Development Plan of Action

[Feonix]

lolllllllll dat blue wizard

[Shadow5596321]

dead serious, thought you died

[MrDunne]

So which one's Ooola?

[Elk]

Originally Posted by Crono

Cool, they did bother 95% of the playercount which ended up quiting though. Pay to win weapons still give the player an advatange, whether gamebreaking or minor. We're not saying to remove the gelat shop alltogether, we're saying to remove pay to win weapons from the gelat shop. Cash shops should only be used for aesthetics, not for power. This is basic balance. FACTS.

id rep you, if it was possible to rep you more.

[Cloven]

Originally Posted by Crono

Cool, they did bother 95% of the playercount which ended up quiting though. Pay to win weapons still give the player an advatange, whether gamebreaking or minor. We're not saying to remove the gelat shop alltogether, we're saying to remove pay to win weapons from the gelat shop. Cash shops should only be used for aesthetics, not for power. This is basic balance. FACTS.

The unfortunate thing is that while you may indeed be correct, few games actually heed the wisdom of your comment. Pay-2-Win is a standard reflected in the greed of most societies.

[MajinDragon]

I'd like to see the end product of this 'change' especially since the Gelat shop is going to be removed, that was a foolish decision.

[Programmer]

I just recently spoke with Stefan, and from what both me and Tenchry understand, Zone PC is very likely to be shut down or merged with iEra (meaning Zone will become just a minigame within Era), despite updates that I may add. That means any work that I do is likely to be deleted. With this in mind, I am not sure whether I should continue with the restoration of Zone.

Apparently to Stefan, Zone is a lost cause and is slated for removal x.x

[ffcmike]

Originally Posted by Programmer

I just recently spoke with Stefan, and from what both me and Tenchry understand, Zone PC is very likely to be shut down or merged with iEra (meaning Zone will become just a minigame within Era), despite updates that I may add. That means any work that I do is likely to be deleted. With this in mind, I am not sure whether I should continue with the restoration of Zone.

Apparently to Stefan, Zone is a lost cause and is slated for removal x.x

Originally Posted by Stefan

The Zone iPhone server is planned to be released sometime later this year or early next year. It will support a bigger drop ship / sky world. It's also planned to replace the PC server so that PC players can play against iPhone or Facebook players. Basicly the first iPhone server (with a mission as introduction) and the current PC Zone server will somehow be merged, streamlined and get a place to hangout.

I guess plans should be taken as a pinch of salt, which on the plus side means it could change again.

From personal experience, if you know you're going to have enough time to remain dedicated to the project for the foreseeable future, and you're confident you can develop and implement your ideas, it could be worthwhile to persevere with it. Servers largely overseen by Graal's management aren't going to have the luxury of the long time required to build the "perfect server", and are always going to be sticking to this comfort zone where it's possible to make enough money on a weekly basis without doing anything too complex.

To put it simply, if you have the ambition and can prove your ability to match this ambition, I don't think your work will be scrapped. The worry really would be the issue of short term vs long term where you may have to sacrifice one for the benefit of the other.

[ReptarKingOfTheOZone]

Originally Posted by Programmer

I just recently spoke with Stefan, and from what both me and Tenchry understand, Zone PC is very likely to be shut down or merged with iEra (meaning Zone will become just a minigame within Era), despite updates that I may add. That means any work that I do is likely to be deleted. With this in mind, I am not sure whether I should continue with the restoration of Zone.

Apparently to Stefan, Zone is a lost cause and is slated for removal x.x

will not be great to see zone taken down, but what i dont get is this.

surely if stefan plans on shutting down pc zone, there would be no harm in him atleast trying the suggestions you put forward reguarding the gelat shop.
if it does work, then zone may come back and stefan will make money. if it dosent then theres no loss.

i really dont see the reasoning behing not even attempting changes to zones gelat shop when quite clearly, it ruins zone and is unused.

stefan should give you absolute control over everything to do with zone before he decides to remove it. i would think its in his best interest.

[Crono]

Originally Posted by Programmer

I just recently spoke with Stefan, and from what both me and Tenchry understand, Zone PC is very likely to be shut down or merged with iEra (meaning Zone will become just a minigame within Era), despite updates that I may add. That means any work that I do is likely to be deleted. With this in mind, I am not sure whether I should continue with the restoration of Zone.

Apparently to Stefan, Zone is a lost cause and is slated for removal x.x

Very bad decision, not surprised though.

[fowlplay4]

The fate of Zone is now in snk's hands.

[Feonix]

From my understanding of what I just read in above posts, **** surprisingly just got a whole lot worse. Have to admit though, the time I had on Zone was by far my best Graal experience.

[PieToria]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Jp3K...el_video_title

ugh.

[papajchris]

Stefan why not also allow PC the "zone minigame?" Only benefits you if you plan to have make one for Era Iphone. And considering you took everything PC Era has, how about returning the favor!

[ReptarKingOfTheOZone]

Originally Posted by PieToria

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Jp3K...el_video_title

ugh.

that was so random xD

lol

[PieToria]

Originally Posted by ReptarKingOfTheOZone

that was so random xD

lol

speaks the truth.

