I agree with mr.Britten but I can say that society doesn’t value artists or the Arts. When the education system falls short on cash, the Arts are usually the first thing to go.
Some people will value some works of art because they know they can resell it for millions of [currency] but otherwise don’t care and don’t appreciate the skills and work involved.
We live in world where only money and sex matter. The Arts are way out of sight for those who pull the strings of this system of things and their bootlicking lackeys.
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An update.
After a bit of exploring, I placed a ‘plot’ so that I could build a dwelling, workshop/tables, etc. Almost immediately, I grabbed it back. What was the point of exploring just a fraction of my neck of the woods and plonking myself down on the first decent-looking space I came to? None. So I upped-sticks and set off on my travels, filling my inventory with, basically, sticks, plants and stones, as I went.
I crafted an axe and a crude shield, hoping they would aid me in enjoying the experience. Well, I defeated the first two boars that dared to approach, but succumbed when, later, a pair of them took me on in quick succession. Respawning is a matter of finding your corpse using the map, and then summoning it. Pretty straightforward.
Having mentioned violence, I come to the main part of this update. There is no non-consensual PvP. So, no ganking. You and your dwelling are completely safe from interference. There are ‘contested areas’, which I assume are zones, where PvP can take place, but I’ve no idea where they are or even whether they yet exist.
Also, there are no quest-giving NPCs. Yes, you read that correctly. None. I don’t see how that will work in a game like this, but it’s an interesting idea. However, it does make the environment a bit bleak. I’ve encountered 3 other players so far. They all sprinted right past me, without a ‘word’ (there is a chat feature). Does nobody stop for a natter these days?
That’s it, so far. I might join a clan, but my experiences in EVE have made me wary. Looking forward to getting back to ‘Tyr’ tomorrow.
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Hmmm, there are mixed reviews on Steam for Pax Dei, many feel that it was even too early for early access. many also feel the subscription aspect of it won’t work as there are many games on the market focused on this genre and the multiplayer aspect might not add anything new.
I thought they would have made some progress on NPC’s, and NPC’s better be part of the finished game, a magical medievil title simply must have NPC’s , I assume blacksmiths will be part of this too.
Most gamers love this genre and there is definitely a whole bunch of games from the past of this genre which gamers have loved.
If I do subscribe, I will want to see weapons such as Sword, mace, spear, pike, And I would like the ability to upgrade specific weapons and enchant them with magic, such as fire/ice/corrosion.
I also expect to see classes like Wizard, Priest, Knight, barbarian. The designers must understand that what I am writing here are starndards that every gamer expects to see in this genre.
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Yeah subscription is not the most famous of monetization methods to say the least at least based on what I read and watch all over the webs.
Also there are plenty of medieval and fantasy stuff the past years of all kinds:
- Baldur’s Gate 3 (D&D themed turn based RPG, very successful release after a EA period)
- Manor Lords (medieval city builder, still in EA)
- Famous these days are survival games in general (first, third or even from above perspective; there are plenty of these as well)
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance II (immersive medieval singleplayer RPG, with an expected release date of sometimes in 2024)
- And probably more I am not even aware of
So while not MMOs I think there are plenty of medieval themed games with multiplayer option as well to fulfill all kinds of experiences.
So while the core concept and premise of Pax Dei sounds good, despite not the same people have non-subscription option to satisfy their medieval and/or fantasy desires at least to some degree without having to commit to a subscription model. And while the social aspect might be tempting to at least some not entirely sure how important that aspect is or if it can be substituted while playing a singleplayer or regular multiplayer game.
So not sure how much appeal Pax Dei has as a subscription model game, or even in general.
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Its just your forum birthday cake. 
for when this character joined this forum
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I have mixed views, too, Aaron.
At the moment, because things are so raw, it’s difficult to be definitive about the game. In answer to a couple of your points; I read that there may be NPC presence in the towns/cities, and that consensual duelling may also take place in such locations.
The devs seem pretty firm about there not being classes. So, if you’re looking for that feature, you may be disappointed.
For some reason, the devs believe they have hit on a winning formula, despite not including some of what ‘every gamer expects to see in this genre’.
For myself, the splitting off of PvP into discrete zones, will probably be the killer, though the game may have some entertainment value as an interesting open-world experience.
As Uriel has pointed out; it’s hardly the only apple in the basket!
I agree with your reflections, Uriel. There will be some folks for whom it is the kind of game they enjoy and to which they will devote time - and, perhaps, money.
For me, it somewhat misses the mark, but I’ve flashed the cash so I’ll stay with it a while longer to see how it pans out.
While in the game a couple of days ago, I noticed that there were players building, crafting and even fighting (?). But it was all very spread out. Some of the dwellings were truly impressive and must have taken time both in planning and building. I was kind of ‘Meh’ with that though.
I will give it some time, and see.
I just had a quick look at the trailer in the link and already i can feel my wallet shrinking, I’ve not looked into it fully but I just get that vibe. I definitely don’t feel like it’s a story rich immersion game and can see myself paying a sub and then further costs for weapons/armour, also seems a bit cartoony, I like serious looking RPG’s.
