ThorgrimmAge of Conan CorrespondentMemberPosts: 274
Originally posted by Zer078
lets see Sieges are still broken (not mention the framerate issues) People participate often in this type of content, just not on the "massive" scale as originally promised. So can you tell us which other games can deliver on this same "Siege" content? I would be interested to see who successfully pulled this off on the scale that Age of Conan has not delivered. Furthermore, if no one else can deliver, why is this such a huge issue? It is only one feature of many. As far as framerate issues, this varies for every player. Framerate depends on hardware, and if you run AoC on a mediocre system, it will be slow just like any other game. In DirectX 9, framerates are huge; in DirectX 10, they are a bit slower but still decent. We got major system revamp that STILL NEEDS alot of work System revamp works as intended. Every game has patches to balance things out, but, for the most part, it is working well. I am in a guild of over 600 active members (we drop inactive members), and they run a multitude of content every night. When was the last time you logged in? around 4 new 6 man instances A lot more than that. Please keep reading. You will be surprised. 3 raid bosses A lot more than that. Please keep reading. You will be surprised. in a year ..... Well, the article was generally about a year, so that would be about right.
ThorgrimmAge of Conan CorrespondentMemberPosts: 274
Originally posted by Frobner
You can spin awfully many articles around that you you know. 3 whole raid bosses. I see 3 diffrent articles coming. This article on the other hand is not neurtal in the sence that it does not tackle the negative issues that have accured and are still in the game. The famous qoute of - "get a better PC" when a player has low fps or is lagging is good way to get rid of critics. In many cases tho - it has very little to do with the rig but maybe more with the software (antivirus, antispyware and firewalls) that are affecting the game. In the end it IS up to the GAMING company to provide the framwork that allows players to enjoy the game no matter if they are using bitdefender or Norton. Or if they have this grapich card or that one. Funcom has failed in this department and thats why DX10 is still in test state. The company simply doesn't have the cabability to provide ALL their gamers that have Required or recomened hardware spec to enjoy guarantied and playable content. And Funcom will not put in writing - "will not support Window Vista unless 4 gigs of Ram" or "DOes not support Nvidia X model cards or Ati X chips". Nor will it say - can not run with Micro trend antivirus software" (it didn't for a very very long time). This is part of beeing a game manufacturer. And even when Torgrimm says most players (including himself) are not having any problems - he fails to mention what sort of problems those that have problems are dealing with. It very much underminds his article and like quite a few have pointed out - sounds more like an add or promotion - than a real report.
If a person wants "Negativity", they can read the posts from many of the folks that Troll these forums on a daily basis to trash AoC. Now, in my articles, I have shared some negative opinions and observations, but I do not dwell on it. I am a fan of the game, and I play it on a regular basis. I have not seen all of these issues that other people report, so therefore I am not going to write an article based upon heresay. If I cannot duplicate the problem, then it is not a problem for me. I built my system to run this game and others like it. It does the job. By the following description, I am allowed to "voice my opinions" and "share my thoughts".
Game Correspondents
Game Correspondents are responsible for keeping up-to-date with their assigned game, covering everything from reviews to unique features to major patches and updates. You will have the opportunity to voice your opinions about the game's progress and share your thoughts with the community at large. You will also have a chance to write useful gameplay and strategy guides that would greatly benefit your game's community!
Funcom advertised this game to a high spec since long before release, so the quality of the rig is important. After all, would you play a PS3 game on a PS2 or a PS1? Would you play a XBOX 360 game on an XBOX or Nintendo Wii for that matter? No, you would not. Expecting a 2011 Mercedes for the price of a 1999 Ford Escort and expecting all of the benefits of a Mercedes is unrealistic. They are not the same car, and each has the performance that was designed into it. You can't race an Escort with a Ferrari and expect it to win.
As a veteran of MMO's (my first real biggy being UO) I see this trashing prevading more and more. Of course alot of this is due to poor quality releases but I think alot of it comes from the new audiences that now play mmo's.
AoC does easily receive far too much trash talk from people who have either never played or got burnt in the first month of release. Don't believe the AoC haters, give it a try yourselves as there is a free trial waiting for you.
