Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures breaks all the current s..

On Mon, 05 May 2008 22:00:48 +1000, "a.beck" <none.RemoveThis@invalid.org> wrote:

>This game is a bug ridden mess, and colossally unfun. Do not buy it.
>
>HTH

Beta-tester ???

If so, you might have broken some rules by posting comments
here.........

John Lewis
 >> Stay informed about: Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures breaks all the current s.. 

a.beck skrev:
> This game is a bug ridden mess, and colossally unfun. Do not buy it.
>
> HTH
It's a BETA. More accurate a stress-test beta. Closed beta is running
newer code than the open beta does. With the recent patch to open beta
that removed the debugger the game got a lot more stable.

I was in early beta of WoW and that was not any more stable than this
and that turned out ok it seems...
 >> Stay informed about: Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures breaks all the current s.. 

John Lewis skrev:
> On Mon, 05 May 2008 22:00:48 +1000, "a.beck" <none DeleteThis @invalid.org> wrote:
>
>> This game is a bug ridden mess, and colossally unfun. Do not buy it.
>>
>> HTH
>
> Beta-tester ???
>
> If so, you might have broken some rules by posting comments
> here.........
>
> John Lewis

NDA is lifted on Open Beta and for the first 13 levels of the closed one.
 >> Stay informed about: Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures breaks all the current s.. 

Ross Ridge wrote:
> Ross Ridge wrote:
>
>> Using the statisitics in the Value survey is the closest this debate has
>> come to applying the scientific method.
>>
>
> Zaghadka <president.RemoveThis@whitehouse.gov> wrote:
>
>> It's either science or it isn't. There is no "almost science" or "closer to
>> science." Debate is *never* science.
>>
>
> The scientific method is the basis of science. In order for it to work,
> you need to be able test the predictions made by using an experiment,
> empirical data, or something else that could falsify the conjecture.
> This is key to the process. Most of the observations and opinions
> mentioned in this debate have all been biased toward verifying the
> person's point of view. The Valve survey data isn't biased towards
> verifying or falsifying anyone's position here.
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_method
>
> Regardless of whether it's "scientific" or not, I find it more convincing
> when arguments are supported with empirical data that can be verified
> to be true and could have shown the argument to be false.
>

Believe it or not, Ross, I totally agree with you there. The problem
I've had has been with the subset of empirical data in the Steam
hardware information. I've been pondering how to explain it better than
I have (since I've obviously been failing) and a looong drive through
some boring country in Canada here has left me time to think about it.

See, you are tending to jump to the vilifying mode quickly, and not
listening to the underlying argument. Is the Steam data wrong? Hell
no, it's a great compilation of information regarding the users of
Steam. Is it biased? Hell yes, it's a data set taken by a company only
on their customers. Is it useless? Hell no, it gives a great insight
into what types of hardware Steam customers have. But it is empirical
data ONLY on Steam customers running Steam software.

It has been repeatedly stated that nobody has empirical numbers on WoW
hardware. True, but your side has been guilty of a little omission of
empirical data as well, but you've failed to understand the argument.
Sure, we have no way to show a nice concise survey of hardware that WoW
users are playing on. But your side has no way to empirically show one
single solid correlation between the Steam figures and those playing
MMOs (which has been the basis of the argument). Well, other than Eve,
but you really don't want to base your argument on that lame duck,
because then you'd basically prove the case that a tiny percentage of
the Steam data is valid for consideration when looking at MMOs.

The problem is that little piece of the puzzle, right in the middle -
relevance. The Steam hardware information is great, but there is not a
single person who can show a hard number that tells us how relevant that
customer base is to the MMO customer base. There is undoubtedly
crossover between the 2 pools of game players, but until there is
empirical data to describe exactly how much, the Steam data is just a
bunch of numbers on a subset of unknown size and impact within a
population - you simply can't apply the data as a blanket guide to the
rest of the population without more information. To do so would be to
make assumptions on a massive level, which ironically is the argument
being used against Nos and myself.

What I would love to see is a Steam-like survey come out of WoW and
other MMOs... THEN we'd have a more true indication of what the average
online player is running, and how relevant higher specs are in the grand
scheme of things. But for now, it's just conjecture and opinion on one
side, and statistics that can't really be applied to get a true glimpse
of how things are on the other side.


