Monthly Development Update: April 2012

[Gunforhire]

I would just like to add my two cents worth to this thread and I will look forward to the next update.

I have been playing this game nearly 7 years and in all that time I have always enjoyed playing. As someone posted earlier I was and still am eager to log on each time to grind out a few mishes, hobnob with my org mates or just try new things and explore different places. This game has so much to offer even now with its outdated graphics. I have a froob account that about every 3 or 4 months I start up a new toon and spend a week or so developing him from a noobster to at least a level 100. I try different combinations of professions and races. Not ones that will be annoying mind you like maybe an Opifex enforcer although that might be interesting I take the time to have him get credits on his own to get his stuff even though I have many toons with tons of credits that I could just give him. The thing is, it is fun to develop the toon to his full potential. I also enjoy making twinks. It is fun to be able to help a new org mate get a Styg in TOTW with my engie twink and the new players have fun too. I guess what I'm trying to say is this is a very good game but it is just that a game. If some of you people get this upset over a game I wonder how you are in real life. I find this game is a way to wind down after a challenging day at work.

And by the way I wouldn't care if they got a new graphics engine, did the rebalance, or any of the other things they are talking about. I like this game just the way it is and I.m gonna keep playing.

[animaly]

I would just like to add my two cents worth to this thread and I will look forward to the next update.

I have been playing this game nearly 7 years and in all that time I have always enjoyed playing. As someone posted earlier I was and still am eager to log on each time to grind out a few mishes, hobnob with my org mates or just try new things and explore different places. This game has so much to offer even now with its outdated graphics. I have a froob account that about every 3 or 4 months I start up a new toon and spend a week or so developing him from a noobster to at least a level 100. I try different combinations of professions and races. Not ones that will be annoying mind you like maybe an Opifex enforcer although that might be interesting I take the time to have him get credits on his own to get his stuff even though I have many toons with tons of credits that I could just give him. The thing is, it is fun to develop the toon to his full potential. I also enjoy making twinks. It is fun to be able to help a new org mate get a Styg in TOTW with my engie twink and the new players have fun too. I guess what I'm trying to say is this is a very good game but it is just that a game. If some of you people get this upset over a game I wonder how you are in real life. I find this game is a way to wind down after a challenging day at work.

And by the way I wouldn't care if they got a new graphics engine, did the rebalance, or any of the other things they are talking about. I like this game just the way it is and I.m gonna keep playing.

+Rep! I already like this dood ^^

--ani

[lainbr]

I would just like to add my two cents worth to this thread and I will look forward to the next update.

I have been playing this game nearly 7 years and in all that time I have always enjoyed playing. As someone posted earlier I was and still am eager to log on each time to grind out a few mishes, hobnob with my org mates or just try new things and explore different places. This game has so much to offer even now with its outdated graphics. I have a froob account that about every 3 or 4 months I start up a new toon and spend a week or so developing him from a noobster to at least a level 100. I try different combinations of professions and races. Not ones that will be annoying mind you like maybe an Opifex enforcer although that might be interesting I take the time to have him get credits on his own to get his stuff even though I have many toons with tons of credits that I could just give him. The thing is, it is fun to develop the toon to his full potential. I also enjoy making twinks. It is fun to be able to help a new org mate get a Styg in TOTW with my engie twink and the new players have fun too. I guess what I'm trying to say is this is a very good game but it is just that a game. If some of you people get this upset over a game I wonder how you are in real life. I find this game is a way to wind down after a challenging day at work.

And by the way I wouldn't care if they got a new graphics engine, did the rebalance, or any of the other things they are talking about. I like this game just the way it is and I.m gonna keep playing.

I'll add 2 cents at your 2 cents :3

[Mastablasta]

I'll add 2 cents at your 2 cents :3

Indeed.

[Otansaanpas]

It is fun to be able to help a new org mate get a Styg in TOTW with my engie twink and the new players have fun too.

i wouldn't call it fun to not participate on a bosskill.
but i suppose people can get their feeling of accomplishment from gear they didnt earn, who am i to tell them where they should get their kicks from.

[Nomad]

problem isnt the game, its perfectly playable.. need to replace alot of the playerbase to get a nice environment for new players (too many whiners and wannabekings), that and offer 6 free months to every secret world subscriber

[Mastablasta]

problem isnt the game, its perfectly playable.. need to replace alot of the playerbase to get a nice environment for new players (too many whiners and wannabekings), that and offer 6 free months to every secret world subscriber

Seems so. I read a bunch of comments elsewhere on how the AO community is apparently extremely elitist and hostile to newbies. It's not really surprising as while we may for the most part be able to pat ourselves on the back here on the forum about being nice and all, the vast majority of AO players are never on the forums or at least don't bother posting. And I've encountered plenty of people ingame who don't care either way, because they're just playing the game as it is and rolling with whatever happens, staying on top.

[Anarrina]

Criticizing the name is one thing, but leave the snarky personal remarks at the door. Thanks.

