Who would you pledge allegiance to? An ugly drunken clown, or some hot
chick? AC players overwhelmingly voted for the chick.
For years people have been warned about investing in pyramid schemes.
Who started pyramid schemes? None other than Uncle Sam by way of the FDA. Do
you think the milk group could make its nut if it wasn't for the bread group?
|
People are always screaming
about story. Asheron's Call seems to have a big intro story. It basically has
something to do with a land called Dereth that was inhabited by people called Empyreans.
Asheron either created the trouble or tried to fix the trouble by creating portals.
He was so bothered by his little land being slaughtered he brought entire other
worlds into the fray. Think France in World War II. The
story really makes no difference. The plot template for all RPG's is the timeless
tale of raising a little bar higher by doing something over and over again. I don't
think I have ever read a book that talked about the main character finally becoming 11th
level before I could get to chapter 9. Thankfully, unlike Everquest, AC rewards you
for reading a couple of paragraphs. Experience points can be used before you advance
a level.
Asheron does include a bizarre play mechanic all its own. Instead of Quake clans or
UO guilds, AC has an odd multi-level marketing scheme for grouping players. At some
point you can either become someone's vassal by pledging your undying love to them, or you
can sucker some other player into being your vassal with promises of real world
"favors". When any of your vassals gains experience, you gain some as
well. I quickly had enough sense to realize that a fruity guy pretending to be a
clown might win over some geeks and first grade partygoers in the real world, but
only a girl could accurately simulate twisting an AC player's virtual arm. I created
a new female character and within 15 minutes had 20 vassals. I became some sort of
fairie princess while I slept. |
