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All About the New Saga Server with Jon Devers - Age of Conan: Unchained Interviews
SBFord
Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
All About the New Saga Server with Jon Devers - Age of Conan: Unchained Interviews
This week we had the chance to talk with John Devers from Funcom about the Age of Conan Saga server. Here is what he had to say!
Comments
Can't use teleportation from zone to zone or to a dungeon without a teleportation token (that is consumed on use so you need to keep paying a per TP fee, from the cash shop) ... just common convinience ..... no fast travel options .... you need to go through 3 - 4 zones to move around (without mount since its lvl 40 ... unless again you use your credit card and get a mount lvl 1)
Oh this is a raid progression server where you can buy full T3 armor set raid from the cash shop.
Why are you guys not asking some more pertinent questions ? I would like to know how does it make sense to sell Raid armor in the cash shop when the point of the server is a raid progression server.
You already need the monthly membership for its perks specially in this server since the token boost is very high on top of the other stuff so you are already paying a fee to play the game. The cash shop should be toned down specially for the most common of game features that are free in the most greedy of games ..... The hole experience is a real let down the economic model is so greedy it is very disrespectfull to the player base.
Have No Fear Cohas is here!!!
The mount is more or less a valid issue, but that's how it was at launch as well. Also agree on the necessary shop toning down, they've raised prices last year and removed the stipend too... at least the 1 month sub was now lowered (promised last year, they could work a bit faster
And nope, you don't need the sub perks "specially in this server". It could give a leverage of convenience at the endgame, but since -again- it is not a raid prog server, leveling is the meat and potato.
Nice interview, but some parts were left out... like that they probably fixed some bugs as he said, but on the same time they added new bugs
Experiences are definitely there, like the 80 riding on mount, since a couple players (from this breed apparently https://youtu.be/C3I4wpHshuw
"Everybody’s progressing through the lower level zones together" that is however both a blessing and a curse, since it's an old game, without the (presently almost standard) open tapping. It definitely brings back the memories of the original launch 10 years ago, when you see the totally empty White Sands Isle or the Underhall... Seriously, like after locusts, everything is wiped clean, and more players running around than mobs used to be present. And as soon as a poor mob respawns, players jumps on it and kill it right away. It is very hard to questing now, and ranged classes have a clear advantage in tapping mobs.
(on the other hand, it's great to see that many players at once, Crom has its stable population but mostly at the endgame. The lower levels weren't this busy since launch... not even at the B&G ruleset start, because that mostly just lured in the pvp players)
edit: yep, as Torval says the fatalities is a really good change, Funcom could make that a permanent one on the other servers too. Not the xp bonus, that is not necessary, but the fatality chance boost. It is so much fun to have one at least every 1-2 fights. Well done, guys.
As Po_gg said you can respec, also as part of the monthly Sub benies you get a 2nd Spec so that would fix the 'I screwed up my Spec Tree' problem so many of us had; it also let's you have a DPS & Heal or Dual Wep & 2H wep, PvE & PvP tree's etc..... And the whole 'one month sub unlocks ALOT of problem area's' thing is still very true'.
For Transport coins. I have NEVER had to buy any. I was able to claim them daily (not sure if that was a bug) during my months sub I had, plus everyone get's them doing the daily log in bonus (I think they show up 3 times during the month), so before you get to the point you need them you'll have some built up. And frankly I've only used them a few times.
Milestone skills; this one more depends on how old your account is. If it's a pre-May? 2016 then you should have a Hometown Totem AND Vet tokens(if you ever sub'd) you can use to buy milestones with. Granted if you have a newer account life get's a bit more rough as no Totem, just your current bind point.
The mount thing is a pain on one hand and not on another. Now I just moved my lvl 80 from a zone where she was left after the Halloween event (on another I jumped to Old Tant and then traveled via the port guy) and rode through 3 zones just like you said and it was boring. But if I hadn't been a lvl 80 then I'd probably have been running killing stuff for the XP, until I got to any 'Grey' zones.
