Atys
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Free for All: Will there ever be another setting like Ryzom's Atys?
Ah, Ryzom. To this day it remains one of my favorite MMORPGs for several reasons. I was reminded just how much I still enjoy the game when I logged in to witness a storm rolling through the land, lightning sizzling from the sky, rain falling straight down on my character's head. The planet that Ryzom players find themselves on is called Atys, and it's no ordinary planet. In fact, it's not a planet at all. Instead, it's a giant rootball that floats in space. Yes, a rootball. I'm no scientist, but I'm pretty sure that a massive rootball is an impossible thing, but it doesn't matter. The game's original designers were French, and if you follow French MMOs, you know they always seem to come up with something completely unique. In this case, Atys is literally made up of a wad of giant roots and bark. I have to wonder: Why aren't there more unique settings like Atys in gaming today?
Free for All: My five favorite MMOs for exploration
There's nothing more important to me than the ability to freely explore MMOs. Heck, exploration is the reason I got into MMOs. I remember grabbing that box of Ultima Online (man, I wish I still had that box!) from a shelf at the local game store and looking in wonder at just how vast this virtual world seemed to be. I'm still the same way, although after years of doing this, I am a bit more cynical about games. I've heard so many promises that never came true, but I know that even the worst of titles offers the chance to explore a brand-new world. There are a lot of exploration mechanics out there. Free Realms has an adventurer "job," The Secret World needs players to explore to solve mysteries, Guild Wars 2 offers experience based on discovering new areas, EverQuest II entices people to explore by offering collectible items embedded in the ground, and there are so many MMOs that allow players to gain experience just by approaching areas they haven't before. But I have my favorites. These are games that just make me feel like an explorer.
Exclusive Ryzom interview details player wipes and server merges
If you have been a Ryzom fan as long as I have, you know that the road to Atys has been long and bumpy. Unfortunately, the bumps haven't stopped. Winchgate has just announced that it's planning to merge existing servers and wipe existing characters. That means if you have built characters over these last several years, they will no longer be as they were Massively interviewed Vianney Lecroart, Ryzom's CTO, to ask about what this means for the game and community, so read on for first the official announcement and then Lecroart's comments.
Free for All: Ryzom might still be the most original MMO there is
It seems, even to me, that I tend to dislike more games than I like these days. Not only do I think there's a lack of really good "AAA" titles, but I also find a lot of yucky gameplay in titles from all sizes of developers from all over the world. Yes, I dislike as many indie MMOs, if not more, than AAAs. But the latest title I give the snooty stinkeye to has to be The Secret World. I'm half-kidding and will be reserving much of my opinion for later on after I have played it for longer, but right now, I'm just not blown away by it. I'm not immersed or sucked in as much as I would like to be. That could change, of course. Then I log back in to a game like Ryzom and see just how far things have come. That is to say, not very far. After all, if you really look at what Ryzom does (and you have no excuse; it's free to play to half max-level now), it will sort of depress you that no other games are being made like it nowadays. At least, not exactly.
Free for All: The coziest places in free-to-play
Cozy. It's a word that seems more at home in a Martha Stewart magazine than in the column for a website about MMORPGs. Cozy can mean quite a few things, but I love the way that the word can instantly make sense to almost anyone. Think about it -- think about what cozy might mean to you. It means a place that makes you feel warm or safe, a place that begs you to stay for a while. The reason I am so attracted to cozier spots in MMOs is because they can be few and far between these days, or they exist but the content pushes you through so fast that you forget to stop and relax for a while. That speedy content, in my opinion, has helped bring roleplay to its knees. I remember when it was more common to be roleplaying instead of the opposite. These special, inviting spots slow us down and help us remember that we're playing multiplayer games, games with other real people who are experiencing the same places we are at the same time. So, here is a small list of five of the most coziest places in free-to-play. In my opinion, of course. Feel free to add your own.
