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ArcheAge begins beta with one million sign-ups [Updated]
The world is ready and eager for ArcheAge's beta program, as evidenced by the million-plus sign-ups on the site. The first closed beta event started today and will continue through July 21st. "We're also happy to announce today that over one million of you have already joined our community of ArcheAge supporters, even before the first beta event began!" Trion Worlds posted today. In fact, the beta launched to far more players than Trion anticipated, prompting the studio to open up two new servers to handle the demand. To bring the Korean MMO overseas, Trion has translated two million words, set up technical infrastructure, and localized quests. The closed beta event will feature the version 1.2 patch for both North America and Europe.
Choose My Adventure: The crafty side of life in ArcheAge
After last week's exciting dungeon and boating adventure, Massvely's MJ was ready to settle into the quiet life of crafting in ArcheAge. And crafting can definitely be a whole way of life, taking all your time, attention, and funds. If you want to specialize in multiple crafts, it can gobble up that much more! Since you voted for MJ to try all the crafting, she's been trying to dabble in everything. However, getting all the various materials necessary for all the different professions turned out to be quite the undertaking, so she's been paying special attention to armor (which tied for first in votes) and housing items (which came in second). Join us live at 7:00 p.m. to see the crafty side of life in ArcheAge and help direct MJ's two-hour adventures during this CMA Live. Then don't forget to vote and direct next week's (and this weekend's) adventures! Game: ArcheAge Host: MJ Guthrie Date: Wednesday, July 16th, 2014 Time: 7:00 p.m. EDT Enjoy our Stream Team video below.
Leaderboard: Which ArcheAge race will you pick for your main?
I am so damn excited for ArcheAge! And with closed beta starting this week, it seems like an opportune time to translate that excitement into a Leaderboard poll. I'd like to ask which class(es) you plan to play, but that might prove a bit cumbersome since there are over 100 choices. Instead, let's talk about the game's four races. Which one will you roll as your main? Vote after the cut! 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!
ArcheAge Korea getting 1.7, new PvE and PvP content next week
While Western ArcheAge fans are getting all hot and bothered by Trion's upcoming closed beta, it's worth remembering that XLGAMES' sandpark has been live in its native Korea for a while now. As such, it's scheduled to receive a version update (1.7) next week that will add new PvE and PvP content. There's an aquatic world boss called Leviathan in the works, as well as something called Attack of the Abyss that features PvP capture-and-defend objectives as well as PvE pirate ghost ships. The update will also feature a new PvP area called Dew Plains. You can view trailers for Leviathan, Attack of the Abyss, and Dew Plains after the break.
Choose My Adventure: Adventuring in ArcheAge
Although ArcheAge has many different things to do, you decided that Massively's MJ should continue her adventures with quests, so that's what she's been doing. After showing off her favorite spot in game and brilliantly demonstrating death by jellyfish, she's been running to and fro delivering notes, assembling statues, and killing whatever vermin are bothering the locals. And there's certainly no lack of vermin! During those questing adventures MJ has come across a dungeon, and she's looking forward to taking you inside. Hopefully she'll find other in-game companions to enter with her as well, else she'll surely experience death in a new and spectacular way! If she's alone, will you still have her enter? Join us live at 7:00 p.m. to decide her fate live! And don't forget to participate in the next vote to decide which crafting profession MJ should pursue next week. Game: ArcheAge Host: MJ Guthrie Date: Wednesday, July 9th, 2014 Time: 7:00 p.m. EDT Enjoy our Stream Team video below.
Choose My Adventure: Forever Firran in ArcheAge's alpha
Welcome to the first official all-stream version of Choose My Adventure, where Massively's MJ will delve deeper into ArcheAge on two-hour adventures that you help direct. She's continuing to explore the world as the feline Firran as directed by the last round of voting. But now the adventures are ramping up and she's picking up the pace, so what direction shall she go? There's no need to only quest if you want XP; you can also gather, craft, and farm. You can focus on land adventures or brave the high seas. There's plenty of choice involved, and the choice is yours. Join us live at 4:00 p.m. EDT and help decide what MJ does, then vote in the poll to determine next week's leveling path! The polls closes at 11:59 P.M. Monday, June 8th. Game: ArcheAge Host: MJ Guthrie Date: Friday, July 4th, 2014 Time: 3:00 p.m. EDT Enjoy our Stream Team video below.
Leaderboard: Will you be trying ArcheAge?
ArcheAge's closed beta is coming in a couple of weeks, and if Trion stays on schedule, the long-awaited sandpark's western launch will happen some time prior to year's end. The only real question, then, is will you be playing. There's clearly a lot to like about the game in terms of features, but there's also the specter of open PvP, which has traditionally hamstrung MMO sales and retention figures in the West. So, how about it, Massively readers? Will you be trying ArcheAge despite (or perhaps because of) its PvP? 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!
ArcheAge closed beta coming in mid-July
The good news for fans of the approaching ArcheAge is that the game will be using update 1.2 for the game, news that brought forth much rejoicing. The bad news is that as a result, the game's beta has been somewhat delayed. Trion Worlds has outlined the state of the game in a recent blog post explaining where the game is in testing and what players can expect in the future. In order to get the new version into testing as soon as possible, the developers are not adding in the Trion-specific features to the game which were mentioned previously on the forums. Closed beta events will be starting in mid-July, with a separate alpha server available to see how the 1.2 play environment plays and what benefits it offers. If you're interested to hear about the state of development, take a look at the full update and get ready for the paradigm shift.
