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Planning my return to MMOs (AC questions)
findnolimit
Member Posts: 112
I've been abroad for about a year and so away from a steady internet connection... Of all the MMOs I still have the CDs for (AC, AC2, DAoC, EQ) I'd only choose from the 2 AC games. I've never had more fun than in AC1 but I'm wondering...
1) How long can a subcription be stagnate before it's deleted? Mind you I haven't been on my account for I'd say about 3 years... So I'm figuring I'll be starting all over again 
which leads me to...
2) How easy is it for someone who knows the game to get back into it? LVL 200 characters running around seems a bit imposing. I never made it past 40 on my OG mage...
3) Are there still only 3-6 templates that everyone uses? Not that I really cared that much (OG mage
) I just remember my first character being gimped beyond belief because I didn't follow the core "successful" temps.
4) Do you find new people in the game or is everyone rockin their 100+ lvl chars all day with no thought to the little guy?
I'm just looking to kill a few months till WOW comes out, but who knows? If I can get back into it and have fun like the old days I might just stick with AC... I've read the AC/2 debates I'm just interested in AC1 with this post... Thanx
You may say I'm a dreamer
I'm not the only one
I hope some day you will join us
And the world will live as one
Thinking of strange days
And wet-dream escapades
Oh this summer is sweet sleep
Because we are living day dreams
Comments
1) How long can a subcription be stagnate before it's deleted? Mind you I haven't been on my account for I'd say about 3 years... So I'm figuring I'll be starting all over again
-- I would try to get into your account and see if you are still there.
2) How easy is it for someone who knows the game to get back into it? LVL 200 characters running around seems a bit imposing. I never made it past 40 on my OG mage...
--Its actually easier to be a mage now. They took spell components basically away so now you buy spells and find them as loot. Also it physically takes less time to cast spells. I think youll find the new portals and housing alot of fun! lvl 200 characters arent that bad
. There are also 6 character slots too so you have more room to choose different character types.
3) Are there still only 3-6 templates that everyone uses? Not that I really cared that much (OG mage
) I just remember my first character being gimped beyond belief because I didn't follow the core "successful" temps.
--Acutally they have been working hard to level the playing field with the staff/thrown/dagger characters so the templates have changed over time. Hit some of the sites like AC vault to see if there is new info on character templates etc. Turbine made the starting toon a little better also so if you want to just play a preset toon it probably wouldnt hurt you too much. And lastly .. if you find your toon isnt working you can do a quest now that gives you the ability to "buy" and "sell" skills.
4) Do you find new people in the game or is everyone rockin their 100+ lvl chars all day with no thought to the little guy?
--Nah .. my main is a lvl 70 ish Sword. Many folks havent gotten to the 100+ yet and with the advent of the 6th char slot many more are just now playing new toons.
HIH
Kha~ (AC Solclaim)
Accounts have only been deleted once, I think it was back in 2001 or 2002, but there are no plans to delete inactive accounts. Having recently bought full rights to the game back from MS, I think Turbine are wanting to encourage people to come back as much as possible, so it's not really in their interest to delete inactive accounts unless they desperately need the storage space.
There's a LOT of sub L100 content, but most players these days seem in a rush to skip past it. As far as templates go, Turbine have done a lot of rebalancing, so I wouldn't rule out anything as non-viable. I've got a mage/UA hybrid with 100 starting strength, focus and willpower, and spec UA, critter, life and manaC. It's an interesting template, given that my primary weapon is based on a stat that started at 10, but buffing with 7's at L50 was easy, and almost anything close to an appropriate level can be easily imperilled and vulned. The char can take a lot of punishment, and deal out a LOT too. Also makes an ideal support mage on quests. As for my weapon skill having a bit of a weak base, dropping critters melee defence isn't a problem if they're a bit on the high side.
It is usually dependent on the company's policy, but even those without regularly scheduled deletions "may" delete the excessively old accounts eventually. After a while those stored accounts accumulate, taking more and more storage space.
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Alex "Maximane" De Line
- MMORPG.COM Staff -
The happy news is Turbine confirmed they only did one wipe. You can search over at Turbine forums and find that answer readily enough.
Many "old" timers are returning and finding it a very different game. After a break of almost a year, I went back to my old characters also. Still there, there healthy. But it was like brand new to me.
