Yearly Archives: 2010

Runes of Magic Reveals The Mystery of the Temple

Runes of Magic Reveals The Mystery of the Temple

 

The latest update to Runes of Magic is now live. Update 3.0.4 – “The Mystery of the Temple”, gives players access to new content by opening the doors of the Raksha Temple, a challenging instance as well as new features, including the Juice Festival, a special event linked to the gathering of a very particular fruit: the Moonlight Grapefruit. Guilds now have new objectives like new guild quests and a new level for guild castles.

 

The latest update to Runes of Magic, including the Juice Festival, is now live.

 

The Raksha Temple dungeon represents a major addition to the game. It invites Runes of Magic players to explore a sanctuary in order to calm the anger of the gods, which are threatening the area of the Northern Janost Forest. For the first time in the game, six player groups will be given the opportunity to choose from three levels of difficulty: easy, normal and hard with the most difficult level planned for implementation in the next update. The harder the level, the better the rewards received when players manage to pacify the gods.

 

Guilds haven’t been forgotten and are set to evolve further. New quests are available for their members on the guild quest boards in their home castle. These missions will allow them to gather the resources required to bring their castle to its next level, granting a new marble-like appearance. Furthermore, players now have the ability to build new buildings on the four extra slots implemented outside the high walls of their fortress. Their members will also have the opportunity to enjoy two new guild mini-games, where they can test their dexterity to get interesting rewards.

 

Casual players will also be excited to hear that with this new update, a new event is happening in Taborea. The Juice Festival is historically linked to the Moonlight Grapefruit Tree, which blossoms once a year when the moon is at its highest point. This fruit, added to any juice, grants special powers. Every year, a huge festival is organized during this particular period and players are invited to join in. However, drinks are not free. If festival-goers want to benefit from the bonuses granted by the special juice, they have to take part in activities in the form of mini-games, where for example, they need to collect items or serve other players juice.

Massively Modified Online Roleplaying Games

Massively Modified Online Roleplaying Games
Neil Kewn (Murxidon) – OnRPG journalist

 

Are you one of those people who want a career in video game development? Do you long to work behind the scenes at your favourite MMORPG? Now, you almost certainly can! There are a number of high profile MMORPGs that encourage the development and implementation of add-ons, interface modifications and other tools into their games. Whether it is visual trackers that show you exactly where to go to finish a quest, or a complete overhaul of a game’s UI to provide a slew of information, you can at least get a taste for what it is like to contribute to a huge virtual world. But are these game-changing pieces of code a good idea, and what effects are they having on our favourite MMOs?

 

Levelling tools

The most notable title that allows players to develop custom content is World of Warcraft. Blizzard has opened the floodgates giving budding modders permission to manipulate the MMO behemoth in any number of ways. Five years down the line, thousands of modifications and add-ons are available to download and install.  There are certainly mods that die-hard MMORPG fans couldn’t live without. With over 38 million downloads since its inception, QuestHelper was indispensable for many  gamers. This relatively simple tool would point Azeroth adventurers to exactly where their next quest could be completed. Long gone were the days of reading the quest logs for the slightest indication of where to go next, or looking it up on Google, as QuestHelper pointed a huge arrow above the player’s screen showing the direction.

 

QuestHelper
Crazy Taxi, anyone?

 

QuestHelper was so successful that Blizzard eventually implemented a quest tracking system of its own into World of Warcraft, effectively rendering QH obsolete. In its heyday, QuestHelper dramatically reduced the difficulty and time it took to level that Night Elf Priest to 70.

 

Interface modification – Not just for aesthetics

One of the most common modifications to any customisable MMO is the actual interface you see on screen. The default UI found in a lot of games doesn’t provide everything a gamer could want, and this could be for a number of reasons. The default WoW interface doesn’t go out of its way to provide the player with information, nor can adventurers alter the layout or size of what they use to play and enjoy the game. Today, interfaces range from impressive displays of useful data positioned logically to aid player’s in game, to shocking exhibitions on how to fill up 75% of your game screen with utilities you probably never use. Nevertheless, it’s difficult to say whether or not interface modifications give players a tactical advantage in game. Increasing the size of your action bars and player portraits probably won’t go a long way in increasing your position in the DPS Meter, but it can present game data more clearly.

