Questions by Vincent Haoson, Onrpg writer
Answered by Jonas Norman, IGG Press Editor
Galaxy Online is part a new MMO from IGG. The game seems to be shaping up as a very decent MMORTS game and Onrpg has had the chance of getting behind the closed doors of IGG. We had the opportunity to talk to Jonas Norman, IGG Press Editor to get the latest scoop on how are things going in the game and of course how are things progressing in the test.
Onrpg: How has the Closed Beta Test going?
IGG: I would say the Galaxy Online Closed Beta Test has gone pretty good so far. Basically, we’ve got what we needed from the test. We’ve successfully introduced this new genre of space strategy game to a lot of players. We’ve also got valuable data from the test and received many wonderful suggestions from players as well, which has made all the hard work we put into the game really worthwhile.
Onrpg: What were the difficulties you faced during the Alpha Test of the game?
IGG: We’ve found the biggest difficulty to be the game’s complexity. We really spent a lot of time putting many, many features into the game, and many new players simply get lost in the details when they first start out, so we end up having to explain a lot. However, we’re doing our best to get information out – strategy guides, newbie guides and such – and we’ve seen the situation improving a lot.
Onrpg: How was the player response to the game? Were they a big help to enrich the game experience?
IGG: Well, I have to say, our players are the best. As they got more familiar with the game, they have been passing along all sorts of ideas and suggestions to us. Their unique perspective has led to a lot of creative ideas to improve Galaxy Online throughout the test. Some of the ideas have really stood out, and we’ve even modified some game features based on them. I think they really like the game, and they’re really eager to help us make it perfect.
Onrpg: What are the measures you took to make new players get familiar in the game?
IGG: The game guide and the newbie quests help newcomers get familiar with the game quickly. In addition, we are constantly issuing game tips, which players find really helpful.
Onrpg: How big is the game community right now?
IGG: So far we have launched 4 servers, which average more than 3000 concurrent players.
Onrpg: What makes the Galaxy Online in-game community different from other games? Is there anything in particular that you can say determines Galaxy Online’s community among the other game communities?
IGG: I would say wisdom and a passion for gaming make the Galaxy Online community stand out a lot. The players really see that we’re throwing down a challenge with this game and they respond to it with enthusiasm. Take the International Battleground, our players have already exceeded our expectations.
Onrpg: What makes Galaxy Online different from the other games of the same genre?
IGG: Galaxy Online has many features that you will find in other games, but the way it approaches the space/sci-fi genre is completely different. We’ve created our own galaxy in the universe and let players fight for control of it. There is no faceless Empire to fight against, or slimy alien to battle with. It is a game of strategy that takes the whole galaxy into account and lets you move your pieces into whatever position you see fit. It could be described as chess on a very grand stage. Thousands of players competing for limited resources, fighting for territory and power, creating vast fleets of star fighters and battleships, giving orders to their commanders…it is unlike anything that players have seen before.
Onrpg: What do you think is the game’s feature that would attract the most amount of players?
IGG: There are many features which players find enjoyable but we’ve noticed a lot of success with the tensions generated by the 6 playable factions. Infighting, drama, political maneuvering, all of it combines to form a unique environment rife with conflict.
Onrpg: Who do you think would be the biggest market of Galaxy Online? Why?
IGG: No doubt the huge community of MMORTS fans is probably the biggest market for Galaxy Online since this game has everything they love.
Onrpg: What made you consider integrating the cash Mall Point system on some important aspects of the game such as the recruitment of commanders?
IGG: We just want to give our players more options in the game and also try to demonstrate that luck is an important factor sometimes. Visualize the struggles that pro sports teams go through in recruiting players, now imagine that on a galactic level. A lot of it would be left up to chance, with some factions getting lucky, and others having to make do. We wanted to bring a level of chance and opportunity into the recruiting process that wouldn’t have been there otherwise, and we think it has been working out great.
Onrpg: What are the possible measures you would take in keeping your players on playing the game?
IGG: This game offers players a variety of play styles. If you don’t have much time to develop your planets, you can activate one of our services that enables the buildings on your planets to be leveled up automatically. In this way our players have a lot of flexibility in playtime and don’t need to spend endless hours fighting and leveling.
Onrpg: Can you explain how PvP works in Galaxy Online?
IGG: Our PvP system is one of the highlights of this game. The game design is very flexible, allowing players a great amount of freedom in dictating where they go and what they do. We also emphasize strategy, so every step a player takes should be considered precisely. You should always make full use of resources, and ensure your fleet has an optimal combination of ships and firepower. Sometimes a small part of your fleet you’ve previously ignored could be the fatal factor that determines whether you win or lose a war.
Onrpg: When and what kind of new features will you be including in the game?
IGG: As for game content, a couple of new elements will be presented to our players step by step We put lots of thought and lots of energy into maintaining a balance in this game, so consideration for changes and updates is always a drawn out process. With that being said, we have a whole host of new features we’re planning, like the new home system, the auction system, and the expanded newbie quest system.
Onrpg: How long will it take for IGG to go to Open Beta with Galaxy Online?
IGG: Well, it depends on a lot of things. How well the development and testing of the new features goes, how well the closed beta test goes. We always want to provide the best game experience for our players, so we’re not gonna rush into something which we don’t have 100% confidence in.
Onrpg: What are your plans in the succeeding months ahead?
IGG: In the very near future, we will be releasing more servers to satisfy the growing needs of our community of players. Besides, development of a browser-based version of Galaxy Online is currently in progress. Till then, we hope that our players will enjoy everything Galaxy Online has to offer! Thanks so much!
Thanks for onrpg.com for the coverage.
