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[Column] ArcheAge: ArcheAge - Why You Questing, Bro?
SBFord
Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
ArcheAge is going to be a divisive game… just not for the reasons you might think. We spent some time with the first of several closed beta events for Trion’s upcoming North American release of the game, and we’re suitably enamored. But there’s a sneaking suspicion we all have about ArcheAge: we’re afraid that its underlying complexity is going to be hidden by the upfront simplicity of its questing and PVE design.
Read more of Bill Murphy's ArcheAge: Why You Questing, Bro?
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This is something players should experience early in ArcheAge.
Comments
I soloed my main to level 50 with no problem and had a great time doing the things I want to in game. I'll probably join a guild when the game goes live but feel no need while I'm just learning the game for now.
This game has so much depth and "world" feel to it, people would have to be blind not to see it. They may not enjoy it, but there's no denying it's there. I hate that they've dressed part of it up in a handholding fiesta costume, but I understand why they did that. It's easy to see beyond that though, at least it was for me... I went in open minded.
"You can quest, dungeoneer, and PVP your heart out. Or you can farm, fish, craft, cook, and interior design until you might as well change your name to Martha Stewart. ArcheAge is a rare kind of MMO that doesn’t just shoehorn you into the role of constant adventurer."
Mmmmhyeah no! Not quite! It's almost to that stage they just haven't reached that stage yet. Right now Archeage requires not only that you get a home plot of land but also that you buy labor potions and that you buy Archeum. It requires that you PVP just like Aion did in days of old with their 7 ways in PVP of getting the currency that allows for the purchasing of everything compared to the1 way in PVE (the reason why I'm not including the Arche storyline quests is due to the fact that those quests are not repeatable). So the game is heavily PVP even tho Trion is advertising it for the west as a Sandpark for multiple play styles.
Until they take the rest of the community seriously it will simply be yet another PVP Sandbox that's not trying hard enough to get a wider audience.
Honestly I'm amazed that your writer thinks that there aren't protestations going on in the official forums about the requirement to purchase land or the requirement to PVP in order to progress! He's obviously not read what I read everyday!
I am hoping to try the game out for myself still, but this is too bad. Guild Wars 2 has pretty much spoiled questing for me.
Now is ArcheAge littered with quests or are there just quests scattered through out?
Originally posted by Arskaaa
"when players learned tacticks in dungeon/raids, its bread".
What's worse is they added gear stats for PVP. Talk about old out of date conventions.
Archeage has one of the most boring starts and bland zones of f2p games that last for the first 20-30 lvls then maybe later the game can be great and open up alot.
But what i most love about it is that the same people that say and defend "archeage is a great/depth game at endgame" is the same that bash other games for having an ok early game, saying why i should wait 10 lvls to have fun ? why this have lvls ? why isn't sandbox at lvl 0 ? ...
"Small minds talk about people, average minds talk about events, great minds talk about ideas."
Archeage was the best experience in mmorpgs i had in last years. Played RU version during 3 months, now i play again when release in EU, dont know 1.0 neither 1.2 so my opinion might change, dont know.
But ofc theres alot of stuff in game i do prefer it had other path, and i agree a little there wasnt needed the standart quest system to go from lvl 1 to 50. Even we can avoid it, its better go that way for money and knowlege about diferent parts of the game, but its a to long tutorial, i do agree.
But still, it doesnt bother me much to be honest, even solo 1 to 30 is not that long, and its not necessary do it only that way.
All the times i leveled in AA, was something like this:
1 -12: only quest hub to quest hub.
12 - 20: Alternate from some time questing and farming, this way never get bored questing to much.
20 - 30: Build my speedboat, then alternate from questing, farming, fishing in safe zones, upgrade my small farm and start playing a little with economy in AH.
Again, this is a example how i did it befor 1.0 in RU, no idea how it is atm, i dont like much about standart questing but when mixed with other activitys the game is very interesting.
With some friends this is a amazing game and with a nice guild its a blast and the best imo.
But yes, AA have a old standart introdution to the game and dont promote well what the game really is. Even i had a bad impression in 1st levels when was the 1st time, but i had read a little about and keep going to see the rest, im glad i did.
Yet if those same mini-reviews were giving the game 8/10 to 10/10. You wouldn't say anything. Hell you'd probably be in the thread, giving them a pat on the back. You want to put some of those reviews on blast, cool. Because yes some of them weren't constructive. More or less consisting of an "I didn't like the game, but I'm not going to explain why". At the same time not all of them were like that. Some people not liking AA isn't because they new-age gamers, unable of free thought, or a bit anti-social. As you are trying to imply in your post.
Also we all know how much you love AA. But making such a broad comment, about people you perceive as "average mmo gamers". Just comes off as you sounding like a pompous you know what.
In War - Victory.
In Peace - Vigilance.
