All Posts by Stevon

VG or EQ2.... that one doesn't take 2 seconds to figure out.  EQ2 all the way.

VG isn't worth 2 cents imo.  I've played both and was in Vanguard from early beta.  But you don't need to ask anyone's opinion, just play the trials.

But I'll tell you this.  VG's "quality' is embarassing when stood up against EQ2.  If you want to compare depth, well VG is a shallow puddle compared to EQ2 which is deeper and more content rich than any game out there, imo, with WoW the only game coming close.  I don't include EQ in this since it's simply too old of a game to count.

There's simply lots and lots to do in EQ2.  They also made the leveling curve easier so you'll have a less difficult time getting to levels where you can group effectively.

So I wonder where Mythic's active "community support" people are on these threads.  Non existent.

I love the game but I'm also stuck with this issue,and guess what, Mythic's choice to hide from it's customers means we spend days resolving issues that normal forums might have immediate answers to.

Extremely irritating.

Originally posted by kedoremos

Hello WAR players.

I was a closed beta (aka Elder) and open beta player. I also play WoW.

Just so you all know, WAR is going to be empty during November, December, and possibly, the whole 1st quarter 2009.

Most of the people who are playing WAR now are going to quit on Nov. 13th and won't be back for a few months, if at all.

This isn't your fault or the dev's fault, it's just bad timing on EA's part.

Welcome another person trying to play the flame game.

For the reading impared...

Mythic already stated they would be scaling back the launch to assure that it goes smoothly, this means servers and queues.  

Since everyone had access to the account creation process on all servers, which means a fair chance to grab your names, you shouldn't have anything to complain about.

Originally posted by Bakoryo

you've never read the "Online game experience may change during time." on the package?

Though im not quoting it. But it's there anyhow. And since when should you belive what the package says?

 

It's like commercials. "This toothpaste gives you white teeth!"

 

And oh, suing a game for refund on the box bought. It can only happen in the states!

Obviously you don't understand what that statement means.  It has nothing to do with product promises and features.  It's simply a way for the game companies to protect themselves from lawsuits about some kid getting verbally abused online and commiting suicide and the family suing the game publisher.

I did NOT renew pending some miracle on Funcom's part in an upcoming patch.   It's clear the game is getting worse not better so far and unless that changes they won't get any more of my money.  

The ghost towns in the game are an indication others feel the same way.

I hope things improve but based on the first 30 days I don't hold out any hope.

Originally posted by VultureSkull

Why is that people have such venom against AOC?

 

1. They see the potential of AoC but are frustrated by the present condition of the game.

2.  They fell for the hype, are slightly naive and expected an 100% polished game on release?

3. They see it as a threat to their pet favourite game.

4. This is one of the first major releases this year and there were a lot of people expecting a lot of things from AoC, a lot of them came from WoW and expected similar levels of polish and content and were disappointed when it was not there.

 

I truly believe that the mature MMO player who has been involved in many games and knows the market, is or does not get frustrated so easily.

 

I have not really seen this much hate towards other games, only towards SOE.

 

What you mean to say is that players have allowed themselves to "accept" poor quality product without taking a stance?  Well my friend you are wrong.   Although your points 1-3 are pretty accurate.

Anyone who just "accepts" bad product deserves bad product.  If you don't 1) raise your voice and demand quality and 2) show your dissatisfaction by a) returning bad product and b) cancelling subscriptions.... then you will go through life being manipulated and being another one of the mindless sheep.

We have a choice and need to exercise it.  You don't NEED to play an MMO if the MMO is bad.  Life will go on without it.

Because it would be infinitely better if SOE took it over on all fronts.  And that's saying a lot.

Funcom ftl.

Originally posted by afoaa

I have waited for this game for years and years keeping track every single day and I have been a big supporter of the game but now I am becoming fairly negative.

Not because of the lack of content or the never ending bugs. I sort of expected that.

No its the completely unprofessional way funcom acts in regard to their customers. They keep stonewalling never ever engaging in meaningful communication. They never ever inform about what really happens and they keep the most basic game mechanics hidden which cause people to make choices that goes against what they really wanted.

Why does a company in 2008 think you can avoid talking to their customers? It makes them look like amateurs when they only come out with a controlled press release once in a while which is so far from the reality their players experience in the game that it just look like damage control, outright lies and untruthful hype.

If FunCom were honest about the state of the game and actually talked to their players about what works and what dont work and how things were intended to work in the game then they would probably have avoided loosing a very large percentage of those who quit these days.

People can easily forgive errors and problems. People will never forgive dishonesty.

Completely agree with you.

Funcom has screwed the pooch, royally.  To be honest I think SOE did a FAR better job recovering Vanguard than Funcom is doing recovering AoC (because believe me they know they are in recovery mode).   Zones are becomming ghost towns compared to launch AND today is the day where initial subs renew, the end of the free month, and I for one managed to cancel before the charge came through.

