Since there are enthusiastic folks in this thread, I do have some questions:
What gives this game longevity?
From what I have seen it has an excellent story and an atmosphere that doesn't feel like a tween's novela- but just like SWTOR what happens once you hit endgame- you've gotten all your skills, you're practicing different decks for different situations. Is this just for players that like to min/max?
What does PvE endgame consist of? What are the sizes of PvE instances/encounters (how large is a single group; how many groups are allowed in a raid; are there raids or like GW2 just single group options for endgame dungeons)?
If I could not care less about PvP, what would keep me playing once I have played through the different zones and the different zone storylines?
No 10 man dungeons, just 5 man with 3 difficulty modes. They talked about adding puzzle raids too. If you don't like pvp,there's mini-games, rp and the London theatre, achivements, lore pieces, different clothes, and i beleiev there's "mob camps" in the open world that require 2 or 3 players together.
When it comes to replayabilaty, TSW isn't an alt game. The way i personally look at it, is this way: A normal mmo has faction, race, class, etc, specific quests or content. To give longevity, they make you replay other charactrs for it. TSW allows you to play all 100% of the content without having to use an alt. Also, the story, or point of view, between the factions is different, but not the actual missions, apperantly.
I don't get what people expect from pve. Content is finite and runs out so you have to wait for more, mostly there's harder modes for dungeons. This is with all themepark pve.
Originally posted by chaod1984 As far as endgame goes, Look at FC's past endevours...they always have endgame content and plenty of it. Im sure it will be the same and probably better (Ragnar T.) than previous FC MMO's....guilds are still trying to get through T3 endgame content in AoC while T4 is sitting in waiting. If that's not your style, I have heard that there will be investigation based instanced dungeons as well. There will more than likely be some sort of faction grind...but that's not my style.With that, Im not thinking about endgame right now, I want to experience the actual game. I think the game will give me at least 2 months worth of content (casual gamer)....then I'll worry about endgame.
A nice way of skirting my questions, but your response as well as what I've read in this interview has me wondering- with faction grind- is it going to be something entirely dull and meaningless like faction grinds in WoW where all you get are a few dailies and perhaps some tradeskill recipes or items or will it be something more like faction grinding in the Scars of Velious EQ1 expansion where grinding faction opened entirely new zones as cities with unique quest chains and repercussions with other factions as well?
Also, Mr. Tørnquist mentions "and explorers and adventurers will find plenty of reasons to return to the adventure zones with regular investigation mission updates." If this only consists of some minor changes on a scheduled basis like WoW's holiday/seasonal updates then I find it lacking, but if like CoH and EQ1 (and arguably WoW's Cataclysm expansion) if it entails changing entire zones for extended periods to further an overarching storyline then I'd be far more enthusiastic myself about this title.
Sadly, I'm terminally skeptical regarding MMORPGs at this point as all of them since 2004 have failed to meet or exceed their predecessors in substance and instead rely on graphics and action to make up for it.
I am really enjoying TSW beta and have already pre-ordered two copies (myself and wife) this game if you let it can be a refreshing change.
When I started in the beta I stuck to one set of skills and deck but after a while realised how much it changes things about when you switch around, when playing these days I switch between healer and ranged dps sometimes melee the fun thing is I can switch between those three within 5 mins.
I love that it is class less and the quests and storyline make you think atleast a little, going from a mission that requires you to actually be dead to a sneak around like Deus Ex mission.
I can look and wear what I wish because my power comes from elsewhere, find a nice trench coat and you can wear it for months let it become part of your identity.
TSW is not for everyone and I am so happy about that, I kept having to force myself to look at TSW differently than I would a normal mmo, stopping myself from putting myself in a healer or dps box, stop myself from wanting the latest rediculous looking armor or weapon and instead realise that TSW allowed me to roleplay.
You are not spoonfed and a lot of the quests need you to think outside the normal ideas for an mmo.
We have both cancelled our SWTOR subs and can not wait for early start.
I just wanted to ask you fellow TSW players, what does this game offer? I have read there is no level system, so what's the incentive for end game? Customization? Mission unlocks? Is there an actual storyline that continues onward or just mission after mission?
Well what makes me wants to play after the last few beta events if the fact that I was having fun playing it..
Unlike GW2 that i got bored testing..
