Man, I will readily drop $20-$40 to "look really cool" in an MMO. Buying cosmetics or XP boosts is what has always sucked up my money in any F2P MMO I've played.
You know what I wont pay for? Classes, races, access to items I should otherwise have access to. If I have to pay to use an item that dropped in the game for me? I uninstall the game.
If this means Vanguard will get some actual development again I will be overjoyed. That poor game has been an MMO zombie for years.
It's related to the F2P launch, so I'm sure theres more than 1 guy working at it now anyway. It's just that it's the guy who made the game in the first place is returning, which is strange. Keep in mind this is one of the people responsible for the terrible launch and subsequent state of disrepair of Vanguard. I'm not sure he's really the kind of person to make things work out.
Given the game's publishing history I wouldn't blame the guy too hard. When you're working on an MMO and your staff keeps getting cycled around because the publisher changes his mind, then dumps you and then the new one has ideas about the game all of their own before rushing the game out half-finished to make a buck...
Brad himself had a multi part post-mortem on his site (1, 2, 3, 4), but those links have since gone dead and I even archive.org fails me. If someone can dig out a copy that'd be wonderful.
[edit] This is a telling quote about how the development team was affected with management change, though.
When you've got billions of dollars spent trying to launch a new console and millions on the PC titles, you're gonna make sure that the Xbox 360 kicks ass - I think they did a good job of that. The lower level people were put in charge of our project were people who didn't have any MMO experience. They had done Zoo Tycoon 1 & 2. We tried very hard to bring them up to speed and with open arms to show them the differences and similarities between developing an MMO and a single player game - the scale and things like that. That just didn't seem to work. Previously, the people who were dealing with us committed to us - verbally - that they, Microsoft, wanted and were determined to launch a AAA Massively Multiplayer Role-Playing Game - and to do whatever it took to make sure that happened. While that's not down on paper - as no company ever would put down on paper - that was our understanding. Under the new regime, that commitment, nobody remembered it.
"You’ll need a competent exorsist
To expel this gruesome beast
Burn it burn it burn it all
just burn it while you can
Burn it burn it burn it all
Burn this plague, this horror of man
And I also dislike the font, where the ‘m’ lacks a line so it looks like an ‘n’."
Looks like they are easing up on the restrictions for Vanguard F2P a bit. Linky
Less item restriction is a pretty good step. Not being able to equip the rare items I get from exploring the world and bonking named mobs is huge minus. Not sure what "uncommon and higher" means exactly, especially with the item revamp going in with F2P, but hopefully at least orange items will be equipable. And if not just getting the game going again would be enough for me to pay the sub fee and have some fun, love the game even though I don't play it and haven't for some time.
Nathrak on
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KlatuAussie Aussie AussieOi Oi OiRegistered Userregular
Does anyone in this thread still play Atlantica Online? I'm probably going to go back to it after a long break, just want to know if there is people to hook up with or no.
t Klatu: everyone I know burned out long ago. I can recommend playing around solo for a while and see if you can find enough neat features to warrant the search for a pleasant guild. I'm sure there are plenty, but there's no sense joining a PvP guild if all you wanna do is explore America or join a PvE/leveling guild if you just want to beat other humans to pulp.
I have heard bad things about this game, but does anyone know anything concrete? The flight-sim MMO is something I've missed pretty badly since Space Cowboy went tits up.
Dark Blood is finally in open beta. Looks fun enough. I'll probably try it on Sunday.
I'm playing it right now, it's very old school, maybe a bit too much... I think Lunia did a better job because you could actually aim in 8 directions while Dark Blood sticks to the classic 2 and moving in 4 directions.
Got an email from PW about RaiderZ upcoming closed beta as well as two extra keys. From the sounds of it, people that redeemed keys for earlier beta events are getting extras as well.
citizen059hello my name is citizenI'm from the InternetRegistered Userregular
That does look pretty spectacular.
I just hope it's not...
"WOW this is AMAZING! Look at this landscape! Look at that city! I've never seen anything like this! Oh man, let's talk to this NPC. Hey! Hey guy! What's your deal, what are you about?"
"Hello newcomer! I hear you are strong adventurer. I am having problems with Fafnars, they are destroying my business. Please go across the street and save my business!"
"WOW this is AMAZING! Look at this landscape! Look at that city! I've never seen anything like this! Oh man, let's talk to this NPC. Hey! Hey guy! What's your deal, what are you about?"
"Hello newcomer! I hear you are strong adventurer. I am having problems with Fafnars, they are destroying my business. Please go across the street and save my business!"
Fafnars Killed 0/25
...*sigh*
I'm sure it will be, but I still won't mind playing for a bit and being able to see the places from the books. Then I'll probably uninstall and that will be that!
Got bored, updated Wakfu. Man, they've really rolled out a bunch of changes since the end of beta. Extra classes/races, extra nations, the classes themselves redone (Ecaflips feel much better now).
