Questions by Mohammed Afzal (MageMoa), Onrpg journalist, and the Onrpg community
Answered by Max Stolberg, Dragonica Producer, gPotato.eu gaming portal
Dragonica is a game created by Barunson and it is currently being hosted in several versions. Dragonica Online is different from most MMORPGs. It is a 3D side scrolling MMORPG which offers its players to walk in a 2.5 dimensional world with their 3D characters. The game offers us loads of classes, unique features and amazing graphics. We can easily call Dragonica a game of the newest generation.
After a great preview client, which was only available to the press, gPotato, the European host of Dragonica, decided to launch a Closed Beta and shortly after that an Open Beta. Onrpg had the chance to ask one of their producers a few questions about the game and its future. The questions were publicly chosen by the Onrpg community and myself. Please be aware of the fact that there was a delay between the moment the questions were sent and the moment they were sent back.
Onrpg: Would you like to introduce yourself, please?
Hi there. Thank you very much for letting me discuss Dragonica with you. My name is Max Stolberg and I’m the Producer of Dragonica for the European market. My job is to plan and coordinate the market entry of Dragonica in Europe. This includes the localisation, testing and launch of Dragonica and successively its EU operation.
Onrpg: Will our characters remain after the wipe or will everything be reset?
Characters after CBT had been reset or wiped indeed. Characters will not be reset or wiped after Open Beta. We’ve already opened the in game shop and players can spend real money for Dragonica to equip their characters. There won’t be a wipe.

Onrpg: Are you planning to IP-block the residents of the countries who do not have their own version of Dragonica (such as North and South America)?
The IP block already has been implemented in Europe and will soon be implemented in Singapore and North America as well. Regions who do not have a licensed publisher yet are excluded from this IP block of course. Further, we offer European players travelling abroad to register their IP so they can continue playing on their Dragonica version.
Onrpg: Many players do not understand the complicated mission grading system. Can the mission grading system be explained more in depth, please?
There are 7 ranks in the mission map and depending several factors like combo skill, hit percentage, damage taken and speed a rank is calculated. From top to bottom the ranks are S – A – B – C – D -E – F. The higher the rank (e. g. S) the higher your reward will be.
Onrpg: Are you planning on adding special mission maps which require more than four players?
There are plans to have mission maps that require more than four players indeed. I cannot reveal any more details yet however as this system has not been fully finalized yet.
Onrpg: When a player dies, he has to pay an amount of gold to get revived. Many players are complaining about the high costs of reviving. Are you planning on lowering the costs?
We’re not planning on lowering those revival costs currently. First, you can always buy feathers from the in game shop which revive you with full health and full mana and secondly, you do not have to die actually. This can be avoided you know.
Onrpg: What is the maximum level going to be?
The maximum level currently is 60. When we open the next continent I expect the level cap to be 80 and then progressively 100 and 120. This however is not 100% confirmed and can change if Barunson sees a change necessary.
Onrpg: When the Cash Shop will be released in the official release, will you also release (new) in-game items to buy?
The in game shop is already released even though we’re still in Open Beta phase. Just check it out please. Our in game shop however is built around the philosophy that we do not sell items that give players an unfair advantage so we refrain from selling in game items or balance breaking items.
Onrpg: What makes Dragonica so different from other games?
Dragonica is unique in its approach to form a hybrid MMO & action side-scrolling game. You’ll not only find all the normal MMO features including achievement system, housing, customizable characters, marriage system, pet system, guild and group PvP to just name a few. Just imagine a mix of “Golden Axe” and “Super Smash Brothers”. It’s retro with modern, hack and slay with skill and coolness with fun. And if you want, you can even get one of those freeware programs to plug in your console and play Dragonica with that. A PC MMO on a console so to speak.
Onrpg: Where do you receive your content from? The Chinese or the Korean Dragonica?
We receive our content from our developer Barunson who has licensed the game to several different publishers worldwide, including ICE in China, NCsoft in Korea, IAHgames in Singapore and THQ in North America. All of those publishers basically receive the same content but of course have the right to either request specific changes according to their market needs or not apply the update at all.
Onrpg: Are you planning on adding unique content that only applies to Gpotato?
We certainly will add unique items or events that only apply to gPotato but as far as whole system features go, I cannot imagine the costs Barunson would have to bear if they’d develop game systems uniquely targeted at one publisher. I think such a thing is out of the question, unfortunately.

Onrpg: What kind of updates can we expect? Are there incentives for PvP, are you going to raise the level cap, are there new class evolutions etc.. ?
