Originally posted by Moaky07

Simply put, how many boxes/downloads does TOR sell this yr. Should be interesting to look back at this thread after next month.

 

I am going with 2.2M

5+ million easily.TSW figures to sell 150+ million in sales so that is approx 3 million boxes and they sounded confident.SO if TSW can sell even half that at 1.5 million SWTOR wil leasily sell 5+ million.

Originally posted by WhiteLantern

How does this affect you? We all know there are way more than 2k stupid people in the world, so don't be bothered by these.

Should be obvious to see  how it affects ALL of us?The rich can support this time of game design and it is actually easier on the develoepr,less players to worry about,less servers and same profits.This has created the MANY Cash shop games to pop up and even the giant SOE is going full tilt cash shop.Other devs will follow.

This is in essence using the same analogy like having dope dealers in your back yard,surely you can see how that affects you.

Originally posted by DiSpLiFF

point #6 is the biggest deal breaker for me on this game, but I guess they could technically change it later. Good to see an article about GW2 that brings concerns that i'm sure some well read people have. 

If anyone seriously is paying attention to the way this game is made,it is not a surprise to the WHY only one pvp mode.

A-Net is able to escape sub fees by cutting lots of corners and delivering less content.Then they sell you xpacs to bring the game up to par for content.Even then some things are left out entirely saving them LOTS of money.It is ALWAYS the same ,you get what you pay for.There is a reason that saying has been around for so long and used so often,i didn't just make it up.

However to be fair to A-Net lets see the finished product.Their game is already imo no better than a 7/10 ,it might remain there on release but if i see even more omissions in the game ,it will drop off in ratings.No mounts,no guild halls,1 pvp mode and several other ommssions is not so good a start for GW2.

One of the things i will be looking for is buildings and do they have insides,if not then VERY lazy,cheap game design.I know this was one of their cost saving ideas in GW1,so i get that gut feeling they will continue the trend.It is important to note becuase it is a huge factor in game immersion.

How the Event actually plays out is another factor we need to see.Example that infamous video the BOSS never moves,he goes through his scripted sequence then drops down.He is of no threat to the city at all,he is actually just like an instance boss.They spawn helpers sometimes but the main boss never moves. boss1 boss2 infamous boss

IMO it's not much of a boss fight if he is stationary.

very unfortunate.

No matter how you do it ,this is exactly what all the developers are doing.This is just taking skills and allowing everyone to switch them in and out.I don't like it and in all cases ithere is no thinking involved ,your tanking you go for the tanking crystal.The most thinking anyone will have to do is memorize the 3-4 that their class might actually use.If you want a special ability for the tank to take less damage,just give them an ability with a timer.

FFXI for example gave the Tank Paladin Defender/Rampart and one other ability [name slips me] all on timers.That is the way do it or at least the better way until i see something better come along.

The ability timer,actually could [if designed right] give you a sort of overpowering ability but with long timers it still keeps the game challenging and fun.It also makes you think as to when to use the timer,where as having a crystal installed ,you don't think at all,it's always active ,like having no timer.

Once again FFXI was so far advanced on systems than these other games,i still see nobody coming close.FFXI showed us Elemental properties can be used in a way to give combat depth.FFXI imo did not go far enough,but at least it was better and gave other devs something to take notice.They used the Renkai system which is player to player combos and of course elemntal magic bursts as well.

player>player systems ,elemental properties systems,day/night systems,abilites with long timers,pierce/slash/crushing,are some of the best ways to give combat depth.Heck FFXI even went further in that you coudl kill undead by healing them.You also have mobs that are weaker/stronger to melee/magic,these are all better systems.

This is the way a dev does a crystal system,this is the simple math....they take your example 50 damage nerf it down to 35,then tell you to use a dmg crystal which brings it back to the 50 you should have had all along.If the game actually does allow you to overpower the mobs with these crystals [which is highly unlikely],then it is a fail as well because it won't be challenging to have a boost with an unlimited or NO timer.

Well no surprise they mention voice acting is piece of cake,i already mentioned that several times.

