Multiplayer when?

General
163

I supported this game with five figures when it was nothing more than a shell of a concept. I was drawn to the promises of a grand ARPG vision. And I liked the idea of the immense rewards promised to the biggest backers of this game. Two years didn’t seem too long a wait for me, and I jumped right into it.

Well. It’s been 4 years and waiting.

I could, at this point, raise my voice and protest on their project management like you said. But I wont do so. And I wont do so because I know these devs are passionate ARPG fans just like me, except they built their lives around delivering the success of this game over the last four years. I wont do so because while I have not been delivered the grand vision and kickstarter rewards yet, I have been shown the progress over the years, and a behind the scene glimpse of the incredible difficulties in attempting to develop a AAA quality game. It made me appreciate their determination to deliver on their promises, even if the road was much harder than they could possibly imagine when they started on this journey. For those currently in the CT programme, no one has doubt the dev team is working hardest to make sure this game will be delivered at the highest standards.

I will continue waiting and rooting for them. Because a shoddy job just to deliver on the promises of an arbitrary timeline is a bigger insult to me and the money I’ve put in, than all the wait I have to endure.

5 Likes
164

I think we can debate about it during days and nights. The feeling I got from your message is more " I buy a game, an idea, and I want it like it was sold, no matter what, i m ready to sacrify a lot" and not a message : " I invest in a game, i’m want my ROI"

Your point of view is yours and might be shared. But at the end their is also customers like me, who buy a game and want it with the idea sold and the timeline.

We can’t be conciliated on those points of view but still can be friends :slight_smile:

(regarding arbitrary timeline, you give a timeline, you respect it otherwise you don’t give one)

165

I agree it is well within your rights to demand what you were promised.

But given things are what they are now, is banging the table really the most productive thing we can do?

Delays or even failed launches are part and parcel of projects by indie studios. Would you prefer the devs throw up their arms now and say, “well, we give up. We cant deliver on what we promised.” That could very well be the end of it and all of us will be left with nothing!

I get what you are saying and feeling, but it is what it is. My sense is what’s most productive now is to provide as much input to help shape the game if you’re anxious about its success. Otherwise, simply walk away and never touch another product by EHG and/or support an early release product if you’re really upset about this whole episode.

166

Banging the table isn’t productive, they won’t dev faster or even deliver right.
Banging the table in the other hand, may avoid an other misleading communication, because they will take care of what is promise and in the same time, the banging may shake enough the room to wake them up and give a clear communication about where there are, what left and give a realistic timeline.

167

I think the bigger problem is the idea that any intentionally misleading communication has occurred. That is the crux of interpretation and most forms of communication. No matter how clear you are on something, someone will misconstrue it.

I can assure you that everyone here considers everything we say, does our best to communicate as clearly as possible, and, quite frankly, is very open/honest when it comes to communication.

We do all of that because we do care. A LOT.

I quit a career of 10+ years to come work for EHG because of their passion, commitment, and how much integrity they have. I realize that being on the outside looking in, you only get so much, but it’s been a huge breath of fresh air coming to EHG with how honest they are.

We definitely hear you. We do have plans.

But, like others have said, we would rather deliver a product we are proud of than hit an arbitrary date.

Believe me, we know about PoE Leagues and D4, etc. We agree with you that it would be awesome timing to be ready at more advantageous times. However, we are committed to making a good product that will be good for years. We aren’t here to pump out an ARPG as fast as we can, take your money, and move on to the next thing.

That takes time, and EHG is willing to be ridiculed all day until we are ready. Does it mean we won’t make mistakes? Of course we will. Does it mean there won’t be bugs/problems? Of course they will. You don’t know what you don’t know.

The difference here is that when there are problems, we will fix them. :slight_smile:

12 Likes
168

I think this is the most important part. I don’t think EHG has ever intentionally mislead people (as far as I’m aware), but things change, plans that were made in the past aren’t always viable when you get further down the road.

There can be changes outside of one’s control (like Apple changing their chips to risc from x86), to your original plans for end-game content (Lost Memories, Epoch’s Call, etc) not panning out as you develop the game and gain more experience as a studio, but none of those could/should be classified as “intentionally misleading” 'cause #### changes and anyone who has had a job (software development or not) should be aware of this concept.

