Yearly Archives: 2009

RuneScape Review: A Look Into RuneScape

By Jason Gallienne (Jrgsubzero), Onrpg writer

Many different thoughts come up when the word ‘RuneScape’ is spoken. Well, I’m here to share my thought on this game and try to give an unbiased review as well a deep look into this world.

Graphics Underwhelming

First, let’s talk about the most discussed subject about the game. That’s right, the graphics. While the graphics are nothing compared to today’s high detailed monsters, RuneScape continues to hold its charm and style even though it had its graphics overhaul last November .

The graphics have undergone many of these overhauls and Jagex continues to make small changes to them as the days go by. The most recent minor change was done on April 1st to an NPC named King Vargas.

The game also has very low system requirements and no download is required, so you may run this game from any computer that has internet.

The animations, while not the best, get the job done. Some might be clunky looking (chopping wood for example) but some of the special attack animations are impressive.

Old-school audio

The sound effects in this game aren’t the most realistic. The combat twangs and clanks sound alright but when something gets hurt or is dying it can sound pretty weird. The life skill sounds hit the mark most of the time. I personally really like the sound when you mine ore.

The music is wonderful. The tracks convey emotions with what seems to be simple melodies. It’s not an  over-the-top orchestra but it has that old-school feel that some might appreciate. As you go places you unlock the tracks that play there and you can listen to them anytime by using the jukebox feature on your screen.

A Varied Life

The best feature of RuneScape is the gameplay. From fighting monsters to growing crops, there’s plenty to do. So, let’s talk about combat. You left-click to attack and you will do so with whatever you have equipped. (or with punches and kicks if you have nothing). You can then eat food or drink potions to recover your health, switch fighting styles, change weapons, cast spells, or run. You exchange blows automatically and monsters will drop items and/or money upon death. Most enemies will drop bones upon death for you to bury and raise your prayer skill.

Upon death, you will keep your three most valuable items according to alchemy cost. Alchemy cost is how much gold you create when you cast a spell called “Alchemy” on an item (which transmutes it). This means if an item has an alchemy cost of say, 100k, but it’s worth 10mil on the Auction House, then it will only be worth 100k when considering it as your three most valuable items. No matter how much gold you collected, when you die it is counted as one gold piece. This goes for all stackable items. So, if you have three items on you, it’s safe to say you will lose all your gold upon death. Prayer can be leveled to use the protect item prayer which lets you keep one extra item.

There are three types of way to kill a monster: with melee, magic, or ranged attacks. You start off with a simple sword and shield, a bow and arrows, and a couple runes to cast spells with. Talking to the different tutors will grant you these items and other tools to help you make your living in the world.

Fighting styles often come in four flavors depending on what type of weapons you have equipped. For melee the style aggressive raises strength, accurate which gives attack experience (or exp), block which accumulates defense exp, and controlled which gives all three exp at a lower rate. You gain +3 in each stat (character statistic) depending on which style you choose, +1 to each if you’re using controlled.

In the Ranged skill the style deemed accurate will raise ranged exp, rapid makes you attack faster and also gives ranged exp, or long range lets you gain ranged and defense but at a split cost. Your exp for melee and ranged is calculated by your damage x 4 = exp.

For magic, you get the three basic weapon styles on your staff, plus two auto-cast styles which automatically cast a selected spell when you click a monster. One is regular and one is defensive so it can raise your defense exp as well. You gain magic experience even if you “Miss” and how much experience you get is based on the spell itself.

Now Onto Skills

This is one of the greatest features of RuneScape, as it stands at this moment in time free-to-play players have access to 15 skills while members have access to all 24. In order to level up a skill you must perform the related action, for example if you chop a tree you get woodcutting experience. This is different from most games where you obtain skills at certain levels. Here, your total level is determined by the sum of all of your skill levels. The more important combat level is calculated by how high your combat skills are and is your basis on judging how strong you are. This does not mean you have to dive into combat. You can live happily in RuneScape by only chopping trees, making fires, cooking the fish you catch, and selling them. There is no limit to how many skills you can raise so if you strive for it you can raise all of them to the max!

