Classes should have fewer abilities, but make them matter more.

[Mellaus]

I believe the OP is right when saying that most MMO players in general prefer games with simple and straight forward mechanics, as he put it, with few abilities that matter a lot.

And for those players, there are many games out there.

AoC as a game aims at a very different audience, and that's why this game is still alive.

Edited by Arishanya to remove impolite language.

[Kurt2013]

Just a few examples why fewer abilities that matter more are NOT necessary a good thing (and i hope funcom does not go that (though maybe trendy) way):

- ranger revamp (drove off at least 50% of rangers to reroll or unsub)
- certain AAs that now "define" a class
- bunnies hopping around doing only one or two instant abilities/combos

I don't think it is bad per se, for example it might give more structure if done right, but usually this approach tends to drive veterans and players who like diversity far far away, because it goes a high risk of dumbing down gameplay, reducing players choices and options...

[Smaci]

<...> Age of Conan has a great world setting, a solid amount of content, the graphics are still great, and enough classes to have a good variety. <...>

And here is where you are very very wrong. You left out the best feature of this game: the combat system. Yes the one you want to dramatically change. Ehm. No way.

[Arishanya]

Everyone is entitled to have their own opinions on what they would like to see in a game. This is a discussion forum for that very purpose - to disucss.

If you cannot say anything constructive (critical or otherwise to the OP) then just don't post. It's as simple as that.

[Sagroth]

The combo system is the only real thing AOC has going for it, even after years of simplification.

Which is why I'd like to see the combo system expanded to be more than just Keyboard-DDR to activate your moves, and actually give you the ability to influence what your swings do by striking the opponent in different places.

It's a great system, it's just underutilized.

And here is where you are very very wrong. You left out the best feature of this game: the combat system. Yes the one you want to dramatically change. Ehm. No way.

I just think all the strengths of the AoC combat system can be pushed more to the forefront while a lot of its weaknesses can be removed.

For example: Do you enjoy casting half a dozen different buffs on yourself every 4 hours? Do you think that that is a strong mechanic that defines the gameplay in a meaningful way and lets players have more fun?

I think it's just a messy holdover from the MMOs of last decade. It simply isn't part of any elegant design where all the elements are created to provide a meaningful challenge to the player. An ability that is a no brainer, where there is no question as to when or how to use it just doesn't add to the gameplay really, it just makes you push more buttons without providing you with any sense of accomplishment.

[Jota180]

Liken it to playing a piano. How much satisfaction would you get if all you had to do was press three keys and play three notes? The sense of achievement and satisfaction of mastering an instrument like a piano in some way mirrors what you get from mastering a melee class in AOC.

You also have to think on your feet with all those combos and abilities. Reduce the combos and you reduce the thinking required which inevitably means you dumb down the experience.

[Sagroth]

Liken it to playing a piano. How much satisfaction would you get if all you had to do was press three keys and play three notes?

See, that's a completely false analogy to what I'm proposing.

Sure, a piano with 3 keys can't make a lot of different notes but that's because on a Piano every key only strikes one single string and only makes one single note. The piano also can't make any sounds other than what you get by hitting the keys. It's a huge instrument that is cumbersome purely for the purpose of making every single key extremely strictly defined in what it does and even then, for the purpose of playing a melody it has redundant octaves that purely exist for the sake of composers writing music for other instruments.

But a guitar with only 6 strings can play several full octaves worth of notes. Why? Because a string doesn't just make 1 note, it makes 20+ depending on how many frets you have on there. A guitar can also make a wide variety of sounds because you have full control over how you pluck or hit the string. It's overall the instrument that offers you a lot more control and gets you way more chicks.

[-tomhet-]

i think op's opinion is based on poor knoledge of game and of the multiple classes existing.
and seems obvious hes playing a demo.

current game mechanics can only improve by reverting/improving double tap mechanics+active blocking so they are back to being meaningfull in pvp as they use to be back in a day.

[LunaticAsylumLA]

...piano...

...guitar...
with only 6 strings can play several full octaves worth of notes. Why? Because a string doesn't just make 1 note, it makes 20+ depending on how many frets you have on there. A guitar can also make a wide variety of sounds because you have full control over how you pluck or hit the string. It's overall the instrument that offers you a lot more control and gets you way more chicks.

Still, these are two instruments. There is no need to make a piano out of a guitar or vice versa (even though such attempts are being made).

"..string doesn't just make 1 note, it makes 20+..."
It actually makes an infinite amount of notes.

Still, if you have studied at music school, you know that you cannot play some piano parts on the guitar (it is hard even to try those simple octave jumps in Chopin's "Fantasie Impromptu", Op. 66).

It is not the ultimate, better, or more versatile instrument. It is different.
Also, I think both piano and guitar players have received the same attention from groupies.

Now, Jota's comparison is relevant in defying the nature of the piano, and he is not comparing oranges to apples.

[Sagroth]

He does completely miss the point of what I'm saying though because he doesn't seem to care to actually read anything but the topic before going on a rant.

I actually explained how the number of functions wouldn't be reduced at all. All I said was that the number of unique abilities should be reduced and all their functions incorporated into more complex gameplay.
Also this game has tons of redundant abilities on just about every class that do pretty much the same thing, that's also something that should be addressed somehow.
Lastly I said that relying on huge cooldowns for everything meaningful creates a really outmoded system that simply can't compete with any of the newer, more action oriented combat systems that are coming out today, and AoC is shooting itself in the foot by claiming to have high octane visceral combat when in reality it just doesn't deliver on that by today's standards.

Pretty much when it comes to MMO combat mechanics there is one rule that every developer should follow: If you copy a mechanic from WoW you should be aware when WoW abandons that mechanic. This game is still imitating WoW from 6 years ago.