Age of Conan tradeskills getting badly needed attention
by Chris Chester 
Jun 24th 2008 at 10:00AM
Filed under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Bugs, Game mechanics, Guilds, Crafting
In a recent forum post, Funcom developer Twicer acknowledges that Age of Conan's crafting professions are completely behind the curve, and are currently the subject of intense scrutiny by the development team. Considering that Alchemy in its current state is completely broken (when we say broken, we mean: it crashes your client when you try and do it), this message is certainly long overdue.While he was unwilling to commit to a specific time frame, he did go through a fairly comprehensive list of changes. Alchemists will get their most pressing bugs patched later this week, and will also start seeing alchemical ingredients dropping off of caster mobs. Architects will purportedly get new abilities to supplement combat (related to siege combat perhaps?), but no specifics were mentioned. Both Weaponsmiths and Armorsmiths will see some new blue recipes from vendors and world drops. And finally, Resource and Building regions will be fleshed out more to make them full of NPCs and enemies, instead of the relatively barren areas they are currently. Oh, and you'll actually be able to drop crafting professions if you so choose, what novelty!
With no specific timetable set, it's probably too early to get excited about these fixes for AoC, but acknowledging problems is the first step to fixing them.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Lethality said on 10:18AM 6-24-2008
Is this really news? Reporting that completely broken and untested core game systems are "being scrutinized" by developers a month after release? Seems like these things should have been higher on the priority list before they started stealing everyone's money.
They have no QA whatsoever.
Speak with your wallets and cancel AoC to make your voices heard, otherwise developers of future games will follow the same lackluster trend.
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Nadril said on 11:03AM 6-24-2008
Stick to your WoW then, where they sweep problems under the table like they never happened.
As far as tradeskilling goes am I the only one who doesn't think this is a big deal? It's always great news to hear of improvements, but I don't see it as something to get pissed about. I mean, it's not like WoW had and decent gear to actually make for yourself (save for maybe a few items) until 70. And, even then, most of that gear is out dated now because of how easy other epics are to get.
The only game I can think of that had crafting gear of importance at lower levels was EQ II.
Then again Conan isn't exactly an item based game either. Oh well.
And also, Lethality, I will continue to support Funcom because I think they are a great dev team and Conan is a great game. Come 4 or 5 months when the game has a ton of new content and is polished and WoTLK and WAR will pale in comparison.
People like you blow these kind of situations way out of the water. WoW was virtually unplayable for the first month or two because of constant server disconnects and downtime. Comparably I play Conan just fine, and the actual game is great once you look past some of the issues.
However some people do expect something that is bug free by release, which is not going to happen in these days and especially not with MMO development. An MMO is not like a single player game, you can't control what is going to happen. Sure in a single player, or even small scale multiplayer, game the player controls it but in an MMO there are so many things that can go wrong.
So go ahead and not pay for any MMORPG that you deem is unfinished, obviously no one is stopping you. However as MMO's are already expensive enough to create you are doing nothing but hurting the market instead of helping it.
Also, funcom is not a large company like Blizzard. While Blizzard had huge hits such as Diablo and Warcraft and Starcraft backing WoW financially, Funcom had Anarchy Online and some other game I've forgotten. Big, big difference.
There is only so much money that can go into a game and Age of Conan was reaching its limits, and it had to be released. They were running out of money, plain and simple. In a great fairy-tale world every game should be in production until it's bug free (or 99% bug free) but in the real world that doesn't happen, as doing that without releasing the game (all the while trying to keep the hype going that YES the game is still alive and not vaporware) is an impossible task only able to be done by the likes of Blizzard. (who even with all their money still released a game that had horrible troubles and even content issues at launch).
Lethality said on 11:34AM 6-24-2008
Nadril - I can't believe you're being such a sheep. You're giving developers "get out of jail free" cards, and all it's saying to other developers is that it's ok to release total broken crap while people pay for you to try and fix it.
MMOs will never be "complete" at launch in terms of content, but there's ABSOLUTELY no reason that they can't be bug-free, at least the core game play systems. AoC didn't have (and still really doesn't) have economy tools... how is that not a problem? Stats not working... also no problem?
Come on man, take off the rose colored glasses unless you really do accept everything mediocre in your life.
Also you have selective memory of the WoW launch, or you weren't there for it. It was objectively MUCH more playable, bug free and filled with content than AoC at launch, by at least an order of magnitude.