So yeah what keeps me playing is fun, im not gonna rush to end game just going to take my time and enjoy it
From what I have seen in the test weekends, yes there is a story, charactor customization is really a big thing in the game skill wise... There are also little side quests to do.
Not all quets are go kill 10 rabbits there are realyl nice puzzle quests and little stealth quests as well.
I just wanted to ask you fellow TSW players, what does this game offer? I have read there is no level system, so what's the incentive for end game? Customization? Mission unlocks? Is there an actual storyline that continues onward or just mission after mission?
In general, it is the same as most themepark MMOs - there is story to learn, character customization and more difficult content to conquer.
To be more specific - there is probably tbe best story available in any MMO, really robust character development system and (at the moment) a small amount of difficult group-based content.
There is also PvP i suppose, but i neither know nor care anything about it.
"Id rather work on something with great potential than on fulfilling a promise of mediocrity."
- Raph Koster
Tried: AO,EQ,EQ2,DAoC,SWG,AA,SB,HZ,CoX,PS,GA,TR,IV,GnH,EVE, PP,DnL,WAR,MxO,SWG,FE,VG,AoC,DDO,LoTRO,Rift,TOR,Aion,Tera,TSW,GW2,DCUO,CO,STO Favourites: AO,SWG,EVE,TR,LoTRO,TSW,EQ2, Firefall Currently Playing: ESO
From what I have seen it has an excellent story and an atmosphere that doesn't feel like a tween's novela- but just like SWTOR what happens once you hit endgame- you've gotten all your skills
...
(My emphasis)
Personally, it will probably mean I have been playing the game for about a year at 15-20 hours a week. There are a lot of abilities and skills: 535 abilities and 9 weapons with two skills each.
The thing is that you will only have unlocked maybe 15-30% of your character by the time you get through the main story. Afterwards, you can wander around doing the quests you skipped, collect lore, get achievements, kill lairs to get the puzzle pieces needed to summon lair bosses, do the 9 dungeons in three difficulties, kill some region bosses, play one of the two minigames and try not to get owned in the persistant PvP zone. Throughout all this you will get new abilities, skills and gear.
Originally posted by Blackbrrd Originally posted by pierth... From what I have seen it has an excellent story and an atmosphere that doesn't feel like a tween's novela- but just like SWTOR what happens once you hit endgame- you've gotten all your skills ...
(My emphasis)
Personally, it will probably mean I have been playing the game for about a year at 15-20 hours a week. There are a lot of abilities and skills: 535 abilities and 9 weapons with two skills each.
The thing is that you will only have unlocked maybe 15-30% of your character by the time you get through the main story. Afterwards, you can wander around doing the quests you skipped, collect lore, get achievements, kill lairs to get the puzzle pieces needed to summon lair bosses, do the 9 dungeons in three difficulties, kill some region bosses, play one of the two minigames and try not to get owned in the persistant PvP zone. Throughout all this you will get new abilities, skills and gear.
You've piqued my curiosity- is there any citation on the estimated time it would take to obtain all abilities and skills? One of the complaints I have for most any MMO I've played in the last few years is it feels like everything is handed to you, and far too quickly.
Originally posted by chaod1984 As far as endgame goes, Look at FC's past endevours...they always have endgame content and plenty of it. Im sure it will be the same and probably better (Ragnar T.) than previous FC MMO's....guilds are still trying to get through T3 endgame content in AoC while T4 is sitting in waiting. If that's not your style, I have heard that there will be investigation based instanced dungeons as well. There will more than likely be some sort of faction grind...but that's not my style.
With that, Im not thinking about endgame right now, I want to experience the actual game. I think the game will give me at least 2 months worth of content (casual gamer)....then I'll worry about endgame.
A nice way of skirting my questions, but your response as well as what I've read in this interview has me wondering- with faction grind- is it going to be something entirely dull and meaningless like faction grinds in WoW where all you get are a few dailies and perhaps some tradeskill recipes or items or will it be something more like faction grinding in the Scars of Velious EQ1 expansion where grinding faction opened entirely new zones as cities with unique quest chains and repercussions with other factions as well?
