Thread: Monthly Development Update - 2nd April 2014

  1. #361
    Quote Originally Posted by Lazareth View Post
    Well, after what is over 8 years now of on and off (mostly on) of playing Anarchy Online, I feel compelled to write my first post on the forums ever. I quit this game for good a couple months ago, and will never come back to play it, not even when the new engine is released. Yeah yeah, same old story as 35892358t839852 players before me, but at what point, Funcom, do you stop, and think to yourselves, wow, how much money could we possibly have in our pocket if we'd made any attempt to keep even a fraction of that playerbase with us. And yes, I am claiming outright that you have taken absolutely zero initiative in I don't even know how long now, to actually KEEP your playerbase. This has been displayed as fact soooo many times it's pathetic.

    This developmental update, and the many many many many many many many MANY like it over the years, are nothing shy of insulting. "Hey, we haven't REALLY done anything.... But here's a consolation, oh and sorry guys, our hardware is broken and I'm on holidays XDXD"... Your game (the only game with any sort of heartbeat), and therefore your company is quite literally in jeopardy, and us as paying customers (8 years I played this game, to the point of addiction - having 6 accounts by myself to multibox just so I COULD do anything I desired, when I desired) and you deem it acceptable to joke with us about you being on the booze on your holidays? Look at the last 20 pages of this thread, Genele. Go back, and look at the 20+ pages in the developmental updates in the last, oh I don't know, let's sway on your side, and leave it at 3 years... You got maybe, 0.5% of the population that feels as though it's their responsibility to defend you, and your company, but the majority... The VAST majority of players, we're talking WELL over 95% of the playerbase, the PAYING PLAYERBASE, THE ONLY REASON YOU HAVE A JOB, are not happy. These updates are pathetic, the "progress" is pathetic, and, to be quite frank, I don't understand why you, or just about any other person in management at Funcom has a job right now.

    It's outright insulting.
    Age of Conan, when the game was in the state it was, was outright insulting.
    The Secret World, when we were promised a new engine for years at that point, had been promised a profession rebalance for years at that point, was outright insulting.
    You, trying to have a joke with us about your pina coladas and holidays like the majority of people you're addressing are going to find any amusement in that whatsoever, is just outright insulting.
    I paid one of my accounts for a year to get beta access to the new engine, and the amount of "progress" that had been made there, is outright insulting. A new starting area (and MANY people have already commented on that far more than I ever could), a new ICC, and some god rays. "Oh oh but but but the textures aren-", so what? Why aren't they there? You've had HOW MANY YEARS to do this? How much of the dollars made from ANARCHY ONLINE PLAYERS went into making Age of Conan? Or The Secret World? All the while we saw little to no improvement.

    Lost Eden? Legacy of Xan? Well, so much for Kyr'Ozch weapons - Oh, but no, don't worry, at least we all still needed those intelligent symbiants, to simply combine with more rubbish that had to be grinded out, all so that we could have an extra 30 points in all stats. Big whoop.

    Then you force "balance changes" down players throats, same players that almost unanimously tell you don't want those changes you've employed, that tell you those changes are in fact ADDING to the problem as opposed to actually solving the problem, and that, quite understandably, the time you've invested to the undesired changes, is time that could be BETTER SPENT releasing a damn engine that has been promised for years upon years.

    Nah, sorry Genele. It's too insulting at this point.
    You enjoy your pina coladas mate, keep working up those holiday hours that you have clearly earned so hard. Keep making light of the situation that is at hand. It clearly placates your bosses, so to hell with the playerbase eh? So long as you keep getting dem cheques for the coladas, who gives a damn what the lowly $20/month plebs think.

    Over an 8 year investment of something I loved. Ruined by inadequacy and incompetence.
    Make more jokes though mate.
    I'm just another one of the "impossible to please" right?

    never read a wall of text before but i read this post completely and agree with all of it. what a burn gg

  2. #362
    Quote Originally Posted by Lazareth View Post
    Well, after what is over 8 years now of on and off (mostly on) of playing Anarchy Online, I feel compelled to write my first post on the forums ever. I quit this game for good a couple months ago, and will never come back to play it, not even when the new engine is released. Yeah yeah, same old story as 35892358t839852 players before me, but at what point, Funcom, do you stop, and think to yourselves, wow, how much money could we possibly have in our pocket if we'd made any attempt to keep even a fraction of that playerbase with us. And yes, I am claiming outright that you have taken absolutely zero initiative in I don't even know how long now, to actually KEEP your playerbase. This has been displayed as fact soooo many times it's pathetic.

