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Blackwell99
Member Posts: 352
Funcom has done so many things wrong, and have done very little right. Yet when harsh criticisms are dealt towards a game that is less than average (in every way except art work, and perhaps music) when compared to all the other mmorpgs out there---it makes you a troll, and not someone who simply trying to warn people about a game that has broken crafting, sieges, economy...etc. In reality, there are F2P games that absolutely PWN AoC when it comes to playability. That and just about every other game maker puts Funcom to shame just in the manner they do business with their customers alone (yes even SoE).
With the vast amount of problems in this game you may want to ask why a handful of people advocate this game if it's so bad. Well i have some thoughts to keep in mind.
---Funcom considers Viral Marketing a big part of their "business plan."www.funcom.com/funcom/frontend/files/CONTENT/Funcom_2008_Annual_Report.pdf
---Norwegians (and their tags are a good indicator of this) are loyal to this game and advocate it (not all--some think that FC has made a mockery of the whole country). In fact I wouldn't be surprised if, in some cases, their parents or relatives actually work for Funcom.
---Time investment..some of these people have rolled every class the game has to offer while letting Funcom "lead them on," that the next patch will make the game more playable, or be the end-all-be-all answer to the many problems that plague AoC, but to anyone who knows anything about games the obvious problem is their ancient game engine that was used in AO which is going on 8 years old, which might as well be 100 years old in the gaming industry--although their are exceptions---but AoC is not one of them.
---A lot of players simply have friends in the game and that keeps them playing.
--There's no accounting for taste. As with bad movies, there will always people who will defend crap movies like "Lady in the Water," for example. Even though most movie goers acknowledge that it all but ended Shyamalan's credibility as a movie maker there will be those who will claim to like that PoS movie. Hey I don't try to understand it. Since there's no accounting for taste; anybody can claim to like anything and call it subjective, but that's why discriminating gamers spend time reading the forums here and other places. Do your Homework before wasting 100 hours of your life...if you do that.. you are truly a real gamer which will benefit everyone by discouraging bad games from being made by bad game makers in the future. (same goes for movies, cars and lawnmowers...etc)
---Then there's the group i almost feel sorry for...the actual Conan fans. Although here in NA Conan really hasn't taken off culturally like it has in Europe (as far as the original novels are concerned). Yet, I have seen plenty of insulted Conan fans leave AoC furious over the mishandling of Conan lore. Most of these people can point out a lot of indiscrepancies EG: magic didn't exist in the Conan books like they do in AoC, is a common complaint. Plus, with virtually no RP elements the fans of the books lose interest quickly.
---Creating doubt is FC's best weapon: Doubt over population numbers, doubt over every or any criticism ever made. I guess they feel if they arouse enough doubt that people will give them the benefit. This is not a tool of any quality mmorpg. EG: EvE show there population in realtime.
You can always count on these people to call critics of AoC a troll (even though many times its the AoC fans who flip-out over criticisms and start name calling)...this is a culture that Funcom encourages as they never delete those posts calling people those names on their forums. They expect/ force people to say good things when there is very few good things to say.
If only Famine or his flunkies could just wave a magic wand and delete all the criticisms from all the forums everywhere. Or hire someone or a group of people to defend this game.
Remind you of anyone who frequents these boards....hmmmmm.
Having said that I would recommend anyone to play through Tortage as i truly believe many mmorpgs will take this aspect from AoC and use it in future games (with the whole night and day destiny quests). Unfortunately that part of the game is over in about 10 hours give or take. So the free trial should do the trick, and with all the new-blood about to hit the mmorpg market, now's the time to try it before the game is totally abandoned.
My point is:
Be very careful who you listen to, and read everything, everywhere--it'll draw the right picture eventually.
Comments
Never a truer word written.
From the very beginning, I can only think of 2 things they actually got right, everything else has been one great big cock-up.
The mind boggles at the stupidity of their game making decisions, most of them just don't make any sense, and everything that the community are crying out for is completely ignored.
I would never ever buy another FC product because the light has dawned, FC are just taking the pizz along with our money.
So basically your saying:
Did I miss anything? as I am just trying to understand your position here? is this just your opinion or is it universal like you say? Well how can it be universal as there are plenty of people playing and paying
Your last point is true though "Be very careful who you listen to, and read everything, everywhere--it'll draw the right picture eventually."
