Lost Ark coming to NA/EU! Smilegate to pair with Amazon Game Studios as Publisher!

[Gaidax]

Makes me wonder if that's part of why it's taking so long and having delays, like... Translation is one thing, and does take time along with voice acting, but they've made concerted changes to the game, there's missing classes currently that were there when I played the russian version even, so I really wonder what they're doing in the background.

/shrug

There can be 100 reasons why, I imagine there's not only some one reason for this. Some are localization, some are "westernization", some are simply their desire to release it at the right moment in-between big profile releases.

As for classes/content what I think it's down to Amazon, understandably, wanting to keep a bunch of stuff in stash to release over ~1-2 years as frequent updates to keep game lively. There are like 6 classes missing and if they spread it over 2 years (plus new KR classes) - that could be a decent update every ~3 months just from that to keep people interested and fresh, even besides actual PvE content drops.

[Onikaroshi]

/shrug

There can be 100 reasons why, I imagine there's not only some one reason for this. Some are localization, some are "westernization", some are simply their desire to release it at the right moment in-between big profile releases.

As for classes/content what I think it's down to Amazon, understandably, wanting to keep a bunch of stuff in stash to release over ~1-2 years as frequent updates to keep game lively. There are like 6 classes missing and if they spread it over 2 years (plus new KR classes) - that could be a decent update every ~3 months just from that to keep people interested and fresh, even besides actual PvE content drops.

My wife is a little miffed arcana isn't there, but we actually got a response during alpha that they would be in at launch or soon after.

[Fkiolaris]

Thankfully KR player touched on this, if you want more details you can view one of these:

1. Interview with top KR player who spent only $800k on Lost Ark and played it all right and left for years: https://youtu.be/_8_kHtaXy8o?t=2858

2. Podcast interview with few seasoned LA players: https://youtu.be/s0BxYi5Qftw?t=5509

Now as the guy in 2nd interview says - it's down to your interpretation, but ultimately you can buy ilvl with $$ and in a more direct way than with WoW Token, for example.

Now, I personally actually don't mind P2W much - if there is a game I want to down $1k into - I do it, but I do think it's important to not delude yourself on what kind of "gaming" it is.

Sure, we don't really have all the finest details of how Amazon will implement it in the end, but given royal crystals exist and they can be turned into blue crystals, which can be then traded for gold - it's safe to say Amazon version at the very least will have that one source of gold for $$ and thus direct power for $$. Now what could happen is that maybe rates for upgrades and such will be different to make whaling unfeasible, but this all truly remains to be seen because beta had a fraction of stuff with dysfunctional economy and everyone loaded with $$ currency.

So it's better to keep that in mind and not that copium guy, just because game is fun otherwise.

In the second video you linked, the Korean player says that in the Western version as it is right now a completely new player is minimally behind a whale and it's very easy to catch up (timestamp 1:38:00 onwards). He also said previously that a f2p player that plays regularly can keep up with the whales while the cash shop elements are there only if you want to absolutely min-max everything with in effect not playing the game to get there. He also says you can clear what the game offers on release without spending a penny as a f2p, without that meaning that it will always be the case. The Russian guys says that with 2 characters you can catch up in 3-4 weeks to anyone playing for 2 months plus. Finally, RAIZQT at 1:41:40 explicitly says that there is nothing in the shop that you can't get by playing the game, which answers my question.

I guess all the above just verify what I had already known, that the cash shop is there to save you (potentially massive amounts) of time in terms of gearing for PvE, but it does NOT give cash-shop only items that are stronger than anything you can get in the game. I am not saying the current shop is great in either concept or execution, but what you mentioned in my original quote is 100 times worse IMO and I don't see that being the case. In fact, I don't see how this is greatly different that the models employed by GW2, ESO, WoW etc, all obviously with their own particulars.

Either way, thanks for the links, the second one especially was very informative, much appreciated.

[Gaidax]

Finally, RAIZQT at 1:41:40 explicitly says that there is nothing in the shop that you can't get by playing the game, which answers my question.

That's purest copium right there. The amount of time and effort needed to catch up with whales is immense, that is the reason why RU and KR are in a state they are now where many simply give up on content.

It's really that simple and I'd rather have the expectations straight rather than this usual mental gymnastics of "but you can get in game... if you like live in it". Typical mobile games crap.

Next you gonna tell me something about sense of pride and accomplishment?

- - - Updated - - -

Frankly, some guy best summed it up - if you even have the heated conversation about it, it's a red flag right there. Pretty much that.

[Ballistic]

That's purest copium right there. The amount of time and effort needed to catch up with whales is immense, that is the reason why RU and KR are in a state they are now where many simply give up on content.

It's really that simple and I'd rather have the expectations straight rather than this usual mental gymnastics of "but you can get in game... if you like live in it". Typical mobile games crap.

Next you gonna tell me something about sense of pride and accomplishment?