    This developmental update, and the many many many many many many many MANY like it over the years, are nothing shy of insulting. "Hey, we haven't REALLY done anything.... But here's a consolation, oh and sorry guys, our hardware is broken and I'm on holidays XDXD"... Your game (the only game with any sort of heartbeat), and therefore your company is quite literally in jeopardy, and us as paying customers (8 years I played this game, to the point of addiction - having 6 accounts by myself to multibox just so I COULD do anything I desired, when I desired) and you deem it acceptable to joke with us about you being on the booze on your holidays? Look at the last 20 pages of this thread, Genele. Go back, and look at the 20+ pages in the developmental updates in the last, oh I don't know, let's sway on your side, and leave it at 3 years... You got maybe, 0.5% of the population that feels as though it's their responsibility to defend you, and your company, but the majority... The VAST majority of players, we're talking WELL over 95% of the playerbase, the PAYING PLAYERBASE, THE ONLY REASON YOU HAVE A JOB, are not happy. These updates are pathetic, the "progress" is pathetic, and, to be quite frank, I don't understand why you, or just about any other person in management at Funcom has a job right now.

    It's outright insulting.
    Age of Conan, when the game was in the state it was, was outright insulting.
    The Secret World, when we were promised a new engine for years at that point, had been promised a profession rebalance for years at that point, was outright insulting.
    You, trying to have a joke with us about your pina coladas and holidays like the majority of people you're addressing are going to find any amusement in that whatsoever, is just outright insulting.
    I paid one of my accounts for a year to get beta access to the new engine, and the amount of "progress" that had been made there, is outright insulting. A new starting area (and MANY people have already commented on that far more than I ever could), a new ICC, and some god rays. "Oh oh but but but the textures aren-", so what? Why aren't they there? You've had HOW MANY YEARS to do this? How much of the dollars made from ANARCHY ONLINE PLAYERS went into making Age of Conan? Or The Secret World? All the while we saw little to no improvement.

    Lost Eden? Legacy of Xan? Well, so much for Kyr'Ozch weapons - Oh, but no, don't worry, at least we all still needed those intelligent symbiants, to simply combine with more rubbish that had to be grinded out, all so that we could have an extra 30 points in all stats. Big whoop.

    Then you force "balance changes" down players throats, same players that almost unanimously tell you don't want those changes you've employed, that tell you those changes are in fact ADDING to the problem as opposed to actually solving the problem, and that, quite understandably, the time you've invested to the undesired changes, is time that could be BETTER SPENT releasing a damn engine that has been promised for years upon years.

    Nah, sorry Genele. It's too insulting at this point.
    You enjoy your pina coladas mate, keep working up those holiday hours that you have clearly earned so hard. Keep making light of the situation that is at hand. It clearly placates your bosses, so to hell with the playerbase eh? So long as you keep getting dem cheques for the coladas, who gives a damn what the lowly $20/month plebs think.

    Over an 8 year investment of something I loved. Ruined by inadequacy and incompetence.
    Make more jokes though mate.
    I'm just another one of the "impossible to please" right?
    I love these Post - 100% agree
    Each People should stop to pay for Anarchy Online to change something here... I would fire Genele because of incompetence and the support team too...
    Last edited by Alves; Apr 15th, 2014 at 19:50:51.
    A Game without any new updates, is a dead game...

    http://www.bloomberg.com/quote/FUNCOM:NO - Funcom: Probability-Of-Bankruptcy 54% - https://www.vg247.com/2015/08/11/age...m-up-for-sale/
    No more developing MMO's - http://cdn.funcom.com/investor/2016/...2016_Plans.pdf

  3. #363
    Quote Originally Posted by Alves View Post
    I love these Post - 100% agree
    Each People should stop to pay for Anarchy Online to change something here... I would fire Genele because of incompetence and the support team too...
    Considering the "support team" is what, 3 people? I don't think that would even be anything resembling a solution.

    The problem isn't with the current team, it's not even with past teams (although I do think Means may have squandered a fair bit of time and resources on non-essential stuff). The problem is with the amount of resources that FC is willing to put towards AO - that amount being basically nothing.

    Considering the team and resources Genele is dealing with, she is actually doing an incredible amount.

    Stopping paying for AO is not going to change this. AO is probably never going to get a high priority from Funcom, ever. The more /quit, the sooner AO will shut down.

    Now, y'all are free to go and do that, but unless they totally screw up the core of the game, I'm gonna keep on playing until the /quits finally shut down the servers.

