Originally posted by clearSam

probably because i posted baseless statistics that i can't prove like this :

"5% of MMO gamers look for qualities found in AoC. Other 95% "

oh but wait !  that wasnt me...

That 95% is not a baseless statistic. It's a pretty accurate estimation of number of players who quit, calculated by a Norwegian finance banker using different sources.

Of course like in all estimates there is a margin of error so the real number could be something like 90-96%.

Funcom hasn't released this information (it would be a PR nightmare) so we don't know for sure.

Sound and Music

-Everquest 2 wins by a mile. Still one of the only games that I leave the in game music on.

Graphics

-AoC is deffinately top dog.

Lore

-Even with the backing of the Conan books, Lord of the Rings Online beats this out by a mile. Having Human vs Human vs Human isn't original either.

Potential

-AoC deffinately has a lot of potential. But potential in an MMO holds as much weight as who developed it. When I buy a game, I don't spend money on what might be. I spend money on something real. Right now, the game is a good waste of a few weeks, but that is all.

Originally posted by TheSting

Originally posted by clearSam

probably because i posted baseless statistics that i can't prove like this :

"5% of MMO gamers look for qualities found in AoC. Other 95% "

oh but wait !  that wasnt me...

 

That 95% is not a baseless statistic. It's a pretty accurate estimation of number of players who quit, calculated by a Norwegian finance banker using different sources.

Of course like in all estimates there is a margin of error so the real number could be something like 90-96%.

Funcom hasn't released this information (it would be a PR nightmare) so we don't know for sure.

 yeah sure...

just keep posting those numbers and  they will become real.

Originally posted by clearSam

Originally posted by TheSting

Originally posted by clearSam

probably because i posted baseless statistics that i can't prove like this :

"5% of MMO gamers look for qualities found in AoC. Other 95% "

oh but wait !  that wasnt me...

 

That 95% is not a baseless statistic. It's a pretty accurate estimation of number of players who quit, calculated by a Norwegian finance banker using different sources.

Of course like in all estimates there is a margin of error so the real number could be something like 90-96%.

Funcom hasn't released this information (it would be a PR nightmare) so we don't know for sure.

 yeah sure...

just keep posting those numbers and  they will become real.

Actually he's right. There is this Norwegian investment banker who said about two weeks ago that Age of Conan has 75k subscriptions. I believe he had inside information, probably someone working for Funcom. I forgot the guys name but if you are interested I'm sure you'll find him with Google.

Originally posted by vardar

good or bad, i love the attention AoC is getting lately, great advertisment...keep up the posts!!!!

Yeah xD it's true AoC is getting lots of attention these days or better: from the beginning.

"keep up the posts!!!!"

Originally posted by Timoshenko

Originally posted by clearSam

Originally posted by TheSting

Originally posted by clearSam

probably because i posted baseless statistics that i can't prove like this :

"5% of MMO gamers look for qualities found in AoC. Other 95% "

oh but wait !  that wasnt me...

 

That 95% is not a baseless statistic. It's a pretty accurate estimation of number of players who quit, calculated by a Norwegian finance banker using different sources.

Of course like in all estimates there is a margin of error so the real number could be something like 90-96%.

Funcom hasn't released this information (it would be a PR nightmare) so we don't know for sure.

 yeah sure...

just keep posting those numbers and  they will become real.

 

Actually he's right. There is this Norwegian investment banker who said about two weeks ago that Age of Conan has 75k subscriptions. I believe he had inside information, probably someone working for Funcom. I forgot the guys name but if you are interested I'm sure you'll find him with Google.

75k subscriptions is more than enough guys. Just multiply 75000x$15= thats about 1'125'000 a month. Daaamn i don't know how much these funcom guys need to keep up the servers and pay thier employees salary. But thats a lot of cash.

And remember 75k ppl is more than enough to have fun in a game. After all, 97% of the guys on this website are just looking a game in which they can have some fun and share this fun they're having with others.

Originally posted by Timoshenko

Originally posted by clearSam

Originally posted by TheSting

Originally posted by clearSam

probably because i posted baseless statistics that i can't prove like this :

"5% of MMO gamers look for qualities found in AoC. Other 95% "

oh but wait !  that wasnt me...

 

That 95% is not a baseless statistic. It's a pretty accurate estimation of number of players who quit, calculated by a Norwegian finance banker using different sources.

Of course like in all estimates there is a margin of error so the real number could be something like 90-96%.

Funcom hasn't released this information (it would be a PR nightmare) so we don't know for sure.

 yeah sure...

just keep posting those numbers and  they will become real.

