Atlantica Online:A Keeper?

ttomm46

Hi

I just started playing and like the turned based combat..My question is for anyone that's played awhile...Does it get boring like so many other FTP games or is there a long term addictiveness to the game?

billiam

actually, it's a very pleasant surprise for a free-to-play game.  sure, it's no FFXI or WoW, but i've yet to delete it from my comp.  good game, imo.

ttomm46

thanks!

Theocritus

      My highest atm is 55 and I am still having fun.......I dont know if I would keep it if it was P2P but as a F2P I like it quite a bit........Its a nice change from WoW and its clones.

purewitz

It gets really boring the first time you fight something. Its my own opinion, but turn-based combat kills a game for me. One thing I do like about Atlantica is the story, but that's it. If it didn't have turn-based combat, I would play the game.

Rictis

Its a very good f2p game, however once I hit level 20 I felt it was getting very repetetive, and I did not like how insignificant the main character that you make is. There are no specific skills he gets that sets him apart from everyone else. And the crafting and some of the quests need balancing.  But overall the game is very good both in design and quality for a f2p.

vladww

Been playing since beta,

The more i level the less boring it gets for me:

more crafts i can afford, more mercs to choose, indiv dungeons, guild dungeons, Nation raid type dungeons, more strategies, etc..

Atlantica is awesome imo

candymuffins

Originally posted by ttomm46


Hi
I just started playing and like the turned based combat..My question is for anyone that's played awhile...Does it get boring like so many other FTP games or is there a long term addictiveness to the game?
The game hasn't gotten boring for me at all, and I will explain why.  While you are leveling up your own toon, you are also leveling up quite a few other classes as well as getting them the gear they need to work well in your team.  As the game progresses, you will have the option to add new and different classes into your party.  This gives you a nearly endless combination of different strategies you can use in PvE and PvP.  Also the crafting system is pretty fun to do on your spare time.  You can literally craft anything you need in the game.  I really enjoy crafting so I love the fact that you can learn any and all of the crafting skills.

 

metalhead980

Atlantica kinda suprised me to be honest.

Its actually a fun little MMO.

That make three MMOs that were F2p that I didn't totally hate.

The other two were Runes of Magic and 4Story.

Tyrrhon

Atlantica is very good F2P but it is NOT a keeper for most.

It has good community tools, levelling and changing your mercs means you see progress all the time. But as other MMOs it has only so much to show you and once you saw most of it, it has to slow down a lot and get repetitive. And it is just not as good at that switch as the big boys. What was good before, like the merc levelling I mentioned, bogs the game down as you have to spend weeks and millions to get your merc to the position where he stops being liability. Also, you moves in PvE combat do not really change when the mobs change, making it very repetitive once your formation settles down and changing it is slow process.

If you can get this "playing for keeps" mentality ouf of you head and play for the fun of the moment, it is great.

 

Trucidation

Actually, the excellent community tools and team micromanaging aspect alone should be enough of a draw if you're into that sort of thing - in these respects Atlantica Online is way ahead of the rest of the f2p pack.

Of course, if keeping your guys upgraded in up-to-date gear isn't your cup of tea, you'll probably want to look elsewhere. However, I'd like to point out that this is exactly what you do in other MMOs, i.e. the neverending quest for better equipment.

Just FYI...

You don't start with ALL merc types available to you, in fact you only have access to a handful of them, not even a third of the total available. That may be incentive to improve yourself to where you can access the other merc types though. Especially since many of them are only unlockable via quests, if you enjoy that sort of thing.

Each merc starts out with a single skill, and throughout the course of the game you only learn like 2-3 skills for each merc. By themselves, they aren't impressive, I certainly won't say "depth of character" applies here. Atlantica Online is more of a team thing, i.e. how you arrange your mercs together in a formation that works for you. Combat is overwhelmingly click/melee-heavy rather than skill-driven.

