I have mixed feelings about this post which is recruiting people to use Xfire (on the AoC site),  for the purpose of grasping for numbers. I find it a desperate act from desperate people, and drives me away from wanting to resubscribe (I don't want to be one of those guys--kinda thing). It also shows an indication of the game's health.

What do you think? (check out that thread name)

forums.ageofconan.com/showthread.php

Or do other mmorpgs do this too, in order to lure customers, and it's normal?

Im just curious  what other peeps think.

Well the poster is not a Funcom employee, infact by his posting Id say he probably works for Xfire and couldnt give to shits about Age of Conan. Also looking at the responses from others he immediately gets flamed for posting it. Your post just makes me wonder if 1. either you havent actually read the post or 2. You just want to incite hatred towards AOC.

Sorry if Im wrong but thats just how it sounds. Such a small amount of gamers actually use the forums in any case even if people were to listen to this guy it wouldnt make much of a difference.

edit:

Nevermind just saw your post history obvious troll.

Originally posted by Blackwell99

I have mixed feelings about this post which is recruiting people to use Xfire (on the AoC site),  for the purpose of grasping for numbers. I find it a desperate act from desperate people, and drives me away from wanting to resubscribe (I don't want to be one of those guys--kinda thing). It also shows an indication of the game's health.

What do you think? (check out that thread name)

 

forums.ageofconan.com/showthread.php

 

Or do other mmorpgs do this too, in order to lure customers, and it's normal?

 

Im just curious  what other peeps think.

 

 

No, actually seems like just an average AoC player who wants OTHER average AoC players to get xfire so that xfire stats resemble the average AoC player base. Nothing secret, sinister, or covert about this.

I usually do this myself on new games, in fact, if you search for PHaine on AoC forums you will find my xfire post from back at release. Xfires a great gamer utility that lets you keep in touch with friends you might not play with daily, and is the least intrusive IM program I have found. Plus it has the added benefit of tracking your game hours.

My guild and I have used it for a few years now.

 I have used Xfire way before AoC, and I use it now in AoC..

I must be part of a Conspiracy...

Horrible of me.

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Originally posted by Alandora
<Mod edit>

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I think its fan based, and not part of a company sponsored conspiracy.

It's normal for people of a community to try and promote their community anyway they can just like it's normal for a player of one MMO to do everything they can to make sure people knokw they think every other MMO sucks compared to theirs.

There's no conspiracy it's just people trying to grow their game and honestly it's probably needed with the anti Aoc no matter what they do crowd thats out there.

Originally posted by Blackwell99

I have mixed feelings about this post which is recruiting people to use Xfire (on the AoC site),  for the purpose of grasping for numbers. I find it a desperate act from desperate people, and drives me away from wanting to resubscribe (I don't want to be one of those guys--kinda thing). It also shows an indication of the game's health.

What do you think? (check out that thread name)

 

forums.ageofconan.com/showthread.php

 

Or do other mmorpgs do this too, in order to lure customers, and it's normal?

 

Im just curious  what other peeps think.

 

 

That guy helps on the test server. Just a commited community member , there is nothing malicious here.

Do you use Xfire when playing AoC?  kind of a big "no" :)

I can think of several games that have Xfire dev chat events for the purpose of getting people to install xfire, Age of Conan and Funcom haven't never done anything like that.

I think that your post is just make believe. I question your motives for posting this here more than the original posters post as polar opposites. Meaning that the original poster was genuine..

You got to admit it these kind of threads skews the numbers though and artificialy inflates them. If  his thread gets  100 more people to use it and using the average plaed time of 3- 4 hours a day that would add another 300 hours or a 5% increase. I would not go by anything on XFire until mid Feb to March. The last good figures would be mid December. Right  now I would subtract at least 5% to 10% from the XFire numbers if I was comparing early Decembers to todays because of this thread and it's sister thread on the Euro forums.

End of March should pretty much tell the tale unless FC tosses in a Free come back week or 2 between now and then. I don't think the next patch of and by itself will make much a difference. If the holiday purchasers are stil here then FC is on the right track, if they are not the game is dead in the water.

Originally posted by Jackdog

You got to admit it these kind of threads skews the numbers though and artificialy inflates them. If  his thread gets  100 more people to use it and using the average plaed time of 3- 4 hours a day that would add another 300 hours or a 5% increase. Right now I would not go by anything on XFire until mid Feb to March. Right  now I weould subtract at least 5% to 10% from the XFire numbers idf I was comparing early Decembers to todays because of this thread and it's sister thread on the Euro forums.

