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Too little, too late. Game is dead.

2

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  • chriselchrisel Member UncommonPosts: 990

    Originally posted by burmese

    The auno listing only includes chars the site knows about - generally those chars who have joined orgs at one point or another, or whom the owner has specifically added into the auno db.  The number of ppl it lists online vary from 150 to 450 at most times and is probably less than 1/2 the number of chars running around on that server at any given time.  While it's useless for knowing how many people are logged on, it's a good measure of the -relative- volume over the course of a day.

     Noone but FC knows for sure, everything we do will be a wild guess. I tried to make a new toon, and when I hit noob island there were several newbs around me just from the start. Good signs! How many players are not in any orgs then? Could be lots. As you say, the aren't listed there. When newbie areas are becoming dead, then it is just matter of time before any game is dead. As long as there are newbs in those areas, theres hope. I am pretty sure things will turn for this game. All will in the end depend on the GFX engine though I think.

    Make us care MORE about our faction & world pvp!

  • skullquakerskullquaker Member UncommonPosts: 311

    AO should do the big   alien attack on  a city   and if every one dies  then  that shows  how low the player  base is

  • chriselchrisel Member UncommonPosts: 990

    How could that prove anything about the playerbase? There are people all the way from level 1 to level 220 all over the place. At least those place I have seen. Right now it seems like a mass invasion of players on RK1, probably due to the 30 free welcome back trial.

    Make us care MORE about our faction & world pvp!

  • quasar941quasar941 Member Posts: 159

    The bottom line is, the true state of the game is easily observable to anyone who logs on and attempts to play. No amount of people shouting on these forums about how great everything is will change that.

  • chriselchrisel Member UncommonPosts: 990

    Originally posted by quasar941

    The bottom line is, the true state of the game is easily observable to anyone who logs on and attempts to play. No amount of people shouting on these forums about how great everything is will change that.

    Fail.

     The bottom line here is that you obviously arent playing the game. Tell me then. When did you log on last time? What server? The German one? Definately not RK1, Atlantean!

     Not many hrs ago the whole South Beach and past Sunken House was full of people as well as Kite Hill. No free spots to grind. I am pocketing in the level brackets 1-150 all the time, and I can tell you that theres plenty of people around everywhere I go; Newbie Island, Nascence, TOTW, Foremans, Elysium etc etc. Plenty of people around in Borealis too, and no problems getting any buff. I even see Newland quite packed sine it seems that Borealis is "too crowded" from time to time. Yesterday/last night I "twinked" my level 100 doc into QL200 implants and equipped a JAME; got tons of help as well as several treatment twink gear I needed for my toon. All this for free, and without even having to ask for it; it was offered. Would that happen in a dead game? Hardly.

     Today we entered South Beach in Elysium when I started my pocket team. We had to literally 'fight' over the mobs all the way from South Beach to Sunken House. We stayed at Sunken House until the other group that was fighting over the same mobs as we did, gave up. While we were at Sunken House, I had countless requests from people who wanted join my pocket team, without even having to be on the LFT. Yeah, sounds quite dead to me (this is sarcasm btw). So who's the liar here? Me? You? Well, whatever. How about checking ingame status before coming here with such clueless assumptions?

     Again, another a doomsayer, bashing a game that is very healthy. I can only imagine why you post this, but please, at least try get some relevant information about the games current status cause this is missing target by miles. I am okay with that people doesnt like the game for some reason or other. But when people start unfair bashing I feel a bit provoked, cause this is definately not deserved by a game that is undoubtly living a good life.

     Please; dig up some links, try give us at least SOME facts about how "dead" this game is, rather than your personal & unfair bashing. We can discuss facts, but it is close to impossible to discuss your imaginations.

    Make us care MORE about our faction & world pvp!

  • inBOILinBOIL Member Posts: 669

    "bashing a game that is very healthy"

    i had to check this one out,since theres now free months running for cancelled accounts so i though game might be alive,so i logged my 95 MP,tried to search team : side any,location any,profession any,,found 4 people searching team ,all 4 ,fiu.

    http://auno.org/ao/char.php?online=1&dimension=1&offset=300

    321 toons online.

