Monthly Archives: March 2009

Galaxy Online Review: Warfare spanning more than one Galaxy

By Vincent Haoson (Vincenthaoson), Onrpg writer

IGG, the company that has released games like Angel’s Online, Tales of Pirates Online and 2029 Online has released yet another space themed game in their roster, Galaxy Online.

What’s with Galaxy Online?

Galaxy Online is a strategy game that is set in a world where different factions are vying to be on top. As you enter Galaxy Online’s world you get to be a representative of one of the six factions that the game has. Each faction has its own advantage and storyline.

The factions include: The Kadry group, the Federation of Eir, the Bakran League, the Rofilla Consortium, the Maya Clan and the Rayman Empire. Each faction has its own history within the Galaxy Online Story backdrop.

As the commander of your own galaxy, you control planets and fleets of ships. You can then hire commanders that would eventually lead your armada into victory or defeat. Galaxy Online puts you into the commander’s seat. It’s your strategy both in military tactics and resource gathering.

Resources

Planets would be your primary source of resources within the game. As you start in Galaxy Online You are given a home area where you can move freely. There are a number of planets in your galaxy that you need to advance and develop so that it can be turned into a resource earning, ship manufacturing planet.

You can also travel outside your galaxy to try and colonize other uninhabited planets. Though this may be more challenging because these planets are outside your “safe zone”, meaning its going to be up for grabs by your faction and the other factions as well.

Inter-galaxy Battle

Galaxy Online’s gameplay is one of the most complex in today’s strategy MMOs. However you are spared of the complications when battles are done. The game is turn based and you would have to think carefully on what you need to do on your turn.

Your attacks are based on the range your ship’s weapons have. That is why setting up your ship carefully determines the outcome of the battle.

As of this moment, the quests and the Galaxy Pirates are your main enemies to defeat. There has yet any announcement regarding the game’s PVP system. Of course what would a spaceship themed game be without space epic space battles, and with the current battle setup it seems the game would sure provide you with RPG-ish like battles.

Conclusion

For an online strategy game, Galaxy Online has a high learning curve. Even with the newbie guide and the Beginner quests, it would take players time to get themselves familiar with the game system.

The games difficulty ushers in a gameplay that you rarely find in strategy MMOs nowadays. This can be both a blessing and a curse depending on which kind of player are you. I have seen players who tell within the faction chat that they were quitting because the game is too difficult, while there are those who encourage and even help out other players.

This in-game situation says something for both the in-game community and the game itself. Galaxy Online may in fact be one of the most challenging strategy MMOs to date and the difficulty of the game pushes players from the usual humdrum spoon-fed gameplay that has pervaded the MMO scene. Meanwhile, the in-game community shows that there is a diverse selection of people you can communicate with this can be both good and bad in the sense that if your luck holds out you can talk to players who are there to encourage and help out. Meanwhile, if your luck sucks then you’d get a face full of snobbish players who would rather make fun of you than help.

Galaxy Online is first and foremost a numbers game. Unlike in other strategy games where you can blindly just buy everything you can buy and be the most powerful player in your server, the game encourages cunning and skill that sometimes absent from other strategy MMOs.

The game also gives players the level of customization through the ship design. You can make the ultimate ship by connecting bits and pieces of available parts in the hangar.

PVE in Galaxy Online is a reminder of old school RPGs. Your ships either customized or the streamlined design has specific attributes, these attributes are then enhanced by the commander you hire. The commanders have their own bonuses and depending on the quality you hire, may save your fleet from annihilation.

This is where the balance of the game may come in question. As some commanders can be acquired through the mix of Mall Points and Science points, the problem with this setup is that the disparity of those who pay and not is obvious, though we have to accept the fact that the game needs also to earn to continue its operations, so I can say that this system is acceptable.

Galaxy Online is a numbers game through and through, and whoever expects that this game is an action based shooter will be sorely disappointed. The game needs time, patience and a little dedication that most of us don’t have an abundant supply of, for a game that pushes both our intellect and imagination, Galaxy Online is one that really pushes the right buttons. However, unlike a lot of f2p games out there, the game doesn’t have its faults.

The game has a lot of areas to improve, and IGG with its history would highly address a lot of things as the closed beta continues. The game still has a lot of rough edges especially when it comes to its new player friendliness and less complicated game systems. But, I must admit it is nice seeing that a space game that is treated in this manner has, so far done everything right, only time will tell if Galaxy Online would clique to the general gaming public.

