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cailean_556

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Everything posted by cailean_556

  1. =INTRODUCTION= I've recently decided to come back and take a look at ATLAS after a very lengthy hiatus from the game. Not being into the "MMO" scene, I elected to go back to Single Player and see what changes have been made - on both the "Ocean" map and the Blackwood map - which was initially designed for smaller servers/Single Player. What is disappointing to see is that Single Player - a game mode that has been included from the start - appears to have been neglected in favour of "doubling down" on the multiplayer aspect which appears to be going catastrophically wrong, given the rather passionate responses I've been reading through today. Single Player is useful to people for many reasons. 1 - It allows people to play ATLAS either alone or, though a non-dedicated server (or even a small dedicated server), with a small group of friends and experience the storyline of ATLAS. 2 - It allows people to get a feel for ATLAS without the rampant toxicity multiplayer servers typically devolve into. 3 - It allows people to experiment with and/or design ships and bases that they may decide to employ on a multiplayer server. For those reasons alone, while it may not be "the focus" of Grapeshot Studios (which to me is seems like Wildcard but by a different name), Single Player should be maintained in the same manner as Multiplayer. The following is my opinion, some suggestion and recommendations which - while I am only one person with one opinion - may spark some more creative flare from a developer or a group that can take this further than I possibly could. =CONTENT= For the most part, given my several hours of reacquainting myself with the systems and mechanics, the "new" map that came with the Trade Winds update so far appears to be a significant improvement over the previous iteration. However there are still areas that require addressing. 1 - Ships of the Damned. This was one of the major reasons I stopped playing (from a Single Player perspective) ATLAS the first time around. SotD seem to ignore any damage resistance/modifier changes. They also still spawn in the *STARTER* zone. While a fully crewed sloop in multiplayer can probably outrun them (assuming good wind - which, granted I did not have in SP at the time of my encounter), my partially crewed Single Player sloop was sunk in 4 volleys by a Level 28 Brigantine. After searching high and low for a command line or mod to assist with SotD, I ended up disappointed. I understand that SotD and AotD are embedded into the storyline and the end-game resources so they cannot be removed entirely - however their number and power should be able to be managed by command line/in-game slider. There should be a map guide (or even a revision of the mechanics surrounding SotD) explaining the likelihood of SotD encounters and their relative power in the zones/regions - similar to what occurs for Wild Pirates - so players can make informed decisions. My recommendation for handling Ships of the Damned for Single Player and small Multiplayer servers is to either implement a slider (or command lines) that reduces the level, damage and group size of SotDs that spawn in and disable their spawning in the STARTER zone (at least), if not the zones immediately surrounding the STARTER zone, ENTIRELY. This gives the player(s) a bit of breathing room to get themselves established - so that when the player reaches the open ocean in either an AI-crewed (or player-crewed) Brig or Schooner (or something larger, provided they can acquire the resources from the starter zone/immediate zones) they at least have a chance to defend themselves if they're unable to avoid the ship. I would also recommend, especially for Single Player - but could also work very well in both an Official and Unofficial setting, that SotD only spawn in the regions containing, and immediately surrounding, the Stones of Power locales. 2 - Wild Pirates. This is not a negative, this is actually a commendation. I actually very much applaud of the addition of these AI pirates from not only a Single Player perspective but also from a PvE and PvP perspective. It gives PvE something to fight against on the sea (aside from SotD) and gives the PvPers something to practice against. From a Single Player perspective it implies that the player is trying to establish their own pirate empire. The map also advises the player on just how powerful the Wild Pirates are in the zones/regions before you enter them - so the player can make an informed decision about entering the zone. 3 - Stupidly high temperatures An island with an ambient temperature of 63 degrees. That's hotter than Dubai on a hot day. In fact, that's 7 degrees hotter than the highest recorded temperature. And these temperatures kill players trying to level. Not even swimming in the ocean works at these temperatures. Either a global temperature adjustment, or a command line/slider to manage how high (and also low) temperatures get. 4 - Blackwood This map was intended to be the ideal answer