Item maller have a huge advantage.

But the reality is you don't need the item mall to progress. 

By just playing 1 hour a day, you can easliy level from 100-120 in 10 month without spending a single dime on item mall. 

Since they give bonus exp for 3 quest a day and 2 arena match.  This is probably the best casual friendly f2p games where you don't need to spend any money on item mall.

Yeah but 10 mos is so much time lol. but yeah this game is progressible... at least the grind starts at 95 instead of other mmos which start as early as 50.. i hate those.

Originally posted by trancejeremy

1) Gear later on in the game is expensive. Just about all the people I know with good gear in the game are either big cash shop spenders or gold buyers (or both).

I'm not saying you can't be uber without spending money, but I personally don't know anyone who is without it

 

2) ???? I dunno what you mean. Your mercs get older, but other than not being able to retire any more, it doesn't mean anything (for now, maybe in the future they will change things...)

3) Maybe. The game runs like crap, pretty much, despite the poor graphics. I wouldn't run it without 2 gigs of memory, either.

That is a shame.  I could have been interested in the game for many reasons, but getting uber gear via cash shops is game breaking IMO.

I actually think most of the best geared people didn't spend a dime on item mall.

The problem is this isn't a new game.  There are people who play 5~10 hours a day for a year.

Add to the fact gear progression is very linear in this game, it's very difficult to catch up.

Originally posted by laokoko

I actually think most of the best geared people didn't spend a dime on item mall.

The problem is this isn't a new game.  There are people who play 5~10 hours a day for a year.

Add to the fact gear progression is very linear in this game, it's very difficult to catch up.

Actually they did it two ways,

1) They've been playing for as you say...over a year (me included) where we both spent money on the item mall but also had the benefit of a lot higher gearbox and enchant stone drop rates.

2) Gold drop rates and in-game money making strategies were normal meaning those who didnt buy from item mall buoought those item mall items with in-game gold.

Because of the extreme nerfs to both gold drops , in-game money making strategies and gear box drops rates in effort to force alot more item mall usage + as you say, the game progression is very linear, it is almost impossible now for new players to get anywhere or "Catch up" unless you have a huge aount of RL money to spend on the item mall, either for yourself, or to sell those items in-game for in-game gold. It's a sad situation. For the game and the players.

For me the luckiest people in AO are the ones who were playing since the start or the ones who started and got lucky during the Mega event. I got a friend around level 30+ during the mega event.. got 2 soulstones.. forgot which, around 3 mounts and 2 costumes... for a newbie.. he was kinda rich.