As for the aged old excuse that crops up yet again,we hear the "to reach out to more people" again.I heard this over and over with WOW.

There is two things need to be said to that and why it is BS.

1 If they TRULY were after the MOST possible fans,this would also be released on xbox 360 AND PS3 and it is simply not,so i call lies.

2 There is NOTHING to stop them from making a low res and a hi res textures pack.I know two versions of the game is asking too much ,but it is also possible to make a DX9c AND a DX11 version as well.The TRUTH is COST,it is not to reach out to more players.There is also more that goes in to graphics than JUST textures,there is the architecture and detail in the game,objects,animations ,particle effects TONS more involved and SWTOR falls short in all areas.

What i would accept is if the dev tells the truth then if their game is turning a good profit as Wow is,then make an updated texture pack for hi resolution.You can also have your staff go back in and improve maps,basically make the game as good as it can be.However you know what really happens,the staff is immediately told to start on the next xpack.

Yes i am a very hard critique,someone who accepts mediocre gaming won't mind this game,but these devs know darn well they can deliver a LOT better effort and still profit a very tidy sum.Bioware is not alone,you can expect the same thing from A-Net as well,cutting corners everywhere to save cost.Yes this is 100x better than Eve was released and that game has 600k subs,however i am not one of those supporting poor game releases.I didn't even support my fave FF series.

Don't like limitations like the limiting of 8 skills,another game is doing the same thing.I prefer soemthing that makes more sense,which is tying your skills to your weapon.This opens the door to seeing a voodoo doll user weilding an AK47,it would look ridiculous and unrealistic.Or imagine someone weilding a particle effect canon,why would they bother with any magical abilities when they wield the power of science.

I really like the idea of using past LORE on naming the creatures,i have seen glimpses of it in other games,FFXI used LORE on every single one of it's named creatures.

No stats on clothing is a HUGE risk,this is predominantly the reason why players hangout on level capped players because they are chasing loot with stats.This means they are limiting abilities to 8 and limiting stats totally,not sure why this route, I would like to hear the reasoning from the dev.In the article it says "gear" weapons and chakras matters but with no stats,i can't see how it is possible,i could be tired though and not thinking outside the bubble?

I just think this is why a CLASS design works better,example they are talking "Chakras".Well that woudl make sense for say a magical user to draw out it's inner energy core.However why would a player weilding an AKA47 or a particle canon be worried about Chakra?You see in FFXi they did it well,the MOnk used Chakra,this is actually seen in many movies  where the Shaolin Monk draws energy form it's inner core and thrusts his hands forward creating a lot of power.Can you picture some guy with an AKA47 doing this?

FFXI with Unreal 3 engine.I would use UE3 for any game for that matter,easily the leaders in the industry.Don't let any lazy efforts from the unreal engine fool you the engine is incredible with already made tool sets that leave no excuse by the developer.They can even check their own work inside the editor to make sure it will be playable and not full of mistakes.

It's new xbox 360 software will allow devs to make the best quality games and it's new Ios tech will allow the next gen top of the line App games for your tablets/iphones.

What is even more amazing is that any developer can grab the UDK kit and start working for FREE,they only need license it when they go commercial.So they can test it out and see if it can deliver what they want and not cost them a cent.Every other engine the developer is taking a risk not only in it's capabilites,but weather or not they can learn to use it fast enough or if the tools are to their liking.So a smart developer could use the free UDK kit to start training their employees before hand.IMO it allows for the best chance to make the best possible game.

Well there is another Korean game coming out,but not like those f2p games ,called ArcheAge.It wil lbe a bold advancement to Korean game design.

Gw2 offers the same old but it wil lhave wha tthey call events.These will be going on all over the place and you and you wife can just pop in,they are not organized events more so exactly like RIFTS.

It all depends on how you and your wife enjoy playing a game.More important how your wife enjoys it, w/o her you will probably be bored.

