Yearly Archives: 2010

MMORPG Trends: Where Have We Come From? Where Are We Headed?

MMORPG Trends: Where Have We Come From? Where Are We Headed?
Nicolas Chua (Raiyne), Onrpg Journalist

MMORPGs have been around for more than a decade. Since the beginnings of this humble genre of video games, developers have been following a set of rules when it comes to developing an MMORPG, few daring to take risks. Adhering to the nature of RPGs, the pioneers of this genre have laid the foundations for generations of MMORPGs to come. However, we have seen many interesting developments in the features that MMORPGs offer.

 

First off, how do you define an MMORPG? Well, the first and most important feature required would be the a online world where all the avatars of players go about their business. A large world linking all who inhabit it, hence the massively multiplayer part. Most of these online worlds are seamless but some MMORPGs such as Ragnarok online and Age of Conan split the world up into zones.

 

Personal Dungeons

Ever since World of Warcraft’s huge success in the MMORPG market, many developers have made use of instanced dungeons. Instanced dungeons are a copy of a dungeon created solely for every player or party who enters one. Although World of Warcraft is not the first to come up with this idea, it popularised this feature and every single dungeon in World of Warcraft is instanced.

 

Instance MMO

Dungeon entrance of an MMO instance

 

This has drawn criticism from players for detracting from the gameplay experience as it isolates the player or his party from the rest of the virtual world, thus breaking the image of a living, breathing online community. Despite that, it has proven to be an effective way of preventing kill stealing, competition for bosses and creating rich dungeon crawling adventures that would not have been possible with the inteference of other players.

 

Do your job!

The second most important feature, would be the theme of character progression. There must always be something for a player to do, a goal they can strive for, or they wouldn’t play the game. In the case of an MMORPG, the player strives to improve his character, be it in wealth or in power. Basically this would be earned through earning experience, gaining levels and selling loot, similar to how a typical RPG would play out, what most gamers would be familiar with. Early MMORPGs in the form of MUDs (Multi-user Dungeons) played combat out in a automated, turn by turn combat sequence, but the MMORPG that heavily influenced this gameplay aspect was Everquest.

 

In 1999 Everquest was release by Sony Online Entertainment. It took many gameplay elements from previous MUDS and traditional RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons. During character creation, players chose from a wide variety of races and classes to define their character, distinctly defining each person’s role in a team.

 

Class Trends MMO

Depiction of different classes in Everquest

 

For example, the ‘Tank’, would be a player who is capable of taking the most damage for the team due to his vitality and would have to draw the enemies towards him to p rotect his more delicate team members. A damage dealer would be a character who is able to deal massive amounts of damage per second, now often abbreviated as DPS. A DPS character would more likely have less health and protection than a ‘Tank’ character to balance out. These archetypes are now commonly known among MMORPG players. One thing to keep in mind is that this also restricted each player to a certain style of playing.

 

 

As combat grew harder as the player progressed to higher levels, players were basically forced to group up to progress further as the monster got too difficult to take down individually. This is where players fit into their roles in the team nicely, where each class is vital to the party’s success.

 

In World of Warcraft, everyone has talent!

Later on, with the advent of World of Warcraft, the concept of ‘talent trees’ added diversification to the progression of an MMORPG character. In World of Warcraft, players start adding po ints into their talents each time they level up, from level 10 onwards. Each class has 3 different ‘talent trees’, basically a path of talents to follow, which enhance the character in different ways.

 

Other games implement this in a different fashion, examples such as Guild Wars, Dungeons & Dragons Online and Warhammer: Age of Reckoning. In Guild Wars, the typical RPG stats such as Strength and Dexterity are done away with. Instead, players puts points into different attributes which improve its related skills. Every class has different attributes and is able to use every skill availible to them, with the limit of bringing only 8 skills to battle. Given the extremely large amount of skills available to the player, this amounts to many different skill builds that a player can play with. The introduction of this feature in many MMORPGs gave players more options to choose their gameplay experience without being too restricted by the character archetype while maintain ing the basic intended role of the class.

 

Lights, Camera, Action!

