Potential new player, a few questions

Thyrom

Hi all,

 

Thanks for reading, hopefully some of you will be able to answer some questions that I have on Age of Conan (EU player here).

 

I have downloaded the game and installed it, after much tweaking of the settings (and following several tips on various forums), I have it running 95% smoothly on my computer (albeit it on the lower settings). Being an ex-WoW player, I don't find that the animation is quite as smooth as WoW - is this normal? Don't get me wrong, it runs fine and the character is very responsive but it just isn't quite as smooth when in a city/built up area on the tutorial island- I can'y put my finger on it. I do realise that it requires a powerful machine, I was just wondering how responsive other peoples gamining experience was in Age of Conan. Am I also safe to assume that if I can comfortably play the game on the tutorial island that my computer will be able to cope with the rest of the game?

 

Following the download of the game, I have read all of the class guides and have started as a PoM. I enjoy healing and this class looks like it will suit my taste in gameplay. I have chosen the PVE Server CROM as this looks the most populated - how well are new player received on this server? From what I have read the community appears to be mature so are new players generally accepted in the community or do they have to "gear up" first? I tend to be a social player and so intensive raiding is not really my thing - are there mature guilds that accept this kind of player?

 

Another query I have is related to purchasing the game. I could be wrong here so please feel free to correct me! There appears to be two options to buy the game for me in the UK:

 - £7.99 for the base game with one months subscription included

 - £24.99 for the expansion, base game and one months subscription

 

Of the two, I would be tempted for the £7.99 option to see if I really do like the game beyond tutorial island. By doing this, how much gameplay do you get with just the main game and no expansion? Is it worth it?

 

....that's it, for now!

 

Hopefully see you on CROM!

 

Thanks!

 

Thy

Destiny2010

1. I never really pay attetion to animation unless its hopeless, but it seems quite fine to me!

2. Very likely, just talk to a few people, and search for a guild.

3. In all honesty, the main game has alot of "bang for buck" in it, and the expansion is lvl 20-40 & 80+, so the only real thing you will be missing (more or less I think) is the larger Khitai lvl 20-40 area that I like. But the other 20+ areas is also nice, and should be tried out also!

What you could be missing form dropping the expansion from day one might be Alternative Advancement (or AA), but this is something thats starts more on lvl 80, even if you can get a few points prior to 80. ( At least I think AA is a expansion feature only...)

Thyrom

Thanks, so with regards to the expansion....

 

If I purchase "Age of Conan Europe featuring Rise of the Godslayer" does this give me full access to all of the game? What I am planning on doing is playing until level 20 and then making my decision at that point.

 

Cheers,

 

Thy

Aznmask

Age of Conan Europe featuring Rise of the Godslayer is the expansion. You need to purchase

Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures.

Terranah

Performance wise the game ran really well on my new rig.  I was able to also very significantly increase fps by changing from dx 10 to 9.  DX10 is also buggier.

 

Animations seemed fine to me in AOC.  WOW ofcourse is buttery smooth performance and animation wise. 

 

Forgot what server I was on, but the peeps were nice, occasionally helpful.  The guild I ended up joining were a very nice group of people.  Social aspect, atleast for me, was kind of lacking though at endgame.  People are either raiding or pvp.  I didn't really feel like the game has the tools to really be a good social game, but that's just my opinion.

Nebless

Originally posted by Thyrom

I have downloaded the game and installed it, after much tweaking of the settings (and following several tips on various forums), I have it running 95% smoothly on my computer (albeit it on the lower settings). Being an ex-WoW player, I don't find that the animation is quite as smooth as WoW - is this normal? Don't get me wrong, it runs fine and the character is very responsive but it just isn't quite as smooth when in a city/built up area on the tutorial island- I can'y put my finger on it. I do realise that it requires a powerful machine, I was just wondering how responsive other peoples gamining experience was in Age of Conan. Am I also safe to assume that if I can comfortably play the game on the tutorial island that my computer will be able to cope with the rest of the game?

It's not so much that the game needs a powerful system to run, it's the way the game uses the system.  It sounds like you have the same problems I have.

Built up areas are always going to put a heavier load on the system so yes you'll have that slight hitch.  It's just not ultra smooth, you KNOW there's just a mili second of lag.

