Age of conan, Open beta: May 1st 2008.

[Abelian75]

Man, I must have entered my code just in time.  To think I was so close to not being able to satisfy my masochistic pre-release MMO habit.  I feel sorry for those who didn't make it in time.  It would be a bit like signing up to go to Vietnam and finding out they're full.

[Miasma]

We had to set that limit to allow the tens of thousands of registered players to download the client and get access to the game on the 17th of May.

We have arbitrarily decided to deny people access to the game on the 17th so that people can access the game on the 17th.

Funcom!

[Lakov_Sanite]

http://forums.ageofconan.com/showthread.php?t=93019

Let me say that this is UNBELIEVABLE.
Yes, I am supposed to be prepared for anything and still I couldn't see this coming.

Basically, EVEN if you received your early access key (and lots of people still didn't, or just did), if you try NOW to use it then the system tells you that OH SORRY, it's too late and we can't accept early access codes anymore because our server wouldn't be able to handle it on the 17th.

So many people preordered ONLY to be able to enter 3 days earlier and they will be cut out. Worse than that. Because the early access is supposed to provide a blanket for you between the time you enter the game with the early access code and the time you phisically receive the box and create a final account with the key in the box. Without early access you don't just lose the first 3 days, but every additional day your box delivery comes late.

And this is totally unannounced and out of the blue.

This rage is cute, I hope to see more of it in the coming days of release.


Seriously people....seriously....Can we really get worked up like this anymore? At this point I'm willing to say it's not funcoms fault it's going to release a buggy turd, it your fault for expecting anything else than that.  Are people still hoping for some magical mmo to come out, solve world hunger, cater exactly to their playstyle? It's just not going to happen and no, never will. It's time to grow up people, the MMO genre isn't young anymore and while new players should be shocked there's no excuse now for you old ones pumping money into companies like funcom before the game is even out the door.

For falconeer specifically, you got suckered. It seems like all you wanted was some good oldschoool FFA pvp in your world(read:masochism) well, I suppose that fine but guess what...seiges in aoc look like they're gonna be instanced 48v48...know what that is? and WAR as much as i personally wish was different from wow looks to be leaning towards similar battleground-type pvp(sorry, scenarios).

Games, promising you things you want and when they release they don't quite have all those shiny baubles or not quite the way you were expecting....big fucking suprise! You, all of you, I don't care if the game comes in a wooden box or one made from rich mithril that was lovingly crafted my dwarven smiths and then carved to precision by gnomish artisans, stop buying their goddamned pre-orders and maybe, just maybe we'll GET better games.

[Nija]

They don't want everyone seeing people hit 80 before launch. Only the chosen few people will get to see the elite poopsockers hit max level before the actual retail release of the game.

[Falconeer]

For falconeer specifically, you got suckered.

No I didn't. I got in.
I care for other people too. It's not like the world ends as soon as I am ok.

EDIT: Why did you quote my post, which is nothing about bugs and all about a business mess which rhymes with scam?

[Mrbloodworth]

We had to set that limit to allow the tens of thousands of registered players to download the client and get access to the game on the 17th of May.

We have arbitrarily decided to deny people access to the game on the 17th so that people can access the game on the 17th.

Funcom!

"Registration for customers with pre-order keys has now opened on http://register.ageofconan.com. Registering with a valid pre-order key (such as the Rhino or Mammoth key) is the unique way to be eligible to purchase Early Access for 5€/5$. This fee includes 10 days of game-time as well as the digital download of the client. Hurry though, because the Early Access is only available while supply lasts!"

Just sayin.

[Draegan]

I love when people bitch about something the read the whole thing then go, "Oh uh... "

--

Oh and if I can shill just a little bit, if you looking to be a masochist and play on a PVP server, my guild is still recruiting.  PM me if you're interested.

[Miasma]

We had to set that limit to allow the tens of thousands of registered players to download the client and get access to the game on the 17th of May.

We have arbitrarily decided to deny people access to the game on the 17th so that people can access the game on the 17th.

Funcom!

"Registration for customers with pre-order keys has now opened on http://register.ageofconan.com. Registering with a valid pre-order key (such as the Rhino or Mammoth key) is the unique way to be eligible to purchase Early Access for 5€/5$. This fee includes 10 days of game-time as well as the digital download of the client. Hurry though, because the Early Access is only available while supply lasts!"

Just sayin.

I have never seen that before and I am certain most other people haven't either.  In fact the game's bonus offer description on ebgames.com still says that if you but it today you will get into the early access.  You shouldn't have to go pouring through a game's forums to find out if advertised offers are conditional or limited.  It's bullshit.

[Numtini]

And I just came to whine that their beta surveys didn't have an option for "I heard there was a fix for X, but I didn't feel like I should have to do that--welcome to the post-WOW world"

On the pre-order thing, didn't they charge an extra five bucks for the pre-order option to get in early?

