Because I'm sick of people regurgitating the same stuff over and over and over again... on both sides.

Maybe the reason is that ranged just is naturally superior to melee. There is a reason wars are fought with guns (at least for the moment) and not with swords, anymore. Projectiles are lethal. And not just after you peppered someone with 2 entire clips.

The posters above me have brought up a valid point though. In reality, once you have closed in on someone and are grappling or punching, it is very hard for the opponent, to get away. In most games, bouncing around like a rubber ball, 0-time 180 degree turns and manic button mashing will get you out of melee weapon range relatively easily. Maybe a more realistic movement speed and behavior would help... as well as the clear expectation that if the guy with the gun sees you running up to him from a mile away, you will not make it there alive.

I don't mean to derail this thread, but could someone explain something to me, what I have been wondering about for a long time:

What is so technically challenging about resetting skill points, changing char appearance, class, race, sex or any other player customizable parameter?

I don't know who started this, but it seems an obvious money making scheme. As the editor wrote, having free (in terms of real world money) respecs is something players have come to expect from any game that makes use of skill trees. To not include it and then to charge for it through a cash shop is just taking the piss.

In this case, Cryptic charges in the same region as what I would expect to pay for a medium size content upgrade. Does it really take as many man hours to create 50 new quests, a couple of new dungeons, bug fixes and maybe a new game mechanic or two as it takes to build a piece of code that resets the skill points for a character?!

Until someone convinces me of the contrary, I'm calling this BS and a blatant and arrogant rip-off!

PS.: I don't currently play any MMOs, so it does not affect me personally. It's more a matter of general principle.

Same here. If anyone received a key and doesn't want to use it, I'd be grateful! Been wanting to try this game for a while, but there doesn't seem to be a general trial available anytime soon.

Thanks folks!

There is a free weekend coming up on the 30th if you want to try it out. For me it doesn't work because I'm going to be having a good time with friends over Halloween, but it may work for others. Stupid Cryptic

Will you trust one of the most respected game developers again after [producing] the most financially successful game ever made?

Why, yes. I believe I will.

I'm sorry, you took Bio's and my comments this way. It's not as if we didn't try to give you some well-meant advice. I don't know you, you are right. But that was kinda my point. I'm not into all this 'stay positive' crap if it means ignoring the uncomfortable.

I don't think you will be a manager in the gaming industry any time soon (for reasons mentioned), but if you prove me wrong, I'll gladly eat my words and pre-order your first game. Good luck to you!

Originally posted by Munki

Originally posted by orionite
[...]

Hmmm, somebody didnt get many hugs growing up :(

No, I got (and get) plenty of hugs. I'm just trying to point out that there is no point in asking (and trying to give advice) for the golden way into game development, if there is no indication of the individual's skills and ambitions. This is why there are career advisors, to sit down and talk to, aptitude tests, etc. I'm speaking as someone who has two full degrees. For a long time, I considered the first one a waste of time and cursed myself for not doing more research before enrolling. All I thought about was the glamorous (at least in my youthful mind) industry at the end, without looking at the reality and what my real strengths (and especially weaknesses) were. Luckily, it turns out that I'm able to use what I learned in both courses in my current line of work.

I urge everyone who is about to start college, to do some real and honest soul searching and not be blinded by what they think is such a great job/career/industry. What's great for one guy, might be hell for another. Loving games on the one side and enjoying and succeding at working in the game industry on the other, are two completely different things.

I suggest 'What color is your parachute' as a starter book to figure out what you REALLY want to do with your life.

Originally posted by Biohazard931

Originally posted by akjohn31

I would just like to come up with a game or work on other peoples ideas. I want to be a manager though. In head of everything.  just like making stuff. and i live in the US..Texas baby

 

Okay, look kid. You really do sound like some naieve guy who just wants to create a game. Above all that you want to be the boss.

[...]

Sorry to say it but you sound like a twelve year old kid who wants to make a game...just straight off. It's so very common.

[...]

Good luck mate.

