Age of Conan players

[iPapa]

Some of us have been able to play Age of Conan already (pre-ordered copy of the game with early access from 17th May). I've just been messing around with a few chars to see what it's like on a couple of Euro servers, waiting for my slower friends to get the game this week for the official launch. I'll make "proper" characters then when I know what server we'll all end up on.

I'm running the game under Vista Ultimate via Bootcamp on my Mac Pro 8-core 2.8GHz with 10 gigs of ram and the 8800gt graphics card, on a 23" ACD (1920x1200) and it runs smooth as silk even at high settings. Too bad the game isn't Mac native. I feel trapped whenever i have to use Windows. Anyway, can we have a list here with other Mac players' character names and the servers (EU / US) they play on?

 

[MRU]

So what are your initial impressions of the game ? Reluctant to buy any game requiring monthly subscription unless it's 'the best thing since sliced bread' ...

Anyone know if when this comes out on 360 if monthly sub will be required too ?

 

[iPapa]

First impressions: Great game. Refreshingly new.

I've only played some 2-3 hours and got a toon to level 8. What impresses me the most so far however, is the graphics, and the starter quest lines. You really get sucked into the story from the start, and the mix of singleplayer modus and multiplayer modus is very interesting.

It's all still new to me, so I don't have much details, but one thing of important notice is the combat system. It really is different from what you'll find in other MMORPGs, and it works great. You have to decide where to place the sword into the victim's body. It makes things a bit more interesting than the typical auto-attack based kill-a-mob-method found in WoW.

I have to wait until level 40 before I can use a mount in AoC, so I know nothing about this other than what I've read. The new thing here is mounted combat. That's right. No more WoW horsey that serves no other purpose than transport. In AoC, your mount can fight, and you can fight while mounted.

There's also a "collision system", i.e. you don't run *through* a mob/other player char in AoC like you would in WoW. Rather, you'll fysically bump into them. Finally some logic in an MMORPG.

PvP is something I haven't done at all yet. I'm more of an RP'er and PvE'er. That said, I might try some PvP too and see what it is like.

The game box ships with 30 days of free play time, so feel free to try before you decide if a monthly subscription is up your alley. I have little doubts though. I'll be playing AoC (not quitting WoW though, just playing it less often). I don't know how much the monthly subscription will be, but I suppose it'll be like in most other online games. For the Xbox 360, I have no clue. I don't think a lot of information has been published yet, at least there have been no announcements as far as I know of.

Oh, and I think I've decided what server to roll my main characters on: Bori (EU). It is the unofficial RP PvE server in Europe. I'll try a couple of other servers for PvP and normal PvE, but that'll be just for fun and not where I'll be spending most of the time.

There should be quite a few reviews online now, giving you a more detailed perspective on AoC than I am capable of (getting to level 8 is just a wee taster of what this new world has to offer).

 

[esXXI]

There's also a "collision system", i.e. you don't run *through* a mob/other player char in AoC like you would in WoW. Rather, you'll fysically bump into them. Finally some logic in an MMORPG.

This was a conscious choice. If WoW had collision detection auction houses would be unusable, you'd be able to block entrances to raids and slow progress of other guilds just by making a line in front of the entrance.

You could grief lowbies by making a circle around them and not letting them out, etc, etc.

Just because it works in some games doesn't mean it's a missing feature of others.

 

[patseguin]

I received my copy today. EBgames' website says the servers won't be active until the 20th, so I assume I cannot play tonight. How did you guys get access earlier?

Anyhow, I am a heavy duty WoW player so I am looking for something refreshing and new. For my PC gaming, I have a quad-core home built PC with Vista x64, 4GB RAM, 1GB HD, and dual 8800GT's. Looking forward to trying this game.

 

[Olvenskol]

I'm on the Dagoth server with a couple of characters, but think I'm taking my Conqueror up first (in part because my friends are lacking a tanky sort!).

Name is 'Aknot' (named for a minor character in Fifth Element - the Mandalore to whom Zorg says "That's better! Never be ashamed of who you are... You're warriors... be proud...").

