Edit: Update! My “final” word on Atlantica Online is here:
Atlantica Online: Review and Summary
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Article four of my Atlantica Online coverage. I wrote earlier that crafting is kind of bizarre, in that you actually have to win combat to generate crafting work. It turns out that if you’re at least level 30, you can learn an action called “Autocraft” which allows you to plop down in place and hammer out whatever it is you’re crafting. This is more like the WoW crafting, except that in true Atlantica fashion, you can do it anywhere. It’s like slipping on an old comfortable set of slippers if you’re used to WoW’s crafting.
I’m a bit baffled as to why they wait until that late in the game to give players this ability, but I’m happy that the option is there. I didn’t even reach the quest NPC that teaches this until I was level 42, but I’ve spent time completing all quests and exploring a little, so I may be a bit behind the typical pacing. I still might go out and kill stuff to complete my crafting, since I like the combat, but it’s nice to be able to just sit in a corner of town and craft away.
At the same time, I kind of liked the design decision to make combat the key to crafting. It was a nice change of pace, and while it didn’t make sense, it did get people out in the world killing stuff instead of puttering around in towns. Ultimately, I like that there is the option to do either, since I love giving players options. Now, if only crafting in Atlantica Online incorporated a Puzzle Pirates type of puzzle minigame to create the high end stuff (making skill more important than grind), I’d be very happy. Considering the huge number of different types of items to make, I’m not sure that’s possible (unless a minigame applied to several different crafting classes), but it would make the game more interesting, certainly. Perhaps the whole “crafting and alternate progression” concept is another post, though…