Dragon Oath Interview: Insights from the Beta

Questions by Jeffrey Kerkdijk, Onrpg Journalist
Answered by Martin Tan (General Manager) 

Dragon Oath online is an upcoming MMORPG, and we have gotten the chance to interview Martin Tan from (General Manager of the game). We learned some interesting details about the features that the game has, and what it will do to become a great MMO.

Onrpg: What makes the community system in Dragon Oath online different from community systems found in other MMORPGs?
The community system in Dragon Oath is significantly more in-depth than that of most games. Dragon Oath players have the ability to keep a personal journal in-game that other users can view publicly to keep up with the lives of their friends. Additionally the guild features of Dragon Oath are extremely well developed.  As a guild grows in rank and reputation they will be given the opportunity to even take charge of their own town, setting rules, regulations and even taxes.  We feel that such features are great ways for players to connect with one another and build new relationships through common interests and ideas.

Onrpg: What sets Dragon Oath apart from the mainstream Free-to-Play MMORPGs, what is totally unique in your game?
From the style of leveling, to the life skills, to the community features, to the pet system, Dragon Oath is the culmination of all the things you love about MMORPGs.  This is what makes the Dragon Oath gaming experience so enjoyable and full of possibility.  This is what makes Dragon Oath a truly unique MMORPG that you will struggle to pull yourself away from to go eat dinner.

Onrpg: How do players make their way in the story of Dragon Oath? Is there a focus on the storyline when playing the game?
Dragon Oath is based on a famous Chinese novel, the storyline of which is embedded into the game. As players progress through the game, they will move through the story, running into political conflicts, love stories and warfare. It is a highly riveting story and some of the references in the storyline are, in fact, historically accurate. As players move from city to city in the game they'll get small pieces of the storyline implemented into their quests.  By the time they reach level 70 they will have a good idea of what was really happening during this time in ancient China.

Onrpg: Will there be PvP facilities in Dragon Oath, for example, will we see things like capture the flag or other PvP games?
PvP is an important aspect of MMORPGs and Dragon Oath is no different.  There will be daily tournaments that players can participate in to see prove themselves as the ultimate fighter.  Additionally guilds will be allowed to take part in guild warfare which is a full-blown "guild vs. guild" battle. Furthermore, though not currently available in game, features such as "Capture the Flag" are definitely being considered for future updates.

Onrpg: Over the years botting became a serious issue in the MMORPG industry, many games have been facing issues with botters all over the world. How is Dragon Oath going to prevent players to bot?
We have taken a number of measures to ensure that botting does not become a major problem in Dragon Oath both inside and outside the game.  In addition to thoroughly training our GM/Customer Service team on how to spot and deal with botters, a number of unique features have been implemented in the game itself to stop botters in their tracks.  While we understand that we may never be able to catch all of the botters, they are going to have a hard time getting anywhere in Dragon Oath.

Onrpg: What can we expect from Dragon Oath in the future?
Dragon Oath will be a constantly changing and growing MMORPG.  As we receive feedback from our community, as well as observe what trends become popular in the video gaming industry, we will work to adapt Dragon Oath to the needs of the consumer.  New content will be created, old content may be revamped, and the players will always have something new to do, even if it is as simple as a new daily event.

Onrpg: Will there be PvP and PvE servers and are all of the servers equal in features?
As of right now we have no plans to create separate PvP servers.  The way that PvP works in Dragon Oath helps to prevent players from being unnecessarily being PK'd repeatedly.  When a player reaches a high enough level they gain the ability to tag their character with how they would like to engage in PvP.  Because of this there is no need for separate servers.   Players who do not enjoy PvP will be able to enjoy the game without the worry of getting "ganked" as they try and pick herbs or fight an elite mob.

Onrpg: What is your favorite feature in Dragon Oath?
While Dragon Oath has tons of great features, my favorite feature in Dragon Oath is the pet system. I've played a lot of MMORPGs over the years and none of them have had a pet system that was as fleshed out as this one. There are so many different pet types, skills and personality traits to experience that you feel a bit overwhelmed at first. Once you get the hang of the way the systems work, you realize that the possibilities are endless for pet customization. Utilizing the breeding function for your pets will also give you the ability to build up a huge arsenal of unique skills for each pet that you own. I could spend hours just toying around with pets in the game, it's too much fun.

Onrpg: What methods of character customization can we find in Dragon Oath?
There are many ways to customize your character in the game. You can change your character's hair style, hair color, face and of course clothing. Not all of the character customization items have to be purchased from the token shop either; you can gain customization items from certain life skills and daily events.

Onrpg: Could the implementation of a cash shop unbalance the economy Dragon Oath?
When implementing a cash shop into an MMORPG you must be careful and consider many different factors.  We have some great members on our team who have significant experience in creating and successfully implementing a cash shop.  The most important thing to remember when implementing a cash shop is that a player should never feel like they must purchase to enjoy the game and progress.  Once this happens the game is no longer Free-to-Play and is no different from a subscription based game.

Onrpg: Are there any dates set for the Dragon Oath Open Beta? And for the official release?
Currently we are completely focused on successfully launching Dragon Oath into Closed Beta, which will begin on September 24^th.  Once we have rolled the game out into Closed Beta and start receiving feedback from the community, we will work towards an Open Beta and commercial release.  We are taking our time as we want to ensure the success of Dragon Oath and enjoyment of the game by all players.