questions from a POSSIBLE returning player

[isakongming]

So, current MMO is getting boring, looking to possibly come back with perhaps 15 other former players and had some questions.

Have they made any changes at all to the F2P/premium setup that they had originally? Is it possible to make small purchases to open up things that are locked? Like, for example. Buy an increase to the gold cap for a small amount, purchase a character slot, purchase a locked class...not have to spend $50 for access to expansion content?

The things that prevented most people from ever even playing let alone stay...the things that have made other MMOs that are doing micro-transactions more popular.

Did they ever revamp crafting?

Are F2P accounts still locked into only 3 areas?

I figured since they announced a new special server that they are back to supporting the game and are trying to bring people back and get new players, yet still cannot find a page with any details on what the full differences are between free and premium and how to buy content access.

[Nebless]

So, current MMO is getting boring, looking to possibly come back with perhaps 15 other former players and had some questions.

Have they made any changes at all to the F2P/premium setup that they had originally? Is it possible to make small purchases to open up things that are locked? Like, for example. Buy an increase to the gold cap for a small amount, purchase a character slot, purchase a locked class...not have to spend $50 for access to expansion content?

-- F2p setup went through a major change Mid-2016, some of it good, some bad. Brand new free accounts only get 1 character slot now (bad), but the old rule of buy an expansion and have to have a sub to play there has gone away (good). Gold cap is still a thing unless you sub, but to get around it you just form a guild and put extra gold in the guild bank. You still can't buy anything over 10g (faction stuff in Godslayer cost's more), but you won't 'lose' it into the overflow on your character. Extra slot's are available in store and the only locked anything is a race which comes with the Godslayer expac. Some classes are race locked, but if you just pick a different race you can play that class.

The things that prevented most people from ever even playing let alone stay...the things that have made other MMOs that are doing micro-transactions more popular.

-- Probably since AoC sells raid armor in the store, so instead of raiding to get it, some will just buy it. Now you don't have too and it doesn't really do anything for you except maybe let you skip some lower raids. One of the end game guys can answer this one better. For the other stuff, it is possible to reach max level totally free so the micro-transactions aren't necessary.

Did they ever revamp crafting?

-- NO.

Are F2P accounts still locked into only 3 areas?

-- No they're not. There are now 4 'beginner' / low level area's; Khemi, Old Tant, Con. Village and Gateway to Khatai (leads into the Godslayer expansion, but is a open area for all) where you auto go to after leaving Tortage and once there you can transfer over to a different area. So if your group all joins, has different races, you'll be together in Tortage, port out to your home area's and then just have to go to the one you all want to be in. After that all area's expect those in expansion area's are open.

I figured since they announced a new special server that they are back to supporting the game and are trying to bring people back and get new players, yet still cannot find a page with any details on what the full differences are between free and premium and how to buy content access.

Here's the low down on the different account types:

https://forums.ageofconan.com/showth...ntent-Overview

For Content access; you buy the expansions (which doesn't always mean HUGE, like you'd think) via the in game store. There are no more 'content passes' like there were after the game went F2p, since the big change did away with the need.

The Saga Server is a limited time thing (til May 15th) and has brought back a lot of old and new players (Steam show's a 23% up tick in numbers). You can call it a throw-back / classic / speed server as it temp blocks all the normal play extra bonuses so creates a more even playing field. Once it closes all characters will move over to Crom, creating another character slot as needed on your account (so if you have a brand new account with only 1 slot, you'll end up with 2 at the end).

The game is curently (on Saga) crowded, it's free so all you'll really lose is some time downloading it, create a Crom character (to save that slot) and then create your Saga character and try it out.

[isakongming]

That link goes to the original F2P changes from 2011. I found a slightly updated list in update 5.0 yet its still very vague. Currently trying to find some info on what is actually being sold in the games item shop...dont want to have to download the game just to see what can and cannot actually be purchased to remove the games free limitations since none of them could be removed when it originally went F2P.

[Ladihawke]

Here is a more uptodate link on changes to free to play vs premium:

http://www.ageofconan.com/news/newmembership

Nebless answered some of your questions within the "quote". Basically free to play can access any area that does not required an expansion to be purchased, so they can go to Tier 1, 2 and 3 raids and all the dungeons in Cimmeria, Aquilonian and Keshatta. They can quest in the Gateway to Khitai zone, but not make a Khitian character without the Rise of Godslayer expansion.

I did note that you put "former" players ....so if you have access to your old accounts then you will probably start with more than one character available. "old" free to play accounts (ie accounts created before they made the member/f2p changes in my link above) still have a minimum of two character slots they can open. Any "free" character slots you got with expansion will allow you unlock that number of extra slots. Any old claims that you had and any purchased expansion on that account will be still active (you just have to relog after making a new character to see them)

Previously you had to be premium/subscribed to be able to access the Rise of Godslayer expansion as well as buy it ....this has been removed. Now free to play just have purchase the expansion package(s) to be able to access them and all dungeons and raids within those zone.

