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All Points Bulletin: First Impressions
SBFord
Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
Over the past several days, MMORPG.com's Bill Murphy has been able to put in some quality playing time with Realtime Worlds' All Points Bulletin. Bill offers up his first impressions of APB, a cops and robbers MMO. Check it out!
There’s really a lot going on at all times in APB. Whether you pick the enforcer or the criminal side, there’s always people milling about the game’s action districts creating or trying to subdue havoc, but none of it really seems to have a real significant purpose outside of earning your character money. There’s a lot of progression to be made in the game for your individual character, so everything you do ties into advancing your status among the other enforcers and criminals of the city.
Read the rest of Bill's APB thoughts.
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Comments
LINK???
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"Anyone posting on this forum is not an average user, and there for any opinions about the game are going to be overly critical compared to an average users opinions." - Me
"No, your wrong.." - Random user #123
"Hello person posting on a site specifically for MMO's in a thread on a sub forum specifically for a particular game talking about meta features and making comparisons to other titles in the genre, and their meta features.
How are you?" -Me
http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/358/feature/4357/All-Points-Bulletin-First-Impressions.html
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"Anyone posting on this forum is not an average user, and there for any opinions about the game are going to be overly critical compared to an average users opinions." - Me
"No, your wrong.." - Random user #123
"Hello person posting on a site specifically for MMO's in a thread on a sub forum specifically for a particular game talking about meta features and making comparisons to other titles in the genre, and their meta features.
How are you?" -Me
So which side outnumbers the other side? This will be a problem later on, right? Too many criminals for the cops to stop or vice versa...
Districts have been about 50 50, but thats somewhat irrelevent anyway, as who you are matched agenst is also, partly, if they want to take you on or not.
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"Anyone posting on this forum is not an average user, and there for any opinions about the game are going to be overly critical compared to an average users opinions." - Me
"No, your wrong.." - Random user #123
"Hello person posting on a site specifically for MMO's in a thread on a sub forum specifically for a particular game talking about meta features and making comparisons to other titles in the genre, and their meta features.
How are you?" -Me
The numbers of "sides" are balanced pretty much but when it comes to missions it gets out of whack because all someone has to do if they are getting beat, is call for backup and it can easily turn into 5 v 2 and the 5 side can easily end up with higher ranked players with better gear. Big minus imo and I'm not sure what the OP means by more to report on later because he pretty much covered the whole depth of the game in the brief review he posted already. There is no content in APB, its just endless deathmatch pvp with good toon customization.
At the moment in all action instances I see more enforcers than criminals, with the occassional perfectly even instance, and a rare crims outnumbering enforcers. Which i'd attribute to rtw giving them perks that the crims do not have because they thought more people would play crims than enforcers. And after getting stunned and arrested to hell, I think a lot of crims decided to go enforcer instead.
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The pen is mightier than the sword, and authority is mightier than the pen, but the sword is mightier than authority.
If you can't beat 'em, hold 'em off 'till you come up with a better plan.
I'm really amazed some people enjoy this game so much. It actually makes me wonder, because when I tried it, I really thought it was AWFUL. Not merely "not to my taste," but just severely lacking no matter how you looked at it - but I was obviously wrong.
I'm thinking maybe this line has something to do with it: "It’s basically all about the bragging rights." That's so foreign to me, that it's like saying it's all about nothing. To me, it had such a lack of purpose, fighting just for fighting's sake. No character advancement, no world to explore, nor a story to progress. It seems to be all about just shooting people, and I just felt lots of other shooters do so much better on that front. Maybe that's because the MMO element does nothing for me, on that front.
Guess maybe I'm just not one for bragging rights?
When I want a single-player story, I'll play a single-player game. When I play an MMO, I want a massively multiplayer world.
This is not an RPG people, no more than plantside ever was.
APB has every game mode a FPS has, and some unique to it, strung together in missions, but thats still just an excuse to PvP, in a persistent world. It does have RPG lite advancement. Its a sand box about PvP.
