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[Column] The Secret World: A Time of Change

BillMurphyBillMurphy Former Managing EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 4,565

The past couple of weeks have been big ones for fans of The Secret World. Between the latest producer's letter and the first information about Update 6, a lot of new information has come along. In today's column, we take a look at all the news and offer some analysis. Read on before heading to the comments.

Quests are one thing, and quality of life additions are another. Issue 6 attempts to provide a little something for everyone in that respect. The Issue 6 reveal also announced a rewards system that provides incentives for people who purchase a membership or recruit new players into the game.

Read more of Victor Barreiro Jr.'s The Secret World: A Time of Change.

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Comments

  • IngvarIngvar Member UncommonPosts: 193
    I really should get this game...
  • EiviEivi Member Posts: 96
    Once they sort the animations out, ill come back. The game is amazing but the animations really let it down.
     

    image
  • rojoArcueidrojoArcueid Member EpicPosts: 10,722
    Originally posted by Eivi
    Once they sort the animations out, ill come back. The game is amazing but the animations really let it down.
     

    we are in the same boat. When i play Age of Conan and feel the near perfect animations it has it just kill any desire i might have to log in to TSW. Both games made by the same company.... why they didnt add that to TSW is beyond me.





  • jinxxed0jinxxed0 Member UncommonPosts: 841
    I found the combat way too dull and awkward. It's like it doesn't know if it wants to be action or the traditional combat. If they tweaked that which they probably cant/wont i'd probably play again. The character customization isn't great either.
  • FromHellFromHell Member Posts: 1,311
    Can´t wait for issue 6 and I seriously hope I´ll finally get my Fedora !!

    Secrets of Dragon?s Spine Trailer.. ! :D
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwT9cFVQCMw

    Best MMOs ever played: Ultima, EvE, SW Galaxies, Age of Conan, The Secret World
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2X_SbZCHpc&t=21s
    .


    .
    The Return of ELITE !
    image

  • DraemosDraemos Member UncommonPosts: 1,521
    Originally posted by jinxxed0
    I found the combat way too dull and awkward. It's like it doesn't know if it wants to be action or the traditional combat. If they tweaked that which they probably cant/wont i'd probably play again. The character customization isn't great either.

    So did I.  Play it a few more hours, it gets better.

  • Originally posted by Draemos
    Originally posted by jinxxed0
    I found the combat way too dull and awkward. It's like it doesn't know if it wants to be action or the traditional combat. If they tweaked that which they probably cant/wont i'd probably play again. The character customization isn't great either.

    So did I.  Play it a few more hours, it gets better.

    No it doesn't. It certainly does not get better by playing more of the same dull and akward combat. I'm certain I played over 100 hours. I had my abillity wheel 97% complete

  • JKwervoJKwervo Member Posts: 126
    Originally posted by Eivi
    Once they sort the animations out, ill come back. The game is amazing but the animations really let it down.
     

    This. I didn't think it'd be gamebreaking for me...but it is. 

  • DauzqulDauzqul Member RarePosts: 1,982
    The screenshot looks like a medieval boba fett.
  • PlageronPlageron Member Posts: 109

    All i can say...is that combat in the secert world was distasteful until i used a controller...that made it 100% better.

    I dont know about the rest of the posters but i felt like AGE of connan put me to sleep....and i didnt find the graphics very fluid(noticable skipping to speed up things)....cinematics seamed kind of sub par too....i felt the secret world seamed alot better in those respects....running with dx 11 the ground and over all enviroment seamed more realistic to me then age of connan.  Which kind of seamed cartoony and artificial more....they couldnt even get the wind right in age of connan...I think one of the most noticable was the sky textures for me...painted sky from age of connan to one with moving clouds and mists fromthe secret world.  In addition my graphics card had its fan work more with the secret world then with age of connan...so that means connan wasnt really that graphic intensive.

    But i guess thats just my opinion...seams alot of people have very bad graphics rendering ability.....they supposedly have great hardware...but it certainly doesnt seam like it.

