Yearly Archives: 2010

Sony Online Strongly “Hints” Planetside Sequel Coming This Spring

Sony Online Strongly “Hints” Planetside Sequel Coming This Spring

 

The Escapist snagged a exclusive last night by having a chat with John Smedley of Sony Online Entertainment. For the first time we are hearing word of a release date and it has given all of us at OnRPG a huge sign of hope that the once great three faction MMOFPS will make a shining return to glory.

 

Ensure you read on for the full article!

 

“While getting the tour of the Sony Online Denver studio, I was able to snag John Smedley to chat for a few minutes on the state of the gaming industry. We talked about SOE’s biggest competitor, Blizzard, and how other MMO companies react to what the WoW-maker does, as well as what can be learned from the demise of APB‘s Realtime Worlds. But when I asked him to confirm whether the titles that I’d been asked out to Denver to see, Magic The Gathering Tactics and DC Universe Online, were the only games in the pipeline for SOE, Smedley dropped a bomb. Not only is he heavily invested in social and casual games, but Smedley is super excited for Sony’s return to the MMOFPS genre with the tentatively titled Planetside Next. Sony has hinted at a sequel with that working title before, but this is the first time that we’ve gotten wind of a release window.

 

“We have a very big launch coming in the month of March,” Smedley said. “It’s a big first person shooter franchise that we’re really happy with.”

 

I took a leap of logic and asked whether it was Planetside.

 

“Could be,” Smedley said sheepishly. “We haven’t technically announced it.” He then told me that I could say that he “hinted” that the new Planetside was imminent, which translates to 99% of a confirmation. “This is the farthest I’ve gone [discussing it with the press] and the PR people are going to shoot me.”

 

As for why it’s called Planetside Next, it appears that Smedley might have learned something from his signature franchise. “We don’t have the official name for it. Planetside Next is kind of the working title,” Smedley said. “We’ve learned some lessons with Everquest II , not one of the better moves that we’ve ever made. We should have called it EverQuest Something. Having Everquest I and II sit on the shelves at the same time, in hindsight, was probably not the the brightest of moves.”

 

That’s because the two fantasy MMOs are separate products which both have their own servers and audience. That will be less of a problem with Planetside, due to the small number of people still playing the 7 year old game on its one remaining server. Does Smedley think that the update will bring in more players than the first one did? Well, it’s safe to say that he is excited about it.

 

“[Planetside Next] is the coolest god-damned game,” Smedley said. “I’m so in love with that game.””

 

Source

 

Atlantica Online December Update is Now Live!

Atlantica Online December Update is Now Live!

 

A swarm of new updates are now available for the strategic turn-based MMO, Atlantica Online. The large-scale update includes a new dungeon, an overhauled Tactical Battle System, new journeys, and more.

 

The new high level dungeon, Ancient Lava Valley, allows up to three level 125 players and above to join together to battle the Flame Guardians. Defeating all monsters within the given time limit awards players exciting new items and treasures.

 

In addition, fans are now able to try out Atlantica’s Tactical Battle System facelift, which features a bigger and bolder interface. Camera angles, alert messaging, and battlefield grid indicators have undergone major modifications so players are able to efficiently manage in-game activity. Additionally, a Solo Mode battle system has been added to the Trojan War Missions, which offers solo players faster paced action, better speed upgrades, and stronger attack power. The revamp of battle mechanics as well as the inclusion of the Solo Mode offers players a more conveniently balanced gameplay experience.

 

Several new storylines and journeys are also available now for Atlantica Online, providing more adventures for players to enjoy. Additionally, players can see a new change to their mansions with the addition of stables.  Players can now showcase two mounts for display at their mansion for all to admire.

 

For the holidays, players are encouraged to visit Santa’s Villa, where special Christmas-themed quests and items are now available.

 

Arena Online Review: Clean Slate for the Clean Plate

Arena Online Review: Clean Slate for the Clean Plate
By Vincent Haoson (Vincenthaoson), OnRPG Journalist

 

Arena Online is a client based MMORPG from the GDTeam and published by Kalicanthus Entertainment.  The game takes place in a world simply called Arena, where three races, the Nordics, the Humans and the Elves are at each other’s throats vying for supremacy in a medieval world.

