arche-age
Latest
ArcheAge launching with patch 1.2, Trion 'eager to maintain sandbox nature'
Trion has announced that it will launch ArcheAge with XLGAMES' 1.2 patch already applied. Trion community manager Evan "Scapes" Berman explains on the game's North American forums. Initially released in Korea, [the 1.0] update has been the source of no small amount of concern from our ArcheAge community since we announced the game was coming to North America and Europe. Upon seeing the behavior of the patch's changes in the wild, the game's developer, XLGAMES, agreed that ArcheAge's balance and feel had shifted in an unintentional direction. Behind the scenes, we've been carefully following public feedback over the past few months, and had a chance to exhaustively test out the update on our own internal servers. While there are a number of gameplay improvements, we agree with their conclusion. Both Trion Worlds and XLGAMES are eager to maintain the game's sandbox nature. Berman goes on to say that 1.2 adds over 70,000 words to translate, which will shift ArcheAge's beta schedule "by a few weeks."
ArcheAge alpha popularity forces Trion to upgrade hardware
One of our awesome Massively readers forwarded to us an email from Trion Worlds CEO Scott Hartsman to ArcheAge's alpha testers. In it, Hartsman thanked the players and noted how their numbers had helped to stress test the studio's hardware. "The massive number of Archeum Founders has really helped us stress test the way we do things: We've already had to expand the capacity of the server to three times the number of characters that one world is expected to have," Hartsman wrote. "That you've propelled ArcheAge as high up as the #2 game on all of Twitch.tv has really been humbling for all of us. It makes us want to work even harder to deliver the best release that we possibly can." Hartman reported that the studio had doubled the amount of server hardware twice since the alpha started. He also indicated that the team is preparing for a new alpha build, beta testing, and launch day. [Thanks to Paragonlostinspace for the tip!]
ArcheAge player sentenced to 13 hours in jail by peers
ArcheAge's court system came into the limelight yesterday when a player in beta was sentenced to over 13 hours of in-game jail time by a jury of his or her peers. Players who break the various laws in the game and then die have a choice to either accept a short prison sentence or go to court and plead their case to a jury of five other players. These players then vote on the defendant's guilt or innocence, and in the case of the former, sentence the defendant to prison. Prisoners can wait out their sentence, play soccer in the jail courtyard, or attempt to tunnel their way to freedom. This particular player had over 100 criminal charges, which incurred a high amount (770 minutes) of jail time. If you want to learn more about ArcheAge's criminal justice system, check out the video after the break!
Come sail away with this ArcheAge ship preview video
It seems as though there is a lot of buzz around ArcheAge's watercraft, although this impression may be caused by Massively's Jef running up and down the halls screaming, "They have rooooowboaaaaats!" on the half-hour. However, if you haven't seen what this upcoming title has in store with ships, check out the following video preview that demos several types, from small to big. Aly and The Professionals say that there can be a lot of fun on these "party boats;" however, "you should be aware that parties on the sea include being jumped by sea creatures, pirates, and over-excited guildmates who take full advantage of character collision by pushing you overboard." Give these crafted ships a watch after the break!
ArcheAge's founder packs will run you $49.99 to $149.99; closed beta to start in June
While Trion Worlds is still being coy about a release date for ArcheAge (the official line is still "2014"), the studio announced today during its livestream the details behind a trio of founder's packs for the upcoming fantasy sandbox. Here's what each of the packs contains: Silver ($49.99): Beta access, four-day head start, Founder title (with stats), 30-day patron pass, experimental hang glider, and 2,500 credits. Gold ($99.99): Beta access, four-day head start, Traveler title (with stats), 60-day patron pass, 10 evenstones, 10 hereafter stones, glass phoenix hang glider, desert assassin platemail, and 7,500 credits. Archeum ($149.99): Alpha access, beta access, four-day head start, Trailblazer title (with stats), 90-day patron pass, Daru Chests, 10 evenstones, 10 hereafter stones, glass phoenix hang glider, desert assassin platemail, Founder's cloak with customizable logo, personalizable crest, 10 pet healing potions, and 11,250 credits. We spoke to Trion earlier this week about these founder's packs and upcoming closed beta test expected to begin in June -- read on!
Trion's latest ArcheAge livestream is all about gliders
When it comes to unique ArcheAge features, hang-gliders are pretty near the top of my personal list. Even the dinky little starter glider you get as part of a newb zone quest is more fun than it has any right to be, which is why I'll be watching Trion's latest livestream. Said stream is all about gliders, and you can catch it tonight at 7:00 p.m. EDT on Trion's Twitch channel! [Thanks WNxArcticwolf!]
