Character Race & Travel

[bobturke]

The four different races in Atys start in different areas. After going to the Mainland are you able to eventually explore the others too or would you need to create a character of each race to experience the whole of Atys?

Yes you can move to other lands.

Secondly, other than this starting location and the look of your character, are there any other considerations as to which race to choose? Any advantages / disadvantages to them?

No really. Only their different environments/mobs mean slightly different challenges. The difference is really pretty minor.

[curelne]

You can travel from the mainland to other areas. However, the journey is really really hard (prime roots are very hostile areas). Some have already succeeded, with great losses, patience and some chance.

There's not a real difference between the races apart from their look and their environment. Each mainland is different, some are a bit easier to survive in (Tryker for example, until aquatic mobs are implemented, but we, Tryker, are joyfull and harmfull people ), some more difficult, but they are quite well balanced (but there're always people complaining they can't travel everywhere, explore all the maps and kill all the mobs after having spent two days in Atys ).

Paera - and her poor english

[gralen]

Secondly, other than this starting location and the look of your character, are there any other considerations as to which race to choose? Any advantages / disadvantages to them?

Thanks.

The first has been well answered so I'll just touch the second.

There is no difference as to the playability of each race, no built in advantages nor disadvantages (used to be a running speed advantage based on height but that's gone).

HOWEVER, there are major differences between the four nations that will impact your play due to the RPing of your fellow players:

1. Fyros: Warrior society, strong emphasis on academics, honor and duty. Part of that duty seems to be the rooting out of the Dragon of Legend, which led to the kitin invasions. Other races tend to be somewhat upset over that. Kami aligned because they no longer trust the motives of the Karavan. Allied with the Trykers due to water needs.
2. Matis: Caste based society, political power and technological power drive them. Karavan aligned because they want the technology of the Karavan rather than that they actually subscribe to the Karavan's philosophies. Opposed to the Fyros and Trykers over land and water disputes.
3. Trykers: Traders, these folks play to the best payer and the best protector. Karavan aligned because they appear to be the best protectors but wary that the Karavan may not be truly the guardians they are supposed to be. Kami sympathic because the Kami seem nearly as carefree as the Trykers themselves. Allied to the Fyros through water supplies.
4. Zoraï: Mystics with a strongly hierarchal society with a slight isolationist view. Their devotion to caring for Atys is nearly as strong as that of the Kami. Strong distrust of the Karavan as the Karavan won't even acknowledge the existence of the Goo. Strong alliance with the Kami. The other races have obvious lines of conflict between themselves but the Zoraï, being so isolated, would seem to be free of such problems but not so. The Zoraï are sympathetic to the Matis because of the Matis interest in botanical genetics, that sympathy earns the Zoraï some animosity from the other two races.

So which are you at your core, a duty bound warrior, a rigid technologist, a free wheeling trader or a seemingly unapproachable mystic? While it's true that you can make of you character what you will regardless of race, knowing the background of each race ( http://www.ryzom.com/?page=civilizations ) will help you choose the race that most suits the game play you want.

[cmiddle]

Ahh I see. And perhaps the background to the races will determine the kind of quests that are offered.

[curelne]

Yes, it will determine the quests and the knowledge given to the guilds and in your encyclopedia (Kami vs Karavan, goo and kittins, history, legend of the Great Dragon etc)