Prove something to us Funcom...prove that you can make a good game and players opinion of you will change.

Personally I don't hold any expectations for any MMo companies right now, or probably ever will...but all I can ask is you to prove to us you have now what it takes to make a good MMO.I will try and beta test the game, there's something about the new title I like, but unless I figure the game isn't worth while I won't buy it.

Funcom has proved several times that they can make good games. As a matter of fact, I would say that the bulk of, if not all of their games are good to great games. It is how their MMO's have started out that gives them a bad name. AO was and is an amazing game... Now. And AoC is a great game.... Now. So, if they can just keep the cat in the box a LITTLE longer this time, it might work out ok. I know that they CAN make great games. Hopefully they will just do it a bit sooner this time around.

AOC is a very mediocre game with good graphics.    AO took 3 years to become a mediocre game.

The problem with Funcom is that you can't expect people to pay $15 per month while you make the game 'playable'.   People ask the question " if I pay $15 for the next month, will I have fun?"  and the answer for both Funcom's games have been NO, which is why so many people quit paying.

Funcom just doesn't realize that they can't release garbage and expect people to play it.  Their whole mentality is 'hype and decieve' and sell as many boxes as posssible, then hope a small portion of them don't cancel.  They need to spend less time and money marketing and lying about their games, and more actually finishing the games and making them suitable for launch.

By far the worst company in the MMORPG business.   2 for 2 producing flops.

AoC was playable from day one. Aparently, playable means something different to you though. If there is not enough content, then it isn't playable, right?

Anyway, you say both are mediocre. If that is your opinion, then have fun with that, but both games are quite good in many people's minds. AO esspecially.

You see, here is the reality of Funcom's hype.

Go on the AOC forums and ask " Is the client more stable now than it was last summer?"

Every single fanboy of the game will tell you that the extreme number of crashes and OOM errors have been removed and the game is very stable now.   And it is the truth.   But the fact remains that the client was terrible for the first 2 months after launch.  Does 'gray map' ring a bell?   

If AOC is such a good game, it wouldn't have closed down 75% of it's servers in less than a year.   People vote for 'good games' with their wallet, and AOC isn't getting many votes these days.

Originally posted by bryan1980

You see, here is the reality of Funcom's hype.

Go on the AOC forums and ask " Is the client more stable now than it was last summer?"

Every single fanboy of the game will tell you that the extreme number of crashes and OOM errors have been removed and the game is very stable now.   And it is the truth.   But the fact remains that the client was terrible for the first 2 months after launch.  Does 'gray map' ring a bell?   

If AOC is such a good game, it wouldn't have closed down 75% of it's servers in less than a year.   People vote for 'good games' with their wallet, and AOC isn't getting many votes these days.

I was in beta, and grey maps were constant, yes, due to memory leaks. A gray map was a sure fire sign of your computer about to take a dump on your game at any moment. However, the game was still quite playable, and even on my terrible system that I played it on, it would be hours (unless I zoned a LOT in a short amount of time) before the client went down. However, this still does not make the game "unplayable".

Also, they lost most of their subs early on. The fact that they lost a bunch when the ball was still dropped does not change the fact that it is now a very good game. Their playerbase has stabalized, and many players have claimed  to see an increase in players. Now with the trial, and the scent of "vet return offers" in the air, they will more than likely bolster their ranks. Up to release levels or beyond? Not likely, as they tarnished the name of the game too much.

None of that changes what the game is today though.

yep, I agree.. so basically what you are saying is wait 8 months after the launch of TSW if you want a finished game.  AOC is approaching a year, and they still haven't done itemization in the game.

And the memory leaks were much more severe for a large number of people those first 2 months... and like you said, it was something that was reported very often in Beta.. and still the game was launched in that state... exactly why they lost so many people over the summer, and exactly why people should not buy a Funcom game until well after launch.. because they just don't have the integrity to release a finished product.

