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AoC fan credibility test
delete5230
Member EpicPosts: 7,081
First and foremost I'm not bashing AoC here, so everyone that likes to argue can stop right now.
A little background, I'm not in any betas as I felt that AoC would not do so well because of the high graphics, loading times and zoneing. I've also created and participated in many negative post. I felt that playability of the game had to be discused for the sake of everyone no matter how mad I got the AoC fans. Fans took such topics as a negative shot at their game. For this I am not eating my words as controversy needed to be added to the mix to seek the truth.
The miracle patch that seems to be fixing most peoples frame rates is beginning to change my opinion to positive. But this is also causing me to let my guard down and put some faith in the AoC fans. And we will soon find out for a second time ( Vanguard ) if we can beleve you or not. This is the test !
If the miracle patch is the Cats Butt, then my only concern would be load screens as they really really suck in modern RPG's and make games less desirable to play, and would be even less in an MMO. For others that don't have top end computers I feel sorry for them as I think it should be law to give real system requirements for a good playability level on the box and with a sticker posted on the front of the box " just to make things fair "
So will soon find out if we should believe you or not. The beta is only to level 13 and had not opened up to a full mmo but you still are trying to convince everyone now. So the credibility test had already began !
Comments
This was actually a very good marketing ploy for Funcom. Have open beta using a client that you know is buggy and has horrible performance issues. Let all the doomsayers and bad press come out. Then Funcom is like oh yea? Look y what we have here, a more polished version of the client, ala miracle patch 2.0.
Now people are praising the game becuase it went from horrible to good. If it was good to start with the surge of negativity would have still been present and they would n't have had a "redeeming" back-up plan. They had this planned from the start.
I salute Funcom. They really know how to market/hype.
I hope this was tongue and cheek. First impressions are everything. I am stickng around only to see if a miracle patch is possible but my mind is already pretty much made up on this game. Sure it may get about 20k subs but I just don't see people putting up with a game that runs like a slug and has so many loading screens. There is a lot of competition out there and there is nothing compelling enough to make anyone play this game.
We are witnessing the 2nd biggest MMO flop to go live.
The performance issues are pretty much gone in CB, I get 60-80 average FPS, although occasionally going as low as 35FPS, with max settings (no bloom, only 4x FSAA) at 1680x1050. Loading screens really aren't that frequent, especially out of Tortage. It is very easy to play for an hour or more without loading once (except if you die), even in Tortage. In the rest of the game world you can easily spend an entire gaming session without needed to zone once; most of the zones are huge.
The technical issues are basically out of the way, all they have left is fixing a few bugs and balancing the game, although I will admit that at this time the game does need a fair bit of balancing and I am unsure if the game will be 100% balanced at launch.
Rising Arms.
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Rethaul, Dark Templar and squad leader of Scions of War
Some valid points in your post. AoC has brought out the worst in people on both sides of the fence. I guess I tend to find it more interesting than anything else. Typically the BS can be sorted through to find the real truths.
To compare this game to Vanguard at this point is silly, IMO. The game runs fine on my rig and the content is there. I do understand though that others havn't been so lucky. The supposed "Miracle Patch" seemed to alleviate alot of the problems, I know it did wonders for my rig.
I'm playing on an AMD 4000+ 2.4Ghz, 8800 GTS 640 meg, 3 gigs memory, 7200 HD and a 32" HD TV. For a long time "Low" settings was all my rig could muster. Now I can play on medium and it runs and looks very well. My processor is older. Single core, old socket 939 (I don't even think I could get another if my processor fried.) The video card (also older, G80 chip or something) and my memory(3 gigs of cheap stuff) is what makes the game run decent on my rig.
I guess what I am getting at is you don't need an uber rig to run this game . If your computer is a Dell that you picked up at Walmart and haven't upgraded you might run into some issues. If you are remotely serious about PC gaming however you probably know where your rig stands.
Additionally, the world opens up. I don't quite follow people that don't share that opinion. Even levels 1-13 you go to an island that is completely open except for areas that have natural boundries (cliffs, mountains.) The whole island is a zone however and you must "load" there. The details and graphics of the world make it this way. Once on the island you can do whatever you want .......quests, grind, explore etc. After the island the world does open up even more ....... like the island but bigger ...... from what I hear ....eh hem.
That's the MMO part, in the midst of this you have a single player RPG you can play. I find it kinda cool. It's almost like taking a break in the middle of playing an MMO. Meh ...... I supose opinions will vary.
Regardless, you should check out a buddy key if you have any reservations. AoC is not the greatest thing since sliced bread. Next generation? No, not in my opinion. It seems to be very similar to every other decent MMO I have played ..... with real pretty graphics and viewing distance (It's weird, you can stand on top of a mountain and see someone fighting on the beach ..... way far away ..... little, teeny tiny people .... very cool.)
~Hairysun~
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Thanks Drevnar.
That review of load screens sounds very adult like.