One thing that may help increase your FPS even more is to window the game and shrink it down some.  Doing that and following the optimizing game post from the O-boards got it so I could even play.  Unfortunitly I was never able to get past the basic 1 step combo's as that slight lag would always cause me to miss the 2nd step.  Because of that I can't do any Pvp but am OK with PvE.

If you can handle Tortuga, you'll be fine in the follow on cities.

munecaroon

Hey

I did what you're about to do,

bought  the base game with one months subscription included at 01/01/11.

After that awesome 3rd beta event Rift I had the need for another MMO I didn't try before.

 

I had to cancel it today though because I got terrible (loading?) hitches on Tortuga every 100 meters or after zoning.

Sometimes characters didn't load, my own avatar, enemies or even quest NPCs.

I don't own the best PC in town, but I can play pretty much any other game at an acceptable setting,

so I have to put it down on how AoC is handling data streaming / loading.

Not sure what it is, but i.e. Rift has a seamless world/larger areas and I could run it on *medium* at 30 FPS all the time without any hitch.

 

Bit disappointed really, since AoC is how old now .. 1-2 years?

Would have thought they'd revamp the engine and fix memory issues after such a long time.

 

Hope it'll work better on your PC, story is great, NPCs have voiceovers and it's all meshing nicely together.

DaSpack

Tortuga??  lol

What the hell is Tortuga? There is a city called Tortage, but I kind of start to doubt your word when your facts fall together like this. Also, the fact that myself and the people I recruited had no problems at all i Tortage kind of makes me doubt that you have been to Tortuga at all...

Dude, join us. It's a fantastic game. I play it still now after 18 months.

Nebless

Originally posted by DaSpack

Tortuga??  lol

What the hell is Tortuga? There is a city called Tortage, but I kind of start to doubt your word when your facts fall together like this. Also, the fact that myself and the people I recruited had no problems at all i Tortage kind of makes me doubt that you have been to Tortuga at all...

Dude, join us. It's a fantastic game. I play it still now after 18 months.

Tortage, thanks.  I'm also playing PotBS and was at work so I ended up with the wrong T town. 

You know the whole computer problem thing would make more sense if it hit everyone the same way.  I have 2 HP's here in the house and my son had a VIAO laptop.  All made about the same time.  Neither of the HP's could play on DX10 but the laptop got better FPS on it. 

helthros

I like turtles !!!!

munecaroon

Originally posted by DaSpack

Tortuga??  lol

What the hell is Tortuga? There is a city called Tortage ...

Haha, yeah that's the RL reference as in Isle of Tortuga (Haiti), the (in)famous pirate base.

Always got that name in my head when I think of Tortage .. and yes, Tortuga means turtle too

 

Well, what I wrote is what happened, I can log my (lowbie) Conq on Chrom server (EU) if you doubt my words.

Think I have to up my RAM to 8GB now, it's the reloading that kills me .. literally

 

Peace

DaSpack

No need dude.

But why don't you just get someone to have a look on your hardware or setup. It's not normal to have problems with 8 GB. I run the game on crappy crap and still have great FPS. It's really not that hard.

Thyrom

Well, I like this game and have spent some more time playing it but the lag beat me! I have spent more time reading forums on how to improve my fps than I have actually playing the game......which is a shame.

 

I will delete the game for now but one day I might return, I just cant help but think that if the developers improved the game engine (even just a little) that the playerbase would explode. If anyone else reads this, give the game a shot - its worth the effort and the community from what I saw were friendly and helpful.

 

Thy

Destiny2010

Not sure on how the game perform in trial, but the full game is large, and it might be a background downloader working there, perhaps you can turn it off if it tries to download the rest of the game (to prepare) while you play the island.

Wondering myself also, as I know there is a such downloader in the full version, and it can cause lagg to unlucky people.

AmazingAvery

Originally posted by Destiny2010

Not sure on how the game perform in trial, but the full game is large, and it might be a background downloader working there, perhaps you can turn it off if it tries to download the rest of the game (to prepare) while you play the island.

Wondering myself also, as I know there is a such downloader in the full version, and it can cause lagg to unlucky people.

 This, many reports of some of the said issues arise from the game downloading the rest of it in the back ground. The very first time you visit and area the game will slow everything up slowly. Further travels there or re-visits at a later date won't be as painful. There are options in limiting the background downloader on the patcher screen.