CoinSPin
 >> Stay informed about: Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures breaks all the current s.. 

This message is not archived
 >> Stay informed about: Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures breaks all the current s.. 

Nostromo <nospam.TakeThisOut@forme.org> looked up from reading the entrails of the
porn spammer to utter "The Augury is good, the signs say:

>Thus spake Xocyll <Xocyll.TakeThisOut@kingston.net>, Sat, 03 May 2008 12:02:51 -0400,
>Anno Domini:
>
>>>Still in that nice sleepy hollow seaside town? (well it's no secret given
>>>your domain I guess .
>>
>>Seaside? A few hundred miles from any sea (or do the Great Lakes count
>>as Seas to an Aussie?)
>
>LOL - Kingston looked like it was hangin off the coast last I looked at a
>map of Canada. DOH! Ok, waterside town - big body of water, just a different
>salinity index. I must have been looking at a zoomed in map which made the
>edge of the lakes looks like the Atlantic he he. Scary - you're only a
>stone's throw from Yankee-land ;-p Doesn't that waterway spill out into the
>Gulf of St Lawrence?

Eventually.

>>>I tried plant/thorns briefly, but the same thing that bugged me about
>>>>spines bugs me about /thorns, the spins sticking out everywhere and
>>>>moreover the fact that you had to spike up the thorns before the ranged
>>>>attacks could be used. Even if there is no actual redraw lag it was
>>>>annoying, not to mention would look horrible with wings.
>>>
>>>Heh, at 6th I haven't really used too many secondary powers, but I don't
>>>have any issues with the animations. Horses for courses
>>>You sure there aren't some cool insecty wings available that would suit a
>>>P/T dom?
>>
>>There are insect style wings (you can see all of them at
>>http://cityofheroes.wikia.com/wiki/Invention_Made_Costumes), but the
>>spikes stick out all over and stick through wings/capes badly and look
>>horrible.
>>I'm a bit of a perfectionist and won't even use hairstyles that clip
>>capes/wings, so having powers that stick a dozen spikes through are just
>>right out.
>
>You sure 'perfectionist' is the right word X? ;-p

It fits. Finicky also does.

Remember, in the early days of the game, before ICON went in I deleted
dozens of characters because I got sick of their costumes in a few days.

Many more options now.

>>>>>> Also logged on my mind/kin controller Synapticide (Liberty) for a bit
>>>>>> and finally leveled it to 20.
>>>>>
>>>>>Cool. I've got a 6th mind/empathy controller "MYOB" parked as well who
>>>>>was a bit of fun way back when (who's bloody name has been pinched by
>>>>>some other asshat - that's the 2nd char now grrrrr!!!).
>>>>
>>>>Some "other" asshat? Watch what you're calling yourself.
>>>
>>>He, he - the *first* asshat pinched my fire/dev blaster's name on another
>>>server "Umbral Fury", which I was rather proud of. Was going to rename to
>>>"Umbral Fury the real one", but I settled on just "UmbralFury"
>>
>>Ahh.
>>The only time I ran into that was when I went to use Bonnie Bedlam on
>>the test server and someone had snagged it.
>>A minute or so of thought and using the "stargazer" mask, and "Sylvie
>>Stargazer" was used instead.
>
>What's in a name?

For me often the name and bio are linked, so a name no being available
means thinking up another one that even remotely fits the bio.

>I have a template create for a Ene/Ene stalker chickee-babe aptly names
>Jamie Joule Will have to scrap the Playboy outfit at some stage & give
>her a proper one.

I should have known you'd do the bunny ears and tail.

>>>Oh, didn't think of that, though I suspect we'll get free server moves &
>>>char renames before they dispense with the physical server topology (like
>>>EVE kinda does). I doubt one 'server' could handle 150K players as it stands
>>>anyway.
>>
>>The above mentioned name "Bonnie Bedlam", I have I think about 6
>>different characters using that name - one a ma/reg from the first month
>>of the game that hasn't been touched since.
>>
>>Ditto my plant/psi dominator and rad/rad defender are both "Fiona
>>Ferrishyn" with the same look and similar backstories.
>>
>>I tend to do a lot of "variations on a theme" when I have a look or
>>theme I like but find myself not liking the build as much.
>
>I tend to be different & make wildly varying themes so I have an excuse to
>try different ATs & powersets, sometimes ones that may not appeal on face
>value, but become quite a bit of fun with the right name/costume.

