Questions by Rick Charbs, Onrpg Journalists
Answered by Chloe, Product Manager of IGG

Wonderland Online is always coming up with brand new updates and content for their cute game. They listen to the audiences and keep developing. Chloe gives us a little insight into their work and how they put the player first!

Onrpg: Could you give us a little rundown of your position at IGG? What do you do to make Wonderland Online enjoyable for everyone?

WL:  I’m Chloe, the product manager of IGG. I’m in charge of planing the online or forum events, another responsibility is the maintenance  of our servers and updates of the game. I also need to deal with some affairs about marketing.

Wonderland Online is a free-to-play 2D game with more than 600,000 registered players. It’s a game that’s suitable for anyone, both children and adults. It has very cute characters, a unique crafting system, an interesting storyline and background, plus a special and powerful pet system. What’s more, we offer players an abundance of in-game events so they can share experiences with other players and have more fun in the game.

Onrpg: What is this concept of the Wonderland All-Star? What benefits do players receive upon achieving this feat?

WL: The All-Star selections are intended to foster greater interaction among players and reward those who stand out from the crowd. Most of the All-Stars are players who are famous on their servers or have won official events. In addition to shining a spotlight on a player’s accomplishments, game officials also reward their achievements by giving All-Stars some cool in-game items or credits.

Onrpg:How interactive are you with the community? Could you explain how you stay in close contact with the Wonderland Online player base?

WL: We have many methods of communicating with our players. We plan many different kinds of events both in the game and on the forum. We even have special WLO clubs on Facebook and Myspace so players can share news, experiences and fun together. What’s more, we also create alt characters in-game to research what kinds of items or events our players would like most.

Onrpg: What makes Wonderland unique? What makes it stand out from the other games IGG hosts?

WL: Compared to other games, I think one of the most attractive features of Wonderland Online is the ability players have to craft items for — and in — their tents.

Players can get a tent by doing a quest at the very beginning of their journey in the game. After that, they can make any furniture they need to decorate their in-game home. The furniture they create can also be used to make other materials they might need. For example, if a player creates a bathtub, it will speed up the rate at which their HP and SP regenerate. Cookers can be used to make HP/SP food. The tent is a very convenient place for players to relax when they’re not busy exploring or fighting. They can even invite their friends in and hold a party.

Onrpg: Why have you decided to add in an in-game bot feature in its beta release? Have you not considered the AFK rate of players in the game? Are players still playing the game without it?

WL: We all know that sometimes it’s dull to kill tons of monsters until you can upgrade your character. This kind of time-consuming grinding is mitigated with the bot system. It’s intended to give players the chance to improve their characters even if they don’t have a lot of hours to spend executing every command. However, it does not hurt game balance since it’s only used in specific circumstances. If players engage in PvP, run an instance or work on quests, they can’t use the bot system.

It’s useful for helping newbies level up and enabling players to make the best use of their time in the game. It also helps keep players’ accounts secure, since some might otherwise look to risky third-party applications that have the potential to infect their computer or hack their account.

Onrpg: How in-depth can players customize their characters? What would you rate customization on a scale of 1-10?

WL: I think I’d rate it as 9, particularly considering the necessary limitations of a free-to-play 2D game as opposed to more expensive alternatives.

When players create a character, there are 12 different basic characters to choose from. Each account can have 2 characters at the same time. Players can choose different colors for their character’s hair, skin, clothes and eyes. They have different backgrounds and elements. Choosing from earth, wind, fire, or water allows players to customize their basic abilities according to the advantages and weaknesses represented by each element.

Onrpg: I couldn’t help but notice that you’ve added a great deal of ancient mythology to the game. How much historical and mythological context does Wonderland Online follow?

WL: When you see the Wonderland Online map, there are many famous and familiar ancient places in the game. Many legends and mysterious stories from different cultures make up the backbone of the game. Players encounter such interesting things as the Inukami in Japan, Houyi in China, Greek Mythology and the Colosseum in ancient Rome.

Onrpg: Instances are a relatively new feature in the game. Could you give us a quick rundown on them? What makes them so interesting and amusing?

WL: Wonderland has many instances suitable for different levels of players. When players reach level 10, they can start participating in instances. These challenges are more involved than a typical quest, give players a chance to work in teams, and offer valuable rewards.

Onrpg: Has the team at IGG altered any portions of the game from the licensed version of the game? If so, what were they (in general)?

WL: Yes, we have altered some parts of the game. To maintain game balance, we haven’t included the functions that would let players use IM points to exchange Gold and EXP directly. We also chose not to include the function allowing players to use items to inquire about the recipes for compounding equipment. We also changed some contents of the Q&A so the questions make more sense for western players.

Onrpg: Could you please briefly explain the game’s class system? Are classes really that important in this MMO?

WL: In Wonderland Online, players have 6 different classes to choose from: Killer, Warrior, Knight, Wit, Priest and Seer. Based on the character variables, the system will automatically show players what classes are available to the character they’re creating. Different classes have different attributes and skills. For example, a Killer is good at attacking while a Warrior is good at defending. Each class has different special skills to enhance their abilities.

Onrpg: What are some of the current events in the game? What would you say the approximate participation rate is for them?

WL: We have many events including system events, weekly events and online events.  In fact, most of the events attract lots of participants. For instance, the popular event Travel with Robinson we held recently attracted many players since it helps players get to know the maps in-game they will see during their fantastic trip. It doesn’t hurt that the players can also win plenty of rewards.

We pride ourselves on offering events that are both interesting and have worthwhile rewards. We want to add to the fun players can have beyond the basic quest, instance and PvP systems.

Onrpg: Please excuse me for the generalization, but why is it that almost all of the playable characters are female, when a majority of the players tend to be male?

WL: At present, we have 4 female characters in the game, which is not uncommon for this type of MMORPG. Our data suggests the balance of male and female players in the game is good. I think the developer skewed the available characters toward the female side because they wanted to attract more female players. We’ve asked them to add more male characters in the future.

Onrpg: Wonderland Online is reputed for its wide variety of pets. Could you give us a few examples of your most unique pets in the game?

WL: Our players really enjoy the pet system. In Wonderland, there are 2 different types of pets: common pets and human pets. The common pets are usually the monster-type pets that players can catch in battle.

In comparison, the human pets are better in many respects, but players can only get them by doing quests. As the storyline progresses, players will meet human pets like Roca, Fred, Niss and others, all of which have powerful skills and weapons. Though they are a part of the storyline, they also provide players crucial assistance on their adventures. The trip is more interesting with them than if players were to rely on just their basic character.

Onrpg: If you were given the opportunity to rename this MMORPG, what would you name it and why?

WL: Ha ha! I can’t think of any name better and more suitable than Wonderland for this game. Wonderland forever!

Onrpg: Do you have any future updates planned for the game? What can players anticipate seeing in Wonderland Online?

WL: I do have one piece of good news to share. We’ll be releasing the new version 5.0 “Glory of the Empire” soon. In the latest version, there will be new human pets, bosses, maps and mini-games, plus the long-expected marriage system. Players definitely won’t want to miss all the new additions in “Glory of the Empire.”

Onrpg:Thank you for your time!

WL: You’re welcome, and thanks for all the questions. I hope we’ve given people who haven’t tried the game some insights into what it’s like and provided our current players with a few tidbits they may not have known before. 

Click here for the Wonderland Online Game Profile
Click here for the Wonderland Online Official Website