When matches last at most, max, ever, fifteen minutes, and the act of actually playing the game is how you get things, its not grinding.
Grinding is subjective, news at 11. My problem with MWO is that it's a PVP game where the money you earn in-game isn't just spent on sidegrades but outright upgrades. So you end up playing 10-15 games on trial mechs (and not even against other trial mechs, oh no, you'll be the minority as more experienced and well equipped players eat you for breakfast), then buying your own mech, then not much changing as you suffer more to have enough C-Bills to be able to afford upgrades like endo steel and double heat sinks that will let you put more stuff on your mech and even the playing field, before you can even start working on experimenting with weapons.
I feel I'm finally getting the hang of the game, with a mech equipped enough to handle it all. And it took +100 matches with over 9 hours played. Compared to something like Smite, where you're matched up with newbies like yourself and can have fun right off the get-go as you're not going against enemies with twice their gods' basic health and much more game experience due to fucked matchmaking? Yeah. Wouldn't recommend it to new players. Really wouldn't.
[edit] Relatedly, MMO Grinder did a preview/review of MWO a bit back, which is probably a good bite-sized introduction to the game for potential players. The one obvious change since he reviewed it is that you no longer have to pay for repairs after a match.
If you're only feeling effective after a hundred matches, I really don't know what to tell you, honestly. It might take you that long to build a complete mech, but nowhere near that long to build a useful one. These are not the same thing, and maybe you've got them mixed up. Seriously, adding DHS makes everything better, and even the stock builds become feasible in combat. Comparing it to Smite is pointless, same reason the people on the game forums are wrong for proclaiming it is doomed because LoL does it differently. You can jump in and immediately play a god in Smite, but MWO doesn't require me to shoot infantry men for twenty minutes before I have to run back to base and buy my gauss. I don't have to refit the mech every match as I build up the cbills by creeping.
You're right, trials are crap, then eight matches of just cadet bonus, not even accounting for the other money you earn, and you've got the money for a medium or light. Want to buy a heavy? Well, that's about four additional matches. All the while you are learning the game. That learning phase is important (Ever see someone just buy a max level character in WoW? Utter trash). Great, you've got your dragon! But now you need DHS. Hmm...that's four matches on cadet bonus alone. What about Endo? Two matches. So at 18 matches, you've bought a heavy mech and two very good upgrades. You have a competent mech if you don't want an XL, and they are not required. Do it in fewer matches, if you wanted to start with a smaller mech.
I don't understand your complaint about basic health. Are you talking about larger mechs with more armor and internals? Well, yeah, that's kind of the point of them. They're brick shithouses and they handle like it. There's nothing that you can buy that just makes your mech have more health than someone that hasn't spent those cbills, save for Ferro Fibrous, and that just makes your armor weigh less, you still have the same total armor cap. Its also hard to fit that and Endo on your mech and still field a useable loadout with the large amount of crit slots they take. A cadet level/trial only playlist would be nice though.
Your original claim of 'give it some time' makes even less sense, considering anything they've announced to change has absolutely nothing at all to do with your complaints. It is a completely useable product that, at this point, they could easily sell for ten bucks. So now I just don't know at all where you were going and wash my hands of this weirdness.
If you think stompy bots might be fun, give it a shot. There's a complete game there, that isn't broken, that is fun. Maybe you'll like it, maybe you won't, but you won't really know until you play, will you?
MWO is awesome, i play it all the time. 100+\matches to get one good mech is also total nonsense. I own like 10 mechs (fully loaded) and tons of weapons and have bought/sold even more mechs than thay for the purpose of eliting skills and ive only played maybe 450/500 matches in my entire history. I've only ever bought 1 mech with real cash and it was a hero mech.
gPotato announced it's closing down SevenCore. A victimless crime, but in case you did actually play this game or - worse yet - paid money for something out of their cash shop you will get some of it back and there's packages to ease you in to playing one of gPotato's games. This was the entry:
Sevencore
Client
Status: F2P
Info: A cheap and dated looking game that combines fantasy with guns, flamethrowers and chicks in leather on motorbikes. The teaser trailer already looks boring.
Avoid? I dunno
I have been spending waaaayyyy too much time playing that this week.
Here are my thoughts- mechanistically it is a really fun game. Turn-based, tactical combat! All the classes have a very different feel and playstyle!
The game is gorgeous and just ooozes personality...except it is a very weird personality. The world is very goofy and strange, and that may throw people off.
So what is the bad?
Well as people have said, there really isn't much direction. You do the introductory quests and then they toss you in the starting island with a tiny bit of direction (go join a nation!...and then you are on your own...)
