A Tale in the Desert - Noobie Shard

[Signe]

In case anyone is interested and didn't get the letter:

Citizens of Egypt,

  The new player-paced shard of A Tale in the Desert IV, "Bastet" goes live:
 
    Satuday, February 20, 9:00AM EST (GMT-0500)

  I received a great deal of of thoughtful email after last week's newsletter. Certainly "Dunbar's Number" came up a lot, but the most common thread was that perhaps this new shard will be a chance for those that have never been among the "hardcore in-crowd" to excel. I've done a few things to encourage that, and have one favor to ask of everyone to further that goal.
  In opening this new shard, I want to create a second A Tale in the Desert community with its own customs, its own laws, and its own personality. I want to discourage people from trying to play both shards at once.
  So, although the content is the same, the "master seed" which controls everything from food effects, to ore distribution, to pyramid block patterns has been changed. If you've mastered those things in the main shard, you'll be back to square one on Bastet.
  Also, billing is separate on the two shards - having characters on both will cost twice as much!
  Finally, for those that insist on trying to play both shards anyway - I'd like to request that if you must do this, please use a different character name on Bastet. Obviously it's not something that I can enforce, so I must simply ask that as a favor.
  So with that out of the way, what can you expect on Saturday? With nearly every Test theoretically unlockable on day 1, this should be the most content-dense Tale in the Desert yet. I expect a lower overall population than the main shard, but with fewer regions it should be easier to find people to explore with. Events should be that much more accessible, Test passes a bit less cutthroat, and resources that much more bountiful. I look forward to seeing how this new shard unfolds!

Dawn on the Nile,
Teppy

Standard Stuff:
 
Download for Windows, Linux and Macintosh.
  http://www.atitd.com
Official IRC chat channel:
  irc.sorcery.net port 6667 channel #ATITD
Facebook:
  http://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Tale-in-the-Desert/267497739587
Twitter:
  http://www.twitter.com/atitd
Mailing list removal and go-ahead-and-test-it privacy policy:
  http://www.atitd.com/newsletter.html

[Numtini]

Fantastic idea, too late, and no chance of success.

The game is dominated by people who can play it through end game in their sleep. Within a few weeks last time around, I felt hopelessly behind in everything and maybe it shouldn't be, but it's very discouraging. But I don't really see there being enough new players to keep a shard going, so I think it will either wither and die or it'll just get mobbed by everyone and not be a newbie shard.

[tazelbain]

Bring back Conflict!

[Signe]

Fantastic idea, too late, and no chance of success.

The game is dominated by people who can play it through end game in their sleep. Within a few weeks last time around, I felt hopelessly behind in everything and maybe it shouldn't be, but it's very discouraging. But I don't really see there being enough new players to keep a shard going, so I think it will either wither and die or it'll just get mobbed by everyone and not be a newbie shard.

Yep.  This is exactly how I felt.  I enjoyed playing every time I joined a new telling, but when it came to actually getting things done, either in a competitive way or not, it was all uphill for me.  I would have probably kept the game going on by playing several hours a week if it hadn't seemed completely impossible to get anywhere after a relatively short amount of time. 

[Slyfeind]

Bring Back Tale 1 rules....

[Nebu]

Bring Back Tale 1 rules....

This + fast travel and I'd play again.  I loved Tale 1 but left Tales 2 and 3 early.  The new compounds, mining, and other things turned me off in a hurry.  The addition of levels ruined it entirely. 

[naum]

Bring Back Tale 1 rules....

This + fast travel and I'd play again.  I loved Tale 1 but left Tales 2 and 3 early.  The new compounds, mining, and other things turned me off in a hurry.  The addition of levels ruined it entirely. 

Yeah. Never understood the addition of levels.

[tazelbain]

Cockblocks are cheaper to create than good content.

[Nebu]

Yeah. Never understood the addition of levels.

My guess was that it was guided content for people unfamiliar with the sandbox playstyle.  I preferred the newbie island addition as a better approach, personally.  Also, the chat channels were a wonderful source for advice.

[tazelbain]

I don't see how forcing people to do trials they don't wish to do to be allowed to do trials they want to do guides them.

[Demonix]

Yeah, nobody likes levels, but teppy is totally enamored with them.  Its one of the endearing ways he shows how out of touch he is with the player base.

I particularly liked the tedium of mining in T4 and how it was easier and less frustrating to macro it than actually try to play the minigame.

[Kovacs]

What isn't?

[Nebu]

What isn't?

Too true.  I think that ATitD is really about creative macro generation that doesn't interfere with 20 conversations going on in other chat windows.  The game really is just a chat window with an egyptian-themed 3d interface. 

[tazelbain]

This would a much better game if all achiever aspects were purged.  It is stupid to take a hard stance against combat but leave in giant ladder of competition.  Its time for the blowhard Pharaoh to bow out and let the people decide what a successful civilization looks like.  Crafting games should be like my mother's scrapbooking.  It should be intrinsically rewarding and definitely not a race to assemble the Scrapbook of the Millennium and earn the rank of Grand Over-mistress Stickers and Stencils.

[Slyfeind]

The problem is, and I think this is the core problem with the game, Teppy wanted intense competition between griefers over who can build the biggest obelisks and whatnot. He wanted PvP without weapons or spells. But the players as a whole have found ways to get around this, and it's left things muddled and confused and falling flat in several areas.

[Righ]

Teppy's idea of good PvP is RSI-inducing flax farming and brick firing. In other words, Programmer versus Physiology.

[Demonix]

Teppy's idea of good PvP is RSI-inducing flax farming and brick firing. In other words, Programmer versus Physiology.

Oh yeah, the heptathalon.  My wrists had forgotten about that until you mentioned it. :P

[Nyght]

I couldn't help myself. I am playing  again.

The start of the game is the play I like the best. I predict two months and out.

Little has changed. Same as T4 original.