Gods and Heroes Beta

[Signe]

Bend Over and Take it Like a Spartan!  

[Murgos]

Which of the following have you played?

LOLERZ, all of tehm?  Well, cept Vanguard where I only played the forum version.

[damijin]

Damn you 2007 with your betas and hyped releases. Why couldn't like... even a quarter of these come out last year where the most notable releases were fucking Dark and Light and RF Online 

[DraconianOne]

So far, I've seen hydras, gorgons, minotaurs, centaurs and various other mythical monstrosities.  All taken from Greek mythology. 

So why's it called Rome Rising?  I know the Romans' nicked all of their mythology from the Greeks in the first place because they were too fucking unimaginative to come up with their own but is that just a subtle way of saying "Hey - our game is going to be a total copy of everybody else's game!"

[HaemishM]

So why's it called Rome Rising?  I know the Romans' nicked all of their mythology from the Greeks in the first place because they were too fucking unimaginative to come up with their own but is that just a subtle way of saying "Hey - our game is going to be a total copy of everybody else's game!"

SOE publishes it. That should have answered your question right there.

[Nonentity]

Gah, too many betas!

FUCK!

Fury, Warhammer, Conan, Gods and Heroes...

[Zonk]

SOE publishes it. That should have answered your question right there.

Haemish, Haemish ... you should know better. SOE is *only* publishing it. If you're going to level the charge of copying or imitation, it's got to go to Perpetual, who is developing it. :)

I should add, I think that GnH actually looks kind of interesting. Not my thing long-term, but I really do want to play it for a little while to feel out how the minion element works out long-term. The animations, also: totally kickass. Probably not my MMOG of the Year, but I think it's going to be quality with a Q and not a K.

[HaemishM]

SOE publishes it. That should have answered your question right there.

Haemish, Haemish ... you should know better. SOE is *only* publishing it. If you're going to level the charge of copying or imitation, it's got to go to Perpetual, who is developing it. :)

Sure, Perpetual is developing it. But being published by SOE shows that there is a 5 out of 7 chance the game will be a diku-based level/class clone. 6 out of 7 is you count SWG as a diku (which is pretty much is since the CU).

[Zonk]

Oh, in that respect you're dead on. It's a diku-style game with some extra layers of frosting on top.

I guess, other than the fact that I am getting very tired of fantasy (except for WAR), I'm not sure what's wrong with diku-style? It works pretty well ... why fix what ain't all that broke?

[HaemishM]

I'm not sure what's wrong with diku-style? It works pretty well ...

Until you are on your 5th or 6th diku-style game that isn't badly done, just nothing new. Like LotRO. Had that been my first MMORPG, I might have loved it. By the time I played it, I was so sick of that style it's pure mediocrity turned me off (and incidentally back to WoW).

But I've been harping on diku-MOG's since 2002. I'm sick to death of them.

[Lantyssa]

Awesome.  It thinks the entered security ID is invalid everytime and I can't be bothered to open up IE for it.

[MrHat]

I like how WoW and the Burning Crusade took 2 slots, but AC1 and 2 take one.

[Zonk]

Until you are on your 5th or 6th diku-style game that isn't badly done, just nothing new. Like LotRO. Had that been my first MMORPG, I might have loved it. By the time I played it, I was so sick of that style it's pure mediocrity turned me off (and incidentally back to WoW).  But I've been harping on diku-MOG's since 2002. I'm sick to death of them.

I don't want to e-peen, but I have a feeling we've played a similar number of Massive games. 
I'm certain you've played that body of titles *more* than I have, though.

But, to the point, I understand where you're coming from. The game that shatters everything and gets an enormous playerbase will prolly have little resemblance to EverQuest. The question, though, is that if this theoretical game is 1.) that popular and 2.) not-diku-based, will it be something old MMOG hags like?

I imagine the answer is no.

[Big Gulp]

So why's it called Rome Rising?  I know the Romans' nicked all of their mythology from the Greeks in the first place because they were too fucking unimaginative to come up with their own but is that just a subtle way of saying "Hey - our game is going to be a total copy of everybody else's game!"