I personally think AoC is (after a rocky start) awesome and over the coming weeks more videos are due on the expansion, one per week per new area I believe.
GO AOC!
THE SECRET WORLD - PAY ONCE PLAY FOREVER - Give it a go!
Nearly every MMO does not have the entire population of a MMO game go through the same Single person story line. This has nothing to do with just one starting zone. It has to do with the fact that every single character that is played in AOC is going down the exaclty same path. The person next to you also stranded in exactly the same spot and is talking to the exact same person to do exactly this. NO other MMO has so naive storyline. None!
Furthermore, if no one else can deliver, why is this such a huge issue? It is only one feature of many.
It becomes an issue exactly BECAUSE it is a prominent listed feature and used as an incentive for people to buy the game.
You're not seriously using "noone else could do it" as a valid excuse, are you?
So anytime from now on when devs say "We'll have this feature that noone else has." and then don't, we should all say "It's okay, noone else could do it either.".
I find although the article states facts there is alot of wishfull thinking and idealism attatched to them. For instance (no pun intended!),
"PvP system improvements were also addressed early in 2009 with Update 4 making changes and additions as over 50 improvements and tweaks to PvP Minigames, Massive PvP Sieges, and the PvP Notoriety System. In order to build Battle Keeps in the Border Kingdoms, you must gather resources that can typically only be found in the Border Kingdoms. Guilds can inhibit each other from obtaining the resources that they need prior to an expected raid."
Whereas this part is fact it insinuates that there were massive PvP sieges in 2009 and that since this is an article about improvement and not lack of it he doesn't mention that they've been broken from launch. Full of glitchs and bugs and even today crash more often than a suicidal Kamikazie pilot. Also it's very debateable wether the PvP system is an actual improvement. Also battle keeps and the border kingdoms is insinuating that it's actual ever played in, all the PvP has been and still is at Kesh.
Finally AoC is merging servers yet again now, I myself have a deep dark sense of forboding about the future of this game. I see by next year a F2P system simalar to AO. All the foreign language servers will eventually have to go as it splits the europen playerbase up too much, FC thought AoC was going to be bigger than it really was.
There was too much rose tinted specs in that review for my taste, you can polish a turd all you want but it still doesn't make it palettable to the 1million+ that feel duped by Funcom.
"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience"
As a veteran of MMO's (my first real biggy being UO) I see this trashing prevading more and more. Of course alot of this is due to poor quality releases but I think alot of it comes from the new audiences that now play mmo's. AoC does easily receive far too much trash talk from people who have either never played or got burnt in the first month of release. Don't believe the AoC haters, give it a try yourselves as there is a free trial waiting for you. I personally think AoC is (after a rocky start) awesome and over the coming weeks more videos are due on the expansion, one per week per new area I believe. GO AOC!
Videos do not represent actual gameplay. Nor do they actually show anything else than the PR machine that the Developers are trying to spread to the public. The expansion will not be part of any trials and noone knows if the maps will even be playable for the current required system specs (since AOC has always been very prone to memory issues).
Funcom showed videos of sieges with "hundreds of players" before launch of the game. They showed mounted combat videos and alot of other features that have turned out to be lackluster or none existant ingame.
You are a fan - I am a doubter. Both sides should be heard. Always. Then its up to the actual gamers to make up their own opinions.
As a veteran of MMO's (my first real biggy being UO) I see this trashing prevading more and more. Of course alot of this is due to poor quality releases but I think alot of it comes from the new audiences that now play mmo's. AoC does easily receive far too much trash talk from people who have either never played or got burnt in the first month of release. Don't believe the AoC haters, give it a try yourselves as there is a free trial waiting for you. I personally think AoC is (after a rocky start) awesome and over the coming weeks more videos are due on the expansion, one per week per new area I believe. GO AOC!
Videos do not represent actual gameplay. Nor do they actually show anything else than the PR machine that the Developers are trying to spread to the public. The expansion will not be part of any trials and noone knows if the maps will even be playable for the current required system specs (since AOC has always been very prone to memory issues).