    It is your right as paying customers to quit when/if you feel that paying is a losing proposition for you personally. I have done the same in times past. The only reason I came back is that there is not a single MMO out there that even comes close to some of the things AO offers. Even with how bad AO is, nothing else will do for me.

    What is not appropriate is shouts of incompetence and negligence directed towards people who are doing completely unenviable jobs, against huge odds, and with virtually no resources whatsoever.

    Grow up.


    Edit: And as far as the "Rebalance" taking time away from the engine....lolwut? How many content designers are also qualified in coding parts of a new engine, or in fixing texture issues in playfields, or adding/modifying the geometry of AO's ancient models? Again, you guys are seriously barking up the wrong tree, in the wrong forest, on the wrong continent, on a different planet. The AO team basically has 1 person for each of these tasks - you will always need at least one person for each department, so cutting back other places to hire more coders will do ****-all to help the engine release. In fact, from my understanding, the AO team actually has MORE help on the engine now than in times past simply because the general Funcom systems team is now a full part of the engine upgrade.
    Last edited by jorricane; Apr 15th, 2014 at 20:08:30.
    -= Make the new engine look even better. Don't forget to post a screenshot! =-

  4. #364
    Quote Originally Posted by Lazareth View Post

    You got maybe, 0.5% of the population that feels as though it's their responsibility to defend you, and your company, but the majority... The VAST majority of players, we're talking WELL over 95% of the playerbase, the PAYING PLAYERBASE, THE ONLY REASON YOU HAVE A JOB, are not happy.
    Right. You speak for the 95%. Get them to chime in then, instead of pretending you represent some great moral majority.

    Everyone, including EVERYONE I meet in game, while having some qualms about a few of the proposed changes (and typically very minor), support the fact that for them, AO is still one of the most original MMOs in existence.

    You must hang around some real bridge-dwelling negative people to think that 95% of the people (as you said, who are STILL PAYING despite apparently hating the game) are unhappy with every single thing that the AO team is doing.

    I think there have been screwups, and I know that's FC's management has it's foolhardy souls. But, again, you have the right to stop paying. But unless you are multiboxing as all of the others I know that aren't on the verge of quitting, you DO NOT represent 95% of the play base - you don't even represent 95% of the forum troll population.
    -= Make the new engine look even better. Don't forget to post a screenshot! =-

  5. #365
    Sometimes I wonder what this game would be like if Funcom just sold the rights to some other developer. One that might actually care. And how many people would be willing to work for such a caring developer. How many AO fans have the required knowledge to work on a game like AO and do you think they could do better?

    Originally Posted by Lazareth View Post
    Well, after what is over 8 years now of on and off (mostly on) of playing Anarchy Online, I feel compelled to write my first post on the forums ever. I quit this game for good a couple months ago, and will never come back to play it, not even when the new engine is released. Yeah yeah, same old story as 35892358t839852 players before me, but at what point, Funcom, do you stop, and think to yourselves, wow, how much money could we possibly have in our pocket if we'd made any attempt to keep even a fraction of that playerbase with us. And yes, I am claiming outright that you have taken absolutely zero initiative in I don't even know how long now, to actually KEEP your playerbase. This has been displayed as fact soooo many times it's pathetic.

    This developmental update, and the many many many many many many many MANY like it over the years, are nothing shy of insulting. "Hey, we haven't REALLY done anything.... But here's a consolation, oh and sorry guys, our hardware is broken and I'm on holidays XDXD"... Your game (the only game with any sort of heartbeat), and therefore your company is quite literally in jeopardy, and us as paying customers (8 years I played this game, to the point of addiction - having 6 accounts by myself to multibox just so I COULD do anything I desired, when I desired) and you deem it acceptable to joke with us about you being on the booze on your holidays? Look at the last 20 pages of this thread, Genele. Go back, and look at the 20+ pages in the developmental updates in the last, oh I don't know, let's sway on your side, and leave it at 3 years... You got maybe, 0.5% of the population that feels as though it's their responsibility to defend you, and your company, but the majority... The VAST majority of players, we're talking WELL over 95% of the playerbase, the PAYING PLAYERBASE, THE ONLY REASON YOU HAVE A JOB, are not happy. These updates are pathetic, the "progress" is pathetic, and, to be quite frank, I don't understand why you, or just about any other person in management at Funcom has a job right now.

