This game should be a F2P or a one time fee setup like GW but the publishers or Bill Roper (Flagship/Hellgate London) is trying to milk their customers as much as possible. There isn't one server or persistant world like Fallen Earth, little group content, and just gets old quick.

Originally posted by Kyleran

Yet another recommendation eh Ekial? How long do you suppose you'll last this time?

 

Tahah, to the end of the year maybe. =P

I dunno, since EQ2 I never stuck with any game. *sigh* I really wish to bite my teeth into something epic, but games changed, and prolly so did I. I never said CO was the Holy Grail of MMO gaming, but compared to WAR, AoC and Aion I found CO more fun. Dunno how long it lasts, and I seriously doubt to play it more than, say 2 characters. But it isn't that bad than some say.

And with the ton of fantasy and sci-fi stuff the setting is something refreshing. I just so have enough of Elves and Dorfs and Wizards atm. I enjoy the actiony combat, tho it would be way better balanced. *shrug* Don't quote me saying CO is uber cool, but it is decend enough entertainment. I got a Key for 15 Euro + 1 free month, so even IF I quit at the end of the year, its 2 months entertainment for 30 Euro, and thats ok in my book. After then, we'll see what Cryptic does.

So maybe tell us after the two months?

Originally posted by altairzq

So maybe tell us after the two months?

Heh, ya know every time I say something critical, I get so many answers like "Elikal always says only bad things". Now I say (mildly) good things, and it isn't just right either. Seems you can't do it right on this forum no matter what.

Honestly the one and only reason any one should be playing any video game is plain and simply because they find it fun not because it happens to be better than  the last years offerings.  I too am terribly unispired by most of the games you named towards the end of your post but likewise CO is unispiring and I don't care for the direction they are headed especially being premium and including an item shop.  I will in no way shape or form play,promote or help a game that chooses to gouge it's customers like that.  I advise you do the same as opposed to just settling for something because it's better than the alternative find something to do that you consider fun without compromise.  Read a book play a console/offline game or something.  Again I only say this because you don't seem to like CO,  only like it better than most of what came out recently which to me is not a good reason to try a game.

 I wont play a game that is B2P P2P with a cash shop I expect everything in game when I'm paying a monthly fee except for server transfer which really can't be considered a cash shop item I'm talking about in game items no matter what they are. The lack of content I wouldn't mind because it's a new game I would expect a lack of content but that pretty much is where it would end.

That's not the problem as much as the problem is you suggesting people spend hard earned money on something you yourself are luke warm on.  And I think those who jump from mmo to mmo looking for the "next big thing" aren't going to feel any different about this game either.   They may find it lukewarm as you do but I doubt many will like it as it really is a shallow "action" mmorpg and most people are looking for more depth in an mmo not less.

  I understand you saying heythe game isn't all bad but I just don't know if you should use your word to suggest something you have no real dedication to.

Originally posted by Lexin

 I wont play a game that is B2P P2P with a cash shop I expect everything in game when I'm paying a monthly fee except for server transfer which really can't be considered a cash shop item I'm talking about in game items no matter what they are. The lack of content I wouldn't mind because it's a new game I would expect a lack of content but that pretty much is where it would end.

And this I see as the single biggest reason to avoid "suggesting" people give in and give money to Cryptic for this game.  If the game is a success they can easily decide to tack the item shop on any game they make and it just is not worth the chance for a game that is ok at best.  Again as op stated he has a problem with most games on the market right now so I try to see the point in buying and subbing to a lackluster game but I have an mmo I am more than happy with right now and am certainly not in it just to throw good money after bad.

  I won't come straight out and suggest people not try the game but as stated I've got a bit more than a vested interest in seeing this game fail because I do not intend on being nickled and dimed to death by these mmo companies any time soon.

Better than Aion?

Well, I would stick with CO just because I love the concept but gameplay-wise...

But I think Aion has a better appeal to people in general, it's more of a eye-candy and much more polished.