End of March should pretty much tell the tale unless FC tosses in a Free come back week or 2 between now and then. I don't think the next patch of and by itself will make much a difference. If the holiday purchasers are stil here then FC is on the right track, if they are not the game is dead in the water.

lol, Jackdog I normally see reflected posts from you but this one NO. The guy posted this thread today and you think that the +50% we have seen since before Christmas is because of him . There's never talk about Xfire in the AoC forums. It is a MMORPG thing. Go have a peek inside the other MMO forums and see if they talk about Xfire...and guess what, they DO. You can't systematically start to deduct -10% of all games, then it is better to just leave them at what they are. This is what Xfire is.

Originally posted by ganton

Well the poster is not a Funcom employee, infact by his posting Id say he probably works for Xfire and couldnt give to shits about Age of Conan. Also looking at the responses from others he immediately gets flamed for posting it. Your post just makes me wonder if 1. either you havent actually read the post or 2. You just want to incite hatred towards AOC.

Sorry if Im wrong but thats just how it sounds. Such a small amount of gamers actually use the forums in any case even if people were to listen to this guy it wouldnt make much of a difference.

edit:

Nevermind just saw your post history obvious troll.

Well if you see me as a "Troll" that's fine, but your first sentence is probably closer to the truth.

Often I see threads on the AoC forum that say "Im back and having a blast." And I've got to say that i think these guys are Norwegian fanbois or FC employees. They leave that 1 post, and are never heard from again. They barely speak english, and they NEVER have their server or guild or level shown.

I make it no secret that I think FC is at best a poor company that will drive AoC in the ground.  But that doesn't mean I would never resubscribe if the game improved in it's approach, but my "laundry" list of improvements is so vast--I can't see it happening anytime soon--but who knows?

People who are thinking of spending their time on something as time consuming as a MMORPG deserves an honest answer to the question "Is this game worth playing." By someone who isn't Norwegian, a FC volunteer, or someone who isn't emotionally attached to the game because he talked to his first RL girl in some guild.

If that makes me a troll (for saying it how i see it)--I wear it as a badge of honor!

Originally posted by OrionMan

Originally posted by Jackdog

You got to admit it these kind of threads skews the numbers though and artificialy inflates them. If  his thread gets  100 more people to use it and using the average plaed time of 3- 4 hours a day that would add another 300 hours or a 5% increase. Right now I would not go by anything on XFire until mid Feb to March. Right  now I weould subtract at least 5% to 10% from the XFire numbers idf I was comparing early Decembers to todays because of this thread and it's sister thread on the Euro forums.

End of March should pretty much tell the tale unless FC tosses in a Free come back week or 2 between now and then. I don't think the next patch of and by itself will make much a difference. If the holiday purchasers are stil here then FC is on the right track, if they are not the game is dead in the water.

 

lol, Jackdog I normally see reflected posts from you but this one NO. The guy posted this thread today and you think that the +50% we have seen since before Christmas is because of him . There's never talk about Xfire in the AoC forums. It is a MMORPG thing. Go have a peek inside the other MMO forums and see if they talk about Xfire...and guess what, they DO. You can't systematically start to deduct -10% of all games, then it is better to just leave them at what they are. This is what Xfire is.

In another  thread here someone referenced  a thread similar to his on the European forums a couple of weeks back.

I have posted numerous times if you have really read my replies that most of the increase during December and now was due to

price drops on Play.com

Holiday money used to upgrade computers

Server merges

I was just saying the data is skewed a bit now but no matter since we have a very good estimate of around 70K - 100 K. The fanbois wil tire of XFire or AoC or both in a month or so and once again it will be a semi reliable indiacator.

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Originally posted by Blackwell99
Often I see threads on the AoC forum that say "Im back and having a blast." And I've got to say that i think these guys are Norwegian fanbois or FC employees. They leave that 1 post, and are never heard from again. They barely speak english, and they NEVER have their server or guild or level shown.

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As for the Xfire thread you linked in your original post, there didn't seem to be much enthusiasm about the program from those who've replied. They seem to either be using it already or saying "no thanks", so I'm not sure how big effect that will have on the Xfire stats. Additionally, if they just install it to boost the stats for AoC, and not because they have friends or guildies who also use it, chances are that they'll eventually stop bothering to use it. In other words, over time the stats should even out.
 