 

Actually he's right. There is this Norwegian investment banker who said about two weeks ago that Age of Conan has 75k subscriptions. I believe he had inside information, probably someone working for Funcom. I forgot the guys name but if you are interested I'm sure you'll find him with Google.

yep, and there is that Indian carpenter who said that 20% of the world population are actually donkeys reincarnations...

and i have people's magazine, and believe it or not, people have a lot of things to say... i can keep posting that too.

anyways, back to AoC, i know that he "@TheSting" is right, im not questioning the information, im questioning the numbers.

taking this information: "AoC have 75k subs" 

and transforming it to this: "5% of MMO gamers look for qualities found in AoC. Other 95%... "

is clearly twisting information and forgery.

-i know that AoC lost 70%+ of subs right after launch. this post is about the actual state of AoC, but some users like "@TheSting" keep going back to what was AoC at launch as an exit strategy when they get cornered...

Originally posted by slyths

75k subscriptions is more than enough guys. Just multiply 75000x$15= thats about 1'125'000 a month. Daaamn i don't know how much these funcom guys need to keep up the servers and pay thier employees salary. But thats a lot of cash.

And remember 75k ppl is more than enough to have fun in a game. After all, 97% of the guys on this website are just looking a game in which they can have some fun and share this fun they're having with others.

Most of those $1.125.000 go to pay for servers and employee salaries. I can speak from personal experience that running a company is very expensive.

75k would be enough if Funcom didn't have any debt. But they DO have debt and there is no way in hell they will survive to 2010 unless the subscription numbers start to rise and fast. The way I see it, trial is their only chance.

Originally posted by Timoshenko

Originally posted by slyths

75k subscriptions is more than enough guys. Just multiply 75000x$15= thats about 1'125'000 a month. Daaamn i don't know how much these funcom guys need to keep up the servers and pay thier employees salary. But thats a lot of cash.

And remember 75k ppl is more than enough to have fun in a game. After all, 97% of the guys on this website are just looking a game in which they can have some fun and share this fun they're having with others.

 

Most of those $1.125.000 go to pay for servers and employee salaries. I can speak from personal experience that running a company is very expensive.

75k would be enough if Funcom didn't have any debt. But they DO have debt and there is no way in hell they will survive to 2010 unless the subscription numbers start to rise and fast. The way I see it, trial is their only chance.

Yeah... i forgot about the debts. It's really a bad situation for them. Lets see if they'll be able to come out of this. 

Anyway the free trail will help them a lot, especially if they limit it to only tortage :P

  They so far have not gotten actual cash losses, and have 39 mil in cash reserves, they won't get into real economic problems even if they started losing money for at least a year.  Past Q they had to pay for the extra servers they  had contracted (after merges) which will mean less server expenses from then on, the debt payments will remain the same, they released a big number of CS employees from the US office, as the server merges and population did not justify their numbers, that were hired in the frenzy of launch and post launch with the peak population (some 700k or more, apparently)

  Past Quarter net cash income was 1.5 mil after all expenses and a reserves increment of around 4, next qurter financial report would tell us if they are on the positive money flow or not, there are many elements to their balance that have changed from population to operational costs (they don't own the servers, they pay for the service, CS personnel numbers), and for real only the actual financial balance can tell.

Originally posted by clearSam

-i know that AoC lost 70%+ of subs right after launch. this post is about the actual state of AoC, but some users like "@TheSting" keep going back to what was AoC at launch as an exit strategy when they get cornered...

 

 

Yes indeed the state of AoC at launch is now a moot point, the only thing it did was make some people lose confidence in Funcom. (this is not good but pooh happens, Funcom loses and so do the people who swear they will never play AoC as they do miss out ona good game due to their own pride).

However AoC, i doubt, was ever going to be (intended to be)a mass market game like WoW, the graphics requirements alone would not allow this.

However on release it sold as a mass market game, due to hype and people being totally bored with Wow. I seriously doubt Funcom expected to keep all subscribers even if it released a perfectly bug free game.

For example the melee combat system alone is a love it or hate it feature, point being, it is and will always be a niche market game, and the number of boxes sold was more reflective of a mass market game.

So losing 70% of subs a month after release is far better than it sounds imHo.

Originally posted by slyths

 free trail will help them a lot, especially if they limit it to only tortage :P

Oh not this!I have lost all faith in mankind with 1-20 level reviews how game is great though i must admit if game is the best mmo as of now it is indeed in 1-20 never had such fun in MMORPG.

Originally posted by Naranar

Originally posted by slyths

 free trail will help them a lot, especially if they limit it to only tortage :P

 

Oh not this!I have lost all faith in mankind with 1-20 level reviews how game is great though i must admit if game is the best mmo as of now it is indeed in 1-20 never had such fun in MMORPG.

Yeah that's true. But it's also a great business plan. Since many ppl(including me... stupid marketing tricks) get caught by first experiences and buy a product.

  I actually think that limiting to Tortage only would give a bad perspective of the game as of now, Tortage is the most heavily instanced and fragmented area of the world,  It's great for n introduction, but doesn't show properly how things are from then on.

