Players build private servers to an MMORPG, want to make everything better

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Some fans of the MMORPG ArcheAge have started a private server that relies on an old version and is supposed to make everything better. But at the start there were several failures and the hardware had to be moved. There is also criticism for funding, similar to ArcheAge itself.

What kind of server is this? AA Classic is a private server run by players. He uses an adapted version 3.0 and thus dispenses with the later adjustments to the trading system and the equipment, which are viewed critically in the ArcheAge community. In addition, they want to do without Pay2Win and take stronger action against hacks and bots than the developer XL Games itself.

The server started on August 4th – and with some problems that are also known from other MMORPG releases. It came to:

  • server crashes
  • Bugged Queues
  • Exploits that in turn caused server crashes.

    • A day later, the “real release” took place, as the developers call it in a blog post. However, there were severe lags here. The developers changed the hardware during a “sleepless night” and were able to get the problem under control for the time being. Overall, the downtime on the release weekend was over 12 hours.

    Is the rest of the game better? That depends on the point of view. The server makes the bonuses from the actual patron subscription available for free, offers faster labor point regeneration and does not convert real money into in-game currency. In addition, there have already been mass battles with almost 600 players, which are said to have gone relatively smoothly.

    Nevertheless, some criticize the pre-order packages for up to $60 and the real-money shop in the game. On top of that, some fear that the server could be shut down at any time if the XL Games developers want it, which would result in the loss of purchased benefits.

    What are private servers and are they legal? Private servers are an unofficial version of the game hosted by people who don’t work at the development company. These servers are illegal as they are detrimental to the studio while also serving up content and assets that do not belong to them.
    The studios sometimes turn a blind eye to MMORPGs that have already been shut down, such as Warhammer Online or Star Wars Galaxies. However, action is repeatedly taken against projects from running games, as in 2016 with WoW and the Nostalrius server. Playing on private servers is always at your own risk.

    Incidentally, things are not going so well for ArcheAge itself: one of the biggest free2play MMORPGs of the last 10 years is said to be on the verge of collapse – that’s what the developers are saying now.

    You can watch the ArcheAge release trailer again here:

    ArcheAge Release Trailer

    More videos

    ArcheAge Classic is not Pay2Win, but focuses on monetization

    How is the server financed? Prior to release, there were three pre-order packs, each containing a name reservation, a special title, and exclusive skins. These skins should only be available through the packages and cannot be purchased later in the shop. So FOMO (the fear of missing out) is being played with heavily here.

    With 20, 40 and 60 dollars, the packages are also relatively expensive. They all also contain credits that can later be exchanged for other items in the shop. Additional credits can be purchased with real money.

    The server also offers a monthly subscription for $10, which allows access to the mailbox and warehouse from anywhere and reduces cast time for teleports by 50%. So the bonuses are not as strong as in the original ArcheAge, but they are there.

    How is the funding received? Some private servers do not use money at all, which is also relevant from a legal point of view. Others rely on donations that the players can make voluntarily. A real-money shop, a subscription and, above all, pre-order boxes are strong exceptions.

    There are therefore some commentators on Reddit who are very dissatisfied with the model:

  • Tooshortism writes something like: “It’s a private server, they can make everything available to anyone. If they ask for money for anything, it’s illegal. The server can be shut down at any time and any money that was spent will be gone.”
  • PeliPal agrees: “You don’t have the right to sell things like that. That it’s not Pay2Win doesn’t matter if the server goes down.”
  • Haardroncollider is even harsher: “So now we’re pre-ordering a game that’s been released multiple times, and we’re even paying an unlicensed retailer? We’re really desperate for new MMORPGs.”

    • Although there is already a private server for ArcheAge that has been running for 5 years and has not yet been switched off, such servers always remain a risk.

    What do you say about the launch problems and the version of ArcheAge in general? Do you even need a private server next to the official ones?

    Anyone looking for a new sandbox MMORPG should keep this in mind: New MMORPG is considered by many to be a great sandbox hope – what makes Pax Dei so special?

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