I wonder what kind of specs the OP had

Thyrom

Originally posted by AmazingAvery

Originally posted by Destiny2010

Not sure on how the game perform in trial, but the full game is large, and it might be a background downloader working there, perhaps you can turn it off if it tries to download the rest of the game (to prepare) while you play the island.

Wondering myself also, as I know there is a such downloader in the full version, and it can cause lagg to unlucky people.

 This, many reports of some of the said issues arise from the game downloading the rest of it in the back ground. The very first time you visit and area the game will slow everything up slowly. Further travels there or re-visits at a later date won't be as painful. There are options in limiting the background downloader on the patcher screen.

I wonder what kind of specs the OP had

......far from it being the game, I am fully aware that it's my computer that causes the lag as it is a couple of years old. The spec is only:

AMD dual core 2.10 GHz

3 GB RAM

Vista (32 bit) - I think this in itself doesn't help

ATI Radeon 3100 - again, I think this doesn't help

When I upgrade I will try again later in the year because from what I saw I very much liked the content.

 

Thy

AmazingAvery

Originally posted by Thyrom

Originally posted by AmazingAvery

Originally posted by Destiny2010

Not sure on how the game perform in trial, but the full game is large, and it might be a background downloader working there, perhaps you can turn it off if it tries to download the rest of the game (to prepare) while you play the island.

Wondering myself also, as I know there is a such downloader in the full version, and it can cause lagg to unlucky people.

 This, many reports of some of the said issues arise from the game downloading the rest of it in the back ground. The very first time you visit and area the game will slow everything up slowly. Further travels there or re-visits at a later date won't be as painful. There are options in limiting the background downloader on the patcher screen.

I wonder what kind of specs the OP had

......far from it being the game, I am fully aware that it's my computer that causes the lag as it is a couple of years old. The spec is only:

AMD dual core 2.10 GHz

3 GB RAM

Vista (32 bit) - I think this in itself doesn't help

ATI Radeon 3100 - again, I think this doesn't help

When I upgrade I will try again later in the year because from what I saw I very much liked the content.

 

Thy

 Hey Thy, didn't mean any disrespect or anything. Just wondered about the specs as AoC requires graphic cards with a typically higher "pixel shader" version. In beta for the game I had the desktop equivilent of what you have here and suffered the same issues.

Not sure if it is of any help or you have not seen it already but there a driver update for your video card here: http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/Pages/index.aspx that recently came out, this may help in AoC or for any other game for that matter

PS. Byker Grove still on tele? :P

Thyrom

Originally posted by AmazingAvery

Originally posted by Thyrom

Originally posted by AmazingAvery

Originally posted by Destiny2010

Not sure on how the game perform in trial, but the full game is large, and it might be a background downloader working there, perhaps you can turn it off if it tries to download the rest of the game (to prepare) while you play the island.

Wondering myself also, as I know there is a such downloader in the full version, and it can cause lagg to unlucky people.

 This, many reports of some of the said issues arise from the game downloading the rest of it in the back ground. The very first time you visit and area the game will slow everything up slowly. Further travels there or re-visits at a later date won't be as painful. There are options in limiting the background downloader on the patcher screen.

I wonder what kind of specs the OP had

......far from it being the game, I am fully aware that it's my computer that causes the lag as it is a couple of years old. The spec is only:

AMD dual core 2.10 GHz

3 GB RAM

Vista (32 bit) - I think this in itself doesn't help

ATI Radeon 3100 - again, I think this doesn't help

When I upgrade I will try again later in the year because from what I saw I very much liked the content.

 

Thy

 Hey Thy, didn't mean any disrespect or anything. Just wondered about the specs as AoC requires graphic cards with a typically higher "pixel shader" version. In beta for the game I had the desktop equivilent of what you have here and suffered the same issues.

Not sure if it is of any help or you have not seen it already but there a driver update for your video card here: http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/Pages/index.aspx that recently came out, this may help in AoC or for any other game for that matter

PS. Byker Grove still on tele? :P

 

Sorry, you didn't cause offence - I tend to write as I would talk. lol - I, myself, actually think that the computer is the problem.

 

Thanks for the link, I had already tried that and although it helped a little it didn't help enough. I will return though......one day!

 

Thy

 

P.S. Byker Grove? That made me laugh, I used to watch that years ago and can still hear the opening song in my head!