Alright so just wanted to relay my experience with the alpha.
I gambled my $150 based on the feature set of AA. I always knew I'd hate the art-style and the UI but those are just taste things and I can get over them if the game is compelling enough.
I have been playing ESO since launch and honestly I think it totally spoiled me.
AA is very "old school" and not in a good way. It reminds me a lot of the current way DAOC starts. But I want to love it as it has SO many features that I've wanted from a well-made game for so long like FFA PvP, naval combat, etc.
Here's what I got out of it.
PRO:
- It's very pretty
- The animations are fantastically crafted
- FFA PvP
- Justice System
- Naval combat
- Sitting just about anywhere
CON:
- No quest VO
- Overbearing, unimmersive UI
- Painful connect-the-dots questing
- Boring, unimaginitive and grindy, 10-year-old combat
- No context or immersion into the world
- Unconnected story-less collect/kill quests
- The freaking awful ! and ? graphics really bother me for some reason
- God-awful movement controls
- Ridiculously unintuitive menus
- The freakin' popups
- Old-school camera system with no true first person
- Global Cool-downs
- Nameplates freakin' EVERYWHERE by default
STUFF THAT IS A CON BUT DOESN'T BOTHER ME AND/OR WILL OBVIOUSLY BE FIXED:
- Non-translated text (I wonder what it all means!)
Seriously, I want to love this game, but it gives me a headache and I honestly think ESO's immersive,minimal UI, believable art-style, story-drive questing and action-based combat REALLY spoiled me for older-school games like this.
So I'm asking for people to tell me whether or not it gets better and if I should stick with it and why they are loving it (since a lot of people CLEARLY do). If I am looking for an immersive, engaging experience, should I stick with this? Cuz right now it seems like a typical mindless Asian grind-fest with some cool features tacked on.
Don`t try to love something that does not need love at all.
On the other hand, if you like to toruture yourself , you dont need to play. You just need to read every post in your topic
Originally posted by ReaperUk It seems to me from the OP that he didn't take on board the fact he was paying his $150 to join an alpha. Most of his cons relate to it being an unfinished product. As for the questing, that's just to introduce new players to the various game systems. If he thinks its all about questing he can't have played very much.
It's not a traditional alpha... the game is already made, Trion didn't make it, they are merely "westernizing" it for another developer. If the product is unfinished... it will continue to be unfinished.
I think the OP didn't take into account that he was paying $150 for a product that he could have gotten for free if he just waited like everyone else. The game you see today is pretty much the same game you will see at release. Which is pretty much true for every open beta out there as well.
Put it this way, I tried WoW off and on again about 15 times and the highest character I ever made was lvl 23 and that was in Beta. I just couldn't get into WoW. But it's the most successful MMORPG in history.
Some guy aren't just made for some people.
This is like you asking us "HELP I WANT TO LOVE FAT CHICKS WITH NOSE RING AND TATS"
Well, someone people find that hot. But some won't. Different taste for different folks. It's time to move on!!!
I wish I took that advice before I tried it(talking about fat chicks, not WoW).
I agree with the lack of immersion into the gameworld (nothing to do with story, just how the world feels as a credible universe).
For that reason I advise you to try out Age of Wushu. It's also a sandbox with open pvp and the combat system is different, takes a while getting used to but it's amazing once you get the hang of it and have enough skills. Specially movement skills.
The thing about Age of Wushu is that you immediatly feel immersed into this asian Wuxia world just like Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon movie.
The game has its problems as any other game but if you want a sandbox game like Archeage but with a much more immersive setting you should try Age of Wushu if you're north american or Age of Wulin if you're european.
You're not missing anything, as far as I'm concerned.
Your thoughts seem to reflect my own - and the "alpha" that I'm in doesn't feel like an alpha at all. The only technical issue I had was some flickering on player-grown trees, which can be fixed by disabling multithreading.
Beyond that, the only thing missing is a proper and thorough translation.
I agree with what you said, and it DOES feel old and worn in terms of the core mechanics, and especially in terms of the world, lore and quests. Whether you enjoy themeparks or not, there's no denying the best of them have changed what many of us expect from these aspects of any great MMO.