Funcom showed videos of sieges with "hundreds of players" before launch of the game. They showed mounted combat videos and alot of other features that have turned out to be lackluster or none existant ingame.
You are a fan - I am a doubter. Both sides should be heard. Always. Then its up to the actual gamers to make up their own opinions.
While I stand by my point that AoC is awesome now I would agree that there are several issues (Sieges are borked still - which is a fecking shame) and several features that were on the box which are still not in the game: Sieges - borked pretty much, Drunken brawling, mounted combat. I would personally let DX10 pass now as although it is still in test it works for the majority.
One last thought; in my mind one the issues that grinds on players ex and exisiting of AoC is that possible potential of the game which is not being realised. With enough skilled devs and all the features mentioned working as intended it truely would be an amazing game.
AoC is still in my mind the most improved MMO by far and has really turned around. I would agree with you fan's and doubters are fine and are needed.
I hope Funcom (lets face it Craig Morrison who has done an amazing job) can turn you into the first.
THE SECRET WORLD - PAY ONCE PLAY FOREVER - Give it a go!
I've played AoC for 1,5 years and only quit 2 months back. Allthough I agree the game is graphically before a lot of other MMO's I still have to say that the most alarming issue with this game is not the current state it is in, but the fact that the developer is very much a laughing stock for many players in-game. And the PvP is still lacking in meny aspects. If Age of Conan was bought by Blizzard or any other larger more capable developer I would consider coming back to the game.
Played WoW for 3 years on Runetotem (chars: Ariman and Redsonja) Played AoC for 2 years on Crom (char: Kallisto) and Fury (char: Siratsia) Playing SWTOR on Tomb of Freedon Nadd
I can really see the difference here from the background article and this article. I wish MMORPG did not confuse us like this and split it up into multiple articles.
As for all of the features and improvements in 2009. I can see how they are fairly major and greatly improving. My only concern is why the recent fallout and need for another server merge. I feel that possibly these improvements were the wrong ones?
But none the less, this article was greatly written and portrays age of conan in 2009 very well. I pray they turn the game around for the better in 2010 though as I feel they may have failed to do so in 2009. I loved Age of Conan and wish it to prosper.
I would return to this game for all its buggs and laggs on the day Funcom adds some imaginative PvP and not the so boring instanced capture the scull that is so 1990.
Played WoW for 3 years on Runetotem (chars: Ariman and Redsonja) Played AoC for 2 years on Crom (char: Kallisto) and Fury (char: Siratsia) Playing SWTOR on Tomb of Freedon Nadd
I would return to this game for all its buggs and laggs on the day Funcom adds some imaginative PvP and not the so boring instanced capture the scull that is so 1990.
? you live in another wold then me I guess. AoC have no more bugs than any other MMO out there. The PvP is the best PvP in any MMO atm.
Originally posted by WikingDK ? you live in another wold then me I guess. AoC have no more bugs than any other MMO out there. The PvP is the best PvP in any MMO atm.
Well I can only compare with WOW and that game had so few buggs compared to AoC that it could be considered buggfree. And allthough the PvP isnt very imaginative in WoW it was at least more accessible and more even. All in all better. Allthough I'm not saying Wow is a better game over all then AoC, I don't think so. I'm a MMO:er in waiting for a better MMO I guess.
Played WoW for 3 years on Runetotem (chars: Ariman and Redsonja) Played AoC for 2 years on Crom (char: Kallisto) and Fury (char: Siratsia) Playing SWTOR on Tomb of Freedon Nadd
Yea from looking at some vids on darkfall I belive you, would be great if more games had ship to ship battles etc. But Darkfall looks realy chubby even compared to wow, and to even comparing animations in darkfall with age of conan is a joke. Age of Conan is a 2010 MMO game in the aspect that it pushes the PC to the limit, while Darkfall and WoW would hardly push a 5 year old computor. While some people think that is good I think its too safe.
Played WoW for 3 years on Runetotem (chars: Ariman and Redsonja) Played AoC for 2 years on Crom (char: Kallisto) and Fury (char: Siratsia) Playing SWTOR on Tomb of Freedon Nadd
I am sorry but I am gonna have to disagree with you there.
