Yearly Archives: 2009

Combat Arms Introduces Specialists

Combat Arms, one of the North America’s most popular multiplayer online first-person shooter games, unveiled a new class of mercenaries, known as Specialists, who will be available for hire later this month. Carefully selected and raised from birth to be the ultimate combination of strength, stealth, brilliance and skill, Specialists are the product of a secretly sanctioned project by the highest level members of the UAF.
Two of these Specialists quickly established themselves as clear leaders of the group. Scorpion, named for his ability to survive in any situation, and Viper, named for her quick and fatal attacks. Here is more information on the four special items available to this new faction of mercenaries in Combat Arms.
Claymore:
A defensive, anti-personnel land mine utilizing a wireless detonator, the Claymore projects tiny steel fragments in a fan-shaped pattern, devastating enemies with its terrific explosive power.
Satellite Scanner:
A military grade, portable scanner reveals the locations of hidden enemies. Scanned data is transmitted to teammates via satellite, giving fellow soldiers an edge over the enemy!  
Medkit:
A military syringe developed by NEMEXIS that is injected directly into the bloodstream. The Medkit restores a set amount of HP. Because of its portability, it can come in handy in the middle of combat situations when it is impossible to call on a medic. The Medkit can only be used for recovering one’s own HP.
M32:
A 40mm semi-automatic, six-barreled weapon with a revolving magazine, this rapid-fire grenade launcher gives increased firepower to foot soldiers.

WolfTeam

WolfTeam is an multiplayer first-person shooter featuring the dynamic ability to transform between a human and a werewolf in the thick of battle. Leave humanity behind and fight for ferocious evolution!

Business Model: Free to Play

Microtransactions: Yes, there are various weapons, items, and cosmetics available for sale.

Key Features:

 

Hot Swap: Attack from afar as a human and finish off the kills as an up-close and deadly werewolf.

Head Out: Join over a dozen other players on 15 unique maps.

Picking Favorites: Shop around for your favorite way to compete among the likes of the action-packed deathmatch or tactically-focused conquest modes.

Taking Stock: Fill out the armory with a collection of deadly weapons.

Sinful Delights: Join or create a Pride and generate bonus GP.

 

Free Realms Review: MMO Mashed with Minigames

By Michael Justice (Alphamage), Onrpg writer

At some point in our lives, we have all opened up a popular mini-game website and played around with a game or two. Some people have even played mini-games for hours and hours on end. ( I know I probably wasted ridiculous amounts of time playing Winter Bells ) while others are only the “play it at the office when i’m bored” kind of people.

Whether you’re a die-hard mini-game champion or a relaxed laid-back player, you will like Free Realms; the game where you can combine MMORPGs with mini-games to create a casserole of online fun. I was taken aback when I realized that the game wasn’t traditional in many ways, but I came to find that it had plenty in store for me.

Engine & Graphics

MMORPGs usually require a client in order to run the game, and that requires large downloads and disk space, etc.. Free realms, however uses none of those. It runs a engine that downloads and streams straight to your screen, allowing a lot of things to be changed almost instantly. The potential this type of software engineering has is staggering, especially for MMORPGs.

The game looks pretty, too. It’s not a big process hog and it doesn’t require high-end hardware, meaning even those people who don’t have great PCs can still enjoy the game’s vivid textures and gorgeous environments. Exploring this game is probably one of the most fun things I have had the pleasure of doing, because you can tell the developers really put a lot of effort into the magical world.

Gameplay

Free Realms combines a myriad of mini-games and mashes it together with a traditional RPG system in an online world. I created a character ( choosing from several different looks assuring I wasn’t going to look like everyone else ) and immediately set off in the world, accepting all quests and taking any adventures that came my way. When I first logged on, I thought that this is a traditional MMORPG with standard point-and-click or WASD movement, enemies, combat, etc.;  but after I realized it was more than that, I was only further intrigued.

