I run the Mature Minded Gamers. We do video and board gaming videos and reviews. We also have a big Dungeons and Dragons community with multiple games active each week. Join us at: https://www.maturemindedgamers.com
AC is the damn reason I troll all of these boards like a crack-addict trying to find another even half-decent PvP game to satisfy me Signed.
I'm right there with you man. What the hell ever happened to free for all PVP? Where can I find it? I play these mindless grindfest games just dying for some decent PVP. I think about Asheron's Call every day. Somebody please tell me. Where is the best free for all on the market now?
Seriously, what game would you suggest to scratch the AC itch?
I digress. I agree completely with the vast majority of everything that has been said in this thread. AC was the greatest game of all time. The PVP, the classless system, the lack of a level cap, the patron/vassal system, the spell casting system, the community. No other game has even come close, and I've played quite a few of them.
If you all loved ac soo much then why aren't you still playing? Why would they revamp a game that nobody wants to play? I loved the game but the reason I don't play anymore is because the worlds are empty. You cant have fun in a MMORPG all by yourself. I go back every few months and get my fix and quit again because of the lack of people. They recently have started banning accounts for using macros. Only buff bots and trade bots are allowed period. Could this be the sign of finally trying to clean house before moving forward?? I was in the guild with the guy who kept El Tank going and even he has quit.
The game is fun and enjoyable with the graphics expansion they did awhile ago. There are just no people playing. Most of the paying accounts are people who have put years into their characters and do not want them erased. Most of the people reading this are just looking for a reason to come back. It's Simple....
Free play-
This is the ONLY way you will get new players to give the game a chance, and bring back old players at the same time. Just doing a 2 week free trial period hasn't worked because a new player will not have a good experience when he is the only person running around Holtberg. So he quits. The few thousand dollars they receive each month for current subscriptions isn't what is keeping the game afloat. It's the people who go on and on about how great the game once was. They know there is still a market for Asheron's Call and I hope they are just waiting for the right time to do something about it.
AC was my first experience with MMO's and I played it into the ground. Gamers these days are so spoiled with flashy graphics, hand-holding XP quests, and rehashed IPs. AC was original in every aspect and that's what made it so amazing. In it's prime, the community was the best I've ever been a part of in an MMO. I can't even remember the number of amazing friends I met in-game while grinding in the Citadel or the Halls of Metos(i think) for motes! Seriously, who can say that anything was more intense than the quests for the greater stones for atlan weapons!? I've never been more on the edge of my seat than when my guild and I ran through the Acid dungeon and there were 50 olthoi swarming our party.
If you all loved ac soo much then why aren't you still playing? Why would they revamp a game that nobody wants to play? I loved the game but the reason I don't play anymore is because the worlds are empty. You cant have fun in a MMORPG all by yourself. I go back every few months and get my fix and quit again because of the lack of people. They recently have started banning accounts for using macros. Only buff bots and trade bots are allowed period. Could this be the sign of finally trying to clean house before moving forward?? I was in the guild with the guy who kept El Tank going and even he has quit.
The game is fun and enjoyable with the graphics expansion they did awhile ago. There are just no people playing. Most of the paying accounts are people who have put years into their characters and do not want them erased. Most of the people reading this are just looking for a reason to come back. It's Simple....
Free play-
This is the ONLY way you will get new players to give the game a chance, and bring back old players at the same time. Just doing a 2 week free trial period hasn't worked because a new player will not have a good experience when he is the only person running around Holtberg. So he quits. The few thousand dollars they receive each month for current subscriptions isn't what is keeping the game afloat. It's the people who go on and on about how great the game once was. They know there is still a market for Asheron's Call and I hope they are just waiting for the right time to do something about it.
its quite obvious why we are not playing. the game was the BEST GAME EVER PERIOD from 99-02... or around there maybe til 03 it was still great... but then there were just too many changes that did not improve the game... and then eventually macros and bots took over and that led to lots of updates that adjusted to the fact people had easy access to everything with the addition of those pesky trade bots and buff bots.
the AC1 gameplay from 99-02 has not been matched yet. and i can proudly say it is the year 2007.
OMG If you are an ol' asheron's call player, your new game is saga of ryzom.. being an ex AC player let me tell you Ryzoms awesome, unfortuantely, i don't have 20+hrs a week to mmo..