ArcheAge boasts 120 class combinations
Forget MMOs that have a petty eight, 16, or even 23 classes; ArcheAge is strutting about with 120 builds thanks to its mix-and-match class structure. In a new developer diary and video, the team talks about the way classes are set up in the game as well as the crafting options at the player's disposal. Players construct their class by picking three skillsets at levels 1, 5, and 10, with the option to respec for a fee. Skillsets can be leveled up independently, allowing players to invest in far more than three of them, and those skillsets have certain synergies between them. The 10 skillsets in the game are Archery, Auramancy, Battlerage, Defense, Occultism, Shadowplay, Songcraft, Sorcery, Vitalism, and Witchcraft. ArcheAge wants you to know that you have the option to level to the cap entirely through crafting professions if desired. The 21 professions are leveled through a slowly regenerating resource called Labor, and eventually they hit a hard cap until the player chooses a handful for specializations. You can watch the dev video walk you through the intricacies of classes and crafting after the break!
Trion hosting ArcheAge combat and crafting livestream tonight
If you're an ArcheAge fan and you're not in Trion's alpha, you'll want to set aside 45 minutes starting tonight at 7:00 p.m. EDT to watch the latest dev livestream hosted by producer Victoria Voss and community guru Evan Berman. The duo will examine ArcheAge's combat classes and crafting skills live on Twitch. Trion also announced its first official AA competition which takes the form of a caption contest. The prize is a spot in the sandpark's alpha, and you've got until April 23rd to work on your entry. [Thanks WNxArcticwolf!]
ArcheAge stream tours the in-game world
Trion is certainly gung-ho about ArcheAge these days, so if you've come around to accepting that it's coming to the West this year, the studio has a lengthy stream devoted to introducing you to the game's world and the story behind it. The stream starts out with the new CGI story trailer and is followed up with a discussion about the locations and lore of ArcheAge. "There is so much lore in this game that it is absolutely amazing," one of the devs mentioned, going on to say that XLGAMES sent Trion a 200-page summary to help the team understand it. You can check out all of the goodness after the break. [Thanks to Kari for the tip!]
ArcheAge Korea adding XP for player kills, lots of other stuff
ArcheAge may finally be getting on track in the West, but in its native Korea the fantasy sandpark title is already gearing up for its 1.2 update. Said update brings significant changes in the form of new crafting materials, new farm products, substantial XP boosts for open-world monster kills, and XP from player kills.
ArcheAge alpha is officially underway
Trion Worlds has announced today that the alpha test version of XLGAMES' ArcheAge is now underway. Yes, that sentence was real. No, you don't need to rub your eyes and re-read it; the game is finally in testing after lying dormant for so long that many feared it had been quietly shelved. We're staring down the barrel of more testing and an ultimate release. You don't believe it? That's fair. Don't take our word for it; take it from the trailer just past the cut that's being used to advertise the start of testing. Admittedly, it isn't showing off in-game footage, but it is in English. Besides, it's cool. The long wait for English ArcheAge fans won't be quite so long now, especially as press (like us) has the testing NDA dropped and can start talking about our experiences in the client. [Source: Trion Worlds press release]
ArcheAge feature guide delves into more housing details
You've seen the 37-minute video showing off ArcheAge housing (and if you haven't, you really should); now, you can get all that juicy information and more in one fact-filled feature guide. Trion has released a housing and farms guide as a companion to the livestream that aired last week. Want a concise listing of types of housing and a guide to building the place of your dreams? Check out this easy-to-reference piece that goes into construction, furnishings, and upkeep. Then be on the lookout for future feature guides following the Exploring ArcheAge livestream series. If you don't have 37 minutes to watch the full original stream, check out the more concise version that hits the highlights below.
ArcheAge lore series sets the tone for the game
A fourth and final part of ArcheAge's lore series that's been posted today gives an epilogue of the backstory while providing the launching pad for players' future journeys. The story concerns a battle between 12 heroes and Kyrios, the god of death. The battle results in several companions dead, an entire continent wiped out, and a mixed, perhaps non-existent victory. "The future is uncertain," the lore series proclaims. "While others linger in the legends, in blissful memories where time can stand still, I like to imagine new heroes will be born. Heroes who will rewrite our mistakes, find those we left behind, and steer us to a brighter age." You can read parts I through IV of Gods and Heroes on the official site.