As I put an end to my first quest and accepted my second, I was given a choice. The quest simply wanted to me “remove the enemies from my birthday”, however, it asked me if I wanted to simply fight them and take them out myself, or I could “cook a magical stew that makes a fairy-girl super strong so she can kick them out”.

Many long-time MMORPG players have always gone with the “where is my sword so I can kill these monsters” mindset for a while, and I have to admit, I was very tempted to merely go in and beat them up myself, however, the opportunity was just too much to pass up. Who wouldn’t want to watch a little girl turn into a fairy-hulk and beat a couple of monsters to a pulp?  Therefore, I accepted the quest to concoct a steroids-endowed stew.

This was something extremely exciting for me. I was treading new ground from my perspective. There was no “please kill ten rats for me because it’s raining” quests, I was given a choice. Wary of how this was going to turn out, I proceeded to my next NPC who would help me in my cooking desires. When I realized that I had to merely click on an object and it would give me the items, I was a bit disappointed. That wasn’t exactly such a large choice. However, upon actually clicking the object, a screen popped-up that had all types of little icons lined up in a box.

“Match the tiles up with each other and you will get vegetables!” was merely the object of this little mini-game, and so I did. Upon collecting various plants and such, I returned to my quest giver. I was then instructed to now cook everything. Another box popped up, and series of mini-mini-games began. Hesitant at first, I got the hang of the little mico-games and I passed with flying colors. Handing the fairy my five-star stew, I felt like a sous chef and, to top it off,  I got to see a funny little cutscene in which she knocks the stuffing out of all the monsters while other NPCs shouted things such as “you go girl” .

“Well that was fun” I merely thought to myself. A small amount of fun combined with a small amount of gratification make a great way to start an MMORPG. However, I didn’t realize that most of the quests were going to be nearly exactly like this one, only with perhaps a larger amount of “fun” with a small amount of gratification.

Jobs

Well, cooking may be nice, but there certainly is more to the game than just making delicious food. Finding out I could repeat the quest. only choosing to knock them out myself as a “Brawler”, I returned to the NPC and entered an instanced-like area. Perhaps it is because I have played many MMORPGs that center around combat, but the game’s combat system is just a bit too dumbed-down. Basically, you can attack a monsters over and over again until it dies, and you can use one skill that hits multiple enemies. Of course, this is merely the very beginning of the game, surely it will get better. It is very dumbed down, but I got the same result.

I have already described three of the jobs in this review. Adventurer,( which is what you do while looking for quests basically ), Chef ( which is used for certain chef-based quests ) and Brawler ( which is used for combat-oriented quests ). You can pick whatever job you want and still have fun, but the game allows you to pick whichever you think would be the funnest.

After a bit of research, I found out that there were a lot of classes to chose from, ranging from Go Kart Drivers to Wizards. This was a bit overwhelming, as I didn’t really know what the different types of classes would turn out be to, but really, you only need to play the class for a little bit before you get the gist of what the entire thing is like. Such is the way of MMORPGs.

There are two types of classes as far as I am concerned. There are the “combat classes” which are merely classes you can use during combat-related quests. The only jobs available to you are Brawler and Ninja, the rest are “Member only” which kind of doesn’t make sense. There are also the non-combat related jobs which are jobs you do things related solely to your own job.

Deciding to go be a miner, I went to go look for all sort of gems and ores waiting for me in the mountains. After harvesting a few minerals and and having nothing to do with them, I was a bit lost. Then, it hit me. This is what I would do for the rest of my entire job career as a miner. The same old mini game time after time. The snowglobe containing my “fun” was merely shattered to pieces as I realized that all jobs that didn’t involve combat were going to be like this.

Conclusion

Typically, when I am not having fun doing something that is supposed to be providing my with entertainment, I simply quit. Free Realms did indeed provide me with entertainment, even though I would not dare tread farther than repeating the same mini-game more than three times in a row. I explored many of the other jobs, which are, in turn, merely mini-games with experience and leveling.

