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Am I the only one excited by the upcoming GFX engine and rest?
chrisel
Member UncommonPosts: 990
I have decided to leave WoW after I played 'some' Cata content. Today I already logged in my Froob account just to get the feeling of Rubi-Ka. There's lots of talking about the new engine, but in general I read much, in fact too much, negativity about this. Am I really the only one excited about the new GFX engine and the constant changes, improvements & incomin work about AO? I already found out that we can change names on our toons and just this made my blood rush (I hate the name of some of my toons made at AO's release).
Anarchy Online is a beast when it comes to gameplay, The UI is decent, not great, but playable when you get the hang of it (nothing near as bad as DAOC's, but not nearly great as WoW & LOTRO's). The game has become more streamlined & theme-park styled, but so far I think it has been for the good for the game. Game still feels the same and AO is despite these changes a 'Sandbox' MMO. I really think and hope the new GFX engine can and will revitalize the game. Only if there was one full server I would be very happy. Imagine the new content they could make with the new engine. The older content might not be as great looking as Age of Conan, but newer content might be.
I have also played, with agony, toons where I have distributed my IP wrong. Now we can buy full resets. Very sweet; I thank you ALOT for this staff at FunCom! I am very eager to play AO again, it was after all my very first MMO. It wil always hold a special part in my heart. I tried all the other ones too, abck in the good old days, but none appealed as much as Anarchy Online did.
I really like the way the game is heading. I will not say more than that the old way it was, I felt it was going downhill. Maybe 'Means' is the Messiah for Anarchy Online. I sure do hope so. Nearly 10 years after it's release, the game still has potential. I just really hope I can get my "new-school" WOW fanbois with me... at least some of them... Haha, I can dream, can't I?
Nevertheless; a friend of mine is checking out of AO due to family increase etc etc (not enough time), so he offered me his city. How nice! This will be a massive kick start for me and my friend! I look forward to again walk the earth of Rubi-Ka!
Cheers!
-Chris
Make us care MORE about our faction & world pvp!
Comments
That update information is like 5 years old and as far as I can see information about it is same as it was 5 years ago. I would not get way excited over that.
Maybe not. I have those thoughts in the back of my head too. BUT. Talked to the friend of mine today. He told me that there had been some sort of invitation to FunComs offices in Oslo, and afterwards they went on a pub. He mentioned people (fans) had a look at the progression of the GFX engine, to assure them it "was for real". Anyone knows anything about this? If there were something like this, I would rate it higher than going ti Blizzcon... Maybe I should take a trip to them, and ask nicely if I could have a look how they are working... Would be great for an old fan like me.
I am concerned about one thing regarding the GFX engine; where are the teasers & trailers about this? If they are planning to release this GFX engine already in 1st quarter of 2011 there surely must be some videos about how it would look? If anyone got something about this, please give me a link.
Make us care MORE about our faction & world pvp!
Well if they really gonna finish that GFX update I would be very interested in playing AO again. I was so hyped first time they announced but in time my hype and anticipation were destroyed.
New engine plus new (non Froob and non Shadowlands) server would get me excited. I'd come back for some classic AO with up to date graphics on a brand new server.
This GFX update was suppose to happen in the last 3 years, the number of promises and rumours of just this one upgrade, is almost as bad as the grassy Knole theory of the JFK assination, or, the sightings of Elvis. I'm not holding my breathe for this one at all.
improvements?
collect items online gets better looking items some year,wow im not excited.
it used to be a good game but itsnot like that anymore,which is kinda sad.
Generation P
I could be wrong, but isn't the graphics updates primarily just environmental/settings updates? That is, IIRC, the avatars and animations weren't going to be updated. If this is the case, sadly I see the update as being rather limiting. Yes, it will pave the way for future avatar/animation updates, but "future" in Funcom terms means EONS!
I adore AO, but it's going to take more than pretty trees and water to get me back.
Honestly, Funcom's resources are surely all invested now in The Secret World. Let's hope it's worth it.
I was excited 5 years ago... now i dont really think of it anymore. If it happen i will try it for sure but that it.
yeah when its out ill play it but ive turned blue holding my breath. now i just dont think about it. when it comes out then ill be here.
That "if" is the problem. They have been talking about it for literally years now. But so far, thats all it is. Talk. I was in at AO's launch(shudder). I'm still amazed that Funcom managed to salvage the game after literally one of the worst launches in MMO history. At this point its vaporware. If they ever actually release a new graphics engine update, I'd be more than happy to go back to the game and try it out.
