runerich:Archeage Online Beta Official FAQ

• ABOUT ARCHEAGE

  What is ArcheAge?
  ArcheAge is an open-world sandbox game unlike any other available in the West today. In ArcheAge you can raise your own mount, fight your way through a dungeon, craft the best armor in the game, build your own open-world farms and houses, sail your ship on the high seas to trade with foreign ports, swoop in on airships and fight other players for plunder, claim a piece of land for your guild (then fight with them to defend your territory from rival guilds!), and lots of other fun things. We’re thrilled to be able to bring ArcheAge to the West!

  Will ArcheAge be free-to-play?
  Yes! You’ll be able to play ArcheAge without purchasing the game or paying a subscription. We will also offer optional Patron subscriptions and non-recurring passes that will grant a number of great benefits including the ability to own land in-game, a discount at the in-game store, boosts, and more.

  When can I play?
  We are eager to bring ArcheAge to you as soon as possible. Our Alpha test is underway (and you can get access with the Archeum Founder’s Pack!), and our series of Closed Beta Events begins July 17. For the latest news, Sign up for Beta (and opt-in to email announcements), keep an eye on our forums, and follow us on Twitter or Facebook.

  ALPHA AND BETA

  What are Alpha and Beta?
  The 24/7 private Alpha test helps us validate both gameplay and technology while building up the initial community of experts who are willing to share their experiences with others. ArcheAge will hold a separate (and concurrently running) series of much larger Closed Beta Events starting July 17. These events will give you a chance to see the game and will also serve as a test of our servers and the service integrations that we’ve made between ArcheAge and our systems. There is a possibility that Alpha servers will be unavailable when Closed Beta Events are running.

  How do I get into Alpha?
  Instant Alpha access is available with the Archeum Founder’s Pack! Second to that, the best way to get into Alpha is by participating positively in the Trion Worlds ArcheAge community and sharing the news that ArcheAge is coming this year! We’re always on the lookout for folks who demonstrate their willingness to help out their fellow players by turning their interest in the game into action.

  You don’t have to have a fansite or a Twitch account to contribute, either! The dedicated folks who make helpful posts on the forums or are willing to bring their game expertise to our wiki are important contributors to creating a constructive grassroots ArcheAge community. In addition, there will be opportunities for Alpha invitations on our live streams, forums, and social media channels to make sure everyone gets a chance. For instance, we’ve randomly awarded invites to active viewers of our Twitch channel when ArcheAge is being demonstrated!

  You’ll also want to make sure that you’ve signed up for Beta and opted in for our ArcheAge emails to get the latest information and invitations.

  When is Closed Beta?
  The ArcheAge Closed Beta is a series of events starting July 17 and running over the coming months leading up to Open Beta. Closed Beta Events will be invite-only while Open Beta will not require an invitation. Read more in our announcement blog post here!

  How do I get into Beta?
  All of our Founder’s Packs include access to each upcoming Closed Beta Event. That said, we’re making sure that there are a number of different ways to get Beta access. If you’re in Alpha, you are automatically included in all Beta Events. You can sign up for a chance to get into a Beta Event here. We’ll also have giveaways on our forums, giveaways on our social media channels, and more! Don’t want to leave your Beta access to chance? Purchase a Founder’s Pack for access to all Closed Beta Events in addition to other benefits for being an early ArcheAge fan!

  When will I receive my Closed Beta invitation(s)?
  Invitations will be sent out before each Closed Beta Event. You can check on the status of your Beta invitations by logging in to your account at archeage.trionworlds.com.

  Are there going to be Founder’s Packs?
  Yes, and they’re now available!

  Will ArcheAge have a Patron Program (VIP Subscription) like RIFT?
  Yes! Read more about the ArcheAge Patron program and offering in our announcement post.

  REGIONAL CHANGES AND LOCALIZATION

  How much control does Trion Worlds have over the development of Archeage for the West?
  Trion Worlds is the publisher of ArcheAge in the West, and we interact closely with XL Games, the developer of ArcheAge based in South Korea, to ensure that we publish a game that is true to the promise of the open-world sandbox we’ve all been waiting so patiently for. We work with XL Games to understand new features that are added to ArcheAge in the East, determine how well they will be accepted in our regions, and then we offer feedback. XL Games has been fantastic in addressing that feedback as best as they can. In situations where a feature is added that we don’t think will be appropriate for our audiences, we work with XL Games to modify or remove that feature from our version.

  What does “localization” mean in terms of ArcheAge?
  ArcheAge’s localization involves more than just translation from Korean into English, French, and German! It’s also about tweaking the content to ensure that the lore and jokes are appropriate for Western audiences. Some of the jokes that make sense in Korea don’t translate that well for Western audiences, so we adjust them to keep the humor. One of the challenges with localizing from Korean is that the language structure is very different from English, French, or German. The game is localized into English first, and then the edited text is translated into French and German. It makes the whole process take a bit longer, but the result is so much better!

  How does Trion Worlds select what’s on the in-game cash store?
  We work closely with XL Games to understand the impacts of the different items that are on the store in Korea so we can ensure that we keep store items optional and fitting our “No Tricks, No Traps” vision of free-to-play. As the game is new, there will not be catch-up gear in the store at launch, as is seen in our other free-to-play games. It’s important to us that items sold on the store are not required to enjoy the game.

  Is Trion Worlds going to include 1.0 patch changes from ArcheAge’s Korean version?
  We will launch with a custom version of the widely-acclaimed Patch 1.2! Read more in our announcement post.

