One of the key steps to release a game is to define what features will need to be present to reach an official launch. In the latest Pathfinder Online developer diary, the team talks about that progress and what other things they've been up to in the last several weeks.

Our vision for a next-gen design relies on the idea that players create content for themselves in their interactions with one another. That enables us to focus on designing systems rather than content. That allows us to speed up the release dramatically. But it also means that we'll have a fairly small space ready for the players to experience, so we'll carefully regulate the initial size and growth rate of the game to achieve a good balance of character diversity and density. It's the opposite of the theme park feedback loop. The better the sandbox systems are at making interaction between players interesting, the fewer players we need in the game to make it fun to play, which means we need less content and can get the game out faster.

Read the rest of the developer diary on the Pathfinder Online site.

Ive been watching this game since its Kickstarter program, reading what they have planned..this could be the game that true RPG, Sandbox fans have been wanting.  Interesting and somewhat worrying how they think its ok to release the game with little content relying on the player community to create it themselves.

I mean sure it will work like that, but i would put a price tag on the download or box without a decent content aside from player driven.

Originally posted by Gdemami
Poeple still fall to this..?

Unsure of what you mean, but i do hope you understand exactly how big Pathfinder games are and the basis of what the creators are aiming to make for this game, it will be a game that attracts Pathfinder players not a cash cow with the lore.

Originally posted by salenger

Ive been watching this game since its Kickstarter program, reading what they have planned..this could be the game that true RPG, Sandbox fans have been wanting.  Interesting and somewhat worrying how they think its ok to release the game with little content relying on the player community to create it themselves.

I mean sure it will work like that, but i would put a price tag on the download or box without a decent content aside from player driven.

It's using the F2P model, so I don't think they'll be charging for game access...although from what I understand initial access and probably for some months afterward is INVITE ONLY.

They seem to be going for a different model then what most folks here are used to seeing

It is understandable that Pathfinder will have many mechanics converted for an mmo but my hopes are that they still manage to capture the essence of the original game.

There is likely a wider audience looking into this game but for the hardcore rpg players out there like me this is one of the few hopes we have for finally a really good online D&D game. Hopefully the devs are really focusing on translating the rpg experience and not just trying to capitalize on their growing share of the D&D market because of Wotc complete and total mismanagement of the IP.

I still have my doubts. The part when they presented the game earlier and said that a sandbox is a lot cheaper to make made me rather careful about this game.

They have their heart in the right place but not the money enough to make a good MMO. Low budget sandbox games is a thing I am really critical about nowadays, way too many have flopped.

There is nothing stopping them from actually making a good game though that could garner a small yet solid audience. 50-100k players could likely support an mmo for years if that number remains solid. I'd rather see more good mmo's representing differing styles of play than repeated attempts at giant themepark templated models trying to knock down Wow's grip on that playerbase.

I admit I even get the urge to log into Rift from time to time to see the changes but just thinking about insane linear quest hub format makes me taste puke in my mouth which luckily reminds me why I am growing to hate current mmo's. I want good mmo options, not good clone options and wandering a littered no mans land of failed indi-mmo's in order to find some small jewels rising from the dust is an acceptable alternative.

Originally posted by GrumpyMel2

Originally posted by salenger

Ive been watching this game since its Kickstarter program, reading what they have planned..this could be the game that true RPG, Sandbox fans have been wanting.  Interesting and somewhat worrying how they think its ok to release the game with little content relying on the player community to create it themselves.

I mean sure it will work like that, but i would put a price tag on the download or box without a decent content aside from player driven.

It's using the F2P model, so I don't think they'll be charging for game access...although from what I understand initial access and probably for some months afterward is INVITE ONLY.

They seem to be going for a different model then what most folks here are used to seeing

Seem to be the plan after the first 12 months. The first 12 months, though most certainly will be by invite and starting with the people who have been on the forums since announcement as well as Kickstarter backers that are in the Goblin Squad. It also makes the most sense as these folks are most likely to be Pathfinder Tabletop players that have an in depth knowledge of the world of Golarion and the region the game is starting out in. Those folks also, in my view, are more likely to stick with the game longer and to care more than the average themepark mmo gamer to set up communities within game and establish governments and trade agreements and get the economy going and form some semblance of political stability.

So yeah, 5,000 players a month for the first 12 months and then they will see where they go from there.

Originally posted by Loke666

I still have my doubts. The part when they presented the game earlier and said that a sandbox is a lot cheaper to make made me rather careful about this game.

They have their heart in the right place but not the money enough to make a good MMO. Low budget sandbox games is a thing I am really critical about nowadays, way too many have flopped.

Well, it is a true statememnt. Now, with it said, Goblinworks and it's parent company Paizo have access to more cash that Adventurine and Starvault, probably combined. They also so far have built a team of developers that have worked on more shipped MMOs including past sandboxes, than either of those two companies. This isn't quite Indie and isn't AAA.

Originally posted by Khalathwyr

 

"Those folks also, in my view, are more likely to stick with the game longer and to care more than the average themepark mmo gamer to set up communities within game"

 

Originally posted by Loke666

I still have my doubts. The part when they presented the game earlier and said that a sandbox is a lot cheaper to make made me rather careful about this game.

They have their heart in the right place but not the money enough to make a good MMO. Low budget sandbox games is a thing I am really critical about nowadays, way too many have flopped.

Well, it is a true statememnt. Now, with it said, Goblinworks and it's parent company Paizo have access to more cash that Adventurine and Starvault, probably combined. They also so far have built a team of developers that have worked on more shipped MMOs including past sandboxes, than either of those two companies. This isn't quite Indie and isn't AAA.

Spot on.

^When the demo vid comes out and finger-x investment is secured, it'll mean a much shorter dev than is usual in mmos, around a specific audience -> that's definitely a good plan.