Monthly Archives: April 2009

LOTRO going to Xbox 360?

Destructoid.com is reporting the following news:

According to a reliable source, Turbine is currently eyeing their MMO, Lord of the Rings: Online, for an Xbox 360 release. The source added that Turbine has hit a snag, unrelated to the development process. Microsoft, allegedly, won’t commit to allow Turbine to utilize a free-to-play model, which is what the developer desires for the console version of LOTRO.

The good news is we’re hearing that Microsoft is close to finalizing an MMO model for Xbox LIVE. This is a model that, hopefully, won’t exclude Silver members or force Gold subscribers to pay for two services simultaneously.

We contacted Turbine today in order to obtain official confirmation of the console title. Turbine wouldn’t confirm any of the source’s information, yet none of it was denied. Our source also indicated that Turbine’s technology for a LOTRO Xbox 360 title was ready to go; the assessment that the title was done and ready to be shipped, however, was “factually incorrect,” according to Turbine.

(source: destructoid.com)

The Warlords: Weekend Double Experience Event

The Warlords has opened its 1st server, ForbiddenCity for the closed-beta test. The close-beta phase is scheduled between March 20th and April 24th. After this first phase, all characters in players’ accounts will be preserved.

To welcome the first flock of adventurers, the TQ team has prepared a string of events. This weekend, all players will be able to receive double experience in game. Hurry up! Take this chance to level-up with ease! Prepare for the upcoming difficulties!

Eudemons: The Divine Path Expansion Preview – Divine

The TQ team is proud to announce the Eudemons expansion, the Divine Path, is being released this May. In the expansion, the Twelve Olympians are planning to reorder the mortal world. Great adventurers will start the new journey in the once forbidden Divine Realm to then pursue god-like power.

In the universe of Eudemons Online, you will never venture out alone. In contrast, the loyal eudemons always accompany you and provide their unhesitating support in every single battle. Just as they will in your new journey in the Divine Realm!

For the Apotheosis quest, the challenger must bring at least one strong eudemon with 40 stars to endure the ultimate test of the Olympic gods. After successfully passing the test, the loyal 40-star eudemons which accompany you go through the test will apotheosize with you, into the divine eudemons. For your other cherished eudemons, you can apotheosize them into divine eudemons with the help of the mysterious gem – the Holy Summon. Apart from apotheosizing the common eudemons, adventurers will also have a chance to obtain rare original divine eudemons – Saint XO, Saint O, Icy/Golden Unicorns.

Compared to ordinary eudemons, these divine eudemons possess extra attributes – Valor, Spirit and Wisdom. Valor is the main attribute while Spirit and Wisdom are sub-attributes. These attributes work together to determine the quality and potential of the divine eudemon.

The divine eudemons will undeniably do great extra deeds for their master on this brand-new journey. However, only those with Godship can control these powerful creatures. Get yourself prepared for the descent of the Twelve Olympians, pursue these godlike powers and divine eudemons in this forbidden realm.

Ys Online: The Call of Solum – 2nd Closed Beta Signup!

– You can now apply for a Closed Beta Key
– New features available
– Brand new Ys Online website
 
Starting now, you can register your interest in taking part in the Ys 2nd Closed Beta. The keys to test the game are limited and are restricted to the list of supported territories. Go to Ys Online website, choose your language and press the ‘Join the Beta’ button to apply.
 
The 2nd Closed Beta will be live on April. This new phase will include various new features, such as new class specializations and a raised level cap, up to level 40 instead of 30. Amongst some of the more important changes you’ll find the activation of the PVP system and some new maps: 4 more instances and 3 instance dungeons.
 
While you wait to find out what new contents the 2nd Closed Beta will bring, Key To Play has launched a complete new website, available in 4 languages, with a brand new design.

Alganon: Private Beta started

Quest Online is pleased to announce the start of Private Beta for Alganon MMOG.
 
