Trion to publish and operate ArcheAge

[Elrar-Trion]

I've been hyped for a long time about ArcheAge. It just could be my dream game if it wasn't for:

- same old tab target combat
- traditional quests to progress



But I'm glad Trion is picking it up.

I'm actually really looking forward to demonstrating some of the small but significant differences in ArcheAge combat that make it a bit more involved than the typical "tab target"

You can avoid slow moving projectiles, including some CC effects, and properly combining your abilities allows for a deeper gameplay experience. It should feel familiar to seasoned MMOers with some fun intricacies that will keep you on your toes

And as far as quest progression goes - I've really enjoyed the way our friends at XL Games have set it up as a way to introduce me to the world, the geography of my home continent, and the wide range of systems and world interactions.

I've been exploring and learning the Korean release of the game for myself and last night I went pirating for the first time with an Expedition/Guild. With the help of level 50 guildmates I was able to fully explore the open oceans at level 20 and engage in high-seas high-jinx against other max level (50) characters without feeling too low man on the totem poll. I was manning the harpoon and reeling in our enemies vessels as they tried to flee and avoid capture of their precious resource crates.

I really liked though, that after all that, I could return to the area I was questing in and keep progressing my character in a more streamlined way. All the more motivated knowing that the taste of open adventure was just an epic boat ride away

It's going to be a real pleasure getting to alleviate concerns and introduce everyone to all the depth and complexity (while remaining super accessible) that ArcheAge has to offer!

While I couldn't find an awesome video of harpooning in action, here's another great one just showing off piracy:

[Kelimbror]

It's going to be a real pleasure getting to alleviate concerns and introduce everyone to all the depth and complexity (while remaining super accessible) that ArcheAge has to offer!

Thanks for the awesome post Elrar.

Has there been any talk, with the cornucopia of games Trion will now be involved in, if there might be a packaged/premium subscription service to access all of your products? I would be very eager to play ArchAge just from what I've seen and heard, but don't want to feel the need to give up my Rift sub in the process. Some sort of attractively priced Trion Games Pass for all of the services is something I could justify.

Just wondered if there has been any talk about this.

[-aiko-]

This certainly looks amazing!

How PvP focused is the game, though? I know I'm probably a vocal minority here but I really have no interest in World PvP and wouldn't want to be forced into it.

[Starving Artist]

Hmm I really want to love this game but after the disappointment of first starwars tor and then Gw2 ...sadly I have little hope ...but still a little is better then none . Honestly I wish Blizz published it ..battle.net is a very very good infrastructure to build off of for a game like that ...and its so different then wow it would not get in the way I dont think .

[luckieststrike]

Thanks tetrisGOAT.

[bohapjut]

Most of the PvP is going to be on the north continent so you'd probably stay on the other two. There's dungeons at least and world bosses like the Kraken.

Yogscast played on the Korean beta server about a year ago.

[Irondust]

Well it seems thar Yogcast didn't participate in any PvP gameplay

[luckieststrike]

Same here. I usually just explore in online games. Not much of a pvp fan.

[Lochton]

It was good when I tried it, but the whole part of guessing what you do was horrible. I can't read Korean, so would love to see an import for english. The russians have it, or seen does. Was scared we had to wait an eternity.

[-aiko-]

Most of the PvP is going to be on the north continent so you'd probably stay on the other two. There's dungeons at least and world bosses like the Kraken.

Yogscast played on the Korean beta server about a year ago.

That's good! I'd flex my Google-Fu myself if it didn't take forever on a smartphone (even with 4G LTE), but can you explore the seas without worrying about PvP?

[teamjacob]

Hi guys. I'm here with a gaming article for all you curious readers! I made some tips and tricks for the new game, Archeage. It was released 2 weeks ago and is fairly new in Korea. Luckily, I was fortunate enough to try the open beta of the game thanks to a Korean friend. She provided me with an access code which allowed me to experience this game that I believe will be a hit in the coming months. Mind you, so far the only way I could play was because of some help with the language. As a foreigner, I needed the help of a translator to give me an idea of what I had to do and what the interface meant.

So without further ado, here are some tips for those interested with the game:

As a beginner in Archeage, starting out in this strange new world can be a difficult and taxing experience. So here, let me share advice on how to build a better character, increase your monetary gain, and maximize the fun you can get out of this unique experience.

1. Know what you want to do in Archeage
There are many ways to enjoy ArcheAge! You can do the usual routine of hunting monsters, the exciting path of hunting of other players, or even taking it easy by focusing on building your own house and garden. Not content with just fixing your own home? Then be a lord of a castle commanding over numerous homesteads and protect your local populace. Know what type of character you want to be and you will be able to fully enjoy the endless possibilities of this game. As of the writing of this article, I have not yet tested the PvP and house building options so I might get back to that soon!

2. Selecting your capability considering the ‘linked effect’
In order to come up with your final job, you have to pick 3 out of the 10 possible capabilities. Upon character creation, you get to choose 1 with an additional at levels 5 and 10. I suggest picking a combat based capability first such as fight, wild nature, magic, or mission. Other abilities like love, witchcraft, and will are more of accessory traits and can be picked up later.
Don’t worry if you made a mistake with the capability you picked. You can talk to an NPC in the village and pay a specific amount to have it changed. It’s better to have it changed as soon as possible since your capabilities level up too! It would be an annoyance to start again from level 1 if you already have a level 10 ability. Also, remember that your capabilities are linked and can affect each other. For instance, Mission works well with Fight or Wild nature while Magic is harmonious with Death or Witchcraft. Find your own mix and see what works for you.