The next big update will see more content added in the level 50-60 region with new mission maps and new monsters to beat. Also, the PvP system still will be worked on as well as class balance, class design and class evolution. Barunson also will continue to work on high end level content, new in game features like the housing and pet system and many more. We’ve launched the game now as we believe it’s good enough for a release and good enough for players to thoroughly enjoy it but it’s far from finished. There’s much more to come and to look forward to.
Onrpg: What would you like to see added in Dragonica yourself?
PvP and PvE end level content. Mission maps with 10 players having a really challenging boss fight.
Onrpg: Can we expect more games of Gpotato this year? Could you at least mention some title(s)?
We’ll indeed add another AAA title this year with Allods Online, a sci-fi fantasy game developed by the Russion developer Nival Online. Look out for this game as it’ll be a blockbuster among free to play games.
Onrpg: Are you planning on adding new content in the future? Could you tell us a little bit more about that?
As I mentioned we’ll add additional monster and mission maps between level 50 and 60. For other content updates, please be patient and wait a little bit longer.
Onrpg: Is there anything else you would like to mention?
I wish all of you a lot of fun playing Dragonica and hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Onrpg: Thank you for answering our questions!
MapleStory Europe has been updated with a new major content update. The patch adds an entirely new set of classes called the “Knights of Cygnus” and brings a whole new storyline to Maple World.

By Kei Beneza (Dividelife), OnRPG Journalist
Seafight is a free (MMORPG) that lets you live the life of a pirate. Roaming the seven seas has never been this fun as your take down enemy vessels and sea monsters while “yo-ho-hoing” to the pirate life. As a fresh new pirate, it’s your duty to fight battles, roam the unforgiving seas and expand your territory while gaining the heart of your crew on your journey to become one of the most feared pirates ever. You’ll be fighting notorious pirates as you make your way through the raging currents, firing cannons and savoring the sound of battle while trading cannonballs with enemy ships. Despite its outdated graphics, the game is still being played by a total of 22 million people, of which around 30 thousand playerss can be online at one time. Hard to believe? Let’s take a closer look!
Character creation is a breeze in this game. After entering your name and choosing your server, your Pirate Captain Persona is up and ready. You’ll be upgrading your ship as you progress through the game. There are tons of upgrades and enhancers to choose from so you won’t have to worry about uniformity taking the fun away. Earning money is the same as any other MMO. You’ll be doing various quests while fighting dreadful sea monsters in order to gain in game cash that are either used for consumables or upgrades. The interface is user friendly and easy to get used to. The game’s not that complicated so you won’t have to spend more time learning the curves before getting into the action.
The game also has a sort of “SIMS” element that makes you take care of your crew in order for them to function well. This means you have to provide them with enough food and necessities (alcohol) to keep them in tip top shape. This is done by accessing their individual windows and looking at their status. It’s most essential for you to keep track of your crew’s health so don’t go around fighting without attending to them first. It is also important that you check your ship’s status most of the time, especially since most pirates won’t think twice about blasting you up to the sky. Getting upgrades may get a bit trivial as you go through the game. In fact, it’s always hard to find the ideal character build that compliments your play style.
Aye aye! This game does have PVP! If you’re that desperate to prove that you’re the best captain there is, then don’t just brag about it, make them see it with their own eyes. Combat is one of the best elements of Seafight. Like the title suggests, the game is built entirely on ship battles at sea. The combat interface is relatively easy to comprehend. I wouldn’t go as far as saying that this game has a technical combat system, but it does have its strategic moments.
The visuals are pretty impressive for a game that deals only with ships. The game is presented in 3D but can easily be dismissed as a 2D game due to its isometric view mode that makes the ships and the other elements look a bit flat around the surface. Explosions and other effects look similar to red alert 2 (which was completely 2D by the way). Ships turn at ultra fast speed which makes it kinda funny. Then again, who’d want to use a slow ship at a time like this? The interface still looks MMO-ish despite its red alert-like visuals. Damage numbers still show whenever you hit your opponents with skills and such. The buttons look easy enough to understand, making it easier for people to know what they’re pressing. Some skills and special weapons are expressed through different balls of light. It’s quite simple compared to other MMOs that actually render cannonballs during game play, but the colorful projectiles do look quite appealing. It’s like you have an idea how hard that ball of light will hit just by looking at it. These types of effects add up to the game’s visual harmony and must not be taken lightly. The objects look crisp and the elements look awesome.
The game runs on real time, meaning you’ll be squirming around the seas day and night. This boosts the sense of realism since you’ll be planning ahead like a normal pirate whether in sunlight or under the crescent moon. Might I say that this game possesses an impressive set of visuals that are sure to make Black Bleard himself proud.