 

Arena Online Character

 

First Impressions

Upon entering Arena, I was not impressed with the world that welcomed me. You start off in the beginner “village” where you get the grasp of the overall controls and game system. While the character design is pretty clean, not much can be said of the surroundings and of the game sprites and animation.

 

Character movement is strictly constricted to the mouse while the keyboard works as the “shortcut” key for the various skills and magic spells you will acquire as you continue your adventures in Arena.

 

Clunky Controls

Initially I had no problems with the mouse being the default and locked control for character movement, however the movement itself is where I find problems. Call me jaded, but I got used to smooth controls on other MMORPGs but it seems in Arena it is pretty clunky.

 

Personally, I don’t have problems with clunky controls however it does get in the way when you do PvE or PvP, there are times when you catch yourself casting a spell then suddenly you see yourself start attacking with your equipped melee weapon without a smooth transition from one move to another. It can be pretty irritating specially when you’re trying to “level” a stat (this will be explained later on).  

 

 

Arena Online Chopping

You can actually “chop” enemies as well

 

The controls also feel very heavy. Whenever you move from one point to another you have this feeling that your character is carrying a heavy load. There’s also this thing which makes it seem that your character is running with his head facing up like some old cartoon character trying to run fast.

 

Game Systems

Admittedly, the character controls and movement grated on me for the first ten minutes of the game, however, once I got past that I finally saw the game’s “meat” as an MMORPG.

 

I’m referring to the game systems that are in place in Arena Online. I can say that Arena Online is one of the few MMORPGs out there that can say that they bring the role play in role playing games. Unlike most MMOs where you’re given stat bonuses at every level, based on your job class or race, in Arena Online you have to work (sans grinding your stats) for the character type of your preference

 

 

Arena Online Equipment

The equipment

 

Also, levels in Arena Online are not a deciding factor in a character’s strength unlike in the usual set up of MMORPGs. Levels in Arena Online are based on the highest stat a character has, not on the amount of experience points he has earned by killing monsters.

 

Character Customization > Character Looks

Arena Online uses the “grind a stat” system where you start off with your stat categories (ex. vitality, dexterity, strength etc.) all set to 0. Leveling these stat categories are reliant on the way you play. If you keep using melee attacks your attack and strength stats will improve, and getting hit constantly will increase your vitality.

 

 

Arena Online Profile

See them green trees? You can make them grow!

 

I really liked how logical the stat improvements are done with Arena Online. The more you keep on using the same type of attacks improve your efficiency on the weapon which in turn is similar to training in real life. In fact, if you are familiar with DnD or tabletop role playing games, the stat system and even the stat computations in Arena Online are pretty similar to these games, even the damages and weapon stats ring true to DnD.

 

However, while Arena Online’s stat growth is pretty customizable, this is not true of the game’s character customization. In character creation, you are given a basic set choice on how your character looks.

 

Arena Online Creation

This is the best it gets– Oh! you can however see the cape once you get one

 

Skills

The other thing I liked about the game is that it has a huge skill library. Unlike other games where you’re stuck with the skill set that’s locked to your characters job class, in Arena Online the absence of a set class enables you to choose which skill you want to develop. The game almost hands you every skill in your race but you are limited to developing a certain amount of skills on specific stat levels.

 

Arena Online Skills

This is just page one of many

 

The stat system is pretty tricky to understand if you do not pay attention to the tutorials and guides. Arena Online’s skill system completes the whole “customized character growth system” in which the game is really proud of.

 

Conclusion

All in all, I enjoyed how Arena Online plays. However it still took a while for me to get used to the tricky controls and dated graphics engine. The game’s story is flimsy at best so the game pretty much banks on the totally customizable stat system.

 

Arena Online Map

Yeah…This is the map

 

I also forgot to mention that the game is pretty much set up for the Russian/European market. This is a problem because there are times where you see ???? in the game chat window. The paranoid in me keeps on thinking that I missed something but who really knows?

 

Arena Online Questions

Did you say what now?

