Look I'm sticking with the open beta part and not the closed beta part for this criticism so dont start with the NDA stuff.

I love the atmosphere , and setting of the game , skill/wheel system also.

But the combat is sluggish at best , the character creation is lacking at best , and the animations for combat are horrid, absolutely horrid.

So the "this is beta they will change it all" fans screaming at anyone saying they think the characters/animation are very lacking in comparison to the world environment , do you really think they have a Jesus/messiah/magic unicorn/end all be all patch/version that will completely overhaul all this and do before launch ?

I bet a few more character options at creation , a few tweaks to speed up turning (dear god they need this) , and a tiny other tweak here and there will be all occurs between here and launch. They arent going to bring combat/animations up to par in weeks.

I'm hoping I see different in CB , but you see common on forums everywhere saying if combat/gamplay isnt a big deal to you you'll enjoy the game for the atmosphere and puzzle quests and different setting, but if combat/gameplay are important to you you won't as they are just clunky. This is a complaint/review , lets just say , that is in every TSW forum I've seen so far.

Why couldn't they have made the same game without beyond horrid animations ? Terribly slow combat ,etc. Why did it have to be one or the other.

Again it's a shame , but Funcom is not going to overhaul major game components in that short amount of time.

I have a very hard time believing it as well.

What I don't understand.... it's practically the same engine as AoC, yet the customization options are no where near to what AoC offers. It baffles me, especially so close to launch.

So I have a hard time buying this PR talk as well..... as if they gonna do it, then why not wait until it's ready, before you unleash it to the masses like today!

You know, as game studio (especially the "bad" reputation Funcom has with AO and AoC), you get burned and flamed left and right!

/le sigh

Actually the game looks slightly worse than AoC in my opinion. This with smaller character customization are things they did to make it work better on weaker pc's. At least that's my idea.

they are supposidly working on combat animations.  and i've been told the characcter customization is not fully implemented for the beta weekends.

No, they already said it

Basically they said that some animations are going to improve (I think I remember reading about the casting animation, but don't remember if it was the people from funcom directly that said it), others (I'd say most) animations will stay like they are right now.

Basically what they said was that in order to allow characters to always move while attacking they had to separate the animations for the upper and lower body, and that is what looks odd sometimes, the upper body motions look out of place/sync with what the lower half of the body is doing, but it's a tradeoff they had to made so it's going to stay that way on release.

Originally posted by Mexorilla

they are supposidly working on combat animations.  and i've been told the characcter customization is not fully implemented for the beta weekends.

All of this reminds me of SWTOR and their beta just before release. Lots of empty promises.

Cynical probably , but I dont see them having enough time to change it enough between now and launch animation wise.

They don't even have mouselook in , you are gonig to be holding down the right mouse button most of the game unless you are a keyboard turner.

Ridiculous.

It looks great standing still , with fog , atmospheric music , etc all around you in game , then you swing your weapon or turn in a circle and the Benny Hill music kicks in.

Sigh.

Official word on the animations issue (emphasys mine):

Director of Communications, Erling Ellingsen, told us that the character creation is indeed very much limited in this beta build, and will be more fully fleshed out in the future with options and the like.  As for animations, Erling explained two things.  One is that there are many animations which are not yet final in this build.  The second part is that because of the team's decision to allow characters to move while casting skills, they had to untie the upper body from the lower body in the animations.  This means there will be times when swinging a sword or using your fist weapons will look odd, but it's the price they've had to pay for allowing players the ability to move while attacking at any time.  Basically, it becomes more difficult to structure animations that always look perfect when the characters can't move during the animations.

Source: http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/post/4983144#4983144

So, in short, expect some improvements in the animations before release, but not massive chances from the way it is now.

Norway is famous for many things, but MMORPGs is not one of them. You cant do rocket science with dull tools - and TWS prooves it. I dont care about technical reasonings why the torso isnt connected with the lower body. Its not my fault you put a sewing machine inside the hood of the car instead of an engine.

