Page 12 of 17 FirstFirst 1234567891011121314151617 LastLast
Results 221 to 240 of 338

Thread: Letter from the Game Director

  1. #221
    "QUOTE FROM SOME GUY*: Something something something will they cost as much as Episode 1 for HL2

    Quote Originally Posted by Silirrion View Post
    I can't go into specifics on the pricing just yet, we will announce those a little closer to the time, but I would imagine it certainly wouldnt be any more then that for most of the types of packs we are aiming for as a rough guide.

    I would hope it wouldn't be more than that, I don't *really* feel like paying for endless amounts of tiny boosters at the price it cost me to get Ep1

    W'll have to see how you handle these boosters, and I hope you're not going to be selling with your scary virtual points things like RBP and BoC and full sets of AI armor and boosts to lvl220/30 and credits and...... etcetc...

    Although, wtb Leet Key!

    *Never Mind* Just read
    Quote Originally Posted by Silirrion View Post
    As I said earlier in the thread, there aren't any plans to include any items that would have any significant effect on game play in that way. We are very conscious of people's thoughts and concerns there. The new system will be for the types of social 'cool and fun' items that are optional for players. The comparison to the veterans items is a good one, we won't be offering new weapons or armor or anything like that for direct sale.

    Of course, as also mentioned above any boosters that are playfield packs will of course have loot, but like an expansion any charge there is for access to the content just like an expansion, those packs will in effect be 'mini-expansions' and the points there just another valid payment option - we also plan to make the previous expansions available for points as well once the system is live (kind of like buying the full games on the XBox live system for example, its just another thing you can get for your points)

    You will never need to buy individual items though to get the best guns, armor or items in the game. Those will always be something that must be gained through normal gameplay so you don't need to worry there
    (Happy about the bold part especially)

    Still, all round exciting news, can't wait to see if you can make AO look even better with some current hardware! Sick of getting 12fps on my X850 XT ^^
    I made a reference to a fictional extra-terrestrial hive-mind race of beings collectively called Grthulox, and you need an indication that I'm not being completely serious?

    [Infferno]: btw u are girl in rl or something ? To [Infferno]: nope To [Infferno]: 21 yo m [Infferno]: oki :> To [Infferno]: why? To [Infferno]: you wants cyb0rz? [Infferno]: stfu lol

    Get to know the real Healyhatman at Healy's MySpace! Leave a comment!
    See the Healy the Atheist at The Enlightenment of the Healy - my Atheist Blog.

  2. #222
    Would be impossible to have the new engine Optional. Cant have some people on one and some on another. The Physics are controlled By the engine, so the slight differences in how characters move and so on would make the 2 be outta sync.
    Krause Equip

    *** Krause's Evil WTB Thread! (Weird/Odd Stuff) ***
    (Items like "Lost Faith/Hope", "Wreath of Insects", "Chirop Exoskeleton Wing Mesh", "Small Jar", "Old Barrel")
    Quote Originally Posted by Means View Post
    This is going to get done if it kills me or preferably someone else.

  3. #223
    Quote Originally Posted by Doctorhyde View Post





    Why? Because they will have to -force- people to use the new engine then. And that would be bad. There will be too many people who can't, who play AO -because- its an old game with old hardware requirements. Anything that forced people into a new engine instead of being at some level optional would need to be released as a new game.
    This is the only part of your post I would take issue with. One of the biggest hassles I've come across in playing mmo's are the people who get upset because technology left them behind. Why even bother with a new engine/graphics/etc., if everything has to be maintained for the lowest performing system on the totem pole? Especially when that lowest system is more than likely barely above the requirements to run AO 6 years ago.

    I'll be the first to admit, gameplay > graphics, however to really be successful a game needs both. To illustrate what I mean, and show that I'm not talking about everybody having a "Vanguard" certified space-age rig, this is what I would consider to be a happy median:

    Minimum requirements: ability to play game with all options set to minimum

    P4 1.5GHz ( or AMD equivalent)

    512mb ram

    Nvidia 6200 graphic card (or ATI equivalent)


    Recommended requirements: abilty to run all or most options on high settings

    P4 2.4GHz or higher ( or AMD equivalent)

    1Gb ram

    Nvidia 7600 graphic card or greater (or ATI equivalent)

    I'd say that's a fairly generous setup, allowing for a great amount of eye candy but also allowing those on a smaller budget able to play.

