My SkyBlock Initial Thoughts

Nikoshka · Feb 16, 2020

BEFORE PEOPLE START COMMENTING 'ThIs HaSn'T EVeN BeEn ReLeaSeD YeT'.
Yes shush I know. The threat title is called INITIAL THOUGHTS for a reason. I am basing my initial thoughts from watching and rewatching GingerGeek playing with Rushmead yesterday: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/552456467?filter=archives&sort=time So take it with a pinch of salt please. There is some info about the game that I do not know and perhaps I overlooked

Okay a few points:

1) The ore generators aren't good.

In the new skyblock, cobblestone generators have been done badly... sorry. Take a look at this clip for a video on how the new SB cobble generator works: https://clips.twitch.tv/ObliqueAttractiveCoyoteItsBoshyTime. One of the best parts of SkyBlock is building the cobblestone generator and screwing it up 100 times.
Pewdiepie and Cinamontoastken literally made 2 videos of content out of that alone.

There are also so many awesome cobble generator / Redstone machines which are awesome and so fun to build. By using the generators you currently have, you are shutting down this entire genre of creativity.

2) The quests are (initially) kinda boring

Gingergeek mentioned in the stream that there is so far 40 hours of playthrough content. If all of those 40 hours are going to be quests like GeT 100 SoUp or HaRvEsT 128 PoTaToeS then nobody is going to want to play those 40 hours. https://clips.twitch.tv/ProductiveNaiveDragonflyArgieB8

The quests may get better as you level up (again, I don't know) but just imagine a new player joining, getting asked to harvest 100 beetroot or something like that... they are just not going to bother.

3) The menus look cool

This looks pretty cool tbf

Conclusion

There is still lots of work to be done. At this stage, I think you're overhyping the release of SkyBlock, which will leave many players disappointed when they first begin to play.

Try to think of some new exciting features before your next stage of the Skyblock release. Right now, it just looks like it's going to be extremely boring and tedious to play. It just feels so uninspired, as if you're making it in a rush just to say 'sorry' to the community for neglecting us. I'd rather you take another 6 months developing the game, then release it in one month in this state.

RPoule · Feb 16, 2020

Nikoshka said:
Pewdiepie and Cinamontoastken literally made 2 videos of content out of that alone.

BIG BRAAAAIIIIIIIN I loved that series.

I don't think we should worry that much, skyblock at its core is a really tedious game anyways. People know that. Together with skyblock releasing on the server, we're also getting a new building game and (hopefully) a new FFA game with more stakes at risk. So I don't think players are overhyping it.

I'd also be somewhat sad if the regular cobblestonegenerator won't be needed, but on the other hand, they're really annoying to work with, and I've played enough skyblock to not necesserily MUST HAVE another one of those pesky things.

There's only so much you can do with quests on the main island, unless there's like building challenges etc. The tedious challenges are the motivation for people to go all out with huge farms and way too big bases. Wouldn't be much need for a 5-high stacked 16x16x4 cactus farm if there wasn't a challenge telling you to collect 1.000.000 green dye. But I am with you on that I'd like to see new challenges too, building challenges seem fun to me.

Nikoshka · Feb 16, 2020

RPoule said:
BIG BRAAAAIIIIIIIN I loved that series.

I don't think we should worry that much, skyblock at its core is a really tedious game anyways. People know that. Together with skyblock releasing on the server, we're also getting a new building game and (hopefully) a new FFA game with more stakes at risk. So I don't think players are overhyping it.

I'd also be somewhat sad if the regular cobblestonegenerator won't be needed, but on the other hand, they're really annoying to work with, and I've played enough skyblock to not necesserily MUST HAVE another one of those pesky things.

There's only so much you can do with quests on the main island, unless there's like building challenges etc. The tedious challenges are the motivation for people to go all out with huge farms and way too big bases. Wouldn't be much need for a 5-high stacked 16x16x4 cactus farm if there wasn't a challenge telling you to collect 1.000.000 green dye. But I am with you on that I'd like to see new challenges too, building challenges seem fun to me.

I played on a really weird skyblock server which was very player and community based rather than grind based. It was seen as awesome to have amazing skyblock island builds with unique features. Like weird and wacky redstone machines. Massive casinos. Massive skin competitions. Drop parties. Roller coasters. Idk right now I just feel like Cube's skyblock server will be like every other skyblock server except with very grindy challenges.

Ik cobblestone generators are annoying to work with but that's part of the whole fun of skyblock imo. the BIG BRAIN series pretty much shows why. Skyblock should be about getting together with your friends and overcoming challenges.

rubik_cube_man · Feb 16, 2020

Hello,

Thank you very much for your feedback. We're always looking to improve the game as much as we can.

