than existing items. Currently, the Masterwork and Legendary items are 5 levels higher.
He doesn't really say that none of the new gear and weapons will be unavailable at all post event but sure, maybe it will be a be there or be square situation. So? It's not like we only have a week to get all the gearing and commendations done like in a Division global event. Not that there is anythibng wrong with that either. TD GEs are great fun. Here we have 2 weeks pre event build up and six week of event.
To clear things up a bit, I very much doubt this cataclysm will take place in the "open world". In gaming an open world is a large environment focused on non-linear gameplay that gives the player the option of doing whatever they want. On the other hand the cataclysm seems to be set in a self contained map featuring a very linear objective, complete with timer.
I'll have to see more to be 100% positive, but if Bioware said before the cataclysm would take place in the open world, that seems like yet another thing that will not come to pass.
Don't knock the little winds. They're important - for morale.
Games: Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, KOTOR, Baldur's Gate, Jade Empire, Mass Effect Andromeda, SWTOR, Anthem Origin: correctamundo1 Prime Posts: A thousand and then some. Prime Likes: They never liked me! No one likes me! Posts: 2,830 Likes: 5,270
It may be great or may be less so, but we kinda need to experience it.
The people on the PTS get to play first.
Amazing! Really it is.
We've come so far since the early days of game demos in CDs to try out the game before making a purchasing decision. Now, we pre-order a game in development, get it as is (sometimes in very rough shape), then we get the privilege of being the guinea pigs in testing new stuff. But, most of all, I find it amusing that some players actually are happy in getting a lemon, trying out an add-on lemon and then actually playing the fixed lemon.
Talk about the Stockholm Syndrome.
Me, when I buy a car, I make sure it works.
Stockholm syndrome?
That is some rookie hyperbole. You've got to get that hyperbole up!
Don't knock the little winds. They're important - for morale.
Games: Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, KOTOR, Baldur's Gate, Jade Empire, Mass Effect Andromeda, SWTOR, Anthem Origin: correctamundo1 Prime Posts: A thousand and then some. Prime Likes: They never liked me! No one likes me! Posts: 2,830 Likes: 5,270
To clear things up a bit, I very much doubt this cataclysm will take place in the "open world". In gaming an open world is a large environment focused on non-linear gameplay that gives the player the option of doing whatever they want. On the other hand the cataclysm seems to be set in a self contained map featuring a very linear objective, complete with timer.
I'll have to see more to be 100% positive, but if Bioware said before the cataclysm would take place in the open world, that seems like yet another thing that will not come to pass.
On the other hand the stream clearly shows that it is anything but linear. With arenas spread out over a map that looks way more circular than linear. But I guess since you can go "straight" (<look obviously linear) for Vara then it is incontrovertible evidence of linearity.
It's true enough that the game had some launch bugs, but nothing that broke the game or prevented me from enjoying it hugely.
I'm pretty much done for now (having completed all challenges & achievements and have my main Javelin at max) but I'll dive back in fully when the Cataclysm goes fully live.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3 decades of RPG gaming from green screen to 4K. Moderator posts mostly marked by 'Police' emoji. Other views shared are just personal ones. On UK time zone.
To clear things up a bit, I very much doubt this cataclysm will take place in the "open world". In gaming an open world is a large environment focused on non-linear gameplay that gives the player the option of doing whatever they want. On the other hand the cataclysm seems to be set in a self contained map featuring a very linear objective, complete with timer.
I'll have to see more to be 100% positive, but if Bioware said before the cataclysm would take place in the open world, that seems like yet another thing that will not come to pass.
On the other hand the stream clearly shows that it is anything but linear. With arenas spread out over a map that looks way more circular than linear. But I guess since you can go "straight" (<look obviously linear) for Vara then it is incontrovertible evidence of linearity.
Not linear in terms of path, but rather objective. Where the player can choose to do different objectives in whatever order they please, or just roam for the sake of roaming. The cataclysm has a clear objective and a timer to funnel you along that objective. That seems to be linear gameplay and is the opposite of what open world is about. I'd need to see more to say for certain though. I hate quoting wiki, but it's quicker in this instance:
A video game with nonlinear gameplay presents players with challenges that can be completed in a number of different sequences. Each player may take on (or even encounter) only some of the challenges possible, and the same challenges may be played in a different order. Conversely, a video game with linear gameplay will confront a player with a fixed sequence of challenges: every player faces every challenge and has to overcome them in the same order.
A nonlinear game will allow greater player freedom than a linear game. For example, a nonlinear game may permit multiple sequences to finish the game, a choice between paths to victory, different types of victory, or optional side-quests and subplots. Some games feature both linear and nonlinear elements, and some games offer a sandbox mode that allows players to explore an open-world game environment independently from the game's main objectives, if any objectives are provided at all.
[...]Open worlds and sandbox modes
When a level is sufficiently large and open-ended, it may be described as an open world,[32] or "sandbox game", though this term is often used incorrectly.[33][34][clarification needed]
There’s a storm on the horizon. Something big is on the way. A Cataclysm is coming, and if you own the game on PC or are a current Origin Access Premier subscriber, you can get an early look with the new Public Test Server* – available starting June 4.
What Is a Cataclysm?
It's a season-long event with new enemies to fight, mysteries to uncover, and power to be gained.
What Is the Anthem Public Test Server?
It’s a way for Anthem PC players to share their feedback about the upcoming Cataclysm experience before it’s available to everyone. Currently, the Public Test Server (PTS) is only available on PC (and in English), to anyone who owns Anthem on PC or is an active Origin Access Premier subscriber.
What Else Do I Need to Know About the PTS?
Here are the key points:
When: starting June 4 (While we’re testing new content on the PTS, there will be occasional downtime for server restarts or maintenance, and there may be additional patches to download – see Twitter for the latest updates.) Who can play: all current Anthem PC owners or anyone with an active Origin Access Premier subscription. Where you can find it: visit your game library on Origin.com. How to give feedback: visit the PTS Forums.
All eligible players will find a special Anthem PTS tile in their game library on Origin. Just click on the tile to start the download, accept the PTS Agreement, and you’ll be able to begin playing on June 4. That’s all there is to it, no additional registration or special sign-ins. Just download, opt-in for the PTS on the main screen by accepting the PTS Agreement, and play.
You won’t be able to bring your current javelins, currency, XP, or any other items into the Public Test Server, nor will you be able to take anything earned in the PTS back to your regular version of the game. You’ll enter the PTS at level 30 and with all four javelins unlocked, so you can focus your time and attention on the Cataclysm itself instead of worrying about leveling up.
While the Public Test Server is available, you’ll have a chance to explore new areas, take on tough enemies, and face some of the deadliest weather events the world of Anthem can throw at you. You’ll also have the chance to let us know what you like (or don’t like) about what you’re experiencing. Feel free to visit the PTS Forums to leave your feedback for the game team and discuss what you’ve seen and done with your fellow Freelancers.
Have more questions? Please visit our EA Help page for answers.
We look forward to hearing what you think of this preview of the first elements of a Cataclysm in the dangerous, ever-changing world of Anthem.