Yearly Archives: 2010

Everything is about to change in MapleStory with one Big Bang!

Everything is about to change in MapleStory with one Big Bang!

 

Nexon America has released a new trailer for MapleStory‘s upcoming update, Big Bang, set to roll out starting this December. Big Bang is completely updating the MapleStory that players know and love, giving it an updated user interface, higher resolution, better graphics, new character classes, a higher EXP curve, and updated maps, among other exciting additions.

 

Everything is about to change in MapleStory with one Big Bang!

 

The Big Bang update is set to roll out in three phases, introducing new and different aspects to the game, giving players a chance to explore and thoroughly experience the completely re-done game.

 

If your interests are peaked then you should check out the trailer for the Big Bang, which you can see right here!

 

To learn more about Big Bang and the changes to come, visit the Maple Story Website 

Block Harbors in Voyage Century Online

Block Harbors in Voyage Century Online

 

Voyage Century Online has plenty of new content on the way. The new Harbor Blockade update features mysterious high seas instances, cool apparel shapeshifts, a new ship restructuring system and lots more. Here’s a sneak peek at some of the most anticipated additions in Harbor Blockade.

 

The Blockade
The update introduces a new gameplay element, the Harbor Blockade. Based on the naval war waged in the English Channel between England and Spain, it includes many memorable historical events. Players take on the role of the English forces and must repel attacks from the Spanish fleet. Success hinges upon blocking the Spanish fleet and preventing it from crossing the English Channel. Players will need cunning tactics to achieve victory.

 

The Voyage Century Online update introduces a new gameplay element, the Harbor Blockade.

 

Brand New Ships
With more brand new vessels like the Apollo Warship, the Aries Warship and many cool NPC ships, the Harbor Blockade update has something for everyone. The Apollo Warship has fierce cannons and strong armor to help you intimidate enemies and protect your trade goods. The Aries Warship is a devastating attack ship. This corsair shines when engaged in large-scale ocean combat. It has high-caliber cannons as main weapons, strong armor and plenty of attack power to sink your enemies. When battle rages, you’ll also see plenty of new NPC ships, such as the Fiery Dragon Warship, Twin Warship, Fog Warship, Scout Ship, Medical Ship and Commanding Warships. With so many ships and tactical options, large battles will be an even greater challenge. A commander’s leadership, strategy and sailor arrangement are all important when adjusting to changing battle conditions on the fly.

 

Other additions include brand new pirate and captain apparel sets, ship figureheads, and weapons like the Fiery Dragon Projectile, Smog Bombs and other new bombs. These can drastically increase a ship’s attributes, and give players more options for customization.

 

Server Events and Gifts Galore
To celebrate the launch of a new server and the content-rich update, the Voyage Century team has prepared many cool events and gifts for both new and veteran players. Stay online for 4 hours to claim incredible in-game rewards, or join Voyage Century’s new server and receive a valuable newbie bag for free. A new world and a new start await, so bring your friends and set sail for adventure!

The Two Towers MUD

The Two Towers MUD is a free Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Game set entirely within Tolkien’s world of Middle-Earth. We have extensively re-created the lands of Middle-Earth in a rich text environment, from Mithlond to Mordor and the lands of Harad beyond. With over 100,000 rooms and always growing, The Two Towers is a richly developed and highly interactive world. There are hundreds of quests, with rewards great and small, for you to discover.

The Two Towers has an active community of players from around the world who come together to play online. Players join together to create guilds, raid enemy lands, and more.

Online continuously since 1994, The Two Towers is one of the longest running Multiplayer games on the internet and is maintained by a staff of hardworking volunteers who love Tolkien and multiplayer gaming.

 

The Red vs Blue Competition in Myth Angels Online!

The Red vs Blue Competition in Myth Angels Online!

 

Earlier today, USERJOY Technology announced that a new system of Myth Angels Online, a LARGE SCALE PvP event called the Red-Blue Competition will be launched soon. The first round of Red-Blue Competition will be available on November 5th 3:00AM~4:00AM and on November 6th 13:00PM~14:00PM (PDT). Have you been waiting too long for a real fight? Want to prove you are the ONE? The answers are in the Red-Blue Competition!

