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Is Age of Conan the Next Big Thing?
BigBlackWook
Member Posts: 133
Let me just clarify that I am not a hater of the current mmos. There are some solid titles out there that are worth playing. However the thrill and complete immersion I felt while playing EQ and the early days of SWG has long since fled. While I still enjoy playing mmos over console and single player titles, I am definately anticipating a game that will truly utilize the limitless potential of the mmorpg genre.
Age of Conan has been critically acclaimed by most of the insiders who've had a chance to play it. The features funcom promise are pretty exciting, real time combat, large scale pvp, player villiages, mature themes, and an enormous detailed world, to name a few. For my own part, just the fact that the mature content will limit it's exposure among the 12 year olds playing WoW is a draw. Not that I'm critcizing kids who game mind you, I've met some who are just fine to run with, as well as older gamers who were complete asshats. Immaturity in chat channels doesn't bother me, that's what ignore is for. I'm just tired of people going afk five times in an instance due to 'mom agro'.
And we have an IP that isn't neccessarily bogged down with continuity and canon for the fanbois to pressure the devs with. Ancient world, evil magic, sexy chicks, musclebound savages lopping off heads, have fun guys. Not that the stories aren't intricate mind you, but I very much doubt that you'll see endless posts about canon incositensies. These type of arguements detract from improved gameplay and guaranteeing a fun experiance, and I've seen them ruin mmos.
My gut tells me that October 30 is a realistic launch date. Of course that would meen it's the first mmo in history that went live on time, but I'll bet we see it by the end of the year. I for one am ready to play.
Comments
All my hopes for MMOs are riding on Age of Conan and Warhammer Online.
Fear not fanbois, we are not trolls, let's take off your tin foil hat and learn what VAPORWARE is:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaporware
"Vaporware is a term used to describe a software or hardware product that is announced by a developer well in advance of release, but which then fails to emerge after having well exceeded the period of development time that was initially claimed or would normally be expected for the development cycle of a similar product."
-----
The person who is certain, and who claims divine warrant for his certainty, belongs now to the infancy of our species.
With the track record of most of the MMORPG's I would hope we do have another great launch. We have seen way to many broken games and it would be a shot in the arm to see another one release in steller condition.
As far as AOC goes I will wait to see the finished product on launch day to decide if it will be good (fun) or not.
Star Citizen – The Extinction Level Event
4/13/15 > ELE has been updated look for 16-04-13.
http://www.dereksmart.org/2016/04/star-citizen-the-ele/
Enjoy and know the truth always comes to light!
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"MMOs, for people that like think chatting is like a skill or something, rotflol"
http://purepwnage.com
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"Far away across the field, the tolling of the iron bell, calls the faithful to their knees. To hear the softly spoken magic spell" Pink Floyd-Dark Side of the Moon
So how do you feel about folks going afk five times due to 'kid agro' that Mom and Dad have to deal with? Unless you want to limit material to college students (who wouldn't? but that would require a time machine for many of us!) you really can't win there. It will happen in pick-up groups. Learn patience -- it comes with age I am told (I am still awaiting that lesson for the most part myself).
Back to OP. Lot's people hope this will be "The Next Big Thing!" (why does that remind me of COH??). I too hope it will provide great game mechanics and an in-depth world to explore and control, but I have also learned to distrust DEVs more then I do Insurance Sellers, Pool Installers, and Used Car Salesmen. They lie. They lie to your face. They lie some more after you catch them. They just plain don't do what they say they plan to do even if they actually planned to do it (which I am beginning to think is actually quite a rare combination in itself).
Personally, I hate the so-termed, Mature Themes, especially as that may (solely??) relate to the graphics. I not only could care-less about seeing heads rolled, I actually care not too. Is that Mature too? I hope they will include a Gore-sliderTM (Trademarked here first??) for those of us Mature players who actually have young children staring over our shoulders (not too mention my own pair of older eyes that hates that I can't escape other people's nightmares any more no matter if I am watching a movie, TV, or now my favorite genre).