     

    Generation P

  • chriselchrisel Member UncommonPosts: 990

    Originally posted by inBOIL

    "bashing a game that is very healthy"

    i had to check this one out,since theres now free months running for cancelled accounts so i though game might be alive,so i logged my 95 MP,tried to search team : side any,location any,profession any,,found 4 people searching team ,all 4 ,fiu.

    http://auno.org/ao/char.php?online=1&dimension=1&offset=300

    321 toons online above level 200 and into organisations.

    Fixed.

     

    Fail.

    As you might have seen, I said that I had tells to join my team lots of times, without even being on LFT. Theres no problem getting a team these days. Go LFT, state what youre after, and if you have 'some' clue there should be no problems. If you have problems getting a team, youre in the 'newb' category and should look for other aspects to cover your knowledge than bashing the game on wrong assumptions.

     Do you really think any game spams you with invites just out of the blue?? Nah, try better. I have played World of Warcraft since it's release. Weirdly enough I find it alot harder to get a team in WoW than in AO. Even the fact that WoW has 12mill subscribers and AO has "none". How can I easily find a team in a game that is supposed to be "dead" while I have hard time finding a team in the worlds biggest P2P MMO?? Go figure why.  Does that mean WoW is 'dead'? Hardly.

    .

     Now, let us have a look at that link of yours:

    -Only lists players in organisations

    -Only shows online players above level 200 as it clearly states there

    .

     You have (intentionally?) missed out 2 very vital aspects about those statistics. First is that it is only showing people above level 200 and as well as those who are members of organisations. I am aware that you can find people listed in the 1-200 level brackets, but it clearly states it only shows people online on Atlantean that are above level 200. You are also unable to find ANY player that is not member of an organisation. Whatever that link of yours is trying to prove, it is definately not showing the whole online population. But we refused to see that or even point out the obvious, didn't we?

     I see that you have posted this while I was asleep. Did it even occur to you that you might have hit the server during it's 'low-time' of population? When I went to bed this morning, Borealis was no more dead than I found Stormwind at same time on the biggest RPPvP server when I used to play it. I just checked the current Atlantean status, and now it is nearly 600 online. Perpetuum in comparison have like 500 registred players (Perpetuum had that at least when I tried it not long time ago). I guess they must be bankrupt then.

     Anarchy Online is a group-based game. By no means, it is no problems getting xp alone, it's just that it takes alot longer time. If you are not interested in finding out how a game's mechanics works, you will definately get no credibility from me. This would be like me going to EvE forum, bashing it for being so empty. Cause I personally find EvE completely VOID, with zero & nil activity. Think again if you belive the LFT tool is some sort of measurement of how healthy ANY MMO is. Just because you or someone else don't understand how a game works, it doesnt mean it's dead.

     The day you will not find people in none of these places when you log into Atlantean, I will agree AO is dead;

    -Newbie Island

    -Frontier Bridge

    -Crippler Cave

    -2 Mountains

    -Spade

    -South Beach

    -Sunken House

    -Kite Hill

     Those are a few of the places I level 1-150. You can look at that as a quick guide where to find teams, and maybe a few friends, to help you get those xp needed.

    Please try better next time you fire your guns and jump to a conclusion without looking behind the "facts" you have dug up.

    Good luck.

    -Chris.

     

     

     

    Make us care MORE about our faction & world pvp!

  • inBOILinBOIL Member Posts: 669

    not interested of your mumbojumbo ,dream whatever you want but Auno.org shows straight facts ,before means those numbers were thousands and now its few hundred try to live with it.

    Generation P

  • chriselchrisel Member UncommonPosts: 990

    Originally posted by inBOIL

    not interested of your mumbojumbo ,dream whatever you want but Auno.org shows straight facts ,before means those numbers were thousands and now its few hundred try to live with it.

     At least I am able to see the facts, quite unlike you. Twist & turn about this, it will not change the reality no matter how much you whine. AO had more players before, yes, that does not mean it is dead. Far from it. Even though I dislike to fight over grind spots, I have to accept it as a good sign,  which is one of the best signs that the game is alive.

     Maybe you should try the game before stating it is dead? I am very soon logging on to get xp to one of my level 100ish toons. This is a level range where we really should notice the games 'death' right? Log on your MP or whatever class you got that can team up with one around L100. Then come meet me and we shall see how hard it is to keep a full group until I log off in about 12 hrs. After that we can settle this discussion once and for all. If you dont dare take this challenge I would say you should get a clue about the current status or at least cough up some relevant information instead of these personal & non-objective attacks upon a game that is very much alive.

