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My Beta Impressions
Shadus
Member UncommonPosts: 669
I've been beta testing mmo's since UO, generally with my skill set as a programmer and systems administrator and long history beta testing I get in during beta2. I've done beta tests for most every major game on the market and quite a few who never became major but were interesting niche games. I've probably beta'd 20-25 games... *shrug*.
The interface is pretty much stock wow with a few neat added features (for instance the in game map is pretty slick looking, fits the feel spectacularly) The in game help needs fleshed out quite a bit but it looks good and is integrated well into the interface itself... I like the way it works. Unfortunately, the interface doesn't seem particularly mod-able or configurable... you can move most of the items to some degree but you're not looking at WOW or even EQ2 level of mod-ability. Somewhat reminds me of the pirates interface in a lot of ways. There are some particularly bad design issues with the friends list and a few minor chat problems with emotes, but those I'm fairly sure will be corrected before release. 7/10.
The sounds are pretty good, the ambient sounds are appropriate the npc's sound ok, the music isn't hideously annoying (although I turned it off after about 15m to turn on real music.) I can't say anything bad here really, better than a lot of MMOs. 8/10.
The graphics are good, I'd say they're more a mesh of lotro and vanguard appearance wise, a bit more realistic and quite a bit more diverse than lotro but you don't have the problems of getting fugly chars like you do in vanguard. The flora and such is pretty fair also. Which brings me to my first real issue with the game, the loading times are spectacularly long. I have a system that is well above the minimum requirements (processor, graphics, and ram all above recommended specs running on xp) and once the game is loaded it performs admirably well. I generally run between 30-60 fps at all times... but I've had it take 10 MINUTES loading. On average I'd say I sit 4-5m on high... the fix for that seems to be lower the settings to Low and then it loads quickly but of course the game doesn't look spectacular anymore either. I settled on medium which looks "good" and yielded 1-3m load times generally. I've had two client side crashes that were random out of no where and of course since this is stress test particular instances are ping ponging up and down and that catches you ever now again. They've got some bugs to fix and some performance increases to make unless they want to go the way of vanguard. 7/10. (If they fix the issues before release, I'd say 8/10)
That brings me last but not least to the gameplay. The story is fairly interesting at least as much as you can see over 2 chars hitting 13 (limit in this phase.) There are quite a few quests available and they're fairly diverse (as much as mmo quests ever are.) What I don't like is the single player "nighttime" instancing. It feels a lot like guildwars or ddo in the way its using instancing... which is a pretty massive turn off to me, yes, I understand the story driven pieces that they're doing with it, but I just don't like it. Instancing in small amounts helps with population congestion, instancing like this just turns me off. The actual combat is pretty repetitive and greatly reminds me of AOs combat when I last played it (about 3mo after release.) There are combos for melee classes but they share a lot of basic powers as far as i've gotten which means leveling a second toon up isn't going to be tremendously interesting. I'm not a huge fan of pvp so the game has to stand on its own in pve which is what I did for the most part. 5/10.
Overall with the current state of the game (which is beta nearly at release) I'd give the game a 6/10 because I weight game play far higher than interface, graphics, or sound. I'm pretty disappointed, I had high hopes for this to be my next major fantasy game. The chances of that at this point are very very slim. I think a lot of the issues will be resolved by release with the interface, graphics, and client... but that doesn't solve the largely fairly boring game play for me.
When I beta'd AO and MxO I frequently pushed hard on the beta forums for them to push the release back to give more time to add polish to the game. I think they should do that here also... otherwise they're going to lose subscribers in the long run they might have kept.
Shrug, my $.02 YMMV.
Shadus
Comments
I agree with you in most of the points. The graphics are indeed stunningly beautiful if you got the rig to run it but the game play is far from revolutionary like it was hyped.
For me, game play > pretty pictures
6.5/10
You would think that you would have more combat options past level 13. At level 40 you get 2 extra directions and the interface changes. Way more combos etc etc.
Different archtypes have different quests. Your on Tortage one massive noob island too.
If the OP would be so kinda to do a review of the finished version, maybe from a buddy key? would make a nice read I think.
This is kinda of review i'm looking for right now. not bunch of i hate this game or this game is peice of sh*t, or this game is going to rock!
