Yearly Archives: 2010

Jade Dynasty: New Dungeons Preview

Jade Dynasty: New Dungeons Preview

The hardworking team at Perfect World Entertainment have sent us the following preview of a new dungeon, The Dread Labyrinth that is about to be added to Jade Dynasty!:

The Dread Labyrinth

Once considered a wasteland, this deathly swamp with creatures never meant to see the light is churning. Mysterious rays of light have awoken this place. There are whispers of great treasures located within the dark depths of this hallowed grave. What warriors dare to enter?

Flower Cave
Entering this cave will show you plants that react as if they have souls. The Tree Fairy gains power through these souls and they guard the entrance. This will be your first test.

Jade Dynasty - New Dungeon Preview - Dread Labyrinth - Flower Cave

 
Stone Fall Cave
If you’ve found the path this far, perhaps there is hope for you yet. This test will require all of your strength against these brutal monsters. Legend says these monsters can summon the “Lord of Carnage”. Move fast and enter the Demon Cave next, the mutations there are horrid.

Jade Dynasty - New Dungeon Preview - Dread Labyrinth - Stonefall Cave

 
Demon Village
What? What is this?! Those mutations have created villages! Destroy them at all cost, we are not safe while these stand strong. Slay any inhabitants and move swiftly to the Cave of Souls!
Jade Dynasty - New Dungeon Preview - Dread Labyrinth - Demon Village
 
Kirin Cave
Warriors I applaud you for your courage. You now face a great beast that resembles the Kirin! Beware the heat that can melt rock. This creature has a fiery hatred for all who enter.

Jade Dynasty - New Dungeon Preview - Dread Labyrinth - Kirin Cave

 

Date of Release: April 2010
Level Requirement: Ascended 120 – 150
Recommended Level: Ascended 130+
Realm Register: Any realm.
Registration NPC: Illusion Dispatcher Hoi (Sunstream 173, 168)
Per Day Limit: 3
Party Size: 5 – 6 players
Requirements to Register: Must have Sky Mystic Map (can purchase from Dispatcher Hoi)
Registration Details: When player activates instance, 2 minute waiting period for other players to join. Party leader can accept/reject players.
Rewards: Taichi Pills and Sky Coins. More bosses defeated (farther progression) and least amount of deaths, the better the rewards. Sky Coins can be used as currency to purchase Unique Pets, Sky Serenity Charms and in the future, awesome Espers.
More details coming soon…

Erebus: Travia Reborn

Erebus: Travia Reborn is Outspark’s new free-to-play MMO Action-RPG with a dark, sweeping storyline, and non-stop action for you and your friends.

Join your allies in the battle against Erebus, the god of Chaos, and his destructive minions.  Betray your friends in open PvP combat and massive guild warfare.  Find and enchant thousands of unique items and customize your hero as you fight for the fate of the world. Prepare for a new kind of MMO Action-RPG.

Chaos is coming…

SUN Gameplay Video

Are you fully prepared to face SUN? Probably not. The visuals are beyond anything we’ve seen; even the spell effects are all 3D. That combined with awesome combat, makes SUN a winning title.

Ntreev Announces Sieghart’s 3rd Job in Grand Chase

Ntreev Announces Sieghart’s 3rd Job in Grand Chase

 

Starting Tomorrow Players Can Train Their Character For His Next Job As A Duelist In The Popular MMO
 
Ntreev USA, a leading online game developer and publisher, announced today that Sieghart, a popular character in its online action-brawler MMO, Grand Chase will get a new job starting April 14th: Duelist.  The company is celebrating the upcoming launch of the new job with a pre-event kicking off tomorrow, April 7th through April 13th where players can train their character for his new job.  In addition, Grand Chase has a Dungeon Weekend event planned which runs April 9th to the 11th. 
   
Players of the popular action-brawler can begin training Sieghart for his next job as the Duelist which will be available April 14th.
During the pre-event, a shadowed Sieghart emblem will appear in dungeons giving a 5% attack buff and all players will receive a shadowed Sieghart signboard at first login.  The signboard will give a 20% EXP boost that can only be equipped by Sieghart!  In addition to the Sieghart 3rd Job Pre-Event, Grand Chase will also feature a Dungeon Weekend event where characters will have unlimited resurrecting in Dungeons from April 9th through the 11th. 
 