The skill/crafting system is separate from your mercs. It's easy to get into though, especially with the ease of finding someone to help you improve your skills, as Tyrrhon indirectly points out (the community tools). I don't see this in many f2ps - heck, most of them have rather rudimentary, tacked-on-as-an-afterthought non-combat skills.

- - - - -

I don't think of games in terms of "playing for keeps" either... there are so many games out there, sticking to few only serves to narrow your mindset. The more games you try, especially if they're not all carbon-copy clones of cookie-cutter grindfests, the better to enrich your gaming experience.

Ultimately you play a game for as long as it interests you. In Atlantica's case, I'd say it's in the top tier of f2p games right now. If turn based combat and team micromanagement doesn't turn you off, you'll do well to give it a try.

The entry bar is pretty low, by which I mean newbies still have a pretty good chance at "making it" if that's your aim, as opposed to many other f2p games with screwed economies which make playing them not very fun since the old-time high level players have a monopoly on all the end-game gear/events. For example, in Atlantica you can start joining the Free League pvp tournaments as early as level 20, with a good chance of winning (matchups are between random players but of similar skill/ranking). Unlike in most other MMOs, where you're pretty much thrown right into the same pool as the big guys, who'll bury you every single time. So at least you'll have SOME fun here, rather than no fun at all elsewhere.

munecaroon

First off, I'm a RPG player with a knack for strategic combat.

I think, I've tried the game 2 or 3 times before I got past the tutorial areas.

 

Now there are those so called "quests".

Why every NPC given task today must be called "quest" is a mystery but oh well ...

I couldn't stand the quest system and tried to circumvent it as long as possible.

At some point, there was the quest chain to get the Beast Trainer and I really had no clue why a local ranger would send me to the other end of the world to "help balance their ecology".

It's simply random, not their territory and just a time sink.

Overall the "story" falls too much into bits and pieces and never helped me to get into the game world.

Guess I tried too much in that regard.

The characters could have been given some more treats though for a pseudo-personality.

Be it cutscenes, party banter or triggered stuff  when going places.

If my main character is their leader, they should at least complain when I drop them for good.

 

Speaking of that "Fire mercenary" option.

After doing so, they can't be hired by other players in for example some sort of inn or trading post, which would be really cool I think. Being able to see their skill levels and such. The former owner could get a little benefit when fighting along with that new merc "owner" maybe.

But they just disappear which I think is a huge loss.

I know about the merc room feature.

But I think that the developers could have put a little more style into that. Given us a little player house for example (thinking of the lobby in Granado Espada).

 

It's definately a fun game for a while just totally lacks depths in the RPG department, game world immersion and overall story.

vladww

Originally posted by munecaroon


First off, I'm a RPG player with a knack for strategic combat.
I think, I've tried the game 2 or 3 times before I got past the tutorial areas.
 
Now there are those so called "quests".
Why every NPC given task today must be called "quest" is a mystery but oh well ...
I couldn't stand the quest system and tried to circumvent it as long as possible.
At some point, there was the quest chain to get the Beast Trainer and I really had no clue why a local ranger would send me to the other end of the world to "help balance their ecology".
It's simply random, not their territory and just a time sink.
Overall the "story" falls too much into bits and pieces and never helped me to get into the game world.
Guess I tried too much in that regard.
The characters could have been given some more treats though for a pseudo-personality.
Be it cutscenes, party banter or triggered stuff  when going places.
If my main character is their leader, they should at least complain when I drop them for good.
 
Speaking of that "Fire mercenary" option.
After doing so, they can't be hired by other players in for example some sort of inn or trading post, which would be really cool I think. Being able to see their skill levels and such. The former owner could get a little benefit when fighting along with that new merc "owner" maybe.
But they just disappear which I think is a huge loss.
I know about the merc room feature.
But I think that the developers could have put a little more style into that. Given us a little player house for example (thinking of the lobby in Granado Espada).
 
It's definately a fun game for a while just totally lacks depths in the RPG department, game world immersion and overall story.