Thanks for the review OP. i strongly suggest other beta testers can write review similiar to this review.
This is pretty much the way I feel about the game, although he seems to be a bit more forgiving than I would be. I am not impressed with the game, but it did have a few strong points.
Good review although I think it is unfair to mention the "V" word (Vanguard). Remember new MMOs are like a baby. They have to grow and mature into a solid product. I see a good foundation here. With Vanguard I knew it would tank from Beta 3. I can not believe Vanguard is still alive. AoC will be strong and be around a long time.
I have to agree with the OP. The graphics are good, and the quests are pretty interesting.
But the load times are terrible, the instancing is lame, and requires a really high end comptor to play.
I'm still underdecided about buying it
2 things you should know.
1)The devs have said mods, for the most part, will not be permitted in AoC. Quite frankly, I like this as the line between a mod and a cheat has certainly been tested in past games like WoW.
2) People were told ahead of time that this is a STRESS test, far moreso than an open beta. That said, its is done on older servers where they purposely stress the servers b4 1 player even logs in. The lag is there for a purpose, and it will only help make the release smoother. Its unfair to even comment on the "performance" of a stress test because it in fact, the opposite of the effect they are striving to achieve.
im not sure if that nighttime instancing is only for the first twenty levels or funcom decided to let us do all our destiny quests up to 80 in an instanced zone. either way not my cup of tea. and yeah i couldnt figure out the emotes either, only did about 4. apparently youre supposed to be able to script them together or something.
Wasn't aware of that, got some references I can look at?
I've been part of quite a few stress tests, this is one of the ones that has performed the worst... enough that even though its a stress test I felt the need to point it out.
Shadus
I like the night instances, because it is a story focused on me, the main character, thus becoming interactive fiction.
Instead of Conan4t0r1-400 all hiding behind Mr. (won't reveal spoiler) to get the fake (won't reveal spoiler) it's just me, trying to avoid being caught by him or his guards. The intensity, the drama!
I love stories, so I am rather enjoying AoC's story. And the ambient sounds are ah-maaazing I think. It's fun to hang out with the drunk pirates.
The beta forums state the long load times is a bug and is being looked into, so I agree there.
I am enjoying it, and if you aren't, that's fine, no loss for either of us.
Wasn't aware of that, got some references I can look at?
I dont have the reference, but i can second that. It was said multiple times that there wont be any "active" modding like lua scripting. Only sort of appearance modding to some degree.
From http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/29924
Nice review but...how can you judge the gameplay if you're not even out of the noob area? Which if I remember correctly, ends at level 20.
To what level were you able to play in your previous betas? Was it past the tutorial areas?
5/10 for you on that end. I'd say give a preliminary review of the gameplay and come back later when you have gotten past the newbie area (>level 20) and finish up that part of your review.
The other areas of your review I agree with. Although I'm a tad more critical about certain animations.
Max (aka 80). Multiple times.
Max (aka 80). Multiple times.
I meant regarding his " I've done beta tests for most every major game on the market and quite a few who never became major but were interesting niche games."I am sick of hearing this. The logic behind such a statement defies any manner of design or good gameplay.
I'm going to say this one last time. If the gameplay ISN'T good for 30 levels...the game isn't good at all. You should not need to spend your first month of the game hating every moment of it JUST to get to have fun for the last month. Its bad design, its bad logic, and people supporting this notion that "We should all play to endgame before judging these MMO's" need to be shot for dragging this industry further in the mud than it already is with their zeal and support for such nonsense.
Every other gaming genre grabs you from the word "Go", why in the hell are we so eager to accept any less from this one?
I am sick of hearing this. The logic behind such a statement defies any manner of design or good gameplay.
I'm going to say this one last time. If the gameplay ISN'T good for 30 levels...the game isn't good at all. You should not need to spend your first month of the game hating every moment of it JUST to get to have fun for the last month. Its bad design, its bad logic, and people supporting this notion that "We should all play to endgame before judging these MMO's" need to be shot for dragging this industry further in the mud than it already is with their zeal and support for such nonsense.
Every other gaming genre grabs you from the word "Go", why in the hell are we so eager to accept any less from this one?
