Monthly Archives: February 2009

Anarchy Online new expansion

Funcom is proud to unveil ‘Legacy of the Xan’ – the new booster pack for the massively multiplayer online game ‘Anarchy Online’. The new booster pack features end-game content tailored specifically for seasoned ‘Anarchy Online’ veterans, opening up new areas of the world, introducing new items and bringing hundreds of new missions to challenge players. This content upgrade is the latest in a series of expansions and booster packs that have been released for the classic seven year old science fiction MMO.

“The ‘Legacy of the Xan’ booster pack introduces new content for those who have reached the ‘Anarchy Online’ end-game, by introducing areas, items, enemies and missions relating to the mysterious civilization of the Xan and their history on planet Rubi-ka,” says game director Colin Cragg. “We are thrilled by the fact that ‘Anarchy Online’ continues to capture the imagination of gamers even after seven years of operation, and we greatly look forward to be bringing players even more challenges, content and improvements to the game in the time ahead!”

The booster pack will be available on February 19th, but pre-order has already started. The booster is available for 19.99 US dollars or for a combined purchase using paid points and currency. Included in the purchase is an in-game virtual item known as The Phasefont Hoverchair – a unique, time-limited launch offering that allows you to cruise around on Rubi-ka in style! For those new to Anarchy Online it is also possible to purchase a complete package for 29.99 US dollars that contains the core game as well as all expansions and boosters previously released. Legacy of the Xan pre-order and the Phasefont Hoverchair is included in this complete package.

Wizard101: 1 million users registered!

Online entertainment company KingsIsle Entertainment, Inc. today announced that over one million unique users have registered to play the highly immersive 3D virtual world Wizard101, just five months after its launch in September 2008. "The response has been absolutely overwhelming," says Elie Akilian, founder and CEO of KingsIsle. "We knew the game would appeal to families but we were surprised to see how well the game resonates with the hardcore set. The mechanics are a cross between a traditional Collectible Card Game and an old-school turn based Role Playing Game, and that makes us incredibly unique."
The company is marking this milestone by rewarding the millionth registered player with a free one year subscription to the game, and a statue with an interactive commemorative plaque featuring the Wizard’s name has been placed in the Wizard City Commons.
As a special "thank you" all current and future players will receive 101 free Crowns automatically in their account. Crowns are used to purchase game areas and unique items. Several new items that cost less than 101 Crowns have been added to Wizard101 including a limited time commemorative Storm Beetle pet.
"When we created Wizard101, we knew we had something special," said J. Todd Coleman, the Director of Wizard101. "We’re thrilled to see that so many people, young and old, agree with us. You can usually tell how well a virtual world is doing within the first few months of launch by how many realms they add or remove. We started with about a dozen and we’ve tripled since release."
Wizard101 has received high praise for its wide appeal. Dragonspyre, the recently-launched first major world expansion, continues the storyline in an ancient haunted world where players will face challenging new battles and ultimately discover the truth about renegade Death Magic professor Malistaire Drake’s sinister plans. Several new Player vs. Player Arenas have also been added where players can challenge each other in either Practice or Ranked duels, with up to four Wizards per team.
This week Wizard101 unveils its special, limited-time content in celebration of Valentine’s Day, including a special holiday-themed Piggle pet, and a selection of wands and staves. All items can be purchased with Crowns from a non-player character named Valentina, and all the items may also be obtained after successful battles throughout the game.

Titan Online to be launched in North America

EYA Interactive announced that a North American closed beta test for Titan Online will begin next week on February 18th. Based upon the Korean best-selling novel, Mo Siang, Titan Online is a fusion MMORPG with heroic martial arts and mysterious robots that takes place in a spectacular fantasy world. The closed beta test is limited to previously selected players.

Myth War II Online: New Avatar and New Version Release

It has been a long and impatient journey for all Myth War fans that have been waiting for the latest news on the new version. The most highly anticipated aspect of the game is probably the new reborn 2 avatars. Not only do they have that to look forward to, but the new version1.0.4.30, will finally be available on February 19th.

