[PC/360] The Secret World MMOG Announced: I'm Pumped

[Thry]

Watched a couple videos from the past beta weekend and man the combat doesn't look good at all. 

[Wargus]

Combat is pretty rough, the game just feels clunky.

[Razgon]

Combat is pretty rough, the game just feels clunky.

Did you try the latest beta weekend then? Because its nowhere near the same as the first beta weekend combat. Its not Dragons Dogma combat, but its way better than WoW due to its positional systems.

[Wargus]

The game is improving, and I really like the theme and story, however even with the improvements the combat feels clunky to me - I think it may have something to do with how skills are timed when a key-press is made, I'm not sure.    The game isn't as fluid feeling as AOC, which I think is unfortunate.

[Harkonis]

It's the 'damage and effects happen on button press, then animation happens' problem and it's killed better games. 

[Thry]

Apparently this coming weekends beta event is open to everyone.  All you have to do is sign up for beta or own a funcom game and they'll send you a key.

I made sure I still have my AoC login and confirmed it works.  If they don't send me an email then I guess it wasn't mean to be.

[Barrakketh]

Apparently this coming weekends beta event is open to everyone.  All you have to do is sign up for beta or own a funcom game and they'll send you a key.

I made sure I still have my AoC login and confirmed it works.  If they don't send me an email then I guess it wasn't mean to be.

As someone who has pre-ordered, I've been invited to all the beta weekends. For this last one coming up, they also emailed me a buddy key. So, if you don't get one elsewhere, let me know and I'll send you the key.

[Harkonis]

I just noticed what looks like 2 keys in my email.

[Ascendent]

Just cancelled my two preorders I really hope the game does well, but at this point an mmo is going to have really surprise me for me to buy it.

[Thry]

Someone mentioned on another forum and I completely agree - primary attack should be left mouse button. 

[Harkonis]

there is no primary attack though, it's not the way the skills are setup.

[Thry]

there is no primary attack though, it's not the way the skills are setup.

Does your build revolve around an attack that you use repeatedly?

I used auto hotkey today to pass the "1" button through on left click.  I have no idea if that would work when the combat gets more in depth but it sure made early game better.  The only minor problem was the occasional target not in range error when performing non combat left click actions. 

[Harkonis]

I have a couple (sometimes 3) builders I rotate through due to different effects.  So no, I don't really have a single attack that would make sense on a 'primary attack' button.

[Misguided]

They have been making improvements to the customization. For instance, they just added the ability to bind mouse-4 and mouse-5 in the last couple of weeks, because beta testers asked for it. They are also working on implementing a Mouselook toggle at some point (which makes a huge difference to the feel of combat). So, I would do the best you can with what they've got, but I hope to continue to see changes.

And if anyone wants the ahk script for the Mouselook toggle, let me know.

[Harkonis]

I just hold right mouse in combat, been doing that for 11 years in mmos 

You stupid lifetime sub buyer you.     It'll never be worth it!   

[Misguided]

I just hold right mouse in combat, been doing that for 11 years in mmos 

You stupid lifetime sub buyer you.     It'll never be worth it!   

Lol, yes, you can hold the RMB, but 1) I've gotten really used to Mouselook being on during combat in TERA, and 2) I have issues with my right wrist, so anything I can do to reduce the stress on it, like avoiding holding down buttons, is a plus. I actually don't use LMB or RMB for most games right now.

[Fez]

Well, I tried the game out during the beta this weekend.  Although I liked the story and the general plot, the implementation left me a bit cold.  The whole world feels very clunky--not to mention the game does not like AMD graphics cards (I had to employ all sorts of work-arounds just to play).  Anyway, I'll probably be passing for now, but if they improve the feel of the combat and animations I could try it out at a later date.  I really felt like the world implementation was more like something I'd expect out of game from 2006.

[Harkonis]

fwiw the combat was much, much more fluid last week (in the CB).  Two days before the OB another build hit that completely shredded animations visually.  Pretty bad timing on their part.