I didn't deny any of that. As a matter of fact, I mentioned that they launch poorly, but that their games recover. It was right in my first post. Besides, they are Norwegians... They lie about themselves to look good as a national passtime. :P

The other important thing to remember is that in both AOC and AO (and warhammer even).. starting a month or two after launch will not matter much... it takes like no time to catch up.

Sorry to get so 'postal' about Funcom, but it's just annoying to me that Funcom (and a few others) have really gotten this idea into their head that they can overhype a game, release it in an unfinished state, and then expect people to pay every month while they fix really basic gameplay issues.   I think deceitful companies should be punished and companies that spend the extra money and time to finish games should be rewarded.

Originally posted by Jackio81

Prove something to us Funcom...prove that you can make a good game and players opinion of you will change.

 

Personally I don't hold any expectations for any MMo companies right now, or probably ever will...but all I can ask is you to prove to us you have now what it takes to make a good MMO.I will try and beta test the game, there's something about the new title I like, but unless I figure the game isn't worth while I won't buy it.

 

 

The Longest Journey: Highly acclaimed, multi-award winning Game
Dreamfall: Highly acclaimed, multi-award winning game
Anarchy Online: Once past the awful launch, went on to win multiple awards.
AoC: Definitely blew it on launch in a few ways..... time will tell on how it pans out.

Seems they do just fine with single player games. They need to get their act together with launching MMOs, though. They saw the nightmare AoC's turned into on all fronts (support, PR, etc)... Maybe the 3rd time will be a charm.

But, point is.. they are very capable of creating a good game.

Funcom, just pretend I'm from Missouri...  just SHOW ME!

I refuse to beta TSW.  I refuse to pre-order TSW.  At the 12 month post launch of TSW if Funcom wants me as a customer, they can send me a 14 day trial of the game.  If they can SHOW ME, I will consider subscribing.

Originally posted by Shannia

Funcom, just pretend I'm from Missouri...  just SHOW ME!

I refuse to beta TSW.  I refuse to pre-order TSW.  At the 12 month post launch of TSW if Funcom wants me as a customer, they can send me a 14 day trial of the game.  If they can SHOW ME, I will consider subscribing.

 

Why would you refuse to beta test, if you get in you get to play for free, lol I find blind hatred over a video game company kinda silly...;P

Funcom doesn't owe you lot anything. You behave like you bought a product and therefore they're in your debt forever. Seriously kids, grow up.

Either you buy it or you don't. Funcom doesn't owe you anything. Hell I didn't get a free pass to bash Coca Cola forever because one of their sodas was out of bubblies once. It's your right to decide never to buy a Funcom product ever again. If you hated AO and AoC you shouldn't either as that's two out of two mmo's they released you didn't like, but seriously just go to the Bioware section of this forum or somewhere else. I don't really care of your 100 arguments why Funcom is the reason behind the international financial crunch, why Funcom developed aids or why they haven't eradicated bad milk yet.

At least the mods on mmorpg has started to lock threads more often. Maybe it's hope for this place after all.

 When the OP defines what is a "good game" for himself , then think every gamer he/she knows. Make a long long list of santa's missed out gifts multiplied by candies *eye sparkle* . Candies. Then i am certain i will be able to answer "prove me prove me God why i am so small and insignificant in a universe of possibilites" or the question " why oh why something happens". Me likey!

Originally posted by bryan1980

By far the worst company in the MMORPG business.   2 for 2 producing flops.

I think you are being very strong in your opinion or just don't realize how aweful some other companies have been.

EA: THREE mmos fail and close down (motor city online, earth and beyond, the sims online). Top it off with the screwed up the release of warhammer.  They just can't seem to do anything right.

Microsoft has killed more projects before they even hit the market than funcom has launched.  Mythica, Vanguard, Marvel Universe, etc.  They seem to have the touch of death for a mmo.

NCsoft has the distinction of 2 failed and closed mmo's, despite their success.