After going halfway through pillars of eternity I’m definitely starting to like the very high quality old school one player story rich way of game design again.
I’ve been playing it for 17 years lol.
A sub is very cheap and there are always subs with cosmetics that layer on your gears.
Don’t take the cartoony look too onboard and you’ll be surprised how deep a game it is, and how flipping hard it gets as you progress through it 
All higher level weapons/gear/mounts etc are made by players and there’s always well stocked and thriving markets for everything, but some so called starter dungeons do have drops to help.
There are hundreds of quests along with storylines to lose yourself in if that’s your thing as well, literally years worth.
ATM they’re prepping to port over to Unity too away from the legacy coding they still use.
Hmmm, will I get 34 emails and texts and notificatiions a day asking me to buy in-game currency?
Nope, you earn currency.
Very now and then you’ll get offers, but they are few and far between.
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Thanks for the article. It’s an interesting game concept but the more I read the more it seems that it is EVE Online but in a medieval setting. The article describes the game with the same keywords that describe EVE including the emphasis on the social aspects, groupings of players ( corporations ), later to grow into civilizations ( alliances )… and the fact that the game is made by former EVE devs doesn’t diminish the comparisons, especially when, reading the thread, it turns out to be yet another game that demands a subscription.
Should the player also expect non-consensual PvP that feeds on PvE and limited abilities to craft items due to exclusive recipes (blueprints)?
I like me a good medieval game but I doubt I would like one based on EvE’s premises of risk vs reward, especially when Pax Dei is said to have survival elements.
I stay away from “survival MMOs”. I tried one a few years ago, Mortal Online, and I literally couldn’t play it due to the constant and incessant kill-on-sight mentality. I played it for two weeks and never made it past one mile away from the starting city.
The only reason I decided to play EvE Online is because it’s in space, the ships are cool and I now see that I can go past the starting zone without getting killed 100% of the time, which is a plus for a PvP MMO.
Also, EVE is unique in it’s genre while Pax Dei isn’t. There are lots of medieval games, online and offline. I don’t see myself even trying this game.
I understand you have subscribed to it. I will check this thread to read your experience with this game if you keep updating it.
Thanks for your comments, Naomie.
I don’t like survival MMOs either, or even games with ‘survival’ elements!
I don’t like Pax Dei. I realise that it’s early days, so I won’t abandon it completely. Expect infrequent, sporadic updates. I agree with you that the setting is hardly an original concept; I think I did mention that. But I’m always interested to see whether a game can make medievalism live and breathe. We’ll see!
You’re welcome.
I, too, am always interested and looking forward to a medieval game that hits all right notes but haven’t yet seen one, especially in an open word setting.
I watched a Before You Buy video of Manor Lords this past hour and although it is primarily a city builder, it has lots of the elements I like in a medieval game including skirmishes, and the ability to play it in different modes is also very appealing for replayability and accessibility.
I liked Kingdom Come: deliverance but it lacked in the open world category and once the story is completed there was very little point to continue playing it.
So the wait and search for an awesome Medieval game goes on…
Hmmm.
Are these the CCP Alumni who left because the game is slowly going to the carebears, or are these the CCP Alumni who left because the game wasn’t going there fast enough?
That makes a big difference in whether “CCP Alumni” is a selling point or not.
Short answer; I don’t know!
I was interested in what (if anything) they might transfer from their EVE experience, to a new game. In a way, it would also answer your 2 questions.
So far, the 2 big differences are that there are no NPC quest-givers (they ditched NPC-generated ‘missions’, if you like) and the complete absence of non-consensual PvP.
That would indicate that these might have been
Nicely observed.
I spent literally all day yesterday playing Manor Lords. That game had me going to sleep at 2am so immersed I was in it.
The camera movements are tricky but all can be solved in settings. I had to put all graphics on Low to get decent framerate and it is still a beautiful game, the visual differences were minor.
It is hard to believe that it is only one dev working on that one, it looks/feels like a AAA game.
This game is hitting a lot of them far as I’m concerned and it isn’t finished yet.
Putting big studios to shame, lol.
I recommend Manor Lord to you. I doubt you be disappointed.
o7
Thanks, Naomie. I did take a look at the game, based on a couple of very positive reviews. But I found it a bit challenging to grasp. That’s a ‘me’ thing, I think. I need to give it more time. It looked impressive and seemed to have depth - which is what I look for in a game.
I also noted that:
- which impressed me even more - but which also concerned me a bit. Projects like this can go either way. Let’s hope the dev manages to gather some extra hands to help him to quickly implement any fixes which might need to be made. Players will just have to be patient, given that it’s currently just one person.
Thanks again…
Yeah strategy (including 4X) in general and especially city-builders are like that, you have to learn and know the research trees, production chains and so forth.
It takes some time and attention to get used to everything and figure things out. But if you spend the time on it I think success should be guaranteed.
You play EVE so I assume there is no lack of ability to prevent you so it is just a matter of time and focus.