Monthly Archives: April 2010

Sudden Attack Receives Massive Portal Update

Sudden Attack Receives Massive Portal Update
 
GameHi announces new upgrades to their fast-paced MMOFPS Sudden Attack
GameHi, Inc., the blockbuster online games maker from Korea, today announced they’ve released multiple updates to their No. 1 free-to-play first person shooter (FPS), Sudden Attack.
 
First, in the new map, Gather up to Golden Eye, a new option allows players on opposing teams to retrieve various items not previously available. Players should be warned, there is a time limit in this retrieval mode. The next update has been made to Custom mode, now allowing players to select the weapons of their choice during normal battle. Knives Only and Pistols Only have both been added to this custom play, however, fans should note that they can’t use these modes during Clan battles.
 
Additionally, the fan-favorite item Character Skinbox, has been repackaged. Players now have female characters to choose from, as well as new usage length times on everything from characters, to colored name-tags. Lastly, back by popular demand, the tough female characters Noble Eye and Red Wind, will now be available for a  limited time to purchase and play. For more information on all of the above updates please visit the April Events section at GameHi.

MMOs Fulfilling Human Needs

MMOs Fulfilling Human Needs
By Kei Beneza (dividelife) & Vincent Haoson(vincenthaoson), OnRPG Journalists

 

No matter how successful you are in this world, you will never be a sword wielding hero in the midst of battle. This means that regardless of how big your establishments are, you are still bound to this mortal coil, as well as the laws of reality. You can’t fly (unless you ride a plane of course), you can’t bash heads and be praised for it, you can’t steal money from chests you happen to find lying on the ground, and no you can’t cast spells (screw David Blaine). Here we will discuss the relevance of video games, as it fulfills our inner most desires. This is not OZ anymore, and no way will you ever want to tap those shoes to get home again.

 

Why do we play Video Games?

We play mainly to separate ourselves from this mundane life. How boring is this world anyway? Comparing it to the awesomeness of actually having to summon demons from the depths of hell to fight for you, life is pretty dull. We humans need variety! And no, I’m not talking about stock markets and heavy workloads, I’m talking about something a bit more adventurous and risk free. The world is too matured for its own good, and the only way for people to actually take risks is when their lives are truly on the line. That’s not fun right? In fact, it’s bloody STUPID. So why spend 24 hours in total linearity when you can jump right in and experience life like you’ve never seen before.

 

MMO Games Needs Risks
Some of us need to take risks

 

Fantasy World

Welcome to the world of fantasy, where dolphins fly and you get paid to kill people. I mean, how cool is it to actually have the right to barge inside someone’s home, steal his money, and still get rewarded for it? Living in this alternate universe kills the effects of reality; this is the reason why people also tend to role play. Let’s think about it, it IS called a ROLE PLAYING GAME after all. Here you can explore the deep oceans without scuba gear, ready to pounce on sharks that block your way. You can also gallop around the endless desert in search for treasure (try that in real life, and you’re bound to get a lot of cactus juice). Killing Demons and Dragons is definitely the best way to live. They’re probably a lot scarier than your boss, but at least they reward you better <_<.

 

Relevance

I’m sure everyone wants to be important, and what better way to be more important than being the head of the state than to be the leader of a race at war? Since war is the theme of the game, everyone is important, and yes, even the beggars who ask for gold can serve as the enemy fodder. People can actually count on you to perform tasks of utmost importance. Now I’m not saying that you’re a total loser who can’t do anything good, but I’m sure you get the point. If you’re a mage, people count on you to deliver massive damage, and at the same time, you can count on the tank to protect you from enemy attacks (because you’re such a wimp). As you can see, everyone is relevant in the system, and no matter how level you are, everyone’s bound to help to you in order to become a soldier worthy of protecting your people (provided that they are worthy of your awesomeness).

 

I remember my first raid. I was with 5 people then. I was fully aware that my character was weak but the other players actually asked me to do things for them as their classes are unable to provide that service. One thing about MMOs is that each class is important in various situations. You will always be needed, regardless of which class you take or what level you are.

 

Physique: Hubbah Hubbah!