I don't even listen to these excuses anymoreHow many games now have we heard:
-it's still in beta
-game doesn't get fun until level XX
-it's still got one month till launch....they will patch and fix
-your not using the newer client
etc
I have heard the same ramblings from VG, AO, POTBS, DnL, as well as a few others.
I can honestly say i have betad more games than most, and this is so rare that one of the above factors proves true. Most of the time, it doesn't. I am neither a fanbois nor a hater....but it's the above comments which get me in attack mode...lol...being burnt on my previous 3 preorders (VG, POTBS, DnL) leaves a sour taste in my mouth.
and why would funcom realease a beta to the general public, which is an older build, buggy to high heaven compared to the closed beta (which i am going on official forum posts) via a pay to beta model (granted, i don't know, nor care if its FP or Funcom getting the money) when in the recent interview they stated that the level 13 cap, and the beta were for the players to get a feel for the game? That just boggles me.
I will wait my copy to come play it and judge it by myself..everyone here have their own opinion and taste
pve-pvp-gfx-sounds-i like the big trees, i like hang with pirates and every other little and simple detail to the major ones someone can intrique him and play
i know a person who just stay in a game and play it because he like the atmosphere of the game and nothing more not gameplay not gfx not anything....
dont let others judge your taste for you
i was a big hater of games that other people love
and a big addicted to games that some others hate
at the end it all comes to your personal opinion,judge,like
just go and buy it its 1-2 days work per copy...dont be so cheap
Thank you for your post. Unfortunately, gamers have been burned, are not very forgiving, and don't pay close attention to what they are told. Sorry guys; I'm one so I can say that. Here's the facts..
Source: http://forums.ageofconan.com/showthread.php?t=69328
"Only 50.000 players?
Only?!! Yes, it is what we need to stress test this part of the beta. Please understand; this will give us the data we need to move to launch. It is a small premiere for us if you like. At the same time it allows us to check strain over numerous servers, while at the same time giving us enough time to scale and fix for launch set-up.
Best regards
Jørgen Tharaldsen
Product Director "
I do not wish to have a eBetaTestingPissingMatch, but I have the same amount of experience with these games as the original poster. The original post is excellent, but based on limited information to the extreme, and bias because of the presumption that this "Stress Test" should work in X manner, etc.
Funcom is Funcom, not Sigil, not SoE, or any other company. This is the same company that released a horrid release with AO, but turned that prodcut around to be one of the best MMO's ever created. They have the experience and resources to know what they are up against, and how to meet the challenges. If they tell you, as clear as day what is quoted above, you have a choice, believe it, or don't.
What matters, will be release, and the fixes during the 30-day free play time that comes with the game. If you decide not to move forward, based upon your experience in this stress test, that's your choice, but try and be humble enough to recognize you may not know WTF you are actually talking about.
Thank you -Terrapin
Game play ends at 13, I wouldn't have written anything regarding it until I hit the max possible available... and I did that twice. If they're ending game play at 13 they think by level 13 that you've seen the critical features of the game that will attract you to it. An open beta/stress test is as much a marketing tool as anything else. Just like game trials. I canceled my pre-order, I may pick the game up after a few months or after the first expansion if something else catches my interest before the few months pass.
Depends on the game and what phase of beta I was in and what the job of the beta testers was in particular at that time, sometimes I was set at a specific level sometimes I could level from x-y, sometimes I was max level, shrug, but I've been playing MMO games a long long time... since LoK (on AOL) and M59... (UO and EQ1 and AC were my first beta times) I can generally judge within a few hours of play if I'm going to enjoy the game long term or not. Core mechanics really don't change significantly with increase in level. Tactics may, variety may, but rarely does the core game play change (Unless the owners SWG, it...) Quite honestly if this game had been released 3-5 years ago I'd have been gaga over it... now-- I'm just not impressed. Some people will really enjoy it, especially those I suspect who are interested in a more serious pvp game.
I dislike the jump animation a whole hell of a lot and some of the left swing combat maneuvers also... I'd say which game I do like the jump animation in but there are no "realistic" looking games that I like the jump animation in, it's apparently just something thats very hard to animate in a way that doesn't look... strange. I really liked wow's night elf and dwarf jump animations and eq1 dwarf, but those games have nothing realistic looking about them and I suspect that tricks my mind into going "s'okay".
