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Monthly Archives: May 2010
Why PC Gaming is Nowhere Near Dead
Why PC Gaming is Nowhere Near Dead
By Joshua Temblett (Dontkillmydreams), OnRPG Journalist
The PC Gaming Industry continues to grow and grow. In a recent announcement from the PC Gaming Alliance (PCGA) it was revealed that software revenue was at $13.1 billion for 2009, which is a 3% increase from 2008. So what exactly can this rise in PC gaming software sales be attributed to?
I think the important thing is to recognise MMORPGs as one of the biggest genres in the PC Games industry. To put it simply, the MMORPG is something which is oddly exclusive to the PC platform. Game developers can make MMOs for consoles, as it has been proven by games such as Final Fantasy XI, White Knight Chronicles and Monster Hunter (and yes I know that the latter two aren’t MMORPGs per say; however they do have some of the same features).
Whilst online RPGs can be created for consoles, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of developers pushing for it, excluding Square Enix. This is interesting because it is generally believed that there are more console gamers out there then PC gamers, so why would game companies not want to create MMORPGs for a console, especially when there is such a large market for them (just look at World of Warcraft and its twelve million subscribers)?

In 2006 it was revealed by Paul Sams (then World of Warcraft’s Chief Operating Officer) that the reasons why MMOs could not be brought to consoles were because “There’s no certification process outside of Blizzard’s internal process. When you introduce Microsoft, Sony or Nintendo, you introduce a whole new certification process.”[1] Blizzard has also been reported as telling Microsoft that “There are so many games like we make at Blizzard that we don’t take to consoles because they don’t support the input device, and you end up with crappy ports. That’s why RTS games never do well on consoles.”[2] If this logic is true then MMORPGs (and RTSs) will always remain exclusive to the PC, and there will always be a reason to return to the PC for games in those genres.
Of course, Blizzards ideas about developing MMOs for the console could soon be outdated. Final Fantasy XIV will enter the online arena in Q4, and it isn’t exclusive to the PC. In fact there’s a very large possibility that the game has been designed from the ground up to support console play, like Final Fantasy XI before it. Players have been able to play Final Fantasy XI on consoles for many years now, so even when Blizzard made the above statements in 2006, they could have been considered outdated.

Even if a new, prosperous, market for MMORPGs were to be found on consoles, this still wouldn’t remove any of the reasons to game on a PC. With services such as Steam and Direct 2 Drive it’s never been easier to buy a game you like and install it. The former also has a huge community centred around it and has just as many, if not more, features as Microsoft’s Xbox Live service.

