These three titles are all games that (if all goes well) will be released within 1-2 months from each other. So far I have been looking into all 3 of them with great interest, especially because I REALLY want a damn new mmorpg to play, since WoW just got old and has too many flaws to me.

Now what it has come down to for me, personally, is that I will buy Hellgate:London and play it online with friends, without subscribing (I still like that the possibility to that is there). Since I can allow myself to afford 1 monthly subscription fee, it's either Ages of Conan or Tabula Rasa for me. So far it looks like Tabula Rasa is released earlier (my favourite store saying 31st of august, some others 4th of september).

Now, since I come from WoW I am really a PvE kind of guy, and Tabula Rasa, even tho they havent mentioned the word ''raid'' or whatever, seems extremely fun to play. The combat system looks pretty solid, quest system is deep etc. I'm just wondering about what the endgame will be in TR.

Ages of Conan greatly appealed to me because of its wow-like endgame approach, promis of less grindage and really fun looking classes. However, I've been seeing some movies lately (specifically of warrior and melee like classes)...the combat system looks extremely...''clunky'' to me. I know it is a whole new system, but for some reason it just looks like your not really making an impact on the enemy with your combo's, aswell as if you turn away say 60 degrees from your enemy, you still hit him <_<.

Now, in all of these 3 titles, which do you think will turn out as the ''overall better mmorpg''? I know, it is purely subjective, if I didn't know that I wouldn't have made the topic. People have various reasons for liking these games, and I would like to hear why YOU behind the computer there would enjoy Tabula Rasa more than AoC or Hellgate, or the other way around.

this is tough to talk about since TB is in beta. NDA and all...but..if i had to pick a game from these 3, I'd say AOC, yet I agree on the combat aspect. Still, they may just have to finetune it. I thought hellgate wasn't a true mmorpg, more an mmog? i'll try it, but i haven't been looking forward to it.

I really just want AoC for a new game to play, and then I'll get WAR next year, that's the one I really want.

Hellgate is the only game on that list I intend to purchase, my reasoning being I'm a huge Diablo 2 fan as well as a history buff who is always intrigued by Templars.

Originally posted by elocke

this is tough to talk about since TB is in beta. NDA and all...but..if i had to pick a game from these 3, I'd say AOC, yet I agree on the combat aspect. Still, they may just have to finetune it. I thought hellgate wasn't a true mmorpg, more an mmog? i'll try it, but i haven't been looking forward to it.

I really just want AoC for a new game to play, and then I'll get WAR next year, that's the one I really want.

I'm really hoping AoC will turn out like a really nice game =) The concept is pretty amazing, and I like Conan lore. But overall I know a game is all about gameplay, and at the moment its not looking too good for me (Unless someone has a movie where a caster class is ''spellweaving'').

But yes, Hellgate is in a sence more of an MMOG, but still, you can create guilds, play with friends, do instances with friends, quest, level up etc. etc. so its extremely similair, just less group based.

While I really really want TR to be good, I'm skeptical because NCSoft games have been rather simplistic.

That being said, I'm really looking forward to Hellgate London and AoC.  Especially now that Hellgate has a release date.

It has a release date? O.O thats new to me, what is it?

EDIT: Just found out, 31st of October >_<

Hellgate wins hands down, and I don't even know anything about it.  Biased? Of course. 

Hellgate I honestly think will be the best of that list.  

I will probably try AoC, but I have a feeling it is going to be a huge flop. 

TR I think will end up being pretty much a niche game.  I do not think I will play it in retail.  

The 3 games look interesting. Its hard to say who will win since the projected features/gameplay might be totally different once the games are finally released. And which company will publish each game.

I hope TR isn't going to be released that soon...

AOC has great ideas but there has been no real public information about some key features in many many months now, I think it is going to have an ugly release.

Hellgate definatly looks interesting and it may well become the sleeper hit.

Why are people calling Hellgate a MMO?

my vote would be AOC, hell gate aint really a mmorpg but ill prob pick that up as well..

