Ryzom

I thought it might be a cool idea to do a comparison of free-to-play models for my next few articles. As free-to-play has become more and more popular, cash shops and tiers of service have become much more important to how a player might enjoy or interact with a game. While the standard free-to-play model, the most popular one by far, is one that allows players to download a free client, has no subscription at all, and tacks on a cash-shop, the freemium variant is quickly becoming widespread. Freemium seems to be the model of choice for many Western games that were previously subscription-only.

The problem is that I do not really like the freemium model. I'm old-school, I guess. I enjoy the model that was imported to the States maybe eight years ago. A free client with a cash shop on top is all I need to steer my fun by. I'd rather skip any sort of tiered service as well.

There are exceptions to the rule, of course.

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Sometimes, a well-planned weekend turns into a complete mess. Case in point: This past weekend, which I fully meant to use to get more of a footing in Ryzom, wound up being almost entirely dominated by a mixture of other responsibilities and necessities. As a result, I didn't get nearly as much time playing the game as I would have liked. The plan is to spend more time crafting away over the course of the week, but this article needs to be written up earlier than that.

As you can imagine, this results in a little bit of a hole in the narrative. Fortunately, crafting is pretty deep as a system but fairly thin in terms of a core narrative, unless you find "and then I made another set of light sleeves" to be engrossing. So while I didn't get several hours of story, if you're not familiar with what the system offers, there's still plenty of ground to cover.

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Last week's polls were enough for me to get started in the world of Ryzom over the weekend, so I took my first steps back into the game that I haven't played for quite some time. I still remembered how some of it worked, thankfully, but there were a lot of elements that I'd almost completely forgotten. And while I'm still knee-deep in the starter area, I've played enough to at least get some starter impressions.

But let's make this a full narrative, yes? When we left off, the group verdict was that I would be starting out as a Zorai with the Magic starter package based off of a female Shakespearean tragic character. And thus, with only a little extra effort, Corlede was born into the world of Ryzom. The character creator offers a variety of features, allowing you to select your character's build in fine detail but offering a strange lack of certain other options. There are also some odd constraints on character types -- you find yourself always locked within a certain general band of height, for instance, so there are no really tall Trykers.

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After an intensely close vote, the winner for my destination in this round of Choose My Adventure is Ryzom! And I do mean intensely close; up until the polls closed, it looked very possible that the vote would end in the favor of Lord of the Rings Online or even a straight-up tie. But the readers have spoken, and my destination is set to the world of Atys and its inhabitants. Meanwhile, Johnny Cash handily won the bonus poll, so it's time to spin up song songs by the Man in Black while I write this.

For those of you who don't know what in the world Ryzom is, you can sort of be forgiven. It's one of those games that seems to be uniquely brilliant while managing to fall off the radar altogether, which is a real shame. So this week I'm going to discuss the game in an overarching sense, outline what I'm looking forward to, and of course give everyone a chance to vote on the character that I'll be making for the next six weeks of exploration.

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If you are perusing this column, chances are you are a fan of virtual worlds and the sandbox genre. Join the club! (Dues will be due on the third Tuesday.) The aspect that compels many aficionados to delve into a game is the ability to make an impact on the world in some small respect instead of making them into Hive Member 1593072 running a static, predetermined gauntlet. How that impact is accomplished, however, varies; there are multiple features that can facilitate it, and which ones are considered most important depends on the player.

With the loss of one of the best sandbox games just last month, some players may be feeling a void. Others still are looking/hoping for the "ultimate" sandbox that contains nearly every virtual world feature. Certainly, there are some upcoming games that make some drool-worthy promises, but what about playing something now? There are actually games out on the market that have at least one aspect of the genre, if not more.

To start off the new year, Some Assembly Required looks at some of the top features of virtual worlds and lists games that incorporate these features. While this list isn't exhaustive (considering the sheer number of games when you include all of the smaller free-to-play titles, I'd run out of column space!), it is a comprehensive enough overview to point you toward some games worth playing that perhaps you hadn't considered before.

