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[APB: Reloaded] New name, same game?

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Posts

  • VoroVoro Registered User regular
    edited April 2011
    I don't think complaining here is going to change much. However, complaining in this thread that closed beta testers can access might do some good. Or maybe not. This is my first time dealing with GamersFirst, so I don't know how receptive they are to change / feedback.

    As far as what should happen with weapons in general, I would suggest this: Unslotted weapons available for permanent purchase at 4-5x the cost of a 10 day rental using in-game money. 1 slot weapons available for rental using in-game money, and rental or purchase using real money. 2 slot weapons only available for rental with both in-game or real money. 3 slot weapons only available for rental with real money.

    I'll come up with some sane pricing and suggest it in aforementioned thread. With luck, someone will give a shit. I'd love for APB to be something I play regularly and not just something I fire up to screw around with the character creation every month or so.

    ...like Champions and my lifetime sub. D:

    Voro on
    XBL GamerTag: Comrade Nexus
  • orpheusorpheus Registered User regular
    edited April 2011
    Another 25,000 beta keys out and no email makes me a sad panda. Anyone in possession of a spare beta key would make my day.

    orpheus on
    But, if you are after mere parlor tricks, you will be sorely disappointed. For if I reach behind your ear, it will not be a nickel I pull out, but your very soul!
  • Winnie The PoohWinnie The Pooh Registered User regular
    edited April 2011
    I played the original closed beta for APB and made my feelings known about that version of the game here. There were so many promises, good intentions, and the game sounded like something we all wanted to play, that I felt it was important to warn people of the problems that I saw before they spent their hard-earned money. I am going to continue that tradition now. I was granted access to this closed beta and have spent what I feel is enough time exploring the new version that I can at least make some broad comments.

    As a disclaimer, GamersFirst is planning some further sweeping changes that we have yet to see in closed beta, so much of this might end up changing. I'll detail why this isn't a good thing.
    Before the most recent patch, the game was practically identical to what I had experienced so long ago. It felt like I had stepped back into the same shoes from over a year ago. The weapon balance had changed, new guns were overpowered and the upgrade system wasn't as bad, but the core problems remained. Several rather obvious bugs that existed a year ago remain even in the current build. I was obviously worried.

    The foreseeable problem was that GamersFirst was pushing for open beta as hard as it could. There were numerous blogposts about the sequence of patching, beta, and release. Frankly it frightened me. So many planned system updates, so many additions that they wanted to drop either right before or during open itself. None of it boded well. So far it hasn't worked.

    Open beta is apparently right around the corner, and the game is in a rather deplorable state. The guns are the same, imbalances yet exist, the upgrade system is back and only minimally altered to provide “downsides.” The sweeping changes to the respawn system have so far failed miserably, as I have found myself more often spawning 3 feet from an opponent or being rudely interrupted by the appearance of an enemy behind me, to the side of me, or on top of me. A recent VIP mission epitomized these problems, as our VIP spawned 40 meters from the entire enemy team, in the middle of a road. Recent casualties on our own team were dropped approximately 200 meters away from what ended up being a rather short gunfight.

    We have seen no improvement of the matchmaking system. The mission system remains relatively intact, with some missions being next to impossible to complete for one team or another, and the rest detracting from the enjoyment of the game. Attempts at altering certain mission variants have resulted in additional bugs that have yet to be ironed out. I suppose it is reasonable to expect so many bugs with such a large patch to the game. What isn't reasonable is doing all this on a rickety, shaky foundation.

    On the technical side, every time I play this game I seem to encounter more problems with latency, stuttering, crashing, and a host of other issues. There are patches that claim to fix such things, but so many exist that I can only imagine the number of patches it will take to rid me of these game killing woes.

    This is a beta, however. I try at all times to remember what this entails. But I have been a part of enough betas to know that promises of sweeping changes, the honeyed words of “they'll fix it for launch,” or open, or whatever next phase is coming, is nothing to rely on. This is especially the case for this game, as large chunks of the game have not been seen by players and will apparently not be seen until open beta or launch itself.

