Second AMA Answers

- Speaking of game mechanics - right now, we are mainly focused on optimization and bug fixes. We have ideas related to enlivening the game world, such as regular or dynamic events, but at the moment, they remain in the idea stage. 

As for features outside game design - our immediate goals are the "subscription lane" and activities that will allow players to obtain items and skins that were previously available in the premium store.

- We have access to the source code and game engine. Of course, we have team members who know how to work with them. Some changes we mentioned earlier in the community are possible only thanks to this.

We also have optimization tasks ahead of us, some of which we have already solved, such as the reworking of AABB (Axis-Aligned Bounding Box). This change significantly increases the performance of the game itself due to the modification of the system of all game objects.

The majority of PvP guilds (34 guilds) with at least 500 players are asking if it is possible to reduce or change the subscription system?

- We are working on a free-to-play version of the game, in which we plan to implement a market where users can trade resources and earn money by playing. However, the free-to-play version with only cosmetic items has proven not to be a sustainable model for Life is Feudal. We are committed to maintaining the vanilla version without pay-to-win mechanics, and even cosmetic items will be distributed gradually as rewards for players' time commitment. As a niche game, the $20 price point allows us to maintain an expensive infrastructure and promptly fix server issues. Our strategy focuses on slow and steady growth in server population and prioritizing the game's stability for the long term. We might offer some free trial periods for old players so that they have a chance to appreciate the smooth and stable state of the current game. So don't forget to check your email.

Torque 3D has released new versions that improve stability and overall engine enhancements. Is it possible to update LIF: MMO to the latest versions of Torque3D?

- Torque3D was primarily used as a foundation. The version for LIF: MMO has been significantly modified - the main remaining parts from Torque are networking and scripts. In other words - no, we cannot simply update LIF: MMO to the latest version of Torque3D.

When will the game be fully completed?

- Never. We have big plans for LiF: MMO, and we intend to continually develop it.

If the question concerns a full release and exiting the playtest status, we plan to conduct a wipe in July, followed by the game's release and further post-release support for the project.

Is it possible to speed up the game's release?

- We had planned to conduct a wipe and full release after adding new features and significant changes. However, observing the community's reaction, we decided to perform the wipe earlier. It is now scheduled for July (the exact date and time will be announced later) - from that moment on, you can fully start playing and not worry about preserving your progress.

Will you speed up tree growth?

- We have seen different opinions on this matter, and from the game's perspective, everything works as intended. If we see that tree growth negatively affects the gaming experience - we will take action.

How do you plan to maintain people's interest during the game's testing process?

- As we mentioned in another answer, the final wipe is now scheduled for July. After the wipe, you will be able to fully start playing, gather friends and guildmates, build a fortress, and fight rivals without worrying about preserving your progress.

We will announce the exact date of the wipe in a separate news post.

Will different game variants be released simultaneously, for example, a paid subscription and a free game? If so, what will be the difference between a paid subscription and a free game, and what will attract players to the paid version?

- All game variants will be launched as they become ready, and we do not plan to release them simultaneously.

They will operate simultaneously, and all game versions will receive updates. We are developing the variants to cater to different types of players, and each can choose the one they like. Over time, the game variants will differ enough that players would want to try different options: different leveling conditions, PvP, PvE, and so on.

Will you have a roadmap? Can you tell us about your plans for the game's future?

- Considering that our focus is currently on optimization and bug fixes, we are not yet ready to provide a detailed roadmap. We actively work on optimizing both the game and the server-side – we are eager to see massive PvP battles where no one experiences lag.

Can you detail any plans you have to improve player retention? As a game that relies on player-created content, it's hard to be optimistic about the games future based on the fact that in the past the game has had neither a large player base.

- We've actually observed great retention among current users. The number of hours people spend in this game proves that it has enormous potential. Additionally, we plan to launch a significant acquisition campaign after the wipe. What attracts players to Life is Feudal: MMO is the unique long-term social cooperation they can't experience elsewhere.

Why not keep everything simple and stable? For example, use fewer servers, considering the game's online presence, thereby reducing the costs of maintaining the project.

- We are considering different scenarios, have a marketing strategy, and will make decisions after a sufficient amount of time has passed.

If necessary, we will change the game design of game variants so that players want to continue playing them. For example: speeding up/slowing down different aspects of the game, changing the balance, and so on.

Will you consider tying Judgment Hour to specific regions on the map, rather than player choice?

- We left most of the mechanics as they were at the time of closure. We have our own ideas for changing Judgment Hour mechanics, such as altering the capture speed and reducing the number of time zones, but as we've repeatedly said, we take your wishes into account before making decisions.

