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Albion Online launches into Closed Beta next week, and with my copy secure and ready to go on the 25th for my backer level I couldn't be more excited. I am especially happy after seeing this video on the combat.

Update: I will now have access on the 24th as I upgraded to the Epic pack.

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I am still concerned about how their free to play model will work, my thought pattern is basically "please don't suck, please don't suck" over and over.

They did state this about it recently:
QuoteGold can be traded freely with other players and can be used to upgrade your character to Premium Status or to get some vanity items. The Premium Status, which can also be bought with the in-game currency Silver, will boost your character’s progress speed and loot, while not giving you any direct or combat related benefits.

To me that actually sounds okay, slightly better than just vanity items, but not giving a direct edge to people who don't pay up. A free player could easily still have better equipment than a paid player, so I'm fine with that.

The developers certainly seem likeable too, they were very charismatic I thought in this video.

It's going to be really good to have a proper MMORPG on Linux, and considering you don't have to do PVP it's going to be good to give it a go. I can't wait to build my house, ride around on my horse and annoy the heck out of people by attacking them whenever I feel like it. I will more than likely look to build a GOL guild, who's with me? Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Tags: MMO, Upcoming
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17 comments

Keyrock Nov 17, 2015
"...and considering you don't have to do PVP..."

What do you mean. Will there be purely PvE servers or is PvP something that can't be initiated without both players' consent or will there only be certain zones (arenas?) that are PvP?
Liam Dawe Nov 17, 2015
I meant it more as in, there's more to the game than combat. You can forge weapons and armour and setup shop, build your home etc.
Keyrock Nov 17, 2015
But PvP can happen anywhere? If so, I'm out.
Liam Dawe Nov 17, 2015
But PvP can happen anywhere? If so, I'm out.

I believe it is PvP anywhere, as that's part of the point of territories and having to defend them.
lvlark Nov 17, 2015
I believe it is PvP anywhere, as that's part of the point of territories and having to defend them.

I get that, but I'm with Keyrock on this one. Still, if there's enough PvE stuff to do, and it's free, why not give it a swing?

They do sound like their very ambitious though, when they say things like 'endless flexibility'. I'm quite sure it will end up with just a few cookie-cutter builds.
Liam Dawe Nov 17, 2015
I believe it is PvP anywhere, as that's part of the point of territories and having to defend them.

I get that, but I'm with Keyrock on this one. Still, if there's enough PvE stuff to do, and it's free, why not give it a swing?

They do sound like their very ambitious though, when they say things like 'endless flexibility'. I'm quite sure it will end up with just a few cookie-cutter builds.

This image should help you decide. Taken from here https://twitter.com/ManaPotNet/status/666476279424749570
CookieMonsterZA Nov 17, 2015
@Keyrock

I played a bit during the stress test last week and what I saw so far is that not all areas are PVP.
I stayed in the PVE zones during the test and still had an enjoyable experience.

Now I'm just waiting for the closed beta :D
Liam Dawe Nov 17, 2015
@Keyrock

I played a bit during the stress test last week and what I saw so far is that not all areas are PVP.
I stayed in the PVE zones during the test and still had an enjoyable experience.

Now I'm just waiting for the closed beta :D

Oh, it has combat restricted zones? Neat, it doesn't mention it anywhere on the site.
CookieMonsterZA Nov 17, 2015
Oh, it has combat restricted zones? Neat, it doesn't mention it anywhere on the site.

Some info from the official forum - https://forum.albiononline.com/index.php/Thread/19467-Albion-Online-Q-A-thread/?pageNo=1

Albion Online is a Full Loot PvP game. What happens when you die is determined, roughly, by the zone a player is in.

If you are in the Green Zone, the PvP free zone, a player is "knocked down" upon reaching 0hp. Their gear all takes durability damage and they drop a portion of it's worth as silver on the ground. After an amount of time they may choose to stand back up with 1hp with a shield protecting you from damage, allowing them to leave the area. Alternatively, they may choose to die, lose your items, and be taken to the nearest respawn point available to you. If you do not choose, the player automatically dies after a set amount of minutes.


In the Yellow Zone, a limited PvP zone, players are also "Knocked down."