Exactly! These threads pop up here and elsewhere on the web, all the time. Almost always, there are a few pages of good advice, which then turns out to be a complete waste of time, because the OP, is 'just some kid, who likes games'.

akjohn, I think it's safe to say that almost everyone on MMORPG.com would love to to be "a manager" in the gaming industry and "come up with a game" and "make stuff". And then there are people who have worked or are working in the industry already - some of whom have replied to you. They know it's a tough and competitive business and  includes a number of different skills.

Advice to everyone interested in a career: google. There are so many pointers out there. Really, asking "Hey, I like games, what should I study", is not going to help you much, as it just shows how little you understand of the business in general. Honestly, I'm surprised how patient and helpful (albeit in vain) everyone has been, so far.

If and only if, you have done some research and put your own skills and ambitions into perspective, should you ask for advice in forums such as these. Your questions and the corresponding answers would be of much higher quality and jerks like me wouldn't write half a page, because they're tired and cranky and sick of pointless threads like this (... while still quite enjoying bitching about it)

Like many others here I would love to see some good SciFi or at least non-Fantasy MMOs out there.

Peter F. Hamilton's books are great, but hard to turn into a playable standard MMOPRG. Same goes for Vernor Vinge and Iain M. Bank's Culture novels.

I guess, I would pick

1) Battletech - Dunno what came first, but a MMO-mechpilot-rpg-fps type thing would be off the chain. The lore is very deep, the factions well-defined.

2) Otherland - This would be the perfect IP to implement a multi-verse type MMO, where you can be a medival knight in one world, an egyptian soldier in the next and a magic wielding sprite in the third. The expansion possibilities are endless and with the right tools could be self-perpetuating through user created content/addons.

3) Perry Rhodan - Probably not very well known outside Germany, but I loved the series. Very deep sci-fi lore.

4) The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant - I guess this is fantasy, but it feels a lot grittier than the usual fare.

5) Discworld - Can't remember if there was one in the works. Could be fun though.

6) 1984 - Unite against the man!

7) Blade Runner - (Philip K. Dick's original) would make a great gritty and  dark, look-over-your-shoulder setting.

8) Saga of the Exiles - Julian May's time travel (one-way :) ) series. Great good vs.evil setting, with cool technology and psy powers

There are some great Pen&Paper IPs that could make great MMOs, too. Ars Magica (for the best magic system known to man... well at least one man) or Paranoia (for insane black-humor and wanton destruction) come to mind. Or Traveller.

Your question can not be answered. A dual-core machine is a computer that houses a dual-core CPU (and a matching motherboard). Also, to my knowledge (correct me if I'm wrong), the P4 3,6GHz is not a dual core CPU. Unless you mean a dual CPU motherboard.

Clarify and people might be able to help you out.

First off, I must apologize to Devour. Slammed him in another thread, but since then read a lot of very sensible posts by him. So, peace.

Regarding your question. In my opinion planetside did this very well. You have a number of certification points to invest in skills which allow you to use certain weapons or vehicles. As you level up you gain more points.

What that means is that even as a low-level player you have access to pretty much every piece of equipment, but because your points are quickly used up, you can't switch if you find yourself in a situation that requires a different loadout. As the player progresses and acquires more cert points, he has the option of switching to different tools of destruction as the circumstance requires.

In essence a skilled low-level player has every chance to defeat a high-level player, if the situation favours his current certification. Overall though, there is a great incentive to level up, as you become more versatile and can enjoy different aspects of the game within one play-session. (you can re-cert every so many hours real time)

I hope that makes sense. Given that you are in a fantasy scenario, I'm not sure how that would translate, but giving the player different options is a great way, imho, to reward and give a sense of power. Also, i'm a great fan of visual rewards. Access to different looking (!) armour, different dye kits, different looking mounts, etc. makes a player distinguishable and potentially admired/feared.

... just realized Cik-Asalin said more or less the same thing with fewer words... dang

Why don't you just look at the games listed on this site and try them? Check the ones that are rated the highest and download the trial. Usually, there is one./

How is anyone supposed to know what's SUPER GOOD for you...?

Originally posted by Josher
....

Yup, YEARS of UT and CS and I just sucked at aiming.  Not to mention MOST people who tried PS thought it was bad...but its all me.  The critics sucked too.  Everyone sucked except the 10k who actually paid for it=)  Millions of people play CS, COD and other FPSs, but only hate PS because they sucked at it, hehe.  The game stunk.  You liked it.  Thats OK. 