If you wish to read up on all the skills that RuneScape has to offer please visit the manual.

The Ring of Honor

PVP in this game is handled differently than most. There are certain worlds marked as PVP. In these worlds you can be attacked anywhere at any time as long as you’re outside a safe zone (a place where you cannot be attacked by anyone. You spawn here when you first enter a PVP world. Safe zones and PVP zones are designated by an icon on your screen). Also, you’re still flagged even if you run into a safe zone for 10 seconds. Normal death rules apply except if you’re ‘skulled’. You become skulled if you’re the first to initiate combat. If you’re skulled, you drop everything. When you kill another player you don’t get what they were wearing but rather a market value item of the wealth they were carrying. How long you’ve been pvp-ing and the wealth you’re carrying also affects what will drop.

Alongside this there are PVP mini-games. Such as Castle-war, Clan-wars, and Duel arenas. In Castle wars you choose red or blue and it’s like a ‘capture the flag’ game. But with catapults, barricade building, and other things. No death penalty. Clan-wars is just as it sounds. 1-100 combatants on each side. You can choose to have a safe match or a death penalty match. In Duel Arenas players challenge each other can set rules such as: no running, no magic, no melee, no prayer, no food, etc. You may stake items in this mode and there’s no death penalty.

Your friends and neighbors

The community has its own share of very helpful people to its scamming scum. The game offers forums for use by members and F2Pers who have earned 12.5m experience total. There is also quick-chat servers where players can only talk using a quick-chat system if you wish to avoid undesirables or to just have a quieter run through the game.

A place for everybody

There are different server types for different needs. PVP, Trade, Quick chat, and Normal are the common types. Some servers are used for specific activities as marked by the world list. Such as house parties, Castle wars, Role-playing, and many more.

And to wrap it all up

Overall, I would recommend this game for at least one play-through. I also highly advise you find or make a friend who knows his way around this world, as it can be daunting at first.

Pros:
Plenty of skills to keep you busy
– Easy to run on most computers and no download required so you can play from almost anywhere

Cons:
– Graphics (if you care about them)
– Can be overwhelming for new players
– Community can be unfriendly

Aion Online Interview: Flight is Key in Aion Gameplay

Questions by Rick Charbs (Jammart), Onrpg Journalist, and inspired by the Onrpg community.
Answered by AION Community Manager, Lani “Liv” Blazier.

Aion is set to be released for us English-speaking players sooner rather than later (here begins the anticipation…)! I was very pleased to have the opportunity to hold an interview with the Aion staff. This is a game totally axed on players’ abilities to fly. The unique concepts in Aion set it for record heights in the MMORPG market: “Flight is a key part of all aspects of gameplay: combat, collecting and exploring.”. Read on for more exclusive information on this highly anticipated title!

Onrpg: What renders Aion so unique?

Aerial combat and deep character/gameplay customization are the first things that come to mind when I think about Aion. Also, our unique PvPvE feature. We really wanted to marry the two types of gameplay (PvP & PvE), giving players a balanced version of the best of both worlds.

 

Onrpg: Customization is an important point of interest for the MMO community. What customization will be available, in terms of gameplay and character development?

If you’ve seen Aion’s character creator, you know just how powerful that system is – it’s just one example of how important it is to us that players feel a sense of ownership and connection to the character(s) they create. When it comes to gameplay and character development, we want the same thing. An example of gameplay customization would be Stigma Stones; basically they are the captured essence of ancient Daevas who have died beyond the reach of the resurrection power of the Obelisks. Each time the player is in town, they can create a “stigma deck”; by utilizing different combinations of Stigma stones, players can enhance and change their class so that they are unique. This comes in especially handy if you have a melee fighting character and you want them to go into battle with a few long range skills.

Players can equip themselves with Stigma stones at level 20, with a maximum of five as you increase in level. Stones can be obtained from various monsters and quests – some are easy to get, some are hard – totally depends on the value of the stone. They are not soul-bound, so they are tradable amongst players.

