In the official forum of the upcoming (MMO)RPG Shroud of the Avatar, a heated discussion has erupted over a feature many believed would definitely make its way into the game – the ability to drop any items anywhere in the world.
To understand why this causes such an uproar: In the earlier Ultima games, it was possible to move and drop items from the inventory. For example, a cup on a table could be moved, picked up, or placed elsewhere in Ultima 7. This allowed players to find additional objects hidden under other items. Or it was possible to discover hidden secret doors.
This interaction with all objects in the world was one of the features that always set Ultima apart from other role-playing games and made the world feel more alive and interactive, unlike the static worlds of other games where objects seem to be glued everywhere.
Should items be able to be placed freely in the game world?
A feature like this was also planned for Shroud of the Avatar. Players should have the option to simply drop the items they were carrying on the ground or a table, and other players could pick these objects up. Additionally, barrels and chairs in the game world should be movable.
However, there were still some problems to overcome. On one hand, performance would significantly drop if every player could place objects anywhere and everywhere. These objects need to be calculated, which could cause the game to experience severe lag. Another issue is that players could, for example, trap doors or NPCs as well as other players by surrounding them with cabinets or barrels. This could lead to unfair behavior. One idea was that objects placed freely in the game world would disappear after a certain time to minimize lag.
Is the feature coming or not?
Rumors have now surfaced that this feature has been completely scrapped, leading to the mentioned discussions. Starr Long, Executive Producer of the game, spoke up and explained that while they would still like to integrate this feature, they first need to solve the problems. However, many interpreted this as an indication that the feature would likely not make it into the game.
Another suggestion was that free placement and movement of objects in the game world should at least be possible in the offline part of Shroud of the Avatar. This part, which is intended to be played like a regular single-player RPG, is eagerly awaited by about half of the entire community, and some unique features for this mode have already been announced – including NPC companions that will accompany players on their journey.
If so many are interested in the single-player offline part and there are issues with implementing the desired feature in the online part, then at least it should be made available offline. The developers have not yet commented on this. The discussion has since been interrupted as it led to heated tempers, and the thread needs to be moderated first.
Therefore, it is still uncertain whether players will be able to freely place and move items in the game world of Shroud of the Avatar, and if so, whether this will apply only to the offline or also to the online modes.
