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What happened to a good game?
Originally posted by AlienShores
Honestly, I think you're right in your assessment of AC. I'm still playing, but only barelyI have a couple of in game friends that are at the same point as I am and we've decided to try going through and doing a lot of the quests that we've never done before, but really that's just out of boredom like you said. Kind of sad because I'm looking around and not seeing any other MMORPG that looks interesting enough to try out. Though I'm not a Star Wars Fanboy Extraordinaire (TM) I am pretty interested in what Verant/Sony is doing for Star Wars Galaxies.
Any suggestions for an MMORPG to someone who's been an AC purist for a long time?
-AS-
I have played just about every single major MMORPG except for Ultima Online. (I'll get around to it one day.)
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I had loads of fun playing Asheron's Call. It was my first real MMORPG too. (Not including Runescape LOL!). How does it compare to other MMORPG's?
The thing is, AC is more of a SKILL based game. Roughly 70% Skill based/ 30% Level based.
EQ is the opposite of AC. EQ is more of a Level based game. Every single Paladin is 100% exactly like every single Paladin. Same with all other classes and races.
So a hardcore AC player is less likely to like EQ. And vice versa. Though I personally like both games, but for entirely different reasons.
Ultima Online is the only other MMORPG that should come closest to being like AC. (Or AC should come closets to being like UO.) UO is suppose to also be a SKILL based game. But it's even older than AC.
That leaves Anarchy Online, and Star Wars Galaxies. The thing is, they are in Sci-Fi settings. If a hardcore AC player doesn't mind using guns, laser cannons, spaceships, computers, then they might have a chance to find enjoyment in AO and SWG. It is also possible to play AO and SWG using only "medieval" and "fantasy" weapons. Swords, pikes, polearms, daggers, lances, blades, shields, and in SWG to ride monsters.
AO is roughly 50% skill based/50% Level based. Any character can duel wield weapons - if they choose those skills. Any character can be a healer, melee, tank, etc.... if they choose those skills. There are still templates, but nothing like how it's in EQ. AO is closer to AC than EQ when it comes to character developement.
SWG is roughly 90% SKILL based / 10% Level based. It unofficially is Ultima Online 2. In SWG a player can do and be anything. You can unlearn skills and switch to other skills. There are over 40+ professions. And, a player can learn up to 3 1/2 professions [b]at the same time.[/b]. So no two players are ever alike. (Unless they choose to be.)
You can be the most bad--- killer in the galaxy, as well as one of the best "healers" aka doctors in the galaxy. And wear the BEST armor in the galaxy, use the best gun in the galaxy. (The game mechanics deal with all of this in intresting, unique, and very new ways.)
And in a way, Asheron's Call 2. The thing is, it is not in a fantasy setting. It is in a Sci-Fi setting.
Until EQ2 comes out, if a hardcore AC fan wants to look for another MMORPG that comes close to the feel of AC, then SWG is the best choice, then AO. And then... that's it. Not too many other MMROPGs are skill based over being level based.
BTW, don't hold your breath for EQ2... so far... it looks like it will also be a more level based than skill based game.
Instead of being like EQ 90% Level based/ 10% skill based.
It is headed so far to be maybe 60% Level based/ 40% skill based.
STILL if a player chooses one type of character they will not be able to duel wield, or heal, or wear armor, etc.... sad. But I guess they feel there is a market for more of EQ but with better graphics, and a few more features.
Comments
I used to play this game for like 4 years....
Just today I decided I'm going to come back to it...
Its going to be fun because tihs game is so addictive and now I'll have somethign to do over winter break
AC1 was my favorite MMORPG.. It does have a graphics fall out compared to all the new games. However I am reading in alot of places that ALOT of people believe there to be a 2nd expansion coming out for ac1. I for one would be glad to come back and play ac1 with a few changes(ie: graphics, loose or remove 3rd party apps for power lvling etc, ability to lvl in a new way besides just hunt hunt hunt, The buff bots have removed the need for quest weapons.) If they could fix these things it would be worth playing.
