AOC: Hype or Something Far Greater?

ArchivedUser

MMORPG it's one of the oldest genres when it comes to games, Let me ask you what comes to mind when I say those words?  Well, when you say these words three things come to mind for me... World of Warcraft, lackluster, and overall dying... That was Until something popped up on my feed one day... 

A short little trailer for a game called Ashes of Creation suddenly changed my outlook on the genre, But what makes this game so different? What gives this game that luster that most games in this slowly dying genre don't seem to have? Could it be the seemingly never seen before nodes system? The diverse classes? Or even the idea of defending something you created? No that can't be it... Many of the games in this genre have done at least one of these before in various ways so, why does this one seem so different? Why was this game so well funded in a matter of days when other new rereleases in this genre from only just a year or so ago can bearly stay above ground? 

Well, let's think back to the first game that you truly enjoyed that you fell in love with after playing the first quest, mission, or match the thrill, the excitement, the hy-       No the hope that game gave you.  Every time I hear Intrepid talk about their game, the game they are trying to create... They have this sense of passion and conviction in their voice. When these developers talk I can't help but get the same feeling that I felt when I killed Alduin for the first time, hell The thrill I use to get when winning a tough match in the summoner's rift, The overall joy I'd feel when ranking up in overwatch...  and even the hope I'd get when hearing about a sequel to a good game... I haven't even played this game yet a simple trailer made me feel this... 

Inventively That's why I think ashes of creation seem to shine to myself and it's fans. It gives them hope for a dying genre. A genre that has been driven by seemingly by a single game for years through developers creating copycat games and publisher saying "Do What works..."

But ashes of creation has a chance to resurrect, revive, and regenerate this dying genre. They have the funding, created the concepts, seized the hearts of fans from around the world, and are on the verge of their first official alpha... All that's left is for intrepid to blow us away with what seems to be one of the most anticipated games of this genre in a long time...

I look forward to playing this game and exploring the seemingly endless possibilities it has to offer! 

~ Rider

ArchivedUser

I like these "love letter to the game" posts.

So warm and fuzzy!

ArchivedUser

I was born in the 80's (young to a few here) and I wouldn't consider MMORPG one of the oldest game genres. But, I guess if you grew up in the late 90's and on...

ArchivedUser

@Azathoth Opps I meant RPGs xP the first computer RPG was created by William Crowther in 1972  but there were text-based ones before as well, but as for first MMORPG I don't know thanks for pointing it out!

ArchivedUser

That I will happily give you, but I thought the PC introduction was closer to the 80's. Text based "choose your own adventures" likely existed before that though.

I have been playing D&D since the mid 80's and would argue that it might not be the oldest RPG, it would be the best

ArchivedUser

Rider said:

MMORPG it's one of the oldest genres when it comes to games, Let me ask you what comes to mind when I say those words?  Well, when you say these words three things come to mind for me... World of Warcraft, lackluster, and overall dying... That was Until something popped up on my feed one day... 

A short little trailer for a game called Ashes of Creation suddenly changed my outlook on the genre, But what makes this game so different? What gives this game that luster that most games in this slowly dying genre don't seem to have? Could it be the seemingly never seen before nodes system? The diverse classes? Or even the idea of defending something you created? No that can't be it... Many of the games in this genre have done at least one of these before in various ways so, why does this one seem so different? Why was this game so well funded in a matter of days when other new rereleases in this genre from only just a year or so ago can bearly stay above ground? 

Well, let's think back to the first game that you truly enjoyed that you fell in love with after playing the first quest, mission, or match the thrill, the excitement, the hy-       No the hope that game gave you.  Every time I hear Intrepid talk about their game, the game they are trying to create... They have this sense of passion and conviction in their voice. When these developers talk I can't help but get the same feeling that I felt when I killed Alduin for the first time, hell The thrill I use to get when winning a tough match in the summoner's rift, The overall joy I'd feel when ranking up in overwatch...  and even the hope I'd get when hearing about a sequel to a good game... I haven't even played this game yet a simple trailer made me feel this... 

Inventively That's why I think ashes of creation seem to shine to myself and it's fans. It gives them hope for a dying genre. A genre that has been driven by seemingly by a single game for years through developers creating copycat games and publisher saying "Do What works..."

But ashes of creation has a chance to resurrect, revive, and regenerate this dying genre. They have the funding, created the concepts, seized the hearts of fans from around the world, and are on the verge of their first official alpha... All that's left is for intrepid to blow us away with what seems to be one of the most anticipated games of this genre in a long time...

I look forward to playing this game and exploring the seemingly endless possibilities it has to offer! 

~ Rider

I tend to think of a lot of things but WoW wasn't one of them.   I'm more an EverQuest man myself. 

I wouldn't say the MMORPG genre is dying. It's always been a bit of a niche field. WoW was a bit of a phenomenon.  EverQuest mainstreamed the genre a bit but WoW did explode it (even if I dislike the game I have to give credit where it is due). That was great from an expansion of player standpoint but not really much else.  It led to a train of  rushed games trying to cash in on the crowd but few bringing anything really unique in the game itself or its identity. And thus the over-saturation of the market and the slow death of many games march began.