The Real Time Strategy game is one genre that cannot be duplicated on consoles, even though developers have tried. It’s not that these games aren’t a “success” (of course this completely depends on how you define the word), it’s just that there’s not much of a market on consoles for them. Consoles are designed for simplicity, you turn on your Playstation 3 on, pop the disc in, and then you’re ready to play. This ease of use isn’t something that PC gamers have the pleasure, however that’s why we’re PC gamers. We love to boot a game up, and tweak it to our liking. Consoles are designed for quick play and to provide you with entertainment as quickly possible, that’s why First Person Shooters are popular on them because you just aim and shoot. RTSs don’t provide that type of gameplay. In most RTSs, you’ll end up playing for hours on end in one match, slowly building up your resources, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. They’re all about strategy and planning, and so are MMORPGs, and that’s why they’ll never be such a commercial success on consoles.
Now I know I’m stereotyping here. I know not all console gamers are restless teenagers who just want to shoot another human in the head with an AK-47. I also know that there are some incredibly artistic and beautiful games on consoles, such as ICO and Okami, sadly these games don’t sell millions.
In this respect PCs will always have a home for not only MMORPGs and RTSs (as well as many other genres), but also artistic games like “The Path“. This is what makes PC gaming so great and so powerful (because of the variety that’s always available on the platform), not to mention the fact that it’s a great format to test a new idea on.
People and companies complain about piracy, however these complaints generally have absolutely no backing to them. One such example is that of Infinity Ward’s community manager, who in 2008 complained about “rampant” PC Piracy[3]. The only problem is that the community manager never released figures. “What wasn’t fantastic was the percentage of those numbers who were playing on stolen copies of the game on stolen / cracked CD keys of pirated copies (and that was only people playing online),” Fourtwozero complained after the launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. This was the reason that the company decided not to have dedicated servers and created a dumbed down Xbox 360 port for the PC.
Of course, the main problem with this claim that piracy is killing the PC industry is that you have organisations such as Blizzard and Valve who have built their whole company around PC gaming, and continue to do so. In fact Valve have updated Team Fortress 2 with maps, class updates, extra items and hats so many times that the game looks completely different from when it launched in 2007. These companies have not gone bankrupt, that’s because they both create games that are considered some of the best in the industry and they constantly innovate and evolve
These new numbers released by the PCGA show that PC gaming can achieve great heights, and is continuing to grow by billions of Dollars every year. Not only that but the PC gaming hardware market is also worth $9.5 billion [4]!
Games to me mean something incredibly special. There is something magical about setting foot inside a giant world for the first time, or following a Professor, helping him to solve puzzles. These are feelings only video games can provide. That is the beauty of the industry, and it’s refreshing to see that where it all began (with the PC) is where it is continuing to grow and expand.
[1] Source – http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/i_paulsams_wow
[2] Source – http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/gdc-blizzard-in-talks-with-microsoft-about-next-xbox
[3] Source – http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/50748
[4] Source – http://www.techreport.com/discussions.x/18665
Zodiac OnlineÂs New Expansion Due May 7th
Zodiac Online’s New Expansion Due May 7th
The newest expansion of Zodiac Online – the Fantastic Journey is releasing on May 7th. In this expansion, we’re adding more features such as the daily Fancy Draw System, the weekly Trivia Contest, and the monthly Zodiac Arena games. Besides, the max level will be raised up from 70 to 90.
The Fancy Draw System is something like a small casino, players can pay gold to draw a card from 25 cards and get the reward shown on the other side of the card.

Fancy Draw System
The Trivia Contest is a simulation of the exams in ancient China. Players need to pass 5 exams to get an honor of a Doctor and a shiny light around the feet.

Zodiac Online’s Trivia Contest
The Zodiac Arena is a battle among many teams. Players need to fight in the unit of team until there’s only one team left in the arena area.

The Zodiac Arena
Zodiac Online is a free-to-play MMORPG for all people at any age. The game is full of Chinese cultural elements, especially the 12 Zodiac Signs. Also it has colorful and cute graphics, which have attracted a lot of young girls. Unlike the battles in other real-time games, players in Zodiac don’t need to decide what to do in battles in a hurry, so even those who don’t have any experience on playing games can handle this game easily. It’s truly a game to relax and enjoy rather than rush to complete!
With this fantastic expansion, we’re pretty sure that our players are going to have another couple of sleepless nights.
HoMMo: Asian Closed Beta Begins May 7th!
HoMMo: Asian Closed Beta Begins May 7th!
TQ Digital have confirmed that their anticipated MMO, Heroes of Might and Magic Online, licensed by renowned publishers Ubisoft, will be entering it’s Asia area closed beta on May 7th.
Fans of Heroes of Might & Magic, one of the most loved PC-franchises of the last 15 years, can finally take their adventure to the MMO space on May 7th with Heroes of Might and Magic Online, developed under the careful study of established china-based online games developer, TQ Digital.
With millions of players already habiting their other titles, including such well known names as Eudemons Online and Conqueror Online, TQ Digital have had a wealth of expertise to call on while crafting a playing experience based around the wants and needs of the series’ loyal fans.
Licensed by Ubisoft – who boast a host of mega-franchises, including The Settlers and Assassins Creed – Heroes of Might and Magic (HoMM) Online will take players back to the classic gameplay elements of HoMM III, mixing it with the stunning updated graphics of HoMM V in a 2.5D turn-based massively multiplayer environment.
Though Ubisoft introduced a new universe to the series for HoMM V, their first title after acquiring the franchise from 3DO Company, TQ Digital are finally bringing the popular fantasy setting of Erathia back, which debuted in 1999 releases, HoMM III and Might and Magic VII: For Blood and Honor.
Gameplay in Heroes of Might and Magic Online is as varied as it is beautiful, with gorgeous graphics complementing your epic quest to prove your valiant leadership.
Chose from a variety of 8 unique factions, develop elaborate castles that dominate the skyline of bustling metropolis Harmondale – epicenter of trade in the sweeping Antagarichean continent – plunder resources in exhilarating missions and fortify your armies against the inevitable wars of domination that lie ahead as you carve out your own legacy like the legions of plucky adventurers before you.
Experience magic based on an innovative in-game star system. Cast a new spell to increase your proficiency or perfect spells through a dynamic online training center.
Randomly generated combat maps, designed with strategic gameplay in mind, ensure you will need to think studiously about unit formations and tactics, while the hundreds of unique campaigns, each with deep storylines and goals, including 10 chapters of battlefield missions, are guaranteed to keep play refreshing throughout.
Develop towns of different races with the unique Town Prestige System, form guilds, gather resources, and prove your worth in the bloody-thirsty Challenging Arena. TQ Digital will be hosting a slew of PK events with HoMM Online: Team PK and Extreme PK are only the tip of the iceberg, with these events providing opportunities to gain priceless honor points and increase faction reputation.
Summary of HoMM Online game features:
• First Persistent World Turn-Based Strategy MMO
• 8 towns, 16 classes and 56 creatures
• Hundreds of campaigns with epic storylines
• Unique Anima and Dragon Scale Forge System
• Glorious Guild Building & Exciting Guild Wars
• Challenging Arena and PK Tournaments
• Heroes can build towns of different factions
The Asia area closed beta for HoMM Online launches on May 7th.

