Creeped out by coldness - Anyone else feels the same?

Well, currently we cannot enter Next Island ... :-(
We are on tour through EU comming from Arkadia ...

... the most promising Planet in EU. Thanks to ND.

I think much of the complains are mostly comes from the fact that people have a tendency to remember the good things and feeling nostalgic about it, not necessary that things was better before. We also have different taste and opinion about features, so someones liked the old style, other prefer the new style. I also believe that the fact that the game and concept of EU was still new and fresh for many of us around 2008-2009 made it more interesting. It's hard to keep the same interest for a game the first 1-3 years as the for the next 5 years.

I don't miss so many older pre v10 features, but I sometimes miss the old Calypso planet, but that are mostly nostalgic feelings.

billairboy said:

I think much of the complains are mostly comes from the fact that people have a tendency to remember the good things and feeling nostalgic about it[...]

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While it is true that many complains stem from this let me make clear that I am creeped out right now at the current state and that I only use the old capabilities as examples of how it felt better.

I do not care about having the old features back or if other solutions are found... I only want to feel comfortable when idling or hanging out with others.

Pirx Danford said:

While it is true that many complains stem from this let me make clear that I am creeped out right now at the current state and that I only use the old capabilities as examples of how it felt better.

I do not care about having the old features back or if other solutions are found... I only want to feel comfortable when idling or hanging out with others.

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It can also be an effect of that people are more spread out these days, there are fewer people in the same location. It feel a bit more "cold" if it's only you and one other avatar at an outpost compared to if you are 5-6 avatars doing different stuff or talking in chat.

billairboy said:

It can also be an effect of that people are more spread out these days, there are fewer people in the same location. It feel a bit more "cold" if it's only you and one other avatar at an outpost compared to if you are 5-6 avatars doing different stuff or talking in chat.

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Nope - if you read my OP you'll see that what I described even affects me at parties, which per definition is a crowd of people... I tried for 5 years, since the CE VU... its nothing that can be easily explained away its how I perceive the game at its current state.

And with this thread I wanted to find out if I am alone with my feelings and I am thankful that it is not so.

I would love to see some statistics about how many people decorated their virtual living spaces and threw social events then vs now, because this would shed some light in numbers on the issue.

Maybe I am wrong, maybe I am just not invited to all the good parties ;-)

But my impression is that the socializing aspect is degrading a lot due to bad integration within the game.
All these effects I am addressing did help the socializing aspect.

Another number that I would love to see is usage emotes then versus now... that would also describe very well how much people express emotions towards each other within the system.

Ah well... but my main issue ofc is my own enjoyment, which I would like to have improved again.

Spawn said:

Well it was bugged.. you could run and sit down/lie down at the same time and then you would slide instead of run.
We slided quite a bit in the old days, from tp to tp.
Swimming in the air was another neat bug.
Although ce2 brought the superman high in the air move, when you jumped up and down in the water. I think it's fixed now.

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That I remember, but the bladibla sounds... where did they go?

Spawn said:

Well it was bugged.. you could run and sit down/lie down at the same time and then you would slide instead of run.
We slided quite a bit in the old days, from tp to tp.
Swimming in the air was another neat bug.
Although ce2 brought the superman high in the air move, when you jumped up and down in the water. I think it's fixed now.

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Hell yes, ass-sliding bug, that one was cool

Other thing I remember, befor supermann flying or vehicles:
We had events ongoing who climbed highest hill at the planet

My friends list is almost empty of players online..Maybe they have on private but, I kinda doubt that..My society is empty most times..Just about two of us left..I have turned back to my previous game I played long ago..They got a big update and better graphics and such so, I play that now. Instead of deposit into EU, I am paying to play "other game" ...way more fun..I try EU very rarely now..Almost lost my addiction..MA made sure of that.

I agree with the OP about the old Gambryo system. It's where I started, and I definitely miss it. I miss the odd sounds, the players hanging out, the friends. I also miss the brightness of the game back then. I could completely do without the day/night cycles. It brings and unnecessary concept of time.

I know when I first started playing, I would totally lose track of the time. Whoops! Been playing 11.5 hours! Guess it's time for bed. No more. As a marketing concept, the day/night sequencing in EU was like putting a clock in a casino. No casino has a clock, and for good reason. Now, when it gets dark, I find myself many times wanting to take a break.

I think, however, that the biggest thing that has broken the community feeling among the players is vehicles. I know we all seem to have strong opinions one way or another when it comes to vehicles, but just think about what we lost when we got cars, pitbulls, and sleipnirs. When I was new, I ended up making my way to swamp camp. I had read, prior to joining the game, that it was important for me to collect the tp's. As it turned out collecting them on your own was hard. Dangerous mobs in the way, and not always obvious where you were headed.

As a noob, you NEEDED to make friends to survive, and get around. You NEEDED help to find all the important bits. We were drawn together by necessity, and we made friends who we wanted to hang out with.

Why does anyone need to make friends now? Buy a sleipnir or helicopter, ask for some directions, and you're off on your own.

I know some of the dryness of the game is natural for anyone who has played for several years. We befriended people who were beginning at the same time as us, and we befriended people with higher skill because we found them interesting. As we have progressed in the game, those people have dropped out one by one, and we find our friends lists increasingly empty. If, however, we were making new friends as we went along, this wouldn't be as much of an issue.

We do not get that list replenished because there is no reason for the new bunch to make many friends, unless they are naturally friendly, and really, I doubt the friendliest of players survives the lonely starter mission you're shoved into in order to get to Camp Icarus.

What's the solution? I could think of a dozen. In fact, I already have, and if I wanted to spend the time going back through my old posts I could probably link them all here, but frankly, I've run out of energy for it.

To me, babbling seems a bit creepy, judging from the videos I've seen... because I don't have any nostalgia factor behind it.

As for finding yourself alone in the game... keep making friends and this won't happen. I think new players do make friends for the most part, though I agree it's not hard for a shyer person to play for months without even talking to another avatar. And having some more need for teamwork isn't a bad idea.

(Same in RL too.)

Neil Stockton said:

To me, babbling seems a bit creepy, judging from the videos I've seen... because I don't have any nostalgia factor behind it.

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I know what u mean. In videos it's usually one avatar looking into the camera and this babbling sound comes out. Creepy as hell!

Believe me, it was totally different experience when u stood in the srevice centre sorting your stuff in storage or looking at auction - and all those avatars around you were mumbling and laughing. It was a warm and cozy feeling to be there. Now we only have laughing left (and it's good we at least have that, otherwise it would be total silence)

Neil Stockton said:

As for finding yourself alone in the game... keep making friends and this won't happen. I think new players do make friends for the most part, though I agree it's not hard for a shyer person to play for months without even talking to another avatar. And having some more need for teamwork isn't a bad idea.

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Can't argue that. More teamwork, make friends, yes yes ofc.
What about ppl who are not very good at making friends?

Besides, with the advent of vehicles there's a lot less practical reasons left to make friends now anyway. No more TP runs, no way to get stuck in a remote outpost surrounded by atrox stalkers, no need for the Calypso Rescue Team...

Last but not least, what about ppl who don't speak english, or speak very little?


Yes by all means, making friends is always a good thing, but the towns and service centers should feel warm and friendly by itself. Like they were once...

I think the babble would interfere with proximity chat (not that anyone uses it), however I'm sure they could find some way to disable the babble while proximity is enabled.

I started in 2009, so I never saw the babbling or the lying down. I would however be in support of more emotes (lying down and salutes among others) and more "Virtual World" type interactions. Anything that increases immersion can only be to the good.