Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Quick Links
Downloading this game as I type, give some input :D
Vykoru
Member Posts: 14
Can someone give a little info about this game? Looks awesome, I can't wait to play. I can't beilve it's free. ^_^ Me so happy, this looks like the best game ever.
Comments
A lot of people will agree with that last statement.
All right, some info
The free version includes the original game released five years ago, and the Notum Wars expansion. There is plenty of content to be had, I played for nearly a year before upgrading, and I still was not nearly getting bored.
Upgrading to the other expansions, Alien Invasion, Shadowlands, and the soon to be released Lost Eden will require monthly payments, but add a whole new level of gameplay experience, and in SL's case, an entire new world.
You have four races, and twelve professions to choose from. Don't be afraid to try wierd combinations, they can be tough to play at first, but all too often work out just fine in the end. Note: The Shade and Keeper professions are restricted to the SL expansion.
All professions have access to a unique set of nanoprograms, this game's equivalent to spells. Some professions use them as their primary source of power, such as the Nanotechnician, others simply for buffing up before combat, like the Enforcer.
You get a certain amount of IP every level, it can be used to invest in any of the attributes or skills at any time, there is no autoallocation. If you make a mistake, you can reset skills to a limited degree, although in some cases it might be better to just reroll a new character with the knowledge you gained.
No third party programs are allowed that give any kind of combat advantage. What does this mean? no healbots, mods, hacks, etc. Funcom has done an excellent job of keeping this out. However, this does not restrict third party programs that do not interfere with the game workings, and are for the purpose of information. For Example:
Clicksaver, downloadable program that searches through missions looking for what you want, very good for getting items you need without buying them from somebody. Note: you do still need to go and comeplete the mission first
AOscripter, creates chat scripts you can use ingame.
Recipebot, send "him" a tell ingame and he will tell you how to craft various items
Helpbot, grouping restrictions, public information on another player, etc. hes got it all
As mentioned before, the game is five years old, so while the graphics and animations are good, they are somewhat out of date. This is a plus when it comes to running it on older machines though.
Pet professions include the Engineer, the Beurocrat, and the MetaPhysicist. The engy has the strongest pet, the crat has a fairly weak one, but can charm enemies, and the MP has three pets, each with a different function.
The community is excellent, with more highly mature players than I've managed to find anywhere in a game.
Max level without the expansions is 200, and it takes a long time to get up there.
GM run events are quite common, one or two occuring every week, if not more often, these include sweeping plot twists that move the game's storyline forward, to random attacks on major cities.
Its also the home of what is arguabley the #1 customer service to be found anywhere, the ARK program. The Advisors of RubiKa recruit and train volunteer players, giving them the tools and knowledge needed to assist the regular paid GMs with everyday problems. The result? much shorter waiting times, zero rushed responses, and someone actively working with you on the problem.
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
And was (and still is) the best sci-fi MMO out to date.
I think you will like it, but in the beginning it's kind of hard
to learn everything about implants, symbiants etc. But you'll
get the hang of it.
Oh, and the world is huge, even if it looks small. Try to explore
every little bit of Rubi-Ka, you'll find cool stuff around every corner
Don't play it now though.
Still miss when only AO existed and Ikited ql200 borgs with my
level 90 fixer... Good times!
[center][color=darkorange][b}Wow! Much gold. So amaze![/b][/color][/center]
Don't forget that very soon the graphics engine is supposed to get an overhaul so it looks less outdated.
As far as I can tell,it's already been done, at least a beginning. I think directx has been upgraded finally, although probably in the 8.0 range instead of 9.0c. It is a noticeable difference compared to directx 7 that they were running. And no, I don't know specifically that the directx was upgraded, but judging from the appearance of the graphics now, and having played games where the directx was upgraded,I am making an educated guess. Everything is more colorful, more well defined. They didn't change any of the models, but they look alot smoother. I'm also fairly sure some optimization was finally done between the client and the servers, as lag has finally been almost totally wiped out ( now the only lag I get is from the freakin' mechs moving around). However, I am running on a fairly high spec comp, so I can't tell ya what it's gonna do on people with lower systems.
Also, the sound has been fixed up to where it was before previous patches apparently screwed it up. You can here the difference immediately, especially with headphones. If you haven't played in awhile, check it out. It's not gonna win any awards for best graphics yet, but I'm sure you'd find them much improved.
Edit: I would like to find out for sure if the directx has been upgraded, but getting Sil to answer technical questions about game patches and updates is like pulling teeth sometimes. Does any one here perhaps know if there is a way to find what version of directx is being used, possibly from the game client in a file or some such?
Really.?
I Havn't been able to log in because i need a new Hard Drive for my gaming computer.
Did they update DirectX + the Actually Game sprites or just DirectX?
--Edit--
DirectX 8 is still good for AO, But my video card came with DirectX 10.1 :P so it's still outdated in my eyes :P
Correct me if I'm wrong.
[center][color=darkorange][b}Wow! Much gold. So amaze![/b][/color][/center]
Well, here's what I'm figuring. AoC is run on a heavily modified and optimized version of AO's engine. Now, Sil has always said they would never do a graphics upgrade. Then, a few months ago, he started saying that they were finding that some of the new technology implemented in the AoC version of the engine would work with AO. He also stated that they were going to try to at least upgrade the directx to 8.0, but couldn't guarantee anything.
Now, my theory is, that they're going to continue to say there will be no engine upgrade to cover there collective asses in case something happens to where they can't deliver as promised. But, as time goes by, more and more of the AoC version will be found to be compatible and they will implement it when it can be done.
Now, some people say that the reason Funcom won't upgrade the engine is because having to totally redo a client would cost to much. Well, they've already shown through the new Scheol quests that were put in that AoC's systems can be used. A new game doesn't have to be built because AO is already there. The most they would have to do is update the model skins/ textures/ and such, which I grant you is a large job, but not as large as if they had to design everything from scratch. The gameplay is already figured out, they know how every item/building/ landscape looks and where they all fit in relation to each other.
So, if the base code can be refined to communicate with the newer AoC code, they are left with reskinning and final optimizations to make it all work. That in itself would make it doable by a small team from the dev pool over the course of a year or two, once the code has been made compatible. And that, I think, is what they are doing now. They have seperate devs working on AO and AoC at the same time and able to be in constant contact with each other, so most of it can be done, and hopefully has, alongside AoC.
Now, I stress the point that this is all conjecture on my part, and I have no way of knowing what, if any, plans in this line they may have. But if I was running the show, it's what I would be trying to do
This has to be the worst MMO I have ever seen.
Don't waste your time or money. The graphics are ok but nothing compared to WOW or MXO.
*Sigh* And another troll enters the building.
First of all just because someone disagrees with your opinion doesn't mean there a troll.
Its a free world I can leave any feedback I want.
Second I got this confused with RF online. So having said that I apologize for confusing the two.
I haven't slept much in the last two days.
So yeah RF online SUCKS. Not this one. Sorry for the confusion.
Cheers
Sorry for the 2nd post but the only downside to AO is that the graphics sucks because its been out for 5 years. 5 years with a very active amount of players. Also, although the froob accounts are said to be all cancelled (i 4got when sry), they will most likely push it again as it is so popular because of the froob accounts.
Personally i didnt really enjoy this game but i hope you will. I had some techinical errors running the game too but nvm.
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
They are making loads of money off the in-game advertisements and the new subscribers.