Brian! said on 10:45AM 6-24-2008
I am with you there Lethality. I completely understand the pressure of shipping, but that means finishing your game so it can be shipped. Not shipping an Alpha/Beta-stage game.
And MMO developers want to start making console games?
Crazy.
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luchifer said on 11:00AM 6-24-2008
"acknowledging problems is the first step to fixing them"
yeah right, like they cared to solve it when it was in alpha/beta.
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Steve_S said on 11:07AM 6-24-2008
Anyone else get the feeling they launched about 6-9 months early?
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Nadril said on 11:56AM 6-24-2008
They had to, they ran out of money to continue on development.
@ mikejl I agree with you fully, and thats the problem. You either delay the game and get cries of vaporware or push the game out and get yelled at for a buggy release.
mikejl said on 11:28AM 6-24-2008
Ahhh hell it seems being a MMO developer is choosing either:
A kick in the butt – because you choose to pushed out the release date
or
A kick in the teeth – because you released and need to patch the game to fix stuff (which of you did option one you need to do anyway)
SWG, WoW, EQ2 .. was in launch day for all then and the all had problems and all had folks barking mad about quitting and how they don’t test.
I am in AoC .. swing my sword and having fun right now. I you are not having as much fun as I am; then I feel for you and you need to just stop playing. Stop trying to kick-up a MMO jihad. geese
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Nadril said on 12:55PM 6-24-2008
@ Lethality:
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Nadril - I can't believe you're being such a sheep. You're giving developers "get out of jail free" cards, and all it's saying to other developers is that it's ok to release total broken crap while people pay for you to try and fix it.
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Cute, pulling the "sheep" card. How am I a sheep for supporting a company I like? They ran out of fucking money, it's not like the had an option.
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MMOs will never be "complete" at launch in terms of content, but there's ABSOLUTELY no reason that they can't be bug-free, at least the core game play systems. AoC didn't have (and still really doesn't) have economy tools... how is that not a problem? Stats not working... also no problem?
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Spoken like a true person who doesn't even know what's going on.
+ stats work.
+ Economy tools? Oh, you mean like their Auction house system that has been working ever since the second week? There is plenty of an economy going on.
The core gameplay is relatively bug free. Save for some feats not working (Normal in a new game) and a few quests it is very bug free. I don't know where you guys get off the idea that it is a buggy mess, after playing two characters to 57+ the only real bugs I have encounted are a few with quests -- most of which end up getting patched quickly.
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Come on man, take off the rose colored glasses unless you really do accept everything mediocre in your life.
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Yawn. I've slammed the game pretty hard elsewhere for not having enough content at the higher levels. However the game is not mediocre in any ways, and I've had more fun with it then I ever did in my time of playing WoW.
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Also you have selective memory of the WoW launch, or you weren't there for it. It was objectively MUCH more playable, bug free and filled with content than AoC at launch, by at least an order of magnitude.
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Right, having 5 hour long ques, huge server downtime and constant crashes was more playable. Oh, and not to mention having to compete with all other 400 people in the same zone trying to kill the same wolf to make the same goddamned pie, yeah, that is totally playable.
You seem to have forgotten the past easily.
What I find pathetic is those who stand by a game while they continually try and fuck the customer sideways. Hellgate:London I got out of quickly within 2 weeks because it was a buggy piece of shit. Yeah, I had a bit of fun during the "normal" phase but they screwed their customers with horrible support. Within those few weeks I played HG:L they came out with practicly no fixes to help the core game.
Likewise in AoC within the time it has been out they have been pushing out TWO PATCHES A WEEK. Funcom is working extremely hard on getting this game polished, and the thing is they admit it.
Going to the article a bit more crafting is really on the lower tier of things to be worried about. I would rather they work on other things (like content) before worrying about crafting.
But, then again, as I've stated before it's not as if other games (WoW for example) held a huge purpose on crafting. Really for the most part it was pretty useless except at max levels.
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Rubin said on 3:18PM 6-24-2008
@ Nadril
THEY HAVE MONEY. They still have money and had around 50 mil left when AoC came out, in fact they delayed the release. So really they never have run out of money to make the game, if you don't believe me check gamespot's site and Funcom's quarterly financial statement saying they are fine for cash flow issues.
