Anarchy Online

The title says most of what's needed to be said. I've never played Anarchy Online before, and I'm debating whether I should or shouldn't play. So I'd like to hear from those of you who play, played, or quit. Then hear what you like and what you don't like.

So what I'm asking is, what's great about Anarchy Online and what isn't great.

It is great for those who enjoy and keep coming back.

Its is suck for those who complaints alot and left.

Want some more?

Read the official forum http://forums.anarchy-online.com/index.php?s=

Pro:

Very deep game, lots of room for 'twinking' chars at all levels, lots of places to explore (especially if you also get the Shadowlands expansion).  Wide range of unique professions.  Huge number of weapons and armor.  Wide variety of PvP environments but you can avoid PvP altogether if you want.

Con:

The graphics are a bit dated and there are lag issues, expect both issues to be largely addressed in the new graphics engine coming later this year.

see: http://www.athenpaladins.org/aonewengine/index.html

Thanks, and mind me asking something else as well. What's the story behind Anarchy Online being free for whatever reason. I hadn't caught that. Is it that you can pay for the expansions along with the game, or play free with no expansions?

Base AO + Notum Wars expansion is free

You can add Shadowlands expansion and then pay $5/month

-or-

You can add Alien Invasion(AI) and/or Lost Eden(LE) expansions and pay $15.mo (or about $95/yr if paid in advance)

Originally posted by Snakester95

Thanks, and mind me asking something else as well. What's the story behind Anarchy Online being free for whatever reason. I hadn't caught that. Is it that you can pay for the expansions along with the game, or play free with no expansions?

Classic+Notum Wars = free

Classic+Notum Wars+Shadowlands = 5/m

Classic + all expansions = 15/m

(these are euro prices).

The game is absolutely great. Try it and you'll see by yourself. Just with the free account you get a HUGE content and a HUGE world. Free accounts are a bit penalized in PvP tho, due to better gear found in the expansions. But overall, still very enjoyable.

The only worse thing is the outdated graphics/animations, but this will fixed later in the 2008 with a new engine.

Consider that AO is 7 years old, dev team never stopped adding content also during worse periods (WoW release u can guess). This can tell you something about AO.

To the OP,

It took me 3 years and 4 trials to really appreciate this game just because my gfx setting has been set way too low to see the beauty.

And it took another year for me to convert from froob to full expansion.

Of course,  you can be froob as long as u like.

Have fun.

Patching is what sucks the most in AO.  Worst patching system ever.   But it's well worth it, the game is great.

I agree with the last poster: patching is horrible for this game, which I hope that 17.9 addresses this (as they're changing the rendering portion of the client as well in it), but who knows. Once in a while I have to reinstall then repatch from their downloadable sources of the same patches rather than use its built-in downloader for it (some how it borks them or whatever).

-- Brede

The patching system is most likely here to stay as it is.  It works well for most people and if FC wants to trim the amount of patching needed, they just have to post up a more current install image.

As for the 17.9 patch it will not in any way have the rendering engine in it.  That is scheduled to be in 18.0 at the earliest.