I have a blog post up on why Xfire is just not worth a darn when it comes to tracking how well Age of Conan is doing in scrips or time played.

http://simple-n-complex.blogspot.com/2009/08/putting-out-fire-with-gasoline-xfire.html

And check another users issues with Xfire and it's buggy background processing..

http://theblamefulgecko.wordpress.com/2009/08/11/misfire/

AoC and Xfire = BURN!!

(PS: Using Xfire, playing AoC and crashing...read this..)

No matter how you look at it Xfire will always be a pretty accurate way of measuring the popularity of the game, this has been proven over and over. We saw when the trials started to come a increase on xfire, the veteren comeback also the same. Once the veteran period was over xfire went back to normal numbers again. I do think AoC is a good game, but it is pointless to try and make xfire look useless because it isn't. If the amount of subscriptions is what you want to measure xfire is worthless, however if you want to look at the popularity of the game Xfire does give a pretty accurate picture of just that. 

You can bring up all kinds of threads and posts about xfire have potential issues with games, we all know it does. And it isn't just aoc that have had this issue, many other games too. I had no issues to get xfire to work with aoc. it was just install the program and voila.

Try to make xfire a less trustworthy tool then many claim it to be, no matter what you do you will in the end realize it does actually measure the trend or the popularity of a game quite accurate.

Originally posted by Crashloop

You can bring up all kinds of threads and posts about xfire have potential issues with games, we all know it does. And it isn't just aoc that have had this issue, many other games too. I had no issues to get xfire to work with aoc. it was just install the program and voila.

I really wanted to believe this, but so far, the game is working much better since removal. I was having an issue with NPC's not loading in quick enough when I would enter the trader or other zones. Now, they load properly. As well, whenever I would quit AoC, it would go to a black screen and I had to CTRL ALT DEL to get out (in DX10)...this issue is now gone.

Say what you will, but I also see a noticeable difference without it loaded, and I will be removing it from all my systems.

Thus, the whole "Xfire can show a trend" is crap, and instead shows a trend in users "uninstalling" Xfire if anything.

Originally posted by Academus

Originally posted by Crashloop

No matter how you look at it Xfire will always be a pretty accurate way of measuring the popularity of the game, this has been proven over and over. We saw when the trials started to come a increase on xfire, the veteren comeback also the same. Once the veteran period was over xfire went back to normal numbers again. I do think AoC is a good game, but it is pointless to try and make xfire look useless because it isn't. If the amount of subscriptions is what you want to measure xfire is worthless, however if you want to look at the popularity of the game Xfire does give a pretty accurate picture of just that. 

You can bring up all kinds of threads and posts about xfire have potential issues with games, we all know it does. And it isn't just aoc that have had this issue, many other games too. I had no issues to get xfire to work with aoc. it was just install the program and voila.

Try to make xfire a less trustworthy tool then many claim it to be, no matter what you do you will in the end realize it does actually measure the trend or the popularity of a game quite accurate.

 

 

I agree. Some people only quote Xfire when it suits their own agenda. Other times they say Xfire is useless. This is just silly.

In my experience Xfire is actually quite accurate tool in measuring gaming trends.

Right now Age of Conan is #44 in Xfire. Age of Conan was in 30's at the time of veteran re-evaluation. It's no coincidence that after re-evaluation is over, AoC is slowly going back to 50's. And to think that Age of Conan was once at #4. Crazy.

And what's funny is games like EQ2, Lineage 2, CoH, SWG are even lower on that Xfire list, yet still continue to run.

Wonder what kind of trend that indicates? Wonder how many really care about Xfire in the first place?

All I care about is that AoC is running a hundred times better without it. Everyone should uninstall the program actually.

Is XFire necessary or required to play AoC?   Or any game for that matter?   Whenever I see the option to include XFire during a new game installation, I always say no.   Not because I have anything against the tracking per se, but it's just one more thing to slow down my connection.

Originally posted by SwampRob

Is XFire necessary or required to play AoC?   Or any game for that matter?   Whenever I see the option to include XFire during a new game installation, I always say no.   Not because I have anything against the tracking per se, but it's just one more thing to slow down my connection.

 

Nope...just the wannabe pundits and haters use it to show growth or losses in game scrips using an unreliable tool is all.

And I agree with speed as my connection to the AoC servers have really taken off. So many issues with NPC's loading is now gone since uninstall.

Cheers

In over a decade of online gaming, I have never once installed nor ran XFire. 

Originally posted by Eben

In over a decade of online gaming, I have never once installed nor ran XFire. 

I did as I liked the idea to record video, and keep track of my game times...but now, I see no need. Game is running considerably better and that is whats important.

Guys, Xfire is only useful for tracking gaming trends of Xfire users.

In all my years of MMO gaming (thats alot of MMO's) Ive never ran across an Xfire user.

What I'd like an Xfire user to do is tell me how many people are playing AoC with Xfire, a solid number 50k, 10k, etc, verses the number of subs the game has. Then we can tell just how accurate using Xfire is to rate a game.

My guess (and yes its just a guess), is there are about 2k-5k Xfire users per 100k subscribers. And Im definintly leaning towards the 2k per 100k. And to be counted as a player to that MMO they need to log more than 10 hours in a week.

If you guys can bring in some hard data like that, then I think Xfire becomes a "more legitimate" tool.

Ohh and btw, I do agree AoC is getting more subs and is growing. Its one I plan on trying within the next six months.

(As a follower of the game 2 years before it went live, I seen the writting on the wall, and decided to see if they could refloat that boat. Which it looks like they done.)

Originally posted by Hokie

Ohh and btw, I do agree AoC is getting more subs and is growing. Its one I plan on trying within the next six months.

