Sums up AoC

[Aada]

When I say AoC was unfinished, I am not talking about normal launch bugs, and 'normal' missing content. (which, by the way, is only normal because people continue to pay these game companies to release unfinished games.)

When I say AoC might never be "finished", I'm adressing the severity of the flaws in the launched game which goes far beyond normal patching to fix.

I am talking about glaring bugs that could only have been completely overlooked in order to get this game launched on time, and never should have made it past the beta stage ( and many not even past the alpha stage).

I'm talking about barely implemented key features such as the chat and emote systems, quest log, grouping features, etc. I'm talking about the feats system not working, and the stats on armor not working and/or making little or no impact on a player's stats. Hell, there are stats on items that no one even know what they do because Funcom won't release the information.

When I am talking about missing content, I am referring to giant gaps in quests for certain levels. This game was purposely designed so that players could reach the cap (solo) in only 250 hours. Some people have done it in 200 hours or even less. You can't design a game like that, and then use the excuse that you didn't expect players to level fast, so you didn't have the middle and endgame content completed. Also, let's not forget that player cities are bugged to death, and siege warfare is MIA. The lack of development regarding teamplay gives the impression that this is a first-person-shooter (FPS) game rather than a MMO game.

What about crafting? Crafting is usually a great side project for people to do while they level. It effectively slows down leveling for many people, because crafting is supposed to be a fun activity that can get you away from grinding and combat. The whole system seems like it was thrown in the game some weeks ago. Static spawning resource nodes that people can mark on their map? For a PvP server it might work with resource battles, but for a PvE server it's just not thought through. Crafting itself is not working, including the game breaking gemcrafting system. How did any of this make it past beta? The answer is simple - Funcom didn't care about completing the game and just went for a launch knowing they would get their money back and a profit based on popularity polls regarding AoC.

There are countless beta testers out there who tried to get Funcom to hold the game because it was no where near ready for launch. In my opinion, someone in management at Funcom must have decided it was time to push the game out, so they did. They put all their time into making Tortage nearly flawless, pushed mounts and crafting to level 40 so few people would notice that none of it worked right in the critical launch days, and rushed the game out. That way they would also ensure good publicity as most journalists and game commentators never play past the starting area. Is this a standard that you accept for future MMO games ?

Ask yourself how, after FIVE(5) years of development and almost TWO(2) years of alpha testing, this game finds itself in such an incomplete state? You would think it would be the most polished MMO ever released considering how long it's been in dev. This tells me that the team is either too small, or too unorganized to handle this project correctly. My conclusion is that the AoC team has not succeded in any other things than visual effects and graphics - which is art like in some places. However on all the important factors that make it a true MMO they have failed and I seriously doubt the survivability of the game as a top notch MMO unless far more drastic changes are made than indicated from the Game Director.

The things I stated above are aside from 'normal' launch problems and missing content. These are key aspects of the game that should have been in the game and completely functioning. Did Funcom do no research of other MMOs to figure out what players consider normal MMO features these days? Any half wit gamer knows that MMO launches can be a rocky ride, but there is a huge difference between launch bugs, and launching a game that is missing a large portion of standard MMO game features.


Constructive feedback is appreciated, and perhaps the next letter from the Game Director will contain more honesty towards the customers regarding the launch, and adress the serious development flaws that goes way beyond "normal" bugs.





Edit: For the small but very loyal roleplaying community I just have to say that I feel even more sorry for you, and Funcom owns all, and especially you guys, a big apologize.


Big 18 page thread on the forums and to be honest this is how AoC is atm.

 

[deez]

first!

 

[Nurag]

Its all good stuff Aada, and although This is the first night I've had off the game since I got it I agree with all you say in the post.
But I know and FC know that I like many others will let it run for a couple of months just to see how it pans out. It might just all come down to WAR and how that releases, I think if FC can sort it quick enough they will hold the more mature subs.

 

[old.Tohtori]

Well, i can sum it up too:

People are too f*cking picky.