Why would turbine buy back the rights to a game that no longer has cd's made for it , So there would be no influx of new characters coming in? Why would they move the worlds(servers) to west coast-all that time and money for a game that is dieing out at present? Why make a new server(world) for a game with these problems.? It seams to me that there must be something going on however I can find nothing saying there is a new expansion coming out for ac1... Can anyone help me or tell me were I am wrong in my thinking here?
BluClovr
BluClovr
Yes Turbine bought AC back from MS and yes expansion to AC is in plans or rather in works as we speak. According to Jessica expansion will include graphics update as well. What type of update it's another story. I dont think we should expect complete update (or AC2 graphics engine) but surely it will be worth buying expansion pack.
Quote:
I may be able to shed a tiny bit of light on the problems here, TwYsTeD-HG.
The code base of AC is old, and moreover bits of it were developed as far back as 7 years ago by people who were not always filled with godlike onmiscience. For this reason, some parts of the engine are rather more intertwined with other parts that we would ideally like. One example, although by no means the only one: our graphics system is cloesly coupled with our animation system, which is closely coupled with our physics system, which is closely coupled with certain parts of gameplay such as jumping and character movement. To change the graphics engine completely -- as would need to happen to accomodate AC2 graphics -- would mean changing an awful lot of low level code, some of which *would* affect gameplay.
No, the skill system wouldn't change -- but the 'feel' of running, of jumping, of combat itself likely would.
In addition, each engine has different limitations -- an unlimited engine hasn't yet been built -- but the limitations in the AC engine are quite different from the limitations in newer engines. Any game is built to accomodate the limitations of its engine: AC gameplay has been built to accomdate the limitations of the AC graphics engine (as well as limitations in our networking engine, etc.); AC2 gameplay has been built to accomodate limitations in the newer engine. If AC tries to switch wholehearted to a new engine, we will need to change some gameplay to accomodate the new limitations.
When you are building a game from scratch, the issue is to accomodate the limitations in a better, or at least a different, way than your predeccesors -- MEO is going to be a very different game from AC2 in part because they are building the gameplay to accomodate the limitations in different ways. But the real problem with AC isn't to keep AC different from AC2 -- it's to keep AC *AC*. And because the limitations in the engines are so different, we don't believe that that can be done while switching to the AC2 graphics engine.
Srand - Producer, AC Live
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And besides, like it or not, people do try to "win" massively multiplayer RPGs. The rules of engagement are something like this:
* If there is a status bar, make it grow bigger
* If there is a number, make it higher
* If it moves, either get a mission from it or kill it
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And besides, like it or not, people do try to "win" massively multiplayer RPGs. The rules of engagement are something like this:
* If there is a status bar, make it grow bigger
* If there is a number, make it higher
* If it moves, either get a mission from it or kill it
why would turbine buy back the rights to a game that no longer has cd's made?
well my guess is that they want to make the game available again in stores, but maybe microsoft felt differently?
why would they move the servers to west coast for a game dying out?
again i am guessing but i believe it is to get them closer to them, in order to revitalize the game and prepare for an influx of new players that will join the game once they make it available for purchase again.
why make a new server?
to give a new server to the people trying the game out once they buy it from the stores that turbine re-releases it to?
to allow people to re-roll and start over without having all the houses taken already, or to get away from a server that is full of macro's
I really think that turbine bought the rights back because their game was being ruined by Microsoft and they wanted to fix their baby so to speak. With the changes coming about of late, chain nerf on passup, raising the cost, possibly cracking down on macro's and 3rd party programs, AC may become the game it once was. I think that we are going to see some awesome changes, and that the expansion pack will show up sooner than anyone expects it to.
A couple quick bits:
The new server is an opportunity for people who want to experience AC1 the way Turbine intended it without the UCM and chains abuse. Those things didn't bother me but I still find the new player experience exciting and plan to play on the new server.
Bandit weapons are mostly useless currently but, like many other older quests, I am sure they will be updated in the near future.
Only one server?
I don't remember exactly how many people still play, but is one enough?
Either way though it's a great idea and might help revive the game at these early stages.
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but time flows like a river
and history repeats
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...but time flows like a river...
...and history repeats...
-Leader of "The Fighting Irish" in DAoC on Hib/Kay-