And 48x48 sieges? I survived a 300x300 the first weekend of DAOC. Stupid decision to go for grahpics over FPS in a PVP oriented game. I think the bigger problem with the 48x48 sieges will be mixmaxing "raid groups" rather than the actual size. Once you say its 48, it now becomes 48 minimum as well as maximum, where open you take what you get. That I think is the big difference between instanced pvp and open field pvp, it's not the numbers or the meaning, it's the lack of gaming it.

[Nebu]

And 48x48 sieges? I survived a 300x300 the first weekend of DAOC. Stupid decision to go for grahpics over FPS in a PVP oriented game.

Keep in mind that the majority of DAoC players at that time were on dialup as well.  I agree with your statement here.  If you're going to develop a pvp centered game, you need to adjust the graphic expectations to allow fun large scale battles without fear of significant fps loss.  WoW got this one right from a graphic expectation standpoint.  They just blew it in other ways ... which is excusable since WoW is really a PvE game by nature.   

[Falconeer]

"Registration for customers with pre-order keys has now opened on http://register.ageofconan.com. Registering with a valid pre-order key (such as the Rhino or Mammoth key) is the unique way to be eligible to purchase Early Access for 5€/5$. This fee includes 10 days of game-time as well as the digital download of the client. Hurry though, because the Early Access is only available while supply lasts!"

Just sayin.

I love when people bitch about something the read the whole thing then go, "Oh uh... "

WHAT?
Maybe some of you are having problems getting yer brains online today.

1) When you placed the pre-order based on the promise of the early access there wasn't ANYTHING like that ANYWHERE (prove me wrong and I'll pay you 50 bucks). You can stay assured that if people knew it would have been some kind of a lottery on who gets it first, it wouldn't have been such a popular preorder.
2) Many received their early access keys TOO LATE, when the thing was already over.

I know it's funny to point and laugh but it should all scale with age. My friend's 3 months old baby loves to smash ice cream on his own forehead. That doesn't mean he comes here to post shit only because he doesn't care/didn't preorder/got in anyway.

[Mrbloodworth]

Ill be the first to say that funcom hasn't been the best at communication, lots of holes in how things work ETC... But its my understanding that the disclaimer i posted came from the registration page, and every outlet for the game said "See registration page for limitations".

Marketing department +1. lol.

I'm holding most of my judgment on the game for the time i start playing, i already know i like the game a lot, but i'm not blind to its flaws. But thats been par for the course for all MMO's i have played near launch. I had always planed on skipping the early access stuff, because i know it will be a clusterfuck...it always is, doesn't matter what company it is. early accesses are always like a launch day trial run. The pay for download sounds stupid, or horribly mismanaged.

[Montague]

So the wife and I preordered through Gamestop last night. We got no keys or anything, I even asked about early access and the girl behind the counter was totally clueless. I realize the damn thing is sold out now, but were we supposed to get anything other than the nifty little LOLlore book? I keep reading about War mammoths with a Gamestop preorder but we didnt get anything. Should I go back and pitch a bitch?

[Mrbloodworth]

So the wife and I preordered through Gamestop last night. We got no keys or anything, I even asked about early access and the girl behind the counter was totally clueless. I realize the damn thing is sold out now, but were we supposed to get anything other than the nifty little LOLlore book? I keep reading about War mammoths with a Gamestop preorder but we didnt get anything. Should I go back and pitch a bitch?

I'm going tonight, yes, you should have gotten a little card with a mammoth and a key for that item (its also the key for the whole early thing).

Go get your card. If they don't have mine today... ill be making a scene. 

This is only the case for the store, online is a completely different story.

Off the game stop website order page:

In-store customers will receive a rave card containing the code and instructions.

[Lantyssa]

Ill be the first to say that funcom hasn't been the best at communication, lots of holes in how things work ETC... But its my understanding that the disclaimer i posted came from the registration page, and every outlet for the game said "See registration page for limitations".

Marketing department +1. lol.

At the time I pre-ordered, there wasn't even mention of the bonus pack.  All we had to go on was a post by a Funcom employee saying "If you want the War Rhino, pre-order from Best Buy."  So we did.

[Signe]

Print it out and take it with you so you have something to wave in their faces.  Bring a knife, too, just in case they're not afraid of paper like I am.

[Montague]

So the wife and I preordered through Gamestop last night. We got no keys or anything, I even asked about early access and the girl behind the counter was totally clueless. I realize the damn thing is sold out now, but were we supposed to get anything other than the nifty little LOLlore book? I keep reading about War mammoths with a Gamestop preorder but we didnt get anything. Should I go back and pitch a bitch?

I'm going tonight, yes, you should have gotten a little card with a mammoth and a key for that item (its also the key for the whole early thing).

Go get your card. If they don't have mine today... ill be making a scene. 

This is only the case for the store, online is a completely different story.

Off the game stop website order page:

In-store customers will receive a rave card containing the code and instructions.