 

If you’re the type who likes their characters  an empty shell that you can fill yourself then you should try the game. However, gamers who have little patience to deal with in-depth character development and prefer pre-set stats and skills based on their job class then you better go for the bigger named MMORPGs.

 

Pros

Game system gives you freedom on your character’s path and growth.
Character stat customization is based on your gameplay and not on any game preset.
Character strength is based on how you want your character to grow and not on the level.

 

Cons

Clunky controls.
Visual customization is kept to a minimum.
Movement transitions are very clunky and can confuse you at worst.

 

Six Runes of Magic players have a shot at 1,000 Euros

Six Runes of Magic players have a shot at 1,000 Euros


Starting on December 10th, an outsized green menace will be stirring up trouble in the Runes of Magic fantasy world of Taborea. Publisher Frogster is inviting all players to take part in a massive boss hunt. Running until December 27th, participants who are able to face off against the menace on one of six days will have a chance at winning a cool 1,000 Euros each.

Runes of Magic Stop the Green Menace

The “Stop the Green Menace” community event is sending out the best and the bravest on a mission to bring down a powerful goblin.  Only the most courageous will be able to lure him into a duel. Players who are able to draw the boss out for a fight on their server during the six day event will be entered into a prize draw for the 6,000 Euros that are up for grabs. A winner will be chosen at random from all the players on the European servers that are able to challenge the boss – it doesn’t matter if you win or lose.

 

The rewards are not just financial in nature. All players who square off against the goblin during the six day event have a shot at winning the Damnation Bunga Mount, a brand new two-player mount. On this event day, the Goblin won’t be poking around Taborea, but will be lying in wait in the 1-vs-1 arena for brave gamers.

 

It now falls to the brave adventures to set off on the hunt and protect Taborea from the green menace. You can find hints on where he’s most likely to be found on our Twitter and Facebook pages. More information as well as game rules are available at the official website.

 

New Female Specialist, Codename: Raven, Comes to Combat Arms

New Female Specialist, Codename: Raven, In Combat Arms

Blondes have more guns

 

Combat Arms, a fast-paced online first person shooter (FPS) from Nexon America, is unleashing a new specialist, Codename: Raven, into its war-torn world of elite soldiers. The beautiful but deadly specialist will be included in the upcoming Desert Fox update coming to Combat Arms later this month.

 

Although she grew up a tech savvy wallflower, Codename: Raven blossomed during her first year as a soldier trainee. She brought on the attention of the brass with her unrivaled performance, especially during intelligence and infiltration test missions. Codename: Raven is a brilliant specialist and comes equipped with a light armor vest, making her one of the fastest of the known specialists. While she is renowned for her blinding speed in battle, she brings a calm, strategic approach to firefights, and an ability to get past any computer security system, no matter how complex. 

 

Desert Fox, a new cooperative fire-team map, will present Combat Arms players with a challenging new mission where soldiers uncover and pursue a devastating terrorist plot. Players are encouraged to suit up with Codename: Raven and use her knowledge of all the specialist weapons to tackle the new PVE map. Desert Fox will offer high-impact action and new ways to level up and earn exclusive items upon completing the mission.

Interview – Getting to Know Xhodon More

Interview – Getting to Know Xhodon More

Questions by Vincent Haoson, OnRPG Journalist
Answered by Dennis Reimer, CEO Trollgames

 

Xhodon is a browser game run by German game publishing company bigpoint.com. With the game already out for more than a year we here at OnRPG knock on their door and see how the game is doing and what’s in-store for the players in the near future.

 

OnRPG: Xhodon has been running for more than a year, how has the game fared so far? Are you satisfied with how the game turned out since its release?

We started the German version of Xhodon in fall 2008. We are still surprised how many people like to play a game, which once used to be not more than a small hobby project. One year later the first English game world was released. It attracted many new players. A few months ago the second English game world started quite successful. And soon the first English World is going to be restarted with many more new features.

 

Xhodon Story

 

OnRPG: Xhodon takes on a game genre that has been infiltrated by tons of web browser games, what do you think is Xhodon’s edge against them?

There are some features which make Xhodon a different gaming experience. One of the most important things about Xhodon: one can play the game without attacking other players, since there are a lot of creeps you can fight with. There are plenty of ways to play the game, its complex – but not hard to learn the basics. Furthermore Xhodon is all about community. People got dozens of options to get in touch, and really play together.