Also, Mr. Tørnquist mentions "and explorers and adventurers will find plenty of reasons to return to the adventure zones with regular investigation mission updates." If this only consists of some minor changes on a scheduled basis like WoW's holiday/seasonal updates then I find it lacking, but if like CoH and EQ1 (and arguably WoW's Cataclysm expansion) if it entails changing entire zones for extended periods to further an overarching storyline then I'd be far more enthusiastic myself about this title.
Sadly, I'm terminally skeptical regarding MMORPGs at this point as all of them since 2004 have failed to meet or exceed their predecessors in substance and instead rely on graphics and action to make up for it.
sorry if it felt like I was skirting your question...imma closed beta tester and have an NDA to follow. Also, I have not explored end-game at all....like I said, it will be a while before I actually get there....plus Im very much so wrapped up in the game itself (probably for the first time ever in an MMO for me) so endgame is the last thing on my mind atm. right now Im trying to master the skill wheel...then I might worry bout endgame.
I fully understand your skepticism...I am skeptical of every game unless it's made by Funcom....They just happen to make games I like to play. I do know Im a minority there :P But Ragnar T. has a pretty epic history and is probably the most underrated dev in the business.
Originally posted by chaod1984 sorry if it felt like I was skirting your question...imma closed beta tester and have an NDA to follow. Also, I have not explored end-game at all....like I said, it will be a while before I actually get there....plus Im very much so wrapped up in the game itself (probably for the first time ever in an MMO for me) so endgame is the last thing on my mind atm. right now Im trying to master the skill wheel...then I might worry bout endgame.I fully understand your skepticism...I am skeptical of every game unless it's made by Funcom....They just happen to make games I like to play. I do know Im a minority there :P But Ragnar T. has a pretty epic history and is probably the most underrated dev in the business
I appreciate your attention, will try to get as many answers as I can in this weekend's beta.
- choosing skills matters. If you choose two different weapons and their skills that don't form a synergy or have similar procs on passives, then you might make it through the first zone, but you'll be wiping all day in the next. If you choose two weapons that are able to work together, but you choose to put the wrong skills in your hotbar, then you'll have the same problem as above.
- Combat is intuitive, but not overdone. It's got alot of RPG elements, but you can escape larger scale attacks.
- The quests are, for the most part, interesting and fun. Investigation and sabotage quests are downright amazing, sometimes revolutionary (for MMO's)
- Funcom makes the most challenging instanced dungeons...that's just a fact....go play AO or AoC and let me know what you think.
- Rich in history, mythology and conspiracys that exhist in our world. Dark setting in today's world but turned upside down.
- did I mention that questing typically does not include kill x of y? I think maybe 10% of all the quests I did in the first area were of that brand.
I have played AoC although not for long. I thought its combat system was one of the most brilliant combat systems I've encountered. They did a great job of balancing enemies, they did a great job of making your combat feel powerful and heroic and yet dangerous. Something most games fail at. AoC broke down in other places. But the combat structures were amazing.
i can tell you why not, and this is just me of course, mileage will vary
1) it's still the same funcom:
-only one starter area..Tortage all over again, each and every toon, and you will want at least as many toons as there are factions, assuming you join for the right reasons, them being story, puzzles, etc etc
-i wouldnt know how it is now, but previous beta, you couldnt hotkey as you wished to, you couldnt separate/segregate chat tabs as you wished to. After 2 MMOs that apart from many, many other problems, suffered from shitty UIs, one would have expected them to have learned. And no, i am an MMO player, not a teenage console player..flash animated UI isn't what will sell or not.. mentality behind the 'making' of the UI however is
-PR hype/white lying. Forgive me for being as of yet unable to elaborate, but some thorough contrasting between forum posts and official presentations should suffice, should you be so inclined
2) PvE longevity
3) Their idea of a classless system, which mark my words, will end akin to the Rift's idea of a multi-soul-be-what-you-want kind of system..if you think this is mere opinion, their re-tweaking their deck system by adding pre-set builds in already, from the beta, should tell you a thing or two.
And if you want a more personal view, then i'd have to add a:
4) The idea of a toon that can weild special sci-fi revolvers that can spray bullets all over your screen (somehow,lol) while also having his 'blood magic' to rely on is a bit of a killer for me. Immersion how? Bullets, magic, all in one? We added it all in, mixed it, took it through the blender, and there you go, does not your toon feel special now? It sure must, assuming at least you have an ounce of humour, lol
(in the off chance the intro was lost on people, just my prsonal opinion)
It really looks like Funcom has learnt this time around, they have been very sparse with the information around TSW, most likely to be 100% sure that they can deliever what they say they will deliver. For instance, after the last beta, they said active dodge was coming, something we can see if they deliver within two weeks.
