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game review by beta and release player
Askatan
Member Posts: 313
I played beta of AoC and basically every big MMORPG there is. AoC is not only the smallest, but also the least complex and very unfortunately the least finished game out there.
it is very pretty, but most skills and feats of all classes are completely not functional and do not have any effect. at some classes, e.g. Assassin, almost all feats are broken. All things like dexterity or strength have no effect. it has been thoroughly tested by the community and it is just for show.
same for things like skulking or endurance.
this game is not market ready. it is still in early beta. most features that have been advertized are not in the game yet.
I am very very disappointed. the "big improvement" in fps since beta is mostly due to disabled animations in the environment.
but the worst thing is something that is simply a design flaw that can not be fixed without a complete overhaul:
imagine you want to attack someone with special attack X: in other games, you hit one button, in AoC you have to hit often a 5 button combination (in high level).
the trouble with this is, that what feels intuitive and responsive at low levels becomes a completely indirect lag experience.
if you press the buttons in the correct order, but too fast, you stood 5 seconds in front of your enemy and did nothing while it was pounding you to shreds.
I have played several classes to high level and even as a ranger, which does not need to use so many button combinations for a simple special attack, it is abominable:
rangers have a crossbow attack that is powerful and affects enemies in a certain arc/column.
but if I use it, my character will at first aim at a mob or player and shoot one time (minimal damage attack)
-> mob runs to you
then you have to hit another button (again, a minimal damage attack)
-> mob has been bashing you now for at least 4 to 5 seconds
then you will shoot the special attack that you wanted from the beginning. and help you God if you pushed one button too fast. then you will have wasted 5 seconds. but you are lucky to be a ranger. as a barbarian or assassin, you have to do 5 button combinations in high level.
in other words, there is no way, it is impossible by design, to use almost any special attack as you would think it would work in other games or in reality.
imagine: you sneak around and see 3 bears standing close to eachother. you could hit them all with one shot.
AoC says you have an atack arc that hits creatures within this arc/column.
but then, by design, the first 2 mandatory attacks isolate your target from the other 2 bears.
in low levels, this is not a problem. you could pull all three bears and you could withstand their attacks long enough to kill them all.
but at high levels, 2 mobs are already a serious problem.
and even if not, I want to use my attacks cleverly. I want to be tactical. I want to lay hidden, wait for the right moment and then kill them with few well placed specials.
but that's not how AoC works, by design.
Assassins are even much worse. they do not have ONE crowd control ability. no snares, roots, traps or anything.
sneaking during daylight is pointless at high levels (50+) and mobs, even grey mobs will detect you FROM BEHIND, if you sneak behind them, from 10 meters or more.
you will then lose hide. and be visible to all creatures and every hostile player.
even under the best possible conditions:
- backstab from hide - will, at high levels, have almost no effect in PvP on certain classes.
Assassins are the punching boys of every PvP match.
my ranger and my barbarian eat them for breakfast. even players 10 levels higher.
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world design:
I can not even count the instances where I cursed the map designers. in AoC is is more difficult and often impossible to climb or jump down from even tiny hills let alone "mountains".
very often, you see rock structure that tells you you could jump down on it and survive easily and then you slide down like on a buttered slide, over every obstacle to your death, of course.
even leaving a river or jump on any structure can become a challenge.
where experience from other games tells you: you can easily climb this, is AoC, it is impossible. and if you manage to get up 50%, and you jump again, you wont land where you were, at this 50%, but you will slide down and break your back. again.
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ah, and because jumping in combat does not cost stamina, the "pros" are bunny hopping and strafing around you all the time. so it is impossible for any dagger whielding profession (read: assassin) or bow using guy to hit even one time.
sure, my barbarian will employ the same tactics. but to become one of these idiots just to win fights is just moronic....
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I have nothing against Funcom. Anarchy Online was a blast and I still have fond memories.
but already their "early access" fraud cast doubt on the stage of the "final" version and the game itself is no different from beta.
And the game world is really really really small.
They talked about twice or 4 times the size of their compeditors, but having played Everquest 1 and 2, their own Anarchy Online, WoW (for a month) and so many others, plus, of course EVE, AoC really has, BY FAR the smallest and least complex game world.
and it is structured like EVE. you can not just swim out of a town and continue into the open wild, no you have to "jump through a space portal" or in AoC terms: talk to a guy that lets you sit on his carriage.
I accept this in SciFi and it makes perfect sense in EVE, because of tactical and lore reasons. But in fantasy?
excuse me? why are there invisible walls when I want to swim in a river or to an island? it is moronic.