Zero Online: May Events
1. New Function – Friend Trading System
Have you ever thought of buying or selling friends in-game? Now, ZO provides you such an amazing chance! If you get sold by your friend, you may be put into the slave market and work for your friend.

There will be 18 stages for you to enter into, and that means you will have the chance to win some amazing gifts! But nothing good in this world comes for free! You’ll need to pay to enter each stage. You will have the chance to win some great prizes, or even up to 138x your entry fee! Come and check it out for yourself!
4. New Function – Screenshot Onekey Upload
Is it troublesome to upload those screenshots by yourself? This new function will help you upload your screenshots with almost no effort at all! All you need to do is to press F12, and then a box will pop up and ask you to fill in some required information. After you do that, the screenshots will be automatically uploaded to the official website! It is so easy, right? Why not give it a shot at that time?
5. Cosmos Apocalypse 71–80
The world of ZO offers you the precious chance to explore the wide and mysterious cosmos. By joining the Cosmos Apocalypse, your piloting and unit will be put to the test! Upon completion, you won’t just claim items, but also an honorable title! You will be rewarded with a Genetic Resource Pack, a Lottery Pack, 2 Military Badges and 500 ZPs (Bound) by finishing the Cosmos Apocalypse Stages 71–80.
6. Routine Weekend Event – Othello’s Kr/Carry the Ores/The More The Merrier/Attack the Phantom/Dark Crystals (May 1 – 2 & May 15 – 16)
The recent solar storm has caused severe damage to the Alliance’s energy systems. If not enough energy ore is collected by the end of the month, the entire Alliance will grind to a halt, due to power shortages. To correct this power crisis, ZO will hold routine weekend events every Saturday and Sunday, where you can exchange Kr Ores you collect for ZPs! Time to do your part!
7. Routine Weekend Event & Endless Love (May 8 – 9)
Mother’s Day is a holiday when children honor their mothers with cards, gifts, and flowers. In many countries, people celebrate Mother’s Day on the second Sunday in May, and this year, Mother’s Day falls on May 9th! So in addition to the new Routine Weekend Event coming, we will prepare a special event to celebrate it! You can take part in this “Endless Love” quest, to deliver red roses to Canossa and earn some amazing rewards!
This weekend, ZO players who are above level 60 can claim 1 free gift from the kit, when you remain online for 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 hours. Not only that, but you will have the chance to win a Military Badge, Double Exp Potion, Gene Module, +1 Chomsky Atom, +2 Chomsky Atom, +3 Chomsky Atom, Exp Recorder and Amethyst Pack! Good luck!
Players Launch Open Beta for Battle of the Immortals
Players Launch Open Beta for Battle of the Immortals
Perfect World Entertainment Inc., a wholly owned US subsidiary of Perfect World Co., Ltd. (NASDAQ: PWRD), today announced that Battle of the Immortals is now in open beta thanks to the thousands of players that participated in the closed beta. As part of the closed beta, Perfect World Entertainment rewarded players’ survey feedback and took forum threads, in-game chatter and blog comments into consideration.
Players can look forward to WASD movement, tab targeting, key binding, streamlined interface and improved access to the highly-coveted Soul Gear equipment as a result of their closed beta participation and survey feedback.
“Demand for Battle of the Immortals has been tremendous and to help launch the open beta, we are unveiling a new server, Aquarius. This is following the flood of players that made the closed beta such a success and subsequently resulted in us opening additional servers within 20 minutes of launch,” said Jonathan Belliss, Product Manager for Battle of the Immortals. “Our Shanghai development studio and I would like to thank our players for helping to shape Battle of the Immortals into their own game. We’ve had great success and understand that our games are only as great as our players.”
The new MMORPG from Perfect World Entertainment, Battle of the Immortals is an action RPG MMO that combines eastern and western cultures ranging from Norse Mythology to the Qin Dynasty. Heavily online PvP focused, players will explore tombs and dungeons for the highly-coveted Soul Gear equipment.
For more information on Battle of the Immortals, please visit the official website!