I will add to look at post history and ask yourself would any decent person spend as much time posting ill of a game sometimes over a year to what end? and would you do that yourself over a video game..... You may want to ask 'why' ? Why would someone do or say that ? can I see myself doing that? Why would I do that? Do I believe them?
So where is the report button and how many rules are broken in this thread?
I need more vespene gas.
I think Craig himself said it best; "Don`t belive what I say, try it out yourselves and listen to other players and what they say about the game! My opinion is too biased."
Just a little rundown of some true & important facts of this discussion:
- Marketing is very expensive, and the form that Blizzard, EA and other companys perform each time they launch and have a campaign afterwards cost heck of alot of money.
- Funcom is company that has limited resources, and probaly some demanding investors, so they should try to cope with the money they have right now
- Viral Marketing is free, since its like the "word of mouth" or "jungle drum" so any company to use this is smart, as long as the WOM performs in the right way...
Lets face it, companys that don`t use viral marketing in a smart way are throwing money out of the window some times, and even if this kind of marketing don`t always work the way the company want (example: old AOCs rumors)
My best guess is that Funcom is working as hard as they can to improve the game, and to hope the WOM turns, and the funny thing is, it has turned, at least on the boards, and on this forum in some way. So Craig have been doing something right at least, no doubt about that.
And to finish of this post: I hope that Craig and the others in FC realizes that the expansion will be important for the game, and that it should have somewhat of the quality that is close to Ymir`s pass to be successful, and I hope they can wait with launching until they have this done, so that the WOM can get even better for them.
Thank you.
It was a combination of things. Stability issues was a big factor, content gaps was another, insufficient features like lack of armor choices, end game broken or not present.
It was a combination of things, not one thing specifically.
i have to change my signature. *sigh
I need more vespene gas.
I think there are another two points to consider when you discuss why people advocate for certain games.
1) They do truefully like the game, they can see past its flaws, or see the potiential in it.
2) They don't know any better. I was reading on the Darkfall forums not long ago, someone was listing the reasons why they love Darkfall, and one of them went something along the lines of: After the "expansion" or patches pve is much better now, not ALL the mobs are bugged. ~When expectations are this low ofc games will come off shining and worthy of being advocated for.
Just as a side note, this isn't a bash at anyone who likes any particular game, because good for them, as they have found something they enjoy. I am simply addung more reasons why people advocate.
I paid $15 for a game i really enjoy. Ya this game its trouble (but what game does not). They fixed a lot of issues with the game you should try it out.
Have No Fear Cohas is here!!!
So you're saying we should all buy a game that is in trouble, and who knows, might not even be here next year?
No, what he IS saying is buy the game if you LIKE it,
The problem here is you think you should form peoples opinions. Basically doing what the OP says the "fanboys" are doing.
The better option is for players to form an opinion of their own...as we are a human species, and it happens to be a trait of ours.
I was a "left after launch" player as the game I saw had potential, but Funcom was messing it up. When the game was handed over into new hands, I came back to see what potential the game had.
I am still there to this day. I am not always happy about what Funcom does for AoC, but, I also see them trying. I even have a motto which is quite simple. "Funcom hater, Age of Conan player". But, unlike you guys, I am not here to play a game called "Funcom". I am here to play a game called Age of Conan. That game is fun, and I will stick it out til it closes...and the worst part? No skin off my teeth. Who cares if they close. I am having fun NOW.
Look at it this way. I hate another game (we will not mention its name, but I will give a clue...Hobbits), and could go there everyday and say how much I hate it like you do for AoC..but, I do not (anymore...lol), as it is (was) wasted. For some reason the people that play THAT game happen to like it, and those who have NOT played it are going to try it. I do not think it is fun, I think it is badly made, and a ruined IP by the company who made it.
Yet it still thrives. And no matter how much I kept pointing out the games failures, and all of the companies previous failures (DDO, AC2)...gee whiz, people still play.
And no matter what is said here, either by the fans or the haters, one thing is clear. A LOT of people are making up their own minds, without our help. And a vast majority are seeing that the game is working and is fun. Funcom forums are proving that.
Sorry if that ruins your day though.
Thanks for posting.
rhetoric question but one can never be sure so: No, anyone who disagrees with me is not a troll.
People who post off-topic, derange the topic are trolls.
the topic is not about me liking the game, or defining it as fun. The topic is about why people defend the game.
so here is a simpler version of it;
Why do people defend this game?