     Now what you say? Anyone else wanna join me who thinks this game is "dead"??

    Make us care MORE about our faction & world pvp!

  • inBOILinBOIL Member Posts: 669

    Originally posted by chrisel

    Fail.

     The bottom line here is that you obviously arent playing the game. Tell me then. When did you log on last time? What server? The German one? Definately not RK1, Atlantean!

     Not many hrs ago the whole South Beach and past Sunken House was full of people as well as Kite Hill. No free spots to grind. I am pocketing in the level brackets 1-150 all the time

    You are the one here whos bashing this game,these spots are for  kiting and pocketing only nowadays ,if you ever played this game you might actually know why,because theres no teams anymore to do anything,and its cool that you like pocketing it really is and you should keep doing that what you like the most. and what comes to this  " no free spots to grind" 20 players can fill all the elysium spots,20 which is most likely 10 players dual logged.

    Generation P

  • chriselchrisel Member UncommonPosts: 990

    Originally posted by inBOIL

    You are the one here whos bashing this game,these spots are for  kiting and pocketing only nowadays ,if you ever played this game you might actually know why,because theres no teams anymore to do anything,and its cool that you like pocketing it really is and you should keep doing that what you like the most. and what comes to this  " no free spots to grind" 20 players can fill all the elysium spots,20 which is most likely 10 players dual logged.

     Since when did it become something negative that grind spots are taken?? They surely must be more than 10 dual playing if they are to be 'dual-playing' if they should be able to be in all 8 places that I have listed...

    /golfclap

    Make us care MORE about our faction & world pvp!

  • quasar941quasar941 Member Posts: 159

    [quote]Originally posted by chrisel
    [b][quote]
     Again, another a doomsayer, bashing a game that is very healthy. I can only imagine why you post this, but please, at least try get some relevant information about the games current status cause this is missing target by miles. I am okay with that people doesnt like the game for some reason or other. But when people start unfair bashing I feel a bit provoked, cause this is definately not deserved by a game that is undoubtly living a good life.
     Please; dig up some links, try give us at least SOME facts about how "dead" this game is, rather than your personal & unfair bashing. We can discuss facts, but it is close to impossible to discuss your imaginations.
    [/b][/quote]

    I really don't understand your reaction. All I said was that people should log on and see for themselves just how alive the game is. I would have thought that you would want people to do that so you could be proved right. Instead, you go into a defensive frenzy, attacking arguments that were never made, and attacking me, personally. What gives?

    On second thought, don't bother responding. I refuse to be baited into arguing over something this stupid when it is so much easier just to block you.

  • DLangleyDLangley Member Posts: 1,407

    Cut out the personal attacks please. Discuss the topic, leave all baiting and snide remarks out of discussion. Thanks.

  • chriselchrisel Member UncommonPosts: 990

    Originally posted by quasar941

    I really don't understand your reaction. All I said was that people should log on and see for themselves just how alive the game is. I would have thought that you would want people to do that so you could be proved right. Instead, you go into a defensive frenzy, attacking arguments that were never made, and attacking me, personally. What gives?

    On second thought, don't bother responding. I refuse to be baited into arguing over something this stupid when it is so much easier just to block you.

     I am attacking your comments & unfair statements you have about a game that is more alive now than it has been in years. You logged on and looked at the LFT tool? What else did you do in the game to check out its current "health"? I am asking, cause letting us know a bit more we might understand what or even if there could be some problems. Saying something like that theres "only 400 players who's member of organizations online during the servers low-time" is definately not enough. That is generalizing too much, which makes your post open for speculation and probably some wild guns firing. I am trying to show you and the rest here the opposite as I feel the game is quite different to how you are describing it.

    .

     Last night I had my "biggest" clash at ingame when our pocket group came into a real fight over one pocket spot with a group who could be killing much tougher mobs that the one we tried to pocket. The group that came causing this commotion was way out of level range and should prolly be in a much higher zone than being in a "lowbie zone" killing nearly useless mobs for them. When I woke up today I might have "realized" why this happened; I "promised" several players to have a spot in my pocket, but due to my crappy 2004 geared doc, I need focus alot when I pocket to be unable to die, so I did some multiple invitations to my pocket, and someone who was way back in "line" got by mistake in. I did several apologies for this to them who were first in line, but to someone that might not be enough. This is however a guess, but the whole situation was very frustrating and confusing to everyone in my pocket.