 

Onrpg: What new unique features will this game bring to the MMO market?

Flight! Our development team knew that flight would be a huge challenge in the MMO market, but knew that if they did it right, it could bring something very exciting and unique to the genre. It’s definitely a new experience but once you take to the skies it’s as natural as running. Flight is a key part of all aspects of gameplay: combat, collecting and exploring.

 

Onrpg: Will there be elements focusing on both casual gamers, as well as hardcore gamers?

Yes, the main design goal of PvPvE was exactly that! We wanted to make the PvP parts of the game more accessible and less intimidating to the casual gamer, while staying true to what veteran PvPers love the most. Hardcore players will love it for its unique challenges and casual gamers will find it accessible to participate on many different levels.

 

Onrpg: How will the flying feature work? Will there be a limit as to how long you can fly in an allocated period of time?

Everyone gains the ability to fly at level 10, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you can leave your “running days” behind. Each character has a flight bar that displays the amount of time they can fly. Characters will gain more air time as they level up and there are plenty of gear, buffs and potions that can increase flight time.

It’s important to remember that flying is not just a way to travel – it is a strategic and integral part of gameplay. There are both PvP and PvE skills that affect flight duration and speed and some skills will even knock you down from the sky. Players will have to be very aware of what they can use in the air and how much time they have to do it. I’ve found myself asking, “Do I want to make an aerial attack or save some flight time for a quick retreat? Do I want to explore a dangerous area with the risk of knowing I may have nowhere to land?” Flight adds a whole new dynamic to MMORPGs, but more importantly, it’s just a lot of fun to do!

 

Onrpg: For all of the PvP lovers out there, what unique PvP features do you plan on releasing for the gaming community? Could you please briefly explain how they will function?

The Abyss (which, for the PvPer, will be the big toy on the playground) features a system that rewards players for both PvE and PvP.  Because they are intertwined, players will be encouraged to participate in both and rewarded for both. Points earned can be put towards gear and consumables – points can also be deducted when you die.  This constant gain and loss of points will keep players participating and not just sitting on rank or gear once they reach the top.  As you gain rank you will gain certain Abyss skills that grow in power as you grow in rank. 

 

Onrpg: Knowing most games on the market, many players seem reluctant to try a game with a large “grind” factor. How time consuming will advancing in the game be?

Aion is level-based advancement, but the main focus is on character development. We have multiple ways of growing their character, such as vanity items, Stigma stones, item collection, crafting, title collection and PvPvE rankings. The curve for getting to the max level is on par with most Western MMOGs.

 

Onrpg: How party oriented will the game be? Will it be more beneficial for players to solo, or gather in large groups?

The game can be played either way. We have systems in place to support legions and group raids, but soloing from levels 1-50 is also an option. Some of the higher level areas, like the Abyss, may be challenging to play alone but that’s the beauty of Aion, if a solo player wants in on some Abyss action, it should be easy for them to find a party from their faction that they can temporarily team up with.

 

Onrpg: What is your personal favourite aspect of the game?

Without a doubt, flight. I love it for the complex reasons: the edge it brings to combat, and I love it for the simple reasons: the ability to glide. There’s something very zen about finding a nice cliff to take a flying leap off of – though instead of falling to your death, you simply glide your way to the bottom.

The story is also one of my favourite aspects of the game. During our internal test I decided to play the faction that I knew I wasn’t going to play when the game went live. Now if you asked me to make the switch, I would say “no way”. You spend the first 10 levels learning about your faction, your history and yourself – you become connected to your character. I am now incredibly loyal to my faction and can’t see myself making the switch 😉

 

Onrpg: Do you have any approximate idea on how payment options are going to be upon release?

We haven’t made an official announcement on the payment options yet – those details should be coming very soon though.

Dragon Oath

Dragon Oath is a Massively Multiplayer Online Game set in ancient China during the time of the Song Dynasty in 960 AD. 
 