The game is literally just "go into wild, fight monsters, level up, collect gear" which is fun! But you quickly run into "well you can't do that if you aren't a subscriber", which brings us to the worst part: the free to play model.
Free players get access to all classes, which is good, but they can't leave the initial starting zone, which isn't TOO annoying...
But they also can't trade items with other players, they can't SELL items to NPCs, and they can only take gathering professions...which given that they can't make use of any of those resources, or even trade them to other players...is confusing.
If you are, as I am, looking for a game you can pick up, goof off in a really relaxing environment for an hour or so, and then put down Wakfu is great.
Just don't expect your character to actually get anywhere...
I have been spending waaaayyyy too much time playing that this week.
Here are my thoughts- mechanistically it is a really fun game. Turn-based, tactical combat! All the classes have a very different feel and playstyle!
The game is gorgeous and just ooozes personality...except it is a very weird personality. The world is very goofy and strange, and that may throw people off.
So what is the bad?
Well as people have said, there really isn't much direction. You do the introductory quests and then they toss you in the starting island with a tiny bit of direction (go join a nation!...and then you are on your own...)
The game is literally just "go into wild, fight monsters, level up, collect gear" which is fun! But you quickly run into "well you can't do that if you aren't a subscriber", which brings us to the worst part: the free to play model.
Free players get access to all classes, which is good, but they can't leave the initial starting zone, which isn't TOO annoying...
But they also can't trade items with other players, they can't SELL items to NPCs, and they can only take gathering professions...which given that they can't make use of any of those resources, or even trade them to other players...is confusing.
If you are, as I am, looking for a game you can pick up, goof off in a really relaxing environment for an hour or so, and then put down Wakfu is great.
Just don't expect your character to actually get anywhere...
Good to hear back from you. What you describe is stuff that I've heard before. It's a good case of why I have a specific category for "freemium". You're basically supposed to give them money at some point.
So I guess it's out of beta now? Because when I played during the beta I could at least take a gathering profession.
Yes, you can take *only* gathering professions, and you can't trade. So basically: you can collect piles of materials and do nothing with them until you cough up dough.
So I guess it's out of beta now? Because when I played during the beta I could at least take a gathering profession.
Yes, you can take *only* gathering professions, and you can't trade. So basically: you can collect piles of materials and do nothing with them until you cough up dough.
In the game's defence, neither it nor Dofus have ever pretended to be f2p. They were always subscription games that happened to include a demo area to try the game out.
In the game's defence, neither it nor Dofus have ever pretended to be f2p. They were always subscription games that happened to include a demo area to try the game out.
Though true, both games are so confusing and constantly require you to dig through Wikis and forum posts that it's not clear at all how much of the game is actually free. It's a French game and the French sure like keeping things vague for the sake of vagueness.
So I guess it's out of beta now? Because when I played during the beta I could at least take a gathering profession.
Yes, you can take *only* gathering professions, and you can't trade. So basically: you can collect piles of materials and do nothing with them until you cough up dough.
Subtle
More subtle- if you are lucky, you can get a non-combat pet to drop. (If you fight through the spawn-campers in the starting zone, there is an adorable slime pet who you get gear to customize its appearance, for example)
The thing is, these pets need to be fed every few hours or they lose health points.
The only way for them to regain health points is by eating a specific item.
This item is only obtainable by crafting, which free players cannot do, and also free players can't trade other players for it, nor can they make money to buy it from other players.
So your pet will slowly die if you don't feed it, and in order to heal it you have to subscribe
Regardless of ALL this, I have spent like five hours today playing
Wow, I was really liking Wakfu but reading that....eh. That's some shitty shit right there.
Good thing the sub is so cheap.
Is there a PA guild at all in the game?
There is not as there isn't even an active thread on this here forums. I would like to advice you guys to join a nice guild that's already going strong, as that lessens the impact of the number one PA-disease of gaming ADD.
I mean, that's not really a bad thing, I don't mind them treating it like a demo, and you have to pay for a full experience.
But wow, the things they restrict vs what they let you do are.... intelligent? I'm not sure. But the pet scenario is horrifying. I think the only way to make it worse would be if it periodically spoke to you, pleading for life
"Help me, please"
"I'm so hungry..."
"Am I really so worthless?"
"Just kill me and end the suffering!"
"....I only wanted... to be loved...."
In game message:start subscribing now to show mercy to your loyal and suffering pet!
I just learned that the pet also loses health if you have it equipped and lose a battle.
Also, that does really sound like something Wakfu would do. It is equal parts adorable and really really dark.
