Potential New Player Here

[RockSauron]

Emphasis on Potential. I would start downloading it now and try the free version, but I'm leaving for a week starting tomorrow for Disney World, sooooooooooooooooo yeah.

Ok, so the only MMO I've ever payed for was RuneScape like five years ago. There was one feature in that game that has warped my mind to want to have it in every possible game imaginable: Player Housing. I have been searching for a game to reignite the joy of blowing every spare gold I ever earn to furnish one more chair ever since that fateful day I grew bored.

Now I just received a laptop the other day for college next year (going to try to go into game development, yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay ;- so I can run most anything I couldn't before. I have heard of this game before, but the fact that you had to pay to get to the building was a bit of a turn off (the building being my primary motivation). Plus my old computer sucked.

ANYWAY, so I may try the free version to see how this plays when I get back. However, again, my primary motivator isn't there until I pay, something I have never done before aside from Runescape for five bucks a month years ago (and even then it was my mommy who did it for me /cough). So I have some questions... to see if you people can woo me into joining this game.

1. How easy is building? When you get a paid account, are you able to start building right away or do you need to get to level infinity first?

2. Describe to me the extent of what you can build. I understand cities are not out of the question. Are dungeons though?

3. Is this purely a sandbox game, or is there some storyline at all with quests and typical mmo stuff. Possible related to construction? Heheheheheh.

4. How nice are you? Oh yes, very nice, I'm sure. You say you are nice Hence you must be nice. But seriously. ... Not sure how you'd answer this but meh heheheheheh

5. Combat wise, how is this? Bland, average, great? Eh?

... And if you're wondering why I'm throwing this in my intro, well, I may be classified as lazy, but also look at number 4. ... So I do want you to... PROVE to me you are worthy of my money. Eventually. Maybe. Heheheh.

But yeah, uh... I guess hi?

[LungTien Temeraire]

Emphasis on Potential. I would start downloading it now and try the free version, but I'm leaving for a week starting tomorrow for Disney World, sooooooooooooooooo yeah.

Ok, so the only MMO I've ever payed for was RuneScape like five years ago. There was one feature in that game that has warped my mind to want to have it in every possible game imaginable: Player Housing. I have been searching for a game to reignite the joy of blowing every spare gold I ever earn to furnish one more chair ever since that fateful day I grew bored.

Now I just received a laptop the other day for college next year (going to try to go into game development, yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay ;- so I can run most anything I couldn't before. I have heard of this game before, but the fact that you had to pay to get to the building was a bit of a turn off (the building being my primary motivation). Plus my old computer sucked.

ANYWAY, so I may try the free version to see how this plays when I get back. However, again, my primary motivator isn't there until I pay, something I have never done before aside from Runescape for five bucks a month years ago (and even then it was my mommy who did it for me /cough). So I have some questions... to see if you people can woo me into joining this game.

1. How easy is building? When you get a paid account, are you able to start building right away or do you need to get to level infinity first?

2. Describe to me the extent of what you can build. I understand cities are not out of the question. Are dungeons though?

3. Is this purely a sandbox game, or is there some storyline at all with quests and typical mmo stuff. Possible related to construction? Heheheheheh.

4. How nice are you? Oh yes, very nice, I'm sure. You say you are nice Hence you must be nice. But seriously. ... Not sure how you'd answer this but meh heheheheheh

5. Combat wise, how is this? Bland, average, great? Eh?

... And if you're wondering why I'm throwing this in my intro, well, I may be classified as lazy, but also look at number 4. ... So I do want you to... PROVE to me you are worthy of my money. Eventually. Maybe. Heheheh.

But yeah, uh... I guess hi?

Hello, and welcome on Istaria, RockSauron.

1) I am not really skilled nor knowing the construction well in this game, so I fear I can't answer well... but I think you need to get a certain level and the related school before to start bulding plots (bipeds) or lairs (dragons).

2) Plots can be various buildings, houses, silos,... lairs have walls, rooms, stairs,...

3) There are some background and storylines, yes.

4) I'd say the larger part of the community, of every shard, is friendly, warm, helpful and welcoming.

5) Combat is nice, most mobs can be soloed, but I personally enjoys huting with groups.

