Best Of

Good day KrystalKitten,

I was present yesterday and we all talked on Discord about this subject and a lot of different ideas came to light. It was a great experience seeing so many passionate people coming together talking about ideas.

I want to touch on this subject a bit more, starting with the destroyed caravan.

A rock destroying the caravan is what is being tested in this Alpha and expect these issues to happen. I do not know if they have fixed this issue yet because they put it on the backburner or that it still exists, there is only 1 way in finding out. If you see me flying through the air by bouncing off a rock, pray for my safe landing . But in all seriousness, it sucks to loose everything after such a long endeavour for getting a caravan up and running. Specially early on in this stage of the game. So the solution of having an insurance could be a great idea.

You can have several insurances for example, guaranteeing either the caravan, the packages or a combination of both. A insurance can either cover 25%, 50% or 75%. But at what costs is the question. Any cost to this will decrease the amount of money you can make with a caravan run. So it can be a better risk/reward for the daredevils out there.

Guard Insurance could be a nice system. Part of it is already in place, the attacking/defending a caravan. This though isn't giving any benefit for the people helping out. This was also pointed out yesterday by a Sir that was explaining the disappointment people had, especially new players, when they finished the escort and not having anything as a reward.

What if the caravaneer has another option to get the insurance in? I rather see the insurance start when the caravan gets build and delivered. I don't know if that is what you say is "instance".

The whole money making for defending a caravan was talked about as well. To the point that most would love to see this happening. So what was discussed was the area that a player needs to stay in. Also taking into account that fights might occur outside this area of defence and put up a buffer that one can get back to the caravan to proceed to defend it without it taken out of their pay check.

Travel calculated by either time or distance. This is something that me and Wispen talked about today and see that Distance is going to be more of a hassle then time. As distance is mostly linear if you go from A to B and not taken into account height. If that system is not in place then it is far easier to calculate the travel time. Also noting that I am not a programmer, so I have no clue what that could do to the system load of the server(s) and strain toward the traffic. One lady (Sorry, didn't get the name) on Discord suggested to have this done client side.

Idea someone caught exploiting they go red.. something small they go red for 8 hours in game. Something big they go red permanently. Just an idea.

The Study of economics goes back centuries. One just doesn't wave a magic wand and Hola an economy is there. The Economy is based on the sale of good and services at a price that is advantageous to make a profit. So how do adventurers make a profit? They grind, the benefit's of grinding is the following:

1. Experience, to level up your character most power players will calculate that to xp per hour.
2. Money, you always get something from critters cash wise
3. Loot, treasure, gear or junk loot to sell
4. Group activity or solo, you can play either way
5. Faster advancement which takes you to higher levels and advances your Avatar
6. Collection of unique items from rare spawns or drops

Benifits of crafting:

1. Fairly safe don't have to worry about competing for spots.
2. If you like to solo for resources crafting is the way to go
3. You will explore alot more of a realm if you craft, hunting rare resource nodes will take time.
4.Crafters and makers like to make things, a world that allows them to do that
5. Sometimes you get to sell things.

The problem is there is no real benefit to crafting unless, you like to make things for bragging rights, you won't make money compared to grinding, in fact you will have to grind to make cash just to process your materials, this is the gold sink. The Grinder doesn't have that problem, they will cause inflation and even a low-level piece of gear will cost gold to get it. to make crafting work you need to answer the following:

First, How do we establish a monetary system? Example gold, silver, platinum)
Second, Establish a clearing house to buy and sell goods (Current system is used for emergency storage). No taxes but a pure way for folks to sell off either grinded goods or crafted goods.
Third: Grinded goods will always be at least one grade lower than crafted goods.
Fourth: Grinded goods can be upgraded by crafters to their current level. Apprentice=green, journeyman=blue
Fifth: crafters can tear down grinded goods for resources.
Sixth: Crafter have secondary outputs they can sell for cash.
Seventh: XP has to be comparable to group grinding.
Eighth: Crafters need a reason to exist other than I like to do it.

Hope this helps, I want a realm other than a Korean grinder with "Boby physics"

Luck and good hunting

AI Insight > Here’s a structured look at the current MMORPG landscape (as of mid‑2025), followed by tailored strategies for Ashes of Creation to harmonize casual and hardcore playstyles and cultivate a thriving, long-term community:

1. Overview of Current MMORPGs (mid‑2025)
Popular & Established Titles
Final Fantasy XIV – At the top of many “best MMORPG” lists, praised for its deep storytelling, frequent free content updates (around every three months), and an exceptionally welcoming player community
GamesRadar+
+13
TechRadar
+13
ashesofcreation.wiki
+13
.

World of Warcraft – Continues its legacy as a genre-defining MMORPG, balancing accessibility for new players with evolving endgame content
GamesRadar+
.

The Elder Scrolls Online – Known for massive exploration, immersive world-building, and flexibility in combat and character builds
Massively Overpowered
+3
TechRadar
+3
GamesRadar+
+3
.

EVE Online – A complex sandbox with player-driven politics, economy, and memorable large-scale conflicts
GamesRadar+
+1
.

