I thought character creation really sucked in this game tbh.....Everyone kind of looked the same and there really werent many clothing options at all.....It felt like a cheap f2p when I was creating my characters.

Hey Suzie, I don't think make-or-break means what you think it means.

GW2 has made a big noise about breaking the MMO mould but i genuinely think that TSW has more of a right to claim the most innovative MMO of the year

Funcom have dared to do something very different and from my 30 odd hours of gameplay so far i would say that they have been very successful!

Given the amount of aggro people on the forums here used to throw at TSW cuz of it being developed by Funcom... I'm really happy for Funcom.  I always said I respect them for simply going against the grain and doing what they believe in and this time, it seems to have thankfully worked out really well for them.

Another fairly glowing review for a new released MMORPG. Suzie, one thing you and the other MMORPG.com staff does is sing the praises of every big-budget new released MMORPG until, suddenly, you stop doing it a few months down the line.

SWTOR is probably the best example. You and Bill just had nothing but positive things to say about the amazing game until a couple of months later, you started running the: "where did it go wrong" style columns... it was as if you never had high opinions of the game. 

I won't fault the Secret World framework that this site has adopted (no doubt, EA has written them a blank check when it comes to marketing), but glowing reviews of every big-budget product 2-7 days after release have become too expected from this site IMHO. It's something you might wanna consider. 

Regarding respecs: Even points that were supposedly "wasted", were spent on passive abilities that can still provide synergy with other new choices.

My example: I started out with Blades + Elementalism as my two areas, really more for theme than anything else. I've been pretty effective, but these two sets don't work as well together as Blades + Blood, for example. So now I'm going to start spending AP in Blood Magic, but I certainly haven't wasted any time or points on what I've done so far. And there are some useful Elementalism passives that I'll continue to get mileage out of for the forseeable future.

The idea that missing a respec is a problem with TSW tells me folks are still thinking in a traditional MMO mindset. ...But TSW isn't a traditional MMO.

character creation is perhaps the worst part of this game. there are a few options, but most of them are ugly. so nobody uses them obviously. about every third female char i see looks more or less like mine.

atmosphere is great. i say this, even if i hate zombies. quests are well done. i am not a fan of the investigation quests, but most people like this type. the most important thing is, they try to avoid classic questhubs, which is a bit confusing for some people. but this makes the zones less linear. 

i am not a fan of the combat system including the skillwheel. it is more a kind of extended trait-system. i like a more tactical approach and i prefer a real open skillsystem, where offense, defense and utility are not mixed up in the same trees. the combat itself is fast paced action oriented as usual. nothing special here.

PS: i dont understand the complain about respec. there is absolutely no need for respec in this game. if you cant do a quest, because a mob is special. come again later with the right build and get used to this scenario. after Kingsmouth you are not supposed to beat every single quest 1st time in this game.

Originally posted by Axxar

Originally posted by Senadina

I don't think it would be that simple to allow us to change our body types. Now I'm no programmer, but wouldn't that needlessly complicate cut-scenes and/or clothing sizes? Regarding cut-scenes at least, I figured that's why SWTOR didn't allow body size customization. On the other hand, Aion has the most extreme variation of body sizes you'll see, and it didn't seem to impact their cutscenes; there are very few cinematics though, not like SWTOR or TSW.

Actually SWTOR has body size customisation. You can choose between thin, athletic and powerlifter body types.

 

 

City of Heroes also has tons of control over body shape and height. This can be done, no doubt. And I'm looking forward to it -- no adjustment for height, shape or even age is disappointing.

Originally posted by Illyssia

Originally posted by Warmachinez

 

About the game: I only played for a few hours during a BWE, and I completely lost myself in the world, it is very immersive.

 

Well, the world is very instanced, though TSW isn't bad. I was closed beta tester, but I am not playing at launch. Game is a mishmash of esoteric and occult ideas. Ultimetely,t hough, it isn't anything particularly new, so as an mmo I think it likely niche to those interested in the subject of the mmo. There are some iritating features to the game which are touch upon in review part one, and also there are some bugs present.

 

My review score 7/10

 

 

...Are you sure you were playing the right game? Actually, very little of TSW is instanced; the vast majority of quests are right out in the open, with everyone else running around and on top of what you're trying to do. In fact, that's where some of the bugs are popping up -- multiple players activating the same quest at the same time causes the environment to freak out (See the Something Wicked quest in Kingsmouth for an example). There are some "Solo Instance" tiers within quests, and obviously the Team Missions (i.e. dungeons) are instanced, but the rest of the world is wide open. Which is pretty cool, I think.