[Feonix]

Originally Posted by PieToria

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Jp3K...el_video_title

ugh.

that jew be trollin'

[BigBear3]

Yeah, cool thread guys.

Originally Posted by Feonix

that jew be trollin'

Hey Chris. Start paying attention in fantasy hockey.

[Shadow5596321]

Originally Posted by PieToria

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Jp3K...el_video_title

ugh.

Just no.

[Emera]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Jp3K...el_video_title

Freaking rofl

[ff7chocoboknight]

Originally Posted by Emera

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Jp3K...el_video_title

Freaking rofl

Link doesn't work.

[MrDunne]

Zone needs proper direction. The server has been passed down from one manager to the next with varying views on what Zone should be, with much disregard to the core concepts. This involves many features being added, some of which work well with the Zone style and others which feel almost like an afterthought.

Zone needs core purpose and each feature, addition and improvement should be in direct support of that.

I don't think giving up is a good strategy but it may be a little late for that now.

[XxTheFlashxX]

"Without Gold membership, you can only play 5 hours per month." lol? Wow, Stefan... You made us pay for dinner and walk home in the rain.

I'd like to know what's happened since the last post. Been gone a while (never really visited forums hence post count) but logging into graal with no one to shoot added malaise to my boredom. So a brief update on what has happened (after what I've read here) would be appreciated, Thanks.

[ReptarKingOfTheOZone]

Originally Posted by XxTheFlashxX

"Without Gold membership, you can only play 5 hours per month." lol? Wow, Stefan... You made us pay for dinner and walk home in the rain.

is that a joke? no one plays zone anymore, its hardly worth the time even if it was free now.

stefan should just remove zone and stop butt ****ing it tottaly.

Zone used to be me favourite game and stefans pure greed has ruined it, ****ing jew that man.

[StormYs]

Originally Posted by XxTheFlashxX

So a brief update on what has happened (after what I've read here) would be appreciated, Thanks.

Nothing happened.
Your welcome.

[XxTheFlashxX]

Originally Posted by ReptarKingOfTheOZone

is that a joke? no one plays zone anymore, its hardly worth the time even if it was free now.

More so awe at it actually existing.

The only thing I can blame Stefan for is when he made it so only gold can use certain classes. Everything else I view as poor staff... unless Stefan made the guns that were overpowered. As to anything that happened after that I can't say since I don't know.

Originally Posted by StormYs

Nothing happened.
Your welcome.

What a shame...

[ReptarKingOfTheOZone]

Originally Posted by XxTheFlashxX

More so awe at it actually existing.

The only thing I can blame Stefan for is when he made it so only gold can use certain classes. Everything else I view as poor staff... unless Stefan made the guns that were overpowered. As to anything that happened after that I can't say since I don't know.

he made the gelat shop.

[XxTheFlashxX]

Originally Posted by ReptarKingOfTheOZone

he made the gelat shop.

Only thing wrong with the gelat shop was how it was implemented. I'm just assuming but I don't think Stefan had much to do with the weapons that went into it and you don't even have to remove all of them just tweak some and make them class specific. People complain about EP but if you could be a commando and use EP those complaints would skyrocket.

Granted most were ridiculous or a carbon copy of another weapon + overpowered but that just proves the people that made them either knew little of the game, didn't think about balance, and/or weren't very clever.

And if Stefan did make the guns, he falls into the "not knowing much of the game" since he raaaaarely plays and only for minutes at a time so someone who works for/with him should have questioned them beforehand.

[Admins]

The idea of the gelat shop was to have less things restricted to gold, and add some stuff which can be purchased regardless if you have gold subscription or not.
The iPhone version is close to completion, will be interesting to make it possible to let PC play there sometime.

[Crono]

paying for power is never right and the biggest reason why so many of us quit. the iphone audience is a bit more naive so it's ok.

[ReptarKingOfTheOZone]

Originally Posted by Stefan

The idea of the gelat shop was to have less things restricted to gold, and add some stuff which can be purchased regardless if you have gold subscription or not.
The iPhone version is close to completion, will be interesting to make it possible to let PC play there sometime.

zones niche, aside from the "village" feel to the community, was that the game was one of the few games that ran on individual skill.

No amount of time and money could give you an advantage over other players, only skill and luck. Teamwork was a taboo in most cases because zone players worked towards being brilliant at 1v1 encounters, getting killstreaks and bounty and statistics to show off to others.

then the trial changes came, where trials where put at a disadvantage by 20 hp, dosent sound like much but zone relied on these trials to run.

Then gelat shop came, where wallets could give you an advantage in battle. this ruined the uniqueness of zone. The only way to aquire weapons unavailable to other players previously had been to get to 4000 exp (a doddle) and those weapons didnt give much of an advantage anyway aside from maybe jetpack, and events, which just showed that you had partaken in and won a deathmatch that could have had 50-60 people in at some times

then it because that you could just send a text and get stronger weapons in any class. which sucked for zone.

the best idea to remedy this was to remove weapons from gelat shop and have perioud buffs such as exp and bounty gain, but you ignored that.

there are now better games out there that are free to play or at least way more value for money than anything graal has to offer.

