Grey Ghost Info

[Nigama]

This is from the Grey Ghost Masquerade information posted by Jeff Crowl on wodnews.net:

"9/21 3:50PM PST - Right-o. The Panels are concluded. I'll post the notes here, later, for those who can't see the Drop Box folder (hey, did that actually work?). Sorry to say it people, but... the short story is that, according to Eddy, they're pretty much reconsidering everything. We didn't get to see the video they showed in Iceland because they’d rather show the World of Darkness fan-community something comprehensive/substantive. He said there's an all-staff retreat coming up, and that after that, it sounds like they're re-thinking everything about the game. They still want to keep the core ideas, but to "put a question mark behind the things you've heard so far." He also mentioned they *might* break the Sandbox, Theme Park and Cafe into separate, but inter-connected games, just like EVE, DUST 514 and Valkyrie. So... Yeah... at this point, we kind of don't know anything about the MMO any longer... There was a funny joke about a new license: "Assamite's Creed."
 
But, hey, some good news, for fans of the following games: By Night Studios announced their next project is going to be new LARP rules for Werewolf: the Apocalypse, and Onyx Path says they're going to do a Wraith: the Oblivion 20th Anniversary Edition."

And then Eddy responded to clarify with:
 

Eddy Webb
"So, some context that appears to be missing here.
 
"the short story is that, according to Eddy, they're pretty much reconsidering everything."
This implies that we have thrown everything out the window, which I repeatly said we HAVEN'T done. We have always been willing to adapt to what makes the game the best game it needs to be. I also said "most of what we've talked about is accurate," which is accurately of any pre-alpha video game.
 
"He said there's an all-staff retreat coming up, and that after that, it sounds like they're re-thinking everything about the game."
The retreat has nothing to do with WoD (it is company-wide), and there's no planned "rethink" after the retreat.
 
"He also mentioned they *might* break the Sandbox, Theme Park and Cafe into separate, but inter-connected games, just like EVE, DUST 514 and Valkyrie."
That was said in private after the panel. What I actually said that World of Darkness is going to be our next "universe," and that there is a CHANCE that those may be spread across multiple games, much like EVE did. I also mentioned that the game will be launched on PC/Mac with portals to web and mobile.
 
Thanks for the chance to clarify!"

Not much more info, but it's more than we've had in awhile.


Nigama

[Rick Gentle]

What the hax is Valkyrie? Is it going to bomb like DUST 514 did?

If they're rethinking about most things (which of course implies that they might think to KEEP a lot of the stuff they've already done, so quit panicking, you panicking people), then they should rethink doing a massively single-player game to test out their theme park and RPG elements for the MMO game. Maybe some sandbox elements, too. Most MMOs out there tried it out in a single-player franchise first; Bethesda have said that anybody who knows how to play Skyrim can play TESO, and that seems like a solid practice to me.

Also, the guy who LARPed Strauss needed to shave his head. If you're a canon character, you could at least stand to look like them.

[VampireBill]

Oh sweet merciful crap that had me face-palming and groaning... hopefully the clarification is truthful and not just some obfuscation for damage control...

Valkyrie is their new space star-fighter shooter based within the EVE universe (not sure how/if it's going to directly connect to EVE, though).

[MooCHa]

Whenever they bring out Vampire stuff I might pay otherwisr fuck them I was bored years ago hearing about it!

[Signothorn]

Idk, I think from a PR standpoint, things really went downhill after the layoffs at CCP/Whitewolf. There was a huge party just a short time beforehand at TGM, then the layoffs happened and we aren't seeing much in the way of results since. Before Bloodlines was released, we learned there would be no multiplayer and the game was released in an unplayable state before Dan Upright came along and Troika put out a patch before they went out of business. Redemption's single player game was also very lax in it's interpretation of the rules and many WW pnp players pretty much dropped a deuce on it. We are used to being underwhelmed by a VTM PC game, even though the community has made them much better over the years and Redemption even had a comprehensive SDK.

Speaking as a player and not an admin here, I'm pretty disappointed up until this point in how CCP/WW is handling the community as a whole in comparison to CCP. While I appreciate any info released, I can't help but feel we're 2nd class citizens to CCP. We were told we needed to wait until Dust 514 came out and then there would be a larger shift in development to the WOD MMO. It feels like events and other obstacles keep happening and focus is shifting constantly there, like there is no real direction. I've seen this pattern many times over the years, primarily by modding teams of VTMR and VTMB who are great people with great intentions on massive projects that never see the light of day. I don't want to sound too pessimistic, or a whiny little entitled prick, but I think CCP/WW should give us some more insight into the game's development and shit or get off the pot.

[Nanaloma]

This isn't a poll, but I agree. 

[Valamyr]

Pretty much agree, this is quite ridiculous. The only reason why this isn't officially vaporware is that they'll want to recoup their past investments somehow, sometimes, but you can see the project is still in its infancy.

I still believe Black October happened mostly because they could never come up with a decent homegrown 1st/3rd person engine, and this realization made them an easy to cut project. We'd be playing if they had licensed one like they did for DUST.

Either way, my interest in the franchise has waned a bit so I don't care as much as I once did. I'd still play if it came out some years down the road, but only conditionally to me liking the kind of game they're building and not being turned off by their crazy monetization schemes. Given how much I once wanted it at any cost, it shows how poorly they managed the hype, that I'm not even sure I'm a customer anymore.

He also mentioned they *might* break the Sandbox, Theme Park and Cafe into separate, but inter-connected games, just like EVE, DUST 514 and Valkyrie.