- - - Updated - - -

Frankly, some guy best summed it up - if you even have the heated conversation about it, it's a red flag right there. Pretty much that.

please don't pull out statements like they are facts of something you are not playing day by day and to know what is the situation of KR region or RU. All that I can say to you and others if you are going to take superficial judgment like the rest of the keyboard warriors on Reddit who never experienced the game other than watching a couple of streams and played Beta and started to make assumptions that you will always think everyone around you in the game higher ilvl or they are at higher tier of content than you are p2w players.

I played in KR until I got banned and I played later in RU and I only swiped for skins or mounts or to boost a new class to insta lvl 50 came to RU region that I'm interested in and I'm doing fine.

[Fkiolaris]

That's purest copium right there. The amount of time and effort needed to catch up with whales is immense, that is the reason why RU and KR are in a state they are now where many simply give up on content.

It's really that simple and I'd rather have the expectations straight rather than this usual mental gymnastics of "but you can get in game... if you like live in it". Typical mobile games crap.

Next you gonna tell me something about sense of pride and accomplishment?

- - - Updated - - -

Frankly, some guy best summed it up - if you even have the heated conversation about it, it's a red flag right there. Pretty much that.

I don't get why the aggressive tone. You said something, I asked if you could clarify, you linked sources to clarify and those sources disagreed with you. I have nothing to gain from this, one way or the other, and I have already stated that I have zero intention of playing the game at launch. My question was purely because if what you explicitly said (that if you don't pay you can't have the highest gear) was true then the game would be instantly rejected by myself. But it isn't, as per the links you sent me and nothing else. So that keeps the game on my "to watch" list for now, while obviously the proof will be in the pudding when the game launches.

[Gaidax]

please don't pull out statements like they are facts of something you are not playing day by day and to know what is the situation of KR region or RU. All that I can say to you and others if you are going to take superficial judgment like the rest of the keyboard warriors on Reddit who never experienced the game other than watching a couple of streams and played Beta and started to make assumptions that you will always think everyone around you in the game higher ilvl or they are at higher tier of content than you are p2w players.

I played in KR until I got banned and I played later in RU and I only swiped for skins or mounts or to boost a new class to insta lvl 50 came to RU region that I'm interested in and I'm doing fine.

I understand you rush to white knight for your beloved game, but there is a good reason why RU statistics site calls rankings "Hall of Whales".

https://lostarktree.ru/rating

Copium away, ma boi, copium away.

[Ballistic]

I understand you rush to white knight for your beloved game, but there is a good reason why RU statistics site calls rankings "Hall of Whales".

https://lostarktree.ru/rating

Copium away, ma boi, copium away.

You still make yourself look like a fool here, the difference between RU and KR is that in KR there is a public API for armory (same as WoW) so you can pull statistics of whatever you need ( class distribution, ilvl distribution, no. of alts per account, no. of players per server, no of players cleared specific raid ...etc.) third party Korean websites can use that API and most famous and used one is https://loawa.com/rank

In RU situation there is no API and these players are registered accounts providing their ilvl score to that website (if I type any of my characters' names in it nothing shows up), you don't know % of these players compared to the whole population.

Believe me, I don't care about defending Lost Ark anymore, most die-hard fans like me tried first to clear the confusion to outsiders who never played the game but some like you still insist to apply their predictions and assumptions even with the effort we did. We keep joking and laughing about that in LA unofficial discord and we can't wait until people who deem Lost Ark p2w drop it and we play in peace. (even if you gave the game another chance after a long break you will be at the bottom of the progression barrel so "this game p2w crusaders" will be just far back noise at that time). I hope you have nice time in other MMO's.

[hattahat]

You still make yourself look like a fool here, the difference between RU and KR is that in KR there is a public API for armory (same as WoW) so you can pull statistics of whatever you need ( class distribution, ilvl distribution, no. of alts per account, no. of players per server, no of players cleared specific raid ...etc.) third party Korean websites can use that API and most famous and used one is https://loawa.com/rank

In RU situation there is no API and these players are registered accounts providing their ilvl score to that website (if I type any of my characters' names in it nothing shows up), you don't know % of these players compared to the whole population.

Believe me, I don't care about defending Lost Ark anymore, most die-hard fans like me tried first to clear the confusion to outsiders who never played the game but some like you still insist to apply their predictions and assumptions even with the effort we did. We keep joking and laughing about that in LA unofficial discord and we can't wait until people who deem Lost Ark p2w drop it and we play in peace. (even if you gave the game another chance after a long break you will be at the bottom of the progression barrel so "this game p2w crusaders" will be just far back noise at that time). I hope you have nice time in other MMO's.

I don't know when and where you were banned but actually it doesn't seem you played lost ark a lot based on your gold unless you sold it. Well, Koreans also know what western people say about LA in their communities like reddit or else. And we know there are so many people saying LA is not P2W in western communities, and just laugh at them. Because this game is evidently P2W, and what's the problem? Most Koreans just don't understand why they hate p2w so much. Why not just spend money and enjoy? Of course a few months ago, there are ardent defenders insisting LA is not p2w in KR as well, but now they are all gone. We have come to the point that we can't deny.

