I am currently looking for a sandbox like game to call home.
I am trying to decide whether I want to play AA or BDO
BDO looks nice and its just 30 usd to play permanently but the no trading allowed turns me off a lot, since I enjoy playing the Auction House in games to build wealth for gear.
ArcheAge got horrible reviews on this site but on there forums it seems the population is very healthy.
I also know AA is considered P2W but I don't mind it much, im more focused on myself being able to succeed not others.
I enjoy market reselling(playing AH), also PVP
Any advice would be great, thanks
Comments
EDIT : Despite most eu servers being balanced in population Shatigon is the most populated one, so just go with it if you decide playing on eu.
Boobs are LIFE, Boobs are LOVE, Boobs are JUSTICE, Boobs are mankind's HOPES and DREAMS. People who complain about boobs have lost their humanity.
It was action combat with quick respawns so you didn't really have time to chit chat with people in gchat let alone area chat (chat bubbles lasted 2 seconds so you weren't gonna see it anyways). I felt if I didn't stop and run for out of the zone I was grinding to respond I would die.
The economy was very restrictive. I can't tell you how many times I would find a rare crafting mat just to see there was 0 on the AH and think I would make a nice profit. Nope it was capped at 2k silver a unit and sold to the vendor for 700 (AH takes a 35% cut). And if you needed that mat to craft you would have to camp the AH for 30~45 mins to get that 5-10 you need to craft or go out and get it yourself which isn't always quick.
Top it off with the Ghille suit (it was a cosmetic for $30 that made it so your nameplate never showed) BS and the game just wasn't for me.
Archeage was full on P2W or that would be my ideal MMO. I came back for 2-3 months after 2.0 hit got about 13k gold and quit when I kept getting destroyed by people that had been rumored to spend 1k a month on cash shop items.
If you can deal with P2W I would say Archeage hands down. Right now I wouldn't recommend Black Desert if your looking for a sandbox (if your ok with single player sandbox I guess its ok).
Edit: Should also add if you like ESO PvE you might like BDO. There is a lot you can get lost on. For me though its mostly fluff. I prefer to progress my character not explore and do RP things.
Both games have some rather serious flaws but since playing the AH is your single most important enjoyment, then the answer is definitely AA.
Also, it is what you make of it. If you sit down and search for a guild that is active then you have already solved your main problem with the game. (Also you can make other tabs in chat so you don't have to see the general chat)
As far as the other things with Black Desert, it is to prevent Gold Traders and "paying to win". Also the fact that none of the items you get are soulbound, so you can just buy some strong weapon, give it to a low level and resell it later. There has to be some sort of money sink and frankly it gets the job done.
For the Ghille suit you glow red when you enter combat or if you are marked as a criminal, so it really is a non-issue. If anything its a way for that player to avoid PvP rather than have any sort of advantage in it. Also the fact that you cannot see the gear other players are wearing, so attacking someone flat out is potentially instant death for said ghille suit user.
Regarding the original post. Black Desert is by far the best MMO I have played in years, it is what a lot of people have been asking for but yet people (Due to being the internet, yay) will still find things to complain about. If your in the middle for both games, then it would come down to if you want action combat or not. Both games are an equal grind, but one has much heavier p2w element were as black desert has no ways of paying for better gear.
You lost me at the Ghille suit being a non issue. Only way to get people to glow red is by having a dog. To get a dog you have to pay. And don't try and say Flares. You can get 9 a day from dailies and They have a 10 yard range and last 5 seconds. When your fighting in mostly forest areas and have insane mobility like some classes its broken.
And the no trading is cutting off your nose to spite your face. And it didn't even work. Gold sellers are rampant in chat. Guess there's some exploit where you can still shift gold to someone.
The "Gold" Sellers are advertising Pearl Shop items which are not tradeable or to sell accounts probably with pearl shop items.
There defiantly posting for gold too. I know you can trade potions. But i think there was an exploit you could do it another way. May have been fixed but there was still gold sellers as of 2 days ago.
Potions become bound now, so technically I guess you could buy them but you can't sell them, not even to npcs. You can't trade gold tough.
Too many people are falling for these stupidly obvious scams.
http://origin.webcdn.theblackdesertonline.net/forum/service_live/monthly_03_2016/3-13-2016_11-17-02_PM.jpg.ef1fc709cb89c14ed5b6dace01653779.jpg
Ghillie suit
http://forum.blackdesertonline.com/index.php?/topic/42534-the-ghillie-suit/
https://gfycat.com/FrenchDistantEmeraldtreeskink
Last post in this thread as its obvious we are both set on our positions.
But just to be clear, I wasn't ever saying there's no gold spam. Just, what they are "selling" is an obvious scam, but apparently some people still fall for them.
Black Desert is much more "fair" in my opinion. Look at how easy it is to get a +15 Liverto in BDO vs. a divine fully gemmed Delphinaud weapon in AA. Now, it's not a better option because it's "easier" and it certainly isn't a free handout, however it allows new players to catch up to people who have played a long time. There is still "skin in the game" for sure, but it isn't as intense as AA.
AAs market is also filled with real $$ influence. So if you want a Market free of real $ influence BDO is better. You can't trade directly, and everything has a set price range, but that is the best part because some stupid cash shop update isn't going to destroy the economy of the game. Everyone is going to have the same experience in making money from trading and from other professions/investments according to time invested and skill level. The stability is quite comforting to me anyways.
Combat in BDO is 10x better than AA as well.
Looking forward to: Crowfall / Lost Ark / Black Desert Mobile
1) You actually need to find a spot. (Probably not so much of an issue anymore these days)
2) You have to keep paying RL money to keep what you worked so hard for. Which is what kills it for me. (Or alternatively, farm like a fiend and hope someone else is willing to pay for your patron status through the AH I suppose) Either way, if you leave the game, or stop playing for a while, bye bye house.
My SWTOR referral link for those wanting to give the game a try. (Newbies get a welcome package while returning players get a few account upgrades to help with their preferred status.)
https://www.ashesofcreation.com/ref/Callaron/
AA- You can trade land and sea, its more competitive especially guild wise, and there are pirates.
Its a challenge
BDO- Its mostly starting up, I haven't seen any hardcore ganking, but there is no sea trade, only land.
Do you care much for player housing?
AA - You must have a subscription for housing, and it is open world, build-anywhere (in housing zones)
BDO: There are houses in every city you can buy, it's not willy nilly.
AA: Free to play, yes it is Pay to Win. I love the clothing system, the housing is alright, the trading is good, the mounts and travel is nice, two-player mounts at the start. I love travel by air and sea.
Its pretty, but I feel like PvP is more hardcore as well. I love the tutorial it shows you how to farm, boat, and build from the beginning. + a nice a mount.
BDO - Is deliciously beautiful. Parkour. Mounts are hard to get in the beginning. Its a donkey at first, slower than walking. Actually even a tier one horse is a bit slower than walking and sprint bursts.
The housing is wonderful. The NPCs are alive and there is a day and night cycle. You will wear the same outfit for like the first 15-20 levels its annoying as hell. A bit grindy and the farming is alright, trading is alright. BUT I made a lot of frirends, the community is nice too!
Hugs!
Any questions do ask.
-Kat
“Microtransactions? In a single player role-playing game? Are you nuts?”
― CD PROJEKT RED