Not everyone is happy about themselves, hence the hot character creation system of most MMOs. No longer are you bound to your not-so-Johnny-Depp look; instead, you can be the perfect dude next door, with your 6-pack abs and chiseled physique. Why exactly do people want to dress up their characters? Believe it or not, fashion is also a big factor when playing MMOs, for in this world, everyone’s permitted to design their characters the way they want them to be. Why wear a shirt when you can wear that revealing dress that shows everything but your butt-crack? Games give a virtual form of physical satisfaction that would be comparable to an expensive plastic surgery in real life. No longer will you have to work it out in the gym to achieve that Spartan spark, for all it needs is for you to click that left arrow in the body panel of your character creation screen.

 

MMO Needs Physique
Normal human male: Clearly gay
Some bodybuilder: Nice try, but still pretty feminine
WoW human: Manly man

 

Arousal

According to my survey, people also play games to satisfy their desires. Most players actually think it to be close to the real thing, but it’s quite understandable at some point, seeing that Valeera Sanguinar can never be found in real life. Arousal doesn’t necessarily have to do with sexual urges, but also the player’s methods of appreciation.  If you’ve ever felt the same kind of energy rush through your body while playing an MMO, as you had while listening to your favorite music or attending a sports match, that’s the type of feeling we apparently look for while playing games as well. If a game cannot make your heart race and if it cannot make you gather your effort and concentration while playing it, then we generally won’t like the game. We need to feel the positive energy, in order to play.

 

Valeera WoW Needs MMO

 

Social Interaction

Perhaps one of the things non-gamers will never understand is the balance between online friends and real ones. In my experience (as a long time gamer), online friends are just as good and sometimes better as we have more things to do than my friends in real life. You may think I’m exaggerating, but are your friends capable of taking down a dragon? I didn’t think so. Drama comes natural in the virtual world. When your friend is ganked, you go out for revenge. LOL Try doing that in real life! You would probably get handcuffs as a reward. Anyway, don’t think that social interaction only revolves around friends.

 

As most of you know, LOVE has also worked its way into the online planes. I wouldn’t really underestimate the intensity of this interaction as online relationships have the tendency to break real ones, and could even become real when time sees fit. I can probably cite a lot of examples as I have met people who got married after meeting each other in the game (note that it was roleplay at first). Love is not for everyone, and yet the virtual world can give it out like candy. It’s easy to be in love when your Blood-Elf partner has hooters like Mt. Fuji LOL.

 

Social Interaction
Watch the full video here!

 

Challenge and Competition

MMO Needs Window ChallengeWhile some focus on love, social life, and hubbah hubbah, some players focus on challenges and competition. Call it a more enjoyable form of work, where you sign war papers instead of binding contracts that consists of numbers that would only annoy the hell out of you (turning you into a brainless corporate zombie). Anyway, everyone wants to prove that they have the biggest sword, hence PVP battles and achievements that have become staples in most MMORPGs. This is also the reason why some MMOs are focused on the PVP side of things, giving birth to other sub-genres like MMOFPSes, MMORTSes, and other versus games. You can always beat the crap out of your neighbor to prove that your “fence” is bigger than his LOL, but do that and you’re looking at 20 years in the dungeons (sorry, couldn’t help but say it). At least now, people can suppress their urge to fight, as well as their urge to KILL (provided that they have one). Killing people is fun really, but due to the laws of humanity and “morality”, the next best thing is to fight them online. Sure, some people take it seriously, but that’s the fun part as it really proves that you’re pwning them like hell.

 

As far as challenges are concerned, games have a particular difficulty that makes it quite addicting, encouraging players to think fast in order to take the glory. Endurance is the name of the game, and unlike your Monday workload, you’ll actually enjoy getting pissed here.

 

 

 

Stimulation: No not your p3nor

Unlike work where you are forced to use your head for the benefit of your company, games actually entitle you to exercise your conscious thinking (voluntarily) in order to conquer the next challenge that await you in your gaming life. Games have this addicting element that makes it almost drug-like, that even though you rack your heads strategizing, it will never be close to work or schoolwork due to the fun factor. This can also apply to building your character where picking between stats is never really a career-ending choice. You can always find a way around every situation, and that is what makes it fun. There is no game over, only resets.

 

Thinking in games is never stressful but rather stimulating. It is never dull as each choice you make can often lead you to great things (not an extra two dollars in your salary, LOL). Then there is the safety net of redoing your character when making mistakes, so everything never ends with one wrong choice.

 

Stimulation of the mind can also work in terms of teamwork, where players are entitled to work together to reach a common goal. Just as they would demand from work, you are still forced to perform 100%, when doing various tasks like raids and even PVP. Regardless of this demanding requirement, you will always be willing to succumb to it, as the process of doing so will always be fun and fulfilling.

