COMMUNITY - FORUMS - NEW PLAYER QUESTIONS
Mains and Alts in CoE

In most MMOs you can have multiple characters and we have gotten used to the idea of having a "Main" character with any others being "Alts" that we play for various reasons. The goal is to get our main to the game's max level (before they raise it) and outfit them with the best gear we can. Afterwards, we start building up our alts towards the same goals. This system works well with the ageless, immortal characters of your standard MMORPG.

In CoE however, your "Main" character ages and will be replaced in a year's time for the most part. Now when that character dies, we get to create a new "Main" that isn't as powerful as our old one but, one that has the potential to be better with the way the skill ramp system works. This is also true of your "Alts", as they age and die, you'll need to create new ones.

Does this system change the way you will perceive and play the Main/Alt game? If so, how?

For me, as a mayor, I am looking at my town as my "Main" character and my characters are just the Alts I use to ensure the town's survival.


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3/30/2019 11:05:53 PM #1

I'm on the fence about having an alt. You're right, I'm so used to having them that playing this game is changing the way I think about it.

I would really rather work on one character 100% then over several characters that would be mediocre. But at the same time I can see the potential of say keeping one in town to continually work on something while the other is your roaming character.


3/30/2019 11:07:37 PM #2

closer to about 3-5 months, you'll get a new character. Main alt game play, for most their alt is for more risky gameplay, while their main is for their main role. I will try my hardest not to have an alt, however, I think I'll be missing out on some interesting things when it comes to what I really enjoy with these games. Being on the front lines killing people.

3/31/2019 1:53:22 AM #3

I’m not going to have a single main and alt but rather multiple mains depending on what it is I feel like doing at any given time. One will be a homebody, farming and such while another is out exploring and adventuring.


3/31/2019 2:19:38 AM #4

Not only will characters cycle, defeating the entire purpose of an alt, but the way souls accrue experience and skills over multiple lifetimes, means that having an alt and devoting any time to your alt character is weakening your "main" soul over time. Meaning you aren't playing toward the games maximum either. On top of that players with titles will have so many responsibilities, that just playing as a count or above is almost a full time job on it's own. So any time being devoted to an alt is weakening the position of the character with a title and letting down that community.

The most I see alts for will be a bit of messing about, maybe local exploration, or even just being able to have a character on the other side of the world in a different setting to check it out.

Either way, alts use up a separate spark, so they will also cost money on top of costs associated with the lives of your main.

3/31/2019 6:48:54 AM #5

I imagine a king wants to go to war, but its far more safe on an alt.

Personally Ill have a main for my primary goals, and alts for the things I find necessary, but not enjoyable. For example I would have a shopkeeper alt to stay at home and craft and take care of my house while Im adventuring. You could have two of those alts with different complementary professions. With their OPC scripts you get to customize what they do, and theyre a source of income while youre away.

I expect some people would play a deviant alt so it doesn't "ruin" their main if they get in trouble.

Some people may just have alts to play with different people. If you play in the north and your friend plays in the south, you may opt to make an alt in the south instead of making the trek on your main.

I agree that alts will be played differently than traditional mmos, where you max your main, then play catch up with your alt, as mentioned. I do think alts will play a valuable role. What if you need a baker you can trust to not poison you? In this case a king might have a farmer alt, a cook alt, and his king main to ensure (or at least reduce the chances) he doesn't get poisoned. Trust is one of the most important things I think alts provide.


FC: 13AB08

3/31/2019 7:04:03 AM #6

Developing alternate characters can detract from developing your main character. I don't plan on having alts unless my main is somehow stuck in its progress. I think alts will be only minimally useful, because they won't be able to develop skills beyond basic at-start capabilities unless mains are somehow prevented from progressing at their best rate. The only advantage they have is that they can be treated as total slaves, but that is balanced out by the fact that they are additional mouths to feed, bodies to clothe and house, etc. Contracting with NPCs to take care of ancillary stuff not in your main's line of development seems to be a more effective way to deal with ancillary tasks.


3/31/2019 1:03:50 PM #7

I'm going to stick to one character and alternate genders if I can to give myself a little change every once in a while.


