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Author Topic: Alpha 3 Impressions  (Read 18137 times)
Fabricated
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WWW
on: August 19, 2006, 02:49:30 PM

I'm a level 4 guardian now still poking around the n00b area.

Impressions:

-I'm hoping most of these art assets are still developing because some of this game can be outright hard to look at. Characters models look kinda like mush until you get close, the LOD isn't very good looking even with everything cranked. Also, the water effect is um...bad.

-The client however is stable and runs very well. I'm running at 1600x1050 with everything cranked and there isn't a framerate hitch to be seen.

-Combat works, but it's pretty boring.

-Holy shit man, those combat sounds are ANNOYING. HEARRGGH!! URRAARRGHGH!! URRRRAAAHHHH!! HEARRGGHH!!

-Sound cuts out every now and then for me in combat. I switched to using hardware audio though, and I'm running the craptastic on-board audio on my ASUS Mobo (AC'97 or whatever its latest version is).

-Wow, a proper LFG interface. I haven't used it yet but it's certainly better than WoW's provided it works like I think it does.

-I dig the music.

"The world is populated in the main by people who should not exist." - George Bernard Shaw
Signe
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Muse.


Reply #1 on: August 19, 2006, 04:07:22 PM

I have pretty much the same sound issues as you, and the same hardware, I think.  This is not the computer I listen to music or anything on.   The character models are pretty dreadful.  It's like weeble hair.  I know they're not done with character creation, yet.  They just can't be. 

My Sig Image: hath rid itself of this mortal coil.
Kenrick
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Reply #2 on: August 19, 2006, 07:48:54 PM

-The client however is stable and runs very well. I'm running at 1600x1050 with everything cranked and there isn't a framerate hitch to be seen.

Praytell.. may I be so nosy as to ask what your system specs are?

Because personally, although my rig is 2+ years old, I thought this game would still perform relatively well on it.  I had yet to find a game that brings it to its knees... until this one.  Even when I lower the settings to 1024x768 and VERY LOW QUALITY, I still find that the framerate is borderline unacceptable.  And when the quality is set that low it's not much to look at, anyway.
Fabricated
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~Living the Dream~


WWW
Reply #3 on: August 19, 2006, 09:41:20 PM

-The client however is stable and runs very well. I'm running at 1600x1050 with everything cranked and there isn't a framerate hitch to be seen.

Praytell.. may I be so nosy as to ask what your system specs are?

Because personally, although my rig is 2+ years old, I thought this game would still perform relatively well on it.  I had yet to find a game that brings it to its knees... until this one.  Even when I lower the settings to 1024x768 and VERY LOW QUALITY, I still find that the framerate is borderline unacceptable.  And when the quality is set that low it's not much to look at, anyway.
Well, my rig is very new to be honest.

Athlon X2 4400+, 10%OC
ASUS A8N-SLI Deluxe Mobo
1GB PC3200 DDR RAM
GeForce 7800GT, OC'd a bit.
2x SATA HDDs, 160GB and 200GB

That's all the important stuff anyway.

Also, in the n00b zone, are there actually bandit corpses to bury for that damn quest? I looked all over and there are none to be found, so I decided to go beat my head against the spider journal page thing. I can only find pages one and three.
« Last Edit: August 19, 2006, 09:50:57 PM by Fabricated »

"The world is populated in the main by people who should not exist." - George Bernard Shaw
Trippy
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Posts: 23611


Reply #4 on: August 19, 2006, 10:04:50 PM

Also, in the n00b zone, are there actually bandit corpses to bury for that damn quest? I looked all over and there are none to be found, so I decided to go beat my head against the spider journal page thing. I can only find pages one and three.
Go to Blackwold's Roost -- the ruins now taken over by bears.
Llava
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Rrava roves you rong time


Reply #5 on: August 19, 2006, 10:16:56 PM

Likes:

The titles.  It's similar to badges in CoH, but requires less farming and offers better names and even bonuses.