Age of Conan = 2008

Guessing a specific month is futile.

Originally posted by Iijs

Age of Conan = late 2008

 

Guessing a specific month is futile.

Fixed

Originally posted by andyjd

Why are people calling Hellgate a MMO?

The online play  appears to be as much a MMO game as Guildwars and Dungeons and Dragons from what I read and heard.

Personally I will be getting Hellgate london. I pass on TR.  I probably pass on AoC also unless it gets real good reviews and they have an open beta or trial available for me to try the game out.

I think you need Monster Hunter Frontier and SUN to the mix as the Y-factors. BEcause they run on a F2P systems they will have some impact to overal sub numbers to a dozen or more p2p games.

I was skeptical about MHF but I the saw the video and it looks absolutely beautiful, aw well as being backed by Capcom , it is really going to be a surprise hit.

SUn is going to evolve instancing mmos where players can build there own maps and share online, it should be really neat to see how they pull this off.

Overall from the posters 3 intial titles I have to put my money on Cnan, it is clearly going to be the best game of the summer, hands down.

Originally posted by andyjd

Why are people calling Hellgate a MMO?

Because the online component will be of an MMO nature?  Why else would we?  Please at least research the game...

Originally posted by Iijs

Age of Conan = 2008

 

Guessing a specific month is futile.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=HtGvBBG3OSY (AoC E3 Presentation with gamespot)

According to that its going to be released in October 30, 2007 for the PC.

Unless some time after that they pulled it back and said 2008? Can you tell me how you figure it will be released in 2008?

Originally posted by Zanetanos

 

Originally posted by andyjd

Why are people calling Hellgate a MMO?

 

Because the online component will be of an MMO nature?  Why else would we?  Please at least research the game...

Yes, research is a good thing. As I posted this in another forum:

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Other Info: Number of Players: 32

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At this link: http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3139172

From the Wiki:

Setting

Hellgate: London takes place in 2038...

Gameplay

Hellgate: London combines role-playing game mechanics with first-person shooter gameplay. Although the game looks and plays much like a first-person shooter, characters do level up, receive points to spend into skills or character statistics, and the outcome of a battle is influenced as much by items as by player skill.

High replayability is attempted through randomly generated levels, randomly placed monsters and fully random item drops and modifiers.

Multiplayer is focused on cooperative player vs. environment (PvE) combat, there will be a simple duel-based player vs. player (PvP) mode, and Elite subscribers will gain access to full-fledged arenas and a PvP ladder.

In multiplayer mode, players can meet and organize for team play and quests in safe zones - the old Underground stations, protected by the Freemasons' wards. The world will not be split in "shards" or servers, but rather play like a massively multiplayer online game with heavy instancing, such as Guild Wars. Like in Diablo II, but unlike in most 'true' MMORPGs, grouping with other players is optional. Every character is capable of soloing the entire game, though grouping will bring benefits in terms of experience gain and items. Difficulty will be balanced much like it is in Diablo II, where the opposition grows stronger as more players play in the instanced areas.

While it has been stated on the PC Gamer magazine that Hellgate: London will support Windows Vista and DirectX 10^{[citation needed]}, Flagship Studios has made repeated statements^{[citation needed]} that the game will run perfectly well on Windows XP and DirectX 9 based systems. The game is said to be capable of running just as easily on computers as old as 4 years with some settings disabled.

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So, though it will be MMOG-like, it will not be a MMOG. The max players is 32, which is not MM by any sense, so it is more like a Diablo or NWN server setup. That is, of course, unless the online information is incorrect.

About an hour ago I would have said either AoC or Hellgate... but after watching this... http://gameinvasion.comcast.net/gameinvasion/show/#1258070_hellgate_london/2177123_hellgate_coop_gameplay

I would say I am going to be getting hellgate when it comes out, it just looks so polished and the combat with swords looks awsome! On top of that you have the option of playing it offline or online and the option to either subscribe for updates or play without paying a subscription, a game where I can sit down and have fun with a couple of my friends. My money is with Hellgate. 

-Relish