I have no real preference - and I love both kinds of games, and I think they both should be part of any MMO. But AA fails to implement the themepark aspects to my satisfaction.
Still a great game if you don't care about these things, though.
I'd agree with you. I had to kind of "accept" that the quest delivery is very dated, compared to ESO, GW2, Swtor, etc. but after I've gotten over that, I'm really having a great time in the game. Where AA shines is in being a deep and involving crafting and trade simulator, with not bad combat in an interesting world to explore. The game breaker for me will be how much the PvP annoys me later on -- I intend to get involved in it a little but mostly focus on the shipping trade, farming, dungeons, etc.
There's no denying the crafting is great and what I like to call the gameplay arsenal is vast and impressive.
It's all down to what you prefer and what you like.
Personally, I'm a HUGE immersion freak - and I need my world to be absorbing and I absolutely need to be able to take it seriously.
AA is simply too bright and doesn't seem to do anything to pull me into its world or lore. Sure, the cutscenes are still not translated - but it's very obvious from the quest givers that lore isn't where this game tries to break the mold. In fact, it seems to want to go back in time.
If you're not about lore, engaging quests, immersion and a "serious" vibe - then I can easily see how you can appreciate the great stuff in AA. Because it DOES have lots of great stuff.
I dont even think the crafting is great. There is no skill involved in it, its just click and combine. And the labor point system kind of ruins it. Of course its better than anything thats come out in the last 10 years because of its gathering system, but the gathering system will be too affected by PvP.
But I think you hit the nail on the head with the immersion. And the OP hit on it a little too. The immersion factor is non existent. And immersion is very important in this type of game. And the lack of lore isn't back in time, because in the past games had great lore. Everquest is probably still the tops in creating a new world filled with lore and immersion.
And that was Everquest's secret to success. Norrath. And the world of ArcheAge is no Norrath. Everquest was not remotely a quest driven game but Norrath had a rich lore and lots of personality. Its kind of funny that AA is published by Trion, because its world reminds me a lot of Telara, pretty, colorful, and boring and soulless. When creating a brand new IP you need to do better for races than humans, elves, and catmen who look like humans with cat ears and a tail.
Here are the issues I have with AA. Some of them will be strengths to others:
1. PvP focused-cant do anything worthwhile later on without subjecting yourself to the asshattery of others
2. Lack of immersion
3. Labor Points
4. Ultimately a boring class system.-Ill admit this could change later, but the three tree system is so overdone.
5. Themepark elements are pretty poor. Wouldnt be a big deal if they werent so prevalent.
6. Click and Combine, skill-less item making
7. No open world dungeons
8. Fast leveling
I didn't say the crafting SYSTEM was great, and I tend to agree with you on that. But the amount of stuff you can craft (and I include farming and stuff in that) is amazing. Absolutely amazing.
I like the labor point system, because it helps in keeping the playfield even between people with a life and those without one.
Class system also seems very good to me, even if I was somewhat underwhelmed with the actual skills of some of the classes. But the way you can mix it up at will is great - and very flexible. Better than Rift, where it looked like a lot of flexibility - but ultimately was very rigid because of the point system.
Themepark IS very, very poor - I absolutely agree.
No open world dungeons is a sin, pure and simple. Massive missed opportunity in a game like this, and especially because it's SO close to Vanguard 2.0 otherwise.
Fast leveling sort of fits the overall design - and I don't mind it.
Originally posted by summitus I'm sorry but most of the " Cons " you listed are just BS .... maybe move on and find another game
Don't you mean "In MY opinion, most of the "Cons" you listed are just BS"? I see you make a point to drive that distinction home against other posters who post negative stuff about AA so I figured you could use a dose of your own medicine. In my opinion, of course.
seems to me what your missing is a cerebral cortex good night sir.
lol priceless,very funny ,about the game tho it has so much to offer ive played nearly 2 weeks and only level 19 im not in any rush in alpha to level im just wandering around learning stuff its amazing game really.
I suppose it really is a "move on" situation as many have suggested.
