I have played AoC through beta, to launch and still play and enjoy it.  Sure, it has some issues but it is improving all the time and most importantly for me there are no bloody elves or dwarves in it!  High Fantasy really annoys me now, its just so overdone in this genre.

As for other MMO's that I have played, they are all below in my sig.  My favourite MMO of all time BY FAR is still Pre-CU SWG.  EVE is a good game and Saga of Ryzom wasn't too bad either, all the others on my list were pretty crap imho and I only played them for 6 months or less. 

Even though I prefer skillbased, sandbox MMO's to class/level-based themeparks, I still enjoy playing AoC.  I think that the setting of the game is great, the brtual world of Hyboria is depicted very well ingame.  I love the art-style and direction, I am not a fan of cartoon-style graphics like there are in WoW and WAR. The PvP is a good laugh even if the classes aren't perfectly balanced all through the game.  Tortage is the best starting area I've played through in any MMO, ever.  The other areas like Field of the Dead, Eglophian Mountains, Thunder River, Keshatta, Khopshef Province, Conall's Valley and Atzels Approach all look amazing and in keeping with the lore.  The quest lines are interesting and a lot of the singleplayer and group dungeons are very well done too.  The character models and animations are the best I've seen in any MMO to date as well.

All in all I think that AoC is a very good game, one which I will be playing for the forseeable future, well until Star Wars: The Old Republic is released anyway.  *crosses fingers*

AOC is a really good and fun game !

I play it with 4 irl friends we all LOVE IT !

Sure the first 2 months it had alot of problems, but know they are pretty much gone !

It is a really good game , and will only get better and better, the new Game Director is very good also ! i know him from AO ! a really good guy !!

I well sad for people that started AOC at lunch and stoped playing it like 1 or 2 or 3 days after, becaus it had alot of problems, and now they only sit on forums and talk shit about AOC, how bad it is bla bla bla.

Better for you all !! is to resub and try AOC now, it is 100x times better now !! all the crashes, memory leeks etc are gone, the only thing i get is like spikes and that not often maybe once or twice in 3-4h.

Anyway i really dont like people that talk shit about this good game ! it is a really fun and cool game !

If you guys quited AOC at lunch or 1 or 2 months after i strongly recommend you all to give it a try again !!!!!!!

I really feel sad for people that think bad about AOC beacus it had alot of problems at lunch, guess what ? the lunch was months ago !! the game is improved ALOT ALOT ALOT !!!

And it will only get better and better, The new GD listen to the community and he will fix AOC so it will even be better then now alot bettet !! and it is really good atm !!!

If you whant to sit on forums and talk shit about AOC, i think its better for you to go out, drink alot of beer ! or maybe vodka ! and get a girl ! maybe then you will feel better ! and maybe then you will stop talk shit about this AMAZING game !!!

Originally posted by DaveTT

 

AOC is a really good and fun game !

I play it with 4 irl friends we all LOVE IT !

Sure the first 2 months it had alot of problems, but know they are pretty much gone !

It is a really good game , and will only get better and better, the new Game Director is very good also ! i know him from AO ! a really good guy !!

I well sad for people that started AOC at lunch and stoped playing it like 1 or 2 or 3 days after, becaus it had alot of problems, and now they only sit on forums and talk shit about AOC, how bad it is bla bla bla.

Better for you all !! is to resub and try AOC now, it is 100x times better now !! all the crashes, memory leeks etc are gone, the only thing i get is like spikes and that not often maybe once or twice in 3-4h.

Anyway i really dont like people that talk shit about this good game ! it is a really fun and cool game !

If you guys quited AOC at lunch or 1 or 2 months after i strongly recommend you all to give it a try again !!!!!!!

I really feel sad for people that think bad about AOC beacus it had alot of problems at lunch, guess what ? the lunch was months ago !! the game is improved ALOT ALOT ALOT !!!

And it will only get better and better, The new GD listen to the community and he will fix AOC so it will even be better then now alot bettet !! and it is really good atm !!!

If you whant to sit on forums and talk shit about AOC, i think its better for you to go out, drink alot of beer ! or maybe vodka ! and get a girl ! maybe then you will feel better ! and maybe then you will stop talk shit about this AMAZING game !!!