    Sorry, folks. But P2's and 64mb of ram just do not cut it nowadays, and game devs shouldn't have to sacrifice what they can offer just to appease those with archaic systems. Nor should gamers be denied the ability to enjoy the benefits of rigs 2 years old or less just because others are so far behind.

    And before anyone flames, I am in no way trying to be an ass here, but this game is going to need players or the upgrades aren't going to mean squat. If AO is going to even attempt to be in the mainstream ( with 100k players or more), then standards are going to have to be raised.

  4. #224
    Thats true.

    And without the graphics themselves acually being upgraded so that all items/zones have a much higher poly count, the reqs will only go up slightly, but in return, any machine with a Nvidia/ATI vid card (doesnt even matter if its like 4-5 years old) will get a performance boost, since essentially right after the engin upgrade it will be the same "graphics" but the GPU will be used to take load off the CPU. Only thing i could see maybe gettin a graphics update right off the bat from the engine itself might be water.

    Its a shame one of the bugs people hate the most really cant be fixed. Which is mission door lag.

    Missions by design are split into many spots spread out throughout the map, so you only render the segment your in. but open that door and the engine links the doorway with another section of the map, causeing everything in that section to load for everyone in the room its connecting too. That is the lag.

    Maybe the new engine will make that less painful, because it wont all be CPU based, but still, it is prob pulling that info off the HD for the map, unless it has it all preloaded in memory (kinda doubt) so that little lag may be unavoidable :/
    Krause Equip

    *** Krause's Evil WTB Thread! (Weird/Odd Stuff) ***
    (Items like "Lost Faith/Hope", "Wreath of Insects", "Chirop Exoskeleton Wing Mesh", "Small Jar", "Old Barrel")
    Quote Originally Posted by Means View Post
    This is going to get done if it kills me or preferably someone else.

  5. #225
    Quote Originally Posted by Krause View Post
    Thats true.

    And without the graphics themselves acually being upgraded so that all items/zones have a much higher poly count, the reqs will only go up slightly, but in return, any machine with a Nvidia/ATI vid card (doesnt even matter if its like 4-5 years old) will get a performance boost, since essentially right after the engin upgrade it will be the same "graphics" but the GPU will be used to take load off the CPU. Only thing i could see maybe gettin a graphics update right off the bat from the engine itself might be water.

    Its a shame one of the bugs people hate the most really cant be fixed. Which is mission door lag.

    Missions by design are split into many spots spread out throughout the map, so you only render the segment your in. but open that door and the engine links the doorway with another section of the map, causeing everything in that section to load for everyone in the room its connecting too. That is the lag.

    Maybe the new engine will make that less painful, because it wont all be CPU based, but still, it is prob pulling that info off the HD for the map, unless it has it all preloaded in memory (kinda doubt) so that little lag may be unavoidable :/
    Mission door lag would be greatly diminished on a low end rig and basically eliminated on a medium rig or higher. Mainly, because the cpu would only need to pull data for mission, graphic card would load up graphics for mission, and the modern server architecture would allow the two to work fully in tandem.

    They could even implement a CoX type deal, with a 1-2 second load screen as this happens, as missions would also benefit from the new setup, allowing more variety in mobs/location/props/etc.

  6. #226
    Quote Originally Posted by Doctorhyde View Post
    If you were following the real story:

    1) They haven't hired new modelers/animators/etc for this project ... they continue to use the staff that was used for things like LE
    i havent read anything after this post yet. but i have to say...

    you sir, are an idiot.

    i understand ignorance is bliss (and not just the clan town). but please, you dont have to prove it to us.

    Level 1 to 300 in 8 Years! Pwn!
    - Join us on Discord! -
    AO WIKI!
    Arcanum!


  7. #227
    Always such a wise comment to say "I ain't gonna read anything else you wrote, but I'll judge you from the first line I saw".

    All I can say is "back at you" Shadowgod.
    Theonara: "...but if I weren't married, some days I'd offer to kiss you. You just make too much sense. "
    Maeventura: "Sigh, once again I can but only bow for hyde's wisdom."