for small multiplayer servers and Single Player. After exploring the map and reading comments regarding Blackwood on Steam (I've not read the comments here) it is apparent that the upkeep of the map has been abandoned. Certain trees are missing textures, it's missing certain resources and certain spawns are tricky to find. At the very least, I would encourage an update to Blackwood to ensure that those who play on the map have access to the same content as the multiplayer game in a much more condensed size. This would also suit smaller multiplayer servers. However I do have an alternate suggestion: 5 - New Map: The New World A map with the same overall size as Blackwood, but modelled after the real world - much like what the multiplayer ATLAS is doing, but on a more compressed scale. Players start in the Caribbean freeport and the Americas on the western side of the map - with the expansive "Atlantic Ocean" (containing the Kraken's Maw - and 'Atlantis' in the depths) between them and Europe, Africa (and perhaps even a representation of Asia and Australia, if it would fit) on the eastern side with the polar caps hosting icy zones representing the Arctic and Antarctic regions at the top and bottom of the map. Where possible animals would be assigned to spawn on their respective land masses/biomes (i.e. Lions, Elephants and Giraffes in Africa, Wolves in the Americas and Europe, etc.). The Stones of Power can be spread throughout the world (such as ruins in South America and Africa, hidden away in ruined castles in Europe, etc) which encourages the player (or players) to sail and explore - to tame specific creatures they would need to head to specific biomes (which, with the ability to utilise the new 'tame transporter' ship, can be great to showcase what is possible in ATLAS). It would also give players several distinct choices on where to live (the Americas, Caribbean, Europe, the Mediterranean or Africa - or the north/south pole as they choose). This map would also include the necessary resources and requirements for end-game content (such as Atlantean ruins), and need to be able to be expanded upon (in terms of catering to future content). As referenced above regarding SotD, SotD would only spawn in certain regions, though especially in the oceans adjacent to Stones of Power and surrounding the Kraken's Maw - meaning a player or players can go 'hunting' for them with only a very minor chance of them appearing elsewhere - and certainly not as soon as you exit the starter zone. 6 - Gold This is more specific to Single Player, but more ways to find/earn gold would be a great addition. As Single Players *need* gold to manage the larger, more capable ships - even to use a Sloop to get off the starter island - one could find themselves essentially bottlenecked trying to find enough gold to afford a crew. I have no issue with the cost of AI crew, or their cost of retention, but coming up with the gold to pay for them to begin with was quite challenging. In my playthrough, very few bits of flotsam spawned in the starter area and I found myself having to use a raft (after already buying and prepping the ill-fated Sloop) to head out into the adjacent, more dangerous zone, to look for flotsam - to then head back to the starter area in order to get myself a crew. In SP, I suppose I am not penalised for staying on the starter island (with the exception of not having access to metal) so this might not be seen as much of an issue, but in a multiplayer setting - you don't necessarily want your players to base out of the starter island: you want them to leave and explore the larger ATLAS world (hence why there is now no metal on the starter islands). Even if, in SP specifically, one of the vendors in the freeport bought a stack of wood, thatch or stone for 1 gold. It's a lot of work (rates notwithstanding) for little gain but if a player is struggling and they're prepared to put in the effort, they can afford to get off the island with a crewed Sloop, leaving the starter zone behind them (though I would still return myself, especially if I was hosting a non-dedicated session with a friend - or if it was a private server). =CONCLUSION= Overall, I did find that ATLAS had fewer, less obvious bugs than when I last played - so it has clearly had some TLC applied. During my 5 or so hours getting reacquainted, I had no trouble with the way leveling now works, or the introduction to progression. I can not, obviously, speak to the balance of the wider multiplayer game as I personally would not seek to play ATLAS on such a scale - as I play with a small, close group of friends. From what I've been able to observe and achieve in my time, there is no issue with how things progress (with the exception of SotD and extremely high temps). If the 6 main points above were to be addressed and/or achieved this would put ATLAS in good stead when it comes out of Early Access. If "v1.0" does not contain methods to address or fix the issues listed above, the game cannot be considered "out of Early Access" when features it has had since EA launch do not function as intended across all game modes. Thank you for reading.
