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Albion's alpha trailer highlights a whole bunch of new stuff
Albion Online's upcoming alpha event begins on January 26th, and in case you're not already excited, Sandbox Interactive has released a new trailer that may put you in the mood. The clip runs just over a minute in length, which is more than enough time to tease updated environments and textures, the new farming system, new visual effects, and large-scale PvP. Click past the cut to have a look!
Albion Online's winter test begins January 26th
Backers of Albion Online have been sitting on their hands for a while now, waiting for the next alpha test of this isometric sandbox. The good news is that Sandbox Interactive has announced that the alpha winter test will begin in a little over a month on January 26th. There will be plenty of new and updated systems to check out during this testing cycle, including an extensive farming system, consumables, more weapons, more skills, and player and guild islands. Another significant change is that players can flag themselves as friendly or hostile in PvP areas, effectively adding consensual PvP into the game. Albion Online's winter test will be available to legendary ($100) and epic ($50) founders and will last for four weeks.
Get ready to grow: Albion online adds farming
If you are all thumbs at PvP but have a green thumb in real life, Albion Online has the calling for you: farmer. The upcoming sandbox is adding an agriculture system for players to engage in when not out braving the dangers of the world. On top of a relaxing alternative to combat, farming will provide buffs via foodstuffs and potions made from the bounty of the land. The system is an involved one. Players can grow crops on farms and/or raise livestock on pastures. The farmed produce and grains can then be processed via mills and cooking pots into consumables or fed to the cattle, goats, chickens and more (which in turn produce consumables like eggs, milk, and meat). So grab your overalls and get ready to share some cakes, kabobs, pies, and potions with hungry friends and customers. [Source: Sandbox Interactive press release]
Albion Online's six-month road map
Sandbox Interactive has been busy compiling and utilizing all the information that was gleaned from Albion Online's summer alpha event last month, and now the studio has developed a new six-month road map for the game. Going off of the team's internal list that prioritizes more than 170 features of changes to the game as well as features that will be added, Founder and CEO Stefan Wiezorek presented the road map to backers and fans to give them an overall perspective of the upcoming work. Everything from crime-flagging to territory upkeep to dungeons to building to mounts is covered; even farming and salvaging have sections. It's a pretty meaty post, so for all the juicy details, head to the official forums. Wiezorek also noted that in order to reach the goal of having 50% of this list completed by the Winter Alpha event, the devs will postpone the event until mind or late January instead of December. The start date for this winter event will be available come December.
Albion Online makes it onto Steam
Albion Online is the latest upcoming MMO to garner enough community approval to make it onto Steam. Sandbox Interactive said that the sandbox title was successfully greenlit and is now an official member of the Steam family. As with other MMOs available through Valve's digital distribution platform, Albion Online will remain accessible apart from Steam. The game is currently in alpha and has founder's packs available for purchase. [Source: Sandbox Interactive press release]
Albion Online kicks off its summer alpha event
You could be forgiven for thinking it's a bit too late for "summer" events to take place right now, but Albion Online is forging ahead with its summer alpha event. The closed alpha client is now available for players to log in and explore all of the available systems, from gathering and trading resources to engaging in large-scale PvP battles. If you're not at one of the game's higher Founder tiers, of course, the alpha test is closed to you; all you can do is look on with interest and wish you were playing. Streams and reports will be coming out of this test, including one planned by our own MJ Guthrie at 2 p.m. EDT this afternoon. If you like what you see, you can pick up one of the Founder Packs, or you can just keep watching and waiting as the alpha test rolls on. [Source: Sandbox Interactive press release]
Albion Online's closed beta trailer promotes player cities and maps
Ahead of the opening of Albion Online's alpha doors on September 15th, Sandbox Interactive has released a new gameplay video detailing what's inbound for testers and new founders. Specifically, the team has been hard at work on mounts (horses for you and oxen for your stuff), guild alliances, fast-travel via ships, the housing system, improved maps (like the slick and shiny one above), castle sieges, and the player-governed cities that serve as the foundation of the game's political content. Enjoy the video after the break -- we're still oohing and aahing over that shiny skill web.