Old School RuneScape – Nostalgic, community-voted content keeps it relevant, drawing both returning players and newcomers
GamesRadar+
+14
GamesRadar+
+14
TechRadar
+14
.

Guild Wars 2 – Acclaimed for dynamic events, responsive storytelling, and increasingly frequent expansion cycles
TechRadar
Wikipedia
.

Star Wars: The Old Republic – Classic BioWare-style narratives remain a strong draw, delivering cinematic storytelling
GamesRadar+
+7
TechRadar
+7
GamesRadar+
+7
.

Other Notables
Lost Ark – Noted for punchy action combat and continual content updates
TechRadar
.

Fallout 76, Black Desert Online, Runescape, ESO, SWTOR – Each offers unique appeal, from crafting depth to open-world exploration
Reddit
+6
TechRadar
+6
Ashes of Creation
+6
.

Throne and Liberty – Launched late 2024, it made a big early impact with free-to-play accessibility and both PvP and PvE features, though server consolidations followed due to uneven population levels
Wikipedia
+1
.

Upcoming MMORPGs in 2025
Titles generating buzz include Dune: Awakening, Chrono Odyssey, Aion 2, Pax Dei, Camelot Unchained, Ship of Heroes, and Brighter Shores
GamesRadar+
+4
MMORPG.com
+4
Reddit
+4
.

2. Addressing Casual vs. Hardcore Play in Ashes of Creation
What the game has so far:

Ashes of Creation is recognized for offering “endless content for casuals” — freeholds, tavern games, PvP arenas, events, community content, gathering, and flexible movement across regions
Reddit
+1
.

The developers also view the game as primarily catering to hardcore PvP-oriented audiences, akin to players of EVE Online, ArcheAge, Lineage II — which could alienate more casual gamers
Ashes of Creation
.

Although mechanics differentiate playstyles (hardcore can progress faster), casual players may struggle to influence competitive systems like node control
ashesofcreation.wiki
.

Key Tensions:

Hardcore players drive progression and control systems.

Casual players enjoy community, social, and low-commitment activities.

Without balance, influence remains skewed toward hardcore factions.

3. Recommendations to Bridge the Gap & Foster Longevity
A) Adaptive Progression & Influence
Scaled Node Influence: Allow casual contributions (time spent, community tasks) to earn influence—even in smaller increments—so casuals feel impactful.

Mentorship Pathways: Encourage hardcore players to mentor newcomers—perhaps via story-based incentives or mutual rewards.

Diverse Activity Tiers
Tiered Events: Offer both low-commitment daily quests, social events, and relaxed gathering, alongside high-stakes PvP/raids. This mirrors what makes FFXIV enjoyable: variability and accessibility
YouTube
.

Solo-Friendly Content: Ensure certain encounters, quests, and node interactions are designed with solo or small-group play in mind.

C) Community Empowerment Tools
Player-Driven Events: Enable groups to organize activities—fairs, tournaments, festivals—complete with tools for announcements, rewards, and moderation.

Housing & Social Spaces: Expand on freeholds with player-run taverns, guild halls, or markets. These spaces build social bonds and casual comfort.

D) Recognition & Reward Systems
Dual Recognition Tracks: Separate (and reward) contributions through combat or governance vs. social engagement and consistency.

Badges & Titles: Offer visible, cumulative markers for both hardcore achievements and community/supportive roles.

E) Dynamic Content Adaptability
Scaling Mechanics: Implement content that scales difficulty dynamically (like in Guild Wars 2’s strike missions), making previously inaccessible content accessible to groups of differing sizes.

Event Accessibility: Run flexible drop-in events where casuals can participate at any stage—fitting storytelling, PvE, or PvP depth as needed.

4. Building a Sustainable, Long-Term Community
Consistent, phased updates: Emulate models like GW2 and FFXIV, with frequent post-launch updates and expansions that keep content fresh and balanced


Feedback Loops: Actively engage with both casual and hardcore players via forums, polls, dev Q&A—adjusting game systems responsively.

Cross-Play and Cross-Platform: If feasible, expanding platforms and enabling accessibility helps grow player base and diversity.

Social Programs & Onboarding: Offer guided new-player orientation, community ambassadors, and welcome packages to ensure newcomers stick around.

Summary Table
Area Casual-Centric Initiatives Hardcore Supporting Enhancements
Influence Scaled, time-based impact High-stakes governance systems
Content Solo quests, social events, low-commitment tasks Challenging raids, node wars, PvP arenas
Social Player-owned housing, community hubs Strategy-driven guild leadership tools
Recognition Community helper titles, casual badges Achievement-based prestige and rewards
Content Delivery Frequent, varied updates Deep, competitive expansions and patches

** Bottom Line:** Ashes of Creation has the potential to unite casual and hardcore audiences through flexible progression systems, diverse content, and an ecosystem that rewards contribution in many forms.

Real community bonds and longevity grow when every player—regardless of playstyle—feels seen, valued, and empowered to participate in the world’s unfolding narrative.

We take cheating and reports of cheating very seriously. We encourage anyone with proof to submit a report to our customer service team in a ticket.