Monthly Archives: July 2010

Might and Magic: Heroes Kingdoms

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Might and Magic: Heroes Kingdoms is set during the time of Chaos, just after the Dark Messiah cycle. Urgash has been freed from his prison and the demons reign over Ashan. The six elemental dragons sons and daughters of Asha, have disappeared. Guided by a prophetess, the players of M&M Heroes Kingdoms and their allies will have to form an alliance in order to reclaim the tears of Asha and try to prevent the whole world from falling into chaos.

3D MMO Gaming: The Next Big Thing?

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3D MMO Gaming: The Next Big Thing? 
Written by Chen Fo Po (cinderboy), OnRPG Journalist

 

3D MMO intro

 

To start this article off, I will first like to refer to this recent article I have read: “9you, one of the fast rising MMO developers and publishers in China, recently announced that they will be integrating their upcoming MMOs with 3D technology. You read it right, players will have the chance to view their games through 3D vision goggles and experience the same kind of thrill when watching Avatar 3D (who hasn’t watch the movie in 3D?). The company also admitted that the recent Avatar 3D wave helped them to speed up development of the project.”

 

 Talk about riding huge waves.

 

3D MMO Avatar
Avatar’s 3D effect

 

9you will apparently be the first company in the global MMO industry to announce this rather ambitious type of project. Personally, I expected a bigger company, say Blizzard, to embark on this project first, due to the massive finances involved. The company, realising that gaming in 3D will tire out players’ eyes and that 3D gaming is still at its infant stage, will first trial this new feature on their casual games and side-scrollers. In the beginning stages, only special features like skill graphics and character models will be in 3D.

 

I have to applaud 9you in this particular venture, seeing that it is no easy task. And mind you, 9you is a developer and publisher of Free to Play titles, this really tells you how far the Free To Play market has come. The company is also working with some technology firms on plans to distribute the 3D vision goggles needed and other essential peripherals.

 

9you’s first few 3D games:

 

Dungeon Heroes 3D MMO
Dungeon Heroes

 

Audition 2 3D MMO
Audition 2

 

Weapons of the Gods 3D MMO
Weapons of the Gods

 

City Transformers 3D MMO
City Transformers

 

 

The limitations

Tech geek I am not, but I have skimmed through several articles which touch on the topic of 3D gaming for the PC system. Firstly, 3D gaming on the PC currently requires a special monitor which has the capability to refresh at 120Hz. While some players might not mind the cost of one (around USD320 for a 22inch one), 3D gaming will need the majority of players utilizing it to start the market up.

 

Secondly, the 3D vision goggles. The only branded (or brand) 3D vision goggles for PC gaming I have come across are from Nvidia, and they cost a rather hefty USD199. Once again, it might be a small sum to some, but a princely price to the majority. What about gamers who are already wearing glasses?

 

GEFORCE NVIDIA 3D MMO Vision Kit
Nvidia’s GEFORCE 3D Vision Kit

 

Thirdly, the ill-effects of prolonged 3D gaming. You don’t have to be an Optometrist or even an Ophthalmologist to acknowledge that players will soon experience severe discomfort in their eyes. Gazing at a normal LCD monitor for a few hours for either work or gaming already causes dry eyes, itchy eyes, bloodshot eyes and whatnot, I can’t imagine the degree of damage 3D gaming will cause to the eyes and overall health of hardcore gamers.

 

Conclusion 

Overall, in my opinion, 3D gaming is not a necessity anytime in the near future. It will no doubt edge closer to being mainstream in the years to come, but there are still more doubts (especially long-term health concerns) to clear up. Will more companies start to embrace 3D gaming? Or will this new way of gaming be just a short term fad? It’s really up to the gaming community to decide.

The Allods Quest for Chests $50k Giveaway

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The Allods Quest for Chests $50k Giveaway

$50,000 Giveaway Event!

 

 Allods Online Quests for Chests

 

Play an hour a day to get a key that might unlock the chest of your dreams!

 

Use your keys to open chests for a chance to INSTANTLY WIN some of our most popular Item Shop items, including Enchanted Saddles, Dragon Hide Backpacks, and Holy Charms! Each time you open a chest, you will also be entered into a drawing to win that quest’s amazing prizes, such as Alienware Aurora PC Desktop gaming systems, custom Astro A30 headsets, iPads, and 52″ LCD TVs!

