Anarchy Online Turns 15

Funcom sends word that today is the 15th anniversary of the launch of Anarchy Online, as their sci-fi MMORPG first launched on June 27, 2001. At that time the launch had some rough patches, they rebounded to the point where the game is still running to celebrate the occasion all these years later. They announce an anniversary event is now underway for all current and most former subscribers, saying, "accounts that have been frozen and/or gone unpaid, and are in good standing, will be able to log in freely for the duration of the event." Here's word on what's going on:
As part of the celebration, Funcom invites everyone who has ever played 'Anarchy Online' to join in the festivities between June 23rd and July 11th (regardless of current Membership status). New Membership offers, with brand new armor pieces, login rewards and the Desert Rider event are also part of the grand 15th anniversary celebration!

Included with the anniversary is an all new Game Update which changes the Player vs Player attack windows on Notum Tower fields, where players battle for dominance over the planet Rubi-Ka. The update also introduces a new Research Line for end-game players, with powerful skill increases, and adds new Veteran Shop rewards with bonus Veteran Points for existing members.
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26.
 
Re: Anarchy Online Turns 15
Jul 3, 2016, 20:16
Ant
 
26.
Re: Anarchy Online Turns 15 Jul 3, 2016, 20:16
Jul 3, 2016, 20:16
 Ant
 
I remember not liking it during its early days. Did it improve? :/
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25.
 
Re: Into the Black
Jun 28, 2016, 18:26
25.
Re: Into the Black Jun 28, 2016, 18:26
Jun 28, 2016, 18:26
 
I was there on AO launch day...so much horror...and yet the masochist in me looks back fondly on it, that I survived it. I had fun in that game for the few months I played. I think it was the only time in a MMO that I experienced a GM jump in the game as a character and run around giving us gifts.

Ironically, I'm just now trying out Secret World and dealing with hassles with getting it working, which constantly makes me think of AO.
24.
 
Re: Anarchy Online Turns 15
Jun 28, 2016, 10:55
24.
Re: Anarchy Online Turns 15 Jun 28, 2016, 10:55
Jun 28, 2016, 10:55
 
Tipsy McStagger wrote on Jun 27, 2016, 15:05:
Posted this over a year ago, it might have been a bit harsh at the time. Anyone care to comment why you think the game was so good? I only played for the first like 3-4 months after release but my memory of the game wasn't a good one.
I'm right there with you. Played at launch. Horrific experience. Played for a few months after launch. Boring. I was able to read a book while doing missions with my toon because it was so formulaic....just cycle through my keys while reading until it was over.
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23.
 
Re: Anarchy Online Turns 15
Jun 28, 2016, 07:33
Bub
23.
Re: Anarchy Online Turns 15 Jun 28, 2016, 07:33
Jun 28, 2016, 07:33
Bub
 
My highest toon was a bureaucrat (Funcom had a twisted sense of humor).
One of my spells was "red tape".
The Crat, in addition to a robot "pet" could take control of most mobs in the wild and then use them as an additional pet to attack etc.

The implants and gear were really fun, so many stat combinations, and a complicated noob unfriendly way of mini-maxing.

The best thing about AO was the community. About 10 or so guildmates, converged to my toon and buffed and lent me stuff so I could equip a very sought after weapon.

I only reason I quit about 5 years ago was the player base just got too thin, very few active guilds, and you would rarely see another player.
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Bubb Stubbley
... I miss BBS..
"There is a sucker born every minute." - PT Barnum
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22.
 
Re: Anarchy Online Turns 15
Jun 28, 2016, 01:44
Rigs
 
22.
Re: Anarchy Online Turns 15 Jun 28, 2016, 01:44
Jun 28, 2016, 01:44
 Rigs
 
Good god, there's probably kids playing it now that weren't born yet when it was launched! Same for WoW! Geezus, is this what it's like to get old? I turn 38 in two weeks and it's really freakin' depressing...


=-Rigs-=
Dec 10th, '21 Mayfield EF4 tornado survivor
'Sorry, we thought you were dead.'
'I was. I'm better now.'
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21.
 