 I am thinking pass at the moment for CO, I too think it is an average game from Cryptic and think it will be put firmly on the back-burner when STO hits the mmo public. I also think that DCUO may be the next superhero game to try; if nothing else at least it allows you to enter the DC Universe, and that must be a more immersive experience than the CO one. I think CO is one of those games that could have been interesting, but lukewarm reviews and other game issues seem to have derailed interest in it, so it can be safely passed by gamers, we are not missing a treat here.  

I've tested CO since the very first alpha test. I literally saw a game with limitless possibilities get turned into a linear and a shallow one. The game could've been so much more if only the developers listened to tester feedback.

Anyway, the game has an amazing character creator. That's one thing I have to say about Cryptic, they know their stuff when it comes to options in that regard. Unfortunately, most players are not that imaginative so about 80% of all characters are ninja robots with wings, but that's not Cryptic's fault.

Everything else though, is very shallow. The quests, the events, the skills, the end game (what end game?) and the character progression are all lacking. With a few minor differences, all characters play about the same. Don't get me started on PvP, which is a complete travesty.

Cash shop. Yes, I know that most of the stuff available is cosmetic but it's slowly working it's way to more. Now that Cryptic has added a respec for $12.50 (don't remember the exact price) we can expect more game play influencing items in the Cryptic store in the near future.

Anyway, the game may be entertaining for for a few weeks, if that, but it definitely is not better than Aion.

 CO is great... for a couple weeks.. maybe a month.. I wouldn't play it past that at all.  Very strange elikal is even posting anything positive after his meltdown about Cryptic not letting him have "queer" in his name.   No slight against him, well, other then the fact that he basically quit beta because of it... only to return with high praises... some I guess would call that a good sign.

Personally, the game was fun until the content wore out.. which it did fairly quickly.  The disparity between melee and ranged in PvP on launch was still a problem, and even with massive bug fixes and power balancing, you still end up running through the content and builds alittle too quick for my tastes.  As a single player game this woulda shined though.

Most of what I've seen and heard about CO is negative, and I have no desire to play a superhero MMO even if it was touted as the best MMO ever, just like I never tried WoW because I'd have to gouge my eyes out after looking at those graphics for 20 minutes.

The only way I'd even consider trying CO was to help me decide if I'm going to risk giving Cryptic $50 for STO.   I'll wait for a free trial of CO closer to STO launch to be a little more fair to Cryptic and give them a few extra months to get their sh!t together.

After seeing/playing in the Bloodmoon event, I may have to retract my previous statements.  It was the worst event in any MMO I have ever played.  The instanced missions didn't even scale to your level and the thirteen quests you had to do were all the same.  It was a chore/grind that was beyond boring.  I was hoping the event would inspire me to come back, but it was really craptastic.  Way to add useless content, Cryptic.

I loved the Champions PnP game. It was amazing, limitless possiblities in the game. So of course, when I heard it would be a MMO, I was excited. Then, I discovered Cryptic was doing it. My heart sank. Anyone who remembers when Cryptic handled CoX knows how horrible they truly are and how badly they treat their costumers. Then added to it, the moron from Hellgate London is added to the mix. Next an item shop on top of a monthly fee. Never in my life will I play Champions Online.

Originally posted by libranim

Better than Aion?

Well, I would stick with CO just because I love the concept but gameplay-wise...

But I think Aion has a better appeal to people in general, it's more of a eye-candy and much more polished.

 

I dunno, their camera system was abysmal and there's a distinct lack of quests to reduce the grind.  Hard to say that's "polished" exactly. :/

I was part of the beta for CO and played over this past weekend. I am still not impressed with the graphics, too cartoony for my tastes but I do dig the swinging travel power. As far as the B2P, P2P and in game store are concerned I predict that Cryptic will probably walk away from CO like they did with CoH. Don't get me wrong, I see the sense in it. Cryptic develops and releases the game in partnership with someone else, they hang out for a year or so and make their money then sell the rights to their partner company so that they can move on to the next project without being bogged down with having to support an existing game.

Strangely enough, the Cryptic Studios site has a job listing for Lead Engineer for the Atari Online Publishing Platform...

Originally posted by Arezon

What makes CO innovative? Please tell me. I'd really like to know.