I've not yet met one bug in AoC(not saying there aren't bugs) that would make me go "huf, i quit! this game sucks! what a bad bug!"

Doublebuffs? I alt+z twice. Done. One half a second.
Chat not working "like in wow", hell, it's not and learn to use it.

And same goes for ALL bugs ingame, ALL.

People are like spoiled brats when it comes to MMOs.

Don't start playing MMOs from the start as THEY WILL be bugged. No launch was without them. Name one, just one.

If you don't like it, it's simple, f*ck off and come back later.

EDIT: This isn't so much towards you as it is towrds the "we are eleet pg18" people who sit and whine about their lollipop tasting of banana when it was supposed to be cola.

 

[Aada]

What bugs me most about Funcom is that you would have thought they learned from the mistakes they made with AO to be fair which is still considered by most MMO gamers to be one of the worst games ever launched until up to a year after it released.

I personally fear for Funcom financially if AOC bombs.

There are 2 things imo that are going to drive people away from AOC.

1.The none existant crafting which makes up a large portion of any MMORPG these days.

2. The unbalanced and unfinished PVP which lets face it is why a lot of people went to AOC in the first place. Seiges aren't even actually working yet for starters.

 

[Aada]

Well, i can sum it up too:

People are too f*cking picky.

I've not yet met one bug in AoC(not saying there aren't bugs) that would make me go "huf, i quit! this game sucks! what a bad bug!"

Doublebuffs? I alt+z twice. Done. One half a second.
Chat not working "like in wow", hell, it's not and learn to use it.

And same goes for ALL bugs ingame, ALL.

People are like spoiled brats when it comes to MMOs.

Don't start playing MMOs from the start as THEY WILL be bugged. No launch was without them. Name one, just one.

If you don't like it, it's simple, f*ck off and come back later.

EDIT: This isn't so much towards you as it is towrds the "we are eleet pg18" people who sit and whine about their lollipop tasting of banana when it was supposed to be cola.

The bugs for now can be overlooked mate it's the basics of an MMO that still aren't in there and you can't deny it at all.

The FEATS in their current state are utterly useless i have 2 lvl 50 HOX 1 specd in feats and the other i don't have a single point in any feats and it doesn't make a blind bit of difference.

The crafting system which for a lot of players is a huge part of the game that is NOT working and will take patches and patches to get working properly.

The crappy items that don't do anything stat wise other then bump the number up my lvl 50 HOX is in lvl 20 gear still and it makes no difference what so ever.

The useless PVP system for a game which PVP is a huge part of.

The supposedly 1500 armour combinations which has been admitted by the Game Director as not being in yet.

I just think of DAOC back when it was released at least the RVR system worked from day 1 such as keep take overs etc right now AOC doesn't even have this working ;/

If you are enjoying the game then good for you and i hope you play for months to come but as a seasoned MMO gamer the game in it's current state is terrible and not good enough for release.

These days MMO gamers are simply not putting up with crap like this look at Tabula Rasa it is almost a dead game and by the end of next year i expect that game to be pulled off and shut down.

 

[taB]

I'm enjoying myself at the moment, that's the only barometer that matters to me I think I'm just a lot more tolerant / flexible than the "want now" crowd though.

I hope you find the game to tick all your boxes Aada (fingers crossed for WAR).

 

[Aada]

I'm enjoying myself at the moment, that's the only barometer that matters to me I think I'm just a lot more tolerant / flexible than the "want now" crowd though.

I hope you find the game to tick all your boxes Aada (fingers crossed for WAR).

It should have been this from what was written on paper ;/ but who knows Funcom may pull off another 600mb Miracle Patch.

 

[pez]

People are like spoiled brats when it comes to MMOs.

I find statements like this so bizzarre. I wouldn't accept any other type of media in such an unfinished state as you routinely find MMOs on release let alone any other product. If anything I think mmo consumers are far too lenient.