New free to play accounts will start with one character slot. You can purchase extra slots.
The gold cap is 10 gold and you can only get access to more than 10gold on your character with a subscription. Most raid items are equal or less than 10 gold, so this is not prohibitive to you getting well geared. The GUILD bank has unlimited gold storage for everyone, so a lot of free to play people store their excess in a guild bank to draw from when needed. If you are coming as a group I guess you would make a guild, therefore you would need some officers willing to keep track of who put what into guild bank coin storage and issue it as requested.

Drag your friends back as fast as possible .... the Saga server open until 15 May 2018 is a good opportunity to restart AoC - lots of players leveling up characters, lots of low level dungeons running. Also you do not use an existing character slot to play there, so effectively you get an extra character slot for free.

[isakongming]

Thank you for the reply. So, some big changes while also keeping the biggest roadblock (gold cap) in with no way around it without a sub...hmm. Will pass on the info though I feel the answer is going to be a no from most if not all. Shame Funcom still hasnt learned the micro-transaction game.

[FullBleed]

Here is a more uptodate link on changes to free to play vs premium

Thanks for the info.

I'm going to draft off this thread with some additional questions.

I see in game that there looks to be 4 content packs:

Hyborian Tales: Shadow of Vanaheim
Secrets of Dragonspine
The Savage Cost of Turan Standard Pack
Rise of the Godslayer Expansion

Are those all expansions?

They are each listed as being "75% off". Are these always at that price now?

Any suggestions for which to purchase?

And, finally, do Funcom Points ever go on sale?

[tapwater]

Thanks for the info.

I'm going to draft off this thread with some additional questions.

I see in game that there looks to be 4 content packs:

Hyborian Tales: Shadow of Vanaheim
Secrets of Dragonspine
The Savage Cost of Turan Standard Pack
Rise of the Godslayer Expansion

Are those all expansions?

They are each listed as being "75% off". Are these always at that price now?

Any suggestions for which to purchase?

And, finally, do Funcom Points ever go on sale?

Vanaheim is low quality content that is great for grinding for levels all the way from 20-80.
Dragonspine is one zone of level 80 content with dungeons and T5/T6 raids.
Turan is 1 zone at around level 50 with T3.5 raid, some solo scaling dungeons and a level 80 group dungeon.
Godslayer is the big Expansion with 4 big level 80 zones, Factions, many dungeons, and T4 raids.


Content prices can vary. Not sure how long they have been at 75% off in the store.

So if you want to complete the Saga questline for all the awards (this requires T2-T4), you need to buy Turan and Godslayer.

If you want to skip most questing and just grind quickly to 80, buy Vanaheim. This place would also be good for just supplemental levels.

Funcom points sales tend to be same cost, but get +xxx Bonus Points. This happens maybe once or twice a year if you are lucky. Less often the past year or two now. Don't count on it anytime soon.

[Nebless]

Thanks for the info.

I'm going to draft off this thread with some additional questions.

I see in game that there looks to be 4 content packs:

Hyborian Tales: Shadow of Vanaheim
Secrets of Dragonspine
The Savage Cost of Turan Standard Pack
Rise of the Godslayer Expansion

Are those all expansions?

They are each listed as being "75% off". Are these always at that price now?

Any suggestions for which to purchase?

And, finally, do Funcom Points ever go on sale?

Yes all 4 of those are listed as expansions, but if your idea of an expansion is along the lines of what WoW does or even the one's in SWToR, then only Godslayer really counts. The others while falling into the definition of an expansion are probably only at the mini-expansion / adventure pack lines.

Vanaheim I just picked up and haven't checked it out yet, but by all talk it's smallish with just 4 scale to your level area's / quests. Pretty much the most looked down upon of the group.

DragonSpine is a harder lvl 80 area that had the most popular dungeon / raid in it last summer. If you're at 80 and want some challenges this is where to go.

Turan I really like. It's listed as a lvl 50-55 zone, but the one 'wilderness' area on it scales to you. It does have dungeons / raids, but you won't see alot of people that want to do them. Makes a nice change from just grinding the villa's if needed.

Godslayer. I have it and from a questing / pve point of view I don't like it. It's a faction grind for lvl 80's and if you really want to do it you need to sub as the higher faction armor costs more than the 10gold limit free players have.

I think the 75% off is just while the Saga server is running and as they normal work out to costing closer to $20 each, buying them for $5 ea is a steal. For down the road on Crom if you plan on doing the World Boss that shows up monthly, it shows up in the Godslayer, DragonSpine and Turan area's so having them if kind of needed if you don't want to skip those months. Is it worth buying them? At less than $5 oh yea!

Funcom isn't quite as generous with Store point sales as other companies, but you'll see them as normal cost = normal points + some extra points from time to time.