Pros

– The game gives you the genuine feel of being a commander

– The game has a Newbie guide to help new players familiarize themselves with the game

– The online community is vibrant

Cons

– The slow pace of the game is a major turn off to those who are more into action packed games

– Even with the Newbie guide it takes a while before players can feel comfortable with the game

– The high learning curve for the game is a major turnoff for players who don’t have the patience

The Pimps

The Pimps – the online gangster game.

Here you will live the life of an Original Gangster and learn about life on the street in the school of hard knocks. Everybody is out to steal power from the others. In order to survive, you gotta earn respect as a gangsta – especially from your homies, ‘cuz without ’em, you’re a big nobody. Power is the word in this online gangster game, dude, ‘cuz in The Pimps, you’re gonna need dough – and lots of it.

Your trip begins on the street, the toughest scene there is. Only the baddest gangsters are tough enough to make it here. Prove that you’ve got the brains to run a racket and get your gang together. The Pimps says it all – pimp up everything you can: yourself, your ride, your gang – and become the number one gangsta in the ghetto. This online gangster game won’t let you go.
Let your dealers and hookers work for you so you can buy all the status symbols like rides, revolvers and chicks. Leave your real life behind and make a name for yourself as a gangsta in the online gangster game, The Pimps, which you can play comfortably in your browser against thousands or other real gangstas, regardless of where you are. Who’s the most powerful gangsta, who has the baddest revolver and the hottest chicks? Find out, play The Pimps – the online gangster game.

Exteel

Customize your Mech, choose your weapons, check your engines… and enter the battle! Exteel is a free MMO which allows you to fight against other Mechs controlled by player and prove your skills! Watch this video and be prepared!

Vin Diesel to publish MMO

Destructoid.com is reporting the following news:
 
Practically everyone with a passion for videogames — publishers, developers, designers, artists, players, etc. — has a dream or lofty idea they’d love to see implemented. It could be as simple as a subtle tweak. But it also could be as complex as designing an original property. Whatever the dream is, it can be hard to put into practice. Licenses, marketing, retail, and money clot the development processes, occasionally making the dream impossible.
 
Vin Diesel’s dream is happening and it’s taking the form of an MMO called Barca B.C., a title previously only hinted at by Diesel and his Tigon studio. It’s been in development for some three years, and by Diesel’s estimation, could take another four years until consumers get their hands on it.
 
"My dream game is something we’ve been working on in-house. We haven’t talked about it much because we’ve been mulling over how to do it just right. My dream game is a game that we’re developing called Barca BC," Diesel said when asked what his dream game would be without the pressure of marketing and finances.
 
"The reason why it’s my dream game is because it is an MMO and — remember you said funds were not an issue in this scenario, this is obviously a hugely expensive game — but, it’s a massively multiplayer online game where you create an avatar that lives in the reality of Hannibal Barca, the Punic Wars and life 200 B.C," he said.
 
"Where you would have avatars that you would invest — it would be an RPG game — and creating that ancient world as your backdrop. Creating an ancient world that is your ‘Azeroth.’ That is probably my dream scenario," he continued.
 
Hit the break for more of Diesel’s thoughts on his dream game.
You have to love Diesel’s willingness to pull a dream question in reality. He went on, addressing development time, cost, and what makes it so damn cool.
 
"We all know those games take a lot of work to create, a lot of funds. We are just in the first two or three years of putting it together. It could probably take another four years before we see that game. But it is something that is something very high on my priority list of games we’re working on," Diesel said.
 
"When we talk about dream case scenarios, man, I would love to play as a Carthaginian soldier 200 years before Christ. Sailing around the Mediterranean, that’d be pretty damn cool. If you could add some historical elements to it, the better."
(source: destructoid.com)

Myth War 2: Be Online to Win Points

IGG recently released a new update for its MMOIGG recently released a new update for its MMOGG recently released a new update for its MMOIGG recently released a new update for its MMO hit, Myth War 2. In addition to usual bug fixes and item description corrections, the 1.0.4.31 patch introduced a new "win online" system. Players will receive really good prizes by staying online to accumulate their reputation points. So come join this online sensation and enjoy the entertainment and win prizes.
Event Details
1 reputation point is earned every hour the player is online. However, players must be online for a minimum of 2 hours before they can begin earning reputation points. The longer players stay online, the more they earn.
Players Level 30+ can exchange as little as 2 reputation points for a treasure box.
Exchange 2 reputation points for 2 treasure boxes
Exchange 6 reputation points for 4 treasure boxes
Exchange 12 reputation points for 6 treasure boxes
If players exchange their reputation points for treasure boxes everyday in one week, they can go to find a NPC and receive 12 Skeleton Keys on Sunday.
Notes: Players are limited to a max of 12 treasure boxes each day for each character. This is a long term event.
With quality playing hours, you will receive a large quantity of super styling prizes. We will give shout-outs to all those who successfully get their hands on these treasure boxes.

