Massively talks with Aeria about Eden Eternal, spies a trailer

Aeria Games has a lot of games under its roof, so why not add one more? Eden Eternal, the latest up-and-comer from developer X-Legend Entertainment, allows players to host their own guild towns and play up to 15 character classes. Tired of your current class? No problem -- just switch to another one. Players can switch as much as they like (while outside of combat) so getting a full group together should be no problem!

Luckily, we were able to fire off some questions to Aeria. The company also sent along a trailer that shows off five of the potential 15 classes that you can find in the game. During beta, players will only access 12 of the classes, but for some reason we think that will keep player plenty busy. Each class falls under one of five classic MMORPG class branches: melee DPS, ranged DPS, magic DPS, healing, and tanking. Each class has a unique set of skills that can be accessed from every class in that particular branch. Class branches also share combat traits, and as we noted before, players will be able to switch between classes on the fly!

Click past the cut to view the trailer and to read the interview.

Massively: I have to ask first about the player towns. How do they work, what are some of the benefits, and what makes them unique?

Aeria Games: The player towns in Eden Eternal are an in-depth extension of player guilds. Players can build their town in either a desert or forest setting and will also have the ability to interact with other player towns. In fact, Towns play a pivotal role in crafting and upgrading gear. There is a lot of building options, but only 5 available building slots in each town. This guarantees each town is unique in both appearance and functionality. Leveling up the town grants access to more complex buildings and a more highly skilled NPC staff. The large variety of building types ensures a new experience for visitors at each Town.

Will a casual player be able to get a player town, or will it only be available to those hardcore few?

Player towns definitely reward dedication. Players must be part of level 3 or higher guild with at least 30 members. The Guild Leader must have a character level 30 or higher before applying for a town. Passionate, involved town owners reduce the likelihood of abandoned "ghost" towns in Eden Eternal, improving the overall experience for everyone. Although casual players may not be able to build a town on their own, they can certainly visit any of the player towns that have been created. This ensures that everyone can benefit from what the towns have to offer.


Your website mentions fast-paced combat? Is the action real-time, turn-based? What can players expect?

Players can look forward to plenty of real-time NPC and PvP combat in Eden Eternal. Fight other players in friendly "duels" or save your strength for the many roaming, huge monsters. Players will encounter a plethora of enormous dragons, trolls, evil golems and other menacing creatures. Fight multiple NPCs at once, in a party or solo. Combat is smooth and without annoying breaks and lags. The Break Point system also offers variety within combat. If a boss monster's BP damage bar is reduced to zero, it becomes damaged and its physical appearance and combat style changes. This system also allows players access to better loot when the boss is slain.

Will we be able to have a character who looks how we want him to look? How in-depth is the customization?

Players can choose a facial and hair style, then customize the character's hair, skin and eye color during character creation. In game, players gain access to a different armors and outfits as they level up. Additionally, you can use dyes to color multiple parts of your armor. Costumes and other outfits are available in the item mall.

How easy will it be for players to switch between classes?

As soon as players unlock a new class, it's as easy as point-and-click to transform your character from your old class into the new one. Progress through Eden Eternal and you'll unlock a total of 15 playable classes (only 12 are available during Beta). After switching to a new class, there is a 20-second cooldown period before you can transform again. The only other restriction is that players cannot switch classes during combat. A complete description of each class is available at Eden Eternal's official website.

Even though a player can switch between classes, what are some of the uses for it? After all, won't players just play their favorite classes as normal?

Each class has a unique set of skills. The Cleric, for example, can heal other players while the Warrior excels at direct combat. A player might use the Warrior class to fight off a crowd of nasty NPC monsters, and then switch to a Healer/Support class to repair wounds. It's also useful if you join a party with, say, too many Melee DPS classes. If you've unlocked a Ranged DPS class, you can help balance out the party. Plus, players can earn special achievements for mastering multiple classes.

How will the cash shop affect gameplay? Can you give an example of some of the items that will be sold in the shop?

Players can purchase enhanced potions, weapons and armors from the item mall. Purchased goods may allow the player to complete quests and level up more quickly; however, the level cap can definitely be reached without buying anything from the item mall. In addition to enhancements, the item mall contains a few other goodies to add variety to the gameplay experience. For example, players can purchase mounts, pets, and a special type of blinking dye that causes their character's armor to shift back and forth between colors. Players can also buy and sell goods at in-game auction houses.

We'd like to thank Aeria Games for taking the time out to answer our questions and for teasing potential players with a new trailer. You can sign up for the closed beta on the official site.