I tried again, and failed, to get into it. I went exploring with the HUD turned off, saw some other players mucking about, got killed by wildlife, all of which is great but...it just felt so empty. Also was told by a player there's no taming? Which is my #1 thing for a sandbox so that was . Really miss the days of being a creature handler in SWG.
I guess ESO will keep me for a bit longer, though it's almost total lack of sandbox elements is a real shame.
Still waiting on the sandbox MMO that gets it right I suppose...wonder if we'll ever see it?
EDIT: for the record the ! and ? graphics, while they have been around for years and have only been minorly annoying, I have never seen them so poorly made as in this game.
I played ESO for one week and uninstalled it. I don't like quest treadmills. Have not played AA but your post made want to reply. If you like ESO you should easily like WOW, SWTOR,GW2, as they are the same game with different pictures and quest.
If you want a real game that is fun and different try Secret world. Not to mention if your playing Alpha how could you even expect a polished game that would compare to anything released?
I played ESO for one week and uninstalled it. I don't like quest treadmills. Have not played AA but your post made want to reply. If you like ESO you should easily like WOW, SWTOR,GW2, as they are the same game with different pictures and quest.
If you want a real game that is fun and different try Secret world. Not to mention if your playing Alpha how could you even expect a polished game that would compare to anything released?
Yeah for the record, I am enjoying ESO a lot but I mostly dislike the other games you listed so your assumption doesn't quite hold up. WoW I played for years because all my SWG friends went there and I really hated every second of it. SWTOR was just bad all around, and GW2 was okay but too goofy and over-the-top for my taste.
I think what sets ESO apart from those is the world/lore, stories told via questing and the combat/immersion elements. I've always hated GCD combat and the active combat of ESO is the most compelling combat I've played in a theme park (just shy of Darkfall or Mortal's combat systems) as well as the traditional BS UI crap that comes with most MMOs.
Secret World I found intriguing (played the beta) but the lack of an open world really turned me off and I'm not into that setting. Class/skill system seemed pretty cool and the storytelling was well laid out but still very closed off, even for a theme park.
I suppose it really is a "move on" situation as many have suggested.
I tried again, and failed, to get into it. I went exploring with the HUD turned off, saw some other players mucking about, got killed by wildlife, all of which is great but...it just felt so empty. Also was told by a player there's no taming? Which is my #1 thing for a sandbox so that was . Really miss the days of being a creature handler in SWG.
....
There are recent streams out there of AA players crafting nets to capture world bosses as pets. That's a version of taming.
I don't think you're missing anything - some people just don't enjoy some things! I do feel bad if you dropped $150 on it though as I agree that you probably could have figured out most your cons by just watching some streams or asking about the game.
For me AA is a great game and I love the sandbox elements. I also enjoy the older style combat though. I never could get into ESO - that game had some of the worst combat for me personally and I really hate the normal quest grind of ESO, but I don't mind it in AA since it feels like a very small fraction of the game and almost more of a side thing to do while I am exploring and gathering resources etc.
Oh and actually a lot of the quests in AA that I've done so far (only level 20 right now) have been pretty rewarding and I actually look forward to them, like the farms, the mounts, etc. Those are rewarding quests where I feel good about actually spending my time doing them. 99% of the quests in other games, ESO included, felt like a chore and waste of my time but were meant to be the best way to level and gear always was a very minor upgrade, etc.
Alright so just wanted to relay my experience with the alpha.
I gambled my $150 based on the feature set of AA. I always knew I'd hate the art-style and the UI but those are just taste things and I can get over them if the game is compelling enough.
I have been playing ESO since launch and honestly I think it totally spoiled me.
AA is very "old school" and not in a good way. It reminds me a lot of the current way DAOC starts. But I want to love it as it has SO many features that I've wanted from a well-made game for so long like FFA PvP, naval combat, etc.
Here's what I got out of it.