Re: Anarchy Online Turns 15
Jun 27, 2016, 20:49
21.
Re: Anarchy Online Turns 15 Jun 27, 2016, 20:49
Jun 27, 2016, 20:49
 
huh. I wonder if I could guess my password after all these years.
20.
 
Re: Anarchy Online Turns 15
Jun 27, 2016, 19:40
20.
Re: Anarchy Online Turns 15 Jun 27, 2016, 19:40
Jun 27, 2016, 19:40
 
It is however you have to play on a new toon, no transfers.
Last time I check was an email from around new years.
19.
 
Re: Anarchy Online Turns 15
Jun 27, 2016, 18:31
19.
Re: Anarchy Online Turns 15 Jun 27, 2016, 18:31
Jun 27, 2016, 18:31
 
I remember a giant Atrox in a purple Borat-style mankini who would dance in one of the main cities.

If people paid him enough in donations he would stop and put his clothes back on.
18.
 
Re: Anarchy Online Turns 15
Jun 27, 2016, 18:27
18.
Re: Anarchy Online Turns 15 Jun 27, 2016, 18:27
Jun 27, 2016, 18:27
 
OMG... I jumped in 2001 when PC Gaming magazine wrote a huge positive article about how AO has recovered from its initial bad launch.

I remember writing a java app for the community to twink implants. Implants were greatest for rewarding hard-core players with some extra fun.

Our 500+ player guild The Dojo held a "Newbie Race of Doom" where players tried to make it through level 110 area as a level 5 noob. We had "reporters" flying in their Yalmaha ships snapping screenshots of the most hilarious deaths.

17.
 
Re: Anarchy Online Turns 15
Jun 27, 2016, 16:56
17.
Re: Anarchy Online Turns 15 Jun 27, 2016, 16:56
Jun 27, 2016, 16:56
 
What ever happened to the graphics engine update that was supposed to come in around the release of AOC?
16.
 
Re: Anarchy Online Turns 15
Jun 27, 2016, 16:15
16.
Re: Anarchy Online Turns 15 Jun 27, 2016, 16:15
Jun 27, 2016, 16:15
 
I followed this game in development and bought it on release day. Tried playing the first two weeks, was an absolute disaster, never tried again.
15.
 
Re: Anarchy Online Turns 15
Jun 27, 2016, 15:59
15.
Re: Anarchy Online Turns 15 Jun 27, 2016, 15:59
Jun 27, 2016, 15:59
 
Timmeh wrote on Jun 27, 2016, 10:29:
yep, still have 2 paid accounts.

Will be a sad day when this game finally closes.

No other game like it anywhere.

Agreed.

A game ahead of it's time.
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14.
 
Re: Anarchy Online Turns 15
Jun 27, 2016, 15:05
14.
Re: Anarchy Online Turns 15 Jun 27, 2016, 15:05
Jun 27, 2016, 15:05
 
Tipsy McStagger wrote on Jun 21, 2015, 14:28:
What the fuck? people talking like Anarchy Online was actually good? Was I playing the same shitty game as you guys or did you start playing years after launch?

On Launch:
-Engineer Class, Found bug that was /ORG BANK ADD -999999999 = unlimited cash.
level 80, using a level 120 battle bot because it was based off attributes and i had the best implants money could buy, still couldn't kill shit.

Second character,
One of those Brute Sledge Hammer guys where you would queue attack, end attack queue attacks because the weapons were 1.6 second attack 12 second recharge so if you cycled the attack it would be 1.6 seconds per attack.
Again, got to like level ~100, game was fucking pitiful.. I remember flying over the wastelands finding cyborgs and going "there's really not much going on in this game".

Those weird mission dungeons were boring, the combat sucked.. like was I playing the same game as you guys?

quit and never looked back.

Posted this over a year ago, it might have been a bit harsh at the time. Anyone care to comment why you think the game was so good? I only played for the first like 3-4 months after release but my memory of the game wasn't a good one.