Oh my themes vary quite a bit, but when I find a look/bio I really like,
that will fit with various ATs/Builds, I tend to make it over using the
various possibilities (obviously on different servers.)

>>>>>> For a brief while I tried playing my highest villain up to get it to 50
>>>>>> before the new villain ATs go in, but found I really wasn't having any
>>>>>> fun doing it so that stopped rather quickly.
>>>>>
>>>>>Try a stalker...really.
>>>>
>>>>Did briefly, but didn't care for it much.
>>>
>>>Surprising. It's almost perfect for soloing, albeit slower than some other
>>>ATs. What exactly didn't you like? What primary/secondary did you try btw?
>>
>>A ma/reg and a cople others. The loss of regen's quick recovery made
>>it feel wrong.
>
>A lot of ppl say regen is almost unsuited to a stalker build. Dark is very
>good for dmg resists, which I find better than a good defense even. When
>something gets through your defense (& it invariably will, no matter how
>good it is) you're naked. Whereas dmg resists just keep on keeping on, no
>matter what.

Regen is the ultimate resist remember - you take the damage then heal it
all back - regen is the only set that doesn't have an Achilles heel in
the resists.

What I dislike about stalker is that both regen and willpower sets are
missing their inherent stamina power that scrappers/tankers/brutes get.

>>>>The not fun bit was that my ss/elec brute was kicking ass up to level 40
>>>>at max difficulty and then went from being super to being gimped.
>>>>Even on minimum difficulty the aracnoids were shredding me.
>>>
>>>Dang. What Issue fubared things up?
>>
>>Wasn't an issue, it's the critters. Under 40 you're in St Martial,
>>after 40 you're in the last zone and you are suddenly faced with enemies
>>that are hideously overpowered; the arachnoids I mentioned before, that
>>hit very fast, very hard and also seem to call out so every other one
>>within 200 meters comes running to help and you get swarmed.
>
>Yikes? Lucky my highest ever is Kelvin (hero) at 33rd

For some kinds of lucky.

>>>>Nothing stops the fun like super overpowered enemies that swarm you.
>>>
>>>Heh, too true. Though death is only a couple levels of revenge away!
>>
>>Not with those things, they hit like they're 6 levels higher than you,
>>when they're a level lower than you.
>>
>>Like a Rikti Chief Soldier that's suddenly attacking 5-6 times as fast
>>as normal.

If this wasn't clear, rikti chief soldiers aren't attacking any faster,
the aracnoids hit like they were speed freak RCS's.

>Hasn't this been reported to the devs? How long's it been going on? If it's
>clearly busted, it should be fixed. Or are they trying to force teaming on
>the end game again *sigh*

I think this is another case of "working as designed", just not the way
soloists want.

Xocyll
--
I don't particularly want you to FOAD, myself. You'll be more of
a cautionary example if you'll FO And Get Chronically, Incurably,
Painfully, Progressively, Expensively, Debilitatingly Ill. So
FOAGCIPPEDI. -- Mike Andrews responding to an idiot in asr
 >> Stay informed about: Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures breaks all the current s.. 

Xocyll wrote:

> Remember, in the early days of the game, before ICON went in I deleted
> dozens of characters because I got sick of their costumes in a few days.
>
> Many more options now.

Yeah, forgot that wasn't there originally. How do you like the new
Invention system? I'm kinda loving it, just need more exposure to the
'crafting' to see how viable it is. Imo, anything that detracts from the
killing/missions in CoX is a bit counter-productive to the pace of the
game, but it's a fun novelty for now. The IOs look better at this early
level than DOs/SOs & if I have to keep a minor/less important power on a
IO 10+ levels lower than I could have, so what? That mechanics is a very
good thing the way I see it. Do you know if it ends up with you having
more Inf overall or less?

>>> A minute or so of thought and using the "stargazer" mask, and "Sylvie
>>> Stargazer" was used instead.
>> What's in a name?
>
> For me often the name and bio are linked, so a name no being available
> means thinking up another one that even remotely fits the bio.

