Openworld PvP is something I definetly want to skip. It'll be designed without teammembers number control or with duels. In case of first, the team with bigger number of players wins, not the team with more skill. In sesond case, a player will uninstall being utterly annoyed by spammed invites to a duel.
You're talking about mass PvP - which is not the only kind of PvP in ArcheAge. The world is big enough to support lots of small scale PvP, where individual skill matters a lot.
There's no way to balance mass PvP and have individual skill be the deciding factor, apart from the skill of the leaders. That's impossible.
But, no, the game doesn't make working in groups worthless - as it's a social multiplayer game.
That's hardly new stuff and is a part of a game I've aready mentioned a few times: Wizard101. I should mention that in w101 you may get several different houses/castles, decorate them (decorations are questrewards, bought in stores or mob drops), and outside you can besides piling up those decorations, grow different plants that are when harvested used to feed pets, etc. Maybe I'll try ArcheAge just to see if they managed to make it better than a years old game, but I doubt they did.
I never said it was new, that's your fantasy. The combination of features and the implementation of them is what's new.
As for Wizard101 - I prefer games that don't look like someone threw up on my screen made for little children, thanks.
Again, nothing new. I've mentioned wizard101, it has a huge underwater area you have to explore with pretty hard enemies lurking. It doesn't have helmets with lights though.
How can you compare the underwater environments without knowing anything about them. Lots of games have underwater areas - it's about the detail and care that went into the exploration.
Finally something I'm really interested in! I've seen a few attempts of such MMO, I've applied for betatest in new such Innogames browser (flash - so no smartphones!) game, but if they do this right, ArcheAge could be my next MMO.
You're not well, are you? You've bashed this game for all kinds of serious reasons - and now it might be your next MMO because it has a feature you like.
Do you even know what you're saying?
If I have to choose beauty vs fun - I'll take fun any day. IIRC FarCry3 runs on CryEngine and it's beautiful, but it was so fun that I'd still play it even if it didn't look that good.
Your point being? Why would anyone play a game that isn't fun? That sounds stupid.
I like beautiful AND fun myself - though, but that's just me.
Anyway, ArcheAge is just a game that I'm excited about. I'm not suggesting it's for everyone - as it most definitely isn't. I'd say if Wizard101 is the kind of MMO you like - then there's a good chance AA won't float your boat. It's not made for children or people who prefer to live in a merry cartoon.
I suggest just staying away from it.