    It's outright insulting.
    Age of Conan, when the game was in the state it was, was outright insulting.
    The Secret World, when we were promised a new engine for years at that point, had been promised a profession rebalance for years at that point, was outright insulting.
    You, trying to have a joke with us about your pina coladas and holidays like the majority of people you're addressing are going to find any amusement in that whatsoever, is just outright insulting.
    I paid one of my accounts for a year to get beta access to the new engine, and the amount of "progress" that had been made there, is outright insulting. A new starting area (and MANY people have already commented on that far more than I ever could), a new ICC, and some god rays. "Oh oh but but but the textures aren-", so what? Why aren't they there? You've had HOW MANY YEARS to do this? How much of the dollars made from ANARCHY ONLINE PLAYERS went into making Age of Conan? Or The Secret World? All the while we saw little to no improvement.

    Lost Eden? Legacy of Xan? Well, so much for Kyr'Ozch weapons - Oh, but no, don't worry, at least we all still needed those intelligent symbiants, to simply combine with more rubbish that had to be grinded out, all so that we could have an extra 30 points in all stats. Big whoop.

    Then you force "balance changes" down players throats, same players that almost unanimously tell you don't want those changes you've employed, that tell you those changes are in fact ADDING to the problem as opposed to actually solving the problem, and that, quite understandably, the time you've invested to the undesired changes, is time that could be BETTER SPENT releasing a damn engine that has been promised for years upon years.

    Nah, sorry Genele. It's too insulting at this point.
    You enjoy your pina coladas mate, keep working up those holiday hours that you have clearly earned so hard. Keep making light of the situation that is at hand. It clearly placates your bosses, so to hell with the playerbase eh? So long as you keep getting dem cheques for the coladas, who gives a damn what the lowly $20/month plebs think.

    Over an 8 year investment of something I loved. Ruined by inadequacy and incompetence.
    Make more jokes though mate.
    I'm just another one of the "impossible to please" right?
    I too, agree with this post.

  6. #366
    Quote Originally Posted by Keepinstuff View Post
    How many AO fans have the required knowledge to work on a game like AO and do you think they could do better?
    This I agree with - if the game were shut down and the server side code released, and the CellAO project were not dead in the water, a community run AO could accomplish great things - a volunteer base can be very dedicated indeed.
    -= Make the new engine look even better. Don't forget to post a screenshot! =-

  7. #367
    the QQ the last few pages here have been amazing. Rampant, even.

    From what I can see in the poll thread, there's about 500 people playing AO.

    You guys really think that 500 people deserve more than 2-3 devs? Give it a rest. FC is running a company. If you think about it, and everyone should, the reality is that AO isn't a big draw.

    Once the current skeleton crew get something in place for the new engine, they might do some advertising, if they can get another 1000-2000 people (3 - 5 x current population), we might start seeing some more devs assigned to game.

    As it stands, AO is providing about $7500 in revenue per month (on the assumption people pay $15/month). $7500 is barely enough to keep two people employed.

    So everyone whining, lazareth especially, just relax man, and think about things. You're asking for service that is outside the bounds of what the economy of the game can provide.

    If you guys want to be productive, the best thing you can do is keep paying, and make constructive, dedicated feedback to proposed changes, and hope that the developers have time to listen to you.

    But all this ranting, and everything is going to hell.... how do you think it makes the Dev's feel? She's only got 8 hours in a day to get things done, you think she wants to read about how bad she's doing?

    And you wonder why they don't visit the forums.

    The prof rebalance/system changes were introduced as a plan when there were more people dedicated to AO (both population and staff), those changes for whatever reason didn't make it in game - imo, it would have been a lovely legacy for means - instead of the Tro'aler, but such is life. Now the system changes are still coming, but we've got about 900 ever changing requests and complaints as well, and nobody seems to be committed to change at all - so what happened?

    And as for vacations.... wtf is that? Everyone needs vacations. The amount of crap being flung at the devs, I'd say she's not only entitled to vacations as we all are, but also entitled to mental health days.

    It's very hard working on something when you've got an endless stream of criticism coming at you.

  8. #368
    Quote Originally Posted by Lazareth View Post
    Well, after what is over 8 years now of on and off (mostly on) of playing Anarchy Online, I feel compelled to write my first post on the forums ever. I quit this game for good a couple months ago, and will never come back to play it, not even when the new engine is released. Yeah yeah, same old story as 35892358t839852 players before me, but at what point, Funcom, do you stop, and think to yourselves, wow, how much money could we possibly have in our pocket if we'd made any attempt to keep even a fraction of that playerbase with us. And yes, I am claiming outright that you have taken absolutely zero initiative in I don't even know how long now, to actually KEEP your playerbase. This has been displayed as fact soooo many times it's pathetic.