I blame you for all that - I can no longer create a char w/o having at
least a brief bio to support the theme. ;-p

>> I have a template create for a Ene/Ene stalker chickee-babe aptly names
>> Jamie Joule Will have to scrap the Playboy outfit at some stage & give
>> her a proper one.
>
> I should have known you'd do the bunny ears and tail.

He, he, she was just a placeholder for the name. Can't believe it wasn't
taken. Perhaps James Joule is on some male Energy-something, but I
imagine the devs could ban a real person's name at their discretion.
This way I get away with the female version . I might try her as an
Energy brute of some flavour instead. I read good things about them all
round - whereas tankers could really just tank & were far better in
teams, brutes are more effective for soloing...pls correct me if I'm
wrong

>> I tend to be different & make wildly varying themes so I have an excuse to
>> try different ATs & powersets, sometimes ones that may not appeal on face
>> value, but become quite a bit of fun with the right name/costume.
>
> Oh my themes vary quite a bit, but when I find a look/bio I really like,
> that will fit with various ATs/Builds, I tend to make it over using the
> various possibilities (obviously on different servers.)

I'm more of a one-server kinda guy. Being from down under I'd also only
use the west coast servers if at all. I only have one slot left on
Virtue, but can delete a couple wanky chars easily to make room. If they
implement free server transfers, then this will become academic of course.

I've now got to decide if I keep my CoX sub while I try out my work
guy's open beta AoC account for a week (he's off on 3.5 weeks leave &
hiking away from civilisation next week . I doubt my rig will do AoC
much justice, so CoX it is for a while I imagine, unless AoC really is
all that...for 2-3 months anyway, as seems to be my mmo attention span,
CoX being the only long-term exception so far.

> Regen is the ultimate resist remember - you take the damage then heal it
> all back - regen is the only set that doesn't have an Achilles heel in
> the resists.
>
> What I dislike about stalker is that both regen and willpower sets are
> missing their inherent stamina power that scrappers/tankers/brutes get.

So you have to rely on the fully enhanced Stamina powerset to make do? I
guess I've always taken that for most ATs so wouldn't know any better,
heh (haven't played many of the 3 you mention above of course).

>>>>> The not fun bit was that my ss/elec brute was kicking ass up to level 40
>>>>> at max difficulty and then went from being super to being gimped.
>>>>> Even on minimum difficulty the aracnoids were shredding me.
>>>> Dang. What Issue fubared things up?
>>> Wasn't an issue, it's the critters. Under 40 you're in St Martial,
>>> after 40 you're in the last zone and you are suddenly faced with enemies
>>> that are hideously overpowered; the arachnoids I mentioned before, that
>>> hit very fast, very hard and also seem to call out so every other one
>>> within 200 meters comes running to help and you get swarmed.
>> Yikes? Lucky my highest ever is Kelvin (hero) at 33rd
>
> For some kinds of lucky.
>
>>>>> Nothing stops the fun like super overpowered enemies that swarm you.
>>>> Heh, too true. Though death is only a couple levels of revenge away!
>>> Not with those things, they hit like they're 6 levels higher than you,
>>> when they're a level lower than you.
>>>
>>> Like a Rikti Chief Soldier that's suddenly attacking 5-6 times as fast
>>> as normal.
>
> If this wasn't clear, rikti chief soldiers aren't attacking any faster,
> the aracnoids hit like they were speed freak RCS's.
>
>> Hasn't this been reported to the devs? How long's it been going on? If it's
>> clearly busted, it should be fixed. Or are they trying to force teaming on
>> the end game again *sigh*
>
> I think this is another case of "working as designed", just not the way
> soloists want.

Just to clarify, these end-game overpowered mobs are only on the villain
side, right? If so, dang, now I'm in 2 minds to continue a villain or go
back to some end-game fun with Kelvin. Though I'm not sure if an
Ice/Fire blaster (only picked it because it was unusual & I was reading
Song of Ice & Fire at the time :-/) is really a viable combo. I mostly
use Ice anyway with only a couple fire powers like buildup & one other
passive. At least I had the luxury to take the SS, SJ, Stamina AND
Health powersets all together (there may be another I'm not remembering
as well). I wonder if anyone has taken a char up to 50th with only the
non-core powersets (apart from the initial 2 skills you have to
pick)...? There a challenge for ya Xocyll!