It does sometimes feel as though you’re damned if you do (release timelines, planned features, generally communicate about the future) and damned if you don’t (get slammed for being uncommunicative).

You also don’t know what #### the universe is going to throw in your direction at an undefined time in the future.

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169

Truth.

1 Like
170

OK now. I got some time and will be constructive.

As Far as we know, MP is complicated to implement,
As Far as we know we need new char to go in MP.
As Far as we know people are not starting to play or shopping to play because we need safe character aka not changed by the save file to go MP.

As someone who want to be constructive and go step by step.

Can’t we have cloud save done first, ? so we can invest in a character we wont throw away.

I think it’s a easy step to make. For sure, we will need a New char Again for season or play with friends at low level but at least on long run we will be using it.

Isn’t doable ?

171

Steam already provides for cloud saves, unless you mean being able to have your characters saved on EHG’s servers before MP releases (in which case, you’re asking for all of the tech/stuff/whatever required by MP to be implemented & made available before MP releases).

172

I mean everything needed for having a character that you can currently play be available and playable for MP.

Which mean, as much my point of view worth, not that much work. The only thing they need, is a secure way to keep char with no modification on it.

And when the MP is released, to transfert them (with modifications needed, cause it’s not just a file transfert ^^ )

173

No, I will flat-out disagree on any local data going to the servers. Who knows what kinds of modifications are made to those files and you want to compromise the system that everyone will be using because you do not want to lose a character?

1 Like
174

It’s not what I have said. No data is going on server.

The processus is :

  • New char is create
  • New char is saved in CLOUD / on EHG server
    → We play it
    → EHG Release MP
    → They use those files saved on their server, without any kind of access from user and transfert them into Last Epoch MP version.

Advantage :

1- You can invest in a long term char that you will use in MP (outside Season)
2- No files are changed from user cause saved on EHG servers side
3- Profit

175

What you want is a stand-alone copy that gets converted again, why do you think you deserve a head start verse those that will only purchase once MP comes out, because you do not want to lose a character? You still refused to answer that part of the question.

176

You’ve forgotten the bit where you need there to be EHG servers to play the character online since they won’t allow you to download the save file, play with it on your machine then upload it again as they can’t guarantee the security of the file & that you’ve not modified it.

So you’re effectively asking to be able to play MP characters before MP has been made available.

178

I din’t understand it in fact, if you win nothing cause there is no rewards, no tablescore or whatever to be 100, you don’t deserve it or not, there is no economy, no sales, no pvp, no transfert. So basically, i don’t get it why people should or not deserve something.

179

you create the NEW char on THERE server, directly not upload from your PC or from somewhere, you create it directly on the server

180

Yes, I know/understand that, but unless you can use EHG’s servers to play the character (ie, the MP servers) then you’d have to be able to download it onto your machine to be able to play it then upload it again.

Currently, when you play LE, your machine is acting as the server in order to do all of the stuff (mob AI, drops, etc). When MP is released, that will all be happening on EHG’s servers rather than your own machine.

Since you say you want the character file to stay on EHG’s server, unless they have the server code running to do all of the gameplay/AI/drops/etc, you wouldn’t be able to play that character. This is why I’m saying that you want everything required for MP to be released/available before MP is released.

181

That’s the neat part of it !
I didn’t know that the server side works was on our computer.
And me, as dumb as I’m through that they will have a delay of few weeks. It will take ages to do everything :open_mouth:

182

Ah. The CTs are currently testing multiplayer (& have since early September).

183

And then you take out this to make yourself to look like what? Innocent? Don´t even try to say it. You are not. You said what you said. I was not the one who came in here and started banging the tables, and threw shouting lips. That was you, and with the things you said, you managed doing it towards each and every one of us. Not only against me. Yes, towards ALL of us who have spent money on this Project that we all knew that will take time through many years.
And I am certainly not your bro. Far from it.
I know the Devs here are actually working with this project and they have time and again and again actually showed us all, over and over again. I know for a fact that I one day will be playing a proper and polished project from these Devs one day. You are the one who should go outside and take a deep breath and Chill. I certainly have little and nothing left for people like you who are just bashing in the doors here and start shouting like you do.