“The pre-event that starts tomorrow will allow Grand Chase players a chance to get a sneak peek at the upcoming job of Duelist so they can practice and get ready for the launch on April 14th,” said Chris Lee, CEO at Ntreev USA.  “Combined with the Dungeon Weekend, and the recent launch of the all-new character, Mari, April is an exciting month for Grand Chase players.”
 
About Sieghart
Sieghart was a renowned hero of Bermesiah 600 years ago, but disappeared in the midst of ruins. Reappearing in the times of Grand Chase, he tells the people that the Highlander gods saved him from death and gave him the gift of immortality. He joins the Grand Chase to stop the God of Conquering from a planned invasion to Bermesiah. 
Sieghart bears the name of Elesis’ grandfather and has a chargeable gauge to strengthen attacks (similar, though not identical to Jin’s gauge) that fills over time, faster when damaged or dealing damage. 
He wields a long blade that, in contrast to Elesis’ weapon, he holds in reverse.   Like Jin, he appears to be adept in several styles of combat. 

Grand Chase Sieghart Job Class Duelist

Kung Fu Hustle The Game

Based on the Stephen Chow movie of the same name, Kung Fu Hustle is a free-to-play fighting game that will be released later this year.
 
There will be five bodies to choose from (two male and three female) and two fighting styles; Iron Fist and Flying Dagger. What sets your character apart above all will be the different hairstyles and clothing options.
 
This game will also offer a story mode with quests, transforming you from a nobody from a small village, into a proficient fighter.

League of Legends: A beginner’s introduction to MOBA

League of Legends: A beginner’s introduction to MOBA
By Nicolas Chua (Raiyne), OnRPG Journalist

 

League of Legends (LoL) is another rising challenger in the unique genre of Defence of the Ancients (DotA) clones. That’s quite a mouthful, let’s just refer to them as Multiplayer Online Battle Arenas (MOBAs) from now on. LoL has two of the ex-DotA contributors on board their  team, Steve “Guinsoo”, one of the early developers of DotA and Steve “Pendragon”, who created the popular DotA fan-site. With these two on the team, there are high expectations for LoL.

 

The Game Options

Once you login, you’ll be at the main area of the game lobby using the server, PVP.net. The lobby is the main place where you can access social functions, the LoL store and game options. The lobby currently feels very empty and few people bother to click on the chat tabs at the bottom of the screen to enter a chat room. You’ll find that outside the game’s arenas, you are  pretty much by yourself. Additionally, you cannot choose the game you wish to join. The game employs a matchmaking system based on the Elo rating system used in board game tournaments such as Chess and Go. Also, from the game lobby you can access your summoner profile. This summoner system is LoL’s persistent feature, we’ll touch on that later on in the review.

 

After joining a game, you will be brought to the champion selection screen. LoL has a roster of 37 unique champions, meaning they aren’t copied over from DotA, so newbie or DotA veteran, you will definitely have to readjust to the new cast. A neat function is the filter they have added, where you can type in a keyword describing your desired champion, such as “assassin” and you can easily find a champion in the archetype you’d like to play. You will be able to see a bunch of bars roughly estimating the champion’s abilities in each area of expertise – health, attack, spells and difficulty. The other tabs also contain a wealth of information, such as suggested items and champion specific strategies. I find this a really nice touch and, for a newbie who hasn’t tried every champion, it brings a lot of convenience to champion selection. The next two screens are for Runes, another form of enhancement for your champions and your summoner’s skills, which give you additional spells to use in combat. After you have completed your character, the game will go to the loading screen where you will get your first look at your opponents. I found the game took a long time to load, sometimes taking a few minutes when you have an opponent with a slow computer.