I drank beer vodka and had a girl over the house last night.  Whats the one thing I didnt do? Play AoC even though I think I still have an account, I cant bring myself to play.

Originally posted by xpiher

Originally posted by SinReaper

Originally posted by BearShammy

Hey folks. I play AoC and just created an account here to talk about AoC. I've heard that very few of the posters here actually play the game, so I thought why not make a poll. Bear with me even though I'm a MMORPG Noob . Also please comment on what other games you play.

Good luck with the results of this poll BearShammy, and welcome to the AoC forums.

By the way, where did you hear that few players on this specific forum don't play the game? 

Is it safe to say to that you also post on the AoC forums? Many of us still have active accounts, so it would be nice to throw you a PM now and again on the official forums!

wrgpost directed a few of us here because a lot of people come to this site to see whats going on with a game such as AoC, but a lot of troll exist here that haven't played the game for months and still bash as if it has not improved at all. I read some of the post here before his post, but felt that I had to counter troll a little bit because the game has gotten a lot better and contnues to grow with each new patch.

Xpiher in game/forums Tyranny server.

There may be trolls here. There may be many people who, like myself, quit playing one to three months after launch. What FailCom employees are missing is that we have played the game. I could care less about what changes have taken place because I know what core weaknesses AOC has, and none of these core issues have been fixed, if they can even be fixed at all.

The fact is that as an ex-player, I am entitled to my opinion of both AOC and Funcom, and a simple patch or three or four is not going to change it. Funcom acts as if the burdon of proof that the game is in bad shape somehow now lies on us ex-players. BS. We've tried the game, and like 100's of thousands of others quit it because it sucked. The core weaknesses of the game have not been fixed, and in my opinion cannot be. If Funcom wishes to criticize ex-players rather than giving us incentive to try the game again they are going down yet another long line of wrong paths.

Sending people here with the attitude that we are all trolls who have no valid points just proves, yet again, how poor a Company Funcom is.

Originally posted by lumache

Originally posted by DaveTT

 

AOC is a really good and fun game !

I play it with 4 irl friends we all LOVE IT !

Sure the first 2 months it had alot of problems, but know they are pretty much gone !

It is a really good game , and will only get better and better, the new Game Director is very good also ! i know him from AO ! a really good guy !!

I well sad for people that started AOC at lunch and stoped playing it like 1 or 2 or 3 days after, becaus it had alot of problems, and now they only sit on forums and talk shit about AOC, how bad it is bla bla bla.

Better for you all !! is to resub and try AOC now, it is 100x times better now !! all the crashes, memory leeks etc are gone, the only thing i get is like spikes and that not often maybe once or twice in 3-4h.

Anyway i really dont like people that talk shit about this good game ! it is a really fun and cool game !

If you guys quited AOC at lunch or 1 or 2 months after i strongly recommend you all to give it a try again !!!!!!!

I really feel sad for people that think bad about AOC beacus it had alot of problems at lunch, guess what ? the lunch was months ago !! the game is improved ALOT ALOT ALOT !!!

And it will only get better and better, The new GD listen to the community and he will fix AOC so it will even be better then now alot bettet !! and it is really good atm !!!

If you whant to sit on forums and talk shit about AOC, i think its better for you to go out, drink alot of beer ! or maybe vodka ! and get a girl ! maybe then you will feel better ! and maybe then you will stop talk shit about this AMAZING game !!!

 

I drank beer vodka and had a girl over the house last night.  Whats the one thing I didnt do? Play AoC even though I think I still have an account, I cant bring myself to play.

Nude girls > AoC ;)

Would love to see that "death never lookes so hot" babe nude ingame (sorry that was quite immature, but... she's hot) 

thoses players who quit after launch really need to give it another shot.. put the ego aside and see whats changed.

its just like riding a fat chick.. just dont let anyone know you did it

---

Originally posted by ackmhed
There may be trolls here. There may be many people who, like myself, quit playing one to three months after launch. What FailCom employees are missing is that we have played the game. I could care less about what changes have taken place because I know what core weaknesses AOC has, and none of these core issues have been fixed, if they can even be fixed at all.

---

Could you please elaborate on details?
It might sound pretty "obvious" to the people with the lagbar gif on their avatar, but I would like to see it put together, without much emotional bias, constructively.