As the new version gets up and running, players will be anxious to see the new avatar designs. All of them are displayed in brilliant color with dazzling effects, and smoother animation. Character’s who have reached reborn 2 status will have their names displayed in purple. Come join us for the next chapter in the ongoing story of Myth War!

AdventureQuest Worlds: main story line introduced

Artix Entertainment introduced the main storyline for its browser-based MMORPG AdventureQuest Worlds which currently has 3.4 million gamer accounts. The browser-based MMO game is signing over 150,000 new accounts every week.

The main storyline revolves around an epic battle between Good and Evil where the good King Alteon will face the Doom Knight Sepulchure in a one-on-one duel to decide the fate of the world. Millions of AdventureQuest Worlds players – and those new to the game – will find more details on www.aq.com .

In addition to the main storyline being introduced, players can acquire in-game items celebrating Friday the 13th and Valentine’s Day, and enjoy new pets, maps, and storyline quests. Artix also introduced a refreshed user interface with new features that make it easier for gamers to play the gam

Guild Wars 2 delayed?

NCSoft recently released its financial 2008 roundup. It contains some interesting information, such as the release of the highly anticipated Guild Wars 2 which is now expected for 2010/2011, while until now it was believed to be released sooner.

Other interesting information: AION is expected to be launched in Q4 2009 both in US and Europe (Q3 for Japan and Taiwan); City Of Heroes/Villains reached in December 2008 a maximum of 13.823 concurrent users in his 15 servers; Guild Wars by December 2008 reached 5.803.000 activated accounts.

Dragon Saga

Dragon Saga  (formerly known as Dragonica) welcomes all adventurers! Crush entire guilds, parties, or other adventurers in the various PVP modes. So reach out to friends or strangers alike and battle together. Strengthen those bonds by establishing a guild to battle against rival guilds and claim the top spot in Dragon Saga!

In a world where Dragons roam the land and sky, there exists a civilization with extraordinary magical powers. This world, the world of Dragon Saga, will take new adventurers into the discovery of it’s riches and traditions. Dragon Saga compliments the hyper quick game play with visually beautiful settings.

 

Features:

Six Core Classes & More: Play all the classic classes like the Warrior, Magician, Archer and Thief! And advance to new heights with classes like the Dragoon, Warlocks, and Ninjas!

Unique Pet Systems: Not just a vanity item anymore! Pets in Dragon Saga give bonus stats, inventory and some even become mounts for you to ride and fight with!

Your Own Home:Decorate your own private spot in the world with furniture that give you and your invited guests buffs!

Soulcrafting & Enchanting: Enchant your weapons and armors or Imbue items with the Soul Force to increase their strength and value!

Cabal Online Interview: Looking After Players

Questions by Vincent Haoson

Answered by Jonathan Knell (Marketing Associate).

As our way of starting the year with a bang, players of Cabal Online would get to hear from one of the people who are working behind the scenes to make the game such a hit. Onrpg got the chance to talk to Jonathan Knell, marketing associate of Cabal Online. Here’s what he has to say about the game.

Onrpg: Cabal Online has been the one of the most anticipated online games last year. After almost a year of operations how is the game faring in the perspective of the publishers?

Knell: We are very proud of the popularity CABAL Online has been receiving since its launch. The CABAL community is constantly growing and we do our best to make sure that there are always new challenges and exciting surprises that can be enjoyed by both old and new players.

Onrpg: What do you think is the biggest sell of Cabal Online for players? What do you think makes them come back for more?

Knell: While there are many aspects that our players love about CABAL Online, one of the strongest parts of the game is the high quality of the game. CABAL features intense action, beautiful graphics, and fluid animation that can rival many pay-to-play MMORPGs, yet players can get all of this without any download or monthly fees.

Onrpg: What steps have you taken to keep the player interest in Cabal Online?