 

[Ctuchik]

nd.
Chat not working "like in wow", hell, it's not and learn to use it.

and the reason its not is because FunCom, for what its worth, isnt looking to create a "WoW 2.0", and try to keep as far away from looking like it as they possibly can.

even tho they HAVE taken lots of shit features from WoW and managed to make it even worse.....

battlegrounds and STEALTH! to name but a few. i mean comon, fucking casters with stealth? as shit as it may be, its still nothing they should have.

the more i play my necro the more i really want Warhammer or Wraith of the Lich King to launch.

i'm smelling another AO failure here but i'm gonna suck it up untill either of above 2 launches. i think.

 

[Ctuchik]

I find statements like this so bizzarre. I wouldn't accept any other type of media in such an unfinished state as you routinely find MMOs on release let alone any other product. If anything I think mmo consumers are far too lenient.

my thought exactly. why can't MMO's fucking WORK at the start? whats making MMO's so bloody special? what rule says that MMO's are excused from what every other program have as a standard?
if this were a single player game funcom would be so deep down in shit creek they would be hauling it for years to get rid of the smell....

 

[Ctuchik]

It should have been this from what was written on paper ;/ but who knows Funcom may pull off another 600mb Miracle Patch.

well, they DO know most of these issues. so they probably are working their arses off to fix most of it. but really, looking back i cant help but thinking that it probably wouldn't have hurted with a few months more in beta.

theres just TO much non working content in this game to validate a release.

 

[Faeldawn]

well, they DO know most of these issues. so they probably are working their arses off to fix most of it. but really, looking back i cant help but thinking that it probably wouldn't have hurted with a few months more in beta.

theres just TO much non working content in this game to validate a release.

There have been games released in a much worse state over the years but players never fully appreciated the problems with high-end content missing because it took them several months to get to see it (WoW, SWG, DAoC, EQ2 all had lots of missing and unfinished content at high level upon initial release), by which time most of it had been fixed. Unfortunately for AoC, it's possible to get max level in a few days, so they don't have this time luxury. As players can zip through all the level content so fast, they can experience all the bugs in very quick succession and lots more players encounter them before the devs have had a chance to fix them.

Have to agree that the game would have benefitted from a bit more beta testing, but you can say that about every mmo release without exception, none are perfect.

 

[partyanimal]

is aoc the 1st and only mmorpg launched this year?
how long will it take for the next one to be launched?
was there any new mmorpg last year which was as good as most ppl expected? ( lotro, vanguard, tabula rasa )

do only programmers work for software developing companies?
is there any marketing section ?

in other words, funcom had a schedule for this product named aoc.
they really had some ads and many magazines spent pages for it.
i think they hurried to sell before the game was ready, for 3 reasons:

1st they wanted to beat competitors like warhammer

2nd most players wont reach the max lvl and explore the full contain for months. why shouldn't they start milking them a few months before they actually finish the game?

3rd they found out that this may would a perfect launch, just before ppl leave away for vacations or maybe they can start playing on vacations. postponing launch in summer or after that wouldn't help

i personally wait for warhammer, but only if it actually better than aoc i will migrate like many others

 

[Aada]

There have been games released in a much worse state over the years but players never fully appreciated the problems with high-end content missing because it took them several months to get to see it (WoW, SWG, DAoC, EQ2 all had lots of missing and unfinished content at high level upon initial release), by which time most of it had been fixed. Unfortunately for AoC, it's possible to get max level in a few days, so they don't have this time luxury. As players can zip through all the level content so fast, they can experience all the bugs in very quick succession and lots more players encounter them before the devs have had a chance to fix them.

Have to agree that the game would have benefitted from a bit more beta testing, but you can say that about every mmo release without exception, none are perfect.

True but at least most have the basics in and working like crafting for example.

AOC to be blunt has a so so combat system that gets old quick and amazing graphics and the usual kill this go fetch my bone quests.

Sorry but i see dark times ahead for Funcom when WAR/Wrath of Litch king is released.

Nobody can deny the sheer amount of players that will flood back into WoW when that next expansion releases.

 

[WiZe^]

Cancel subscription here, cba paying a monthly fee for a game thats not finished.

