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Is third time really a charm?
grinder9999
Member Posts: 1
Ok, so let me say that I've played most of the bigger MMORPG's out there; EQ, DAoC, UO, SWG, Lin2 closed beta, *and* AO.
When I first got AO, I was fresh off EQ and dying for some good content. I loved AO; it showed more promise on opening day than EQ ever had. I loved it so much, that I promised myself I'd be a contienous gamer; I'd file bug reports whenever needed regardless of the time it took to describe the problem accurately; I'd help new players in a concerted effort to show them how great I thought AO could be; I'd participate in forums regularly, etc...
After 3 weeks of playing AO, starting about 3 months after it opened it went retail, I quit. I was *enraaaaaaaaaaged*. I had done all the things I'd promised I'd do, and was having *A LOT* of issues with the game; bugs, lost items and currency between logins, and irritating people.
I had petitioned about 5 times over that 3 weeks, and all of them were short and sweetly written. How many responses for GM's did I get? 0. Big fat donut for my trouble. How much help did I get? None. Forums? Nothing. Emails? Nothing still. Not even a form letter saying "We got your email, we're looking into it, thanks."
Abso-fricken-lutely nothing.
So I, being completely frustrated and fed up said "FunCom? FunD%ck!" And swore I'd never return. Me and about 2/3rds of the player-base along with me I should mention.
About a year later, I was completely surprised to find the game still open; I was sure they'd pissed enough of us off to tank. But apparently, they had gotten much better. More content, fewer bugs, larger player base, balanced gameplay, etc...
So I reinstalled and played for about 2 weeks. Filed 2 simple petitions in that time about 1 moron who followed me around in the newb grounds for my entire session there, and a good deal afterward (for some reason he and I chose the exact same starting city); more over, he friended me, and continued to harass me any time I tried to play that character.
2 petitions, nicely written, short and sweet. Response? None. I left and swore *again* never to return.
Now, perhaps I'm a glutton for punishment, but after reviewing my options, I'm considering coming back to AO 1 more time to see if it's any better. At this point, my big concern is Customer Service. Of course Funcom gives good support to reviewers... they're reviewers!
What kind of support to they give real paying customers? What kinds of problems have you had while playing this game, and have the CSReps helped? I'm going to ask on a number of other forums over the next few weeks, so do let me know.
I really liked the idea of AO, but if I'm going to spend even dime 1 on this game again, I really want to hear what *you* have to say, not what Funcom wants me to hear.
Thanks for your input.
Comments
POST CUT FOR INAPPROPRIATE CONTENT-Lunitari
Bartle's test results
Explorer 73%
Achiever 60%
Socializer 46%
Killer 20%
I would have to say AO is very good for the ARK system.. on the second world I have never had a problem getting support ingame I think AO is the best game for this..
However there Shadowlands Expantion ruined the game. But as long as you don't plan to ever get shadowlands then AO is a great game. To bad there so called expantion which is really just a new game attached to the old one and is really a EQ PoP expantion copy.
If you like EQ then you will love SL but if you don't then you might want to look someplace else for a MMoRPG.
be sure to read what players think of the expantion or high end game or sign up for there 7 day free trail and ask there higher players if they still have any above 200. I know my whole org left.
POST CUT FOR INAPPROPRIATE CONTENT-Lunitari
Bartle's test results
Explorer 73%
Achiever 60%
Socializer 46%
Killer 20%
Really?? can you explain how I get exp to level from 200 to 220 without going to SL??
If your really an ARK which I have no problem with you can answer this then. You say I never have to go to SL that would be great I have a level 200 please tell me how to progress to 220 and get my pets level 201 to 220 without going to SL?
Unless you know something that every 200+ doesn't I would love to hear it I am not trying to be a jerk but I don't like liers and I could be totally wrong here but every person I have talked to 200+ said you have to have SL exp and even ARK's told me the same thing?
For ARKs to be good in AO they need to change their system alot, just like the devs most of the ARKs have no clue about the higher lvl game, so those few ARKs that actually have leveled to lvl 200+ MUST take the calls from those that are high lvl, if we have any problem except that we are stuck in a rock, an ARK without any high lvl experience won't be able to help us.
When you petition and first thing the ARK say when he show up is "Wow, this zone looks cool" and then he run around for abit to look, then you know you better just log.
Or when you petition because a lvl 215 Dynaboss in Inferno is stuck and the ARK ask if the mob is grey to anyone in team....(grey= so low lvl so you won't get any xp, max lvl in AO is 220, 215 not even close to grey to anyone)
Or when you petition because Tchu spawn is borked and ARK as you '"What is Tchu?"
That was my last 3 petitions in AO...
Should add that the ARKs I have talked with have always been friendly tho, but that doesn't help much when they have no clue what they are doing, it seems like they know better about lower lvl game tho, but both FC and ARKs need to get a clue about the end game too...
Azzazzimon
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Azzazzimon
WOW I had no idea it was this bad but it makes sence since Funcom needs players to be ARK's and all the high level players quite the game because SL is so bad and ruined there high end so much that they have no choice but to make noobs ARK's.
I just hope they drop the required SL exp from 200 to 220 before everyone leaves. I do think the game was fun but I too have no moved on to DAoC as AO is no longer fun to play with SL's.
WOW I had no idea it was this bad but it makes sence since Funcom needs players to be ARK's and all the high level players quite the game because SL is so bad and ruined there high end so much that they have no choice but to make noobs ARK's.
I just hope they drop the required SL exp from 200 to 220 before everyone leaves. I do think the game was fun but I too have no moved on to DAoC as AO is no longer fun to play with SL's.
Without SL all that had been lvl 200 for over a year would have left, so SL is the reason many are playing.
There are still ALOT high lvls left in AO, was some big tower wars the other day with tons of lvl 210+ characters there(I was looking at my GF's screen, her account is still active, only logs in for PvP tho)
I think biggest reason there are big problems with ARKs and higher lvl is that most high lvl players really dislike Funcom (developer of AO) so they would never want to help them for free, even if many high lvls still might have fun ingame, I really doubt any like Funcom.
Note: This is only my personal opinion and experience with ARKs in AO, I don't say that this is how it is for everyone, I might just have had extremly bad luck.
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Azzazzimon
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Azzazzimon
No it's not a charmer at all.I quit playing AO after almost 2 years of play.I did go back after shadowlands and played a month or so out of nolstagia.
All i EVER hear from AO players is about the fantastic customer support.Granted it is better than most games.But the reality is they get real players to do their damn job for them.The "arks"have to do what 10 hours a week for a nifty uniform?
This would be a great idea except for one thing.
Funcom doesnt even advance the storylines at all.
The last "storyline update"(if you can call it that) was LAST september and it was for the expansion pack.If you go look in the archives the last update BEFORE was not the contest to name the suns.
It was in NOVEMBER of the PREVIOUS year.
Ao is a good game for what it is:A static persistent world populated by players who know more than the devs do.
Do the devs EVEN play AO themselves?