I won't be alone in my desires. I expect some will find that hard to believe. Assuming the devs actually provide serious gore as many of the Mature audience are drooling (Night of the living dead comes to mind here) to see included, then they should definitely provide a dial if you want large audiences that are in fact Mature (Read that as folks with money to buy multiple accounts and subscribe continuously for years to something they actually can play without guilt/hinderence).
Hopefully funcom has learned the lesson and can bring a smoth launch for evryone.
of course a smoth launch is relative , usually first week can be a bit chaotic.
-Semper ubi sub ubi!
always wear underwear
So how do you feel about folks going afk five times due to 'kid agro' that Mom and Dad have to deal with? Unless you want to limit material to college students (who wouldn't? but that would require a time machine for many of us!) you really can't win there. It will happen in pick-up groups. Learn patience -- it comes with age I am told (I am still awaiting that lesson for the most part myself).
Back to OP. Lot's people hope this will be "The Next Big Thing!" (why does that remind me of COH??). I too hope it will provide great game mechanics and an in-depth world to explore and control, but I have also learned to distrust DEVs more then I do Insurance Sellers, Pool Installers, and Used Car Salesmen. They lie. They lie to your face. They lie some more after you catch them. They just plain don't do what they say they plan to do even if they actually planned to do it (which I am beginning to think is actually quite a rare combination in itself).
Personally I hate the so-termed, Mature Themes, especially as that may (solely??) relate to the graphics. I not only could care-less about seeing heads rolled, I actually care not too. Is that Mature too? I hope they will include a Gore-sliderTM (Trademarked here first??) for those of us Mature players who actually have young children staring over our shoulders (not too mention my own pair of older eyes that hates that I can't escape other people's nightmares any more no matter if I am watching a movie, TV, or now my favorite genre).
I won't be alone in my desires. I expect some will find that hard to believe. Assuming the devs actually provide serious gore as many of the Mature audience are drooling (Night of the living dead comes to mind here) to see included, then they should definitely provide a dial if you want large audiences that are in fact Mature (Read that as folks with money to buy multiple accounts and subscribe continuously for years to something they actually can play without guild/hinderence).
A.) There is a toggle to turn visual gore on and off
B.) Here at least, the mature rating has much more to do with mature setting, themes, storyline and interactions than blood and guts.
C.) While said blood and guts are plentiful enough, they are kept to a fairly reasonable level.
D.) Funcom is one of the few developing companies that have not been known to decieve people about their products and what they are doing with them.
No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
Hemingway
I am so happy there is going to be a gore slider, thanks for that info. I have a 12 year old and 8 year old that often watch my play and, more frequently, play CoH and PS with me. I am looking forward to Conan more than any other game in cycle but I was concerned about the over the shoulder factor. Now I'm sure there will be nudity, cussing, whores, etc but they will likely be in certain areas so I should be able to avoid that when the wee ones are about.
Of course I am looking forward to actually seeing a limb drop off when I swack it so it is also nice to be able to slide the meter on up later in the night.
I wouldn't bet on a success of it.
But yeh, I'm looking forward to AoC, but trying to keep my expectations low. Being a roleplayer, I can already see a lot of potential.. Can barely wait.
Some of the most popular game of all times are gore fests (MK, Doom). NVM the success of movies like 300. Our culture is gore crazy. While some games definately find success targeting the teen and pre-teen markets, remember that its the adult gamers who pay for multiple subscriptions, and buy three or four games a month.
And if the game is as controvesial as games like MK and Doom, that will just generate more headlines and sell more boxes.
However, I think just about everyone that's followed a game from development to release, realizes the difference between the description of a feature in a game, and how that feature actually works, especially in combination with the other features of the game. It's easy to list features and make a game sound like fun, but it's a lot harder to make a game that's actually fun to play.
