What exactly are the losses during PvP (when you die)?  What are the gains to winning?

A Tale in the Desert gets my vote. The level of depth and puzzles for crafting keeps even the most intellectual crazed. It's the best I have found in any game, so far.

As for 2nd place, I would choose Vanguard.

As for 3rd place, probably EQ2 with UO in the running as well. UO was excellent "in it's day".

Atlantica Online is decent, but it's a no brainer. It's more about the merchanting than the actual crafting.

Now, if we could just get Blizzard to work with Teppy (ATITD) we would have the best crafting game all around.

Originally posted by bartoni33

I have to agree. Waiting a few minutes before EA starts to fix issues that have been known for a while is not the way to do business. Is FunCom a part of SOE?

I saw this and had to laugh! Yep, good old SOE has their own start up issues each, and every time.

Personally, I don't mind the 3 hours,. I do find myself wondering though, why...can't they figure out they need more time prior to the last few minutes? I am more sad, than mad and a bit disappointed too.

For some reason, game developers seem to forget what it's like to the the players. Many people plan their day around an opening of  a game.  Gads, I set my alarm!  I gave up sleep! =p

These start-up issues do play a role in how people feel when they walk into the game for the first time. But I will say, if the game blows me away, I will quickly forget about the late start.

$5 is not much cash to play for 3 days. Go to the local arcade and see how long 5 bucks lasts there.  However, it's more the point...if you give early access for a price, then you really should be on time.

Time moves too slow. *cries*

Originally posted by JB47394

All this said, crafting generally doesn't exist in MMOs.  It's actually push-button manufacturing where players pour ingredients into recipe hoppers, press a button and get a manufactured item.  I'd very much like to see crafting implemented in the way that A Tale in the Desert attempts; player skill is involved with the task of creating the end product.  Specific examples there are charcoal production, gem cutting and blacksmithing.

Yep, 100% on that one. I recently wrote a blog talking about crafting and ATITD was discussed.

I have played ATITD each time it restarted (it's on 3 now) and found the crafting amazing. But ATITD is not a fantasy RPG, it's a political/crafting game. There is nothing to kill, so that leaves the typical gamer type, out in the cold.

Don't get me wrong, I love ATITD. Great game, great concept. But it is missing a few things that would make it a truly great game.

It's pay to play, but to me, it's worth it. The depth in the crafting is beyond anything else out there. The politics are cut-thoat at times, but incredibly challenging. The competition to be the first to find that all needed ore is intense.  The developer is known to throw in new systems each tale and this last one, he brought in realistic wine-making. From growing the grapes in the right areas, to crushing and putting them in a barrel, to how long they are eft in the barrel, to the end flavor result (mixing different grapes etc), to leaving them bottled for a while for the flavors to mingle. 

Each and every process in ATITD is a learning curve. You have to figure out HOW to accomplish it. There is no direction, only the players to help each other. Suddenly we open up wine-making, all we know now, is we can make wines and have been given ONE type of grape seed. We have to figure out how to plant it, how to maintain it and trust me...it's NOT an easy process. But if you truly like depth and some serious puzzles to figure out, while creating something cool, this is the crafting system for you.

There is everything from building a compound from grass and mud (via making the bricks), to crossbreeding the grass seeds in order to produce better production seeds, to breeding beetles for artistic beauty and then competing and on and on.

As for merchanting your goods...Well, nope. Not in the typical means. You trade, you barter and you share. Unless someone in the game can actually make money (I mean CREATE it) and actually make it viable, you trade for what you need. It works, and depending on what your focus is, it can work extremely well.

Yes, I sound like an ATITD fan, and in a way...I am. I love the crafting, and I love the competition to open the different schools in different regions. What I don't love, is the serious boring moments, where the game...feels way more like work, than fun.  But for a dedicated crafter, play this game. It will offer at LEAST 3 months of pure pleasure. After that, well...stay or don't.. It's worth the first few months! Just start when a new tale starts, the rush in the beginning is truly a blast. =)

 Really looking forward to this one. I am sooooo hoping what I listed below does not happen with this game.

No matter the game, each one has fallen into a serious routine of "daily" or "grinding" or  lets all group up and run a dungeon so we can all get the SAME uber loot. This happens at the end of most games, once you achieve the level cap.

Don't get me wrong, I don't mind a certain amount of repeatable situations, but when the entire game becomes repeatable...it's boring. And no, I don't always want to resort to PvP to fix the problem. I want the game to keep going, to keep alive.  I don't mean add more new areas, I mean...fix the old areas! Change the loot, surprise us with new quests. Hide new secrets and tell nobody they are there. lol

Ok, sorry for the rambling...

Back to the topic! I love the series, so if the game is anything like it, then I will love the game as well.

I considered stepping back into Vanguard recently as well. They sent a notification out, for a free month, that started in December....I never did reload, but I am very curious as to your thoughts.

There are so few games out there right now to choose from. Most are worn out and the same old story over and over.

If Vanguard could just get all those issues they had early on, resolved, I think quite a few might consider returning. Just wish they had listened to their players...sooner.

Anyway, I appreciate your post and your insight. Hope to hear more. 

This game is not pay to play. It does, have GCOINS for the premium items. You do not need these items to enjoy the game and many of them are purchased by other players and put up for sale on the market. So even if you never spend a dime, many of the special items can be purchased in game.

The economy and politics are alot of fun. Hope to see more folks join.