In the Yellow Zone, players must "Flag" to PvP. This is a process that is an ability which must charge for an amount of time, then you are labeled as "flagged." Being flagged declares their intention to PvP. Players who are flagged can attack, and be attacked, by all players in the yellow zone. Players who are not flagged can only attack, and be attacked, by players who are flagged. Players who flag in the yellow zone receive a slight debuff during combat.

In the Yellow zone, if a group of players are in the same location, they will show up as yellow dots on the mini map, visible for all players in that cluster.


In the Red Zone, a full PvP zone, players are taken to the nearest respawn spot available to you.

In the Red Zone, players must "Flag" to PvP just like in the Yellow Zone, but players do not take a debuff during combat.

In the Red Zone, groups of players also receive yellow dots on the mini map.


In the Black Zone, a full PvP zone, Players are taken to the nearest respawn on death.

players automatically flag upon entering. There is no debuff.

Yellow dots do not show up for groups of players on the mini map.

stss Nov 17, 2015
I played during the alpha and some of the PvP zones required players to "flag" for PvP and those players will show up on your map, but you don't show up on theirs, so you can just go to a secluded area to gather resources if you want and easily be aware of any threats getting close to you. It also takes a very long time to flag for PvP so it's unlikely anyone could get close first and then take you by surprise.

It was also fairly easy to run away from people.

I would be interested in a GOL guild if it's more laid back without a lot of restrictions and rules.

Ever since I first heard of this game I've occasionally been looking on the forums guild recruitment page and I haven't found any I've been happy with. Most seem to be hardcore guilds, or want to restrict the number of players (which makes me think I'll eventually get kicked out to make room for someone else)
But I suppose it makes sense that the type of people who get in early to start forming guilds during alpha/beta would probably lean more toward the hardcore side. There will probably be more diversity when it releases.
Liam Dawe Nov 17, 2015
If we do run a guild, it would be a super serious thing, just to get Linux gamers together to play and have fun.
shigutso Nov 17, 2015
It works like in Ultima Online. In towns, you are protected by its guards, so you can't be attacked. Outside towns, it's another history :)


Last edited by shigutso on 17 November 2015 at 11:14 pm UTC
micha Nov 17, 2015
But PvP can happen anywhere? If so, I'm out.

I believe it is PvP anywhere, as that's part of the point of territories and having to defend them.

Essentially there are PVP enabled zones and those which can be considered safe. Leave the latter at you own risk ;-)
Keyrock Nov 18, 2015
After reading the description of the zones I'm more confused than ever. So if you want to PvP you flag yourself, if you don't want to PvP you don't flag yourself, but you can be attacked by flagged players anyway. That seems weird to me.

Anyway, suffice to say I'll likely never play this. Not my jam. I'm not looking to get griefed in a game. It may be a cool game, but it's not for me.


Last edited by Keyrock on 18 November 2015 at 5:06 am UTC
Liam Dawe Nov 18, 2015
I actually now have the "Epic" pack, so I will be getting access on the 24th instead of the 25th. Cost a little extra, but it will be worth it as I time free during the day on both, so should be worth it to help me cover it and give my impressions.

After reading the description of the zones I'm more confused than ever. So if you want to PvP you flag yourself, if you don't want to PvP you don't flag yourself, but you can be attacked by flagged players anyway. That seems weird to me.

Anyway, suffice to say I'll likely never play this. Not my jam. I'm not looking to get griefed in a game. It may be a cool game, but it's not for me.

You flag if you want to attack, if you do you show up on the radar for non-pvp people to know round about where you are. It's quite simple really. The charging on it is to prevent someone standing right next to you suddenly going pvp and attacking you.

Sounds like quite a sane system really.
Nezchan Nov 19, 2015
I'd be willing to give it a go, especially if it's F2P in a decent way. I've been playing a lot of oldschool WoW (WotLK) on a private server via Wine lately, and it really drives home my preference in MMOs. Solo questing, social guild chat, occasionally getting together for a party to do dungeons, and knowing if I have a tough quest to do or need advice, there's someone around willing to lend a hand. I'll do PVP if I have to, or occasionally dabble in it, but that's really not what I'm there for.
oldrocker99 Nov 20, 2015
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I have pretty studiously avoided MMO games over the years, with a bit of Guild Wars played before I went Linux, and I never played it again, even with wine.

This does look good, though, and PvE is my kind of play style; that's if I play a game like this. The devs do seem to be nice guys.
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