1) The reasons that we're releasing the generators in the way that we are is to reduce the knowledge requirements to be able to play the game. This game is designed for both our Java and Bedrock networks. Once you have unlocked lava it will still be possible to create lava/water cobblestone generators, however, we want to avoid the requirement of players having to spend ages watching YouTube videos trying to figure out how to make cobblestone. (Especially on mobile devices, since this is super difficult). The generators that we're using also allow for us to do generators for all the ores that are used in the game in the same way. Lava/water generators only make cobblestone, so wouldn't work for all the other ores that we're using. As this is such a key mechanic within the game we wanted to introduce it super early into the game.

2) Quests are the core of our Skyblock. If quests are not for you, then our version of Skyblock may not be the game for you. We have had a very warm reception from those who have been testing the prerelease: quests give structure to progression (whilst unlocking all the additional islands and content) and also provide reward to the player upon completion. There are both main quests and side quests and so we've found that there's always a lot for a player to be getting up to!

One thing I would like to note however, though Rushmead's and Zed's gameplay, that a lot of the quests that they completed were side quests. Side quests are not required to progress. The reason that they did these quests was due to poor menu design, and before initial release, we're working on a menu that is clearer to make it easier to distinguish between main quests and side quests.

So far we have received overwhelmingly positive feedback from everyone that has played the game. In terms of base creativity: we have certainly not found that this is limited - as you progress through the game you get more and more items unlocked to build whatever base you please. The game actually encourages people to build out large automated farms across all the islands.

We're still working on improving the game, however since the game so far has been in active development for 6 months now, and we could quite easily spend another year adding features, we've decided that we're going to release, since it means that following release the community will have more of a say on what we do.

Nikoshka · Feb 16, 2020

rubik_cube_man said:
Hello,

Thank you very much for your feedback. We're always looking to improve the game as much as we can.

1) The reasons that we're releasing the generators in the way that we are is to reduce the knowledge requirements to be able to play the game. This game is designed for both our Java and Bedrock networks. Once you have unlocked lava it will still be possible to create lava/water cobblestone generators, however, we want to avoid the requirement of players having to spend ages watching YouTube videos trying to figure out how to make cobblestone. (Especially on mobile devices, since this is super difficult). The generators that we're using also allow for us to do generators for all the ores that are used in the game in the same way. Lava/water generators only make cobblestone, so wouldn't work for all the other ores that we're using. As this is such a key mechanic within the game we wanted to introduce it super early into the game.

2) Quests are the core of our Skyblock. If quests are not for you, then our version of Skyblock may not be the game for you. We have had a very warm reception from those who have been testing the prerelease: quests give structure to progression (whilst unlocking all the additional islands and content) and also provide reward to the player upon completion. There are both main quests and side quests and so we've found that there's always a lot for a player to be getting up to!

One thing I would like to note however, though Rushmead's and Zed's gameplay, that a lot of the quests that they completed were side quests. Side quests are not required to progress. The reason that they did these quests was due to poor menu design, and before initial release, we're working on a menu that is clearer to make it easier to distinguish between main quests and side quests.

So far we have received overwhelmingly positive feedback from everyone that has played the game. In terms of base creativity: we have certainly not found that this is limited - as you progress through the game you get more and more items unlocked to build whatever base you please. The game actually encourages people to build out large automated farms across all the islands.

We're still working on improving the game, however since the game so far has been in active development for 6 months now, and we could quite easily spend another year adding features, we've decided that we're going to release, since it means that following release the community will have more of a say on what we do.

I appreciate the response and yes maybe this version of skyblock is not for me. I just want to make sure that this isn't another version of the creative server you guys released a while ago as part of freebuild. Whilst the concepts seemed great in mind, the actual game was dead within a week. I don't think you guys should release without having a significant number of new features as you'll kill the hype upon release. The same thing happened with UHC where you guys added a custom map and rushed the release. This completely killed the hype.

I personally still disagree with the cobblestone generator point and think you're making a mistake in that area. There are also other ways to bypass the ores problem, such as having a % change of an ore generating instead of a piece of cobblestone. There can also be a cobblestone generator in the lobby to show new players how to build one. Imo, a cobblestone generator is the stepping stone to building a new amazing island with incredible machines and contraptions. It's also a challenge in itself to build one. Skyblock is quite a grindy game and how are players expected to be flung into the world of building giant contraptions if they never get introduced to building the classic Minecraft cobblestone generator?