 

A popular mod that replaces the game’s plethora of frames is xPerl, a highly customisable set of tools that can be used to drastically redesign the way player and enemy information is displayed. After using it for several months, I can’t imagine switching back to the default portraits of 2005. The change is so substantial (as a healer, percentages representing player health is imperative) that X-Perl itself has had almost eight million downloads.

 

It’s the small changes that you really notice in X-Perl. You’ll soon find the highlighted curable debuffs option indispensable, or the range finder tool factoring into your game play strategy significantly. X-Perl certainly gives you an abundance of in game advantages over the vanilla Warcraft UI. This also means that players who opt out of the X-Perl transition (purposefully or otherwise) are at a disadvantage in terms of how clear data like buffs, spells and health bars are portrayed.

 

Xperl
Useful – Almost too useful?

 

The Game Changer

There are some modifications that undoubtedly give an advantage to players. DBM (Deadly Boss Mods) is a favourite amongst raiders for providing detailed information regarding their next encounter. In short, it details what the boss can – and ultimately will – do to the group, with the help of visual timers and warnings. The most glaring issue with this level of modification is the fact that not all players will have mods bursting out of their \Interface\AddOns folder.  More worryingly, new players to the MMORPG probably won’t have a huge understanding of what these add-ons actually do, and why they need them. This can be a serious issue when it comes to player versus player combat. One player may have a modification installed that displays what spell the enemy is currently casting, and can adjust their actions accordingly, others can visually inform the player as to the current status of enemy cooldowns. Some may consider this an unfair advantage, and it almost certainly requires the other player to submit to the mod phenomenon in order to be competitive.

 

A Complication with Modification

Not all games allow this level of customisation, though. Final Fantasy XI, Star Wars Galaxies and EVE Online have restrictions on what players can do to modify the game. The closed development of these persistent worlds does have its advantages. For the most part, everyone is on a level playing field. No longer will players be at a disadvantage by not having game changing enhancements at their disposal, player versus player combat will boil down to pure skill (or should that be gear?).

 

It also removes the possibility of the game itself suffering from poor performance. There is zero quality control with third party enhancements, you won’t get the rigorous testing that you can expect from these otherwise heavily polished games. It’s possible that the underlying code is sloppy or bloated, and in extreme cases can cause your game to hang or crash. Shutting out the modders is unlikely to drive people away from the game, and ensures that the game is played exactly how the developers intend it to be played.

 

FFXI UI
Stuck with it, I’m afraid

 

By the Book? Tough Luck!

It’s safe to say that the companies behind flagship MMORPGs would never let anything that could have an adverse effect on the game be present inside their world. For the most part, modifications do not have a significant impact on the game play experience. Instead, they tend to inform the player of what exactly is happening in game allowing the user to act upon that data. Whilst tasks may be simplified greatly for the player, it is still a much different game play experience for the new subscriber who is likely to go it alone with the toolset the developer has provided. 

 

Perhaps it’s just “tough luck” for those who don’t adapt. Whatever the case, it’s extremely unlikely that the proliferation of in game enhancements in World of Warcraft will slow anytime soon. It may be the case that future MMOs opt to lock down their user interface (Lord of the Rings Online and AION only have limited customisation), but does this really make for a more balanced game? 

War of 2012

War of 2012 is a strategy war game set in the a post apocalyptic earth  with thousands of human players! And it is free-to-play.

Game Features:

1. Distinct Ages: Play through Dark, Feudal, Castle, and Imperial Age.
2. Sophisticated Heroes: Fight with Multiple heroes in a single battle!
3. Equipment Crafting: Dismantle spare equipment to refine your own.
4. Item Auctions: Trade equipment and merchandise to fellow players.
5. Temple Arena: Fight with alliance members to be more powerful.
6. Wars: Solid battle strategies triumph sheer numbers.

APB Insider Explains How They Effed Up

APB Insider Explains How They Effed Up

 

Luke Halliwell, formerly a developer at Real Time Worlds, the company behind the now all but crashed MMO All Points Bulletin, has written a blogpost that gives us all a stunningly frank look into the kitchen of a failed MMO company.

 

I finally feel that I’ve got enough perspective on things to put together some thoughts on what went wrong at Realtime Worlds. It’s been a tough piece to put together, because the scope of the question is just so big. In the end, I’ve settled for a set of observations that are cultural in nature. With my knowledge of what happened, these are the closest I feel I can get to root causes.


All Points Bulletin Failed, what went wrong at Realtime Worlds?

 

Luke focuses on two main topics in this post. Community and rotten Corporate Politics.

