Preliminary 14.5 patch notes

[TexRob]

Originally posted by ShivaZ
Ok...let me get this straight.
Bracers are useless now ...PvM gets harder...soloing becomes more impossible, forcing us to group. The biggest reason why I play AO instead of other MMORPGs is that I don't have to put up with / rely on people who do nothing but group from lvl 1 to 100 and are lvl 100 noobs who are still wearing ql 50 ragtag gear off of mutant drops. Its annoying when you find these incompetent people ( Lvl 100 soldiers using a ql 80 seburo? And leftover ql 70 armor? Mission Tokens: 22) I just dont get it. But now? OH well now, Im going to be forced to group with these people. Why? Because now soloing just got that much harder.

More bosses and boss loot! Well isnt that great...more things that will be overcamped, incredibly long spawns, or impossible to kill by myself. You know, Ive been trying to find and kill TIM for about 3 weeks now...and then 5 min before he spawns a bunch of lvl 200s log in and fight over him...and a 3-4 hour timer is a bit extreme. And they have it on a stopwatch. Why not make him spawn more often, but decrease the frequency of good drops, maybe someone else would get a chance once in a while to kill one of these "special" mobs, like when the campers go afk for food.

Where's the content for the casual gamer? All of these changes are for people who play 12+ hours a day and have lvl200 characters and this game is their only social life therefore they know 800 people to find good groups with to go and out-camp and out-farm casual gamers who are just trying to get by. I pay the same amount each month no matter how many hours a day I play, so why are we being punished?

No reflect bracers ...ok big deal, I can deal with it. I seldom PvP because a fair fight is impossible. Getting rooted in your yalm above 2ho headed to a mission, this is pvp? Its "ganking" and thats all the pvp system is in this game. Instead of nerfing things for the rest of us why not improve the PvP system so that it would actually be fair. Of course that would imply a need for balanced classes, which will NEVER happen ...

I was sincerely hoping that this patch would bring much needed changes to classes that have SERIOUS need of them, especially in light of the love given to adv/fixer classes recently that has caused an uprising of thousands of new fixers and adventurers. Clone charactesr, everyone has one, what about the other classes? Nah, jump on the bandwagon. Surely you can see that the changes in 14.4 were a bit EXTREME for these classes? I've got a fixer, and its insane how much more powerful they are now. Its fine to give love to classes but don't abandon these other people. When are these changes coming?

Personally I dont think any of the changes in this patch were necessary. More outdoor hunting grounds just means there will be less people farming lush fields and they will be spread out now. Ok, I guess that helps the lag problem ...that's something...but considering the areas that REALLY need attention I think that this was very low priority.

I'm disappointed, as usual, but I'm used to it. I cancelled at 12.6, came back a couple months ago, and I'm probably cancelling again soon, just because there is absolutely nothing for me to do at this point except kill the same exact ql mobs until I reach 200, which is going to take a while. yawn-stretch.

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Looking for a game I can stay competitive in without playing 80 hours a week...I have job, classes, life ...
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Ok, someone has to say it, so I'll be the one. Massively MULTIPLAYER are the first two M's in MMORPG. Anarchy Online, not offline. If you want to solo all of the time, then go for it, but don't expect the game to revolved around soloing.

Then we move onto you complaining about having to group. You are complaining about new outdoor hunting spots. You are just a negative person, not much more to say here. I also find it amusing that you slam people's gear, but then call yourself a casual gamer. You are doing what so many powergamers do, assume that those who aren't level 180+ are noobs, and have crap gear. I get them all the time in groups. I have no problem saying from what guild, Trinity. We get into discussions about gear and such, and we all start quoting stats. They find it hard to believe a random schmoe can have almost 6000 self buffed AC at level 133 and 5500 unbuffed HP, good nanos, evades, etc. I had one have the nerve to tell me, "It's easy to say that", meaning that it's easy to say what your stats are, lying. Don't be one of these people. That or pick a side, do you hate casual gamers or powergamers, which is it?

Not only are you negative, but paragraph three shows that you are a vindictive, whiny individual. Guess what, I am the opposite of what you talk about. I have played about 6-8 hours in the past week, and once in the past 4 days. These changes don't have anything to do with someone who plays 2 or 20 hours. Outdoor hunting if anything, promotes short time requirements. Log near some dynacamps, log in, /shout 133 Soldier LFG, someone drops you a line and says come to this coord, we just lost a member. 5 minutes you are getting XP and ready to go.