    ...."Social" keys, lightbars, wen-wens......Better tabbing!

    ... First Troxdoc with QL300 symbs (AO 17.0 pre-Albtraum guide) ... as well as first with 12 of 13 Alpha symbs.
    ... First TL1 Clanner with Omni-Armed Forces armor (pics) (pointless yet hawt)


    <original UI hacker ... when not actively playing AO ... email = 'hyde [at] athenpaladins • org'>

  8. #228
    Quote Originally Posted by Doctorhyde View Post
    Always such a wise comment to say "I ain't gonna read anything else you wrote, but I'll judge you from the first line I saw".

    All I can say is "back at you" Shadowgod.
    you never said anything to correct the very erroneous statement you made. thus my statement stands without need of correction.

    Level 1 to 300 in 8 Years! Pwn!
    - Join us on Discord! -
    AO WIKI!
    Arcanum!


  9. #229
    /me presses the wrinkles out of his Flame Suit (BETA)

    do you not see the difference between

    i havent read anything after this post yet.
    and

    "I ain't gonna read anything else you wrote, but I'll judge you from the first line I saw"
    Doctorhyde?


    ps. can we get this thread back on the subject instead of flaming each other??
    Only through the exercise of free will can the soul grow; only through courage in the face of temptation and pain can the spirit soar.

  10. #230
    Quote Originally Posted by WisebutCruel View Post
    Mission door lag would be greatly diminished on a low end rig and basically eliminated on a medium rig or higher. Mainly, because the cpu would only need to pull data for mission, graphic card would load up graphics for mission, and the modern server architecture would allow the two to work fully in tandem.

    They could even implement a CoX type deal, with a 1-2 second load screen as this happens, as missions would also benefit from the new setup, allowing more variety in mobs/location/props/etc.
    I dunno man, since the way the mission instances are designed, there may still be lag. I dont think it loads any sections of the missions you havent been in yet till you acually open that door. They would need to make it so it preloads the entire mission before you enter, making the loading time longer at the start, and may make the entire place laggier as a whole. Or not :P maybe it was done like this as a means to streamline the ability to randomly put a bunch of different assorted size/shape/type prefab rooms together to form 1 zone.
    Krause Equip

    *** Krause's Evil WTB Thread! (Weird/Odd Stuff) ***
    (Items like "Lost Faith/Hope", "Wreath of Insects", "Chirop Exoskeleton Wing Mesh", "Small Jar", "Old Barrel")
    Quote Originally Posted by Means View Post
    This is going to get done if it kills me or preferably someone else.

  11. #231
    Quote Originally Posted by Peregryn View Post
    ps. can we get this thread back on the subject instead of flaming each other??
    Yes!

    Whats up with the Bikes, in one part of the video it showed it hugging the ground down a slope the way a ground vehicle handles, and in another, in the air flying like a yalm.

    Do they preform both functions, or are there different models?
    Krause Equip

    *** Krause's Evil WTB Thread! (Weird/Odd Stuff) ***
    (Items like "Lost Faith/Hope", "Wreath of Insects", "Chirop Exoskeleton Wing Mesh", "Small Jar", "Old Barrel")
    Quote Originally Posted by Means View Post
    This is going to get done if it kills me or preferably someone else.

  12. #232
    Quote Originally Posted by Krause View Post
    Yes!

    Whats up with the Bikes, in one part of the video it showed it hugging the ground down a slope the way a ground vehicle handles, and in another, in the air flying like a yalm.

    Do they preform both functions, or are there different models?
    More than likely same as a yalm. Remember, you can "drive" a yalm along the ground, too.

    Nice thing is, once the servers are upgraded, we just may have vehicles that can do their various assigned speeds, too.
    Last edited by WisebutCruel; Jun 29th, 2007 at 03:40:03.

  13. #233
    Quote Originally Posted by Krause View Post
    Yes!

    Whats up with the Bikes, in one part of the video it showed it hugging the ground down a slope the way a ground vehicle handles, and in another, in the air flying like a yalm.