3/31/2019 3:50:44 PM #8

Posted By Poldano at 03:04 AM - Sun Mar 31 2019

Developing alternate characters can detract from developing your main character. I don't plan on having alts unless my main is somehow stuck in its progress. I think alts will be only minimally useful, because they won't be able to develop skills beyond basic at-start capabilities unless mains are somehow prevented from progressing at their best rate. The only advantage they have is that they can be treated as total slaves, but that is balanced out by the fact that they are additional mouths to feed, bodies to clothe and house, etc. Contracting with NPCs to take care of ancillary stuff not in your main's line of development seems to be a more effective way to deal with ancillary tasks.

Until someone sparks into the Kings cook and poisons him to death because someone else sparked into his food taster and didn’t taste the food.


3/31/2019 4:54:06 PM #9

Posted By Poldano at 02:04 AM - Sun Mar 31 2019

Developing alternate characters can detract from developing your main character. I don't plan on having alts unless my main is somehow stuck in its progress. I think alts will be only minimally useful, because they won't be able to develop skills beyond basic at-start capabilities unless mains are somehow prevented from progressing at their best rate. The only advantage they have is that they can be treated as total slaves, but that is balanced out by the fact that they are additional mouths to feed, bodies to clothe and house, etc. Contracting with NPCs to take care of ancillary stuff not in your main's line of development seems to be a more effective way to deal with ancillary tasks.

Actually alts don't have to detract from your main at all. You may simply create them and set their OPC scripts and only log onto them every once in a while as a compliment to your main. For example you might only log on to adjust their script, or do something manually thats not scripted, such as learn a skill from a traveler thats in town. They can provide a lot of security even if you don't play them frequently.

Edit: also idk where u got the information on the limits of their development.


FC: 13AB08

3/31/2019 6:22:47 PM #10

Plus having an alt can keep things from getting stale and boring. Today I might feel like going exploring and searching for ancient relics but tomorrow I just want to be lazy and hang around the farm.. but the farm is half the kingdom away. Or the kingdom is at war and I just don’t feel like fighting that day, I only have an hour I can play, but my “main” is a soldier on the front lines.


3/31/2019 8:10:43 PM #11

Yes I'll have an alt. I have 50 sparks of life, I better use them.


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3/31/2019 9:01:12 PM #12

I don't think I would have an alt. I would just change my profession in the game. Keeping the knowledge from your main character and switch profession will be helpful at least for crafters. Could even lead to discoveries. Only reason I could see needing an alt is if you will be on the other side of the law or if you need want to try a different race. Outside of that, you can do everything from one character

3/31/2019 9:12:02 PM #13

In my opinion, the reason for an alt to be created is, and always will be, to fill a need or role the main cannot do. In traditional MMOs, this could have been for crafting purposes, or dual boxing a tank and healer (in my case, a necro and druid). Creating multiple alts to spy, try a different aspect of the game, or to scale up your game play influence (multiboxing miners or bombers in EvE; for example).

So, to answer your question, yes, there are systems being built or in place already to not only enable, but encourage people to have alts. I feel alts will be fairly commonplace as long as the advantages of specialization of characters outweighs being a general jack of all trades over time.

I'm betting the average player will have at least 2 accounts for simultaneous play, with higher intensity players having no less than 4 or 5 for various functions (spying, admin work, crafting, ect)

What I would really like to see is an opinion of Snipehunter or Caspian on how they feel about people multiboxing or having more than one account and their feelings of the impact these types of players will have on their vision for Elyria.


~K

3/31/2019 9:29:57 PM #14

Posted By Ithikari at 4:10 PM - Sun Mar 31 2019

Yes I'll have an alt. I have 50 sparks of life, I better use them.

Ohmygoodness. Yeah you'll be set! Alts for days


3/31/2019 9:40:33 PM #15

Posted By Ithikari at 4:10 PM - Sun Mar 31 2019

Yes I'll have an alt. I have 50 sparks of life, I better use them.

I'm only at 6 sparks right now but slowly adding them up. I'll probably be in the range of 50 by Exposition.