Thanks, we have very special people here at our GS so no surprise.

[Mrbloodworth]

Ill be the first to say that funcom hasn't been the best at communication, lots of holes in how things work ETC... But its my understanding that the disclaimer i posted came from the registration page, and every outlet for the game said "See registration page for limitations".

Marketing department +1. lol.

At the time I pre-ordered, there wasn't even mention of the bonus pack.  All we had to go on was a post by a Funcom employee saying "If you want the War Rhino, pre-order from Best Buy."  So we did.

Hay, i dunno. I do feel bad for all involved, and no, i don't think it was handled, worded or communicated well enough. like, at all. I myself put money (5$) on it about a year or so ago, using gamestop/EB games system. I checked it about a week ago, but they had no cards at that time. I'm going tonight after work to claim my loots.

[Draegan]

A presentation made at Oslo about the game.

This is a recording made from a cell phone, but has pretty good quality.  Shows spellweaving, city building, raiding and some other cool stuff.

[Mrbloodworth]

^ no link..

[Montague]

More Gamestop lamery: Called the manager this morning, said that he has no rave cards and they'll come in shortly before the game itself, and that we'll get ours when we get our copies of the game. This might be an Alaska thing but it still sucks.

[HaemishM]

Why the hell would early access "sell out"?  The only thing I can think of is that they are worried about the load on the servers Saturday... but then what would their plan be for actual launch day? 

Run around screaming like chickens with their heads cut off as the servers burst into flames. Also, ban and delete anyone whose able to make it through to the sure-to-be-overwhelmed forums and post about how they can't even register their account. In addition, double-and-triple charge people's credit cards due to their ecommerce servers being dogfucked into oblivion.

Really, this will likely be loads of trainwreck fail fun.

[Draegan]

A presentation made at Oslo about the game.

This is a recording made from a cell phone, but has pretty good quality.  Shows spellweaving, city building, raiding and some other cool stuff.

Woops I didn't notice the link missing.  Awesome.


http://files.filefront.com/aocliveoslo+0001wmv/;10218593;/fileinfo.html

[Murgos]

Why the hell would early access "sell out"?  The only thing I can think of is that they are worried about the load on the servers Saturday... but then what would their plan be for actual launch day? 

Run around screaming like chickens with their heads cut off as the servers burst into flames. Also, ban and delete anyone whose able to make it through to the sure-to-be-overwhelmed forums and post about how they can't even register their account. In addition, double-and-triple charge people's credit cards due to their ecommerce servers being dogfucked into oblivion.

Considering that their last launch was actually worse than that I suppose this means you are saying they have improved?

[WayAbvPar]

As long as there is no HDD reformatting it is a step in the right direction.

[HaemishM]

Considering that their last launch was actually worse than that I suppose this means you are saying they have improved?

Yes, it's an improvement for Funcom. The MMO medium? Not so much.

[Simond]

Some of the most entertaining moments will be the WoW people who have never had to play another MMO being stunned and amazed at all the broken code, unpolished bits and horrible problems that exist in other games .

Between this and WAR, it's going to be like AO/DAoC launches all over again...except the EQ-analogue is actually a solid game in itself. The best part is going to be watching about 90% of the "LOL Blizzard sux I'm off to AoC/WAR" crowd come creeping back again three or four months later. 

[Draegan]

Ability chart.

Not sure how complete it is, but here you are anyway.
http://www.hybes.de/abilities.php?class=HeraldOfXotli&lang=en

[Tairnyn]

Collision detection is the only thing I see that stirs a desire to play. In the video the announcers don't even seem excited by the game.

[HRose]

Ability chart.

Not sure how complete it is, but here you are anyway.
http://www.hybes.de/abilities.php?class=HeraldOfXotli&lang=en

I didn't play AoC so here's the question:
The "direction" part means that there aren't hotkeys to trigger skills and those skills are used by performing the right combo?

[schild]

Sort of, yes.

[Nerf]

You hit the hotkey, and then must perform the combo for it to fire.

The combo is displayed on-screen too, so theres no memorization cockstabbery involved.

[Venkman]

This thread is living proof that launching an MMO at the right time is just about the only requirement. With the absolutely absurd holes in this experience, and the amount of stuff they talked about maybe someday coming vs what is actually in the game, I'm surprised more than 10 people here preordered. But I feel like launching now grabbed a lot of people, simply because it's many months before any serious contender and Blizzard's glacially glacial pace is finally starting to affect them.

This is not an AO trainwreck nor an SWG looming one. But I really believe buying just about any other game, MMO or not, would have been a better investment at this stage. This screams wait-and-see all over the place.

And I'm really surprised schild bought it.

[schild]

Why are you surprised? It has housing and a kickass collector's set.

Housing.

HOUSING.

I like fucking housing!

[Signe]

By housing he means an art book and a wooden box.

Also, I wonder if the wooden box is why the CE sold out so fast?