I don't know how good or bad you are at aiming, but you clearly have a lot to learn about intelligent discourse. Planetside had at its peak about 60k concurrent subscribers (mmogchart.com). While this is not massive, it is still respectable and way more than was indicated by you. You speak with such authority about what 'everyone' likes and dislikes. Head over to the relevant forums and try again. The critics gave this game the thumbs up, btw. (Metacritic.com).

So, when all's said and done, you didn't like the game because it wasn't like one of the shooters you were already familiar with. The fact that you compare PS to UT and CS further reveals your lack of understanding. In a previous post you state:

After aiming perfectly like I would in any FPS only to see, miss, miss, miss...I uninstalled.

Has the Eurogamer review made into some form of urban slang term, I should be using here? I guess for now, I'm just going to say that people who have played the game for more than 2 hours will be able to tell you that it was more than possible to hit people consistently and *gasp* even have fun.

Originally posted by Sneakers05

Originally posted by Martie

Originally posted by Sneakers05

Originally posted by Martie
...

...

...

and it was fun yes, because it was hard and challenging and a thrill and you were never alone because you were in groups and you say you had to kill the same mob in the same area over and over. I dont know what Korean Grinder you were playing but back in the days of EQ before WoW , there were multiple places a group could go to get level up and have fun

Dude, you can do all of that even in WoW. If that is the way you like to play, then no one is stopping you! Stop blaming the game for your gameplay choices. You don't HAVE TO take the path of least resistance!

Kalaren, I agree it was 'snarky', but only a comeback to the derisive post before that was to be expected. Any numbers are pure guesswork and I found the OP's horse a little too high. Also, the insult did not come from you. The OP branded hammer as 'sub-intelligent', which is, i think you will agree, clearly insulting.

I seem to remember Silkroad let you do that. Most MMORPGs with an eastern setting should let you pick polearms. I've tried a few more where this applies, but can't remember the names.

Originally posted by Psatiyah

Originally posted by kalaren

Originally posted by Hammertime1

Originally posted by Psatiyah

Originally posted by Hammertime1

I just don't see it.

The majority of subs are going to stay in Asia, this game won't hold 250k subs in the US.

 That absolutely did not contribute at all to the discussion

 Although, I have to say I agree - Aion is a bit too 'grindy' for Western gamers, so will hit max 2 mil amongst EU/USA combined

Yeah..........so a totally unrealistic number of 2 mill EU/US subs is contributing to the discussion then? 

He qualifies his number. So as a base estimate it would get 3.5 mil more when released in EU/NA, he therefore thinks it would have less since "Aion is a bit too 'grindy' for Western gamers".

I realize people like to be snarky on the internet, but know when it applies.

Well, we can't expect much from sub-intelligent people, can we

 lol

 Anyways, thanks for the backup, +1 interwebs for u!

The OP makes a guess as to the sub numbers for EU/NA and invites others to do the same:

Anyone like to speculate on those numbers once we see the EU / USA release?

I'm thinking about 5-7 million.

Someone disagrees with the estimate and gets slammed and insulted. How does the OP 'qualify' his numbers in the original post? The first reply was in no way 'snarky' and contained no more guesswork than the OP.

Wouldn't it be nice if people applied the standards they measure others with to themselves as well?

BTT: I am skeptical that Aion will manage to have subscription levels in the millions in the US and/or EU. I am basing this on the fact that games produced in Asia have traditionally not fared all too well in the west, combined with the fact that the art work (and personally I think it's quite pretty) does not have the mass appeal it might have in the East.

I'm the type of person who doesn't like people who constantly say "I'm the type...", in order to evoke more credibility regarding their opinions, choices, etc.

I still find CoX boring. I recently resubbed to check out the new content. While I really like what they are doing (Mission Architect, Base building, etc.) it's the basic game play I just don't seem to get into.

Enjoy it, though!

You make it sound like the whole post is misleading. In fairness, the new player (who is probably a froob) will not get into contact with real twinking until much later and will also not be taking part in PvP related activities until that person has a fairly good idea about the game him- or herself.

So, I think overall the OP provided a good summary.