     

  • EhllfhireEhllfhire Member UncommonPosts: 633
    [mod edit]  They can't even keep their promises to get out monthly content, they are already what 4 issues behind?  Tokyo has been around the corner since launch. Id be surprised if tokyo is released before 2014. They still have yet to fix the combat animations. The revamp of pvp doesnt revamp a thing it just renames the grind.

    Any graphical, audio, or gameplay restrictions not seen in other mmos but found in FFXIV can be blamed on one thing.
    PS3

  • black_isleblack_isle Member UncommonPosts: 256
    Originally posted by rojo6934
    Originally posted by Eivi
    Once they sort the animations out, ill come back. The game is amazing but the animations really let it down.
     

    we are in the same boat. When i play Age of Conan and feel the near perfect animations it has it just kill any desire i might have to log in to TSW. Both games made by the same company.... why they didnt add that to TSW is beyond me.

    Because of mobile combat sadly. But still, as much as i like TSW and Funcom, that's not an acceptable excuse for me because other games have mobile combat too and it didn't have to be that way. So they had to figure it out, made it work because it's such a crucial part of gameplay. Anyway, just wanted to answer your question, don't wanna beat up a dead horse.

  • orbitxoorbitxo Member RarePosts: 1,956

    This game has surparsed my expectations of any MMO possibilities.  goes to show never judge a game by short term blog comments or cheesey artwork (those three cartoons on the coverbox never apealed to me)-lol.

    Iam so addicted to this game!-its content is amazing, missions are  conceptual, and pvp is dynamic!-ats it. -hands down!

    ive barely touch my other mmos. -havent even explored the higher zones yet-these issues will just keep me spireling deeper into this game!

     

    -cheers!

     
  • orbitxoorbitxo Member RarePosts: 1,956
    Originally posted by Ehllfhire
     [mod edit] They can't even keep their promises to get out monthly content, they are already what 4 issues behind?  Tokyo has been around the corner since launch. Id be surprised if tokyo is released before 2014. They still have yet to fix the combat animations. The revamp of pvp doesnt revamp a thing it just renames the grind.
     

    these kind of comments was what kept me from playing this amazing game, and i rarely now read mmorpg's comments anymore.

    and Ehllfhire for the record -- you should read Joels letter he clearly states they are not going todo monthly releases as planned. he was short , quick and to the point.-and that earns my respect.

  • orbitxoorbitxo Member RarePosts: 1,956
    Originally posted by Ingvar
    I really should get this game...

    you should.

  • OrtwigOrtwig Member UncommonPosts: 1,163
    Originally posted by Ehllfhire
    [mod edit] They can't even keep their promises to get out monthly content, they are already what 4 issues behind?  Tokyo has been around the corner since launch. Id be surprised if tokyo is released before 2014. They still have yet to fix the combat animations. The revamp of pvp doesnt revamp a thing it just renames the grind.

    [mod edit] 

    • Monthly was never "promised," though the the devs were eager to come as close as they could.  There have been 5 Issues since July 2012 with a 6th coming next week.  6 updates in 9 months?  That's not bad.
    • Game director's letter has stated when the Tokyo update will be this year.  There was never a hard date for Tokyo, just 2013.  Just because you think you hear something doesn't make it true.
    • Jump and crouch animations updated in February and more to come.
    • There have been 3 major pvp updates 1.4, 1.5, and 1.6 is coming this month.  I am 100% positive you have no clue what is in those updates.
  • EhllfhireEhllfhire Member UncommonPosts: 633
    Originally posted by orbitxo
    Originally posted by Ehllfhire
     [mod edit] They can't even keep their promises to get out monthly content, they are already what 4 issues behind?  Tokyo has been around the corner since launch. Id be surprised if tokyo is released before 2014. They still have yet to fix the combat animations. The revamp of pvp doesnt revamp a thing it just renames the grind.
     

    these kind of comments was what kept me from playing this amazing game, and i rarely now read mmorpg's comments anymore.

    and Ehllfhire for the record -- you should read Joels letter he clearly states they are not going todo monthly releases as planned. he was short , quick and to the point.-and that earns my respect.