 

Fight Battle PVP League Legends
A League of Legends battle

 

Gameplay

The core gameplay of LoL is the same as DotA, with slightly different elements added. In case you aren’t familiar with DotA, here’s how it goes: Separated into two teams, each player takes a champion unit and advances towards the opponent’s base. Defensive towers guard each side’s area of the map and lesser units, which are commonly referred to as ‘creeps’, spawn at regular intervals and serve as cannon fodder. Killing these units and opponent champions earns gold which can be spent at the shop to purchase items to empower your champion. The goal is to destroy your opponent’s key structure. There is a tutorial mode, which provides a good introduction for a new player, and there are A.I. bots to practice against as well.

 

Controlling my champion was extremely simple, more so than DotA. The same concept of getting the killing blow applies here, although it seems to have less significance, with less reward compared to its predecessor. The basic RTS hotkeys we’re familiar with are also non-existent, namely the stop and hold function. In their bid to attract newer players, this seems to make the game feel over simplified and it left me experiencing a lack of control over my champion.

 

One segment of gameplay I really had issues with is the purchasing of items. The shop is a series of menus. Under the under a first initial category is another list of subcategories under it. Unlike DotA’s different shops arranged in plain sight or Heroes of Newerth’s (another upcoming MOBA styled game) less dense ‘pop open’ menu, LoL has no option to quickly jump from the different sections and this made it hassle to buy items. The categories are well labelled, though.

 

Another issue is that there is no way to drop or trade items. This leaves a lot of options closed to the player. For example, in DotA players would often share a regeneration item, a consumable, or have a teammate ferry an item stored in the base out to them in the battlefield. As a result of this, I found myself rarely communicating with my teammates, only occasionally pinging the mini-map. However, I felt there was a small redeeming factor in this aspect of the design, and that was showing ‘item trees’, where the progressive path of an item is shown. The player is clearly shown the options he has to combine and improve his arsenal of items. – certainly a welcome feature for newbies.

 

The MOBA Genre

Many mechanics of DotA have been stripped from LoL. For one thing, there is no loss of gold upon death, meaning even the most dim witted player will be able to obtain high tier items after time. There is also no option to deny your enemy killing your friendly unit. There are no activated items either, so at most you’ll be using potions for boosts or healing. There is no buyback (instantly revive your champion for a price) function. These features certainly give you a lot less to think about, however the price of this is what most players find, a rather watered down game.

 

What the developers had hoped to achieve with these decisions, was to promote engagement of the enemy and thus more action for players. They claim that “top level games include 5v5 battles at level 1”, however, I find this rather hard to believe.

 

In essence, I feel they missed out on the flaws and limitations of this genre.  By making your players start with the bare minimum of 1 skill, you’re making them rely on their champions level, so there is no way you can encourage your players to engage at level 1 with a single weak skill in their arsenal. Focus has already been shifted from ‘farming’ creeps by decreasing reward and increasing hero kill reward.

 

Good And Evil
Champions versus enemies

 

On the plus side, I find the community to be strangely docile. In all the games I have played, I have seen very little trash talk or players lashing out. Leavers are one thing, and that is a rather common issue, but perhaps LoL’s forgiving nature gives players a less stress and in turn, the players are nicer to each other. However, your experience may vary, so don’t take my word for it.

 

Moving on, the summoner is one of the unique features of LoL. As a player completes more games and levels up, he gets mastery points. These points can be added to 3 different paths, similar the talent trees in World of Warcraft. The three masteries are Offense, Defense and Utility. This adds a level of depth to the player’s choice of customization and a sense of progression, although it happens in plain statistics and figures. One drawback I can see, is that higher ranked players will have significant advantages over a newbie, although the matchmaking system is programmed to prevent such matches from occurring.

 

Taking notice of Battle.net’s flaw in multiplayer game hosting, LoL uses a server to client networking system. Hence, unlike DotA, the stability of each match will not depend on the speed of the host’s network. This also eliminates the advantage of the host having zero latency, which happens over internet games due to the way Warcraft 3 has been coded. Also, my experience with latency was surprisingly good, receiving less than 150 latency even with heavy network traffic on my side, so games went smooth as silk and not once did I experience any form of lag.

