Re: Which online RPG? - AOnline gameplay cont...


Gameplay: all the main playfields are static and common ground.
The shops are instanced so they don't get overcrowded, so are some of the most
frequented fixed dungeons. There are also lots of instanced 'mission' dungeons
in various settings that get generated as you pull a mission from the mission
terminals. A'la Nethack, in a way :) -- team missions have several levels, solo
missions are flat.

In general, there are two factions on the world, the Omni-Tek employees and the
'clanners' some kind of resistance fighters against the corporate behemoth.
There are also a group of fence sitters, the 'neuts'. You can decide to go
either way, but a.t.m. the Omni faction gets better benefits from the game
mechanics than the others.

Yes, you still start on 'newb' island, but you can just get straight off if you
don't want to learn about the very basic interface functionality and some of
the game mechanics. There are a few things there though that are unique and
maybe worth picking up for later (sold by the two faction vendors).

After that, over to the mainland where you'll cut your teeth and learn a lot
more about everything in the dungeon 'the condemned subway'. No rats, just
fleas but they ignore you if you ignore them ...
... so you muck about there until you're around level 25 when you're no longer
allowed in there. After that you can do what you bloody well like. (and before
as well, you don't have to follow any kind of storyline). Team missions promise
great rewards if you kill the boss that awaits at the end. There are 'dyna
camps' where bosses pop from time to time, any level from 10 to 200. I haven't
seen them farmed extensively, just occasionally I find them all deserted on one
map. There are other fixed dungeons you can proceed to, if you desire. Or you
can just hang loose outside the shops and watch the banter. Some people stay in
character, some don't. Your guess is as good as mine :-) For me it is a
_role_playing_game_, so I do.

Where does it all lead? I have no idea. There are lots of maps I haven't even
sniffed into, lots of <fixed> dungeons I haven't even heard about, and a
bewildering gazillion of things, gadgets, armors, weapons, accessories.

As for the 'paid' content, there are no really 'über' items that put the game
out of the froob's reach. Some professions benefit more from paid content than
others, traders come to mind who get good spells - oops 'nanos' that are paid
expansion-only at low levels. With my froob engineer at level 96 I haven't
missed out on *anything* yet, well maybe one or two weapons which I am not
interested in anyhow. Remember, I build things, I don't fight. I hide behind
the corner and watch my robot do the job. I invest my skills in learning to
build better robots and help build stuff for other people on contract. Or for
free, if I feel like giving a total newb a leg up.

I'm having a ball - and there's no pressure. There's a storyline some place,
maybe. Sometimes I stumble across bits of it, here and there. Theoretically you
could level up with tradeskilling alone but it would take ages. I note that one
of the recent upgrades actually enabled us to level with tradeskill xp gains,
which you couldn't before.

There's virtually no ganking (it's damn near impossible to do so with anyone
not willing to pvp although I found out about one exploit the other day),
little ninja-looting (just don't team with a ninja looter and (s)he can't get
at your drops, or the team leader can set looting rights to alpha turn and turn
about for the members if there is a problem) and there's not a lot of camping,
with a few notable exceptions in one of the early dungeons (Temple of the Three
Winds). Nothing has put me off this game so far ;-) although I may get bored in
6 months but then again I may not. Who knows.

-P.

--
=========================================
firstname dot lastname at gmail fullstop com
.

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