[KrayZ33]

Is KR + RU even comparable?

when it comes to currencies?
I mean... character costumes (you know, that shit that costs 10-20€ in most games) cost 700 crystals (or 3000?) when I google it. And you can get 100 crystals for ~500 gold? (seen in a video from July)
And he has 800k gold?

edit: also, isn't gold used to upgrade gear? Then isn't the amount you have on you at any given time kinda irrelevant?

Not that I care all too much, because all I want to know is how long/much I have to play to do PvE content in this game.
I don't care if someone else does it faster or better. So for me personally, I'm more interested in what is "pay to play content" than what is "pay2win"

[Ballistic]

I don't know when and where you were banned but actually it doesn't seem you played lost ark a lot based on your gold unless you sold it. Well, Koreans also know what western people say about LA in their communities like reddit or else. And we know there are so many people saying LA is not P2W in western communities, and just laugh at them. Because this game is evidently P2W, and what's the problem? Most Koreans just don't understand why they hate p2w so much. Why not just spend money and enjoy? Of course a few months ago, there are ardent defenders insisting LA is not p2w in KR as well, but now they are all gone. We have come to the point that we can't deny.

I got hit by multiple verification waves in KR servers (I played day 1 of the KR release date) that I got bored of it because the account is not technically mine, I played RU region after its launch by 3-4 months through season 1 and season 2 until that day I'm writing this post , does that give me the right to give my overview judgment of the game? certainly yes. As I said we are a much happier community without "LA is p2w" players in the game, the community was trying to clarify the mechanics and the core system and features of Lost Ark but you can't convince someone holding a pitchfork because he already canned an Asian MMO as p2w game from first place.

PS. gold in the picture is the current balance I "earned" through playing the game, it is not saving account balance irl. It is not epeen contest that has more gold than others it is how to use that gold to enhance your character in order to unlock the next tier of content.

[hattahat]

I got hit by multiple verification waves in KR servers (I played day 1 of the KR release date) that I got bored of it because the account is not technically mine, I played RU region after its launch by 3-4 months through season 1 and season 2 until that day I'm writing this post , does that give me the right to give my overview judgment of the game? certainly yes. As I said we are a much happier community without "LA is p2w" players in the game, the community was trying to clarify the mechanics and the core system and features of Lost Ark but you can't convince someone holding a pitchfork because he already canned an Asian MMO as p2w game from first place.

PS. gold in the picture is the current balance I "earned" through playing the game, it is not saving account balance irl. It is not epeen contest that has more gold than others it is how to use that gold to enhance your character in order to unlock the next tier of content.

LA and P2W are inseparable. LA's core systems are that closely related to P2W. We have to spend some money unless we spend some months just earning that gold or something. And even though it costs some money, LA is popular game because it is fun. Simply spend money and play and enjoy it. There's no meaning denying what's evident. I mean, you just can see vivid opinions about LA in Korean communities like https://gall.dcinside.com/board/lists?id=lostark. Everyone knows LA needs some money and willingly pay it. That's also an investment as well. Because you can collect money you used by mass producing alts and playing hard.

[VideoGamePlayer]

Feels good being a PvPer and not needing to worry about the thought of pay2win. PvPchads stay winning.

[Edge-]

https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/ama...rk-in-february

Feb. 11 launch, let goooooo

[beanman12345]

https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/ama...rk-in-february

Feb. 11 launch, let goooooo

Nice! So less then 2 months away for head start early access. Been playing RU servers, I can not get enough Gunslinger PVP.

[PACOX]

I might be wrong but I think releasing the f2p port of a game is a mistake when February is ridiculously packed. At least NE had the benefit of nothing really being released at the time.

[Gref]

finally i have been waiting for it. I am just terribly afraid if it is region locked. I live in Japan. From time to time there are games that wont let me play as there are local servers operated by Japanese companies. THere is lostark japan but I cannot read all that kanji.

[Onikaroshi]

finally i have been waiting for it. I am just terribly afraid if it is region locked. I live in Japan. From time to time there are games that wont let me play as there are local servers operated by Japanese companies. THere is lostark japan but I cannot read all that kanji.

It's region locked, but if its the same style region locking as RU, you can just VPN to a region that has it.

[Gref]

It's region locked, but if its the same style region locking as RU, you can just VPN to a region that has it.

seriously? damn it is just bothersome to turn vpn on and off each time i want to play something gahhh

[Coldkil]

finally i have been waiting for it. I am just terribly afraid if it is region locked. I live in Japan. From time to time there are games that wont let me play as there are local servers operated by Japanese companies. THere is lostark japan but I cannot read all that kanji.

Isn't there a JP version of the game already btw? But i assume there's not an unofficial EN patch.

Cannot wait to play. And i'm actually now undecided which class i want to start with - i played CBT as wardancer but now i feel i would be playing the same thing again and i'm likely gonna change class for release. I'll have to dig out saintone's guide again.

EDIT: i'll probably pick up Scrapper or Deathblade (though Deathblade looks more like a PvP class).