The Daily Grind: What are you doing in your pre-launch MMO?
So I'm in ArcheAge's alpha. Woo, I guess. It's not that the game sucks. On the contrary it's pretty solid fun. But I'm treading carefully so as not to spoil it all for myself come release. See, this isn't beta, so none of the progression matters. From my perspective, the only reason to be here this early is to learn the systems and scope out some land for the inevitable launch-week land rush. What about you, alpha and beta buyers? Whether it's ArcheAge, Landmark, or one of those Kickstarter MMOs that's starting to let people in, what exactly are you doing in your pre-launch game of choice? Are you actually testing or are you looking to get a leg up on launch newbs? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
ArcheAge bans 16k spam accounts in alpha
Ahh, spammers. They are the mosquitos of the MMO world if mosquitos could email and send global chat messages. Trion is no stranger to spam-squashing and as Community Manager Evan "Scapes" Berman demonstrated in a recent post, the studio is bringing out the big guns against ArcheAge's spammers who have been plaguing the alpha test. According to the post, over 16,000 spammer and gold farmer accounts have been removed from alpha already, and Patch 1.2 (arriving next week) will have even more tools to fight the "general asshats." Scapes encourages players to keep reporting those illegal accounts and contact support if you discover that your account has been compromised.
The Daily Grind: Is PLEX/APEX/C.R.E.D.D. risky for developers?
Trion announced ArcheAge's APEX system recently, and while I'm sure it has its own wrinkles, my first instinct was to compare it to EVE Online's PLEX. It's a fascinating idea, allowing players with knowledge of an in-game economy to leverage said knowledge into enough currency to buy tradeable items that can be redeemed for subscription time. It's always struck me as a bit risky, though. We can only guess at the number of EVE fans who play the game for free thanks to PLEX, but I imagine it's a pretty significant slice of the game's old money crowd. And while newer games like ArcheAge and even WildStar are aping the system in some fashion, it's too early to tell what sort of effect APEX and C.R.E.D.D. will have on developers' bottom lines. What do you think, Massively readers? Do these sorts of systems seem risky to you if you put yourself in a dev's shoes, or do you think the number of players taking advantage of these systems is relatively small? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Trion details ArcheAge's patron status, APEX system
Trion has detailed its plans for Patron status in ArcheAge, which it says takes a cue from the company's experience in converting RIFT to a free-to-play business model. Patron status is basically ArcheAge's premium service tier, though Trion says it isn't required to play and instead "adds to the fun." Patrons will get: • Bonus online Labor Point regeneration (10 per 5 minutes) • Offline Labor Point regeneration (5 per 5 minutes) • Increased maximum Labor Points cap (5000 maximum) • 10% bonus to all Experience gained through combat or labor usage • 10% discount on Marketplace purchases • 5 Loyalty Tokens per day for use in the Loyalty Store (awarded on first login of the day) • Ability to claim land by placing farms and houses • Ability to pay in-game taxes on owned property • Ability to post auctions on the Auction House by default Trion has also announced APEX, an in-game item that grants credits when consumed and that can be sold on the game's auction house or traded between players. Much like EVE Online's PLEX, APEX will allow "industrious" ArcheAge players to pay for Patron status via their gameplay rather than real money. There's more to Trion's announcement, too, including possible F2P house ownership, so click through the links below to read the rest!
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."
Get a feel for Civilization Online with this beta video
The first round of closed beta testing for Civilization Online has wrapped up in Korea, and the folks at XLGAMES have put together a video showing off this online spin-off from the classic strategy series. The nine-minute video shows the collaborative efforts to build up a town and the equally collaborative efforts by enemy forces to destroy it. Also there are Dalek tanks, hot air balloons, and large mosh pits of Roman citizens. See for yourself after the break!
Civilization Online review rounds out with combat and replay
Looking at Civilization Online with longing might not be a great idea, as there are currently no plans for a release here in North America, but Steparu has been reviewing the beta, and if you'd like to find out what it's about the last part is available now. This final portion covers the game's combat mechanics, how players can get into games in progress, and gives an overall assessment of how the game is shaping up through testing. While the combat in the game is fairly standard -- tab-targeting, hotbars, and WASD movement rule the day -- it does offer players a variety of options with both main and sub classes, along with a variety of vehicles and mounts that have their own combat uses. Overall, the game gets pretty high marks as what it's meant to be, a very PvP-focused game that sees factions warring for dominance again and again. Which is probably what you expected from the name, really.
Civ Online review looks at building, PvP, and more
Steparu's back with part deux of an ongoing Civilization Online review. There's a lot to digest this time around, including bits about progression, the building and card systems, era changes, and realm-vs.-realm PvP. The review contains a good amount of video content, too, and we've included a seven-minute clip focused on building after the cut.
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!]
First look at Civilization Online's beta
Civilization Online's first beta test is in full swing and Steparu has some impressions based on last night's initial test. First off, you need a Korean ArcheAge account to access XLGames' Civ MMO, but for now, we can live vicariously through Steparu, who describes the game as a "3rd person RTS with RvR mechanics." Be sure to check out the entire impressions article as well as an hour-long video that we've embedded after the cut.
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!
