Endless Ages
http://www.endlessages.com/
MMOFPSRPG
Massively Multiplayer Online First Person Shooter Role Playing Game =P
Taken from IGN:
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The labor of a handful of passionate individuals collectively known as Avaria Corporation, Endless Ages is a massively multiplayer project that aims to encompass the gameplay of first person shooters, RPGs and vehicle simulations. Having recently achieved beta 10 status, which the developer affirms as the ultimate stage prior to a full commercial launch, the title is gearing up for its switch to a pay to play model, and has seen beta sign ups increase markedly in the last few weeks. A number of new facets have been introduced in the latest iteration, most significantly pets that can serve as means of conveyance or as combative familiars, and further enhancements such as player housing and vehicular modes of transport are scheduled for inclusion upon full release.
Endless Ages was conceived in 1999 by Lead Programmer Aaron Boucher and Vice President Justin Gonzalez, who had become acquainted a couple of years previously through a mutual friend. Prior to the commencement of the Endless Ages project, the duo worked on Evil Core: The Fallen Cities, an action title which met with a modicum of success thanks to its distribution throughout the US by a publisher willing to take a gamble on the project's potential. Following on from the commercial performance of that venture, Avaria Corporation received funding from a private investor to begin development on Endless Ages. The past three years have been spent fashioning an engine to contain the futuristic cosmos they had envisioned, and as the title edges closer to its full-fledged debut we thought it would be a timely opportunity to take a look in this Endless Ages Preview.
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The player's expedition into the Realm of Lia begins at a character creation screen. Here, one of the three race types, Bloblic, Amphibious, or human male or female is chosen as an avatar. The physical characteristics of each race are configurable to a minor degree, allowing for alterations to be made to hairstyles, facial features, body attire and coloring. This stage also provides bits of information hinting at the most suitable role for the race types. For example, the brawny Bloblic has the highest base HP, which as players familiar with importance of stats will know, makes it particularly adept at melee combat. Once agreeable garb has been donned and a name selected, the game proper begins.
As you might expect, the initial spawn point of an avatar depends upon the race selected. Opting to play as a Bloblic, the character's virtual existence begins at a commercial compound in the southwest region of the game world, in which there are two facilities integral to avatar development; the store and the bank. The store vends an array of offensive and defensive equipment such as armor, weapons and ammunition, as well as health packs for negating the damage caused by confrontational mobs. To the Bloblic initiate with paltry funds, limited weapon tech skill and a desire to kill, items of concern include the race-specific Genshock rifle, the corresponding ammunition, and a smattering of small health packs.
After said items have been purchased, it's more than likely that you'll want to venture forth into the outdoor environs and get acquainted with the various life forms that populate the realm. One of the first encountered is a Glob, a passive, spiral-shelled creature which rolls around serenely until attacked, after which it trundles belligerently towards its aggressor. It is one of the weakest mobs in the game, and is easily dispatched with a couple of rounds from the Genshock rifle. Offering more challenging gameplay is the Clegorn. Consisting of little more than a gaping maw and a pair of legs, this mob type boasts an impressively animated gait as it maneuvers to bring antagonists within range of its only means of attack; a damage-inflicting tongue of lizard-like rapidity.
The economic system of Endless Ages is similar to that of other persistent state titles; the player is rewarded with saleable items upon searching the remains of recently deceased mobs. Usually the more powerful a foe is, the more desirable the item it will yield, occasionally encouraging financially motivated players to engage slightly more formidable mobs than they perhaps should. Player death does occur relatively frequently to begin with, as there is no 'Consider' option to gauge the lethality of opponents, and when this happens, the possessions and credits carried at the time are left behind with the corpse. The freshly reincarnated player must then hurriedly locate the cadaver in order recover their lost goods before they are filched by other enterprising scavengers. Dying isn't necessarily too great an inconvenience though, as it is possible to bind a spawn point anywhere within the game world. Thus as long as the player anchors him or herself frequently there is no need for a lengthy jaunt to pick at a former self.
Essentially, Endless Ages plays like a first person shooter, but has greater depth thanks to the various abilities that may be learned. Nine skills may be undertaken in the current beta, with plans to double that number in time for the commercial release. Engineering is one of the most beneficial proficiencies, as once a level of competency has been achieved you can fabricate a more potent weapon than those which can be bought over the counter. Weapon Tech is another currently featured ability and, in conjunction with the character traits of strength, dexterity and wisdom, it determines the type of weapon that may be equipped. Other skills include Hiding, Mind Control, and Shape Shifting, the last of which allows the player to assume the form and capabilities of creatures that roam the world.
Other than the nine skills, there are various quests in which the player can become engrossed, each offering a bounteous reward upon completion. Some of the most destructive weapons in the game are available exclusively through these missions; thus, as a character develops the ability to wield these implements it becomes more imperative to fulfill the requirements of the prescribed pursuits. The challenges themselves should be quite recognisable in concept to experienced online world players, involving exchanges of items or words with AI characters, which often lead to further encounters with other NPCs, interspersed by treks across the environment. One of the simplest to complete is the Guard Quest, which requires the player to converse with a handful of sentries prior to receiving a voucher that may be sold for a tidy sum.
Graphically, Endless Ages has commendable qualities, ably depicting a striking alien environment. The engine has been used effectively to render detailed indoor environs in addition to panoramic outdoor areas that are vividly colored and populated by various forms of exotic plant and animal life. Some of the larger specimens of fauna also serve more than aesthetic purpose, proving useful as cover during circle strafe battles with formidable mobs, or indeed other player characters. The visual representations of the three playable races vary in quality. The hulking Bloblic and diminutive Amphibious races are well rendered and quite distinctive in appearance, whereas the human male and female characters seem somewhat bland, owing to their flattened facial features.
Although the online world genre seems to be becoming increasingly crowded of late, Endless Ages' premise and execution are distinctive enough to draw the attention of gamers weary of hackneyed, olde world fantasy settings. There are some minor niggles which may be off-putting, such as the high mortality rate of initiates owing to the lack of a 'Consider' option, or the slightly cumbersome game interface. However the quasi-futuristic, real-time combat set within a surreal alien environment offers a quirky, enjoyable gaming experience quite unlike any other persistent state title currently available. On the whole, the hard-working group at Avaria Corporation is in the process of putting together a worthy entry to the online games niche, one that will be bolstered by the introduction of more diverse gameplay facets upon commercial launch.
Game Overview
Developer & Publisher: Avaria Corporation
Type: Persistent state first person shooter incorporating RPG and vehicular combat elements.
Projected Release: Currently in final beta phase, commercial launch projected for June.
Minimum System Requirements: PII 400, Windows 98/ME/2K/XP, 64 MB RAM, TNT 2 or greater video card, compatible sound card.
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