Ten Ton Hammer - Taking MMO Gamers to the Next Level!

The saying that you never get a second chance to make a first impression is rarely more accurate than when it pertains to online gaming. Indeed, most MMOGs that struggle through a poor launch, especially one that is problematic and bug filled, never get an opportunity to turn things around. However, Alganon hopes to break that mold with a planned re-launching of their game later this month. The game, which has already gone through one re-invention process with an earlier name change, is the product of North American developer Quest Online , who recently announced a major shakeup in the leadership of the project.

The new leader of the Alganon team, Derek Smart, has come out firing with both guns loaded in response to issues that have plagued the game since its December of 2009 launch, a launch he categorized as something that “should never have happened” and  ”a mistake that has not only cost the company money but has also cost people their jobs and put an otherwise exceptional product at risk.” While the bug-fixes have been numerous to date, even more are planned; Alganon is getting a fairly extensive overhaul of its underpinnings and systems to bring them up to the standards the developer feels they should have achieved at launch.

While many current players are concerned that these changes may be akin to throwing the baby out with the bathwater, the newly opened lines of communication with the team from Quest Online have been quick to assure the playerbase that the April re-launch will have no negative effects on their current characters, items or progress. The current crop of players, however, isn’t nearly enough to keep the game above water, so what does the future of Alganon hold for new players? Will the changes be enough to stabilize the game and allow a bolstering of the ranks? While it’s too early to tell for sure there are some signs of hope for the long term prospects of the game.

Alganon, for those not familiar with the title, is a fantasy based, PvE-centric MMOG that allows players to choose between two races, with each race being the principal race in its faction. There are four classes to choose from – Magus, Ranger, Healer and Soldier, with a dual class system to allow for greater role flexibility. The game features two continents with the standard world map fog-of-war system that is common in many games. Alganon’s UI is, much to the chagrin of Mr. Smart, a near carbon copy of World of Warcraft’s; in fact a good portion of the game is very WoW-like and this has been one of its biggest detractors. With the original subscription model, a monthly fee following a fairly steep box cost, the game was doomed to low numbers as most players who wanted a WoW-like experience would simply go with the more popular title.

While the art team is busy working on a new look for the game’s website and UI to help get some distance from the WoW comparisons, the fact is that this game will never be able to completely shake the label because it is very much a dyed in the wool clone of Blizzard’s juggernaut. But that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, since the game is now free-to-play with purchase of the client, a relative bargain at fewer than 20 dollars. Additionally, of the features that make Alganon similar to WoW, most are positives:

• Quest Experience Trumps Kill Experience - Staying true to the North American ethos of heavy quest rewards keeps the game focused and moving at a great pace.

• Easily Navigated Menus and UI – While the art style may be too similar to the look of WoW for the Alganon team, the overall functionality and ease of use is perfect for new players and veterans alike.

• Three Branch Talent Tree – Another easy to understand and utilize feature that makes personalizing and upgrading your character feel like second nature.
  

This new subscriptionless model also gives the game a near Borderlands like feel that allows players to jump in for some quick solo action or gather up friends and hammer out some more in-depth content. Leveling in Alganon is done with nearly no curve as the pace stays steady throughout the process with quest rewards going up proportionally with the amount of experience needed to level. If leveling in Alganon were a road trip it would be a one tank of fuel affair with the speed limit increasing steadily even as the distance between each town increases.

Even with many similarities to other games, this isn’t simply a copy and paste job by any means. Several features of the game give it a fresh perspective and its own identity:

• Built-in Database – Alganon players don’t need to alt-tab out of the game to look up info on any facet of the game; it’s all built in to the Library system.

• Dual Role System – As early as level 10 players can select talents that give their a secondary role, for example a Magus can select talents that allow them to heal their party.

• Offline Skill Training – Similar to the system in EVE Online, Alganon allows players to advance their skills while not actively playing the game. Using a queue system players are able to prioritize which skills they level first with learning taking place while offline or in the background as you play.

Whether you are a disenfranchised player of another MMOG, just looking to get into the genre, or a compulsive gamer looking for something new to sink your teeth into, Alganon is shaping up to be a solid choice. The new revamp and re-launch are slated to roll out in the next week or so and with them the future of the game itself. Here’s hoping that Alganon can find a new and successful lease on life.