Turbine closed one mmo and blew the D&D license.  Some would say that the lord of the rings license should be much bigger than it is.

SOE: They have not had a successful release of a game since Everquest and that was released by a subsidiary. They even managed to screw up the golden goose of intelectual properties with star wars.  Even games that have published through their services have failed miserably.  Touch of death here also.

Perpetual Entertainment: lost the star trek license and self destructed trying to release Gods and Heroes.  0 for 2.

There are about a dozen other small developers that have closed shop, defrauded customers or just withered away to almost nothing.

Not that I am saying funcom has been a role model for business practices.  There is no excuse for their mismangement of conan and all the questionable actions around its release. 

I don't care how hyped this game may get. I won't touch it until a good number of months after release. Ever seen AoC I've been wary not to buy into the hype, and to test the ground before taking a step.

Is it wrong of me to want The Longest Journey 3 (or Dreamfall 2 or whatever they were going to call it) before The Secret World?

Honestly that's all I wanted from Funcom. QQ more, I know. *pout* As much as I'm curious to see what will happen with TSW I've been on the edge of my seat wanting to find out what happens to Zoe since I finished the game two winters ago. It's one of the few games where you're like, what the hell was that? I don't have my questions answered, damnit where's the rest?

I need closure Funcom! Okay I'm done, sorry to derail :P

AO was a fantastic game once the launch issues were ironed out. This was unfortunately what gave me high hopes for AoC. I expected launch problems...but not shallow gameplay, and endless nerfs.

I will keep an eye on TSW....but I refuse to get my hopes up. Will this be the AO2 that so many of us have waited for?? Will Funcom FINALLY learn to FINISH THE DAMN GAME before releasing it??

Time will tell.

Originally posted by bryan1980

 

The problem with Funcom is that you can't expect people to pay $15 per month while you make the game 'playable'.   People ask the question " if I pay $15 for the next month, will I have fun?"  and the answer for both Funcom's games have been NO, which is why so many people quit paying.

 

LOL. Name me one other company that has released an MMO these past couple years that didn't charge you $15 a month to make the game 'playable'.

And for the people too lazy to google, let me sum it up for ya:

It started back to AC2, Auto Assault, Matrix Online, Vanguard, Tabula Rasa, Age of Conan, Warhammer Online.

And I probably forgot a few...

So give me a friggin' break. Funcom isn't the worst MMO developer in the industry by far. They have been on the same poor performing level like all the others in the Industry.

Fact is, that with The Secret World they HAVE to perform and do it right... or it will be the end of the company.

The Secret World is their last chance to do it right. And with Gaute out of the picture and Thornquist being in charge I am much more confident they will do it right this time.

Cheers

Originally posted by Cynthe

Is it wrong of me to want The Longest Journey 3 (or Dreamfall 2 or whatever they were going to call it) before The Secret World?

Honestly that's all I wanted from Funcom. QQ more, I know. *pout* As much as I'm curious to see what will happen with TSW I've been on the edge of my seat wanting to find out what happens to Zoe since I finished the game two winters ago. It's one of the few games where you're like, what the hell was that? I don't have my questions answered, damnit where's the rest?

I need closure Funcom! Okay I'm done, sorry to derail :P

Heheh.. Thing is.. even with the conclusion of the Dreamfall storyline, that's not the end of The Longest Journey.

In fact, Dreamfall is more of a sub-story taking place in that world (or worlds, rather).. You cross paths with the characters from TLJ (April, Charlie, Brian Westhouse, Crow, etc), but the story is Chloe's.  It's not a sequel to TLJ.

Ragnar has said that TLJ will have its own sequel (perhaps taking place in the 10 years between TLJ and Dreamfall), once the Dreamfall story arc has been concluded... And he intends to weave more stories beyond that involving Stark and Arcadia.

So... we're not seeing the series go away any time soon. 

Very good news for us fans :)