This would be amazing if it actually happened. The skill customization in AC was beyond any other game i have ever seen. With a new graphics engine, this would surpass any of todays games. I doubt this will happen though, Turbine is engulfed with new ventures and probably not even looking back. I remember reading when these guys (turbine) were developing AC in a basement with very limited resoarces. Now they all are probably a multi-million dollar company. When Microsoft took over Turbine, that was when the development went downhill. The sudden influx of money probably shut down the want/need to listen to their playerbase. Its almost like they all said....Hey...lets leave 2 guys behide to do the montly updates so we can still get our 10 bucks a month from the leftovers. Who knows, maybe we'll get a AC3, or a game similar to the original AC1, but again...i doubt it, especially from Turbineosoft.
I loved AC1. I played the beta, Red Server (Fire in the Sky Event FTW), I played for two years after that, and played I AC2 until it's unfortunate demise. AC2 felt weak, really weak, the class system sucked, but on the other hand it's combat system is pretty much the standard in most MMO's today. I would love to see an AC3. The same, but different. I think after DDO dies, and the fan boy factor in LotRO calms down, Turbine may be thinking about a return to its core fans. We can only hope.
edit: i just want to say that if i ever won the lottery or somehow managed apon a lot of money i would def buy the rights to this game and remake it, pvp is far beyond anything, anyone could possibly do in games now adays, literally i near piss my pants when i pvp in this game
i believe the next step would be creating a petition webpage. does anyone have the skills or access to a domain that we could create and hold a petition for AC reborn or 3 development? if not i guess we could take it to one of those free petitioning webpages. would you guys be willing to advertise an asheron's call push on your myspace accounts? do you think it would be a good idea to create an AC reborn or AC 3 myspace? and do you think AC reborn or AC 3 would be a better idea?
I would say I have playe d50% of the major MMo's in the last ten years or so and AC has always been the yardstick I use to measure other games (talked about it today in fact) and they are always lacking, the only reason I dont still play is because of the graphics. I would come back in about half a second flat if we got a new engine.
Problem is AC needs more than a graphics update, it needs an entire new engine, which would mean reworking all character and world models, all weapons all physics all stats.. basically remaking the same game in a new engine which would be just as much or more work than making an entire new game, it's never going to happen.
It needs a new combat system more akin to a revamped AC2 combat.
AC was my favorite mmo of all time, hell I was there before we even had a secure trading method and people would just set items on the ground in arwic to inspect before trading just to make sure the person wasn't trying to hustle you. However an asheron's call graphic update to the degree you want won't happen, anybody with any design or moderate computer knowledge should know this already. What it needs is a true sequel, If AC2 had been true to the original spirit of the game..
Open ended character development, large content filled world, quests and mysterious rich lore to discover... It would have been a hit, instead it focused on getting released far before it had any content.. class based gameplay then the rest of it's entire development cycle focused on balance and nerfs even before a half assed ammount of content was added.
The landmasses were TINY and there was nothing in em, I was stuck on that barren wasteland of high end content after the third week of release, I felt like I was exiled and being punished for leveling too fast. There was no spirit of asherons call in it's lame sequel, even that being said I did have the second most fun of any mmo in that world too.
Maybe with the money turbine gets from butchering the two huge ip's it some how won the rights to it will return to it's roots and do it up right.
One could hope an asheron's call reborn, or AC3?
Last problem you face is Turbine has lost pretty much any good image it once had, what with releasing an expansion months before killing AC2, bringing out the worst dungeon's and dragon's game in history... and now the bland as hell LORTO.. personally even me a huge AC fan would have to see a trial before believing they'd do something right ever..
To reply to the first part of your statement, it would go under a complete rehaul. Everything re-coded and what not. I would love to see this, but instead of having a semi-twitch, i'd love for it to be pure twitch combat, so that you can just use your mouse to aim and fire/swing.
Just think a new engine could do, you couldnt bitch about movement while casting or firing since everyone can do it!!!!
only thing that would have to really be rethought would be different spells a mage would have.
I have to say, while the graphics in AC aren't "up-to-date" with the other games out there, it still is my favorite. I started playing around the end of 2000 if I remember right. I played it all the way up to about 4 months after FFXI was released in the US. Then I played that for a few years, but there was something missing.
What I would love to see is either an AC or AC-type game come out that has the same type of character development, or in some cases, lack of character development. (*cough* *gimps* *cough* /em looks at self and blushes.) The trade skills, content, and ability to do solo exploration are all things that I found I also missed while playing FFXI. However there are some key things in final fantasy online I think are awesome. The job catagories and their roles are a fairly nice feature, but it did limit your chances of solo xping, leaving you waiting for 5 other people to decide they wanted to gain xp also to form a party and invite you...only to find out that they suck and you all die repeatedly. Now weapon skills...that was the thing I liked most I think. Using a combination of "learned" weapon skills to create what was called a skill chain was just down right cool, especially if you had a mage that knew when and what to cast at the time of the skill chain for additional damage to the mob. Anyways, what killed it for me for FFXI was that I didn't always have 2 to 3 hours to wait for a party to gain xp. I would have like to been able to just log in, go kill stuff for a while, and then get on with my rl stuff. Anyways, I seem to have strayed some so let me break it down like this.
