The Secret World lead writer talks MMO characters

@Space Cobra
Wrong !
There's been a video with Funcom's team showing many aspect of the game (for GDC I think).
One of theses videos showed a npc (in kingsmouth)and how he interacted with players. It was very interesting, and it's true the npc (a cop) had a real personnality. I won't say it was something that has never been done, but it was deep enough to make me want to try it.
...
And I've been searching this video for 10 minutes, can't remember where I saw it. I think it was a link on TSW site to a videogame site.

@Space Cobra

Actually your questions and concerns have already mostly been answered, just not on Massively. If you really care, here's a link for a lot of info on the game. Just a long interview with the devs.

In short, there is a lot of cinematic content, the game is fully-voiced, and they expect you not to really need a second play-through, as every character can gain everything. A lot of other cool stuff, too.

http://www.gametrailers.com/game/the-secret-world/11084

@Zuljundwumn

Are you talking about certain character whose both first and last name starts with H?

Because if so, then I agree.The man was crazy awesome, not to mention mentioning certain things like famous TSW forums usernames and weaving them into his conspiracy theories.

@Deadalon

A. The forums are not closed. You can perfectly read posts when you are not registered. You can't reply if you're not an active subscriber (which isn't really a bad thing), but you can read everything just fine...

B. I don't see how their NDA-policies are so negative, or had a negative outcome on the game.


Funcom has a bad name, but it's not (entirely) deserved. Yes, their launches so far have been... troublesome, to say the least, but both games have been brought to a point where they were (in the case of AO) or are (in the case of AoC) at the absolute top of the genre.
And to be honest, I still think that people overreact when talking about AoC. If you look behind the huge disappointment that were the broken promises, the actual game was hardly as bad as people made out. There was more than enough content in the game, as long as you took the time to actually explore the game and didn't try to rush to level 80 (thus skipping a huge amount of content). If there's anything to be said on content, it's that Funcom tried to put too much in it (and thus causing many pieces to be unfinished or unpolished). And bug-wise... relatively speaking, there weren't more bugs in AoC than in other newly-released MMO's (if we're not comparing to RIFT)... Biggest problem the game had was the performance issues: if you didn't have a state-of-the-art gaming system, well, you weren't going to have a pleasent time in AoC then... (this has changed now though, decent performance even on 4yeard old laptop now).

Certainly not denying Aoc didn't have problems, it certainly had, but people hugely overreact. They only saw what wasn't there, thus missing all the good stuff that was there.

I've recently resubbed to AoC after a 2year burnout, and enjoying it. And I've followed TSW right from the bat, that will not change.

@Ardanwen

Top of the genre? You bumped your head dude.

@(Unverified)

a) Funcom Closed their forums from general traffic on launch date of AOC. It prevented alot of ppl to learn the real state of the game.

b) The none removal of NDA ment that players could again not tell what the true state of the game was. Thats what Funcom was trying to prevent. And thats just not acceptable.

Funcom cheated ppl. They did in on purpose. There are no changes beeing made in how the company works. So its yet again the players job to warn the rest what Funcom stands for.

@Deadalon

Some players just can't let go out of their hatred or grudge even after years. I bet it's the same kind of people who can't move on after a bad breakup and keep bashing on their ex even after years.

Well, I had a great time in AoC, even after the annoyances of the launch.
If you are incapable of moving on, then that's your problem. Personally I'd say 'get a grip of yourself'.

@Rihwen

Ehm, I think he was talking about AoC. AoC was and is an AAA MMORPG, AAA MMO's are imo top of the genre, you don't have that many AAA MMO's of all the hundreds of MMO games that are around.
AoC had 2 big flaws: the game had a pushed release, the too-early release leading to the presence of unfinished features and bugs. And the expectations were way too high based upon dev promises, promises they couldn't keep when the game was rush launched.

As for TSW: game designer is a different one from AoC, Ragnar Tornquist, who also made the action adventure games Dreamfall and The Longest Journey. Hate on AoC or Funcom all you like, but those were solid games, some of the best in their genre.
So far the communication and lead up to the game launch for TSW has been a world of difference with the testosterone-infused one for AoC (or WAR), a different vibe, so far it's good enough to me.