 

 

Red-Blue Competition is a 250 V.S. 250 large scale PVP event in Myth Angels Online. Gamers take part as champions in ancient Greek Mythology whom are divided into two teams by Prometheus to retrieve and exterminate an evil power, the Essence of Disaster, which is released from Pandora’s Box. Besides the plenty of experience rewards to the attendees of Red-Blue Competition, the TOP 3 players on both teams will receive EXTRA rewards from the system. Intrigued? Find out at HERE

 

Former players who had joined the Closed Beta Test of Myth Angels Online, should go back to create a character before Nov. 9th 21:00 (PDT), you will receive a CB Souvenir Hat and 100 bottles of Regular Red and Blue Potion. On top of that you will also have the chance to win $5000 Cash by logging into the game daily.

 

Don’t miss your chance to win big!

Review: Windslayer Relies on PVP

Review: Windslayer Relies on PVP
By Kei Beneza (dividelife), OnRPG Journalist

 

Wind Slayer is a side scrolling 2d MMORPG that shares many of the same features as LaTale and Maple Story. Although the game is good and has much to offer, it was often dismissed as a carbon copy of other 2D side-scrollers. That, by the way, is not a valid claim as it is the same as hating a certain game for belonging in a certain Genre. It really can’t be a side-scroller if it doesn’t walk on a side scrolling screen right? Anyway, the game is pretty amazing and is far from being the random clone I’ve heard about.

 

The Basics

Character creation is a breeze in Wind Slayer; perhaps one of the simplest forms of character creation in my MMO career including browser games. You’ll first be prompted to name you character, after which you’ll be choosing from an array of preset hairdos, faces, and upper and lower wardrobe. After attaining a character worthy of your stature, you’ll be assigning points to further define your character’s efficiency in whatever he’s destined for through a simple stat system that consists of 4 stats (STR, INT, DEX, and SPR). After satisfying the character requirements, you’re up and ready to go.

 

Char

 

Character classes are enabled after your character reaches a certain level, he must then pick the last option that will eventually lead him to what he’s destined to be. There are six classes overall: Warrior, Archer, Rogue, Mage, Monk, and Priest. In my opinion, the stat system doesn’t do much as far as character archetypes are concerned due to the stereotypical builds each class promotes. There will always be an ideal stat that you must spend on in order to make your character less noobish, and failure to comply will only make your character weaker than your counterparts (well done being unique… you suck).

 

The general gameplay

As I have said, Wind Slayer belongs in the 2d side-scrolling category, meaning players will be embarking on stages (or levels) that only go left and right (unless there are platforms where you can jump on). The gameplay is fairly easy and can be played by gamers of all ages. There have been some complaints regarding the character controls, which most gamers found awkward. I myself had no problems with the button layout but I guess it’s all about preferences. Much like any other MMORPG, you’ll be venturing into certain areas to kill monsters. The game is very easy especially for long ranged characters who can just kill without having to take damage (depending on their damage output, of course). Your skills are easily accessible through the number keys on your keyboard and allow you to random bolts the same way you would in most MMOs.

 

Directions

 

PVP

PVP actually plays a huge role in this game as it allows players to gather an ingame currency used to purchase certain items that are stronger than the rest. You can say that the care bears (PVP Haters) of the MMO industry will have a bit of a problem gearing up unless they pick up a pair of balls to go PVP. The PVP system is actually pretty cool. Players are assigned to a specific team and must duel with another team in a side scrolling non turn-based death match. Some modes also allow you to tweak your character’s strength and abilities to match your opponents’ level (BIG WTF on my side). If you loved doing PVE, then I guarantee that the game’s PVP feature is sure to make you happy.

 

Quests and dungeons

Yeah, what would an MMO be without these two mutha fluffers? First of all, yes the game does have quests which are also easier to satisfy as you’re not running around in a 3d world without a compass. Quests allow you to level faster, and with the grinding involved makes you level a lot faster (at least until you go near the end game levels). For PVE lovers out there, the game also has dungeons/caves (or whatever you call them) complete with bosses. There’s no doubt that bosses make MMOs rock as nothing beats the justice of having to emerge victorious after 15 minutes of “GRAAAAAH!” and “SWOOOSH!”. The game does have an array of upcoming features so it’s best not to judge it so quickly.