I'd like to say I was playing on a souped-up Mac Pro... but I don't have one! Playing on a HP Windows machine (only non-Mac I own )

 

[Dorfdad]

anyone tried this game or beta on Imac with the ATi 2600 PRO in bootcamp?

is this system capable of playing it and looking decent?

2007 Core Duo 4 gigs of ram

 

[patseguin]

I installed the game last night and, as with many other games on Vista, there is nothing in the start menu and no other shortcuts anywhere. I went to where I installed it and clicked on the "Age of Conan" app icon and a console window opened up with about 1,000 errors. I then got a window with a bug report and I had a choice to continue or quit. I clicked continue and the game finally launched and got to the login screen.

EDIT: This morning, I launched the Age of Conan Updater app and it spent a long time downloading updates, after which I was able to log in and play the game. Apparently the updater is supposed to be the way to launch the game?

Anyways, I played up until I got to the city and had to go to work. Graphics are VERY nice and gameplay is a lot of fun so far. I keep trying to strafe like I do in WoW but it's either not in this game or mapped to different keys. I started a demonologist and enjoy it quite a bit so far.

 

[Dorfdad]

anyone have a freind Buddy code? I want to play this but on the fence if my machine will play it even...

I will repay you somehow.

 

[Olvenskol]

Friend codes are not enabled yet. I think they are waiting for the paid subscribers to be all stable before they open it up more.

 

[Huntn]

So what are your initial impressions of the game ? Reluctant to buy any game requiring monthly subscription unless it's 'the best thing since sliced bread' ...

Anyone know if when this comes out on 360 if monthly sub will be required too ?

I remember what a time sync WoW was and although I have the game sitting on my desk, I'm debating if I should break the seal or not...

I imagine on the 360 there will be an equivalent subscription as on the PC. There is also speculation as to whether 360 players will be able to share the same servers as PC players. Has there been any past MMOs where this has happened?

 

[patseguin]

I played quite a bit of AoC last night. Very enjoyable experience so far and the visuals are STUNNING. My demonologist is only lvl 12 but so far I am not seeing the game as a huge time sink like WoW was (is). I've spent a great deal of my time so far in the instanced area but did a quest or two in the multiplayer mode. I had to take a boat to an isle and the scenery was just breathtaking. I've not had hardly any interaction with other players yet but look forward to some partying and such.

EDIT: I am playing in DX10 mode with the "high" quality settings. This is on my self-built Vista64 gaming machine, Q6600, 4GB RAM, Dual 8800GT's. Framerates are very smooth. I've not tried it in bootcamp yet on my MacPro w/8800.

 

[elcid]

So I am kind of interested as I used to be a WoW-er but that got increasingly stupid as it went along.

Two things I have heard:

1. There is already an exploit and there are already maxed level characters.
2. They have already banned people for botting.

 

[ldkaplan]

I remembered talk of a 360 version...is that still planned?

I remember what a time sync WoW was and although I have the game sitting on my desk, I'm debating if I should break the seal or not...

I imagine on the 360 there will be an equivalent subscription as on the PC. There is also speculation as to whether 360 players will be able to share the same servers as PC players. Has there been any past MMOs where this has happened?

 

[Decrepit]

This was a conscious choice. If WoW had collision detection auction houses would be unusable, you'd be able to block entrances to raids and slow progress of other guilds just by making a line in front of the entrance.

You could grief lowbies by making a circle around them and not letting them out, etc, etc.

Just because it works in some games doesn't mean it's a missing feature of others.

Ultima Online had exactly that problem. People would block you in, and you were done. When the engine doesn't let you climb out a window, or run and bash your way out, it has to let you walk through people.

 

[Doozer13]

I keep trying to strafe like I do in WoW but it's either not in this game or mapped to different keys. I started a demonologist and enjoy it quite a bit so far.

Strafe is bound to Z & X I believe... that lasted all of 10 seconds before I remapped them to Q and E.

 

[Huntn]

I remembered talk of a 360 version...is that still planned?

I assume so, but I don't know for sure.