For example, if you read the description of Diplomacy in Vanguard, it's sounds kinda cool. But when you try it, it's just a crappy card type mini-game in an MMO. But the devs sure didn't describe it like that. They say diplomacy takes the concept of factions and player interaction to a whole new level. How the heck is someone playing a solo card game taking player interaction to a whole new level?
Anyway, the point is a lot of the features in Conan sound like fun, and I hope they will be, but I just won't know till I get my hands on them, or at least read a bunch of reviews from beta testers. Who doesn't like scantily clad women and chopping off heads?
My best guess is that Conan is successful, but not huge in subs. Warhammer has more potential IMO to be huge. To answer the OP, AoC may be the next thing, but probably not the next BIG thing.
And besides that, every MMO sucks.
Absinthe Lovers www.absinthelovers.com
Who the -_- is Conan? (Yeah i saw the he-man-ish movie with Arnold.)
Is this IP really known/popular? Barbarians are not so awe inspiring TBH.
Who the -_- is Conan? (Yeah i saw the he-man-ish movie with Arnold.)
Is this IP really known/popular? Barbarians are not so awe inspiring TBH.
It is exceptionally well known among the older crowd the game is mainly marketed to. That is to say, the original REH books are. The movies are not at all a good representation of Conan himself or his world. For example, Conan was far from dumb, and far from uneducated. The Arnold movie only displayed an unthinking brute.
No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
Hemingway
I will try the free beta, then decide! heres a n00b question, do all mmorpgs have 14 betas like lotro before launch?!?!?1
"The new age is upon us, yet the past refuses to rest in its shallow grave."
"I cherish the memories of a question my grandson asked me the other day when he said..Grandpa, were you a hero in the war?...No, but i served in a company of heroes"
Sgt. Mike Ranney E-company 506PIR 101'st airborn
Yes, I hear it's going to be available in your flying car, which will drive itself while you play the game.
MMORPG Maker
A.) the current beta is not open, you will have to wait untill closer to launch for that I'm afraid.
B.) No, but the developers that are being smart about testing their product do indeed split beta testing up into several phases.
No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
Hemingway
Yes, I hear it's going to be available in your flying car, which will drive itself while you play the game.
MMORPG Maker
qft
What's with the Arnold bashing? The first Conan movie was great. I've read some of the Howard books and it definately follows the themes. Pick up the directors cut sometime, there is a scene where Conan discusses philosophy with Subati (sp?). Along the same lines of his prayer to Crom, the theme on how nobody remembers the fallen.
Also the scene where Conan gets his sword from the dead king in the tomb. Director John Milius says in the commentary that the dead king is supposed to be Atlantean, suggesting that it's Kull, which is right out of Howard's books. In the long history of hollywood crapping all over established canon, I'd say that's a pretty good swipe at the real deal.
A.) Said philosophy scene was thin at best, and was cut out of the movie for a reason
B.) The very idea of praying to Crom is a huge violation of lore. Crom does not care about his subjects except in that they should die bravely, and if you pray to him, he is much more likely to kill you for displaying weakness than anything else. Conan, along with his entire race know this.
No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
Hemingway
Doubt it, only 2000 US home users have computers that can run the game.
Back on topic, I have lots of faith in AoC because it's Funcom running the show. They're a bunch of innovative and creative fellows there who (I think) have the right ideas about game development. They like pushing boundaries and I respect the hell out of them for that.
A lot of people are skeptics due to the launch of AO, and I can't fault anyone for that. It was a disaster that hurt the game for a very long time. When AO did become stable, though, it became a really great game -- but even at inception, it set a lot of precedents and mechanics that are used in other games to this day.
What I really hope is that AoC sets a new precedent for the inclusion of sandbox PvP content with games. They did pretty well with Notum Wars in AO, but I think AoC will do it so much better.
-- xpaladin
[MMOz]
AC1/2, AO, DAoC, EQ1/2, SoR, SWG, UO, WAR, WoW