 

Community

Luke describes how the company was scared shitless about showing their game to the outside world:

 

Let’s start with our attitude to the outside world. Here we were, supposedly trying to build these great online games, but we were stunningly inept at outside interaction. There were some high-profile release window gaffes – like attempting to BAN THE INTERNET FROM REVIEWING APB for a whole week – and then telling the world that they just didn’t understand our game – but it’s what we didn’t say that was most harmful of all. We had this incredible secrecy around everything we did. I liked this approach for early development – no point boasting about stuff that’s not ready – but at some point, with an online product, you have to engage your users.

 

Broken Corporate Politics

Another interesting point Luke raises is the way different departments absolutely weren’t allowed to encroach on each others’ work fields.

 

Stern-sounding codes of conduct were emailed around that, whatever their intent, in practice scared many developers away from interacting directly with our users. Not to worry, though, because our Community team was on the case! Except if a forum post was about a bug, because that wasn’t their area – bugs were for Customer Support. Who, naturally, didn’t read the forums – because that was Community’s job!


And that explains why so many people complained about the bugs they reported never being fixed.

 

Let’s hope this is a lesson to other fledging companies out there! Basing your company structure on how already established companies do their business isn’t a guarantee for success!

 

Source: Luke Halliwell’s Blog

The Unveiling Of Zentia Open Beta

The Unveiling Of Zentia Open Beta

 

More Characters and More New Features!

 

ChangYou.com (US) Inc., proudly announces that in early October 2010, Open Beta will be unleashed to the gaming community worldwide for the most loveable, charmingly hardcore, 3D free-to-play MMORPG, Zentia. The Zentia Open Beta will showcase four additional characters, high level content, exciting events, the Token Shop, and many more thrilling new features.

 

Zentia

 

“The Closed Beta was a huge success, and we’re very excited about the Open Beta,” says Susan Revelt, Senior Producer of Zentia. “The community fell in love with the characters, and due to the positive feedback; we’re very thrilled to present four new immortals during our Open Beta alongside many fun features that we hope players will immerse themselves in.” 

 

With Zentia Open Beta, gamers will embark on a journey through the 3D massively multiplayer world of the immortals. Zentia offers players a delightfully fun and exciting experience through in-depth pet and mount capture systems, numerous battlegrounds to allow them to unlock their hidden potential, and PVP arenas where they can defend their honor. Twenty-four characters will be revealed with eight unrestricted classes, numerous events, and new zones. In addition, high level players will have more content to explore in their strive to become immortal.

 

The Token Shop grand opening will occur soon after the start of Open Beta. Players can look forward to fun new items including, unique accessories, consumables, and rare mounts.  Furthermore, players who use the Token Shop for the first time will receive a Bonus Gift.  Unlike other free to play MMORPGs, Zentia’s Token Shop will not provide players with a competitive advantage. All players will have the same opportunity to be the best whether or not they use the Token shop.

GamesCampus’ Heroes in the Sky Officially Launches

GamesCampus’ Heroes in the Sky Officially Launches

 

Highly Anticipated Online WWII Flight Combat Simulator Launches September 16th With All New Content

 

Leading online game publisher, GamesCampus, announced Heroes in the Sky is launched. The official launch for the highly-anticipated MMOTPS, (Massively Multiplayer Online Third Person Shooter) WWII flight combat simulator will feature all new content including new maps, planes, a new level cap and much more.

 

The much anticipated aerial combat game — which features hundreds of thrilling war planes flying high above the battlefields of WWII — will launch with a variety of new features and content.  All-new additions include a new level cap that will allow players a newfound access to better planes and gear by extending the level cap to 49 and all-new maps that will challenge players to bring their A-game as they prepare for conflict over the Pacific between the United States and the Empire of Japan. 

 

Heroes in the Sky

 

New premium planes such as the ramjet-powered fighter Skoda Kauba SKP.14.01 and the Japanese Mitsubishi J4M1 Senden which has a four-blade propeller that moves it at 437 miles per hour will also be introduced. These masters of the sky will be available to both the Allied and Axis in celebration of the official launch, but only for a limited time this month in the game’s Premium Shop. 

 

In addition, new bundle packs; Upgrade, Expansion and Occupational War -will be available at low prices to allow players to get to the top of their game with the least impact to their wallet!  Finally, players wishing they could extend their items without the need to run back to the shop are in luck because players can now easily extend their items once they’ve learned their items have expired! 