 

[Wazkyr]

Cancel subscription here, cba paying a monthly fee for a game thats not finished.

Just what i did, even before i went ingame the first time. Auto renew is worst shit ever, trying to steal ppls money.

 

[Puppet]

Well, i can sum it up too:

People are too f*cking picky.

It is not about being too picky. If you pay for a game, you expect *some* features and content to be in it.

The more I play, the more I notice that the game is bugging me with alot of stuff which *is* gamebreaking. Sure I can go around it, being creative and what not, but I dont play a MMORPG to do that. I play to have fun, not to fool around, switching instances and what not to try and circumvent certain issues.

For example: Try the arena-quests in the Arsmen Inn in Noble District. How's that not totally bugged and it made me go somewhere else.

Doublebuffs? I alt+z twice. Done. One half a second.
Chat not working "like in wow", hell, it's not and learn to use it.

'learn to use it'. Man, there's nothing to learn. Fundamental stuff *is* broken. I want to have a combat-log with only *my own* damage (in- and outcome) shown. I dont care that a rat at the other side of the map is getting owned by a wolf, I dont wanna see it. So far, been unable to fix it, please correct me if it's possible by now to setup chat-filters.

Furthermore, there's no /who commands which, in my eyes, is a big failure in a MMORPG. I can't even see in what zone people are.

Then there's the instancing-crap if you group up. Im there! Me too! I dont see you.. oh wrong instance, but I can't switch instances because I need to be close to a rezz-stone..........

etc etc etc. The list goes on and on with some little, some very big things which aint sorted. I don't expect it to be sorted 100% at launch, but alot of stuff isnt implemented and FC isnt exactly too informative against us when it comes to when the fixes are to be expected.

 

[old.Tohtori]

I find statements like this so bizzarre. I wouldn't accept any other type of media in such an unfinished state as you routinely find MMOs on release let alone any other product. If anything I think mmo consumers are far too lenient.

Quickly can comment to this, lenient in "willing to live with it", but gods damn the day that they stop whining about every single bug repeatedly.

and the concept of "we're working on it" comlpetely avoids them.

etc etc etc. The list goes on and on with some little, some very big things which aint sorted. I don't expect it to be sorted 100% at launch, but alot of stuff isnt implemented and FC isnt exactly too informative against us when it comes to when the fixes are to be expected.

And this..."we're working on it"...and the screams change from "fix it!" to "when you fix it!".

Get why tis' getting annoying?

I get if your first MMO is AoC and you get the "ooh MMOs are like this" whining on, but people who have been in betas, launches, other MMOs and such whining about a MMO being uncomplete on launch is just f*cking ridicilous.

It's like grown men whining that they got a smaller slice of the cake at a company outing.

 

[old.Tohtori]

1: It is not about being too picky. If you pay for a game, you expect *some* features and content to be in it.

2: For example: Try the arena-quests in the Arsmen Inn in Noble District. How's that not totally bugged and it made me go somewhere else.

3: 'learn to use it'. Man, there's nothing to learn. Fundamental stuff *is* broken. I want to have a combat-log with only *my own* damage (in- and outcome) shown. I dont care that a rat at the other side of the map is getting owned by a wolf, I dont wanna see it. So far, been unable to fix it, please correct me if it's possible by now to setup chat-filters.

4: Furthermore, there's no /who commands which, in my eyes, is a big failure in a MMORPG. I can't even see in what zone people are.

5: Then there's the instancing-crap if you group up. Im there! Me too! I dont see you.. oh wrong instance, but I can't switch instances because I need to be close to a rezz-stone..........

1: There are, plenty, just the missing ones are YOUR problem. As in, i myself find there to be plenty of content to keep me busy until they fix other areas. I don't need to sit and craft for 80+ hours JUST yet. Maybe not rush 8 characters to 80 in one week? Enjoy the game? Helps atleast.

2: Will have to check, but as it stands, if i can go elsewhere, i'll come back when it works.

3: Sure there's some "extra" stuff in chats and the chat needs updating, but it's hardly the "anal juice of satan" peolpe are claiming it to be. A week, two, fixed, wee? So far it has done the job.

