After playing Anarchy Online for 1 week, i got bored of it. The irritating trade function, the bad graphics, the poor movement and the gameplay has driven me away. I know some people also feel this way about this game, while others strongly contradict my post. Feel free to post your thoughts.

It's an old good game. looking at it from a newbie perspective usually produces this opinion. It happened the same to me. I found a good game, but old for me.

But what changed your mind about this game? Maybe it will give me a new incentive to start playing it again. I feel that the developers also have a part to play in what i consider a failure.

AO is soooo funny, if there were a sequel just with new graphics and a new community, I would restart it =)

The launch of AO was absolutely terrible and it was going to just be another game forgotten in the crowd, but with the release of a few expansions it really got turned around.

The game is old. The graphics engine is old. The story is old. But it's a free to play game that has a dedicated player base and has so far stood the test of time. If anything, AO is not a failure, but a wild success sticking around as long as it has.

I find the community quite good, as people are always willing to help me. But the graphics definitely need an update. It so old and outdated!

The new graphics engine is coming this year, mainly affecting water and landscape, judging from the teaser Funcom has put out.  Avatar flesh tones and equipment might look a bit better, too.  The animations will stay the same, of course, as changing those is a far more expensive and time consuming proposition but they are already more detailed than any other MMO.

Originally posted by burmese

The new graphics engine is coming this year, mainly affecting water and landscape, judging from the teaser Funcom has put out.  Avatar flesh tones and equipment might look a bit better, too.  The animations will stay the same, of course, as changing those is a far more expensive and time consuming proposition but they are already more detailed than any other MMO.

I wouldnt agree that the animations are "more detailed that any other MMO".  All the later MMO's had as good, if not better animations.

AO desperately needs the graphics update, hopefully this will for once and for all get rid of that awful lag problem that has plagued the game since day one.  Just run around in Borealis if you dont believe me. 

That ain't my system having a problem either.  No way in hell should the whole graphics system lock up on an 8800 GTX lol.  Anyhoo, I digress.....

Yes, the graphics are getting an update later this year.  And to be honest, the teaser didn't actually show much in the way of difference apart from implementing new look water and grass effects.  Something tells me this aint the extent of what they are planning.  Because if it was, then they would have already done that by now.

Personally I'm hoping that the graphics update will finally make AO a good contender against the planetside part of SWG.  Yes, I'm optimistic in some way.  But if AoC pulls off, then that might help bolster AO's future.  And why bother giving an old game a graphics update if you're not planning on doing something with it afterwards?

Just in case any AO devs are reading:  For the love of god, change the way how the avatars run:  They run like they're going to sh*t themselves, with their butts constantly clenched! lol.

haha nice reply especially the last part. I agree about the running, it makes them look constipated...

Character animations have nothing to do with the graphics engine update coming.  The avatars will run exactly as they always.  If how they are animated turns you off, nothing coming down the line will change that for you.  Anarchy Online's avatars will also jump (something many MMO avatars can't do) and crawl (I know of no other MMO besides AO has avatars that can crawl).  The graphics engine upgrade is mainyl about reducing lag, and improving the quality of the environment and textures.

When I first played it, I thought it was anything but: I had even paid to play it (that is before there were any expansions to buy.. just rubi-ka)! For it's time, it was very innovative especially in terms of character development. I still play AO off and on (mostly between games). In fact I'm playing it right now as I have nothing else to play before AoC is released.

I still think that the immersion, world size and character customization is rivaled by few. While it might have been a financial failure, the game still left it's mark and has people playing it today.

Originally posted by burmese

Character animations have nothing to do with the graphics engine update coming.  The avatars will run exactly as they always.  If how they are animated turns you off, nothing coming down the line will change that for you.  Anarchy Online's avatars will also jump (something many MMO avatars can't do) and crawl (I know of no other MMO besides AO has avatars that can crawl).  The graphics engine upgrade is mainyl about reducing lag, and improving the quality of the environment and textures.

However, on the subject of crawling, I remember holding a big guild meeting in our huge HQ immediately after AI came out......and whilst one of the guildies were addressing the heads of the guild, I spotted another guildie slowly crawling along behind all the guild heads seats.....I could do nothing but laugh at the stupidity of watching this guy slowly crawling along, trying not to be noticed.  He even stopped when my character turned to face him.

hehehe.  Sorry.  I suppose its one of those "you had to be there to appreciate it" gags.

Now, coming back to the discussion.  I know that the update is mainly for the engine.  I just think its odd that they would update only the engine at this late stage if they weren't intending on doing something more with the game.  Also, Sil's letter suggests that after the engine update will come more graphics updates. 

So who knows what they'll do.

Graphics updates will undoubtly come after the new engine.  New patches will utilize the new engine to full effect, and some older nano casting effects will probably get facelifts.  Character animations are not graphics updates, though, and are a whole different animal; requiring enormous amounts of labor hours - more than the new engine and with less visible benefit. If AoC is silly profitable, Funcom may hire a few more people for AO but you can bet that redoing character animations is not near the top of their list in terms of what they will focus on to increase subscriptions.