 

“Jumping into the cockpit to re-live some of the greatest aerial battles in history is something every flight sim fan looks forward to,” said Uyen Uyen Ton Nu, head of Marketing for GamesCampus.  “With the help of our burgeoning online community which provided invaluable feedback during our open beta, and the slew of new features in the game, we have intensified the super-charged gameplay experience of Heroes in the Sky.”

 

Heroes in the Sky is an intense airborne MMOTPS that combines high impact PVE and fast paced PVP as it chronicles the events from the beginning to the end of World War II.  PVP combat is taken to a new level as players must not only worry about the basic dangers from the front, behind, and sides, but also from above and below. Heroes in the Sky is dog fighting at its finest; cannon fires, machine gun blasts, missiles, and bombs flood the skies as up to 16 players shoot it out for air superiority! Featuring some of the most famous WWII aircraft in history, players will soar across the sky as they bomb cities, sink boats, burst blimps and more– all this and more unfolds as players compete to become the top Ace in Heroes in the Sky.  Players will choose from a variety of intense and realistic planes including both experimental and field tested all while reliving history and participating in intense aerial combat. 

Craft of Gods Preview:: The Caves of Tallion

Craft of Gods Preview:: The Caves of Tallion
A huge open dungeon with 14 new bosses

 

Built long ago by Avi and Navi, the Caves of Tallion was the tunnel that connected the two worlds. When the war between Svarog and the Black Snake started the caves were closed down and the Atlantians were instructed by Cronos to build portals that obstruct the passages. Now that a group of unaware miners accidentally opened a passage inside the caves, only the most daring adventurers can enter to hold the ancient evils within.

 

Located between White Groove and Ancient Plateau, the Caves of Tallion wind in a series of endless tunnels containing a moltitude of wild creatures. Who will venture inside will face giant spiders, fire horses, poison aspids, ancient lizard men and different kind of demons until reaching the darkest depths that contains the Creature, a terrifying being raised by the Cultist of Cernobolg.

 

Craft of Gods Dog
Craft of Gods: Caves of Tallion

 

Discover the secrets hidden into the Caves of Tallion will not be easy: you must overcome more than a test of stregth to be able to gain the trust of the keepers and obtain the keys to open the portals inside. However, a so dangerous task will have a handsome reward, as anyone will defeat the powerful creatures locked inside the Caves of Tallion can keep their treasures for himself. Head to your capital in the near future, there will certainly be someone willing to pay you to venture inside the Caves of Tallion for him!

 

The Caves of Tallion are a huge dungeon divided into three zones. In the first zone, freely accessible to all, you can fight mobs from level 20 to level 60, including a huge dragon and a ferocius dog with two heads. To access the innermost area you will need to obtain a key through a quest that will open the first gate guarded by two fire golems. Faced some of the most frightful bosses in the game, including the Succubus, the Cave Warden and the Exterminator, you need to obtain another key to enter the final cave which contains the Creature. Watched by the Creature there is also a third gate, but nobody has already found how to open it.

 

In the Caves of Tallion there are 14 different bosses and each of them is an exciting challenge. Both factions can enter to the caves from opposite sides, so you need to pay attention not only to the creatures that inhabit the depths, but also to the enemies of your realm.

 

Craft of Gods Caves

Secret of Solstice Interview: It’s Been A Summer of Fun!

Secret of Solstice Interview: It’s Been A Summer of Fun!
Questions by Bryan King, OnRPG Journalist
Answered by GM Phibes

 

Summertime had us all inspired, and it’s great to have an MMORPG that provides a somewhat casual experience which allows players to balance their time between playing indoors and playing outside (accursed sunburn!) during the hot holiday season. I had the chance to speak to GM Phibes, of Outspark’s Secret of the Solstice staff team. For those who haven’t heard about Secret of the Solstice, (SoS for short) it is a 2.5D MMO with an anime-inspired visual style. It’s been more than two years since the Open Beta, and Phibes and I will be discussing the present and the future for this game.

 

OnRPG: Hello Phibes, thanks again for speaking with us and our readers. Can you please formally introduce yourself?
I am GM Phibes, the primary Game Master for Secret of the Solstice. I have been with Outspark for a year and have enjoyed working on all of our free online games, including Fiesta and recently Fists of Fu and Divine Soul.

 

SOS Group

 

OnRPG: For those who are not familiar, is there any story that is involved?
The Solstice Sphere is a powerful relic bestowed upon the ruler of the Land of Xen. Two feuding Princesses within the land, Adeline and Marian, are battling for control of the sphere and the ability to unlock the secrets of its power.