  A limit in levels yes, but you can leave Tortage at 19-20, than on no more leveling but you could explore and see the rest for yourself, that way people should have a better look at things.

Originally posted by Gargola

  I actually think that limiting to Tortage only would give a bad perspective of the game as of now, Tortage is the most heavily instanced and fragmented area of the world,  It's great for n introduction, but doesn't show properly how things are from then on.

 

  A limit in levels yes, but you can leave Tortage at 19-20, than on no more leveling but you could explore and see the rest for yourself, that way people should have a better look at things.

why would they put any limits? give people their free trial month and let them enjoy it ! to fully experience the game.

if the game is as good as they claim (and as i claim here), then people should enjoy it and be glad to subscribe.

limitting it to tortage would be ridiculous, imho, the real AoC only starts after lvl20 

  That would be even better, what wuld need to be restricted is things like trading and mail/market, otherwise gold sellers would have an easier life.

Originally posted by clearSam

Originally posted by Gargola

  I actually think that limiting to Tortage only would give a bad perspective of the game as of now, Tortage is the most heavily instanced and fragmented area of the world,  It's great for n introduction, but doesn't show properly how things are from then on.

 

  A limit in levels yes, but you can leave Tortage at 19-20, than on no more leveling but you could explore and see the rest for yourself, that way people should have a better look at things.

why would they put any limits? give people their free trial month and let them enjoy it ! to fully experience the game.

if the game is as good as they claim (and as i claim here), then people should enjoy it and be glad to subscribe.

limitting it to tortage would be ridiculous, imho, the real AoC only starts after lvl20 

Actually limiting the trial to Tortage would be a smart move by Funcom.

Lets be realistinc. We all know Tortage is the only part of AoC that is 100% finished with voiceovers and such. Rest of Hyboria is not nearly as polished and the quality of quests drops down after Tortage.

Why show potential customers the "real game"? Lets show them the only part of the game that is fun and lets hope they fall for it and buy the game.

Originally posted by Timoshenko

Originally posted by clearSam

Originally posted by Gargola

  I actually think that limiting to Tortage only would give a bad perspective of the game as of now, Tortage is the most heavily instanced and fragmented area of the world,  It's great for n introduction, but doesn't show properly how things are from then on.

 

  A limit in levels yes, but you can leave Tortage at 19-20, than on no more leveling but you could explore and see the rest for yourself, that way people should have a better look at things.

why would they put any limits? give people their free trial month and let them enjoy it ! to fully experience the game.

if the game is as good as they claim (and as i claim here), then people should enjoy it and be glad to subscribe.

limitting it to tortage would be ridiculous, imho, the real AoC only starts after lvl20 

 

Actually limiting the trial to Tortage would be a smart move by Funcom.

Lets be realistinc. We all know Tortage is the only part of AoC that is 100% finished with voiceovers and such. Rest of Hyboria is not nearly as polished and the quality of quests drops down after Tortage.

Why show potential customers the "real game"? Lets show them the only part of the game that is fun and lets hope they fall for it and buy the game.

just in case you have forgotten, this is an M rated game, and the community is kind of mature.

that kind of sarcasm wouldnt have been funny even if it was the right time.

  Tortage is pretty, yes, but makes you fell much more confined than any other area of the world, have little variety in environment/visuals, in perspective to the rest of the world.

  Have the heaviest instancing in the world, it allows for far fewer characters per instance than any other outdoor area.

  The quests hand hold you it is a tutorial and introduction area, it shows and feels after a while.

  After certain level (it differs, and for some it doesn't occur) you just want to leave it and see the rest of the world.

  The main 3 cities offer a great visual and setting presence, and show the contrast of cultures, OT is quite impressive when seing it for the first time, and offers a completely different feel from Conarch's and Khemi, and a whole different feel than tortage, the environment and status of the tows and cities offer variety form the whole 1 town in a tropical island that Tortage is.

  Tortage is the least explorable from the areas, it is smaller, more fragmented, as it is an introductory area, it's like newbie island in AO, expanded and with more content, but still offer a very limited view of the world.

  the rest of the world offer much more, specially now a days, than tortage, only thing that really diminishes from Tortage on is the Voice Acting, but those are also higher in number for the rest of the world now than at launch, and as pointed by many, thats a nice Tortage touch, but nothing game breaking.

Originally posted by clearSam

Originally posted by Timoshenko

 

Actually limiting the trial to Tortage would be a smart move by Funcom.

Lets be realistinc. We all know Tortage is the only part of AoC that is 100% finished with voiceovers and such. Rest of Hyboria is not nearly as polished and the quality of quests drops down after Tortage.

Why show potential customers the "real game"? Lets show them the only part of the game that is fun and lets hope they fall for it and buy the game.

just in case you have forgotten, this is an M rated game, and the community is kind of mature.

that kind of sarcasm wouldnt have been funny even if it was the right time.

um.. what?