I tried kart-racing, which definitely felt like some kind of Road Rally spin-off. The pet trainer job just felt like I was playing nintendogs. Card duelist was kind of fun, but again, it’s not something I wanted to do over and over.  All combat classes are stale, and let’s face it, why play a combat job when there’s a lot of MMORPGs that are focused around combat jobs?

Honestly, I am extremely happy that MMORPG developers are looking to branch out into new and exciting ways to get MMORPGs focused on more than just combat, however, mashing MMORPGs with mini-games can be a deadly combination. Perhaps there is someone out there who enjoys doing nothing but play the same mini-game over and over until their eyes bleed, but I assure you they only do that because they like the mini-game, not because they want to level up a job or get new clothes or finish a quest.

Jade Dynasty Enters Open Beta

Perfect World Entertainment Inc. today announced the beta program for its flagship free-to-play MMORPG, Jade Dynasty, is now open to all gamers. Based on the widely popular internet novel “Zhu Xian,” Jade Dynasty features a unique martial arts style game play wrapped in a huge, evolving game world that players can access completely free of charge.
 
 
“This is a very important release for Perfect World Entertainment. We consider Jade Dynasty to be our flagship title and our teams in both the USA and China have put in long hours and an amazing level of dedication to ensure a successful launch,” said Dr. Alan Chen, CEO of Perfect World Entertainment Inc. “Jade Dynasty will usher in a new generation of MMORPGs and we’re excited to open this virtual world to all players in North America and Europe.”
Jade Dynasty is the English-based version of Zhu Xian, one of China’s most popular online games, and it offers a multitude of features and systems not commonly found in free-to-play MMORPGs. Once inside the crisp, clean game world, players begin their quest to uncover the secrets of immortality as they first assume the role of a simple paladin. Players delve into a system where choices between good and evil begin to shape their game play experience as they obtain different skills, items and ultimately, a story that is unique to every player. Among the many great features, the classless character progression system allows players to focus on the skills you desire to create the ultimate warrior.
Unlike other games that charge monthly subscription fees, Jade Dynasty allows gamers complete access to the game world free of charge. Players can trade, earn and spend virtual currency in the game to upgrade a large variety of items in real-time to further enhance and personalize their game play experience. Digital goods that players can obtain in the In-game Shop include: items that can assist with tasks such as consumables that aid player progress, others that reset or temporarily increase stats, expansion of storage capabilities, customizable fashion and equipment, such as mounts that allow faster movement and reduce travel time, social items and gifts that assist communication, and much more.

Silkroad: New Chapter Announced

Joymax, an independent developer and publisher of interactive entertainment for the global market, today unveiled the teaser site for Legend IV Plus, the next update for historical fantasy MMORPG Silkroad Online. Launching this July with a celebratory Jewel Box event, Legend IV Plus will open the way to the peak of Roc Mountain and an all-new dungeon for players level 80 and above.
Adventurers resourceful enough to reach the summit will find themselves face-to-beak with the ancient king of the Rocs, a monstrous, crimson bird that stands nearly 100 feet tall. His anger at the humans who disturb his rest knows no bounds, so those who wish to steal his treasures should be prepared for an epic battle. Of course, he has collected some incredibly powerful items over the centuries, so that reward might just be worth the risk!

