AC1 whats it like?

Garrik · August 2005

Can anyone tell me abit about AC1 as i have never actually played it but have heard great things, whats the current population of the ac servers on average, im just wondering because im looking to try this game but dont really want to get involved if a game is dieing out, also the fact that ac2 got the boot kinda put me off. Thanks for any info.

Garrik

Jenuviel · August 2005

As far as server populations, there's really no way to know at this point. Generally, there are a few places where you're always likely to find people (Withered Atoll, Path of the Blind, Eastwatch), but a lot of the world is relatively empty. I guess it'd be pretty comparable to Saga of Ryzom, really, which you have in your signature. At the moment, Leafcull appears to be the most populated server, though that's based on the number of available cottages, which isn't necessarily accurate. For hard numbers: when server populations were still shown at the launch of the expansion pack, the peak server populations were all around 500-600, with off-hours population numbers of around 200-300.

As far as what the gameplay is like, there are a number of threads on that. Check out the one called "What's So Good About AC1."

With regard to the life cycle of AC1, it's fair to say that it reached its peak and has begun the trip down the back side of that hill. The people who still play it, myself included, are essentially the faithful fans. I believe there are enough of us to keep the game going for at least another year, possibly two or more. If the letter from the folks at Turbine is to be believed, they plan to continue supporting the game, so that's something. Really, any estimate on how long the game will survive by fans or critics is entirely guesswork, though. It'll live as long as it's making more money than it costs to run, and only Turbine knows where that threshold is.

Adreal · August 2005

Can anyone tell me abit about AC1 as i have never actually played it but have heard great things

Indeed it was great in its time, predominantly because it had no instancing (that I can think of) and a fairly large world. Being new to MMOGs when I played it, it was my favorite and I've had many good memories of it.

whats the current population of the ac servers on average

It's hard for me to tell. Most of the towns though have become ghost towns; you'll hardly ever find anyone in Holtburg any more except in Darktide (some higher levels hang out there). Even Qalabar on some servers and Ayan Baqur are sparsely populated (and sometimes completely empty). It's a rather sad thing to see these days since once they were havens to droves of people - some of them friends. A rough guess of mine would be 1-2k people per server.

im looking to try this game but dont really want to get involved if a game is dieing out

As far as the playerbase is concerned, AC1 is dying out. I'm ready and willing to come back to it whenever they turn around though with a server that whipes all updates (save for graphical ones) and brings AC back to its beginning (perhaps with an alternate storyline as you play from there). I still miss the old Lugian Citadel where I fought for so long with patron and friend. I also miss having the piles of useless junk and treasure littering the floor after a wave of monsters and having flaming arrows embedded in walls and in the ground (they did away with retrievable arrows a while back).

With regard to the life cycle of AC1, it's fair to say that it reached its peak and has begun the trip down the back side of that hill.

Yeah. Hard thing to see it pass away. I still have hope that Turbine will bring one server back to its former glory, but by the time they get around to doing it, it may be too late. A good part of recapturing the old days also rests on the back of the players. At any rate, AC is still a decent game, but was a better game within the first two years of its inception.

Afterall, I played on the server Thistledown that Tim the Enchanter (the first 126) and Mithrandia were born. Tim (a gimped gharundim mage - heheh) was my brother's monarch for a time before he finally disappeared. I played back in the day when the Blood clan ruled Darktide and when there was the Shadow War with Bael'Zharon and the seas were turned red with blood (I remember standing on the bank of the inner sea and laying down in the blood).

Well, sorry about that. It's hard for me to talk about AC without a retelling of past experiences.

Jenuviel · August 2005

Honestly, I'm having as much fun now as I did in the beginning. I started playing about a month after the game launched (mostly looking for something, anything, that wasn't Everquest). I fell in love with what I found. I remember beginning in Yanshi and wandering down the western road after finishing the tutorial. I made it about 1 click when I saw a green mosswart. "Hmm," I thought, "I think I'll hit it." That's when the other six came out from behind the hill and introduced me to the lifestone. I knew fear.