--
Nostromo
 >> Stay informed about: Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures breaks all the current s.. 

John Lewis wrote:
> On Mon, 05 May 2008 22:00:48 +1000, "a.beck" <none RemoveThis @invalid.org> wrote:
>
>> This game is a bug ridden mess, and colossally unfun. Do not buy it.
>>
>> HTH
>
> Beta-tester ???
>
> If so, you might have broken some rules by posting comments
> here.........
>
> John Lewis
Oh noes!
 >> Stay informed about: Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures breaks all the current s.. 

Zaghadka wrote:
> On Mon, 05 May 2008 19:38:23 GMT, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg, Ykalon wrote:
>
>> a.beck skrev:
>>> This game is a bug ridden mess, and colossally unfun. Do not buy it.
>>>
>>> HTH
>> It's a BETA. More accurate a stress-test beta.
>
> LOL.
>
> AP NEWS WIRE STOP
>
> ALPHA TEST PROGRAM DOES NOT MEET THE ENTIRE SPECIFICATION STOP
>
> BETA TEST HAS BUGS STOP
>
> RELEASE CANDIDATE NOT YET READY FOR RELEASE STOP
>
> TESTER FOUND WITH HEAD SHOVED UP HIS ASS STOP
>
> SOFTWARE DESIGNERS DIE LAUGHING STOP
>
> That will be all.
>
Haha. Whatever dude. The game sucks. Stop.

IMO, YMMV, etc, etc.

Oh, and all that "beta isn't finished" stuff? It's out in less than 2
weeks. The miracle patch is a lie, I'm here to tell ya.

But I wouldn't spend one red cent of my hard earned money on it. Just
trying to do my bit for the community. You've been warned.
 >> Stay informed about: Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures breaks all the current s.. 

This message is not archived
 >> Stay informed about: Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures breaks all the current s.. 

Thus spake Zaghadka <zaghadka.RemoveThis@hotmail.com>, Wed, 07 May 2008 20:03:04 GMT,
Anno Domini:

>On Wed, 07 May 2008 20:02:49 +1000, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg, a.beck wrote:
>>Zaghadka wrote:
>>> On Mon, 05 May 2008 19:38:23 GMT, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg, Ykalon wrote:
>>>
>>>> a.beck skrev:
>>>>> This game is a bug ridden mess, and colossally unfun. Do not buy it.
>>>>>
>>>>> HTH
>>>> It's a BETA. More accurate a stress-test beta.
>>>
>>> LOL.
>>>
>>> AP NEWS WIRE STOP
>>>
>>> ALPHA TEST PROGRAM DOES NOT MEET THE ENTIRE SPECIFICATION STOP
>>>
>>> BETA TEST HAS BUGS STOP
>>>
>>> RELEASE CANDIDATE NOT YET READY FOR RELEASE STOP
>>>
>>> TESTER FOUND WITH HEAD SHOVED UP HIS ASS STOP
>>>
>>> SOFTWARE DESIGNERS DIE LAUGHING STOP
>>>
>>> That will be all.
>>>
>>Haha. Whatever dude. The game sucks. Stop.
>>
>Touche. Well played sir.

To offer an alternate, impartial opinion (second-hand): my guy at work is in
the open beta & has run several chars to 13th. He really loves it & has no
complaints, other than a bit of instability. It has many new design idioms
apparently. I guess I'll find out over the next week IF I can clear enough
disk space to install this behemoth & make it run reasonably on my old rig.

--
Nostromo
 >> Stay informed about: Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures breaks all the current s.. 

This message is not archived
 >> Stay informed about: Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures breaks all the current s.. 

Thus spake Zaghadka <zaghadka DeleteThis @hotmail.com>, Wed, 07 May 2008 21:52:23 GMT,
Anno Domini:

>>To offer an alternate, impartial opinion (second-hand): my guy at work is in
>>the open beta & has run several chars to 13th. He really loves it & has no
>>complaints, other than a bit of instability. It has many new design idioms
>>apparently. I guess I'll find out over the next week IF I can clear enough
>>disk space to install this behemoth & make it run reasonably on my old rig.
>
>YMMV STOP ;^)

STO>8^P!!!

--
Nostromo
 >> Stay informed about: Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures breaks all the current s..