1.05 is here - Perfect time to come back.

[Vash]

The thing is, with 1.5 just a few days ago, everyone is reworking builds, as the majority of popular builds have been made obsolete. The same goes for class power levels. Since people are not sure, a class that is considered weak today, could be the next FotM class once a new feat build is discovered for it.

Yeah, that's basically why picking a class feels like throwing darts in the dark right now, especially as late arrival to AoC.  I've tried a ToS, Necro, Conq, and Guardian so far with Ranger and Assassin on the list for test runs tonight after work.  Hopefully that has most of the playstyles covered so I can make a somewhat educated choice, even if it's a preschool level education.   

One thing I'm wondering about the priest classes, is if their heals get significantly more effective or efficient as they progress.  On my ToS his heals were pretty pathetic and cost hefty amounts of mana so he ended up playing more like a dps caster with some weak "oh crap" buttons that drained his mana pretty severely.

[Morfiend]

On my ToS his heals were pretty pathetic and cost hefty amounts of mana so he ended up playing more like a dps caster with some weak "oh crap" buttons that drained his mana pretty severely.

Thats pretty much what a ToS is, unless you spec specifically for healing. The PoM is the main healing class.

[Hindenburg]

Spec stormcrown. Stand near the mobs. You'll have as much mana as you want.
Also, stormfield radically changes the way you'll play your ToS.

[Rishathra]

On my ToS his heals were pretty pathetic and cost hefty amounts of mana so he ended up playing more like a dps caster with some weak "oh crap" buttons that drained his mana pretty severely.

Thats pretty much what a ToS is, unless you spec specifically for healing. The PoM is the main healing class.

Also, heals are complete ass until level 20, then they become usable.  I have found this to be true for everyone, even PoMs.

[ghost]

I'm really enjoying my ToS and my HoX is pretty good too.  It really brings up my anticipation that the casting classes are going to be a lot more powerful late game for PvP.  It seems like it would be much easier to jump around spamming spells than worrying about combos. 

[skrigg]

I'm really enjoying my ToS and my HoX is pretty good too.  It really brings up my anticipation that the casting classes are going to be a lot more powerful late game for PvP.  It seems like it would be much easier to jump around spamming spells than worrying about combos. 

That is pretty much the problem some people are having with the game after the patch to 1.05. They basically nerfed melee damage and buffed caster HP, couple that with the fact that casters don't have to use stam for anything but kiting and you have melee not being able to do much when they get face time. Imo they need to up melee damage a bit and let combo users charge combos without a target with no penalty again.

[Hindenburg]

Or give melee classes a sprinting bar.

[Morfiend]

Or give melee classes a sprinting bar.

Its like its 2007 again.

[squirrel]

Or give melee classes a sprinting bar.

One thing I liked about WAR - no mana, no stamina. Just energy at an equal availability for casters and melee. It was a good solution to problems like this - but requires integration from the design stage.

Course it didn't stop balance issues, but it was a good mechanic. Not sure if that was GW or Mythic. (Never played the TT game)

[Yegolev]

I thought I was playing Gothic for a minute, so I turned on DX10 and the client shit the bed.  Whee, FunCom!

[schild]

I thought I was playing Gothic for a minute, so I turned on DX10 and the client shit the bed.  Whee, FunCom!

I'm on an 8800GT and it didn't even shit the bed in DX10. Performance took a hit but it was still about 10-15FPS. I think of 1-5FPS (slideshows) as shitting the best. So what'd you do?

[Cyrrex]

I am actually installing this now.  Wow.

DX10 was active when we played a year ago, wasn't it?  I seem to remember getting 15-25 FPS in the worst parts of Tortage, but I may have had the resolution down.  Also on a 8800GT.

[Falconeer]

DX10 was active when we played a year ago, wasn't it? 

No it wasn't.

[Engels]

Well, I turned on the god rays and stuff, and maybe I'm just in the wrong zone, at the wrong time of day, but I'm just not seeing it. Maybe I'm just spoiled by single player games.

[schild]

Well, I turned on the god rays and stuff, and maybe I'm just in the wrong zone, at the wrong time of day, but I'm just not seeing it. Maybe I'm just spoiled by single player games.

I don't know of many single player games with them... I mean, Crysis, as mentioned, but uhhh, maybe Uncharted? Don't really remember there.

[squirrel]

I'm also on a 8800GT - I get about 20 fps in DX 10. Playable, but pretty choppy - I notice video lag when opening loot bags for instance. In DX 9 I get about 70 - 90 fps. So, yeah.

[Vash]

I've got 2 8800 GT's running in SLI and get between 20-40 fps in DX 10 (over 100 in DX9 but it looks like crap by comparison), the only thing that annoys me is the texture popping (in both DX9 and DX10) when you move in range of something and it switches from a low res. texture to a high one.