The most recent upcoming trend in the genre is action oriented combat. Originally, graphical MMORPGs use a point and click control system where hotkeys would be used for special skills, largely adapted from the Hack N’ Slash RPGs of the late 90s. Later on, with technological advances, WSAD movement was implemented, allowing for slightly more dynamic combat. This movement of action oriented combat is another step in the progression of improving the MMORPG genre. Some take a more subtle approach to this  while others take on a completely new system of combat for an MMORPG, at least.

 

A game which introduced an interesting feature in their combat system was Age of Conan, where you have to dictate the direction of your attacks and movement has an effect on avoiding your opponents attacks. The idea was good in theory, however the execution was subpar and players complained of a compl icated and difficult system to control.

 

In the extreme section, an example of a radically new combat design would be in Darkfall Online. In Darkfall Online, combat is entirely in real time and the player controls exactly when he strikes, or casts a spell. This is reminiscent of the Elder Scrolls series of games (The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind onwards), featuring such action oriented controls. Upcoming MMORPGs in this category are Mortal Online, Mabinogi Heroes and All Points Bulletin.

 

MMO Addict

Total Immersion (I’m sure you never look like this)

 

What does the future hold?

As we advance in technology, developers are able to create richer, more engaging experiences for MMORPG gamers. What I personally see in the future is the avatar truly being the embodiment of the player’s actions, being so responsive that the player is completely immersed in the game and is able to further enjoy the experience that of inhabiting that online fantasy world and with better technology, we will be able to enjoy such games. It is pretty impressive, how technology has improved in the past 10 years, I have no doubt this future is not far off. The future looks bright indeed.

TLBB Closed Beta Unleashed!

TLBB Closed Beta Unleashed!

 

You’ve fought with honour, become a Winter Legend overnight and welcomed the New Year with a bang. Now join TLBB Europe for its Closed Beta experience set to be the best yet!
 
‘Exciting times’ is an understatement failing to describe the journey TLBB has embarked on up until now. With a wealth of support and feedback the game has received in recent months, ChangYou EU is set for big things in 2010.
Having recently experienced a successful pre-closed beta stage, ancient Chinese martial arts based MMO, TLBB, have now launched their much anticipated closed beta phase overflowing with great gifts and prizes just waiting to be snapped up by gamers all over Europe. 
Now unleashed, players have the chance to enjoy TLBB during this prize packed phase before the start of the Open Beta in the upcoming months. As well as this, and to add more kick than a Shaolin roundhouse, ChangYou EU are offering one lucky winner the chance to own a TLBB engraved iPod Nano during a 2 week “See the Moon” event running until the 16th of February 2010. As an added incentive, the winner’s name will also be engraved on the back of the iPod as a reminder of their achievements within TLBB, plus have the chance to win 1 of 10 snazzy and specially designed TLBB T-shirts up for grabs along with anyone else who reaches a minimum level 10 in the game.
To be in for a chance to win the iPod, players will simply need to log in to the New Moon server and reach a minimum of level 11 before the 16th February 2010.

See Moon Valentine Event TLBB Europe

Join the special events in TLBB

 

ChangYou’s European headquarters understands how tired the in-game avatars can become – what with all the fighting and running around from city to city of course – and are therefore also offering gamers the chance to win one of 20 exclusive polar bear mounts to help preserve energy. They are all in tip top condition, so please take good care of them.
All winners will be picked at random and announced on TLBB’s official website on February 26th 2010. Players will be informed whether or not they are mount winners after logging into their accounts from the given dates.
 
Join the special Valentine’s Day events: The Mastery of Love
 

Roses Events Valentine Love TLBB Europe

 

Imperian Review: So Old School It Rules

Imperian Review: So Old School It Rules
By Vincent Haoson (Vincenthaoson), OnRPG Journalist

 

Imperian is a browser based text game that puts you in the shoes of one of the many possible races in the game world of Aetherius. Demons, orcs and bickering gods are your biggest problem besides trying to survive the rough land you’re in.

 

Gameplay

Imperian’s gameplay is like a table top game using flash and your browser as your controlling mechanism. The game narrates what is happening, it tells you what you see, what you should be hearing and the currentoptions you may have. All input into the game is done by typing the word or the letter which the narrator explains.To put it in a table top game perspective, Imperian is like your personal Dungeon Master that guides your travels in the world of Aetherius.