It's a different game now, as the power level has become as inflated as the economy. I think taking two years off really helped my perception, though. I've played pretty much every major MMO on the market other than full PvP titles like Shadowbane, Guildwars and Planetside. I've seen some good, I've seen some bad, but I never had as much fun with any of them as I did with AC1. While AC wasn't my first MMO, it was certainly the basis for all of my comparisons in that market. I thought I might be remembering it as better than it was, so I decided to go back and give it another try. That was about two months ago now, and I'm still in love with the game. It does hurt to see Qalaba'r empty, but there are always people out on the withered atoll, my allegiance is happy and healthy (the same one I belonged to years ago), events are starting up again, and the core gameplay is still as it was.

The days where everyone was competing for kills in the level 15+ Lugian Citadels are over, but that's because everyone's now competing for kills in the level 140+ Path of the Blind (which they're making more of, just like the old citadels). There's a lot more power floating around the game now, and a lot more powerful creatures. While the populations are definitely not what they once were, the game itself is still recognizable, and arguably even better than it once was in some ways. While I was initially a bit opposed to tinkering, I'm now having some fun with it. I also had a fun time running around collecting monster seeds from the latest patch; I have a new pitcher plant and a flytrap in front of my seaside cottage which increase my regeneration of hp and stamina. Much fun. ::::01::

Taking those two years off meant there was a lot to see and do when I got back. The game kept moving forward while I was away, and there were a large number of quests and dungeons added during that time. Eventually, I'm sure I'll get caught up. Now that the team is getting back into "Update Mode" after the expansion, however, there will be new things to see and do around the corner. I suppose the game can't be everything to everybody, but it's just what I needed right now. To use an analogy, I tried walking around in new shoes, but my feet just got sore. Now that I've slipped on my comfortable old clogs again, I'm feeling just peachy.

Adreal · August 2005

my allegiance is happy and healthy (the same one I belonged to years ago)

I left my first allegiance a long time ago with Jbtwo being my patron on Thistledown. I forget why I left exactly, but whatever. Next to come was my decent friend Mastadon who would have taken me in, but rather told me that it might be best to have this other guy as my patron so I took up the "other guy" as my patron and later found out that he was Japanese/Korean or whatever and was hardly on. Well, that didn't last long until I started looking around again (since he was never on when I was). My brother had a decent allegiance by this time, his patron being Khym Shon'Jir so I watched him play a bit and first got to know Khym through my brother's character one time when he was afk.

I introduced myself atop a tower near a beach when it was raining ig one day and we talked a bit and later my main character Adreal came under leadership of Khym and the clan of Ursus Major (I think was the name of the monarch). There was also Zake who was a dagger guy and pretty much second from the top I believe. Anyway, that was the longest allegiance I stayed in. When my brother left, Khym Shon'Jir left and the allegiance started to disintegrate. I heard a rumor that it moved to DT and later I met up with Khym again (much later), and told him that I wasn't planning on quitting the game any time soon, but I forget what happened after that and we drew apart again. Never seen him since.

Well, I don't really have anyone to head back to so that's not very inviting. And as you've said, everyone's a great deal higher level now and everyone's in the powerleveling mode of play, etc. I would like to come back to AC, but I just don't think I'd get far before I started running into the many ghost towns and level 70 creatures outside of newbie areas, and so on. It might still be fun, and I do think that great things have happened with the game in the past (among these: spell research, fishing, tinkering, and advances in alchemy); it'd just be too depressing though with most of the old playerbase vacant. Like I said before, if they bring one server of AC1 back to its beginning days I will be glad to come back if I have internet by then (until then I'm on my library's computers). It would be very refreshing.

Adreal · August 2005

Just to digress in reminiscence...

I remember the costume parties held outside of Qalabar. I remember Adreal with his golden chain hauberk, olthoi sword, and steel plate legs. There's also a memory of exploring near Holtburg one night (both IG and in RL at night) with a torch. In Qalabar I once bought and dropped piles of mugs of ale for everyone in town to drink. I remember my first atlan weapon and going on the quest with Mastadon and his friends to get my Sword of Lost Light (Khym Shon'Jir had provided many of the keys I believe).