[IHaveHugeNick]

Seems so. I read a bunch of comments elsewhere on how the AO community is apparently extremely elitist and hostile to newbies.

For a very good and perfectly valid reason. Its whats bound happen when the community has to carry entire new player experience and tutoring on its back. The game itself doesn't provide anything beyond droping you clueless on the island.

I occassionaly help a noob or two when i'm in good mood and have time, but babysiting new players its not exactly the experience im looking for as a subscriber.

[Mastablasta]

For a very good and perfectly valid reason. Its whats bound happen when the community has to carry entire new player experience and tutoring on its back. The game itself doesn't provide anything beyond droping you clueless on the island.

I occassionaly help a noob or two when i'm in good mood and have time, but babysiting new players its not exactly the experience im looking for as a subscriber.

Is that a very good and perfectly valid reason to be hostile to other players? I don't think I've ever played an MMO that did anything but drop you clueless into the newbie zone and then proceed to teach you some of the basics from there, but maybe you could provide me with an example?
EVE, the possibly most newbie hostile game of all has a community that is full of people ready to help you not to make easy mistakes early on and provide guidance and help. And it's a game of ultimate pvp, unlike AO's carebear pvp. So, where's the difference? I certainly don't see the difficulty of getting into the game as something that would turn people hostile to new players.
I'm also curious as to where the notion of having to babysit them came in?

[Silvana]

I think it comes down to one simple thing: People want to get the best stuff ASAP and have their hands held through the entire process.

AO isn't like that and it never will be. It's probably the most "brain" intensive game I've ever seen. People are so used to getting skills/armor as they progress that the idea of having to work it out on your own is absurd. I think it makes it the best game out there, but the WoW crowd is going to see it as too much work. As will most new players.

Sending people to AOU solves some of it, but still... the game is geared (currently) towards people that know it, and not new people. They are left in the dust and confused.

[Mastablasta]

I can say exploration helps a lot, but many of the old style raids, like mercs, are totally opaque in how they work.

[MassDebater]

I did EVE's tutorial and it is amazing. So much more comprehensive than AO's.

[Mastablasta]

Oh you mean the NEW tutorial.. Which I think is the third they have now. And the original tutorial which sat there for most the game's lifetime was terrible.

[MassDebater]

New engine, new tutorial, new pvp content.


Game didn't die. Funny that.

[Mastablasta]

EVE was their only real project for years and it was made by technically more savvy people and fronted as a prestige project. I guess this is one reason that it's doing far better than AO and as the only MMO ever only increasing in number of subscribers.

[NoGoal]

EVE (..) the only MMO ever only increasing in number of subscribers.

Really?

[Gimpynoob]

I think it comes down to one simple thing: People want to get the best stuff ASAP and have their hands held through the entire process.

AO isn't like that and it never will be. It's probably the most "brain" intensive game I've ever seen. People are so used to getting skills/armor as they progress that the idea of having to work it out on your own is absurd. I think it makes it the best game out there, but the WoW crowd is going to see it as too much work. As will most new players.

Sending people to AOU solves some of it, but still... the game is geared (currently) towards people that know it, and not new people. They are left in the dust and confused.

I totally agree. AO is only for the very smart. Like me and you. I can even give a good example of this.
Most "WoW crowd" people would cry that it is impossible to get a 6 slot belt on their own at the levels that they can start to use it. But I am smart and I figured an easy way to do it.
Just blitz RK missions or farm pearls and pattern pieces for a few weeks to earn some easy credits and when you have enough credits to buy one you will already be at a high enough level to roll level 160 mission with green mobs.

[Mastablasta]

Really?

That's a 2 year old posting. About it plateauing. If you read about it recently they had a reduction in subscriber count by over 1 million.

[animaly]

Since the topic of this thread has altered a bit I guess I will post my 2 cents. Though there are definitely some hostile players out there, I do NOT see AO having a hostile player base. I often encounter lots of newbs asking for help in OOC and often receiving it through some small tutorials, questions being answered or being directed to AOU.

For players who just don't get it or who are determined to have everything done for them. I blame the way games are today then I blame AO for its lack of instructions. Does AO have a learning curve? Does gravity exist?

Point is when the game launched over 10 years ago, there were far fewer games on the market and so people who played this game did not mind taking the time to learn because well many didn't already play or try other games which just gave you everything upfront. We as noobs at one point got spoiled by this and thus given an opportunity to learn the ropes more effectively over time (with some help of course but I was never walked through the game). Also AO was one of the first to pioneer the F2P option, this is what got me and other players into the game in the first place.

Today, however, with there being well over 100 other options, and many being free right off the bat, players have gotten used to having a lengthy tutorial, having all the base knowledge, and having a gui that indicates how you are supposed to breathe. No body wants to actually spend the time learning anymore because those coming from other games never had to.

I think this explains some of the "hostility" you are talking about and also helps emphasize why in this current day and age AO needs to get the new player experience tweaked and draw more characters to this game.

Cheers!

--ani