The main storyline of Dragon Oath is based upon the mythology of the eight races of non-human deities described in Buddhist cosmology.  According to Buddhism, these Demi-Gods exist on a higher plane of existence than mortals, and yet they are still bound by their passions and desires to the Samsara, the cycle of reincarnation.  While the Demi-Gods themselves are not the primary focus in the game, the story’s main characters are modeled after the deity races, exhibiting many of their qualities, both devine and mortal.
 
The story behind Dragon Oath revolves around an elaborate saga of complex, troubled relationships among numerous characters from various kingdoms and sects during China’s Northern Song Dynasty.  The warring empires involved in the story are those of Song, Liao, Dali, Western Xia, and Tubo.  The struggles the characters experience within their combating factions affect the bonds between themselves and their families, societies, ethnic groups, and countries.  As a result, strife and conflict abound, and each player will find himself quickly pulled in to the fray, striving to evolve and leave his mark. Part of this evolution involves choosing one of the nine martial arts classes.  Once chosen, the player’s class will foster development of uniquely powerful skills and abilities that will define the player as a true force with which to be reckoned.
 
What does Dragon Oath have to offer
Dragon Oath allows players to engage in ancient Chinese lore and take part in captivating quests that tell the tale of warriors and diplomats from this time period. Dragon Oath has a large emphasis on teamwork and community within its gameplay mechanics. Marriage, guilds, and blood relation play a huge role in the overall experience of the game.
 
Dragon Oath is also known as “TLBB” in China. It is based on the famous Chinese novel “Tian Long Ba Bu” (Tale of Eight Demigods). It is a free-to-play MMOPRG that has over 30 million global users as of June, 2009. 
 
It is developed by ChangYou.com Ltd, one of the top MMORPG developers and publishers.
Please note that Dragon Oath is region specific and can NOT be played from the following regions: Europe, China Mainland, China Taiwan, China Hong Kong, South Korea, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines and Singapore.

EXCLUSIVE! Jade Dynasty Dev Journal

JD World Intro

Jade Dynasty, the highly anticipated martial arts MMORPG and third title from Perfect World Entertainment, is now open to the public!
The game world of Jade Dynasty is wide and varied, with 10 different areas for players to explore.

Jade Dynasty Map

Sunstream

Nestled between Jadeon and Incense Valley is the peaceful land of Sunstream. Renowned for its beautiful scenery, it is a hub of trading within the realm of Jade Dynasty. Players will begin their journey through Jade Dynasty in center of this land, Sunstream City. This is where players will receive their first weapon and set of armor, as well as first Esper and pet. Sunstream will also give players their first introductions to the five different factions of the game. No matter what path you decide, Sunstream will always be your home away from home.

Jade Dynasty Sunstream1Jade Dynasty Sunstream2

 

Jadeon

Jadeon is the self-named home of the Jadeon faction. It is a vast realm-mighty peaks that surrounded the peaceful valley that houses the Crystal Hall-the headquarters for the Jadeon followers. In Jadeon, players can explore Moontop Hollow to see the place where Jadeon the Revered found Regenesis, founding the Jadeon Faction.

Jade Dynasty Jadeon1Jade Dynasty Jadeon2

 

Skysong

Atop the mystical Sumeru Mountain, rest the Skysong Temple of the Skysong Faction. The temple is a holy ground, with the constant lullaby of mantras floating through the air. It is a place of learning and healing, and visitors will find there are many lessons to be learned from the Factions members that live there.

Jade Dynasty Skysong1Jade Dynasty Skysong2

 

The Billows

Far to the east is The Billows, a land where the sea is covered in mists and the waves relentlessly crash against the waves. Safety can be found in the main city stronghold of the area, the Laguna Collective. The Billows is an area known for having many powerful and divine herbs, however, they are all guarded by frightening creatures.

Jade Dynasty Billows 1Jade Dynasty Billows2

 

Doom Bog

To the west of the river that cuts the continent is the Doom Bog. It is a vast swamp, and few living humans remain there. Most of those who dwell there stay within the walls of Brigand’s Keep. The Doom Bog’s Outer Marsh is filled with monsters and other horrors. The Inner Marsh is even more dangerous, filled with vengeful spirits. The constant rain keeps the entire Doom Bog wet, damp and cheerless.

