It seems to me the main problem of every company is a lack of software (or additional function in the game) that able to monitor simple things like character names, time spent in game and so on. Take Aion, for example. I know, NCsoft developed a special tool to prove the bot from a normal customer (like placing some item on the ground that only bot program can target). Nice thing but only for individual work. And in Aion we have hundreds of bots. You need enormous time to get them all this way. Yet, the simplest things like inappropriate names, 24/7 play time, IP changes – all seems to be ignored.

In Aion there is a strong rule – the name has to start from one capital letter and there can be no more then one of this letter and only at the beginning of the name. Yet you can constantly see characters with names like zVVs or something like that. Is not that obvious that this is bot-created character? Do you really need another proof? Why not to ban him (and account too) right away? The only explanation I see here – no monitoring. Same with playtime. If there was a way to show every account where player stays for 12+ hours in game (I doubt there are a lot of them – not more then bots) – then it would be possible to check them out. And IP changes. If some account has been always played from a certain IP and then that IP was changed (account hacked, stolen or sold) – good reason to check the in game toon for botting-gold spamming.

Mb Ncsoft does something like this but presence of the same bots for days (and on the same spots) sais otherwise.
 

Actually, he said " melee classes make up all of the top four most played classes in Age of Conan". Not casters, melee :) At least developers are sure about it and see no reason to believe in imbalance.

This is all individual. In 2 weeks of playing WAR I was bored to tears. It was the first p2p game I could not make myself play to the end of the first month. Yet with Aion I am still a happy player.

Question of personal taste, really.

Looks like it's finally gon. Thank you!

I did cleaned up my PM today and could delete "winning" message (at least it is not there). What can I do now to get rid of the advert?

Unfortunately, you do. http://www.mmorpg.com/contests/rixty_promo.cfm

It was a contest, which I do not remember to be part of. However, I could forget and in fact participate. Now every time I try to open news or even go to the next page of the site I get this "you win! Confirm your price" page. Yes, my name is in the list (5 money units of that shop) but when I try to confirm my enormous price all I get is "We are sorry, 5 members already got their prices". I do not care for the price all I want is to stop this annoying redirection from everywhere!

I am trying to open a news and istead that stupid advert is opening with no link to the news I wanted to see. For how long do you plan to keep it here? It's expied anyway, can you just remove it?

It was s big pleasure to read your articles here (the best articles on mmorpg.com). Good luck at your new job and hope to see your writings again one day!

Originally posted by Fion

I am a fan of Funcoms games and have played all of them (some for years, I'm a current AoC subscriber and that game has come a long way.) Funcom makes absolutely fantastic, innovative and genre changing MMOGs. If they can release this sucker when its done and not get over their head with ambition and thus promise features they cant possibly deliver on.. I think this game could be a huge success.

I am with you on that. Sold completely and can not wait for this game to come out! Let's hope for the best. From my side I am ready to give Funcome as many chances as they need to get that jewel.

You mean this one? http://kindred.aion.tv/status/

And this is the reason Sanya Weathers wrote this article

http://www.mmorpg.com/showFeature.cfm/loadFeature/3076/Take-This-Column-To-NPC-X.html

 The only thing I do not understand is why OP's opinion about his real life issues was even published here as a serious article...

Originally posted by Devros

I would have to disagree and say that it is not a fair trade off. As was explained, its either time or money, yet time is central factor. If I can spend money and get what I want in 5 minutes what it takes someone a day to grind, that means I will always be ahead of the person who has to get everything via time. At the end of the day its about who gets what first, be it information or items or levels. Purchasing any of these with cash versus traditional grinding methods will leave the grinder in the dust every time. Just having both options does not mean its an equal trade off. For those who like to compete this is unacceptable. For those who don't care thats another story. Either way, its far from a fair trade off.

