Aethar
 

I began playing Aethar around 13 years ago and played quite a bit
until I moved on to graphical MMOs. I eventually found myself wondering why
I left MUDs and began playing Aethar again a few months ago.

I've tried many many different MUDs over the years and there is
a reason why Aethar keeps me playing. If you like a MUD where leveling
is a quick formality and end game progression and group play is
the focus, you will love Aethar.

Positives:
1. Triple class system where each class brings strong abilities and utilities.
2. Leveling can be completed in less than 10 hours for even a brand new player.
3. Current players love to 'run' with new players and help them gear up.
4. Area and mob fights are very interactive and many fights last up to
5 minutes and are very fast paced and reaction based.
5. There are two automatic quest systems in place and immortal ran
quests that are very involved, sometimes lasting months at a time.
6. There is a built in point system where you can turn in equipment
for points and buy stronger equipment by saving up points.
7. A tiered equipment system, where you use pieces from the previous
tier to build the next tier.
8. Ability to multi-play two characters. This adds a very enjoyable
challenge to fighting fast paced mobs and increases your strength
and ability to fight harder mobs.
9. A charm system, where charms can drop from mobs which assist with
minor tasks, such as moving your alignment, refilling your mana/blood,
and refilling your deity favor.
10. A portal system, where portals can drop from mobs and when used in
town, open portals to powerful mobs for quick access to them.
11. Kingdoms to join, which allow access to morgues, heal pills, combat
training mobs, spellup mobs, and players to run with.

Negatives:
1. PvP is possible, but doesn't really happen. You have to become a deadly
player, which most players do not. You can arena, but that is rare as well.
2. Small playerbase, but that is what this review is meant to help. I'm hoping
to get others to try Aethar. I really think if you level to avatar and
go on a few runs, you'll stick around, it's very enjoyable.
3. One of the kingdoms is idle. Perhaps you can be the next leader of that
kingdom and bring it back to life!

Also within the next couple weeks a new solo dungeoneering system is going to
be in the test phase. The rewards and content is not set in stone, but is
going to be a random generated dungeon that is solo only, once per day, and
is promised to add a whole new gameplay aspect to Aethar.

If you want to try Aethar, please do it now! Us the chat channel to let us
know you are there and I will love to give you as much or as little help
as you want. Look for me online.

-Roryon

Re: Aethar
 

small suggestion... post a link to make it easier for people to join

Re: Aethar
 

You can get to aethar by setting your favorite client to: rayne.divineright.org port 6565

Also, before you make a character, you might check out these links:




One feature that wasn't mentioned was Castles. Once you become the owner of a castle, you can add rooms, edit exits, descriptions and room names, manage a guest list, even buy a storage room. There is a quest scheduled for 11/23 with the prize being your very own castle.

Four pretty neat features have been added over the past few weeks.
1. A quest line to seek revenge for a fallen swordmaster. This is a huge quest line with a fantastic weapon hilt reward.
2. An addition to the introduction area that teaches new players how Aethar 'runs' work. To go through this intro, just say battle at the healer in the intro area named Faolus.
3. A new pet store that allows you to craft rare pets from objects found in the world.
4. A new in game quest mob that scatters notes for players to search for.
This adds to the already in game automatic quests:
- Cache of the immortals, teleports around, if you find him you can loot him for prizes
- Shadow mobs that get released at least once a day. Killing them will reward quest prizes.
- EP system, trading in equipment for emporium points to buy quest items or other gear.
- More coming soon!

Re: Aethar
 

Professions are now in game starting today. There are 5 professions and each can be leveled to 50 using gathering materials. The high level crafts are said to be very impressive, but there are only clues as to what they are at this point.

I did get one hint, I think one of the items is an item you brandish that instantly rezzes a dead player, even if you are in combat, seems pretty neat.

They also implemented player shops. Players can now own their own shops and sell items to other players for various currency.

Re: Aethar
 

Professions are a big success and we have a few new players that log in daily. There were three quests this month already and is one planned for Christmas as well. Hopefully we'll see you in game soon!

Re: Aethar
 

There have been two new encounters added, two new daily quests added, and a new quest system called journal quests. To that system there are now class specific quests that reward a class specific shield, a quest that ends in getting a command that casts all your buffs at once, and a quest that ends in you gaining the loyalty of a follower, who you can then send on missions for you.

We've also had a couple players join that run pretty much all day long, and they are loving the game, so we'd like to see you join us.

Re: Aethar
 

I run a different mud now, but I made my bones on Aethar. I played Aethar for years. I made some lifelong friends there. The game is well put together, fun, and all in all, a solid way to pass the time. If you're looking for a home, give it a shot.

Just, when the time comes, make the correct decision, and join Midhir. Rjurik sucks, and Midhir rules.

Re: Aethar
 

More encounters added. Just to give an example of the types of encounters being added, here is a description of the last 4 that went in.

1. A sailing ship that you board. You get to pick a route to go across the sea. As you sail, creatures attack the ship from the water, damaging you. You have to damage them by firing cannons from the sides of the ship. As the damage comes, they spawn mobs on the ship that attack you face to face as well. So you have to fend them off while firing the cannons.
2. An Orc battle field. Each player is given a powerful weapon that only works in that battle. Each player picks one lane of the battlefield to go down, and uses the weapon to mow down nearly 100 orcs along the path. After you all clear your path you meet up and face the general.
3. Morwenna. He's nasty, he will focus one player, jump on them and hold them down for 5 rounds. That player can do nothing while he pummels them over and over every round, so it's up to the other players to heal that player while doing damage to Morwenna.
4. Black Stag. This was a revamped mob. He lives in a little glade and in each room a plant lives there dormant. If you stand in one room too long, it damages you by over half your health. The stag bashes and such also, so moving is not always easy.

Re: Aethar
 

They added a Casino with slots and roulette, and a new currency for highly geared players. Also a new encounter against martial artist students. As they attack you, you have to react to the type of attack they do and block it with different defined blocks that you learn how to perform at the master.

Re: Aethar
 

Better website is up:

Re: Aethar
 

We now have personalized mounts you can quest for. You can name them anything you want, and you can ask them to run to certain areas by saying Onward to <area>!

We also got something called dragonflight. You call a dragon and ride it between areas. You are basically walking between areas like walking between rooms, so you can travel pretty far with just a quick flight.

And yesterday they put in a farming system. You basically plant crops, water them and they grow. When they mature you harvest them and then you buy baby farm animals and feed them your harvest. When the animals are mature, you slaughter them for Farm Credits. These credits buy more plants/animals, or valor/PEP,RP items.