 

Classes

Naturally, when you play a game like this there is the normal roster of three basic characters, however Imperian provides you twelve races to choose from. They range from the standard Human to Dwarves and Elves. There are some racesthat are unique to the gameand this gives the game a broader scope when it comes to character creation. The added unique races have a story of how they came to be and that they have different strengths and weaknesses akin to their race. The new racesfound in Imperian are a big plus for the game because it gives players more choice when it comes to creating their characters. . More choices means that you get to enjoy discovering how they differ from each other. 

 

An Immersing experience

The thing about Imperian’s gameplay is that it never fails to immerse you into the world.. Yes, there is the lack of a graphical interface but in exchange you get a truly Table-Top gaming feel. It is like you are seeing your character as it travels through the world Imperian sets before you. The game is purely story driven set by how you act according to the scenario that is given to you. Games like this takes time and if you are impatient this isn’t going to work for you. Imperian is definitely a game to be enjoyed as a slow-paced RPG rather than an action RPG that we often see with graphically heavy browser games.

 

Imperian Screenshot

A view of Imperian

 

Awkward Controls

As immersive as the game is, it is not immune to flaws. The primary problem with Imperian would be the controls. Normally, you control your character in a browser game by clicking, here in Imperian, you move your character by typing in the commands. This sounds really awkward and totally inconvenient in theory but once you get the hang of it, it works fairly well. I can say that the commands are another immersive feature for the game. As awkward as it is, typing in what your character would do in-game does make you feel like you are inside the world.

 

Easy connection

Imperian uses flash as its mainplatform. This can be a problem with older computers however it does help lessen loading problems as you play. The flash system helps as there is no real lag time as you play the game. Everything is run in real time therefore even if the game is slow-paced it’s in constant flux making the game not too boring especially for those thrill seekers.

 

Usually in games like this there is a lag in-between action especially if the Internet traffic is congested. This is where the game being text-heavy comes as a bonus. Even if the net is screwy the game does not really let up in performance.

 

Conclusion

Imperian is a rare game that emphasizes how the story unfolds rather than on how you get to slash you way to victory. The game also encourages you to use your imagination, similar to people still reading books even if there are movies available. Though that reasoning may be a convenient excuse for the games lack of anything graphic but it does deliver as long as you have paid attention to the game and used your imagination extensively.

 

This is the type of gameplay that shows a lot of promise because role-playing games originally came from Table Top gameplay. So it is safe to assume for me that this game would have a niche of its own. However, while it may be true that the game is reminiscent of the roots of the original RPGs, this may be in fact a game that is a little too outdated for gamers. This type of gameplay would attract those who prefer old school RPGs rather than those who are looking fora quick game. If you are the type who wants fast action and an instantaneous adrenaline rush for their game then this one is not for you.

 

As far as story-driven RPGs are concerned though, Imperian is one of the best I’ve seen, using narration and a gameplay that is so old-school that it rules is the successful mix for this game. All in all Imperian is one of those games that can be considered as a classic when it comes to RPGs however, not everyone in this day and age would understand the awesomeness of the game. If you want a role-playing game that brings quality rather than eye candy then this game is for you.

 

Pros:
– The gameplay is exclusively unique to Imperian
– The game is a mix of storytelling and roleplaying goodness
– It makes you feel like you are playing a table-top game.

Cons:
– Imagination is a major requirement in playing the game
– The text color can be bothersome for older monitors
– The game does not have that much graphics on the interface.

Dekaron Announces Two Valentine’s Day Event

Dekaron Announces Two Valentine’s Day Event

 

First event: get your chocolate at Dekaron
Even the strongest warrior has a sweet tooth. Celebrate this year’s Valentine with a treat from Dekaron!
 
To obtain chocolate and various you need to hunt monsters out on the field during the event period (February 4 – February 25). The chocolate will increase your Attack and Defense stats, as well as increase your maximum HP/MP pools.
 
Chocolate can only be obtained in the field, and is not dropped in instanced dungeons. So stuff yourself up, because all the chocolate will expire after the weekly maintenance of February 25th (Thursday).
 
 
Second event: Valentine’s Day limited edition items
Everyone who purchases Valentine’s Day limited edition ‘random box’ will receive a bonus treasure chest! Of course you will find various goodies inside. The event also lasts from February 4 until February 25!

