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AC expansion
Torak
Member Posts: 4,905
Hi all,
I haven't played AC in about 2 years. I'm currently playing the heck out of SWG. I see there is a new expansion and was wondering what everyone thinks. AC has a few faults like the artwork/graphics are very dated, and combat is pretty bland and the variation in characters was pretty weak (in both looks and skills) but hardly any other game comes close to AC in shear volume of content and the pacing of gameplay was fast and fun.
Is the new content any good? (I wish they would let us play Lugians in this AC)
I have one major concern, does Turbine still allow 3 party apps? Bots more or less ruled AC when I left. (buff bot, combat bots, market bots, loot finders, mob finders, you name it, they had it) I'm hoping the 3rd party guys lost interest in AC and moved onto other games to exploit.
Comments
Graphics, yes they are outdated, but not the worse thing out there. Eye candy is not what keeps me in a game, so I can live with it
(noticing the amount of games many list as having had played, I would assume that holds true for many players). This is the only game that 5.5 years later I still am in, and I have tried in others.
The new content is very good, content geared towards all levels. Expansion gave a 7th char slot. The lore surrounding this expansion is fun and full on intrigue if you bother to read/follow that.
As for bots, right now decal programers are trying to get it working again due to the expansion but have not, so I am enjoying a relatively "bot free" Dereth at the moment. However, anticipate those coming to light again once they get Decal working. Once decal works, the bot makers will be able to get their programs up and running once again. Interesting to note, what is a 3rd party application in AC for many things are standard features in todays games (trading, etc) so for trading now, people are relying on places like VN boards to sell their "wares" and items. As there really is no in-game function to do this.
Additionally, last year Zyrca (Turbine Employee) was working on developing something similar to make these "needed" features part of the game. However when Turbine for AC moved to the west coast, Zyrca chose to stay behind and the work on that stopped (this was being done on her own time) that would/could incorporate certain "3rd party apps" programs to make things easier.
Over the years, turbine has done exactly that. First one that comes to mind is the @fillcomps to get your components for spellcasting., instead of clicking each one you need. However, in light of changing from many components/tapers to now having Foci and only needing to buy a few components that is outdated although you have the option of still carrying around many different components and not purchasing a "foci". So, one example there and Turbine does see the need for incorporating some of these 3rd party applications.
As for combat macro's, Turbine has taken a stand against those caught "UCM'ing" those that had their accounts banned for a year, came back to game a year later to find their entire account wiped out and totally empty (they had access to their former account only).
Now that Turbine has total control over game, billing is also tied to accounts now, and not fully sure, but it appears accounts are tied to same credit card and when banned, all are banned? (saying not sure because I never been banned)
However, I will say this, with the "bots" gone (and believe me I am far from a 3rd party app type of person) Something I am hearing again that I have not heard for years while out hunting in a fellow is this:
"Can you buff me? Can you buff me?"
That line I did not miss lol
However, the new monthly patches have resumed, I posted the recent Letter to the Player for August here, you can read that and see that the content, etc is still going on. That is the one thing I think AC wins for "hands down". Monthly content/updates.
If you return, good luck and happy hunting!
One player's great game is another players derisive snort!
http://www.darthmyr.com for free guild forums
It should, however, be noted that there are still bots in the game even with Decal absent. There was someone reported in a new dungeon the other day (Path of the Blind), and there are also some allegiance buffbots beginning to surface. They're using less efficient, alternate means (I think I heard someone mention "AC Tool?"), but they're around. The lack of Decal has absolutely reduced their numbers by a tremendous margin, but the people who know how to program are still out there writing scripts; the longer Decal is gone, the farther those scripts will spread, too. As Morrigan indicated, however, the combat variety is against the rules and being actively dealt with.
I've got to say, I'm impressed more with the "backend" of the ex pak then the "new content". But that is mostly because I'm so happy that now they can actually impliment newer things such as the upcoming multiple chat windows. The old code didnt allow a lot of changes to UI, skills, and such, but with all the new coding changes I expect there to be a LOT of new improvements coming in the monthly props
Back to AC Tool, eh? I remember using that to drain macro Golems in Aerlinthe Keep
The good thing about AC Tool is that it keeps complete idiots from using it because it's fairly complicated and to write your own is really like programming. The good ol' days before it was mainstream and out of control. Of course I contributed to the problem but it was nice to be doing it so early on and yet Turbine/Microsoft allowed it to be legal for years 
Then they banned it and expected me to just stop after all that time I spent adapting the new easier, faster, and funner (for me) way to play, pfftt.
That is what it is, relatively free
rumor is there are a few who are trying but those that are trying are not the basic masses, as it is a bit more than push "start".
And it seems in any game you have those that will try
One player's great game is another players derisive snort!
http://www.darthmyr.com for free guild forums
Every mmorpg that is out enough years starts to get macros. It's no reason to hate AC.
I remember the old days before unattended combat macros were against the rules. I had written an AC Tool macro that kept me fighting in the Lugian Citadel for 8 hours. I haven't done any combat macros since they became against rules.
aye, I've yet to see an MMO that has released that has not had combat bots.... some companies want you to think they dont have bots, and want it badly.... but they are out there sadly enough
Cant really blame people for making bots, I mean who wants to do the same repetitive grind in order to level. Personally I dont know how to make a bot but even if i did, dont think Id do it myself for fear of being banned.