Hasla Herald: It's Time to Fish! .

Last week was quite stressful. Now that the dust has settled I have been able to take a moment and just breathe. The storm has passed, and I have a renewed interest in ArcheAge once again. I decided to take the week and just relax.  What better way to let off some steam than Fishing? Follow me as I grab my pole, head to the high seas and talk about one of the most interesting mechanics in all of ArcheAge.

I feel like I already know what most of you are thinking. You might say something to the effect of “but fishing is like the most boring thing in an MMO ever”. In most games, you’re right it’s about as much fun as waiting for your washing machine to finish. A few MMOs have made attempts to introduce interesting mechanics, but it normally devolves in to “click the button and wait”. Some people still find this style mechanic enjoyable but it’s not very engaging.

Fishing in ArcheAge borders on enthralling. Yes you heard me, I said “enthralling”. Fishing in this title holds more mass appeal than almost any other MMO I have ever played. For starters it’s an incredibly efficient way to make money. Endgame fish can sell for over 40 gold a piece. Unlike most other titles, fishing is often a very social experience, most of the time you won’t be going out alone.

What a catch!

I should start off by explaining there are two types of fishing in ArcheAge.  Both fishing types will help you earn XP for the same profession. Each one functions slightly differently. I will explain both in detail, but this column will mostly focus on sport fishing and what makes it so appealing.

The first one, “bait fishing”, is your traditional “click and wait” type of experience. Players first need a pole and worms. Worms are acquired from farming or by purchasing them on the auction house. You will cast your line and in return you will get one of the many varieties of fish in the game. One you get a certain number of any particular kind of fish, you can combine them in to “Dawn Lake Light Essence”, which is used for certain crafting professions.

The other type of fishing is Sport fishing, and that’s when things start getting exciting. This mechanic is quite a bit more involved.  To sport fish a few different items are required. First you will need a lure, the type of lure you will use will depend on what kind of rod you have. Higher end rods require more expensive lures. Second, you will need “chum”. There are several varieties of sport fish, each one requires a different type of chum. The more valuable fish tend to use more expensive chum. Both of the items required to sport fish are purchased using vocation badges, which are acquired as you do various crafting activities.

On the radar looking for fish.

Once you have all your needed equipment, it’s time to fish! Most of the Sport fishing is done on the open sea, there are some spots in safe areas, but the big money fish are in the ocean. Once you have found a fishing spot, which is indicated by seagulls hovering around the location, you will chum the water. Once the water is chummed you can fish at that location for about 45 minutes. This is done by casting your line, waiting for a bite and then playing a mini game, which works similar to simon says.

After you have hooked a fish, a combat like scenario will begin. A series of debuffs will appear above the fish. You will need to press the key that corisponds to the proper debuff, if you press the wrong command, tension will start to build on the line. If the line gets too much tension it breaks and you lose the fish. As you correctly hit the key for certain debuffs (reel and big reel) you will do damage to the fish, once the fish is out of health, it can be collected and will turn in to a trade pack on your back.

This is where things can get intense. Since the fish is a trade pack and not an inventory item, it gives other players a reason to try to kill you. Groups of players  will search high and low for people fishing, just so they can try to capitalize on a quick pay day. This is why its imaritive you have some buddies with you. Combat can and inevitably will occur on the high seas.

So close to harbor…I can almost taste the gold.

Fishing also adds an additional layer of progression that will take quite a bit of time to master. As you level up your fishing progression you will get access to additional rods that do more damage, allowing you to catch better fish.  Hardcore fisherman can even work on obtaining the fishing boat. This boat can take a lot of effort to aquire, but is well worth the time invested. The fishing boat allows you to carry seven additional fish as well as comes equipped with a radar, allowing you to easily locate schools.

Sport fishing is almost always a social event. It’s one of the things that really appeals to me about ArcheAge. Many an hour has been spent with friends on teamspeak laughing and having a blast, just by fishing together.  This mechanic is relaxing but at the same time can be completely nerve wracking. You never know when things could go sour. One moment you could be fishing, the next you’re fighting for your life. One thing ArcheAge does almost pitch perfectly is giving players a reason to engage in combat. Until the time comes when I need to pick up my sword, there’s a good chance you will find me on the waters, casting my reel.

Hasla Herald is a weekly column dedicated to the latest ArcheAge news and editorial content. A new Issue comes out every Friday. Be sure to check back sometime early next week. We will be posting an in depth fishing guide that will teach you everything you need to know about fishing in ArcheAche.