The fantasy MMO ArcheAge introduces some elements that are unusual for a modern MMO. But how can players get to know these systems? Best by learning from each other, say the developers in an interview.
Curiosity as a driving force: “The farm looks great – how can I get one?”
In a podcast interview with mmorpg.com, two ArcheAge team members answered questions. A few days ago, an article appeared on the interviewer’s website that raised the question of how ArcheAge would present its deeper and freer gameplay elements. And whether hiding them might cause boredom.
For the developers, it is clear that players learn best from each other. An experienced player can take a “beginner” under their wing and simply take them on a tour on their ship. Or players would wander around, see another’s farm, and decide: “I want that too!” That’s how the devs themselves experienced it in the game. But of course, they are working to point out these elements of the game through conventional quests as well. Those would also introduce the deeper gameplay elements.
Interest in beta not only high, but overwhelming
At Trion Worlds, they have been overwhelmed by the response to ArcheAge so far. They were surprised by the rush for the beta, even though they had already raised their expectations. Before each beta event, they roughly estimate how many of the invited players actually log in. This depends on the overall interest. With ArcheAge, they had already anticipated “high” interest, but it was overwhelming. Therefore, they had to double the number of servers after just 18 minutes to avoid players being stuck in queues for too long.
It is also possible to reach endgame as a crafter and pacifist
In a casual chat, the conversation turned to crafting. This highlights the difference from today’s established theme park games. The game’s producer, Victoria, explained that there is a real way to progress in ArcheAge without indulging in the genre’s typical monster-slaying. She is an avid crafter and has not killed anything in the game for a month and a half. She crafts items for her guild (the best ones are only craftable) and receives protection on her trade journeys, certain lootable materials in return, or simply gold. They support each other, everyone fulfills their role, and they have a great time doing it.
Even as a pacifist, she enjoys the adrenaline rush that an open-PvP system can provide. This keeps you alert and makes you think carefully about which “war” zones you want to roam and whether you should seek protection for that journey. However, she finds it quite possible to avoid PvP.
The developers did not want to commit to a possible release date in the interview. Only the number “2014” was extracted from them. The rest depends on numerous factors. It is now important to incorporate the beta feedback from players to fine-tune certain aspects.