Jade Dynasty Doom Bog 1Jade Dynasty Doom Bog 2

 

Wild Lands

Far to the north is the Wildlands, a vast and desolate desert. Dry as a bone, it has never rained and can easily lead an adventure to his death. There is at least one oasis though-the Wildland Sanctuary. This stronghold is reportedly the original sanctuary for the Lupin Faction. Now it is a sparsely populated safepoint for those brave enough to venture into the sand.

 

Incense Valley

South of the land of Sunstream, sits the beautiful Incense Valley. To rest and re-gear, an adventurer can stop at Hall of Surveys. The Hall is a quiet city, with ivy and greenery slowly overtaking the beautiful architecture. The quiet Hall and surrounding areas give way to the dark Soulflame Temple, which sits atop a lake of lava.

 

Southern Border

Farthest to the south lies the treacherous Southern Border. Nearly everything dwelling here has become twisted and will attack on sight, including forests of man-biting trees. To find a brief respite, find Seven Mile Cave. The cave is a beauty, filled with tropical trees and visitors may see the occasional peacock strolling the grounds. The Wansha Hall was one a place of learning and enlightenment, but has since fallen into ruin and is over-run with serpent creatures.

 

Kunlun Mountains

Beyond the dangerous Doom Bog, farthest to the west is the snow covered Kunlun Mountains. An ancient mountain range, Kunlun’s smaller peaks surround the Mountain Lake, where it is fabled that ancient dragons dwell. Those looking for a warm cabin and a friendly face should stick to the city Cold Cloud. It is a lonely land, cold and vast; but has always been considered a sacred ground.

 

Shura

Far to the north and east is the dark and ominous Shura. This land has fallen to great ruin, filled with the spirits and souls of lost warriors, now twisted for evil. Lost travelers can find quick refuge in the crumbling remains of a city, now known as the Floating Path to Hell. Much of the land is dwarfed by the great Djinn Palace. A bird’s eye view will reveal Shura lies much like the path of life-to one side, the path of hell into the palace, to the other side, the path of righteousness. Both will gain access to the palace, but which path is up to you.

Every location has its own story to tell. Pick your faction, and dive into the game world of Jade Dynasty!

(for high resolution screenshots check out the gallery)

Grand Chase And Pangya Get New Servers

Ntreev USA, a leading online game developer and publisher, announced today that it is has opened new servers for Grand Chase and Pangya, two of its popular MMO titles, due to increasing demand.  In an effort to accommodate the growing pool of loyal players and serve the growing community, Ntreev has opened new servers to meet the needs of its fans.
“Needing to open new servers for both Grand Chase and Pangya is a testimony that both titles continue to thrive, especially with our continuous efforts to provide new and compelling content for players,” said Chris Lee, CEO at Ntreev USA.  “With the addition of Jin as a playable character last week for Grand Chase, and a new patch for Pangya this week and new Season 4 content coming soon, we are excited for players to check out all the new gameplay elements we have in store for them.”
 
In action adventure MMO brawler Grand Chase, a new character, Jin, a melee specialist, was introduced last week, where his character attributes, including a special fighting ability and special attacks, help him as he joins the chase to search for Luther, leader of the Silver Knights. Jin has three classes, the first job being Fighter where he uses his fists and feet to attack.  He also possesses the unique ability to “burn,” a special ability that makes him stronger and changes his skills.  Jin can charge the gauge and use the charge to perform special attacks or improved skills.  If the bar is fully charged, Jin will go into “burn” mode making several new attacks available, and boosting his skills and attack power; however the charge bar will quickly drain in burn mode.  In addition, Jin also has the ability to dash through opponents during their mid-combo attacks.
 