 

Allods Online Quests for Chests Information
Allods Online: Quests for Chests Information

Nadirim

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Players begin their adventure as a simple citizen of the Empire of the Eternal Sun, where the sun never sets. The old Caliph sacrificed his life so that the sun would stand at the zenith and the powers of evil Nadir, the Lord of the Void, would be imprisoned in the darkness. After more than 100 years, the people have begun to lose their faith in goodness, and the darkness is creeping slowly into the hearts of the citizens of the empire. The sun is slowly setting and the first servants of the mighty djinn Nadir are starting to appear.

 

With one of the five different character classes – Warrior, Sage, Nomad, Ruffian, or Caravan Master – each with two different and unique talent trees, players must answer the call of the secret Order of the Inamas in order to save the Light and with it the kingdom itself.

 

The main plot begins in Ennahar, the Town of Adventures, and unfolds through numerous quests. Characters can enter solo quests, PvP, group, and even guild quests. Along with the extensive PvE content, players can engage in PvP arena battles to earn extra experience and additional rewards. Thanks to the different skills of the various character classes, every battle in the turn-based combat system is unique.

Features:

  • Free to play online browser game in Arabian Nights
  • Strong PvE and PvP content
  • A huge variety of solo, group, guild, and PvP quests
  • Five different character classes, each with two unique talent trees:
    Warrior, Sage, Nomad, Ruffian, or Caravan Master
  • Turn-based combat system
  • Extensive guild system
  • Crafting and trade system with huge variety of magical items
  • Social media connectivity – players can share their progress andadventures with friends

Unique level of detail and captivating music

APB Review: All Bulletins Point to Bad

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APB Review: All Bulletins Point to Bad
By Tully Ackland (Kaxzane), OnRPG Editor in Chief

 

You may remember another game called APB; it was released over a decade ago and played vaguely like the first GTA. With the second incarnation of the name, developer Realtime Worlds has created an MMO which has been marketed to seem like a persistent world version of Grand Theft Auto 4. 

 

It wouldn’t be a shock to many that this is, in fact, far from the truth, and it ends up being so disappointing that you’ll be hard pressed to use up the 50 hours of added free game time. When reviewing games it is a requirement to give something a fair chance no matter how dreadful it may seem in order to give an informed opinion. Let me tell you, APB felt by far the longest and most unfulfilling 24 hours of play time I’ve spent in an online game. 

 

Gameplay

In All Points Bulletin you play a citizen in the dangerous city of San Paro, you are aligned with either Criminals or the newly legalized Enforcer vigilante group. Your choice of faction does not house many differences, the Criminals are causing violence and stealing things, and the Enforcers are chasing them down and making the arrest.

 

All Points Bulletin Gang 

 

In what must be a shocking oversight by Realtime Worlds, there is no story to progress through, no statistical levels to grind and only a dozen missions to repeat ad nausea. The only hook to keep you playing is completing tasks for NPC quest givers which will in turn unlock new equipment and new vehicles.

 

APB revolves entirely around player vs player interaction. Each mission a player picks up will attempt to match-make you with an enemy group of the opposing faction, you’ll not encounter AI controlled enemies at any time, and it’s either enemy players or nothing. Dying against the enemy on a mission yields no disadvantages (unless there is a frag limit) and you’ll re spawn 5 seconds later rearmed and ready to fight for the objective once again. If you are the kind of person who doesn’t like grouping with strangers, then you need to either ensure you have friends to play with or look away, if you attempt to solo the game will automatically group you up with others. Playing with friends can actually make APB rather enjoyable as long as you are cruising around in a police car chasing down the bad guys, but the fun, unfortunately, doesn’t last too long.

 

The lack of impact a player has on the game world is astonishing, there is no territory war where you can compete for regions of San Paro, and you can only interact with the opposing faction when they are on the opposite mission, to hunt you down while you are hunting them.

 

At points as an Enforcer you are tasked to raid a suspected enemy hideout, your character starts to smash on the door with a battering ram and you start to believe that the epic times are about to begin, that you will smash down the door run in and tazer anyone waiting on the inside. Unfortunately that doesn’t happen, and you end up being hugely disappointed once again when the meter reaches 100%, the door gets broken slightly and an item drops on the floor for you to pick up and take to the next objective.

 

Balance Issues

Perhaps if Realtime Worlds had improved the variety of missions and added an end goal campaign system then the faulty game mechanics could be overlooked. Even if you like repetitiveness or just look at the game as purely a open world third person shooter you will need to fight against an awkward combat system and balance issues with weaponry.