I have a helmet that looks like a bird head, and the description says "Yes, many little birds were maimed to make this hat", or something along those lines.
But I will probably be playing for a bit, may or may not subscribe, but I am on Nox.
My character names are Tibbets and Zinnar, if'n you want to play
And I have spent the past week becoming a pseudo-expert on this game. I was waiting for it to come out, missed the release because graaaad schooool, and then picked it back up this week to avoid doing school work, as I said
So if like, you have questions, I will answer PMs or w/e
Reminds me a bit of Neopets, where you had to periodically log in to feed your pet. I think my Griffon has been "Dying" for about 12 years now (can't check the exact length, they added date of birth requirement to logging in and I seem to have made it up at account creation).
I will totally be on tonight ALL NIGHT WOO no gym nights are the best nights.
I have a wealth of toons whose names I cannot recall and am still a free account tho. Prolly gonna grind for my Gemlin. That thing is a pain in the ass to get.
So I just played and won my first game of SMITE. I played as Agni in Casual league. It lasted half an hour, which felt pretty long. I think I'll play a few more games to get a better feel of it some time. I do love me some Hindu gods, they're colourful and blow stuff up.
BTW, Smite (like Tribes) has the VGS voice commands, where you can just hit a few keys to quickly send your team common information without needing to type a long message. If you push V you get a category submenu, then another to be specific, so you're never more than 3 button presses away from warning people, asking for support or just making a comment.
No guarantees they'll listen, of course, but it can be of great help.
BTW, Smite (like Tribes) has the VGS voice commands, where you can just hit a few keys to quickly send your team common information without needing to type a long message. If you push V you get a category submenu, then another to be specific, so you're never more than 3 button presses away from warning people, asking for support or just making a comment.
No guarantees they'll listen, of course, but it can be of great help.
Yea, one of the guys on my team was a bit more familiar with the game and he used that feature to tell the other guys what they should do. It's a nifty system, although it is susceptible to abuse.
Doubt it fits the MMO criteria, unless it has progression of some sort.
As a personal aside, F2P CCG is a very odd concept to me. You're still paying money for decks, the only difference between it and "non free" ones is that you get some starting cards for free. Then again, maybe I'm wrong and there's progression that lets you unlock cards with exp, that'd be an interesting take on it.
Reasoning is that at least those games have persistent meta-progression and things to grind for. It's like the difference between, say, tf2 and the latest Korean CS knock-off. There's still a sort of grind for cosmetics, but that's so random, and especially in dota 2 there is zero connection between time played and any sort of meta-progression.
MMO stands for "multi-multiplayer only", a newb to mmos and mobas would like to know those games exist and most moba players play way past any kind of leveling.
Any reason you don't have DOTA2 in the DOTA/MOBA section? I'd also recommend for inclusion: War Thunder and Mechwarrior Online both probably in the 'shooter' category.
Doubt it fits the MMO criteria, unless it has progression of some sort.
As a personal aside, F2P CCG is a very odd concept to me. You're still paying money for decks, the only difference between it and "non free" ones is that you get some starting cards for free. Then again, maybe I'm wrong and there's progression that lets you unlock cards with exp, that'd be an interesting take on it.
Well, from the sound of it you'll be able to grind out more than just the starting cards. And there's some sort of progression system, along with ?crafting? Something about destroying some cards to craft others.
Still, not super MMO-y. I think the license is based on WoW.
Blizz announced a free to play CCG called Hearthstone. Made a thread for it in Games, but might be relevant to this group's interests.
Hmm interesting. Thanks for the heads up. They don't have a website or anything yet, so I'll add it once they put some of their own information online.
It is completely logical to make a trading card game f2p as you need to get hooked at some point anyway. Either you pay a few quid for a starter pack, or you get those cards for free, the real profit lies in the people who buy whole piles of cards to trade with. I wouldn't be surprised if they tie this in with the Real Money Auction House as introduced in Diablo 3.
Reasoning is that at least those games have persistent meta-progression and things to grind for. It's like the difference between, say, tf2 and the latest Korean CS knock-off. There's still a sort of grind for cosmetics, but that's so random, and especially in dota 2 there is zero connection between time played and any sort of meta-progression.
MMO stands for "multiplayer only", a newb to mmos and mobas would like to know those games exist and most moba players play way past any kind of leveling.
Any reason you don't have DOTA2 in the DOTA/MOBA section? I'd also recommend for inclusion: War Thunder and Mechwarrior Online both probably in the 'shooter' category.
Make a "Vehicle" shooter category.