Fighting in the Lugian Citadel was also a key memory of mine, healing others when they got low on health and helping out or fleeing from the long trains of gigas and lithos rumbling down the dark stone halls. I enjoyed the winters with snowballs and flaming jack o'lanterns. I remember when I got my first bandit sword (was of oriental design). I remember casting my first recall spell after research in a lone outpost in the desert with Khym. It took me back to Qalabar and I thought it was so cool that I cast it again.

I remember the hordes of drudges that once congregated out in the fields and beneath the forests south of Holtburg near the road. Most of my time was spent exploring the world (by level 12 I had been from Holtburg to the Hub - now called Sub/Subway). I also remember fighting shadows and then olthoi (the two biggest foes at the time) and thinking that it was pretty cool. I was never a major part of the Shadow War, but I remember when Bael'Zharon littered the floor of his lair with at least a hundred corpses of players. I remember also fighting the Shadow of Black Ferah (or some such name) with a group of people and running through a cavern covered with poisonous slime that brought your health down quite fast.

There was also the time I saw my first Crater Invasion. I remember standing atop the tower and watching Khym fight a magma golem down below. I remember being led through the crater caves into a pit of hot air and magma terrain and slowly being burned alive while fighting off golems and elementals. I remember many things about the game; zefyrs (sp?), virindi, wasps, undead, banderlings, droves of rats, animated snowmen, finding an igloo in the wilderness, etc.

Anyway, I've got to get going.

Garrik · August 2005

Thanks for all this great info, the game sure does sound pretty amazing, but please can you just answer this for...Is the game worth buying at this moment in time or is it pretty pointless to start up this late when the game has been around so long. Thanks again for you Amazing replies they where very in depth and enjoyable to read.

Thanks alot

Garrik

Adreal · August 2005

Thanks for all this great info, the game sure does sound pretty amazing

Well, again, to address your first post in this thread about AC2 getting the boot - the only thing(s) that AC2 held over AC1 in my opinion were the graphics and extended crafting. Asheron's Call was a decent game as one of my first. If you're new to MMOGs in general, then I might still suggest trying it out. You used to be able to play it from the www.zone.com but you have to go through Turbine's site now I think. Anyway, I quit before the transfer from Microsoft to Turbine so it might be best to talk to Jenuviel about that.

So in short, AC1 was amazing and still might be if it had a solid playerbase to it that wasn't spread so thin. I have only a little advice if you do choose to try it out: don't play on Dark Tide unless you feel like getting killed by level 126s+ at level 1. With my level 40 character I still had to be careful these days on that server and wary of others (because most players are gone and only the hardcore remain). Also a few of the features I mentioned in previous posts no longer exist in AC (like retrievable arrows, old hunting grounds, etc) but spell research still exists if you wish to experiment with it (my suggestion would be to go with that old system and shun scrolls for the most part); it's more fun experimenting and then finally getting a spell right and being able to cast it. So goodluck with the choice. Should get advice from more than one person. By the way, are you new to this genre? I mean, is Ryzom your only MMORPG?

Garrik · August 2005

Thank you very much again for the great info Adreal i still cant decide, as for being new to mmorpgs nah im not been playing them for years and im just trying to find one to play and stick at for a while because iv lost interest in all the ones i used to play i'v already tested and tried pretty much most of the gamelist on this site but iv never played AC1 ever and i realised that and decided to look into it . I think ill do what you say and just ask around, maybe ill even post on the AC1 forums. Thanks again for the help, i appriciate it .

Garrik

Jenuviel · August 2005

I don't think you'll have to worry about the playerbase being "too far" ahead. There are a number of people who are quite far out there, but there are also a bunch of people like myself who have made new Viamontian characters. Leveling in AC is quite a bit easier to do these days, as well. My new character is level 92 already, and I really wasn't familiar with the new landscape when I started her. It's quite easy to find good equipment now, and there are a lot of terrific places for hunting. Furthermore, one thing has held true in nearly every long-term game I've played: veteran players love true newbies. You could easily make your way in the world on your own (the game is extremely solo-friendly), but you'd find no shortage of patrons willing to help you along with game knowledge, quest help, equipment, you name it.