    This developmental update, and the many many many many many many many MANY like it over the years, are nothing shy of insulting. "Hey, we haven't REALLY done anything.... But here's a consolation, oh and sorry guys, our hardware is broken and I'm on holidays XDXD"... Your game (the only game with any sort of heartbeat), and therefore your company is quite literally in jeopardy, and us as paying customers (8 years I played this game, to the point of addiction - having 6 accounts by myself to multibox just so I COULD do anything I desired, when I desired) and you deem it acceptable to joke with us about you being on the booze on your holidays? Look at the last 20 pages of this thread, Genele. Go back, and look at the 20+ pages in the developmental updates in the last, oh I don't know, let's sway on your side, and leave it at 3 years... You got maybe, 0.5% of the population that feels as though it's their responsibility to defend you, and your company, but the majority... The VAST majority of players, we're talking WELL over 95% of the playerbase, the PAYING PLAYERBASE, THE ONLY REASON YOU HAVE A JOB, are not happy. These updates are pathetic, the "progress" is pathetic, and, to be quite frank, I don't understand why you, or just about any other person in management at Funcom has a job right now.

    It's outright insulting.
    Age of Conan, when the game was in the state it was, was outright insulting.
    The Secret World, when we were promised a new engine for years at that point, had been promised a profession rebalance for years at that point, was outright insulting.
    You, trying to have a joke with us about your pina coladas and holidays like the majority of people you're addressing are going to find any amusement in that whatsoever, is just outright insulting.
    I paid one of my accounts for a year to get beta access to the new engine, and the amount of "progress" that had been made there, is outright insulting. A new starting area (and MANY people have already commented on that far more than I ever could), a new ICC, and some god rays. "Oh oh but but but the textures aren-", so what? Why aren't they there? You've had HOW MANY YEARS to do this? How much of the dollars made from ANARCHY ONLINE PLAYERS went into making Age of Conan? Or The Secret World? All the while we saw little to no improvement.

    Lost Eden? Legacy of Xan? Well, so much for Kyr'Ozch weapons - Oh, but no, don't worry, at least we all still needed those intelligent symbiants, to simply combine with more rubbish that had to be grinded out, all so that we could have an extra 30 points in all stats. Big whoop.

    Then you force "balance changes" down players throats, same players that almost unanimously tell you don't want those changes you've employed, that tell you those changes are in fact ADDING to the problem as opposed to actually solving the problem, and that, quite understandably, the time you've invested to the undesired changes, is time that could be BETTER SPENT releasing a damn engine that has been promised for years upon years.

    Nah, sorry Genele. It's too insulting at this point.
    You enjoy your pina coladas mate, keep working up those holiday hours that you have clearly earned so hard. Keep making light of the situation that is at hand. It clearly placates your bosses, so to hell with the playerbase eh? So long as you keep getting dem cheques for the coladas, who gives a damn what the lowly $20/month plebs think.

    Over an 8 year investment of something I loved. Ruined by inadequacy and incompetence.
    Make more jokes though mate.
    I'm just another one of the "impossible to please" right?
    Really good valid post, its a shame that AO basically contributed to funding age of Conan which kept me for two months from release and I haven't played no more, I didn't even waste my time with The Secret World. . Yet anarchy online has kept me playing 5 years solid and the last 2-3 on and off, so there is a market for this game its not nostalgia talking, its unique original, and not a wow fantasy clone. Its insulting that funcom as a company produced age of Conan and the secret world and whatever addons in the time anarchy online mentioned the engine upgrade to beta... I seriously would of thought the beta client would of at least been the one with the new engine and textures?.. nobody was to hung up with the graphics till funcom mentioned the engine upgrade and failed to deliver, all we want is a populated server a rebalance a fixed economy and to be competitive in terms of eye candy available on the market... The price anarchy online is, is insulting compared to newer, better looking more refined games, with more devs working on patches and updates you can keep up with as a casual player...at a cheaper monthly subscription.

    Apologies for text wall. Sent via phone.
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Qualinas
    You're kinda slow, aren't you, Mr. Nov09?

    Well, its not everyday when I google for funcom or access funcom.com.
    Oh noes j00 want me to bring my "Join date: 2004" main to pwn yo? lols @ forum pvp

  9. #369
    Quote Originally Posted by McKnuckleSamwich View Post
    the QQ the last few pages here have been amazing. Rampant, even.

    From what I can see in the poll thread, there's about 500 people playing AO.

    You guys really think that 500 people deserve more than 2-3 devs? Give it a rest. FC is running a company. If you think about it, and everyone should, the reality is that AO isn't a big draw.