 

Hmm i never met any of these "lacks of depths" you mention.

For exemple:

i never fired a merc yet, i keep them in the merc room.

I did however set my lvl 100 spearman independant. He writes to me evryday asking for gifts. I mail him what he needs to keep our friendship at high level . He then tells me about his travels, and he mails me *special loots* he got in his explorations (including quest items).

Now if this is not depth / immersion then what is..

 

 

candymuffins

Originally posted by munecaroon


First off, I'm a RPG player with a knack for strategic combat.
I think, I've tried the game 2 or 3 times before I got past the tutorial areas.
-- The tutorial area takes literally 3 minutes to get out of..... why it took you 2-3 times... says a lot.
 
Now there are those so called "quests".
Why every NPC given task today must be called "quest" is a mystery but oh well ...
I couldn't stand the quest system and tried to circumvent it as long as possible.
-- Quests are a core part of MMO's.  Welcome to the genre.  Any MMO you play -- there will be quests.  If questing isnt for you then maybe you don't enjoy MMO's as much as you think.
At some point, there was the quest chain to get the Beast Trainer and I really had no clue why a local ranger would send me to the other end of the world to "help balance their ecology".
-- Yes a beast trainer having you hunt beasts.... so random... What about the monk one where you are helping the child etc.  It all makes sense if you READ THE QUESTS.
It's simply random, not their territory and just a time sink.
Overall the "story" falls too much into bits and pieces and never helped me to get into the game world.
--This is because you "couldn't stand the quest system and tried to circumvent it as long as possible."  If you had followed the quests from the begining -- which give you xp, cash and items you cant buy -- maybe it would have made more sense to you.
Guess I tried too much in that regard.
The characters could have been given some more treats though for a pseudo-personality.
Be it cutscenes, party banter or triggered stuff  when going places.
If my main character is their leader, they should at least complain when I drop them for good.
--Sir you are looking for a console RPG.  Any idea how much $$ and time goes into creating the things you listed above.  Um yeah but a F2P game should totally have those too right?  Reality check please?
 
Speaking of that "Fire mercenary" option.
After doing so, they can't be hired by other players in for example some sort of inn or trading post, which would be really cool I think. Being able to see their skill levels and such. The former owner could get a little benefit when fighting along with that new merc "owner" maybe.
But they just disappear which I think is a huge loss.
-- Look up independent mercs.
I know about the merc room feature.
But I think that the developers could have put a little more style into that. Given us a little player house for example (thinking of the lobby in Granado Espada).
-- Because the cities your guild builds from scratch isnt enough?
It's definately a fun game for a while just totally lacks depths in the RPG department, game world immersion and overall story.

/sigh

That's all you get from me.

 

munecaroon

Played through all those quests in a sequential order, not much choice there.

Point here is:

All the NPCs' problems are only of so much relevance in lack of a global storyline like in games a la GW or Diablo. They don't carry you on in an epic way. Hence my disregard for the word "quest" here.

A quest is an epic search not a local issue. See how the meaning waters down here right?

And you can trust me in reading all texts. Your take on the relevance of these so-called quests is a testament to your low standards, F2P or not.

 

Independant mercs hu?

Now we're talking about end of the road stuff, mercs being 100 ...

I see where you like to have content .. end-game "content" as it seems, where in fact it's just another random timesink, which goals could have been done in a better way (Acquiring stuff to get other mercs, e.g. Spartan). Hope you're having a blast doing it.

 

You do realize guilds and cities is a good way to help players accomplish stuff but it's not what I was talking about here again.

You seem to have your take on this game, others have theirs.

That said, you can always polish one side of the coin to make it look shiny as long as nobody flips it around, but watch it or it may blind you!

 

edit:

Not a console player, but I favour a lot SP RPGs' stories over MMOs' stories. MMOs' obviously can only do so much for a player, I agree. MMO worlds are static worlds, still they could at least try to employ a good story. Again, GW did a good job at this.