Did you watch any of the darkfall vids? The game is very PC demanding as it is one of the only games that can support 200v200 man battles in a seamless open-world server. AoC is instanced and the game crashes when u get more than 25-50 people in seiges.
That is why you see the lower quality graphics and animations in Darkfall. Because they push the limit on server stability which equates to more fun and awesome PvP. Even then people still get hit with FPS lag and sometimes crashes but hey, it is expected in every mmo these days.
I cant argue the fact that AoC is a 2010 MMO in terms of graphic engine and look. I might argue it is a 2012 MMO hehe. But Darkfall is always improving. And this year they are releasing a huge graphics expansion update with DX11.
Yea I agree with you that AoC is constantly laging, crashing etc but that is not due to low gamer PC by the customers, meny ppl in that community have upgraded their graphic cards at least once, its duue to bad servers and possibly bad code etc.
Most likely your completly on the spot that darkfall is much more stable, hey AoC cant field a 48v48 with out crashing, 200v200 would be inconsievable.
Played WoW for 3 years on Runetotem (chars: Ariman and Redsonja) Played AoC for 2 years on Crom (char: Kallisto) and Fury (char: Siratsia) Playing SWTOR on Tomb of Freedon Nadd
Ya that was sorta my point. They built darkfall with the lower end shaders, anti aliasing, and graphics to help support the 200v200 seiges.
They went the opposite directions of which AoC is taking. Where as Darkfall focused on server stability and are now increaasing graphics and quality inch by inch measuring how it affects performance. AoC went he opposite route and started with graphics first. Hopefully one day it will be optimized to support more larger scale PvP but untill then I am likely in Darkfall.
Comments
If a person wants "Negativity", they can read the posts from many of the folks that Troll these forums on a daily basis to trash AoC. Now, in my articles, I have shared some negative opinions and observations, but I do not dwell on it. I am a fan of the game, and I play it on a regular basis. I have not seen all of these issues that other people report, so therefore I am not going to write an article based upon heresay. If I cannot duplicate the problem, then it is not a problem for me. I built my system to run this game and others like it. It does the job. By the following description, I am allowed to "voice my opinions" and "share my thoughts".
Game Correspondents
Game Correspondents are responsible for keeping up-to-date with their assigned game, covering everything from reviews to unique features to major patches and updates. You will have the opportunity to voice your opinions about the game's progress and share your thoughts with the community at large. You will also have a chance to write useful gameplay and strategy guides that would greatly benefit your game's community!
Funcom advertised this game to a high spec since long before release, so the quality of the rig is important. After all, would you play a PS3 game on a PS2 or a PS1? Would you play a XBOX 360 game on an XBOX or Nintendo Wii for that matter? No, you would not. Expecting a 2011 Mercedes for the price of a 1999 Ford Escort and expecting all of the benefits of a Mercedes is unrealistic. They are not the same car, and each has the performance that was designed into it. You can't race an Escort with a Ferrari and expect it to win.
Try to avoid personal attacks against other posters. Retaliating to such posts is also against our ROC. Stay on topic and stay civil please.
As a veteran of MMO's (my first real biggy being UO) I see this trashing prevading more and more. Of course alot of this is due to poor quality releases but I think alot of it comes from the new audiences that now play mmo's.
AoC does easily receive far too much trash talk from people who have either never played or got burnt in the first month of release. Don't believe the AoC haters, give it a try yourselves as there is a free trial waiting for you.
I personally think AoC is (after a rocky start) awesome and over the coming weeks more videos are due on the expansion, one per week per new area I believe.
GO AOC!
THE SECRET WORLD - PAY ONCE PLAY FOREVER - Give it a go!
http://www.thesecretworld.com/buy/
OR PM ME FOR A BUDDY KEY (need your email address).
Haven't played DDO, have you?
AOC would be fun if the pvp wasn't awful.
Casters are playing Go Fish while melee are playing chess.
It becomes an issue exactly BECAUSE it is a prominent listed feature and used as an incentive for people to buy the game.
You're not seriously using "noone else could do it" as a valid excuse, are you?