Albion Online opens its next alpha test on September 15th
Excited to get your mitts on Albion Online? If you've got alpha access, you'll get your chance on September 15th. Developer Sandbox Interactive is opening up the game to testers so they can explore the game, hunt for bugs, and find out what's changed in the most recent build if they've tested before. The current test window is for 14 days (until September 29th) but it may be extended depending on performance, feedback, and player numbers. If you're not already a tester, you can buy one of the game's founder packs to get in and start testing when September rolls around; the $50 pack is the lowest priced option to allow for participation in this particular alpha test. Or you can nab a key during a giveaway elsewhere, that will work too. [Source: Sandbox Interactive press release]
Albion Online offers a new gameplay trailer
Excited about Albion Online? Ambivalent about Albion Online? Never heard of Albion Online before this very moment whilst being extremely tired of this narrative device? Whichever category describes you, you can click on past the break to get a look at a new trailer for the game, showing just what players can expect once they load up the game. Albion Online boasts a variety of features including a player-driven economy, freeform progression, a lack of levels, and abilities defined by your choice of equipment. You can see some of it in action in the trailer; you can also support the game now to purchase alpha access and watch as the game moves through development. It's a cross-platform game designed for Windows, Macs, Android, Linux, and iOS devices.
Albion Online founder's packs available for purchase
Let's cut to the chase: You want to know how much it'll cost you to get into Albion Online alpha program in September? Fifty bucks. Thirty dollars if you're willing to wait for next year's beta. Now that your curiosity is sated, let's talk about the trio of founder's packs that Albion Online has just made available to buy. The least expensive tier is the veteran pack at $29.95, which comes with beta access in Q1 2015, in-game currency, and 30 days of premium access. The epic and legendary packs are $49.95 and $99.95 respectively, and include (among other goodies) access to the summer and winter alpha program, special nametags, cosmetic outfits, and even (in the case of the lgendary pack) mounts. Various questions about the founder's packs have been answered on a separate FAQ page. [Thanks to Laurence for the tip!]
Albion Online's houses are more than eye candy
Looking for a house in the Albion Online neighborhood? There isn't a lot there at the moment, just empty lots and plenty of potential, but the devs are promising that players will find housing indespensible when the game arrives. In a new blog post, the team talks about how players will be able to claim a slice of open world land on which to build a lovely villa (or to use for various crafting needs). While housing will fulfill the need of interior decorators, a great deal of thought has been given to make them functional. Houses will store wardrobes and chests for extra inventory, provide a respawn point, buff your character via trophies, and give a temporary boost to your hit points and energy. Players may choose from one of three permission levels when it comes to allowing others to visit and even modify the place.
Albion Online puts an interesting twist on fast travel
Curious about getting around in Albion Online? After last week's dev blog on mounts, the team expanded on world travel with this week's blog all about fast travel. The sandbox MMO has implemented fast travel based on user feedback, but the feature has some interesting limitations. For one, fast travel can only happen over water. It is also limited to safe cities and hubs, and costs a fair bit of money. As a bit of an RP element, fast travel is done like ship travel, so the cost will go up according to the weight you're carrying. This makes sure that players won't use fast travel at all times, and may take into consideration whether travel by foot or horseback might be the better choice in particular situations. You can sign up for Albion Online's alpha testing at the official site. [Thanks for the tip, Dengar!]
Albion Online's mounts are for riding, not fighting
A new dev diary regarding Albion Online's mounts reveals that the beasts will be strictly for transportation only. "The player is unable to fight, gather or interact with any buildings while on horseback. Mounts will provide a number of buffs to the character, which are effective immediately when they mount, and deactivate when they dismount," the team posted. While mounts won't be trampling over enemy's corpses, they will come in armored versions that can shrug off more damage if a player is attacked. Mounts are not only represented by horses, but oxen as well, with the latter being more suited to transporting goods over long distances. You can see a quick video of Albion's mounts in action after the break! [Thanks to Dengar for the tip!]