Not true.  For one thing, the Romans had, and continued to have something called the Lares.  Basically they were Gods of the home and hearth, and the ancestors of the Romans.  They also worshipped beings known as the "Numina", basically shapeless, vague, but powerful beings sort of like Cthulhu's Old Gods.  Also, the Romans probably lived under Etruscan domination for a good long while, and the Etruscans would have picked up of a good deal of Greek religion from southern Italy (Magna Graecia, "Greater Greece").  This naturally filtered over to the Romans, who just transliterated a lot of the Gods to those they'd already worshipped.  I forget the scholarly term for doing this, but it isn't at all rare in polytheistic cultures.

And for the record, a lot of the Greek gods were picked up from Persia, Egypt, and Phoenicia.  So it's not the Romans just "stealing" Greek religion, it's more that the Mediterranean is a small lake where these cultures all blend with each other.

[FatuousTwat]

I'm really tempted to put Windows 3.x as my operating system... Why the hell do they even have that available?

[DraconianOne]

Not true.  And stuff.

I was generalising.  I have it in for Roman mythology because it's dull as ditchwater.  I loathed studying Latin literature.  The histories may have been interesting but their poems and their epic tales left a lot to be desired.  And their comedy was totally lacking, especially when you compare it to the Greek satirists like, for example, Aristophanes.  (Ancient) Greek's just a much better language all round.

And for the record, a lot of the Greek gods were picked up from Persia, Egypt, and Phoenicia.  So it's not the Romans just "stealing" Greek religion, it's more that the Mediterranean is a small lake where these cultures all blend with each other.

Well, I'd argue the point over the Persian influence - assuming you're referring to the Zoroastrian mythology.  I personally think that had more of an influence on Roman mythology than Greek but, seeing as how the Persian and Greek histories were so interlinked I'd be prepared to concede the shared mythologies.  The Phoenician influence on Greek mythology is totally apparent - yes, the Greeks stole from the Phoenicians.  The Egyptians obviously had a huge influence on most of the subsequent civilizations in that area being one of the first and the greatest.  I didn't ever feel that Egyptian mythology had as much corrolation as the Phoenicians did on the Greeks and the Greeks did on the Romans but I will also admit to knowing less about it.

However, for the record, Greeks > Romans.  There's no room for debate.  Greeks had raphanidoun, Romans didn't.  End of argument. 

Also, the Mediterranean is not a lake.  It's fucking stinking, effluent filled shit pool that's cold, grimy and crap for diving in. 

[Murgos]

I'm really tempted to put Windows 3.x as my operating system... Why the hell do they even have that available?

If I was a dev on a modern game and you said you would beta it on windows 3.11 I would go out of my way to ensure you got in early.  Then I would flag your account so that all your bug reports and opened tickets were printed out and posted on a wall for everyone else to get a good giggle out of.

[Big Gulp]

However, for the record, Greeks > Romans.

If you're into ineffectual girly men who take it in the ass, sure.  ETA:  Oh, and I can see you bringing up Alexander to refute this.  Macedonian, bitch!

Personally I prefer the 20 mile forced march, build a fortified camp, oh and while you're at it, why not an aqueduct and a road?  Romans.

[Zonk]

Are you guys really starting a pissing match over the awesomeness of two long dead civilizations?

... shoulda read this board closer months ago.

[Big Gulp]

Are you guys really starting a pissing match over the awesomeness of two long dead civilizations?

... shoulda read this board closer months ago.

I get irked when people talk up the Greeks.  Yeah, they had the art, the poetry, and the philosophy, but does that compare to massive engineering feats and an all consuming thirst for martial glory?  I think not.

[HaemishM]

But, to the point, I understand where you're coming from. The game that shatters everything and gets an enormous playerbase will prolly have little resemblance to EverQuest. The question, though, is that if this theoretical game is 1.) that popular and 2.) not-diku-based, will it be something old MMOG hags like?

I imagine the answer is no.

It will not be more popular than WoW, nor should it be. Let the plebs play Diku, I want some motherfucking Cake. The future of GOOD MMO's is and always has been niche. Or as I put it, embrace the niche, bitches.

More niche-based games like Eve (business model, not gameplay per se) means more good games that fit a more refined audience in more ways. Less of the please everyone style of MMOG.

In short, the Mature MMOG that I wrote about five years ago.

[HaemishM]

However, for the record, Greeks > Romans.

If you're into ineffectual girly men who take it in the ass, sure. 