(As a follower of the game 2 years before it went live, I seen the writting on the wall, and decided to see if they could refloat that boat. Which it looks like they done.)

You don't play, but agree AoC is growing and getting more subs?  Just curious...based on what?  Don't cite Xfire numbers either shrinking or growing because it's been proven to be easy to manipulate.

I don't think it's a dead as trolls say, but my experience is it's not exactly hopping, either.  Did a Black Castle run last night and it took us an hour to get a 2nd healer.  If there are all these new and/or returning players, where are they?  Granted, BC sucks, but even Sanctum I see groups LF specific classes spamming for 30 minutes looking to fill it.

Originally posted by Darth_Osor

Originally posted by Hokie

Ohh and btw, I do agree AoC is getting more subs and is growing. Its one I plan on trying within the next six months.

(As a follower of the game 2 years before it went live, I seen the writting on the wall, and decided to see if they could refloat that boat. Which it looks like they done.)

 

You don't play, but agree AoC is growing and getting more subs?  Just curious...based on what?  Don't cite Xfire numbers either shrinking or growing because it's been proven to be easy to manipulate.

I don't think it's a dead as trolls say, but my experience is it's not exactly hopping, either.  Did a Black Castle run last night and it took us an hour to get a 2nd healer.  If there are all these new and/or returning players, where are they?  Granted, BC sucks, but even Sanctum I see groups LF specific classes spamming for 30 minutes looking to fill it.

Take a look at the AoC.YG census btw...Healers are the smallest class played, and most difficult to recruit.

Has nothing to do with pops.

Openedge1 accuses many people of having agendas, yet with this thread and many other posts he clearly poses himself as the one with a clear agenda. How does that make you better than the hater, mr. openedge1?

Originally posted by Darth_Osor

Originally posted by Hokie

Ohh and btw, I do agree AoC is getting more subs and is growing. Its one I plan on trying within the next six months.

(As a follower of the game 2 years before it went live, I seen the writting on the wall, and decided to see if they could refloat that boat. Which it looks like they done.)

 

You don't play, but agree AoC is growing and getting more subs?  Just curious...based on what?  Don't cite Xfire numbers either shrinking or growing because it's been proven to be easy to manipulate.

I don't think it's a dead as trolls say, but my experience is it's not exactly hopping, either.  Did a Black Castle run last night and it took us an hour to get a 2nd healer.  If there are all these new and/or returning players, where are they?  Granted, BC sucks, but even Sanctum I see groups LF specific classes spamming for 30 minutes looking to fill it.

Two people at my work who play MMO's have given it a try, and are enjoying it. And another 2 people in my WAR guild have picked it up as their 2nd sub game. Me I went back to EVE as my 2nd sub game.

The ex-GF called and asked me if I had tried AoC,  (and what I thought about it), as some friends at her work were trying to get her to give it a try.

I cant point to any charts or data on the web, I can only point my finger at RL examples. People who've heard it sucked at lanunch, but has gotten better since. And who are playing it an enjoying it.

Edit* And about Xfire, if you reread my post, I dont think Xfire is accurate in any way of representing an MMO's subscription growth (or shrikage), as no one has posted hard data.

Its my opinon that Xfire players represent about only 2% of a MMO's player base. And you cant base anything concreate off of a percent so small.

Originally posted by Krewel

Openedge1 accuses many people of having agendas, yet with this thread and many other posts he clearly poses himself as the one with a clear agenda. How does that make you better than the hater, mr. openedge1?

Well it doesn't take much to look at post history to see some posters have an obvious agenda. Post history speaks for itself in most cases.

People are always using xfire to prove or disprove how popular MMO's are so i guess im the only MMO subscriber that doesnt use it. Has there ever been a poll taken here to see just how many do use it? Polls are not something i believe much either but might give me an idea.

Originally posted by Krewel

Openedge1 accuses many people of having agendas, yet with this thread and many other posts he clearly poses himself as the one with a clear agenda. How does that make you better than the hater, mr. openedge1?

Lets see...constructive, informative, has major information that may help users who may have issues with the game?

So, please if YOU have something constructive to add that has not been ranted over and over and OVER, then by all means, share it. I think a well written post with information that is helpful and allows others to learn the current state of the game to the best of that posters ability is more helpful than...FAILCOM.

I am sure YOU would disagree.

Openedge1 would you mind testing the Raptr client with AoC?

It now uses all the IM programs, well the major ones. Yahoo, AIM, MSN, and Xfire. I haven't been able to tell if it logs hours in xfire though. Could you try it and see how it runs with AoC and your other games?

I think it uses Adobe Air as the platform. If that is the right word.

Originally posted by Sevenwind

Openedge1 would you mind testing the Raptr client with AoC?

It now uses all the IM programs, well the major ones. Yahoo, AIM, MSN, and Xfire. I haven't been able to tell if it logs hours in xfire though. Could you try it and see how it runs with AoC and your other games?

I think it uses Adobe Air as the platform. If that is the right word.

Yea, I posted about that earlier on Twitter. I looked at that client and it looks lightweight, and should not cause issues. The other person who posted their issues on their blog is testing it today also.

I will report back on that, as it looks like a good way to keep up with friends and track time played.

Cheers

TBH when the free trials and win backs happened I cooled down for a bit because they seemed to be a sucess and the numbers shot way up and all but right afterwards they shot way down fast.

So Xfire can explain what happened in those trials.

It can't explain how many players are playing because the game is so small today. However it is so small and so much is known about the server populations a simple equation can give you that answer.

Total pop = server capacity IE 10,000 ( server A % of capacity + server B % of+ server C % of) just solve with algebra distributive property.

Yeah. I have been using Xfire for I guess 4 years maybe now. Never has it crashed any one of my games. Ever. At all. It means get a better rig.