What is wrong with AoC?

It falls victim to "typical gaming programming." Sometimes i think all game developers go to the same crappy college to learn "How To Make An MMO" course 101a.

You take a few races. You create a bunch of geography. You insert some easy quests at low levels that progressively get harder. You begin merging solo players into groups as the quests and dungeons get harder. You merge the small groups into full groups with certain required types to succeed as the quests and dungeons get even harder. Finally, you insert RAIDING.

Each game ever released claims to be totally "unique" but they're all the same. In AoC, the wife and I were slowly precluded from dungeons (which we love) due to the typical "get them into raiding" mentality.

NO game has EVER kept solo and duo-ability up to the highest level. ALL games force the player into raiding. AoC is a clone of all other games with some fancy combat graphics inserted. Don't get me wrong, I loved AoC, but the playability ran out.

How does one like going from being able to take on 3 mobs at low level to needing a full group to take on 1? As one levels, there is a subconscious reduction in power. How does that feel to be a hero?

Note all the latest "total revamps" of AoC? They all are about how even more highest level dungeons and raiding were inserted. Instead of making the game playable and fun at ALL levels, AoC lines right up with all the other clones in forcing the player base to group, bigger-group, and then raid.

I've played them all. They're all the same.

Originally posted by GPrestige

 

What I find good:

• Amazing graphics
• Beautiful music
• Great setting
• The most satisfying combat system I've ever played
• Awesome animations and fatalities
• Assassin is the coolest class I've ever played in any MMO. The look, the style, the animations, the fatalities... all awesome. eg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_rhLUUDSbg
• Fun PVP. Free for all can be a pain sometimes but when you team up its a lot of fun

Simply put:  Lack of polising in nearly every aspect of the game

Let's start with graphics, they are inconsistent for the least. For example cloth textures looks like you're watching them with magnifying lenses. Also some of the bright colors used for hats or priest clothes kills the immersion and consistency of the graphical chart. The bloom option makes your eyes bleed. For comparison LotRo has far better graphics and coherent graphical chart.

Setting, some great areas, one of the best I ever seen. Although the inconsistency in the graphical chart kills the immersion. The heavily instanced zones are crippling the game, wonder if they knew they were doing an MMO.

Music, really nice one. Certainly one of the best in the MMO genre.

Combat : the combo system is more or less a delayed password activated skill system. It's 100 feet below what it could have been with a console like combo system. Only good thing are the fatalties... that's gets boring in the long term, even more as you can't do it on bosses. For comparison DDO has a much faster, reactive and challenging system = more fun.

UI, one word: sad .  A AAA game UI so unpolished. Makes you wonder if they ever payed the devs who made it.  From the poor chat features, to the unfinished trade function it's a big miss. Even SWG pre-NGE had a far better UI.

PvP... well I'm biased a apart FPS real and balanced PvP does not exists in video games.

I don't have much experience with crafting I agree, but it felt boring.

I'm not a big fan of consoles and game pads  but the funny thing is I had much more fun playing AoC with my Xbox controller hooked to my computer than with the normal keyoard and mouse. Have FunCom polish the game and revamp the combat system to a console one and port it on XboX it would be a big hit, trust me.

AoC could be a really awesome game although it seems too many major features were left unfinished.

In my opinion the community is spread to far apart across to many servers. AoC could flourish with 3 servers or maybe 4.

Originally posted by Deewe

Simply put:  Lack of polising in nearly every aspect of the game

 Let's start with graphics, they are inconsistent for the least. For example cloth textures looks like you're watching them with magnifying lenses. Also some of the bright colors used for hats or priest clothes kills the immersion and consistency of the graphical chart. The bloom option makes your eyes bleed. For comparison LotRo has far better graphics and coherent graphical chart.

 Setting, some great areas, one of the best I ever seen. Although the inconsistency in the graphical chart kills the immersion. The heavily instanced zones are crippling the game, wonder if they knew they were doing an MMO.

 Music, really nice one. Certainly one of the best in the MMO genre.

 Combat : the combo system is more or less a delayed password activated skill system. It's 100 feet below what it could have been with a console like combo system. Only good thing are the fatalties... that's gets boring in the long term, even more as you can't do it on bosses. For comparison DDO has a much faster, reactive and challenging system = more fun.

 UI, one word: sad .  A AAA game UI so unpolished. Makes you wonder if they ever payed the devs who made it.  From the poor chat features, to the unfinished trade function it's a big miss. Even SWG pre-NGE had a far better UI.

 PvP... well I'm biased a apart FPS real and balanced PvP does not exists in video games.

 

Setting: everything seems fine to me... last thing i want is to be loading new data in one large instance every time it patches.
 

Combat: Combo system is designed to slow you down and pout skill in the game... seems fine to me.

UI: WoW had a terrible UI, for years I used an addon... I do likewise with AoC, try 'Stonerune' addon.

Originally posted by haratu

Setting: everything seems fine to me... last thing i want is to be loading new data in one large instance every time it patches.

