The new NEStalgia subscription info page can be found here:
http://silkgames.com/nestalgia/subscription.html
Please see that page for the latest information about subscription features and how to subscribe to NEStalgia.
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Before I even get into this post, let's make one thing clear: I am practically giving this game away. The existence of a subscription option that enables extra features should not distract you from the fact that the entire game is basically free.NEStalgia subscriptions are $9/year ($8 for BYOND Members). Purchasing a NEStalgia subscription enables the following features:
- Access to two additional unique character classes, the Merchant and the Conjurer.
- The ability to create and lead Guilds, and to customize the look of your guild.
- Access to a "Shared Vault" for sharing items between your different character savefiles.
- Access to subscriber-only specialty shops with interesting items up for sale.
- The ability to use Dyes to recolor characters to distinctive colors not available in the regular character creation process.
- A "Subscriber Key" that opens doors to special subscriber-only areas and convenient fast-travel routes.
- Each of your characters can list up to 6 items for sale in the Marketplace at a time instead of 3.
- In the rare event of a full server, there are 40 extra slots reserved exclusively for subscribers.
As with Proelium, the subscription exclusive classes are not more powerful than regular classes, nor do they give you an advantage over non-subscribers. What they do offer is an expanded gameplay experience with unique strategies and tactics.
Here is a quick description of each perk:
Subscriber Class: The Merchant
The Merchant is for players who want to to dominate the economy. Merchants get 10% more gold when selling items to NPC vendors, and they have a 30% increased chance of finding all types of chest drops in battle.
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Speaking of battle, Merchants are second only to Soldiers in physical combat. They don't have quite as much defense, but they output a very respectable amount of damage. The Merchant's special ability list is very different from other classes. One cool change is that instead of requiring MP, Merchant abilities cost Gold to "cast".
A couple of these abilities include:
Tax: The Merchant "taxes" an enemy and drains its HP to recover their own.
Economy: The Merchant gives a lecture on Economics, potentially putting his foes into a "confusion" state.
Vault: This overworld ability allows the Merchant and his party to make item deposits in their vault at anytime, freeing up valuable inventory space.
Subscriber Class: The Conjurer
I love the Conjurer. It's easily my favorite class in the game (second to Cleric) simply because of how interesting the Conjurer's move set is.
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Conjurers are a pure caster class that use both offensive and healing spells. The twist? The majority of the Conjurer's spells are either Damage over Time (DoTs) or Heal over Time (HoTs). For example, the Conjurer spell "Renew" will automatically heal the target for a moderate amount of HP each round for a duration of 3 rounds. The "Simmer" spell will automically damage a target every round for 3 rounds.
In a group of three players, adding a Conjurer to compliment a Cleric will result in incredible healing potential. Add a Wizard instead and your group will be a damage-dealing wrecking machine.
Guilds
Anyone can join a guild. Only subscribers can create them. Creating a guild is fun and offers a lot of cool options for customization.
Shared Vault
This is an incredibly convenient feature. Found an awesome rare axe while playing your Cleric? Put it in your shared vault and give it to your Soldier. Because multi-keying is disabled in NEStalgia, the only other way to transfer your items between characters will be to find a trusted friend to hold them.
Specialty Shops
These shops have some really beneficial items. A "Scroll of New You" will allow you to completely re-customize your character. Spell Crystals like the "Repel Crystal" contain an infinite amount of charges for the spell they cast. They also sell certain types of dyes.
Character Dyes
Although some dyes are found in Specialty Shops, most are unique drops. Dyes recolor your character to colors and color combinations not available during the character creation process. If you want a truly distinctive look then dyes are the way to go.
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Subscriber Doors
There are certain doors in the game that only subscribers can open. These lead to things like conveniently placed Inns or fast travel routes. On release day you'll probably find me hanging out in the Subscriber's Lounge :)
Marketplace Auctions: 6 items instead of 3
This seems like a minor feature, but being able to list six items in the Marketplace at a time on each character instead of three will really speed things up and help to make you a power seller.
Reserved slots on full servers
We have yet to see how much of a demand there will be for NEStalgia, but in the event of a full server (80 players), there are 40 extra slots reserved for subscribers (so max 120 players). Keep in mind that I'll be purchasing additional servers to accommodate demand, but this will ensure that you're never having to wait to play the game.
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This is only the initial set of perks. There are plans for many additional subscription only features down the road (ex: class changes and at least 6 new character classes are a sure thing). NEStalgia will be an ever-changing game with new content and features being released on a regular basis.
If it turns out that there is a lot of demand for NEStalgia subscriptions, you can count on the price going up in the near future. Subscribing sooner rather than later will ensure that you receive the lowest price possible!