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in conclusion: please do not judge AoC based on the "newbie island" Tortage.
where in EQ2 the fun starts after the newbie Island, in AoC it begins to end. it is really that simple.
the game works very well in 1-20 and after 40 and absolutely after 50 you have basically no quests and nothing to do.
World PvP is very nice, even as a totally gimped assassin, but that is genre specific and no result of Funcoms design.
I just like world PvP.
when you are used to a so incredibly balanced PvP system as in EVE, which such diverse tactics and incredible rewards and harsh penalties, AoC feels like throwing cotton balls at clouds....
at the beginning it is a lot of fun, but believe me, after you have been in the game for some time, it will grow so stale, you won't believe it.
so to all who are below 50 and see no problem in anything yet, and especially to all the newbies who are still in Tortage or fresh out of it, remember that this is a MMORPG that is supposed to entertain you for months or years.
WoW couldn't hold me for a 2 months, but I have to admit that, while it looks very bad, it is 10 times better designed and also has about 10 times more quests and content.
I never thought I would ever say sth so nice about WoW...
I would not even know where to begin when I would compare AoC to EQ2... EQ2 looks almost as good and has about 100 times the depth and quest richness.
yes, PvP... but EVE starts tomorrow with factional warfare, tons of new planet systems, quests, new PvP ranks, new "dungeons", new explorations areas.... and all that on top of an already polished beautiful and so very deep and complex and rewarding game....
compared to the competition, AoC is just a beta you pay for... and some design flaws which will never make it better than other games...
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and before I forget: I really do not like it when companies just delete critical threads. Funcom has mastered this despicable tactic.
plus, you need to buy the game to read their forums....
that is just .....
Comments
I like tits and gore
but AoC is nothing more
rhymes
at this stage at least
and you are low level, so have fun while it lasts. which it wont
And you got all this from skimming a review?
Wow...
There are 3 types of people in the world.
1.) Those who make things happen
2.) Those who watch things happen
3.) And those who wonder "What the %#*& just happened?!"
All I can say is either someone is being compensated to write something that long, or someone has way too much time on their hands, which is why they want a more Grindy game.
It's a sad waste either way.
And you got all this from skimming a review?
Wow...
Yup. I dont need to read it, i've trudged through enough sh!t on these forums already, hes probably got pretty valid points, that ruin it for him, but ugh i'm sick of all this "LOL AT PAYING BETA TESTERS", its a fun game, and im happily paying for something I enjoy for once, not a boring grindfest chat system. Thats fine if he doesnt like it, my comment was maybe cos I know it applies to about half the flamers on these boards but maybe not this guy.
I have read OP and after playing my main character to level 73 I can only say that post is pretty much dead on with my own experience of AoC. Make no mistake the game starts great and will get you rolling, but after a while you will realize that you have seen all the complexity it has to offer at level 20. On top of that add unfinished and plain non existent content and the game is becoming a chore. I am not even mentioning the bugs, since I assume that they will get weeded out asap.
At this point the only truly positive thing I can say about AoC are art (both graphics and sound are superb) and stability of the client (I have not had a single crash of the retail client since early access started, although I have heard that some people are crashing due to some sort of memory leak).
Simply put I disagree with about 90% of the OP. In fact there are numerous mistatements of facts in the post. Just because a post is long does not mean it is correct. Since I do not have a lot of time this morning I will not point out the numerouse mistatements believe me there are many by the OP. I have gotten 2 characters past 50 and the game is way better after the starting area. The game is also not small. It may feel small due to zoning in and out but the many zones are very large. The OP is another person who did not like AoC because it was not what they wanted. Some are looking for that magic mmo that suits all their desires and if a game does not it is crap. So many do not even comment on the game for what it is but what they want.
The original post is not a review it is a bias misleading collection of poor opinion presented as fact. Because someone was in beta and now plays live does not give them anymore credibility. I was in beta and am a release player and AoC is a great game. Do not take the opinion from power levelers. If someone has gotten to 70 or 80 already, they missed out on so much of what the game has to offer. They are not reading the quests and following the storyline. They are not engaging in pvp guild battles. They are not crafting and gathering. They are not being part of the community. They are simply grinding to high levels. They miss the whole point of playing mmos. It is funny the people who dislike AoC all seem to be at max or close to max level. They have not played AoC they simply power leveled. The game has only been out 2 weeks. Power levelers are the worst players to take game advice from. They play the game like a single player console game so of course they know nothing about the real fun in the game. AoC has lots of real fun.
"Because someone was in beta and now plays live does not give them anymore credibility. I was in beta and am a release player and AoC is a great game."
-
m8 you just made yourself look retarded with that last 2 sentences and btw if you really beta tested the game you did it for free, now you paying to beta test.