TOP MMO FPS Shooters
Check the top MMO FPS games available right now! Titles include: Cross Fire, Combat Arms, Gunz Online and Alliance of Valiant Arms.
Karma: Operation Barabossa: Player Versus Player Versus Zombies
Karma: Operation Barabossa: Player Versus Player Versus Zombies
By Kei Beneza (dividelife), OnRPG Journalist
It’s been a while since we last saw an new FPS online game, and might I say that this one doesn’t disappoint. Karma: Operation Barabossa is a fictional MMOFPS set in World War II, where the Germans continue to harass the land of Europe (like I said, completely fictional). Perhaps another factor that would stress the “fiction” part completely would be the ravaging zombies walking around (yep, that’s right! Zombies), all thanks to the Mad Scientist, Dr Fritz who lost it during the war. Now that I think about it, the game seems to be a bit late as the zombie era of gaming pretty much ended 2 years ago (if you remember, 2008 = Left 4 Dead, Zombie Apocalypse, Resident Evil 5 etc). The visuals are absolutely stunning, and it is very hard to compare with its older counterparts. It’s a fatal-three-way of Player vs Player vs Zombies, so nothing can get more action-packed thanthat.
PVPVE
Karma: Operation Barabossa is a mixture of games like Left 4 Dead, Battlefield, and Call of Duty MW2. It’s still PVP, but unlike most MMOFPSs, you can also gain points (level up) by killing the zombie NPCs that flood the arena. The best part about this game is how they managed to take different elements from trademark games and still come up with a product that not only makes these elements work surprisingly well, but also makes it all feel fresh in some way. There are a lot of zombies in the game, and by “A LOT” I mean hordes of undead beings. It may not be that original, but you can’t deny that there’s nothing more satisfying than driving a solid bullet through a zombie’s head.

Classes
There are two factions to choose from: Germans & Russians (Sorry folks, the zombie faction stays in Left 4 Dead :P). Worry not though, for the game does have a nice set of classes that will keep you playing for hours. There are four default classes in all, each with their own set of weapons and specialties to suit the player’s preferred playstyle. There’s the Sniper, who technically serves his comrades from afar, the Heavy Weapons Expert, who shoots weapons of mass destruction, the Squad Support who shoots rapid artillery behind the front line, and of course, the common Assault Squad who tend to get bitten first (lol). Since the game is more hostile than your average MMOFPS, players must work together in order to overcome the odds, strategizing all the way while making use of the classes provided.
Game modes
The game has a limited set of maps, but don’t get me wrong as each of these arenas are big enough to keep you from getting bored. Each arena also has its own set of game modes that keeps the game from being linear. There’s the common Team Deathmatch, which basically consists of 2 teams duking it out to see who’s the victor, Demolition mode, which is similar to “Destroy the Target” Campaigns, and the most awesome mode in the game-Annihilation mode, which yanks our 2 teams to a killing race to see who can kill the most zombies per round.