The ability system looks to be really neat, if a bit daunting to new players. Luckily there are some predefined decks you can go for. Funcom talked about this even before the closed beta started in May 2011, so it's obvious that they have had this in mind the whole time.
It's really fun seeing how Funcom has used modern items, everything from usb-cabels to guns as focus for the characters magic attacks, with a really wide variety in the way the different foci behave. Some look and sound like actual guns, while others uses your own blood.
Unlike many other posters in this thread, I know nothing of Funcom's history and have not played any of their other games. So, with a fresh and objective take on TSW, I entered the BWEs a total noob. And it was amazing.
I did not expect a gripping story, good music, a gritty and very well crafted environment with lots of details and laughing out loud at many of the interactions with NPCs.
I did not expect to be buffaloed by the lack of a quest hub, but I was. And it was really illuminating to suddenly realize I was doing it wrong based on old themepark habits.
I did not expect to spend 20 hours in a beta weekend because I was completely immersed in the game, and when I wasn't in the game I was thinking about the game and thinking about how to solve puzzles.
i can tell you why not, and this is just me of course, mileage will vary
1) it's still the same funcom:
-only one starter area..Tortage all over again, each and every toon, and you will want at least as many toons as there are factions, assuming you join for the right reasons, them being story, puzzles, etc etc
AoC actually had 3 areas, now 4 that you are sent to after Tortage....I think you are leaving facts out to give your statement more gravity...i think it's still floating away...
-i wouldnt know how it is now, but previous beta, you couldnt hotkey as you wished to, you couldnt separate/segregate chat tabs as you wished to. After 2 MMOs that apart from many, many other problems, suffered from shitty UIs, one would have expected them to have learned. And no, i am an MMO player, not a teenage console player..flash animated UI isn't what will sell or not.. mentality behind the 'making' of the UI however is
With AoC I used Stonerune which was custom built by a player....in WoW i used a custom UI....in every MMO i use a custom UI...why? because the one given to me is always limited. I would hope a company wouldn't spend all their time and money perfecting the UI rather than creating a game, especially since it's well known that there will be SEVERAL UI mods available soon enough.
-PR hype/white lying. Forgive me for being as of yet unable to elaborate, but some thorough contrasting between forum posts and official presentations should suffice, should you be so inclined
Don't incenuate if you can't back it up...this could be construed as "white lying"
2) PvE longevity
It's got the same chance as any other MMO...if not more with the investigation quests and the 9 instances with 3 difficulty levels right from launch....not to mention the Raid dungeons they'll put out (they will put some out...Funcom ALWAYS has raids)
3) Their idea of a classless system, which mark my words, will end akin to the Rift's idea of a multi-soul-be-what-you-want kind of system..if you think this is mere opinion, their re-tweaking their deck system by adding pre-set builds in already, from the beta, should tell you a thing or two.
Someone else said this and it's absurd...Rift there was no need to group certain skills and passives for synergy sake. This is way off base....you should break each down objectively and in great detail to prove this one.
And if you want a more personal view, then i'd have to add a:
4) The idea of a toon that can weild special sci-fi revolvers that can spray bullets all over your screen (somehow,lol) while also having his 'blood magic' to rely on is a bit of a killer for me. Immersion how? Bullets, magic, all in one? We added it all in, mixed it, took it through the blender, and there you go, does not your toon feel special now? It sure must, assuming at least you have an ounce of humour, lol
(in the off chance the intro was lost on people, just my prsonal opinion)
- choosing skills matters. If you choose two different weapons and their skills that don't form a synergy or have similar procs on passives, then you might make it through the first zone, but you'll be wiping all day in the next. If you choose two weapons that are able to work together, but you choose to put the wrong skills in your hotbar, then you'll have the same problem as above.
- Combat is intuitive, but not overdone. It's got alot of RPG elements, but you can escape larger scale attacks.