My definition of a 'free MMO' is in the first post, I try not to deviate too far from it. In my opinion a 'massive' multiplayer-only game scratches a very specific itch with people: the sense that others can see that you've been playing a game a lot or that you're further ahead from them... On that note: I don't think SMITE should be on the list and I'm kind of thinking about removing the whole DOTA/MOBA category because the point seems to be to make a perfect equilibrium at the start of a match and let the most successful team win. In SMITE you level up and you can unlock new costumes, but there's nothing tangible related to it.
I refuse to make a "vehicle shooter" category because I don't want to end up with a pile of different subcategories that aren't that different from each other when you think about it. Just like I don't have separate TBS and RTS categories and instead mash everything together in the 'strategy' category. I will point out what the game is about in the description anyway (unless I'm feeling like a smartass, in which case I will just write whatever and LET YOU SUFFER AAHAHAAHA).
If the main point of the game is to shoot manz then it goes in the shooter category, if the main point is to cross a finish line as quickly as possible then it goes in the racing category. Oddball combinations are very rare and probably warrant a closer look anyway. If all else fails I'm calling it "other" for the time being.
Blizz announced a free to play CCG called Hearthstone. Made a thread for it in Games, but might be relevant to this group's interests.
Hmm interesting. Thanks for the heads up. They don't have a website or anything yet, so I'll add it once they put some of their own information online.
It is completely logical to make a trading card game f2p as you need to get hooked at some point anyway. Either you pay a few quid for a starter pack, or you get those cards for free, the real profit lies in the people who buy whole piles of cards to trade with.
Well, it's all about the implementation, however merely making the starting pack free is in my eyes no more F2P than Wakfu's "oh, you can play the starting zone forever!". Unless you can play a major portion of the game for free it's more of (what I'd call) a trial/demo.
Though in this case, if you can acquire cards through a sensible amount of play? Yeah, that's reasonable and I do dig the idea of crafting and converting cards.
I watched that before I got a chance to play it myself. He also reviewed LoL a while ago. The thing is: if I'm going to list SMITE, I should list all MOBA/DOTAs and simply explain that they're not MMOs, but that they're free, online, have huge followings and are more fun to list than in-browser management sims*. I suppose that with the limited number of titles I can manage that, even though I'm not a fan of the tropes of the genre.
Hmm interesting. Thanks for the heads up. They don't have a website or anything yet, so I'll add it once they put some of their own information online.
It is completely logical to make a trading card game f2p as you need to get hooked at some point anyway. Either you pay a few quid for a starter pack, or you get those cards for free, the real profit lies in the people who buy whole piles of cards to trade with. I wouldn't be surprised if they tie this in with the Real Money Auction House as introduced in Diablo 3.
Beau Hindman (Massively) posted an article with 15 fun MMORPGs, only not all of them are free and he doesn't describe wtf they're about half the time. I would like it if this man was going to review other stuff than this little niche, because his articles are often only understandable if you're already playing the games he writes about and likes. Anyway, considering it kinda is my job, I have condensed his list and added the games that were actually free and NOT GOD DAMNED MANAGEMENT SIMS . Some other titles were also posted on either RPS and Massively, which I have also added to the list.
Aurora World, The
Client
Status: Closed beta
Info: Site makes no mention of unique features, but does point out that you can have pets, which is not unique at all. Will have to play this at some point.
Avoid? I dunno
KingsRoad
In-browser
Status: F2P
Info: It's a diablo-clone without any of the nifty stuff and bogged down by an oppresively expensive and in-your-face cash shop. It has no defining features that sets it apart from its competitors. If you are looking for an in-browser diablo-clone you should play Drakensang Online instead.
Avoid? It's cool, man
Book of Heroes https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/book-of-heroes/id455999097?mt=8
Mobile-only
Status: F2P
Info: Semi-card game with a strong focus on playing together with others. You can start raids and everyone in it is to kill X mobs within the given time. You don't have to tap your screen for the whole time, because you can just hop in/hop out whenever. Clever dialogue according to Massively.
Avoid? It's cool, man
Moonlight Online
Client
Status: F2P
Info: Game wherein you play as a vampire. There are no special features that set it apart from other MMORPGs.
Avoid? I dunno
Pocket Legends
In-browser
Status: F2P
Info: A cheap looking in-browser MMO that is made for smartphones. No unique features, but hey you can play it on your phone and it is super easy to just hop in and play a few levels with other people.