    Oh so a broken promise is ok because they said they are breaking it? /facepalm /thisiswhatiswrongwithamericatoday

    Any graphical, audio, or gameplay restrictions not seen in other mmos but found in FFXIV can be blamed on one thing.
    PS3

  • EhllfhireEhllfhire Member UncommonPosts: 633
    Originally posted by orbitxo

    This game has surparsed my expectations of any MMO possibilities.  goes to show never judge a game by short term blog comments or cheesey artwork (those three cartoons on the coverbox never apealed to me)-lol.

    Iam so addicted to this game!-its content is amazing, missions are  conceptual, and pvp is dynamic!-ats it. -hands down!

    ive barely touch my other mmos. -havent even explored the higher zones yet-these issues will just keep me spireling deeper into this game!

     

    -cheers!

     
     

    I stopped caring for your opinion when you stated pvp was dynamic. Clearly you have never played real pvp

    Any graphical, audio, or gameplay restrictions not seen in other mmos but found in FFXIV can be blamed on one thing.
    PS3

  • OrtwigOrtwig Member UncommonPosts: 1,163
    Originally posted by Ehllfhire
    Originally posted by orbitxo
    Originally posted by Ehllfhire
     [mod edit] They can't even keep their promises to get out monthly content, they are already what 4 issues behind?  Tokyo has been around the corner since launch. Id be surprised if tokyo is released before 2014. They still have yet to fix the combat animations. The revamp of pvp doesnt revamp a thing it just renames the grind.
     

    these kind of comments was what kept me from playing this amazing game, and i rarely now read mmorpg's comments anymore.

    and Ehllfhire for the record -- you should read Joels letter he clearly states they are not going todo monthly releases as planned. he was short , quick and to the point.-and that earns my respect.

    Oh so a broken promise is ok because they said they are breaking it? /facepalm /thisiswhatiswrongwithamericatoday

    You heard "promise" when there was none (it's called "wishful thinking").  They stated they had a goal of delivering every month, and they delivered until they had to do restructuting.  Plans change; you'll learn this as you grow older.

  • Agent_JosephAgent_Joseph Member UncommonPosts: 1,361
    Originally posted by rojo6934
    Originally posted by Eivi
    Once they sort the animations out, ill come back. The game is amazing but the animations really let it down.
     

    we are in the same boat. When i play Age of Conan and feel the near perfect animations it has it just kill any desire i might have to log in to TSW. Both games made by the same company.... why they didnt add that to TSW is beyond me.

    what is wrong with animations?

  • YaevinduskYaevindusk Member RarePosts: 2,094

     

    I'm in 100% agreement with those who said the animations ruined the game for them.  I found the combat way too dull, and the animations were the main contributing factor for me.  Why on earth they would give such little care for such an important part of an MMO is beyond me, but it's their business and I'm sure they think they know what's best.  In my opinion it hosts some of the worst animations (when taking in when games were released) in the entire industry.  With that I'll admit that I used to say that combat and animations were secondary to my enjoyment if the game was creative and unique; The Secret World humbled me in the fact that it was so horrible (combat wise) that I simply could not play it further after spending so much time with it and giving it an honest opportunity to impress me and keep my interest.

     

    It's not that I think the animation quality is bad, but rather there is no soul to the attacks.  No unique nature or creativity as far as I could see.  It was as if an intern took the reins of it and made it all look as basic as possible to go along with relatively slow combat.  Though there were some where even the quality was horrendous, especially when it game to AoE attacks and how they looked so unnatural when spaming those attacks.  There was just no proper flow to some of those.

    As for the new updates that are coming, that's great news for people who think the animations are good or are able to look past that.  New content is a great thing to see and is indicative that the game still has at least some direction to go to stay afloat.

     
     
     
     
    Due to frequent travel in my youth, English isn't something I consider my primary language (and thus I obtained quirky ways of writing).  German and French were always easier for me despite my family being U.S. citizens for over a century.  Spanish I learned as a requirement in school, Japanese and Korean I acquired for my youthful desire of anime and gaming (and also work now).  I only debate in English to help me work with it (and limit things).  In addition, I'm not smart enough to remain fluent in everything and typically need exposure to get in the groove of things again if I haven't heard it in a while.  If you understand Mandarin, I know a little, but it has actually been a challenge and could use some help.