Albion Online redefines character progression through the Destiny Board
Albion Online is ditching the traditional level grind mechanic for something they call the Destiny Board that allows for more control and specialization for characters. The Destiny board was molded entirely by the feedback of players who were unhappy with the previous version that saw progression they felt was too linear. Now, instead of completing tasks and quickly moving on to the next one, players can choose to dive deeper into any aspect of their character, from combat strategies and tactics to a specific craft or trade. You can try the sandbox MMO out for yourself soon by signing up for the upcoming closed beta. [Source: Sandbox Interactive press release]
Albion introduces player-driven cities
Albion's latest press release talks up the fantasy sandbox's new player-driven cities. Initially said cities will be empty and will provide players with the opportunity to both claim them and "create whole new societies from the ground up." "These new cities will be strewn throughout the world, including deep inside PvP territory; these cities will be places where all players, regardless of their guild affiliations, can build houses and storage for themselves, utilize crafting stations and trade at an auction house, access their vaults, and otherwise prepare themselves for venturing back out into danger," explains lead game designer Robin Henkys. Cities will be owned by a single controlling guild, which will reap various benefits including market and property taxes. Click past the cut for more details. [Source: Sandbox Interactive press release]
Albion Online's alpha begins today, updates highlighted in video
Are you interested in diving into Albion Online's closed alpha that launched today? If so, zip on over to the official site; the cross-platform sandbox offered a limited number of keys for this test run, and you can still sign up for a chance at a testing spot even if you missed out on the giveaway. Testers will see new updates that include customizable player housing which can affect player stats, new guild functionality including customizable coats of arms and searching for guild tools, a local marketplace for trade, and an in-game mail system. Players can also choose from more male avatars as well as the new female avatars. Get a glimpse of house building as well as the other updates in the video below. [Source: Sandbox Interactive press release]
Albion Online trailer shows the dire consequences of wardrobe selection
"Heroes aren't born, they're made," the new Albion Online trailer states. "You are what you wear." Sandbox Interactive's latest alpha trailer delivers a humorous illustration of how the gameplay can abruptly change with a simple costume switch. Players have different abilities, including gathering and fighting, depending on their outfits. The trailer's point is that it's important to identify what a player is wearing for his or her capabilities, but also that it's vital not to assume that's the only outfit they own. You can check out the short trailer and the full press release after the jump! [Source: Sandbox Interactive press release]
Albion's next alpha test starts March 24
Sandbox Interactive wants you to know about its upcoming Albion Online alpha test. It starts on March 24th, and it will be "the biggest we've ever run," according to SI community manager Yasmin Babb. You can sign up for a key on the official Albion website, but be aware that there's a long waiting list. Albion's alpha FAQ states that keys are normally distributed between six and 10 days prior to the next testing phase. Albion bills itself as the world's first true cross-platform sandbox MMORPG. Click past the cut for the full press release. [Source: Sandbox Interactive press release]
Here's Albion being played in real time across five different devices
Albion Online, which bills itself as "the first true cross platform sandbox MMORPG" has released a new video aiming to show said cross platform capabilities in action. The clip features the game being played in real time on a PC, a Mac, a Linux machine, an Android device, and an iOS device. Sandbox Interactive plans to bring Albion into beta later this year. Click past the cut to watch the clip. [Source: Sandbox Interactive press release]
Albion Online trading levels for the Destiny Board
Cross-platform sandbox MMO Albion Online is getting something called a Destiny Board in place of traditional level dings. "Players instead earn small perks and bonuses over a period of time by performing actions based on what their character is learning," according to Sandbox Interactive. We've included the full press release after the cut.