All in all, the game’s one of the best pirate games to ever hit the seven seas. The customizable features and ship upgrades really lets you take charge of what type of ship you’re trying to make. The crew may be needy at times but is quite essential for players since it immerses them deeper into the role of the captain. The visuals are steady. The water looks nice with the current unchanging despite certain conditions. The visuals may need a bit of work but it’s not too bad on its current state. The sea monsters and ships do build a form of realism due to its crisp 2d-ish 3d skin. The game runs swiftly with a nice frame rate that would leave any player breathless. The game play is definitely different from other MMOs. What’s better is that the game doesn’t suck despite the lack of traditional features like character archetypes and mass visual exploration. I myself don’t know what makes this game good. It’s not really the best game in the world but its uniqueness is quite charming, making it a must play for any MMO gamer out there. AHOY MATEY!
The Good
– In depth character customization
– Sense of Realism
– Decent Visuals
– Explosive combat looks good despite the lack of detail
– PVP!
– No installation needed.
The Bad
– Graphics need improvement
– Needs more BGM
– Gives you digital sea sickness after a while (colors are too flat at times, its sickening)
– Some ship archetypes may help.


By Vincent Haoson (Vincenthaoson), OnRPG Journalist
Have you ever wondered how it would feel to wake up one day with no memory of what happened to you the night before, and with an orc near your bed calling you honey? Well, look no further because that is how you start off your adventure in Gekkeiju Online.
Before I continue on the review, a short backgrounder for the game must be done because there are several aspects in the game that is hard to actually convey without at least a prior knowledge of the whole thing. This is not like most of the games you see out that you can immediately judge from the get go.
First, according to the site’s Wiki-page, the developers of Gekkeiju Online does not consider itself an MMO, their reason is that the game population is not that big. Next would be that the game considers itself an ‘Independent Project’. It means that the game is not forced to earn the developer a huge amount of profit. Third, the game prides itself that unlike most MMOs, the game is in a constant flux meaning the game updates itself in a constant manner totally unlike most commercial MMOs that are finished products when they start operation.
Gekkeiju Online does not pride itself for having the best graphics in the industry. The characters are roughly done and if you would notice, there is a huge difference between the male and female characters which shows the bias the developers have in terms of genders. The male characters look bad while the female characters are better rendered. It is quite obvious that the game’s graphics engine is using some old 3d engine because the monsters look like chunks of big blocks. Oh and before you get surprised, during character creation your character does curse you by chucking his or her arms at you, so better be prepared for that.
The game background quality is also similar to how your character looks. If you are expecting to having a little reprieve from all the visible polygons you see when you do look at the game’s horizon, I must be honest and tell you that you will be disappointed.

What your eye perceives in Gekkeiju Online is what you will get when it comes to the game’s controls. Your characters move awkwardly and robotic, it’s as if your character is like those round-up robot toys you get when you were a kid. That is not just limited to your character. Even the monsters movements are not as smooth and there are times where you can just laugh at how they move because they look like string puppets.
Gekkeiju Online makes up for the poor graphics with tons of game features that are exclusively unique to the game. One of the first things you would notice is that the game has a different leveling system compared to the usual MMORPGs. IN Gekkeiju Online level advancement must be done through an NPC that is found in the villages. You do not get stat points nor get to jump to the next level of the game by just merely killing monsters. Though you do get to receive experience points, but these serve as payment for the advancement of your character.
Another unique feature the game has its character creation. Gekkeiju Online lets you choose what kind of character you have, what god does it worship and what kind of ‘character’ your character has in the beginning. You can have the option of getting a certain background for your character which sets the stat bonuses your character will get.
Another character related feature the game has is that it has an NPC that gives allows you to change races in the game. This gives you the opportunity of trying out the other races without having to create another account. Of course it would mean that you would have to start from scratch but it beats having you make another character just to know how it feels to be an elf.
Some of the other features the game has include the option of sailing on boats and travel the seas of Gekkeiju Online. There is also a game system where you have to bury your kills or they return from the grave as undead skeletons hell bent on bringing you to hell with them.

One of Gekkeiju Online’s biggest asset as an independent game is that the developers are given free rein on almost everything about the game. This would mean that they can do whatever they please without worrying too much what the players would think. This freedom gives way for the game to have a charm you would not normally find in any commercial MMORPG. Where would you find a game that welcomes you into its world by introducing you as an orc’s lover regardless of your character’s gender or that would you even encounter a game that insults you when you die? These are but a few of the little charms that make Gekkeiju make a gem even if the game looks like it was made in the 90s.