    Also, I thoroughly enjoy debates and have accounts on over a dozen sites for this.  If you wish to engage in such, please put effort in a post and provide sources -- I will then do the same with what I already wrote (if I didn't) as well as with my responses to your own.  Expanding my information on a subject makes my stance either change or strengthen the next time I speak of it or write a thesis.  Allow me to thank you sincerely for your time.
  • crazyed66crazyed66 Member UncommonPosts: 18

    Players seem to be in 2 camps 1. Those that stub thier toe on a rock and decide the world is crap and 2. those that can see the whole world for what it is.

    Every MMO I have played has had it's problems, I am wondering what mmos the nay sayers do play alot, I am sure those games can be picked as well.

    That being said I think that TSW was released unfinished in the quality department but the game as a whole is what kept me playing, the mysteries and the unique storylines, there is so much positive here.

    The TSW team (very small compared to others) has had an enormous amount to fix I can admit and they are doing just that! I do think time is an issue but not because I am impatient but because there are many mmos on the horizon (2 of which I am alpha testing) so sadly I think competition will be the big issue in the near future.

    This thread was meant for the future of TSW considering the changes above. not to crit such a tiny point of animation (has never effected my gameplay) 

    I know my rant has been a little 2 faced but that is how I see it. TSW will always be one of my faves not for what it can't do but for what it does.

  • WillyMMORPGWillyMMORPG Member UncommonPosts: 78
    Originally posted by Ehllfhire
    Originally posted by orbitxo

    This game has surparsed my expectations of any MMO possibilities.  goes to show never judge a game by short term blog comments or cheesey artwork (those three cartoons on the coverbox never apealed to me)-lol.

    Iam so addicted to this game!-its content is amazing, missions are  conceptual, and pvp is dynamic!-ats it. -hands down!

    ive barely touch my other mmos. -havent even explored the higher zones yet-these issues will just keep me spireling deeper into this game!

     

    -cheers!

     
     

    I stopped caring for your opinion when you stated pvp was dynamic. Clearly you have never played real pvp

    Well, the game is clearly not for you. Then, why are you hanging out in a thread about said game? Go back to GW2 or whatever other fanboy game you play and enjoy. The people who like the game "get it" and you don't seem to.

     

  • WillyMMORPGWillyMMORPG Member UncommonPosts: 78
    Originally posted by Agent_Joseph
    Originally posted by rojo6934
    Originally posted by Eivi
    Once they sort the animations out, ill come back. The game is amazing but the animations really let it down.
     

    we are in the same boat. When i play Age of Conan and feel the near perfect animations it has it just kill any desire i might have to log in to TSW. Both games made by the same company.... why they didnt add that to TSW is beyond me.

    what is wrong with animations?

     

    I'd like to see one of these whiners answer this question.

     

    I think it's funny that the people who complain about the game and say they don't play are trolling a thread about upcoming content. They should go back to whatever game they play and quit posting vague generalizations.

     

    If Attention Deficit Disorder is making them twitchy because 7000 things aren't moving on screen at the same time, maybe they should double down on the Ridalin and move on.

     

  • evilastroevilastro Member Posts: 4,270
    Originally posted by WillyMMORPG
    Originally posted by Agent_Joseph
    Originally posted by rojo6934
    Originally posted by Eivi
    Once they sort the animations out, ill come back. The game is amazing but the animations really let it down.
     

    we are in the same boat. When i play Age of Conan and feel the near perfect animations it has it just kill any desire i might have to log in to TSW. Both games made by the same company.... why they didnt add that to TSW is beyond me.

    what is wrong with animations?

     

    I'd like to see one of these whiners answer this question.

     

    I think it's funny that the people who complain about the game and say they don't play are trolling a thread about upcoming content. They should go back to whatever game they play and quit posting vague generalizations.

     

    If Attention Deficit Disorder is making them twitchy because 7000 things aren't moving on screen at the same time, maybe they should double down on the Ridalin and move on.

     

    Some of the skills are outright terrible in terms of animations. Casting elemental skills (not that you would do that later on because it is massively underpowered compared to Assault Rifle) makes you clap like a retarded seal.

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