And the game is still pretty beyond words.
Belgian game magazine Gameplay reviewed it when it hit Live and they gave it a meagre 60/100-ish. They (as well as everyone) loved the style, the general idea but found the actual game lacking. It is annoying that so much of the game is locked off for F2Pers (making the game kind of a borderline case for my list...) but it's the actual gameplay that grows tiresome far too soon and along with the major limitations on F2Pers it is only worsened.
To paraphrase them: playing alone is too slow and not tactical enough to get much fun out of it, so you have to play with others, just to enjoy the synergy between different classes and builds. But, with the way the game is limited for F2P it is rather difficult to enjoy the full depth of combat. And even when multiplaying, it gets same-old same-old rather swiftly, you either steamroll everything or hit brick walls it seems. It's not much like a regular TBS where challenges are introduced from the get-go.
To paraphrase them: playing alone is too slow and not tactical enough to get much fun out of it, so you have to play with others, just to enjoy the synergy between different classes and builds. But, with the way the game is limited for F2P it is rather difficult to enjoy the full depth of combat. And even when multiplaying, it gets same-old same-old rather swiftly, you either steamroll everything or hit brick walls it seems. It's not much like a regular TBS where challenges are introduced from the get-go.
Yeah, I can see that, even right out of the tutorial I've been seeing F2P fences. Hey look, a mining node, gather gather gather. Go to the next area, the mining node declares it requires a subscription... well, what's even the point of the low level ones, then?
They also put in some sort of light questing system (at the very least it tracks your tasks and what steps still remain), but it's still too Lite for my taste. I quite dig the combat system and the game is charming as heck, but it's hard to keep interested when all you're doing is running around killing shit just to make your skills slowly hit harder.
But good god do they make things really unclear. I was supposed to join a nation or something, in order to progress. Ran back and forth between two NPC's three times trying to figure out what to do. Takes 15 minutes to make that run...still couldn't join a nation. I was supposed to talk to some big owl, then a guard...but there were no waypoints, no direction other than "hope you can read a map!"
Well, Wakfu, I can read a map. Except you don't give me markers or any kind of real idea of where I am supposed to go. God forbid you give me a quest log so I can look shit up.
A little frustrated. All that artistic talent, wasted on a not-so-good game.
The Wakfu anime is fantastic, it's done by French cartoonists and I'd put it right there on the same level as Avatar in terms of art style and story-telling. It's just kind of difficult to find a nicely subbed version of it, because it's French all right. Very French.
And yea Anon, it is actually not required at all to join a nation, it actually offers nothing interesting for F2Pers. If you're willing to give it a second try: go and kill some more mobs and try to join a group of other players.
There should be a little bar on the left side of the screen with each quest being represented by a picture. To get into a nation what they want you to do is run to the middle connecting all the 4 nations (open your map and zoom out. You'll have started on one of the 4 cross sections, go talk to the guy in the very middle).
There is an indicator that points you to the quest item, but it seems to be inconsistent. For me it only activated once I talked to the guy in the middle and then it went "oh yeah, go back THAT way to get your passport". Gee, would have been nice to have that for the first step, too.
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citizen059hello my name is citizenI'm from the InternetRegistered Userregular
Pfff, another one going for the DDO/LOTRO model. It's not fun any more maintaining this list if a multi-million game is supposed to stand right next to a game like Seyken with a budget as large as one guy's savings. :? Part of the reason why all plans to expand this joint to a proper website aren't getting anywhere is because I can't figure out a way to compare apples to apples without having to resort to prefacing everything I write with how much money I think something costs to make. Because yea I hold a game made by Bioware to completely different standards than a studio's first title.
In other news, I *just* received an e-mail that Zentia is going offline on the 13th of August. That's kind of sad, because the game was as close as we'll ever get to a digital representation of the shit you find a cheap Chinese restaurant.
Posts
You know what I wont pay for? Classes, races, access to items I should otherwise have access to. If I have to pay to use an item that dropped in the game for me? I uninstall the game.
But, that's just me.
A touch goosy.
Am I not allowed to dislike that particular F2P model? I'm confused why you're taking shots at me.
http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07/05/vanguard-welcomes-the-return-of-brad-mcquaid/
It's related to the F2P launch, so I'm sure theres more than 1 guy working at it now anyway. It's just that it's the guy who made the game in the first place is returning, which is strange. Keep in mind this is one of the people responsible for the terrible launch and subsequent state of disrepair of Vanguard. I'm not sure he's really the kind of person to make things work out.
http://www.f13.net/index.php?itemid=561
An interview with Brad.
http://www.f13.net/index.php?itemid=562
Brad himself had a multi part post-mortem on his site (1, 2, 3, 4), but those links have since gone dead and I even archive.org fails me. If someone can dig out a copy that'd be wonderful.
[edit] This is a telling quote about how the development team was affected with management change, though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMia_3vEZzA
Let's Play Final Fantasy 'II' (Ch10 - 5/17/10)
Best part of Elegium is the poem Harry Hall wrote about it on MMO Reporter.
