T.E.R.A.

[avelle]

At least your whole damn item doesn't explode ala Lineage II.

Worst system ever, fuck that game.

[Foxer]

http://img825.imageshack.us/img825/4161/2ahwg9s.png

“Have faith in us and wait a bit.”
BHS’s development team leader Hyun-Kyu Park and graphic team’s leader Chul-Woong Hwang


On the 10th, NHN revealed TERA's launch statistics, announcing that the game had 170,000 players at launch and earned an estimated profit of 80,000,000,000 won (~$71,383,958 USD). However, the faces of the development team over at Bluehole Studio are not so bright. Even with overall player satisfaction with the combat system and look and feel of the game, players complained about balance, the leveling curve, and an extreme focus on party play.

“Even with great news about the game we still don’t have time to celebrate,” says development team leader Hyun-Kyu Park. He believes there are still mountains of things to fix and tweak. He also stated that, “Even if we diagnose problems early, they still take a while for us to fix, and we also have a lot of content to release. We would like the players to have faith and patience and wait for us to make things right.”

We’ve had a little chat with the two men below.
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/3...ry24454692.jpg
(From left the Graphic Team’s leader Chul-Woong Hwang and Hyun-Kyu Park the Dev team’s leader.)



* The first issue to solve is class balance.

TIG: We heard that balance is the first thing you're trying to adjust.

BHS: Class balance will always be an issue. We need to balance the game so that many different people will be able to play it their way and have fun.

Firstly, we have released a Sorcerer balance patch, and recently we’ve been looking at Priests and Mystics. Before the OBT, Mystics were really bad off so we buffed them a little. We feel we may have overdone it.

When we make decisions, the statistics become the foundation. There are many things we could not acquire through just in-house testing. We’ve been looking at the balance between crafted items and droped items and changes to some of the glyphs and skills that are not very popular to people. Class balance and change are determined thorough statistics collected.

TIG: As the game goes on the difficulty level skyrockets.

BHS: With a game like TERA, balancing the difficulty of a dungeon is a big issue. Unlike many MMORPGs out there, TERA’s difficulty greatly varies on how good the player is. We thought we had good balance before the OBT but we are now reconsidering it.

We’ve raised the difficulty level because most of the max level characters now are those who were trained through FPS or other action games. We are thinking it is too hard for players new to action games.

Right now we are looking towards balancing the dungeons so that with enough preparation you can clear them. For example, if a dungeon’s entry level is 40, if a player is good, they can probably clear it as a level 40. If a player is not as skilled, they may have to come back in 2 or 3 levels with better gear to clear it.

Of course we will patch it if we think the difficulty is too hard.

http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/6...y244171405.png
(A boss in Gold Labyrinth. Is is known for doing massive amounts of damage.)


TIG: The balance between ranged and melee classes is an issue too.

BHS: Monsters don’t really react very well to ranged attacks at the moment. No matter how much speed boosting buffs and attack speed buffs we give, ranged still have enough time to dodge and prepare for the monster’s upcoming attack. This is also on our radar as an issue to solve along with class balance. We are thinking of adding a few different monster patterns.

TIG: Many people are calling you out, saying low item drops are simply your tactic to stall players.

BHS: It is true that playtime is important. We constantly keep an eye on item drop rates; we thought players could use a challenge and that's why we’ve created the droprate we have. Of course the drop rates can always change in the future and it is simply at a monitoring stage.



* Some issues are already recognized and solutions are coming soon.

TIG: TERA is too focused on party play.

BHS: There were pros and cons to this situation. Firstly the party matching system was really inconvenient; some saying it is hard to find party for quests. We will take all of that feedback positively and try to make content easier to solo or just enjoy the game with party but more conveniently.

We will also try to fix the current content, it just depends on how we do it, we hope players give us some time to fix it.

TIG: Different animations among races cause efficiency issues.

BHS: We are still looking at how greatly animations affect the efficiency of each race. We were actually hoping players would choose races based only on aesthetics. It is true that the time between attacks differs depending on race but we’ve designed it so that it is similar as possible.