 

 

 

Diversion

Valeera Sunstrider Needs MMONon-gamers may never be able to understand this, but games are actually good stress-relievers after a tiring day at work or a hellish day at school. Although grinding may come off as work to some, it’s actually a lot of fun and even we can’t understand why. Maybe it’s our own exclusive way of unwinding, similar to non gamers ending their day in a bar drinking beer.

 

As I have stated earlier, games serve as an alternate reality. For those of you who don’t know, you actually turn into a different person with different goals and problems when logging on to your favorite games. Diversion is a rather official word when describing this feeling, but being a different person all in all can be a good remedy for a problematic life. Don’t you ever wish you were someone else? A different person who doesn’t face the mundane problems of our everyday life?

 

It’s easier to live by the rules of the game than face the consequences in real life. This is perhaps one of the reasons why some players actually stop living in the real world (Yep! Morpheus really tricked them), locking themselves up in the world of mages, knights, and endless quests.

 

The Virtual Zen

And here we have it. Games have provided us with an alternate universe filled with magic and adventure, providing us with a form of escape that greatly fits our human needs. Whether it’s love, adventure, relevance, or simply a distraction, people can always count on games to deliver what’s missing in this mundane world. This could also be considered as the dark side of the spectrum as games tend to give people too much comfort that they tend to forget what is truly important.

 

I know that games serve as form of release and could greatly benefit those who need it, but always remember that real life is real life, and you can become that young brave knight in your own REAL way.

 

  

Note: Some of these intrinsic motivations have been taken from the following publication: Sherry, J. L., Lucas, K.; Greenberg, B. S. and Lachlan, K. 2006. Video Game Uses and Gratifications as Predictors of Use and Game Preference. In: Vorderer P. and Bryant, J. (eds.) Playing Video Games. Motives, Responses, and Consequences. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Dragonica: Enjoy Combat Video

Dragonica offers light and fun combat, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Enjoy the various challenges on many levels in this 3D side-scrolling adventure MMO. There are always the moasterful boss challenges, once you feel comfortable with your skill.

CTRacer Review: A Drive Down Frustration Lane

CTRacer Review: A Drive Down Frustration Lane
By Jason Gallienne (Jrgsubzero), OnRPG Journalist

 

One of the rarely ventured genres in MMOs would have to be racing games. Mobil Planet is here to try to put its foot into that genre with their game CT Racer.

 

Ignition

So, if you’ve played Drift City before then you’ll know what to expect here. You start the game by buying a car. Of course you’re not rich so you’ll be cruising in one of the starter vehicles. You can then either go into a race or try free roam mode. In race mode there’s either Downhill battle, which is basically just a race, or head for the championship races which require a fee to enter.

 

The real attraction is free roam mode. Here you can do quests, duel other players, and roam around on the open road. The quests consist of a time attack mode which involves going to a certain place on the map within a certain amount of time, a mode where you have to get to points on the map without being hunted down, and lastly quests where you have to hunt down the runners. One of the best perks of this game would be how often there are events, which you can see if you check out the site.

 

 

Woosh CTracer
CTRacer: roam the roads

 

Car Show

You’ll be doing these a bit to grind up that cash you need for new cars. Obviously, you can buy new cars but you can also buy parts. To be able to equip these parts you’ll need to a certain amount of Tech points that you invest in stats, which you get from completing quests.

 

The different stats are: Power-up, which allows you to equip parts that deal with acceleration and speed, next is the Driving-up stat that deals with handling, the Dress-up stat allows you to put on decorations, the Accessory stat, allows you to put neon lights on the bottom on your car and finally, the Special stat, which deals with the weight of your car and allows for smoother turning. You can paint your car using a red, green, and blue color slider, but to be able to buy the color change you’ll need cash shop money.

 

 

Road Block

This game can be very confusing unless you do some research and ask around in-game. The mini-map didn’t seem to help me that much when doing quests as it didn’t tell me which way to go, the only way I could navigate was to open the map every few seconds. The map itself is just a bunch of colored lines and text but at least there are markers for your objective. There are tutorials in game that teach you the basics but those and even some on the game-site look like they were badly translated. The beginner guide on the site even has pictures that are in Korean. Did I mention that if you run out of fuel and have no way of getting cash you can’t play anymore? Also, if you want to change options you will have to leave whatever you’re doing and go back to the starting screen.