Things like "DX10 is not in, the game is buggy, lack of content, marketing lies" etc - they are valid. But I don't really take these as arguments, taking into account how badly they are exploited by the trolls.

DX10 has nothing to do with the game mechanics.
Bugs are being fixed, though admittedly slow, but the game is quite a bit different from what was there one to three month after launch.
Content seems to be added.
Marketing... well, it looks like the new game director is more open and honest to the community.

But obviously, there are things which are utterly wrong with the game itself. "Core issues".
What are them? How would you fix them, if you had the power needed?

---

The fact is that as an ex-player, I am entitled to my opinion of both AOC and Funcom, and a simple patch or three or four is not going to change it. Funcom acts as if the burdon of proof that the game is in bad shape somehow now lies on us ex-players. BS. We've tried the game, and like 100's of thousands of others quit it because it sucked. The core weaknesses of the game have not been fixed, and in my opinion cannot be.

---

While I partially agree that the game sucked and still sucks, I would like to again see these core weaknesses listed.

---

If Funcom wishes to criticize ex-players rather than giving us incentive to try the game again they are going down yet another long line of wrong paths.

---

I must have missed something, but when exactly Funcom did criticize ex-players and blame them? Could you give a link?

---

Sending people here with the attitude that we are all trolls who have no valid points just proves, yet again, how poor a Company Funcom is.

---

People who were "sent" here are just people like you, with the only difference that they play the game right now.
And frankly, there are several trolls here, from the both extremes.
Most of those trolls are the same few persons who keep creating new alts, and reiterating on the same things over and over again. And that kills signal-to-noise ratio completely.

Originally posted by ruslans

 

---

Originally posted by ackmhed
There may be trolls here. There may be many people who, like myself, quit playing one to three months after launch. What FailCom employees are missing is that we have played the game. I could care less about what changes have taken place because I know what core weaknesses AOC has, and none of these core issues have been fixed, if they can even be fixed at all.

---

 

Could you please elaborate on details?
It might sound pretty "obvious" to the people with the lagbar gif on their avatar, but I would like to see it put together, without much emotional bias, constructively.

Things like "DX10 is not in, the game is buggy, lack of content, marketing lies" etc - they are valid. But I don't really take these as arguments, taking into account how badly they are exploited by the trolls.

DX10 has nothing to do with the game mechanics.
Bugs are being fixed, though admittedly slow, but the game is quite a bit different from what was there one to three month after launch.
Content seems to be added.
Marketing... well, it looks like the new game director is more open and honest to the community.

But obviously, there are things which are utterly wrong with the game itself. "Core issues".
What are them? How would you fix them, if you had the power needed?

 

---

The fact is that as an ex-player, I am entitled to my opinion of both AOC and Funcom, and a simple patch or three or four is not going to change it. Funcom acts as if the burdon of proof that the game is in bad shape somehow now lies on us ex-players. BS. We've tried the game, and like 100's of thousands of others quit it because it sucked. The core weaknesses of the game have not been fixed, and in my opinion cannot be.

---

 

While I partially agree that the game sucked and still sucks, I would like to again see these core weaknesses listed.

 

---

If Funcom wishes to criticize ex-players rather than giving us incentive to try the game again they are going down yet another long line of wrong paths.

---

 

I must have missed something, but when exactly Funcom did criticize ex-players and blame them? Could you give a link?

 

---

Sending people here with the attitude that we are all trolls who have no valid points just proves, yet again, how poor a Company Funcom is.

---

 

People who were "sent" here are just people like you, with the only difference that they play the game right now.
And frankly, there are several trolls here, from the both extremes.
Most of those trolls are the same few persons who keep creating new alts, and reiterating on the same things over and over again. And that kills signal-to-noise ratio completely.

Sorry but it is sad and hilarious at the same time that the Official  AOC forums encourage people to come here to "defend " AOC

You see people like yourselves with less than 30 posts suddenly all with the same message "this game is great " ...." AOC is the best " ...." the game had problems but now is so cool "

Look I understand why you are doing it and the forums are about free speech but don't you get a little embarrassed ? MMORPG.com forums cannot drive people away from AOC ....only a bad game that people don't want to play can do that....surly you can see that ?