Will you take measures to prevent claim owners with an active siege from deleting all buildings within a few minutes?

- This is more feedback than a question. We have already passed this information to our game design team. Such an ability sounds like an abuse that should be stopped.

Do you have plans to work on hitboxes and collisions between bodies, objects, and weapons? Some weapons have catastrophic collisions, and hitboxes, in general, seem more random than functional.

- Our developers are currently studying the game's combat system in detail and are working on fixing the abuse of canceling combat animations. The hitboxes and collisions may be altered as part of future changes, but we have passed this information on to the team.

Will we get a better map? Maybe something more suitable?

- We will continue to develop Godenland and adapt different maps for game variants in which they will be used.

Finally... Camels? Ships? Bridges? New buildings?

- Considering the past, we are hesitant to say anything specific about ships. Although we have ideas for new buildings and improvements to some current mechanics, we are now mostly observing players and their in-game needs.

Caravans transporting items from one trading post to another sound like a great idea, though we've heard it somewhere before.

Will there be some PvE component in the game, such as an NPC town?

- After the wipe, we plan to restore the Knoll villages. We are aware of the problems that arose on other maps with NPC towns, but we still hope to implement something similar.

Could you clarify the situation with cryptocurrency, blockchain, and NFTs? Many people are deeply concerned about this and won't consider returning to the game if such a system is implemented. We want to know your plans regarding this now.

- Our company has different teams working in various directions, including potential game variants using blockchain technologies. Long Tale Games is primarily a game development team, and we consider the possibilities of using these technologies as part of gameplay and game design, not as a blockchain for the sake of earning money.

In the Life is Feudal: MMO variants that we have mentioned since the announcement, we do not plan to use any blockchain technologies. They don't align with the "philosophy" of the subscription-based game variant.

Can you provide more specifics about "different game variants"? The answer in the first AMA was too simple and didn't contain precise information.

- Let's try to go with simpler formulations. We don't claim that all these variants are in development or that this is their final vision.

Subscription variant - A variant where everyone is on equal terms, and the only payment for players is purchasing a subscription.

Open Economy variant - A F2P variant, most similar to the version at the time of closure, but with a greater emphasis on the economic interaction between players.

PvE variant - A variant without PvP - green zones, fields, and animals everywhere, a pacifist's dream.

PvP variant - A variant with endless Judgment Hour and a constant possibility of capturing each other's lands.

Web3 variant - We previously mentioned that we are cautious about blockchain technology, but the opportunity to legally sell another player on the black market sounds too fun.

Battle Royale - Why not?

What will subscribers have left after the game's release?

- We are working on the mechanics of bonuses that players will receive based on their subscription duration. These rewards will be equal for everyone and will not give any advantage over other players.

Will there be additional restrictions in the PvP zone, similar to those currently in place (no trading post, no teleport)? This makes the initial game experience difficult.

- We plan to bring back trade posts in green zones after the wipe. And remember: we constantly monitor your reaction to the events in the game and make any decisions only after analyzing your feedback.

Do you plan to improve the game's user interface? It looks a bit outdated compared to other games.

- Such plans exist and we are already working in different directions for the user interface, but we cannot say how long it will take to develop and implement these changes.

Will you add additional options? Increasing/decreasing font size and interface, compatibility with 4K monitors, etc.

- We plan to redesign the interface to make it more user-friendly, but we will consider the suggested option as a temporary solution before a full update.

Are you going to rework the market? Due to the subscription system, the market functions incorrectly.

- After the playtest, we plan to recalculate the economic component considering the absence of God's Favor in the subscription-based game variant. If you encounter mentions of God's Favor in the game, feel free to report it to us.

When opening a warehouse or container with a large number of items, the game slows down, lowering the quality and worsening the experience for players. The previous studio promised to fix this problem for years but never did.

- In that case, we won't promise that this will definitely be fixed. However, considering the pain of the players, we will raise the priority of this task for our developers to investigate.

Do you plan to implement voice communication in the game?

- Right now, we are exploring the possibility of adding it, but we cannot provide any specific timelines or confirm whether it will be added to the game.

What do you consider a "finished" game? Fixing current bugs or adding new features in the future?

- For the subscription-based game variant, we consider a "release" version to be one that works stably and has all the promised features implemented: skins for subscription duration and in-game activities.

It's hard to say what a "finished" game is since we plan to support all game variants for an extended period and continuously improve them.

What about players who have already purchased the game from the previous development team? Can they hope to regain any items or achievements?

- We plan to restore items for old players in the F2P game variant. The items will not be unique, and there will be an option to sell them.

You won't see this in the current subscription-based game version. Restoring items for experienced players goes against the core philosophy of the game, where all players should be on equal terms.