Yearly Archives: 2009

Angels Online: April FoolsÂ’ Day Event Preview

As April Fools’ Day is coming around the corner, the Angels Online team will be holding a series of online events to offer all players a chance to enjoy the fun and win abundant rewards. The event will start after the server maintenance on March 26th and end before the server maintenance on April 9th.

Event Details
1. During the event, players have a chance to obtain [Fool Bread], [Fool Cake], [Fool Panocha] or [Fool Layer Food] which are effective within 30 minutes.
2. During the event, players may obtain a [Fool Chest] by defeating level 20+ monsters. Open the chest and players have a chance to obtain a [Fool Lottery]. Players can exchange [Fool Lottery]*100 for a [Fool Treasure Bag] from [Fool’s Day Envoy]. What’s more, production players may obtain a [Fool Point Ticket] by collecting level 21+ materials and they can exchange [Fool Point Ticket]*100 for a [Fool Work Chest] from [Fool’s Day Envoy].
3. A new NPC called [Fools’ Day Clown] will appear in level 20, level 40 and level 60 maps. Players will obtain a surprise if they can defeat him. Don’t worry! Although [Fools’ Day Clown] has abundant HP, he hasn’t learned any skills and his output damage is lower.

Luna Online

Prepare for unending adventure in Luna Online!

Customize your character and embark on a journey to the magical floating isles of the Blue Land! Join the armies of humans, elves, and dwarves as they band together to harness the power of the Goddess Luna and turn back the tide of evil demons threatening to destroy their world forever!

Are you brave enough to face these challenges? You’ll need to master Luna’s Online’s 40 dynamic job classes and make new friends and allies to become Luna Online’s next great hero! Featuring hundreds of quests, a robust farming system, and innovative matchmaking features, including date instances, Luna Online is a game like no other, giving you the chance to become a hero, make new friends, and maybe even find true love too!

Luna Online Interview: The Hype Is Only Beginning

Questions by Rick Charbs (Jammart), Onrpg writer

Answered by Elliott Coward Producer – Luna Online

I’ve had the great pleasure to interview Elliot Coward, Luna Online producer at gPotato. With a distinctive curve on the social aspect of the game, Luna Online offers many features that promote community interaction: “The game is centered on player interaction. With the Date Instances, Family and Farm system, Guild alliances, battles, tournaments players have to make an effort to NOT interact, rather than the other way around with other MMO’s out there” Elliot Coward kindly informed us. With an estimated release in mid to late April, the Luna Online hype is only beginning!

Onrpg: Congratulations on the release of your forum! What promotions have you started (or plan to) on the Luna boards as of yet?

Elliot: Thank you so much, we’re really proud of our community! Well right now we’ve really got a creative, fun and energetic community. Everyone is really excited for our release and we’ve been trying to reward them for their patience. We’ve got a pretty extensive plan for the forum and the activity on there. With the Luna MVP program our contests aren’t just a “congrats, now be on your way,” it’s a visual representation of our appreciation for your creativity and helpfulness. You can check out our events sections for more info and our most current contest. There will be at least one each week!

Onrpg: What brought you to the decision of hosting a game with such a cute style?

Elliot: How can you say no to such cute little puppy dog eyes?? Haha, honestly when we first saw Luna it was starting to make really big waves in other markets. We went and met with the developers and their attitude and plans were really impressive. We instantly thought that this game has a lot of appeal and huge potential.

Onrpg: That being said, what sets Luna Online apart from other cute styled MMORPGS?

Elliot: I think the real difference between Luna and all the rest is the Social functions. The game is centered on player interaction. With the Date Instances, Family and Farm system, Guild alliances, battles, tournaments players have to make an effort to NOT interact, rather than the other way around with other MMO’s out there.

Onrpg: Could you please offer us some information on the match making system? How will it benefit players?

Elliot: Absolutely! Basically the Match Making System (MMS) is a compatibility comparison. You input a few bits of information on who you are, or who you want to be 😉 and that’s where the MMS takes over. It then compares you with every other player on the server and scores your compatibility, sex, job class, and stat build. Based on that score if you “Match” with someone over a certain range, a Special Date instance becomes available. In this date instance are special drops not available anywhere else in game and vital to become the strongest your character can be.

Onrpg: What are some of the different types of quests players can partake in?

Elliot: Well with over 40 different Jobs each with its own unique quest, every player will have a different experience. But Job quests aren’t the only quest obviously. There are quests based on the overall story arc of the game and will continue through the whole experience, as well side quests for just a short break from the drama. Also there are quests that require being an expert fisher, mining and crafting, and even some quests that require some acting skills! Also there are full story arcs just for gaining components for crafting specific gear stronger than anything else at the same level requirement. One our games goals is to not just let grinding the same 10 mobs over and over be the key to being a strong player. There are goals and things you must do beyond just ‘tab’ + ‘1’ to really excel in Luna.

Onrpg: If you were given the opportunity to change one major aspect of Luna Online, what would it be and why?