 

Power Style Graphic League of Legends

 

Graphics and Style

LoL has adopted rather cartoon-ish graphical style, with a very colourful palette. The game world really jumps out at you like a pop-out page from a child’s book. The characters are rendered in a cell shaded style, making them look almost 2D sometimes, giving you the impression of a cartoon. Animations are smooth and the effects compliment everything well, adding to the chaos in large battles. Visual quality is clear in LoL, however, preference is definitely the deciding factor here and it will be a hit or miss with the player. Also, it is quite a big change to go from the slightly dark mood of DotA, or the grim crispness of HoN to this prismatic bundle of joy. Alright, maybe not so much joy, but you get the point.

 

The audio in LoL is rather sub par. Each champion has his or her own unique voice and responses to your commands, but that is expected. We can’t have every character with the same voice now, can we? The sound effects are fitting but are basically the typical run-of-the-mill fantasy effects. A woosh of an arrow, the cling-clang of swords, nothing amazing here. Background music in the game is rather subtle, a low droning that doesn’t do much for the player.I found my aural experience to be really empty and it was better to just put some music on to fill that void in the background. Basically, the audio is there, but you’re not going to notice it much.

 

LoL is estimated to be released in Q4 2009, with a F2P with optional payments for other benefits. With this business scheme, I foresee it will be very appealing to new players who want to give this genre of games a try.

 

Dragon League of Legends

 

Conclusion

In conclusion, LoL brings a twist to the new MOBA genre, choosing not to limit itself to the style of its predecessor and instead shifting the focus of the game to what they envision is best for their player, a bold move. The learning curve is gentle, so newbies to this genre or to the game will not feel intimidated or overwhelmed at all. Overall, League of Legends is a simple, enjoyable MOBA, however it leaves something to be desired for the experienced MOBA player.

 

Pros:
Newbie friendly
– Simple and no frills gameplay
– Quality cell-shaded cartoon graphics.

 

Cons:
Oversimplified mechanics
– Bland audio
– Lacking in social interaction.

Saga Review: Combining RTS and TGC

Saga Review: Combining RTS and TGC
By Kei Beneza (dividelife), Onrpg Journalist

 

When I first heard about this game, I was like “What the hell is this?!” An MMORTS? Really? I’ve seen tons of MMOs and tons of RTSes but to put them both together as one whole package does seem a little off. First of all, these two types of games barely have anything in common other than the unit population. Upon installing the game, I was anxious about what to expect, either it’d be close to DotA (Defense of The Ancients) or not.

 

The game is set on a medieval fantasy world, giving the impression that it would probably look a bit like Lord of the Rings or Warcraft 3 complete with Humans, Elves and Orcs. What exactly should we expect from a hybrid of two genres that are technically different from one another? The game claims to be the first of its kind (namely the first MMORTS ever) so this should be interesting.

 

Beast Saga

 

Starting out: Git yer’ troops ready young lad!

There are six races to choose from, each representing one of two sides: The Order and the Brotherhood. The Order is comprised of Humans, Dwarves, and Elves while the Brotherhood contains Orcs, Dark Elves, and the recently added Undead. The Brotherhood used to have two races to choose from, making it a bit imbalanced. However the developers were kind enough to offer extra backup with an additional race. The game lets you jump to the tutorial feature after creating your nation. There you will learn the basics of combat, upgrades and other mandatory features. You’ll also be given the necessary buildings to start your campaign, and once the voiced tutorial ends, you’re on your own.

 

Not your average Real Time Strategy game

Aside from being the first MMORTS, there are tons of things that make Saga different from its parents (the MMO and RTS). Unlike traditional RTS games like Warcraft and Red Alert, you won’t be training units or building ballistas throughout the game; instead, you’ll be operating in the field using cards (YES CARDS). The game is basically an RTS operated and optimized by its own TCG (Trading Card Game). The stronger your cards, the more abilities you’re likely to posses. It’s an interesting factor as this may be the most unique game I’ve ever seen. Simply calling it an MMORTS won’t suffice as it has the game play of what seems to be an MMORTSTCG LOL (which is also another unique genre). Booster packs and other super cards can be found around the world. You can also trade with other players to provide less hassle.

 

Well enough about the RTS factor. Like any MMO, you can choose between an array of quests for you to obtain the mandatory add-ons like spells, gear and money. Everything is run in a persistent territory, so enemies are likely to be there almost every day. You’re not safe from attacks either, so make sure you pump those troops with enough juice.