- The quests are, for the most part, interesting and fun. Investigation and sabotage quests are downright amazing, sometimes revolutionary (for MMO's)
- Funcom makes the most challenging instanced dungeons...that's just a fact....go play AO or AoC and let me know what you think.
- Rich in history, mythology and conspiracys that exhist in our world. Dark setting in today's world but turned upside down.
- did I mention that questing typically does not include kill x of y? I think maybe 10% of all the quests I did in the first area were of that brand.
I have played AoC although not for long. I thought its combat system was one of the most brilliant combat systems I've encountered. They did a great job of balancing enemies, they did a great job of making your combat feel powerful and heroic and yet dangerous. Something most games fail at. AoC broke down in other places. But the combat structures were amazing.
I agree with you there, AoC had some of the most visceral, engaging combat that I've experienced in an MMO. The melee combat that is, the caster combat was to me the same old regular stuff.
But the combination of shielding, combos, directional attacks, fatalities, body blocking, and non-target based but point blank AoE cone attack instead and the positioning that came with it, all this together made it for a great experience.
The system had 1 disadvantage, one they solved with the ranger revamp after which you could make your own combos with directional attacks however you preferred instead of following a pattern. Had that one been in right from the start for all classes, it would've been a perfect system imo.
OP, I'll be playing it because it's a fresh world setting, not standard formula hack-n-slash medieval fantasy and because it's made by Funcom !
That said, the one thing that does worry me a bit is that it's made by Funcom
I've enjoyed all Funcom's games, they consistently bring new ideas and ways of doing things to the genre, but their technical execution is often a bit patchy. Their launches of AO and AoC were not smooth, and that's "English understatement" at it's best. But they do get it right eventually, although eventually can take quite a few months.
Perhaps TSW will be less rough at launch, who knows, they may have learnt something from past experience. The upcoming BWE will hopefully give us a much better view on where things stand at this late stage.
The main problem Funcom has is that it's not a cash-rich company, so they most likely cut a few corners when deadlines get tight. But if you can avoid the knee-jerk reactions and give it some time, Funcom will deliver something interesting.
I dont understand people and there Convice me to play this game crap.. If you need someone to tell you what you like then maybe you shouldnt be playing games in general.
Read about that game its features and decide for yourself im sorry but i dont need you in this game if i have to convince you why you should play it. Its like trying to sell chevy to someone who hates chevy's no need for it. If you cant convice yourself to play the game then you shouldnt do it. ITs that simple
This game has some good ideas and hillarious character customization options (characters really do look ridiculus). But the combat is just terrible, probably the worst in any MMO I've played.
This game has some good ideas and hillarious character customization options (characters really do look ridiculus). But the combat is just terrible, probably the worst in any MMO I've played.
Heh, no.
Combat is one of the best due to options in creating right deck and being mobile while executing it. It looks kinda like GW1.
Well first off most of Funcom games are good they just had a few mistakes.
The game itself is great and after I played my first BWE I couldn't even get into GW2 PvE because it didn't compare.
I would probably have already pre-purchased this game except of all the instancing and zoning. MMOs need to get away for so much of that and it is why I might not play the game itself.
The combat while not as good as some mmos is better than your standard mmo combat e.g. wow / rift / tor. You can't really macro it or spam a rotation, you have to think on your feet.
I just wanted to ask you fellow TSW players, what does this game offer? I have read there is no level system, so what's the incentive for end game? Customization? Mission unlocks? Is there an actual storyline that continues onward or just mission after mission?
Incentive for me is there is 500 skills to aquire. Some of the more newer aged post WoW MMO player would not understand the concept of character progression over a very lengthy time frame.....Im talking at least a year or more. For me this is the only reason why I am greatly looking forward to TSW. Everything else about the game is like getting to eat the cake too.
Playing: GW2 Waiting on: TESO Next Flop: Planetside 2 Best MMO of all time: Asheron's Call - The first company to recreate AC will be the next greatest MMO.
this is how I know how much I love TSW. I played in the very first beta, after preordering on a whim, played the entire weekend, and havent been able to make myself log back in for the second beta, and will not be playing in the 3rd.
why you ask?