In Pangya, a new patch was just released late last week.  The latest patch includes the release of special items and the limited time “Pang Ramyon” caddy which may be purchased using Chrono Points.  Twenty-five Chrono Points can be earned for every 10 minutes of gameplay.  This special event will end on June 24th so players should make sure to earn their Chrono Points now.  In addition to the new patch, players can look forward to this summer’s release of Season 4 content, including an all-new Self Design Feature where players can totally custom create a character’s outfit from head to toe.  Players will be able to choose from different pieces of clothing to make up an outfit and then can decorate the clothing with their own artistic flair.  In addition, players will also be treated to an all-new character, a pop-star known as Lucia, who is already a hugely popular character in the Asian version of the game where Season 4 is now live. Ntreev has also added a new security feature that includes an in-game safe for players to keep all their purchased items.  By putting their items in the new safe, players will not have to worry about hacking or loss of their valuable items. Additionally, players can create custom items and give them as gifts to other players, and the gift will be embossed with the player’s name when it is delivered.

Wurm Online Open New Non PVP Server

“As raids increase on the home lands of Wurm, refugees begin fleeing across the oceans in their ships and small boats to find sanctuary in the unexplored south. These desperate souls want nothing of the growing unrest and war between the kingdoms of Jenn Kellon, Mol Rehan and the Horde of the Summoned; they are people of peace, of hope and dreams who wish only to live their lives in harmony with the land and with each other. The promise of a new land offers them the chance to start anew, to set their muscles to the task of taming a new world. And today, they found what they so desperately sought. A beautiful place, empty of people but full of bounty and promise. This new world they have called the Freedom Isles, and this first land they have called Independence!” Kingdom Scribe
The New Server at Wurm Online
Wurm Online is absolutely delighted to announce the opening of a new server on the world of Wurm. This is the first server in a new group of servers called the Freedom Isles, named in respect for the people who have left the Kingdoms of Mol Rehan and Jenn Kellon in search of a more peaceful life, All the servers in this group will be strictly non-pvp and with controls to reduce the chance of player harassment and griefing. But this is not an easy land. It still has wild beasts that can be deadly, it has mountains and lakes and forests to be survived. The challenges will be as mighty as ever, but it will remain war-free.
These new servers are the perfect balance between casual gaming and a more challenging game. They are suitable for players who wish to spend many days digging and shaping the land and building vast monuments, or beautiful villages and towns. But they are also ideal for the player who wishes a smaller, simpler life, where they can make friends and chat and soak up the Wurmian sun in peace and quiet (and then run like a rabbit because they left the gate open and a bear just walked in!)
The Freedom Isles are premium only servers that can be chosen using the new portal on Golden Valley, Wurm’s free-to-play starter server. Players on the existing servers of Mol Rehan, Jenn Kellon and Wild have been offered a grace period where they can travel with all they can carry, and get a full refund on disbanding their deeds. This grace period only applies to players who were premium players on the existing home servers before the launch date of the new server.
Many players will still remain on the original lands of Wurm, and they will all be moving to the Wild server where Jenn Kellon comes head to head with Mol Rahan, and the Horde of the Summoned convert players to their own black god, Libila. Over the next few weeks, the old home servers will be wound down in preparation for the launch of a new, exciting scenario server – Epic. More details soon!
Wurm Online is an MMO which prides itself with never standing still. The team have recognised that there is a market for players who do not wish to be involved in PvP, who want a quiet life and focus on the terraforming aspects of the game. With the additional server group, the Freedom Isles, Wurm Online now offers a cutting edge, challenging game that can appeal equally to both markets.

Eudemons Father’s Day Double-Exp Weekend Event

We just celebrated mother’s love in May, and here we are about to embrace the Father’s Day. Both their love are of the greatest emotions on this beautiful planet. It’s the love that makes the world go around.
 
To celebrate the upcoming 2009 Father’s Day that will fall on Jun.21st, EO will open a Double-Exp event this weekend. All the players will receive 200% experience during the session. So make sure to take part!
 
Note:
The Double-Exp Potion can also be used during the event time. That is to say, players who apply for the Double-Exp Portion will receive 4 times the normal experience!
 
Most importantly, don’t forget to say something to your dear Dad on that special day! It’s time to let him know how much you care about him!

Weekly MMO News – OMG what happened?