 

OnRPG: What’s the defining feature that identifies Xhodon among the other browser based MMOGs out?

An extraordinary feature is our league system. The highscore is divided in different leagues, like sport leagues. The better your score is, the higher your rank in your league. You compete only with rivals at the same level, but you can interact with every player. At the end of a certain term, e.g. two weeks, the winners of every league get awards and powerful items. That system is a constant motivation to the players, apart from usual aims, like getting better troops or developing your palace (base).

 

 

OnRPG: The game uses a very dramatic introduction for new players, is that part of the charm of Xhodon?

Well, Xhodon intends to stimulate the fantasy of the players. We attach great importance to nicely drawn pictures and ingame graphics. The intro goes in line with that. Xhodon is lively and colorful. That counts for the game design and the inhabitants of the game world – our players.

 

OnRPG: Would you say that’s Xhodon’s more PvP oriented?

 

There is no general answer to this. Our playerbase consists of people, who prefer PvP fights as well as many, who mainly want to fight against NPCs. We always tried to fulfill the needs of both factions. There are different game worlds with varying game configurations. Some are more PvP oriented others not. With our recently started “World of the Fairies” (German world) we reached the next level in our endeavor to combine PvP and PvE oriented players in one game. There will be a new English game world soon with the same configuration.

 

 

Attack Successful

 

OnRPG: This is the first time I saw a chat box integrated into a browser-based MMOG’s interface does this mean Xhodon also all promotes socialization for players?

As mentioned above Xhodon is about socializing. There are many community features such as the ingame chat with general channels, a rpg channel and guild channels. Every player is represented by a profile in the game. You can put personal data there and it shows all awards one has obtained by being a successful player. There is even a guestbook on this profile, which can be used for personal greetings or posting funny pictures. At the other hand the game itself allows the players to cooperate and really play together. With so called “War Camps” you can combine the forces of several players to create a powerful army. Thus, you fight together against stronger players or monsters (creeps), you couldn’t defeat alone.

To sum it up, Xhodon is the perfect way to meet new people. We have several reports of players becoming friends or even getting married. Some of those couples already have babies! 😉

 

OnRPG: Xhodon seems to be using a lot of mythical creatures based on established lore, where did you base the creatures found on the game from?

Well, we are blessed with a lot of imagination. We are fantasy fans ourselves and created an own fantasy universe. We were inspired by several fantasy novels and movies. Xhodon is a mix, not a copy of an existing fantasy universe. It is remarkable that a big amount of the myths about the different creatures where developed by the players, not by us.

 

OnRPG: Can you elaborate on the Mad Eye system of Xhodon? Is it any different from the map systems found on other browser based MMOGs?

Concerning the map and the way to use it, Xhodon is somewhat special. Through the Mad Eye a mage can see the whole realm of Xhodon. The higher one develops that building the more of the map is revealed. Using the Mad Eye you give orders to your war heros, the commanders of your troops. You can send them wherever you want. Unlike in other strategy games you have access to the whole game world and are able to reach every other player within a few hours. Furthermore heros can as well stay somewhere on the map. They don’t have to come back immediatly. There are many strategic options resulting from this. You can waylay an enemy hero, for instance, and attack him by surprise. You can run away from an enemy or travel through the world to summon other heros and create a powerful war camp.

 

OnRPG: Is the in-game premium store more for convenience for players or is it important for a complete Xhodon gaming experience?

There are several features you can use the premium currency “Runes” for. Some of them are for convenience, others boost you directly. You can buy Runes using real money, but you also get it by playing the game. Runes are being rewarded for solving quests, for defeating creeps, for developing guild structures, for inviting new players and by exchanging Pearls with other players. Active players can earn a lot of runes to spend for the several premium features without paying money.

 

OnRPG: Do the premium items in Xhodon affect the game balance in anyway?

Certain premium features do. They grant bonuses for resource production or increase the combat power of your troops. But as stated above, everybody can use this features, since one gets Runes by playing the game, not only by buying them with money. We believe it is important, that also people not willing to pay big bucks have fun playing our games without handicaps.