    While all this is going on, we have seen the addition of the leasing system and the real money market of APB. I will reserve comments and judgments on this system as such things are incredibly controversial. It suffices that you probably know what such a leasing system means for you as a player and whether or not you appreciate such a thing.

    What does all this mean? The original APB failed miserably and quickly. The current version has yet to fix what I found, and apparently what many found, to be the core concerns. There are “sweeping” changes happening and rapidly approaching, none of which have remedied these concerns while simultaneously making the game a buggier mess. I have given up on the beta and I will probably continue watching only to satisfy my morbid curiosity.

    Winnie The Pooh on
  • ArchonexArchonex No hard feelings, right? Registered User regular
    edited April 2011
    I would argue that a big part of the reason why the original APB failed was their subscription plan. Which was completely screwed up. It's hard to make back your losses if noone needs to give you money, as nasty as that sounds. The game itself was pretty fun, just lacking in the promised end-game (But then, what game that came out around that period of time wasn't lacking in an end-game?).


    That, and they gave you so many free hours after buying the box set that most people would be bored of the game/finished "beating" it by the time they needed to buy more time.

    This was compounded by the fact that their guild system had virtually no impact on the game. And the one big feature they touted ("owning" the city/being a legend) turned out to be a gimmick at best, non-existent at worst, meaning there was no real end-game.


    That's not getting into the management/money issues they somehow managed to come up with. But yeah. I know I never had to pay for subscription time, and I was a pretty regular player.



    Mind you, I don't think things like cash shop rental weaponry makes that justifiable either. That's a different kind of stupid altogether, right there.



    Stuff like being able to climb buildings, and such, I never viewed as being "bugs". That's what I would call an emergent feature that needed a bit more support to it. As in, providing more routes/ways to climb to ledges, and such, that keep players from camping one area.

    Or introducing weaponry that can ruin people who ledge camped.

    Archonex on
  • RiusRius Globex CEO Nobody ever says ItalyRegistered User regular
    edited April 2011
    You're a real Debbie Downer, you know that, Pooh?

    It's free now; why would you try to prevent people from spending their money when they don't have to?

    Plus, and I know you talked about how you distrust betas, but it's still in (closed) beta.

    Rius on
  • acidlacedpenguinacidlacedpenguin Institutionalized Safe in jail.Registered User regular
    edited April 2011
    so I'm finally in on this. Is team rocket back in bidness?

    Aubergine on Joker (East server)

    acidlacedpenguin on
    GT: Acidboogie PSNid: AcidLacedPenguiN
  • Lucky CynicLucky Cynic Registered User regular
    edited April 2011
    I am Kryscendo on Joker. As a crim, btw.

    Lucky Cynic on
  • SonorkSonork CanadaRegistered User regular
    edited April 2011
    Camui and I are duo'ing TEam Rocket on Colby West Server atm.

    Sonork on
  • acidlacedpenguinacidlacedpenguin Institutionalized Safe in jail.Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    both east and west servers are currently hosted on the west coast at the moment, right?

    acidlacedpenguin on
    GT: Acidboogie PSNid: AcidLacedPenguiN
  • taliosfalcontaliosfalcon Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    both east and west servers are currently hosted on the west coast at the moment, right?


    yes

    taliosfalcon on
    steam xbox - adeptpenguin
  • MyDcmbrMyDcmbr PEWPEWPEW!!! America's WangRegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Pooh was a hater the first time the game was released too. Anything you tried to say that was good about APB, he would figure out a way to shit all over it.

    I see some things never change.

    MyDcmbr on
    Steam
    So we get stiff once in a while. So we have a little fun. What’s wrong with that? This is a free country, isn’t it? I can take my panda any place I want to. And if I wanna buy it a drink, that’s my business.
  • SladvanSladvan Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    MyDcmbr wrote: »
    Pooh was a hater the first time the game was released too. Anything you tried to say that was good about APB, he would figure out a way to shit all over it.

