Choose My Adventure: And the winner is...
Choose My Adventure is a funny column to write. At some point, you as the author know which game will likely win, but you also know that at some point everything can go wonky. I've seen games that seemed to be the sure thing get knocked off by a lone wolf or underdog. I like to poke the developers who are running the games that are in the polls in the hopes that they let their community know about the column and get the polls heating up. There's nothing like a good vote to get people excited about MMO games, and that's the way things should be.
Even though I watched the poll go a few different ways, it was relatively obvious what title was going to pull it off. I started to prepare by updating the top titles and reading up on some of their systems. Choose My Adventure is not a light undertaking; it's a real adventure -- hopefully -- through an unfamiliar world. I knew I would need the community's help in deciphering the winner.
And what a winner!
I played Age of Wushu a bit in the beta but was overwhelmed as soon as I did. It's obviously a deeper experience and will deserve much of my attention. But I'm not alone, am I? I have you and all of your advice -- or at least your votes. So what will you be voting on? What are going to be my first steps in the world of Age of Wushu? These first polls will be very important because they will make my character what he or she is. As I mentioned last week, I will likely be tapping into the Age of Wushu knowledge-well that is our very own Patrick Mackey. He'll be feeding me some clues but will not give me tons of spoilers. Thanks again to him for his help!
Where I call home: Although I have some friends on particular servers, I thought it would be fun to put this up for a vote. I know that players have different opinions about their favorite server, so what better way to show it then by forcing a vote?
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I am man or woman; hear me PvP: I debated whether I was going to put this up for a vote or not, but I think it will be fun. I have no problem playing all sorts of characters, and the poll results might be interesting. So, what will it be?
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Just starting out: There are four main starting areas as well as a "VIP" area. As I mentioned last week, I will be subscribing to the winning game; if a subscription is not available, I'll be utilizing the cash shop or equivalent services. Age of Wushu has a VIP service that requires gold. The gold is paid for with real-life funds. If you vote on the VIP village as a starting area, for example, I will welcome it with open pocketbook.
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School's in for summer: The starting schools in Age of Wushu act basically like classes, from what I can tell. This might be one of the most important polls to go up. I enjoy ranged classes, but honestly, I'm in the mood for something different. I rarely if ever play a magical class or magic user, and I've recently discovered how fun melee can be. Please, feel free to surprise me in this category. Here is a great article by Patrick that helps explain the differences!
Shaolin: Excellence in close combat, gender-locked as a man
Wudang: Really tough to kill
Emei: Support skills galore, must be a woman
Scholars: Similar to Emei, more focused on offense
Beggars: Great damage dealers
Tangmen: Masters of ranged damage
Royal Guard: Very powerful, almost to a fault
Wanderer's Valley: Evil and tons of damage
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Get a real job: I take it that my production profession is going to be how I make most of my cash. I am not fond of crafting, but then again that's a result of my not having encountered many crafting professions that are fun and interesting. Which one shall it be? Here are some clues to help you make your decision. I can learn all of the gathering skills I want, so those won't be up for vote.
Blacksmith: I can make my own weapons by becoming a blacksmith and can use my skills to make money by upgrading ingots.
Craftsman: Good for making money and not much else from what I've read
Tailor: I will be able to make my own armor and sell woven cloth
Herbalist: An herbalist can do a lot, and much of it sounds promising. I can make medicines that give long-term buffs and can sell many of the items I make to other players. On top of that I can make medicine cloth (a money-maker) without the need of a tailor. Ka-ching!
Poison Maker: Ah, this sounds nice and evil. This one works similarly to a herbalist, but instead of making nice, helpful items that make people smile, I will make and sell items that cause grief and pain. Awesome.
Cook: Maybe I'll make some nice sweet rolls with this profession? Either way, it's good for soloing, something I plan to avoid during my run with this game. Joining a group of other players will be top priority.
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Until Next Time
It's good to remember that I have already loaded up on gold -- the cash-shop funds -- and I know that there have been some debates about the game's connection to real-life funds. Despite the controversy, I will spend the gold on in-game advantages if they are worthwhile. I will generally avoid, you know, advantages, however, because I'm here to learn and not to speed to the end or max level.
If you'd like to read up on many of the intricacies of the title, please feel free to check in on Patrick's writings. I will refer to them as the specific topics come up, but generally I will avoid his information-packed articles. Players like Patrick a valuable source of details, but I don't quite need to know how this book ends. Not yet, anyway.
After these polls shut down, I will be streaming the game live on Tuesday, September 10th, at 5:00 p.m. EDT, right here on our livestream channel. I'll be working through the choices you give me and will embed the video in the column after that!
For this round of Choose My Adventure, Beau Hindman is trying something different -- different for him, anyway. He's diving into the list of MMOs that have lost in previous Choose My Adventure polls! Come back every Wednesday to vote on what he does next; goodness knows he needs the help. Tweet feedback to him at @Beau_Hindman!
