Yearly Archives: 2008

Deco Online: Prelude to Fall update

Joymax, an independent developer and publisher of interactive entertainment for the global market, has launched a new update for Deco Online, the free-to-play action MMORPG. “Part 2: Prelude of the Fall” introduces a number of rare weapons and stylish armor sets, as well as a variety of powerful new skills. Extending the level cap to 90, the update also gives players two new maps where they can test their adventuring mettle, “The Plain for Lapse of Memory” and “Curved Mountain.

Aurora Blade: Closed Beta Test Launched

IGG was very happy to announce that the Aurora Blade Closed Beta Test will be officially launched at 12:15am EST (GMT-5) on December 5th. All players are welcome to register for an account and then enjoy the game. All characters created during this beta test will be saved for future use.
During the test, many fun-filled events such as “We Want Bugs” and “Leveling Contest” will offer players big rewards and lots of fun. Players are more than welcome to join these events.
Aurora Blade , which does not require any download and installation, is the first browser-based free online game published by IGG . Simply open the link in a new browser window, and type your IGG account and password in to start your journey.

Perfect World Int. interview

by Chris Scarbrough, Onrpg writer
Answered by Jonathan Belliss, Product Manager

Perfect World International is releasing first expansion called The Lost Empire! This expansion introduces a number of new features and content, including: new skills and spiritual cultivation levels, new battle pets, new zones, including Unicorn Forest and Valley of the Scarred, new quests and monsters and much more! We held an exclusive interview with Jonathan Belliss about what we can expect from this expansion, and the future developments of the game!

Onrpg: With the new expansion released this December the Chrono Wheel is introduced. Can you explain what it does, and how it effects the Perfect World storyline?

The main storyline in the expansion consists of a series of quests where the player can actually participate in the reconstruction of the Chrono Wheel. This all culminates at a point where the player can actually venture back in time to various locations in Perfect World history. The modern world remains unchanged; however these “moments in time” will be of great interest to high level players.

Onrpg: What can you tell us about the new zones being released, and the new dungeons available?

The new zones provide a good deal of new content for our users. They are all parts of Perfect World’s history and give you a better view of the overall narrative present in Perfect World International. These new areas will of course be challenging and provide our players with more to achieve and explore within PWI.

Onrpg: Of the new content being released in the Winter Expansion, which one of the new additions are you most looking forward to hearing user comments about?

MMORPG gamers are usually excited about equipment, and more importantly, bad ass looking equipment. Needless to say there is a plethora of new weapons, ornaments, and armor available in The Lost Empire. I have always been amazed at the particle effects that the design team manages to create in PWI, and with The Lost Empire’s equipment, they have definitely outdone themselves.

Onrpg: After the expansion, are you planning to hold special in-game events for Perfect World International? What about special items that can be obtained?

We will definitely be ramping up our in-game events for PWI come launch time for The Lost Empire. We’ll be offering a slew of in-game items that can benefit and aid players in a number of ways. We’re all gamers ourselves here at Perfect World Entertainment, so we know how much fun in-game events can be.

Onrpg: Perfect World is one of very few games that allows characters to mount various types of things in the game, some of them even giving the ability to fly! How do you see Perfect World’s mounting system different from other games?

The mounting system in Perfect World is incredibly unique. There are several MMORPGs out there that have flying mounts available, but PWI allows players to not only fly, but also engage in combat while flying. Another unique aspect of PWI’s flying system is the fact that you can ride your mounts with other players. This means that even low level players who ordinarily cannot ride mounts can hitch a ride with their friends, and easily travel about the world with their colleagues.

Onrpg: Since Perfect World is originally an Asian game, were there any major changes made to the game during the localization process?

In terms of gameplay, the primary change we made to Perfect World International was creating a PvE and PvP servers. In Asia there is no distinction between the two because all the servers are PvP servers. However Western audiences are generally more oriented towards PvE activities, as a result we decided to directly cater to that taste.

Onrpg: During the localization process, where there any major snags or nagging problems that you had trouble with?

Perfect World International has an insane amount of text. It took months upon months of work in order to fully localize PWI to what it is today. Even today, we are still constantly tweaking the game’s localization according to user feedback. In terms of major snags or nagging problems, Perfect World Entertainment’s staff has had a lot of past experience in localizing games, and the combination of past experience and hard work allowed us to avoid a lot of potential pitfalls during the localization process.

Onrpg: Every game has its problems, no matter how much work is put into it. Is there a part of the game that you’re unhappy with? And are there plans to change or fix it if so?

Of course despite Perfect World International’s success thus far, we have a long laundry list of improvements and tweaks that we would like to see come to fruition. We’re lucky to have a very strong development team that is constantly working on PWI and continuing to improve the game every month.

Onrpg: One thing many people notice is, this game has no “zones” or front loading when entering a new area. How rough was it to make this work?

The Angelica engine, the engine that powers Perfect World International is really a marvel. It has been development for years and years. The team who worked on the development of this engine is incredible and continues to produce incredible work to this day.

