Age of Armor
Age of Armor is a science fiction MMORPG, developed and published by Chinese company SnailGame, currently in open beta stage. The game features a fictional conflict between the United Earth Government (Earth) forces and the Republic of Arthur (Mars) ones. Both nations use several types of mechas for combat purposes. The game is free to play, and it also features a Cash Shop (accessible both ingame and through the official website) from where players can purchase items that can improve their attributes.
Gameplay
Age of Armor is played from third-person perspective, with mouse and keyboard control for movement and interaction. It includes both Player versus environment and player versus player content, and several quests.
New players are able to choose a faction (Earth or Mars), race (Enhanced Human, Natural Human or Neo Human), and perform basic character customization. Enhanced Humans are a "Tanker" class, with durable Armor and close-ranged weapons. Natural Humans are an "Area of Effect" class, with average Armor and medium range weapons. Neo Humans are a "Sniper" class with low Armor but long range weapons. Characters have attribute points and knowledge points.
Character creation is followed by a short ingame tutorial, which guides players through building their first mech (called "Armor" ingame), combat basics, and brief explanation of each main NPC and their respective functions. Players use their human characters while inside cities, and drive their Armors while outside.
In order to assemble an Armor, seven parts are required: Body, Engine, Control Cabin, Arm, Head, Legs, and Core. Additional parts are Jetpack/Wings (used to enable flight), and Transformation Module (required for the transformation feature). A character's "build" is a combination of their racial traits and the types of installed Armor parts.
By equipping a Transform Module into their Armors, players are able to transform into an alternative Armor mode, based on their race. Enhanced humans have an animal form; natural humans have a land vehicle form; neo humans have a jet form. This second transformation utilizes its own set of skills and weapons, allowing for more diversity in gameplay.
Skill Chips can be installed into certain Armor parts. Skills are available in different ranks. All races have 2 to 3 Skill Chips for each of their weapons, and 2 or 3 support type Skill Chips. The Transforming feature utilizes its own set of Skill Chips, with 1 Skill Chip for each of the weapons, and a large amount of support type Skill Chips.
Eight weapon types exist in the game. Swords and Missiles can be equipped by any race, requiring only Knowledge Points. Cartridge and Combat weapons are used by Enhanced Humans. Canister and Laser weapons are used by Natural Humans. Electromagnetic and Particle weapons are used by Neo Humans.
Armor parts, Skill Chips and weapons can be upgraded or combined to increase their statistics. Armor can also be built from scratch by gathering items dropped by enemies.
Guilds in Age of Armor are called Corps, and they require a daily maintenance fee, which is paid with ingame currency (called Goda) and contribution points. Corps have their own ranks and warehouses, which depend on the amount of contribution points their members acquire (through repeatable quests). Corps are able to take over the cities in the Battle Planet server, and the Corps that holds a city has access to special items that give free experience/salary points (used to purchase special items).
Events are regularly added to the game, and most stay ingame for long periods of time. Events include the spawning of special monsters with higher drop rates for special items, spawning of monsters that drop event-only items, the introduction of temporal quests, and modifications to the experience and item drop rates. Temporal maps are also introduced.