Originally posted by ruslans

 

---

Originally posted by ackmhed
There may be trolls here. There may be many people who, like myself, quit playing one to three months after launch. What FailCom employees are missing is that we have played the game. I could care less about what changes have taken place because I know what core weaknesses AOC has, and none of these core issues have been fixed, if they can even be fixed at all.

---

 

Could you please elaborate on details?
It might sound pretty "obvious" to the people with the lagbar gif on their avatar, but I would like to see it put together, without much emotional bias, constructively.

Things like "DX10 is not in, the game is buggy, lack of content, marketing lies" etc - they are valid. But I don't really take these as arguments, taking into account how badly they are exploited by the trolls.

DX10 has nothing to do with the game mechanics.
Bugs are being fixed, though admittedly slow, but the game is quite a bit different from what was there one to three month after launch.
Content seems to be added.
Marketing... well, it looks like the new game director is more open and honest to the community.

But obviously, there are things which are utterly wrong with the game itself. "Core issues".
What are them? How would you fix them, if you had the power needed?

 

---

The fact is that as an ex-player, I am entitled to my opinion of both AOC and Funcom, and a simple patch or three or four is not going to change it. Funcom acts as if the burdon of proof that the game is in bad shape somehow now lies on us ex-players. BS. We've tried the game, and like 100's of thousands of others quit it because it sucked. The core weaknesses of the game have not been fixed, and in my opinion cannot be.

---

 

While I partially agree that the game sucked and still sucks, I would like to again see these core weaknesses listed.

 

---

If Funcom wishes to criticize ex-players rather than giving us incentive to try the game again they are going down yet another long line of wrong paths.

---

 

I must have missed something, but when exactly Funcom did criticize ex-players and blame them? Could you give a link?

 

---

Sending people here with the attitude that we are all trolls who have no valid points just proves, yet again, how poor a Company Funcom is.

---

 

People who were "sent" here are just people like you, with the only difference that they play the game right now.
And frankly, there are several trolls here, from the both extremes.
Most of those trolls are the same few persons who keep creating new alts, and reiterating on the same things over and over again. And that kills signal-to-noise ratio completely.

the core weaknesses of this game dont need to be listed again.  They have been listed 100 times.  And when they are listed people like you attack the posters for posting them. I mean its not likewe all dont know what the problems are, its that they will not be addressed in full ever.

---

Originally posted by lumache

the core weaknesses of this game dont need to be listed again.  They have been listed 100 times.  And when they are listed people like you attack the posters for posting them. I mean its not likewe all dont know what the problems are, its that they will not be addressed in full ever.

---

I just have asked to list them here. In a constructive manner.
Yes, again. No, I have not asked you.

Where did I attack anyone personally?
Again, post a link or something.

"People like you", "Not like we all don't know"... public opinion manipulation cliches, huh?

 

Originally posted by ruslans

 

---

Originally posted by lumache

 

the core weaknesses of this game dont need to be listed again.  They have been listed 100 times.  And when they are listed people like you attack the posters for posting them. I mean its not likewe all dont know what the problems are, its that they will not be addressed in full ever.

---

 

I just have asked to list them here. In a constructive manner.
Yes, again. No, I have not asked you.

Where did I attack anyone personally?
Again, post a link or something.

"People like you", "Not like we all don't know"... public opinion manipulation cliches, huh?

 

No, not just you, but most fanbois will attack anyone detailing the flaws in this game.  Ill try to find my post on how AOC is like a relationship, I think it pretty handily sums up the disappointment you feel when realizing the state of the game.

---

Originally posted by bcrankshaw  
Sorry but it is sad and hilarious at the same time that the Official  AOC forums encourage people to come here to "defend " AOC

---

Why?

---

You see people like yourselves with less than 30 posts

---

I prefer to read, not to write.

---

suddenly all with the same message "this game is great " ...." AOC is the best " ...." the game had problems but now is so cool "

---

Please pay attention to my previous message, which you have quoted yourself. I wrote, that I partially agree that the game sucks. And I never wrote that "it's the best" or whatever.

---

Look I understand why you are doing it and the forums are about free speech but don't you get a little embarrassed ? MMORPG.com forums cannot drive people away from AOC ....only a bad game that people don't want to play can do that....surly you can see that ?

---

Doing what again?

I have asked an opinion of the person, who thinks negative about the game.
I don't share his opinion, I am rather neutral. Or both negative and positive.
But I respect this opinion, and think it can be used to form some kind of objective truth about the game, people etc.