Cause the quests and stories are so compelling, I dont want to give myself any more spoilers, I will save it for launch, 1 weekend and I knew this was a game I wanted. I think about playing every day and its been well over a month since I played, I am just trying to stay strong
Comments
No 10 man dungeons, just 5 man with 3 difficulty modes. They talked about adding puzzle raids too. If you don't like pvp,there's mini-games, rp and the London theatre, achivements, lore pieces, different clothes, and i beleiev there's "mob camps" in the open world that require 2 or 3 players together.
When it comes to replayabilaty, TSW isn't an alt game. The way i personally look at it, is this way: A normal mmo has faction, race, class, etc, specific quests or content. To give longevity, they make you replay other charactrs for it. TSW allows you to play all 100% of the content without having to use an alt. Also, the story, or point of view, between the factions is different, but not the actual missions, apperantly.
I don't get what people expect from pve. Content is finite and runs out so you have to wait for more, mostly there's harder modes for dungeons. This is with all themepark pve.
A nice way of skirting my questions, but your response as well as what I've read in this interview has me wondering- with faction grind- is it going to be something entirely dull and meaningless like faction grinds in WoW where all you get are a few dailies and perhaps some tradeskill recipes or items or will it be something more like faction grinding in the Scars of Velious EQ1 expansion where grinding faction opened entirely new zones as cities with unique quest chains and repercussions with other factions as well?
Also, Mr. Tørnquist mentions "and explorers and adventurers will find plenty of reasons to return to the adventure zones with regular investigation mission updates." If this only consists of some minor changes on a scheduled basis like WoW's holiday/seasonal updates then I find it lacking, but if like CoH and EQ1 (and arguably WoW's Cataclysm expansion) if it entails changing entire zones for extended periods to further an overarching storyline then I'd be far more enthusiastic myself about this title.
Sadly, I'm terminally skeptical regarding MMORPGs at this point as all of them since 2004 have failed to meet or exceed their predecessors in substance and instead rely on graphics and action to make up for it.
I am really enjoying TSW beta and have already pre-ordered two copies (myself and wife) this game if you let it can be a refreshing change.
When I started in the beta I stuck to one set of skills and deck but after a while realised how much it changes things about when you switch around, when playing these days I switch between healer and ranged dps sometimes melee the fun thing is I can switch between those three within 5 mins.
I love that it is class less and the quests and storyline make you think atleast a little, going from a mission that requires you to actually be dead to a sneak around like Deus Ex mission.
I can look and wear what I wish because my power comes from elsewhere, find a nice trench coat and you can wear it for months let it become part of your identity.
TSW is not for everyone and I am so happy about that, I kept having to force myself to look at TSW differently than I would a normal mmo, stopping myself from putting myself in a healer or dps box, stop myself from wanting the latest rediculous looking armor or weapon and instead realise that TSW allowed me to roleplay.
You are not spoonfed and a lot of the quests need you to think outside the normal ideas for an mmo.
We have both cancelled our SWTOR subs and can not wait for early start.
Giving a try to 3. beta this weekend. Rly looking forward to it, first time trying this game.
Well what makes me wants to play after the last few beta events if the fact that I was having fun playing it..
Unlike GW2 that i got bored testing..
So yeah what keeps me playing is fun, im not gonna rush to end game just going to take my time and enjoy it
From what I have seen in the test weekends, yes there is a story, charactor customization is really a big thing in the game skill wise... There are also little side quests to do.
Not all quets are go kill 10 rabbits there are realyl nice puzzle quests and little stealth quests as well.
In general, it is the same as most themepark MMOs - there is story to learn, character customization and more difficult content to conquer.
To be more specific - there is probably tbe best story available in any MMO, really robust character development system and (at the moment) a small amount of difficult group-based content.
There is also PvP i suppose, but i neither know nor care anything about it.
"Id rather work on something with great potential than on fulfilling a promise of mediocrity."
- Raph Koster
Tried: AO,EQ,EQ2,DAoC,SWG,AA,SB,HZ,CoX,PS,GA,TR,IV,GnH,EVE, PP,DnL,WAR,MxO,SWG,FE,VG,AoC,DDO,LoTRO,Rift,TOR,Aion,Tera,TSW,GW2,DCUO,CO,STO
Favourites: AO,SWG,EVE,TR,LoTRO,TSW,EQ2, Firefall
Currently Playing: ESO
(My emphasis)
Personally, it will probably mean I have been playing the game for about a year at 15-20 hours a week. There are a lot of abilities and skills: 535 abilities and 9 weapons with two skills each.