 

Saga Strategy
Strategy Setup

 

There are 100 types of troops to choose from, anything from dragons to skeletal warriors. This makes army customization a bit more exciting as the game lets you exercise a rather broad scope of customization. Given the amount of cards and upgrades in the game, I’d say customization in this game has limitless boundaries. The game also lets you team up with other players, which is a good idea since you’re most likely to get crushed by other people due the game’s persistent nature.

 

Real TIME Strategy eh? They weren’t kidding

One thing I dislike about the game is its browser game real TIME waiting. Most of your constructions may take time to build so you’re basically stuck in the waiting phase most of the time, making it super boring. I guess this was the part where they implemented the MMO factor which is WAITING. Units do continue their construction even after you log out, meaning it’d be wise to watch a movie or surf around the net while waiting for your building to go up. 

 

Castle Saga
Castle

 

Graphics and visuals

You really don’t have anything to expect from Saga’s graphics. Everything is poorly rendered and gives just a small amount of detail (at least compared to today’s MMOs). If I were to compare, it kind of looks like Khan online on high settings with mass produced characters. It’s not that bad since the game play does make up for it, and it runs on low end PCs (wish they had one for the Mac too though). The game does have a couple of visual glitches which have been  encountered by a lot of players online. Some of the patches claims to have fixed this issue, but I still keep on seeing stuff about it, so I guess it’s still there. The sounds on the other hand makes up for the low end visuals, with voiced out tutorials and a fine set of SFX that makes the whole idea of war a bit more immersive.

 

The verdict

You pretty much have everything going with Saga as it is a free to play game, especially since it’s the only game in its genre. There are a lot of things to look for in this game due to its diverse methods of army creation. At least you know that your kin aren’t the only ones you can put in your army. The graphics are bearable and can still as it preserves a rather different type of game play. If the Wii managed to hit high even with its low ranged graphics, I don’t see how this title can’t pursue the same path. The TCG factor is just amazing as it sets a new type of economy in game. As a TCG fanatic, I must say that I never expected such a hybrid to work out well. There are tons of visual glitches that can annoy the hell out of you (possibly a reason for you to quit), but you’ll definitely want to be there once everything is all nice and stable. Give it a chance, it’s actually pretty cool.

 

The good:
– New type of game play
– Army creation is broad
– Good sound effects
– Collectible card game in an MMO? What more could you ask for?
– It’s the innovator of its own genre.

 

The bad:
– Graphics may not be as good as you think (looks better on trailers than ingame)
– Visual glitch issues
– Still acts like an unfinished product despite its final release
– The persistent feel makes it hard for newbies to cope.

For the Tribe: Destiny Online’s Expansion Pack Unveiled

For the Tribe: Destiny Online’s Expansion Pack Unveiled

 

We are glad to announce that we are going to release “Glory of the Tribe”, the 3rd expansion pack of Destiny Online, in mid April. The long-awaited new Tribal War will be highlight of the expansion, along with the raising of the level cap, the indispensable new Super Pets and avatar items. Reach ever-higher heights, become stronger for the glory of your Tribe! So why not take a look at what we have to offer, and sign-up to see for yourself!
 
Escalated Tribal War
Crucial changes are made to bring the Tribal War (aka Guild War) to a whole new level, making it probably one of the most fierce and the most intense guild wars in all MMORPGs as of now. Previously the Tribal War was fairly 1 dimensional and allowed for a large bias towards the champions. Now it’s a level playing field and anyone can take the shot and become the Champion!
 