I think I need to point out some stuff I know here, not just for you, but for many people posting in this thread:
1. Yes, there was a showing during a "get together" that was announced on the AO forums just a couple of months ago (or less) it was quickly fully booked, and the lucky ones got to go to Funcom HQ and get a tour, meet Means, and have a Q&A session (this was filmed, but the camera got lost the same night) then they all went out to a pub in Oslo, and had a nice time, and this was open to anyone who could get in there.
2. Yes, the engine is delayed (deluxe edition) but this is due to tech changed that took part in the last years as Funcom`s Dreamworld engine got huge upgrades, and their own inhouse tech team to focus working with it. When the first video was released, it was mostly a demo created, and the actual work took far more time, and the AO team is very limited these days.
Therefore last year, in may if I don`t remember correctly, they decided to drop the Ogre engine, and start over with their own engine. This way, they could work faster, and better, and use the same engine in all of the company`s MMOs. The downside was that all work of last 1-2 years was scrapped, but now they knew what to do there at least. Then with the new tech team, that was larger then last time went to work. Engine was thought to be out before Christmas, but due to support of both DX7 & DX9 client, its delayed to Q1 2011. Thats all for now here.
3. The engine update is mostly light, shadows, earth, nature and edges if I`m not mistaken, and avatar heads. There is also a point to increase performance on newer GFX cards, as DX7 is not up to date anymore. Things look nicer in the engine, but 90%+ of textures will NOT be updated, as that would require 50 (?) employees working for 2-3 (?) years to do I guess. The plus side with the engine I guess is faster developement with the new tech perhaps
Guess thats it.
I might be excited about it and actually play the game again if it looked like those changes were ever actually going to happen. The talk about this engine has been going on for YEARS and i just don't care anymore.
Man... DAMN! I would love to been there! Why on earth and how did I miss this?? I even live in Oslo, Anarchy Online was my first MMO. It will forever be the real thing & special to me . Being "there" would be as big as being at Blizzcon for any WoW fanboi... sigh...
I am not discouraged by the rest you wrote, but I am starting to think that maybe AO2 would be the "right thing". I still really like the changes they are doing with the game. It is as I see it, taking the game in correct direction.
KUTGW Funcom!!
Make us care MORE about our faction & world pvp!
You should call up Erling Ellingsen (if he still works for funcom?) and ask him if you could come by the studio, or ask him out for a beer
Erling is a really cool guy, Back in AoC beta i used to "talk" with him in a few threads on their forums. And i meet him at TG and talked too him there.
And when AoC launched me and some friends were gonna LAN and play AoC on the Early Accsess days, but my stupid friends had forgot to pre-order. So they didnt have early accsess keys, so we called up Funcom offices and asked for Erling and said like who we were and that we had meet him at TG etc, and he gave us 2 of his keys that he had got from Funcom to give to friends and family. Erling is the man!
He is a really cool and nice guy, im sure if you called him up and explained everything and say how big of a fan you are, he could MAYBE arrange something cool for you and maybe get you to come over too the studio (again, if he still works there, i dont follow funcom or any of their games atm so not sure)
But i wouldnt hold my breath
Currently Playing Path of Exile
I had something like that in mind actually... I am a very social guy in 'real life'; always smiling and have a great mood. The worst I would get would be a "no" anyway. The very fact that we (Norway) have a world known gaming company is something that I am very proud of considering we are only 4.5 million people living here. I would love to have a tour and meet some of the persons behind all the magic FunCom have created. I can only imagine how it would be to 'sniff' in the atmosphere in such a company. I am totally blank when it comes to programming, and I have no clue about writing or other artwork, but my dreamjob would definately be working with MMO & RPG games... I could almost give a damn about the wage, as long as I could be some sort of a brick in the whole production. After all I have been a hardcore MMO gamer since AO came out, and I have played so many MMO games I am unable to remember them all. I do have at least, I think, enough experience to tell what would work and what would not in a game. I really do envy those who are working within these games. That would be combining both hobby AND work. Today I have a good job... and a perfect hobby... but those are not together.