Do you NEED a sub to play? NO, I had a sub back when it was a sub only game and I had a 1 month over last Christmas cuz I got Godslayer, but I've gotten 2 characters up to lvl 80 and one wasn't started until after the game went F2p. Do you get perks from a sub? Sure. Can you play the game without a sub and still compete? Yes.
I'm like you and Po_gg; Like a lot of In Game Stores, AoC sells too much stuff and it should be trimmed down.
SWG (pre-cu) - AoC (pre-f2p) - PotBS (pre-boarder) - DDO - LotRO (pre-f2p) - STO (pre-f2p) - GnH (beta tester) - SWTOR - Neverwinter
@Nebless and @Po_gg : You dont have access to loyalty benefits in the Saga server and you don't have to the Veteran vendor or Loyalty. So you can't get the teleport tokens for free, you dont get the free Respec.
You need to buy those.
Aslo @Nebless again you are speaking from your experience outside of Saga server, but in saga server, the token gain from subscription is so toned up that if you want to play in the sage server to any kind of success and take part to the raids, you will need the sub just because of the 3 months time limite. And i dont care much about this, i don't mind paying for something, i just don't like when a company takes me for a milking cow and put scammy mechanics to milk as much money as possible from something in a disproportionate manner compared to what you are getting for you money.
Also for @Po_gg saying its not a raiding progression server, here is the definition and point of the server from Funcom website :
The rewards from the saga server, the objective of the server, and the point of a limited time server is to work toward an objective like in D3, and that objective here is raiding. Read for yourself.
And so making it that you can buy T3 gear from the shop, welp is just totally conterintuitive to the server objective. They Took away all the convinience (like veteran vendor, loyalty benefits etc) saying we want all to be at the same point, and level the playfield, yet they let you buy T3 raid gear from cash shop straight away.
The Quest reward, the limited timed server race, the end game objective and incentive is around raiding. It is a raid progression server, if you didn't understand that, can't help you.
I don't know if you want to call the Saga server a throw-back, classic or speed thing, but it's brought alot back and some new to the game. Good and bad seeing Tortage packed with respect to MOB's and mainly players don't seem to be into grouping on the fly in the field as much as the old days, but solo right along side of you fighting for the same kills. Not much you can do about that. And I think this approach was good for those coming back, with only max level and those with new characters. Get to see the game from the start etc......
I too think the next Saga Server should be a Pvp one (and I don't Pvp) and the one after that Need's a new quest line. Take a leaf from Lord of the Rings Online's Bingo Baggins quest line. Some dev wrote 52 quests that were released one a week for a year so you could start at lvl 10? and go up to the high 90's or so. All you guys would need would be 14 since the servers are limited time, but it would give us something different to see. You could also turn on the Battle for Tortage special quest that was on last year; the one where you go back to Tortage and have to fight through the city from the docks to the gate and then into the shadow realm to fight up the Ach Ruin's. Or even any of the older holiday events, just something for the quest types among us.
I like that the game has seen an increase (Steam shows a 23% up tick) and hope that many keep playing when they move to Crom at the end.
SWG (pre-cu) - AoC (pre-f2p) - PotBS (pre-boarder) - DDO - LotRO (pre-f2p) - STO (pre-f2p) - GnH (beta tester) - SWTOR - Neverwinter
21 year MMO veteran
PvP Raid Leader
Lover of The Witcher & CD Projekt Red
Free respec and not having your account stuff on Saga:
nobody said anything about it. You said, quote
"Can't respec your talent three without cash shop item ... and an expensive one at that" and we corrected that.
Yep, vet vendor and loyalty are not on Saga. That is correct. And? There was not a single beep about those in your post.
Raid prog:
Both in the interview and on chat, and even the stream they said they are planning a raid prog server for a following Saga. Because this current one is not. But it's a pointless debate about semantics anyways... The current version gives most of the rewards for the leveling, then at 80 you get gear for starter raids so you get the RF reward as well, right after that. And then the last reward is for getting to the end of the raid grind.
