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Asheron's Call: 14 Day Trial

StraddenStradden Managing EditorMember CommonPosts: 6,696

Turbine has announced that they will be offering a 14 day free trial of Asheron's Call: Throne of Destiny. If you want to try the trial and decide you don't like it, be careful to make sure that you account is cancelled before the 14 days is up. Otherwise, you will become a paid subscriber.

 


TURBINE ANNOUNCES 14-DAY FREE TRIAL OF

Asheron’s Call®: Throne of Destiny™

November 27, 2006 - Turbine, Inc. announced today that the Asheron’s Call®: Throne of Destiny™ (AC) 14-day free trial is now available for download at http://trial.ac.turbine.com for a limited time. Now in its seventh year of operation, AC is a fully-developed world - complete with a deep history, committed community, and a compelling storyline that has evolved through frequent content updates.

Players who participate in this program will receive full access to the game for 14 consecutive days free of charge. Upon the expiration of the free trial period, players will automatically become subscribers to AC at the rate of US $12.95 per month plus any applicable taxes unless they cancel prior to the expiration of the free trial period. Players whose free trial converts to a paid subscription will carryover the characters created during their free trial period. To participate in the 14-day free trial or to find out where to buy AC, visit http://trial.ac.turbine.com.

Launched in 1999, AC is a critically acclaimed massively multiplayer online role-playing game that draws together thousands of players within an evolving and dynamic persistent 3D world. With an exciting ever-evolving storyline, thrilling adventures, PvP, quests, and frequent content updates, AC immerses players in an intense role-playing environment. An extensive system of formal allegiances and player influence greatly enhance social interaction within the game.

PRODUCT FEATURES:

  • Incredibly deep storyline
  • Jump right into the story or take your time and explore the rich deep history of Dereth
  • Storyline frequently changes and evolves; sometimes based on player actions
  • Creatures that can be found in no other game world can be found roaming the landscape at any time, each with their own unique background story
  • Dynamic world changes show the effect of the storyline – from the deep freeze of November 1999 that blanketed the world in snow to the rivers running red that heralded the appearance of Bael’Zharon the Hopeslayer

Robust allegiance system

  • Monarchs can set different rankings for allegiance officers with varying powers based on rank
  • New allegiance naming feature enables players to customize their allegiance
  • Allegiance housing allows for monarchs to gather their allegiance in one place for meetings or questing
  • Unique allegiance rank system allows players to increase rank based on the number of followers

Unique PvP system

  • Unique skill-based character creation and customizable characters
  • Differences in skills and classes lead to a wide range of combat tactics
  • “Twitch” type combat allows players to actively dodge missile and magic attacks
  • Skill-based defense system allows for players to resist attacks from other players and creatures

For more on Asheron's Call click here.

Cheers,
Jon Wood
Managing Editor
MMORPG.com

Comments

  • AlienShoresAlienShores Member UncommonPosts: 79
    Man... AC was my first MMORPG years and years ago.  As everyone always says, there's nothing like that first experience and sadly we can never go back.  I'm so tempted to give this trial a shot just for nostalgia's sake if nothing else, but then I think why?  I mean, it's painfully outdated graphics (no, graphics don't make the game...), A very dwindling server population, mostly high level toons (yes we used the term "toons" in AC image) and really it seems that for me at least this would only be a depressing experience!

    Ok there wasn't much point there. image  Just couldn't help talking about AC again!



  • freethinkerfreethinker Member UncommonPosts: 775
    meh..

    wake me up when there's a free trial that doesn't require a credit card.



    ==========================
    image

  • AlienShoresAlienShores Member UncommonPosts: 79

    Originally posted by freethinker
    wake me up when there's a free trial that doesn't require a credit card.


    Unfortunately there aren't very many free trials like that these days.  I know there are some, but most of them seem to require CC info image
  • RauiRaui Member Posts: 11
    I've played since the begining and even now my accounts are active.  Its the kinda game that you've gotta play for a little while to really get involved.

    It has a rich community, a strong skill system unlike any other game, and is very good -- though its a bit dated.

    Unfortunately, Turbine puts absolutely ZERO effort on marketing it at all, even if they threw some banners out there at gaming stores .. it would be worth it.  Point blank, the game is good.  The PVP system is probably the best PVP system i've ever been involved with.  You control everything about the fight and your involvement in it.  While many games have huge emphesis on the PVP end-game, AC has somewhat taken that End-Game away from some of its players with the addition to PK Lite. 

    Still, its a good game and worth it.  You won't experience it all in 14 days but at least give it a shot.

    I play on the Morningthaw server if anyone wants some help, just let me know.  My name there is Raui.



  • ElapsedElapsed Member UncommonPosts: 2,329

    They require a credit card because the last time they did a trial without a credit card, people exploited it.

    Also for anyone with an old Zone account, you can still get your characters back by going here: http://turbine.fuzeqna.com/asheronscall/consumer/kbdetail.asp?kbid=1289

  • AtlanNorAtlanNor Member UncommonPosts: 38
    If they would take Asheron's Call, give it todays graphics, people would absolutely love it.  No other game has such an amazing story line, the skills based system is awesome because you can really customize your character, and like was said earlier the PVP is great.  One thing that is overlooked is the allegiance system in AC.  It works really well and there is accountability in the guilds.  An MMORPG with great graphics that models itself after AC would do very well.  Don't know that there'll be another like it.  The community and the amazing story line made the game for me.
  • ZonMezzZonMezz Member Posts: 19
    The problem with AC is that Turbine never really gives it the love it deserves.



