GridStream Productions

We all know SWG will possibly put AO into a Ghost Town, and if it doesnt, then something else will. Hell even "Evercrack" needs to upgrade its graphics.

But a question is should FC make AO, change its gameplay not the setting, or hand it to someone else. What should they add into AO 2? More guns, more armor and vehicles, something new?

My thoughts...

1. Should be more PVP based, still allow PVE, but PVP is very important, maybe towers also give cash, like for a 100-200 site up to a million an hour.
2. More War vehicles, APCs, Dropships, tanks, whatever.
3. Keep combat same way. Just make a AO FPS to get combat like it
4. Non Gimp any class, fixers to Mas. Hell Give MAs some Ki attacks to let em PVP a bit, give ENFS somthing too I guess.
5. Graphics updated, not to DOOM III but to something modern
6. Few new races and classes, why not a Pilot (Extremly good at vehicles, gets discounts, also with smgs and pistols, maybe at a milestone even a combat yalm- If he has a PVP title).

7. Make Economy not for the Rich. C'mon, unless you have a higher alt, your gimped till your at 150, and even then. You need around 3 mill just to pvp well.
8. Side bonuses: Omni could at 50 give Omni-pol, at 75 black omnipol, change it for Mas or NTs, and give a basic Omni Gun to em. Clans similar, and Neuts could go into any city.
9. Traders (No offense): Gimped Combatants, but gods at economy. Im talkin Millions at lvl 50, billions by 150. Easy to buy stuff, can build rare items like Div 9s and such.

10. Multiperson vehicles like apcs, so teams/guilds can get around fast.

I understand my ideas might be weird to some, just keep in mind I'm a Poor, Gimped, Pimp Atrox.

http://www.imagemagician.org/images/ichyro/TroxxPimp.jpg

Hmm! AO2 is Shadowlands actually *grin*

Shadowlands will be the size and scope of AO.
Breaking the lev 200 limit too I think.
The gaming areas will increase 200% in total.

Shadowlands will have over 1 and a half year of "oh we gotta add this to AO" ideas that has piled up since launch.


If you are thinking after Shadowlands. (SWG launches 22nd April btw)
Hmm. not sure. AO is planned for a 4 year run/story arc.
I'd expect at least 1, maybe 2 more expansions after Shadowlands before the 4 years are up.

FC is also working on another MMORPG (no, it's not Midgard)

FC and AO isn't the only mmorpg getting a beating from SWG.
EQ, UO, DAoC, AC, AC2, EQ2, MacEQ, PE, etc, etc. Will all take heat from SWG.

After the initial rush is over. (a few months) SWG will shrink in size and stabalize. ppl will come back. (some may ditch Ao for SWG but also end up ditching SWG when it turns out SWG isn't their dreamgame either)

It's gonna be a interesting spring indeed. SWG is the big name.
But there is a bunch of other MMORPG's out there. (been testing a beta for one of them) that also will ruffle up the market.

I got no clue but I'd guess on like 10+ new MMORPGS the first half of 2003.

EQ and UO is oldtimets and wont fade away just like that.
AO is pretty much established, and should be able to hold it's own.
Even against SWG to some extent.

At worst AO will run for 3 years instead of the 4 year story arch.
Last I heard FC is interesting in letting the AO world/community continue
it's life beyond the 4 year story/arc. In what form they haven't decided yet. Maybe they'll end up licensing out the world/servers and we'll see things similar to the multitudes of EQ servers and UO servers out there? *shrug*

^_^ I hate to say it, but all good things must come to an end. AO will one day fade into the sands, and even GSP will oneday, either morph into something else (radio program about a different mmorpg), or fade with AO (Lets hope that I'm wrong here, and it keeps on grooving, even w/o AO).

As good a game as AO is, it'll one day cease to exist.

However, that day is still far away indeed. Shadowlands, the recent booster, and even the origonal story arc, it's all still burning hot right now. I have a feeling that Shadowlands will bring something totally new to the realm of Rubi-ka that'll disrupt much of the linier progression of the current storyline.

(Sidebar; My thoughts on this are, imagine if something like Yxxil actually immerged onto Rubi-ka. A demon(s) with powers to destory all the mighty technology of Omni, and anhilate the sheer numbers of the Clans. Basicly an introduction of some super natural forces. The appearance of such an annonomly would cause all partys involved with Rubi-ka to double take the new occurances, and change everything. This is all pure theory, otherwise heresay, no fact whatsoever. ^_^)

To keep any game alive, it needs support from what feeds it; It's community. To keep AO alive, it's community can't let it fade. And since the AO community is such a groovy bunch, I'd say that AO's ultimate outcome for the shortrun can't be predicted. ^_^ With Organisations like GSP, and the already unique element that are the people within AO, it'd be damn hard to bring this game down.

Firia wrote:I have a feeling that Shadowlands will bring something totally new to the realm of Rubi-ka that'll disrupt much of the linier progression of the current storyline.

That's what FC keeps trying to push on us...saying it'll be more supernatural and mystic... I keep getting Final Fantasy 7 flashbacks, though...the concept of notum is a LOT like mako.

The entire idea of machines bringing about the use of mystical energies is pretty fun, and I think there's quite a bit of milking left in this cow.

Dear GOD! Adventures might start owning everyone because there more mystical with their swords, lol.

I think shadowlands is making them hope we all start Roleplaying or something, Im not really sure. I will be sticking with AO, but Im taking a month or less Hiatus with Warcraft III and Splinter Cell.

Tir_McDohl wrote:

Firia wrote:I keep getting Final Fantasy 7 flashbacks, though...the concept of notum is a LOT like mako.

I loved FF7. But that's where the FF love ended. Started and ended with ff7. ^_^ But hey, I can dig it!