Happy New Year to y'all! Be it a good new year that brings many fresh games!

 

candymuffins

Originally posted by munecaroon


Played through all those quests in a sequential order, not much choice there.
Point here is:
All the NPCs' problems are only of so much relevance in lack of a global storyline like in games a la GW or Diablo. They don't carry you on in an epic way. Hence my disregard for the word "quest" here.
-- GW and Diablo both focused on storyline in their promotion of those games.  I enjoyed the GW storyline a lot, but when it came down to solo player content even with the cinematics, I found it to be a bit boring.  I think that this game is more focused on gameplay (turn based strategy) over a super emersive storyline-driven game.  Normally, I am big into lore for MMO's... I even have read the books to a few (embarassing as that is to admit LOL)  I guess in this game the "fun-factor" makes me overlook the lack of deep storyline.  I do understand what you mean though.
A quest is an epic search not a local issue. See how the meaning waters down here right?
-- Like I said above, I understand what you are getting at.  You want a deeper more meaningful storyline.  The storyline they have going in Atlantica, while fairly basic, is still decent and most of the time, pretty humorous if you get a lot of the history behind the game.
And you can trust me in reading all texts. Your take on the relevance of these so-called quests is a testament to your low standards, F2P or not.
-- I do not have lower standards at all.  The problem is that we are comparing apples to oranges here.  I think the only other game I can think of that comes close to what I would consider an emersive storyline is WoW.  Every MMO out there will have you running around doing mundane quests for the purpose of xp/gear.  Think about how many quests there are.  It is pretty crazy to think that ALL of them should be based on a main storyline.  That is more how console RPG games work (which I love playing also).  They have a few side quests or side stories but mainly they are linear games.  So, please don't write this off as me having low standards.  I just think that the quests provided are more than adequate to get you gear/items/xp.
 
Independant mercs hu?
Now we're talking about end of the road stuff, mercs being 100 ...
--I have been playing for almost a month now, and the levels fly by.  Especially on the weekends with the 150% bonus xp and item gifts the GMs give out.  Endgame is not hitting 100.  I would say that it isn't even hitting 120.  As in most MMO's it is post 120 (max level) where endgame starts.  It's the farming, raiding and pvp after you hit the level cap.  While you may not like the independent merc feature, it opens up a lot of opportunities for endgame (post 120 content).
I see where you like to have content .. end-game "content" as it seems, where in fact it's just another random timesink, which goals could have been done in a better way (Acquiring stuff to get other mercs, e.g. Spartan). Hope you're having a blast doing it.
-- Please name ONE MMORPG where this isnt the case after you hit the max level.
 
You do realize guilds and cities is a good way to help players accomplish stuff but it's not what I was talking about here again.
You seem to have your take on this game, others have theirs.
That said, you can always polish one side of the coin to make it look shiny as long as nobody flips it around, but watch it or it may blind you!
-- You have been trying to flip things around, but I have yet to be blinded.  I also am not polishing anything.  I have just stated how the mechanics of the game work, since there seems to be some confusion.
 
edit:
Not a console player, but I favour a lot SP RPGs' stories over MMOs' stories. MMOs' obviously can only do so much for a player, I agree. MMO worlds are static worlds, still they could at least try to employ a good story. Again, GW did a good job at this.
Happy New Year to y'all! Be it a good new year that brings many fresh games!
 

I am sorry if I have come off a little harsh on some of these posts.  Your post, by far, hasn't been as bad as many others on here.  It just seems that a lot of people are expecting things out of this game that the Atlantica crew never promised or even mentioned.

Anyhow, we can agree to disagree and leave it at that.  I hope you find what you are looking for somewhere out there

Tyrrhon

If endgame starts at 120 then see you in half a year or so there. In other words, it does not, it really starts at about 100, all mercs and dungeons open up to you while side quests or any major changes dry up. Lvl 120 is your carrot here, this is now WoW.