3. Select equipment regardless of your job
Unlike the conventional role playing games that impose strict restrictions on armor classes, ArcheAge doesn’t follow that format. Warriors need not wear strong metal plated armor and wizards need not keep using robes. Dress yourself according to the function you wish to fulfill. For example, I use a Wizard class while wearing somewhat heavy armor to minimize the damage from the monsters I hunt. This can also go the other way with me choosing leather to increase magic resistance. This makes the game a better simulation because I believe that mages do not ALWAYS use light armor. It’s my own preference and that is something that you can apply too when you play this game!

Thanks for reading! This is only Part 1 though. Part 2 will come during the week. For the people who, like me, cannot wait for this game to be released here in the US, I believe Trion Worlds has bought the rights for the game and will distribute it. Let’s hope they make it happen soon!!!

I am an aspiring game reviewer and writer so please tell me what you think about both for the game and this article. Thanks!

Interesting article. Where are the other parts? Looking forward to it.

---------- Post added 2013-02-01 at 05:15 AM ----------

The game looks promising. Definitely worth checking this out when the game is released here in the states. Hopefully soon.

[Chamipon]

Nice article luckiest_strike but I think you should have created your own thread for this one. Good luck to your ambition in writing.

[Eldryth]

He did, the mods merged them. Great article, by the way!

[gelleleo]

I heard this game from one of my friends, it looks promising.

[procne]

snip

That's how I read it:

1. Know what you want to do in Archeage
You can kill monsters, kill players, build your home or build a castle (guild house)

2. Selecting your capability considering the ‘linked effect’
There are 10 possible specs, you can choose 3. You can change them later on.

3. Select equipment regardless of your job
There are no restrictions on equipment, but what's the difference - everyone will wear gear fitting their role. So warriors won't wear cloths, mages won't wear items with strength.

I see nothing interesting here. Many words were used, but not much information transmitted.

[Kelimbror]

I see nothing interesting here. Many words were used, but not much information transmitted.

Completely rude and not accurate assessment at all. My guess is you didn't really read it, but saw a couple of familiar words and decided to just rail on someone. Please post more productively. It was a great initial writing that offers a glimpse of what is different for this MMO.

[procne]

Well, I have reread it 3 times to be sure. It doesn't really show what is different for this MMO. Half of MMOs offer you "the usual routine of hunting monsters, the exciting path of hunting of other players, or even taking it easy by focusing on building your own house". Without explaining what's so different about those capabilities they only sound like specs / professions. Removing limits on gear is nothing new either. But just because you can use some item doesn't mean it will be viable. Think of WoW hunters wearing int mail or warriors fighting with staves. Or tanking with elemental / pistol weapons in Secret World

If you could pinpoint those fragments which show how Archeage is different then we can talk.

The text does sound nice, but after seeing many over-hyped games, advertised with many big and nice words, only to quickly fall, I have become quite allergic to those nice words. And in reviews / opinions I try to quickly remove those leaving only basic facts. Try to reread the text - does it really say much more than what I wrote? Does it really show what's so special about this game, instead of just sounding nice and showing author's excitement?

Now, I'm quite excited for Archeage, that's why I'm subscribed to this topic, not to bash the game. I'm a whiner, yes

[Edge-]

And in reviews / opinions I try to quickly remove those leaving only basic facts. Try to reread the text - does it really say much more than what I wrote? Does it really show what's so special about this game, instead of just sounding nice and showing author's excitement?

http://steparu.com/latest-news/672-a...-online-review

Might be worth checking out, he usually does solid reviews of Korean games. Worth keeping in mind that the game will likely see alterations as it's localized for the Western market though.

[procne]

I will check it later on, thank you

[Matheren]

I see nothing interesting here. Many words were used, but not much information transmitted.

You really didn't seem to read it in depth if that's your summary of what he said. For one, I don't know too many recent MMOs, especially AAA ones, with the kind of housing this game features. And to add to that, how many feature trade lanes on land and sea that are completely subject to ambush from other players. It's one thing to die while you're questing; how many recent, modern MMOs require you to physically transport goods for a house or other items across land or sea, where you risk that loss if you're attacked? When he talks about protecting the populace, it's meant quite literally.

There are not 10 possible specs, there are 10 skill lines and you can choose any 3; that's a hell of a lot more than 10 specs. While their claim of "120 jobs" or whatever is stretching it, since by job they just mean a specific nametag for a specific combination of three skill lines, it's still a very open system. And this builds into the gear...

No, warriors don't always wear plate, mages won't always wear cloth. For one, the warriors can do more damage in the lighter gear; secondly, depending on your "job" you're not going to just be "a warrior" or "a mage." Someone who picks up Combat, Death, and Will is going to be using melee and spells. And that was again called out in his text, where he explicitly stated a caster might mix in some heavier pieces for defense or some leather type for magic resist. I've seen plenty of light armor wearing Koreans walking around with a sword and shield, or a 2h weapon.