As I mentioned in another thread, I like what they are attempting to do with this game, and like the idea behind it, but there are some gamebreaking issues for me as of this point:

1)  Combat animations are horrid.

2)  Mouse sensitivity, particularly in regards to mouse-turning, is unbelievably slow and clunky.  I feel as though I'd be better off keyboard turning at this point.  And no way to adjust it in game. 

3)  Camera following distance.  I like the camera panned out as far behind my character as possible in game, and it doesn't allow it here.  And again, no way to adjust it.

I know these sound like petty things, and probably are to many people, but they affect the gameplay for me.  And if the gameplay is bad, I can't enjoy the game like I should.  

I would cont on it not changing. If you like it as is, great. If they bother you badly, don't count on it changing.

Originally posted by RebelScum99

As I mentioned in another thread, I like what they are attempting to do with this game, and like the idea behind it, but there are some gamebreaking issues for me as of this point:

1)  Combat animations are horrid.

2)  Mouse sensitivity, particularly in regards to mouse-turning, is unbelievably slow and clunky.  I feel as though I'd be better off keyboard turning at this point.  And no way to adjust it in game. 

3)  Camera following distance.  I like the camera panned out as far behind my character as possible in game, and it doesn't allow it here.  And again, no way to adjust it.

I know these sound like petty things, and probably are to many people, but they affect the gameplay for me.  And if the gameplay is bad, I can't enjoy the game like I should.  

You aren't imagining it. It actually is faster to keyboard turn than mouse turn.

/bangs head into keyboard

Originally posted by L0C0Man

Official word on the animations issue (emphasys mine):

Director of Communications, Erling Ellingsen, told us that the character creation is indeed very much limited in this beta build, and will be more fully fleshed out in the future with options and the like.  As for animations, Erling explained two things.  One is that there are many animations which are not yet final in this build.  The second part is that because of the team's decision to allow characters to move while casting skills, they had to untie the upper body from the lower body in the animations.  This means there will be times when swinging a sword or using your fist weapons will look odd, but it's the price they've had to pay for allowing players the ability to move while attacking at any time.  Basically, it becomes more difficult to structure animations that always look perfect when the characters can't move during the animations.

Source: http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/post/4983144#4983144

So, in short, expect some improvements in the animations before release, but not massive chances from the way it is now.

Really don't want to bring the other game up in this thread, but if 'they' can do it I don't understand how Funcom can get away with saying that.

Still keeping an open mind, but statements like that don't help matters when it's already been proven to not be the case in other games.

Originally posted by Dahkot72

Originally posted by RebelScum99

As I mentioned in another thread, I like what they are attempting to do with this game, and like the idea behind it, but there are some gamebreaking issues for me as of this point:

1)  Combat animations are horrid.

2)  Mouse sensitivity, particularly in regards to mouse-turning, is unbelievably slow and clunky.  I feel as though I'd be better off keyboard turning at this point.  And no way to adjust it in game. 

3)  Camera following distance.  I like the camera panned out as far behind my character as possible in game, and it doesn't allow it here.  And again, no way to adjust it.

I know these sound like petty things, and probably are to many people, but they affect the gameplay for me.  And if the gameplay is bad, I can't enjoy the game like I should.  

 

You aren't imagining it. It actually is faster to keyboard turn than mouse turn.

 

/bangs head into keyboard

Silly and wrong.

Originally posted by potbellyrhi

Originally posted by Dahkot72

Originally posted by RebelScum99

As I mentioned in another thread, I like what they are attempting to do with this game, and like the idea behind it, but there are some gamebreaking issues for me as of this point:

1)  Combat animations are horrid.

2)  Mouse sensitivity, particularly in regards to mouse-turning, is unbelievably slow and clunky.  I feel as though I'd be better off keyboard turning at this point.  And no way to adjust it in game. 

3)  Camera following distance.  I like the camera panned out as far behind my character as possible in game, and it doesn't allow it here.  And again, no way to adjust it.

