- The mechanics are engaging.
- Equal care and importance have been given to both combat-oriented and production activities.
- The world is well-designed and wonderfully written.
- The public community is remarkably and refreshingly non-toxic.
Character Generation
Quick and easy. I'll second the request to hold off on committing to attributes blindly here since the game seems to be drawing people who are unfamiliar with CLOK (like me) and chargen seems to assume this experience.
Help
I'm in agreement with things already suggested/requested regarding the help system.
That's been my main struggle in picking up the game however I figured that this is a function of where the game itself is in development given how well most of the help that does exist is written, so this isn't an actual complaint. Given the lack of immediate, in-game channels to ask for help, it is something that might impact your ability to keep brand new players, though, should they find their way to it so I'd like to amplify the need to address one or the other relatively quickly with the playerbase currently growing noticeably.
OOC Channels
Normally, I'm a supporter of keeping all things OOC out of the game due to bad experiences in the past, but COGG's community standards are actually exemplified in its admin and upheld by its community, so a Newbie or Q&A in-game channel wouldn't degenerate into a sideshow here and would no doubt be welcomed by those who would rather not resort to out-of-game communication methods to resolve minor issues.
I will say here for anybody reading this who might be reluctant to connect to the game's Discord server that the environment is pleasant, the game chat is kept to its channel and ooc/off-topic to its channel, and I have never had to wait long for help with my issues. I have also not had to fend off any random unpleasantness or weirdness from strangers. I recommend joining the server even if just to use its search function to see if your question has been asked as several of mine turned out to be.
Druidry
I've never been in a game that gave me tools and lore for a concept as large as druidism and then backed off so completely to let me define and create my niche within it. There is lore, and there is enough lore to get a grasp on where you've come from as a race, but there is not so much lore as to be restrictive in how I approach the entire process of being a Primalist. This is very obviously on purpose, and I think the choice is a good one, especially in terms of creating opportunities for role-play and conflict between members of the class.
A general complaint from a player of a Wilderness-reliant PC is that I'd like to see the 'empty' rooms populated with flora and fauna. The movement penalties to energy are high enough to make it pretty disappointing to gather the supplies to head to some out-of-the way corner of the world just to find nothing to forage, chop or hunt. Please more shallows!
I'm excited to see where Primalism goes mechanically as skills are filled in and don't have many class-specific criticisms or suggestions as of yet, though I do have one question.
Has any thought been given to perhaps lessening or nullifying the loss of morale incurred by those with druidry for bedding down out-of-doors? I do this as part of my role-play and it seems intuitive that those skilled enough in druidry wouldn't suffer this loss due to that very bond. This could be 'bought' by skill in Druidry, as an ability, or as a ritual, if considered too big of a benefit to be 'free'.