Like Morgaren said - join a guild and turn off global chat, unless you want to hear constant bickering about MMOs (yes, in AoC people talk more about other games than AoC itself, go figure) and profanities of all sorts.

I appreciate all the responses - and for the most part, no flames, which surprised the hell out of me.  But, after thinking about it, when the trial comes up again I willl probably give it a go if only to pass a few days - Im going to be picking up Aion when it comes out and I have a feeling that it will be the next shadowbane for me.  Until then, there is no harm in giving some free things a chance ;]  Again, thanks for all the responses.

Originally posted by Parameter

I appreciate all the responses - and for the most part, no flames, which surprised the hell out of me.  But, after thinking about it, when the trial comes up again I willl probably give it a go if only to pass a few days - Im going to be picking up Aion when it comes out and I have a feeling that it will be the next shadowbane for me.  Until then, there is no harm in giving some free things a chance ;]  Again, thanks for all the responses.

Can get AoC free trial here....

http://www.fileplanet.com/promotions/age-of-conan/trial/

Just need to register. Do NOT have to be a fileplanet subscriber.

Worth the free trail? Certainly. Worth subscribing to? That's your decision. As for me Funcom promised us all a sizziling steak, all I got was last nights stale garlic bread and a can of flat lager with ciggarette ends in it :(

Yes I believe it is worth it. Don't listen to all the wow fanboy naysayers, they have no idea!

It went from the number 4 top selling PC game last year to having so many leave it lost 30+ million dollars and only has 3 USA servers now ( a server has 10k active players at most).

It gave free trials after free trials and free win backs for original players everyone left and the game is back to where it was before.  Why did the game not gain new players after the free demo?  Xfire went to 28 during demos and back to 44 after demos....it just means people tried it hated it and quit for the people who don't get xfire.

Originally posted by finaticd

It went from the number 4 top selling PC game last year to having so many leave it lost 30+ million dollars and only has 3 USA servers now ( a server has 10k active players at most).

It gave free trials after free trials and free win backs for original players everyone left and the game is back to where it was before.  Why did the game not gain new players after the free demo?  Xfire went to 28 during demos and back to 44 after demos....it just means people tried it hated it and quit for the people who don't get xfire.

 

You know nothing ae? The DX10 client doesn't count towards Xfire ranking! Also, Age of Conan is one of the games that doesn't try and make you install Xfire. Not very accurate!

Also, there are 8 US server!

See this is my point, all the naysayers have no idea!

Originally posted by majinant

Originally posted by finaticd

It went from the number 4 top selling PC game last year to having so many leave it lost 30+ million dollars and only has 3 USA servers now ( a server has 10k active players at most).

It gave free trials after free trials and free win backs for original players everyone left and the game is back to where it was before.  Why did the game not gain new players after the free demo?  Xfire went to 28 during demos and back to 44 after demos....it just means people tried it hated it and quit for the people who don't get xfire.

 

 

You know nothing ae? The DX10 client doesn't count towards Xfire ranking! Also, Age of Conan is one of the games that doesn't try and make you install Xfire. Not very accurate!

 

Also, there are 8 US server!

 

See this is my point, all the naysayers have no idea!

Ya pretty sure few use DX 10 since it is a crap test build that lowers everything esp performance and FPS by at least half.

Also during free trials Xfire went up to 28 for AoC and it is back down to 42.  So people did come back and then they left no doubt about it at all.

There are only 3 USA servers with populations over 200 people....do you believe what you say?

Originally posted by finaticd

Originally posted by majinant

Originally posted by finaticd

It went from the number 4 top selling PC game last year to having so many leave it lost 30+ million dollars and only has 3 USA servers now ( a server has 10k active players at most).

It gave free trials after free trials and free win backs for original players everyone left and the game is back to where it was before.  Why did the game not gain new players after the free demo?  Xfire went to 28 during demos and back to 44 after demos....it just means people tried it hated it and quit for the people who don't get xfire.

 

 

You know nothing ae? The DX10 client doesn't count towards Xfire ranking! Also, Age of Conan is one of the games that doesn't try and make you install Xfire. Not very accurate!

 

Also, there are 8 US server!

 

See this is my point, all the naysayers have no idea!

 

Ya pretty sure few use DX 10 since it is a crap test build that lowers everything esp performance and FPS by at least half.

