TERA dev talks political system, westernization

Nice, addressing a virtual character on image like a real person and expecting her to make conscious decisions and have personality traits...

Maybe you are the one who needs a bit more self-esteem or you just like to look pretentious.

Or maybe he was joking, dumbass.

I think Aion was more flavored Western, but with the basic game untouched. Where-as Tera maybe more re-built as a Western game...making perhaps the both versions of the game somewhat distinct, even in it's core mechanics. But this is purely subjective I guess....cause the Tera they're giving us, may end up neither Western or Eastern by the time it's released. :(

Quote from the interview:

"Q: How different will the Western version be from the Korean version or TERA? Is it only a matter of localization, quests and other cosmetic changes, or can you also introduce changes in the mechanics and game systems? Are changes introduced by En Masse on the western versions will be local only, or will part of them be common for both versions of the game? For example: is adding additional starting location possible?

A: The Western version of TERA will differ distinctly from the Korean version. There will be additional lore and quests, location and NPC names will differ, and there will be other cosmetic changes, too.

We're still determining how much the two versions will differ in terms of game mechanics. Our input is helping to influence the game’s development in Korea, and mechanics will likely be very similar, but not identical.

The starting location will very likely remain the same."



Now.... when I read that for the first time, I let out a sigh of disappointent.

What we're being told essentially in that A(nswer) is that yes, the game will ony have cosmetic or superficial differences to the Korean version. They very plainly state that lore, quests, and location/NPC names will differ which means they're changing the text associated with those things. Editing text? Hurray... ?

I'm being a bit unfair, though. Apparently the numbers associated with levelling will be receiving modifiers for the western audience to make it a less grindy experience. Changing xp requirements and rewards would also count as a change to game mechanics, by the way, so that qualifies the latter statement in the quote above. Ultimately it's just a very slight alteration to the game with no real effect on mechanics - it'll save you loads of time by speeding up leveling (to a great extent?), but that's a pretty shallow thing; very much appreciated, but still shallow.

The very last part of the question and EM's answer to that, I fell, sums up their approach to westernization rather well.

Q: For example: is adding additional starting location possible?
[i.e. Can you and will you change the game?]

A: The starting location will very likely remain the same.
[i.e. No.]

... Oh come on, most MMO players are soloers?
Yea right, sure a lot are, but the point of an MMO is social interaction, if you want to solo you might as well go play a single player game and save yourself the monthly fee.

I'm glad to see an MMO trying to push grouping.

I agree with Graill's sentiment from the perspective that MMOs need to have solo content to be worthwhile. At the least, let me have something meaningful to do if I'm alone, waiting for my guild to plan their next mark, or to keep me busy while I look for somebody who wants to team up for a group activity.

You don't actually have to be a part of a group for an MMO to still be massively multiplayer. Even if it's just you and one other person, ungrouped, meeting up somewhere in a jungle while on separate quests. Maybe it's just you hiding from some enemy players who want to gank you. Maybe it's just you, day after day, doing crafts and checking the auction house while you try to break the bank.

Kingdom of Loathing, a game plays almost like a single player game (you never need to interact with another player to play, ever) boasts a huge, interactive community. There's group spading efforts, players routinely work together (in game) to accomplish difficult feats, and plenty of comradery in the chat rooms and forums.

MMOs rewarding only teamwork and punishing players who want to sometimes go it alone is a pretty backwards mentality and additionally will result in lost subscriptions.

-SirNiko

I agree. Give credit where it's due.