 

CTRacer Interface Screen
CTRacer Interface

 

 

Radio

The default music in-game wasn’t my style so I was glad to see I could pop in my own MP3s to listen to while cruising. There’s a music player on the screen and you can change the songs while driving. This can be done by going to the game folder, looking for the music folder, and placing your own songs in there.

 

 

Windshield

The graphics are of decent quality but could really use some improvements. The cars look all right but the environment is low-detail. The trees for example look very odd, as if they are made of cardboard. The people that watch you as you race are 2D. The map looks as though it was made in MS paint and the game has a very old, feel to it. Also, there didn’t seem to be a window mode feature and I couldn’t alt-tab out.

 

CTRacer competition racing
Don’t let anyone overtake you!

 

Brakes

In conclusion, I didn’t have much fun with this. The game has a very small but nice community. There are better MMO racing games out there, this one feels like a rushed translation of a sub-par game. But don’t take my word for it, feel free to play it and if you end up liking this, more power to you.

 

Pros:
– Unique MMO Experience 
– In-game MP3 player
– Events are hosted often
– Community is welcoming and friendly.

 

Cons:
– Navigating can be frustrating
– Some things are translated poorly
– Not many people to do the races with.

MMOs on Linux – More Choice Than You Think

MMOs on Linux – More Choice Than You Think
Neil Kewn (Murxidon) , OnRPG Journalist

 

Microsoft Windows is the most popular operating system in the world, with over 92% of computers running Redmond’s desktop behemoth. If you are primarily a PC gamer, it is unlikely you have, or have ever considered, moving to a different operating system. Why subject yourself to the issues that  A completely new architecture, paradigm and approach to how computing should be for a user, would bring? All of your software won’t work, your file formats won’t be recognised, your games won’t play, right? Not really. Deploying Linux on your hard drive has its advantages, and recent developments have meant that making the switch doesn’t mean losing out.

 

“Linux can’t play games!”

One of the fundamental reasons Windows users refuse to switch to a Linux based operating system is its apparent lack of video game compatibility. It is not unfair to say that Microsoft owns a colossal share of the PC gaming market, but installing and playing your favourite MMORPG on a Linux machine isn’t impossible,. nor is it particularly difficult. Drastic advancements have been made which enable most popular games that used to just run on Windows, to work perfectly under Linux.

 

Linux Penguin
Linux’ official mascot

 

The popularity of the penguin has begun to grow amongst average users, despite the platform being around for four decades. The netbook boom has finally brought a computer running Linux into many people’s homes. Unfortunately, much to the open source community’s dismay, developers still aren’t very keen on making their releases compatible. As a result, there aren’t many MMORPGs that can be run natively on Linux.

 

Up until early 2009, the popular space adventure EVE Online was actively supported, but the  developers, CCP Games, discontinued the Linux client citing lack of uptake. Luckily, the ever-creative Linux community began work on making the game compatible with their OS of choice, and it wasn’t long before users of Ubuntu, Fedora and other distributions were back playing. Thanks in part to Alexandre Julliard’s Wine. 

 

“Linux still can’t play games!”

Linux will greet you with a blank stare if you try and run an .exe file, whereas Wine will treat it as just another Windows application. Wine  is a free program for Unix and Unix-like operating systems which enables software written for Microsoft Windows to be installed and executed. Microsoft Office, iTunes, World of Warcraft, even Internet Explorer can be installed onto a Linux box in this way.

 

Wine is the preferred method to get MMORPGs up and running on a Unix-based systems, and development has come leaps and bounds from where it was several years ago. Support for pixel shaders and better 3D rendering have increased game compatibility, performance and functionality dramatically. Today, there are countless titles that will work flawlessly with an out-of-the-box Wine installation. No tinkering, no configuration, just install and play. Not dissimilar to Windows.

 

“But it’s complicated. Will my favourite titles even run?”

The general consensus is that playing any kind of game on Linux is a tiring, impractical and cumbersome process. In reality, you can play almost any popular MMORPG without a hitch. The Wine Application Database has an extensive list of all the MMOs that have been tested, and what you can expect from running them under Wine.

 

 Linux Tables
 

For those who want an even easier way to game on Linux, PlayOnLinux is, frankly, idiot-proof. It is based on Wine, so you can expect the same compatibility with your favourite MMOs. A central window lists all Windows applications installed, with the option to add more using a wizard interface. Games can even be installed from a CD or DVD, meaning you don’t have to fuss around with Windows clients downloaded from the developer’s website.