PRO:
- It's very pretty
- The animations are fantastically crafted
- FFA PvP
- Justice System
- Naval combat
- Sitting just about anywhere
CON:
- No quest VO
- Overbearing, unimmersive UI
- Painful connect-the-dots questing
- Boring, unimaginitive and grindy, 10-year-old combat
- No context or immersion into the world
- Unconnected story-less collect/kill quests
- The freaking awful ! and ? graphics really bother me for some reason
- God-awful movement controls
- Ridiculously unintuitive menus
- The freakin' popups
- Old-school camera system with no true first person
- Global Cool-downs
- Nameplates freakin' EVERYWHERE by default
STUFF THAT IS A CON BUT DOESN'T BOTHER ME AND/OR WILL OBVIOUSLY BE FIXED:
- Non-translated text (I wonder what it all means!)
Seriously, I want to love this game, but it gives me a headache and I honestly think ESO's immersive,minimal UI, believable art-style, story-drive questing and action-based combat REALLY spoiled me for older-school games like this.
So I'm asking for people to tell me whether or not it gets better and if I should stick with it and why they are loving it (since a lot of people CLEARLY do). If I am looking for an immersive, engaging experience, should I stick with this? Cuz right now it seems like a typical mindless Asian grind-fest with some cool features tacked on.
Ok so I read your post but not the five pages following it.
If one of the cons is "NAME PLATES ON BY DEFAULT" if this really bothers you enough to list this, the game is really not for you.
ESO just came out why would you even consider paying 150 to get into alpha here if your having a good time, No name plates there.
Not to mention if your playing Alpha how could you even expect a polished game that would compare to anything released?
Because its an old game that SHOULD be fully polished (and it is)
Do people really not get this? Localization is all text and balance tweaks and nothing at all to do with the game's bugginess and polish. And the game is polished and not buggy so no issues there.
They are calling it an alpha to entice people to pay, but its not remotely in alpha state.
Comments
Don`t try to love something that does not need love at all.
On the other hand, if you like to toruture yourself , you dont need to play. You just need to read every post in your topic
It's not a traditional alpha... the game is already made, Trion didn't make it, they are merely "westernizing" it for another developer. If the product is unfinished... it will continue to be unfinished.
I think the OP didn't take into account that he was paying $150 for a product that he could have gotten for free if he just waited like everyone else. The game you see today is pretty much the same game you will see at release. Which is pretty much true for every open beta out there as well.
Put it this way, I tried WoW off and on again about 15 times and the highest character I ever made was lvl 23 and that was in Beta. I just couldn't get into WoW. But it's the most successful MMORPG in history.
Some guy aren't just made for some people.
This is like you asking us "HELP I WANT TO LOVE FAT CHICKS WITH NOSE RING AND TATS"
Well, someone people find that hot. But some won't. Different taste for different folks. It's time to move on!!!
I wish I took that advice before I tried it(talking about fat chicks, not WoW).
I agree with the lack of immersion into the gameworld (nothing to do with story, just how the world feels as a credible universe).
For that reason I advise you to try out Age of Wushu. It's also a sandbox with open pvp and the combat system is different, takes a while getting used to but it's amazing once you get the hang of it and have enough skills. Specially movement skills.
The thing about Age of Wushu is that you immediatly feel immersed into this asian Wuxia world just like Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon movie.
The game has its problems as any other game but if you want a sandbox game like Archeage but with a much more immersive setting you should try Age of Wushu if you're north american or Age of Wulin if you're european.
when did the OP even mention the $150? I dont think the OP really cared about that
I didn't say the crafting SYSTEM was great, and I tend to agree with you on that. But the amount of stuff you can craft (and I include farming and stuff in that) is amazing. Absolutely amazing.
I like the labor point system, because it helps in keeping the playfield even between people with a life and those without one.
Class system also seems very good to me, even if I was somewhat underwhelmed with the actual skills of some of the classes. But the way you can mix it up at will is great - and very flexible. Better than Rift, where it looked like a lot of flexibility - but ultimately was very rigid because of the point system.
Themepark IS very, very poor - I absolutely agree.
No open world dungeons is a sin, pure and simple. Massive missed opportunity in a game like this, and especially because it's SO close to Vanguard 2.0 otherwise.