  I have a question about ArcheAge in another region or language! Can you help?
  Each publisher manages the ArcheAge service in their territories according to their needs and the conversations between that publisher and XL Games. It is not appropriate for us to comment on other publishers’ actions. We do watch what other publishers are doing and how their communities react to help us understand the impact of their changes; we also understand that different communities have different needs and preferences. We continue to work with XL Games and leverage our experience to ensure that we have the best ArcheAge that we can for the Western audience.

  GAMEPLAY

  How is Trion Worlds planning on handling housing and farms?
  The open-world housing in ArcheAge is a compelling sandbox feature that we’re very glad to have in the game. Because the housing is non-instanced, there needs to be a balance between available land and players who wish to place farms and houses. ArcheAge will be free-to-play and, as such, will have a variety of players who are in direct competition for land.

  As a protective measure against infinite free placeholder accounts claiming precious land, ownership of limited real estate is reserved for paid players at launch. Free players are encouraged to participate in the crafting and farming aspects of this game, and will also be able to both use public land and share farms and houses with friends who give them access. Remember, not all the housing areas are marked on the map, so explore a bit to find the best places for your farm and house!

  Are there any limitations on my classes or equipment?
  There are no limits on how you mix and match the skillsets; you can pick your skillsets by flavor, or to maximize a certain attack or defense type. By level ten, you will be able to select three different skillsets out of a list of ten options. If you want to be an assassin/warrior/mage who throws fireballs and then jumps out of range, only to throw another fireball – or sneak up on your enemy to stab them in the back – you can build your class that way!

  With the mixing and matching of classes, you can also mix and match equipment. There’s nothing stopping a mage from wearing plate armor, or a warrior tank from wearing cloth! There are different stats for cloth, leather, and plate armor – and each armor type has different set bonuses – so pick the armor that best suits your play style.

  How does Trion Worlds plan to handle bots in ArcheAge?
  We’ve built up an arsenal of tools to handle bots and other forms of negative or exploitative play. Our platform has the best analytics, alerts, and Customer Support processes to help make sure our games are as close to bot-free as possible. As a game integrated deeply with our platform, ArcheAge will benefit from all of the bot-stopping processes that you’ve seen in RIFT and Defiance.

  For example, when these processes were implemented in RIFT, more than 50,000 bot accounts were banned in the initial wave after which botting rapidly decreased. Since then, we’ve removed hundreds of thousands of bot accounts over time, and continue to closely monitor for negative or exploitative play.

  What version of ArcheAge will you be launching with?
  We will launch with a custom version of the widely-acclaimed Patch 1.2! Read more in our announcement post.

  I’m excited for ArcheAge! What should I do about it?
  That’s great, we are too! If you haven’t yet, sign up for Beta and opt-in to ArcheAge news and announcements to keep up to date with the latest information, then join the official forums and introduce yourself to the ArcheAge community! You can also purchase a Founder’s Pack to guarantee your spot in Beta or even get instant access to Alpha!

  FOUNDER’S FAQ

  If I purchase an Archeum Founder’s Pack, do I get an immediate invite to Alpha?
  Yes – while supplies last! Our first Archeum Founder’s Packs grant you an instant invitation to download and play in our live Alpha. If you are new to Alpha testing an MMO, please check out the Alpha-related questions in this FAQ!

  Is there a limit on the number of Alpha invites available?
  Yes. Alpha is running on a fixed amount of testing hardware. We may remove Alpha Access from the Archeum Founder’s Packs feature list at some point in the future.

  How do I download ArcheAge?
  If you need to download at a later time, just visit archeage.trionworlds.com, log in to your account, and click “Download the Alpha Client.”

  What is Patron Status?
  Patron Status grants all sorts of game boosts including improved labor regeneration, an experience bonus, the ability to own a house or farm, and loyalty rewards.

  What can I buy with Credits?
  After launch, you’ll be able to purchase all sorts of goods from the in-game store including consumables, unique gliders, costumes, crest design reagents, and more.

  What is a crest design reagent?
  It’s an item that allows you to create your own emblem and display it in-game on everything from ship sails and t-shirts to the Archeum Founder’s Pack cloak.

  What are Evenstones?
  Evenstones are items used to break down equipment into magical components that come in very handy for crafters!

  What are Hereafter Stones?
  Hereafter Stones allow you to teleport around the world.

  When will I receive my in-game items?
  All items included in ArcheAge Founder Packs will be granted at the beginning of our Head Start period.

  When is Head Start?
  Head Start begins 4 days before the full launch of the game. We’ll announce additional information in the coming months!

  Is there a French or German Alpha?
  Currently, Alpha is in English only, but we’ll be adding French and German language options as testing progresses. You’ll be able to easily update your game client to French or German when they become available.

  Will there be a French or German Beta?
  The initial Closed Beta Events will be in English only. We will add French and German language options to Beta as we progress.

  How often is the Alpha server available?
  The Alpha server is generally available 24/7 when Beta Events are not running. Updates and maintenance generally run 2-4 hours, and can run longer in major version updates to the game. We will always do our best to keep you informed as to downtimes. Since this is Alpha, please understand that problems will happen! These problems may include downtimes, rollbacks, and problems with game data that cannot be fixed. We will endeavor to not wipe the Alpha server, but with an Alpha there are no guarantees.

  Will my Alpha progress carry over to Beta or Live servers?
  As it is a dedicated testing environment, Alpha progress may carry over to a Public Test Server, but it will not carry over to Beta and the Live launch servers. Alpha and the eventual Test server exist in parallel with Beta and Live, as is commonly done in MMOs. Please treat time on Alpha as helping test and having an early experience with the game – not as progress that will be preserved.

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