I actually never knew about that implant buff to put in high level implants, kinda like that mechanic of gathering pieces and people to upgrade into something better.
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13.
 
Re: Anarchy Online Turns 15
Jun 27, 2016, 14:10
13.
Re: Anarchy Online Turns 15 Jun 27, 2016, 14:10
Jun 27, 2016, 14:10
 
Acleacius wrote on Jun 27, 2016, 13:47:
I missed out on this, think I was playing EQ back then dragging my dead bodies to graveyards, no doubt. Biting

Would this be worth checking out now days, as a new player? Or maybe this is another bad example of Funcom F2P? I really liked The Secret World, so not just knocking Funcom round.

If you can get past the 15-year old graphics you can try it out. But honestly, I could not... At the time, I absolutely loved it, and probably put 1,000 hours or more into it. But a couple years ago I tried and the graphics are just too bad. :/
12.
 
Re: Anarchy Online Turns 15
Jun 27, 2016, 13:47
12.
Re: Anarchy Online Turns 15 Jun 27, 2016, 13:47
Jun 27, 2016, 13:47
 
I missed out on this, think I was playing EQ back then dragging my dead bodies to graveyards, no doubt. Biting

Would this be worth checking out now days, as a new player? Or maybe this is another bad example of Funcom F2P? I really liked The Secret World, so not just knocking Funcom round.
Scorpio Slasher: ... What about you boy, what do hate?
Marcus: ... Bullies. Tiny d*ck egotists who hurt people for no reason, make people lock their doors at night. People who make general existence worse, people like you.
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11.
 
Re: Anarchy Online Turns 15
Jun 27, 2016, 13:13
11.
Re: Anarchy Online Turns 15 Jun 27, 2016, 13:13
Jun 27, 2016, 13:13
 
AO wasn't my first MMO but remains my all time favorite. I was there in the beta and for it's launch as the 'buggiest game launch of all time'. Was a founding member of 3305 Local (which sadly no longer has a presence in AO), but many of my oldest online friends are from those days and many of those old members still game together, we have a fair number of folks in Overwatch these days.

AO was among the first MMOGs as well to offer a large part of their game for free, no micro-transactions, 100% free. Only the expansion content requires a paid sub.

Fond memories. I still have a froob acount (free noob), I might consider dropping bye during this event, especially if I can get some of my old 3305 buds to do the same.
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10.
 
Re: Anarchy Online Turns 15
Jun 27, 2016, 13:02
10.
Re: Anarchy Online Turns 15 Jun 27, 2016, 13:02
Jun 27, 2016, 13:02
 
New'er engine but logged in for about 10 mins, can't remember how to do shit.

Rather see Anarchy 2.

This comment was edited on Jun 27, 2016, 13:53.
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9.
 
Re: Anarchy Online Turns 15
Jun 27, 2016, 12:56
9.
Re: Anarchy Online Turns 15 Jun 27, 2016, 12:56
Jun 27, 2016, 12:56
 
LOC wrote on Jun 27, 2016, 11:15:
Man I used to play this so much when it was new.

Nobody played when it was new.. too laggy. I remember aiming at a wall and pushing forward, then waiting 30 - 60 seconds for it to refresh the screen and show me at the wall. Aside from that and the instance generator thing, I can't remember much about the game.
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8.
 
Re: Anarchy Online Turns 15
Jun 27, 2016, 12:46
8.
Re: Anarchy Online Turns 15 Jun 27, 2016, 12:46
Jun 27, 2016, 12:46
 
New engine is pretty cool for shadows and lighting effects. But its not that big of a change.

I mostly play on the old engine still. I've never had an issue with the graphics.
7.
 
Re: Anarchy Online Turns 15
Jun 27, 2016, 12:39
7.
Re: Anarchy Online Turns 15 Jun 27, 2016, 12:39
Jun 27, 2016, 12:39
 
The new engine is out? Damn, I haven't been paying attention. I loved this game. Are there many people still playing? This is one game where you really need a lot of people playing.
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