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AoC & XBOX 360
Deewe
Member UncommonPosts: 1,980
Even if we can guess the XboX version is far from ready don't you think it is the needed step to bring AoC into a major success?
I mean both for PC and consoles. It could add huge improvements to the game in terms of playability.
First, as game pads don't have 105 keys there will be a revamp of the combos.
Expect to see the removal of the combo starter ability.
It will be replaced by console combo system like A - X - X - B and visual help.
Something enough easy so you don't need to remember all combos.
But hardcore gamers can disable the visual help and have faster reactions.
Also the UI should get some extensive optimization.
1st/3rd person view will have a one button toggle (mandatory for rangers)
"Hot bars" (button bindings) will automatically switch regarding your equipped weapons and your situation combat/crafting
Trade UI will also get a really more friendly interaction.
GUI shall also have many more options: resizing, hiding, moving, changing chat color and size....
Character customization.
Either for free or with micro transaction, we'll see new cosmetic clothes popping regularly.
Same thing could go with body customization: new tattoos and choice of any color for them, piercings, scars...
I would not be surprised to get social clothing either.
PvP.
Mini scenarios like capture flag games, will see a boost. Might be even more than WAR, as console players love them.
Ranking would appear with console version. We might also see specific events taking place with virtual rewards (titles, display items...)
Communication
Pretty sure VoIP will be added to the game
Also there might be simple ways to set map notes and send them to friends.
Time sinks
We all know console gamers do hate wasting their time in "useless" actions.
I foresee a huge reduction of travel time sink and things like resources gathering.
Lastly and not the least:
Customer service & forums moderators improvement.
There is no way console gamers will stand the actual behavior of FunCom.
They might learn the hard way but trust me, they'll have to adapt, really.
Comments
Didn't FunCom announce that the 360 Port of AoC has been trashcanned?
I'm fairly certain of it, looking for the article I read now.
They haven't officially announced it yet
as recently as 2 weeks ago, it was claimed to be "in the works" still
GDC 2009: Age of Conan, Craig Morrison Chat
Published: 2009-03-29 05:56:48
vault.ign.com/View.php
As for the Xbox 360, they have a small team still working on the version for the console, but no expected release dates are being announced.
EQ2 fan sites
While the 360 version of AoC is not (and never will be) officially cancelled IMO it will never happen.
If it ever happens (with 360 players playing on current servers) I will bow in respect. Fitting a, what 27gb, pc-client into a plausible 360-release is a feat in itself.
Making a 360 version of AoC playable on a console controller would be another feat. Making the regular 360 player enjoy the joys of the mmo world from a controller perspective would be yet another feat
But hey... We may see Erling telling the 360 community to buy an "amazing AoC360 keyboard" and a "godly addon AoC-HDD" to be able to pay a monthly fee for ONE game, at a premium close to 6 months sub to xbox live...
I am sorry - doubt it will happen. I am still subscribed to the opinion that AoC 360 (if it ever happens) will be: The Arcade fighter redefined
We dont need casuals in our games!!! Errm... Well we DO need casuals to fund and populate our games - But the games should be all about "hardcore" because: We dont need casuals in our games!!!
(repeat ad infinitum)
Nice and well thought input!
I'm not sure AoC should follow Shadowrun path. Cross plateform servers lead to many balance issues.
Regarding HD are becoming less expansive for Xbox ($20 for 20 GB), the time AoC goes on XboX the prices might drop.
We could also see a deal between FunCom and Microsoft. Something like AoC XboX players get a 60GB for very cheap buying the game and subscribing both to Xboxlive gold and AoC for 3 months.
AoC is very different from most MMO. It can be more like a multiplayer dead or alive game than a RPG. It's more close to Battle Front than lets say Everquest. Wandering into AoC could be really close to wandering into Fable or Fallout. So I don't see any issues enjoying AoC with a controller.
The Xbox already has the messenger keyboard. With VoIP and a revamp of the combos and UI they don't need so many keys.
The keyboard would be optional.
AoC on Xbox is oriented to players already enjoying multiplayer games on XboX and the one that are fed up with maintaining their PC. For both of them $5 more a month is nothing compared to the huge cost keeping their PC up to date and time to keep it ift.
As I said (or rather implied) I doubt crossplatform is even a design consideration. As such any added benefits to the pc version because of a console implementation would be... well random and far-fetched considering FC's current trackrecord. (Human interface and GUI)
As for buying additional hardware to play a console game: How many people do you know who have done this? (aside from the wii fit balance board)
AoC may be just $5 extra for US 360 customers, but the PC version in EU is about €15 (15 euro) a month compared to €12.99 for WoW. (yep - less graphic awe but a hell of a lot more content...)
If the xbox360 version would be just €5 I guess some PC players would convert
We dont need casuals in our games!!! Errm... Well we DO need casuals to fund and populate our games - But the games should be all about "hardcore" because: We dont need casuals in our games!!!
(repeat ad infinitum)
It isn't going to happen. AOC is being wound-down and will be like AO soon. The focus at Funcom is now on TSW.
If it happened I don't think it would be a bad thing. People were complaing about this over in LotR fourms.
a) It will bring new people to the community.. never a bad thing.. and don't say all xbox 360 owners are childish or whatever because that's not the case, the game appeals to who it appeals to.
b) AoC will have more fans. Years down the road this could lead to a better sequel for you all.
c) Even if it's dumbed down, it could still be fun. Maybe more so. Maybe less but maybe it'll be fun enough to inspire someone to purchase the PC version.