I'm not alone.

I'll keep an eye out and watch to see how things go but for now there is NO way I'm giving Funcom another penny of my money until they show they have a freaking clue what an MMO means today beyond pretty graphics and a unque targeting system.

I and others are so vastly dissapointed in Funcom's handling of this product and launch that's it's beyond words.  Ranging from failure to delivery paid for product (buddy keys, working in game free items, falsely named in box items) to a half-assed designed and developed software package.   Guess we have to hope for the NEXT game to be worth playing.

Too bad we had to pay for it though :/

Op, nice review.  I agree with most of your points, at least those I've seen so far.

My biggest gripe with AoC so far, and it's likely the kind of thing that is going to turn me away rather rapidly, is that "mechanically" it's very poorly assembled. 

First, the command system (/this /that) is mediocre at best.  Where's the /who for example?  Also, why can't I type / anywhere and have it start the command?  Why do I have to do gyrations like hitting enter or clicking the chat window??

How about mouse buttons.   My god, how out of touch are these devs that they don't know that people use 5 button mice and will expect to be able to bind those keys?  Absurd.

Movement and combat... this one just drives me batty.  While I "appreciate" that my character wants to move itself to the mob when I attack... I'm sorry but I (capital) want to control my character, not some artificial mechanic that besides beign annoying is also goign to get people killed as it moves you around and possibly into mob agro range.

The UI.  Slick.  Looks great.  Map is wonderful.  But where is the customizable UI that every other decent game out there has?  How about moving screen elements? 

Quest cutscenes.  Please lose this.  I want to see my environment, not the face of some quest NPC.

Jumping.  /boggle.  What physical deformity causes characters to jump like they do?  Really.  Fix this please.

And finally, Funcom tech support, or lack thereof.   If they are simply out to lunch for a few days fine.  But the lack of a support number, and everyone implying that there IS no live support, has me astounded.  We pay, you support, that's how it works.

The lack of extra mouse button binding is just rediculous.  It's like this game was made 10 years ago.

This isn't the only mechanics problem with AoC either.  Typing commands is a pita as well as the flashy but barebones UI (although the map/waypoint system is great).

Anyway they need to add mouse button support asap. 

Originally posted by qombi

I don't think you understand what I am saying. At the level we was it was basically COMPLETELY healed to full almost instant. Do you not see anything wrong with that? That is cheesy. My question is does that cheesy mechanic go on throughout the game or gradually would you just set and eat after battles.

 

Even WoW as simple as it is was harder than this combat. As a melee character I was able to take 4-6 monsters at once because after one died, I would go to FULL no matter if I was in combat still with others. That was very very cheesy. Can you explain if this was just because we were in the lower trial levels? The game can't possibly be this way all the way through?

 

Edit: I would like to add, it completely removed the feeling of needing my real life friend to party with. It made it trivial and very unfun.

Play for more than 5 minutes at level 1 and maybe you'll understand how absurd your posts are.

I agree.  Somewhat off topic but I think that one of the things that EQ2 has done so well, and every single other game has not, is to just fill the world with stuff to do.   There's a vast number of quests, collections, zones, abilities, classes etc etc. 

If they would take the time to nail the graphics issues they'd go a long way to bringing in more of the masses imo.  Remember those of us that can run the game at extreme settings (albiet without environmental shadows in many cases) are still a small percentage.  Many still have older boxes and simply cannot run EQ2 at any setting that is pleasing to the eye.  That's EQ2's biggest barrier to success, I think.

The fact is that LOTRO runs much better than EQ2, graphic engine wise.  However that's only one part of the equation.

Which game has more longevity?  Which game am I playing?  EQ2 is the clear winner by far.  It boils down to a much deeper gaming experience with better content and experiences for all types of players.  The LOTRO just didn't understand that up front.

LOTRO is a great game for what it delivers but it wears thin quickly.

Comparing the two performance wise is also tricky.  EQ2 allows for more "high end" graphics settings than LOTRO does, such as full environmental shadows.  However turn them on and the best machines today will slow down to 10 fps in busy cities and just die on raids.  Turn them off however and it runs pretty damn well.

LOTRO graphics is better looking over all due to more of the "newer" features.  Hopefully we'll see some additions and improvements to the EQ2 graphics engine architecture over time, but that's pure speculation on my part.

Originally posted by alyndale

Somehow I just do not see any cartoon gaming developer as some type of messiah.  Nor, do I see any MMO on the market as powerful enough to be considered as religion.

Flawed thinking.  Or, maybe you were simply making a joke.  If not, well then maybe someone takes this a bit too seriously.  Time to pull back from the computer and make actual human contact in the real world I should think.  It could actually be very refreshing for you.  Find a little trust and compassion, that should go far in easing your conspiracy fear.

 

 

The obsession of the Vanboi's killed the game just as much as the prophet McQuaid was unable to see that his vision was nothing but a nightmare out of touch with reality.