- the game creates real money income for the defenders.
-people in question are Norwegians who defend it for other purposes
-the game is fun.
it really doesnt get any simpler.
I need more vespene gas.
I find it interesting to see how people still think Norwegians defending AoC at times does it because they are Norwegians and Funcom is a Norwegian company.
Playing: Battlefield - Bad company (Xbox360) Arma2, DFO (PC)
On my radar: TSW, MO
MMO's played: SWG (pre cu/cu), WoW, AoC, WAR, DFO, Planetside
MMO's that I have tested: Lotro, L2, Aion, Ryzom
So you're saying we should all buy a game that is in trouble, and who knows, might not even be here next year?
Dude, are you serious?
For 15 bucks, you can see a movie that lasts maybe 2 hours, give or take 30 minutes... maybe 2 movies from netflix.
Or you can try out a game that will, if avery's numbers about the amount of time the average user takes to finish Tortage are accurate, provide you will roughly 24 hours of entertainment, at least.
AoC is already a better value, even if you do not enjoy it beyond Tortage. Afterwords, if you are paying 15 bucks a month and are getting less time from it then a movie for the same price, its time to cancel your sub and go see a movie.
Frank 'Spankybus' Mignone
www.spankybus.com
-3d Artist & Compositor
-Writer
-Professional Amature
How would you explain the fact that there are so many Norwegian users on this forum? Lol, even YOU are a Norwegian
We are talking about a country of a couple of million people, yet so many hardcore fans here are from Norway. This is no coincidence. There are more Norwegian users because:
1. They are patriotic
or
2. They are somehow affiliated with Funcom (employees, family, etc)
This leads to a very important question:
If indeed most of these Norwegian users only defend Funcom because it's a Norwegian company, how can they be objective? They might not be straight up lying, but they are probably giving bias and false information.
Lets take you as an example, Crashloop. You are from Norway and seem to be VERY active in defending AoC and Funcom. Do you think you are being objective, or maybe a little bias because of patriotism?
I'm not trying to attack Norwegian posters, so please don't be affended
Actually, I think it has more to do with the fact that AoC had such a media blitz in Norway. Being that it was a big title, and it was from Norway, it was posted in the newspaper constantly in Norway, and there was a ton of buzz about it. They also had events and gatherings in Norway. Now, true, I am sure that many people are just patriotic, but at the same time, I think that the bulk of the people actually like the game for the game. When you have a small country that does not produce games, and then one is suddenly produced that is world known, then yes, it is going to be big news in that country, and get a lot of attention.
How would I know? I lived in Norway for 5 years, including the time where AoC was launched.
Dude, are you serious?
For 15 bucks, you can see a movie that lasts maybe 2 hours, give or take 30 minutes... maybe 2 movies from netflix.
Yes but,
That same 15 bucks also competes with the likes of....well this: (for starters)
I suppose everybody could subscribe to everything....but then it isn't 15 bucks anymore.
Hey Avery, the OP really speaks well, like me you should add him to your friends list. Always Trying to look out for ya.
MAGA
So you're saying we should all buy a game that is in trouble, and who knows, might not even be here next year?
No, what he IS saying is buy the game if you LIKE it,
The problem here is you think you should form peoples opinions. Basically doing what the OP says the "fanboys" are doing.
The better option is for players to form an opinion of their own...as we are a human species, and it happens to be a trait of ours.
I was a "left after launch" player as the game I saw had potential, but Funcom was messing it up. When the game was handed over into new hands, I came back to see what potential the game had.
I am still there to this day. I am not always happy about what Funcom does for AoC, but, I also see them trying. I even have a motto which is quite simple. "Funcom hater, Age of Conan player". But, unlike you guys, I am not here to play a game called "Funcom". I am here to play a game called Age of Conan. That game is fun, and I will stick it out til it closes...and the worst part? No skin off my teeth. Who cares if they close. I am having fun NOW.
Look at it this way. I hate another game (we will not mention its name, but I will give a clue...Hobbits), and could go there everyday and say how much I hate it like you do for AoC..but, I do not (anymore...lol), as it is (was) wasted. For some reason the people that play THAT game happen to like it, and those who have NOT played it are going to try it. I do not think it is fun, I think it is badly made, and a ruined IP by the company who made it.