    I see some things never change.

    He's also friends with Goomba. I wouldn't trust anything that silly old bear says.

    Sladvan on
    ken2.png
  • EliminationElimination Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    One thing i can say, is i wont ever pay for a weapon or item to "rent" and any F2P game that runs solely off of rental style payment methods i tend to not stick with for more than a week tops. I'd rather pay $10 and have it permanently attached to my character than pay $2 a month for it. I like to leave these kinds of games and play casually dropping in here and there, and sometimes dropping $20 here and there on them to get some cool looking armour or something unique. If it says there is a time limit anywhere on anything, my interest immediately fizzles out.

    Thats my feelings on that style of shop, at least.

    Elimination on
    PSN: PA_Elimination 3DS: 4399-2012-1711 Steam: http://steamcommunity.com/id/TheElimination/
  • EliminationElimination Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Ok well, i have a beta key, but have no idea where to sign it into to actually play...

    Edit: Figured it out. But putting in the code apparently just applies me for the beta, and is not an actual beta invite key? Thats dumb. You can apply for the beta off the main site...whats the point of the key...

    Elimination on
    PSN: PA_Elimination 3DS: 4399-2012-1711 Steam: http://steamcommunity.com/id/TheElimination/
  • acidlacedpenguinacidlacedpenguin Institutionalized Safe in jail.Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    meh I don't mind rentals if you can use in-game money on the rentals.

    I also think rentals are retarded when using real money. When I played Combat Arms they had a mix of the two, I'd pretty much always look at the sales they had for items they were retiring, ended up kitting myself out pretty nice for like $20, then I got kicked from 90% of matches because I was good at that game and nexon had the genius idea of letting people rent admin rights for money and anyone who actually values their money pretty much doesn't rent that ability, leaving it exclusively for pre-teens whose parents gave them their credit card and said "Go nuts, now leave me alone"

    I heard that I cheat so much I started to believe it myself.

    acidlacedpenguin on
    GT: Acidboogie PSNid: AcidLacedPenguiN
  • Winnie The PoohWinnie The Pooh Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    MyDcmbr wrote: »
    Pooh was a hater the first time the game was released too. Anything you tried to say that was good about APB, he would figure out a way to shit all over it.

    I see some things never change.

    Yeah, it was pretty tough "figuring out" ways to shit all over that wonderful game. How'd that turn out, anyway?

    But you are right; it seems things don't change. I'm sure this is horribly unfounded pessimism just like the last time, right?

    Maybe you'll continue our little trip down memory lane and wallow in your own fetid ignorance while treating other (better) posters like shit!

    That'd be swell!

    Winnie The Pooh on
  • EliminationElimination Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    meh I don't mind rentals if you can use in-game money on the rentals.

    I also think rentals are retarded when using real money. When I played Combat Arms they had a mix of the two, I'd pretty much always look at the sales they had for items they were retiring, ended up kitting myself out pretty nice for like $20, then I got kicked from 90% of matches because I was good at that game and nexon had the genius idea of letting people rent admin rights for money and anyone who actually values their money pretty much doesn't rent that ability, leaving it exclusively for pre-teens whose parents gave them their credit card and said "Go nuts, now leave me alone"

    I heard that I cheat so much I started to believe it myself.

    Happened to me a few times too. I found that in general the playerbase of Combat Arms are atrociously bad at FPS games. Because to be honest i'm not that good, and i routinely come in first place in the rankings.

    Elimination on
    PSN: PA_Elimination 3DS: 4399-2012-1711 Steam: http://steamcommunity.com/id/TheElimination/
  • acidlacedpenguinacidlacedpenguin Institutionalized Safe in jail.Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    oh got the hacks and the lag, and the irony of complaining about cheaters 3 posts where I complained about people complaining about cheaters.

    who decided it would be a good idea to allow someone not on mission to park over an objective giving you no recourse except to fail the mission or leave the district.


    oh god, why can't I stop playing this?

    acidlacedpenguin on
    GT: Acidboogie PSNid: AcidLacedPenguiN
  • RiusRius Globex CEO Nobody ever says ItalyRegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Restored my old character tonight; I look exactly like I did before and (most importantly) I have my hard-boiled detective outfit, my Two Days Special Swat outfit and my Three Wolf Moon t-shirt outfit. Hallelujah!

