There are not many indie MMORPGs that generate significant interest – Ashes of Creation is a game that many are currently looking forward to. We present the title and explain what is so interesting about it.
In the summer of 2017, Intrepid Studios launched the Kickstarter campaign for a new MMORPG called Ashes of Creation. The initial skepticism of “Another MMORPG on Kickstarter?” quickly turned to astonishment and interest. Because Ashes of Creation hits a nerve with players that other representatives of the genre miss. Could Ashes of Creation be the western AAA MMORPG that so many of us are waiting for?
The Return to Old Virtues
Modern MMOs seem to be moving further away from the roots of the genre. This starts with the combat systems, which are becoming more action-oriented, and extends to the ability to play the games completely alone, as if they were single-player RPGs.
Real challenges, group content, tactical combat, and the opportunity to truly achieve something for oneself in the world seem to increasingly be overlooked in design. Not so with Ashes of Creation. Fans quickly got the impression that true MMORPG lovers are at work creating a game that embraces all the old virtues.
Ashes of Creation seems as if the developers took MMORPGs from about fifteen years ago, picked out everything that was well-received back then, and garnished it with a series of new features to bring about the evolution that fans had wished for back then. All of this is wrapped in a graphical guise that looks modern and beautiful thanks to Unreal Engine 4.
This is how the team hopes to appeal not only to MMO veterans but also to engage new players.
Your Actions Have Real Consequences
Ashes of Creation is essentially a sandbox. You are not limited to following a predefined story. While there are quests that tell small adventure stories, the real story is written by the players themselves – and in different ways from server to server.
This is intended to succeed with a highly interesting system based on so-called nodes. The game world is divided into these nodes, which essentially represent the core of an area. After creating your hero from 64 classes and eight races, you start in one of the areas.
Now you are free to do what you want. However, you must always keep in mind that each of your actions also has consequences – for the nodes.
The node essentially records the activities of the players nearby and reacts accordingly. Each node is based on a small settlement that grows with the actions of the players.
If you collect experience points through battles or completing quests, then so does the node – in the same area. If a lot of mining is done, the settlement develops into a mining town. If you fish a lot, a fishing village is created.
All of this also includes housing in the open world. You can create your own home in the neighborhood or far away. Depending on your needs, you can use your land to have a farm or a forge, which sometimes reminds you of ArcheAge.
You Change Entire Game Areas
The node does not only affect the settlement, which can grow from a collection of huts to a metropolis but also the entire area. If you, for instance, cut down a lot of wood in a nearby forest and overdo it because you want to make a profit from the raw material, this awakens a forest spirit who makes your life difficult.
If you live in harmony with nature, a new path through the forest opens up, allowing you to reach a neighboring city faster to trade with it. Or you awaken a lake monster because you excessively fish.
Everything you do near a node has some impact on the further development of the area. A dragon can be awakened in a mountain, access to a dungeon full of treasures can be unveiled, or monsters can lose their home and start an attack on your city. And since players on other servers make different decisions, no world is like another.
The system is reminiscent of the canceled Everquest Next, which also wanted to give players many freedoms regarding the design and changes to the game world. No wonder, a part of the EQ-Next team is now working on Ashes of Creation, including Lead Designer Jeffrey Bard. Many who were disappointed when Daybreak canceled development on EQ Next, now hope for a “replacement.” A game that could become what EQ Next was supposed to be.
Dangers Lurk Everywhere
PvP also plays a role. If two cities clash because both, for example, make money from the same resources, the rulers can declare war, leading to large battles and sieges. Or players can ambush a trade caravan, causing it to have to hire other players as escorts.
The game world of Ashes of Creation is supposed to feel very dangerous, and every player should feel they can really make a difference.
Furthermore, the economy and also the economy in the game are completely determined by the players. You need to ensure that raw materials are mined and processed into equipment, which you then sell.
It is also possible for players to run for election as politicians, to determine the fate of a city. However, these rulers should always consider the needs and desires of the other players; otherwise, they can be quickly overthrown.
Politicians decide, for example, whether a war will be declared against another city or whether players should focus on certain activities to steer the development of the node in a particular direction. Laws are required for implementation, which players must adhere to.
Classic MMO Gameplay
Additionally, Ashes of Creation is a classic MMORPG. You embark on adventures with your character, explore the wilderness or deep dungeons, fight monsters either in classic tab-targeting or an active, action-packed combat system, improve your skills, and find or buy more powerful gear to become stronger. It’s even possible to temporarily turn into a monster and cause chaos in a city.
This combination of classic MMORPG gameplay paired with the great freedom that the game world offers you, the option to truly bring about changes through the node system, and the player-driven economy and political system in a modern graphical guise has sparked the interest of many MMORPG fans. They are already very eager to finally play Ashes of Creation.
Status Quo of Ashes of Creation: Funding, Beta, and Release
The team mentioned that they need about 30 million dollars to develop the game they envision.
- How is the game funded? The Kickstarter campaign raised nearly 3.3 million US dollars in a very short time. And through the sale of item packages and access to the game on the official Ashes of Creation website, money will continuously flow into the studio’s coffers. Furthermore, a further crowdfunding campaign has been launched, and the developers are also contributing funds. Intrepid Studios founder Steven Sharif explained that a large part of the financial resources comes from his own pocket.
- How far is the development? An initial alpha 0 started just before Christmas. First players have already experienced a very early version of the MMO. With the Alpha 1, many core elements are already being tested. Recently, the action combat system of Ashes of Creation was shown for the first time.
- When will a beta be released? Ashes of Creation is expected to reach beta status still in 2018. This is quite feasible with a team of more than 100 developers currently working on this MMO, according to Intrepid. They also aim to increase this number to 200 developers.
- When will Ashes of Creation come out? A release is expected no earlier than 2019, but it is definitely scheduled to be before 2020.
The MMO will be released with a subscription model, where you do not have to purchase the game. Through the “Referral Program”, you will receive money back when friends you referred spend money in the game. You will then receive 15 percent of their in-game purchases as in-game currency, Intrepid Bucks, which you can spend in the shop or use to reduce the subscription fee.