Shadus
This game's combat system seems to be made more for PvP then PvE. But the game itself focuses on PvE. If this game had Warhammer's focus on PVP and RvR grinding it would give the combat system more justice.
What I do for a living is systems and network administration with quite a bit of programming. I design and frequently run simulations most of which involve a "stress test" phase, and I analyze the results (compared to real data patterns) to determine a margin of error... and I've been doing this for about 15 years now. Distributed databases and clustered web applications oh my. I -know- they are getting information they need to have a smoother launch. I have -zero- doubt the launch will be smoother than it would have been without this data collection. This is fact.
haha. Let me parody a line from fight club that applies to this situation perfectly -- "Funcom is not a beautiful and unique snowflake. They are the same decaying organic matter as everything else, and all the developers are all part of the same compost pile."
What you say is partially true. Sony, Blizzard, Turbine, Sigil, Funcom, CCP, etc, etc, etc. all have minor differences in how they do things specifically in regards to betas, development, infrastructure, design, etc, but when it comes down to a technical level they all need to know roughly the same information about any mmo they're dealing with... and in major ways, they all operate roughly the same. To claim otherwise is fanboy fanaticism at its furthest extreme... I was also there for early AO beta and later the stress test where I'm sure they got good data also. They went on to have one of the worst launches in mmo history even though hundreds of people in the beta long before the stress test were telling them, "this isn't even close to ready." This is fact.
Ever notice how companies tend to make the same screw ups over and over? UO2, UOX, etc. SWG, EQ2, Vanguard... IMO (and it is just an opinion) they're repeating the same mistake with AoC. It needs more time being polished up... at least a month more than they have, maybe more yet depending on how effective they are at getting things cleaned up. Which is why I canceled my pre-order. To pay for half finished software is to reinforce the behavior of shipping software half baked. I won't do that, its prevalent enough in the computer games industry.
That's an opinion, not a fact
One of the best sci-fi mmo? Definitely. Course the field isn't very large either. They're going into the most heavily contested genre of mmo... they have to be top of their game or they're going to do pathetically poorly. I'm not a marketing expert, but my past experience tells me this. Launches like AO can break a game. Clients like vanguards can break a game. This is also an opinion.
Unfortunately when it comes to the technical aspects of simulations on distributed applications and databases, I do know "WTF you are actually talking about." Combine that with a lot of beta experience from late alpha to late beta and pictures start to come together. Is there a way for me to be 100% sure I'm right? Nope... I've even had results from simulations I've run come up and utterly shock me occasionally. Believe me, in this case I *want* to be so wrong. However, doing what I do, knowing what I know, and applying past experience to the formula, I'm unwilling to put my money up against the odds.
Above and beyond all of that... I discounted most of the issues as being correctable except for the game play ones. I just don't care for the game play and a lot of the instancing choices they made. So what was the point of your post again?
Shadus
An interesting post.....with some drawbacks for me, what are you judging this against, what is it that you would quantify as a good all round MMo with at least a 9/10 grade. Are you comparing this against target renagade on specky 48k? are you just a fps junky with no real interest in mmo's...have you been involved with and played MMo' for to long and just an old craby git? I just can't really get this from your post, perhaps you could elaborate a little more on these issues so if i can see if i have a similar veiwpoint on games as yourself...otherwise i just get the feeling this post is worthless 'to me'.
My point being....how can i have any idea that i may love it even if you dislike it?
A good post and would like to see more like it..just think you could improve it using some of the observastions in this thread....then it could be a great post
"Trump is a blunt force, all-American, laser-guided middle finger to everything and everyone in Washington, D.C." - Wayne Allyn Root
Did you read what he said? He clearly stated he has a long history of MMOs he tested, stating no where he even plays FPS games. Next, why does he have to compare what a 9/10 game is? It has no bearing and if he had said something like "WoW" is a great 9/10 or something, then you'd just bash he's a fanboy of that and disregard everything. He obviously took a general and unbias opinion the best to his abilities.
Next, why do you need to understand someone's exact background to see exactly why someone has the opinion they do? Just take whatever you want from someone elses arguement and form your own opinions, its relatively simple I think. Specifically, no one has ever made a claim in this post that you should love or hate the game, its just a different viewpoint to help some people like myself.
I normally wouldn't defend someone else so extensively but I really enjoyed the post.