We thought the difference was minor but when actually being played the difference was pretty significant. We think character animation should be solely based on taste and not efficiency. We will definitely fix the issue if it is hurting game balance.

However, some animations may look slower or faster even though they actually aren't. For example, the Elin archer’s bow shooting might look slow because of their spin but in reality their attack speed is the same as the other race's. We are working on the class balance issue first, but we will look into this issue as well.

TIG: When you raise your attack speed, the range of your attack decreases.

BHS: It is a bug, we are currently working on a fix.

TIG: The auction house is really inconvenient.

BHS: I have tried it myself and I agree, it is inconvenient. We will fix it.

TIG: When players go to certain areas in-game, there is a huge dip in FPS even with high end machines.

BHS: Our engine team is currently looking at that. They are aware that certain situations still need tweaks. It is actually something we will constantly be working on, so we are not noting each time we make a change on the patch notes. We will constantly try to improve it and it is an issue that must be resolved.

We will be improving major city graphics bugs as well.

TIG: Any plans for the botters?

BHS: We’ve made lists of players who abuse it and we are constantly monitoring it. We think we are pretty strict about botting.

http://img808.imageshack.us/img808/6...ry24427723.jpg
(Some of the players who were banned due to being caught botting.)



* Tweaked battlefields will be open, next up is politics.

TIG: Max level players are asking for more content.

BHS: We are currently working on tweaking battlefields and will be updating them in the near future. After that we will release politics and raise the level cap.

We have made group-matching faster and easier in battlefields. We’ve also worked on balance so that even if the situation looks grim you can still turn the tides and reach victory.

TIG: How developed is the political system?

BHS: It is almost finished being developed. We are currently determining the right time to implement the system. Archons are chosen through battlefields and votes so we are going to implement it when Battlefields are used widely. Also to give everyone a fair chance we are waiting for more people to reach max level.

TIG: How will the political system work?

BHS: First, there will be mounts exclusive to those in the Archon’s guild. A white horse with an insignia and fast run speed, it will be the fastest mount available for its time.

Archons can also collect taxes and make closed brand shops open and active. They can batch auctioneers across the continent and can make NPCs active as well as place new NPCs that are not already available in villages. An Archon can also make areas in his continent PK free zones.

We are also looking to give Archons the ability to do the opposite, to disable some of the PK going around. However, we feel this can work negatively to players so we are approaching this carefully.

http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/2...ry24414024.jpg
(Archons will be picked continently.)


TIG: Any plans to raise the efficiency of consumable items?

BHS: There are. Take bombs, there is a throwing type but also there will be a planting type like “Monster Hunter” and also we are thinking of adding other items exclusive to classes.

TIG: Any plans to make the body proportions of the races changeable?

BHS: This is a sensitive topic. Because the attack range of each race is made through their height, it is hard to say we will let people actively change it. When we implement body proportions the customizing will be for efficiency reasons, not for the player’s taste.

Many people seem to prefer really short heights and we think in TERA that will be more the case, so we are trying to prevent that from happening.

TIG: Will look, name, and race changes be offered?

BHS: Probably. We are not sure about allowing race and sex changes, but we will probably allow the change of appearance. We are still deciding if we will make this a premium service or one made with in-game currency. We will have a chat with the business department. We definitely have plans to make such service available but it all depends on the timing and how it will be done.

http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/7...y244148097.png
(Character proportions won’t change.)



* The next goal is to create content catering to the players.

TIG: What are the goals set for TERA in Bluehole Studio?

BHS: We do have a roadmap for the development of the game over the year but this is not as important as the players’ reactions. So we are still trying to find the important issues.

We’ve tried our best, there are many pros and cons of this game. I always think “This has to get fixed soon.” So tweaking is always my priority so we never really had time to celebrate our successes.

TIG: What is one piece of feedback that has stuck in your head since launch?

BHS: There were two. Players were calling TERA “Kumas Online” and “Deep Sea Fishing” because the Kumas and the giant crabs were such good sources of XP. This will be solved.

TIG: Were there some things you wished the players would have enjoyed though they didn’t?