Elliot: It’s interesting you say that. One of the things we, here at gPotato, pride ourselves on is our knowledge of what our players like, and what is good for our community. Obviously the Asian Markets are much different than N American markets and we’ve really been working with our developers to make some key changes. We’re going to be reducing the XP curve after a certain point and reducing some of the more ‘hardcore’ requirements for key features of the game.

Onrpg: What is the game world like? How many regions are there to explore?

Elliot: Oh man, our world is huge! The huge maps combined with the fact you’re just this little chibi character can be overwhelming at times. A trip around the world of Luna is quiet a trip let me tell you. Right now, not including the date instance maps, we have 33 huge maps to explore. And the very convenient fact that Luna is floating continent means that new floating lands are discovered, well more bumped into, all the time! So Luna will only get bigger the longer you play.

Onrpg: How prominent is the customisation aspect of this title?

Elliot: Since Luna is so heavily focused on social interaction really requires ways for players to define themselves. With the 40+ different job choices, hundreds of unique skills, and countless gear options, you’ll be hard pressed to find players with the same looks or build anywhere.

Onrpg: How do players farm in Luna Online? What is farming all about?

Elliot: Well you can’t talk about farming without talking about the family. A family in Luna is a 5 person permanent group more important than a party, more casual than a guild. You’ve got the Ma and Pa and all the little ones, and each can be assigned rolls on the farm. Farming allows you to grow and harvest special dropped seeds in game that take time and attention. Farms, like date instances are the only way to obtain certain items used in crafting vehicles, armor, and item enhancement and upgrades. Also Families and Farms level up allowing more growing options including livestock.

Onrpg: Will Luna Online see a cash shop in the distant future? If so, what kinds of items will players be able to purchase from it?

Elliot: Yes Luna Online will have a Cash Shop. It will have a lot of standard items that you can find in other games, EXP increases, movement speed increase, protection items, as well as some of the most adorable Costumes I’ve seen in any games. They range from summer event items like Swim suits and Vacation gear to Kitty and Puppy suits. Also what we are expecting our most popular item to be, the Sage Stone. This is a stone that you apply to any functional weapon, armor or jewellery and grant that item a random bonus stat, which can range from very helpful to mediocre to let’s try that again, haha. Players can use Sage stones on the same item as much as they like so you never really know if that’s the best bonus you can get.

I’ve been testing those stones thoroughly and I’ve used them on the same item more than 600 times and have yet to have an identical stat. It’s a really fun and exciting.

Onrpg: Will players be able to purchase premium items for a distinct advantage?

Elliot: None of the items we will be having in the cash shop will be handing over a top of the line weapon or impregnable piece of armor. Everything we are planning to sell will either make things move forward faster (EXP, movement, farming time), make things less risky (crafting and upgrade protects), or just for fun (Costumes, accessories, Decorations).

Onrpg: What kinds of events and activities do you have planned for the game’s release?

Elliot: We’ve got a lot of plans in the works waiting to be finalized, I don’t want to talk up plans that may not be worked out yet, but I can tell you that we are planning a race to the Farmland that is going to have an awesome prize giveaway. The finer details are still being worked on but keep checking our forums for more info updated constantly.

Onrpg: What makes Luna Online so special for you personally?

Elliot: Oh Definitely the Social aspect of it. I’m a huge MMO fan, and lately I’ve been noticing that it’s easier to just go along a game path and never interact with other people. Sure you see people standing around or grinding also, but in Luna, working together is really the key to success. Finding people you have fun with and people you match up with to reach that next stage. It’s what I really enjoy and our company strive for in a game.

Onrpg: What is your favorite character class, and why?

Elliot: Oh man this is definitely the hardest question in the interview. When I first started playing Luna I spend more time looking at my character stats, skills and options than I did actually playing. The first 10 levels I opened the skill window at least 200 times. There are so many options none of them over or under powered. That being said I’ve always been a Tank class so I started with a fighter, and proceeded to make a character that no halfway serious PVP player would ever even consider a halfway decent build. Even though it wasn’t a great build I still had SO much fun! It’s easy to make a character your own because you don’t have to worry about not having the strongest or most logical build, every option has been thought out and leaves you still very capable of experiencing all that Luna has to offer.

Onrpg: Do you have an estimate as to when players will be able to start testing the game?

Elliot: We are planning a big announcement the end of March regarding specifics but I can definitely tell you to save mid to late April. Also gaining access will be much easier as an active community member seeing as how we have already been giving away guaranteed access to few forum members already!

LOTRO: Spring Festival

Following the recent launch of Book 7 for The Lord of the Rings Online (LOTRO), Turbine has released a new developer diary kicking off the LOTRO Spring Festival, which begins today and runs until April 7th.
During the Spring Festival, the world will explode in celebration as the free people of Middle-earth ring in the season with special decorations, festive costumes and special quests.
Here’s the Dev Diary:

No Admittance Except on Party Business

As a cruel, bitter New England winter ambles reluctantly toward milder days, we denizens of Middle-earth have been preparing for a party of special magnificence. Spring shall soon be sprung, and we are keeping our fingers crossed that the inches of ice allover the sidewalks will indeed be melting away soon! If that isn’t good enough reason for a celebration of Spring looming hopefullyon the horizon, I don’t know what is. The new hotness: a Hedge Maze with so much green, leafy goodness that we’ll all be thoroughly tired of the color by the time the festival comes to a close this year. My goal is to use this excuse to override my guilt when I inevitably neglect going outdoors during the fairer seasons, and I encourage you to do the same.