The Warlords: Forge Your Own Brotherhood

Brotherhood & Sisterhood is another unique feature of The Warlords. In ancient China, the brotherhood was everything, and this is what makes up the soul of the Warlords. In the game, three players can be sworn brothers or sisters. After that, they will share Kung Fu and their enemy list. When encountering emergencies, brothers or sisters can instantly be called to come to the rescue.
 
This was a custom most famously romanticized in the historical novel "Romance of the Three Kingdoms". In the novel, in one of the most famous sections titled, "Oath of the Peach Garden" three warriors Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei became sworn brothers in a special ceremony amongst blossoming peach trees. As it is said, in 188 AD, in the county of Zhuo, the three met by chance and soon discovered they all shared a common desire to serve the country in the chaotic times. The next day they swore their oaths as brothers where Liu Bei was ranked the eldest, Guan Yu the second, and Zhang Fei the youngest. Combining their forces allowed them to quickly muster up more than 300 local men, forged weapons, acquire horses, and joined in the fight to repel the rebelling Yellow Turbans.
 
The oath, as it appears in the Wikisource English translation of Romance of the Three Kingdoms/Chapter 1, was this:
When saying the names Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, although the surnames are different, yet we have come together as brothers. From this day forward, we shall join forces for a common purpose, and come to each other’s aid in times of crisis. We shall avenge the nation from above, and pacify the citizenry from below. We seek not to be born on the same day, in the same month and in the same year. We merely hope to die on the same day, in the same month and in the same year. May the gods of heaven and earth attest to what is in our hearts. If we should ever do anything to betray our friendship, may the gods in heaven strike us dead.
 
This illustrates the deep bond that sworn brothers can share and "The Warlords" tries to recreate this setting. Go out and find other players who share your fervour and take down the rebelling hordes!

Rohan: new race added

Online PC game publisher and developer YNK Interactive today launched an expansion to their MMORPG, Rohan: Blood Feud, by adding a new race, The Giant Warriors.
 
"We are thrilled to finally reveal the long-awaited Giants to our Rohan players," said Fred White, Director of Marketing and Communications.   "Each race has a different role in the game, so the Giant addition will bring new twists in the collaborations of the seven races during game play, including bringing Township Battles to a whole new level."
 
The Giant Warriors is the 7th addition to the multifaceted races that make up Rohan: Blood Feud, joining the Humans, Dark Elves, Dekans, Elves, Half Elves, and Dhans.  Bigger in size and abundant in strength, players can build their Giant characters towards their second job specializing in PVP as Savages, or party play as Berserkers.
 
Along with the Giants come brand new weapons, skills, mounts, and maps.  The Giants’ weapons of choice are polearms and dual wielding swords, which are suited for their powerful attack skills.  Their homeland Draht, an arctic terrain, is an addition to the Rohan continent, consisting of new mobs to battle, new NPCs (in game characters) to meet, new territories to conquer, and newly revealed quests to embark upon.
 
A plethora of events, contests, and other festivities are all part of the celebration, happening in game and on the official website.

Spellborn: US closed beta starting

Acclaim Games releases the official game client for download in anticipation of the release for The Chronicles of Spellborn MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game).  Players anxious to join the game can begin downloading and installing the game on their PC now, so they will be completely ready to play once the game is available.

The first players that will have access to the Closed Beta are handpicked from the Acclaim chats, David Perry’s twitter and Historian’s beta tester list. This first group of players has been limited to 200-500 players to allow thorough game testing. After the first group of players test the game Acclaim will start activating 1,000 new accounts every 12 hours starting on Friday March 14, 2009. Acclaim will activate accounts until they feel the servers are at capacity for the Closed Beta. The first player accounts to be activated will be players that have Acclaim Memberships and then at random from Acclaim’s user base.

Starting March 13th, 2009 check your Acclaim ‘Account Summary’ to see if you have Closed Beta access: it will say ‘Spellborn Status Active’.  If your account is ACTIVE launch the game client and login.

The Closed Beta will be available for a limited time and Acclaim hasn’t decided if they will refresh player accounts once the game transitions into Open Beta. During the Closed Beta premium subscriptions will not be available for purchase.