BHS: We didn’t like players just swarming over one area. We thought we’d tested the game well but apparently it was not enough. We hope the players won’t just repeat the same area over and over and that they get out there to explore the world.

As the Graphic Team Captain I don’t like the fact that all the players just run dungeons. We gave the outside world so much care and detail… but we are still happy that some players go out and explore. However, they were too good. They even found this one part where you HAVE to look from the sky to see under development areas on the ground. We don’t even know how they got there.

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/352...ry24496137.jpg
(One player’s screenshot of an area under development.)


TIG: Many people say the characters are too sexual.

BHS: When we were designing the outfits for each race we had a few goals. However, we agree we may have gone a bit too far with how much skin the female characters show. We thought it wasn’t a big problem when developing but once players started to play and rotate the camera around it became a problem.

To give the each race its own style, we always worked on the race first then the outfit but the quality sometimes had drastic differences. Aman females and Elins are the primary examples. They were both worked on at the end but their quality is completely different.

We thought both of them would only be played by minorities but Elin gained a lot of attention. We are still thinking about what the priority should be when developing characters.

TIG: Will there be cosmetic items?

BHS: This will be added slowly and consistently. The players’ gear will always come first but as the updates go on, there will be more importance placed on cosmetic items. We are considering adding an undergarment slot for characters.

TIG: Are you going to make the story stronger?

BHS: It is hard to show story in MMORPGs, especially because of the element of party play. Even I had to turn off cut-scenes because when I finished watching the clips other party members were already back in town.

We are thinking of different methods to deliver the storyline. Cut-scenes are the biggest match for our game but it does not seem to be efficient. We are thinking of a system that does not use text and is not a clip but yet makes you feel the story during gameplay. We will take advantage of this system during future updates.

http://img546.imageshack.us/img546/3...y244189015.png
(Many people feel the story is lacking even with cut-scenes and clips.)


TIG: Many people complain that the patch notes are not descriptive enough.

BHS: If we put every detail in the patch notes they will be too long. Instead of giving specific numbers we just like to give the players the feel of what changed. We are still discussing how transparent we will be with NHN, we hope to come a conclusion that will satisfy both NHN and the players.

TIG: Lastly, is there anything you want to say to those currently enjoying TERA?

Hyun-Kyu Park: I am happy that many people are enjoying our game, and I am aware there are still things that we lack. The developers play the game and feel the gravity of the problems so we understand your complaints. We will try to make the game more enjoyable, all we ask from the players is to have a little faith in us.

Chul-Woong Hwang: There is still a lot of content we have not gotten to show. We still have a lot of things to reveal so we ask for everyone to wait a bit. TERA’s client size is 22GB but that is not all. Once again I ask everyone to wait a bit for us to show some really enjoyable content.

From TIG, translated through TF for people who don't read other forums.

Basically, a Q&A as to what to expect from the devs as far as content and patches go in the near future.

[Viq]

I was talking to one of my students today, and she was telling me that she is already back to playing Aion, as are most of her friends. Their biggest complaint is that class balance is awful, and so many changes come via ninja updates that they felt like they never knew how they were supposed to play their class on a given day. I have another class this afternoon with a couple guys that play TERA, so I'll ask them for their take on it too.

[Priran]

female gamer

likes aion

http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/2...9205123117.jpg

[Rulke]

That was an interesting read. It's good to see BHS taking issues seriously. The changes that will have been implamented by the time its released here will be huge. I think Tera has a unique problem in some reguards due to the core of the game being 'action' based; like they mentioned range, size etc. Having a bunch of tiny characters running around to be hard to hit would look stupid and just isnt what a game like that is about. Anyway, for a first time game from this company, and one that's different than much of whats out there, its great to see its off to a strong start. Nothing has been dashed against the rocks for me.

[Senji]

Sounds like the same old Korean MMO story now.

Spoiler: show

http://youoffendmeyouoffendmyfamily....disappoint.gif

First time game from this company is like saying Torchlight was that company's first game.