 

OnRPG: How has the player support of the game fared in the its  more than one year of operation? Are players open to giving ideas and suggestions to the game?

We try to offer a player support of high quality. There are different teams responsible for moderating the chat, the board and to help players in case of bugs or questions. There are different ways to get in contact with the staff. You can send mail, write an ingame message or try to reach somebody in the live chat. Normally all requests can be answered and solved quickly. There will be an ingame supportlink soon. Using that, players can open support tickets directly from the game interface.

 

Xhodon Tutorial

 

OnRPG: How many artifacts are out in the game right now? Where did you get the idea for the artifacts the game has?

Artifacts are one of Xhodons special features found in nearly no other strategy browser game. It’s kind of a capture the flag mode. As mentioned, the highscore of Xhodon is divided into leagues, where players of the same level compete with each other. Every league has its own set of artifacts. Artifacts are magical stones which grant special bonuses to the player, who hold one as well as to the guild he belongs to. Artifacts can only be conquered by players of the same league. So far there are 3 different artifacts per league in the game giving bonuses on the production of different resources. Before the end of the year a new English game server will start at xhodon.com. One of the new features will be an artifact called “Drakon Splinter”. It boosts the combat strength of the mage, who possesses it and thus is the most powerful artifact of all four.

 

OnRPG: How huge is the game’s armory? Will you be adding more weapons and equipment in the future?

So far players can collect and trade more than 3200 different items. Items like weapons and armor add bonuses to resource production, combat strength etc. The game server called “Dwarf World” and the new “Troll World”, which soon will be released are servers with unlimited lifetime. After a few months we will implement stronger creeps, which drop new items when defeated. With that additional content Xhodon will be fun for years!

 

OnRPG: How engaging is the game’s battle system and how is it different from other MMOGs?

Important about the battle system is the mentioned freedom in movement. You can send your heros wherever you want, whenever you want. That makes a huge difference in gameplay compared to other games. Usually you give an order and wait hours till it’s carried out. You are not able to change anything about the order, not knowing what your troops will confront when the battle finally takes place. Xhodon is completely different in that.

 

There are two different kinds of troops in Xhodon. One type does high damage, the other type has high life power. Battle creatures vary in speed. You can form fast armies to intercept enemy heroes or decide for slow but powerful units to minimize your losses in battle. Apart from that every unit has several strengths and weaknesses. It’s an advanced stone-paper-scissors system. All that leaves many room for strategic decisions and there are different ways to play successful.

 

There is one more thing to mention: We tried to create a game for players, who don’t like the hardcore PvP games in which you can lose everything and see the work of months wiped out within a few hours. Therefore you can’t conquer enemy’s palaces (bases) in Xhodon. In line with this mentality goes another feature called the “Shaman Hut”. If two heros fight against each other only a part of the fallen troops is lost forever. The rest can be resurrected in the Shaman Hut by paying some resources. Players rarely come to the point of despair and are never forced to start over new from the very beginning.

 


OnRPG: What’s in store for Xhodon players for the remainder of the year?

I told you about the improved game configuration we created for the recently released German game world.

As soon as the final battle in the English “World of Trolls” is over, the server is reset. It starts with the new configuration and a lot of new features.

 

The long-desired “Potions” are finally there. These magical elixirs are brewed from ingredients you collect from creeps. They boost your mage in a way similar to items and artifacts.

 

Another new feature is a building you construct and improve together with your guild. The “Altar” is used to sacrifice gold to honor the “Felúndin” (gods of Xhodon). In exchange they bless you once a day and give you runes (premium currency) and ingredients. Also new: you can get runes by killing creeps.

The new artifact “Drakon Splinter” waits to be conquered by the players. There are major changes of the importance of the resource production buildings.

 

To sum it up the new World of Trolls offers a highly improved gaming experience for Xhodon fans and new players as well.

 

There will be further announcements as soon as the date for the launch of the new Troll World is set. Everyone who registers an account within 3 days after launch will receive 100 runes for free to be among the first right from the beginning!