Originally posted by Leotello

 

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Originally posted by Blackwell99
Often I see threads on the AoC forum that say "Im back and having a blast." And I've got to say that i think these guys are Norwegian fanbois or FC employees. They leave that 1 post, and are never heard from again. They barely speak english, and they NEVER have their server or guild or level shown.

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I think you're pulling your "they barely speak English, they're Norwegian shills!"-theory out of thin air. From my experience the last couple of generations of Norwegians (say, between 18-35?) speak (or at least write) English nearly fluently. I know several who have better grammar than people who have English as their first language.

 

As for the Xfire thread you linked in your original post, there didn't seem to be much enthusiasm about the program from those who've replied. They seem to either be using it already or saying "no thanks", so I'm not sure how big effect that will have on the Xfire stats. Additionally, if they just install it to boost the stats for AoC, and not because they have friends or guildies who also use it, chances are that they'll eventually stop bothering to use it. In other words, over time the stats should even out.
 

Hey man I wasn't thinking along those lines either--but don't take my word for it...and check the names on the threads at AoC.com.  It was pointed out to me by someone who is from the Netherlands. Plus, FC is of celebrity status in Norway, they have huge popularity over there. This is the US forums im talking about too, not the EU side. I wasn't trying to suggest that Norwegians can't learn to speak English, but I can't help notice that the threads that start "This game is Good" are more often than not, wrote in broken english. That's unusal to happen that often with posts on the US side for almost any game with location specific forums (in my experience).  Im not saying it never happens--but not like this. Its not hard to imagine that to Norwegians they aren't just defending a game..but their country. Which is the only reasonable explanation to their hardcore defense of the game. Sure a mediocere game maybe defended by a few people, but these guys will "lay an egg" if you speak bad of AoC--you've got to wonder why, and we all know it isn't because this game is of super high quality or a 10/10.

Some are rejecting the notion of Xfire, but some aren't. I was just wondering if it was unusual for players to do that collectively for a mmorpg, ive never seen it happen, but some of you guys may have. They've done similar threads for game of the year (on AoC), especially ones where you can vote unlimited times.

Originally posted by Blackwell99

Originally posted by Leotello

 

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Originally posted by Blackwell99
Often I see threads on the AoC forum that say "Im back and having a blast." And I've got to say that i think these guys are Norwegian fanbois or FC employees. They leave that 1 post, and are never heard from again. They barely speak english, and they NEVER have their server or guild or level shown.

---

I think you're pulling your "they barely speak English, they're Norwegian shills!"-theory out of thin air. From my experience the last couple of generations of Norwegians (say, between 18-35?) speak (or at least write) English nearly fluently. I know several who have better grammar than people who have English as their first language.

 

As for the Xfire thread you linked in your original post, there didn't seem to be much enthusiasm about the program from those who've replied. They seem to either be using it already or saying "no thanks", so I'm not sure how big effect that will have on the Xfire stats. Additionally, if they just install it to boost the stats for AoC, and not because they have friends or guildies who also use it, chances are that they'll eventually stop bothering to use it. In other words, over time the stats should even out.
 

 

Hey man I wasn't thinking along those lines either--but don't take my word for it...and check the names on the threads at AoC.com.  It was pointed out to me by someone who is from the Netherlands. Plus, FC is of celebrity status in Norway, they have huge popularity over there. This is the US forums im talking about too, not the EU side. I wasn't trying to suggest that Norwegians can't learn to speak English, but I can't help notice that the threads that start "This game is Good" are more often than not, wrote in broken english. That's unusal to happen that often with posts on the US side for almost any game with location specific forums (in my experience).  Im not saying it never happens--but not like this. Its not hard to imagine that to Norwegians they aren't just defending a game..but their country. Which is the only reasonable explanation to their hardcore defense of the game. Sure a mediocere game maybe defended by a few people, but these guys will "lay an egg" if you speak bad of AoC--you've got to wonder why, and we all know it isn't because this game is of super high quality or a 10/10.

Some are rejecting the notion of Xfire, but some aren't. I was just wondering if it was unusual for players to do that collectively for a mmorpg, ive never seen it happen, but some of you guys may have. They've done similar threads for game of the year (on AoC), especially ones where you can vote unlimited times.

The logic your using there is that your assuming that just because they potentially may be patriotic a little because a game was made in their home country - that they have no right to actually have the opinion that it is a good game and that they shouldn't like it enough to say so because you disagree. You need to take the blinkers off.

You should check out all the EvE and WAR promoting for Xfire from exclusive chats and competitions this year held.