Champion skills.  Much more interesting than Burglar.  How come a Champion starts with 3 attacks right off the bat, and the Burglar just starts with Backstab and Stealth?  Kinda boring, eh?  That veered off into something I didn't like.

Some of the quests are nice.  I like the berry picking ones, for some reason.  I shouldn't, but I do.

I like having four quests displayed on my screen, and it's done in a way that doesn't clutter the screen.  Handy.

The Black Rider.  Hell yeah, let me play one of those!  I don't care if there are only 9, it can just be me and 8 other f13 people.

Dislikes:

Wolf and spider whacking is boring.  I think there's an anti-wolf-and-spider Illuminati running the show for all fantasy MMGs.  And boars, too.  Let me smack around Blackwold spies more, that's a threat.  Wolf cubs are not a threat.

Combat is slow and boring.  Especially for Burglars.  I don't know about classes who aren't Burglars or Champions, though.

It's not as big an issue here as it is in CoH, but the misses are irritating me.  Should I expect roughly the same accuracy rate throughout the game or does it get better?  If it does get better, do we really need it to be lower for the newbie levels?

Armor skins, at least at low levels, are ugly and look silly.  Too reminiscent of Neverwinter Nights.

Suggestions:

Give Burglars some other attack power to start.

Speed up combat, please.

Let me decide which four quests are displayed on my screen.  That part of the UI is useful, but seems a bit buggy.  Like if I have 7 quests, and one's on my screen, and I complete it and clear it, I now only have 3 quests displayed on my screen even though I have 3 more quests that could be displayed.
« Last Edit: August 19, 2006, 10:18:27 PM by Llava »

That the saints may enjoy their beatitude and the grace of God more abundantly they are permitted to see the punishment of the damned in hell. -Saint Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica
Trippy
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Reply #6 on: August 19, 2006, 10:24:58 PM

Let me decide which four quests are displayed on my screen.
You can on the Quests screen.
Fabricated
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WWW
Reply #7 on: August 19, 2006, 10:30:50 PM

Oh yeah, I got high enough level to notice the titles and rewards for exploration, killing, etc. That's a really cool touch IMO.

"The world is populated in the main by people who should not exist." - George Bernard Shaw
Llava
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Reply #8 on: August 19, 2006, 11:18:56 PM

Let me decide which four quests are displayed on my screen.
You can on the Quests screen.


Okay, well, I didn't notice it, so make that button big and put flashing lights around it.

Or make a Tip for it.

That the saints may enjoy their beatitude and the grace of God more abundantly they are permitted to see the punishment of the damned in hell. -Saint Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica
Righ
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Reply #9 on: August 19, 2006, 11:23:29 PM

Let me decide which four quests are displayed on my screen.  That part of the UI is useful, but seems a bit buggy.  Like if I have 7 quests, and one's on my screen, and I complete it and clear it, I now only have 3 quests displayed on my screen even though I have 3 more quests that could be displayed.

Let me decide not to decide, or something. In other words, when I complete a quest and "open a space" in the quest tracker, put the first incomplete quest not currently on the tracker in there. Give me a tick-box on quests marked "don't add to tracker" that prevents quests from being automatically added.

I also got the whole champion > burglar thing from A2. My limited A3 play suggests that at low levels minstrel > champion though. In fact, imba.

The camera adds a thousand barrels. - Steven Colbert
WayAbvPar
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Posts: 19268


Reply #10 on: August 20, 2006, 10:02:44 AM

Agreed about the quest display. Also agree about the titles- very nice touch. Either I am just paying more attention (was testing software all week at work), or I am running into a lot more bugs this time around. I have filed 5 or 6 already, compared to 0 in A2. This is actually a good thing, since now I feel like I am contributing SOMETHING  :-D

When speaking of the MMOG industry, the glass may be half full, but it's full of urine. HaemishM

Always wear clean underwear because you never know when a Tory Government is going to fuck you.- Ironwood

Libertarians make fun of everyone because they can't see beyond the event horizons of their own assholes Surlyboi
Lt.Dan
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Reply #11 on: August 20, 2006, 03:54:43 PM

Guardian's level 10 ability Overpower is second skill in a parry chain.  However, you get the first skill in the chain, Retaliation, at level 12.  I'm sure this has been noted a bazillion times.