Valentine Day Limited Edition Item Chest Reward

Bounty Hounds Online

Based on the third-person shooter Bounty Hounds for PSP, Bounty Hounds Online is a science fiction MMO. Players represent a human Mercenary, and may choose one of five classes: trooper, a frontline fighter; bioengineer, a tactical and healing support specialist; scientist, a melee and device-using fighter; agent, focused on powerful single-target attacks; and artillery, ranged-focused combatants. Players are also assisted by the CTU (Combat Tactical Unit), a pet that can specialize as tank, melee, or ranged, and may join one of four unique factions. The game focuses on high-level PvP, including open-world combat.

Features:

Five Classes: Agent, Bio Soldier, Striker, Blaster and Engineer..

Combat Tactical Units: Robotic pets will be available to each class. These pets will be able to transform from beast to humanoid mode, and even evolve with new looks through various upgrading. These pets can buff players, debuff enemies, learn an array of skills and attacks with the owner.

No Role Limits: Every class will have the ability to equip and engage in both melee and ranged combat.

 

Funcom reveals first in-game footage from ‘The Secret World’

Funcom reveals first in-game footage from ‘The Secret World’

 

Mysterious in-game footage reveals a glimpse into horrific fate of Kingsmouth – First full color in-game footage to be revealed at GDC in March
 
Funcom is proud to reveal the first ever in-game footage from the highly anticipated modern-day massively multiplayer game ‘The Secret World’. The location footage consists of grainy and distorted black and white shots that give a unique and mysterious glimpse into the town of Kingsmouth – one of the many locations from all over the real world to be featured ‘The Secret World’. In the game, as the video shows, horrific events have befallen the sleepy New England town.
 
“There are darker and far more terrifying things in Kingsmouth than the walking dead,” says Senior Producer and Director Ragnar Tørnquist. “The video simply scratches the surface and reveals only a tiny glimpse of what this location is all about. Kingsmouth harbors ancient secrets and dark conspiracies that players have to work together to uncover – along with a menagerie of evil, including creatures from myth and legend, and horrors from the sea. A mysterious mist has enshrouded the entire Solomon Island, and it will be up to the players to figure out what’s happened and to stop this terror from spreading further.”
 
Earlier this month Funcom executed an elaborate ARG (alternate reality game) initiative where the 250.000 members strong community surrounding the game were given clues that helped them discover the kingsmouth website – the online presence for the New England town. This provided them with a unique insight into the location that is featured in the game. Blood covered postcards featuring a ‘Greetings from Kingsmouth’ message were also mailed out to journalists all over the world. This initiative is now reaching its climax with the release of the Kingsmouth location video footage.

Ingame Footage The Secret World

Revealed Ingame Footage for the Secret World

 

“The video consists entirely of in-game footage, except for the obvious color modifications and distortion effects,” says Erling Ellingsen, Director of Communications at Funcom. “One of the reasons why we have chosen to reveal the footage in this unique way is because we are saving the undistorted, full color in-game footage for the Game Developer Conference in March. Our plan right now is to showcase actual gameplay for the first time ever to the media at GDC, as well as releasing all-new footage to the public at the same time. Of course, much can happen before March and some of the gamers out there might want to keep their tin foil hats on and their eyes keenly open for more mysterious clues to appear.”
 
‘The Secret World’ is Funcom’s third massively multiplayer game, having previously developed the award-winning ‘Anarchy Online’ and the best selling new MMO of 2008 ‘Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures’. The game features a modern-day, real world setting where every myth, conspiracy theory and urban legend is true, and where thousands of players from all over the world must join one of three secret societies in the fight against darkness – and each other. For more information visit the official website.

 

New Shadow Missions Added in Mabinogi’s Upcoming Alchemist Update

New Shadow Missions Added in Mabinogi’s Upcoming Alchemist Update

 

Mabinogi’s upcoming Alchemist content update will introduce new Shadow Missions for players to explore the expanding world of Mabinogi.  These Shadow Missions are scaled according to a player’s level, allowing all to participate.  Players can access Shadow Missions by accepting quests from the mission board and then visiting Stonehenge to enter.  Entrance to the Shadow Realm requires only a click on the altar.