 

“What’s the catch?”

It is unlikely that any Linux user is a die-hard PC gamer, and there is naturally a downside to executing code written for Windows on a completely different architecture. Performance may take a slight hit in some games, and I personally encountered a number of texture and rendering issues in several MMORPGs (for example, the map in World of Warcraft didn’t register my location properly). Usually, if there is a problem that a lot of players are having trouble with, a workaround or fix  is generally developed and posted.

 

Drivers also play a crucial part in game performance, and both Nvidia and ATI have official releases for most chipsets. There are community-developed drivers (in Linux, there is community developed everything) for those looking for an open source alternative. I find the configuration of a strong Linux rig to be trial and error. If your frame rate in AION resembles a slide show, mix and match the drivers and settings.

 

Wow Issues Linux
Teething problems aren’t uncommon

 

“Will we always have to use Wine to play our games?”

Unfortunately the answer is yes, and it may not change for some time. MMO developers don’t wish to invest in Linux players because frankly, there just aren’t enough of them. With the popularity of OS X growing, and the recent release of Windows 7 restoring consumer faith in Microsoft, It’s not surprising that companies are focussing their efforts on an already established player base.

 

The Linux community is renowned for their creativity and problem solving, and are determined to increase market share by working to make distribution as easy to use as possible. Even so, some may say that Linux don’t need game publisher backing, as the developer community are coping just fine going it alone.

 

“Okay, how much is this going to cost?”

Nothing. Linux is generally free, but for what you make up for in savings you will lose in time. To get the most out of the operating system, a big chunk of your time will have to be invested. Great strides in user friendliness haven’t completely eliminated the need for most users to bash the odd command or two into Terminal. Still, you will be rewarded with an insanely more customisable system that is free from viruses and malware. Not to mention Linux’s famed reliability, perfect for avoiding Window’s relentless vendetta against important guild runs (BSOD at the most inopportune time, anyone?).

 

The compatibility is finally there, so switching to a different operating system no longer means waving goodbye to your MMOs. It may not be as seamless as double clicking an installer, but the fun you will have learning and playing with Linux is well worth the price of admission.

 

DistroWatch – The Linux distribution repository
Wine – Homepage for the Wine software
PlayOnLinux – Simplified way to run games on Linux

BlackShot Review – BLOOD AND GOOOOOREE!!

BlackShot Review – BLOOD AND GOOOOOREE!!
By Kei Beneza (dividelife), OnRPG Journalist

 

If you’re looking for a good MMOFPS (Massively Multiplayer Online First Person Shooter) game then I suggest you try BlackShot. Much like its counterparts in the FPS genre, Blackshot takes players into an arena of wanton murder and bulletmadness. Not much has changed since the era of Counterstrike and Quake 3. You will be given some scenarios aside from the deathmatch setting, or other scenarios that are merely just renamed or tampered versions of capture the flag and plant the bomb. So what exactly makes Blackshot review stand out among its counterparts, let alone its predecessors?

 

A Land Of No Difference

One thing about these first person shooter games is that they don’t really differ much from one another. Some have better graphics, some have more versionsof the same playstyle, your choice. MMOFPSes are one of the most awesome casual games to have on your PC, giving you non-linear experience of deaths and kills, depending on your enemies (whether they’re that good or not). What’s great about this specific genre is the skill factor involved. This means that even though you have a 1 shot kill sniper rifle on your hands, other people can still beat you with a handgun if you don’t know how to use it. Anyway, instead of focusing on their similarities, let’s see what makes this game different in its own way.

 

Character Creation
Character Creation

 

The Game Modes

Blackshot Online has 4 different gamemodes:

 

1) TDF- TDF is basically capture the flag. In this mode, players must work together in order to take the enemy’s flag to gain points. Note that each kill gives you points as well, but capturing the flag gives you more points than killing people. The team with the most points when time runs out or the first team to reach the given point mark wins.

 

2) SD- The SD scenario is the game’s renamed version of the old plant the bomb scenario. If you’re familiar with Counter-Strike, then you will probably have a big blast with this game mode (no pun intended). So far, nothing has been changed with the system. It’s still the same Plant the Bomb scenario stated 10 years ago.