So, if some schoolboy has unlimited time and a working man can play only 2 hours a week (hence, has to grind for months without any chance to become equal with the boy) - it is still fair. However if that working man buys stuff which schoolboy simply grinded - it is not fair at all? Interesting. You refuse to see obvious and I think just because at that moment in your life you have more time on your hands then money. Let's discuss it again, when situation will be different and you would not be able to compete with all those kids because of your game-time limitation.

Originally posted by BlackWatch

Again, who wants to have to 'grind' like that?  Obviously there are 'grinds' of some type in nearly every game... I get that.  I would need to grind in most of these games anyway, then to have a secondary grind for currency just to exchange for RMT currency just to exchange for the items.... bah.

I never said it is an exiting way to get gold - all I said it is still there. You stated "it is impossible to play without spending real money" and I just reminded you that it is not. Just a usual trade - if you are tide on money you can spend your time. Sounds like fair trade to me.

Btw, do you know ANY game where you do not have to grind for cash? (Ok, there is CoH, but it is not about economy anyway, hence not counted) F2P just give you an option to legally replace grind with buying gold.

Originally posted by BlackWatch

The fact that these games are apparently paid for via RMT is the second major setback, imho.  When I log in, play, and finally get to a fairly high level... I realize that no matter how much more I play, I wil not compete with people that are willing to pay for items and such.

Not completely accurate. Let us look at two games often mentioned as good F2P - Perfect World and Runes of Magic. In both of them, you can simply grind ingame currency and exchange it for cash-shop gold. This way the very idea of F2P games works perfectly - you either spend time OR money. So, if you do play "much more" you still can buy all that items that "pay customers" get for real money right away.

Originally posted by Flirt

I can identify myself as MSOG or even MSORPG.

........

MMORPGs don't really cater to players who have little/much time with little/much money that like to solo/play in small group, craft and socialize.

Wow! I found a soul-mate! :)

You described it so perfectly that nothing else can be added. And your hopes for SWG: TOR has a serious reason - EA mentioned once they are still thinking about paying model. Anyway, it is more and more common in P2P games to add some minor social features for additional fees. Mb one day they will lower general fees and find a better compromise.

Originally posted by drarkanex

 Fix AoC and stop touting new expansions and new MMOs.  Fix the crap you have now.  No one wants to hear of new content,e tc til you get what you've already started completed.

And what makes you think they did not fix the game? If you, as you said, "have not been back to Age of Conan since 30 days after its release"? Your response is so ignorant it can be used as example of thoughtless illogical "sayings just for sake of saying something".

The link in "Read more here." leads to the game download. Is it intentional?

Originally posted by Isamright33

anyways, what does this mean for vanguard, does this mean vanguard is the worst made game in history, because they have gone through more programmers in one year than wow has since it's been out.

Vanguard? Why do you even mention it? I think with this "talk" Andrew shot Mythic in the head and buried it. Come on, the guy is the Technical Director there in MYTHIC not anywhere else. Do you really think he is talking about anything but Mythic and Warhammer? Andrew explained why WAR sucks – simply and clearly. I personally thankful for that but Mark, Paul and so on have to be really mad.

Originally posted by monoth

Age of Conan is a very linear MMO with nothing to do once you level to 80, well besides doing the same Raid Dungeons for the next 4 months trying to get your raid gear.

 

You forgot PvP - sieges and PvP levels now (with PvP gear). In addition, it will be soon more motivated by special resources you can get only in PvP zones even on PvE servers. And if I remember correctly, the game was always advertised as PvP game. Not as a crafting game and even not as PvE (although quests are really great there). You were supposed to enjoy your leveling to 80 with - yes, fast but interesting PvE and then spend your time in usual activities for any game - raiding and (mostly) different kind of PvP. And you do have it.

P.S. About your crafting request - what percent of gamers do love craft? I can assure you, no so big. But Funcom covered it now to with new recipies and upcoming resources changes. Sure the more endgame activities - the better, but they have most usual of them and the rest (can you name one, btw, besides "deep Craft"?) is a matter of time.

I would say comments to that article is more interesting and constructive then the article itself.