The thing is that you will only have unlocked maybe 15-30% of your character by the time you get through the main story. Afterwards, you can wander around doing the quests you skipped, collect lore, get achievements, kill lairs to get the puzzle pieces needed to summon lair bosses, do the 9 dungeons in three difficulties, kill some region bosses, play one of the two minigames and try not to get owned in the persistant PvP zone. Throughout all this you will get new abilities, skills and gear.
Personally, it will probably mean I have been playing the game for about a year at 15-20 hours a week. There are a lot of abilities and skills: 535 abilities and 9 weapons with two skills each.
The thing is that you will only have unlocked maybe 15-30% of your character by the time you get through the main story. Afterwards, you can wander around doing the quests you skipped, collect lore, get achievements, kill lairs to get the puzzle pieces needed to summon lair bosses, do the 9 dungeons in three difficulties, kill some region bosses, play one of the two minigames and try not to get owned in the persistant PvP zone. Throughout all this you will get new abilities, skills and gear.
You've piqued my curiosity- is there any citation on the estimated time it would take to obtain all abilities and skills? One of the complaints I have for most any MMO I've played in the last few years is it feels like everything is handed to you, and far too quickly.
sorry if it felt like I was skirting your question...imma closed beta tester and have an NDA to follow. Also, I have not explored end-game at all....like I said, it will be a while before I actually get there....plus Im very much so wrapped up in the game itself (probably for the first time ever in an MMO for me) so endgame is the last thing on my mind atm. right now Im trying to master the skill wheel...then I might worry bout endgame.
I fully understand your skepticism...I am skeptical of every game unless it's made by Funcom....They just happen to make games I like to play. I do know Im a minority there :P But Ragnar T. has a pretty epic history and is probably the most underrated dev in the business.
I appreciate your attention, will try to get as many answers as I can in this weekend's beta.
I have played AoC although not for long. I thought its combat system was one of the most brilliant combat systems I've encountered. They did a great job of balancing enemies, they did a great job of making your combat feel powerful and heroic and yet dangerous. Something most games fail at. AoC broke down in other places. But the combat structures were amazing.
As for the rest, thank you.
i can tell you why not, and this is just me of course, mileage will vary
1) it's still the same funcom:
-only one starter area..Tortage all over again, each and every toon, and you will want at least as many toons as there are factions, assuming you join for the right reasons, them being story, puzzles, etc etc
-i wouldnt know how it is now, but previous beta, you couldnt hotkey as you wished to, you couldnt separate/segregate chat tabs as you wished to. After 2 MMOs that apart from many, many other problems, suffered from shitty UIs, one would have expected them to have learned. And no, i am an MMO player, not a teenage console player..flash animated UI isn't what will sell or not.. mentality behind the 'making' of the UI however is
-PR hype/white lying. Forgive me for being as of yet unable to elaborate, but some thorough contrasting between forum posts and official presentations should suffice, should you be so inclined
2) PvE longevity
3) Their idea of a classless system, which mark my words, will end akin to the Rift's idea of a multi-soul-be-what-you-want kind of system..if you think this is mere opinion, their re-tweaking their deck system by adding pre-set builds in already, from the beta, should tell you a thing or two.
And if you want a more personal view, then i'd have to add a:
4) The idea of a toon that can weild special sci-fi revolvers that can spray bullets all over your screen (somehow,lol) while also having his 'blood magic' to rely on is a bit of a killer for me. Immersion how? Bullets, magic, all in one? We added it all in, mixed it, took it through the blender, and there you go, does not your toon feel special now? It sure must, assuming at least you have an ounce of humour, lol
(in the off chance the intro was lost on people, just my prsonal opinion)
It really looks like Funcom has learnt this time around, they have been very sparse with the information around TSW, most likely to be 100% sure that they can deliever what they say they will deliver. For instance, after the last beta, they said active dodge was coming, something we can see if they deliver within two weeks.
The ability system looks to be really neat, if a bit daunting to new players. Luckily there are some predefined decks you can go for. Funcom talked about this even before the closed beta started in May 2011, so it's obvious that they have had this in mind the whole time.