I know these sound like petty things, and probably are to many people, but they affect the gameplay for me.  And if the gameplay is bad, I can't enjoy the game like I should.  

 

You aren't imagining it. It actually is faster to keyboard turn than mouse turn.

 

/bangs head into keyboard

Silly and wrong.

No it's true the mouse sensitivity/turn will slow down overtime. This is something that just popped up in this test build.

Yes the devs are aware, and it may already be fixed.

Originally posted by bcbully

Originally posted by potbellyrhi

Originally posted by Dahkot72

Originally posted by RebelScum99

As I mentioned in another thread, I like what they are attempting to do with this game, and like the idea behind it, but there are some gamebreaking issues for me as of this point:

1)  Combat animations are horrid.

2)  Mouse sensitivity, particularly in regards to mouse-turning, is unbelievably slow and clunky.  I feel as though I'd be better off keyboard turning at this point.  And no way to adjust it in game. 

3)  Camera following distance.  I like the camera panned out as far behind my character as possible in game, and it doesn't allow it here.  And again, no way to adjust it.

I know these sound like petty things, and probably are to many people, but they affect the gameplay for me.  And if the gameplay is bad, I can't enjoy the game like I should.  

 

You aren't imagining it. It actually is faster to keyboard turn than mouse turn.

 

/bangs head into keyboard

Silly and wrong.

No it's true the mouse sensitivity/turn will slow down overtime. This is something that just popped up in this test build.

 

Yes the devs are aware, and it may already be fixed.

 

Ahhh was gonan say "rumor" is the cb build doesnt have that issue =)

I realy hope that all of you are posting your negative feedback and suggestions for fixing this game...

On the official locations for the beta test.

If you're not actually trying to participate in the beta, you just got in, to gather up complaints and come to MMORPG.com to voice them to please some corner of your brain that feeds off of this stuff..

Thats disheartening.

Cojo this isn't that type of Beta it is stress test/demo, 1 month from launch.  If it was closed beta what would be the point? do these devs listen to feedback?

Combat is poor compared to any MMO and I do imagine they will be updating the 300 graphic animations, but the ETA will be 5 months to a year from now.  This one mistake will cost so many subs.  It reminds me of warhammer's combat during (beta)trial weekend and later at launch.  New untested combat animations going in when they are working on so much other stuff to get this released is not going to happen.

Beta blah blah blah, no this is a month from launch it is a demo that anyone can try.  Graphics are dated but you can bring them up to 2007 standards, it looks like vampire masquarade by sliding the bars.  I have the top graphics card, 12 GB RAM and 3.5 ghz duo core before OC and it wont let me change from defaults but sliders work otherwise the game looks like it is from half life 1 era.

I'm not sure if combat animations determine the strength of the combat but pressing 1 1 1 1 1 1   2 1 1 1 1 is boring in this game.

Originally posted by tares

Cojo this isn't that type of Beta it is stress test/demo, 1 month from launch.  If it was closed beta what would be the point? do these devs listen to feedback?

 

Combat is poor compared to any MMO and I do imagine they will be updating the 300 graphic animations, but the ETA will be 5 months to a year from now.  This one mistake will cost so many subs.  It reminds me of warhammer's combat during (beta)trial weekend and later at launch.  New untested combat animations going in when they are working on so much other stuff to get this released is not going to happen.

Beta blah blah blah, no this is a month from launch it is a demo that anyone can try.  Graphics are dated but you can bring them up to 2007 standards, it looks like vampire masquarade by sliding the bars.  I have the top graphics card, 12 GB RAM and 3.5 ghz duo core before OC and it wont let me change from defaults but sliders work otherwise the game looks like it is from half life 1 era.

I'm not sure if combat animations determine the strength of the combat but pressing 1 1 1 1 1 1   2 1 1 1 1 is boring in this game.

Just curious but whats your " top graphics card"?  I have found peoples definition of that greatly varies