Can't train traits until level 11.  Would be nice to know this as part of the first pop-up about traits in Archet. I spent 15 mins running around looking for the frikkin' Bard.

Echo comments about combat being uninspired.  Guardian is button-mashing, Loremaster combat is queuing a single offensive spell on its timer.  Maybe it gets more interesting in groups.

I like that quest directions aren't spoon fed to me as a player.  Sure it's frustrating at times but I'd much rather have that (or have to ask in /ooc <shudder>) than just be running from A to B to collect a mobile bags of experience.
JoeTF
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Reply #12 on: August 20, 2006, 04:51:14 PM

First imperssion - can we scale that UI on default pretty, pretty, please? At LCD resolution those skill icons are smaller than small:(
WayAbvPar
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Posts: 19268


Reply #13 on: August 21, 2006, 09:50:04 AM

I like the addition of the Lore book (or whatever it is called), as well as the ability to choose various titles to 'wear'.

Placeholder art in my inventory is driving me nuts, but I know that will change.

I can't see my cloak, even though it is equipped. I earned that cloak, dammit!  :-D

As in A2. Loot is very boring.

As in A2- level-based equipment is the devil. Who really cares if people twink? If we are FORCED to use level-based equipment, please please please please give it different names (I saw a bit more of this in A3, but still not enough variety).

Let me dye my armor/clothes.

When speaking of the MMOG industry, the glass may be half full, but it's full of urine. HaemishM

Always wear clean underwear because you never know when a Tory Government is going to fuck you.- Ironwood

Libertarians make fun of everyone because they can't see beyond the event horizons of their own assholes Surlyboi
Rasix
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Posts: 15024

I am the harbinger of your doom!


Reply #14 on: August 21, 2006, 10:31:20 AM


As in A2- level-based equipment is the devil. Who really cares if people twink? If we are FORCED to use level-based equipment, please please please please give it different names (I saw a bit more of this in A3, but still not enough variety).


They'd have to introduce some other cockblock to wearing what you want to wear.  I've got so much cash on my character now at 15 that I could equip myself fully in mid 20s gear.  That would make the game quite a bit easier than it is right now for item centric classes, and right now.. it's pretty damn easy. Difficulty does at least ramp up some as you get higher up.  At least I have to work to kill 3 even con spawns at the same time.  Some screwups/stuns/bad misses and I'm toast.

Twinking will be easy as hell for new characters as you can buy yourself a new set of gear every handful of levels.  You're just not going to see the EQ style twinking with newbs running around in a fungal tunic with 80K plat worth of weapons.

Of course, this is all dependent on their stance being anti-twinking.  There's pros and cons to each side of it and each side goes at each other with the ferocity of a PC v. console debate.

-Rasix
Signe
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Reply #15 on: August 21, 2006, 02:42:30 PM

Anyone know if you can seperate the chat boxes.  I NEED to have a seperate combat box or I'll kill myself with a pointy stick.  I swear I've asked this before but maybe I asked in-game and not here.  I'm sleepy.  I hope I make it to the do tonight.

My Sig Image: hath rid itself of this mortal coil.
Rasix
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I am the harbinger of your doom!


Reply #16 on: August 21, 2006, 02:44:21 PM

I'll make an attempt at doing that tonight.