    Once the current skeleton crew get something in place for the new engine, they might do some advertising, if they can get another 1000-2000 people (3 - 5 x current population), we might start seeing some more devs assigned to game.

    As it stands, AO is providing about $7500 in revenue per month (on the assumption people pay $15/month). $7500 is barely enough to keep two people employed.

    So everyone whining, lazareth especially, just relax man, and think about things. You're asking for service that is outside the bounds of what the economy of the game can provide.

    If you guys want to be productive, the best thing you can do is keep paying, and make constructive, dedicated feedback to proposed changes, and hope that the developers have time to listen to you.

    But all this ranting, and everything is going to hell.... how do you think it makes the Dev's feel? She's only got 8 hours in a day to get things done, you think she wants to read about how bad she's doing?

    And you wonder why they don't visit the forums.

    The prof rebalance/system changes were introduced as a plan when there were more people dedicated to AO (both population and staff), those changes for whatever reason didn't make it in game - imo, it would have been a lovely legacy for means - instead of the Tro'aler, but such is life. Now the system changes are still coming, but we've got about 900 ever changing requests and complaints as well, and nobody seems to be committed to change at all - so what happened?

    And as for vacations.... wtf is that? Everyone needs vacations. The amount of crap being flung at the devs, I'd say she's not only entitled to vacations as we all are, but also entitled to mental health days.

    It's very hard working on something when you've got an endless stream of criticism coming at you.
    As always, McKnuckle said it best, better than I could have done, and without getting nearly as frustrated.

    Kudos.
    -= Make the new engine look even better. Don't forget to post a screenshot! =-

  10. #370
    Quote Originally Posted by McKnuckleSamwich View Post
    the QQ the last few pages here have been amazing. Rampant, even.

    From what I can see in the poll thread, there's about 500 people playing AO.

    You guys really think that 500 people deserve more than 2-3 devs? Give it a rest. FC is running a company. If you think about it, and everyone should, the reality is that AO isn't a big draw.

    Once the current skeleton crew get something in place for the new engine, they might do some advertising, if they can get another 1000-2000 people (3 - 5 x current population), we might start seeing some more devs assigned to game.

    As it stands, AO is providing about $7500 in revenue per month (on the assumption people pay $15/month). $7500 is barely enough to keep two people employed.

    So everyone whining, lazareth especially, just relax man, and think about things. You're asking for service that is outside the bounds of what the economy of the game can provide.

    If you guys want to be productive, the best thing you can do is keep paying, and make constructive, dedicated feedback to proposed changes, and hope that the developers have time to listen to you.

    But all this ranting, and everything is going to hell.... how do you think it makes the Dev's feel? She's only got 8 hours in a day to get things done, you think she wants to read about how bad she's doing?

    And you wonder why they don't visit the forums.

    The prof rebalance/system changes were introduced as a plan when there were more people dedicated to AO (both population and staff), those changes for whatever reason didn't make it in game - imo, it would have been a lovely legacy for means - instead of the Tro'aler, but such is life. Now the system changes are still coming, but we've got about 900 ever changing requests and complaints as well, and nobody seems to be committed to change at all - so what happened?

    And as for vacations.... wtf is that? Everyone needs vacations. The amount of crap being flung at the devs, I'd say she's not only entitled to vacations as we all are, but also entitled to mental health days.

    It's very hard working on something when you've got an endless stream of criticism coming at you.
    Right on McNuckle, I couldn't have said it better.

  11. #371
    (╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻ Tryptophy's Avatar
    +1 McKnuckle
    General of Nocturnal Fear
    Trypha 220/30/70 Engy | Trypothecary 220/30/69 Doc | Tryptophy 220/30/68 Crat | Trypocalypse 220/30/70 Sold | Tryharder 220/30/68 NT | Trypointy 220/x/x Shade | Peasantry 200/30/69 Keeper | Trycharm 150/20/42 Crat

  12. #372
    are you back mcknuckle?

    takes a lot of...lets say...argumentative flexibility to flame the whines when you yourself just cried so bad you left the game.

    besides, that post is utter nonsense and you know it. i sincerely believe you're mocking people here, just trying to see who's gonna go with it.

  13. #373
    sorry if it is wrong thread; the chargestun can make attacking not possible 4 a while instead of stun.

    I also think it fits more to keeper (saviour) and that enfo could get the reverse knockback while loosing fear.

    Shade don't need resneak imo, but agent could get an ability to make a singletarget stop attacking which gives time to resneak if 1on1.
    Last edited by leetlover; Apr 16th, 2014 at 06:03:20.
    Disclaimer: My posts should not be read by anyone.

