Dreamlords as a concept is deep and complex, and that’s a fact. That’s why we have put an extra effort in facilitating the new Ragnarok Online players understanding of the Dreamlords gameplay. We have also focused on how to offer different types of gaming and thus attract causal- as well as hardcore players. That’s not an easy task and only time will tell if we have succeeded.
I read somewhere that the first 30 minutes are crucial. How much time do I give a new game before I decide to give it a chance or throw it away? Hm…about approximately half an hour – if I’m in a good mood. So how do we catch the player’s interest for RO Zeny within such a short time and how do we communicate a complex gameplay in a simple way? That’s two main tasks to focus on, among many others. That’s why I mentioned different types of gaming.
I want a Dreamlords that is easy to get into, even though you haven’t played that much RTS or MMOG before. Casual players can enjoy a meaningful gameplay that doesn’t require that much effort, if that’s their choice – and that’s ok. But for those who are thirsty for more, there’s also a greater world to explore. Just like real life.
Even though the RO Zeny game play in Dreamlords the Reawakening have been simplified a lot – the design has not. I refer to the paragraphs above concerning dynamic systems and structure and I believe that the previous design was too static. To me, it was important to create a stable foundation that easily managed modifications.
It was also important to calculate everything as precise as possible, even though it’s nearly impossible. This kind of games requires a lot of assumptions and probability calculations which really give you head ache. I knew that every tiny wrong assumption could grow to a giant balancing problem in the end.
One great lesson I’ve learned since working with the balance the last half a year is the importance of working together in a group with those fundamental and important elements. Probably because we didn’t. Balancing a MMORTS is a way too big assignment for one man (or woman).