For a game that has a huge disadvantage because it has such a dated graphics engine, the game does deliver its promise of having a feature heavy online game. The amount of features the game has can in fact offset the game’s visual limitations. There is also the charm the game has. Gekkeiju Online is a game that has stepped over the line and is a game that bites back because its developers do not have the need to earn a lot from the game. As of the moment, the developers have yet to disprove any of the claims they have and this gives the game a different and fresh feeling that most MMOs have failed to achieve.
If you are the type of person who doesn’t rely too much on visuals and prefers a game that offers something new to a genre that has lost its luster then by all means go ahead and try Gekkeiju Online. A word of caution though, you better prepare yourself for the abuse you’re going to get from a certain orc when you start playing.
Pros:
– The game has a lot of unique features that you won’t find in other games
– The game has attitude and won’t be taking things sitting down
– It’s fun to see NPCs cursing you and insulting you after being saturated with ‘kid friendly’ MMOs.
Cons:
– Very dated graphics
– The BGM becomes irritating if you play the game long enough
– If you are used to a ‘friendlier’ gaming environment then you should think twice on playing the game.
Questions by Eline Stiekema (Snow Cherries), OnRPG Journalist
Answered by Three Rings dev team
Puzzle Pirates is a friendly, low-key kind of game that everyone can enjoy from the first moment. Onrpg gave the Three Rings dev team the third degree and learned some interesting stuff about the game, the community and upcoming events. And pirates, guess what… they disclose some about the new features!
Onrpg: What inspired you to create a game like Puzzle Pirates?
The original designers of the game, Daniel James and Michael Bayne, were looking for a way to avoid the grinding seen in many MMOs and how leveling up becomes the obsession of players in games of that sort. Daniel originally had the idea of using puzzles to circumvent this problem and has always had a love of pirates. Hence, the game was born as a way to provide some of the experience of an MMO from a more casual perspective.
Onrpg: Which feature of Puzzle Pirates are you the most proud of?
The team is most proud of the economy in the game, something that makes Puzzle Pirates far deeper than many comparable games. Every item in the game is essentially created from scratch (raw materials), distributed, and sold by players running “shoppes” on different islands. We think this feature makes it possible for players to immerse themselves in the world of the game to whatever level they wish. It does create some limitations for us in terms of distributing items, but the level of complexity it introduces to the gameplay is a thing to behold.
Onrpg: Which puzzle do you like best?
The next one! We add puzzles to the game on a fairly frequent schedule. We currently have around 20, covering both ship activities and the work required to run the shoppes on each island. There are actually several crafts for which we have designs for puzzles that are not yet implemented, including tailoring and weaving. We’re hoping to add them soon.
Putting aside the currently non-existent puzzles – we find that players tend to fall into two groups: those that enjoy more soothing puzzles like “bilge” or some of the crafting puzzles, and those that prefer puzzles with a more fast-paced arcade feel (like our swordfighting puzzles). Personally, I prefer carpentry as it requires more spatial thinking.

Onrpg: Why can a pirate’s name only consist of one word?
An excellent question! We often wonder why we didn’t allow two word names. Too late now, of course.
Onrpg: Why does the duty report that pop up while players are in the middle of a puzzle? Why not showing this when the puzzle is finished?
Problem one: When is the puzzle finished? Never! The duty report interruption of play is actually a design feature, although some players have asked for a way around it. From the outset, the duty report was intended to provide a moment for players to rest and interact with their crew members. People often take the time to compliment each other on good scores etc. and take a breather. More recently, we added “expeditions” to the game. These are short quests that involve going to desert islands or ship wrecks to hunt for treasure. We’re hoping these also provide breaks when players can interact more socially. We like to be sure people aren’t looked in the puzzling tunnel all the time!
Onrpg: What do you think makes Puzzle Pirates stand out from other games?
The most important aspect of the game was put in place with Daniel and Mike’s initial design: you don’t get better in the game simply because you grind away from level to level. This means that new players have a much better chance of joining the game and truly enjoying it. They aren’t going to get stomped by a more experience player simply because the newbie hasn’t been around as long. Any conflict between them is resolved based on how they both do at a puzzle. We think this makes the game more accessible and avoids the rather unattractive grinding feature that most other games impose on players.
Onrpg: If you could really go out your way without any restrictions, what would you add to or change about the game?
We actually have a lot of freedom in what we add to the game so I don’t think anyone on the team feels that we’ve not been able to include the features we’d like. Unlike some other games, Puzzle Pirates has evolved considerably since launch. We’ve added elements that have substantially enhanced or changed game play multiple times in the 5 years the game has been running so it’s hard to say there’s something specific we’ve missed, although we do always have ideas for the future that get the team excited.