[Kuya]

http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/2...9205123117.jpg

Female korean gamer, brah

That's equal to at least 3 to 5 of our male gamers put together.

[Priran]

did you play aion, kuya?

[CasualPlayer]

Interesting read. Man things were a lot simpler a decade ago when there were no standards for how an mmo should release. People expect perfect balance and tons of content from day one and it just doesn't seem possible for an mmo to pull that off. So you end up with a game that could be great but gets thrown in the bargain bin immediately.

These guys have their work cut out for them but they seem motivated enough to get the job done. Waiting 6+ months for the worldwide release is a good thing too.

On a positive note it seems the game released better than 14.

[SilverBreeze]

There's just something that makes my brain itch, that people say they are leaving TERA, for Aion.... BECAUSE OF CLASS BALANCE?

WAIT, WHAT?

[Katlan]

Class Balance will always be configured and changed, so idk about that. Leveling curve didn't sound like an issue, and group play is always good.. so I don't see an issue w/that either. But I'm w/ Silver, I don't see how ppl are leaving because of class balance issues

[Alderaan]

There's just something that makes my brain itch, that people say they are leaving TERA, for Aion.... BECAUSE OF CLASS BALANCE?

WAIT, WHAT?

They gotta get back to their glads and pretend they're not OP.

[SilverBreeze]

That's the thing I don't understand. The game has been out for what, 3 weeks? They're complaining about class balance and go back to playing a game that hasn't had any semblance of game balance since it was released.

I'm guessing this lady and her friends all play Glads / Sorcs / Clerics. Because Aion is totally a balanced game.

[Viq]

The main part of the complaint was that the class balance was shifting constantly, and often with ninja updates. While Aion may not be balanced, it's also a patch ahead here, and they don't change things on the Korean servers without letting everyone know what's up. Also, none of my Korean buddies give a shit about PvP in Aion or TERA, which is odd given that they all loved L2 for the PvP.

@poster above me: You have to recognize that the markets are different too. TERA has a subscription service here, which is almost unheard of. People were upset about that, and when the game began to show any faults at all they started going back to games that they could play for little more than the $.60 per hour internet cafe fees.

[Viq]

Fuck, drunk double post

[Indalecia]

Even with 2.5, you can't say Aion is balanced. To imply they would go back to Aion for BETTER balance is terrifying.

[Lucavi]

Sounds like a cop-out to them really meaning that they just went back to what's comfortable.

[Katlan]

@poster above me: You have to recognize that the markets are different too. TERA has a subscription service here, which is almost unheard of.

that right there is a big thing and prolly a big reason why ppl are pissed. First of all, you should never ninja update / patch anything w/o saying what your doing. That's a big fault on the dev dept, especially when it concerns class balances. But ya, the sub thing is pretty huge and not surprising ppl are going to cheaper games

[Foxer]

lol@Aion being more balanced. Saying the game is a step above TERA in balance is pretty retarded, seeing as how Aion has been out for 2 years, and TERA has been out for under a month.

Problem here is that out of 5 betas, PVP was released on the day before the very last beta ended. People are mad because BHB couldn't balance a game in 3 weeks and there is a subscription service for TERA in Korea, so people get antsy. I'm personally glad they know where the game is having issues and are fixing them. If time goes by, and we're here having this ridiculous conversation in a year or two, then yeah, they're not doing their job. Until then, I think they deserve more than a few weeks.

As for ninja updates, so far, only melee classes have been adjusted twice in updates where it was mentioned. They haven't worked on ranged classes yet but that's been said by BHS since the very beginning. The major issue here is that one day, X class is the best PVPer, in an unbalanced way, and the next patch comes in and X class is 2 spots below with Y class as the new top dog(***But you have to remember it's only been 3 weeks since PVP has been open***). To me, that just says they're actually trying to fix it, as opposed to buffing everyone else to catch up to the single most out-balanced class in the game, like plenty other games do, and take years just to do so. So when Chanters out-DPSs Gladiator, Aion explodes and people get mad.

[Kuya]

did you play aion, kuya?

No, but i get the feeling there's important information i'm missing there.