Any ETA on the new engine?

[Autohead]

90% of the former PDFs had 0 line about AO...

This I know, thanks for continuing to prove my point.

[Neista]

The New Engine is, like the Cake, a lie...

[Megasis]

Or, EA buys out FC and as a corporate descision they take AO offline - Then The AO team can say " Awwww, we just finished it too."

[Myreyliib]

So you agree with Means that it would be counterproductive to launch the new engine, before rebalancing is done?

Uh. I don't understand why you ask me that question.

Personally I think the engine needs to be released asap. No, not if it isn't ready. But the need is there. AO needs more ppl yesterday.

Fact: AO will get a new render engine

Fact: Rebalancing Act will happend

The deal isn't about the improved gfx (not that I won't mind being able to run it more smoothly). It's all about the hope of an influx of old and new players that may revive the game.

That's why the engine is so important.

Assumption A: New engine will bring old and new players.

Dunno about the doom and gloom part. But about the overpowered/not fixed part, isn't the whole point of the rebalancing act to not leave certain classes as overpowered as they are today? personally I believe Fc is going about it the wrong way. I believe the vast majority of the existing playerbase is hanging by a loose thread. If you change the classes into something that ppl did not choose when they selected class and if you make them spend hundreds of hours rebuilding just to be competetive again then I think we have big trouble. Game breaking trouble.

Assumption B: Changing professions will alienate players making them leave.


Scenario 1:

A -> B

New and old players arrive in AO -> Rebalancing drives away players

Scenario 2:

B -> A

Rebalancing drives away players -> New and old players arrive in AO


And given your genuine love of the game, I asked for confirmation that you would opt for the scenario where the end result is players arriving rather than leaving. Especially if you then add the following to the mix:

Assumption C: New render engine is AO's last best hope for a revival.

[Armus]

Fact: AO will get a new render engine

Fact: Rebalancing Act will happend




Assumption A: New engine will bring old and new players.



Assumption B: Changing professions will alienate players making them leave.


Scenario 1:

A -> B

New and old players arrive in AO -> Rebalancing drives away players

Scenario 2:

B -> A

Rebalancing drives away players -> New and old players arrive in AO


And given your genuine love of the game, I asked for confirmation that you would opt for the scenario where the end result is players arriving rather than leaving. Especially if you then add the following to the mix:

Assumption C: New render engine is AO's last best hope for a revival.

What you're saying looks nice and structured but I submit it's more complicated than that.
For instance if too many leave now there won't be enough money coming in to sustain the development of the engine and so it may never be released.

[Obtena]

Most businesses work from budgets, determined prior to developments, not realtime. I bet FC has a full budget for all the activities planned for AO. That's just how a good business works. It's not like FC says, 'OMG, we got less money from AO this month. Pack it up boys.'

[Myreyliib]

What you're saying looks nice and structured but I submit it's more complicated than that.
For instance if too many leave now there won't be enough money coming in to sustain the development of the engine and so it may never be released.

Nevertheless I merely extrapolated from your own assumptions. You can't release the engine twice to draw in new people and advertising will only get you so far, especially if potential players was just burned by a NGE-like event (which is the scenario you are describing) a few months before.


I certainly hope that FC has learned something from the win back campaigns in AoC. Such as not inviting people back right after a major patch with major imbalances and much needed hotfixes a plenty to be only lasting impressions.


Now why I am I arguing about this while your OP asked about an ETA? Cause you probably know better than I, how many nanos docs has been released and got a better guesstimate on the proces. So apply some of your twinking math to that data and make your decision based on that, instead of sitting on the forums expecting an answer to a question, that haven't been answered in countless similar threads.

[Armus]

Most businesses work from budgets, determined prior to developments, not realtime. I bet FC has a full budget for all the activities planned for AO. That's just how a good business works. It's not like FC says, 'OMG, we got less money from AO this month. Pack it up boys.'

Do you honestly think that's what I meant to say?

[Armus]

Nevertheless I merely extrapolated from your own assumptions. You can't release the engine twice to draw in new people and advertising will only get you so far, especially if potential players was just burned by a NGE-like event (which is the scenario you are describing) a few months before.


I certainly hope that FC has learned something from the win back campaigns in AoC. Such as not inviting people back right after a major patch with major imbalances and much needed hotfixes a plenty to be only lasting impressions.


Now why I am I arguing about this while your OP asked about an ETA? Cause you probably know better than I, how many nanos docs has been released and got a better guesstimate on the proces. So apply some of your twinking math to that data and make your decision based on that, instead of sitting on the forums expecting an answer to a question, that haven't been answered in countless similar threads.

