Friday with Means - November 21, 2008

[Chrys]

Summary of what I can look forward to from my point of view:

More PVM for PVPers
2 hour pets for MPs

Umm I am slightly interested in the new solo content, but most recent content is extremely pet-unfriendly (e.g. Ado quest's Muddy Dryad... lol how about warping player's weapons and toolsets into the water while you're at it; The Machine was terrible for several months and I still haven't been back even though they claim they fixed pets, gfx issues there remain), so my overall impression of this update is...

Meh.

[Goreth]

wow, just wow. A wealth of useful info, thank you.

[Berael]

I'm a little let down that they are pushing back the new engine again... but at the same time i'm heartened that FC is putting some attention to implementing a polished and working system.

I suppose the down side is that though they are not hyping the new engine, expectations will be higher with the longer development time.

[Ebondevil]

A lot of the recent additions as well as quite a few AI encounters are extremely Aimed Shot / Sneak Attack unfriendly.

For Example with over 3000 Concealment:
Alien Scouts: Sometimes possible to use Aimed shot against greens or greys.
Alien Bosses: Very Rare occasion can Aimed Shot be used.
Muddy Dryad: Can't normally conceal to use Aimed Shot before it attacks.
Dust Brigade Instance 1: Never been able to use Aimed Shot.
Dust Brigade Instance 2: Never Been able to use Aimed Shot.
High HP Enemies: Can't (to all intents and purposes) reuse Aimed Shot.

Are there any plans to make Aimed Shot / Sneak Attack more PvM friendly?

Any plans to finish off the Ofab sets?

Dear Dreadloch Weapons Customization Team,

Unfortunately it seems the Ofab Technicians don't seem to have made a decent sniper Rifle, they made a bow that performs better than their rifle, so I was wondering if you are working on a decent Rifle or Sniper Rifle to make Agents drool. Please could you let the public know what sort of progress, if any, is being made to implement new Sniper Rifle(s), preferably customizable as different agents like different options, and also do you have any other interesting weapons planned?

Yours Sincerely
Ebondevil
Concerned Agent and Prospective Buyer.

[Lupusceleri]

He says in the OP that things will become easier for melee players. That's advie love as far as I can tell? I do believe the 30% cap made it easier for advies also? Not like adventurers aren't a viable PvP class either. How many classes run around with acrobat, bio shield, high root resist, high NR and second best heals fighting on full def. They suffer a bit in the alpha department, but nothing worse than a lot of others, and it's mostly felt when they are running alone. It's definetly not bad when you factor in their defense which is probably one of the best, if not the best in game.

Advies suffering in the alpha department... I lol'd hard.

If anything they've got more alpha power than 2he enforcers.. and are more deadly, even though they don't have stuns.

As far as the defense department goes for advies, they're more than fine in that area I seem to believe.

[Pheddy]

so booster "again" means, 2 ****ty instances for a team and one ****ty raid instance again? no new playfields like SL used to be after all?

meeh... i cant stand another grind instance that only involves killing mobs in a certain order.....

[Eskarin]

Ibtk!

hahahahaha +1 on that one

[Ebondevil]

so booster "again" means, 2 ****ty instances for a team and one ****ty raid instance again? no new playfields like SL used to be after all?

meeh... i cant stand another grind instance that only involves killing mobs in a certain order.....

It also involves what would seem to be solo based quests which will help with AXP, so I would guess there is at least one new play-field being added for that as well.

[Ayria]

Q - What can avid PVPers expect from 18.0?

PVP toolset updates and powerfull Xan Artifacts will ****e up pvp in 18.0.

These are some of the basics we are working to implement in 18.0 (Available for purchase from Ofab Vendors, NOT dependant on purchase of the booster.)

Martial Artist - Single Target Fears
Engineer - AOE Knockback Mines
Fixer - Fear Immunity - NCU Cleanser
Agent - FP other's nanos
Trader - Single Target Shotgun Knockback
Crat - AOE Fears
Enforcer - Knockback Stun and Single Target Fears
Doctor - Fear Removal from Friendly Targets
Nanotech - AOE Knockback
Keeper - Fear Immunity Aura

Good to hear. Just now gota find out what Agent nanos are being expanded ^_^

Q - Old entrance hall back to game, yes or no?

Never. This area of the game represented a huge drop-off point for new players.

I have a list of over 250 people in my sigi that says otherwise. Granted yes it is for the island but a lot of em want the entrance hall back as part of it.

[Klodovik]

I have a list of over 250 people in my sigi that says otherwise. Granted yes it is for the island but a lot of em want the entrance hall back as part of it.

Yeah, hall was teh seks for me. I was impressed by it, when I first started as a n00b.

[egadsrk2]

WTB some hope.

That is to say, a completely buggy non working hellhole of terror - Testlive with engine components.

We all need a reassuring hug, as the deadline blows further and futher out.

[FL_Hippis]

Q - What can avid PVPers expect from 18.0?

PVP toolset updates and powerfull Xan Artifacts will ****e up pvp in 18.0.

These are some of the basics we are working to implement in 18.0 (Available for purchase from Ofab Vendors, NOT dependant on purchase of the booster.)