     Well, whatever about this incident. It is in the past.

     My point here is that every day I see grind spots more & more occupied with harder competition to "claim" them. It is clearly however, that the game is coming MORE or alive, quite opposite of goig towards a slow death.

    .

     Let me add that these days the rift over pockets seems so intense that afk'ers are unwanted in the teams. At least I am not allowing anyone whos afk in my team, unless they ask first if they can be afk (for a short while). I also had a trip to Sunken House at around 3AM GMT last night; I did not count how many people that were hanging around there, but I could barely see a free spot on that house to stand on. Not since Shadowlands early days I have seen as much activity on South Beach. I guess Eastfang (which seems "lost" as a good exp place for many people) is the next place that will be packed. Maybe it is already; I havent checked, but latest incidents have made me decided to go there instead of SB as I am not interested in all the grief that these 'pocket-fights' are causing. I find people a bit lazy these days, so it is obiously many would rather "wait" for a place at Kite Hill, South Beach or Sunken House, than get their lazy behinds to Eastfang for the xp. I guess I have to lead in example then, so the newbs are to get to know & understand that theres more Hecklers than at South Beach. ;)

    Make us care MORE about our faction & world pvp!

  • inBOILinBOIL Member Posts: 669



    heres fresh topic  from aobulletin how alive game is

    http://forums.anarchy-online.com/showthread.php?t=586028

     

    and heres something about pocketing

    http://forums.anarchy-online.com/showthread.php?t=582682

     

     

    Generation P

  • TheLizardbonesTheLizardbones Member CommonPosts: 10,910


    Originally posted by inBOIL

    heres fresh topic  from aobulletin how alive game is
    http://forums.anarchy-online.com/showthread.php?t=586028
     
    and heres something about pocketing
    http://forums.anarchy-online.com/showthread.php?t=582682
     
     


    The first thread is asking about the new graphics engine, and almost immediately gets derailed by the 2nd poster comparing the new engine to domestic violence. It's not very comprehensive and nobody corroborates the point of view that a player in AO has nobody to play with. I don't play AO, so I have no idea what the 2nd thread is about.

    I can not remember winning or losing a single debate on the internet.

  • busdriverbusdriver Member Posts: 859

    It's dead Jim. AO is just a big mess, it would be easier to make AO2 than try to re-organize all those shitty expansions made over the years. Once AO was a great game, it would deserve to be resurrected.

    But after that linear piece of shit that is AOC, I doubt Failcom anymore possess the skills to make a good sequel. They could sell the trademark I suppose.

  • MadimorgaMadimorga Member UncommonPosts: 1,920

    Originally posted by busdriver

    It's dead Jim. AO is just a big mess, it would be easier to make AO2 than try to re-organize all those shitty expansions made over the years. Once AO was a great game, it would deserve to be resurrected.

    But after that linear piece of shit that is AOC, I doubt Failcom anymore possess the skills to make a good sequel. They could sell the trademark I suppose.

    Now that last paragraph would be a damn shame.  Because it seems like nobody else with the money to create an original, in depth, and polished MMO has those skills, either. 

     

    It would be nice to pay my respects to AO (or at least to what AO was) and move on, but what am I going to move on to? 

     

    I too keep a froob account and make an alt to wander around on from time to time.  It serves to remind me that there's just nothing else out there to compare AO to.  And it also reminds me why I'm not resubbing.  I was on it earlier today, and the first message I saw in noobie chat was an advertisement from some gold farmer (4000 million creds for under $50!), and it was the last thing I saw in chat for a good long while.  I guess we know who will be last out and turning out the lights when AO finally shuts down.  I really would like to see the graphics update go through, and I'd like to see the AO community revive.  But until then, I'm left without anything I really want to play (so sick of fantasy games).  Earthrise, maybe.  We'll see.  

    image

    I am convinced there is only one way to eliminate these grave evils, namely through the establishment of a socialist economy, accompanied by an educational system which would be oriented toward social goals.

    ~Albert Einstein

  • quasar941quasar941 Member Posts: 159

    My free month is up tomorrow. I had honestly been hoping for some signs of life, anything really that might encourage me to continue playing but unfortunately, that just didn't happen. I've quit playing many times over the years, but those times were simply breaks, I never felt that I was leaving for good. This time, well, this time is different. This time I do not find myself looking forward to returning after I become bored with whatever new game has caught my fancy. This time, I know that no matter how long I am gone, the game will be in even worse shape when I come back. In fact, I find myself wishing that FC would announce a closing date and put the game out of it's misery once and for all.