Also, I apologise if this thread seems ranty, however, I just don't want Cube to make the same mistakes as they did with freebuild or UHC back in 2016.

_The13thDoctor_ · Feb 16, 2020

I’ll be honest when they first mentioned ore generators I was hoping they would literally be egg wars generators but it would take longer for them to spawn in and you’d still have to smelt them unless you upgraded them.

Marieke2001 · Feb 16, 2020

I don’t want to leak anything too much. But from what i’ve seen skyblock can be really addictive. The challenges are both on long and short term and can keep you addicted. The challenges are easier at the start and after some time they’ll take more time and skill/knowledge to complete. Also unlocking new islands is very exciting and challenging. It’s basically a mix between survival and skyblock, more than i’ve ever seen on any other skyblock server. I really suggest you playing it once it has been released :P.

iSniper27 · Feb 16, 2020

Nikoshka said:
BEFORE PEOPLE START COMMENTING 'ThIs HaSn'T EVeN BeEn ReLeaSeD YeT'.
Yes shush I know. The threat title is called INITIAL THOUGHTS for a reason. I am basing my initial thoughts from watching and rewatching GingerGeek playing with Rushmead yesterday: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/552456467?filter=archives&sort=time So take it with a pinch of salt please. There is some info about the game that I do not know and perhaps I overlooked

Okay a few points:

1) The ore generators aren't good.

In the new skyblock, cobblestone generators have been done badly... sorry. Take a look at this clip for a video on how the new SB cobble generator works: https://clips.twitch.tv/ObliqueAttractiveCoyoteItsBoshyTime. One of the best parts of SkyBlock is building the cobblestone generator and screwing it up 100 times.
Pewdiepie and Cinamontoastken literally made 2 videos of content out of that alone.

There are also so many awesome cobble generator / Redstone machines which are awesome and so fun to build. By using the generators you currently have, you are shutting down this entire genre of creativity.

2) The quests are (initially) kinda boring

Gingergeek mentioned in the stream that there is so far 40 hours of playthrough content. If all of those 40 hours are going to be quests like GeT 100 SoUp or HaRvEsT 128 PoTaToeS then nobody is going to want to play those 40 hours. https://clips.twitch.tv/ProductiveNaiveDragonflyArgieB8

The quests may get better as you level up (again, I don't know) but just imagine a new player joining, getting asked to harvest 100 beetroot or something like that... they are just not going to bother.

3) The menus look cool

View attachment 159756 This looks pretty cool tbf

Conclusion

There is still lots of work to be done. At this stage, I think you're overhyping the release of SkyBlock, which will leave many players disappointed when they first begin to play.

Try to think of some new exciting features before your next stage of the Skyblock release. Right now, it just looks like it's going to be extremely boring and tedious to play. It just feels so uninspired, as if you're making it in a rush just to say 'sorry' to the community for neglecting us. I'd rather you take another 6 months developing the game, then release it in one month in this state.

Skyblock is always boring lmao

Nikoshka · Feb 16, 2020

Marieke2001 said:
I don’t want to leak anything too much. But from what i’ve seen skyblock can be really addictive. The challenges are both on long and short term and can keep you addicted. The challenges are easier at the start and after some time they’ll take more time and skill/knowledge to complete. Also unlocking new islands is very exciting and challenging. It’s basically a mix between survival and skyblock, more than i’ve ever seen on any other skyblock server. I really suggest you playing it once it has been released :p.

I'll definitely play it and give my full opinion once it has released. :)

Marieke2001 · Feb 16, 2020

Nikoshka said:
I'll definitely play it and give my full opinion once it has released. :)

Looking forward to it bb xo it’s good to have some concerns, we would be nowhere without anyone having concerns

Nikoshka · Feb 16, 2020

iSniper27 said:
Skyblock is always boring lmao

That's definitely not true. I always loved playing on Skyblock back in the day. Was one of the first servers I ever enjoyed and properly grinded.

driima · Feb 17, 2020

Nikoshka said:
Was one of the first servers I ever enjoyed and properly grinded

We want players to enjoy the experience, and quests are an important part of that process. Some will definitely be "collect x amount of y item", but others will be entirely different, fun, and challenging. It will be grindy at times, but we're designing it in a way that players will always have something to do.

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My SkyBlock Initial Thoughts

Nikoshka

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RPoule

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Nikoshka

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rubik_cube_man

game maker

Nikoshka

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_The13thDoctor_

Forum Professional

Marieke2001

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iSniper27

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Nikoshka

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Marieke2001

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Nikoshka

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driima

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