By Kei Beneza (Dividelife), Onrpg writer

Neo Stream: The shattered continent goes live!:

After waiting for the closed beta and open beta to end, Atlus online finally managed to bring its first MMO to life. Neo Steam: The Shattered Continent is now up and running, and it’s FREE TO PLAY!! Just sign up on the Atlus Online website [www.atlusonline.com/ ] and you’ll be playing in no time.

Aside from the launch, a screenshot contest was also announced. Players will be busy over time while trying to find that perfect screenie.

Source: http://www.onrpg.com/MMO/Neo-Steam-The-Shattered-Continent/news/Neo-Steam-The-Shattered-Continent-Launched

Free Realms reaches 3 MILLION subscribers:

There’s no doubt that Free Realms is more than just a regular MMO. The main fact that you get to level up without getting your hands dirty is definitely something to think about. Being one of the most original MMOs ever made, Free Realms just announced that they’ve already surpassed 3 Million subscribers. This may seem hard to believe since the game is pretty new. Not counting the PS3 release, the game managed to hook that many players in a short amount of time. Rumors say that the overall population is made up of alternate accounts, especially since Free realms was giving away free shirts and Sony cash to the first 1 million players and party packs to the second million. The third million will then get a pet party pack from SOE which features a bunch of accessories for your ingame pets.

“SOE worked diligently over the past four years to ensure that Free Realms would take the online space by storm,” said John Smedley, president of Sony Online Entertainment. “We are pleased to be able to provide such a vast, in-depth and, most importantly, fun world to an average of 500,000 new gamers per week.”
-John Smedly

Free Realms said that they will no longer give prizes until the population reaches 10 million.

Source: http://www.onrpg.com/MMO/Free-Realms/news/Free-Realms-Reaches-3-Million-Users

 

Updates on APB MMO:

During the E3 convention, more and more updates came as people continue to marvel at APB. The game that was supposed to be Grand Theft Auto on Multiplayer steroids was made by the creators of Crackdown, an explosive sandbox (open world) game for the Xbox 360 back in 2007. The game was said to be released early on 2010 for the PC. The MMO will support 10,000 players that are effectively divided among virtual areas that support 100 people for competitive gameplay and 300 people in social spaces. You can be a man, woman, criminal or cop. It really depends on whether you want to do good or bad things as you go through the game.

What makes this game awesome is its matchmaking feature. If ever you’re a criminal and accidentally sounded an alarm while doing your dastardly deeds, the APB alarm will sound off. This means that the game will automatically turn this district into a persistent arena, yanking cop players into your area for the virtual chase. If ever you’re a criminal of great proportions then don’t be surprised if you suddenly have more than 40 cop players going after you.

The game was said to have an impressive character creation interface that lets you generate impressive looking characters that tend to share our modern delinquent fashion sense. The ingame music is also customizable since you can play mp3s on your pc while driving your stolen car. If you however prefer to play the game raw, the game will try to access last.fm in order for the in game stereo to generate your in-game music.

There were also rumors regarding the game morphing into Grand Theft Auto online sometime soon. The developers then addressed the situation by saying that their game is better and does not need to coexist with another game that shares the same concept (didn’t GTA invent this concept?).

If this game pushes through with all its promises, then we’re looking at another breakthrough in MMO history.

Source: http://kotaku.com/5287331/apb-does-all-of-the-following-in-theory

 

Starwars takes it to the next level:

Yes, we are aware that there is a StarWars MMO already. Bioware however refuses to acknowledge that fact until we get a taste of what is yet to come. Star Wars: The old republic is the first MMO to ever cater 100 percent voice acting. This means that aside from texts, you’ll be hearing each and every character in the game through their actual voice. Every cut-scene, choice, and conversation comes with their own voice acting. If that’s not impressive, then I don’t know what is. In my opinion, the feature would greatly enhance your gaming experience as hearing these NPCs would drag you deeper into the game while creating your own relationship with your surroundings.

The game also has the choose-your-own-adventure play-style which lets you go through a nonlinear path every time you play the game. Each choice you make greatly affects your character’s storyline as well as the NPCs around you.

