Monthly Development Update: May 2012

[Socrattes]

Not surprised the monthly update is late or that the forums are quiet. I and several others have been pretty critical of their lack of progress, proof of any progress, and lack of substantial information. I am willing to cut them some slack because they have a lot invested in their new game and they probably have everyone helping so it isn't a bomb. Great, go make money.

However, AO has been pretty loyal for 11 years now. We are still using the original graphics engine, a software mouse, 11 year old bugs, enough content to keep a 220 busy for 3 days. Yet the game continues to generate money for Funcom with minimal effort and expenses.

Funcom was very progressive when the free accounts (froobs) came along and changed the industry. After the re-balance, new player experience, and graphics engine, I would like to see AO catch up to other games and make SL and 220 froob. Maybe reserve research, perks, shades, Atrox, and a few new things for paid users so they will always have an advantage. But open the game up more so the paid players can do stuff.

[TharBeDragons]

Maybe reserve research, perks, shades, Atrox, and a few new things for paid users

No atrox for froobs. That would be.. interesting. :P
I guess you meant keeper?

[Mastablasta]

Not surprised the monthly update is late or that the forums are quiet. I and several others have been pretty critical of their lack of progress, proof of any progress, and lack of substantial information. I am willing to cut them some slack because they have a lot invested in their new game and they probably have everyone helping so it isn't a bomb. Great, go make money.

However, AO has been pretty loyal for 11 years now. We are still using the original graphics engine, a software mouse, 11 year old bugs, enough content to keep a 220 busy for 3 days. Yet the game continues to generate money for Funcom with minimal effort and expenses.

Funcom was very progressive when the free accounts (froobs) came along and changed the industry. After the re-balance, new player experience, and graphics engine, I would like to see AO catch up to other games and make SL and 220 froob. Maybe reserve research, perks, shades, Atrox, and a few new things for paid users so they will always have an advantage. But open the game up more so the paid players can do stuff.

I'm somewhat curious as to what you call patch 18.5? I'm just wondering if that's not considered progress.

[Windguaerd]

Ilaliya said in a different thread that the free month would be later in the year. So I guess around the time some of the new features have been implemented.

I read it as "Xmas Time" since that is the ONLY other time when they give a good sub deal.

[Warhead]

Theres a couple potential opportunities:

1) new start-up area time
2) server merge
3) server merge debacle compensation
4) new engine launch
5) new engine launch debacle compensation

Sure, they are increasingly (exponentially?) unlikely to happen in this order, but schedules arent meant to reflect reality anyway.

[Gunfytr]

but schedules arent meant to reflect reality anyway.

Almost siggy material.

[Socrattes]

No atrox for froobs. That would be.. interesting. :P
I guess you meant keeper?

Whatever "it" is, "it" needs to be enough that a paid account is still far better than a froob account. Research, perks, Shades, and Atrox are advantages that might make a paid account worth it, probably needs to be more but it's a start. I don't want to see that majority of paid users go froob as that would hurt the game. I do think that opening up the game to more people will help. It helped when froobs were invented and this should be the next step.

Of course things could continue like they are and AO will just fade away.

[Otansaanpas]

However, AO has been pretty loyal for 11 years now. We are still using the original graphics engine, a software mouse, 11 year old bugs, enough content to keep a 220 busy for 3 days. Yet the game continues to generate money for Funcom with minimal effort and expenses.

1) graphics engine has been updated many times,
2) play in linux and youll get smooth hardware mouse (with additional wine patch)
3) there is new bugs aswell
4) you can do all relevant instances in 3 days, but you surely dont get all loot from them in that time.

[Tyfowler]

1) graphics engine has been updated many times,
2) play in linux and youll get smooth hardware mouse (with additional wine patch)
3) there is new bugs aswell
4) you can do all relevant instances in 3 days, but you surely dont get all loot from them in that time.

/topic
/nexttopic

[Mastablasta]

I'd like to request that in the June Update we get a picture of a slime lake, or slime in a RK mission, from new engine. Please

[Dogtrauma]

I'd like to request that in the June Update we get a picture of a slime lake, or slime in a RK mission, from new engine. Please

Sicko!

[Brampfine]

http://i45.tinypic.com/35lb1tv.jpg

fixed with new url

[Phixalicious]

1) graphics engine has been updated many times,
2) play in linux and youll get smooth hardware mouse (with additional wine patch)
3) there is new bugs aswell
4) you can do all relevant instances in 3 days, but you surely dont get all loot from them in that time.

1. Updates aren't upgrades. It is still the same poor DX7 crippled CPU dependent engine from beta until now.

2. Maybe we should all switch from new cars to 1973 Cadillac Eldorado's for smoother rides?

3. New bugs on top of 11 year old bugs. Not sure how you meant this as a rebuttal of any merit?

4. Being able to do all relevant endgame content in 3 days, regardless of how many times it has to be repeated to get the items, is pathetic in todays gaming environment. Ask EA how that worked out for SWToR.

http://www.cgrats.com/wp-content/upl...06/result2.jpg

Link is broken.

[Mastablasta]

4. Being able to do all relevant endgame content in 3 days, regardless of how many times it has to be repeated to get the items, is pathetic in todays gaming environment. Ask EA how that worked out for SWToR

Apparently you can get to endgame in TSW in like, 3 days, and then maybe nothing is there. I don't know. I just know that currently, the singleplayer part of MMOs is what is important. The team part, raid instances, all that stuff, noone wants that. It's all about the "deep singleplayer experience" in today's environment. The endgame is not the goal anymore, nor is lvl grinding. It's about providing an entertaining singleplayer game that takes place online with the possibility of spontaneous multiplayer. Sprinkled with a bit of pvp if you want it. Probably because those of us who made the genre popular no longer have 50 hours a week to spend online.

I find this state of the MMO sad and deplorable.

[Datch]

I think that AO is now lagging far behind other games, Graphic are VERY old and hopefully be fix this year!!!!!!! also it is lacking new content. other games out release not just a new instance but whole new area's the size of SL on a 6 monthly to Yearly update it's this sort of thing that keeps players going - we need to explore new landscapes and area's, go to place we have not been. AO has so much to offer and its a shame to c it wasted. Come on funcom you have two really good games now . Make AO great Again!!!!!!

[Neosh1]

Come on funcom you have two really good games now . Make AO great Again!!!!!!

NO. We make legos. derpppp