Avoid? I dunno
Dark Legends
In-browser
Status: F2P
Info: A cheap looking in-browser MMO that is made for smartphones. Spin-off from Pocket Legends
Avoid? I dunno
Arcane Legends
In-browser
Status: F2P
Info: A cheap looking in-browser MMO that is made for smartphones. Spin-off from Pocket Legends
Avoid? I dunno
Parallel Kingdom
Mobile-only
Status: F2P
Info: A game that uses your GPS position and overlays the map around your location with dungeons, castles, dragons and secret groves. You get to claim territory, explore places and kill beasts in pure rogue-like RPG fashion.
Avoid? I dunno
Parallel Mafia
Mobile-only
Status: F2P
Info: See: Parallel Kingdom. Map has gangster stuff on it.
Avoid? I dunno
Parallel Zombies
Mobile-only
Status: F2P
Info: See: Parallel Kingdom. Map has zombie stuff on it.
Avoid? I dunno
Life is Magic
Mobile-only
Status: F2P
Info: A game that uses your GPS position to place you on a fantasy-infused map of our world. You get to kill monsters as in the old Final Fantasy games.
Avoid? I dunno
TibiaME
In-browser
Status: F2P
Info: Old-school top-down MMORPG developed mostly for phones. Controls are as simple as running into mobs to do damage.
Avoid? I dunno
Ingress
Mobile-only
Status: Closed beta
Info: Experiment by Google in overlay maps with crazy outerworld events, that emit from artworks and statues. It's crazy and I don't know how it works, but if you live in an urban area, it should be a fun way to go exploring.
Avoid? I dunno
Midgard Rising
Mobile-only
Status: Open beta
Info: Said to be a hardcore old-school MMO with pets.
Avoid? I dunno
Warspear Online
Client
Status: F2P
Info: Cute retro MMORPG developed mostly for mobile platforms, but also works fine on PC. It's ridiculously old-school, fair warning.
Avoid? I dunno
Avabel Online
Mobile-only
Status: F2P
Info: Action RPG from Japan. Dodge and dash your way around big-ass mobs and improve your character Asian RPG style.
Avoid? I dunno
I'm not sure whether this was discussed, but I just started playing Uncharted Waters Online once it hit Steam, and it's a pretty strange MMO. Some Pirating, some Trading, some Exploring. I don't really know how to classify it as an MMO because, as far as I read, the three main "skills" which are essentially the three listed above eventually merge, as you'll need some levels in all 3 before going on to higher level ships, and the East-to-West spice trade (which you can't do without a trade company from all the pirates) and it's kinda putting me off, because there's no way you can specialize without large amounts of help.
The tutorial is also punishing in terms of length, but I'm okay with that in the case of a game that's basically 3 games in one. What I don't understand is the way in which you are meant to level these skills, especially adventuring and trading, rely heavily on what ship you currently have, and the tutorial ship that is given to you has really low cargo capacity. I'm sure this is just a ploy to make you spend money earlier, but all the same it's disappointing someone trying to mainline trade is stuck with the same ship as someone trying to be Christopher Columbus. I might keep playing if only because the game is rather original in what it tries to do, but it's a cluster of different ideas, and only some of them are executed well.
I also might really Enjoy the Port Royale series, so that explains some of this.
+1
omega71Too old for a title, too ornery to care.Sacramento, CaliRegistered Userregular
I do not know if you are willing to put more Android/iOS mmos, but I have a few I play here and there.
Ragnarok Valkyrie:Uprising just got released for both iOS and Android, and it plays exactly like old school RO, just with three classes. It is still a grind, just portable now. The controls are pretty decent, I am on an LG Motion 4g, and have man hands, and still can work this really well.
RPG Iruna online I played this for a few days when it came out originally and I forgot all about it, but it is like a 3D Ragnarok meets Order and Chaos Online. I might try this again to see how much has changed, but when I did play it, it was pretty decent.
So after reading through the last two pages I ended up trying wakfu out with subscription
man that game is pretty grindy. at least the crafting grind for some of the gathering professions is easy enough that you can kind of do it on a second screen while you pay attention to something else
but it reminds me so much of ragnarok online and tales weaver and the systems they have in the game are good enough that I can overlook the grind.
kinda sucks that no one seems to play it though. at least it seemed a bit empty when I was playing
one thing I really liked about the game is that the fact that its turn based strategy means that it can abandon a lot of the standard mechanics of classes in other mmo's. or at least add new classes with some interesting sounding mechanics that would fit in the turn based system
edit: having said that, I'm probably not going to play the game seriously at all.
I do not know if you are willing to put more Android/iOS mmos, but I have a few I play here and there.
Ragnarok Valkyrie:Uprising just got released for both iOS and Android, and it plays exactly like old school RO, just with three classes. It is still a grind, just portable now. The controls are pretty decent, I am on an LG Motion 4g, and have man hands, and still can work this really well.