Take the last dungeon for example, the iron Tower. The setting is great but once again it isn't polished. Check the statues in the last pic at the bottom right here [clicky]. See the white clean statues? They don't fit at all the surroundings, they look too neat for such a place. They should blend in the environment. 
 

Combat: Combo system is designed to slow you down and pout skill in the game... seems fine to me.

Did you ever try DDO, how about console combat system? Even in console games you don't kill mobs faster than in AoC and it's much more reactive.

UI: WoW had a terrible UI, for years I used an addon... I do likewise with AoC, try 'Stonerune' addon.

Just as example please show me the resize UI option or the ability to immediately switch from FPS to third person view for rangers. The UI is the worst part of the game. Sad because they could do real fast quick wins in that starting by supporting Xbox controllers.

The game has improved dramatically since launch. People are obsessed with failures of the past unfortunately and wont give the game a 2nd chance. Its a really good game.

(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH kilikki begs the Raving Rabbid for her panties back...he laughs)

Originally posted by GPrestige

Let me start off by saying that I played at launch. I was a casual player and only got to level 43, so I never really experienced whatever they had offered for endgame. I also quite enjoyed the game, but quit probably because I was worried about all the people quitting at once. I was one of the sheeple at the time. I have returned and am having a hell of a time. I have a level 24 Assassin and am loving it. So overall, what is wrong with the game anyways?

What I find good:

• Amazing graphics
• Beautiful music
• Great setting
• The most satisfying combat system I've ever played
• Awesome animations and fatalities
• Assassin is the coolest class I've ever played in any MMO. The look, the style, the animations, the fatalities... all awesome. eg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_rhLUUDSbg
• Fun PVP. Free for all can be a pain sometimes but when you team up its a lot of fun

Overall I'm having a lot of fun and want to know what people find to be the biggest problems with the game? I play on Tyranny server and don't have any population issues. I know you may recognize me from the Vanguard thread, I guess I have a soft spot for underdogs. I still play Vanguard, but am interested in AoC because it seems to have a company behind it that hasn't completely given up on it. I mean the constant Ads, injecting it into TV shows, the expansion etc.

 

So what is really the problem with AoC. I'm genuinely curious because I'm having a lot of fun with it right now. Have you even played it since release?

the problem atleast at launch for me werent the combat, werent that it were "unfinished"....it just in no way were an MMO from what I think of when using that word.  game were 1 way road absolutely no choices on your own on where to go, what to do

there were no real reason to group up do things together...this part for most part makes having other ppl around you a pain rather than an asset....this is what all newer MMOs Ive played fail hard on me...dont want to be in an MMO and just wish there werent anyone around as they just dont mean anything but update hijackers.

to me Conan would have been great as a singleplayer game.....am sure they would had time to make it a much better experience and contibution to the Conan world

I agree that this is a great game.  I've played from launch and although I thought it was a decent game back then, a year and a half later it is a completely new game with a completely new Game Director in Craig Morrison.  I believe that the positive changes we've seen are due to him because 90% of the changes I saw took place after he was put in charge.  And not just changes over time, but aggressive changes that took place very quickly, and consistently.  Coming soon we have 1.06 with towers to battle over in the open pvp zones, continued class balancing, tier 3 raiding, and guild renown systems.  That should be more than enough to keep us busy until the expansion launches next spring.  It's true that populatoin has taken a recent hit, but I don't think that has anything to do with what AoC has done, but just the fact that a few new mmos have launched and diverted people.  As soon as those lose their luster and people look to other mmos to go back to, AoC will see a hugh rush of people because it is a solid game now.  I anticipate population being low for a few months and once they officially announce the date of the expansion, population will see a rise.

I dont think this is a bad game but when i played i always felt like a wimp. I mean i couldnt fight more than a few guys at once and id be mobbed by 3-6 regurlarly, the healer classes seemed okay at first but i think they may have been nerfed to the point where they spend all there time healing themselves rather than doing anything else.

Awesome Post OP.

Some of the things I feel hurt AOC the most.

Servers: The way they handled Server Rule Sets...very all or nothing. PVE Super Carebear or to the extreme FFA PVP. Look, people like choices and not being pigeon toed into one or the other. Especially people comming from games that gave them the freedom to engage in what suite dtheir mood at the time...without having to have a whole other toon on a whole other server.

Specs: Most people can't run the game. Some of the most succesful PC Games have always been the ones that can run on any system. Counter Strike, WoW, Etc.  to really enjoy AOC and appreciate it you need a bad ass PC.

Those are the two things I really think hurt it the most.

I believe that Age of Conan was designed with longevity in mind. 

<insert flame war here>

By assigning high end requirements at the beginning, it may have eliminated some players from experiencing the world as the players had hoped.  We must keep in mind that PC technolology changes every 18 months.  What was high-end tech 18 months ago will be run-of-the-mill in three years.  The features that were added were designed that way to set the game apart from WoW clones and other mass-produced MMOG systems and to increse the game's potential lifespan if AoC were more successdul. This does not sit well for many players.  There were weaknesses in the beginning, but many of the flaws have been repaired and much polish has been added.  No game is ever perfect.  The devs will continue to fine-tune AoC throughout the life of the game.  We see this in all MMOGs that we play.  Once Rise of the Godslayer is released, we will see a huge seamless environment released for Khitai.  Khitai will likely be what many expected Age of Conan to be at release.  Rise of the Godslayer is due in the first half of 2010.