Others are also returning after almost three years and finding that as long as they remember the log in information. OR have the CD key and all other pertinent info when they registered, they have their chars still there.
Good Luck! After four years, I am still having a blast in that game. No I do not have one of those lvl 200 chars running around. Highest is 119.
Add that the new server, Verdantine opens on next patch, approx June 9, you could restart along with everyone else on an even playing field!
Even nicer, FINALLY coming out with another expansion pack! No definite date yet! That is the only drawback!
www.darthmyr.com
One player's great game is another players derisive snort!
http://www.darthmyr.com for free guild forums
Asheron's Call 1 has actually had quite a few improvements, you might wanna give it a try if you liked it before. Leveling has been made a bit easier, so if you are a casual gamer, it doesnt take 2 months to level anymore. Also Turbine has tried to reduce the tediousness of buffing, by speeding self Life and Creature buff animations up. In the next update they are going to make banes (item magic) castable on all pieces at the same time. So if you cast Impenatrability 7 ( +200 to base armor) on yourself, it casts it on all armor weilded at the same time. So you only need to cast each bane once, instead of on every piece of armor. There are tons of new places to hunt. There are new allegiance bindstones, and allegiance chat everyone can use. Also, reccently Turbine has announced an Expansion pack will be released soon. Its been rumored that it will have a massive graphical update, to bring ac1 closer in line in graphics with some of the newer mmorpgs. Microsoft no longer owns any part of Asheron's Call, its all done in house by Turbine now. They are in the final phases of transferring over the billing system. Xp chains are now inaffective, so if you were looking to join one to 126 up, cant do that anymore. Two skills that have finally been fixed, Magic Defense!!!! and mana conversion (not broken quite as bad) finally are worth specializing. Missle Defense also has been brought in line with the others, but with a lack of hard hitting missle throwing mobs, its still undervalued. Well, for now thats all the recent changes I can really think of. Hope to see ya back in game soon
Reyuk
First, can you list all the MMORPGs you have played? How long have you played each one? yYour highest level characters? Second have you even tried and played AC? Just so everyone knows where you are coming from.
Next, MMORPGs are not like stand alone games. MMORPGs have an intended shelf life of 5 years. So far only 3 major ones have stood the test- UO, AC, and EQ. They have fully recovered ALL investment costs and now practically run theirselves. They are all obscene money makers, with EQ being the most obscene money maker of them all.
Gameplay, game features, is what it is ALL about in the end, in the longrun. Graphics, and eye candy mean absolutly nothing if there is no game play or game features. Some blatant examples are the horrible failure of AC2, the recent wave of vaporware, as well as player pressure on Horizons, AO, and SWG. Asheron's Call has extreemly superior gameplay, and game features. It is technically a far better game than EQ. It is a shame AC is not aggresivly advertised.
In many other games, as soon as you create your character you know exactly what your character will be like at level 10, 20, 50, etc... while you are still level 1. Because all templates are the same, because you have no choice in deciding how to form and build your character. MMORPGs are suppose to be based on D&D, and role-playing. The game features in AC (and UO, SWG, and to some degree in AO) give the player 100% control over how they will form and build characters. Players are not forced to used the exact same templates. When they are level 1, they really do have no idea how they will be like at level 10, 20, 50, etc....
It is because of superior game features, and game play, that UO, and AC, are stil going very, very strong aka are highly successfull MMORPGs. Even after being out for 5+ years. Heck, even doing as good or better than many new MMORPGs. BTW, CoH cannot be compared to AC or any other game because CoH is STILL IN BETA! After CoH has been released for 1 solid year can it be compared to the industry standard. CoH still cannot be direcetly compared to AC because they are very different games with different target audiances. One is futuristic/modern "sci-Fi" with super heros. One is D&D/Tolkien- themed.
AC is a classic game. When CoH lasts for 5 years then it can be called a classic. When CoH lasts 1 year then it can be called a success. AC is worth going back to, or even starting new, or even checking out because of its superiour gameplay, and game features.
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MMORPG games I've played:
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http://community.webshots.com/user/xplororor
Star Wars Galaxies:
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http://community.webshots.com/user/capt_xplororor
More games:
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http://community.webshots.com/user/xplororor_archives01