This is the best MMORPG I've played in the past 8 or 9 years.

I'm absolutely enthralled by it.

And BillMurray (lol) is right, there's a whole slew of character creation updates coming at the end of August (tentatively).

Just wondering, are all in-game civilians aware that their are monsters running around in the world and that their are three secret societies?  I'm asking because I thought that everything was secret but then I see all these monsters all over the place.  Can someone explain?

Originally posted by Badaboom

Just wondering, are all in-game civilians aware that their are monsters running around in the world and that their are three secret societies?  I'm asking because I thought that everything was secret but then I see all these monsters all over the place.  Can someone explain?

No, it's just in the areas that are controlled byt the three secret societies and the areas overrun by filth, so not the whole world, but most of where your character will go.

Originally posted by Badaboom

Just wondering, are all in-game civilians aware that their are monsters running around in the world and that their are three secret societies?  I'm asking because I thought that everything was secret but then I see all these monsters all over the place.  Can someone explain?

If you're referring to London and the Templars.. that little area of London is specifically quarrantined by the Templars.  Only those "in the know" are allowed to visit or live there (do the Templar faction opening and you'll see this explained a bit).

As for Kingsmouth.  The entire island is quarantined.  Nobody in or out except Orochi and players through the Agartha conduits.  The US Governement and CDC are heavily involved here especially in Blue Mountains.

Originally posted by Badaboom

Just wondering, are all in-game civilians aware that their are monsters running around in the world and that their are three secret societies?  I'm asking because I thought that everything was secret but then I see all these monsters all over the place.  Can someone explain?

If you play a bit of the templar intro, they go into how it's been a pretty big secret until recently. The world is going to shit (starting w/ the infeciton in Tokyo) and spreading about to different areas. "The Secret world" isn't quite so secret anymore.

Tested it for the last  four months. I liked it, it grabed me in the funny parts and wouldn't let go. Just a bit played out on it to buy it at release. For atmosphere and the setting there really isn't anything else like it out there. Reminded me a bit of Vampire the masquerade: Bloodlines for some reason. My only complaint with it was the writing of the N.P.C dialogue. After a few months of testing it really started to grate on me. If I had run into that many self involved "Quirky" individuals in my life I think I would have cut my own ears off by now. That aside it's a good game and I wish it well. Will pick it up again further down the road. Happy monster killing kids. :)

I will be the first to say when I heard of this game .. Not interested ... but then there was the free codes for beta (From this site) and once in .. WOW .. Sure there was work to be done .. It was beta so I do not worry too much about that part of it. Questing can be anything from a cake walk to a bloody pain to deal with. Everyone one knows the cleaning lady and where to get the code .. but there is a challenge in that ... rather than tell you .. it more or less tells you in a cryptic fashion .. Very nice

For a game I thought would not make it and was not even inteested. I am glad I signed up and get in. I am enjoying my time and may never be able to go to disneyland again ... for fear of the chainsaw wielding Goofy. This game has made me laugh, and creped me out .. and I am loving every minute of it.

Originally posted by BillMurphy
If I'm not mistaken, an actual "Plastic Surgery" sort of thing is coming "soon". This will be part of a revamped character creation system, and allow you to alter yourself while already playing as well.

Ragnar said they have  plastic surgeon, barber and tattoo/piercing hubs in the works, with the aim towards late August (though he warned that this isn't a promised date, just what they are shooting for).  They are also implementing new cc options, but body sliders aren't really on the table at this time.

Is that guy holding a doll that is having it's period? Or a circumcision gone wrong? That is pretty odd.

Originally posted by umcorian

Another fairly glowing review for a new released MMORPG. Suzie, one thing you and the other MMORPG.com staff does is sing the praises of every big-budget new released MMORPG until, suddenly, you stop doing it a few months down the line.

 

SWTOR is probably the best example. You and Bill just had nothing but positive things to say about the amazing game until a couple of months later, you started running the: "where did it go wrong" style columns... it was as if you never had high opinions of the game. 

 

I won't fault the Secret World framework that this site has adopted (no doubt, EA has written them a blank check when it comes to marketing), but glowing reviews of every big-budget product 2-7 days after release have become too expected from this site IMHO. It's something you might wanna consider. 

 

 I am predicting they give TSW at the very least a 8.5, but probably a higher score, and as you say, a couple months down the road they will be along with those "what TSW did wrong" columns when the populations dips and the early adopters who hop from game to game grow bored of the latest shiny thing.