[Razgon]

Well, I tried the game out during the beta this weekend.  Although I liked the story and the general plot, the implementation left me a bit cold.  The whole world feels very clunky--not to mention the game does not like AMD graphics cards (I had to employ all sorts of work-arounds just to play).  Anyway, I'll probably be passing for now, but if they improve the feel of the combat and animations I could try it out at a later date.  I really felt like the world implementation was more like something I'd expect out of game from 2006.

I use an AMD card and had no issues, for what its worth.

[Misguided]

6970 here, and never had problems getting it to run.

Well, I tried the game out during the beta this weekend.  Although I liked the story and the general plot, the implementation left me a bit cold.  The whole world feels very clunky--not to mention the game does not like AMD graphics cards (I had to employ all sorts of work-arounds just to play).  Anyway, I'll probably be passing for now, but if they improve the feel of the combat and animations I could try it out at a later date.  I really felt like the world implementation was more like something I'd expect out of game from 2006.

I use an AMD card and had no issues, for what its worth.

[Thry]

Like others have said - really like the setting, atmosphere, and questing but man that combat is just meh.  No idea why funcom decided to take a step backwards from AoC's system. 

[Fez]

Well, I have an Alienware laptop with Radeon Mobile 5870 chips in Crossfire.  I fell prey to the "hang" on the authentication step, and I had to disable all shadows to get it to hook up.  They figured out the work-around (disabling the shadows) and posted it on the login page.  Later, when in game, I tried activating shadows and it was a mess.

Part of it may be my fault because I am a driver behind, but the drivers that originally came with the machine have worked so well I've been reluctant to update them.  I've noticed in one other game -- SWTOR -- that the shadows can sometimes appear a bit odd.

[Razgon]

Crossfire is the two graphics cards linked right? I seem to remember reading somewhere that it often causes issues - or am I way off here?

Anyways - annoying to have those kind of "simple" problems instead of just enjoying the game :-)

[ericb]

I was really looking forward to this one too but the combat totally turned me off...it felt stiff and unresponsive and the animations were bare basic.  I guess I was expecting the combat in Conan which was very quick and fluid with great animations.  I love the idea and the world but the open beta really decided against me pre-ordering.

[Harkonis]

Well, I have an Alienware laptop with Radeon Mobile 5870 chips in Crossfire.  I fell prey to the "hang" on the authentication step, and I had to disable all shadows to get it to hook up.  They figured out the work-around (disabling the shadows) and posted it on the login page.  Later, when in game, I tried activating shadows and it was a mess.

Part of it may be my fault because I am a driver behind, but the drivers that originally came with the machine have worked so well I've been reluctant to update them.  I've noticed in one other game -- SWTOR -- that the shadows can sometimes appear a bit odd.

I think you can play in windowed mode to easily force it to only use one card to avoid issues like that.  Sadly ever since SLI was first introduced eons ago it has caused more issues than solutions.  It's an awesome idea, but until it's the standard I don't see it working well.  Doesn't help that Nvidia SLI and ATI Crossfire are completely different too.

[Harkonis]

As I mentioned above combat was pretty fluid when I first started playing.  I'm sure it will at least get back to that point.  I doubt it will ever reach the awesomeness that was AoC Melee though.  Sadly AoC always let me down with the magic stuff though.  It had this awesome melee system which you had to aim, then had lazy tab targetting for casters.  Made melee vs caster kinda silly in pvp.  (Tera got this right.  When casters have to aim, it balances fairly naturally)

[Thry]

I was really looking forward to the investigation quests only to find them disabled this weekend.  Not sure if that was a great move on their part as the quests seem to be TSW's strong point. 

I'm really on the fence on if I should give this game a shot or not.  The allure of a new MMO is too strong and I am weak...

[Wargus]

I was really looking forward to the investigation quests only to find them disabled this weekend.  Not sure if that was a great move on their part as the quests seem to be TSW's strong point. 

I'm really on the fence on if I should give this game a shot or not.  The allure of a new MMO is too strong and I am weak...

I don't think its worth buying.  The game has some issues and I don't think even hits the quality of the games out right now (Rift, Star Wars, etc... - even with their issues). 