Everything is pretty much the same old you will see anywhere,that is why i mentioned AA becuase it is a little more focused on pvp but still has a massive world with PVE,basically lots of action everywhere and LIVE action not instances.

If yo uare just hopping around game to game,then maybe just play EQ2,it is free,you can't beat that.You can also run two accounts each,you could run a Tank Shadowknight and a Inquisitor,while she runs maybe a monk and a mage or a umm forget the bard type class but the bard and MAge.She doesn't even need to play the bard,just use it for the buffs,so have it on auto /follow.There ya go 4 accounts all for free :D.

Originally posted by Corehaven

Originally posted by ActionMMORPG

Not something I'd have expected in a medieval fantasy sandbox.

Lmao!!!! 

 

No...umm....me neither.  I was trying to figure out where the neon lights were coming from.  Since I noticed there was no light source for them.  Magic I guess?  

 

Anyways.  So.  Im honestly not sure what to make of the video either to be honest.  It gave me a good laugh though.  You have to appreciate a guy who can shake it up with a bucket on his head.  I'll have to try that the next time I go to a club.  After tying my donkey up in the parking lot of course. 

I already told you guys ,it is a quick video made to hype up cbt4,it has nothing to do with the game.

You are worried about light sources in non game content?

Even said,the game itself probably won't have much lighting either,but to be honest,i have to turn shaders and lighting down when i play games or i lag out,i imagine it is the same for most people.

The ONLY community and developer that takes lighting serious has been the Unreal community and Epic games.The Unreal mappers take pride in it and often badger each other back n forth if they don't deliver proper lighting.

Based on everything i know about the 3 big games ,i have AA at around a 6.5/10 SWTOR and GW2 struggling at around a 6/10.The difference is of course SWTOR and GW2 receive tons of hype and marketing/advertising over here.Archeage reminds me a LOT of FFXI,no hype,no marketing,very few people know of the game,but i feel it is going to be a very good game.

The two scores i give GW2 and SWTOR are variable 6/10's.SWTOR i feel is stuck there no matter what only going down.Gw2 could goto a 7/10 or a 5/10.The GW2 devs have been changing everything often and are still making content for the game,so i need to see more of a finished result.I do know GW2 is leaving lots of content out that SHOULD be there and won't be.

So far seeing both developers latest efforts,i wouldn't bother with either one. i knew what to expect from SWTOR,i saw it coming long ago.However i bought into the Skyrim hype like a noob,bought it and i am VERY dissappointed....so far not even clsoe to halfway thorugh it,IF i make it much further.

Funny thing is i figured Bioware for no better than console gaming and in SWTOR it shows,i think of Bethesda i think of morrowind,none of these develoeprs gave me the impression they can do any better.

So after all is said and done ,i still feel Bethesda and Bioware are not up there with the big boys.I think perhaps time to get a new producer in both camps.

Both develoeprs did a great job of marketing and hype on their games,imo that is where they make their money.

So far i am not having much fun,it plays exactly liek a console game as anything from the last 5-7 years.There is a definite trend to the way zones are coloured,it is to keep the gpu stress down.IDK it could be that i have a console version so it might be a lower quality game than the PC version.

As for game play,it is extremely linear,as much a console type game play as it gets.

Non responsive game code al lthe time,i havd to click the same npc 10-20x just to get it to talk.

Do not like the UI or controls one bit,partly my fault,i detest controllers with a passion.I must have had a mental lapse when i purchased the PS3 version,i guess i was looking for an excuse to use my PS3 that had maybe 20 minutes play time on it.

Overall i would say i would feel more relaxed if i got the PC version,but the game itself ,is highly over rated,nothing has caught me by surprise.I have seen this exact same gaming in Morrowind already a few years ago and it definitely does not have anything over a PC game.

I hope the game gets better,or it will be filed beside FFXIII collecting dust and my PS3 will be filed also ,until i have another mental lapse as to why i detest console gaming.

Tell me this isn't better than a movie?Actually Epic games newest technology that will be introduced onto the Xbox 360 is better than movie studios.

crank it up pick720p,crank the volume,full screen  enjoy,this is what we want in our games ,even if for a cutscene.