"It’s been more than three years since we started the Alganon project," says David Allen, Creator of Alganon and co-founder of Quest Online. "As we enter the final months approaching release, everything is finally coming together. It’s wonderful to see the world come to life as we prepare to share this expansive game with everyone."
 
To support the increased traffic as a result of the Private Beta, Quest Online recently launched a new website design and interface that will help the community to more easily access and disseminate Alganon news and content. This effort includes an introduction to the Library, available first to Private Beta testers. The Library is a complete in-game database that will eventually be integrated directly into the MyAlganon website. http://www.MyAlganon.com/signup
 
"The MyAlganon Community and Library systems really represent the next step in MMOG infrastructure, by bringing people together and sharing source information about the game with the players," says David Allen. "Our recently updated Alganon website system reflects the new and upcoming details of the game."
 
In anticipation of the Public Beta and release of Alganon, community members should register at MyAlganon.com, effectively reserving their login username for the game.

Huxley: The Dystopia

NHN USA introduces Huxley, one of the most ambitious online games ever created – the first massively multi-player online (MMO) game to combine the twitch-based fast action of a first-person shooter (FPS) with the cerebral character development of a massively multi-player online game (MMO) to deliver an intense and exciting online entertainment experience of a complete MMOFPS.

In the not so distant future, a huge swarm of Nuclearite clouds passing through our solar system shatters the Earth’s moon. Lunar fragments mingled with the radioactive Nuclearites and showered Earth with debris, catapulting the World into the greatest cataclysm in history. In this post-apocalyptic world human beings have mutated and divided into Sapiens, Alternatives and Hybrids. The Sapiens and Alternatives both battle for control of the Earth’s resources as the Hybrids, a mysterious third race, fight for their very survival. Do you have what it takes to obliterate and dominate the competition? Choose your side, create your character, grab a weapon and get the enemy in your cross-hairs in Huxley!

PSOBB Review: Travel through the stars!

By Mohammed Afzal (MageMoa), Onrpg writer

Phantasy Star Online: Blue Burst (PSOBB) is a game created by Sega. It was on the market from 1999/2000 until 2008. The game servers got shut down due many reasons and since then, there is only one way to play PSOBB; Find a private server!
In Phantasy Star Online: Blue Burst you will have to battle through dungeons, finish many missions, team up with your friends, kill lots of bosses and obtain many unique items!
You will be amazed from the beginning until the end!

Gameplay

When you get ingame, you will be able to create a character. You can choose between a few races and 3 classes.

The different races are: Mar (male human), Marl (female human), Newm (elf male), Newearl (elf female), Cast (male android), and Caseal (female android).

The races have different looks and equipment. They also specialize in different things. Androids can’t use magic, while elves and humans can. Androids do have the ability of setting traps, which can be very useful at some dungeons.

The three classes are: Hunter (melee), Ranger (range) and Force (magic). All classes are able to use magic, ranged weapons and melee weapons, but since a Hunter doesn’t specialize in range, it can take a while before he can use decent guns etc.

The class and race that you pick, will give you a certain ‘name’. This has been developed, because people thought it was annoying to say that you were an Android Ranger or anything like that. You can find this name on your ID, but you can also just find it out yourself. The way to do this is to get the first two letters of your class (Ra, Fo or Hu) and paste them to your race (Mar, Marl, Newm etc.). This way you will get names like HuNewearl (Female Elf Hunter) and FoMar (Male Human Force).

When you have chosen a class and race, you will be able to customize your character. There are like twenty suits with different colors for each race. There are also a few hair styles. You can choose the color of your hair yourself by adding more green, red or blue. You will always be able to change your looks before going ingame.

And then it is finally time to get ingame! Choose your ship (server) and block (channel) and you will be teleported to the waiting room.

Phantasy Star Online: Blue Burst is a roombased game which means that you will have to create your own game or join someone else’s.

If you want to join a game, there are a few things to remember. First of all, there are different play modes (easy, hard, very hard and ultimate). There are also different modes such as Normal mode, Challenge mode and One Player mode.