Luminary: New Wedding System

NDOORS Interactive today announced the debut of a new social feature in their acclaimed MMORPG Luminary: Rise of the GoonZu. Starting today, players will have the ability to get married in the game. The new wedding system will allow two willing parties to tie the virtual knot and have their union officially recognized in-game. A marriage in Luminary will bestow benefits upon the couple, as some will marry for love and others will marry for political alliances.
In order to wed in Luminary, players can simply travel to the church west of Trania, where at least one party has to make their marriage proposal. Both boy and girl characters must obtain a Marriage License and be unmarried for the proposal to be executed. Once these conditions are met, the two parties will agree on a date and time for their wedding.
On the day of their wedding, the newlyweds will be teleported inside of the church where the ceremony will be carried out by the Wedding NPC. The bride and groom will receive a temporary gown and tuxedo, with a Flower Crown for the bride. Several questions will be asked of the couple by the Wedding NPC, and the bride and groom may answer freely. While the wedding ceremony takes place, news of the nuptials will be scrolled across the bottom of the game.
The wedding is just the beginning of married life and it will take effort from the bride and groom to maintain a happy union. Purchasing a Pink Rose from Clara will award the married couple with Affection Points, which in turn will bestow an added bonus to status effects. After a couple has been successfully married for 1 year (12 days game-time), they can celebrate their anniversary and the couple will receive a gift.
Luminary is a free-to-play MMORPG that incorporates real-world politics and economics. Players are citizens of the Luminary world who not only battle monsters, but engage in the production of new goods, trade commodities, stocks, and real estate, and even hire NPCs. Additionally, a player can advance to the pinnacle of success, the GoonZu, by being elected by his gaming peers.

Fantasy Tennis: Season 2 Coming This Month

Burda:ic, a leading publisher of online games worldwide, today announced the start of the Summer Festival in colorful sports MMORPG, Fantasy Tennis Season 2. Kicking off the June update, the festival lets players experience summer on the courts with parasols, popsicles, and a variety of poolside attire. As a reward for braving the heat, Burda:ic will even be handing out free, limited edition t-shirts as gifts!
Of course, the June update adds more than just the festival proceedings. A few in-game tweaks have been made and three new Gacha sets have been added, including the truly fantastic Literature Set. Dress up as Robin Hood, Zorro, or the great Sherlock Holmes and take to the courts as your favorite fictional hero!

Everquest 2: Monument and Might Game Update

WHAT: EverQuest® II’s game update, Monument and Might reveals the true appearance of Kurn’s Tower to Norrath; panicking the inhabitants of Kunark and intriguing adventurers to its doors. A new void anchor emanates from the tower, as if a ghastly chord has tied its fate with the invading void. A warlord from a far-off land has turned his conquering eye upon the lands of Kunark and will stop at nothing to find a great power that may lie just within the tower’s walls!
UPDATE FEATURES:  
* Let someone else do the work for you! Monument and Might introduces Research Assistants which allow players to train their spells up to higher grades one at a time! They are available around Qeynos and Freeport, Neriak, Haven, Gorowyn, and Kelethin. Check out the research guild hall amenity that allows you to access the research system in the comfort of your own house or guild hall!
* More than 80 new quests in the Rise of Kunark overland zones!
* Player-written books – Leave your permanent mark in Norrath by writing and distributing books! Books look and act just like the current books in the game, and you can hold them in your inventory or place them in your house or guild hall for other players to read. Read Rothgar’s blog about user-written books here!
* All-new Charasis West Wing group quests!
WHEN: The Monument and Might game update is scheduled to go live on June 16, 2009.

Atlantica Online Gets Mid-Year Update

NDOORS Interactive today announced the release of a patch for their hit free-to-play MMORPG, Atlantica Online. The patch includes several feature updates which will enhance the user experience and improve gameplay. NDOORS is committed to maintaining and improving the world of Atlantica Online, as well as listening to feedback from players and incorporating their ideas and suggestions into each version update.
With the latest patch, Atlantica Online will now offer:
* Jackpot System: A new challenge system which allows players to select an item they have found in battle and gamble for a chance to obtain a large quantity of that item, with odds determined by the item’s value
* New Dungeon: The ‘Mysterious Inn’ has been added to the Central Asia region and is available to players level 120 or higher
* Improved Arena Betting: Now players can bet on arena battles remotely
* Chatting Emoticon Function has been added
* Ring Craft: Will now be called ‘Accessories Craft’ and will have the ability to craft rings and necklaces
In addition to the updates outlined above, the patch will adjust the balance of mercenaries in Free League and will have an effect on how a character’s basic stats influence their damage according to class type. Certain material items will no longer be used and some equipment boxes have been combined for convenience.