RPG Iruna online I played this for a few days when it came out originally and I forgot all about it, but it is like a 3D Ragnarok meets Order and Chaos Online. I might try this again to see how much has changed, but when I did play it, it was pretty decent.
Posts
If you're only feeling effective after a hundred matches, I really don't know what to tell you, honestly. It might take you that long to build a complete mech, but nowhere near that long to build a useful one. These are not the same thing, and maybe you've got them mixed up. Seriously, adding DHS makes everything better, and even the stock builds become feasible in combat. Comparing it to Smite is pointless, same reason the people on the game forums are wrong for proclaiming it is doomed because LoL does it differently. You can jump in and immediately play a god in Smite, but MWO doesn't require me to shoot infantry men for twenty minutes before I have to run back to base and buy my gauss. I don't have to refit the mech every match as I build up the cbills by creeping.
You're right, trials are crap, then eight matches of just cadet bonus, not even accounting for the other money you earn, and you've got the money for a medium or light. Want to buy a heavy? Well, that's about four additional matches. All the while you are learning the game. That learning phase is important (Ever see someone just buy a max level character in WoW? Utter trash). Great, you've got your dragon! But now you need DHS. Hmm...that's four matches on cadet bonus alone. What about Endo? Two matches. So at 18 matches, you've bought a heavy mech and two very good upgrades. You have a competent mech if you don't want an XL, and they are not required. Do it in fewer matches, if you wanted to start with a smaller mech.
I don't understand your complaint about basic health. Are you talking about larger mechs with more armor and internals? Well, yeah, that's kind of the point of them. They're brick shithouses and they handle like it. There's nothing that you can buy that just makes your mech have more health than someone that hasn't spent those cbills, save for Ferro Fibrous, and that just makes your armor weigh less, you still have the same total armor cap. Its also hard to fit that and Endo on your mech and still field a useable loadout with the large amount of crit slots they take. A cadet level/trial only playlist would be nice though.
Your original claim of 'give it some time' makes even less sense, considering anything they've announced to change has absolutely nothing at all to do with your complaints. It is a completely useable product that, at this point, they could easily sell for ten bucks. So now I just don't know at all where you were going and wash my hands of this weirdness.
If you think stompy bots might be fun, give it a shot. There's a complete game there, that isn't broken, that is fun. Maybe you'll like it, maybe you won't, but you won't really know until you play, will you?
Sevencore
Client
Status: F2P
Info: A cheap and dated looking game that combines fantasy with guns, flamethrowers and chicks in leather on motorbikes. The teaser trailer already looks boring.
Avoid? I dunno
I have been spending waaaayyyy too much time playing that this week.
Here are my thoughts- mechanistically it is a really fun game. Turn-based, tactical combat! All the classes have a very different feel and playstyle!
The game is gorgeous and just ooozes personality...except it is a very weird personality. The world is very goofy and strange, and that may throw people off.
So what is the bad?
Well as people have said, there really isn't much direction. You do the introductory quests and then they toss you in the starting island with a tiny bit of direction (go join a nation!...and then you are on your own...)
The game is literally just "go into wild, fight monsters, level up, collect gear" which is fun! But you quickly run into "well you can't do that if you aren't a subscriber", which brings us to the worst part: the free to play model.
Free players get access to all classes, which is good, but they can't leave the initial starting zone, which isn't TOO annoying...
But they also can't trade items with other players, they can't SELL items to NPCs, and they can only take gathering professions...which given that they can't make use of any of those resources, or even trade them to other players...is confusing.
If you are, as I am, looking for a game you can pick up, goof off in a really relaxing environment for an hour or so, and then put down Wakfu is great.
Just don't expect your character to actually get anywhere...
Anyone want to beta read a paranormal mystery novella? Here's your chance.
stream
Subtle
3DS Friend Code: 3110-5393-4113
Steam profile
Anyone want to beta read a paranormal mystery novella? Here's your chance.
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In MOBA news: Dungeon Defenders 2 has been announced -- http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/03/20/dungeon-defenders-2-a-gentler-more-persistent-moba I am going to read through it more carefully later so I can figure out why RPS is all excited.
More subtle- if you are lucky, you can get a non-combat pet to drop. (If you fight through the spawn-campers in the starting zone, there is an adorable slime pet who you get gear to customize its appearance, for example)
The thing is, these pets need to be fed every few hours or they lose health points.
The only way for them to regain health points is by eating a specific item.
This item is only obtainable by crafting, which free players cannot do, and also free players can't trade other players for it, nor can they make money to buy it from other players.