Even though if not Erling Ellingsen isnt working there, I am sure the office holds some "cool" people at FunCom that would be proud to show their working stations! Hehe; I am allowed to dream at least
Well, I did a comeback in AO around a year ago. Played for a month or so, then I got a great idea of a guild with "cause". The profile of the guild I came up with was not something Anarchy Online could offer, and after considering (only a few) games, I eagerly returned to WoW. That was one of my biggest mistakes. It has been a downer almost all the time. I become grumpy and aggressive when I play that game, and theres so much game features I miss from amongst AO that WoW aint offering, and due to its design, it will never be offering either. Right now I am totally fed up with whole WoW, and I would have cancelled the game if it werent for the case that I have already bought Cataclysm. Which I regret too. The game absolutely shallow and has no soul or charm. It is an eternal grindfest. I want politics, I want world pvp with a cause. AO offers me this, but as for now I have decided to give Cataclysm a go, just because it will be something new and offer world pvp for a limited time while the player base is leveling. After a while the game will be dead. I will hopefully get one toon to 85 pretty fast, like in a week or 2, so I can return to AO asap.
Make us care MORE about our faction & world pvp!
Ya they been promising alot of changes but they are starting to come through. Engis are soon to have thier nanolines redone so thier nanos are based on tradeskills and not the nano and aiding...hence more IP to save. Soldiers are supposed to get a much needed redo to thier nanolines too. I had alwasy though that with AoC and Secret World Funcom would forget about AO but AO has a decent playerbase and Funcom still puts in decent stuff albeit at thier leisure........
Well Chrisel, if you admire Funcom that much i would call them up and just say how you feel about them and how much of a fan you are, even tough they are a big company im sure they dont get many requests like that, so they would prolly be honored and proud if they got a request like that and show you around
I would call and ask Erling first tough, as i know he is a really cool guy and he would prolly arrange something for you, again if he still works there that is. he would be the safest bet i guess :P You should go for it if you really want too, as you said the worst that can happend is that he says "No" So its worth a shot
Like when i called Erling, i didnt expect to get those keys, but damn, i actually did! And imo thats a pretty big deal, shows that they care for their fans. How many other companys would give some random dude (or pretty much random, i had talked to him a few times, but still, not like i know him or is his friend :P) who called them and asked for Early Accsess keys, and give out 2 of em, and those were meant for employees and friends/family of the employees. No way in hell blizzard would :P (but too be fair, they got a much larger fanbase so they would get flooded with requests)
If you do call them, send me a PM and tell me how it goes
i would like to know the result 
Good luck!
Currently Playing Path of Exile
Thanks for the enouragement!
I am eagerly chatting away at my work (restaurant) when I come into talking with our guests; if they are into some sort of programming or PC afflicted work. One of the guests even encouraged me do the same; contact FunCom... He had his own company that produced graphics for commercials on TV & internet. He was really wondering why I was working at a restaurant when I was so full of fire when it came to MMO's, especially since I would love to work with those as a job and not only as a hobby. I really admire those folks at FunCom, and any job that I could live off I would happily accept. Even be their personal errand-boy.... hehe. Too bad I have so little clue about PC programming and artwork... Or else I really would have done something constructive out of my life; cause MMO's are the "love of my heart".
When I heard about that FC had invited a limited number of fans to their offices, I immediately thought that were a great move; moving more towards the fans, cause those are after all paying their wages. Blizzard & Blizzcon are definately biggest, but that does not mean FunCom can't create their own fan-events. Anarchy Online was huge when it was released, and I personally know lots of people who played AO as their very first MMO. FunCom has potential, both for making 'mainstreamed' and making 'niche' MMO's. Noone can really predict what fans would exactly have; that would require both knowledge and a bit of luck. I truly belive that FunCom are able to release a game more successful than they have released so far. FC definately holds lots of talents and knowledge. Even up to day I would say that thers no game that comes even close to how you can develop & equip the characters in AO. The standard "auto-equipping" of gear that most of the games today have, is utterly boring. AO forced us at least to use our brains. Other games today feels like just "autoplaying".
Will PM you the day I had 'guts' enough to take the trip to their office here in Oslo and presented my humble request...
Make us care MORE about our faction & world pvp!
lil correction,its buy items online now after last patch,,you can actually change real money for ingame credits.
there was actually few good changes too,i cant imagine who made those.
Generation P
The last patch turned ao into a korean item mall game. People are running around selling tokens and ofab armors bought with real life cash. The chat controls are broken you can't even run and chat at the same time something which is pissing people off. Linux support is gone which made more angry customers. The nano and perk icons were changed and look washed out and distorted in size and shape. The store itself runs off a .dll from a malware company which reports as a virus in multiple scanners which is bound to turn away a few new players.
Look on the bright side though you can buy xp stims for 20% off their normal price because of thanksgiving......
They've been working on that engine update for like, 5 years now?
Too late, sadly.
I'll still check it out though when (if) they do get it out.