Luckily, there's still some life in this genre of ours. Games like Ashes of Creation , Pantheon, Crowfall,  and Camelot Unchained are all marching in and each trying to do something a little different from the other.  That's a great thing and can provide something to each of those niche markets. I think with that the future of the genre is probably better off than it has been in a long time.
 

ArchivedUser

From the WoW players I know, I tend not to think of it as a traditional RPG. Most barely know the story arc(s), none RP when playing WoW, and unless I am mistaken the choice options for completing quest are very narrow/one-direction. -again, from the players I know that play and my short stent (which probably shouldn't count).

I'm not saying it's not an RPG, just not what I would consider a traditional one. I loved Dungeon Siege, it had a story, you could build your own PC, it is considered an RPG. Halfway through play (I finished it) I realized that it was a different type of RPG than I was use to.

I'm saying because I think that RPG-lite element of WoW allowed it to reach a much broader basis. It allowed for an introduction to RPG without jumping straight into a D&D game where, in a good campaign, bad decisions come back to haunt you. Hopefully this worked as a gateway drug to a lot of players that would normally not try P&P-RPG's or deeper RPG video games.

Not trying to bash WoW, but for me it's more like Dungeon Siege than Fable.

ArchivedUser

For me its as much hope as hype, hope that IS can deliver their vision into reality, time will tell.

ArchivedUser

@Kratuk the MMORPG franchise is dying... It takes far to much money to make one, and they usually end up last 1-2 years tops because players would rather invest their time in a game that already works Semi perfectly and has more content just an example: Wow or final fantasy because so many publishers are scared to go into the MMORPG market because of the sheer amount of money it takes to create one of these games (Some games rumored to cost up to 200 million dollars) they tend to only give money to "Copycat games" Because they know it works for a quick cash out... Not to bash these games but games like rift, revolution online, and even to an extent the release of blade and soul in North America were all more focused on cashing out and making a game that has "already worked out in the past"... But that is exactly why this game was able to try the things it is trying because it started off with a completely different approach to it's money problem it decided to go with crowdfunding so they could create a seemingly new and refreshing twist on the classic MMORPG

ArchivedUser

But to be honest this is a debate that is talked about throughout the whole game design industry and many people say that it will only take one game to bring a whole new era of mmorpgs and I'm hoping that this is the game!

ArchivedUser

Edit: Removed this one. For some reason it disappeared and then reappeared a couple of hours later.

ArchivedUser

Rider said:

@Kratuk the MMORPG franchise is dying... It takes far to much money to make one, and they usually end up last 1-2 years tops because players would rather invest their time in a game that already works Semi perfectly and has more content just an example: Wow or final fantasy because so many publishers are scared to go into the MMORPG market because of the sheer amount of money it takes to create one of these games (Some games rumored to cost up to 200 million dollars) they tend to only give money to "Copycat games" Because they know it works for a quick cash out... Not to bash these games but games like rift, revolution online, and even to an extent the release of blade and soul in North America were all more focused on cashing out and making a game that has "already worked out in the past"... But that is exactly why this game was able to try the things it is trying because it started off with a completely different approach to it's money problem it decided to go with crowdfunding so they could create a seemingly new and refreshing twist on the classic MMORPG

I don't think it's dying, just returning to the niche market it was to begin with. It began with a hard core base that devoted years to a single game. That's essentially where it's headed back to. Big publishers are stepping away yes; I'm not sad about that.  They may have given big budgets but they stifled creativity, which is why the genre stagnated. There's still plenty of demand for these games. It's just going to be more focused. Developers will need to cater more to their specific niche markets and rely less on expensive assets like having the game fully voiced and more on content and community.

And you're right, there could be another phenom to pop up. Maybe AoC will be that. And if they rake in 10 million players we'll see the same rush to cash in on that popularity with rushed carbon copies we always see. And then a few years down the road, we'll be right back here again.

It's a funky cycle game development.  But if crowdfunding has shown us anything, it's that there is still plenty of demand for MMORPGs, the developers just need to budget and design around that niche as it's very likely the big budget MMO is dead until another random  game spikes the population again.

(Not sure why but I posted this before and it up and vanished.)

ArchivedUser

Game was technically fully funded before KS.
KS, then Summer Backing, were used to hire on more staff and add features sooner (at release) then later. Also, the hype thing.

ArchivedUser

 @Karthos This post makes me tingly inside

ArchivedUser

Everyone has their own opinion on what the game is to them, is it a great revival ? or maybe another mmo amongst countless others, needless to say I pray that a few years after release the giant wall (WoW) will be toppled by AoC.

ArchivedUser

"PUT YOUR FAITH IN THE LI- UH I MEAN ASHES OF CREATION!" (orchestra in the background.) (dadada dadada ddad da tum dadddadada dada tum tum tum.)