Obviously, I'm biased when it comes to this game, since I'm already paying a monthly fee to be a part of it. There's no guarantee whatsoever that you'll enjoy what you find. I love it, but everyone has their own little mental checklist that they carry along with them, and you may or may not find what you're looking for here. If you do decide to try it, I'm sure the world will welcome you. The forum community, however...well, that's another thing that all "old" MMOs have: a lot more unhappy former players than brand new games. AC has had six years to add content, but it's also had six years to accumulate angry ex-players, and a lot of them still troll the boards screaming doom and gloom messages (particularly on the Vault Network boards). There is some fair criticism of the game (no game is perfect), but a lot of what you'll come across is just the same misplaced anger you'll see on the EQ boards, the SWG boards, the WoW boards, basically everywhere. Then again, you're here on the MMORPG.com boards, so I'm sure I'm not telling you anything you don't already know.

Anyway, a very good site for game information: Maggie the Jackcat's AC Page

A route finder: Dereth Navigation

A great map resource: AC Maps

Now, they're all spoiler sites, so don't feel you need to visit any of them if you prefer a pure experience. Maggie's in particular has a ton of knowledge in a variety of areas, though. Everything from housing prices and locations, merchants, crafts, patch notes, you name it.

in4sit · August 2005

AC1 was my first online game that I played. I played AC for about 4 years and I must say I had some good times. The quests and things you can do in the game are fun and when I started playing, it was not hard to find people at all to play around with. I got out of this game because most of my friends stoped playing and went on to other games. So, I did as well.

The game is really one of the "old" online games, details on pictures, game play, combat etc.. it just doesn't hold up to the newer online games that are out now. A bad game? No, but just don't go in to the game thinking its going to be the best thing around.

Falconoffury · September 2005

How is the gameplay and combat not as good as newer games? I think no game has surpassed AC in those qualities.

Morrigan · September 2005

Going to agree with Falcon here. Over 5 years now playing it, still the one I go back to. The eye candy is not there, but the game itself is very fun if eye candy is not everything to you.

Give me fun gameplay where I don't get bored in a few weeks/months. That is what I get with each new eye candy game that comes out unfortunately.

krynndraxos · September 2005

I've played AC1 since January 2000. I play casually and only have 1 character past 100th level. (my main is 107th). I've stopped to play Shadowbane, Horizons, and World of Warcraft. I liked all 4 games for different reasons.

I was big on the Warcraft games since the 1st. World of Warcraft is like eye candy to me in the way of gameplay.

AC1 was my 1st MMORPG so it is kind of the standard I've compared all games with since. Fun skill based characters with the option to PK on all servers except Dark Tide which is completely PK. Every month there is perpetual storyline involving NPC's trying to change the face of Dereth.

Horizons was a decent concept, but for people like me who love dragons it was a disappointment. Dragons were never as majestic in my humble opinion, and that's why I put it on my shelf and stopped.

Shadowbane is right up there with AC1. Different but great. PK based. This game reminds me the most of playing pen and paper D&D over the years but with guilds and politics thrown in for good measure. Power comes with prosperity and followers.

If you are interested in playing AC1, try it and you get a freebie month before needing to pay monthly fees. That's plenty of time to decide if you like it. I agree it's fairly easy to level, and people enjoy starting new characters when they get bored, so finding people your level isn't terribly difficult. Even so, the game is designed so you may venture solo if you choose. I've played solo in AC1 for most of the time I've played. More because I play so casually than any other reason. Find someone you like to hunt with, feel comfortable asking questions, and stick with this person and allegiance.

Rustypipe · September 2005

I fully agree on the combat engie / gameplay. No MMORPG to date has come EVEN CLOSE to the combat engine AC1 put in place so many years ago. Unlike all the other cookie cutter MMORPG's out there the combat engine in AC1 is fast, intresting, and skill oriented. Its just not about number mashing your speical abilties its about knowing creatures weekenesses, dodging rocks, arrows, and spells ! **this I would like to point out is something dev's should REALLY start looking into agian as I don't know about the rest of the commnity but espically from the PVP stand point this auto hitting crap all the new MMORPG's are coming out with is BOARING. Like really i had an axe chase me around 2 trees and a damn rock in WoW, from that point I lost all hope for that game. Anyhow back on track, one thing that will defently not let you down is the combat engine it is still the best out there in my own opinion.