    Though I only have two active outfit slots. Is this some bullshit where I'll have to buy a third or more slots? probably! Do I care? Hell no, I've got the only Three Wolf Moon t-shirt lol.

    Rius on
  • EchoEcho ski-bap ba-dapModerator mod
    edited May 2011
    Either I can't for the life of me remember my old password, or it just stopped working for whatever reason.

    Echo on
  • acidlacedpenguinacidlacedpenguin Institutionalized Safe in jail.Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    where do I go to reclaim my old dudes/dudettes. I want my pervy team rocket sanchez guy back.

    Also, dropping like $40 worth of G1 duckets on character slots while they had that 100% rebate offer was like, a good idea for me.

    acidlacedpenguin on
    GT: Acidboogie PSNid: AcidLacedPenguiN
  • MagicPrimeMagicPrime FiresideWizard Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    So I downloaded this game for the new pre-release. Played for a week or two, realized it was the same shitty game from before, and un-installed.


    Still the same situation or has something drastic happened to really improve it?

    MagicPrime on
    BNet • magicprime#1430 | PSN/Steam • MagicPrime | Origin • FireSideWizard
    Critical Failures - Havenhold CampaignAugust St. Cloud (Human Ranger)
  • DarkewolfeDarkewolfe Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    MagicPrime wrote: »
    So I downloaded this game for the new pre-release. Played for a week or two, realized it was the same shitty game from before, and un-installed.


    Still the same situation or has something drastic happened to really improve it?

    It's the same game as before, but now you can buy additional weapon imbalances with real world money if you like.

    Darkewolfe on
    What is this I don't even.
  • A duck!A duck! Moderator, ClubPA mod
    edited May 2011
    MyDcmbr wrote: »
    Pooh was a hater the first time the game was released too. Anything you tried to say that was good about APB, he would figure out a way to shit all over it.

    I see some things never change.

    Yeah, it was pretty tough "figuring out" ways to shit all over that wonderful game. How'd that turn out, anyway?

    But you are right; it seems things don't change. I'm sure this is horribly unfounded pessimism just like the last time, right?

    Maybe you'll continue our little trip down memory lane and wallow in your own fetid ignorance while treating other (better) posters like shit!

    That'd be swell!

    Have fun posting in other threads.

    A duck! on
  • acidlacedpenguinacidlacedpenguin Institutionalized Safe in jail.Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Darkewolfe wrote: »
    MagicPrime wrote: »
    So I downloaded this game for the new pre-release. Played for a week or two, realized it was the same shitty game from before, and un-installed.


    Still the same situation or has something drastic happened to really improve it?

    It's the same game as before, but now you can rent additional weapon imbalances with real world money if you like.

    FTFY

    but seriously, it's very much the same game except more stable with PB on than the previous game was with it off, developers who can now afford to care about user opinion, a promise that hackers will be dealt with in the very near future, a slightly better driving physics set up, significantly more lore (in the form of contact emails) and a much more straight forward reputation grinding system, slightly better matchmaking (with significantly better matchmaking promised for later) more balanced weapon/character/vehicle mods.