4: Maybe there's no /who command at all because...there isn't one? I would find it a + to a game not to have this uberorb of finding on everyone. Not every MMO needs to have EVERY aspect of EVERY MMO.

5: Instancing is only a problem if you decide to make a group, mid instance, out of the blue, without planning. And then you should use the people i YOUR instance. Again, no problem that can't be worked around EASILY.

 

[old.Tohtori]

Ok, maybe been a bit rude, just ticked off about people complaining about the game left right and center.

Some even dared say, one day after launch, that "they should've fixed these things alreayd 'cause it's been online for ages!"

Just, complaining never achieves anything as the devs, suprise suprise, don't read the chats ingame or this forum for instance.

It serves no purpose.

Now, reporting them and letting them decide what to fix, there's a way.

I jsut find that AoC has the pontetial to be one of the greatest ever made, just need some time.

And also, i'm kinda glad it's buggy at the moment, gets rid of the "kidlike candyshop" people.

Same was with DAoC i think, and EVE for certain.

 

[Dukat]

I agree its a bit strange that the game was released like it was, but then again, I've had no real problems to speak of - one bugged quest, a couple of bugged mobs, not much else at all. I know this isnt the same for everyone, but for me, the fact that there are bugs isnt a problem at all.

As for the unfinished content, I dont know in a way, for my char the feats system is working, one slight bug where it told me I had an ability that I hadnt got yet, but other than that theres nothing wrong with it, the feats do what they are supposed to do.

As for the skills, I think they need thier effects boosted quite a bit but other than that, again, no problems here.

I dont see what is so flawed about the game personally, I'm enjoying it so far and I'm not really going around looking for things to be wrong. Its what you make it - if you want to enjoy it I expect you'll find some fun in the game, if not you'll find no end of problems.

I agree, Its no DAoC, but on the other hand I dont think its trying to be.

I'm going to keep playing probably until WAR, maybe after that depending on how much I enjoy it, when I dont enjoy it anymore I'll stop, simple as. I dont see the point in arguing about whether this game is 'good' though because everyone's expectations are different.

 

[taB]

The FEATS in their current state are utterly useless i have 2 lvl 50 HOX 1 specd in feats and the other i don't have a single point in any feats and it doesn't make a blind bit of difference.

I hope you mean skills, not feats because I can't possibly believe this.

If you think Fire Lance is irrelevant you need your head checked

 

[dee777]

I hope you mean skills, not feats because I can't possibly believe this.

If you think Fire Lance is irrelevant you need your head checked

My thoughts _EXACTLY_.

Nobody can deny the sheer amount of players that will flood back into WoW when that next expansion releases.

Crystal ball much?

If anything, I expect some people to quit WoW once WotLK hits the shelves as it resets your current achievements. No better time to stop playing if you ever considered to do so TBH. I remember the time when Burning Crusade came out/was just about to come out. People left in droves as noone could be arsed to raid anymore, knowing that all there achievements will be going the way of the dodo next month. Radingguilds dissipated which left to more people leaving. Some of the leavers came back, some rolled a different server, some played something else. I dont think you can predict that.

I got a friend in the WAR beta and he told me the game needs time. Tons of time. Want to bet if the WAR launch will be any different than AoCs? Or WoWs? Or DAoCs? Or EvEs? Or LotRos? Or Vanguards? Or EQ2?

Less outrage...more laid-back-ness...(I suppose that aint english at all, is it?)

 

[old.Tohtori]

Not to mention that the biggest thing in AoC selling it is the story/atmosphere which trumps even DAoC. Yes i said it!

Especially, to me, the cimmerian viking feel is absolutely brilliant and RIGHT for once.

And i always love when people say "this is not what i paid for!"

Yes it is. Exactly what you paid for. As with all games, bugs and all, it's exactly what you paid for. You paid for what is mentioned on the gamebox, everything else is hype, PR or some other such. Not to mention, you don't have to keep paying, just leave.

 

[eksdee]

here's a solution - if you don't like the game, don't play.

i haven't found a single bug or problem that would make me quit so far. my char is 63 and i haven't felt that there was a 'lack of content' at all - but maybe that is because i didn't expect to be carried to 80 by quests.

really don't see the point of getting on your high horse about how broken the game apparently is when you could just go and play something else until it is 'fixed'. no one is forcing you to play!

 

[Raven]

I am leaning towards the cancel my subs and then renewing in a couple of months. The bugs are frustrating more than anything, I don't see why I should why I should have to keep re-entering instances just to get them to work. Getting used to the chat but it is still rubbish. What the hell is wrong with being able to just press /gu rather than enter /gu. I want to be able to talk quickly on the fly while fighting no t find somewhere quite to chat.

The quest tracker is rubbish, the map system is rubbish, the crafting is pointless and the gathering is an exersice in frustration, especcially when the zone resets every so often reducing all nodes to 0. I am also yet to find a use for my mount as it is just as fast to walk and I can actually attack stuff properly without having to watch the animation.

The NPCs just piss me off uming, arring and hmmfing at me when the camera is zoomed into their apathetic face. yonder village is under attack! I will just stand here looking stoned off my tits umming at you!

Oh and why on earth is there not a /who command ffs

Its broken, hopefully it gets fixed, underneath all the crap there is a good game trying to get out.

 

[old.Tohtori]

I am leaning towards the cancel my subs and then renewing in a couple of months. The bugs are frustrating more than anything, I don't see why I should why I should have to keep re-entering instances just to get them to work. Getting used to the chat but it is still rubbish. What the hell is wrong with being able to just press /gu rather than enter /gu. I want to be able to talk quickly on the fly while fighting no t find somewhere quite to chat.

The quest tracker is rubbish, the map system is rubbish, the crafting is pointless and the gathering is an exersice in frustration, especcially when the zone resets every so often reducing all nodes to 0. I am also yet to find a use for my mount as it is just as fast to walk and I can actually attack stuff properly without having to watch the animation.

The NPCs just piss me off uming, arring and hmmfing at me when the camera is zoomed into their apathetic face. yonder village is under attack! I will just stand here looking stoned off my tits umming at you!

Oh and why on earth is there not a /who command ffs

Its broken, hopefully it gets fixed, underneath all the crap there is a good game trying to get out.

On those points have to say:

Never had to re-enter an instance. But if you do, i'm betting it's not all the time.
Chat? Press enter, talk, esc to quick-quit chat. Simple in my mind. Don't know how it could get "quicker"
Map and quest tracker works fine. And especially the map, like it 'cause it's no "high tech map in ancient times" like other games.
/who command /stick /face...just part of stuff that should be thrown out. want to know who someone is or where he is, ask.
NPC...well...if there was magical space and time to make all character talk etc...would be grand...but let's get realistic here.

If anything, they should take down stuff that make it "less real". Make it a hardcore(more) and nto wow.

 

[Raven]

I don't mind the fact that they don't talk but if it is going to zoom in on their face they should at least put an expression other than mild boredom on the NPC and get rid of the stupid grunts and sighs. I know the NPCs see hundreds of people but they could at least fake excitement to see another brave adventurer.

The chat is broken, if you try to do something like fight and talk every time you style it drops you out of chat again.

The game needed at least another month in beta. a few bugs here and there are fine. but if something just doesnt work (liek the crafting) it should be left out until it does work

Oh another thing that useless macro system needs to be either removed or make is so you can have icons on your tool bars, the UI is messy enough without having another window open all the time.

 

[dee777]

Oh and why on earth is there not a /who command ffs

Oh please dont. I am happy the retarded /stick is not in the game and I dislike the /who yellow pages crap as much. Especially with no factions at all. If you want to find a certain guild group in the border keeps, go ahead and search for it.

After being a bit upset at first about having a /face functionality ingame, I kooled down decisively, because you can position yourself way better if you deactivate the autostick. So you can go convenience, but gimp yourself during the process. Very well implemented IMO.