  14. #374
    Quote Originally Posted by Xootch View Post
    are you back mcknuckle?

    takes a lot of...lets say...argumentative flexibility to flame the whines when you yourself just cried so bad you left the game.

    besides, that post is utter nonsense and you know it. i sincerely believe you're mocking people here, just trying to see who's gonna go with it.
    Just because my accounts are cancelled, doesn't mean I won't play them out.

    I usually buy 12months at a time, and I know two of them just lapsed (ie. got like 10-11 months left of them). The other two, I think they will end in November.

    I didn't actually cry about anything, I just stated my case, and cancelled my acc's to make sure it was known that I stand behind my words.

    I understand where you're coming from; and I think anyone who wants to call me a hypocrite can if they like, and it would be hard to argue.

    But unless you're actually asking that question I'll refrain from going into extraordinary detail to try to answer it unnecessarily.

    I guess to make it as simple as I can, without lengthy explanations, my POV is that things that are utterly gamebreaking do need to be addressed quickly, but, changes that are part of a broader approach to 'rebalance' 'system changes' or 'prof reallignment' whatever you want to call it, those tidbits of adjustment we see, we can't get up in arms about them at every opportunity, or we'll never have any really dynamic gameplay, like nothing new will ever happen. I, personally, would love to see these changes trickle into game, be it in beta, or whatever, as long as the flow is steady, and those changes can be seen as part of the greater vision.

    A lot of the fuss on the last few pages of this thread are unwarranted, they seem like they are coming from people who don't understand what having a real job is, or what having a family is like. The AO dev is a real person, she's doing her best to appease 500 annoyed kids who seem, to a large extent, completely divided in what they want. She's on a shoestring budget, and FINALLY has just (I think) given up hope that there is a 'one answer' that will sate the masses, and is just going for it. And going for it means you're taking a risk.

    I applaud that risk. She's got an idea, and she's running with it, some people are fussing, here, there, some people are whining about this, that... but we're a fickle bunch, and if she just powers through maybe, maybe, if we're not so sceptical of the intermediary details, we'll start to see the bigger picture.

    As for taking a vacation... man, I'm sure she needed one.

  15. #375
    I feel like a lot of people missed the bigger picture of my post. This isn't just about Genele. This isn't just about the fact she went on vacation this time. This isn't just about this last recent influx of changes we got told about.

    But most-importantly, and perhaps most overlooked, it is *NOT* up to me, as a consumer, to take into account Funcom's budget, or Genele's feelings, or anything of the like, and then accept what has happened because of that. Do you get that? This is one of the most expensive games on the market. I have poured in literally thousands over the years to it. There's no money? NOT MY PROBLEM. And it sure as hell isn't my problem to stop, and think about taking that into consideration when I wonder why the hell Funcom has jerked us - okay, anybody taking grievance with that, ME - around for so damn long. They've had more than enough money from Funcom players over the years. Chose to invest in stupid crap that wasn't for us. This is the result.
    Last edited by Lazareth; Apr 16th, 2014 at 07:25:25.
    Heh.

  16. #376
    Quote Originally Posted by McKnuckleSamwich View Post
    the QQ the last few pages here have been amazing. Rampant, even.

    From what I can see in the poll thread, there's about 500 people playing AO.

    You guys really think that 500 people deserve more than 2-3 devs? Give it a rest. FC is running a company. If you think about it, and everyone should, the reality is that AO isn't a big draw.

    Once the current skeleton crew get something in place for the new engine, they might do some advertising, if they can get another 1000-2000 people (3 - 5 x current population), we might start seeing some more devs assigned to game.

    As it stands, AO is providing about $7500 in revenue per month (on the assumption people pay $15/month). $7500 is barely enough to keep two people employed.

    So everyone whining, lazareth especially, just relax man, and think about things. You're asking for service that is outside the bounds of what the economy of the game can provide.

    If you guys want to be productive, the best thing you can do is keep paying, and make constructive, dedicated feedback to proposed changes, and hope that the developers have time to listen to you.

    But all this ranting, and everything is going to hell.... how do you think it makes the Dev's feel? She's only got 8 hours in a day to get things done, you think she wants to read about how bad she's doing?

    And you wonder why they don't visit the forums.

    The prof rebalance/system changes were introduced as a plan when there were more people dedicated to AO (both population and staff), those changes for whatever reason didn't make it in game - imo, it would have been a lovely legacy for means - instead of the Tro'aler, but such is life. Now the system changes are still coming, but we've got about 900 ever changing requests and complaints as well, and nobody seems to be committed to change at all - so what happened?

