Earlier this summer, the developers at Virtrium (VI) released a new content update that included a number of improvements and updates on existing game features. Most notably, the dragon’s Adult Right of Passage received a large overhaul, as did the Scholar crafting school. MMORPG.com writer, Erin McManaway, had the chance to sit down with the development team to talk about the changes.

Q: The VI team has been hard at work in revamping the content tiers one at a time. The major T2 revamp was released on the public client earlier this year. Do you have plans for future revamps and if so, can you offer any details about what players have to look forward to?

A: “Currently we do not plan for a full tier revamp in the immediate future. We hope that in time we could revamp the remaining tiers for our players, but right now are focused more on improving the existing content of the game, ensuring what is there works consistently and according to the design of the game, and on improving the play experience based on what content is in game right now. Full tier revamps are lengthy projects that require the full focus of the team for months at a time, and in the immediate future we feel that time is better spent on smaller and shorter term improvements to the game.”

Read the entire Istaria Development Team interview.

I played that game way back at launch, and the graphics were horrid then.  I think it would be like going back to eq1 again.

I really did love the crafting though.

I really enjoyed a lot about Istaria, but the layers of abstraction between the schools and the actual skills was just too cumbersome for me to understand or appreciate. I never could figure out why I couldn't get woodcutting XP while chopping a tree if I wasn't in the right school, but I could get woodworking XP if I did something completely different in some school that was tied to woodworking.

Or not. I don't really recall, but I just didn't get it. I do have a special place in my heart of the game, but I just didn't "get it".

That, and dying on the starter quest when being sent as a level 1 against impossible to kill level 2s & 3s just made no sense to me and killed my first two tries at getting into the game.

I just started playing, and im loving this game.

The graphics make no difference to me, personally i like them.

And Phelim, it is a bit challenging, but if you were a biped maybe you just didnt have enough gear/using the right skills.

I just started playing this game last month and Im hooked , the crafting is not that complicated , and as for wanting xp while chopping this isn't warcraft, it takes little skill to chop a tree down ,turning logs into broads takes skill and that's why you get xp for making the boards and not gathering logs, the craft system here also allows for teching of armor , from a gem socket to place gems to change the armors stats to one liking or to set specific techs on them for a collective set of stats.

graphics wise from my point of view from playing so many different mmo's from all over the world , graphics doesn't make a game or break it, its how fun the game is , and this reminds me of the day long past where its a giant sandbox with no set path that i have to take i can do what ever i want when i want.

as for skill to play this game yes you will need it, since there is no mana to speak of to use for spells or attacks one must learn the skill cool downs and pace ones self this is not to say that the combat is lame, as a dragon i melee so i got to time my auto attacks with my skill attacks as not to leave me with just auto going, the cool downs are not that bad to where you are unable to fight, as a biped this game is truly a multi classers dream i got a cleric/mage he has his ability to heal and attack with two handed weapons with attack skills something a mage would normally not have and have powerful spells the cleric wouldn't have either.

The ability to own homes is a lost thing in most mmo's while the game at this point doesn't allow for loot or trophies to be hung, does not mean the homes have no use but to be there, you can have shops set up if you a crafter and have your own cosigner, or if you like a warehouse build lots of storage silos and craft machines , there are many different ways to design you plot with many races homes and buildings to chose from, dragons get  something similar they get a lair with many different types of rooms to build from storage silos to grand halls with either lava or water flowing through depending on your fancy

so far the community has been great , it is really nice to get in a game with others and have them actually be friendly and helpful , those two things right there are lacking in most of the "any kid who can press a button can  play this" mmo's it is very refreshing to be able to get in a game like that and not have to listen to thousands of kids wanting gold or hand out.

the only down side to all of this is that this is a hidden gem of a game while might need a lil more polish for most to those of us who need more from a game then pretty pictures and look for the communities that are full of like minded players this is the game to come try out , you never know what things are like till you give it a go for your self