So anytime from now on when devs say "We'll have this feature that noone else has." and then don't, we should all say "It's okay, noone else could do it either.".
I find although the article states facts there is alot of wishfull thinking and idealism attatched to them. For instance (no pun intended!),
"PvP system improvements were also addressed early in 2009 with Update 4 making changes and additions as over 50 improvements and tweaks to PvP Minigames, Massive PvP Sieges, and the PvP Notoriety System. In order to build Battle Keeps in the Border Kingdoms, you must gather resources that can typically only be found in the Border Kingdoms. Guilds can inhibit each other from obtaining the resources that they need prior to an expected raid."
Whereas this part is fact it insinuates that there were massive PvP sieges in 2009 and that since this is an article about improvement and not lack of it he doesn't mention that they've been broken from launch. Full of glitchs and bugs and even today crash more often than a suicidal Kamikazie pilot. Also it's very debateable wether the PvP system is an actual improvement. Also battle keeps and the border kingdoms is insinuating that it's actual ever played in, all the PvP has been and still is at Kesh.
Finally AoC is merging servers yet again now, I myself have a deep dark sense of forboding about the future of this game. I see by next year a F2P system simalar to AO. All the foreign language servers will eventually have to go as it splits the europen playerbase up too much, FC thought AoC was going to be bigger than it really was.
There was too much rose tinted specs in that review for my taste, you can polish a turd all you want but it still doesn't make it palettable to the 1million+ that feel duped by Funcom.
"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience"
CS Lewis
Videos do not represent actual gameplay. Nor do they actually show anything else than the PR machine that the Developers are trying to spread to the public. The expansion will not be part of any trials and noone knows if the maps will even be playable for the current required system specs (since AOC has always been very prone to memory issues).
Funcom showed videos of sieges with "hundreds of players" before launch of the game. They showed mounted combat videos and alot of other features that have turned out to be lackluster or none existant ingame.
You are a fan - I am a doubter. Both sides should be heard. Always. Then its up to the actual gamers to make up their own opinions.
Videos do not represent actual gameplay. Nor do they actually show anything else than the PR machine that the Developers are trying to spread to the public. The expansion will not be part of any trials and noone knows if the maps will even be playable for the current required system specs (since AOC has always been very prone to memory issues).
Funcom showed videos of sieges with "hundreds of players" before launch of the game. They showed mounted combat videos and alot of other features that have turned out to be lackluster or none existant ingame.
You are a fan - I am a doubter. Both sides should be heard. Always. Then its up to the actual gamers to make up their own opinions.
While I stand by my point that AoC is awesome now I would agree that there are several issues (Sieges are borked still - which is a fecking shame) and several features that were on the box which are still not in the game: Sieges - borked pretty much, Drunken brawling, mounted combat. I would personally let DX10 pass now as although it is still in test it works for the majority.
One last thought; in my mind one the issues that grinds on players ex and exisiting of AoC is that possible potential of the game which is not being realised. With enough skilled devs and all the features mentioned working as intended it truely would be an amazing game.
AoC is still in my mind the most improved MMO by far and has really turned around. I would agree with you fan's and doubters are fine and are needed.
I hope Funcom (lets face it Craig Morrison who has done an amazing job) can turn you into the first.
THE SECRET WORLD - PAY ONCE PLAY FOREVER - Give it a go!
http://www.thesecretworld.com/buy/
OR PM ME FOR A BUDDY KEY (need your email address).
I've played AoC for 1,5 years and only quit 2 months back. Allthough I agree the game is graphically before a lot of other MMO's I still have to say that the most alarming issue with this game is not the current state it is in, but the fact that the developer is very much a laughing stock for many players in-game. And the PvP is still lacking in meny aspects. If Age of Conan was bought by Blizzard or any other larger more capable developer I would consider coming back to the game.
Played WoW for 3 years on Runetotem (chars: Ariman and Redsonja)
Played AoC for 2 years on Crom (char: Kallisto) and Fury (char: Siratsia)
Playing SWTOR on Tomb of Freedon Nadd
Awesome article Thorgrimm.