 

Face

 

Graphics and sounds

The graphics are… well… 2D. A bit like Maple Story and LaTale but what else can you expect from a 2d game? If you’re going to say that this is just a clone then let’s all sue all the MMOs for being so much like pen and paper RPGs. The characters are okay but definitely need a few more frames of animation. The background is steady and does look nice aside from the repetitive layouts but what we have here is an inferior 2D layout compared to its predecessors. They look extremely raw and can be “out-framerated” by most flash games. The ingame music is conservatively cute, ideal for a game that features cutesy characters whacking monsters across the map. No epic orchestral background music here folks, cause’ that’s just out of place.

 

The verdict

Wind Slayer is a nice game overall. I’m not saying its extremely good or anything as it has so little to offer that’s that different from its counterparts. Still… it’s quite harsh to consider it as a clone for being another 2D side-scroller. The PVE experience was normal, as expected from another MMO. You’ll be killing monsters, doing quests, and buying items much like its MMO brethren. The PVP mode however is exceptional. If you’ve played Warhammer Online, then you’ll understand why PVP is such a big factor in this game. People may actually grind PVP more than the game’s PVE features. I mean, who could blame them? It’s like having a casual game inside a not so casual game. The visuals could use a bit of tweaking, but it’s not like we can do anything about it now. One thing though, if you like 2D side-scrolling then you better go ahead and try this one. It’s free so what have you got to lose?

 

The good:
– Community
– PVP!!!
– Easy to get used to.

 

The bad:
– Repetitive gameplay (gets tiring)
– Visuals aren’t that good for a 2d game
– Lag.

Vindictus Review: Painfully Awesome

Vindictus Review: Painfully Awesome
By Michael Sagoe (mikedot), OnRPG Journalist

 

Vindictus, Nexon’s newest action title, is here and in full swing, and unlike Nexon’s current lineup, this one plans to be the most painful MMO you’ll ever play.  This isn’t your little cousin’s MMO with cute monsters and such. Vindictus contains destructive beasts; deadly environments and balls-to-the-wall action that will make you squirm with joy.

 

Starting out

Right from the starting gate, there’s a bit of both joy and disappointment. The character selection is currently only limited to three different heroes: Lann, Fiona and Evie, each with different playstyles. Lann is a offensive dual wielding fighter that sacrifices defense for quick strikes that can rack up the high DPS, Fiona is the tank characters that has slow but powerful strikes with a sword and shield, and Evie is a master magician that can mix between close and long ranged magic attacks. Nexon and DevCat plan to add in more heroes later on, but the pickings sure are slim.

 

The first scenario you’ll be dropped into is with a bunch of mercenaries trying to stop a giant white spider from destroying an old church. This scenario serves as your tutorial and does an amazing of getting you pumped.

 

Spider
Blood for the blood god YAY.

 

The control schemes available options between keyboard, mouse and gamepads. Keyboard only controls nicely and so does gamepads, but ultimately, the keyboard and mouse combo is the best option letting you aim your more accurately.  So you’re fighting the big bad spider until it gets impaled with ballistae, some oracle woman cries her eyes out over it and then suddenly: character customization time!

 

Character customization is fairly standard, offering adequate hair, eye, skin and body size options. Only downside with the customization is that every particular Lann, Fiona and Evie will have the same exact face, no matter what.

 

Anyway, the game world is another one of those heavily instanced game worlds like Guild Wars (town serves as a lobby, have to join rooms with other players, you know the deal.) The town is also your quest center to walk you through the story and lore of the game. Speaking of which: The story of Vindictus is a precursor to Nexon’s other MMORPG title: Mabinogi, only set a century before it (how the story and lore went from grim & brutal to KAWAII DESU NE XD anime cuteness, I’ll never understand.)

 

Gameplay

Try to imagine this: Capcom’s Monster Hunter (MH) and Atlus’ Demon Souls (DS) had a baby together and they loved that baby very much, but then DS found out that MH did it with Valve’s source engine and DS wasn’t the baby’s daddy, so DS walked out them and MH couldn’t support the baby much longer, so the baby was placed in a foster home where it was later then adopted and raised by another family (DevCat)

 

Silly as it sounds, that’s the best way I can describe Vindictus in a nutshell. It plays just like Monster Hunter, but with more brutality. You can slam enemies into walls, perform backbreaking wrestling moves, shove enemies into steamrollers of pain and everything else in between. And the best part: just about anything in the area can be used as a weapon. See that pot over there? Go pick it up and throw at the troll you’re dealing with. See that big stone column you broke? Take a piece of it and smash it over your foe’s head.