How often "people like yourselves" do this kind of things here?
 

http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/post/2399954/thread/199192#2399954

Here is the link to my take on the AoC experience. Its from my point of view.

---

Originally posted by lumache
No, not just you, but most fanbois will attack anyone detailing the flaws in this game. 

---

Why would you attack me then? I am not even a fanboi.

---

Ill try to find my post on how AOC is like a relationship, I think it pretty handily sums up the disappointment you feel when realizing the state of the game.

---

Thanks, but I've read it already. It's not exactly what I need.
While your emotional state is very interesting thing to explore, I need more analytical approach.
 

Some of the core issues with the game people feel are issues   *

* No risk for PvP such as losing gear upon death - Murders are supposed to drop gear from my understanding. Should add possibility of a 3rd level criminal status  drop gear as well.

* The game is instanced - never going to change

* Stats and gear "don't matter" - this is being addressed, but hopefully wont make gear>skill

* Many feats are broken and class imbalance - I don't see this as much as some do

* No end game content - its ther, many people haven't done everything, but due to gear itemization people don't feel that raids are worth it. All of these issues are being addressed in the next 2 patches.

Xpiher you have alot of faith in a company thats given you little or no reason to trust them up to this point.  I give you credit for that unfailing devotion to a company that so far has done nothing but lie cheat steal and delete cancel ban posters and players for being pissed about being served a pile of crap with the launch of this game.  

Hey man you get on with your faith, I hope it doesnt hurt too much when you finally get that this company isnt going to change.

Originally posted by lumache

Xpiher you have alot of faith in a company thats given you little or no reason to trust them up to this point.  I give you credit for that unfailing devotion to a company that so far has done nothing but lie cheat steal and delete cancel ban posters and players for being pissed about being served a pile of crap with the launch of this game.  

Hey man you get on with your faith, I hope it doesnt hurt too much when you finally get that this company isnt going to change.

Considering ideas I've posted in the suggestion forum are coming out in the next patch, ie the culture armor, I'll have to disagree with you. I'll also disagree with you because the new GD has responded to plenty of people's post.

I'm not blind to the failings of FC, I know they "lied." I was there for the pvp patch fiasco of june and july. However, I didn't believe them then since it never went to test. I'm also a little more understanding since FC is a small company. If the company folds so be it.  And, since I'm still having fun playing the game I'll continue to play it until Darkfall comes out, which could still be Vaporware.

Originally posted by ruslans

 

---

Originally posted by bcrankshaw  
Sorry but it is sad and hilarious at the same time that the Official  AOC forums encourage people to come here to "defend " AOC

---

 

Why?

 

---

You see people like yourselves with less than 30 posts

---

 

I prefer to read, not to write.

 

---

suddenly all with the same message "this game is great " ...." AOC is the best " ...." the game had problems but now is so cool "

---

 

Please pay attention to my previous message, which you have quoted yourself. I wrote, that I partially agree that the game sucks. And I never wrote that "it's the best" or whatever.

 

---

Look I understand why you are doing it and the forums are about free speech but don't you get a little embarrassed ? MMORPG.com forums cannot drive people away from AOC ....only a bad game that people don't want to play can do that....surly you can see that ?

---

 

Doing what again?

I have asked an opinion of the person, who thinks negative about the game.
I don't share his opinion, I am rather neutral. Or both negative and positive.
But I respect this opinion, and think it can be used to form some kind of objective truth about the game, people etc.

How often "people like yourselves" do this kind of things here?
 

My post wasn't directed necessarily at you :) I'm not attacking anyone specific
 

Its towards the influx of people who have lately been asked by GM's on the official AOC  forums to go to MMORPG.COM and just  post positive things about the game ...not objective just positive

I believe the term to describe it viral marketing :)

---

Originally posted by bcrankshaw
My post wasn't directed necessarily at you :) I'm not attacking anyone specific
 
Its towards the influx of people who have lately been asked by GM's on the official AOC  forums to go to MMORPG.COM and just  post positive things about the game ...not objective just positive
I believe the term to describe it viral marketing :)

---

I don't think it's true. I've seen that thread myself, it does not have a single post from GM's or any official people.