    You can no longer buy weapons on the market, LTL is still as rage inducing, trolling is a art, still has asymmetry between enforcers and crims that I'd like to see made symmetrical: mostly enforcers can witness crims doing bad things and instagib them for the lulz, crims should be able to do "anonymous tip hotline" whenever they see an enforcer kill civilians, destroy property, etc. Also arrests take crims out of the match for like 2.5 times as long as a death, crims should be allowed a similar mechanic, maybe like an assassination animation or something.

    acidlacedpenguin on
    GT: Acidboogie PSNid: AcidLacedPenguiN
  • BuraisuBuraisu Psychomancer Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Winnie The Pooh is the best tester I ever had the honor to work with. His information is as true now as it was before the first official launch. Though there is no cost to try out the game now, you can only lose your free time and bandwidth that could be used playing and downloading something better. Hopefully they will fix the problems on other peoples' dime so we can come back and enjoy what can be made out of the greatest MMO failure in history. I still love the idea behind this game, I just don't like the obvious bugs that haven't been fixed and which make up a large portion of the game.

    Also, I love you guys. <3

    Buraisu on
    47uk6agplx83.png
  • ArchonexArchonex No hard feelings, right? Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Perhaps i'm mis-remembering things, but I recall Winnie being one of the ones who whined that the "taser shotgun" was "unbeatable". When there was ample proof otherwise (It seemed like most people expected to take on a shotgun user in close quarters with an automatic weapon, and come out on top. Which is stupid. This game isn't Counter-Strike, and shotguns don't work like that.).

    I eventually just gave up arguing over that crap, left the thread, and enjoyed putting potholes in taser users with my SAW and sniper rifle from half a street away.



    Anyways, I finally managed to get the website to accept my information about a week or so ago. Are invites still going out? I used a code provided by one of the developers, so I don't know if that effects anything. This beta process seems so alien to me. Why do I need a code to apply for beta?



    Edit: I will say that taking weaponry off of the market (The player market.) is stupid, if that's the case. There's pushing the "rental/cash shop" angle. And then there's forcing it down someone's throat.

    Archonex on
  • tsplittertsplitter Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Witnessing has to be the most one-sided fight in the game, especially when there are actual groups just driving around, hoping to catch people.

    tsplitter on
    FqmsaJ6.png
  • SimpsoniaSimpsonia Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    So I got in to the closed beta, is anyone else here playing on Joker? My character is an enforcer named Simps.

    Also does the grind get worse? I flew through maxing the first 2 contacts pretty quickly, but now that I'm over R30, these long 9 stage missions are taking 30-40 min to get the same amount of standing making the grind much more tedious and even just this 3rd contact is becoming a chore. I can't even imagine trying to max out other contacts if it keeps ramping up.

    Simpsonia on
  • Just_Bri_ThanksJust_Bri_Thanks Seething with rage from a handbasket.Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited May 2011
    I rolled on Joker, but I have to reinstall. Hard drive died, and my ISP is slooooow, so it will take a while to get a few things downloaded again.

    Just_Bri_Thanks on
    ...and when you are done with that; take a folding
    chair to Creation and then suplex the Void.
  • Pat_McRochPat_McRoch Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Rius wrote: »
    Restored my old character tonight; I look exactly like I did before and (most importantly) I have my hard-boiled detective outfit, my Two Days Special Swat outfit and my Three Wolf Moon t-shirt outfit. Hallelujah!

    Though I only have two active outfit slots. Is this some bullshit where I'll have to buy a third or more slots? probably! Do I care? Hell no, I've got the only Three Wolf Moon t-shirt lol.

    I'm trying to get my old char back as well but it seems borked. Are you rolling on east or west coast server?

    Edit: Does it feel like you are driving through molasses to anyone else in this game? They fixed it in release apb, maybe it's the test servers they are running on.

    Pat_McRoch on
  • Lucky CynicLucky Cynic Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I just can't play competitively in APB at the moment. Sorry but 180ms of ping is just not cutting it for me, especially that I play with the sniper and I don't have very much room for error. Plus it sure sucks when I get the ambush on someone in close range, and they are able to strafe turn around and nail me despite me emptying my uzi- the ping can be that bad.

    Lucky Cynic on
  • acidlacedpenguinacidlacedpenguin Institutionalized Safe in jail.Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    yeah my ping is minimum 150ms and I'm almost certain it's the cause of 90% of my rage.