I could go on but yeah, it's not a bad thing.. whether or not it will happen.. who knows *shrugs*
edit: and now i see the OP was mainly saying the same things, so nevermind me. On a different note... I enjoyed AoC but not enough to keep it as my main MMO game on the PC.. but if it game out on the xbox 360 I'd probably get it, especially if it had a lot of the same content.
They do sell Mouse and Keyboards for the 360. Let them finish the actual game then they can worry about the Xbox version.
Won't happen. I think Funcom tries to keep its current AOC user base and try to bring the PC version up to playable and enjoyable level so most of their user base won't abandom them.
Why would a Xbox version have less of a monthly fee? I have to say if they were charging less per month for a console version than the PC version, I'd cancel immediately on principle.
well actually its pretty obvious as to why it would cost less. People have to pay a monthly/annual fee to play online for xbox 360 so in all reality wouldn't you think that the price for the 360 be cheaper? Technically they will be paying more then you just to play one game online.
If you search for it, you can find a FC Dev talking about how the combat was developed with the console/controller player in mind.
Also if you use a app call xpad, you can play AoC quite easily with an xbox controller on your pc.
Fact is a lot of the problems the game had and has is due to development being knocked for a loop when Eidos became the pub in the middle of the dev cycle and mandated eventual xbox360 compatibility.
If it hadn't been for the shift to console compatibility no telling how awesome this game could have been.
On the other hand I think that if they ever did get the game onto a console it could be a big hit for FC if you imagine how much console players who like deathmatch style games being able to play that but on bigger maps with customizible characters.
You mean like pushing 2 - 1 - 1 - Q on the keyboard and maybe with some help from following the direction arrows on screen? As it is now on the PC.
-------
I would more like to see Funcom canning the Xbox version out of spite.
I'm so broke. I can't even pay attention.
"You have the right not to be killed"
Yes I have to test Xpad, I saw a video on it and it seems working fine.
If I remember well there were major changes in the combat game play not long before launch, and it was more console combo oriented.
Something more A, X and B sequences will make you choose what combo will land. You don't preselect (unlock) the combo using a hot key but you elaborate it with your actions. The neat thing is makes the combat more intuitive.
Not only you could change the combo during the execution: you done A - A - X so far and depending on you next choice A, X you could have a different combo or B stop it for blocking.
Something like that
Even I'm not very fond of the combo starting button as it adds a constraint without much benefits.
Blocking can be made a similar way so you now hit a starting active blocking button and your next button choice will make you blocking in that direction.
lol no way
Basically clicking away text windows ruins every MMO, try to have fun instead of rushing things. Without story and lore all there is left is a bunch of mechanics.
Reply
Add Multi-Quote
Something more A, X and B sequences will make you choose what combo will land. You don't preselect (unlock) the combo using a hot key but you elaborate it with your actions. The neat thing is makes the combat more intuitive.
Not only you could change the combo during the execution: you done A - A - X so far and depending on you next choice A, X you could have a different combo or B stop it for blocking.
Something like that
Even I'm not very fond of the combo starting button as it adds a constraint without much benefits.
Blocking can be made a similar way so you now hit a starting active blocking button and your next button choice will make you blocking in that direction.
What you describe here. I recognize that. Was that how the combat in AoC initially was supposed to be (on PC)?
I'm so broke. I can't even pay attention.
"You have the right not to be killed"
Who says people will only use Xbox live for AoC? Odds are people interested in playing a MMO already have XBox live to play other online Xbox games. Also, I thought the basic service was free? Is that incorrect?
Anyway, I tend to agree with the people that say this game will never see consoles. I don't think the MMO market on consoles rates Funcom spending the money and man hours to get it done any time soon.
i thought AOC on PC was pretty bad, but id at least try it on the 360. To think I almost preordered a 360 version sometime ago.
Thanks for pointing this out. It did ring a bell but I had forgotten that discussion. Seems that should be one less obstacle but I will still be quite surprised if we ever see an AoC release for xbox360.
As for the "hit" factor - AoC does have qualities that may appeal to x360 players but there is still the hurdle of subscribtion fees on top of the xbox live sub...
Oh - This is of course all theoretical concerns until an actual xbox version ever materializes. (Which I still feel is highly unlikely)
Hopefully the controller-studies will pay of with a console version of "The secret World".
We dont need casuals in our games!!! Errm... Well we DO need casuals to fund and populate our games - But the games should be all about "hardcore" because: We dont need casuals in our games!!!
(repeat ad infinitum)
I just spent like 4 hours fine tuning Xpadder and I now have a decent configuration. Once again I choose the one of the most difficult character for testing: the ranger, as you have to constantly swith weapons and zoom in and out.
I used autohotkey on top of Xpadder.
First for improving zoom in and out, then to have hot bar switched with the weapons.
So my conclusions for a fully playable game with an Xbox controller are the following:
Once used to it you feel like playing Halo orFfable. The need to open a combo isn't much an issue, when you have few.
Accessing more than 4 combos will make a short pause in the pace of combat. As you have to Shift + #hot-bar, this while keeping moving.
To enhance the combat system there is a need to improve the target selection and facing system. It should be much faster and smart. I would look at severance that has a better system.
After testing I still think, for the pace of combat and to have a better feedback it would be better to remove the need to open the combos with specific keys and replace them with console system. The long pause between the directional key should be removed greatly reduced for input but can be kept the same for execution. So the player don't need to hit 1, wait hit 2, wait, hit 1... but can hit 1,2,1,... in a row then the character start executing it and the player can use his 2 thumbs to move his character around efficiently.