I think I did it in alpha 2 by just making a separate chat box and filtering everything out but the combat messages.. seemed to work.  Until I logged out and it forgot my setup.  :-(

-Rasix
WayAbvPar
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Reply #17 on: August 22, 2006, 09:30:28 AM

Just wanted to make another quick note- I really like the sound effects for the most part (probably because I haven't played a melee character yet!). The atmospheric sounds are good, and the individual mob sounds (especially the bears) are outstanding.

When speaking of the MMOG industry, the glass may be half full, but it's full of urine. HaemishM

Always wear clean underwear because you never know when a Tory Government is going to fuck you.- Ironwood

Libertarians make fun of everyone because they can't see beyond the event horizons of their own assholes Surlyboi
Rasix
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Posts: 15024

I am the harbinger of your doom!


Reply #18 on: August 22, 2006, 09:32:56 AM

When you make a melee character, make a dwarf.  Their battle shouts are hilarious.

-Rasix
sam, an eggplant
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Reply #19 on: August 24, 2006, 03:05:47 PM

Hilarious but very LOUD. I have a dwarf guardian who is appropriately overpowered.

Graphics do hitch on my machine, an a64 2500Mhz with 1GB RAM and an AGP 6800GT at 1600x1200. Due to a bug in the client I can't play at any other resolutions fullscreen, I posted about it on the beta forums.

So far the game is... well, it's really alpha. Character animations are horrible, combat is slow and boring (but I'm playing melee with my first character), many quests are grindy kill X mobsish, the worldbuilding is gorgeous and nicely detailed, and the flavor stuff is great. This title needs a ton of polish, but, well, it's alpha so thats the general idea.
Righ
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Reply #20 on: August 24, 2006, 03:27:24 PM

Wow, welcome back, aubergine stranger.

The camera adds a thousand barrels. - Steven Colbert
Bunk
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Reply #21 on: August 24, 2006, 03:57:47 PM

I will add to the request for UI scaling. I love the fact that it will play at my 1680 x 1050 native resolution, but I hate having to lean forward and squint to read everything.

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Lt.Dan
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Reply #22 on: August 24, 2006, 04:15:48 PM

Hilarious but very LOUD. I have a dwarf guardian who is appropriately overpowered.

Until you buy a heavy shield: they're bugged so you can't block. :(
Rasix
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Posts: 15024

I am the harbinger of your doom!


Reply #23 on: August 24, 2006, 04:27:20 PM

Hilarious but very LOUD. I have a dwarf guardian who is appropriately overpowered.

Until you buy a heavy shield: they're bugged so you can't block. :(

I broke 2 regular shields completing the Chapter 11 instance last night.  I was reduced to equipping a heavy shield just for the AR boost. 

More on this later.  I feel the need to write something up on the storyline quests/guardian class.

-Rasix
sam, an eggplant
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Reply #24 on: August 24, 2006, 05:01:18 PM

Thanks. I've been lurking off and on but mostly posting elsewhere.

Back on topic, there's nothing better than a class with the best defense and the best offense all rolled into one. I feel like a necromancer pre-kunark. Although I hear minstrels are pretty ridiculous too, I associate minstrels with bards, and as we all know bards are gay.
Trippy
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Reply #25 on: August 24, 2006, 05:44:24 PM

Hilarious but very LOUD. I have a dwarf guardian who is appropriately overpowered.
What is your character's name?
sam, an eggplant
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Reply #26 on: August 24, 2006, 05:47:53 PM

It's "Sartaq"... I just logged off (trying for that $200) so I'm pretty sure.
WayAbvPar
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Reply #27 on: August 25, 2006, 08:26:49 AM

Switched from Loremaster (played to 11 in 3-4 days) to Champion (non-mangina version). Difference is night and day! The champion is actually FUN to play. The Loremaster class has a lot of problems, not the least of which is that the only way to do any decent damage is with a DOT that must be actively cast. That means that all the other neat powers in your skillbar? Not getting used. I also died a good 25 times with the Loremaster; with the champion, I have died MAYBE 5 times. I was also able level the champ from 1-12 in 1 6-7 hour play session.