 

OnRPG: There are plenty of features available within SoS, the expansive class system for one. Can you please explain to readers the other features available?
Our most popular feature is our pets. Players can earn their own in-game pets which can be enhanced to add buffs or bonuses to their stats or even be gown into mounts and ridden into battle. There are numerous pets available 100% free by quest as well as a few you can only find in our popular “lucky ball” premium items. We also have a housing system that will soon include special furniture that provides discounted in-game shopping, stat buffs and extra healing. Solstice is always adding new features for our players to enjoy. I’d try to list them all, but I think we’d run out of space!

 

OnRPG: With the above in mind, how do those features separate SoS from other MMOs?
Solstice is an easy game to learn because of how classes and combat are structured, but that doesn’t mean it’s too “simple”. As you grow your character, you can customize it further with more skills, stats and items. Our more advanced players spend hours adjusting their characters to “perfect” them for exactly the style of play each individual person prefers. I think this makes Secret of the Solstice an easy game for a new player to learn, but with the depth and customization an advanced player will love.

 

OnRPG: Where there any major changes made when the game was imported from Korean shores and localized for the Western audience?
Aside from language changes and adapting a few cultural nuances, we tailored the game to Western players, and we never stop seeking their feedback to keep the game fun and challenging.

 

SOS Magic

 

OnRPG: We’re approaching three years since Secret of the Solstice has hit Open Beta, how far has the game come since then?
Solstice has grown tremendously! We have a larger community of players, more maps, adventures, class changes and new quests. I think it is a testament to our dedicated community that we’re still around and going strong after 3 years!

 

OnRPG: Has Outspark’s SoS team faced any major problems since then?
Like all online games, we have had our share of growing pains. I think our biggest challenge has been detecting and fixing exploits used by dishonest players to gain unfair advantages over their more honest friends. This is something we have always taken very seriously and will never stop working on fixing.

 

OnRPG: Has there been any recent major updates to the game that should encourage players to come back?
We’ve been busy adding new monsters and quests on a weekly basis. What players are already coming back for is the major updates we’ve got scheduled for the fall months. We will be adding new maps & towns and quadrupling the number of quests!

 

OnRPG: As shown on your website, the community emphasis by your staff team seems to be very important to Outspark. What type of events can players expect to see running in-game or on the forums?
We are constantly trying to find new and innovative events to keep things humming along in the land of Xen. We have Facebook and forum events, so you can participate and win even when you’re at work or school and can’t log in to play the game. We also have short, fun events in-game where players may race to follow a GM character, defend the game’s major cities against monster invasions, or find GM’s hiding away in one of our dozens of maps or dungeons.

 

OnRPG: What audience is Secret of the Solstice geared towards? Casual or Hardcore? What age group does the game market most to?
I think Solstice is great for both casual and hardcore gamers. It is easy to learn in the first levels but have levels of customization and complexity that keep even the most die-hard players involved and challenged. Just look at the numerous, player-created wikis and guides all over the web!

 

OnRPG: Has your community pushed you guys to take that “extra step” to make SoS a better game? Do you guys take feedback into consideration while working with DNC Entertainment for a new patch?
Our community is lucky to have a core group of players who love the game through thick and thin. When something isn’t working, they let us know and they are passionate about making the game better. We work hard with our partners at DNC to be responsive with each new patch; whether it means new premium items, tougher monsters, better treasure or even adjusting the experience earned on existing quests.

 

SOS Birthday

 

OnRPG: Are there any upcoming updates?
We have updates every week, adding new items, dungeons, characters, and monsters, etc. With some planning, we’ve even been able to update our content in direct response to player feedback (like adding bosses that drop premium items or introducing the game’s first dragon).

 

OnRPG: In one sentence, describe why players should download Secret of the Solstice right now.
Because you really do control the future of the game.

 

OnRPG: Where do you see SoS a year from now?
We are working on enormous amounts of new content for the months ahead, including a dramatic increase in the number of quests (we’ll have over 1,000), new monsters, items and in particular, we’re working hard to really give our players some input. We have added new fantasy pets and clothing items in direct response to player requests. When you play Secret of the Solstice, you REALLY control the direction of the game’s development.

 

OnRPG: Is there anything else you’d like to tell readers?
Only that the best things are yet to come and this summer is going to be amazing!