Your sig is amusing also. You think you are better than everyone, don't try and deny that, you say it in plain English right there. I used to suffer from a mild case of your syndrome. Constantly feeling like you have to justify why you aren't X level to everyone, because while you say you have a life, you desperately wish for acceptance in any game you play. I used to play EQ like that, but then something changed. I play for fun now, and don't worry about what others think. Those that group with me know I am a good player, am nicely equipped, and there to have fun. I also quit around the same time you did, and have been back a bit over 2 months now. My work sucks up a lot of time, and so do other things like friends, girlfriend, and other interests. I have a new outlook, just play to have fun and don't worry so much. I used to play EQ like such a fiend that I felt bad if I overslept on a weekend, because I was getting "behind"! I don't know if most make the transition like I did, I call it the "casual powergamer".

Ok, my novel is done, time to leave work now.

[___________Fabierien]

Hello,
First time here in a while. You know I have read almost this entire posts. I think the changes are good they look just plain nifty, your general hate reactions well those are not nifty. I too played EQ on both live and test servers for almost 2 years. I just started playing test in AO now after playing on and off for the better part of the year it has been out. I have a 58 NT on RK1, woohoo go me and a lvl 3 solider on test. Here is the thing I have the most problems with in your posts, you say over and over and over that they do nothing but nerf, I disagree. First off they do not patch enough to spend that much time nerfing, sorry funcom I like ya I really do that is why I am still playing. I remember on test in EQ the darn server was down and up down and up all the time with things being tried. The test server here has not been down in over 2 weeks, this is what I see and I could be wrong. Funcom seems like they test everything in house over and over until it works, mostly, and then puts it on the test to see if it is balanced(yes the 'b' word). Where as in EQ everything went to test and test was screwed over hehe, that was the fun part. That was what being on test was all about seeing what was new and if it worked and if you could break it. It would be funny someone would be "WOOT! got the new uber item" and then two days later came the character wipe, LOL, it was great. I think the strides that funcom is making are great though, you got the new nifty team missions(by new I mean since release), lag is down from memory leaks considerably, this new out door stuff, some static missions, static dungeons and so on and so on be happy guys and gals they are working hard.


Fabierien

[Varfleet]

Dunno how many people would agree with me, but having played this since beginning, wouldn't it make sense for FC devote some time to reviewing all archives and the current boards to determine which bugs are still around and to take a look at what might be determined to be bugs and fix it all?

The reason for this would to avoid the, rightfully so, rants when based upon the current rules of how items/nanos work, suddenly get changed. The reflect stuff, don't use much but, it has been over 1 YEAR this has been ALLOWED to continue. Now if this was a bug, shoulda been fixed, if it wasn't why change it now? Arul Saba gems, geez, thanks for letting me think the 2 dozen gems I did possess were going to be useful! Basically when the idea that the Arul Saba quest was going to be tanked, shoulda said something.

Spend some time, serious time, reviewing the posts, see what can be fixed. And before more changes are made that are geared towards PvP, make sure that PvP is going to be viable, not a gank fest. (Since FC has already admitted that PvP is still unbalanced)

Basically, FC does bring the heat upon themselves for changes or fixes that come a little to late.

So my little bit of advice, being and Agent, your gonna have to start a workaround on how to play.

[_____________Lostorm]

Ahhh this pacth sounds good even though i do not do much outdoor hunting.

Maybe because i gotta run missions just to get credits and it seems like i'm always short on cash.

I hope the mobs give up some unique loot, so we can sell for some good cash or mobs just give good cash.

I Hate sneak'n or blitz'n missions just to get cash to stay up with all the other player or guilds.

Also I hope you all found all the expoited credits, so the econimy stays in some what of order (RK-2)

But all in all the pacth sounds sweet.


PS more drops of izanas little nuke or
or what ever it s called.

[____________RedSonja]

PvP'er moans about not being able to get the high level token board:

Make all tokens worth stack loads more, make getting the 1000 board a walk in the park.

PvP'er moans about even the possability of higher level board because they might end up fighting somebody with an advantage:

No sign of new boards, not even mentioned by any of the dev staff, us mainly solo players simply assume they will never happen.