Small Details
The game looks and plays very well, but like most games, it does have its own share of cons. My first problem with the game would have to be its maps, or rather the lack of them. It’s a very enjoyable game all in all, but maps are quite essential for PVPFPSs. You don’t see us playing Counterstrike on the DE-Dust map for 3 hours, so a few more maps should do the trick. Although this problem doesn’t affect most people, the game also lacks a good selection of guns which keeps a player from fully expressing his playstyle. This isn’t Left 4 Dead where you just randomly point and shoot, and the choices of guns found in FPS shooters are there for a purpose (not just variety). Guns are mainly mass produced in FPSes in order to see that each player gets the playstyle he wants, rather than simply carrying the same sniper rifle all day. Like I said, it may not be a problem to some gamers, but it does affect pro games on the long run.
Graphics and Interface
The interface looks lot like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. HUD elements like HP and bullets are placed in rather familiar places, which can be good since everyone’s used to having it there. There’s also the familiar experience count which flashes right above your target after killing it, which was obviously taken from COD: MW. The graphics on the other hands are flawless, with each character rendered to perfection. The background or arena is also something to behold, with dynamic shaders and cool lighting effects that make the stage fitting for the theme. The guns look perfect (almost real) and effects like smoke and explosions make the game action-packed. What truly captured my heart was the framerate. The game runs extremely well, with fewer choppy frames which tend to ruin your gaming experience/zen. When it comes to MMOFPS graphics, this game is god.

The verdict
Zombies meet Call of Duty? What will they think up next? The game is definitely something to look forward to as it’s still on Beta. There are still a lot of things to improve but the game is definitely on the right track. It may not be that original in the gaming world, but definitely a breakthrough in the MMO spectrum. The game modes are enjoyable, making me crave the real thing. The only thing keeping me from giving this game a high score, is the fact that I still have to wait for it.
The Good:
– ZOMBIES man! What else?
– The visuals are one of the best in the spectrum
– Diverse game modes (I’m tired of capture the flag)
– It’s PVPVE! A breakthrough!
The Bad:
– Needs more guns
– Gets old after a while due to its limited game modes
– Needs more maps.
Cabal Online Finds Solution To Private Servers
Cabal Online Finds Solution To Private Servers

Tales of Pirates II: Closed Beta Weighs Anchor May 6th
Tales of Pirates II: Closed Beta Weighs Anchor May 6th
Tales of Pirates II, IGG’s latest 3D MMORPG, earned rave reviews during its brief Alpha Test in April. Using players’ feedback, the ToP II team has refined the game even further and squashed more bugs. Now they’re ready for the next phase, and have announced that Closed Beta will begin at 10:00 PM EDT (GMT-4) on May 6th.
The Closed Beta will feature a ton of new contents, including the Arena. There players can take part in large-scale team PvP. In addition to conventional PvP battles, players can also fight for resources and territory. Demonstrate your teamwork and show off your skills, or watch from the special Arena gallery and judge for yourself who has the power and tactics to rule the day.
Closed Beta will also introduce players to the unique Rear Fairy. Use the special Fairy Liquid to grow your own Rear Fairy. Different types will buff their masters with different effects that enhance players’ attacks or strengthen their defenses. The right Rear Fairy can make all the difference in PvP battles and Boss fights, as beta participants will learn first-hand.
There will also be new, challenging, high-level Mazes, plus brand new game elements like Treasure Digging, the Augury System and much more. Being a pirate has never been so much fun!

About Tales of Pirates II
Tales of Pirates II is a new adventure game set in the age of the Vikings. It’s a time of great discoveries and also great brutality. Roam the vast oceans of northern Europe and engage in intense battles, using technological superiority and magical powers to determine who will claim mastery over the seas. Visit the Tales of Pirates II website to see screenshots, learn about game features, and get in on the forum discussions about this exciting new game.