Also I two had some of my best MMORPG memories ever in ac1 before they patched the snot out of it and geared it for SUPER high lvl. lvl 126+. I lost intrest in it at that point as the PVP was rediculous, espically with the introduction to weeping weapons.

Anyhow long story short, good game, good combat engine, older graphics. If you enjoy a game for fun factor and not just eye candy give it a crack. You can probably pickup the game and new expansion for probably 40$ if not less, and that will give you 1 free month to try it out anyway. If you don't like it just stop playing after you months up.

fisherc · September 2005

It's a good game.

Level's aren't everything, remember, if you are in it for lore and exploration it's the completion of quests not levels that matter hehe.

Make a Char to be powerleveled but also play another and level it on your own to experience the game a little though, the content you are experiencing most likely is a few years old and not with the current story arc.

I play darktide, I only recommend it if risk of loss/frustration and politics/dungeon control/war make a game more interesting for you. If that does not apply the darktide is not for you. I believe leafcull actually had one of the higher populations last time I checked, though I'm not sure. Verdantine is the newest server, I think it was also the most deserted?

Since I play DT I didn't realize the lore and fun quests I had missed until I was higher level and going back and doing them for fun, talking to everyone I could find in each city to see what they had to say etc.

Nate90909 · October 2005

Man you guys have reminded me of the good ol' days...ahh...To bad there is no more running battles...the dodging of arrows the whish of an acid strike...all on the runn at highh speedsss...

I just wish I could find a game to replace AC...alas to no avail

Those were the days...

-Achilles- · October 2005

AC1's community is great, I've met hundreds of people over the years, and some I'll remember until the day I die, as we've grown to become great friends.

Well, I'll start off on gameplay, it's fast, it's intense, and the only way I can describe it is as, the feeling of a fast paced FPS like Half Life 2 or 1...with the strategic thinking of a RTS, mostly in PvP, which way am I going to slide cast? Which spell am I going to use, arc or bolt? and so on. Crafting, not as deep, yet none the less more complex then most out there. The GUI is easy to use...

Lore, you can't even compare to anything, it's as detailed as Lord of the Rings if your willing to read enough of it, the just of it being written by Stormwaltz, a dev of the olden days. There's over 5000 years worth of history, may be off a bit, yet I know it's in the thousands...easily.

As for it dying, not really. I'd say it's leveled out now. I've actually seen a increase on my home server of Wintersebb, AC's going to be around for a long time, trust me on this one.

Dobi2004 · November 2005

come and join us.

There is more than you could ever imagine available in AC1. Something and someone for every level.

My server is Thistledown. Love it and am staying until the *end.*

SpiritofGame · December 2005

Although I haven't played for a few years now, I still fondly remember AC (started Jan. 2000), and still have a friend from my old guild who I e-mail about games on a regular basis.

Unfortunately the game is very dated now. If they could transfer the game graphics to an entirely updated engine and add motion-capture animations, etc., might re-new interest in the game (however, I have no idea if that is even feasible).

I want to lobby Turbine to make "Asheron's Call: The Shadow Wars," a PRE-quel based on similar AC game mechanics with the same landmass BUT playable races being the Shadows, the Empyreans, the Undead, and other "neutral" Races (for PvE lovers, crafters, etc.) and turn the game into a PvP-fest with the Shadows holding land and towns in the west, Empyreans in the east, Undead in the north and Neutrals (no PvP) in the south. Central "No Man's Land" open for territorial conquest and occupation (and phat lewt).

Unknown · January 2006

Left AC1 so long ago but I miss it sometimes. I played on Thistledown (patron Titan..he had many titan's...titansmage titanswarrior ect) and never really was sold on the game but lots of folks I still call friend played there so I did as well. Now Titan is gone forever and I will never be able to return but I'm glad so many still like the game. *Salute* Momser, Clarence,Splash,grumpy,Hellswrath (many more but my memory is having an off day). Formally Jedron the Grim.

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