Free for All: Gaming with Game of Thrones
I have really been enjoying the new series Game of Thrones over on the HBO network. In fact, when I recently changed to a faster internet provider, I deliberately added on the exclusive channel just for the series. Even though I have never read the books, a 15-minute preview of the show was enough to convince me to watch it. While I am truly enjoying the break from fantasy that is chock-full of smart-alec modern-day references (all delivered by smirking hipsters with swords), I admit to still being a little afraid that the series will take a turn for the goofy or overly dramatic. If a single vampire shows up in this one, I am going to turn it all off and go on a long vacation. So far, though, it's been a delightful romp into a cold, realistic world. After I watch a new episode, I avoid the internet for fear of random spoilers or the temptation to look at character bios. I simply do not want to know what's going to happen, so please do not tell me. Since the series has started, I have begun to notice how I enjoy the same basic entertainment in my gaming. I want political intrigue, amazing landscapes, and the occasional epic, bloody fight. Join me past the cut and let's look at some games that provide those three things.
Ryzom patch adds new boss, occupations
Yumeroh, Community Liaison for the science-fantasy MMORPG known as Ryzom, writes in to tell us about the upcoming 1.9.0 content patch. The game, which recently made headlines when the developers decided to make the source code and art assets freely available under the open source GNU Affero General Public License, continues to update and expand the commercial client as a service to existing customers. The new content patch will introduce a marauder boss called Dante the Teaser, as well as a new game mechanic called Occupations. Occupations bring a bit of structure to the game's traditional sandbox skill-building system, and were designed to further roleplay opportunities, introduce new player goals, and allow for progression via regenerative items. Players will need to perform collection and processing tasks specific to each of the new occupations (examples of which include Butcher, Magnetic Cartographer, and Florist) in order to obtain and progress with the new regenerative items. The items then act as temporary stat boosters when consumed. You can check out all the details on the official forums.
Ryzom brings eggs and bunny ears to Atys
Over the years, we have seen Ryzom have its ups and downs. Despite setbacks in the past, the community still remains very strong, supportive and the game is finally receiving a lot of the love that it always should have. New patches, added community web applications, roleplay information stored and organized; all signs that the game is not going anywhere anytime soon. The graphics are still beautiful, the sandbox style gameplay unique and the weather and animal AI systems are something you literally will not find in any other MMORPG. And now the game has a recurring celebration that kicks off this Easter weekend! Complete with an egg hunt, riddles to be solved, great prizes and even a race of epically cute proportions, this event brings joy to the old and wonder to the new. If you haven't played yet and want to try your hand at surviving Atys, get yourself a 21 day trial.
One Shots: A strange escort
While Ryzom may not have the largest game population out there, they do have a passionate group of players who enjoy all the unique and interesting things that the world of Atys has to offer them. Today, we have another interesting tale sent in to us by Steven K. who likes to keep us up to date on his adventures in Ryzom. He writes in: "I was out hunting with a few guildmates, when we stumbled across these odd creatures. Totally docile herbivores, trying to eke out an existence amongst the nasty Kitin that continue to terrorize the local grazing population. The most peculiar thing was that they surrounded me, as if to guard me, and continued to do so for the entire afternoon. I made the decision at that point to not hunt these creatures, regardless of the potential benefit their hides and bones might bring me." Are you spending time in a game we may not see that often? Would you like to tell people about your adventures? Why not take a few minutes, grab a screenshot, and send it in to us here at oneshots AT massively DOT com! Make sure you include your name and the name of the game along with your screenshot and story. Also please ensure your image is at least 1024px wide and has no visible UI elements. Your story may be featured next here on One Shots. %Gallery-85937%
One Shots: Just when you thought the snows were over
With a recent patch offering some much appreciated code updates (including Win7 support) Ryzom is still rolling along, thanks to its devoted player-base. However, it would appear that much like the waves of winter in the Northern hemisphere, Atys is experiencing snowfalls that keep coming back as well. Our Ryzom regular, Steven K., writes in to explain this wintry shot: Having my fill of another snowfall this morning, and not in the mood to brush the snow off the roof of my small home in Yrkanis, I went searching for some inspiration. I found it sitting in an unlikely spot. So I quickly plopped down my easel, and my bum, and scribbled this painting out before the sun melted the snowflakes off the overhanging trees. One Shots is all about you -- so we need you to send in your screenshots. All you have to do is email them to us here at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name, the name of the game, and a quick description. We'll post them out here on Massively and give you the credit. How cool is that! %Gallery-85937%
