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Atlantica Online: Like our game, or we'll buy your character photo

I wonder if posting this will lead to a game developer going bankrupt. Only one way to find out!

Destructoid boss Niero discovered a bold advertisement for one of those small-time downloadable games that you see promoted on Web sites such as ours, Atlantica Online. Billed as a strategic turn-based MMORPG, distributor NDOORS is so confident you'll like their game, that if you can build your character to level 50 and claim that you hate it, they will buy your character from you for $20.

I am in the camp of people who regularly ignore these free-to-play MMO titles, but this is quite the wager. It also looks pretty graphically impressive for something that's free. That deserves at least a little gratis promotion on Dtoid.

Anybody going to accept NDOORS' challenge? I might give it a spin myself. Either I discover a good game, or I make twenty bucks. I'm pretty interested to see if this actually helps NDOORS or bites them in the arse.


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23 comments | showing # 1 to 23

Jaren Face's Avatar
Jaren Face at 11/04/2008 23:14
I haven't touched a free online MMO in a year or two now, and they were something that had become irrelevant to me.

...but hey, $20 is $20.
Genfuyung's Avatar
Genfuyung at 11/04/2008 23:18
I think its great that a company would have such faith in themselves. I hope people don't abuse it though.
mo0man's Avatar
mo0man at 11/04/2008 23:20
Abuse it? Show me an MMO where you get to level 50 in less than 3 hours, then we'll talk about abuse. If people abuse it, i'll be a bug in the first place.
MrSadistic's Avatar
MrSadistic at 11/04/2008 23:21
Wow. Make it 50 bucks, you cheap asses.
njsykora's Avatar
njsykora at 11/04/2008 23:23
I'm playing it, and have been playing for a while now, The game is actually really fun, its more of a Final Fantasy MMO than Final Fantasy 11.
Niero's Avatar
Niero at 11/04/2008 23:31
@ njsykora - that's a bold statement! how so? please give me something to do this weekend
Geoff's Avatar
Geoff at 11/04/2008 23:35
better yet getting a job instead of wasting time playing any mmorpg will get you much more than $20
TurboSpaz's Avatar
TurboSpaz at 11/04/2008 23:39
I'm going to buy 100 characters for $5, then sell them all back for $20! It's foolproof I tells you, FOOLPROOF!
TheGuero's Avatar
TheGuero at 11/04/2008 23:47
Browsing through their site, I'm actually becoming quite intrigued by this game. I don't know how well it all translates into gameplay, but their developers are very good talkers.

This is kind of breath-of-fresh-air that MMO's need. If a big name developer were to innovate like some of these free-to-play's in a more focused, higher budget kind of way, than the MMO just may see the creativity boost it desperately deserves.

Usually I will pass on a game as soon as I hear free to play, because I assume it's some money making scam where you have to buy items with real money to even slightly enjoy the game. I'm going to give this one the benefit of the doubt and give it a shot. I'm downloading the 2 gig client now.

Anyone play this yet? Is it enjoyable? Is it going to keep me interested?
MissHinasaki's Avatar
MissHinasaki at 11/04/2008 23:50
The catch is that you actually have to force yourself to play until you reach lvl 50 while hating the game. People that are that masochistic probably should be paid to go sit in a room without sharp utensils for awhile...
xe-cute's Avatar
xe-cute at 11/05/2008 00:30
Jim, your slipping....

No one is going to play a game they hate for weeks (most probably months) to get to level 50 just for $20.

It would just mean they where stupid.

I thought you had more intelligence.


P.S. Also I bet it is one of them trick bets too, where when you explain why you did not like the game, they simply reply... 'how come you got to level 50 then and not stop playing if it is that bad'. Then if you say 'simply for the cash' they will say it's void for that reason.

P.P.S. TBH, I bet they want to boost the population of the game and would gladly pay it to peeps who get to level 50 simply for making the game look more 'busy' so others can interact.
Professor Pew's Avatar
Professor Pew at 11/05/2008 04:37
That sounds like a little too much effort for $20. I think I signed up for the beta of this game once, and never installed it because it looked horrible on screenshots :(

I know, so superficial...
Aritas's Avatar
Aritas at 11/05/2008 06:52
The is that the level cap is only 49.
Lightthrower's Avatar
Lightthrower at 11/05/2008 08:18
Old news
Holyetheline's Avatar
Holyetheline at 11/05/2008 08:46
Not a bad deal.
Kaspar's Avatar
Kaspar at 11/05/2008 09:13
Boot up all yer bots, people.
njsykora's Avatar
njsykora at 11/05/2008 09:26
@Niero

The way it works is that rather than the standard MMO fighting system where you click on an enemy and wait until it dies, clicking an enemy sends you to a seperate battle screen where the fight takes the form of more of a JRPG battle. I.E. your party stands on one side, the enemies on the other side so you're using something like a ATB system which makes combat a hell of a lot more enjoyable.
BlackSheep's Avatar
BlackSheep at 11/05/2008 09:28
not mac compatible?
skAnarky's Avatar
skAnarky at 11/05/2008 10:18
This is originally a Korean game, and its rather popular in the PCbangs, so even if hordes of people sell back their characters, I think they have the coffers to afford it. It's doing pretty well in Asia, so I think it may catch on, albiet slightly. Good promo.
Gyrael's Avatar
Gyrael at 11/05/2008 13:59
I've seen this ad many times but I never brought myself to do it. Maybe I will now, though.
xe-cute's Avatar
xe-cute at 11/05/2008 16:22
I wonder how much kick-back in monetories Destructoid gets for each one of us who signs up via this site?

Failed Viral advertising.
Jetsetlemming's Avatar
Jetsetlemming at 11/06/2008 05:21
Why the hell would someone grind all the way to level 50 if they hate the game?
whormongr's Avatar
whormongr at 11/06/2008 08:57
it made me curious- I installed it and played the first couple of missions- it is kind of cool, definitely more jrpg if you like that kind of thing- I think when I have more time I will play it more since it the one thing that usually irritates me about this type of gampeplay isn't the mechanic, but that most games have like, 45 minute cutscenes between everything you do
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