Onrpg: In your official announcement you state this is the ‘first’ expansion. What can we expect to see in the future from Perfect World Entertainment?

In terms of Perfect World Entertainment, we’ve already released our first game, Perfect World International. Next year you’re going to see a lot more from us. We recently just announced our second game, Ether Saga Online, and launched our community portal page at www.perfectworld.com.

We hope that everyone continues to enjoy Perfect World International, and we look forward to providing more and more people with great Free to Play games in 2009.

Thank you!

Perfect World International: Lost Empire Expansion Live!

The wait is over! Perfect World Entertainment is proud to announce the release of the first expansion for Perfect World International! The Lost Empire introduces a number of new features and content, including:

  • New skills and Spiritual Cultivation levels
  • New Battle Pets
  • New zones, including Unicorn Forest and Valley of the Scarred
  • New quests and monsters
  • New weapons and equipment
  • An epic quest chain that links the past to the present!

Remember, the expansion will be automatically applied in the patch for December 3rd. Server maintenance will occur as usual, and once you’ve updated, voila! The Perfect World will have gotten just a little bit bigger.
Welcome to the Lost Empire!

Zero online: Weekend Event – Military Review

According to the Alliance Statistics Bureau, we have over ten billion pilots fighting against the Othellians for the time being. More importantly, more and more new pilots from the unknown planets in Galaxy are coming to join us! We are getting stronger year by year.

Rules are rules. On the first weekend of each December, the annual Military Review will be held as usual. Undoubtedly, the Alliance’s Military Review will be a special one. There will be no president or Defense Secretary attending, and no ceremony will be held before we get started. All we need to inspect is whether pilots like you are familiar enough with Zero’s world. If any of your units can work normally, just come and find Captain Duraken to sign up.

There are 9 zones in the parade ground. Every one minute, you’ll receive an order from the commander. According to the order, you need to proceed to the corresponding zone within one minute. You will get 20 orders in total each round. Consequently, if your thruster and booster are badly damaged, we strongly suggest you get them repaired beforehand. Don’t worry about the repair expense, the Alliance has prepared numerous Galaxy Gold for you guys!

Ether Saga Online

Ether Saga Online is the English-based version of KDXY. Ether Saga Online combines lavish graphics with a young anime style. It features a slew of unique features and systems that make the game truly one of a kind.

Unlike other MMORPG games that charge subscription fees, Ether Saga Online will be Free-To-Play. Once inside the game world, players can earn and spend money to upgrade a large variety of items to enhance their game play experience.

There are three races in Ether Saga Online. In terms of game play the three races all behave the same and can all play as any of the six Classes. They live harmoniously and without serious conflicts. This is because they all have different aims. Each race will have its own quests (in addition to shared ones) which will all be aimed at completing that race’s particular objective. In addition to these race dependant quests/goals is the shared ultimate goal of being selected to join the Mission West.

Ether Saga Online (ESO) houses a unique pet system. When you start your journey, you will be given a pet according to your race. As you advance, you will be given the opportunity to capture, tame, and raise many different types of monsters. Monsters that can be tamed will be indicated by a marking on their name panel.

City of Heroes launches Issue 13: Power and Responsibility

NCsoft®, the world’s premier publisher and developer of massively multiplayer online games (MMOs) today announced the next free update to its highly successful comic-book inspired MMO, City of Heroes®. The release of Issue 13: Power and Responsibility introduces several innovative features to the MMO genre. Macintosh players won’t be left out as open beta testing for the new Mac version of City of Heroes is just around the corner.

Issue 13: Power and Responsibility unveils some pioneering features to the MMO genre. Multiple builds is a character customization option and delivers the ability to have two different build-outs for each character. This offers enormous flexibility for players who can now switch back and forth between their two character builds, depending upon the task ahead of them, by visiting contacts in game.

Pact leveling is a new innovation for MMOs. This system allows two friends to enter their characters into a pact before level five, and have their XP permanently in sync, regardless of how much each character is online. This way when they play together they will always be the same level. It’s similar in concept to City of Heroes’ already popular Sidekick feature which allows players on different levels to play together.

Also City of Heroes’ new Day Job feature offers a way for players to progress their characters in the game even when they are logged out of the game. In addition to providing an XP rest bonus to all characters, specific Day Jobs are determined by where you log out of the game. There’s an associated Day Job at many key locations in Paragon City or the Rogue Isles. Once characters have accumulated the required amount of time for each Day Job, they are rewarded with the appropriate Day Job Badge, increasing their “earnings” for that job. Multiple Badges can be combined to unlock Accolades and the ability to accumulate additional new rewards.

Other features released in Issue 13 include the new Shields and Pain Domination Power Sets, new Cimerora mission content, the Merit Rewards System, Villains Patron Power Respec, Supergroup Base Repricing, and player versus player (PvP) powers rebalancing, paving the way for new PvP features to come.

“We are proud of the innovations that are going into Issue 13,” said Senior Lead Designer Matt Miller. “Ultimately our goal was to give players more interesting ways to play the game and more ways to play together with friends. Issue 13’s new content, systems, and quality of life improvements should do just that.”