 

Top 5 Kick Ass Classes in MMOs

Top 5 Kick Ass Classes in MMOs
By Jason (Hhean) Harper, OnRPG Journalist

By now, the MMO genre is becoming quite the aged beast in terms of gaming history. Starting out in the confines of text based MUDs, and trading its MMORPG name for a smaller, sleeker abbreviation. Still, for the most part MMOs stick to the ‘holy trinity’ established back in their murky, MUDdy beginnings. There will always be a warrior guy who takes a beating, there will always be a healing guy, usually religious, who does the healing, and there will always be the sneaky guy (or the magical guy) who does all the damage. While the fourth ‘crowd controller guy’ is becoming more and more common in games, most MMOs don’t go far out from these traditional roles. I thought I’d give a little write up on some of the classes that, for me at least, stand out from the pack of trinity huggers in terms of concept, game play, or both.

Mesmer (Guild Wars)

 

Guild Wars Mesmer
She plays blue decks in Magic: The Gathering

In more competitive games, I always enjoy playing whatever class that will annoy my enemies the most. The mere thought of someone snapping a keyboard over their knee in frustration lights a small fire in my jaded little heart every time. Few classes come close to the sheer rage that can be induced by the Mesmer, whose entire game plan revolves around denying your enemies options, and punishing them for doing just about anything. While the idea of the class is far from unique (I write as Everquest’s Enchanter springs to my mind) its look, its play style that messes with not just the mind of enemy characters, but also their players sets this controller type above its predecessors.

Speaking of controllers…

 

Gravity Controller/Dominator (City of Heroes/City of Villains)

Classes Gravity Gun

I once met a guy in CoX that was named Gerdan Freedmen. Guess what archetype he was.

 

Deciding which of CoX’s archetypes is the most kick ass is actually quite a tall order. Might as well ask a father to choose between his hideously powerful children who are capable of wiping out vast hordes of mooks at a time. City of Heroes, and its main competitor, Champions Online, really thrives on how over the top and bonkers the whole superhero genre really is. When thinking about which archetype truly pushes that absurdity to new heights, I had to go with the gravity controller. Want to stop the bad guys by hurling bathtubs at them? Can do! Ever wondered what happens to a Rikti when it gets dropped from a great height? Wonder no more! Ever felt like playing Portal while also playing your MMO?  Speedy thing goes in, dead thing comes out. While other archetypes can giggle while rooms full of guys attempt to hurt them with mere bullets, or turn an entire office block into a blazing inferno of pain, the gravity controller is the only one that has ever made me laugh at just how crazy the whole thing is.

On the topic of blazing infernos, let’s stop with all the controlling and get straight to damage…

Bright Wizard (Warhammer Online)

Bright Wizard
Smoky the Bear and him aren’t friends

Look around you. Are you standing amidst a sea of flame? No? Clearly you’re not a Bright Wizard.

While Warhammer Online was full of awesome classes thematically (as they were ripped, kicking and screaming, from the Warhammer lore) they were often not that great mechanically. Yes, I’m looking at you, Witch Hunter. I think Mythic got the Bright Wizard fairly close to the mark though. They actually had a mechanic that drove home the ‘magic is really dangerous stuff’ theme that is central to Warhammer, while still enabling the class to kill everything, anywhere, at any time. With fire. Lots of fire. Have I driven home that this class burns things yet? This class alone broke the game’s RvR elements, as just a small handful of these walking conflagrations could stop entire armies in their tracks at the correct choke points (Okay, Mythic’s patches made them slightly less able to pull this off, but they are still capable of these shenanigans to a lesser extent). While, yes, the idea of a wizard using fire is hardly a unique concept (Even LotRO gave in and added fireball hurlers eventually), a mage who does nothing but use fire, is themed around fire and is, most likely, on fire right now shows a definite, single minded theme that few other MMOs dare to try.

Time to change the temperature a little…


Death Knight (World of Warcraft)

Death Knight

Beneath it all, he’s a daddy’s boy

Sometimes, it’s good to be bad. Already beginning the game at a higher level, World of Warcraft’s first (and only) hero class starts you out feeling like a devastating engine of unholy destruction. There are few games, let alone MMOs, where you kick things off by slaughtering your way through an entire village, taking all comers as the place burns to the ground around you, break into an armoured fortress, and finish things up by taking part in a large battle alongside giant sized zombies. Then you eat breakfast.