    Also the other rage is when I end up playing against someone with the CCG at any range less than FARTHER THAN the maximum sniper range I basically just have to give up. Just last night I opened up on one using an OCA sidewinder from about 5 feet into the back of the dude (who had zero health/defense related stats, i checked) hitting with probably about 85% hitmarkers, he spins around hits me 4 times with the damn thing and then I'm out of the match for three times as long I would have been if he just shot me with a real gun.

    Now I think it's pretty cool that the factions are asymmetrical and everything, but there really should be some checks/balances against that kind of stuff.

    what I usually hope for is to roll in a group and sit outside the mission area tagging people who are already hit (for the kill) or fresh ones (for the assist)

    acidlacedpenguin on
    GT: Acidboogie PSNid: AcidLacedPenguiN
  • BeltaineBeltaine BOO BOO DOO DE DOORegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Since the character recovery went live, I've been playing again.

    My first reaction is making the game Free2Play means there are a bunch of morons playing who don't give a shit because they haven't spent any money on the game anyway.

    Most of the time I get put in a group and everyone readies up. I'll head towards the mission objection, Teammate 1 hops into my car and starts popping pedestrians as I drive. Thanks for killing my prestige. Teammate 2 is 750m away doing god knows what. Teammate 3 eventually shows up to the action and announces his arrival usually by running over me with a car or throwing a grenade at me.

    Still, for some reason I keep playing this game, even though the people playing are horrible, the hackers are rampant, the game always seems to stutter from graphics pop-in right when I need to shoot someone, and I just flat out suck at playing.

    I can't tell if I'm just bad or the game somehow has some strange rules. I can put entire magazines of ammo into people after getting the drop on them, at any range, and they can turn and off me within their first 3-4 shots. Snipers hitting me from around corners is also frustrating.

    Still, I can't stop playing...

    Beltaine on
    XdDBi4F.jpg
    PSN: Beltaine-77 | Steam: beltane77 | Battle.net BadHaggis#1433
  • Just_Bri_ThanksJust_Bri_Thanks Seething with rage from a handbasket.Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited May 2011
    Can't log in to the website, and when I get the E-Mail to reset my password the link to click is incomplete and therefore useless.
    https://www.gamersfirst.com/account/select_password.php?code=
    

    Unrelated: Can't choose where to install GamersFirst Live.

    Not pleased. Not pleased at all.

    Edit: I am pretty sure I know what my password is, because if I get it 'wrong' I get a login error, but if I get it 'right' I get redirected to
    http://www.gamersfirst.com/unhandled&#37;20exception
    

    wtb real web team, pst.

    Just_Bri_Thanks on
    ...and when you are done with that; take a folding
    chair to Creation and then suplex the Void.
  • acidlacedpenguinacidlacedpenguin Institutionalized Safe in jail.Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    so either the netcode just got a shitload better or the east coast server was actually moved to the east coast because driving and shooting works so much better now.

    acidlacedpenguin on
    GT: Acidboogie PSNid: AcidLacedPenguiN
  • SurikoSuriko AustraliaRegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Downloaded all the shit needed, installed, patched... and the game crashes before even starting.

    Great start.

    Edit: File verification fixed it. Time to enforce some shit. Nice to see a game that, for damn well once, handles windowed mode gracefully.

    Suriko on
  • devCharlesdevCharles Gainesville, FLRegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    So are we doing this today?

    devCharles on
    Xbox Live: Hero Protag
    SteamID: devCharles
    twitter: https://twitter.com/charlesewise
  • acidlacedpenguinacidlacedpenguin Institutionalized Safe in jail.Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    you better be. I'm CRIM named Aubergine on EAST and I'm sick of running with brainless noobs. I can only handle brainless XOR noobs.

    acidlacedpenguin on
    GT: Acidboogie PSNid: AcidLacedPenguiN
  • EinEin CaliforniaRegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I want my old character back. I apparently missed out on Closed Beta, but I'm hoping Open Beta will be the stupid reckless fun that I remember back from when APB was live.

    Ein on
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