 

Also during free trials Xfire went up to 28 for AoC and it is back down to 42.  So people did come back and then they left no doubt about it at all.

No idea!

Originally posted by majinant

Originally posted by finaticd

Originally posted by majinant

Originally posted by finaticd

It went from the number 4 top selling PC game last year to having so many leave it lost 30+ million dollars and only has 3 USA servers now ( a server has 10k active players at most).

It gave free trials after free trials and free win backs for original players everyone left and the game is back to where it was before.  Why did the game not gain new players after the free demo?  Xfire went to 28 during demos and back to 44 after demos....it just means people tried it hated it and quit for the people who don't get xfire.

 

 

You know nothing ae? The DX10 client doesn't count towards Xfire ranking! Also, Age of Conan is one of the games that doesn't try and make you install Xfire. Not very accurate!

 

Also, there are 8 US server!

 

See this is my point, all the naysayers have no idea!

 

Ya pretty sure few use DX 10 since it is a crap test build that lowers everything esp performance and FPS by at least half.

 

Also during free trials Xfire went up to 28 for AoC and it is back down to 42.  So people did come back and then they left no doubt about it at all.

 

No idea!

Ya no doubt you have no idea. reread my edit I shut you down.

Hands on free time will do you better then the overly zealous opinions on mmo forums.

Originally posted by finaticd

Originally posted by majinant

Originally posted by finaticd

Originally posted by majinant

Originally posted by finaticd

It went from the number 4 top selling PC game last year to having so many leave it lost 30+ million dollars and only has 3 USA servers now ( a server has 10k active players at most).

It gave free trials after free trials and free win backs for original players everyone left and the game is back to where it was before.  Why did the game not gain new players after the free demo?  Xfire went to 28 during demos and back to 44 after demos....it just means people tried it hated it and quit for the people who don't get xfire.

 

 

You know nothing ae? The DX10 client doesn't count towards Xfire ranking! Also, Age of Conan is one of the games that doesn't try and make you install Xfire. Not very accurate!

 

Also, there are 8 US server!

 

See this is my point, all the naysayers have no idea!

 

Ya pretty sure few use DX 10 since it is a crap test build that lowers everything esp performance and FPS by at least half.

 

Also during free trials Xfire went up to 28 for AoC and it is back down to 42.  So people did come back and then they left no doubt about it at all.

 

No idea!

 

Ya no doubt you have no idea. reread my edit I shut you down.

Seriously dude. If you don't like AoC why are you here? Just go away and fill some other games forums with your trash talk!

Originally posted by Parameter

Been playing mmos for over a decade.  Have played 30+ mmos and have only had a couple resonate enough to keep me interested for more than a couple of months, those being the original UO, shadowbane, and EVE.  Currently subscribed to WoW but as everyone knows, its just not terribly fun.  Im gonna try a few upcoming MMOs, but I want something that can A) be a holdover till one comes out and B) is fun enough to come back to should the new ones suck.  Was pretty interested in AoC before it released, but was skeptical - when it came out and got all the horrid reviews I turned away and never looked back.  A friend suggested I try it but thought I'd see what the knowledgeable and flame free minds of mmorpg.com thought first :P  Thanks

It is really worth the free trial. Even if you might not like the game in itself it is very pretty and some parts of the combat system is very interesting. It do have some new thinking but not enough so it still have a lot of the old EQ feeling there and if you like it or not is really a matter of taste.

But as long as you have a good computer you should at least play the free trial, AoC have 2 problems in my opinion: It needs the expansion to be large enough and there are many things they should have taken further. like the conversations, you talk to the npc but it is very rarely it matters what you actually say. I blackmailed a npc to give me double payment and there is a brilliant quest where you have to figure out who is a thief by just talking to some people but quests like that is rather rare.

The hit system in combat however is brilliant and the only really good I seen in a MMO, unfortunatley is the rest of the combat system not as great.

But most of the dungeons are fun, the classes are interesting, the enviroment feels really alive and is often beutiful so I think you at least should try it. It is not the perfect MMO and I currently don't play it myself because I kinda did most of the content but I plan to be back once they release the expansion.