PvP'er moans about traders:

Traders get bits changed here and there to make them less effective

PvP'er moans about reflect bracers because they aren't too easy to find people moan beacue they are at a disadvantage:

Bracers nerfed so that basically speaking they are a waste of time

So Funcom, yet more listening to the PvP'ers and nerfing the game for the rest of us.
Why don't you listen to the single player once in a while?
Why is it that you continuously patch time and time again to help these moaning PvP'ers?
What they want is for everybody to be equal, making rarer items useless and not in any way damaging their precious little fights in Tir arena.
Every single patch you do something else to the casual/single player to ruin their enjoyment of the game.
Either that or make something that was once difficult to get/acghieve a breeze and usually because these PvP'ers / quick levellers find it a bit difficult to get them.
If you want to force a PvP playstyle or assume that everybody wants to do it then so be it, but at least tell us outright so as we can make an informed decision as to if we want to continue.
All these continuous nerfs against single/general players is becomming tiresome.

Do it simple, as somebidy else suggested.
Give every single item 2 sets of stats, one for PvM and one for PvP - that should keep the PvP moaners from moaning and we can be left alone - nerfing the PvM players for the sake of a few people who think their opinions are the only important ones (and lets be honest, so far theya re right) is just not right.

[ethernal3]

Actually, to be truthful, you all should stop blaming the PvPers.. Most of the people who PvP a lot don't support it, unless they don't have bracers (Which naturally means they want them nerfed.)

Yes, I am biased, cause I have bracers, but does that mean that my weeks of effort into getting them should just be thrown out so that we can achieve a fake, non-existing balence, and to make soldiers think they are unique?


(And, as I said, it doesn't balence anything.)
~Chris

[Grontha]

Seems nice to me. New stuff to do. Just hoping it will be possible to at least see one of the big bad mobs, before the big guilds come crashing in. Also hope it will not be in a pvp-zone, as that would only let the big guilds get a shot at it.

Sorry to see abul get blown to pieces, as I have a been collecting. bracer-fix was in order, and I'm happy with the fix. Maybe I could take on a healer now..(if he is unbuffed, and afk ..hehe)
Outdoor hunts will be fun. overall, nice and good patch.
thumbs up from me at least

[ethernal3]

Grontha, the reflect nerf does nothing to a doctor.
~Chris

[Sean-Roach]

Okay, lets see here if we can sum up a few points.

1. Nerfing the bracers was bad.
2. They should have two stats, one for PvP, and another for PvM
3. Only PvPer's were asking for the nerf.

Now, I remember on another board some people complaining that at this point in the game some odd mob was EASY to kill, because it did all the same type of damage so all you needed to take on this should be next to impossible mob was a pair of bracers and a good dose of intestinal fortitude.

I don't remember which thread it was on though. Cop out, I know, but I'm being expected to help fix a water leak.

Okay, I found it. Community answers part 5.

[ethernal3]

Originally posted by Sean Roach
Okay, lets see here if we can sum up a few points.

1. Nerfing the bracers was bad.
2. They should have two stats, one for PvP, and another for PvM
3. Only PvPer's were asking for the nerf.

Now, I remember on another board some people complaining that at this point in the game some odd mob was EASY to kill, because it did all the same type of damage so all you needed to take on this should be next to impossible mob was a pair of bracers and a good dose of intestinal fortitude.

I don't remember which thread it was on though. Cop out, I know, but I'm being expected to help fix a water leak.

Only stupid PvPers are asking for the nerf.
~Chris

[stian]

woot lvl 300 bosses !

*runs off to level*

edit: spelling

[Sean-Roach]

My point was that there seems to be an impression they did this to balance only PvP, and not PvM.

Oh, and my previous post edited to show the cite.

[_______________North]

Very nice patch.

Albeit I was hoping that the NT patch will be next, this is something even better.

Firstly, I do hope that Tarasque won't be as much camped in the near future.

Secondly, more unique items to find through exploring

Thirdly, ql 300 mobs, hope they give heavily increased amount of XP if you get multi teams to kill them ;P

And lastly, I am very pleased to hear that bracers are finally been change to a decent amount of shielding/reflection. Good job there, and nice bonus for Soldiers and Engies alike. Will leave us NTs a bit vulnerable tho.