We'll have to see when it comes out I guess... Well, everyone else will have to see, I will have to listen about it. ^_^ *mutters about needing to upgrade*

I h8 2 say this, but the day Planetside comes out, if I like it, itll be sayonara AO for me.

I've heard too many times of people ditching AO for another game. I myself have said it.

But I just keep coming back (as do 99% of the supposed deserters). AO is an institution all it's own. I now know I could never leave.

I might try other worlds out, but only one world has the Rumble Room, baby.

hee! True dat. ^_^

There's no problem with trying new things, and even liking the new things. ^_^It'll just be a sad day when AO fades. Lets hope that that day is far far, FAR away. ^_^

I'd better be a forgetful old granny by then.

I ditched Neocron and DAoC for AO, and have never looked back.

As for SWG, the graphics are mighty impressive, but from players I know in the beta testing it doesn't sound like anything ground breaking, more like EQ themed SW... The only thing that looks remotely interesting is the future Expansion that ads the ability to own and pilot your own ships.

The city system seems strangely like AC2, which doesn't sound promising to me.

As far as a April 22nd release... the Beta servers never stay up longer than 2 hours a day atm, I highly doubt it will see that release date, I expect a push back...

AO needs a graphics update? Wow, I hadn't thought of that at... AO has some of the best graphics I have ever seen in any MMORPG...


+shrugs+

We have to wait and see I guess, but people will come to AO and find a place to stay, and some will leave only to return...

1. Should be more PVP based, still allow PVE, but PVP is very important

I've been thinking about what I heard a while back. They made it so that names couldn't repeat between RK1 and RK2 with plans of making it so people could pass between the two I am told. If they did that and made one of them complete PvP I think it would make everyone happy. The people who really aren't into PvP could just stay on the one server the whole time while the PvPers would have a whole world to play with.

hmm, That'd be neat, with room for suckage. ^_^ Suppression gasses would have to contenue to exist in areas, otherwise what you'd get are people that power level their characters to 150+ on one server, and jump over to the other one and just kill gank smaller level characters.

But I'm sure that if they are planning to do that, that they're assessing such things. ^_^

I love AOS atmosphere and story, its pretty much beaten any other MMOGs in that category. No game has people bar/club hopping, a DJ and Radio Station devoted to the game *Takes a minute to prepare a leet sacrifice for Metalynx*, and some other things. I know i want to play AO again of course, but Im more in the mood for faster combat in Halo and WC III, but ironically AO keeps on lingering in my mind.

Some people have said that SWGS combats horrible, since it sounded like you'd need a manual just to fire a pistol, yet awhile ago they promiced things like more FPS combat.

And Jedis, its really hard to become one, and as one, everyone hates you or stays away, now how is that fun?

if there where somethinbg like 7day free test version for nc like for ao,
i would play a little nc (thats the way i have come to ao).
but cause the game scosts still 59€ i m not gonna try it right now.

I think SWG is gonna be great for AO in fact. At least the rp community if it seizes it properly. All the pvp 3l337 r0xx0r d00ds will all run to SWG to be the uber jedi pimp masta. These are the same guys that run to a new game when it comes out. Being a UO subscriber for nearly 4 years I know it is this way. And Tarryk is exactly right. A lot do come back for whatever reason.

Cheers all.

There are always times when people dont come back, and I believe alot of AO people might actually migrate to Planetside, or at least try it.

Its like AO with an FPS interface, SOE got me there. Ive been reading previews for Planetside nonstop practically for the last few days, anyone wonder why I dissappeared? Wait, no, noone probly noticed I was gone in the first place...

Neocron is so a decent game and stuff but lacks the atomsphere AO delivers, I was playing NC, and it just didn't grip like AO at all.

SWG, well combat is like AO only not if that makes since. Its turned based plain and simple. Of course wepaons and gear do take a manual.

I just don't see it being a good game, not like everyone is promising.

AND i am a SW nut.

AO is my first MMORPG but to be honest i'm not really into other games. was forced to try AO and i was hooked in the first hour lol

I'm not gonna try SWE or UO or any of the others just cause I personally don't think I'd like em.... stubborn? yeah a bit but AO is by far the best i've seen imo and yes i've looked at the others.

The people the tech support (ark) the storyline and the graphics are awesome.

just my little opinion ^.^ as tarryk I can't think of leaving ao lol and if i ever did i'd be back within a day or two.

Yeah, Tacz, your theory would be sound, but that's been stated before. People said the same thing about Neocron. I do know players of Neocron who thought they'd leave AO. Some of them still play it, but they've returned to AO as well, regardless.

You really can't replace the atmosphere that AO delivers. I'm sure Planetside will be one of those beautiful-landscape, rich and filled-with-adventure style games, but it will be loaded with hardcore action-gamers. Especially because it's FPS-based. That attracts the attention of a LOT of the non-RPers who don't play AO because they consider it boring.

I don't believe Planetside will attract much roleplay value, and it will end up sort of a shoot-em kill-em extravaganza, with a few people drifting in and out to see the landscapes and such, but not wanting to get involved with massive wars that require intense hand-eye coordination to even hold your own in.

I love FPS, but it's always detracted from roleplayability when used in an MMO, on many levels. People argue against that all the time, but there are countless examples to the fact. So while a few hardcore "gamers" might leave for Planetside to go do some shoot-em-up damage and ogle a bit, AO will still be there, just as beautiful, with all the roleplaying one can handle.

Sure they might not be the nicest people around, and Sure they dont RP, but thats the kind of person I am.

Its sad really, computers consume my life.

FPS's are my games, and I came to AO cuz it was fun, but it doesnt really hold much with a hardcore gamer like myself.

It all hinders on the specific player.