Players can apply for the upcoming Mac Open Beta by visiting http://www.cityofheroes.com/macbeta

The City of Heroes Mac Special Edition digital product will be sold at the PlayNC store and at GameTreeOnline. The City of Heroes “Good Versus Evil Edition” PC game pack may be purchased at retailers across North America or through digital download at the PlayNC Store. Both products include the complete City of Heroes and City of Villains® games, as well as a set of exclusive bonus items. Customers receive the first month of play free and both games can be played for the single monthly subscription price of $14.99.

MMORPG Disney Fantasy Online announced

NetDragon Websoft Inc., one of the leading online game developers and operators in China, together with The Walt Disney Company’s Interactive Media Group today announced their first Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG) “Disney Fantasy Online” will be launched in Spring 2009. This fun and dynamic game is set to be the most highly anticipated game for the season.

Gamers of “Disney Fantasy Online” are immersed in a uniquely Disney-themed central world, created based on themes of magic, adventure and romance with non-playing Disney character hosts such as Mickey and Friends, preparing and training the gamers for the vast adventures that lie ahead. As gamers explore, complete quests, and level-up, they have the opportunity to acquire virtual items to personalize the gaming experience and enable them to explore additional worlds more extensively. Expansion packs with new adventures and maps will be constantly added to the game, providing endless opportunities for gamers to uncover new content and secrets.

“Disney is committed to providing gamers in China with the ultimate digital entertainment destination. Our characters and stories endure across generations, platforms and now immersive online experiences,” said Mr. Stanley Cheung, Executive Vice President and Managing Director, Walt Disney Greater China. “We are very pleased to be cooperating with NetDragon, to create a unique, fun, and brand-new entertainment experience for gamers”.

Key game features include:

  • Gamers will explore vast fantastic lands, and can show off their skills in turn-based battle mode
  • Fully customizable player avatars, premium accessories, and other in-game items
  • Players will be able to “raise” Disney-themed companions or “Pets” throughout the game. Companions can be won, purchased, and/or discovered and will have various attributes that enhance the gaming experience. Companions are expected to be nurtured and will grow and mature through game play
  • Players can build their virtual castles within the game world, which will act as the player’s virtual personal space. These virtual castles can be upgraded, assembled, traded, and shared
  • Leveling-up, team-play, raising companions, and building virtual castles provide endless gameplay and community activities

NetDragon, renowned for its leadership in online gaming development and operating experience, is responsible for developing “Disney Fantasy Online”. The Game consists of many virtual worlds based on some of Disney’s most famous stories, providing an exciting environment for endless adventure.

Mr. Liu Luyuan, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of NetDragon said “We have 9 years of rich experience in online game development, and operations in multiple international markets. Creating and sharing great entertainment experiences are common objectives of NetDragon and Disney. I’m very excited about being able to work with Disney’s rich content to develop this exciting game”.

“We assigned the best creative and production teams to this project and the end result is the creation of a totally unique gaming experience around unique stories that will delight gamers,” said Mr. Liu Luyuan.

Angels Online: Blue Sea Overview in Atlantis

Today, the Angels Online team is giving a brief introduction on the Blue Sea, a new scene for the ‘Lost Atlantis’ expansion.The mysterious Blue Sea is located to the southeast of Atlantis where the sun rises each day. It is the end of Atlantis.

Blue Sea
At one time, Lucifer built a base in the Blue Sea as part of the fight against Heaven. Many Angels died here for freedom and safety. After Lucifer was defeated, people slowly forgot that the Blue Sea was a busy center of trade and production. It fell into disrepair and became haunted by monsters and demons. These monsters eventually gathered to bring Lucifer back. From a distance, the Blue Sea area seems constantly shrouded in an impenetrable fog. Does this strange and evil land scare away explorers? No way! With the launch of many dangerous expiditions to the Blue Sea, this area’s secrets are being laid bare. Here’s what’s been discovered so far.

In contrast with the bright and beautiful Colorful Coral Reefs, the Blue Sea is dark and chilling. Upon reaching the entrance, a strange eeriness washes over players. The broken hulks of ships and rusting scraps of armor scattered everywhere remind all adventurers of its past, both resplendent and tragic. What’s more, the wasted robots and floating bottles have polluted the environment here, making it toxic for all but the strongest Angels.

Monsters in the Blue Sea
Jellyfish:
The savage Jellyfish spend their time swimming around under the water looking for mischief. Take care of yourself. Although they float gently, their poison is deadly. You may be hurt by their long feelers if you are careless.

Angel Fish: Their elegance always attracts players who enter the Blue Sea the first time. Pay attention! They possess defensive abilities as high as Swordsmen. Their attacking abilities rival those of Mages even.

Mermaid: In the middle of the Blue Sea, there is a group of Mermaids which have long blue hair. However, they are hostile towards strangers because they have lived here alone for such a long time.

Scale Fish: It is said that they are the surviving support of Lucifer. After Lucifer was killed, they gathered again and tried to launch a counterattack. Be careful! They may attack you from behind or using other dishonorable methods.