    Yeah they might have (a total of about) five people working in
    development for the monthly patches but everyone seems to be afraid to
    go anywhere with the game. I guess with dwindling numbers, they're
    afraid to upset the balance.



    For instance, just recently, they figured out how to add pets to the
    game. But they're afraid to actually do anything interesting with them
    because it might "upset the balance" of the game. So that's probably
    the last we'll see of the pets possibilities other then a few wow-like
    cosmetic pets.



    The other issue is that recently they've been singularly adding content
    for melee/archer characters. It's been years since they've done
    anything for mages (e.g. spells). I play on Darktide, the pvp server,
    and regardless of the comments you read on the forums, the odds are
    heavily in favor of melee unless you manage to hit someone with a war
    spell. Remember you can dodge spells in this game. Melee just have to
    run up and wack you. Then you try to run away as you're quickly critted
    to death. Think Wow-high end geared warriors two shotting everyone
    (before the upcoming normalization nerf in BC) and you get a pretty
    accurate picture of the situation. Of course, I have to *learn to play*
    but anyways...



    The problem I have with Turbine these days is follow through. Dungeons
    and Dragons for instance is a fun game, relatively stable, but they
    still haven't added enough content to keep people interested. The level
    cap still hasn't been raised (It will be raised to 12 in Demon Sands).
    It's like SUPPORT YOUR FREAKING GAMES.... dammit.



    Sorry for the rant. Short version of this story is that this is still a
    great game. Regardless of the graphics, there aren't very many good
    games on the market where you look at a mountain in the distance and
    you can actually run to and climb that mountain and run down the other
    side and then run off through the desert etc. etc. Dereth is basically
    an attempt at creating a world as a opposed to a zoned theme park.



    If they introduced the next level spells and/or useful levelable pets
    with skill trees (yes i said it), I'd be back within *seconds*. 
    That's *instead of* playing Wow's BC which will be interesting until I
    reach the level cap which will happen in a couple of months. So tired
    of Blizzard... so tired of Turbine... so tired of SOE. Wish someone
    would actually finally "get" this whole mmporg thing.












  • Lunar_KnightLunar_Knight Member Posts: 292

    Wow, I think I am truly in the presence of my peers in this thread.

    I agree with 99.9% of the things you guys said, I love being able to log in and say "I think I'll run in...this direction till I reach the ocean." and actually being able to do that. No zone walls to smack into. Just one huge world just bursting at the seam with content.

    I think the original creative spark that first inspired this game has since moved on. I would love to see another MMO like Asheron's Call, a world without Orcs, or Elves, or Halflings. Thats what so intoxicated me with Dereth, everything was new and unique.

    The only company I have hope for that will accomplish the next new earth shattering game is Green Monster Games. It's a glimmer of far off hope, if nothing else.

    Seriously, if any of you guys here what to start up something on AC, like some kind of newbie monarchy, let me know. I'd want to start off playing with some mature fans of this game (such as yourselves), rather then with some kid who would just cancel his account once he logged off.

    Send me an email at my account on this site if your interested.

    .....................................

    ...but time flows like a river...

    ...and history repeats...

    -Leader of "The Fighting Irish" in DAoC on Hib/Kay-

  • StalinfalconStalinfalcon Member Posts: 77

    Interesting reads, kinda makes me want to give AC a whirl; but, I can't refrain from jumping in and shouting out 2 'Hell No!' s.

    Hell No #1: Jaguar, absolutely NOT. CC for trials is purely a scheme to get subscriptions in an underhanded fashion, it has NOTHING to do with vetting out 'abusers' of a trial. I'll accept your explanation as soon as they demand my CC info to see that I have a valid payment method and then allow me the choice to ACTIVATE, not DE-activate, at the end of the trial. Until then, I cry foul and at this tactic and foul at your attempt to apologise for it.

    Hell No #2: Graphics most CERTAINLY make for a game. I am beyond fatigued at so many people claiming graphics don't make a game. That's right up there with every last man; be he Straight, Gay, or Celibate; saying 'Sex is not important to me'. Give me a break. I'm from the Apple 2+ days. I was a Zorker, I played Adventure, I played the very first Ultima and Wizardry. Fabulous games but would I pay a subscription to a game in 2006 that looked like any of those? HELL NO. Get real people and stop lying to the World (and before you try to cleverly de-rail me, yes, I am fully aware Zork was a Text Adventure and had no graphics.)

    As I said, I'm a Zorker (don't call me Carebear), not a PKer (but I reserve the right to PK and Grief-in-general all those who abuse the term 'carebear'), but until the West stops lying to itself, I shall continue playing the pretty stuff from Asia, thanks. I can deal with Botters and Griefers more readily than eyesore graphics and manly-looking femme toons that have me itching to stab my eyes out with plastic scissors. Cheers :)

  • LyolasLyolas Member Posts: 59

    Dude. Zork was a text based game.

    And if you were playing it on the Apple 2, then sex really doesn't matter anymore for you.

    ROFL!

    He who hesitates is lost.

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