Yet it still thrives. And no matter how much I kept pointing out the games failures, and all of the companies previous failures (DDO, AC2)...gee whiz, people still play.
And no matter what is said here, either by the fans or the haters, one thing is clear. A LOT of people are making up their own minds, without our help. And a vast majority are seeing that the game is working and is fun. Funcom forums are proving that.
Sorry if that ruins your day though.
Thanks for posting.
Hahaha, you wrote a big wall-of-text but with that one sentence you lost all credibility.
Funcom oficial forums don't prove jack shit. It's a universally known fact that you will be banned from posting anything negative and all negative posts are either deleted or hidden somewhere.
Right now Funcom forums are the last place you should look if you want objective information about AoC.
Yet, you lose credibility every time you post. Why? Every post of yours is a negative. Every post is an agenda...you do not even deserve troll status.
For some reason Funcom took your lunch money or stole your wife (not sure why...I have seen her...ouch dude...lol), but the fact remains, you have only one purpose..
To hate on Funcom itself.
All I am saying is that no matter how much you or the OP hate the company, it does not affect the game. It will not change anyones mind in trying the game, as I have faith most people are intelligent enough to make up their own minds.
My mind for example has been made up, and Age of Conan beats all other MMO's hands down as more fun and exciting...period.
Sorry you have to carry this grudge and cannot see past that.
Dude, are you serious?
For 15 bucks, you can see a movie that lasts maybe 2 hours, give or take 30 minutes... maybe 2 movies from netflix.
Yes but,
That same 15 bucks also competes with the likes of....well this: (for starters)
I suppose everybody could subscribe to everything....but then it isn't 15 bucks anymore.
and with this post right here one could say you are nothing but a shill for EVE.
this is the AOC forum and it is about things relating to AOC.
thank you oh mighty interwebz hero for swooping in and saving the day for thousands upon thousands of people all across the universe and making up their minds for them .
At the end of the day people have different tastes and likes.
I was one of the people who won the AOC game in the contest here, I had followed AOC since its conception, I read both the hype and the bad press it received here, but being an individual I chose to make up MY OWN MIND about the game, and guess what I find it amazingly fun!
EVE on the other hand I find boring and droll beyond belief full of douchebags who have a leeter than thou syndrome and need to rub one off to their e-peen on a daily basis , I am a huge Sci -Fi fan but if I wanted to play a wallpaper with spreadsheets I would pull up a picture of a NASA photo of the universe and go through some worksheets for work.
it is all about personal likes and dislikes , nothing more. you are not "saving" anyone as anyone who has a couple of brain cells can and should try it themselves and choose, not listen to someones personal opinions and drivel. (mine or yours)
now don't you have some super dooper spreadsheets to work on
So you're saying we should all buy a game that is in trouble, and who knows, might not even be here next year?
No, what he IS saying is buy the game if you LIKE it,
The problem here is you think you should form peoples opinions. Basically doing what the OP says the "fanboys" are doing.
The better option is for players to form an opinion of their own...as we are a human species, and it happens to be a trait of ours.
I was a "left after launch" player as the game I saw had potential, but Funcom was messing it up. When the game was handed over into new hands, I came back to see what potential the game had.
I am still there to this day. I am not always happy about what Funcom does for AoC, but, I also see them trying. I even have a motto which is quite simple. "Funcom hater, Age of Conan player". But, unlike you guys, I am not here to play a game called "Funcom". I am here to play a game called Age of Conan. That game is fun, and I will stick it out til it closes...and the worst part? No skin off my teeth. Who cares if they close. I am having fun NOW.
Look at it this way. I hate another game (we will not mention its name, but I will give a clue...Hobbits), and could go there everyday and say how much I hate it like you do for AoC..but, I do not (anymore...lol), as it is (was) wasted. For some reason the people that play THAT game happen to like it, and those who have NOT played it are going to try it. I do not think it is fun, I think it is badly made, and a ruined IP by the company who made it.
Yet it still thrives. And no matter how much I kept pointing out the games failures, and all of the companies previous failures (DDO, AC2)...gee whiz, people still play.
And no matter what is said here, either by the fans or the haters, one thing is clear. A LOT of people are making up their own minds, without our help. And a vast majority are seeing that the game is working and is fun. Funcom forums are proving that.
Sorry if that ruins your day though.
Thanks for posting.