To say that their content *when polished* will make WoTLK and WAR pale in comparison is pointless when nobody has seen the final content of all three games so to make assumptions is pointless.
I think AoC is a great game, I played it but for me I'll stick with WoW.
However, MMO developers really need to work on QA. I mean from what I have heard there are many major bugs that plague this game and hopefully they get resolved soon, but I think some of these bugs could easily have been fixed during beta. Sure some bugs pop up unexpectedly but when you have a whole TRADESKILL NOT WORKING, regardless of it it provides any good gear a tradeskill should atleast work rather than crashing the game.
Nadril said on 3:22PM 6-24-2008
@Rubin: The tradeskill not working was an effect of the last patch, not something that has been in the game entirely.
And sorry if the money thing was not true. All I know is they couldn't delay it much more.
And no, I can't make a fair assumption about that except for the fact that WAR is missing a ton of stuff and is very close to release. That's what I'm basing it off of, at least.
Of course WoTLK will be polished but I still think some of the stuff they are adding in it is silly.
Lethality said on 3:45PM 6-24-2008
@ Nadril -
You said "However the game is not mediocre in any ways".
You lost absolutely any and all credibility with that statement. That would assume the game in its current shape is the best ever in the category. Simply. Not. True.
Not sure if you realize anything about software development, but 2 patches a week is NOT a good thing for many reasons, not the least of which is there IS NOT TIME FOR A QA CYCLE. Which is why we see more bugs introduced with each patch (hello Alchemy client crash.)
You're really not qualified to be commenting on this it seems.
Nadril said on 4:16PM 6-24-2008
Lethality, 2 patches a week are perfectly fine for small bug fixes. The alchemy bug is something that was bad, yes.
And when I say it is not mediocre I mean that the game, under everything the core GAME is not a bad game. It's in fact a very good game. However, that good game has issues.
The thing is is that bugs, content, all of that can be fixed. Having a shitty game and shitty game mechanics is very rarely fixed.
I'm sorry that you do not agree with me, but honestly can't you get the idea someone enjoys something you don't? I'm sure there are tons of people out there who genuinly enjoy WoW PvP, I didn't. I found it a mess and nothing more than a tool to get gear for the PvE grind. More so I found the arena lacked skill and was purely based of of the comp you ran and the gear you ran it with (I had a 1900+ in S1 gear in the S3).
Point being Blizzard can not do much to make their PvP good. Funcom can, and is, doing all they can to fix the bugs and bring in more content.
And that, Lethality, is the difference. Age of Conan can be fixed. Age of Conan IS getting fixed. In fact, I would agree that in it's current state Funcom has made some poor decisions.
However for me the sheer fun of the game has completely destroyed any thought of getting driven out because of some bugs. I love playing my Tempest of Set, and it's the first time in an MMO since playing my Rogue in WoW that I've really enjoyed a class. Combat is downright enjoyable and, for once, I'm interested in the Conan lore.
Yes there are bugs. Yes there are lapses of content. Yes patches do bring in other bugs at times. However all of this can be FIXED. They are bugs, after all, for a reason.
World of Warcrafts problems are all within it's game mechanics and Blizzards decisions. They are going to an "e-sport" game mentality, which is silly considering that WoW is a PvE game. They are toning down their raids which, though a good buisness decision, I don't agree with for their already large raiding crowd.
They are dumbing down the game in so many ways to simply apeal to the casual crowd. Mounts at 30? OK! Oh, you can't afford it? Well here, we'll make it 35g. Christ, I had 90g by level 30 on my Rogue (first character after I came back, with no help).
I know I'm starting to dwell off-topic a bit but I really hope you get my idea. I honestly think that within 4 months Age of Conan will be a great game, and I honestly think it is only going to take 4 (or less) months to straighten out what is wrong about the game.
The major question I do wish to ask you, Lethality, is that bug and content aside what problems do you have with the core mechanics of Age of Conan? I mean, in a world where the game was polished what is your problem with the game?
I'm also curious as to how much you gave the game a shot. I may have asked this in another post, who knows, but I am curious.
Honestly though, I do respect what you're trying to say -- and I'm not ignoring the bugs or faults with the game. I've bitched about one quest not working to several of my guild mates, but in the end it all just comes down to the game is damned fun no matter the problems. And, fuck, if you can't understand that then I don't know how else to put it.
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