Originally posted by Morgaren

I found the charm dropped away real quick, espicially if you make more than one character, plus the chat channels on every server I tried were just filled with pointless banter all the time, barrens chart everywhere with plenty of trolls and people just waiting to find someone to insult. I also never seen more discussion about other MMO's in any other game, probably put together.

not neccarily the reason to say no, but just throwing that out there, now before everyone wants to say "the community is great" and "I don't know what I'm talking about" save your breath, I played for maybe 48 hours total, with equal time on three different servers, (core rp and pvp) and noticed the same trend on all three, if you do join up, try finding a guild, and turn the world chat off.

I've found that charm does drop off like a cliff, shared same exprience. Chat channels are garbage but also the only real means of establishing a group for group quests, so necessary garbage. The community that is left playing is staunchly pro AOC and con Funcom, but they keep paying and supporting the dev for whatever reason.

The discussions about other MMOs kind of reminds me of that time in baseball, late August, early Septembr when you realize summer is on the wane and the seaon almost over you tune is to see a game and hear the play by play and commentator talking about football or golf or something instead of the game, and its because the game they are calling is pretty meaningless, as in already decided by the past 100 games, and the teams playing are either going to the post season or not. AOC feels just like that, a good looking game with no depth, not going to the post season, and not getting the hitting or pitching staff it needs to advance to the next level. Sure gaping a gaping hole in the lineup for example performance of AOC is better/stable. But that isn't enough. Just how many years or decades do they think AOC is going to hang on for? 

Originally posted by Loke666

Originally posted by Parameter

Been playing mmos for over a decade.  Have played 30+ mmos and have only had a couple resonate enough to keep me interested for more than a couple of months, those being the original UO, shadowbane, and EVE.  Currently subscribed to WoW but as everyone knows, its just not terribly fun.  Im gonna try a few upcoming MMOs, but I want something that can A) be a holdover till one comes out and B) is fun enough to come back to should the new ones suck.  Was pretty interested in AoC before it released, but was skeptical - when it came out and got all the horrid reviews I turned away and never looked back.  A friend suggested I try it but thought I'd see what the knowledgeable and flame free minds of mmorpg.com thought first :P  Thanks

 

It is really worth the free trial. Even if you might not like the game in itself it is very pretty and some parts of the combat system is very interesting. It do have some new thinking but not enough so it still have a lot of the old EQ feeling there and if you like it or not is really a matter of taste.

But as long as you have a good computer you should at least play the free trial, AoC have 2 problems in my opinion: It needs the expansion to be large enough and there are many things they should have taken further. like the conversations, you talk to the npc but it is very rarely it matters what you actually say. I blackmailed a npc to give me double payment and there is a brilliant quest where you have to figure out who is a thief by just talking to some people but quests like that is rather rare.

The hit system in combat however is brilliant and the only really good I seen in a MMO, unfortunatley is the rest of the combat system not as great.

But most of the dungeons are fun, the classes are interesting, the enviroment feels really alive and is often beutiful so I think you at least should try it. It is not the perfect MMO and I currently don't play it myself because I kinda did most of the content but I plan to be back once they release the expansion.

Played that quest where you had to figure out who was a thief, if by type of quest instead of rare you mean singularly unique you'd be correct. That is the only one in game I encountered like that in 9 months.

Originally posted by Erstok

Hands on free time will do you better then the overly zealous opinions on mmo forums.

100% agree. Try fileplanet link I posted for the free trial.

Originally posted by LordBonezy

The discussions about other MMOs kind of reminds me of that time in baseball, late August, early Septembr when you realize summer is on the wane and the seaon almost over you tune is to see a game and hear the play by play and commentator talking about football or golf or something instead of the game, and its because the game they are calling is pretty meaningless, as in already decided by the past 100 games, and the teams playing are either going to the post season or not. AOC feels just like that, a good looking game with no depth, not going to the post season, and not getting the hitting or pitching staff it needs to advance to the next level. Sure gaping a gaping hole in the lineup for example performance of AOC is better/stable. But that isn't enough. Just how many years or decades do they think AOC is going to hang on for? 

You know, that is one thing I never understood about Age of Conan.  The amount of what is new MMO is coming out.  I have never been in an MMO that has that much global chat about other MMO's either out or coming out.  I truely feel the community in AoC is going to almost all leave once something comes out.  Maybe Champions, Fallen Earth, and Aion coming out this month will rip away a large percent of population, I don't know.

But as for is it worth trying?  I think any MMO that you have a hint of wanting to try, and a free trial kind of speaks for itself.  You lose nothing but your time to D/L and try it. If you like it awesome, if you hate it no monetary loss.