 

3) DA- Awesome! We seem to have stumbled across a very unique feature. DA mode is the same as horde mode and fire fight in Halo ODST and Gears of War. It feels a lot like Left 4 Dead as well, since you’ll be teaming up with 3 more players (optional) in a first person tower defense scenario. So far, this mode is a Blackshot exclusive. It’s also extremely fun, so you might want to download the game to try it out.

 

(teamspeak with cursing makes it x2 the fun)

 

4) TDM- Finally an acronym that hasn’t been touched. For those of you who don’t know, TDM stands for Team Death Match– the default system in any FPS multiplayer. Just as the name suggests, teams must take part in a glorious battle to attain the most frags. KICK THE FEEDERS!

 

Blackshot Aim Fire Gun
Perfecting Strategies

 

After each game, the points are tallied and you will be presented with the player rankings to see how much you rocked and sucked during the match. I know the game has 4 game modes to choose from, and each of them has a good set of maps to prevent you from experiencing a linear set of matches while playing the game. The game also has a decent number of maps with different sniper points and assault points, so master them all and gain the upper advantage.

 

The MMO Factor

Not contented with your firearms? Are you not comfortable with your MP5? Then come on over to the item shop to find the right gun for you! Much like any other MMOFPS to date, BlackShot online lets players groom their soldiers as they level up through endless combat experience. Note that ranking up or leveling up helps a lot in this game. First of all, it allows you to get additional skills known as TACTICS that will further compliment your playstyle. Take it as the perks (Call of Duty) of Blackshot Online, where you give your character extra gimmicks to make the game more interesting both in group and individual perspectives.

 

Blackshot Tactics
Blackshot Tactics: Kill

 

Some boost your HP, some gives you extra accuracy aimbot like advantages when using sniper rifles, and others boost your grenade radius. It really depends on which one you choose to make your character more formidable so think about which tactic to pursue. Gaining ranks also increases your selection when attaining new weapons, so gear up and fight more. Another factor you should consider is your character’s armor, which prevents you from getting killed fast thus becoming the feeder that eventually leads your team on the losing end.

 

Visuals

Blackshot graphics are bearable but not as impressive as its counterparts. If I must compare, Blackshot’s visuals are like a toned down version of Combat Arms. The graphics aren’t that bad and the game still plays well (just wanna clear that up) regardless of the nerfed graphics. Even if you’re the graphic type of player, the game still isn’t that bad to keep you from admiring the view.

 

The Verdict

MMOFPSes are no longer new, nor do they differ that much from one another. In my opinion, each game attains loyalty either by community or loyalty, definitely not through their systems (in my opinion at least). Blackshot online does have a few perks that separates it from other games like Combat Arms and Warrock, but it definitely provides the same experience catered by the other games in its respective genre. This isn’t really something that should prevent you from playing the game; in fact, I’d like to encourage you to try it out. It’s a good casual game, and perhaps a good way to relieve stress…. KILL EM ALL!

 

The good:
– Lots of arenas
– DA mode is still awesome
– Lots of wepons to choose from
– Healthy community.

 

The bad:
– Old graphics
– Nothing here is that new to consider it DIFFERENT
– A few bugs here and there.

First Content Leaked from Final Fantasy XIV Alpha

First Content Leaked from Final Fantasy XIV Alpha
 
The highly anticipated Final Fantasy XIV Alpha tests began yesterday, and already the first information has made its way to various pages, despite the strict NDA. Anyone posting information or images and getting caught, is banned from the Alpha.
Square Enix’ intention with the Alpha testing is to release the game world one part at a time, and then continue development in between, after receiving player feedback. An interview (http://ffxiv.zam.com/story.html?story=22055) with producer Hiromichi Tanaka and director Nobuaki Komoto reveals more information about the Alpha, Guildleve and about when it will be playable on the PS3.
We have found a YouTube video of an ingame FFXIV cutscene (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akEn5xSDi6A) as well as some of the first Final Fantasy XIV screenshots, take a look below!

Final Fantasy XIV Character Creation

 

Final Fantasy XIV Miqote Moon Character

 

Final Fantasy XIV Chocobo

 

Final Fantasy XIV Bunch of Pirates

 

Final Fantasy XIV Roegadyn Captain Ship

 

Final Fantasy XIV Grinding Mobs

 

Final Fantasy XIV Gear Inventory Screen”]

 

Final Fantasy XIV Lalafell Ship Event CGI

 

Final Fantasy XIV Game Graphics

 

Final Fantasy XIV Combat Battle

 

Final Fantasy XIV Seamonster Leviathan

 

Final Fantasy XIV Ingame Team

 

Final Fantasy XIV Outfit Pirate

 

Final Fantasy XIV Ingame Map

 

Final Fantasy XIV Gunner Lalafell

 

Final Fantasy XIV Enemies Combat

 

Final Fantasy XIV Bar Shops Repair

Funtasy Online (Chinese)

From the creator who brought you memorable games such as Fairyland, Mystina, and King of Kings series, Funtasy Online is the newest project in development.
 