The Tribal War has been improved in the following ways:
– Introducing the idea of Tribal Alliance and extending the participating sides from the previous 2 to Defender, Defender’s Alliance and the Attackers (allowing Tribes to exclusively fight alongside a Tribe of their choice)
– Closely combining PvE with PvP (something that we feel has been too heavily divided in the past)
– Picking the winner by the amount of damage inflicted (allowing smaller tribes to make a mark by adding a new method to the battle)
– Amply rewarding every participant and increasing the usage of Honor Points
– Live broadcasting the real-time progress of Tribal War in the whole server
 
Exotic Weapons Destiny Online Expansion Tribal
 
 
Level Cap Raised to 145 
The expansion pack will raise the level cap to 145 from the previous 140, opening up a new round of competition for high level gamers. The corresponding new equipment and weapons for every class is on the way as well. This will add to the arsenal of weapons currently at hand for all classes in the game. As you can see below, they make quite beautiful additions:
 

Loyal Pets Destiny Online

 
 
New Super Pet
From the very first day Destiny Online was released, these adorable pets, especially Super Pets, always held the spotlight in every update and expansion pack and this one, Kirin, will make no exception. With its glowing appearance and extraordinary abilities, it is bound to be the object of affection for every pet lover.
 
New World Boss
With level cap raised to 145, a more ferocious World Boss monster will be introduced to the game bringing greater challenges to the versatile high level gamers. The Boss is named “Grim Gargoyle”, a grotesque winged monstrous humanoid creature, with a horned head and a stony hide, grasping a hulking war hammer in its claw.
The world bosses previously released include something for most levels in the game, going alongside Area Bosses which serve as a taster for lower levels to the challenge  that awaits them once they level and toughen up to be able to fight the World Bosses.
 
New Mount
For a long time we have offered fun mounts in the way of Elephants, Foxes and Turtles etc. Feeling that the players deserved a little something more on this front, we decided we’d give them another choice to what they ride! We will give you the hilarious, cutting edge Flying Carpet. Imagine flying like Aladdin and the princess.
 

 
New Costumes
A large part of the fun of Destiny Online is the ability to change your looks. You can change your hair colour and style, your equipment and of course your entire costume. Anything from bride and grooms to nurse outfits are currently available, adding a whole new edge of fun to the game.
Two more outfits can be added to your wardrobe with this new update: Funky Valentine Costume and Eastern Gala Costume. You will find their stats very much come in handy. And of course, the change to your looks can be nothing but good for your ego!
For more details about the Expansion Pack, please visit the official Destiny Online website.
 
About Destiny Online
Destiny Online, based on eastern mythology, is a 2D free-to-play fantasy MMORPG featuring teamwork, pet raising, pet farm, weapon refinement, tribe system, marriage system, master/apprentice system, fun quests and so forth. It is also the first MMO that “Pays U 2 Play”, meaning that if you stay in the game continuously for some amount of time, you will earn Gold Points, that can be used to purchase valuable items from the Destiny Item Mall.

Battle of the Immortals to hit Closed Beta next Tuesday, April 13

Perfect World Entertainment Inc., a wholly owned US subsidiary of Perfect World Co., Ltd. (NASDAQ: PWRD), today announced that players can look forward to joining the closed beta for Battle of the Immortals next Tuesday, April 13. As a 2.5D multiplayer game that combines eastern and western cultures ranging from Norse Mythology to the Qin Dynasty, players can expect intense PvP action, hardcore dungeons and highly-articulated equipment with the Soul Gear system.
 
“Battle of the Immortals is offering unique hardcore PvP and PvE,” said Jonathan Belliss, Product Manager for Battle of the Immortals. “Not only will players challenge elite monsters to obtain highly coveted Soul Gear, but they will also have to compete against other players for the right to slay epic bosses.”
 
Battle of the Immortals Key Features
– 5 Unique Classes – Each with their own distinct skill set and equipment
– Zodiac System – Empower your character according to their Zodiac symbol 
– Auto-Navigation Quest System – Progress through quests easily with auto-navigation
– Soul Gear System – Unique sets of armor and gear specifically tailored toward each class that grows and changes as players use them
– Hardcore PvP – Battle other players to be the best within an in-depth ranking system
– Hardcore PvE – Compete against other players for the right to take down epic bosses
– PvE Time Trials – Race against other players to gain access to even greater challenges
– Pet System – Collect a wide variety of pets ranging from cute to devastating monsters
– Mount System – Ride upon giant beasts to shorten your travels and engage in combat 
– Territory War System – Battle other guilds for rare relics, resources and other treasures
 
For more information on Battle of the Immortals as well on how to obtain a closed beta invite, please visit the official BOI website.