 

 All Points Bulletin Balance

 

Weapons and upgrades are purchased with in-game dollars that drastically shift the advantage you have over other players, skill counts for little in combat. If you have the dexterity to have the cross-hair over the enemy character the only real factor that comes in is how powerful your weapon is, and the guy with the NTEC-5 will likely be the victor. 

 

Of course that’s not the only money sink, you can spend currency on other things than guns: clothing and vehicles can be purchased as well and this is where APB shines the brightest. You’ll be hard matched to find a game that allows you to customize the look of your character as beautifully as APB. You can really give yourself a unique, awesome looking identity. If Realtime Worlds would have put half the amount of work they did in the character developer into the game mechanics, you would be looking at a blockbuster. 

 

All Points Bulletin Car

 

Environment

The city of San Paro itself suffers from a series of poor design choices, dead ends at too many turns and small walls that can’t be jumped over, which causes frustration when trying to chase down a criminal on the other side of a three foot wall. You will be forced to traverse 100 meters until you find a climb point to get over to the other side. The city seems abnormally small, with only two action districts slightly bigger than an average Battlefield 2 map. 

 

When players aren’t being frustrated by San Paro or insulted by its lovely residents, who like to refer to everyone they meet as female genitalia, you can kick back in the Social District, a zone in which not that much socializing is done but instead acts as a hub where you can buy new weapons and customize your character, give yourself that bandanna that everyone else is wearing, you know you want to! 

 

Conclusion

The concept of APB is a superb one, but Realtime Worlds were unable to execute it properly. With no goal, poor world design and subpar combat mechanics the only thing the game has going for it is the player customization to make you look as cool as possible in this static matchmaking world.

Pros: 
– Character Customization
– Vehicle customization
– Subscription model of pay for hours.

Cons:
– Combat mechanics
– World Design
– Mission Design
– Lack of purpose. 

Gunz: The Duel Interview: Getting Better With Time

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Gunz: The Duel Interview: Getting Better With Time
Questions by Chen Fo Po (cinderboy), OnRPG Journalist
Answers by Ricardo Mendoza, Project Manager

 

Gunz The Duel Online Logo

 

If you are into online shooting games, you have probably heard of the game GunZ: The Duel, published by renowned MMO portal, Ijji. The game took the English MMO industry by storm when it was first launched back in 2006. With its fast paced shooting action and ability to perform several gravity defying moves, GunZ has certainly earned a place as one of the most exciting MMO titles developed. What has since changed in the last 4 years? Let’s find out.

 

OnRPG: Hello, I am Fo Po (cinderboy) from OnRPG. Can you please introduce yourself?

Hello Fo Po, my name is Ricardo Mendoza, and I am the Project Manager for GunZ: The Duel.

 

OnRPG: It has been almost 4years since Ijji started GunZ’s Open Beta in November 2006. In a sentence, describe the ride so far for the title.

It has been an action packed ride with a few bumps in the road, but an open highway ahead of us.

 

OnRPG: Why did Ijji decide to publish GunZ back then?

Back then there wasn’t really another game like it, and that is true almost 4 years later.  I think that is a testament to the original game design and idea.  To this day, it is a unique game that is really fun to play.

 

Gunz The Duel Portal
Gunz Online Gameplay

 

OnRPG: In these 4years, what were some of the most difficult problems the GunZ team has faced?

I think the most difficult problem is balancing the PvE with PvP.  We have some members of the community that only prefer one or the other.  Keeping them both happy can be trying sometimes.  Coming up with events and content that will make them both happy is one of the toughest challenges we face.

 

OnRPG: What is the most important change so far do you think that has been made to the game?

We recently added a Duel Tournament mode.  Previously, the game was focused on clan battles, and there was no real way to determine who is the best individual player.  Now with the new Duel Tournament mode we can settle it in the game as it should be.

 

Gunz Online Result Duel
Gunz Online Tournament

 

OnRPG: Is there anything still which makes GunZ unique compared to other new online shooters?

There still isn’t any other game out there like GunZ.  The moves and way you can play still hasn’t been reproduced in another shooter game.  The combination of moves these players pull off in a matter of seconds can be dizzying to the eye.  As far as skill set goes, I think Gunz is one of the top games out there still.