[Thry]

I was really looking forward to the investigation quests only to find them disabled this weekend.  Not sure if that was a great move on their part as the quests seem to be TSW's strong point. 

I'm really on the fence on if I should give this game a shot or not.  The allure of a new MMO is too strong and I am weak...

I don't think its worth buying.  The game has some issues and I don't think even hits the quality of the games out right now (Rift, Star Wars, etc... - even with their issues). 

Well that's subjective.  I would consider WoW the most well polished MMO in the universe but I have zero interest in playing its loot driven system or one of its hundred other clones.

TSW, despite its flaws, is original and I'm inclined to support that. 

[USMC Kato]

This is probably my first MMO where I don't skip all the cutscenes and quest dialog. The quests and atmosphere are the strong points. Figuring out the investigation quests are hard but rewarding if you don't cheat 

[Misguided]

I was really looking forward to the investigation quests only to find them disabled this weekend.  Not sure if that was a great move on their part as the quests seem to be TSW's strong point. 

I'm really on the fence on if I should give this game a shot or not.  The allure of a new MMO is too strong and I am weak...

Their focus was on Pvp for the last beta weekend I think, and they didn't want a bunch of spoilers getting out before launch about the investigation quests.

[Thry]

I was really looking forward to the investigation quests only to find them disabled this weekend.  Not sure if that was a great move on their part as the quests seem to be TSW's strong point. 

I'm really on the fence on if I should give this game a shot or not.  The allure of a new MMO is too strong and I am weak...

Their focus was on Pvp for the last beta weekend I think, and they didn't want a bunch of spoilers getting out before launch about the investigation quests.

I'm aware of that but they had to realize it was many players first look at the game since they basically opened up the beta to everyone.  If Funcom was that worried about spoilers shouldn't they of had the investigation missions disabled in the previous weekends as well?

[Destructor]

I'm aware of that but they had to realize it was many players first look at the game since they basically opened up the beta to everyone.  If Funcom was that worried about spoilers shouldn't they of had the investigation missions disabled in the previous weekends as well?

AFAIK, something like 90% of the Investigation missions have been disabled the entire beta, including those who have had closed beta access.

[Harkonis]

not true 

[Misguided]

I'm aware of that but they had to realize it was many players first look at the game since they basically opened up the beta to everyone.  If Funcom was that worried about spoilers shouldn't they of had the investigation missions disabled in the previous weekends as well?

AFAIK, something like 90% of the Investigation missions have been disabled the entire beta, including those who have had closed beta access.

No idea on the numbers, but I had heard that some were not in.

[Blackjack]

I still can't quite wrap my tiny brain around the "no levels" concept. Is there still some sort of sense of progression?

I'm the one always with the crowds lamenting lack of innovation in the mmorpg space, and yet when people actually try to do it, sometimes I just can't quite comprehend it.  

I'm drug-free, so using those to "open my mind" to The Secret World's innovations is not an option, btw.  

[Razgon]

Its not really level free - You still gain experience points. You just get to decide how to progress through the skill wheel and abilities instead yourself, instead of a set path decided by a class.

Also, skill levels (You progress through 7 levels of each skill as far as I remember) is a part of determining whether an area is too tough for you or not.

That said, the system is a lot more flexible. A lot of your progress is sideways so to speak, allowing for a game with more costumization in how you approach a fight, than just by brute level force.

[USMC Kato]

I still can't quite wrap my tiny brain around the "no levels" concept. Is there still some sort of sense of progression?

I'm the one always with the crowds lamenting lack of innovation in the mmorpg space, and yet when people actually try to do it, sometimes I just can't quite comprehend it.  

I'm drug-free, so using those to "open my mind" to The Secret World's innovations is not an option, btw.  

 

[Misguided]

Yes, there's a sense of progression. One of the things that changed during development was that they tied the ability to wear equipment to skill point usage. This keeps a newbie character from equipping super-gear. So you have some vertical progression as you can equip better and better gear, like you would in a regular MMO. As Razgon said, the remainder of your progress is sideways, developing the ability to handle different situations, etc.

[RobbieD]

I rolled a Dragon on the Grim dimension last night. His name is Framer if anyone would like to team up.