In Death - Sacrifice.
Can someone confirm this, are there PvP only stats that attempt to balance the game? (Which for me, is a huge no-no, at least in an open world PvP sandbox.)
Currently Playing: ESO and FFXIV
Have played: You name it
If you mention rose tinted glasses, you better be referring to Mitch Hedberg.
I 100% agree with Bill about this article. I played 2 Sandbox MMOs before WOW. UO where I started next to the Inn in Brit and fought rats in the sewers, and SWG where I started by running around shooting fly like things on Naboo. No Questing no game on Rails. I am in the ArcheAge beta and I can tell you I got to level 6 and was bored. WHY? Because I was following the quest from point to point. If I want that I will level another toon in WOW.
Now with that said I understand the need for some quest to get people going. Maybe 1 - 10 is a tutorial of the game and then at level 11 it drops you into the game so you can be what ever you want. No more rails. Problem is I do not want to suffer through 50 levels really before I get to take care in the Sandbox part of ArcheAge. I would rather be dropped on my ass in a little village somewhere and find my way. You know what? I will start a guild and bring all my MMO friends that started during WOW and teach them how to play a Sandbox Game so they too can fine enjoyment in figuring a game out and not having a rail to ride on to max level.
Now I dont have problems with the instances or anything like that I think thats a kewl addin to a Sandbox as long as its not the only progression path. If its something that I can jump into an instance with friends to fight Boss I SMASH YOU kewl
but if I want to be a Merc most of the time I should be able to do that at like level 11 or at least start myself on that path.
Thought is was a good article!!! Glad it was pointed out that there is way more to the game then the linear beginning questing. By Level 15 I was already off the rails starting to run around doing various things other then just following the quest path. Had my little row boat, horse, starting little farm, house deed. Exploring looking for resources...etc...
Question for you since you got to 15 and started on the other stuff in the game. Will doing the other activities level you or do you just need to quest? The reason I ask is because I am the type I would love to just go exploring things and level as I find things to do vs Quest.
I need conformation on this as well. Nothing chaps my ass more then gear with pvp stats on them.
I agree...AA is good other than the GARBAGE combat system. Tab target is already old at this point, but their system is even more basic than a conventional tab target. Anyway, to comment to the OP....I think the rogue system should be much easier to obtain. I personally hate factions and like to be in a clan where I can allign other clans and factions as I wish...to do this...I have to pk non stop...very long time to even experience the type of gameplay I want.
Incognito
www.incognito-gaming.us
"You're either with us or against us"
You gain experience from Crafting or every time you harvest something. It all depends what you are harvesting certain trees give x amount, certain plants give x amount (can all be different xp) Exploring you don't gain xp for the different areas as it is all seamless, but you can find objects that start quests, treasure stuff, food...etc... I tend to just do a combination of everything. I always have my mount out as he get experience from traveling, fighting etc... Hopefully that helps.
Cheers,
Faulkner.
The quest are there because people would be utterly lost without them. I agree with the op 100% on this.
The WoW era of mmos has so engrained the masses to jump quest hub to quest hub, without them the masses simply would cry they are lost, confused, or even worse there is nothing to do.
I agree with many of the people who have been playing AA though. The game gives a false sense of what it is about because of the quest. If you didn't read anything about the game and jumped into it. It would seem like a typical WoW style mmo with quest hub to quest hub. With 1 major exception. The quest sorta really suck in this game, they are very bland.
This forum is an example. So many people say this game is the "same old same old". Or "another fail themepark". They missed the whole game because they got tunnel visioned into the quest grind which absolutely sucks in AA.
I also agree archeage is designed at its core as a guild game. Which is a great thing. You can solo level and solo craft. But you will hit a wall solo, so much content needs a guild. Even a boat takes between 2-12 ppl to fully man.
I wonder if they could implement "ambassadors" for crafting, housing and boating to each races starting zones so they can "borrow" players for a hands on tutorial in another location. They could even use the public transit system so the players could see the areas they will come back to. This would also speak to how big the world is.
In a perfect world all the aspects of an MMO could be slowly introduced as the player, well, plays. Unfortunately as Bill mentioned first impressions are everything and the first hour in AA makes it seem like a "me too" MMO if someone knows nothing about it already.
want 7 free days of playing? Try this
http://www.swtor.com/r/ZptVnY
Thank you Faulkner. It does because I felt like hey if I am just going to quest my way to max level why would I want to do that in another game for the 100th time. You know.
I feel the same way. Very disappointing.
Yeah, sure, the game has the depth it has now, but lets see how deep players take the game when access to that depth is blocked by pay-walls.
Honestly thats why I think a Sandbox MMO should always have a subscription because to be apart of a virtual world where choices you make affect the world like crafting cannot have an imbalance between paid and free players. Everyone has to be apart of that world and must pay for it.