Let me give you some background
I am a MMO snob...period...
I always try, and if I feel the game is lacking or does not work, then it is out of my collection.
But, this snobbery is based on my likes as well, and may not work for you. So first background on my tastes
I am not a huge PvP fan, but always like to try it. Like to RP, but is not needed. Expect the game to keep me occupied with more than fight, fight, fight...want a reason to keep playing. Want some variety. If I dont want to quest is there something else to do?
Games I HAVE loved has been
Guild Wars (polished PvE with a storyline, good for play to get to the end, some PvP which was fun...good to look at...but eventually, you reach the end too fast, and then it is done...), WoW (cartoon graphics felt stylized, performance top notch, stable...but issues with downtime, boredom of quests after a while..), EQ2 (my epitomized game...had all the features I wanted, good UI, well layed out, helpful community, great quests, but also so many other things to do if I did not want to quest...etc..)
Games I HATED
Lineage 2 (gankfest, idiots, bots...but very pretty to look at), Vanguard (beyond boring, ugly models, worst performance of any game...even to this day), LOTRO (cheap, no soul, bad UI...this game actually epitomizes my WORST game...has so many fans, yet is total crap, a total WoW remake with pretty landscapes...boring, ugly models, bad animations, and questing that puts you to sleep)
There...so, if a game sucks, I will tell you straight up...And I will tell you about AoC ...which i am here for more than just an IP
The game is fresh, combat is satisfying if you concentrate and don't treat it as a button masher. The storyline is well done, quests are well done, cutscenes, music, UI which has probably the BEST mapping system I have yet to see in a game...and with little extra's...how panels slide in and out, how items expand visually as you mouse over them...
The overall ambience is incredible..and since we got to do the level 20 jump today on IGN beta.....I have one word...CITIES
And the performance. I will tell you straight up...if you have a system from the past...or low memory (anything less than 2 gb's)...then you will not be happy...
But, for my system all issues are non-issues. Load times are quick (and as you can see ..I played GW and EQ2...and these are WAY faster loads than those games)...the performance is kicked up, and smooth. Latency is good for their servers...it is a win.
But, issues still exist...fall through world, graphical glitches...but, are not enough to make me go "OMG...I can't play"...compared to say...LOTRO which even after a year...still hitches for me (bizarre)...and makes playing unbearable...(and LOTRO's UI is nasty)...or Vanguard...which has graphical bugs after a year....
I like Conan, but have not really been a "lore" buff (but I have started to read the books thanks to the game)...so the real reason I support what Funcom has done?
They are taking a chance, trying something new, and it is succeeding in my eyes..
Now...take that as you will...but, I am keeping my pre-order, as AoC has proven to be a fun game...and if it really sucked...I sure as HELL would tell ya!
Later
I hope this was sarcasm. No company in their right mind would agree to this marketing strategy. It would be like playing Russian roulette with all chambers loaded but one. Even if you "win" you only managed to not get shot!
Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Give a fish a man and he will eat for a month!
I hope this was sarcasm. No company in their right mind would agree to this marketing strategy. It would be like playing Russian roulette with all chambers loaded but one. Even if you "win" you only managed to not get shot!
Its partial sarcasm andnot really. I think all open beta's have been tested using the most current version of the build. Either they have some wierd testing strategies or see above. If they truly needed to use an old client to fix bugs that were already fixed in the CB client, i could see your point. But seeing as in they patched the OB to the CB version within days I can only assume it was to create a swell of negativity and then they shoved it in everyone's face and said "here it is biatches, the miracle patch
Now what are you gonna do? Buy the game? We thought so.
I think My opinion had really changed. when I read some of the very few topics on game play, you know the ones that leave the complaining out, I do seem to get excited. But their are only a few of them and most post are still negative. So I'll continue to wait a little after launch.
Launch day and shortly after, AoC is gonna be a bad mess.... Just remember that most people that know about mmorpg site or even beta at all are most likely PC gamers. BUT the larger population will see AoC on the store shelf and buy it cause it looks cool. with this a larger amount of people will not be able to play this game at all !
I will also wait to see how the after 20 content turns out, because the RPG loading crap will just not cut it for very long with me.
Well the latest patch did indeed improve things a little for me but I can still only run it on the very lowest of settings.
So I wont be able to enjoy it properly until I upgrade.
I will say tho that my Pc is by no means a weakling and I can run all other Mmo's on full settings , even Lotro which is arguably just as nice looking on High settings as Conan is if not even better.
To be honest and as a Beta tester I think there are going to huge problems at launch mainly because of the stupidly high spec's involved and the only thing I can say is if Turbine can create a stunning looking game thats runs full spec on Average machines like mine, it makes me wonder what Funcom were thinking making this have to have such hi spec's.
All that said if they can overcome these problems and everyone having to upgrade to play it , they will have a huge hit on their hands I think. The game is a lot of fun ,though I'm sure I'm not the only one thats going to have to upgrade quite a lot to get the most from it.