Scars of Honor feedback, placeholders, and transparency

The discussion includes direct reactions to an early build of Scars of Honor and uses the game as an example of an unusually open development process. The main themes are visible iteration, placeholder content, and a willingness to expose unfinished work for criticism.

Visual improvements over earlier footage

Earlier trailer footage is described as having created a negative first impression, especially in graphics and overall visual quality. The participants state that the game looked significantly better in person than it had in older promotional material.

This change is presented as evidence that feedback had been taken seriously and acted upon. The improved character models and world presentation are cited as visible signs of iteration rather than static marketing.

Early exposure of unfinished work

The recording frames early public exposure as risky but useful. Showing rough footage allows players to criticize real problems before launch, and it avoids the opposite approach of presenting only highly polished slices that may not reflect the actual state of the game.

That openness is treated as a positive part of the studio's process. Instead of hiding unfinished systems, the game is shown while still rough, with the expectation that criticism can guide improvement.

Controls and usability feedback

One concrete criticism concerns character controls. The movement and camera handling are described as clunky for a player accustomed to more conventional MMO mouse-turning and keyboard-strafing. A suggested improvement is to offer alternate control presets or more flexible control settings so players can choose a scheme closer to what they already know.

The issue is presented as important but also somewhat personal, since control preferences vary between players.

Placeholder quests and design direction

Quest content shown in the build is identified as placeholder material intended mainly to support mechanics testing. Traditional MMO quest structures such as simple fetch or kill tasks are not treated as desirable in themselves.

The preferred direction is for quests to exist primarily when they serve story or a more meaningful gameplay purpose, rather than as routine filler. This indicates uncertainty about how central conventional questing should be in the final design.

Character appeal and audience range

Another criticism concerns character appeal. While the available characters are described as distinctive, the roster shown at the time is said to lack options that would appeal more strongly to players seeking cuter or more conventionally pretty character designs. The point is framed as a gap in aesthetic range rather than a rejection of the existing designs.

Testing and rapid iteration

The build is discussed in the context of active testing, including bugs and issues that only become obvious when new people interact with the game. A structured feedback document is mentioned as having led to fixes within a short period, reinforcing the impression of a responsive iteration cycle.

Transparency toward creators

The studio's approach to creators is described as unusually open compared with other indie MMO projects. Rather than requiring scripted promotion, the team allowed broad criticism and hands-on access. This openness is presented as one reason the project appeared more credible than many other early-stage MMORPGs.

The overall picture is of a game still in development, with placeholders and rough edges, but with a production approach centered on visible progress and direct external feedback.

Source

• Recording: What we LOVE and HATE in MMOs with @CallumUpton and @MMOByte | Scars of Honor
• YouTube: Watch on YouTube
• Published: Friday, November 17, 2023 at 1:20 PM UTC