Maybe for you that means raid prog. Good for you.
Sub as convenience:
For reaching the end with much less grind, you get boosted tokens if you sub. That part was correct. (let's conveniently put aside that what kind of a raid prog server shortens said progression
That's why I agree on the double dipping though. Paying again for already existing stuff is not a friendly move.
Yep, it's obviously their goal, they want to make us regular players paying additionally, and also bringing back former players and grab some money from them as well. Not a coincidence that they timed the sub price decrease for this event, and also adding a pet as a gift for a month of sub...
Still, an advice, easy on saying cash grab and SWL in the same sentence
(I wonder when will they realise it really was just a cash grab... already has my "told ya' " post ready for that day)
Yep, Bingo was awesome, and when Funcom first talked about the new Saga quest I hoped it will something like that, but turned out it is just a few milestones during the leveling progress.
(btw. you can start the Bingo storyline from level 5, and if you were there at the Harvestmath festival a few months ago, they added a Bingo quest into the festival, with a cliffhanger at the end, hinting a possible continue of the Bingo story sometime this year)
As for the next Saga -IF there will be a next one, depends on how many cash they can grab during this 4 months
Pvp, both Fury and the late B&G made it clear that not many pvp players left in the game... but who knows? Maybe if everyone starts anew, it could work.
A crafting focused Saga would be fun too, with increased drops and other boosts for guild city building. If tied with pvp, even sieges could return that way
You don't have to if you don't want to if you're melee class, just run up and start swinging. I don't know when you left, but the leveling holes at launch were fixed and the quest hubs are pretty good. Still alot of running around, but that's pretty much all games I've found.
SWG (pre-cu) - AoC (pre-f2p) - PotBS (pre-boarder) - DDO - LotRO (pre-f2p) - STO (pre-f2p) - GnH (beta tester) - SWTOR - Neverwinter
You like that they sell raid gear in the store? That says alot about you... P2W bleh.
Complain about cosmetics only being available by cash, ok, but fix that problem by making gear available too? You're back asswards man.
It's fucked up for me, so lets fuck it up for everybody!
It's just that the MMO scene is not in its brightest shape (nicely put), and AoC is still a pretty good game, even considering Funcom's track record and shady moves. People like to experience again the rush of a launch, in a more traditional game than the craps of late.
Sure, it's a bit dated and clunky in some mechanics, it has bugs (typical Funcom...), but it's still fun. Lots of players in, slowly spreading out based on the speed (just a wild guess but I think the "mass" is currently somewhere around level 40-50), and it seems new recruits are still arriving, Tortage is stuffed and every time I'm there I see new level 5s around.
You say people are "falling for this", I believe it's more like a month (or two months) of free fun, and why would they pass on it? On the current market it is still a decent selection. Even if it's Funcom.
(*edit: unless they charge your card "accidentally" like it happened quite a few times over the years. They're shady khm... let's just say their billing system is funcom'd
"Guess what, Crom ain't getting any new content." how on earth is that news? In case you've missed it, game is on official maintenance mode since last year (and was on an unannounced maintenance mode for several years before that too). AoC won't get new content ever, probably, knowing Funcom's track record. Again, so what? This new server is still fun, why not enjoy it while it lasts?
Core playerbase... you mean the elitist pricks?
I'm too in AoC since beta, and I always played on Crom, right from the start (since that was the best server in Eu). Admittedly after TSW's release I was more months per year in TSW than in AoC, but still played on Crom too, and since the demise of TSW I spent even more time in Hyboria (and on AO too). I'm playing Funcom games since the '90s, you don't have to introduce them to me...
And yet again, so what? This new server is fun, it is free, and I have the time currently. Sure, I could be like that too, "hurr durr you don't make new content, screw you, blah, blah" but for what reason? I just enjoy this event instead and leveling up a new character with a lot of players around, as opposed to my usual alt-leveling experience used to be on Crom, where the lower zones are fairly empty.