  2. Obviously I'm wading into this after only having spent the better part of a few days with this game, and buying it solely for the Single Player addition as I'd rather stab myself in the eye than play in ATLAS (or ARK) Official servers... I've noticed that ranged weapons feel very weak compared to melee weapons - though it's the same in ARK to be fair. And crew members don't seem to like using firearms. I read that pistols would one shot Army of the Damned (and I was ambushed by 8 of them, all higher level, trying to find a treasure). Naturally I fire off my dual pistols at near point-blank range and...nothing. They hit, I saw it react to being hit, but its life bar didn't move. And yet, was able to one hit the same soldier with a sword... In a game with guns, even pre-20th century ones, why must I be forced to enter melee range to effect the biggest, strongest hits. There's no assault rifles, it's all barrel-loading, single shot weapons...up the damage... After I'm out of loaded guns, I'm heading into melee range against what's left in an engagement anyway... Back on topic now - I agree that extra weapons and ship types would benefit the game. Corvettes in between Schooners and Brigs, Frigates between Brigs and Galleons, First Rate Ship of the Line after Galleon. Something like that. Carronades could basically be short range but powerful broadside weapons that are fixed and can't be aimed. Now if in SP we could just get the AI to man a fleet of ships so taking on SOTD and defeating the Kraken wasn't such a daunting task... Come to think of it, there is a FLYING SHIP in the banner at the top of this page... Much more content to come in good time, perhaps... I actually consider ATLAS to be what happened after the events at the end of ARK: Extinction... Mankind regenerates the Earth, enters a Golden Age and then mankind's true nature takes over again and...well, here we are being all piratey... The Kraken? Something Rockwell created. Or maybe even a further mutated Rockwell... I won't be surprised if we see the addition of something Steampunk-esque eventually, ATLAS's version of Tek basically. I'd be okay with it, to be honest. At least in Single Player.
  3. Network: Single Player Grid: M7/N8 Description of issue: Multiple. Fiber/Sickle/Bear harvest issue already reported by other players. In Single Player last night I finished building a player-built sloop on the starter island (Volcanic Reef, Freeport, M7). The shrubs there were dropping straw and strongwood. Sickle was unable to harvest. Used hand harvesting. Sloop build included a bed, 2 boxes in a central 'cargo hold' under the deck, a water barrel and two gun stands (intended for swivel cannons later). Was fortunate enough to obtain gold from flotsam, so hired 2 crew, also present on the Sloop. Crew prompt indicated they would require 1 gold every 5.7 hours. After building the Sloop, headed to Hepmont Island (N8). Shrubs there were yielding 'Jute'. Was able to utilise the sickle to harvest these shrubs. Built the basic shape and walls for a main house and then quit for the night, around 0040 h (UTC +10). Logged in this morning around 0900 h (UTC +10). Attempted to harvest shrubs with sickle, unable. Hand harvesting yielded straw and strongwood. Went out to Sloop to get food, and check on idle crew. Crew were demanding 6 gold each - even if time had continued after logging off, they had not been left for longer than 10 hours, not 30... Noticed the bed was also missing from the Sloop, despite it being there the night before. Fast-travelled to base on starter island (M7), returned to Hepmont Island (N8). Shrubs there dropped fiber (not straw and strongwood). Sickle now works, shrubs drop Jute. Bed on Sloop was still missing, gave the ship experience and added 2 points into 'extra beds' as it was at 0 (with levels added, now at '1 Extra Bed'). Placed bed. Quit SP. Entered SP, bed remained. Quit SP. Wrote report. If the 'Extra Beds' attribute is required for beds to remain on the ship after placement and logging off, suggest beds are unable to be placed on ships until they have the relevant attribute or that ALL ships (including raft) have support for at least 1 bed. Any screenshots or video demonstrating the bug: Not at this time. Repro steps if available/applicable: N/A - At this time. CCC (if location specific, please include the CCC with your report): Not location specific, though changing locations (at least through fast travel) did resolve the harvesting issue.
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