I hope that this will lead to additional content in the original material afterward.  There are many gates and doorways in the original zones that are locked at present.  This leads me to believe that there is an intention to place something there in the future.  For instance, I was shocked that the Westermarke (area between the Pictish Wilderness and Aquilonia) was not developed as demonstrated in the books. This is a HUGE warzone with raids from both camps occuring continuously.  If this were added, along with all the respective Aquilonian camps introduced in the books and the Pict Animal Tribes introduced in the books, it could be a very interesting addition or expansion.

Originally posted by Thorgrimm

I believe that Age of Conan was designed with longevity in mind. 

Then why did they put so little content and stuff to do or functional stuff in the game? that is wrong.

There are also game mechanic issues. Casters vs. melee, PvP system, heals all in the form of heal over time, the effect of statistics and gear even post revamp, PvP vs PvE ( damage, class mechanics, CC)

So two major issues.....I do disagree about the longevity.....I know and Funcom knew that it had to keep players long-term,,,,but they released the game and it is still in the state of a get rich quick scheme.

Originally posted by RavingRabbid

The game has improved dramatically since launch. People are obsessed with failures of the past unfortunately and wont give the game a 2nd chance. Its a really good game.

(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH kilikki begs the Raving Rabbid for her panties back...he laughs)

That is one of the things wrong with the game. By chance you could play it, but beware you may be bitching on the forum years later on an endless crusade that will get you no where! Must get even tougher the more appeal it garners as time goes on.

Originally posted by AmazingAvery

 

That is one of the things wrong with the game. By chance you could play it, but beware you may be bitching on the forum years later on an endless crusade that will get you no where! Must get even tougher the more appeal it garners as time goes on.

 

Thought it was you that pointed out how willing people were to RETRY AoC....120,000 downloads at one site alone. Did that apeal garner additional subscribers? How long must the world wait untill this game garners appeal? When will AOC garner apeal from Funcom, one would think that sieges would work and second iteration of server mergers would transpire if they cared, at the very least.

This is Funcom and AoC and its fans.......

http://www.vgcats.com/comics/?strip_id=269

 lol that comic was funny.

1. Content your losing players monthly due to lack of content

2. Community if you don't fix #1 then #2 is going to keep players like myself from coming back to AoC im not going to play a mmo alone.

alot argue they added this or that over the last year but fact remains that the game launched with not enough content. So they need to add MUCH more not these bits here and there. if players are busy there is less complaining which buys you more time to "fix" the many broken things in the game.

I'd love to play it, but I'm still in the process of piecing together my i5 pc build.  My current PC is to weak to play it.

Originally posted by Thorgrimm

Once Rise of the Godslayer is released, we will see a huge seamless environment released for Khitai.  Khitai will likely be what many expected Age of Conan to be at release. 

Define seamless environment. Game is still and will be zoned. Only thing they will/can do as they've said in one of the dev letter thingies, use what they have "better". For example if they can have max 128x128 zone, expansion wont make new 140x140 zones, just use 128x128 zones "better". If you meant the small instances in the zones by seamless environment, well it was an idiocy to put those to begin with.

 

 Finally, all of the regions in the expansion are connected to form a single coherent map. This means that players will be able to see the areas that surround them, and zone across border lines - much like we did recently in Tarantia Commons but on a much larger scale.

Like this. No more silly teleporters ... similiar system is being used in AO

 I've played AoC since launch till last May. Got 3 lvl80s - ToS, guardian and barbarian. However there is nothing to do at lvl80 between the raids (especially when you move to T2 raids only).

PvP was retarded at launch and it is still completely pointless so i never rolled on pvp servers. 

I'll resub for the expansion and see if it is fun

ConanVault.IGN.com provided the following summarization:

Mechanics Changes:

Zone splitting and 'NPC-gates' have been dropped, the new Land is explored much more seamlessly, zones are dynamically rendered as you get closer to them so you can actually see the next playfield as you approach the 'trigger' area. This doesn't mean that you'll move between zones with all new areas loading in the background - it's still done with a loading screen, BUT unlike all other zones in the game, Khitai supports 'trigger' transitions to new areas, whereby it doesn't need a specific intersection point, doorway or gate to move to a new area, but rather a localization-based system used in Tarantia Commons (possibly like travelling via Khorotas to Old Tarantia)

Innovative dungeon system - whereby players can basically level-up as much as they want to without ever getting back to the surface, owing to interconnected, respawn-on-reentry dungeons (that's right, you can get from one dungeon to the next and to the next etc.. - they're connected much like Tarantian Main System/Cistern).

A gripping, multi-faction story, and the region of the world where Conan is actually despised!

http://conanvault.ign.com/View.php?view=gameinfo.Detail&id=2