 

One time when I was up against the Gnoll boss, I knocked its helmet off and used it to beat it to death (no joke!)

 

Overkill
Beatdown in progress

 

Most missions are primarily focused on running through the same environments and areas over and over again, usually ending off with a boss battle. Environments are littered with traps and enemies that will try and get in your way, but really, after a couple of runs they’ll become nothing more than an afterthought. The boss battles, on the other hand, are the major highlight of the game, shifting the focus over to teamwork to take them down (soloing is still very much an option, though.)

 

Boss battles won’t seem like such a highlight until you reach Gnoll Chieftain, which is basically the first brick wall that will teach players that spamming attacks is not the way to go.

 

Wolf
This baddie will break your button mashing ways.

 

Defeating the later monsters might seem tough at first, but it’s really all about learning how to not be greedy with your attacks and looking out for a couple of “tells” in their animations that will give you a clue to their next assault. Once you know all the “tells” in their attacks, that boss that was kicking your ass a week ago will be a pushover.

 

When playing co-op, you have a bit more options towards defeating bosses, such as chaining the monster’s legs down so your teammates can get some hits in. Employing strategies like this into combat was a nice idea, but team tactics end up resorting to making sure you and your team knows how to hit and run properly.

 

Outside of boss battles, you’ll spend your time re-running missions to collect materials and earn ability points for increasing skill ranks. A good chunk of equipment can only be earned through crafting and while it may be tedious, earning the gratification to strut your stuff in your new digs should be more than enough to keep you going.

 

Presentation

Vindictus is a game that will make your PS3 and Xbox 360 jealous, because it has a strong console game vibe to it. The visuals convey a nice medieval world to explore, made possible by the power of Valve’s Source Engine. (Finally, the source engine is being used for something other than shooting games!) Animations are all nicely done with anticipation of each attack you pull, so when you bash your foes in the head with that heavy object, you’re going to feel it too, but in a good way!

 

The story that goes along with it is mandatory to participate in, but does a fairly good job of keeping you intrigued with narrative that doesn’t bog itself down with unnecessary dialog. Most of the time, however, the story is carried out by NPCs that are nothing more than still portraits.

 

Crazy
Quit staring, geez!

 

Cutscene moments that go with the story are few and far between, but strangely enough, I actually wish there was a bit more of them.  The voice acting with each cutscene wasn’t half bad, either.

 

The music made for Vindictus was slightly disappointing, especially compared to Mabinogi which had such wonderful tunes, but Vindictus the music is just… quiet… and almost non-existent. The only time you’ll hear music is in town, during boss battles and post battle results screens. That’s it.

 

My thoughts

 

The biggest gripe that players were having with Vindictus was with the token system that limits how many high level missions you can play through. Certain missions require silver and platinum tokens to be spent and you only get a handful of them. Once you’ve ran out of tokens, you’re pretty much done playing until your tokens are re-stocked on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays, or until you purchase some from Nexon.  People that don’t have much free time on their hands will find this to be a blessing and others that want to play for long hours without spending money on NX will see this as a curse. The token system is supposed to keep power playing in check, because even with the tedious mission runs, players can hit the level cap in around a week and will be burned out that they won’t have anything to do since there isn’t a lot of content at the moment. Nexon made several changes to the token system in an attempt to make all players happy, but I was fine the way it was either way.

 

One gripe I had with Vindictus was how poorly optimized it was. My PC build is pretty solid with a quad core processor, 4GB ram and whatnot, but I couldn’t manage to get any more than 20 frames even with medium settings. People with similar builds have reported that the game runs flawlessly and others with more powerful PC builds have stated that it runs like crap. I don’t know how DevCat managed to screw up optimization for the Source engine so much, but they pulled it off fantastically.

 

Conclusion

 

Vindictus aims to please anyone that’s looking for a little more gruesome-ness to their MMO action. With the token system and lack of content being the only real turn offs here, Vindictus is easily my most recommended MMO of 2010.

 

Pros:
– Action MMO with brutal physics
– Interactive environments
– Simple but enjoyable co-op play
– Almost ANYTHING can be used as a weapon.

 

Cons:
– Not much content available at the moment
– Token system limits progression
– Game engine is not optimized.