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Ryzom is undergoing a recruitment drive at the moment, and the team is looking to the players for help. A spiffy contest has been posted on the official site to see which players can rope in the most new warm bodies for the cause.

Each player is tasked with recruiting friends and family members via a unique link that will count toward their tally during the month of November. After November 30th, the Ryzom team will see which players have netted the biggest catch and will dole out rewards accordingly.

The first place winner gets a choice of tempting prizes: either an original concept art drawing or an Nvidia GeForce GTX 480 graphics card. Second place can choose from the drawing or a lifetime subscription to the game, and third through sixth place winners will receive a three-month subscription.

Ryzom is currently free-to-play with an optional subscription package.

Let's face it, folks, 2011 has been a fairly bad year for sandbox MMORPGs. Whether we're talking about the premature (and, ahem, forced) demise of Star Wars Galaxies, EVE Online's public relations disasters and its capitulation to the cash-shop-in-a-sub-based game fad, or Earthrise's rough launch, there hasn't been a lot to celebrate for fans of non-linear MMO gameplay in quite a while.

I've even had several friends ask me point blank: Is the sandbox dead? The short answer is not just no, but hell no. Join me after the cut for a few bright spots as we look to the future, take stock of the present, and try to forget about the past.

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Let's face it: If you are frequenting this site and specifically this column, you probably have a soft spot in your heart for gizmos, gadgets, and gear. I know I do. But all that cool stuff costs a lot of money. When I spent the first half of my life as a drummer, I was known as the "duct tape drummer" because I used it for everything from bandages to kick drum holders. I could achieve what I wanted at a fraction of the price mainly because I wasn't worried about how my drum kit looked or how new my gear was.

I bring that same mentality to my gaming. This column was born out of the need for gaming-on-the-cheap and more mobility, and today I wanted to give you two examples of how this mentality works in my life. Remember, the ultimate goal here is to have fun, and I have had more fun since I started this column than I have had in a long, long time.

Click past the cut and let me show you some new ways to game!

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I have really been enjoying the new series Game of Thrones over on the HBO network. In fact, when I recently changed to a faster internet provider, I deliberately added on the exclusive channel just for the series. Even though I have never read the books, a 15-minute preview of the show was enough to convince me to watch it. While I am truly enjoying the break from fantasy that is chock-full of smart-alec modern-day references (all delivered by smirking hipsters with swords), I admit to still being a little afraid that the series will take a turn for the goofy or overly dramatic. If a single vampire shows up in this one, I am going to turn it all off and go on a long vacation.

So far, though, it's been a delightful romp into a cold, realistic world. After I watch a new episode, I avoid the internet for fear of random spoilers or the temptation to look at character bios. I simply do not want to know what's going to happen, so please do not tell me. Since the series has started, I have begun to notice how I enjoy the same basic entertainment in my gaming.

I want political intrigue, amazing landscapes, and the occasional epic, bloody fight. Join me past the cut and let's look at some games that provide those three things.

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Good news for all citizens of Atys and Mac users! Fresh on the heels of Ryzom's recent port to Linux, Winch Gate has just announced that its open source MMO is now available in the Apple Store. Boasting the title of "the first and only MMORPG available in the Mac Apple Store," Ryzom recently went free-to-play, allowing players to progress to skill level 125 without paying a single red cent. And now you can do that on a Mac, too!

If you're in the market for a unique MMO with a strong emphasis on open-ended leveling, story, and even roleplaying but just couldn't find one that would cooperate with your fancy Mac, now's your chance to get your feet wet with Ryzom without even opening your wallet!

After a loose week of playing scheduled games, I can say that I have a lot of work to do to perfect my system. Once again, Tim and Jon from the Van Hemlock podcast are my inspiration. They are both dedicated to the art of playing games, to "finishing" games, almost to the point of obsession. It's certainly not for everyone, but they seem to maintain a real balance while skipping around. Perhaps the podcast they host helps them with this balance? I've hosted several podcasts over the years, so maybe putting my weekly gaming thoughts into audio form is necessary to keeping my sanity?

