Hopefully they have learned from AoC and AO. It doesn't matter if the suits want to release the game now, if it's not ready, don't let it out the door. Time will tell though.
I am fully sold on the idea of TSW. Will have to see how the actual game plays out though. My cat is currently doing the beta song and dance on Facebook. :-)
This is what gets me a little, everybody is hopeful things with Funcom have changed yet we have no evidence of this at all. The recent beta clock countdown announcement seems to indicate nothing has changed - unless you believe it's all part of the game (now any problem can be part of the game due to ARG).
They aren't in touch with the people interested in the game - the majority according to the mini poll on this site don't want to be bothered with Facebook just to play a game. However successful or not TSW is, the main problem to my mind is always going to the fact that Funcom are just so out of touch. AOC is a good game and with going free to play it's having a bit of resurgence. But it was always a good game - the direction they took it was wrong. They didn't listen to the users comments and they never fixed bugs or problems in a timely manner. They recovered from a bad launch, they were heading in the right direction then they made business choices which screwed the game.
If anything I would just warn people to not be sucked in with TSW and assume Funcom have changed until there is some evidence to that effect. If I was playing the beta now I would say - you know what perhaps things are looking up. But I haven't seen the beta and then when you start to scratch the surface 'classless' isn't classless etc etc. I though EA having some participation in things might have turned stuff around.
As I said, I'm fully sold on the idea of the game because the idea of the game is pretty cool. That doesn't mean the game will be great, that it'll be horrible or that it'll be mediocre. In general people do tend to jump to the end result first (the game will be great/horrible) and then turn around to watch reality catch up.
Among the current crop of games out there, TSW does have some fairly cool ideas, even if they aren't exactly new. You have a capped, skill based system with build outs to take into the world with you. It isn't a class based system. As far as the PvP 'role'...that could mean several things that have nothing to do with the holy trinity or it could mean exactly that. Either way it's not classes.
Another thing is having three factions able to work together in PvE but against each other in PvP. Finally there is, yes, the setting. Urban fantasy and urban mythology based off of contemporary stories. The setting is probably the biggest draw for me.
There could be more, but I'm not all that interested in anything else. Even so, none of that means the game will be great or that it will be horrible. They could have the best ideas in the world and bork them with an early release or just a poor implementation. There should be enough information floating around prior to my spending money to know what I'm getting into.
** edit ** Role = support, damage, tank/damage absorption Class = how you do that role - Priest as Support or Damage, Warrior as Damage or Tank, etc. Classless = pick out skills from whole palette of skills to fill whatever role or combination of roles you want. Fire Magic for damage, Life Magic for support, Gun expertise for Damage, etc.
I can not remember winning or losing a single debate on the internet.
Comments
As I said, I'm fully sold on the idea of the game because the idea of the game is pretty cool. That doesn't mean the game will be great, that it'll be horrible or that it'll be mediocre. In general people do tend to jump to the end result first (the game will be great/horrible) and then turn around to watch reality catch up.
Among the current crop of games out there, TSW does have some fairly cool ideas, even if they aren't exactly new. You have a capped, skill based system with build outs to take into the world with you. It isn't a class based system. As far as the PvP 'role'...that could mean several things that have nothing to do with the holy trinity or it could mean exactly that. Either way it's not classes.
Another thing is having three factions able to work together in PvE but against each other in PvP. Finally there is, yes, the setting. Urban fantasy and urban mythology based off of contemporary stories. The setting is probably the biggest draw for me.
There could be more, but I'm not all that interested in anything else. Even so, none of that means the game will be great or that it will be horrible. They could have the best ideas in the world and bork them with an early release or just a poor implementation. There should be enough information floating around prior to my spending money to know what I'm getting into.
** edit **
Role = support, damage, tank/damage absorption
Class = how you do that role - Priest as Support or Damage, Warrior as Damage or Tank, etc.
Classless = pick out skills from whole palette of skills to fill whatever role or combination of roles you want. Fire Magic for damage, Life Magic for support, Gun expertise for Damage, etc.
I can not remember winning or losing a single debate on the internet.