Hope we get Auno.org to do one update more in order to get those new items nicely documented.

[ethernal3]

Originally posted by North

And lastly, I am very pleased to hear that bracers are finally been change to a decent amount of shielding/reflection. Good job there, and nice bonus for Soldiers and Engies alike. Will leave us NTs a bit vulnerable tho.

???

Bonus???

What bonus?

Just hurts engies a lot, and then makes soldiers about the same, maybe a little bit better in the long run but they can never achieve 100% reflect so it all balences out..
~Chris

[Dovve]

well done i can't wait!

[________________Mage]

Originally posted by Yugi
Yeah, pet pathing is pretty absurd. Poor Seppu and the wall humping bot I definitely agree with Nucleic, and Cindrax touched on it before but I forgot to comment. Game breaking bugs really should be priority number one. Myself and others have been saying this since BETA, it's pretty unreal.

Yeah Yugi, pathing is partly the reason why I gave up on my Engineer, and why I never liked my MP or Crat. Level 40some was my Engineer, his name was Centrale. His bot couldn't path for crap, and it got really frustrating. He was also gimped to hell, and the game was getting boring at the time, but that's irrelevant. Pathing needs addressing more than any silly reflection bracers.

-Nuc

[Symplectic]

In my experiences, high level PvM is just too easy. I always play in pick-up teams, but I havnt died in a long time. Why? As long as everyone's over level 150, and we have adequate healing (one doc, or two MAs, or MA and adv, etc), it's silly how fast we're able to go through a ql190ish mission. The boss can be hard (but sometimes also ridiculously easy), and when we run into 4 or 5 aces things can get interesting, but otherwise, all those vets and masters drop insanely fast.

So personally, I'll be looking forward to slightly more challenging missions (even though my bracers arent that good; I have one title 5 one, the rest are unaffected by the nerf). Mob stats dont need to change. Think about it, what's the point of creating a level 300 boss--obviously to challenge the highest players--if we all have 50-70% reflect going through the whole fight?

My point is simple: challenging mobs are a good thing.

[____________andertec]

Originally posted by StevenNox


quote:
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Originally posted by Kuroshio


Now I would consider agreeing with you, that this was done for PvP, except for one thing: Soldiers.

I don't agree with all the complaints they've made over time. But one thing that does appear to be a valid enough complaint for this reflect bracer nerf was the comparable effectiveness and how it was affecting group dynamics. And I know you've been around long enough to know what would happen if the Soldier's reflect damage was boosted instead of the bracer reflect damage was dropped. I know you remember the TMS + Slayerdroid = incredible levelling rates.
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THNX!!! I agree you to 100%!

I remeber that time too.. Soldiers leveling like crazy.... and all other professions were 10-20 levels beneth. That was in the very beginning.

I hated that nerf, just because some soldiers exploited it, it ruined for us all.

The efficency of the reflect should change depending on the level of mob you were dealing with OR they could a made the efficency of the reflect skill base, NOT turn it into a fixed rate reflect like it is now. I almost deleted my soldier when that nerf came up!

Its a dead horse now, but we all see as soldier how are profession specific attributes where nerfed!

[Razzitazz]

Originally posted by Bionitrous
I ain't banned because I haven't used any swear words and I haven't threatened anybody. I might've wished for bad things to happen to people. But hey, I'm not gonna help karma do its job.

All I've done is spam and I'm done with that. I've gotten my point across and further posting serves no purpose unless the Dev's decide to issue further clarificaiton.

I'm sorry if my trying to be as acidic as possible without crossing the boundaries hurts your eyes. What is happening with the manner in which game changes get implemented hurts my eyes.

I was enjoying reading this thread till I hit page 5 or so and continued to read the things Bionitrous kept saying.

Don't give me this crap that your toons are b0rked because of bracers. I have uber bracers - yes. I use them for pvp - yes. I use them for pvm - yes. My chances of surviving either when they are nerfed is nill - hell no.

Raise your evades, get a doc, 2 MA's or 2 adventurers, I don't care. Just please quit attacking everyone, the bracer nerf was long overdue.

[Razzitazz]

Originally posted by Megabio


Only stupid PvPers are asking for the nerf.
~Chris

I love it how you people call PvP'ers stupid. Pretty ironic seeing as we are and will be contributing to the main focus this game was always about -- Clan vs. Omni.