Game I'm waiting for:
1. AC soloability & exploration
2. AC crafting and tinkering (ffxi has crafting, but it's just not as cool)
3. AC character skill development
4. A "real" lore history that is added to every month ( AC has many games beat in that department.)
5. AC travel system and housing.
6. FFXI fighting style (skill chains and such add a degree of tactics & teamwork that I find missing to a degree in AC.)
7. Races and/or species differ more. (but not so much that those races are fixed into "Ideal" jobs for that race.)
8. FFXI auction house (maybe... while this is a cool feature, the limited number of items that can be put up at one time can be frustrating and time consuming, but buying items easier than browsing trade bots.) {Kind of ties into housing aspects of FXI also}
9. and last but not least... nice graphics, but not something so intense you have to buy a whole new comp just to play.
I realize that may be too much to ask for, but hey we can all dream right? The reason I used AC & FFXI for most of the list is basically, becuase those are the 2 I played the most. Only other thing I could think of that would rock it out would be like the building mode in The Sims. (I could spend hours just building my perfect house.)
Anyways, back to the patch for me... g'day all.
P.S. I don't really think a petition will work, but maybe a respectable post on Turbine forums where game ideas can be tossed out to them would work. They have listened to their game base before, and I think if there were enough support and ideas they would consider it again. After all, that's pretty much what made them so popular with me...they listened and did what they could with what was in place already. They tried to break out and vamp AC with AC2, but we know how that turned out. I haven't tried the D & D online yet, I may just becuase it's Turbine...but not sure yet. I still enjoy AC and reactivated 2 out of 3 accounts a few months ago, just becuase I quit honestly missed playing it. I'm sure we all have our dream game ideas, and if I may suggest, let's post it on Turbine's forums. (or which every game developer's you prefer.) If we can't make the game ourselves...then let's volunteer a few of our ideas and comments we would like to see in a game to the developers. Tell them all what we like about their games, what we don't, and maybe stuff we feel is missing or lacking from the games. They won't know if we don't tell them.
Comments
Join us at: https://www.maturemindedgamers.com
A PS4 ESO guild accepting applications at http://lowlyknights.enjin.com
AC is the damn reason I troll all of these boards like a crack-addict trying to find another even half-decent PvP game to satisfy me
Signed.
Which Final Fantasy Character Are You?
Final Fantasy 7
AC (retired); EQ (retired); DAoC (retired); Horizons (retired); EQII (retired); CoH (retired); AC II (tested); Lineage II (beta); Neocron (tested); Saga of Ryzom (beta); SWG (retired)...
I'm right there with you man. What the hell ever happened to free for all PVP? Where can I find it? I play these mindless grindfest games just dying for some decent PVP. I think about Asheron's Call every day. Somebody please tell me. Where is the best free for all on the market now?
Seriously, what game would you suggest to scratch the AC itch?
I digress. I agree completely with the vast majority of everything that has been said in this thread. AC was the greatest game of all time. The PVP, the classless system, the lack of a level cap, the patron/vassal system, the spell casting system, the community. No other game has even come close, and I've played quite a few of them.
Petition: signed.
The game is fun and enjoyable with the graphics expansion they did awhile ago. There are just no people playing. Most of the paying accounts are people who have put years into their characters and do not want them erased. Most of the people reading this are just looking for a reason to come back. It's Simple....
Free play-
This is the ONLY way you will get new players to give the game a chance, and bring back old players at the same time. Just doing a 2 week free trial period hasn't worked because a new player will not have a good experience when he is the only person running around Holtberg. So he quits. The few thousand dollars they receive each month for current subscriptions isn't what is keeping the game afloat. It's the people who go on and on about how great the game once was. They know there is still a market for Asheron's Call and I hope they are just waiting for the right time to do something about it.
/Signed
AC was my first experience with MMO's and I played it into the ground. Gamers these days are so spoiled with flashy graphics, hand-holding XP quests, and rehashed IPs. AC was original in every aspect and that's what made it so amazing. In it's prime, the community was the best I've ever been a part of in an MMO. I can't even remember the number of amazing friends I met in-game while grinding in the Citadel or the Halls of Metos(i think) for motes! Seriously, who can say that anything was more intense than the quests for the greater stones for atlan weapons!? I've never been more on the edge of my seat than when my guild and I ran through the Acid dungeon and there were 50 olthoi swarming our party.