 

OnRPG: To refresh some details, can you tell us what are some of the different modes players can choose to play in the game?

Well, we separate them into PvP and PvE.  For PvP modes you have Deathmatch where it’s every man for himself.  Team Deathmatch is where you have to eliminate the other team.  Gladiator and Team Gladiator are the same as the Deathmatch modes except that you cannot use any guns; it is sword only.  There is also the Clan War mode where clans face each other and are ranked each month.

 

As for PvE, we added a Quest mode a few years ago, and it was a big success.  In this mode, up to four people can join forces and defeat different stages of NPC’s until finally facing the boss.  Killing him gives a chance at unique items only available from questing.  We also recently expanded on Quest Mode by adding Survival Mode.  Here you face wave after wave of NPC’s.  We keep track of rankings to see which people have survived the most waves.

 

OnRPG: What is the learning curve like for players who are new to this game?

GunZ is definitely not for the faint of heart.  Learning to K-style (term used for unique combos of moves) takes a little time, but once you master it, it makes going back to standard shooters seem slow and boring.

 

Gunz The Duel

 

OnRPG: Being an MMO where lag and ping matter, are there still niggling complaints from players about them?

Yes, there will always be complaints since even within the US not everyone has the top speed connections.  We have brought this to Maiet’s attention, and they listened.  They are looking at ways to optimize the game and reduce the requirements; so this should reduce the lag complaints.

 

OnRPG: Online shooters have always been the targets for hackers. Is this still plaguing GunZ?

Hackers are definitely a challenge for most shooters.  We still get our share of them, but we are stepping up our efforts against them.  The company as a whole is taking a more aggressive stance towards the hackers.  We should start to see our efforts pay off soon.

 

OnRPG: How does GunZ promote team play?

The Clan mode is a mode that requires the most team play.  The clans with the best teamwork are the ones that are consistently earning the top spots in the rankings.

 

OnRPG: Ijji has always been organizing player tournaments for the game, including the recent international World Cup. Why the decision to host frequent tournaments?

The tournaments are very popular.  As in any online game, there is always bragging about whom is the best, and the tournaments allow us to settle it.  The cash prizes are also an added incentive.  With the addition of the Bracket Pick’ems we do for each tournament, it allows those not participating to still be involved and win prizes too.

 

OnRPG: What are some of the updates planned players can look forward to?

As I mentioned before about Maiet optimizing the game, I think that will be the biggest update as it will make the game run faster and reduce the effects of ping and lag.

 

Gunz Face Off Duel

 

OnRPG: GunZ 2 is said to be ready by the end of this year in Korea. Your thoughts?

This one comes up frequently.  It is one of the most common questions we get.  Maiet is being very protective as far as information goes; so I don’t know much myself.  There is definitely quite a bit of anticipation to see what they have changed.  All I can do is focus on the game I have right now and work to make it better.  When GunZ 2 finally comes up, I hope that ijji will get the rights to it so we can keep the GunZ and GunZ 2 community one and the same.

 

OnRPG: Are there any events planned in the near future to celebrate the game’s anniversary?

We are still in the process of finalizing it, but we are for sure going to do something.

 

OnRPG: Any final words for the readers out there, especially to those who stuck with the game all these years and gamers who have yet to try the game?

Yes, obviously, thank you for playing and sticking with us!  With the recent addition of GM Dexter to the team, we are planning many fun things and improvements for the future, and we hope that you will stick around with us even longer.

 

OnRPG: Thanks for your time!

ChangYou (US) Announces Zentia Closed Beta

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ChangYou (US) Announces Zentia Closed Beta

 

Gamers Invited to Take a First Look at a Twisted FairyTale!

 

ChangYou.com (US) Inc., proudly announced the Closed Beta for their flagship game, Zentia, today. Zentia is a new 3D free-to-play fairytale MMORPG with a delightfully twisted sense of humor. The Zentia Closed Beta begins today, July 15th at 4pm (PDT) and lasts through the beginning of August 2010.

 

Zentia Forest
Hey ho, hey ho!

 

“I’m very excited about Zentia entering Closed Beta today and am looking forward to everyone getting a chance to get in on all the fun,”says Zentia’s Community Manager, Katie Simpson. “The community, too, awaits the date with great anticipation – we have all been ‘camping out’ at the Zentia forum campsites and sharing our anticipation of what is soon to come.”