Martial Artist - Single Target Fears
Engineer - AOE Knockback Mines
Fixer - Fear Immunity - NCU Cleanser
Agent - FP other's nanos
Trader - Single Target Shotgun Knockback
Crat - AOE Fears
Enforcer - Knockback Stun and Single Target Fears
Doctor - Fear Removal from Friendly Targets
Nanotech - AOE Knockback
Keeper - Fear Immunity Aura

So now we get inbalanced PvP for Advys,soljas,shade,MP. ALso why don't FC make agents a nano so they can use every frakin nano ingame now (AS that ignores evades, FP doc CH and now Fear removal).

[Mekh]

...snip...
So now we get inbalanced PvP for Advys,soljas,shade,MP. ALso why don't FC make agents a nano so they can use every frakin nano ingame now (AS that ignores evades, FP doc CH and now Fear removal).

Yeah, it's a real pita when other professions get updates as well.... GET REAL, FC!!! Come On !!!!

[Autumnleaf]

Hello Means and everyone!

First: These News are very interesting. Sounds like a great future for AO in someway.

Oh I hope that I could play a little bit more AO sometimes. I sit here at home in Germany and I´m happy about this weekend. Nothing is better than reading the Friday with Means article and playing AO. Outside it´s a little bit rainy today... the perfect weather for a AO weekend I would say. Okay it could be a little bit warmer.... its very cold at the moment...

My piggy bank for AO (yes I´ve my own AO piggy bank hehe) would be happy to spent its money for the first booster. I´ve ever loved to learn more about the Xan because it sounds interesting.

AO story... it´s really my favourite part of the game


Oh before I forget this to say..... Means! I really want your own piggy bank! No... not the money inside.... just the piggy bank if you have one..... :-P

Greetings,
Millarks

(In hope that Means maybe have the ultra limited first AO logo piggy bank :-P )

[Mekh]

Q - Old entrance hall back to game, yes or no?

Never. This area of the game represented a huge drop-off point for new players.

100% respect and all that, but I really don't buy that...


Did you really check what made the people leave...Entrance settings/graphics, or......?

[Nosgoth]

There's a question i'd like to get answered.

Means, is there a way to tweak something at the costs of an AO subscription?

I think it won't be done that Euro zone players are paying the same as people who pay in USD. But one small fix would be wonderful:

Please give us an answer about the gap between the price of 14.95 EUR without the VAT and the 17.19 EUR that are actually payed including VAT. Decreasing the price so that it costs 14.95 EUR with VAT included would clear the prices for european players up and FunCom would still receive more money from european players than from people which are paying in USD.

I don't think we'll ever see the difference between currencies fixed, but including the VAT into the costs that are shown at account page and www.anarchy-online.com would be wonderful.

The VAT is based on the rate of Luxembourg which is, as far as I know, at 15%. 14.95 EUR divided by 1.15 would mean 13 EUR. Currently 1 Euro is worth 1.2595 USD. 13 EUR multiplied by 1.2595 means 16.3735 USD.

At the moment european players are paying 17.19 EUR * 1.2595 = 21.65 USD with VAT included and 18.83 USD without VAT.

An answer or even a comment on this problem would be highly appreciated by your customers which are paying in EUR at the moment.

[Stormgiver]

I belive this is the best place bring a suggestion forward:

Dear Means,
if you want to do something good for the game, then make skills not commonly used mandatory.
Make e.g. trap disarmament, vehicle ground or even swimming really useful. Nothing is more fun than not being able to skill all that you want. This is what makes a game special.

As the shadowland expansion was released, it was advertised that you could specialize your profession. If fact, specialization was greatly reduced with the new symbiants. All players where made more equal. So:

Go and introduce equipment that disallows wearing other items.
Give us new clusters for implants which rule big time over symbiants AND cripple players somehow. Give us more items that do good AND bad, just like Ljotur's armor.
Let us create special characters, give us options. We don't want to strife for the best, we want to be unique.

Hope you read this.

[-Bugsplat]

Q - How much the booster will cost?

There are a three different price options for the booster, based around the idea of rewarding long term subscription players for their loyalty and support through the paid points system.

19.99 USD / 19.99 EURO
OR
14.99 USD / 14.99 EURO + 500 Paid Points
OR
9.99 USD / 9.99 EURO + 1000 Paid Points

I pre-payed $15 for Alien Invasion at a local game stop.
$20 for SL+AI+LE.

Sorry, no. I will not be paying full price for this.


Edit: Oh, and a huge bump for bringing back the entrance hall.
Edit 2.0: Famine, I need certain forum things done for test server. Still. Two months is a long time to wait.

[Jestanto]

I remember back when I first started playing AO.... Before SL came out. Before AI and LE. I spent a hour in that entrance hall. Not because I was lost or didn't know what to do. But because of all the people to talk to. All the Back story that you could learn, why Clan is Good/Evil, why Omni is Good/Evil from BOTH sides of the story. Then I was in the Back Yard's. I've never had more Fun in AO then learning it for the first time in the Back Yards. After leaving for a few years due to personal reasons. I was very disappointed when I came back last year to see that I was some how on a seemingly random Isle with little to no help at all. It took me FOREVER to get the hang of things again on that Isle. I've tried getting friends to play and after 30min to a hour on that Isle, they quit, Uninstall and go play a different MMORPG. Please, reconsider bringing back the Hall Means. There's a lot of us that miss it and want it back.

[RemodCrat]

I have a Q. why isnt the Transfers working for Test... and being GD that you are can you activate it?