So your pet will slowly die if you don't feed it, and in order to heal it you have to subscribe
Regardless of ALL this, I have spent like five hours today playing
I really, really didn't want to do schoolwork
Good thing the sub is so cheap.
Is there a PA guild at all in the game?
There is not as there isn't even an active thread on this here forums. I would like to advice you guys to join a nice guild that's already going strong, as that lessens the impact of the number one PA-disease of gaming ADD.
But wow, the things they restrict vs what they let you do are.... intelligent? I'm not sure. But the pet scenario is horrifying. I think the only way to make it worse would be if it periodically spoke to you, pleading for life
"Help me, please"
"I'm so hungry..."
"Am I really so worthless?"
"Just kill me and end the suffering!"
"....I only wanted... to be loved...."
In game message: start subscribing now to show mercy to your loyal and suffering pet!
3DS Friend Code: 3110-5393-4113
Steam profile
Also, that does really sound like something Wakfu would do. It is equal parts adorable and really really dark.
I have a helmet that looks like a bird head, and the description says "Yes, many little birds were maimed to make this hat", or something along those lines.
But I will probably be playing for a bit, may or may not subscribe, but I am on Nox.
My character names are Tibbets and Zinnar, if'n you want to play
So if like, you have questions, I will answer PMs or w/e
I have a wealth of toons whose names I cannot recall and am still a free account tho. Prolly gonna grind for my Gemlin. That thing is a pain in the ass to get.
No guarantees they'll listen, of course, but it can be of great help.
Yea, one of the guys on my team was a bit more familiar with the game and he used that feature to tell the other guys what they should do. It's a nifty system, although it is susceptible to abuse.
As a personal aside, F2P CCG is a very odd concept to me. You're still paying money for decks, the only difference between it and "non free" ones is that you get some starting cards for free. Then again, maybe I'm wrong and there's progression that lets you unlock cards with exp, that'd be an interesting take on it.
Make a "Vehicle" shooter category.
Well, from the sound of it you'll be able to grind out more than just the starting cards. And there's some sort of progression system, along with ?crafting? Something about destroying some cards to craft others.
Still, not super MMO-y. I think the license is based on WoW.
It is completely logical to make a trading card game f2p as you need to get hooked at some point anyway. Either you pay a few quid for a starter pack, or you get those cards for free, the real profit lies in the people who buy whole piles of cards to trade with. I wouldn't be surprised if they tie this in with the Real Money Auction House as introduced in Diablo 3.
My definition of a 'free MMO' is in the first post, I try not to deviate too far from it. In my opinion a 'massive' multiplayer-only game scratches a very specific itch with people: the sense that others can see that you've been playing a game a lot or that you're further ahead from them... On that note: I don't think SMITE should be on the list and I'm kind of thinking about removing the whole DOTA/MOBA category because the point seems to be to make a perfect equilibrium at the start of a match and let the most successful team win. In SMITE you level up and you can unlock new costumes, but there's nothing tangible related to it.
I refuse to make a "vehicle shooter" category because I don't want to end up with a pile of different subcategories that aren't that different from each other when you think about it. Just like I don't have separate TBS and RTS categories and instead mash everything together in the 'strategy' category. I will point out what the game is about in the description anyway (unless I'm feeling like a smartass, in which case I will just write whatever and LET YOU SUFFER AAHAHAAHA).
If the main point of the game is to shoot manz then it goes in the shooter category, if the main point is to cross a finish line as quickly as possible then it goes in the racing category. Oddball combinations are very rare and probably warrant a closer look anyway. If all else fails I'm calling it "other" for the time being.
Though in this case, if you can acquire cards through a sensible amount of play? Yeah, that's reasonable and I do dig the idea of crafting and converting cards.
*fuck those
Beau Hindman (Massively) posted an article with 15 fun MMORPGs, only not all of them are free and he doesn't describe wtf they're about half the time. I would like it if this man was going to review other stuff than this little niche, because his articles are often only understandable if you're already playing the games he writes about and likes. Anyway, considering it kinda is my job, I have condensed his list and added the games that were actually free and NOT GOD DAMNED MANAGEMENT SIMS
Aurora World, The
Client
Status: Closed beta
Info: Site makes no mention of unique features, but does point out that you can have pets, which is not unique at all. Will have to play this at some point.
Avoid? I dunno
KingsRoad
In-browser
Status: F2P
Info: It's a diablo-clone without any of the nifty stuff and bogged down by an oppresively expensive and in-your-face cash shop. It has no defining features that sets it apart from its competitors. If you are looking for an in-browser diablo-clone you should play Drakensang Online instead.