Trion shows off ArcheAge housing in dev video
A new dev video from Trion Worlds showcases the housing system in ArcheAge, including tips on claiming the land and building your new house in the game. If you were curious about ArcheAge's housing system, the Trion community team shows off the process of claiming your desired land and the details on placing a house from your inventory. Of course, there's an intricate construction process that goes on while the house is being built (in which players can attack the construction site and loot the materials!). What happens when you don't pay your taxes? Will that lurking alpha player loot the dev team's stone packs? Check out the full video after the cut to see more! [Thanks to everyone who sent us this tip!]
ArcheAge FAQ mentions testing plans, optional subscription, and housing limitations [Update]
Trion Worlds has published a new FAQ for ArcheAge today that concentrates on testing plans and core features of its upcoming Western version. The team said that alpha testing is imminent and will be followed by beta events leading up to launch, still set for sometime in 2014. While fans can sign up on the site for a chance at a key, Trion said that soon-to-be-revealed founders packs will guarantee beta access. ArcheAge will be adopting a hybrid F2P model including an optional subscription. This subscription will be necessary if a player wants to own his or her own house in the game, as the "limited real estate" will be earmarked for paying customers only. Trion addressed its level of control over the title in its relationship with developer XLGAMES and indicated that the Korean 1.0 patch changes will not be coming to the West: "We work with XLGAMES to understand and new features that are added to ArcheAge in the East to determine how well they will be accepted in our regions, and then offer feedback. XLGAMES has been fantastic in addressing that feedback as best as they can. In situations where a feature is added that we don't think will be appropriate for our audiences, we work with XLGAMES to modify or remove that feature from our version." [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
Trion: We control prices in ArcheAge's cash shop
Earlier this afternoon, ArcheAge Community Manager Scapes hopped on the forums to kick off a local question-and-answer session with ArcheAge fans and answered a number of queries, chief among them a question about how much control Trion will have over the prices in ArcheAge's western cash shop. "Lots, actually," Scapes told the forum-goers. "We decide what's in it and at what price, simple as that." He also dashed the hopes of those pining for special server rulesets like PvP and RP, promised server farms for both NA and Europe, and suggested that cosmetics might be a part of the game's westernization. The Q&A is still ongoing on the official forums. Those who participate have a chance at winning an alpha invite. [Update: The Q&A is over now, but you can read the complete transcript on ArcheAge Source.] [Thanks to tipsters Inporylem and Dengar!]
ArcheAge Japan going F2P, getting 1.0 patch in April
Japanese ArcheAge publisher GameOn has announced that the fantasy sandpark will switch to a free-to-play business model on April 24th. The monthly subscription will still be available, and MMO Culture reports that players who pony up will "get tons of bonuses." The April 24th update will also bring the controversial 1.0 patch to ArcheAge Japan as well as an increase in the level cap from 50 to 55.
ArcheAge Russia punishes 57,955 destructive players; ArcheAge West opens forums, streams
If you're lucky enough to be playing the Russian version of ArcheAge, then you're probably pretty annoyed at the MMO's recent server downtime. It might make you feel better to know the outage was the result of Mail.ru's investigation into mass exploits plaguing the game since its soft launch last month. Not only has the company fixed those exploits and apparently banned approximately 2,000 users, but it also punished 57,955 players for various destructive behaviors, including spamming chat and botting. Mail.ru exhorts players to continue reporting exploits to customer service rather than post them publicly. Meanwhile, Trion Worlds kicked off its hype machine for the Western version of the game with brand-new forums and a livestream introducing the gameplay to the west. We've embedded the video behind the cut. [With thanks to Oskar and Balsbigbrother!]
Leaderboard: ArcheAge vs. ESO vs. WildStar... Fight!
Now that Trion has confirmed a 2014 launch date for ArcheAge, my excitement level for this year's crop of triple-A MMORPGs is on the rise. I've been warming to The Elder Scrolls Online in recent weeks, and hell, I may even play WildStar. All three of these games are timesinks, though, so I'm glad that they're not releasing one on top of the other. What about you, Massively readers? Are you excited for all three of 2014's triple-A launches? Which one will you play the most? Ever wish that you could put to rest a long-standing MMO debate once and for all? Then welcome to the battle royal of Massively's Leaderboard, where two sides enter the pit o' judgment -- and only one leaves. Vote to make your opinion known, and see whether your choice tops the Leaderboard!
The Soapbox: Does Trion realize what it has in ArcheAge?
Can I share how nervous I am about the fact that ArcheAge is finally heading West? Thanks because I really need someone to talk to about this stuff. I'm going to skip over the F2P hand-wringing, both because I covered it nine months ago and because there's nothing anyone can do about it. And there's plenty of reason to fret about the rest of what's in store for starving western sandbox fans, anyway. Join me after the cut and we'll worry about it together.