I gave CO a chance. One word comes to mind.... boring.

I have a few more words.  "broken", and "badly focused".

So much focus on your costume, as though it's the costume that people think about when it comes to creating their own superhero.  Wrong.  People focus on POWERS.  And aside from being able to project blast beams from hands, chest, or eyes(a nice touch), there's not much there over CoH.  Matter of fact, if you just opened up all the power sets in CoH and CoV to every player, only the different types of travel powers in CO really stand out.

They should have gone a more "freedom force" direction when it came to the powers.  Decide whether you want single target ranged, ranged AoE, Melee AoE, Melee attack.  What damage type?  Heat, cold, ballistic, acid, mental.  Then additional effects, chance to root?  stun?  DoT?  Knockback?  Straight up damage?  Then, animation and cosmetic options:  hand, chest, eyes, WEAPON???  Firey looking?  Lasery looking?  explosion?  What color/hue?

All us hero geeks coulda had a field day, and they could have set up premade powersets(THAT YOU COULD STILL PICK AND CHOOSE!) for those who want to jump right in.

THIS was the logical next step to improving on CoX, AND making it stand out from CoX.  CoX had PLENTY of costume variations.  What it lacked were personal touches on POWERS.  I KNEW they'd miss the boat on this when they started naming the magic attacks specific things(Mystic Bolt of Gargonsoleon, or whatever it is).  Cryptic, this power is supposed to be specific to MY character!  Why are you naming it?

All that not considered, all they had to do for content was come up with something better than random cave instances.  Environment-wise, I think they did that.  Gameplay-wise, however...

-Pew pew pew-, -block-, -pew pew pew-, -charge high powered attack... release-, -block-, -pew pew pew-... etc...

A faster pace, that's good.  But a BIG step back in gaming strategy.  despite having decent, well animated, legitimate knockback in a Superhero MMO for the first time, it comes with little of the satisfaction you'd expect.

Crafting... afterthought.  didn't really expect much in that way from a superhero game.

This game had potential, but the focus was so very, very wrong.  It's like eating candy sprinkles without the ice cream.

Originally posted by McBoo

I was part of the beta for CO and played over this past weekend. I am still not impressed with the graphics, too cartoony for my tastes but I do dig the swinging travel power. As far as the B2P, P2P and in game store are concerned I predict that Cryptic will probably walk away from CO like they did with CoH. Don't get me wrong, I see the sense in it. Cryptic develops and releases the game in partnership with someone else, they hang out for a year or so and make their money then sell the rights to their partner company so that they can move on to the next project without being bogged down with having to support an existing game.

Strangely enough, the Cryptic Studios site has a job listing for Lead Engineer for the Atari Online Publishing Platform...

It's the only sensible thing to do.  Granted, it'll be a few months before you can get a really good picture of how well the game is doing.  But DC will be out soon, and they'll have to screw up pretty bad to ensure this games survival.

If those reports show what I think they'll show, I'd be skel-crewing this game faster than you can click Unsub...

I feel bad for the lifers...

Originally posted by Elikal

Originally posted by altairzq

So maybe tell us after the two months?

 

Heh, ya know every time I say something critical, I get so many answers like "Elikal always says only bad things". Now I say (mildly) good things, and it isn't just right either. Seems you can't do it right on this forum no matter what.

Sorry for being a bit mean there. But many times MMOs look good at first, specially when we are desperate to find one. It's happened to me with Aion.

I did, indeed, give it a shot. Broken quests, lag issues, gameplay limitations, and a general lack of content make it a rough sell. Combine that with a user interface that's slow to respond and resistant to customization, and it's hard to contemplate going back to it.

This isn't 2005. If your game isn't finished, don't ship it - it'll get torn apart.

Champions Online obviously shipped early. Perhaps, given half a year or so, I'll check it out once again.

Originally posted by altairzq

Sorry for being a bit mean there. But many times MMOs look good at first, specially when we are desperate to find one. It's happened to me with Aion.

I had the same relationship with Aion - it looked great at first. A hundred hours in, and it's an unsupported mess of bots, bugs, and gold sellers.