It's really fun seeing how Funcom has used modern items, everything from usb-cabels to guns as focus for the characters magic attacks, with a really wide variety in the way the different foci behave. Some look and sound like actual guns, while others uses your own blood.
Unlike many other posters in this thread, I know nothing of Funcom's history and have not played any of their other games. So, with a fresh and objective take on TSW, I entered the BWEs a total noob. And it was amazing.
I did not expect a gripping story, good music, a gritty and very well crafted environment with lots of details and laughing out loud at many of the interactions with NPCs.
I did not expect to be buffaloed by the lack of a quest hub, but I was. And it was really illuminating to suddenly realize I was doing it wrong based on old themepark habits.
I did not expect to spend 20 hours in a beta weekend because I was completely immersed in the game, and when I wasn't in the game I was thinking about the game and thinking about how to solve puzzles.
For me, that's why.
I agree with you there, AoC had some of the most visceral, engaging combat that I've experienced in an MMO. The melee combat that is, the caster combat was to me the same old regular stuff.
But the combination of shielding, combos, directional attacks, fatalities, body blocking, and non-target based but point blank AoE cone attack instead and the positioning that came with it, all this together made it for a great experience.
The system had 1 disadvantage, one they solved with the ranger revamp after which you could make your own combos with directional attacks however you preferred instead of following a pattern. Had that one been in right from the start for all classes, it would've been a perfect system imo.
OP, I'll be playing it because it's a fresh world setting, not standard formula hack-n-slash medieval fantasy and because it's made by Funcom !
That said, the one thing that does worry me a bit is that it's made by Funcom
I've enjoyed all Funcom's games, they consistently bring new ideas and ways of doing things to the genre, but their technical execution is often a bit patchy. Their launches of AO and AoC were not smooth, and that's "English understatement" at it's best. But they do get it right eventually, although eventually can take quite a few months.
Perhaps TSW will be less rough at launch, who knows, they may have learnt something from past experience. The upcoming BWE will hopefully give us a much better view on where things stand at this late stage.
The main problem Funcom has is that it's not a cash-rich company, so they most likely cut a few corners when deadlines get tight. But if you can avoid the knee-jerk reactions and give it some time, Funcom will deliver something interesting.
I dont understand people and there Convice me to play this game crap.. If you need someone to tell you what you like then maybe you shouldnt be playing games in general.
Read about that game its features and decide for yourself im sorry but i dont need you in this game if i have to convince you why you should play it. Its like trying to sell chevy to someone who hates chevy's no need for it. If you cant convice yourself to play the game then you shouldnt do it. ITs that simple
This game has some good ideas and hillarious character customization options (characters really do look ridiculus). But the combat is just terrible, probably the worst in any MMO I've played.
Heh, no.
Combat is one of the best due to options in creating right deck and being mobile while executing it. It looks kinda like GW1.
Well first off most of Funcom games are good they just had a few mistakes.
The game itself is great and after I played my first BWE I couldn't even get into GW2 PvE because it didn't compare.
I would probably have already pre-purchased this game except of all the instancing and zoning. MMOs need to get away for so much of that and it is why I might not play the game itself.
Incentive for me is there is 500 skills to aquire. Some of the more newer aged post WoW MMO player would not understand the concept of character progression over a very lengthy time frame.....Im talking at least a year or more. For me this is the only reason why I am greatly looking forward to TSW. Everything else about the game is like getting to eat the cake too.
Everything you need to know about Elder Scrolls Online
Playing: GW2
Waiting on: TESO
Next Flop: Planetside 2
Best MMO of all time: Asheron's Call - The first company to recreate AC will be the next greatest MMO.
There is easy way to get or get down with TSW.
Grab beta key
Play tutorals and grab some gear
Go to airport in Kinngsmouth
Do mission from Ellis Hill
Grab mision "There is something about E.H"
Do it
Read send report.
Decide.
this is how I know how much I love TSW. I played in the very first beta, after preordering on a whim, played the entire weekend, and havent been able to make myself log back in for the second beta, and will not be playing in the 3rd.
why you ask?
Cause the quests and stories are so compelling, I dont want to give myself any more spoilers, I will save it for launch, 1 weekend and I knew this was a game I wanted. I think about playing every day and its been well over a month since I played, I am just trying to stay strong