Archeage Beta

     Where to start. I've been dying to try this game and waiting with bated breath every time they announced a Beta event in hopes I'd get an invite and finally I did. The character customization is great, in fact I'd taken many screenshots of it, and of several other things at the very beginning of my playing... at least I had before I realized the game screenshots aren't bound to print screen but to F9. F9 to F12 on my keyboard don't function in MMOs for whatever reason and the silly game would not let me rebind it. Frustration ensued. And I'm still a little frustrated that my current screenshotting process for ArcheAge involves alt-tabbing to Photoshop. I need a new keyboard. Still once I'd figured out what happened with the screenshots I managed to get several to illustrate this post with.

      I made an Elven Archer novice name Aelithar. Promptly spent several minutes trying to figure out how everything even worked, though once I figured it out it actually wasn't that complicated. The story is interesting, the game world and characters are gorgeous and  before level 10 you get a free racial mount to raise and love and take everywhere with you. I've always wanted a feature like that in an MMO, so I'm feeling pretty sold on it for the mount that follows you in the world.

     He named it Laurel. And they've had many happy adventures together so far. So far Aelithar's reached level 17 and Laurel's close behind. Classes are really interesting too. At the beginning you pick a basis, at five you pick another from the list and at ten the last one and then you find out the name of the class you've cobbled together. Aelithar went with Archery, Witchcraft, Songcraft, so he's a Hex Ranger. It's not bad, though right now I am not seeming to get as much use out of the witchcraft as I'd anticipated. I might be inclined to try a slightly different set up in live.
     After playing with the elves for a bit I had to switch over and try out the one other race I'd really been wanting to play.

     This is Zurrath the Firran, looking extremely dignified. He didn't turn out exactly how I'd meant him too, the graphics settings were turned down when I'd first designed the two of them (before I realized how well my computer handled it and turned them up. But that led to me not seeing exactly where I was putting his scars. Still I think  he turned out a handsome and very manly cat guy. Zurrath was destined to be a paladin. Looking over the options months ago I'd determined I could make the equivalent of a paladin in Archeage, and that It would be Battlerage, Defense, Vitalism. Then I realized the classes actually had names and saw someone mention paladin in world chat. So when I went to pick a second at level 5, I googled it to see what went into the 'official Archage paladin class'. As it turns out I know my paladins, no matter what game they're in. I was 100% right. And Zurrath's now a paladin.

     A manly feline paladin with a giant sabertoothed cat to ride, what could be better. The bundle of silly fur is named Winterwind. Have I mentioned how I love the mount system in this game? They level, you can give them armor, and they follow you around while you fight. I love that so much.