Mabinogi Shadow Missions Board

Accept Missions from the Board

 

Shadow Mission party quests take place in dungeons and have several objectives that players can choose from.  The objectives are known as Defense, Assault, Seek and Destroy, and Hold the Line Missions.  Each different Shadow Mission has a unique objective and players can pick which one suits their play style best.  As a party quest, players can team up with their friends or recruit other adventurers by posting on the party board.


Mabinogi Shadow Mission Reward

Unique Quest Objectives

 

Adventurous players who take on a Shadow Mission are generously rewarded with EXP and gold.   Each mission rewards differently depending on the player’s level.  Additionally, after defeating the boss in the Search and Destroy Shadow Mission, players will be rewarded with an item cache.
  
Read up on the upcoming Alchemist update and the Shadow Missions being added to the world of Mabinogi.


Mabinogy Scary Shadow Mission


Dragon Oath Interview: Age of Destiny

What’s Special about the Most Anticipated Expansion of 2010?
Dragon Oath: Age of Destiny Interview

 

Dragon Oath, the free-to-play martial arts fantasy MMORPG, releases its major expansion of the year, titled Age of Destiny, on Tuesday. The expansion client has already been added to MMOSite’s download page. Players can log on to the Zion server to experience the wonder of the expansion starting 12 p.m. PST, Feb.2.

 

This new age in Dragon Oath adds a plethora of new content including new mounts, new weapons, new areas, new pets, new quests, and new skills, entirely free-to-play.

 

We recently talked with Martin Tan, the General Manager of Dragon Oath’s publisher ChangYou.com (US) Inc., about what makes this expansion special and the most anticipated.

 

Please introduce yourself to our readers?
Hi, I am Martin Tan, General Manager of ChangYou.com (US) Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of ChangYou.com Ltd., China’s leading online game developer and operator.

 

Dragon Oath Armor

Dragon Oath’s Great Graphics

 

You’re calling Age of Destiny the most anticipated expansion of 2010. What makes it so special?
We have over 75 million players worldwide, but that number alone doesn’t do the game or its expansion justice. The fact is our gamers are among the most dedicated in the world, and they love the universe in which they play. We first released this expansion in Asia and it soon became a hit. The number of concurrent players jumped from 300,000 to 500,000. So we started thinking we  definitely need to bring this incredibly sucessful expansion we had in Asia to the U.S. market to give U.S. players an even more exciting and joyful gameplay experience. What sets our game apart are the various social systems and ways in which our players interact with each other and build online communities and friendships. The expansion, Age of Destiny, is going to add even more social features to an already expansive list that includes Marriage, Kin/Family, Master and Apprentice, Guilds, and much more. In addition, players are rewarded for cooperative play, and some of these rewards are quite impressive, such as a new Dragon mount named Bladewind, available for dedicated Masters and their Disciples.

 

Bladewind Mount Dragon Oath

Fabulous Dragon Mounts

 

This expansion was named after a player’s suggestion. Did you get many suggestions and feel great involvement from the community?
We had an overwhelming number of responses from very enthusiastic players. It was just another example of how dedicated our player base is. In the end, we sorted through the hundreds of submissions and chose the name that best fit the idea of the expansion and all of its new content, content that will allow players to continue to fulfill their desired in-game destinies. We always value our community most, and that is the key element that sets our game apart from other MMOs. I understand players here get the impression that online games from Asia are usually about endless and pointless grinding. But Dragon Oath is certainly an exception. We emphasize players’ interaction more than anything else. We do everything we can to make players feel that they are playing with each other, not just with the computer. For example, we have an in-depth social networking platform, in which you can get married, build guilds, and form master/apprentice relationships. In addition, our unique and diverse pet system will also allow you to make friends with other pet owners and become truly connected if your pets create a bond.

 

Fun Dragon Oath

Become Connected in Dragon Oath

 

The new Dragon Mount “Bladewind” seems impressive. Tell us all about the Bladewind. How hard will it be to get and train it?
For people who have watched the movie Avatar and dreamed of owning a flying mount, here is your chance to make that dream come true: in Dragon Oath: Age of Destiny, our dragon mount Bladewind looks the same as the one in Avatar and is even more powerful. And as it is in the movie, only the stoutest and bravest warriors are qualified to tame one!