Originally posted by AmazingAvery

Hey man I wasn't thinking along those lines either--but don't take my word for it...and check the names on the threads at AoC.com.  It was pointed out to me by someone who is from the Netherlands. Plus, FC is of celebrity status in Norway, they have huge popularity over there. This is the US forums im talking about too, not the EU side. I wasn't trying to suggest that Norwegians can't learn to speak English, but I can't help notice that the threads that start "This game is Good" are more often than not, wrote in broken english. That's unusal to happen that often with posts on the US side for almost any game with location specific forums (in my experience).  Im not saying it never happens--but not like this. Its not hard to imagine that to Norwegians they aren't just defending a game..but their country. Which is the only reasonable explanation to their hardcore defense of the game. Sure a mediocere game maybe defended by a few people, but these guys will "lay an egg" if you speak bad of AoC--you've got to wonder why, and we all know it isn't because this game is of super high quality or a 10/10.

 

The logic your using there is that your assuming that just because they potentially may be patriotic a little because a game was made in their home country - that they have no right to actually have the opinion that it is a good game and that they shouldn't like it enough to say so because you disagree. You need to take the blinkers off.

You should check out all the EvE and WAR promoting for Xfire from exclusive chats and competitions this year held.

I don't think that's what he's saying at all. Musing on why it appears that  we have a particular presence on these boards from the same group who all happen to be rank and file in the exact same way; is hardly the same as saying they don't have a right to their opinion.

That's just may take on it at least.

Originally posted by Blackwell99

Originally posted by Leotello

 

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Originally posted by Blackwell99
Often I see threads on the AoC forum that say "Im back and having a blast." And I've got to say that i think these guys are Norwegian fanbois or FC employees. They leave that 1 post, and are never heard from again. They barely speak english, and they NEVER have their server or guild or level shown.

---

I think you're pulling your "they barely speak English, they're Norwegian shills!"-theory out of thin air. From my experience the last couple of generations of Norwegians (say, between 18-35?) speak (or at least write) English nearly fluently. I know several who have better grammar than people who have English as their first language.

 

As for the Xfire thread you linked in your original post, there didn't seem to be much enthusiasm about the program from those who've replied. They seem to either be using it already or saying "no thanks", so I'm not sure how big effect that will have on the Xfire stats. Additionally, if they just install it to boost the stats for AoC, and not because they have friends or guildies who also use it, chances are that they'll eventually stop bothering to use it. In other words, over time the stats should even out.
 

 

Hey man I wasn't thinking along those lines either--but don't take my word for it...and check the names on the threads at AoC.com.  It was pointed out to me by someone who is from the Netherlands. Plus, FC is of celebrity status in Norway, they have huge popularity over there. This is the US forums im talking about too, not the EU side. I wasn't trying to suggest that Norwegians can't learn to speak English, but I can't help notice that the threads that start "This game is Good" are more often than not, wrote in broken english. That's unusal to happen that often with posts on the US side for almost any game with location specific forums (in my experience).  Im not saying it never happens--but not like this. Its not hard to imagine that to Norwegians they aren't just defending a game..but their country. Which is the only reasonable explanation to their hardcore defense of the game. Sure a mediocere game maybe defended by a few people, but these guys will "lay an egg" if you speak bad of AoC--you've got to wonder why, and we all know it isn't because this game is of super high quality or a 10/10.

Being a Norwegian myself I have never seen Funcom being seen as celebrities in Norway. Yes shortly after launch the newspapers wrote about how good they was etc, but trust me that calmed down quick. Funcom is atm seen by most Norwegians as a company that struggle regaining their status. If you can prove to me they are indeed seen as celebrities do so, until that is done that sentence is nothing but empty air from start to finish. Most of the topics in newspapers since launch is usually about negative news about funcom, this I guess have something to do with the guy writing 97% of thiose articles have some kind of manic relationship towards funcom. There is 1 journalist who keeps writing about no matter what happens, even if the news is just totally not worthy of being written about. If that makes funcom Celebrities then I will laugh my ass off. :P

Some are rejecting the notion of Xfire, but some aren't. I was just wondering if it was unusual for players to do that collectively for a mmorpg, ive never seen it happen, but some of you guys may have. They've done similar threads for game of the year (on AoC), especially ones where you can vote unlimited times.

I have seen it happen on other games, people want their game to win hence they try and recruit people to vote. You might not know this but voting unlimited times isn't really possible, if the guys who has the voting is serious they will simply match the IP address, the MAC number. When you vote you leave these things behind and the site running the votes can by this remove all votes not meant to be there.

