Asheron's Call 2 back from the dead

http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/13/turbine-brings-back-asherons-call-2/

Turbine announced today they're turning the lights back on for AC2 after 7 years. It will be free-to-play, but not really as it requires an active Asheron's Call sub (of which I would guess there weren't many). The game is considered "in beta" while they get the cobwebs worked out.

I'm super curious for this, it will be fun to see the 2002-2005 game that I remember being absolutely gorgeous and a beast to run at the time.

So now.. when I read somewhere AC2, I won't be crazy thinking about Asheron's Call 2.. instead of Assassins Creed 2.. Hooray!

Pshhh, call me when they bring back Asheron's Call.

Wait, you need a sub for Asheron's Call? THAT game is still around? Ok... call me when that is F2P... I want to get back into that one. Really.

Asheron's Call was never "shut down". It was even bought back from Microsoft from Turbine at one point.

Guess the monthly is still one of the lowest for a regular month. 12.99.. ;P Is that worth it to try again some old 2005 games? :S (AC is way older, but AC2 was closed in 2005)

oh, I just downloaded the 2gigs files for AC2.

Got no sub.. but was curious what was in that 2gigs. It's the full install, so, it got the manual as well.

20 megs manual. Oh boy, that's bringing back memories.

EDIT to add info : The manual do refer a lot to microsoft. Guess it's there original copy they bought back again from Microsoft. The MS' passport haven't been used in ages...

Might be why they are reintroducing the game.

Just played an hour of AC2 - I was reminded of great class design and amazing graphics for essentially a 10 year old MMO. Sadly, the world design is just barren. I know it fits their story or whatever, but sheesh. People talk about content density, this is the opposite of that. I really hope they flesh it out with some updates.

Citizen86 wrote:

Pshhh, call me when they bring back Asheron's Call.

Wait, you need a sub for Asheron's Call? THAT game is still around? Ok... call me when that is F2P... I want to get back into that one. Really.

The graphics havent aged well, but ya that game is still functional with a decent amount of folks still playing.

The biggest change over all is probably that they added actual quests that guide you around.

I started playing AC1 before AC2 was released... and I remember THEN that the graphics were sh*te. But hey, I had friends that played on a PVP server, so we had fun. Although I was never high enough level to take anybody on. At least I always had a 30-40% XP deficit to work off from dying so often!

Citizen86 wrote:

I started playing AC1 before AC2 was released... and I remember THEN that the graphics were sh*te. But hey, I had friends that played on a PVP server, so we had fun. Although I was never high enough level to take anybody on. At least I always had a 30-40% XP deficit to work off from dying so often!

Actually back then AC1 had the best graphics around as far as mmos went. They were much better than EQ.

Looking over the manual reminded me of just what colossal f*ck up this game was.

We'll improve the graphics, but give you a cut-out, dumbed-down version of our previous game and on top of it give you 3 races to play where 2 of them are your enemy from the previous game.

ranalin wrote:
Citizen86 wrote:

I started playing AC1 before AC2 was released... and I remember THEN that the graphics were sh*te. But hey, I had friends that played on a PVP server, so we had fun. Although I was never high enough level to take anybody on. At least I always had a 30-40% XP deficit to work off from dying so often!

Actually back then AC1 had the best graphics around as far as mmos went. They were much better than EQ.

The graphics in AC1 were horrible! The art sucked! The engine had to be able to be software rendered which really hurt the game.

I used to love AC when it first came out. The vistas man, the vistas!

Ulairi wrote:
ranalin wrote:
Citizen86 wrote:

I started playing AC1 before AC2 was released... and I remember THEN that the graphics were sh*te. But hey, I had friends that played on a PVP server, so we had fun. Although I was never high enough level to take anybody on. At least I always had a 30-40% XP deficit to work off from dying so often!

Actually back then AC1 had the best graphics around as far as mmos went. They were much better than EQ.

The graphics in AC1 were horrible! The art sucked! The engine had to be able to be software rendered which really hurt the game.

I used to love AC when it first came out. The vistas man, the vistas!

True enough about the engine. We saw evidence of that during their first big event with the shadow invasion. Still i preferred the art leaps and bounds over anything else that was out at that time.

So anyone trying this out? I must admit I did not play either of these two MMOS, but I have been looking for some old school MMO to play...

