PVP:Yes | Distribution:Download,Retail | Retail Price:$19.99 | Pay Type:Subscription
Desktop Client | System Req:
Asheron's Call News - 14 Day Trial
Posted by Jon Wood on Nov 27, 2006 | 10 comments in our forums
Turbine has announced that they will be offering a 14 day free trial of Asheron's Call: Throne of Destiny. If you want to try the trial and decide you don't like it, be careful to make sure that you account is cancelled before the 14 days is up. Otherwise, you will become a paid subscriber.
|
Asheron’s Call®: Throne of Destiny™ November 27, 2006 - Turbine, Inc. announced today that the Asheron’s Call®: Throne of Destiny™ (AC) 14-day free trial is now available for download at http://trial.ac.turbine.com for a limited time. Now in its seventh year of operation, AC is a fully-developed world - complete with a deep history, committed community, and a compelling storyline that has evolved through frequent content updates. Players who participate in this program will receive full access to the game for 14 consecutive days free of charge. Upon the expiration of the free trial period, players will automatically become subscribers to AC at the rate of US $12.95 per month plus any applicable taxes unless they cancel prior to the expiration of the free trial period. Players whose free trial converts to a paid subscription will carryover the characters created during their free trial period. To participate in the 14-day free trial or to find out where to buy AC, visit http://trial.ac.turbine.com. Launched in 1999, AC is a critically acclaimed massively multiplayer online role-playing game that draws together thousands of players within an evolving and dynamic persistent 3D world. With an exciting ever-evolving storyline, thrilling adventures, PvP, quests, and frequent content updates, AC immerses players in an intense role-playing environment. An extensive system of formal allegiances and player influence greatly enhance social interaction within the game. PRODUCT FEATURES:
Robust allegiance system
Unique PvP system
|
For more on Asheron's Call click here.
Ok there wasn't much point there.
wake me up when there's a free trial that doesn't require a credit card.
Unfortunately there aren't very many free trials like that these days. I know there are some, but most of them seem to require CC info
It has a rich community, a strong skill system unlike any other game, and is very good -- though its a bit dated.
Unfortunately, Turbine puts absolutely ZERO effort on marketing it at all, even if they threw some banners out there at gaming stores .. it would be worth it. Point blank, the game is good. The PVP system is probably the best PVP system i've ever been involved with. You control everything about the fight and your involvement in it. While many games have huge emphesis on the PVP end-game, AC has somewhat taken that End-Game away from some of its players with the addition to PK Lite.
Still, its a good game and worth it. You won't experience it all in 14 days but at least give it a shot.
I play on the Morningthaw server if anyone wants some help, just let me know. My name there is Raui.
They require a credit card because the last time they did a trial without a credit card, people exploited it.
Also for anyone with an old Zone account, you can still get your characters back by going here: http://turbine.fuzeqna.com/asheronscall/consumer/kbdetail.asp?kbid=1289
Yeah they might have (a total of about) five people working in development for the monthly patches but everyone seems to be afraid to go anywhere with the game. I guess with dwindling numbers, they're afraid to upset the balance.
For instance, just recently, they figured out how to add pets to the game. But they're afraid to actually do anything interesting with them because it might "upset the balance" of the game. So that's probably the last we'll see of the pets possibilities other then a few wow-like cosmetic pets.
The other issue is that recently they've been singularly adding content for melee/archer characters. It's been years since they've done anything for mages (e.g. spells). I play on Darktide, the pvp server, and regardless of the comments you read on the forums, the odds are heavily in favor of melee unless you manage to hit someone with a war spell. Remember you can dodge spells in this game. Melee just have to run up and wack you. Then you try to run away as you're quickly critted to death. Think Wow-high end geared warriors two shotting everyone (before the upcoming normalization nerf in BC) and you get a pretty accurate picture of the situation. Of course, I have to *learn to play* but anyways...
The problem I have with Turbine these days is follow through. Dungeons and Dragons for instance is a fun game, relatively stable, but they still haven't added enough content to keep people interested. The level cap still hasn't been raised (It will be raised to 12 in Demon Sands). It's like SUPPORT YOUR FREAKING GAMES.... dammit.
Sorry for the rant. Short version of this story is that this is still a great game. Regardless of the graphics, there aren't very many good games on the market where you look at a mountain in the distance and you can actually run to and climb that mountain and run down the other side and then run off through the desert etc. etc. Dereth is basically an attempt at creating a world as a opposed to a zoned theme park.
If they introduced the next level spells and/or useful levelable pets with skill trees (yes i said it), I'd be back within *seconds*. That's *instead of* playing Wow's BC which will be interesting until I reach the level cap which will happen in a couple of months. So tired of Blizzard... so tired of Turbine... so tired of SOE. Wish someone would actually finally "get" this whole mmporg thing.
Wow, I think I am truly in the presence of my peers in this thread.
I agree with 99.9% of the things you guys said, I love being able to log in and say "I think I'll run in...this direction till I reach the ocean." and actually being able to do that. No zone walls to smack into. Just one huge world just bursting at the seam with content.
I think the original creative spark that first inspired this game has since moved on. I would love to see another MMO like Asheron's Call, a world without Orcs, or Elves, or Halflings. Thats what so intoxicated me with Dereth, everything was new and unique.
The only company I have hope for that will accomplish the next new earth shattering game is Green Monster Games. It's a glimmer of far off hope, if nothing else.
Seriously, if any of you guys here what to start up something on AC, like some kind of newbie monarchy, let me know. I'd want to start off playing with some mature fans of this game (such as yourselves), rather then with some kid who would just cancel his account once he logged off.
Send me an email at my account on this site if your interested.
Interesting reads, kinda makes me want to give AC a whirl; but, I can't refrain from jumping in and shouting out 2 'Hell No!' s.
Hell No #1: Jaguar, absolutely NOT. CC for trials is purely a scheme to get subscriptions in an underhanded fashion, it has NOTHING to do with vetting out 'abusers' of a trial. I'll accept your explanation as soon as they demand my CC info to see that I have a valid payment method and then allow me the choice to ACTIVATE, not DE-activate, at the end of the trial. Until then, I cry foul and at this tactic and foul at your attempt to apologise for it.
Hell No #2: Graphics most CERTAINLY make for a game. I am beyond fatigued at so many people claiming graphics don't make a game. That's right up there with every last man; be he Straight, Gay, or Celibate; saying 'Sex is not important to me'. Give me a break. I'm from the Apple 2+ days. I was a Zorker, I played Adventure, I played the very first Ultima and Wizardry. Fabulous games but would I pay a subscription to a game in 2006 that looked like any of those? HELL NO. Get real people and stop lying to the World (and before you try to cleverly de-rail me, yes, I am fully aware Zork was a Text Adventure and had no graphics.)
As I said, I'm a Zorker (don't call me Carebear), not a PKer (but I reserve the right to PK and Grief-in-general all those who abuse the term 'carebear'), but until the West stops lying to itself, I shall continue playing the pretty stuff from Asia, thanks. I can deal with Botters and Griefers more readily than eyesore graphics and manly-looking femme toons that have me itching to stab my eyes out with plastic scissors. Cheers :)
Dude. Zork was a text based game.
And if you were playing it on the Apple 2, then sex really doesn't matter anymore for you.
ROFL!