  • hobo9766hobo9766 Member UncommonPosts: 457

    1/4 players use exploits. That alone is reason the game is dead nobody plays fair.

  • EkarosEkaros Member UncommonPosts: 367

    Originally posted by hobo9766

    1/4 players use exploits. That alone is reason the game is dead nobody plays fair.

     

    Hmm, I don't see too many exploits going around. Personaly I know only one and some which have been fixed.

     

    Real issues is extreme power-gaming, and differences in resources and knowledge which allow old players to take huge shortcuts... Also, the market is screwed and realy good gear isn't optainable by new people...

  • quasar941quasar941 Member Posts: 159

    One thing that I have learned over the years of playing this game, is that some people take twinking to such a level that they are able to do things that may seem like an exploit. The reality is, they are just that good.

  • ennymithennymith Member UncommonPosts: 121

    I have played several Froob accounts over the years (2009 to present) and recently started a paid account.  There is tons of charm and fun in this game world, but Funcom always seems to focus on the wrong things.  Thier approach to free players was once forward thinking but is now woefully behind the times.

     I can play tons of free MMORPGs with state of the art graphics, but I come back to AO and it's decades old look.  New graphics is not going to change some of the fundamental issues that are the cause of the small and  shrinking player base. 

    There is still life in the paid only areas, but most of Ruby-Ka, the Froob area, is deserted except for the main neutral city Borealis.  Back in 2009 the main level 50-60 dungeon Temple of the Three Winds used to have 50 to 100 players milling about outside the entrance, any evening.  Now you are lucky to find a handful.  The higher you level a Froob player, the fewer players you will find Froob or otherwise on Ruby-Ka to level with.  Most Froobs I know above level 60 multibox to level. 

    For an objective fact based measurement, go to the official forums, look up the number of posts back in 2009 compared to the number for 2011.  The decline is not the picture of a thriving or even stable player population.

    I am finding the paid subscription still allot of fun.  The difference is striking between Shadowlands (the paid area) and Ruby-Ka (the free area).  Everything is tons better.  At lower levels, there seem to be a few players around out in the playfields to team with if you choose. 

    Funcom has painted themselves into a corner of treating free players like lepers, and now that they game is a combination of subscription and cash shop, the insult is even stronger.  Give us your money, but keep your mouth shut and don't ask for better things.  They don't even want Froobs posting in the official forums now.  This is sad to see, as most other successful free to play games don't bother with subscriptions, give all players equal access to all places and items,  and do just fine off cash shops.

    Funcoms new AO cash shop is already falling down the slippery slope of selling power.  You can now buy buffs, essential gear like flying ships (Yalmahas) with cash.  Like other cash shop games you also are starting to see them clamp down on and seek to minimize ways players can farm in game credits.   I think this is wrongheaded bean-counter thinking. There aren't that many people who have the patience for farming, and I think they are always in a minority and most likely they just leave the game if they cannot earn their way in game. 

    Unfortunenately the company seems to have bet tons of resources on Conan, which bombed, and now Secret World, which for all intents and purposes, is Conan with suits, guns and modern playfields.  They just do not have the marketing horsepower to compete in the subscription MMO field and are too rigid in thier thinking about free to play. 

    As to cheating.  I think you will find cheating whereever you find other people and if you find an MMO without any let me know.  I don't cheat and I don't condone it and wish cheaters would be prosecuted, but often they aren't.

    The small player base is ok with me, as I prefer to solo and dual box.  The only thing that will convince me to quit this game is if they start hasseling or preventing multi-boxing.  So there ya go Funcom, if you want one less customer, ban multiboxing.

     

  • Crunchy221Crunchy221 Member Posts: 489

    "treating free player like lepers"....

    cant believe i saw that....

    How dare they try to get paid for working....

     

  • paroxysmparoxysm Member Posts: 437

    In the time they've spent working to retrofit AO into something that will still be dated upon launch and most likely still buggy, they could have put proper resources into building a new AO from scratch.  AO still has some unique and awesome features in it's design.  But, that design has been neglected for every other project they have come out with.  None of which really are designed to pull in the AO crowd(no..not even TSW).  AO is and has been on life support for way too long to still be charging a sub.

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