Ah..good times. I miss you old school AC
the AC1 gameplay from 99-02 has not been matched yet. and i can proudly say it is the year 2007.
TwitchTV Partnered Streamer
MMORPG.com Spotlight Blog Writer
Co-Leader of Inquisition
Youtube Channel
A freeform game like AC is just a grind and community.. sure the events were nice..
But i think they would have to bring the style current.. AC had great lore.. and that would be very important..
Which Final Fantasy Character Are You?
Final Fantasy 7
you made my day, SIGNED!
edit: i just want to say that if i ever won the lottery or somehow managed apon a lot of money i would def buy the rights to this game and remake it, pvp is far beyond anything, anyone could possibly do in games now adays, literally i near piss my pants when i pvp in this game
Wred
AC should go free to play. After 3-4 months maybe 5 dollars a month then after another 2-3 maybe up to 10.
If AC went free everyone would come back so it would be worth the 3 month free play.
/signed
Just think a new engine could do, you couldnt bitch about movement while casting or firing since everyone can do it!!!!
only thing that would have to really be rethought would be different spells a mage would have.
I have to say, while the graphics in AC aren't "up-to-date" with the other games out there, it still is my favorite. I started playing around the end of 2000 if I remember right. I played it all the way up to about 4 months after FFXI was released in the US. Then I played that for a few years, but there was something missing.
What I would love to see is either an AC or AC-type game come out that has the same type of character development, or in some cases, lack of character development. (*cough* *gimps* *cough* /em looks at self and blushes.) The trade skills, content, and ability to do solo exploration are all things that I found I also missed while playing FFXI. However there are some key things in final fantasy online I think are awesome. The job catagories and their roles are a fairly nice feature, but it did limit your chances of solo xping, leaving you waiting for 5 other people to decide they wanted to gain xp also to form a party and invite you...only to find out that they suck and you all die repeatedly. Now weapon skills...that was the thing I liked most I think. Using a combination of "learned" weapon skills to create what was called a skill chain was just down right cool, especially if you had a mage that knew when and what to cast at the time of the skill chain for additional damage to the mob. Anyways, what killed it for me for FFXI was that I didn't always have 2 to 3 hours to wait for a party to gain xp. I would have like to been able to just log in, go kill stuff for a while, and then get on with my rl stuff. Anyways, I seem to have strayed some so let me break it down like this.
Game I'm waiting for:
1. AC soloability & exploration
2. AC crafting and tinkering (ffxi has crafting, but it's just not as cool)
3. AC character skill development
4. A "real" lore history that is added to every month ( AC has many games beat in that department.)
5. AC travel system and housing.
6. FFXI fighting style (skill chains and such add a degree of tactics & teamwork that I find missing to a degree in AC.)
7. Races and/or species differ more. (but not so much that those races are fixed into "Ideal" jobs for that race.)
8. FFXI auction house (maybe... while this is a cool feature, the limited number of items that can be put up at one time can be frustrating and time consuming, but buying items easier than browsing trade bots.) {Kind of ties into housing aspects of FXI also}
9. and last but not least... nice graphics, but not something so intense you have to buy a whole new comp just to play.
I realize that may be too much to ask for, but hey we can all dream right? The reason I used AC & FFXI for most of the list is basically, becuase those are the 2 I played the most. Only other thing I could think of that would rock it out would be like the building mode in The Sims. (I could spend hours just building my perfect house.)
Anyways, back to the patch for me... g'day all.
P.S. I don't really think a petition will work, but maybe a respectable post on Turbine forums where game ideas can be tossed out to them would work. They have listened to their game base before, and I think if there were enough support and ideas they would consider it again. After all, that's pretty much what made them so popular with me...they listened and did what they could with what was in place already. They tried to break out and vamp AC with AC2, but we know how that turned out. I haven't tried the D & D online yet, I may just becuase it's Turbine...but not sure yet. I still enjoy AC and reactivated 2 out of 3 accounts a few months ago, just becuase I quit honestly missed playing it. I'm sure we all have our dream game ideas, and if I may suggest, let's post it on Turbine's forums. (or which every game developer's you prefer.) If we can't make the game ourselves...then let's volunteer a few of our ideas and comments we would like to see in a game to the developers. Tell them all what we like about their games, what we don't, and maybe stuff we feel is missing or lacking from the games. They won't know if we don't tell them.