    Do they preform both functions, or are there different models?

    my guess, (and it is only a guess not being a employee of FC) is that what you were seeing is the bike "Jumping" from a higher surface to a lower. The only persons with certain knowledge one way or the Other are unlikely to answer till they are ready to release the Vehicle Pack.
    Only through the exercise of free will can the soul grow; only through courage in the face of temptation and pain can the spirit soar.

  14. #234
    Heh, I wouldn't mind if the hoverboards could fly high like the yalms. A little Silver Surfer action.

  15. #235
    Quote Originally Posted by Armadyl View Post
    No that is not what I said, if you could acctually read instead of putting words in other peoples mouths you'd know that. My point is it's ridiculous what their doing, on average FC makes 3.3$ mil a year off AO alone, that's not enough? Several grants to boot, they still want more?
    Dude they have a business to run.

    Yes I realise this was several pages back, I comment as I go
    I made a reference to a fictional extra-terrestrial hive-mind race of beings collectively called Grthulox, and you need an indication that I'm not being completely serious?

    [Infferno]: btw u are girl in rl or something ? To [Infferno]: nope To [Infferno]: 21 yo m [Infferno]: oki :> To [Infferno]: why? To [Infferno]: you wants cyb0rz? [Infferno]: stfu lol

    Get to know the real Healyhatman at Healy's MySpace! Leave a comment!
    See the Healy the Atheist at The Enlightenment of the Healy - my Atheist Blog.

  16. #236
    Quote Originally Posted by WisebutCruel View Post
    Heh, I wouldn't mind if the hoverboards could fly high like the yalms. A little Silver Surfer action.

    granted, this would be nice , but as Sil Said they are not planning on anything that would Impact gameplay in a major way. This also means that flight will 'probably' still not be possible in SL, even if vehicle use (Hoverboards) are.
    Only through the exercise of free will can the soul grow; only through courage in the face of temptation and pain can the spirit soar.

  17. #237
    With the new "back end system" do long term players essentially get a booster pack (or two) free with point accumulation from all previous payed months (like vet points) or is this point gain somthing brand new and will started after the first of many booster packs are released?

    A reward like 1 free booster for loyalty over the years would be nice
    Major "Grimclaw" Sinister Solitus - Enforcer | Alucard "Opigrim" Ashwell Opifex - Shade | Queen "Shoomi" Hex Opifex - Keeper

  18. #238
    Quote Originally Posted by WisebutCruel View Post
    More than likely same as a yalm. Remember, you can "drive" a yalm along the ground, too.

    Nice thing is, once the servers are upgraded, we just may have vehicles that can do their various assigned speeds, too.
    I dont think it was that. In the video you see it in Old Athens goin along the ground, then a ramp goes down and it goes down with it, without tilting in any way, which shows it diddnt aim down, but was riding along the ground.
    Krause Equip

    *** Krause's Evil WTB Thread! (Weird/Odd Stuff) ***
    (Items like "Lost Faith/Hope", "Wreath of Insects", "Chirop Exoskeleton Wing Mesh", "Small Jar", "Old Barrel")
    Quote Originally Posted by Means View Post
    This is going to get done if it kills me or preferably someone else.

  19. #239
    Quote Originally Posted by Krause View Post
    I dont think it was that. In the video you see it in Old Athens goin along the ground, then a ramp goes down and it goes down with it, without tilting in any way, which shows it diddnt aim down, but was riding along the ground.
    ah, then Peregryn is probably right, and it jumped from a high point to a low point. Or, perhaps as you suggested, there may be different versions with different abilities.

  20. #240
    Quote Originally Posted by WisebutCruel View Post
    ah, then Peregryn is probably right, and it jumped from a high point to a low point. Or, perhaps as you suggested, there may be different versions with different abilities.

    *smiles* Put's a question mark on my calendar marking the day and time i was possibly right. Further examination of Vehicle Movie Shows that at least some of the Jetbikes will be capable of "true flight" /me makes a glaring red X over the mark where I 'thought' I was right. Though as I posted above, the only people who know are not going to say till just before release (if then).
    Last edited by Peregryn; Jun 29th, 2007 at 14:48:55. Reason: further research
    Only through the exercise of free will can the soul grow; only through courage in the face of temptation and pain can the spirit soar.

Page 12 of 17 FirstFirst 1234567891011121314151617 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •