AOC - General Information

[Grave]

Originally Posted by Tolanin

class balance is always the hardest thing to do, lucky for them if the main pvp focus is on big group battles its a little easier since they only really need to make sure that no one is super wtf uber oneshot and the small imbalances will be less noticable than in WoW where the focus is on very small group pvp.

I seem to recall this being WoW's claim as well (PVP is balanced for large battles) and it didn't work out too well for them. People will just bitch endlessly.

Unfortunately, as others have said previously, the balance issues are not limited to PVP but show up in PVE as well. Some classes just suck, and there's no reason to want them over more of the powerful ones.

[Rayne]

Just finished watching all the videos, and it seems to me that the class balance may well be tuned more toward the pve game than pvp. He was a bit over-critical of the loading screen thing, but mostly while playing a caster class. It appears to me like no more or less of a bother than switching continents, respawning, or entering instances in WoW, or changing zones/respawning in EQ. But I can certainly see how glaring it can be for a caster. Perhaps one of the general beta participants would care to clarify whether or not this is an issue in the pve game?

As far as class power/abilities goes, its very similar to early AO in respect to balance, so I can see the concern with some of the balance isses people are complaining about. But knowing Funcom, they'll take to fan feedback relatively well. Gaute was never big on criticism with AO, but i'd expect greatly improved balance among the classes within the first month or so of launch, with things steadily improving from there in both pve and pvp.

I think he downplayed the graphic performance a bit as well. Hes likely got other things running with the game for video commentary purposes, which i'm sure contributed to the decreased performance. Some of the spell effects looked pretty nice. Perhaps a little too nice. I'd assume that easing some options back a bit would have improved the gameplay response. (he did say that lowering the resolution had better results).

/shrug.... i'll still probably wait a month or two.

[Twobit Whore]

Originally Posted by Rayne

He was a bit over-critical of the loading screen thing,

Overly critical? He was too kind imo. It's fucking retarded. You get a loading screen when you rez 2 feet away.

[Rayne]

Originally Posted by Twobit Whore

Overly critical? He was too kind imo. It's fucking retarded. You get a loading screen when you rez 2 feet away.

Yeah. But I meant it in a sense that its not gamebreaking, but needs improvement. I find WoW's ressurection timer thing in BG's equally annoying.

[Kodylan]

I dunno, I tend to agree with Twobit about the loading screens. They're pretty absurd how they're used in some cases. Resing in-zone is an example, as are the mini-games and how you have to "load" the map twice; once when you zone in, and once when the game starts, if you get in prior to the game starting.

[Rayne]

Originally Posted by Kodylan

I dunno, I tend to agree with Twobit about the loading screens. They're pretty absurd how they're used in some cases. Resing in-zone is an example, as are the mini-games and how you have to "load" the map twice; once when you zone in, and once when the game starts, if you get in prior to the game starting.

I understand the point. I just don't see a huge difference between spending 5-15 seconds looking at a screen of the control scheme, or waiting 5-15 seconds to transform from a ghost.

[TwiNCannoN]

The loading screens may be a small thing but they definitely suck. They can take a frustrating death to a "fuck this /quit" death easily. Mainly I just don't see any reason for them... why not just resurrect + teleport? The only reason they happen is I assume the game is coded to reload the content when you respawn in PVE since you could go a far distance away and that obviously will require a loading screen.

edit: yeah, good point Rayne. Honestly the minigames do kind of need a rez timer. The loading screen is just so artificial and obnoxious is comparison I guess.

[Twobit Whore]

Because when you spawn as a ghost you have the option of running back to your body (if we are talking about WoW here). You also don't have to spawn as a ghost and wait. You can get rezzed on the spot and pop right back up.

Imagine having to see the BG loading screen after you died then appeared as a ghost. Imagine seeing it again when you got a rez in the battlefield. Now imagine being vulnerable to attack while nearly dead from a fresh rez while seeing it. Yeah, retarded.

[Rayne]

Originally Posted by Twobit Whore

Imagine having to see the BG loading screen after you died then appeared as a ghost. Imagine seeing it again when you got a rez in the battlefield. Now imagine being vulnerable to attack while nearly dead from a fresh rez while seeing it. Yeah, retarded.

I understand that. I understood it when you made your last post. But i'm looking at it more from the same angle he was. As a "time constraint". In that sense, yes, he was overly critical. Yes, it sucks. And we can only hope they improve upon it soon. Would it make me quit the game? No.

[Manseed]

So I've probably put in about 8 hours this weekend.

Basically there are just too many parallels to Vanguard's launch for me to buy this game. The PVP feels like a mini game. The performance problems are going to be crippling. I'd probably tool around with this game if it were free, but it doesn't appear to have any depth whatsoever. I played a Ranger and every single one of my attacks looked exactly the same. What's the excuse for that? Simple UI stuff that goes against the "windows grain" just shows lack of attention to detail.

I don't get all of you people who are going to buy it in hopes that it gets better. Would you buy a car with a broken transmission because the dealer promised he'd fix it later?

I was interested in this game for PVP. DOTA has it beat in every way possible, and it's free.

[LexarkT11]

I have a question about the pre-order.

I pre-ordered from EBgame and I paid 50 for the game, and 10 for shipping.

It says overnight shipping.

Does this mean I will receive the game May 16th? or May 17th? or when?

Anyone have any input on how this works?

[Gecko]

Originally Posted by LexarkT11

I have a question about the pre-order.

I pre-ordered from EBgame and I paid 50 for the game, and 10 for shipping.

It says overnight shipping.

Does this mean I will receive the game May 16th? or May 17th? or when?

Anyone have any input on how this works?

I'd strongly recommend you buy it from a gamestop or EB store itself, and not online. You lose the 10 dollar shipping and get it on release day.

What you'll get it if you preorder online is an email with a code to predownload the client ahead of time and start playing 3 days early.

3-Day Early Access Program

With your pre-order Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures, you will be able to participate in the 3-day Early Access Program. Early access period starts on May 17, 3 days before the commercial release on May 20, 2008. You may begin downloading the game client files and installing as early as May 14. With early access, there is a nominal fee of $5, which covers the cost of the download and includes 10 days of additional game time

[LexarkT11]

so the only thing i am currently missing out on is 10 dollars in shipping, correct??

[Hatorade]

Originally Posted by LexarkT11

so the only thing i am currently missing out on is 10 dollars in shipping, correct??

Provided the store preorder doesn't fuck you over and not have a key for you...which they won't.

[TwiNCannoN]

I finally preordered a couple days ago from shitty-assed gamestop, and not surprisingly, didn't get anything. I'll probably either have to cancel it and re-preorder or just go to bestbuy... I've never understood how bestbuy (at least by me) is way better at handling shit like this than eb/gamestop.