This is an interesting thread.  I think the OP and others make an excellent point:  LOTRO is a great game.  Not only does it do the fantasy MMO better than most, it also has combined together all the best parts of the past MMO's into one game.  I am still enjoying it, but after a month I can see the burnout happening.  Same formula regurgitated.  It simply doesn't bring anything new to the table to "seasoned" MMO players.  To people new to MMO gaming tho, it will be absolutely exciting.  Remember we are old farts in the gaming world, alot of newcomers to gaming have yet a ways to go to catch up to our experience. 

I am thinking of firing up my EVE Online account as well.  Altho Im not a big PVP fan, I think EVE is really the only MMO that is doing things differently at this point.  And I, like many others, are tired of fantasy games. 

Typical American puritanical hypocrisy.   

I'm a girl so I don't look at boobs that much, some nice buns on half naked male npc's would be nice tho!! 

I am thinking of coming back as well.  From what I understand you just need the original game installed and if you purchase EOF you get all the expansions and xpacs.  Can anyone confirm this?

Thanks!

I agree with the OP, there is definitely a need for a good sci-fi MMO.  I too am sick and tired of Orcs and Trolls and the whole fantasy genre, it's played out, give it a break already.

I am waiting for Tabula Rasa and I truly hope it is good because it could very well be a jump start to the sci-fi MMO genre.  If these new scifis turnout to be any good, it will only provide incentive to make/develop more or go back and revamp some old ones.  Anarchy Online would be a perfect candidate for such a revamp.  I have a Froob account that I play occasionally and the potential for that game with new graphics/quests/missions is so tremendous its astounding.  Again, maybe if these new scifis kick off well Funcom will take another look at upgrading AO.

I tried desperatly to like EVE, even went to thier fanfest in Iceland, great devs, mature players, absoltely incredible presentation, but I have finally put it down.  Too damn boring and as I am not big into PVP, it simply doesnt work for me.  Yes many love it, but its a niche game.  More power to them.  Bye.

Lets just keep our fingers crossed that one of these new MMOs will work for those of us hungry (starving actaully) for a scifi MMO with depth, charater and a massive world/universe to explore and enjoy.  

Originally posted by _Shadowmage

 

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Also the fact there is taverns instead of 'inns' where I hope to see strippers and large busted table waitresses haha.

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lol - if we had taverns like that the Bane would all be in having drinks and there would be no war.

It hasnt been mentioned that bodily proportions are customizable - so I wouldnt expect any of those sterotyped women in the game that you see in fantasy games.

And in a war for survival - without the women - the war is already lost.

lol I'm fine with the big chested waitresses, just make sure there are some cute guys in g-strings serving drinks to us girls after we put in a long day fighting the Bane.  If garriott is serious about making TR a success he better keep in mind that the other half of humanity also games and needs some perks

TR FTW! 

Originally posted by danbala

 

2. You can DPS without compromising your healing. The encounters seem to be tuned so that you don’t need to spend you entire time healing. In fact, I spend more time DPSing with my Blood Mage and Disciple than I do actually healing -- even though I’m the only healer for my party. As a result healing has become an add-on to my other roles in the group, not my sole focus. Although, I do full-time heal in tough boss encounters most of the time I can focus on taking the fight to the enemy. And with the Blood Mage and Disciple I actually need to do DPS to be most effective at healing. That means that my party can’t even complain about it. And since I can move and heal, I can actually be good at both roles.

 

And the Number One reason why healing is better in Vanguard:

 

1. All Healing classes are hybrids. You read that right, they are all designed to excel at healing and something else. The Blood Mage is like a healing Mage; the Disciple is a hand-to-hand DPSer, the Cleric is basically a WoW paladin and the Shaman is, well, a Shaman. No more arguments about why the dedicated healer class should heal the best. There is no “dedicated” class. And Sigil has ensured that they all heal equally well when they are only healing because they all have access to the same healing spells (more or less) at the same levels. What makes the classes distict is either how they also accomplish their secondary role.

 

Microsoft was smart to unload when they did.  I too had high hopes for the game, have played it and am terribly disappointed.  yes I went back to WOW until VG gets its act together and/or Tabula Rasa is released.    /shrug  that's how the cookie crumbles I guess.  MMO's are products/services, I think many people lose sight of that.  No way one would buy a defective, unfinished car without demanding their money back from the manufacturer yet they are fine doing it with an MMO.  I think its desperation...many people were starving for this type of MMO experience and VG is the closest a game has come to a challenging, drawn out gaming experience in years.  Good luck and I truly hope that VG fulfills its highest vision of itself.  but as a consumer buying a service, it simply doesnt cut it in the current state.

I think everyone here hit the nails on the head already about why the game inspires so much hate/hating/haters so I wont regurgitate it.  I will say that to me VG was going to be "THE GAME to end all games" and am terribly disappointed in what I see as a buggy, unfinished game, that lacks imagination.  Thats not hate, just the word of this small consumer and MMO affecionado. 

I really wanted to like this game as I am positively desperate for a kick-ass Sci-Fi MMO (other than EVE Online) to play.  I have never played one and AO seemed to fit the bill.  And it would if it had, a better engine, more intuitive controls and yes, better graphics.  The game is awesome in scope.  I can see how several of todays MMO's have "borrowed" from AO.   I may play again as a Froob, we will see.  Waiting on Tabula Rasa at this point :(

Thanks again.

As for the registration, it will not allow me to confirm the account during the final step where you have to verify the image provided.  It keeps asking me to verify the image again and again.  Perhaps its my browser so I'm looking into that.   I have contacted the the support area so hopefully they will respond later this week after the holidays.

Happy Holidays!

Thank you for the response.  I am downloading the game now. 

BTW, Not sure where to let them know this but the registration process is bugged, I cannot confirm my account :(  Anyway I will try and figure it out.

One other question:  Eveonline has a very robust player market.  How is the market in AO?

Thanks!

Hello, after getting burned out of the typical fantasy MMO's (WOW, EQ2) I would like to try something sci-fi. I have played EVEOnline, but would really prefer something a little similar to eq etc, but in a sci-fi world. I have had my eye on AO for a bit. I have a few questions:

1. I like playing healers, would a Doctor type be suitable for me or are there different type of healing classes?

2. Is it possible to solo to cap levels on a healer type in AO and is there plenty of solo content in the event groups are not available?

3. How do vet players feel about the game? DO you feel it has a future and plenty of room for continued growth? How about the game Devs and CS? Do you have faith in them? Have you been happy with the games CS?

4. Is the game in "first-person" or 3rd person view? Or can you toggle both? In third person can you fully view your character (this is a a small peeve of mine :))

5. And last, how happy are you all playing toether and how is the games population? Are there empty towns and servers?

Thanks for any responses. I am really trying to like this game.

B