Challenge mode places a group of up to 4 players starting at a specific level with specific items and equipment through a predetermined stage. In Challenge mode, the droprate of items is very different from a normal mode game. Other than that, you will be able to get expensive and rare items as a reward. If your time is low enough you will get an S-rank, which is the highest rank ingame. The higher your rank, the better the rewards are.

The ranks of the game from low to high are: E, D, D+, C, C+, B, B+, A, A+, S.

Most people do Challenge mode just to get rare items so they can sell them to earn a lot of money.

One Player mode is just like Normal mode, but you are only able to go through the stages if you are alone. One player mode has different missions and most people actually just do it for fun.

The game also has four different episodes. The episodes are based on the storyline so they’ll help you to figure out what has happened in the past. These episodes have different maps and different monsters which will give you even more to explore!
Every character starts off with a MAG. You can see those MAGs as pets that give you bonus stats. These pets have to be feeded to level up. When you get a full photon blast (effect of damage, defense, healing, support etc.), you will be able to use one of the special magical powers of your MAG. These powers deal a lot of damage which is very handy when you have to fight bosses.

The combat of the game is very unique. Since Phantasy Star Online games are also available on different consoles, you will find yourself pushing many different buttons at a time to stay alive. It certainly takes some skill to finish off your enemies easily. You don’t have to click on an enemy and wait until they die. You will have to aim (there is some kind of auto-aim though) and dodge attacks of your enemy to defeat your foes.

Blue Burst also has some extra features. There is PvP, but it is very complicated and strict. As an example, you will not be able to attack someone that got knocked down and if you use support magic, your opponent will also be buffed.

The graphics of the game are pretty dated. The characters are a bit blurry; monsters cannot be distinguished from one another and it appears as though the pixels in the dungeons have been stretched.

Conclusion

Phantasy Star Online: Blue Burst gives us the feeling of being in a totally different world. The game was amazing when it came out, but it will never be able to survive in the next generations of games.

Dated graphics, repetitive missions and dull gameplay are the reasons why this game couldn’t survive in the world of MMOs. And yet, you will be wondering why the game has been so popular and how it has been able to survive for eight years. The answer is actually pretty simple; Phantasy Star Online: Blue Burst gives us an oldschool feel combined with the simplicity of a modern game.

Pros:

– Many features

– Unique combat

– Requires skill

– Amusing dungeons

Cons:

– Dated graphics

– Lack of balance

Mir 2 Closed Beta Test Registration Begins!

Gamepot USA, Inc. announces it will begin operation of a new online game, "Mir 2". Mir 2 is a game created by a Korean developer, "WeMade Entertainment". For the US release, Gamepot
USA has revised the title and will provide players with exciting new content.

Mir 2 was a first generation MMORPG title, which was developed in 2001. This title was a huge success and led to an online gaming boom in South Korea and China. This game provides various choices to players such as, friendly collaboration with allies, competition among players, and a trading system which will allow users to further their gaming options. Not only will there be the usual battles with monsters, this game require players to fight and communicate together in order to succeed. The game is very dynamic and attracts players with its story. These features have already drawn over 200 Millions users from all over the world.

Mir 2 was released in China as of 2001 and shares 65% of China’s online gaming market. In the past, this title has had a maximum record of 710,000 players logged in at the same time. In addition, approximately 200 million people in the world have played this title and 450,000 concurrent users play this game as of today in China.

Gamepot USA will service North America, as well as the rest of the English speaking territories with their know-how from its parent company, which is leading free to play online game space, and begin its closed beta. "Mir 2" appears in North American and English speaking countries by keeping the core attractiveness of "Mir 2" and adds new functionality to make the game even
more fun and exciting.

Gamepot USA will begin a registration campaign for Mir 2 as of April 3rd 2009.

Shadow Of Legend gameplay

Shadow of Legend is a free MMORPG that takes you into the mythical land of Agnes, a once beautiful and lush world, full of creators and inhabitants that lived side-by-side in peace and harmony. Watch this videos to learn more about the gameplay!