MMORPG.com A Tale in the Desert Correspondent Clarence Krueger II writes this look at the different disciplines and tests in the unique Egypt-based MMO.
This is the first part of a series of articles covering the seven test disciplines. The seven disciplines are; Architect, Art & Music, Body, Harmony, Leadership, Thought, and Worship. It is believed that if a citizen of Egypt could reach Oracle rank in all seven disciplines, mastering all seven disciplines, then they would achieve immortality. If the civilization should achieve this goal, the world would become a Utopia. Each discipline has seven ranks and seven related tests. The seven ranks in each discipline are: Student, Prentice, Journeyman, Scribe, Master, Sage, and Pharaoh's Oracle. In every discipline, there is one test that must be completed to achieve Initiation, and unlocks the seven tests for that discipline. One of the most enjoyable features of passing a test, for many an Egyptian citizen, is the lightning strike. Each time you pass any of the forty nine tests or seven initiates you are awarded with a lightning strike that hits your character and lifts him up off the ground before dropping you back down to the ground, à la Highlander. This signals your passing of the test for all within sight. In a unique feature, each telling tries to build a monument in each discipline before the end of the telling. Each completed monument is inscribed with a test idea. The test idea is then developed, and is implemented for the next Tale, replacing one of the last Tale's tests. This way, each telling always has several new tests that no player has ever seen. So each Tale is unique and unlike any other.
I messed around with this game a little bit because I am one of those people who doesn't completely rely on combat game play for fun. I can play other games for combat if I want. I liked the ideas in place but the engine and game play was still pretty clunky in my opinion. I think in a few years if they keep expanding and improving they will have something more accessible to a larger audience.
I was also really hoping the now defunct SEED game was going to make it, because the type of gameplay they had in mind sounded awesome to me. Unfortunately, the devs either didn't have enough money, enough skill, or both to pull it off. It would have been a niche game for certain, but had they delivered the game they had been describing to us, it would have had a nice little following.