Also, quests in AO while not having any overreaching story, have amusing albeit childish emotional text. The connection from text to the quest objectives is very poor though, i give you that. Same with independent mercs etc, it is all cute emo stuff but quite shallow. This is MMO, not Broadway.

Quests are indication of the long term appeal of the game, this thread started about. Quests will end, the last  repeatable side quests you were used to before to spice up grind and help your newbie mercs level up, end at lvl 96. You can still stay around for the remaining two mercenary types, if you can stomach daily grind, miserable drops and having to expose yourself to PvP. But the Atlantica you knew ends.

In WoW you have days of levelling and months of endgame and everybody today knows about that. In Atlantica you have weeks of levelling and people assume it is how the whole game is. It is not, it changes like every MMO. The change from 95 to 105 is not any more subtle than WoW change from solo levelling to raids and arena.

As F2P though, it is not interested in keeping casuals in forever as they end up not spending money, and nudges them to take their stance, go hardcore or go somewhere else.

 

Quizzical

Every game gets boring eventually.  It's only a question of how long it takes.  And that, of course, varies widely by person. 

candymuffins

Originally posted by Tyrrhon


If endgame starts at 120 then see you in half a year or so there. In other words, it does not, it really starts at about 100, all mercs and dungeons open up to you while side quests or any major changes dry up. Lvl 120 is your carrot here, this is now WoW.
--Never said this was WoW.  In fact I think I have stressed how utterly different this game is from WoW in my previous posts.  All of the dungeons opening up are important to my point.  Not sure if you read my other posts, but they were regarding farming etc which includes the dungeons.  Also having all your mercs opens up a world of new strategy in PvP and your normal PvE set up.  What might sound great to me sounds boring to you maybe? *shrug*
Also, quests in AO while not having any overreaching story, have amusing albeit childish emotional text. The connection from text to the quest objectives is very poor though, i give you that. Same with independent mercs etc, it is all cute emo stuff but quite shallow. This is MMO, not Broadway.
Quests are indication of the long term appeal of the game, this thread started about. Quests will end, the last  repeatable side quests you were used to before to spice up grind and help your newbie mercs level up, end at lvl 96. You can still stay around for the remaining two mercenary types, if you can stomach daily grind, miserable drops and having to expose yourself to PvP. But the Atlantica you knew ends.
-- Expose yourself to PvP?!  The PvP in this game is SO insanley fun I don't get that statement at all.  Again, maybe just playstyle differences.
In WoW you have days of levelling and months of endgame and everybody today knows about that. In Atlantica you have weeks of levelling and people assume it is how the whole game is. It is not, it changes like every MMO. The change from 95 to 105 is not any more subtle than WoW change from solo levelling to raids and arena.
-- Kinda sounds like you have a major thing for WoW?  Maybe you would enjoy it there more.  I personally didn't like the latest changes/expansion as it made everything WAY too easy, and ended up being boring to me.
As F2P though, it is not interested in keeping casuals in forever as they end up not spending money, and nudges them to take their stance, go hardcore or go somewhere else.
 

 

leonheart00

Atlantica is the best game I have played in a long time by far.

Pros:

Player Run Economy - AWESOME

Guild System - It levels up, and it makes guild members feel like they are fighting for a cause.

Nation System - Guilds can form nations and appoint Kings with special powers.. awesome

Stamina System - Yes and Pro and a Con, the Pro is because it encourages community and stops the lifeless gamers from having an insane advantage over working class heroes.

Here are just a couple of Pros, the Cons however aren't that many.

Cons :

3 Players per party MAX - Sucks... esp when you have whiney friends like me.

Non explorable terrain - Big no no to me.. you should always be able to walk into buildings and explore terrain in any game and this game puts FAR too many barriers up.

Stamina system - You can run out and get half the experience and item drops. If your hyped already you don't wanna stop.