[Programmer]

Originally Posted by Stefan

The idea of the gelat shop was to have less things restricted to gold, and add some stuff which can be purchased regardless if you have gold subscription or not.
The iPhone version is close to completion, will be interesting to make it possible to let PC play there sometime.

You just don't get it, do you?

The gelat shop gives an unfair advantage to players that purchase weapons, and undermines the structure of the game. The opposing players leave, because they don't see the fun in getting constantly annihilated, which causes the players who previously purchased the overpowered weapons to leave also. Is this what you want? Do you want players to pay a sum, and then leave due to boredom? Or do you want them to stay and constantly pay for subscription?

It's your choice, Stefan. I, for one, want my old Zone back and would gladly pay to see it return.

[PrinceOfKenshin]

Originally Posted by Programmer

You just don't get it, do you?

The gelat shop gives an unfair advantage to players that purchase weapons, and undermines the structure of the game. The opposing players leave, because they don't see the fun in getting constantly annihilated, which causes the players who previously purchased the overpowered weapons to leave also. Is this what you want? Do you want players to pay a sum, and then leave due to boredom? Or do you want them to stay and constantly pay for subscription?

It's your choice, Stefan. I, for one, want my old Zone back and would gladly pay to see it return.

It's all about the money.

I think zone was awesome when it first released. Now i never see more than 4 people log on.

[Programmer]

Originally Posted by PrinceOfKenshin

It's all about the money.

I think zone was awesome when it first released. Now i never see more than 4 people log on.

My point exactly. If Stefan really wanted to make more money, he would authorize us to remove or otherwise improve the Gelat Shop in order to balance gameplay and attract more players.

[ReptarKingOfTheOZone]

Originally Posted by Programmer

My point exactly. If Stefan really wanted to make more money, he would authorize us to remove or otherwise improve the Gelat Shop in order to balance gameplay and attract more players.

lets just hope stefan can get this point in his head, he can make money if he lets go of his pride and admits that this gelat shop, as it is now, is one big , gamebreaking failure and needs changing if zone stands even a slight chance of returning.

Zone cant be bringing in any income right now, surely editing the gelat shop is in his best interest, because even if it brings just 5 customers a month, thats 4-5 more customers zone has currently.

[Knightmare1]

This game is dead. Updates and new things wont save it, that's what destroyed it. I came to Zone in 2007. v5 was released in 2008. The year transition alone was basically Zone's doomsday. I saw a playercount plummet from 60+ a day to 20 on a good day. Since then, it's been getting worse. Much worse.

I came to this game and stayed because I thought the players were cool. I didn't stay because I could kill everyone, I made a few friends and looked forward to logging on and socializing (laming). I paid for my first year (hell, got the VIP for the creating a guild) because I wanted to save my statistics and have something to show for my time.

The gelat weapons and the trial's saving their stats not only took the competitive edge out of the game but it also destroyed the entire idea of the subscriptions. Who wants to buy a subscription when the only benefit is 20 more HP and different classes? My stats are there, I can buy temp. weapons from the shop, marine class isn't that slow. A half decent player would have the run of the joint while the 'oldies' sit and complain about all the updates that turned this game into a steaming, runny pile of brown failure (Another term would be appropriate, but I don't feel like seeing those asterisks).

I can't point fingers, I don't know who did this or who did that, but all I know is it's Stefan's game, so all in all he has the power to fix it.

So fix it.

[fowlplay4]

Zone PC isn't going to be fixed, it's going to be replaced by Zone iPhone which according to what Stefan has posted on Facebook alludes to it coming out soon.

[XxTheFlashxX]

Replaced or meshed together? I think Stefan said something about joining them or at least thinking of it... if not a thought that popped into his head as he typed.

As much as I'd love it, I don't really see PC zone as coming back for many reasons. 3-4 new players playing then one fairly good player logs on and just dominates leading to "why am I playing this?!" (Youngins have less patience). Many many new games out which are free and better quality, though I think don't have the feel/skill requirement that a 2d shooter has. Not to mention I've never seen a Graal advertisement and doubt I ever will... ect. ect.

As far as IPhone zone is concerned, I just feel like Stefan is grasping for the quick money burst, however slight, however long. I just hope, a far off hope, that people who buy it see the potential and try out the PC version. MAYBE leading to a slight surge.

And for that surge I hope Stefan lets Programmer (if he's still interested) fix Zone a bit. Maybe even add new stuff. I first read this post because I had a few ideas I wanted to toss in, slowly losing enthusiasm as the enthusiasm from "Programmer" was waning/killed.

[fowlplay4]

Originally Posted by XxTheFlashxX

Stuff.

I'm leaning towards replaced by whatever Stefan has in store for it.

Like nearly everything on Graal all we can do is wait and see!

[DarkMaster]

just play console - lot better