Fast leveling sort of fits the overall design - and I don't mind it.
Don't you mean "In MY opinion, most of the "Cons" you listed are just BS"? I see you make a point to drive that distinction home against other posters who post negative stuff about AA so I figured you could use a dose of your own medicine. In my opinion, of course.
seems to me what your missing is a cerebral cortex good night sir.
lol priceless,very funny ,about the game tho it has so much to offer ive played nearly 2 weeks and only level 19 im not in any rush in alpha to level im just wandering around learning stuff its amazing game really.
this game could be good waiting BlackDesert : )
but its oldschool gameplay with hardcore tab targeting, turns me off, at least it will be f2p and for sure i will give a try : )
I suppose it really is a "move on" situation as many have suggested.
I tried again, and failed, to get into it. I went exploring with the HUD turned off, saw some other players mucking about, got killed by wildlife, all of which is great but...it just felt so empty. Also was told by a player there's no taming? Which is my #1 thing for a sandbox so that was
. Really miss the days of being a creature handler in SWG.
I guess ESO will keep me for a bit longer, though it's almost total lack of sandbox elements is a real shame.
Still waiting on the sandbox MMO that gets it right I suppose...wonder if we'll ever see it?
EDIT: for the record the ! and ? graphics, while they have been around for years and have only been minorly annoying, I have never seen them so poorly made as in this game.
I played ESO for one week and uninstalled it. I don't like quest treadmills. Have not played AA but your post made want to reply. If you like ESO you should easily like WOW, SWTOR,GW2, as they are the same game with different pictures and quest.
If you want a real game that is fun and different try Secret world. Not to mention if your playing Alpha how could you even expect a polished game that would compare to anything released?
Yeah for the record, I am enjoying ESO a lot but I mostly dislike the other games you listed so your assumption doesn't quite hold up. WoW I played for years because all my SWG friends went there and I really hated every second of it. SWTOR was just bad all around, and GW2 was okay but too goofy and over-the-top for my taste.
I think what sets ESO apart from those is the world/lore, stories told via questing and the combat/immersion elements. I've always hated GCD combat and the active combat of ESO is the most compelling combat I've played in a theme park (just shy of Darkfall or Mortal's combat systems) as well as the traditional BS UI crap that comes with most MMOs.
Secret World I found intriguing (played the beta) but the lack of an open world really turned me off and I'm not into that setting. Class/skill system seemed pretty cool and the storytelling was well laid out but still very closed off, even for a theme park.
There are recent streams out there of AA players crafting nets to capture world bosses as pets. That's a version of taming.
I don't think you're missing anything - some people just don't enjoy some things! I do feel bad if you dropped $150 on it though as I agree that you probably could have figured out most your cons by just watching some streams or asking about the game.
For me AA is a great game and I love the sandbox elements. I also enjoy the older style combat though. I never could get into ESO - that game had some of the worst combat for me personally and I really hate the normal quest grind of ESO, but I don't mind it in AA since it feels like a very small fraction of the game and almost more of a side thing to do while I am exploring and gathering resources etc.
Oh and actually a lot of the quests in AA that I've done so far (only level 20 right now) have been pretty rewarding and I actually look forward to them, like the farms, the mounts, etc. Those are rewarding quests where I feel good about actually spending my time doing them. 99% of the quests in other games, ESO included, felt like a chore and waste of my time but were meant to be the best way to level and gear always was a very minor upgrade, etc.
Ok so I read your post but not the five pages following it.
If one of the cons is "NAME PLATES ON BY DEFAULT" if this really bothers you enough to list this, the game is really not for you.
ESO just came out why would you even consider paying 150 to get into alpha here if your having a good time, No name plates there.
You are not missing anything. The game is just not for you. Like music, and other art forms, not everything is for everybody.
Or fat chicks....Who dosent like fat chicks!
Because its an old game that SHOULD be fully polished (and it is)
Do people really not get this? Localization is all text and balance tweaks and nothing at all to do with the game's bugginess and polish. And the game is polished and not buggy so no issues there.
They are calling it an alpha to entice people to pay, but its not remotely in alpha state.