If the looks of the class alone didn’t interest people, Blizzard came up with a few interesting quirks for the class by adding in the class’ unique rune magic mechanic, and giving it a closer tie to a single weapon (or weapon set) in the rune weapons. While the Bright Wizard took one theme (fire) and ran with it at full tilt, the Death Knight feels like someone wielding a toolbox full of evil, and smashing people in the head with it.

Oh, and you get to scream “Get over here!” as you rip everything and its grandma towards you. That’s a plus.

From a class themed around its equipment we move to a class that is defined by its complete lack of equipment….

Monk (Final Fantasy XI, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Everquest, Ragnarok Online, numerous others)

 

Monk
Chuck Norris, eat your heart out. After I pull it out of your chest

The Monk is an old staple within RPGs these days, stemming from their initial inclusion in Dungeons and Dragons, from which many computer RPGs are inspired. A class that is defined by punching stuff in the face while wearing pyjamas, that isn’t to be confused with a bunch of healers who ran off with the name into the lands of Guild Wars. Any game that includes them is hardly being a unique and special snowflake, and often including this overtly eastern themed class in a pseudo-medieval European fantasy setting bends the lore of that RPG backwards just to allow for their existence. They tend to fit in much better in eastern MMOs than their western cousins, and in some cases are the basis for a game in and of themselves (See: Kung Fu Online, or Jade Empire). For all the trouble they cause from a writing and thematic standpoint though, there is a reason they have remained an old standby.

No other class allows you to do a flying roundhouse kick into the face of a dragon. While the other fighting guys are pussy footing around in armour, wielding hulking weapons, the monk is pummelling ancient horrors to death with his bare hands. They’re the Rugby player in a world filled with guys who seem to think they’re playing American Football.

 

Disagree with some of my choices? Think there are better classes out there? Have a good rant on our forums, and maybe I’ll write a cut of your best picks.

City of Heroes MetaÂ’s Verse: Real World Hero

City of Heroes Meta’s Verse: Real World Hero

 

Tis the season of giving. Communities around the world are getting together to show support for causes both local and international. The online community is no exception. For the second year in a row the City of Heroes community is getting together to support some high profile charities. Last year Mr. and Mrs. Wentworth put together Real World Hero after being inspired by comments about how nice the game community is and the various charitable causes they’re involved in. I had the opportunity to sit down with Mr. and Mrs. Wentworth to find out more about Real World Hero.

 

The Charities

In their first year Real World Hero supported three charities. This year one was added that wasn’t able to be included in the previous year because they didn’t have a Paypal account set up to accept the donations. Here is a small rundown of the charities Real World Hero is supporting.

 

Child’s Play – Started by the makers of the webcomic Penny Arcade in 2003. Child’s Play donates games and books for sick children in hospitals around the world.

 

Donate Games – Sells new and used games to fund research and create support networks for sufferers of rare genetic diseases.

 

Operation Gratitude – A California based organization that sends thousands of care packages to United States Service Members serving in hostile areas and on Navy ships.

 

Heifer International – Helping end world hunger and poverty through livestock training and the guarantee they will pass on the offspring of their animals to others in need.

 

So you might be asking yourself, why these charities? I asked Mr. and Mrs. Wentworth this very question and basically it comes down to picking organizations that the gaming community would be interested in. Mr. Wentworth said that “Child’s Play and Donate Games were an easy fit.” Mrs. Wentworth added, “We also know a lot of military men and women that play the game, so Operation Gratitude was a good fit as well.” So then why Heifer International? It all came down to wanting to offer more of a variety for the international community.

 

City of Heroes Real World Hero

How it works

Thanks to PayPal and ChipIn, Real World Hero is able to function without ever coming into contact with any money themselves. All four charities are able to accept donations directly through Paypal so you don’t have to worry about giving out any credit card details or making a run to the bank.