The OP is right on alot of things though. Some got fixed some got changed in worse, he is abit harsh with things and it makes him look like a hater but some people need to face reality. The game is still in BETA.
Im sure those who like it they get blinded by graphics and the need for something new and fresh but I dont see more then 100k people sticking with AOC after the free month expires.
"Because someone was in beta and now plays live does not give them anymore credibility. I was in beta and am a release player and AoC is a great game."
-
m8 you just made yourself look retarded with that last 2 sentences and btw if you really beta tested the game you did it for free, now you paying to beta test.
The OP is right on alot of things though. Some got fixed some got changed in worse, he is abit harsh with things and it makes him look like a hater but some people need to face reality. The game is still in BETA.
Im sure those who like it they get blinded by graphics and the need for something new and fresh but I dont see more then 100k people sticking with AOC after the free month expires.
I'm a retard for that statement? You missed the point of the comment. The point was it does not matter if you were a beta player opinion is opinion. That last staement was sarcasim. The fact I was in beta does not make my statements any more valid hence sarcasim. Do you understand now? Retarded, blinded, face reality, and I am the retard? 100k after first month. Do you work for Funcom? What do you know about anything related to Funcoms subscriptions. Another person pushing their limited opinion as some kind of truths. As if their deep experience and insight is going to save the masses from a bad game. Do you even play AoC? I am tired of the game is still in beta crap I have heard that statement about every single mmo I have ever played by those that tried it and did not like it. The nature of mmos is they are always changing and getting patched. If that is a problem for you stick to console single player games.
I know of the nature of MMORPGs. if you read my post, you know I have to know of it.
let's take Anarchy Online: also a Funcom game, also had massive problems at start, mostly due to high RAM and graphics card demands at the time.
but the content was there and it was great.
I did not go into details about the numerous and sometimes gamebreaking bugs in AoC, because that will be fixed at some point.
and because I did not want people to think this is another Anarchy Online.
it is not.
AO was ahead of its time and that was basically the reason why there were so many problems with it at the beginning.
AoC is behind its time content wise and game design wise.
it simply plays like a beta. sure, it does not crash and with my 8800 GTS 512 all runs at high, flawlessly and looks great. that makes it even worse.
because it makes it look like they stressed looks by far over design and content.
I guess it is too much to ask you to elaborate on these 90% ?
because I really have no reason to invent stuff. I am not a hater nor am I a fanboi.
I can see the niche they were going for...action packed extreme graphics blood and gore. Unfortunately they sacrificed sooooo much for the graphics part that I don't think it's even salvageable like EQII or Vanguard.
It's just another game that's fun for maybe a few weeks then you say to yourself "Is that all?".
I can see the niche they were going for...action packed extreme graphics blood and gore. Unfortunately they sacrificed sooooo much for the graphics part that I don't think it's even salvageable like EQII or Vanguard.
It's just another game that's fun for maybe a few weeks then you say to yourself "Is that all?".
yes, that's what I think too.... EQ2 had so much potential and now it is a great game, even if it was bugged at start.
AoC is so narrow .... only a handful of weapons for each class, no really different looking zones, barely any quests after 50 all to the way to 80, which was reached by some guys only DAYS after start....
this game is devoid of content
oh 'the whole' I think pretty much the exact opposite, having a longer exp with the game. Forums are open to the public. I think all the zones are different and varied, not sure at what your getting there.
As for falling down cliffs and the points you brought up about two classes... not game breaking for me.
You never said what level you got to? still 26 quest at lvl 54 to do here on one character, never ever ran out of quests.
Thank GOD for mmorpg, I will not be playing this game.
But Warhammer sounds nice
They all sound nice pre release.. dont they?
I don't understand why some people cannot just say they disagree with the OP. The simple fact is this is his opinoin. I don't always agree with everything people say, but why do you need to be uncivil about it. Frankly, I don't have fun with the game, but apparently others do. That is fine, you can like the game that others do not. Next, I don't see where he presented his opinion as fact, he simply said what he has experienced. Thus, it is a little hypocritical to say he is presenting facts as his opinion and then turning around and stating your opinion as a fact.
The point is that we can all have a perfectly good discussion about the merits and faults of a game, but don't take disagreement personally. People have different opinions and you should accept it. It will magically make life alot easier when your not angry.
Also, some of you that disagreed had valid points, but since you didn't state them as just a disagreement, but as an angry rant people will disgard your statements. Those who are cool and collected often make the most sense.
Think clearly and present your points, acting superior gives you no benefit.
"You dont win a war by dieing for your country, you win a war by getting the other poor bastards to die for theirs!"
