Blizzard not evaluating AoC as a threat?

[m0ck]

So, what I gather from the replies is that the maturity of the game has to do with:

1) the setting of the game

2) the community and the importance of the community to the game world

3) the level of the sex and violence

First of, I do think it is possible to explore mature subjects in a fantasy setting. I'm not sure LOTR is the best example - the most common criticism of his work would probably be the naive contrast of good and evil. You're one or the other (though you can be led astray by the corrupting forces of the ring). Like you said though, it's a childrens book. The work of other authers in the genre, like for instance Poe, skips that sentimentality and uses horror to explore mature themes like death and mental illness. No dwarfes though. Neither is there in AoC.

As to the second point, I'm unsure if you think the maturity is solely down to the community of the game or if "sandboxness" is required in order to let the community apply social limitations to the game world. In any case, consequences-for-your-actions seem to be your emphasis. Not much to say really, I think it's to early to judge and in any case funcom has made a point of talking about the game being directed at mature (meaning +18) gamers.

Lastly, on the subject of the level of sexuality and violence I don't think you're being fair really. Other rules apply to games than to movies, the hot coffee mod being a prime example and the game is rated as mature. Besides that, if the level of sexuality in the attached picture (stolen form the general AoC thread, originally posted by krinkled) isn't hardcore enough for you, maybe it's time to take a break from the internet porn. On the violence: you do have beheadings, stabbings and electrocutions with blod splattering on your screen with fatalities. Once in a while beats all the time imo, but I guess that's a matter of preference.

Text galore, pretty much what I wanted to point out that bashing AoC for not being mature really doesn't seem to fit. You can criticize the game on other points, but it obviously is, not least compared to other mmos, directed at a mature audience and pushes the envelope on who is the target audience for an mmo.

How do you include the spoiler clicky btw?

[jayrebb]

Originally Posted by gnomad

They have missed the mark on everything that would make a movie get an M or R rating. Hell I have recently seen PG movies with much more graphic violence and sexual inuendo then this game has (Prince Caspian, Iron Man, etc.)

You can say "shit" and other obscenities in a PG movie.

I didn't even notice the blood until someone mentioned it in OOC. Then I looked closer on the next round and was like "wow there it is". So much for graphic violence. What a joke.

The rating board needs some seat removals/changes. Its incompetent and inaccurate and subject to a standard that isn't relevant to society any longer. Essentially the Vatican presides over the game ratings.

The jews weren't able to get their foot into the game industry I guess.

[Schezanna]

I think AoC would be an awesome game if it weren't PVP based. Since it is PVP based, it will be competing with EVE and Lineage and their lot over the '1337 kiddies' corner. WOW will continue to be the 800 lb gorilla for a couple more years.

[Lleauaric~EW]

I think saying its "PvP based" is a bit of a stretch.

Its released with 5 24 man raid zones.

Chief Kykkikkis Crypt.
Vistrix's Lair
Yakhmar's Cave
Toth Amon's Stronghold
Black Ring Citadel

And 7 70+ Group only zones.

Thats alot of PVE to have on release. WoW didnt even ship with Molten Core.

[Korioni]

I wouldn't necessarily say it's "pvp-based" but I would say it's pvp(namely battlekeeps) has more purpose and therein more of a competitive pvp atmosphere than most of the larger MMO's.

[Man0warr]

It's PVP based enough that all the old school PVP guilds have come out of the woodwork to play.

[Kreugen]

Love the setting, don't care much at all for the gameplay.

[EmiliaEQ]

Originally Posted by Manseed

It hasn't only changed, it is almost entirely a different audience. You said it yourself by continuing to bring up EQs tiny subscriber base compared to WOW. Those new players in WOW are absolutely a different market. Don't feel bad though, a lot of MMO developers seem to think that the market hasn't changed either.

EQ was designed for and by the "Pen&Paper / Figurines / Eye of the Beholder" fans.

The "WoW" generation comes from Counterstrike / NFS / Warcraft3

[Mist]

Originally Posted by Lleauaric~EW

I think saying its "PvP based" is a bit of a stretch.

Its released with 5 24 man raid zones.

Chief Kykkikkis Crypt.
Vistrix's Lair
Yakhmar's Cave
Toth Amon's Stronghold
Black Ring Citadel

And 7 70+ Group only zones.

Thats alot of PVE to have on release. WoW didnt even ship with Molten Core.

WoW did ship with Molten Core and Onyxia. I tested both in beta.

[Digits]

Originally Posted by Mist

WoW did ship with Molten Core and Onyxia. I tested both in beta.

Both were bugged to hell and more aggravating than not, although MC was roughly complete it was just crippled by instance splitting and the like.

Not that I think, for a single second, that any AoC raid dungeon isn't a mess of untested filth. I'm just pointing out WoW blew for raids at release and 6 months thereafter, and AoC will be flying the same banners on their ship.

[CnCGOD]

Originally Posted by Digits

Both were bugged to hell and more aggravating than not, although MC was roughly complete it was just crippled by instance splitting and the like.

Not that I think, for a single second, that any AoC raid dungeon isn't a mess of untested filth. I'm just pointing out WoW blew for raids at release and 6 months thereafter, and AoC will be flying the same banners on their ship.

While raids were in at release they were near impossible to do due to the completely bugged lock-out mechanics.

[Itzena]

Originally Posted by EmiliaEQ

EQ was designed for and by the "Pen&Paper / Figurines / Eye of the Beholder" fans.

The "WoW" generation comes from Everquest

Do the words "Legacy of Steel" and "Fires of Heaven" ring any bells?

[Manseed]

Originally Posted by Itzena

Do the words "Legacy of Steel" and "Fires of Heaven" ring any bells?

Yeah, we've all heard of them. They are also an entirely different culture and audience from WOW. Sorry but he's right, the WOW crowd absolutely did not come from EQ.

[Itzena]

So you're saying that nobody who played EQ was involved in designing WoW?

[Vatoreus]

They're not talking about the designers, they're talking about the players. A good number of players are from CS/Diablo and the like. Hell, when I first started playing everyone cracked jokes about it being "CS w/ Swords" and other shit.

Yes, the designers come from the roots of EQ as does the basic gameplay, but you can't say that a good portion isn't from those cultures. The vast majority of players in WoW though are casual players just looking for a game and come from neither culture really.