 

 Zentia Combat Mount
Zentia combat mount

 

Developed by Pixel Soft, Zentia is full of unique features, countless treasures to unlock and hours of captivating gameplay. Players can choose from twenty-two character archetypes and try out any of eight class systems.  A unique feature of Zentia is the ability for characters to enter battle with combat mounts that can hold up to 10 passengers in both PVE (Player vs Environment) and PVP (Player vs Player). The game’s extensive pet-capture system and in depth social level features promise to provide a deliciously distinctive game play experience. 

 

Zentia Closed Beta keys are available from a variety of partner sites that can be found on the Zentia official site at: ZentiaTheGame.com. Zentia is available in English worldwide.

 

Zentia Battle

Archlord New Expansion: The Grand Cross Is Coming

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Archlord New Expansion: The Grand Cross Is Coming

 

WEBZEN is pleased to announce an overhaul of its popular MMORPG Archlord, in the shape of the all-new, FREE Expansion Episode 5: The Grand Cross. Due to go live in the coming weeks, Episode 5: The Grand Cross will add a new battle system called The Battle Ground into the existing PvP system in Archlord.

 

Based on the game scenario, the new content patch will deliver a new race-versus-race Battle Ground, capable of supporting every Archlord players to provide unique and interesting PvP challenges in the never-end conflict between the three races Human, Orc and Moonelf.

 

 Archlord Poster

 

Race vs race

Unlike the other PvP content such as The Siege Warfare, The Battle Ground includes a new race-versus-race style, massive war content which will be held on every Thursday and Sunday. You will be needed to be a part of an army of your race, regardless of which guild you are in or the level of your character.

 

To win the battle

Players must work to dominate the most advantageous position in the Battle Ground, infiltrate the enemy base and kill their opponents as well as their enemy heroes in their fortress. The first faction to destroy the other races’ hero before the time expires will win the battle.

 

Heroes, resurrected

Once you enter the Battle Ground, you will be inside a fort. You will find on your first arrival that the well-known great heroes from the Archlord ancient history are placed at the fortress to lead their own kind. Masterfully depicted from the CG movies, the great heroes of Archlord; Zian, Ugdrasil and Gracia will be stood there waiting for players to join them. You must protect the hero of your kind while destroying your opponent heroes to win the battle.

 

Victory and rewards

The three races will contend for a victory, which will be basically the ultimate goal of the Battle Ground. Winning the battle will not only make your race famous for being the most powerful race in the Chantra continent, but also you will gain a special race spirit ability, absorbed from the defeated race, which will make you and the other members of your race stronger.

 

Additionally, Charisma Points which are obtained by killing opposing side players or monsters can be used as a currency to earn both honor and exclusive realm items at the Charisma Gate.

 

New Features of Archlord Episode 5: The Grand Cross Include:
– New battle ground, the race-vs-race war zone
– New realm monsters and raid bosses
– New collectible armor sets with unique stats
– New Character Ability: The Charisma Point
– More feature information is available at its preview page.

Tales of Pirates II: Migration Project Kicks off

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Tales of Pirates II: Migration Project Kicks off

 

Participants in the closed beta of 3D MMORPG Tales of Pirates II are enjoying a splashing good time. This phase of testing has gone so well that the ToP team has decided to expand access to the new game by migrating all ToP player data to new ToP II servers. Veteran pirates will now get the chance to experience a treasure trove of exhilarating adventures available in this new, uncharted world.

 

Players from the Sacred Sea server will be the first to get a glimpse of this ambitious project. The data from the ToP Sacred Sea server have been copied over to a new ToP II Sacred Sea server. Players can access their original character data on the new server without any loss in level, items or equipment. If the trial on Sacred Sea proves successful, the other servers will soon follow.

 

Tales of Pirates 2 

 

Here are some of the exciting features players will find in ToP II: 

  • A new PVP Arena puts pirates’ wits and strength to the ultimate test.
  • Fascinating Rear Fairy skills give characters a unique boost.
  • The lovely Phyllis Crusader provides players with a new playable character.
  • The mystical Augury system predicts the future with some wacky side-effects.
  • An improved Auto-Trace feature makes navigation a breeze.
  • Enhanced UI designs helps players focus on the action unfolding before them while giving them full control over their adventures.

 

These additions and improvements are just the tip of the iceberg in the intriguing world of ToP II. Join in the fun now and discover the joy of being a pirate!

 

Tales of Pirates 2