 

This year in addition to Heifer International they’ve added an auction feature. There are over fifty items up for auction which were donated by Think Geek, Jones Soda, Things From Another World and several individuals. There is over $1,000 in bids currently and less than two weeks to go until the end of the auctions. Mr. Wentworth is, “fairly certain that there are donors out there waiting patiently to strike as the auction closes.” It sounds like this is an exciting new feature that may see more growth next year.

 

In addition to that feeling you get after donating, the City of Heroes developers have themselves gotten involved. Giving a gold title in game to one character on each account that donates. Ocho, one of the devs has been donating an hour of his own time each day to go to servers with handing out the gold titles.

 

The Facts, Figures and Dates

Last year Real World Hero and the City of Heroes community raised over $10,000. Blowing away the goals Mr. and Mrs. Wentworth had originally in the first three days. The last day for donations is January 1st, 2011 however the auction is ending before that. All of the auctions will close at the same time at 12 midnight eastern standard time (EST) on December 18th 2010.

 

The Community Lends A Hand Getting The Word Out

When it comes to getting the word out in the open about Real World Hero Mr. and Mrs. Wentworth use every avenue available to them. The official City of Heroes forums are one of the first and most important places they can release information on while also taking advantage of the community based radio stations like The Cape and KJSR.net.

 

One player – Samuraiko created a video which was posted on Youtube. And an Architect Entertainment (AE) arc has been created in City of Heroes by Hercules. Others have been getting the word out by putting up the Real World Hero banners on their various websites, Facebook pages and on Twitter.

 

Real World Hero

 

The Future

I asked Mr. and Mrs. Wentworth about the future of Real World Hero and though it was too early to give any defined answers they did say there were eager to see how the new additions perform this year. While they haven’t been promoting it themselves they have heard that other players have been spreading the word about Real World Hero to other MMOs. Currently the pair lead busy lives but they certainly wouldn’t rule out the idea of expanding to other games in the future.

 

 

It can be said that this is a perfect example of a great community getting together and doing marvelous things. I’m excited to see where this grassroots group leads. And fully intend on adding my name to the donor list. If this article has inspired you to donate or you’re interested in finding out more go to http://realworldhero.com.

 

Meta

Meta’s Verse is written by Meticulous Meta who lives in Atlas Park with her dog Snuflé

Archlord Release Episode VI – Beyond the Evolution

Archlord Release Episode VI – Beyond the Evolution

 

WEBZEN announced today a Archlord’s major update scheduled for December 16, 2010 including a brand new American server.

 

On December 16, 2010 DragonScion will be officially released with additional new content. This official release of DragonScion went through the successful beta-trial season from early December.

 

Archlord Episode 6

 

Based on the game scenario, DragonScion race are described as the children of the great dragon Mightthesis, and has animosity feeling towards the Orcs because of their betrayal.

 

From the start, players are only able to create the starter class called “Scion”, but once they have achieved level 20, players will get a chance to make the choice to advance into different types of classes; Slayer (Warrior), Orbiter (Shooter) or Summoner (Magician).

 

The updates includes additional 500 exciting new quests, 400 fierce new monsters and 350 new weapons and armors. This upcoming update will be the largest expansion in 2010 for Archlord.

 

Tony Kim, Head of Global Publishing at WEBZEN Inc. said “The release of the new race DragonScion will give a more dynamic PvP challenges as it changes the crucial conflict in between the existing three races Human, Orc and Moonelf” also added, “By this updates, we hope that more global gamers can have a pleasant game experience from Archlord and WEBZEN.COM global service.”

 

Meanwhile, Archlord is also planning to open a New American region server, “Stull”. The opening of the new “Stull” server will provide more instant game access as well as stabilized network environment especially for the North and South American gamers. Webzen formerly opened an American regional server, “Gracia” and it is successfully in-service.

 

In addition to this massive updates and server extension, Archlord is preparing amazing events starting from December 16, 2010. Archlord is inviting players to celebrate Christmas with Archlord Santa Girl, who is visiting Chantra with various Christmas presents.

 

Meanwhile, Archlord plans to hold a ‘Refund event’, which gives new Archlord players an opportunity to experience Chantra items. During the event period if a character in a new account achieves level 50 or above, and yet not satisfied with the game experience, the player may request a refund of his or her credit card use and return the account.

 

Further details on Archlord are available at the official website.