In reality, what I need to do is just stick it out and stay the course. I am not sure of many things in this world, but I am positive that repetition and scheduling are more powerful than almost any plan. Humans are habitual creatures, even with their gaming. Especially with their gaming. Over this last week, I started to settle into the role of a scheduled player and even looked forward to it each night.

Click past the cut and I'll let you know how it went.

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While some details are still a little foggy, we recently learned that the unusual sci-fantasy MMO Ryzom will be going freemium on March 9th, pretty much the time that this article will go live. To say that this was exciting news is quite the understatement, especially since I have been a fan of the game for several years. I even hosted a podcast dedicated to the game and have always tried to play it when I get the chance.

Of course, a $10.95-a-month subscription kept me from dedicating too much time to it, as did the fact that I keep myself busy with every other game under the sun, so getting the chance to take as much time as I want in the game is thrilling. Also, this means that new players can try the game out without fear of running into the end of a 21-day trial, although since free players are capped at a level limit of 125 out of 250, they'll eventually be asked to pony up for the rest of the game.

Let me tell you why this is exciting and give you some basic information to get you started on the wonderful world of Atys. Later in this article, I've even embedded a two-year-old video I made about live events in Ryzom. It's funny, I have my work clothes on, and I talk really fast. I felt it was still relevant because live events still happen in Ryzom, and I wanted to show off some of the games graphics while I was at it.

Click past the cut and let's discuss!

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If you've played Ryzom before, it probably left a very unique taste in your mouth. Even after several years you would be hard-pressed to find an MMO that has such unique features as a weather system that actually affects gameplay, migrating mobs with predator/prey relationships, a skill-based system that allows players to explore many different activities, mounts and pack creatures that can actually be killed in the line of duty, and such a rich landscape, primed for roleplay! Ryzom is easily one of the favorite games of some of the staff at Massively.

For a while, the game featured a trial island on which players could achieve a fraction of the 250 max levels in the game, but that option was put to a time limit. After March 9th, however, it looks like new players will be able to not only leave the trial island but reach a max level of 125 -- after which all experience stops. Also, a player can continue to enjoy the game like this forever -- for free. It's essentially a unlimited free trial option, and it firmly places Ryzom in the freemium category. Don't forget, though, that the game continues to depend on subscriptions to make money, so feel free to use that option to unlock the entire game.

While there are still many questions, keep an eye on Massively or head to the official site to check it out. The discussion has already started on the official forums!

If you're looking for MMOs that run on a Mac, you face an uphill battle. If you're looking for MMOs that run on Linux, the battle is so steeply uphill that it more closely resembles a vertical cliff. But Ryzom has joined those small ranks, with the release of an official Linux client for the game. This goes hand-in-hand with the game's move to open source earlier in the year, which allows players unhappy with the official client the freedom to make a number of alterations.

To celebrate the official Linux release, Winch Gate is holding an in-game contest running through January 11th, 2011. Players are tasked with finding seven Linux Steles scattered around the world and answering their riddles, with a ZaReason Linux Terra-HD netbook (or cash equivalent) as a grand prize for entrants. Whether or not you intend to start playing Ryzom on Linux, it's a nice prize and an excellent incentive for players to celebrate the new release.

Even in the oldest of MMOs, bugs still crop up from time to time. Sometimes you'll find yourself stuck in the terrain, while other bugs may actually cause you to fall through the world and wind up wandering a strange landscape of unfinished textures and jagged polygons. Thankfully, while today's One Shots shows off a strange occurrence, the end result was quite nice to look at. This image comes to us from Kollasu D., who explains her recent experience in Ryzom. She writes: "Sometimes you get a once in a lifetime bug that allows you to see something no other homin has ever seen. Recently I was crossing a lake in Enchanted Isles in Ryzom, and I discovered I was walking underwater! Naturally I started taking pictures! Here I am in the unseen world of the fishes!"

Every MMO from big to small is welcome, but we need you to send those MMO screenshots in. Pop them into an email and send it to us here at oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a quick description. We'll post it out here for everyone to check out, and of course we'll give you the credit.