Unreal3 latest game Batman Arkham Ciy.

Sexy Catwoman

New Korean mmorpg Bless also using Unreal3 engine.

Epic Boss Tim Sweney talking future tech. Boss Sweeney  they have already lived up to the next wave which is their new Ios apps such as Epic Citadel.

Tech video Perhaps the most important thing to note ,is the new addition to the UDK editor that allows a simple click to export your to an Ios application such as an iphone.

Drawback,of course ,this is all basically DX11  64 bit work,that means developers would have to alienate all the win XP DX9c users.However since there is was Xobox only games and PS3 only games,what's the difference?Pretty much every single pc you buy now,no matter how cheap it is will have DX11.

There is something to community, i will use the PRIME example >>>EVE online.

People can complain all they want about FFXIV,it is miles above what Eve was and still is.

Eve was released as rubbish,nobody knew the results of their choices,content was and stilli is not in the game,i am talking  conent that is a MUST.Yet they still have 600k players paying a subscription for this game,makes one wonder what is really going on?

I think Eve survives as a commuinity becuase there is no direct competition for it.FFXIV is in competition with MANY MMORPG's,and in most cases there is no "potential" community because it is mainly game hoppers.

Yes FFXIV has some nuiances,but it is not that bad of a game,it is just different.As for talking about running other games on your hardware >>lol,FFXIV is at the very top of the heap for pushing the GPU,so you can't compare this game with other games.There are tricks other games are doing to cut down on gpu stress,most of which i don't like so don't knowck FFXIV for trying to push the enevelope.Thsi is exactly what happened top VG a ganme that beyond the PC's abilities to run it,so everyone mocked it.Develoeprs actually try to push the envelope to give their game lasting power,only Blizzard seems to be able to get away with selling freeware.

FFXIV might not be the game for me,but many make it out to be some amateur release becuase i think they expected to see another Wow clone.

I would like to comment ona few things.The talent i believe is there,however greed and cost always come into play.They put all that time and money into that game engine so needed to start seeing some cash flow.

One other HUGe problem was and i mentioned it back years ago was that FFXI used up so many innovative and great ideas that they would eventually run out of ideas.This is why FFXIV has a sort of cheap FFXI copy look about it.I have seen soem really bad decisions inside FFXI that left a sour taste with me.It has looked ever s oobviosu they are catering to easy mode and the Wowish type gamer,that does not sit well with me ,i detest everything Wow does.

I was very happy with FFXI's menu system and macro system,if the ykept that with a bit of expansion of the macro size,i would be more than happy.I don't need or even want a Wow type hotbar with spamming icons.

Their own staff admitted the new game engine was a mistake and the BEST news i have got out of the Square camp is they have decided to license the Unreal 3 engine for many projects at least 3.

Unreal3 license

This could be a case of them jumping on the NEW bandwagon for making phone apps using the engine who really knows,but they are a huge developer that covers all platforms.

This news alone gives me a smile and makes me realize that i should never give up on Sqaure they are a really good developer that is always thinking.

As for FFXIV there is some game design areas that will never fly with me,so no matter what they do to the rest of the game, i can't see me playing it,yes i am that stubborn.I guess i have been jaded by FFXI ,such an amazing effort and to think it was made for console just boggles my mind that nobody else can make a decent game even on a PC platform.

Originally posted by nomss

I don't really plan to log in for the beta. But I was wondering how's the polish? DCUO's, FFXIV's UI were or are pretty bad. I have recently loged into DCUO and the UI is still terrible.

How does the game fit to controller? Since I started playing games with controller, it's not been as fun with keyboard. What about key mapping? Is it widely compatible?

I don't like the term "polish" at all and i wil ltell you why.

It is MUCH easier to polish a plain stick of wood than it is to polish a complete armoire made from many sticks of wood.I hope that analogy made it clear as to what i am trying to say?