    And as for vacations.... wtf is that? Everyone needs vacations. The amount of crap being flung at the devs, I'd say she's not only entitled to vacations as we all are, but also entitled to mental health days.

    It's very hard working on something when you've got an endless stream of criticism coming at you.
    QFT.

    Though if those 7.5k were a correct number, AO would not be cash flow posivitve anymore.
    Forgot to add in the folks with multiple accounts and ingame shop transactions.


    And as for stuff breaking down? All those complaining: Did you ever work with a legacy computer system? When was the last time you dragged out that Windows 98 Box and tried to get new Software installed? Have you even seen the rates that a competent AS/400 Tech can charge these days?
    Yes, stuff breaks down. Nothing in IT ever works as smoothly as one likes to think.

    Personally, I applaud Genele and Macrosun for diving as deep into the old legacy system that is the current live AO and attempting to actually migrate the whole to a new engine instead of just calling it quits.
    Hats off & heads bowed for that.
    keep smiling
    Najade s, Najengi s, Najngi s, Najmp s, Shadysannz, Toccata, Frobos, Chaodoc, Najcrat, Najtank
    sannz - ENL - NR01-GOLF-11
    a time of changing has begun; the leaves are fallen and undone; inside my spirit starts to run; and all my fears are overcome. - Chiasm, Rewind, 2005

  17. #377
    I think the point that needs to be reiterated about low population = less cash coming in = makes sense to spend less resources on it is this:

    AO could be making more if it was marketed towards the right audience, but upper Funcom management or whoever it is who makes the decisions above the devs' heads doesn't seem to understand this.

    Everyone still bothering to post on these forums is here because they see potential in AO. Just a shame the higher-ups don't.
    Last edited by Ahndracorvid; Apr 16th, 2014 at 11:33:52.
    :E

  18. #378
    In a perfect world at most 1 out of 20 people who try AO will stay and play on. The rest are gone in a few days. Why? Because the present NPE is horrible, The graphics are not the eye candy they are looking for or when they get in game they do not receive any help from the game population.

    That being said they are working on the first 2 and we as players can especially help with the third issue. This game has a high learning curve and without help it is easy to throw in the towel. People looking for eye candy graphics as necessary to play this game will not stay. People who want to play a game that is complex and challenging may stay if they have a good experience in NPE and with the present player base.

    Ahndra says they are appealing to the wrong audience. Well right now they are not trying to attract any audience. The only new players I see are ones you and I as players talk in to playing. Setting up an advertising campaign and going to steam is a way to get new blood but now we are back to the 3 issues I originally spoke of and that is what will help keep these players.

    There is much more I could say but I don't want to bore y'all with another wall of text. I just want this game to keep going so I can play

  19. #379
    (╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻ Tryptophy's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Ahndracorvid View Post
    I think the point that needs to be reiterated about low population = less cash coming in = makes sense to spend less resources on it is this:

    AO could be making more if it was marketed towards the right audience, but upper Funcom management or whoever it is who makes the decisions above the devs' heads doesn't seem to understand this.

    Everyone still bothering to post on these forums is here because they see potential in AO. Just a shame the higher-ups don't.
    If this is true, the thing to keep in mind is all the vitriol against AO's staff, as if it were their decision to keep the game in life support mode. Their stated plan is to advertise once the engine/NPE is out, because right now new players coming in from advertising won't stay long enough, according to their own research, and that money would be wasted. So the thing FC could do which would get rid of this mess would be to put more devs on the engine and finish it faster, as long as it doesn't become a "too many cooks in the kitchen" type thing. Why they haven't done that, only they can say. In any case it is out of our control and the AO staff's control, so the personal insults and flames are really inappropriate. Haters like these are the reason I will never work customer service again, and I applaud anyone with the nerve to continue to put up with impossible demands and take blame for things that he/she has no control over.
    General of Nocturnal Fear
    Trypha 220/30/70 Engy | Trypothecary 220/30/69 Doc | Tryptophy 220/30/68 Crat | Trypocalypse 220/30/70 Sold | Tryharder 220/30/68 NT | Trypointy 220/x/x Shade | Peasantry 200/30/69 Keeper | Trycharm 150/20/42 Crat

  20. #380
    Quote Originally Posted by sannz View Post
    QFT.

    Personally, I applaud Genele and Macrosun for diving as deep into the old legacy system that is the current live AO and attempting to actually migrate the whole to a new engine instead of just calling it quits.
    Hats off & heads bowed for that.
    Agreed!

Page 19 of 33 FirstFirst 123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233 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
  •