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November 24, 2014

Comments

Liza P.

A well thought out comment which mirrors a lot of my feelings about Archeage. I too wanted to hang in there because of the great, unique, elements I loved, and I agree that Archeage had so much potential beyond many other games. But this game also has some serious, deal-breaking flaws. When I did start to consider "taking a break," it became a much more serious decision than any other game. Taking a break in Archeage meant losing my land, the element I most enjoyed about the game, and I found that upsetting and stressful in a way that a video game should not be. Content that you have worked for is present when you return to a game you've taken a break from. That's why I go back to WoW over and over. If we lost our primary possessions, who would return? Losing housing is essentially a punishment for leaving (or unsubbing), and I am not impressed. And because Did Trion think they would keep a sub forever? Who really wants to start over with the housing fiasco?

There was a secondary factor I read or heard somewhere that created a sort of epiphany for me as well. This is the only game with a sub that doesn't get you everything you need, but goads you constantly into extra spending in the manner of a Korean cash shop game. Except the Korean cash shop game doesn't have the sub. That is frankly appalling and a trend in gaming that should be stopped right now. It is flat out robbery to take a sub and cash shop money. This isn't like WoW's cash shop that is small, entirely optional, and a very minuscule element in a huge amount of cool stuff that come with your sub. I am sure that Blizzard was very careful to make it this way. Archeage, on the other hand, is like a full blown, look-at-all-the-goodies-we-have-to-make-your-game-so-much-better kind of cash shop game. I was tempted constantly to spend money in addition to the sub I was paying, and that made me very angry.

Apparently a sub wasn't good enough for Trion to give me 99.99% of the content. As gamers, we need to put a stop to that trend, or people will be spending hundreds of dollars more for games like this than they would with a sub-only game, which people typically claim they can't afford. This one sneaks up on you - it entices you to a sub with the player housing, then takes even more from you in a very carefully managed series of cash-shop game tactics. It is frankly shameful to hit paying customers with free-to-play cash-shop tactics. So, even though I hated losing my hard-won housing, it is the very reason I won't be returning to Archeage. I'll stick with games that appreciate my money.

Alysianah aka Saylah

Wow, you really made me think in your first paragraph. I'd also like to take a break but I'm afraid to give up what I've worked so hard for - all my my property. It would cost me a MINT to replace them if I ever returned after the break. This is something no other game has every required. You don't lose your house or farm in EQ2, Rift, WOW, etc. What's yours is yours. In EQ2 you just have to pay your back taxes and then you're set. And you're right, I shouldn't have to agonize over this decision. Because without the property the part of the game I'm playing doesn't exist and I wouldn't play it again. *sigh*

Now I'm really considering if I should be trying to hold on just in case I want to make a return. Perhaps it's time to just go. I do find the occasional farming and running trade routes is such a lovely game relaxing. However, the price of APEX has quadrupled which means paying for it in gold requires a more serious effort or depleting my bank account gold over time.

Remichat

I absolutely agree and the spending goes beyond the cash shop. If you have land, the 5k labor will be eaten up really quick. Taxes are outrageous if you do not want to use the cash shop credits. The appraisal certs are outlandish. If you want to move as you progress through the game it is impossible without spending gads of money only to hopefully break even (buying a first property near a starting area is normal but most people want to move near guildmates or near higher level areas as they progress through the game). Then there is the double dipping...taxes to place, refundable deposit and then the local taxes. There is also the fact that I share labor between my chars but I can't transfer certain goods like "bound" tax certs, vehicles and housing (housing without taking another cash shop hit on a 300 credit appraisal for a 1 gold transfer and more taxes).

I think I would be farther along in game if I had not bought into working toward that farm cottage, aqua farm and 3 farms. If the population were not in steady decline and it didn't feel like a desolate wasteland 5 out of 7 days a week, I may not be so soured. But, it is honestly pretty boring seeing the same 15 or 20 names scrolling through or passing by on those long gold trader trips that do little more than keep my taxes paid.

My biggest beef is the response by the Trion team. I am not a forum troll by any means but when the marketing director showed up during the extended downtime episode to troll the forums and basically chastise his paying customers with paternal banter, my suggestion that maybe he was in the wrong profession led to my account being permanently banned from the forums. The company seems to have very little respect for the client. Their attitude suggests that we should be thanking them for simply being there and accept whatever crumbs we get with grace and silence. Fine by me...I'm a adult (most of the time) and can choose to go elsewhere. ATITD is firing back up and while the graphics are abysmal and the interface seems to have been designed during the reign of the Pharaoh, the game play is cerebral, the company (now being managed by a former power player) was originally attentive and engaged and the players are overwhelmingly mature. I'll trade graphics for good game play any day. If I want to see sunflowers bend, I'll go to the public gardens where, at least, the service reps won't treat me like a disposable wallet.

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The Smithes

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