Nerdslayer on Age of Conan in maintenance mode

[MashMash]

This guy does some really interetsing vids on games that have shut down and such, and with AoC going into maintenance mode, I thought some might find his latest video on Age of Conan interesting.

Death of a Game: Age of Conan.

(His Star Wars Galaxies one is particularly interesting).

[Halfdead]

Particularly interesting to see Waldegeist still defending Aoc or Exiles, whichever hes ranting about in the comments. I hate watching these types of videos where the person spent a half hour actually playing the game and then giving an opinion as if they played the entire game or thought they played all 100% of what it has to offer.

[Khaletohep]

I find it funny how nerdSlayer critizes Funcom for being unable to admit mistakes and Waldgeist (part of Funcom at that time) violently denies any mistakes being made.

At least some of the criticism - especially about the launch - is completely valid. I still remember fondly how I got perma-banned the first time for asking about when they'd give the various stats in the game (strength, dexterity and so on) some actual effect. And I wish I had made videos of how I had to traverse Tarantia back then, which was quite a feat: One had to aim at the next wall, then push autorun. Come back five minutes later when the slideshow had finished. Aim for a new wall, rinse and repeat.

Other points seems a bit overdrawn, especially the claim that there was only grinding after Level 20. There were some gaps in the quest content, but that was a road with some pieces missing instead of no road at all.

The basic premise, however, seems to be correct:
- The game was launched too early.
- There was lots of art, but not enough craft. Great music, great ideas, great athmosphere, but a lot of boring little details were just left out.
- Funcom had a horrible habit of telling things that, well, did not reach the same level of truthiness one would expect from a publically traded company or even just your next-door neighbour. I still have that box with the "DX10" claim on my shelf.

Most of these things changed a lot in time. But the problems of the launch still haunt this game to this very day, and if the game had been received better at that time, well, maybe the MMO genre wouldn't be as dead as Waldgeist says it is. It's like pirate movies: The genre seemed dead until somebody came along and made a great pirate movie.

[slackjoint]

Well Waldgeist always had a pretty strange opinion about like everything.
I dont see how the "MMO genre" should be "dead" .
Look ESO , Final Fantasy , Neverwinter online, or older games like LOTRO(2007) , WoW(2004) , Runescape(2001) , Lineage2(2003)

All of these games have a decent, to huge playerbase.
But those which are poorly managed are as dead as Age of Conan

[Spreadicus]

Well Waldgeist always had a pretty strange opinion about like everything.
I dont see how the "MMO genre" should be "dead" .
Look ESO , Final Fantasy , Neverwinter online, or older games like LOTRO(2007) , WoW(2004) , Runescape(2001) , Lineage2(2003)

All of these games have a decent, to huge playerbase.
But those which are poorly managed are as dead as Age of Conan

It is an easy thing to say that the genre is dead when you refuse to let go of AoC and keep telling yourself that it's the "best mmo evar!" but you're right. MMOs are not dead. there are quite a few that are doing well. Wow is a perfect example of what a well funded mmo can achieve. 12 years on and still going strong. MMOS aren't dead. Age of Conan however is..

AoC was my first mmo and much like my first love it will always hold a place in my heart but also like my first love I had to let it go and accept the fact that it did not love me as much as I loved it. I have since moved on to another game that appreciates me and appreciates my money. I'm a happier gamer now.

Funcom forgot a key lesson of business, Satisfied customers are repeat customers. As it stands I would not spend another dime with funcom. It's a shame to see that they are using the early access model to peddle their unfinished warez but as long as people will pay for unfinished content who can blame them? Let the buyer beware.

[Nebless]

(His Star Wars Galaxies one is particularly interesting).

I watched that one after the AoC one. Just like his one on AoC he got some things right and was totally out to lunch on others.

As to AoC; I didn't know the combat system 'didn't pass the test of time'. I still hear that praised as one of the better things in the game.

He should change his video's so the second half's say 'Why I think' since so much of the stuff he spouts is just his opinion.

[Misiuggah]

Well Waldgeist always had a pretty strange opinion about like everything.
I dont see how the "MMO genre" should be "dead" .
Look ESO , Final Fantasy , Neverwinter online, or older games like LOTRO(2007) , WoW(2004) , Runescape(2001) , Lineage2(2003)

All of these games have a decent, to huge playerbase.
But those which are poorly managed are as dead as Age of Conan

All of these games are crap tho.

I can't grasp how anyone can stay longer in ESO or NW after finishing the main quest. Both games are criminally bland.

Even after close to 8000h, AoC still permeates with mystery and evil - other games are just unicorn farts and sprinkles.

I remember doing some dungeon in ESO and the party was gushing how great the fight was (jumping to/from boss when AoE). I remember Enigmata and Khun Wu flashing in my mind and grinding of teeth.

[slackjoint]

I don't know when you have been playing ESO but it has greatly and permanently improved since launch.

All of what's left in AoC is dull RF - WB farming and minis full of shitbags in a dead game.

ESO offers regular updates and new content , a lot of things to do , and most importantly its not dead.

[Bvis]

ESO has improved a lot, so now it's only bad instead of utter crap like it was at launch. That game and SWTOR are the two biggest disappointments I can think of especially with the IP they had to work and the money behind them. I have tried hard to like those games several times each but they just aren't very fun overall.

[Misiuggah]

I don't know when you have been playing ESO but it has greatly and permanently improved since launch.

All of what's left in AoC is dull RF - WB farming and minis full of shitbags in a dead game.

ESO offers regular updates and new content , a lot of things to do , and most importantly its not dead.

I've played it for a month right after launch. Everyday I played for a few hours, then I simply didn't log in anymore.

This game had nothing to offer to me - quests were ridiculously bad, plot was meh, art direction was bland, gear was unappealing visually (not even!).

To improve it, they would have to throw away evertyhing and start again with better art direction and not dumbed down design.

I've levelled all classes in AoC and when I'll get a new slot from loyalty rewards - I will probably level another one (and replace my ugly conq). I've spent months training raid bosses, did hundreds of runs of the same dungeons. Still when I enter SC for the 452nd time - I feel awe looking at the architecture and inhaling the atmosphere. And if I'll go to some forgotten area... if my brain could have a boner, my skull would crack in half.

ESO is some generic crap, where you kill skellingtons and armors look like catsuits with knee and shoulder pads.