-General Patton
I accept this for a few weeks, but I have seen most of the zones in game, and if I compare that to what other, much cheaper looking games do with their more limited options graphic wise, AoC looks like one giant EQ2 or WoW area.
I see what they could have done, with this engine and what other games do with theirs.
hell, even guild wars look 10 times more diverse.
and if you don'T do quests a lot, you wont run out soon, sure.... basically everyone in my guild over level 55 has never had anything but few grey quests and tons of grind. and they still leveled quickly. but then what?
where to go? what to do? it's all the same.
and I mean, look at your sig. you are a fanboi. what on earth would be gamebreaking for you?
I was serious when I said that some classes have almost all feats broken or designed to have no effect.
attributes like strength and dexterity have no effect. this has been proven without a doubt.
skills like skulking, endurance and one or 2 others have zero effect as well. you sneak as fast with skulking 0 as you do with skulking 300.
this has been proven as well.
nothing would be gamebreaking for you.
that my points are just my opinion is your opinion. think about that.
you present this statement as fact.
but you do not offer any proof.
I gave plenty of proven examples that everyone can test and reread in the forums.
but you say these facts are my opinion.
your statement however is fact?
weird way of making an argument
that my points are just my opinion is your opinion. think about that.
you present this statement as fact.
but you do not offer any proof.
I gave plenty of proven examples that everyone can test and reread in the forums.
but you say these facts are my opinion.
your statement however is fact?
weird way of making an argument
I was referring to how you see the game as a whole, not each point you made. I believe that the parts you referenced to support your opinion were probably facts (I have seen most of them, but not all), but they attacked you opinion as a whole. If you read more I elaberated that this was your opinion based on your experience. So yes your feelings as a whole of the game are your opinion, so to me it is a fact that it is your opinion. I can see if you disagree and I probably should have elaberated more on that point. But I see where I could be misinterpreted.
"You dont win a war by dieing for your country, you win a war by getting the other poor bastards to die for theirs!"
-General Patton
I really wanted to like this game. I am actually a fan of the blood and gore + tits style in which it is made.
I do not think this art direction has no place in MMORPGs. in the contrary, I think more action and more nudity plus a more grown up content is what has been missing from the genre.
unfortunately Funcom did, what companies usually do: they realized that they could sell enough copies by just introducing this new art and adult direction and then save money and man hours by not adding:
the great diversity of games like Guild Wars with its infinite permutations of builds
the PvP balance and harshness and player controlled market and game world of EVE
the artistic variety of WoW
and the quest richness of EQ2.
why? because people will love it, defend it and play it just for tits and gore.
and this is why my feelings are negative. that however does not mean, I do not have objective reasons for feeling this way.
AoC is not a computer game, but a console game. button combinations and zero content plus small world all points to Funcom using PC players to beta test and sell a console game
AoC zones are not small..
that really depends on your point of view.
portain for example is huge, but it has zero content. it is just to run around and collect resources.
there is nothing there.
the wildlands appear huge, but after you hit 40, you can just hit run and then measure the time you need to cross it from one end to the other.
and it is smaller than the bigger GuildWars zones.
if you have to watch out all the time for mobs, a zone will seem big, but if you are not in permanent danger, it will shrink to its real size. and you can cross even the largest zones in a handful of minutes.
and there are really not that many zones in the game.
AoC really is surprisingly small.
One thing they really should have done is capped the initial release at level 50, with the amount of zones and stuff they have in game past level 50, they could have held off on making any content for those zones and justt really refined the 1-50 quest experience and doubling the 40-50 grind for xp but having the quest and content to get there without it being a job.. Then added in a few raid zones etc.. But the game in a nutshell is not fun for any class who has to go through that combo crap.. And not every class does which is stupid and really not balanced.. He's pretty much right when he says it takes 5 seconds to get off an attack that has a 3-5 key combo attached to it.. Because not only are you pressing the proper arrow keys, as a melee class you are watching a spell cast bar take 2 seconds to go up.... AS A MELEE!! lol.. Thats absolutely retarded... I don't care, this game is so dumbed down and slow/boring i can't believe one of my good friends is actually planning on raiding in this pos game... Ah well its her time not mine I guess.. I never once tried to convince her the game is not finished and has some major mechanic flaws etc.. I just told her I wasn't resubbing to this pos game .. Its no where near fun after level 20 and the initial "fresh new mmo" feeling has wore off..
I think my biggest gripe was all the exploiting to max level in 3-5 days... Then to have people go on their official forums and say the grind is easy cause they max level in a week... I don't know how they did it but I've played a lot of mmo's and played this one just like any other, and never was able to breach past lvl 53 in 3 serious weeks I gave this game... Its uninstalled now so i could honestly care less about this game.