Julius Caesar was a known bisexual. I don't think either civilization can claim the upper *AHEM* hand when it comes to rampant buggery.

[Big Gulp]

Julius Caesar was a known bisexual. I don't think either civilization can claim the upper *AHEM* hand when it comes to rampant buggery.

Unknown, he was rumored to be bisexual, but then a guy like Caesar had a lot of enemies.  And if he was it's also not known if he was the pitcher or the catcher; something rather crucial to the Roman worldview.

One thing is known, his men would sing little ditties when marching through his triumphs, "Romans, your wives you'd better tie down, the bald-headed whoremonger is back in town".   :-D 

[Strazos]

I want to try it, but I just know that they wouldn't get the lore and mythology perfect, and it'D drive me nuts.

Sources tell me that they actually have at least 1 guy on board who is really anal about getting these things right, but who knows....

[Chimpy]

I want to try it, but I just know that they wouldn't get the lore and mythology perfect, and it's drive me nuts.

Sources tell me that they actually have at least 1 guy on board who is really anal about getting these things right, but who knows....

Reading that comment after quickly glancing at the discussion of Caesar's "bisexuality" was kind of....well.....weird.

[Murgos]

One thing is known, his men would sing little ditties when marching through his triumphs, "Romans, your wives you'd better tie down, the bald-headed whoremonger is back in town".   :-D 

Give unto Caesar that which is Caesar's?

[Miasma]

It's quite confusing and I don't pretend to know how it works but apparently if you signed up back then and have a forum account you might already be able to get a beta key.  You don't get an email saying "you're in", you have to log in and apply for a key.  There was also a way to get more beta keys for your friends if you petition in game for them, I don't know if that is still happening.

[Mrbloodworth]

So why's it called Rome Rising?  I know the Romans' nicked all of their mythology from the Greeks in the first place because they were too fucking unimaginative to come up with their own but is that just a subtle way of saying "Hey - our game is going to be a total copy of everybody else's game!"

SOE publishes it. That should have answered your question right there.

Publish, not make.

[UnSub]

Yeah, you need to sign up for a forum account, activate that, then sign up for beta and activate that. That'll get you into closed beta, more than likely.

I don't think I'm  to say that they are stress testing on the weekends.

[Yoru]

So why's it called Rome Rising?  I know the Romans' nicked all of their mythology from the Greeks in the first place because they were too fucking unimaginative to come up with their own but is that just a subtle way of saying "Hey - our game is going to be a total copy of everybody else's game!"

SOE publishes it. That should have answered your question right there.

Publish, not make.

Correction: Neither.

[schild]

I wish I could say that was a bright idea. But SOE has fantastic distribution channels.

Edit: I don't know why our boy at razor wire treats them like that about publishing.

[UnSub]

There's a school of thought that follows the ideal of "SOE is responsible for everything wrong in their MMOs - they wrecked SWG, what happened to MxO is their fault and Vangard flopped because of SOE".

I'm guessing Razorwire is of that school.

Having looked at the company website, GnH and STO appear to be the only offerings that Perpetual have. They are yet to prove themselves and I wonder if their EA / UO or Lucasarts backgrounds have prepared them for what they've taken on. I also wonder where their money is coming from - if it's venture capital, I can't see that source keeping their cheque books open as the markets go straight down in the US. That they've got an untested middleware MMO package that Bioware has picked up - until this middleware gets proven by a number of successful MMO launches, it's just another thing distracting them from their games development.

Which is a long way of getting to: who pulled the plug here? Did Perpetual dump SOE because they weren't happy with the current deal, or did SOE, skittish at another potential Vangard, reduce its risk by only agreeing to do what Perpetual pays them to do?

SOE is still marketing and distributing GnH and will managed the servers - it's just not the publisher anymore. So either GnH can't be that unhappy with them, or the rest of the contract was ironclad.

[Signe]

I tried to hate SOE.  Unfortunately, my hate list is still filled up with oil and insurance companies.     Maybe my hate priorities are screwy but just as soon as everyone has proper medical benefits and the world stops coveting oil at the expense of people's lives, I'll add them.  I promise!

[Azazel]

You just need more room for hate. Having said that, SOE gets my overall indifference these days. I've got lots of that.

[Yegolev]

I can't be bothered to hate a company that produces a luxury item.