Eternal Lands
Eternal Lands is a 3D graphical multiplatform MMORPG released by Radu Privantu beginning in February 13, 2003 as Alpha, and eventually released as Beta in Nov 30, 2003. It has since undergone many changes such as the introduction of a World-PVP server and many bug-fixes. Of course, this has not always gone well... Luckily, the community here is friendlier than most MMOs and quite connected. A boon to many a new player due to the old interface and commands.
Like most other MMOs, Eternal Lands takes place in a medieval world filled with magic and technology - with a healthy dosage of Lampshade Hanging, fourth wall breakage, tongue-in-cheek humor, and other reality breaking "items" at times. The world currently consists of two main continents: Seridia, where the new players start out, and Irilion, the more experienced players' continent. New players begin by selecting their name, customizing their looks, and selecting one out of three (six if you pay) races. Afterward, their skills, abilities and alignments will be set to a standard value, and the player will be dumped into Isla Prima. It is here where they will be instructed on the many aspects of the game, and whether they will take or break the call to adventure...
What sets this apart from being another generic fantasy MMO is how the leveling system works. In this game, instead of just leveling up by killing monsters and questing, players level up by using skills. There are twelve skills that players are able to learn and apply in this game: Attack, Defense, Harvesting, Manufacturing, Alchemy, Potion, Magic, Summoning, Crafting, Engineering, Tailoring, and Ranging. In addition to this, players can increase their overall level from the overall EXP gained from these twelve skills. With each overall level gain, players gain a pick-point which they can use to permanently improve one out of six of their main character's base attributes (Coordination, Instinct, Physique, Reasoning, Vitality, and Will) - further benefiting skill usage. Players can choose whatever they want to be - a knight, mage, archer, potion brewer, smith, etc with no restrictions whatsoever.
- An Adventurer Is You
- Anti-Poopsocking: There's a limit of how much EXP for Harvesting can be obtained each in-game day (6 hours in Real Life). Of course, players can still harvest more materials even after reaching the cap.
- Beef Gate: There are areas in this game where it's faster to travel from one point to another by going through one of these instead of taking the roundabout route.
- Bribing Your Way to Victory: It is possible to buy a bot in this game. Though, the functionality is limited.
- Cap: All skills cap at level 180 in the normal server. In the PK server, Attack and Defense cap at 100.
- Character Level: Subverted. The skill most related to this trope is the Overall Level, but that only determines how much a player can improve their own base attributes.
- Continuing Is Painful: Once you die in this game, you drop all your items and equipment into a death bag. Worse yet, you have to navigate your way out of the Underworld and get your bag before it vanishes - which is very difficult in aggressive monster areas. Thus, it is suggested that the affected people ask for assistance on the chat channels - that is, if someone doesn't just steal all the items.
- Critical Existence Failure: As par most MMORPG standards...
- Destroyable Items: Every equipable has a durability rating. Once it reaches zero, it will be destroyed.
- Everything Fades
- Fluffy the Terrible: The fluffy rabbit.
- Get on the Boat: Needed to leave the newbie island, Isla Prima. And of course, used to reach many other locations at a faster pace, or to avoid harder enemies.
- Global Currency: Gold and Platinum Coins.
- Healing Hands: There are healing spells in this game.
- Healing Potion
- Hyperactive Metabolism
- Item Crafting: Tons and tons of items are available to be crafted - with the appropriate skill level and items of course.
- The Minion Master: With the Summoning skill, players can summon certain creatures that will fight alongside them. Though, these creatures can be killed by other players.
- Monster Allies: Again, with the Summoning skill, certain monsters can fight with players. However, they are vulnerable to other players as they are not protected by the Anti-PVP laws in most areas (in the non-PVP server).
- Organ Drops:
- Regenerating Health: Subverted. Only with a high food level will HP regenerate.
- Player Versus Player: Only in specific areas of the map. Though, some entire regions are open-PVP. Not to mention that the PVP server allows combat with other players everywhere - except in certain "safe" regions.
- Point Buy: Once a player gains an Overall level, he or she gains a pick-point. After which, they can spend it on one of the six attributes: Coordination, Instinct, Physique, Reasoning, Vitality, or Will.
- Purely Aesthetic Gender
- Rat Stomp
- Respawning Enemies
- Schizo-Tech: Tons of this. Of course, this is mostly likely used to invoke Rule of Cool and/or Rule of Funny. YMMV though.
- To Hell and Back: Yes, you can escape the Underworld in this game by generally going North.
- Warp Whistle: By yelling out a certain phrase of words, players can teleport back to Isla Prima for whatever reason.
- Wizard Needs Food Badly: Subverted as a player cannot die from hunger. However, he or she cannot craft items without enough food. Moreover, having a food level of 0 causes the player to lose HP and MP regeneration. See Hyperactive Metabolism.
- World Map