Avoid? It's cool, man
Book of Heroes
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/book-of-heroes/id455999097?mt=8
Mobile-only
Status: F2P
Info: Semi-card game with a strong focus on playing together with others. You can start raids and everyone in it is to kill X mobs within the given time. You don't have to tap your screen for the whole time, because you can just hop in/hop out whenever. Clever dialogue according to Massively.
Avoid? It's cool, man
Moonlight Online
Client
Status: F2P
Info: Game wherein you play as a vampire. There are no special features that set it apart from other MMORPGs.
Avoid? I dunno
Pocket Legends
In-browser
Status: F2P
Info: A cheap looking in-browser MMO that is made for smartphones. No unique features, but hey you can play it on your phone and it is super easy to just hop in and play a few levels with other people.
Avoid? I dunno
Dark Legends
In-browser
Status: F2P
Info: A cheap looking in-browser MMO that is made for smartphones. Spin-off from Pocket Legends
Avoid? I dunno
Arcane Legends
In-browser
Status: F2P
Info: A cheap looking in-browser MMO that is made for smartphones. Spin-off from Pocket Legends
Avoid? I dunno
Parallel Kingdom
Mobile-only
Status: F2P
Info: A game that uses your GPS position and overlays the map around your location with dungeons, castles, dragons and secret groves. You get to claim territory, explore places and kill beasts in pure rogue-like RPG fashion.
Avoid? I dunno
Parallel Mafia
Mobile-only
Status: F2P
Info: See: Parallel Kingdom. Map has gangster stuff on it.
Avoid? I dunno
Parallel Zombies
Mobile-only
Status: F2P
Info: See: Parallel Kingdom. Map has zombie stuff on it.
Avoid? I dunno
Life is Magic
Mobile-only
Status: F2P
Info: A game that uses your GPS position to place you on a fantasy-infused map of our world. You get to kill monsters as in the old Final Fantasy games.
Avoid? I dunno
TibiaME
In-browser
Status: F2P
Info: Old-school top-down MMORPG developed mostly for phones. Controls are as simple as running into mobs to do damage.
Avoid? I dunno
Ingress
Mobile-only
Status: Closed beta
Info: Experiment by Google in overlay maps with crazy outerworld events, that emit from artworks and statues. It's crazy and I don't know how it works, but if you live in an urban area, it should be a fun way to go exploring.
Avoid? I dunno
Midgard Rising
Mobile-only
Status: Open beta
Info: Said to be a hardcore old-school MMO with pets.
Avoid? I dunno
Warspear Online
Client
Status: F2P
Info: Cute retro MMORPG developed mostly for mobile platforms, but also works fine on PC. It's ridiculously old-school, fair warning.
Avoid? I dunno
Avabel Online
Mobile-only
Status: F2P
Info: Action RPG from Japan. Dodge and dash your way around big-ass mobs and improve your character Asian RPG style.
Avoid? I dunno
The tutorial is also punishing in terms of length, but I'm okay with that in the case of a game that's basically 3 games in one. What I don't understand is the way in which you are meant to level these skills, especially adventuring and trading, rely heavily on what ship you currently have, and the tutorial ship that is given to you has really low cargo capacity. I'm sure this is just a ploy to make you spend money earlier, but all the same it's disappointing someone trying to mainline trade is stuck with the same ship as someone trying to be Christopher Columbus. I might keep playing if only because the game is rather original in what it tries to do, but it's a cluster of different ideas, and only some of them are executed well.
I also might really Enjoy the Port Royale series, so that explains some of this.
Ragnarok Valkyrie:Uprising just got released for both iOS and Android, and it plays exactly like old school RO, just with three classes. It is still a grind, just portable now. The controls are pretty decent, I am on an LG Motion 4g, and have man hands, and still can work this really well.
RPG Iruna online I played this for a few days when it came out originally and I forgot all about it, but it is like a 3D Ragnarok meets Order and Chaos Online. I might try this again to see how much has changed, but when I did play it, it was pretty decent.
man that game is pretty grindy. at least the crafting grind for some of the gathering professions is easy enough that you can kind of do it on a second screen while you pay attention to something else
but it reminds me so much of ragnarok online and tales weaver and the systems they have in the game are good enough that I can overlook the grind.
kinda sucks that no one seems to play it though. at least it seemed a bit empty when I was playing
one thing I really liked about the game is that the fact that its turn based strategy means that it can abandon a lot of the standard mechanics of classes in other mmo's. or at least add new classes with some interesting sounding mechanics that would fit in the turn based system
edit: having said that, I'm probably not going to play the game seriously at all.
Thanks, I have added both of them.