When I first saw the game, I kinda remembered how disappointed I was with Hellgate London. The graphics look awesome especially for an MMO. Looks like we’re looking at the game that can really uphold these type of graphics and not suck in the process.

Star Wars the Old republic does seem like a single player game rather than an MMO, especially since it caters a lot of voice acting that are nonexistent in other MMOs. Your characters will still move and act like regular MMO characters, but the forked storyline and intense voice acting is so superb you’d forget that you’re actually playing an MMO game.

There’s no doubt that Star Wars the old republic is one of the most awaited MMOs to ever be announced this year. The game was said to be released late 2010. So far, the only thing I don’t like about this game is the fact that it isn’t out yet.

Source: http://kotaku.com/5277689/star-wars-the-old-republic-preview-bam-here-it-is

Warrior Epic Gets New Content

True Games, an international publisher of multi-player online games today announced that it is preparing the first expansion of new content and features for its recently launched MMORPG, Warrior Epic. The new expansion is scheduled to launch in July and will include all-new PVP gameplay that will be available to players who are level ten or higher.  In addition, the expansion will also offer an all-new mid to high level region, “Trogken Swamps”, which will feature tons of new missions, monsters, and unique gear for your Warriors.
“Our promise to the Warrior Epic community is that the game will never get stale or repetitive,” said Peter Cesario, Director of Product and Business Development at True Games. “We want Warrior Epic fans to find something new and exciting about the game every time they login, and this new expansion is just one of many great gameplay updates they can look forward to as the community continues to grow.”
Warrior Epic is an online, action role-playing game set in an original fantasy universe. In the game, players will assume command of a Warrior Hall from which they manage their characters’ adventures. They can recruit from a wide array of Warrior Classes, each with its own style of play.
The Classes and the Hall itself can be upgraded visually as well as functionally. Players adventure together in multiplayer campaigns, adventure mode, solo quests and soon, PVP.
One of the most unique aspects of Warrior Epic is that death does not mean the end of a warrior. Instead, it opens totally new and strategic options for players. The game’s unique Warrior Spirits System enables fallen warriors to not only be revived at any time at their hall, but also to be transformed into Spirits that can be bound to weapons to increase and open weapon abilities and skills, or they can be called out to inflict massive damage depending on player needs.

Tales Runner Launches Chapter 3

Tales Runner will launch Chapter 3 on June 18th! Tales Runner is a fast, fun, free to play MMO action adventure game that gives you the chance to compete or cooperate with your friends and gives you tons of customization options for your character and now your very own island farm!
The release of Tales Runner Chapter 3:  Harvest Your Dreams on June 17th marks the arrival of the much anticipated Farm System.  The Farm system gives each player a customizable island farm where they can grow trees, raise rideable animals, and invite their friends to hang out!
A strong community is a key part in any great MMO.  The Farm System promotes community ties by allowing players to fully express themselves and share their creation with everyone.  Players are not limited to experiencing just their own farms or even their friends’ farms, but can also explore public farms.  
Visually the Farm is a masterpiece, with a huge variety of visual styles to choose.  You can choose anything from a vibrant spring paradise to a serene winter wonderland and even a haunted Halloween theme.  With all these choices your farm can have exactly the style you’re looking for.
The flexibility and creativity involved with the Farm System offers players more chances to meet and befriend other players.  This game continually surprises us with each new chapter by displaying more innovative and interesting concepts.  With the close of Chapter 2 (The Alchemist) and the beginning of Chapter 3 (Harvest Your Dreams), Tales Runner is definitely a game that will develop into something special due to its ingenious approach towards gaming.
To celebrate the release of Chapter 3: Harvest Your Dreams, Tales Runner has a special, limited time promotion.  They want everyone to experience the new farm system, so they’re making  the farm and farm items completely FREE to try!  This offer is only good from June 17th to July 15th.  A free farm and the unlimited farm items that will be yours to keep after the event…  Come experience the fun and excitement of decorating your fantasy island for free.  Build your paradise now!