The ArcheAge Is Nigh .

ArcheAge, the MMORPG with a highly anticipated NA and EU release slated for 2014 was developed by Korean developer Jake Song and his company, XL Games. Released in Korea last January 15, 2013 – the Western world has been waiting patiently for their turn to experience this beautiful MMORPG that offers players a well-balanced feel of freedom and structure. This April, Trion Worlds, publisher of the Western version of ArcheAge, has indicated the launch of the beta phase for June 2014. They have also started selling Founder’s Packs for early alpha and beta access for anybody willing to pay the price. ArcheAge is coming. There’s no doubt about that.

The Founder’s Packs

Trion Worlds has recently announced that they will be giving players the chance to buy-in to the upcoming fantasy sandbox game via their Founder’s Packs. They come in Silver, Gold and Archeum. Let me share with you their official trailer here:

ArcheAge Founder’s Pack Official Trailer

Here’s the breakdown:

1. Silver – Beta access, a four-day head start, Founder title (comes with stats – more on this later), 30-day patron pass (more on this too!), experimental hang glider and 2,500 credits. Your investment cost? $49.99.
2. Gold – Beta access, four-day head start, Traveler title (bonus stats), 60-day patron pass, 10 evenstones, 10 hereafter stones, glass phoenix hang glider, desert assassin platemail and 7,500 credits. Investment? $99.99.
3. Archeum – Alpha access, beta access, four-day head start, Trailblazer title (bonus stats), 90-day patron pass, Daru Chests, 10 evenstones, 10 hereafter stones, glass phoenix hang glider, desert assassin platemail, Founder’s cloak with customizable logo (might come in handy, more on this too), customizable crest, 10 pet healing potions and 11,250 credits. Investment clocks in at a whopping $149.99.

Should you get any of these? In this writer’s opinion, if you plan on spending a lot of time in this MMORPG’s world, it’s worth the shot. ArcheAge will be free-to-play once it comes out of beta. But the unique situation regarding the game which will require what they term as “optional subscriptions” would be the fact that you can own land and build houses in this game. They are not a per instance issue. You will have the choice to own real estate in an MMORPG.

Why get the Founder’s Packs?

There is an open-world environment in ArcheAge. It is not instanced. What does that mean? Any land that you buy and build houses or farms on becomes part of the map. Permanently. How cool is that?! Just the idea of being able to carve out an actual piece of a gaming world for yourself is pretty exciting. I’d build my own kingdom if I could.

The Founder’s Packs come with titles and Patron Passes. Titles give your character stat boosts and the Patron Passes are what allows you to own land in the game. The Patron status is basically a subscriber. They developed these passes to ensure that malicious users can’t deny other players real estate. ArcheAge is a free to play game. All the items listed in the Founder’s Packs can be acquired and earned in game. It will just take time.

Purchasing these packs will allow players to get in ahead of the competition. You can get used to the skills earlier, help set up the economy and pick out the best spot for your house or farm if you feel so inclined. The stat boosts aren’t too shabby either. The glider makes your journey all the more enjoyable too. It’s interesting how they introduced the limited resource of land into their MMORPG world. How will that affect your player base? We shall see. You also get to make your own boats by the way. Just saying.

Why give ArcheAge a try?

From what I’ve gathered, ArcheAge is set to try and give you a true sandbox experience. Don’t believe me? Check out the official video that Trion Worlds released on crafting your own class in the game:

ArcheAge, Class Crafting

ArcheAge is here to offer you 100+ possible builds for you to figure out and run. It’s perfect for how they said they envision the game experience. You can get up to max level in whatever way you desire. You can fight or you can craft your way up to the top. The current 21 professions can be leveled through a regenerating resource called Labor. Once you hit the cap, it’s time to specialize, then you’re right back on your way.

It’s also amazing of them to actually place farming and politics as part of the world’s integral gameplay. They tout a Judicial system with player run courts. They’re even thinking about introducing a bribery system that would enable accused players to bribe their jurors. That would make for an interesting case to study for future game developers. How would a community carry on with the politics of the game when it’s actually integral? Not just on forums and not just on a guild level. Maybe player killing will actually merit a heavier consequence in this game.

When will it come out?

Trion Worlds haven’t hinted at a specific date and are holding to their statement regarding the game’s release sometime later this year. ArcheAge’s testing phases have also been reported to overlap. They plan to run the alpha server on an ongoing 24/7 test while the beta server will be used for focused, time-limited events. The current tests are being conducted to smooth out localization glitches from the Korean run. Trion and XLGAMES are working closely in order to ensure that each feature that gets added to the game will be understood and will be audience appropriate for local consumption. Fans of the game can sign up on the site for a chance to get a free beta key but they are encouraging the purchase of the Founder’s Packs for guaranteed access.

ArcheAge seems like one of those games that will be able to live up to the hype surrounding it. At the very least, as an MMORPG, it is offering up a new experience. Cheers!

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