I came back to this one after a 10 month hiatus, and it still grips me in some ways. So much in fact, that I had to make some sort of tribute here
Ryzom is a subscription-based mmorpg set in the fantasy/sci-fi cross-over world of Atys. Join as a member of one of four civilisations and take part in the ever-evolving story of conflict between two religions and the planet's native Kitins (the main monsters in the game. Think Starship Troopers).
It's difficult to explain why one would like a game like this. I mean, like every other game of its ilk it depends a lot on repetitive play (aka grinding) to develop your character, you pay your monthly subscription and get seemingly minimal return for your investment in terms of new content on most months. What there is though is a generally friendly community, quite receptive to roleplay (a rarity, despite the fact that it's implied throughout the genre) a top-notch support team and a huge world to explore if that's your bag. There's also no actual orcs, elves and much of the other Tolkien-inspired gubbins that tends to follow these games, which I and many others find a breath of fresh air. That and my in-game friends are the main reasons I play, now that I think about it.
One of the big draws to this game right now though, is the "Ryzom Ring". It's essentially a level editor made accessible to players, giving them the chance to create their own instanced scenarios for others to enjoy while they act as a dungeon master of sorts. Think Neverwinter Nights for an idea of how that works.
Other noteworthy features include the huge skill trees that improve only when you're actually using those skills (as opposed to just gaining a level and assigning skill points to whatever). There's no classes either, leaving you free to do anything you want with your character instead of being pigeonholed into a specific role. The crafting's pretty involved too. There's a bunch of possibilities when you have the materials to hand. There's probably a bunch of other great things in there, but I'm running out of steam and this summary's getting a bit too sprawling for my liking.
Oh, but after spouting all this lovetalk about the game, there is a wee bucket of cold water I need to pour out before I go. This game has been in a seemingly constant state of financial turmoil since the beginning and is now about to go into receivership. Perhaps an odd time then, to still be playing and writing about it, but I have reasonable hopes that whoever acquires the rights to the game will keep it going and without spoiling the things that make this game so unique in comparison to others in the genre.
Because of that, no-one can make a paid account until the business stuff is sorted, but anyone can still make trial accounts and play for free on the starter lands. Let me know if you're going to pop over there and I might keep you company