Feel free to poke me (if you join on Order shard) and others, on this forum or in game, if you need help. You can also look at this site for informations:

http://www.crimson-dawn.org/

[Fyrethorne]

There is much to build as everything in the game is player made. You start with basic items - weapons, armour and spells to level your craft levels. Then when you reach a certain craft lvl (Can't remember what that is. Think it's 20-30 for dragons. Don't know for bipeds.) you can start building. You can build other peoples plots if they are asking (usually advertised in forums or Marketplace channel ingame), community structures if they are available, or purchase your own plot. Price of plots depends on its distance from a portal, size and whether it is a guild plot. If you are in a guild, guild plots are very cheap. You need a full subscription (gifted) to qualify for a plot. Building is one of the main attractions for many in this game and the devs need to put bread on their table, so that's understandable. Many folks here have multiple subscriptions to allow multiple plots. That's how much we love it.

If you are a dragon, you get to build vast lairs (like me) which include chambers with usuable machines and storage areas. If you are a biped, you get to build biped plots, again with usuable crafting machines or storage areas. Bipeds also have more in the way of decorative items you can build too. Not so much furniture, but outside fountains, banners, etc (biped please post and fill in details).

The storyline is awesome, with much in depth lore. Mobs are not dissimilar to those found in other MMORG's. Dev's have been puting more quests in too with accompanying lore to make adventure lvling less of a grind. Character flexibility for bipeds and what you can do / become with different adventure schools is awesome and a real strength in the game.
Soaring the skies as an adult dragon is pure euphoria, but you have to work hard to earn that, which is all the more fun following the quest lines.

As with any game, adventure and craft lvling can be a grind to get to the higher levels. However anything worth having is worth working for. If it were all too easy what would be the challenge?

You never know whether you will like something until you try it, and if you take out a free to play account to start with you lose nothing except a bit of download quota. Give the game a go, and see what you think. If you like it, you can upgrade your subscription and get a plot later.
If you like roleplaying choose Order.

If you're not into roleplaying and like a greater server population, choose Chaos.

Or have a char on both servers and see what you like better.

Hope to see you ingame. Brings friends as well, as questing together is fun!

[C`gan]

1. How easy is building? When you get a paid account, are you able to start building right away or do you need to get to level infinity first?

First off, let me say potentially welcome. How easy is building? Well, for bipeds you have 5 construction classes (Fitter, Enchanter, Carpenter, Mason, Weaver) that are prestige schools. You may take as many or as few of these as you want. You do need the prerequisite skill at 150 to get there. To do that, you need to raise blacksmith, outfitter, and/or scholar to 18 OR miner and gatherer to 15. Dragons need to reach at least level 22 crafter to pick up lairshaper. Once the prereqs are satisfied, you can start building on anything that requires tier 1 resources. Tiers are every 20 levels, so tier 6 you need to be level 100.

Owning your own plot or lair requires a Gifted subscription, which ranges from $10.95 to $14.95 a month, depending on how long the subscription is. You may have multiple subscriptions per account. There are both plot-owning and non owning options.

2. Describe to me the extent of what you can build. I understand cities are not out of the question. Are dungeons though?

For bipeds: crafthalls, housing, guildhalls, taverns, gambling halls, seasonal decorations, walls, fountains, trees, rocks, ponds, vaults, clock tower (new), flooring, silos, libraries, pawnbroker and consigner buildings. Most of these have different tier requirements or capabilities. Dragons have lair chambers equivalent to biped structures (halls, lairs, crafthalls, silos, vault, consigner, pawnbroker, libraries) and connecting structures (passageways, slopes, spirals).

3. Is this purely a sandbox game, or is there some storyline at all with quests and typical mmo stuff. Possible related to construction? Heheheheheh.

There are quests pertaining to adventure and initially crafting, to teach you the basics of how to go about things. However, relating to construction, once you have the classes you wish to build with, it's up to you. The "quest" per se is the construction of each building or the plot as a whole.

4. How nice are you? Oh yes, very nice, I'm sure. You say you are nice Hence you must be nice. But seriously. ... Not sure how you'd answer this but meh heheheheheh

On Order shard, I happen to be the WorldProjects Team Lead Emeritus (at least I tried to retire from it). I was elected to the position shortly after merger in 2004. I've been a guildleader and I enjoy being just another builder in Istaria. I'm known to be fair, even handed, and dragon-loving even to the Lunus dragons who bristle every time I'm around them. But the true test is not what I think of me. Ask around the shard and see what you can find out yourself.

5. Combat wise, how is this? Bland, average, great? Eh?

I tend to avoid combat, but sometimes the resources just don't like you harvesting them. Early on, this is a challenge, but as you gain in combat skills, you'll find an easier time, particularly in the higher tiers. Most resources have unguarded or lightly guarded areas for gathering. I leave it up to you to determine for yourself if you wish to make use of them.