THIS IS NOT AN RPG WITH QUESTS. Shoulder pads of might will not make you a better player.
Only you will.
I know this is a RPG centric site, but come on people. Stop condemning things for something it never tried to be, or because you don't understand it.
Play it for what it is. An online MMG action shooter focused on PvP based around team play and tactics that is a HELL of a lot of fun, and yes, you will loose some matches, a forgen concept to some here on this site, I know, loosing, whats that?
Its like saying "This RTS sucks, because it doesn't have orcs".
http://www.zam.com/bffreport.html?bffreport=31
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"Anyone posting on this forum is not an average user, and there for any opinions about the game are going to be overly critical compared to an average users opinions." - Me
"No, your wrong.." - Random user #123
"Hello person posting on a site specifically for MMO's in a thread on a sub forum specifically for a particular game talking about meta features and making comparisons to other titles in the genre, and their meta features.
How are you?" -Me
I have no interest in bragging rights, being as far from a competitive gamer as one can be, but I'm enjoying APB.
What I am is a narcissist who needs for his avatar to look 'just so,' and a person with gaming friends he enjoys coordinating tactics (and laughing) with. So a third-person shooter with this level of customization and ample opportunity to laugh at our incompetence is an easy sell to us, as crude as many aspects of it are.
I mean, I'd rather play a principled work of art like Dragon Age or EVE Online any day, but since I've more than finished Dragon Age, my friends hate the way I play EVE Online, and there's nothing else of such quality coming out for some time, APB is at least an entertaining once-a-week thing.
I really liked the game at first because it was so refreshing and new. The graphics are great and the customization is phenomenall. After about 100 missions though, I started to get bored. The matcmaking system and the missions may have some variety, but there were plenty of mission types I did not like at all, and since the missions you get are mostly random, I always got frustrated getting locked into missions I did not want to do. I found myself caring less and less about the customization and my character in general. I think this was partly due to the lack of purpose. I'm fine with killing for killing's sake. Its the main reason I play FPS in the first place. I like to get better at the games by practicing, rather than acquiring power through items. But after over 100 hours of play, I really didn't find myself getting much better. I would do really well for 5 or 6 missions and then proceed to lose 10 in a row.
I also found the community rather hostile and never did really make any friends or find a clan that was to my liking. That may be partly my fault for being so picky and not really having large chunks of time to form any real social bonds with anyone, but I just felt left out and tossed aside much of the time, especially when giving or receiving backup. There were plenty of times I was removed from groups for doing something stupid, which I can understand, but come on, it was a pick up group and I'm a newb. It's not like I was trying to get my team killed or something. At least tell me what I'm doing wrong or give me a second chance.
Vault-Tec analysts have concluded that the odds of worldwide nuclear armaggeddon this decade are 17,143,762... to 1.
The customization is incredible. Everything I hoped it would be and more. It's just too bad that isn't enough for me, personally. Nor is the social element - it seemed fun in theory, playing cooperatively, one person driving, others shooting, but the weak driving and shooting mechanics ruined that for me. I understand that its limited, being an MMO, but it felt like it needed more of a sense of purpose then, in the traditional MMO sense, at least, if not something new and innovative, to make for the lacking action gameplay mechanics.
Maybe its social in a broader sense, then. Not just bragging rights, so much as just a greater appreciation for the other people element than I have. I'm not anti-social, its just that being social isn't enough for me to overlook the gameplay, I guess.
When I want a single-player story, I'll play a single-player game. When I play an MMO, I want a massively multiplayer world.
For those of you that have played this game, this is one of the only reviews that i have read that says anything beyond lack of content and completely broken gameplay. Is there any truth to this or is it just complete BS.
/discuss
His main point is right, Its fun. A lot of fun. At least, it can be, but all GOOD games run hot and cold. It matches what i have said here:
http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/thread/283108/My-take-on-APB.html
Palebane, come play with me/us.
This game is not recomended to be played alone. Not unless you are supper hardcore or don't give a flip.