Originally posted by Crashloop

Originally posted by Blackwell99

Originally posted by Leotello

 

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Originally posted by Blackwell99
Often I see threads on the AoC forum that say "Im back and having a blast." And I've got to say that i think these guys are Norwegian fanbois or FC employees. They leave that 1 post, and are never heard from again. They barely speak english, and they NEVER have their server or guild or level shown.

---

I think you're pulling your "they barely speak English, they're Norwegian shills!"-theory out of thin air. From my experience the last couple of generations of Norwegians (say, between 18-35?) speak (or at least write) English nearly fluently. I know several who have better grammar than people who have English as their first language.

 

As for the Xfire thread you linked in your original post, there didn't seem to be much enthusiasm about the program from those who've replied. They seem to either be using it already or saying "no thanks", so I'm not sure how big effect that will have on the Xfire stats. Additionally, if they just install it to boost the stats for AoC, and not because they have friends or guildies who also use it, chances are that they'll eventually stop bothering to use it. In other words, over time the stats should even out.
 

 

Hey man I wasn't thinking along those lines either--but don't take my word for it...and check the names on the threads at AoC.com.  It was pointed out to me by someone who is from the Netherlands. Plus, FC is of celebrity status in Norway, they have huge popularity over there. This is the US forums im talking about too, not the EU side. I wasn't trying to suggest that Norwegians can't learn to speak English, but I can't help notice that the threads that start "This game is Good" are more often than not, wrote in broken english. That's unusal to happen that often with posts on the US side for almost any game with location specific forums (in my experience).  Im not saying it never happens--but not like this. Its not hard to imagine that to Norwegians they aren't just defending a game..but their country. Which is the only reasonable explanation to their hardcore defense of the game. Sure a mediocere game maybe defended by a few people, but these guys will "lay an egg" if you speak bad of AoC--you've got to wonder why, and we all know it isn't because this game is of super high quality or a 10/10.

Being a Norwegian myself I have never seen Funcom being seen as celebrities in Norway. Yes shortly after launch the newspapers wrote about how good they was etc, but trust me that calmed down quick. Funcom is atm seen by most Norwegians as a company that struggle regaining their status. If you can prove to me they are indeed seen as celebrities do so, until that is done that sentence is nothing but empty air from start to finish. Most of the topics in newspapers since launch is usually about negative news about funcom, this I guess have something to do with the guy writing 97% of thiose articles have some kind of manic relationship towards funcom. There is 1 journalist who keeps writing about no matter what happens, even if the news is just totally not worthy of being written about. If that makes funcom Celebrities then I will laugh my ass off. :P

Some are rejecting the notion of Xfire, but some aren't. I was just wondering if it was unusual for players to do that collectively for a mmorpg, ive never seen it happen, but some of you guys may have. They've done similar threads for game of the year (on AoC), especially ones where you can vote unlimited times.

I have seen it happen on other games, people want their game to win hence they try and recruit people to vote. You might not know this but voting unlimited times isn't really possible, if the guys who has the voting is serious they will simply match the IP address, the MAC number. When you vote you leave these things behind and the site running the votes can by this remove all votes not meant to be there.

 

FC has no "celebrity status" here in Norway. For most Norwegians, at least gamers, I would think "embarassment" covers it better. They had a higher status after Den Lengste Reisen (The Longest Journey) was released, but that's several years back in the past.

Check out Lotr  now , on there downloader

Turbine Teams Up With Xfire
Jan 28, 2009 13:59 EST Turbine has teamed up with Xfire to offer players great prizes for playing The Lord of the Rings Online (Full Game or Free Trial) and joining the Official Xfire LOTRO Clan while signed into Xfire from January 28th to February 11th! 30 winners will be chosen. For more information, click here!

hmm, guess it is just happening fine with me

Originally posted by Pyrostasis 

No, actually seems like just an average AoC player who wants OTHER average AoC players to get xfire so that xfire stats resemble the average AoC player base. Nothing secret, sinister, or covert about this.

What are you talking about?  Xfire stats resemble average Aoc playerbase?  Does this have anything to do with wanting higher xfire numbers due to AoC having less than half the minutes per day than Warhammer, which was announced as being around 300k subs?

Xfire means nothing.  Most people don't want Xfire on their computer, collecting info and stuff.

But tell me, what do you think 'stats resembling the average AoC player base' should be? 

{ Mod Edit }