And yes, the battle shouts are amusing  :-D

When speaking of the MMOG industry, the glass may be half full, but it's full of urine. HaemishM

Always wear clean underwear because you never know when a Tory Government is going to fuck you.- Ironwood

Libertarians make fun of everyone because they can't see beyond the event horizons of their own assholes Surlyboi
Signe
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Muse.


Reply #28 on: August 25, 2006, 08:58:41 AM

I didn't like Loremaster either.  It really does feel a bit incomplete or something.   Guardian and Champion are more fun, I agree.  I'll try Minstrel next, I think.  Actually, I find several of my skills not usable.  Sometimes I know it's because of the weapon or whatever I'm using... other times, I'm just clueless.  My Guardian is using a two-handed weapon right now, but I can use "shield bash."  (I think that's the one)  However, I can't use any other shieldy skill.  I'm not sure if it's ok to use "shield bash" because I'm using my weapon as a shield or if it's buggy.  If the first is true, then I should think I'd be able to use all my shieldy skills in the same way.

I keep meaning to search their forums to see if anyone has discussed this.  I'll remember today!

My Sig Image: hath rid itself of this mortal coil.
sam, an eggplant
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Reply #29 on: August 25, 2006, 09:07:01 AM

Shield blow isn't a reactionary but the shield swipe followed by bash chain is, chaining off a block. You're crazy if you don't use a shield as a guardian, that chain is like 80% of my dps. Later on I think the parry chains become more offensive, with block moving to defense, stuns, and heals.

guardian skill list
« Last Edit: August 25, 2006, 09:08:44 AM by sam, an eggplant »
Signe
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Muse.


Reply #30 on: August 25, 2006, 09:16:58 AM

I intend to use a shield but found some purple two handed weapons and haven't found any very good one handed weapons.  I have a shield in my inventory waiting for when I get something nice.  Thanks for the info, btw.  You're a star.  (and it's nice to see you, again!)

My Sig Image: hath rid itself of this mortal coil.
WayAbvPar
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Posts: 19268


Reply #31 on: August 25, 2006, 09:44:42 AM

I got my first purple item last night...very exciting. Also found a couple of yellow items. Did the loot tables get beefed up for the stress test? I wasn't getting ANYTHING with my Loremaster (or Loremistress, actually).

When speaking of the MMOG industry, the glass may be half full, but it's full of urine. HaemishM

Always wear clean underwear because you never know when a Tory Government is going to fuck you.- Ironwood

Libertarians make fun of everyone because they can't see beyond the event horizons of their own assholes Surlyboi
Signe
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Posts: 18942

Muse.


Reply #32 on: August 25, 2006, 11:12:42 AM

I seem to only get purple stuff from human mobs, like the Brigands.  I'm pretty sure almost all of my purple stuff, maybe 6 - 8 items, came from their headquarters, most about a week ago.  Maybe one or two from some orcs or goblins. 

My Sig Image: hath rid itself of this mortal coil.
WayAbvPar
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Posts: 19268


Reply #33 on: August 25, 2006, 11:14:28 AM

I can't wait to fight an orc. I am getting close to the right level...just a few more quests. I will have to go slake my bloodlust on the dainty goblins first.

When speaking of the MMOG industry, the glass may be half full, but it's full of urine. HaemishM

Always wear clean underwear because you never know when a Tory Government is going to fuck you.- Ironwood

Libertarians make fun of everyone because they can't see beyond the event horizons of their own assholes Surlyboi
Signe
Terracotta Army
Posts: 18942

Muse.


Reply #34 on: August 25, 2006, 11:17:38 AM

Good thing you switched from Loremaster, then.  You'd never be able to kill an orc.  You would just flail at it's great orc chest with your dainty loremaster fists.  That just makes them hard.

My Sig Image: hath rid itself of this mortal coil.
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