Knell: In addition to regular updates which include new features – like the recently-released Nevareth Arcade System – and new items, we make a point of constantly introducing unique events that the community can participate in. These events range from double experience weekends to events where players can meet and fight with GMs.

Onrpg: In every Online game the community is considered as one of the most important factors of keeping a game alive. Do you help out the communities surrounding Cabal? How so?

Knell: In CABAL Online, we have made a point of keeping up with the community to create the best game environment possible. We try to stay in touch with our community through events and on the forums. Most recently, we have been working with our community by running various mini test events through our forums. We have also worked with other online communities that have approached us, as well as offering information and interviews to various fan sites.

Onrpg: How big is the effect of your community in your overall operations in Cabal Online?

Knell: The community is always one of our highest priorities when we make plans for CABAL Online. We always try to keep the community’s concerns in mind before we make any decisions such as introducing anything new to the game.

Onrpg: There was an OGPlanet wide Olympic Event that was done last year, was there a favorable response from Cabal Online players? Would there be another event of this magnitude in the future?

Knell: The Olympic Event was a huge event that took quite a bit of planning, and players from all of our games had quite a bit of fun. The CABAL players that participated really loved the event because it was the first time we ever did dungeon crawls with GM supervision, giving players instant bragging rights. Unfortunately, due to the nature of the event, we could only allow a very small number of players to participate, but those who did really enjoyed it.

Onrpg: How do you guys think of events that would fit for Cabal Online? What factors do you consider whenever you think of events?

Knell: Our team constantly meets and discusses event ideas that we feel the community would like. Our main concerns are that the events focus on aspects of the game that our players really enjoy and that they are genuinely fun. We also make a point of constantly trying to come up with new events so that the community doesn’t get bored from doing the same events too often.

Onrpg: Do you consider the events suggested by players in your forums as a source for your inspiration in thinking of in-game events?

Knell: While most of our events are original concepts that come from internal discussion and from trends we see in the forums, we have definitely listened when the community has event ideas. In fact, we ran a very successful “Event to Event” where players could submit their own event ideas.

Onrpg: Is it possible for OGPlanet to host a live event for Cabal Online Players?

Knell: OGPlanet often hosts live events. Just recently, we had an in-game Santa give out presents to players, a hide-and-seek with the GMs event, and some mini-events where players could challenge the GMs. The main issue with live events is that they tend to exclude players that cannot be on when the event is going on, so we try to also make many events automated and long-term so that everyone can enjoy them.

Onrpg: We noticed that in the forums there was a description that says If you’re going to ask if you can play from countries other than the U.S. and Canada, the answer is, “No” Does that mean that you get a lot of those questions often? What steps have you taken besides this one to make sure players don’t need to keep inquiring?

Knell: It is definitely a compliment that so many people from outside of the U.S. and Canada want to play CABAL Online, but this version of the game is exclusive to these regions. We do receive this question quite a bit, and we simply have to respond that players from other regions should look for versions of CABAL Online that are hosted in their home country.

Onrpg: There is a thread found in your forum that says that there is a way for players outside of the U.S. and Canada to play on this server of Cabal Online. Does this mean that there is a high possibility that there are players from other countries that can play on this server? Why is that?

Knell: As with all things, players will always try to find ways around the rules. We are constantly on the lookout for players that should not be in our servers as well as players that are being generally abusive, and in both cases we try to remove them from the server as quickly as we can.

Onrpg: There has been a suggestion to add new character classes to the game, are you considering including new job classes as the game progresses? Why or why not?

Knell: Unfortunately, we do not discuss future releases.

Onrpg: What new weapons and armors are you going to release for the succeeding months of 2009?

Knell: Again, it is our policy not to discuss future releases.

Onrpg: Will there be any major changes within the game this year? What can you share that players can look forward to?

Knell: While we cannot discuss future releases, we can say that 2009 started off very strong and we have no intention of slowing down. We have just released our new Nevareth Arcade System which is getting a very positive response from the community. Players can expect more fun events and surprises in the coming year!