Set in the time 100 years after Fairyland, the game provides players with refreshing rainbow-themed interface in 3D environment, multi-pet system, and hundreds of selections to choose from for avatar wardrobe and item use.

Former Nexon boss starts new company!

 

Former Nexon boss starts new company!
You may not know him, yet but John H. Chi was the CEO and President of Nexon America from 2006 to 2008 establishing Nexon’s Group operations in North America. In those two years, with John at the helm, Nexon brought in more than $50MM in total combined revenue with such games as Maplestory, Audition, and Mabinogi.

Now John has assembled a team consisting of the some of the most experienced online game operators in North America, many with years of experience from Nexon, as well as other U.S. game companies. With this new group, John is looking to take on the vast chasm between online game users: one between the hardcore gamers that play the huge, big client-based massively multiplayer online games and the casual gamers that play the single-player, light flash games, and now “social” games on Facebook.

Social game companies are currently searching for the next step in the evolution of their products. As well, client based online games are reaching a level of saturation in North America. John’s group is looking to launch by aggregating and publishing games across the broad spectrum of F2P online – from light flash, to social games, to browser-based games to client-based games, hitting all demographics up and down the gamer food chain – a FIRST in the online game world. Ultimately, they’ll focus on and also develop games that best represent the future of F2P online – browser based games.
Keep your eyes on this guys!

TLBB – European Open Beta phase is here!

TLBB – European Open Beta phase is here!

 

Over the past few months, gamers throughout Europe have accompanied ChangYou.com during the Pre-Closed beta, Closed beta and Limited Open beta stages of one of China’s most successful MMO games ever – TLBB. Players have come across beautiful places such as Assassin’s Peak, Mountain Emei, Royal Temple and the Shaolin Temple whilst experiencing exciting in-game activities such as Lucky Bingo, Thief Raid, Herb Wars and Martial Battles in a world that brings loyal and skillful pets alongside warriors who brave the adventures of these exciting lands. 
 
The TLBB Limited Open Beta phase has now ended and ChangYou.com, one of the most recognized MMORPG publishers in Far East Asia, announces the Open Beta test period, launching at 2:00PM (GMT) 1st April, 2010 until 11:00PM (GMT) 30th April, 2010.
 
Whilst ChangYou.com goals remain the same; to provide players with a wonderful and magical martial arts experience, the behind-the-scenes in-game preparations continue to deliver as much excitement in this ongoing MMO journey.
 
So, to celebrate this special moment and to make sure players have access to the ultimate TLBB experience, there are a number of interesting events taking place, including:
 
A Trip to China Event.
TLBB give you an opportunity not only to visit China but a possibility to learn Kung Fu from a real Chinese Martial arts master! Yes, that’s right! So why not enter to be in with a chance of this once in a lifetime opportunity that you’ll never forget!
Want To Be a Real Kung Fu Master? Play TLBB Today and Win a Trip to China!
 
 

TLBB Europe Win Trip China


Treasure hunt 

Treasure Hunt TLBB Europe Event

In order to help players get to know each other and the TLBB team during TLBB’s Open beta, the Treasure Hunt activity will be organized solely for the players inside the game. The TLBB team is offering a friendly and classic game of Hide and Seek where players will be guided (live on Twitter) to find a Games Master (GM) inside TLBB. So why not have a chat with the ‘Kung Fu Master Live’ and win a ‘special skills’ book to help improve your loyal pet!
 
 
TLBB Comics Competition
Over the past few months, players have been exploring the martial arts world of TLBB and have had the chance to travel across beautiful environments, experiencing exciting in-game events and enjoying the super mounts on offer whilst fighting the fiercest of enemies with their trusty pets. For all those aspiring comic makers, TLBB is offering an excellent way for players to show off their talents. The winner will be rewarded with an expensive mount, with the ‘Bloody Plate’ fashion garment going to 5 of the best runners-up.  Win whilst having fun!
 
For more information, please visit the TLBB Event Page.