Hahaha, you wrote a big wall-of-text but with that one sentence you lost all credibility.
Funcom oficial forums don't prove jack shit. It's a universally known fact that you will be banned from posting anything negative and all negative posts are either deleted or hidden somewhere.
Right now Funcom forums are the last place you should look if you want objective information about AoC.
Yet, you lose credibility every time you post. Why? Every post of yours is a negative. Every post is an agenda...you do not even deserve troll status.
For some reason Funcom took your lunch money or stole your wife (not sure why...I have seen her...ouch dude...lol), but the fact remains, you have only one purpose..
To hate on Funcom itself.
All I am saying is that no matter how much you or the OP hate the company, it does not affect the game. It will not change anyones mind in trying the game, as I have faith most people are intelligent enough to make up their own minds.
My mind for example has been made up, and Age of Conan beats all other MMO's hands down as more fun and exciting...period.
Sorry you have to carry this grudge and cannot see past that.
Hmmm this reminds me of someone who used to post on the LotrO forums... every day several negative posts hating on the game... did it for over a year just over and over the same thing...
Oh yea it was someone called Openedge1...
If WoW = The Beatles
and WAR = Led Zeppelin
Then LotrO = Pink Floyd
I like your post-it made some good points,
For me...viral marketing leaves a bad taste in my mouth because there is something underhanded about "baring false witness" to a mmorpg. I mean we are talking about hours and hours off a persons life, money is a renewable resource...but time is not.
To hire people to say that XXX game is great, and pose as actual gamers is really a way of fooling people into playing a game that otherwise they wouldn't. I agree it is cheap.
Although I have read different numbers over time about AoC development costs; the most common number I've heard is 60 million US smackers to develop AoC--and that's with using a pre exisiting game engine. I actually use to see their banners everywhere...not so much these days though. So as small as FC is they certainly had the opportunity to use their resources in a positive and effective manner to promote their product...and in the beginning they had success with that. But that was then and this is now.
Good games naturally flourish, poor games struggle and fade into obscurity. A good game makes it on it's own merits and through positive word of mouth. There is no reason to trick consumers...a crime that I have personally seen Funcom do too many times, in too many ways.
Maybe read the original post instead of trolling.
I already stated this, and also stated how it is ineffective and a waste of time. Just like this OP's post, which does nothing.
For some reason some people still enjoy that other game, no matter what I said or others said (I was not alone)...thus, here we have the same issue. No one will pay attention to these posters and will make up their own minds.
I admitted that I had an agenda, and agendas accomplish nothing.
Just like yours.
Thanks
(Of note...I am willing to admit that I trolled the LOTRO forums, yet the trollers and haters here in the AoC forum think they are doing something good. It accomplishes nothing actually and makes you out to be sadly ones without lives..Why not go and discuss a game you like? I am.)
You'd be interested to know he has his problems with AoC too.
http://forums.ageofconan.com/showthread.php?t=198054
That is true.
But, notice how it also eliminates the "OMG, Funcom deletes all negative posts" attitude we see here.
If done constructively and with a note to furthering a game you enjoy, then I see no reason to NOT post a negative post.
And, BTW, that post is from July 4th, and discussed the fact that Funcom needed to start a return trial for players who left after launch...and lo, and behold...it worked. My issue was resolved.
Funcom may have issues, but they are willing to at least look at the issues and make adjustments. No one is EVER going to be 100% happy, But, progress to me means they are willing to take a chance. they did, and it paid off.
Thus, the reason I still play Age of Conan. Fun game, and the company (though not always right, or makes mistakes like normal humans) is willing to listen to those who post logically and discuss the game logically.
Try it some time (or just continue to post hate on MMORPG)
Age of Conan died a long time ago. Funcom made alot of stupid mistakes, and now they pay for it. The only thing that can revive Age of Conan, is if it goes F2P.
(in b4 fanbois going "LOL U TROLL").
Sorry openedge1 you got found out mate. Your negitive posting that you littered LOTR forums with is no different to what OP and other trolls do. So now I will just flick directly over any hypocritical posts you make.
Back on topic. Dont really see what the problem is. If people enjoy AoC leave them to it. If any new people are going to take a chance on the game, theres plenty of reviews informations on it. It is the laughing stock of any gaming forum. But each to their own. Personally i prefer games with a bit more depth.
Cheers