Probably our greatest restriction is the rate at which we add features. There are times when we feel uncomfortable adding something at a particular juncture because of the time that will pass before we can add a complementary feature that would be needed as a balance to it. For some concepts, the fact that our team is of a certain size make it impossible roll out both parts at the same time. This sometimes puts the kibosh on an idea. That’s probably the biggest limiter we’re operating with.
Onrpg: Why did you decide to have free puzzle days?
We have free puzzle days so that players can experience all the puzzles in the game and, perhaps, decide they are worth the price of subscription or a doubloon badge. Exposing all our content to players in a metered way seems like a good way to promote each of the puzzles.
Onrpg: What are the advantages for players who subscribe to full access?
Subscribers gain access to the tools needed to run a ship and get on the path to being a pirate captain. One of the beautiful design elements in Puzzle Pirates is that those players that do subscribe and purchase a ship, etc. are actually creating a great deal of the fun and excitement for the whole community. They themselves also benefit in terms of what they earn and their ability to engage in more involved adventures from creating excitement for the rest of the community. We think this feedback loop between the highly invested and casual players is one of the marvelous features of the design that Daniel and Mike came up with.
Onrpg: What do you think about the Puzzle Pirates-community?
The Puzzle Pirates community is absolutely extraordinary. Give its size and longevity, perhaps the most remarkable feature of the community is how civil, excited about the game, and genuinely open it remains. We also very much appreciate the deep game knowledge that many of the players, particularly those that participate in the forums, bring to the debate about the ongoing evolution of Puzzle Pirates. We definitely make a point of keeping an eye on the forums and the ideas that are proposed there.
We also have an amazing support team that’s very engaged with the player community. We make a point of encouraging events and outreach activities to ensure that the support staff retains close links with players. It is important for us to identify problems as they emerge in the both the economic and game play systems in Puzzle Pirates quickly. The player base is pretty vocal about this, as you can imagine. They are, of course, also all a crazy bunch of pirates, which is also great in and of itself.
Onrpg: I see you’re organizing three meet-ups in North Carolina, Melbourne and the Netherlands. Why did you decide to organize these, and why these specific locations?
These are actually player-sponsored events that are not directly affiliated with Three Rings. However, we do encourage players to coordinate these kinds of activities through our forums and sometimes support Ocean Master attendance at events (although our support staff are not attending in an official capacity).

Onrpg: What do you expect of these meet-ups, why should players visit one of them?
We actually did sponsor an event several years ago in our offices for players that were able to join us in San Francisco. Part of the reason for this, as mentioned above, was so that we could stay involved with the players and keep tabs how they saw the game developing.
What I found so surprising at that meet-up was how diverse the player base was. There were people from across the world and almost all age groups from younger than college age to retirement. It was, of course, enjoyable to see how excited they were to meet other people that played Puzzle Pirates. The best part, however, was that they were most excited not necessarily because they’d known each other in game, but because they knew they were in a community of people that shared a fascination with pirates.
There’s generally a sense of frivolity and swagger that many people that are attracted to the pirate world share. They have a sense that the world would be a little better if we all had a cutlass and bandana and a slightly kookier attitude towards things. I think that certainly worth the effort to get to a Puzzle Pirate meet up.
Onrpg: Are there any particular player requests that will influence new developments in the future?
We’ve just finished a series of releases that substantially revamped and extended our “pillaging” system (pillaging being what Pirates do out on the high seas when looking for loot). Our focus is now turning to the higher end aspects of the game, including how players become the governors of the pirate islands, what they do when they become a governor, and how that feedback into the general experience of the game for the whole community. This is something that many players will agree is due some attention.
Onrpg: Are there elements of the game that were unsuccessful and have disappeared, or will disappear or change in the future?
We experimented with making smaller “adventure” versions of the current game using our existing art. Our goal was to create something more explicitly RPG-like. It turned out that the principle pillaging experience in the game, the first thing that the original designers created, is core to player enjoyment. Insofar as it wasn’t included in the adventures, we really hadn’t created something that was very fun. We’re hoping we’ll be able to build towards something more “adventure-like” with the recently added Expedition feature.
Onrpg: Are there any upcoming big events that players can look forward to?
There are several substantial blockades coming up on several of our Oceans. Blockades involve vast armadas of ships engaging in battle for control of an Island. They’re certainly something worth seeing. We also brought out a number of new features at the end of June. If you’re interested in how the economy of Puzzle Pirates works, it will be worth checking in to see what we’ve added.