Which you can read the transcript here: http://mmoreporter.com/2012/07/08/mmo-reporter-episode-86-harry-writes-a-letter-to-the-tax-office/#more-6086
They also play back him reading it in that episode if you want to hear it.
XBL:Phenyhelm - 3DS:Phenyhelm
"You’ll need a competent exorsist
To expel this gruesome beast
Burn it burn it burn it all
just burn it while you can
Burn it burn it burn it all
Burn this plague, this horror of man
And I also dislike the font, where the ‘m’ lacks a line so it looks like an ‘n’."
is now my entry for Eligium.
(oh hi Google search result)
Less item restriction is a pretty good step. Not being able to equip the rare items I get from exploring the world and bonking named mobs is huge minus. Not sure what "uncommon and higher" means exactly, especially with the item revamp going in with F2P, but hopefully at least orange items will be equipable. And if not just getting the game going again would be enough for me to pay the sub fee and have some fun, love the game even though I don't play it and haven't for some time.
Cheers.
Hey America: http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07/12/amazon-adds-selection-of-free-to-play-games-and-services-with-ga/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5_Z0JaDVOQ
I have heard bad things about this game, but does anyone know anything concrete? The flight-sim MMO is something I've missed pretty badly since Space Cowboy went tits up.
https://ace.subagames.com/index.aspx
http://www.airrivals.net/
Anyone want to beta read a paranormal mystery novella? Here's your chance.
stream
I'm playing it right now, it's very old school, maybe a bit too much... I think Lunia did a better job because you could actually aim in 8 directions while Dark Blood sticks to the classic 2 and moving in 4 directions.
I'm a big fan of the books so I went ahead and signed up for it. I mean hell, it's free so I might as well try it.
I just hope it's not...
"WOW this is AMAZING! Look at this landscape! Look at that city! I've never seen anything like this! Oh man, let's talk to this NPC. Hey! Hey guy! What's your deal, what are you about?"
"Hello newcomer! I hear you are strong adventurer. I am having problems with Fafnars, they are destroying my business. Please go across the street and save my business!"
Fafnars Killed 0/25
...*sigh*
I'm sure it will be, but I still won't mind playing for a bit and being able to see the places from the books. Then I'll probably uninstall and that will be that!
And the game is still pretty beyond words.
To paraphrase them: playing alone is too slow and not tactical enough to get much fun out of it, so you have to play with others, just to enjoy the synergy between different classes and builds. But, with the way the game is limited for F2P it is rather difficult to enjoy the full depth of combat. And even when multiplaying, it gets same-old same-old rather swiftly, you either steamroll everything or hit brick walls it seems. It's not much like a regular TBS where challenges are introduced from the get-go.
The art style appeals to my wife.
They also put in some sort of light questing system (at the very least it tracks your tasks and what steps still remain), but it's still too Lite for my taste. I quite dig the combat system and the game is charming as heck, but it's hard to keep interested when all you're doing is running around killing shit just to make your skills slowly hit harder.
But good god do they make things really unclear. I was supposed to join a nation or something, in order to progress. Ran back and forth between two NPC's three times trying to figure out what to do. Takes 15 minutes to make that run...still couldn't join a nation. I was supposed to talk to some big owl, then a guard...but there were no waypoints, no direction other than "hope you can read a map!"
Well, Wakfu, I can read a map. Except you don't give me markers or any kind of real idea of where I am supposed to go. God forbid you give me a quest log so I can look shit up.
A little frustrated. All that artistic talent, wasted on a not-so-good game.
Anyone want to beta read a paranormal mystery novella? Here's your chance.
stream
And yea Anon, it is actually not required at all to join a nation, it actually offers nothing interesting for F2Pers. If you're willing to give it a second try: go and kill some more mobs and try to join a group of other players.
There is an indicator that points you to the quest item, but it seems to be inconsistent. For me it only activated once I talked to the guy in the middle and then it went "oh yeah, go back THAT way to get your passport". Gee, would have been nice to have that for the first step, too.
theverge.com/gaming/2012/7/31/3207160/star-wars-the-old-republic-going-free-to-play-this-fall
Here's the quick list of paid vs. free "features".
swtor.com/FREE/features
Pfff, another one going for the DDO/LOTRO model. It's not fun any more maintaining this list if a multi-million game is supposed to stand right next to a game like Seyken with a budget as large as one guy's savings. :? Part of the reason why all plans to expand this joint to a proper website aren't getting anywhere is because I can't figure out a way to compare apples to apples without having to resort to prefacing everything I write with how much money I think something costs to make. Because yea I hold a game made by Bioware to completely different standards than a studio's first title.
In other news, I *just* received an e-mail that Zentia is going offline on the 13th of August. That's kind of sad, because the game was as close as we'll ever get to a digital representation of the shit you find a cheap Chinese restaurant.