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"Anyone posting on this forum is not an average user, and there for any opinions about the game are going to be overly critical compared to an average users opinions." - Me
"No, your wrong.." - Random user #123
"Hello person posting on a site specifically for MMO's in a thread on a sub forum specifically for a particular game talking about meta features and making comparisons to other titles in the genre, and their meta features.
How are you?" -Me
The article is very truthful.
It doesn't have content anything like a "traditional" MMO though - everyone knows that - it's a third person shooter.
"If all you can say is... "It's awful, it's not innovative, it's ugly, it's blah.." Then you're an unimaginative and unpolished excuse for human life" -eburn
So far, I love it. I am hooked, and it took me like? 1,5 years to find a 'MMO' to get me hooked again. When I get sick of the action, I go and create symbols etc.
It doesn't have content like other 3rd person shooters, either, though. Obviously, no story like a single player game, but it also lacks the map size and variety of other shooters I've played. And in a pure action game, you might even be able to call elements like damage modeling and physics a type of content, and its lacking there, too.
What it does have, is other players in a persistent gameworld. I guess for some, that makes up the difference. For others, not so much.
When I want a single-player story, I'll play a single-player game. When I play an MMO, I want a massively multiplayer world.
It has all the play modes, and more of any FPS/TPS game, the maps are not small, its 40 city blocks with back alleys, roof tops, interiors.. a very large amount of game space. No resets after a match or load screens other then when you fist log in.
I think its the speed of driving that makes people think its small, try walking.
Its all extreamly dynamic.
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"Anyone posting on this forum is not an average user, and there for any opinions about the game are going to be overly critical compared to an average users opinions." - Me
"No, your wrong.." - Random user #123
"Hello person posting on a site specifically for MMO's in a thread on a sub forum specifically for a particular game talking about meta features and making comparisons to other titles in the genre, and their meta features.
How are you?" -Me
So far I've been having alot of fun
Just don't approach it like your usual huge month upon month timesink MMO, its definitely something new and actually really refreshing.
It has good gameplay, good enough progression, and the ability for me to make a name for myself within the community with my records and customization.
That's enough for me.
Maybe not for some, but for me.
I don't play for a sense of permanence.
I can only imagine how much they'll add in the future, though.
Surprisingly, its balanced very well i'd say 50/50 or 51/49 its actually extremely close to being balanced. Guess people still favor the good guys.
The character customization is amazing. Probably the best of any mmo, in my opinion.
I suck at driving. I keep weaving all over the road. I still haven't made up my mind about this game. I think it could be a roleplayers paradise, especially the noncombat district.
I actually think it's a good game. The social tools are incredible and not fluff as some people seem to think. Players are already doing great stuff with them. The problem for me and anyone not used to playing FPS PvP is you're going to struggle badly. Ten years ago when I played Unreal Tournament (and was ten years younger!) I could have coped. Atm I'm completely useless. Anyone just used to playing MMOs or RPGs will find themselves similarly disadvantaged, and killed constantly. As as been said, it's a FPS first and foremost. For it to succeed it will probably need to bring in players who don't normally play MMOs.
Is there currently enough in the social zone to make it a viable alternative to playing combat districts? I'll have to play around there more. I realise it's currently free to play social. I like the potential for player-created stuff, but not sure I'll ever get to grips with PvP. Probably too old at 44!
Bah,youre never too old!
and Ive spent a good 4 hours in the social district alone just customizing my char,songs,and car.
I never thought I'd like this game as much as I am,its pretty damn fun
Driving is all about the space key and foward thinking. It takes a bit to get used to.
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"Anyone posting on this forum is not an average user, and there for any opinions about the game are going to be overly critical compared to an average users opinions." - Me
"No, your wrong.." - Random user #123
"Hello person posting on a site specifically for MMO's in a thread on a sub forum specifically for a particular game talking about meta features and making comparisons to other titles in the genre, and their meta features.
How are you?" -Me