 

The dragon mount “Bladewind” is certainly one of the biggest (literally!) additions in the expansion. The Legendary Dragon is an enormous and extraordinary mount with razor sharp claws and a massive wingspan that produces dust storms in its wake while increasing the player’s speed by 70%. Players who obtain this creature will certainly get other players’ attention while flying across the map, and they can even take a companion along for the ride! It will drastically help players to level because of its incredible movement speed and the ability for it to carry two people. Another great thing about the dragon mount is that you don’t need to buy it! It’s available to players through Lucky Bingo and Master/Apprentice relationship points. The mighty Bladewind can be captured in only two ways…pure luck or pure determination. In order to catch this elusive beast, you must seek out these rare items: the Claws of Bladewind, the Wings of Bladewind, and the Teeth of Bladewind. This is no simple task. You will need your friends and unparalleled effort to do so. Or…you could be extraordinarily lucky, and Cissy Lau of Lou Yang may let you claim it from her game, Lucky Bingo.

 

Tell us about the Artifact Weapons. Will these new weapons be hard for players to get?
The Artifact Weapons in the game really give the players a newfound sense of power. There are 4 different Artifact Weapons available to players: Melting Falchion, Traceless Sword, Blue Silver Circle, and Windstone Fan, each with their own properties and special abilities. In order to obtain Artifacts, you need to gather other key materials and craft them into your desired level of Artifact. When questing in the game, you will come across items called “Flawed Pendants” and “Divine Fragments”. You can combine these 2 items to develop what’s known as a “Flawless Pendant”. With Flawless Pendants, you can create Artifact weapons. Though these weapons are not game-breaking, they make the game a lot more fun for players.

 

Classes

Different Classes and Abilities

 

The new weapons in the game aren’t too difficult to get. There are a number of different quests that players can take part in to obtain an Artifact Weapon for themselves. We’re not gonna make players strain themselves by running 5 hour instances – we want the prerequisites to be fun and engaging.

 

Can you give us a description of the new areas, and which one is your favorite?
The new areas in the expansion are flat-out amazing. Just to give you a couple of examples: Yan Tomb is a dark, evil dungeon that is 9 levels deep. Each level is protected by an army of minions and a sub boss. On the bottom level of the Tomb resides old King Yan, the demonic defender of the instance. Armed with his flaming sword, he destroys all who attempt to infiltrate the core of his tomb. If you somehow manage to defeat him, you’ll receive King Yan’s Pearls, which can be traded for very rare and powerful armor pieces. Swallow’s Dock is an event in the game that truly makes player’s feel like they’re part of a movie. Players get to trek through multiple stages of a large scale attack on the Song Dynasty. The presentation of the event is out of this world. The Ice Space zone is a place where players can go to gain experience in a calm environment. If you need to step away from the computer for a bit but still want to earn experience, this is the place for you. You don’t need to log out to gain your experience either; you can stay online and hang out with other players in the zone.

 

Talk about the new quests in the game. How will they benefit players the most?
The new quests in the game benefit players by giving them a more in-depth look into the Dragon Oath story. These new quests continue plot developments begun in other quests, and characters from other areas of the game make new appearances. All of the quests are incredibly rewarding in terms of weapons and armor sets and are extremely important to the player’s progression. The quests themselves all lead towards tons of weapons or pieces of armor, so nothing is pointless in this expansion. Everything is catered towards helping the players get fully-equipped with new items.

 

Icey Zones

In Depth Environment and Quests

 

With Age of Destiny, do you feel like you’ve included everything you wanted in an expansion to Dragon Oath? What other plans do you have for Dragon Oath in 2010?
This expansion is huge! Several great new areas, new pets, new quests, new weapons, new events, new mounts, an upgraded social networking platform…  I am sure every player will be captivated. Of course, we always strive to boost players’ satisfaction as much as we can. Age of Destiny is our first major expansion this year. We will launch another major expansion in August and will keep doing numerous in-game events for each festival through the year. The first one you can expect after our major expansion is the Valentine’s Day Event. Keep your eyes peeled for these great new features.

 

When is the expansion expected to go live?
Dragon Oath: Age of Destiny will go live on Feb.2, 2010.