Originally posted by ruslans

 

---

Originally posted by ackmhed

---

 

Could you please elaborate on details?
It might sound pretty "obvious" to the people with the lagbar gif on their avatar, but I would like to see it put together, without much emotional bias, constructively.

Things like "DX10 is not in, the game is buggy, lack of content, marketing lies" etc - they are valid. But I don't really take these as arguments, taking into account how badly they are exploited by the trolls.

DX10 has nothing to do with the game mechanics.
Bugs are being fixed, though admittedly slow, but the game is quite a bit different from what was there one to three month after launch.
Content seems to be added.
Marketing... well, it looks like the new game director is more open and honest to the community.

But obviously, there are things which are utterly wrong with the game itself. "Core issues".
What are them? How would you fix them, if you had the power needed?

 

 

While I partially agree that the game sucked and still sucks, I would like to again see these core weaknesses listed.

 

 

I must have missed something, but when exactly Funcom did criticize ex-players and blame them? Could you give a link?

 

 

People who were "sent" here are just people like you, with the only difference that they play the game right now.
And frankly, there are several trolls here, from the both extremes.
Most of those trolls are the same few persons who keep creating new alts, and reiterating on the same things over and over again. And that kills signal-to-noise ratio completely.

I agree that DX10, by itself, is not a major issue. However, when you couple the lack of DX10 with the other missing features it does become an issue. Bugs, in my opinion, were not a major issue with AoC. While there certainly were major bugs, I personally believe AoC was about as buggy as any other newly released MMO.

I could make huge list of all the things wrong with AoC, and quite frankly there are many. But the fundamental problem with AoC, that cannot be fixed, is that the game is as soulless and boring of a game as I have ever seen. If the game would have actually been fun, none of the other shortcomings would have had such an impact as they did on player populations.

Edit: what the hell, I'll make yet another list of things AoC failed at:

1. Over-instancing.

2. Lack of any meaningful PVP. This is related directly to 3:

3. Lack of a faction system.

4. One of the worst crafting systems ever included in an MMO.

5. Horrible itemization.

6. Ugly armor that pretty much all looked alike.

7. Horrible chat system.

8. No real incentive to group to level. This game is really a solo game to 80.

9. Boring and repetitive quests.

10. Ugly and non-user-friendly UI.

11. Broken feats, broken classes, horribly unbalanced classes that only seemed to get much worse with every patch.

12. One of the worst healing systems for healing classes ever.

13. Boring combat system. Rather than being innovative it was a button pushing, "Simon Says" system.

14. Linear zones. Combined with more instancing than any other MMO and the world felt closed-in and small.

15. Poor graphical performance. Combine this with the "innovative" combat system and any lag whatsoever becomes a serious issue, especially in PvP.

16. Horrible customer service. Horrible, inconsistant GM's.

17. Poor management, lack of a direction that management have on the game. Also poor communication between Funcom and players on what is going on and what is actually being fixed.

18. Lack of a meaningful in-game economy.

19. Exploits were and are a major issue. "Fight Clubs" anyone? Level 80's in less than a week running around power-leveling their friends?

20. Lack of end-game content.

21. Stats that seem to mean nothing. Lack of a clear explanation of what stats matter and details on why. "+.01% slashing resistance"......Hmmm, yeah that sounds exciting.

22. Lack of any common areas that people simply gather and hang out en-masse at.

23. Boring and unrealistic mass-transit system. Come on, in a first-generation MMO simply talking to an NPC and getting warped to your destination was fine, but even EQ1 had a more realistic system than this. Pathetic.

24. Boring player graphics. Everyone looks the same.

25. Every class has been done before, better, in another MMO. Nothing innovative at all in classes.

26. Huge system requirements. The "recomended system" level ran poorly.

27. One starting area for all classes and races. Tortage was OK once, the first time around. Thats about it.

28. Lack of communication varieties/ different languages. Would Aquilonians and Stygians really have spoken the same language? Doubt it. This kind of goes along with a lack of faction system.

29. No sense of humor. In-game, or out. This game, and Funcom themselves, take themselves as seriously as a thick-moustache-wearing 80's action hero. (FC: "Our game is steak......")

30. Stuff was promised that was simply not delivered, without any apoligies from Funcom.

I could go on, but there is at least a partial list of the shortcommings of AoC. Like I said from the start, however, the game is simply not fun at all.