Originally posted by Papadam

Look at skirmishes coming to LotrO next week! I think that is a good solution (or a step in the right direction) how to add "end game" content for solo, group and raiders!

13 shorter instances (30 min - 1 hour) which scale from lvl 30-65, differnt difficulties and for 1/3/6/12 people with some random encounters/objectives which you can join from anywhere in the world and everyone get a soldier you can train over time and get different rewards.

To me that sounds like the perfect end game content for casual players (and foe everyone else too).

Sounds perfect to me too.

Because some people want direction to their gaming: a goal, a purpose. However artificial, quests supply that. A true sandbox game is goalless, and somewhat aimless. Not everyone wants to have to create their own game, some just want to play someone else's. I refuse to judge which is superior, it is solely a matter of taste.

If you want immersion, choose a single-player game. MMO's are not immersive. Chat alone is an immersion wrecker. Even when chat is about the game, it isn't in character, just LFG etc...And when the Chuck Norris jokes start, time for the combat only tab.

Originally posted by fyerwall

Thing is in TOR you are just another soldier.

Just because you have story driven moments in game doesnt mean the game will play out to you being the 'one'. All the story is there for is to give you an idea of whats going on in the universe, and how you as a player fit into the grand scheme of things.

I dont see TOR failing (Failing in my eyes is the game being shut down less than a year after launch). Will the game start off with huge numbers and then settle around a smaller figure (less than 200k)? Who knows...

I see TOR doing just fine. Maybe not the best, but people will still play and enjoy it.

Exactly. LoTRO is story-driven, and you are not the star. In fact my good friend hated it because he didn't feel heroic enough. Having a story-driven game does not automatically mean you are the center of the action.

For about a year  now, I've been saying that TOR will be incorporating MT in the form of content. DA:O just tends to confirm that .However, I don't believe there will be a monthly fee also, just having to pay for content. Bioware has dropped hints about this before, and now I am more convinced than ever.

Exp debt like in CoH. You don't actually lose exp, so will never risk losing a level ( like in EQ), but you must work off the debt before progressing further. My favorite. I think it is a deterrent without being too harsh.

What? No trolls yet? They will come, to tell you to play a single player game if you want to solo, or that solo plyers are killing MMOs. But I agree with you. The first thing I look for is the ability to solo effectively. I do not want to be at the mercy of others when I feel like gaming. But i like the format of an MMO. Questing, looting, levelling up. Some single player RPG's offer a similar experience, but not enough. And they can't compete with the size of an MMO, and of course crafting and chatting.

SW:TOR is the #1 MMO I am looking forward to, followed by The Secret World ( fingers crossed on that one).

I agree it was a needed change. I had NO idea what to do with mutations in beta: how to get them, improve them, or use them. I am sure others were clueless in other areas. This was a good move.

It would be really nice to see deities MEAN something in a game. Ever since EQ, which had you choose a deity at character creation, but outside of RP meant nothing, I've wanted to see one's choice of god have some sort of influence in the game.No idea what it will mean, but one more way to differentiate your character can only be good.

I am NO fan of F2P. When this economic model  began to creep into NA, I was appalled and irate. And I still prefer P2P.

That being said, I think the only way the western market will accept a microtransaction model is the example set by DDO Unlimited and Wizard 101; paying to open up new areas and content. I don't think we accept anyone paying for items that others have to work for. But paying to open a new dungeon, or region, or storyline, might just be acceptable to us. I have speculated for a long time that SW:TOR may go this route. Just a hunch.

Anyone agree? Disagree?

I've always wondered why the large round eyes in Asian animation? It seems self-loathing to me. To find features of another race more desirable than your own. As an individual preference, that's one thing. But as a cultural bias it baffles me.

Originally posted by Abloec

I have already decided thats what my ganking method is going to follow, anyone with retarded names or a retarded looking character design I'm not holding back and just ganking em whenever I get the chance.

I'm onboard. Probably won't be able to help myself.

Originally posted by xephonics

 Kinda nice seeing a game that has some freedom in naming, instead of a bunch of pansy filters that tend to block stupid stuff.

So you like stupid stuff? Something truly offensive, like dumtwat, NEEDS to be able to be reported and banned. Sheerly stoopid names, while occasionally annoying, are just part of an open world MMO.

BTW, I have seen more idiotic legion names in Aion then any other game, ever. I would never join a guild called Sassy Pink Dragons, for example. But they surely have the right to be as silly as they like.

Should I increase evade, parry or block? Exactly what do they do? What is the effect of mana boost? Why aren't there mouse-over descriptions for these things?

Regarding point 5.

Auto-attack turns off if you are stunned, knocked back, or interrupted in some way. This is not always obvious, but certain abilities or effects will turn auto-attack off. This is intentional.

Originally posted by cvette

As you can tell i don't post here very often, but i had to on this 1.

LOTRO is far superior in graphics, no contest. Having said that i think Aion has more beautiful and unique architechture.

Plus i can play Aion on my crappy notebook and it still looks pretty good.

 

Aion is pretty, but LotRO is the most immersive world I have ever played in. Every time I log in I feel at home. Love the realistic graphics and DX10 looks awesome.

Looks like the offspring of Diablo and Dungeon Runners.

I find the "flying is detaching" argument odd because in a superhero MMO you are flying, jumping, or otherwise speeding from here to there and it is not at all a break from immersion. I wonder why that is?

It's not really fair to compare a big studio game, with big marketing dollars, to an indie developer's game. Not to mention the fantasy/mmorpg mechanic vs. post-apocalyptic/rpgfps mechanic. These two games are VERY different, I don't see any competition between them. They will appeal to totally different players.And their developers have wildly different expectations of success as well.

Aion is highly polished, but does very little new.

FE is rough, but allows for greater freedom and originality.

Pick your poison.

Originally posted by Josher

Its the same as in the beta, since its the same game=)  The only difference is the queues, which of course will go away over the next few weeks.

Pros: Great art, great animation, great combat, great character customization(visual), polished, lots of quests, solo and group play, intutitve, wings, rift PvP,  The Abyss   

Cons: Linear smallish world/zones, no swimming, invisible walls, some grinding, LAME starter zones, 2 nearly identical racial choices, very little character customization(STATS), truly untested endgame with hazy info and balance issues(expected), rift ganking.  An endless tug-O-war over zone control is nothing really new, potential faction population imbalances,  PvE dungeons are a bit behind the curve,   You've basically seen it all before.  Private Store MORONS!!! =)  UI customization NOT up to snuff.

Regarding faction population imbalance: that is what the Balaur race are for, to keep one side from endlessly dominating ( see Warhammer). Hopefully it will work.