Having a strategy that maximises the ammount of new paying subscribers is ofcourse logical. But my question stays the same, when?

[Obtena]

Do you honestly think that's what I meant to say?

Yes. It doesn't make sense to talk about subscriptions 'sustaining' the development activity ... those funds are already alotted into budgets for those activities. Now, if you want to talk about subscriptions sustaining the game, that's a different story. It's also a different thread.

[mortos360]

Having a strategy that maximises the ammount of new paying subscribers is ofcourse logical. But my question stays the same, when?

You know the answer... Q1 2011

But something else... I think non of us really cares that much about a nicer look, the actual hope is that it will bring back old and hopefully some new player.
What if this don´t happens?
I can imagine following situation... a lot people come back to check out the new engine, they see only a small visual improvement, maybe they don´t like some changes, cant find any old friends and leave again.

Are you people still gonna play AO as it is, with the current player base?

[Xariama]

Honestly, I think we just want a little update on how things are going, straight from the source, and something that is rather hard to come by in this day and age: the truth. Though at the rate it's going, they might as well be making AO2 instead of revamping this one.

[Obtena]

^^ If you haven't figured it out, this is the 'AO2'.

[Ninjaloot]

^^ If you haven't figured it out, this is the 'AO2'.

No, AO 2 died a year after it came out.

[police]

no hype no engine.

[Myreyliib]

Having a strategy that maximises the ammount of new paying subscribers is ofcourse logical. But my question stays the same, when?

Since you appear to skipped over the last part of my post.

*snip*
So. I'm asking for an honest answer now so I can determine if I should cancel and check in later or stay in game. I could stay if the engine is due within a month or so. But otherwise I'm going to save some money.
*snip*

The premise: Will the new render engine launch within a month or so?

*snip*
Now why I am I arguing about this while your OP asked about an ETA? Cause you probably know better than I, how many nanos docs has been released and got a better guesstimate on the proces. So apply some of your twinking math to that data and make your decision based on that, instead of sitting on the forums expecting an answer to a question, that haven't been answered in countless similar threads.

So do you personally think it will be done within a month?

I am no mindreader, but going by your vocal disapproval of the process I'm guessing "Hell, no".


FC can't decide what you (this is a general you) spend your funds on. You decide that. Take the data presented, apply your own preferences and act accordingly.
Crossing your arms and waiting for FC to present the answer on a platter (which all rational thinking dictates they will not), will get you exactly nowhere.

In fact such an approach is in essence just begging "to be stringed along".

[elsaa2]

New engine will "never" happen, and less on Q1 of 2011, (i will bet new engine will not happen on 2011) just think about it, 1 video and 2-3 pics from "new" in game in around 3+ years?, i check every single friday means for some update and all u get is some pics of heads (if u are lucky, if not just nothing) ...., if it just 3~ months (or 6) before it go live, why not more videos/pics in game? i will answer, 'cos it is far far far away from finish

Dont get me wrong i will still playing this game with or without new engine, but im just lil tired of dates that will not happen and more false hopes

[Mastablasta]

New engine will "never" happen, and less on Q1 of 2011, (i will bet new engine will not happen on 2011) just think about it, 1 video and 2-3 pics from "new" in game in around 3+ years?, i check every single friday means for some update and all u get is some pics of heads (if u are lucky, if not just nothing) ...., if it just 3~ months (or 6) before it go live, why not more videos/pics in game? i will answer, 'cos it is far far far away from finish

Dont get me wrong i will still playing this game with or without new engine, but im just lil tired of dates that will not happen and more false hopes

Obviously you don't check every FWM because it's not that long ago there was a new picture of the new engine

[Armus]

Yes. It doesn't make sense to talk about subscriptions 'sustaining' the development activity ... those funds are already alotted into budgets for those activities. Now, if you want to talk about subscriptions sustaining the game, that's a different story. It's also a different thread.

Obviously we don't understand each other at all. Or more likely you choose to misunderstand and misinterpret everything I say.
So, not going to waste any more time on you.

FC can't decide what you (this is a general you) spend your funds on. You decide that. Take the data presented, apply your own preferences and act accordingly.
Crossing your arms and waiting for FC to present the answer on a platter (which all rational thinking dictates they will not), will get you exactly nowhere.
In fact such an approach is in essence just begging "to be stringed along"..

It's a simple question. Is it coming soon or not? Soon as in within a month or so, which is close to the deadline given by FC itself.

Why do you have such a need to come up with reasons why one should not ask when the engine will be released?

[Mastablasta]

You have the Q1 estimate... 2,5 months till that's over.