All Posts by Anofalye

If you are married, and that your sweety half refuse to have sex for a week, do you go harassing him/her about what is the point of been married?

Or do you make a happy-dance of love before you exit, leaving him/her alone as gently as could while trying to steal a smile?

See, having 2 bedrooms is IMO a very good idea, that way even been allowed to sleep with your sweety half is something you have to deserve, not something granted by default.  Love and friendship cannot be commanded.  You don't catch a birdy.  (It can be "easy" to deserve it...)

I wish I have a simple answer.

$20 a month for an excessively nice MMO, 1 which I don't find something to suggest/feedback/complains at all.

$15 a month is stretching it, but in the case of City of games, I am willing to pay that much from time to time, I am unwilling to pay that much for ANY other existing MMO.  (Stargate, BioWare, CoS MAY make it to my willingness zone)

Sony has a $10 hardline limit.  Breaking that limit for Sony is not impossible, rules and laws are meant to be broken say the old addage, but good luck breaking it, as I am judge, jury and executionner.  Sony also has to face a no CC hardline policy, and that rule can't be broken.

Again, a $15 has to outdo City of games on 90% of the specific areas, and most importantly on what I enjoy myself.  $20 a month...well...good luck.  Not even sure it is possible, we mean that my yap is close by choice (except for brown nosing), and that I am totally happy with the game...I wouldn't pay $15 for a game that isn't even on par with City of games.  And atm, from my perspective, no MMO is even remotedly close to be on par.

IMO...

When you have many peoples of the same class, they should give each other a "silly bonus".  This bonus is something they usually are poor at doing.  2 healers, maybe they give each other a bonus to DPS.  2 DPS class?  Maybe they give each other a regen or tanking bonus.  And so on.

The idea is to make it nice and worthwhile to still group many peoples of the same class, even if it is better to have different classes.  This bonuses shouldn't be too nice, but nice enough so peoples still have fun and find themselves usefull.

That's been said, I have no idea what Aion is planning to do if many peoples of the same class group together, do they get silly bonuses so they still are somewhat nice?  Or will they split road?

Originally posted by EasyE

C'mon....tell me this isn't badassery at its finest...

 

wh40k.lexicanum.com/mediawiki/images/0/03/Witch_Hunters_cover_art.JPG

 

Witch Hunters are the alpha males...

The definition of the witch hunters they are using in WAR correlate to the definition of a MUCH more comon "class" which they "left out".

Mythic doesn't want to be sued by the Vatican, nor would I wish them to be.  I suspect that Games Workshop must have gotten a CLEAR warning in the past, but now, I am speculating.  Yet, this is often how the Vatican works, they have long term goals.  Witch hunters?  They don't care.

The Empire is a religious faction, and the inspiration is directly from the Holy Roman Empire.  In this case here, they pick 1 of the most popular "class" and switch the name of another nearly "unexistant class", yet, both names fit.

As a "Blood for the Blood God fan", I know my enemies.  Witch Hunters?  It fit for 1 class which they avoid.  And the definition they give to that witch hunter class = the class they left out.

About Witch Hunters...They just pick this name, to avoid RL issues other names could have brought them.

I wouldn't be surprised if Game Worskshop receive a few warnings in the past, and behaving accordingly is just comon sense.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLH0GNc2zDQ

This will prolly convince you either way better than any word. :P

The graphics?

I am not an artist, and my opinion is worth what it is worth.

But on graphics, my answer would just be to link you this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDqVXNOlccU

This would resume how most new MMOs make me feels:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLr1oWjIC44

This is how I should feels:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1d19wxR6ug

It all has to do with what is the center of your game, the first setting is cruel game focus on a game server.   The second one, would put the player in the center of everything.  It would be a "learning" experience which is pleasant from start, to the end.  If you propose something to a player, you support this proposition, to let's it blossom.

I can print the manual about the game rules of any Civilization title WAY before it hit the shelves.

And they respect their own rules.  They don't break them­.  They are accurate and I get a fairly good idea of most of the game before I even play it.

And I did purchase EVERYTHING they release on Civilization so far (not sure I will go on the console market, but maybe will do, and again, I know everything I must before considering the purchase or not).

I am sure that you could compare to SOME other titles and consider MMOs players spoiled, but if anything, I am ill-threaten by MMO devs compared to my Civs devs(not really complaining, but hardpressing me on this issue, you see where it leads...).  :)  Sid rocks!

Originally posted by Jatar

There are no separate servers in CoS, so that idea is not possible.  As in many things, Citadel of Sorcery is not what you are used to in other MMO games.  (I've explained some about the server system of CoS in other threads, so you can read about it if you want).

As to our death penalty 'choice' system, we don't believe letting a player choose the type of penalty is a negative.   

I can give you an analogy though, you get a ticket for speeding and the judge fines you $200.00, or you can spend 8 hours in Traffic School, or 8 hours community service.  Which would you like to do?  No matter which you pick, you are paying in some fashion for your mistake.  However, people who have money would like the choice of paying that way, while people who don't would rather donate time.  Taking away the choice would not be good.

Unfortunately, I'm not at liberty to explain the system yet, so you'll have to wait to find out the actual details.

Jatar

 

Then maybe the choice could be premade by the player in a way or another.

In your example, you get a ticket, you know what the consequences are, you still got that choice when you take your license, but it isn't ask later on.  This proceed a lot faster to the consequences, and it doesn't make you focus on the negativity as badly...since when you made that choice, it was rhetoric, hypothethic.

I really dislike the idea to pick every time I died.  I am angry, I died, then you talk to me about what my choice is?  Not a good idea. :P  You should ask me, prior I experience it, what my preference is...maybe I could change that choice at any time, but it shouldn't ever be asked again.  If I died, it is applied, you don't put that choice in front of me there.

After playing MMOs for years, I come to the following conclusion:

- Buffs timer should freeze as long as you are grouped with the buffer, no need to rebuff ever as long as not dispelled and still in group (could add a distance component).

- No timer should ever be above the 15-20 minutes range.  A group didn't take a buffer, they don't deserve to get the buffs permanently.  However, a buff could degrade to a lower buff for another 15 minutes after it duration, and so on.  So if you cast Haste III, at the end of duration, it become haste II...and later it will become haste I...unless it is overwriten.  The degrade must be significantly weaker, if you have a "haste cap", the degrade must never bring a normal class near the cap (there could be 1 or 2 exception)

- Hybrids should have potent buffs (as good as main buffers), but a strict and harsh limit preventing them to buff too many peoples.  See, having a buff which is half what a strong buff is...that is not really cool.  Been able to only buff yourself + 1 player, but having the same good buff (maybe we a few minor difference, but nothing major, I understand the pure buffer might still get a tiny extra), now that is great.  See, with 2 hybrids characters, you have most of the group covered and maybe a few don't need the buff badly...it isn't a pure buffer, but is is NICE.  They are also extremely interesting in smaller groups.

- An hybrid buffer who get buffed by a pure buffer should get a very nice bonus to compensate the fact all his hybrid part is useless, so the hybrid is almost as good as a pure DPS/TANK/HEALER (whatever his other half) while he is buffed by the pure buffer.  This has to be considered carefully as you don't want to make it better or as good as the guy who specialised in DPS or TANKING for example, but you want to make him close enought so he doesn't feels miserable to see half of his abilities go to waste cause he founds a pure buffer.

- A pure buffer buffed by another pure buffer should also get an DPS bonus, so it is worthwhile to group 2 buffers.  So the pure buffer become almost as good as an hybrid DPS while he is buffed by another pure buffer (they both will buff each other).  Would need carefull thinking, but eh, we don't want a buffer to log off feeling useless anyday...cause this will lead to a shortage of buffers.  We wouldn't want either to make them as good DPS as someone which devoted half his character to DPS either, just close to such a character.

I play buffers...and I never play any "hybrid buffers", cause having a weaker version of something isn't cool in my book.  Rebuffing constantly isn't fun, nor a gameplay, nor interesting, it is tedious (I can bear it, but...you would rather have me focus on something else).  Having weaker buffs isn't appealing at all for me.  With these modifications in any MMO, I would definitely consider the hybrid...and still love the idea to be a pure buffer.

About the deaths...

I humbly think that giving options and choices to the players is good.  However, I don't like the idea of giving choice everytime, since basically, each time you died, you have a choice about something negative.  Focus on negativity is always bad.  You don't want the player to feel this:  YOU LOSE A or B, PICK SOMETHING TO LOSE!

I would prefer a system where the death penalty is different on every server, and maybe you can switch server anyway you want, or not.  But if you died on server A, then this happen.  If you died on server B, then something else happen.  The choice is linked with the server selection.

If you see that all players pick 1 server, well, expend this death penalty to an unpopular server, open up a new server with this same death penalty....or make a variation of the most popular death penalty.

Although the advertisement about the death penalty on each server should be clear and easy to find and figure out (kinda no brainer), the first differenciation shouldn't be the death penalty, it might be other rules, or the name, the setting, the popularity of a dev (Jatar server!!!).  Nobody has to be fooled, the death penalty must be easy to see for each server, but again, focus on the positive (Jatar server is positive, while a Permanent Death server for example, even if possibly a good idea, you should promote the positive, it is Jatar selection for example).

Edit, you already tried City of Heroes/Villains. :)

They adds Invention origins stuff, which is the BEST LOOT in any game I played, and you can earn it soloing any level 51+ lieutnant.

Originally posted by baff

Getting your money back via credit card is easy and legit.

Don't take any shit.

It is much easier to deal with it via Visa than it is with some tech support knobs.

 

Your credit card guarentee's your last 3 months of payments.

Usually they ask me to provide evidence that I have attempted ot resolve the issue by contacting the company directly, but I know of no MMO company that has ever issued a refund. They write in their EULA's that they don't have to obey the law and then convince themselves it's true. 

 

On the revenge side, if you are lucky your bank will ban transactions with SOE for all it's customers. Visa won't but your bank may well.

Anyway, in future save youself the grief.

1 email to support for the refund and then straight to Visa.

 

The companies accounts dept is specifically designed to fob you off as long as possible without paying you. All accounts departments are. That's what they get paid to do.

No need for you to pander to their beaurocracy. Let Visa sort them out. I always do.

 

Last time I wrote this, I got banned from this forum. Lets see what happens this time.

What you say make sense.  However, VISA chooses to side with SONY.

It is a "mistake" which cost them 1 lifetime customer, so we are talking about a few K for them.  (I was with them for a LONG time and althought not using my CC a lot, it was something)

Visa has a right to support and enforce either side.  I have a right to turn away from Visa.  Visa was requesting PROOFS that I actually send them an email to say I cancel...but it is merely a cancel button, what proof do they want?  There are none.  SONY couldn't prove that I use any online service at any rate, but that was of no interest for VISA.  They say that only a proof I give them a CC number willingly was enought, which IMO is BS.  If it was more money, or if they try to charge now that I cancel my CC, I would bring them in court, and win.  (Now I have the email proof of Sony agreeing to cancel my subscribtion, so the judge would be indeed quite fast and expeditious with such a fraud, especially that I doubt they would even present someone, 1 vs 0 case are easily won, and if they present someone, at "petite créance", I win no matter the outcome (which I would most likely also win)).

VISA prolly check the amounts of money I was bringing them, and figure I wasn't worth the troubles.  A few K over the next 50 years is nothing for them.  If I become a celebrity and incredibly rich and influential they will regret that, but what are the odds of that happening?  :P

At any rate my bank strongly support me and ease the cutting with VISA a LOT from my perspective.  So at least, I am happy with my bank.  They fills the form and everything and I just had to write the fraudulous comment about SONY, everything else, they handle for me.  :)

Now I just have to figure if I will consider MasterCard spamming or AMEX spamming.  Both are apparently interested, Mastercard even send me a premium stuff every year.  No matter what that is.

EDIT: As to SONY, they lost 1 sold box of Agency right away and 1-2 other games which give me a "mild interest", and the fact I would NEVER give them any CC again...$15 a month on pre-paid card?  I wonder if they will drop their prices for these, if not, they have nearly no chance whatsoever to get me back as a customer even if a game would give me more than a mild interest.  So, Sony may walk away with a stolen $30, but they lost over a hundred dollars...not even considering potential subs (when you don't know what you miss, you don't crave for it).  Not to forget that VISA is comtemplating a cancellation stating: Fraudulous charges by SONY.  I already avenged this offense many times, and I may keep going on (such as posting info about their behaviors and my personnal experience with them).

Maybe half their playerbase are players who cancel but where denied this cancel.

I for 1 never agree to pay the monthly fee and quit a little after trying the game (have a free month).  Somehow, the cancel button didn't work and they charge me.  Checking their log entry would also prove that I didn't play ever outside of this first month.

FLS and SOE are the pirates here.  Keeping artificial numbers a little longer.  Short term.  No long term objective.  The fact I would NEVER use a credit card again (with SONY) and that Agency will sell 1 less box as well as a few other SOE titles which have me half interested, they don't care about that.  They steal $30 now and lose over a hundred and the fact I am unwilling to ever use a CC again(with SONY)...short term.  Short term.

Originally posted by skeaser

 I'm an old EQ junky. I got bored recently and went and re-suscribed to original EQ, downloaded, installed and fired it up. Within an hour I wanted to hang my self. Looking at it now, I cannot understand how I put up with it. I think that it was so great back when it was new because there wasn't anything that had done better. It did make some big steps to start the genre to get it going and I think EQ2 did a good job capitalizing on those changes.

I used to play Pac Man.  But I don't see how any amount of changes/improvement would make me want to play any version now.

For EQ, I can easily see myself play EQ3 (with pre-paid time card, no CC ever again for SOE), if it has the proper adjustments/improvements.  I don't have any hope or belief for the current devs team, but eh, maybe they could prove me wrong.  It is just that after the bazillions expansions, EQ2 and Vanguard, I can see a clear thrend which they are trap in.

Hardcore gaming doesn't has to be done at the expanse of the casuals, and this is a point they are not getting.  See, they are trap in a vision about either giving everything to the hardcores, or everything to the casuals...and that isn't the solution.  The casuals, they want to hope to be the best at what they do, and this is a legitimate request.  They don't have to be good at what they don't do however, which leave you plenty of room for hardcore players.  I suggest casuals server and a new loot system (see my blog if you want), but I am by no mean the only person which can bring new ideas.  I am sure there is a way to make sure that the best peoples at any activity, it is the peoples doing that activity, without giving them everything, or without splitting everything as I do (if you can't think, you can always work harder, that is my approach, it work, but it involves tons of work).

Correct answer:  "As long as I must".

Now, I am no waiting on Darkfall or what it propose myself, I have different tastes.  But I assume anyone caring for any particuliar aspect would do that.

Maybe I will have less time.  Maybe I will be sick.  Maybe I will grow too old and died.  But I will wait for the right MMO.  I can't force WAR devs to make a PvE server, but I can wait for the right MMO.  Feedbacks and talk as well.  That much I can do.  :)  I am waiting since 2002 or since 2006/2007 depending on how you "define" the waiting.  CoX was a partial answer to my craving, but eh, I crave for medieval fantasy and they make me deadly afraid of the nerfing.

So, I have been waiting since 2002 or 2006-2007 depending on how broad you make this definition, I can wait all the remaining of my life.  Of course, every second I always wish the waiting is over.  But eh, Jews are waiting for 2000 years?  What is a year or a lifetime compared to that?  :P

In 2002 I was mostly looking at SOE with hopes in my eyes.  Now I am mostly looking at NCsoft, but my gaze is turning away.  And I don't just wait, I do other stuff, like live my life, play other games, suggest improvements, send my resume and post my ideas.  :P

If they can stop nerfing and just think UPWARD, you will be able to enjoy the game in the long term a lot easier.

I also fail to see how making XP twice easier to earn on every server will have a long lasting appeal.

But this MMO is between 5-10 years ahead of any MMO released or announced...it is just that amazing.