Those of you whom have been on the internet since the turn of this century might well remember seeing ads for AdventureQuest, a Flash-based RPG that has been ardently promoting itself ever since 2002. However, although the game was played online (since it existed on a webpage) — and most definitely was an RPG as well — the resulting product wasn’t exactly what most people think of when they say “Online RPG.” Here to remedy all of that — and furthermore update the ancient artwork with something a bit more modern — is Artix Entertainment, all via their new plans for AdventureQuest 3D.
Perhaps the most prominent feature of Artix Entertainment’s upcoming plans is that their new game — which will be an MMORPG in the traditional sense — will contain cross-platform compatibility, allowing mobile and PC users to quest together at the same time. Up until now I can’t really think of there ever being a 3D-based — fully open-world — online RPG where leaving your house didn’t also mean you had to stop playing altogether, at least not without somehow secretly installing the game at your job/school. So hats off to Adam Bohn and his company for tapping a rather underserved marketplace, even if them doing so will invariably have the end-effect of jeopardizing the jobs — not to mention college degrees — of tons of MMO addicts the entire world over.
Other novel features planned for Artix Entertainment’s AdventureQuest 3D include a multi-class leveling system — the ability to fuse old items into new ones, so as to further empower them — and their heavily pragmatic “Sidekick System.”
Asking your friends to join the MMORPG you’ve been playing has been a serious issue for quite some time, since — in a world where everything is gated based on your character level — this really only succeeds if both players are starting out at the exact same time. You either have the new player forced to grind alone for hours until they’re finally worthy of their friends, or the new guy is forced to feel utterly impotent while their higher-leveled friends — whom are Gods by comparison — rush them through everything. Which is to say nothing of the disaster that occurs when two people — whom did manage to begin playing side-by-side — devote differing amounts of time to their characters, invariably ending with one of them pulling far ahead of the other.
With the “Sidekick System” you’ll be able to invite anyone — even if they’re only level one — to join you on your epic quest to slay the dragon, and as a result they’ll be temporarily buffed-up to be ready for the challenge at hand. While some MMORPG purists may scoff at such an idea, saying it’s wrong for lower players — whom didn’t earn the right to see such stuff — to be allowed to quest alongside those who’ve paid their time. I personally — on the other hand — have experienced no end to the sorts of complications and insane-drama that a group of differently-leveled friends can generate, and as such I say good riddance to such archaic notions.
However, in order to realize all of these ideas — which they’ve been ardently working on for the last eleven months — Artix Entertainment recently turned towards Kickstarter’s community with a request for at least $200,000 in additional development funds. Impressively — despite the somewhat high amount asked for — the Kickstarter for AdventureQuest 3D has already raised nearly $220,000, and that’s furthermore with a staggering thirteen days still remaining on the clock! Thus it could be said that things are currently looking to be rather promising for the future of Adam Bohn’s newest plans, and yet there’s still much work to be done if AdventureQuest 3D is to go the full nine yards.
Although no pledges exist to buy the game itself — since it will be a free download — the lowest-tiered reward package has been set at $10, which will secure for players a variety of exclusive backer-only gear (that will also be equippable in Artix’s earlier products). However — for those extra dedicated to exploring the entire world of Lore in 3D — additional backer rewards include: early access to the game, access to a special founder-only hero class, the chance to become an actual in-game NPC, and much-much more! Finally — should you happen to have an extra $5000 on hand — you can even personally work on an entire adventure-zone with the staff at Artix Entertainment, at least assuming you can first provide your own transport over to Tampa, Florida.
However — should you now find yourself interested — it’s important that you make sure to chip in your donations before January 1st rolls around, for that’s when Artix von Krieger must sally forth once more to save the Land of Rising Evil.