 

Seriously, I have played more MMO's in my day than probably 90% of you guys.. not to be cocky but I go all the way back to old school BBS's when you played all semi text and ascii art based games. I was around playing mmo's in like 1997, and I have beta tested literally around 100+ mmo's. Some of these are not even listed on this site and never were.

Point is, this game is awesome and having seen my share of WAR I have to say first of all ... it is similar to comparing an FF Game to Zelda. Yes they are both fantasy but two COMPLETELY differant types of games and almost not the same Genre at all. Atlantica is very much an Ogre Battle-esque war tactics game while also being an RPG. WAR is tactical but much more real time and the player is only in control of him/herself.

Apples and Oranges gents, having seen/played most of your most popular p2p and f2p games out there I give this two thumbs and two big toes up because this game by far should have been thought up around 6-8 years ago.

It's about time.

Peace

Quizzical

Whatever Atlantica is, it most certainly is not a WoW-clone.  WoW, on the other hand, is a WoW-clone.

If you think Atlantica has a good economy, you've never played a game that has a good economy.  The crafting system is a small step above "something stupid to grind levels in", with only workload limits to distinguish it from the idiotic crafting systems of so many games. 

leonheart00

Actually I have played loads of games with good economies, Atlantica Online has a pleasant economy because it is active and guilds who control cities can make specific tax rates for towns among many other features which I am sure exist but I have yet to unlock.

WoW couldn't possibly be a clone of itself, that would suggest WoW was two seperate entities.

It amazes me how people call Atlantica a grind and play WoW in the first place. If you have a lvl 60 + on WoW you have managed to quest grind for about 4+ hours a day for around 3-6 months minimum, and if you have gear on WoW you probably spent 3-4 hours in raids every day with a highly technical guild with a bunch of people who have absolutely no life outside of WoW whatsoever. All for what? because you like that cool feeling of comradery that comes from mindlessly killing some non playable graphic script? 

A game like Atlantica is much better because the players make the storyline and the world what it is.  The same thing will happen in WAR yes.. but it is apples and oranges.. one is turn based strategy/rpg and the other is indeed a WoW clone at least halfway (yes Warcraft came from Warhammer but how many friggin years to they have to be seperate to be considered original? Face it, Warhammer did NOT make that UI they blatantly ripped), but all the same WAR is on the right track with RVR and by God it is about time people.

Anyway, happy trolling

impakto

Originally posted by Quizzical


Whatever Atlantica is, it most certainly is not a WoW-clone.  WoW, on the other hand, is a WoW-clone.
If you think Atlantica has a good economy, you've never played a game that has a good economy.  The crafting system is a small step above "something stupid to grind levels in", with only workload limits to distinguish it from the idiotic crafting systems of so many games. 

 

i was wondering why are you so mad at atlantica? you've been posting here for quite a while and so far you've been very negative about this game?

 

of course it will never be the same as other games specially WoW.. but were talking about free-to-play games here.. i think you know nothing about atlantica.. why are you posting in this forum thread?

leonheart00

Originally posted by impakto

Originally posted by Quizzical


Whatever Atlantica is, it most certainly is not a WoW-clone.  WoW, on the other hand, is a WoW-clone.
If you think Atlantica has a good economy, you've never played a game that has a good economy.  The crafting system is a small step above "something stupid to grind levels in", with only workload limits to distinguish it from the idiotic crafting systems of so many games. 

 

i was wondering why are you so mad at atlantica? you've been posting here for quite a while and so far you've been very negative about this game?

 

of course it will never be the same as other games specially WoW.. but were talking about free-to-play games here.. i think you know nothing about atlantica.. why are you posting in this forum thread?

 

((posting a lot to build my rank on this site to review and I need lvl 5)) 

IMHO I am more interested in this game than any of the P2P games out there, I have the money to play them, I have played many of them.. I haven't seen anything attract my attention as much. So, against all games I think this deserves to fight for the #1 spot just like it has for quite some time.