Cool if I break my 60$ payment into three separate but inter-connected bi-decade payments too? Neither of these aspects is fun to me on it's own. I have played dozens of pure theme parks and would like some innovation. I have little to no interest in a pure sandbox, even if that has some hard fans around here. A 'standalone' coffee shop? Please, thats a chat room! It was always the notion of making them coexist that I liked.

[Radical21]

I'm pretty sure the details are not yet set in as official so much of the woe here is at something that counts as hearsay.

Anyone knows how DUST514 is doing? is it successful?

[_username]

I'm pretty sure the details are not yet set in as official so much of the woe here is at something that counts as hearsay.

Anyone knows how DUST514 is doing? is it successful?

Last week I got back into it, after a 3 month break.  There were tons of new maps, a new navigation system, new modules and a new game mode that I hadn't heard anything about.  The memory leaks are finally gone.

The graphics and UI are finally where they ought to be for long-range combat: I just shwacked a moving target from 396 meters (and felt like it was a well-placed shot, not just me squeezing the trigger and hoping I would get lucky).

They tweaked the interface to balance the playing field between DS3 and KB/M users.  I use both...KB/M for infantry, and DS3 when manning turrets, issuing squad commands or operating vehicles.

A lot of the Day 1 corporations are still alive and well, and I saw a lot of new groups out there making names for themselves.  So...it feels like it's doing fine, but I have no idea about its total playerbase, long-term objectives, etc.

EDIT: and arguably of the greatest importance, plenty of people use voice comms, but the PSN 12 year olds are nowhere to be found.  Like Eve, its learning curve tends to drive away the spastic shitheads out there.  You can set push-to-talk, and most respectable organizations require it (rather than hearing everything that everybody's girlfriend/television/parakeet has to say).  Also, voice comms are intended to be secure, so it's practically impossible to speak to the enemy team during a match...none of that "open mic" crap you see in some other games.

[Radical21]

So overall it sounds like CCP followed through on DUST and are doing fairly well so I'm optimistic that they can produce WoDMMO assuming they spend the time wisely.

I don't fully understand the choice to break it apart though, I hope it won't be another Walking in Stations that has been dragging on for years.

[PANZERBUNNY]

Perhaps they mean breaking it apart like the safer zones in EVE? More theme park mission areas are mostly safe or entirely safe to run around playing fashion vampire with people traveling to PVP cities for the sandbox experience? (Unless they've scrapped the idea of cities based on real world locations, but essentially the same?)

I think PVP people would love a world wide grid of cities to crusade or attempt control of, if there was a reason.

The Prince idea was a good one and blood hunts were bold and progressive. Developing an evolving reason to be in charge of a city or hold a position would be needed. Being a standing Primogen of a city doesn't mean shit if there aren't non roleplaying perks to go with it.

Whoever seems to be in charge of the visionary direction for this game is apparently moving like a sloth if the entire game concept could be possibly revised so easily. I have no idea who it is and am curious if they are dragging their feet to collect a paycheck.

They should make a giant list of what people want, what people expect and what the devs are good at delivering. (ie with EVE.) Work on delivering what people want and everything else can fall into place as it's ready.


WANTS:
-Fashion vampire. A reason to be a fashion vampire. Some sort of benefit hanging around Elysium or other social sites ALL the time. Veterans like to help new players and these safe zones are a good place for it. Perhaps a social currency that is gained from chilling in these areas. HELL, give every starting player an item which grants some of this currency so they can reward the people helping them out when they first spawn into the game. Use this currency to unlock various Social influences, outfits and titles. The list could go on.

-PVP. Chances of Sabbat from launch? Not going to happen. Camarilla on Camarilla only makes sense in some circumstances so why not give us Anarchs from the start alongside Camarilla? Carilla players spawn into safer zones with Anarch characters being thrown right into the mix and danger from the start. This lets lore supported large scale OPS against each other without being silly. Obviously the Lasombra and Tzimisce should be the next clans brought into the game with a paid wave of content featuring the Sabbat. It's important to get that extra wave of instant income about a year into the game being active. Millions of dollars materializing in their laps can go a long way.

Attacking other cities? Apart from prowling around trying to fang gank other players, what about organized attacks? Should anyone be allowed to make it known that a Crusade or Anarch incursion is going on for control of the domain? Perhaps earning the right (in some way) to be temporarily granted the title of Archon/Templar etc for the duration the conflict is active, labeling you the leader of the venture. Successful or failed attempts on cities could be logged on your character sheet. Perhaps the title is maintained if you win the fight, communicating a certain notoriety if you have several successful organized conflicts against the enemy?

-Humanity/Paths?
Obviously this will be in the game and effect how the game interacts with you, but what about the players? High humanity vamps aren't playing buddy with other vampires about to succumb to wassail or have no ethics. Shouldn't there be a reason beyond Betty on the street corner screaming because you look like a monster? Nothing should stop people from grouping up, but I wouldn't mind seeing passive debuffs on vamps with drastically different codes of ethics and low/high humanity. Packs of monsters tend to stick with their own, while the more civil minded elitist vamps posh it up together. Perhaps that's beyond the real of possibility with the game. Gating players from each other tends to be a bad thing.

-Age?
Do they mesh some of the NWOD concepts, like blood potency with Generation? Abandon generation altogether or stick with generation? This I feel is one of the main topics. Once they make a decision, other bits and pieces of the game fall into place.

Do we all start out as neonates or is there a possibility with micro transactions to get a decided boost and the social privy of being an elder?


More rants and spit balling as I'm want to do, but so many of the above concepts should have been hashed out by now. What are they keeping from OWOD. What works for the game. What doesn't. How do we make them work.

If they need someone to hang around in the office with a sock full of pool balls, wandering around at random times to improve morale and efficiency, I offer my services.