at release i bought the whole package (the hype was thicker than the manual), ripped open my gamebox and eagerly played my 30 days. but damn AoC really felt so linear and restrictive and... like a glorified single player.  meh... even with the early performance issues my system could handle the game fine so that wasnt an issue. I got my Herald of Xotli to 35 but as early as the end of the first week i knew i wouldnt be renewing my subscription. Instances... Instances... Instances... ugh. AoC just doesnt have a gameworld -  its a fractured, linear, disjoined feel that reminded me of Dungeons and Dragons Online... ewwww. I like the lore, graphics, etc. but its all drowned and mired in a very shallow game. Epic PvP Seiges filled my dreams but once again.. that turned out to be ... failure...

so basically im here to ask the experts if there are any changes on the horizon that might address these aforementioned issues. I know im not the only player that feels this way - and i know there is an expansion being developed - so i was wondering if there is any hope for players like me?

Depends,,,

about what you like, what you want and not least what Funcom can provide in the future.

Of course the game has changed alot since June 2008, just read some patch notes for starters. The thing with instances is something that will stay. They practically "invented" the tech, and AO has used it for all years, and the expansion will use it. I bet that even TSW will use it in some way.

What`s the good news? Tech gets better, instances get larger, more open (expansion) more possibiltes when lvling, and more areas have been added ingame already.

It has many new things added to content, new instances and raids.

Note that sometimes it can get a bit linear, however I find makign a second/third character I have found ways to completely bypass areas i don't like (my ToS spent literally 10 minutes in Field of the dead because I was already 48 when i got there).

In other words, they've added a lot, but it's really just more of the same linearity you seem to be complaining about.  This seems like the kind of MMO that would do well try having sandbox content open up as part of the endgame, but that doesn't seem to be the direction they're going with it, at all.  Just more and more leet dungeons, mobs, and lootz. More instances, more quests, more fancy equipment to get as a reward for wearing a potato sack for 70 levels.

The only sandbox your going to get is the sand you find in keshatta... and thats not saying much.

the game is as linear as a arcade side scroller beat'em up.

what you are looking for in AOC just doesnt have it,  thats the answer i can provide for you as a vet playing this game.

If you are looking for a good sandbox game, AoC ain't it.

If you are looking for a good (imho the best) themepark game, AoC is it.

I don't really think they can change the themeparkness of the game into a sandbox, but you have to take it for what it is: A damned good ride :)

Yes I was also upset the game is all instanced maps. I mean the game looks great, but for an MMO not to be an open world is such a let down.

I did however enjoy all my time on AoC, Got a few 80's, raided, did some crafting and loved it.....

....still wish it was sandbox :(

Hope The Secrete World will not be the same...if so I actually (sad to say) will pass.

Quite a few of the areas feel small, and a few have some real bottleneck ambush points (where you soon learn to stealth if on a pvp server). In that aspect the game can be linear. Questwise it's not so much so. There are enough areas and quests to pick and chose what 'path' to follow.

With the upcoming expansion the new areas that are being added are supposedly going to be bigger than any so far.

From 1-80, there is a straight path.....if you do quests you pretty much need them all to grind and if you grind, aside from level 30-40 there is usually one zone to do it.

When you got to lvl 80 there is not much to do so most people quit, so IDK  they can't do non sandbox stuff, sandbox stuff would be to hard.

This is BOTH the smallest pay to play MMO I have ever seen and the most linear. The sad thing to show how poor Funcom is and how little faith they had.....most MMOs now have 2 factions so have to make uniuque content for both....AoC only has one faction and much less content for that 1 faction. Plus there are so few players if they change anything will probably drive them off as after free trials it is well known that AoC will never grow in population.

Originally posted by Reehay

at release i bought the whole package (the hype was thicker than the manual), ripped open my gamebox and eagerly played my 30 days. but damn AoC really felt so linear and restrictive and... like a glorified single player.  meh... even with the early performance issues my system could handle the game fine so that wasnt an issue. I got my Herald of Xotli to 35 but as early as the end of the first week i knew i wouldnt be renewing my subscription. Instances... Instances... Instances... ugh. AoC just doesnt have a gameworld -  its a fractured, linear, disjoined feel that reminded me of Dungeons and Dragons Online... ewwww. I like the lore, graphics, etc. but its all drowned and mired in a very shallow game. Epic PvP Seiges filled my dreams but once again.. that turned out to be ... failure...

so basically im here to ask the experts if there are any changes on the horizon that might address these aforementioned issues. I know im not the only player that feels this way - and i know there is an expansion being developed - so i was wondering if there is any hope for players like me?

It really depends on what you like I think. The next update series will feature more guild enhancements and content to boot, Tower system that will add more competitive PvP game play, and of course more PvE content in the form of tier three raiding. You can find a good summary of those here.

The expansion will really open up the world in that respect. It will contain a lot of great content to jump into and feel a bit less restricted. Though that really depends on the type of player you are in the long run.