Obviously nobody has seen all of SWTOR but MOST of what i have seen looks really amateurish.There is not much at all that any person sitting at home with minimal game design knowledge couldn't polish.Well sorry animations are one area that take some effrot and a simpleton wouldn't get it right,but aside from that obvious point,the game lacks professional feel throughout.

I don't even know if these guys have what it takes and i may never know,this could have simply been from day 1 a rush project made to cash in on a well known IP,who really knows?

I am too lazy to do a  whole resume because i have played pretty  much every game out there hundreds of them.

My future looks to be ArcheAge for sure,they have so far earned my respect enoguh to give it a chance.Rigth now i am playing like everyone else Skyrim and i am not impressed,it is more of the same old looking console type game i expected.Actually i expected better so far Skyrim is a real letdown but i am not far into the game,maybe it will open up.

There is also a very good chance i will buy Kingdoms of Amalur,Better people all around that game,i can see it EASILY being better than Skyrim like night and day easy.

First a look at the app which is played on various iOS devices such as the Iphone.

Epic Citadel

Watch this amazing app then ask yoruself if these other games offer this kind of effort  in a PC game?You will even notice you can actually enter the building ,it has full architecture inside,nice lighting it is a very good effort.

The guy who made the map is Shane Caudle he has been with Epic/Unreal Tournament since the beginning,so he is a skileld mapper.

Of  course there is nuiances with such an app,but it is just truly amazing,this guy made the map in 8 weeks.Epic games has always been my fave developer,i could only dream they would take the MMORPG genre seriously and make one for us.

I am not sure the purpose here,i assume after watching the video that yo uare talking about a clone of Diablo 3?

IMO that is not hard to top lmao,we are talking 1990's gaming here with 30x30 maps ,ancient overhead view aka command N Conquer.Tons of mobs that are al lcopies of each otehr is easy to pull off.Epic games has a demonstration to show just that and in high poly/ hi resolution mode and it wil lwork on the xbox 360.

Trust me nothing Blizzard does is hard to top,they make real cheap games,luckily for them people wil lpay them for it and make them rich.

Well i can buy that "needing more time to review" excuse,however only to a point.A game should feel well done in all areas.I mean does the producer tell his employees,ok make all these areas look like crap ,but when you get to that map add a little more detail?I realize this does happen for example in the music industry ,a group makes like 1-2 good songs then fills an album with tons of filler just to make a sale.

I mean seriously,how can a game even call something a "BOSS" and the only thing around is that Boss?If there was a serious boss resistance going on there would be a massive fight,tons of action,not some quiet spawn waiting to happen or 3 drones waiting for you to engage.

I won't post my Half Life2 Striders video again to show how a game should look,but i think most understand and have played enough games to know what to expect from these developers.

SWTOR made so much into the voice overs,but i know voice overs are like 2-3 days of people reading from a piece of paper then it is edited into the game later.This takes no effort at all so it was not something that they could use to convince me the game was going to involve some great effort.

That is what i do from day 1 of monitoring a game from it's inception to release,i watch to see if the developer is TRYING to put out an effort or just cutting corners to save money.Neither GW2 nor SWTOR have ever given me the inclination there is some serious effort going on here.I have for awhile now seen a MUCH better effort coming fr om an Asian developer [Jake Song] in ArcheAge.Yes i know it is sad ,i never saw it coming,but hey there shoudln't be any stereotyping here,there is smart people all over the world,it is about time one of them came from over there.

Yep i noticed that right away,i look for details like that in games.Actually i am a harsh critic becuase i look for everything in a game and if it is missing,i don't like it.That kind of effort is like bottom of the barrell,you can't get any more lazy.

Who is to blame is the question we will never know.Is it the producer asking for speed of development,is it  asking Bioware to hurry up,or is it a real amateur like producer or system designer who doesn't know any better?

The dead giveaway was the announced release date,when you  make a definite release date that means you are releasing the game no matter what ,this means hurry up and get it done.

I am not much of a SOE fan anymore,can't stand what Smedley has done to ruin the genre,however  i firmly beleive SOE would have topped this effort at least by 50%.