Yeah. I tried EQ and AC within a few months of each other, and I've always preferred Turbine games since then. I remember thinking they were on the right track when they were shut down. This will work out well if they add content.

I just don't think I could go back to an old school with TSW and GW2 available

I remember I never got into AC2 because my machine couldn't run it well at the time, and I was pretty heavy into AC1 which ran fine. Over the years I still have an itch to get back into the series, but I know the wife would have a fit if I signed up for another subscription game (and at the moment, with two little ones running around, my time is extremely limited).

I think if they take what they learned from DDO and LOTRO as far as F2P goes, they could get a decent following going. Probably a lot of us old AC'ers that wouldn't mind taking a dip in that universe again. I'm just hoping that the current setup (needing an AC1 account for F2P) is just their way of beta selection.

Yeah that's the most effed up F2P motto I've heard. free to play!.... just sign up for our 15 year old game....

AC1 holds a special place in my heart. Annoying Drudges. Being chased across the landscape by even more annoying reedsharks. Using bunny corpses to switch equipment between characters. Olthoi farming. Tapers! The monthly events and seasonal changes spoiled me for years afterward when it came to other mmo's.

Never could get into AC2.

Remember the original Black Den, I think it was? With the giant thumping apes? And the White Rabbit?

I really enjoyed the Lugian altar outside of Mayoi. Great hunting there. And the Hunting Cliff on the shore, where the pathing led creatures to the base of a cliff to be easily shot. Fun game...

I had a friend who had access to some uber mages. I was a low level, he buffed the crap out of me, and led me to those Lugians. I gained like 4 levels in one shot. That was awesome.

Yeah, that was tons of fun. Escorting 15's or 20's through a level appropriate dungeon while you were 50. That was great.

I just found my old login. I haven't had a subscription to this since 2005! Game came out in 2002, so I was late to the party anyways.

I wonder if I have the time or interest to actually spend a month or two back in AC1..

I remember being bow spec, I was pretty much fodder on most critters. Then one day, a guildie named Balash had 3 corpses being camped by something like 4 chaos wisps. Him being sword spec, was no match for them. He gets upset, and I actually managed to come to the rescue. Wisps were simple kills to an archer, as we could stand back and dodge all the spells slung our way. Four wisps later, Balash had all his stuff back. Probably the only time I was ever really useful to the guild.

No, PurEvil, you were credit to guild always.

Man, I'm really looking to resub just to peek into my previous memories, and tell myself : " how the hell I loved that game? "

I know it was because of the social aspect of the game web I played,,, but but,,, I can't help myself...

How many other MMOs can you throw bees as your primary weapon?

Hive keeper was always one of my favorite classes in any MMO.

http://asheron.wikia.com/wiki/AC2:Hi...

I missed the dungeon that gave the obsidian dagger most. I used to run people through that dungeon, the acid pit was fun, at least I think that was the obsidian dagger dungeon, right? I lost my original account info shortly after getting some pretty nice weapons and reaching level 47. The email used for the account and the back up email is no longer used, passwords long gone. I think that is what I'm most upset about. I tried making a new account and it just wasn't the same. Most of my stuff is probably gone anyway, I bought an apartment I couldn't ever find for the life of me and put some really good items in it. Oh well, I guess memories are good enough until AC 2 comes back. The gold ol' days were good indeed.

Necro thread for necro game. I'd consider trying it again if AC1's graphics weren't such an eyesore. What a difference 13 years make!

AC2 was just so bad and contrary to begin with. I couldn't bring myself to go there. AC1 definitely requires some work. If the graphics didn't make your eyes bleed i'd consider putting in some time Whats funny is back in the day it was the best looking one imo.

Yeah, I tried it a few months back. Was nice to see a few people from waaaaayyyyyy back in the day, but other than that it's insanely hard to get back into AC1. I mean, when I played regularly it felt like I needed to do my homework before logging on, but at this point it felt like I was doing more research on what to do with my character than I was actually playing.

I think I logged into AC2 a couple times (I resubbed AC1 to get into the AC2 F2P beta they were doing), and it was just so dead I couldn't really get into much.

I loved AC1 and played it constantly for several years. Went back to it after some major upgrade I think. Just never got into AC2, but it might of been I just didn't have the rig for the new graphics engine at the time:). Same guild as Robear (so I guess PurEvil too. I just don't remember all the folks in it).