At the sandpark MMO ArcheAge , major issues have resurfaced over the weekend. Serious bugs are again compromising the integrity of the crucial in-game economy of ArcheAge.
Over the weekend, serious problems with bugs and exploits occurred in the sandpark MMO ArcheAge. User reports surfaced: one wrote that he noticed a huge problem in the code, and that Trion Worlds should contact him immediately. Later, horror reports about exploits came in on the official forum and on Reddit: Some players have reportedly become much richer and stronger than legally possible without spending huge amounts of real money.
The exact state of information is still unclear. Trion Worlds has not issued any official isolated statement yet. Community Manager Scapes rushes from thread to thread, promising to look into the matter and to remove “illegally acquired” goods from the game.
At Trion Worlds, they warn against using exploits. Anyone who does so can expect sanctions against their account. They have temporarily closed the cash shop to address these issues.
What’s in the box? What’s in the box? First, take a look and then decide
Apparently, with the last patch, an exploit became possible: the result of what is in a chest was already “rolled out” before the check took place to see if a player could actually open the chest, and whether he had enough space for the two new items in the inventory that are in the chest.
This made it possible for players to fill their inventory, open a chest, see what’s inside – and if they don’t like it, they simply closed the chest and rolled it out again. If they liked what was in the chest, then they created space and took the valuable items for themselves. These cash shop chests in ArcheAge function like a lottery booth at a fair. The “losers” also contain items, but relatively worthless ones; most chests are purchased due to the relatively low chance of hitting the jackpot.
If this is true, it’s a nightmare because it means that even the “rarest” rewards in these cash shop chests are reproducible and easily obtainable. It’s not just about the trees struck by lightning, but also materials that are necessary for the “upgrading” of items, which directly affects the balance of power in PvP: The stronger one is, the more painful it is in ArcheAge for the others. This allows players to acquire status symbols and prestigious items for relatively little money that “whales” have spent a lot of money on and “hardcore players” have farmed extensively. Long-term motivation is also jeopardized, as is the future of the game: If every shot brings the jackpot, the fair will be bankrupt quickly.
If everyone in ArcheAge has the best gear, long-term motivation disappears quickly. Or now some are illegally filling their pockets while others, who arrive late to the party, have lost out.
Wild theories about Apex exploits and calls for a rollback
As is often the case in such instances, wilder theories emerge, supported by YouTube videos. It is said that “Apex exploits” were also possible, working like a “dupe” with server lag, so that an item is used, but not actually removed. Whether there’s any truth to this is uncertain. However, there are videos about it. It’s always like a wildfire; when it really burns, some side fires flare up that appear much hotter at first glance.
In the last 24 hours, a call for a rollback, preferably back to version 1.7, before Auroria opened, has surfaced especially on Reddit, as a lot went wrong back then. There are only a few precedents for such a rollback, especially over such a long period, and most are from way back.
State of facts at ArcheAge unclear
My MMO says: How long this has been going on with the chests is currently – like so much in ArcheAge – unclear. The Apex exploit “apparently” only began with the last mini-patch, at least that’s what the user, who claims to have alerted Trion Worlds to the problem, says. Others scream: Oh my God, this has been going on since the beginning, and only now are the cheaters saying it, who have gained a huge advantage.
The closure of the cash shop indicates that there are issues that are now being investigated.
The trust between Trion Worlds and the players (at least those who express themselves in the forums) has become so strained that hardly anyone believes any statements from Trion Worlds anymore. On the other hand, it’s also difficult to report reasonably without confirmation from the publisher. Screenshots or reports from more or less anonymous fans are hard to verify – a fog covers the facts here. Ultimately, only what Trion Worlds says can be considered “secured.” Because they are responsible and accountable for their statements. Users are currently shouting at each other, claiming the other is just talking nonsense, is a fake account, either a troll or a fanboy. It’s complicated.
But even if you take the “usual” 50% exaggeration and panic away from the problems, it’s still a really nasty mess.
