Age of Conan

When has being graphically demanding ever worked in an MMO's favor?

Never. Not once. If AoC is a big success it'll be the first MMO with such relatively high system demands to be such.

It's a HUGE mistake on Funcom''s part, especially when (so far) the game is just as derivative and familiar as the next MMO. 3 little directional combat arrows just ain't enough to justify the costs for most people.

Originally posted by DemonTaoist

When has being graphically demanding ever worked in an MMO's favor?

 

Never. Not once. If AoC is a big success it'll be the first MMO with such relatively high system demands to be such.

 

It's a HUGE mistake on Funcom''s part, especially when (so far) the game is just as derivative and familiar as the next MMO. 3 little directional combat arrows just ain't enough to justify the costs for most people.

Uhm.  It's 5 directional attacks.  The combo system in itself is completely new.  The best graphics in an MMO to date.  Spellweaving is entirely new.  Single and multi-play experience, a tutorial that spans 20 levels, over the shoulder cut-scenes.. a first in MMO's, A story driven game, large-scale siege combat never seen before since the days of DAoC, Guild cities, need I really go on?  Boobs?  Blood? Realism?  You want more?  Quests that actually have meaning within the game?  Unique classes?  No instant heals?  Collision detection?  Finishing moves?  Dynamic shields?  Wait, how many is that already?

Yet, apparently you can only find one new thing. 

Wait, I think I forgot another one.  Mounted combat. 

This is all a matter of point of reference. EQ II, LOTRO, Lineage 2, etc are all more graphically demanding than EQ, Shadowbane, etc.

At some point people are just going to have to upgrade their machines. And I'm sorry but I don't have a top of the line machine but I can play AoC just fine on low settings which actually look really good.

Or are we to keep everything the same level for years to come?

Originally posted by DAS1337

 

Originally posted by DemonTaoist

When has being graphically demanding ever worked in an MMO's favor?

 

Never. Not once. If AoC is a big success it'll be the first MMO with such relatively high system demands to be such.

 

It's a HUGE mistake on Funcom''s part, especially when (so far) the game is just as derivative and familiar as the next MMO. 3 little directional combat arrows just ain't enough to justify the costs for most people.

Uhm.  It's 5 directional attacks.  The combo system in itself is completely new.  The best graphics in an MMO to date.  Spellweaving is entirely new.  Single and multi-play experience, a tutorial that spans 20 levels, over the shoulder cut-scenes.. a first in MMO's, A story driven game, large-scale siege combat never seen before since the days of DAoC, Guild cities, need I really go on?  Boobs?  Blood? Realism?  You want more?  Quests that actually have meaning within the game?  Unique classes?  No instant heals?  Collision detection?  Finishing moves?  Dynamic shields?  Wait, how many is that already?

 

 

Yet, apparently you can only find one new thing. 

 

Wait, I think I forgot another one.  Mounted combat. 

 

 

I'm happy that you're excited for those things. I'm not convinced that they are really innovative enough for me to buy a subscription, let alone a whole new computer. I know enough by now to not expect ANYthing from new MMOs, and certainly to not get as attached as you apparently are. I'm saying purely from an objective standpoint that the high system requirements will NOT work in AOCs favor in the way they do for shooters. I think that's a mistake MMO devs seem to make again and again in recent years.

the only graphically demanding mmo that flopped was vanguard

If I remember quickly everquest 2 had a pretty high demanding system when it first came out, in fact there wasn't anyone or hardware at the time that could technly take advantage of max settings.  But look at it now it doesn't even support multi core processors buuut thats time for you.

Originally posted by DAS1337

 Uhm.  It's 5 directional attacks.  The combo system in itself is completely new.  The best graphics in an MMO to date. Spellweaving is entirely new.  Single and multi-play experience, a tutorial that spans 20 levels, over the shoulder cut-scenes.. a first in MMO's, A story driven game, large-scale siege combat never seen before since the days of DAoC, Guild cities, need I really go on?  Boobs?  Blood? Realism?  You want more?  Quests that actually have meaning within the game?  Unique classes?  No instant heals?  Collision detection?  Finishing moves?  Dynamic shields?  Wait, how many is that already?

 

 

Yet, apparently you can only find one new thing. 

 

Wait, I think I forgot another one.  Mounted combat. 

Well, I hate to burst your bubble but a lot of your listed features are not even in the game yet, they are only talked about.

I like AoC but let's be objective. Best graphics in an MMO to date? That's very debatable, especially if you look at the Asian market too, many Korean MMO has graphics engine way beyond what AoC has to offer. The only thing that is new in AoC is the combat system. Who would want a tutorial that spans 20 levels? seriously. Over the shoulder cut-scenes, a first in MMO? common, FFXI, hello? the cut-scene design and directing in FFXI is far superior to AoC, and story driven too.

Large scale siege battle is only talked about, it has never been even tested yet. And let's be real here. Graphic demanding and large scale battle does not go well together. Remember what happen to large scale battle in DAoC, Shadowbane? hehe, i have seen better slide-show.

Originally posted by Thachsanh

 

Best graphics in an MMO to date? That's very debatable, especially if you look at the Asian market too, many Korean MMO has graphics engine way beyond what AoC has to offer.

Just my 2 cents.

I prefer games moving forward rather than backward... although AoC is basically doing that, at least it isn't with their graphics. I like games that don't look like cartoons or stick figures that look as smooth and realistic as possible, and if that requires a computer higher than what I have, I lower the settings as low as possible. Then it looks like every other game, but at least people have the option to go completely optical if their computers allow it. If it can't even do that, then it shows me it's time to move forward with my technology as well.