I’ve been a rabid fan of the LotRO festivals since the game launched, well before I started working at Turbine. Maybe you can imagine my excitement when I was given the opportunity to take on these events for my first project as a brand new addition to the dev team. After a great deal of flailing around aimlessly with some crazy ideas, a lot of input from some very helpful teammates, and a significant fear that I wouldn’t be able to make any of my goals for this event fall into place, things actually started to magically come together.

Amazeing, right? Yuk, yuk. (I couldn’t help it.)

This Spring Festival will feature all of the games and good cheer that have been present in the past, but this year brings a sizeable new landmark to the festival grounds in the Horsefields, courtesy of a very talented gardener on the World Team. If you are new to the game or unfamiliar with the festival content, try to make it to the Shire’s Greenfields for the Bullroarer celebrations, as well as the usual stomping grounds for our seasonal events: Hobbiton, Thorin’s Hall, Duillond, and the Horsefields.

My favorite aspect of the festivals (and the element that inspired me most when planning and implementing the content for the Hedge Maze) is the heightened sense of community that arises from the players around Festival time. It is a very palpable thing during these limited events, and players of every level can actually find common ground in playing and enjoying the offered content. All playstyle differences are laid aside as folks clamor to drink the smoothest ale, learn the latest dances, and emote-mock the one Hunter that can’t seem to do the fence walk after countless tries. It’s a side of LotRO that contrasts heavily with the constant uphill battle of advancing your character, and is a very enjoyable diversion for many.

The Hedge Maze is intended to bring players together for a new challenge that will take place in a more close-quartered public instance than we’ve seen previously in the game. There are chickens to be caught, Elves to be scolded, signs to be posted, records to be beat, and a very sinister surprise at the center of it all. I highly recommend joining the Inn League this year if you have not done so already.

A new notification system was also implemented for this update, made to announce much of our expanding content going forward. In-game mail will be sent to those of you who log in during certain events; we want to alert players who might not read the forums regularly that there is a new feature in Middle-earth, or that a limited-time-only event may be running. If you’re worried about missing the festival, you’ll be happy to know that you’ll be getting an informal invitation in the mail from an overworked Party Planner from Hobbiton.

DC Universe and The Agency delayed to 2010

John Smedley, President at Sony Online Entertainment, announced during a speech at the Game Developers Conference that both The Agency and DC Universe Online are planned for a 2010 release. The Agency is an intense action shooter set in a high tech world, whicle DC Universe is an MMO that features all the famous characters from DC Comics such as Batman, Superman, Joker etc.

Both MMO-games are being developed for PC and PlayStation 3.

Pokemon MMO? Not going to happen

Whattheyplay.com is reporting the following news:

In our interview with Pokémon series director Junichi Masuda (left, in the photo below) today, he responded to questions from fans and What They Play Twitter followers regarding the future of the franchise, and the secrets of its repeated (and repetitive) success. One of the most asked questions from our readers concerned rumors of a fully online Pokémon game. Of this, Masuda said, “At this point, we’re not thinking of going in that direction. Trading is a core concept of Pokémon. So when you’re trading, you meet with a friend and decide which one you want and which one they want. I would like to emphasize real-world communication. You don’t see each other online.”

(source: whattheyplay.com)

Wonderland Online: First anniversary

On March 27th, 2009,Wonderland Online will be celebrating its first birthday. In the past year, 8 servers have gathered more than 1.4 million members. To thank for players’ wonderful support, Wonderland Online will offer you a series of events:
 
First of all, any player who stays online between 1 a.m. March 27th and 12 a.m. March 28th will enjoy double experience. In addition, many surprising gifts will be laid for you to collect in Wellington Village in branch 2 of every server. Nimbus Spar and Yacht Voucher, as the most popular game items which cannot be bought normally, will be displayed on sale in Item Mall during the celebration. Another 3 events are:
 
100 Credits Giveaway (Duration: March 27th-April 2nd)
During the event, all players fulfilling requirements will gain 100 credits at most.
 
WLO Anniversary Essays Contest (Duration: March 21st-March 31st)
To celebrate WLO’s 1st anniversary, officials have been holding an essay contest. You can write about whatever you have received from WLO.
 
Fortune Bombing (Duration: March 27th-March 30th)
If you like gambling, you cannot miss this. Players will have some chance to win fabulous Culver Voucher, 1000000 Gold, 8X Holy EXP Potion and Evil Gown.
 
Follow your destiny on March 27th, 2009 and celebrate with us our First Ever Grand Anniversary!