I can really see the difference here from the background article and this article. I wish MMORPG did not confuse us like this and split it up into multiple articles.
As for all of the features and improvements in 2009. I can see how they are fairly major and greatly improving. My only concern is why the recent fallout and need for another server merge. I feel that possibly these improvements were the wrong ones?
But none the less, this article was greatly written and portrays age of conan in 2009 very well. I pray they turn the game around for the better in 2010 though as I feel they may have failed to do so in 2009. I loved Age of Conan and wish it to prosper.
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I would return to this game for all its buggs and laggs on the day Funcom adds some imaginative PvP and not the so boring instanced capture the scull that is so 1990.
Played WoW for 3 years on Runetotem (chars: Ariman and Redsonja)
Played AoC for 2 years on Crom (char: Kallisto) and Fury (char: Siratsia)
Playing SWTOR on Tomb of Freedon Nadd
? you live in another wold then me I guess. AoC have no more bugs than any other MMO out there. The PvP is the best PvP in any MMO atm.
Well I can only compare with WOW and that game had so few buggs compared to AoC that it could be considered buggfree. And allthough the PvP isnt very imaginative in WoW it was at least more accessible and more even. All in all better. Allthough I'm not saying Wow is a better game over all then AoC, I don't think so. I'm a MMO:er in waiting for a better MMO I guess.
Played WoW for 3 years on Runetotem (chars: Ariman and Redsonja)
Played AoC for 2 years on Crom (char: Kallisto) and Fury (char: Siratsia)
Playing SWTOR on Tomb of Freedon Nadd
PvP is best in Darkfall.
AoC and WoW are leagues in the past and are in there core nature PvE games. Darkfall was built with PvP as its core.
Dont believe me? Watch some Youtube vids.
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Yea from looking at some vids on darkfall I belive you, would be great if more games had ship to ship battles etc. But Darkfall looks realy chubby even compared to wow, and to even comparing animations in darkfall with age of conan is a joke. Age of Conan is a 2010 MMO game in the aspect that it pushes the PC to the limit, while Darkfall and WoW would hardly push a 5 year old computor. While some people think that is good I think its too safe.
Played WoW for 3 years on Runetotem (chars: Ariman and Redsonja)
Played AoC for 2 years on Crom (char: Kallisto) and Fury (char: Siratsia)
Playing SWTOR on Tomb of Freedon Nadd
I am sorry but I am gonna have to disagree with you there.
Did you watch any of the darkfall vids? The game is very PC demanding as it is one of the only games that can support 200v200 man battles in a seamless open-world server. AoC is instanced and the game crashes when u get more than 25-50 people in seiges.
That is why you see the lower quality graphics and animations in Darkfall. Because they push the limit on server stability which equates to more fun and awesome PvP. Even then people still get hit with FPS lag and sometimes crashes but hey, it is expected in every mmo these days.
I cant argue the fact that AoC is a 2010 MMO in terms of graphic engine and look. I might argue it is a 2012 MMO hehe. But Darkfall is always improving. And this year they are releasing a huge graphics expansion update with DX11.
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Yea I agree with you that AoC is constantly laging, crashing etc but that is not due to low gamer PC by the customers, meny ppl in that community have upgraded their graphic cards at least once, its duue to bad servers and possibly bad code etc.
Most likely your completly on the spot that darkfall is much more stable, hey AoC cant field a 48v48 with out crashing, 200v200 would be inconsievable.
Played WoW for 3 years on Runetotem (chars: Ariman and Redsonja)
Played AoC for 2 years on Crom (char: Kallisto) and Fury (char: Siratsia)
Playing SWTOR on Tomb of Freedon Nadd
Ya that was sorta my point. They built darkfall with the lower end shaders, anti aliasing, and graphics to help support the 200v200 seiges.
They went the opposite directions of which AoC is taking. Where as Darkfall focused on server stability and are now increaasing graphics and quality inch by inch measuring how it affects performance. AoC went he opposite route and started with graphics first. Hopefully one day it will be optimized to support more larger scale PvP but untill then I am likely in Darkfall.
Website | Forum | Values | Join Us!