I haven't spent a ton of time fiddling with the video options, but my minimal efforts didn't seem to have much effect on the texture popping front and I was surprised it was just as bad in DX9 even with a maxed out view/range slider.  If there is any way to minimize the popping without making the game a slideshow I'd love some pointers/advice from those who are more experienced with the video options in AoC.

[Yegolev]

I thought I was playing Gothic for a minute, so I turned on DX10 and the client shit the bed.  Whee, FunCom!

I'm on an 8800GT and it didn't even shit the bed in DX10. Performance took a hit but it was still about 10-15FPS. I think of 1-5FPS (slideshows) as shitting the best. So what'd you do?

Best I can recall, I changed to 1680x1050, which worked fine, then turned on AAx2.  Worked fine, so I turned on DX10 because it still looked shitty.  I restarted the client, it died and I filled out the little report, complained in this thread and went to bed.

Note I am running this on W7 RC, so YMMV.

[Draegan]

I had issues with shadows flickering in DX10 running two 4850's in crossfire.

I just kept it at DX9.

[Yegolev]

But I want to see this game look good.  So far it looks like it looked good in 2005.

Clock is ticking on my trial, so I'll have to hurry.  Raidou the Demonologist on Agony.

[Yegolev]

"It is possible your resource database has corrupt data in it" indeed.

This game had better rock hard.

[Morfiend]

"It is possible your resource database has corrupt data in it" indeed.

This game had better rock hard.

It told me that too, I said skip.

[Yegolev]

"It is possible your resource database has corrupt data in it" indeed.

This game had better rock hard.

It told me that too, I said skip.

It only does this when I try to run the DX10 client.

If I picked the EU client instead of the NA cilent, would I get "extra" things?

Also do I need to save these skillpoints?  I don't feel like I need to bump up Bandage right now.

[ghost]

"It is possible your resource database has corrupt data in it" indeed.

This game had better rock hard.

I think you'll be disappointed.  It is better, but not phenomenal at this point.

[Hindenburg]

Also do I need to save these skillpoints?  I don't feel like I need to bump up Bandage right now.

Not really. If you're a healer you'll never need points in bandaging, and points in the running stuff are mostly useless. Spend all the rest in whatever you want, just don't sink more into climbing than you need at the moment, since respeccing isn't exactly cheap.

[Morfiend]

Also do I need to save these skillpoints?  I don't feel like I need to bump up Bandage right now.

Not really. If you're a healer you'll never need points in bandaging, and points in the running stuff are mostly useless. Spend all the rest in whatever you want, just don't sink more into climbing than you need at the moment, since respeccing isn't exactly cheap.

For a caster, Hiding and Casting Concentration are pretty good to keep maxed.

[hanzou]

All this fps talk is scaring me.   

Anyone playing this on a 128mb video card? 
I still haven't gotten the game installed, but I'm on a 2.2ghz core 2, 4gigs ram, 128mb nvidiasomething laptop.
Will report on playability once I'm up and running.

[Vash]

After a more thorough run through the video options I've managed to get rid of the texture popping and crank my frames way up in DX10.  If you want max performance just turn off shadows, cranked most of my draw distances and am running AA x 8 and still have 70+ fps in DX10.

[Cyrrex]

All this fps talk is scaring me.   

Anyone playing this on a 128mb video card? 
I still haven't gotten the game installed, but I'm on a 2.2ghz core 2, 4gigs ram, 128mb nvidiasomething laptop.
Will report on playability once I'm up and running.

It should scare you...sounds like you'll be playing Conan The Slideshow.  My laptop has a 7600 mobile (256mb?) that only barely ran it.  I'm betting you'll have to turn shit waaaay down. 

My 8800 GT seems to be doing okay at 1900x1200 in DX 10 with something between medium and high settings (a few tweaks here an there).  I'm sure I haven't found the sweet spot yet, but the engine seems to be a little more efficient than it was a year ago.

[schild]

:(

$20 for a server transfer.

[Falconeer]

Should you keep going with this I'd transfer one of my 80s to your server. Although I doubt it's possible to transfer EU to NA.

[Yegolev]

FYI, I'm leaving tomorrow for vacation and will be outside the sweet, sweet protection of the U.S. borders.  I believe my trial will expire before I get back but I also believe I have decided to make a real account.  Although I've only made it to lv6 and have not actually gotten past that place with the panthers at Tortage gate.  It's either this or Guild Wars.

[Morfiend]

Should you keep going with this I'd transfer one of my 80s to your server. Although I doubt it's possible to transfer EU to NA.

Holy crap Falc, you changed your avatar, its been how long now?

[Sky]

I couldn't find my disks... but I did find something for others.

Newegg is selling AoC right now for $12.99 with free shipping.  Tough to beat that. 

That's veeery tempting.

[Falconeer]

Holy crap Falc, you changed your avatar, its been how long now?

That's very temporary. A tribute to a man I deeply loved.