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Yearly Archives: 2010
TLBB Expansion Goes Live (+$75 Give-Away!)
TLBB Expansion Goes Live (+$75 Give-Away!)
ChangYou (EU) has announced that the TLBB expansion pack and commercial release on successfully launched on 1st September, 2010.

Follow OnRPG on Twitter for some awesome codes granting the fastest players 75 bucks worth of exclusive Mounts, Fashion and Hairstyles for TLBB! First come first serve!
If you are lucky enough to catch one of our tweets with a code here is how you redeem it:
– Go to ‘Tender Gong’ in Da Li at 170,122
– Speak to her and select ‘Receive CB event rewards’
– Paste your reward code into the new window that opens up asking for you to ‘Enter your CD-key’
– Click ok
– The system will now check the code is valid and hasn’t been used before, and then place the items in your inventory when successful
“We’re really excited for everyone who has been keen to find out more about the next instalment of TLBB. Now is a better time than ever for people to jump into this ancient Chinese world and witness the genuine feel it has to offer with the inclusion of some great features and a token shop that caters for everyone. The expansion, titled The Shadow Curse, is a thrilling milestone for the game, bringing with it new weapons, scenes, quests, bosses and more which will also be of value to new players wanting to experience TLBB” said Christian-Peter Heimbach, European Marketing Director for ChangYou.com.

Early indications suggest that one of the game’s main features will comprise of special artifact weapons that become available to those dedicated and persistent enough to get them. “The designs are based around ancient Chinese artifacts and updated with a modern twist to accommodate the game’s style” said one of the developers when asked about the look and feel of the weapons. Other unique features about the world include an ice cool scene as well as a snow covered area around the northern territories of the map.
The game’s Community Manager, Michael Doroszuk, has also stressed his excitement by adding “Our players have been asking about both the shop and what will be available in the upcoming expansion. With the official commercial launch of the game and the fantastic storyline that goes with the expansion, we hope their questions will be answered. On a community side, yes, we do have a number of fantastic events lined up such as the TLBB Connect event, which has proved very popular among players so far. Others that are based around some of our social networking sites include Facebook and Twitter.”.
Now exiting the beta phase of the game, ChangYou.com (EU) introduces a highly anticipated assortment of goodies in the token shop that allow players to further enhance their journey. With the inclusion of item types such as ‘Gems’, ‘Fashions’ and ‘Mounts’ that become available for purchase on the 1st of September 2010, players will be more equipped than ever to customize their characters and enter the token shop launching alongside The Shadow Curse expansion.
‘The Shadow Curse’ follows the story of an evil curse that has long been forgotten. When an unidentified disruption enters the kingdom, a messenger brings word of the threat and carnage that lies ahead, placing the Emperor in troubling circumstances that only he can overcome with his influence and power.
Following a successful campaign in the last year of operations inside of Europe, ChangYou.com has spread across the western market and begun to establish its name as one of the leading game publishers for Chinese martial arts MMOs. With one review saying “TLBB brings a sharp tip to an already growing martial arts MMO sword” and another quoting it as “truly the most powerful martial arts experience of your MMO life”, The Shadow Curse is said to be jam packed full of new story-lines and features that will have players on the edge of their seats, wearing down the cushions.
How MMO Players Are Scientists In A Way
How MMO Players Are Scientists In A Way
By Kei Beneza (dividelife), OnRPG Journalist
Is it true that MMO games are a no-brainer activities? Does it only depend on a player’s agility when handling the mouse and keyboard? I have been plagued by continuous claims regarding this, that MMOs in general are the same as brainless beat em’ up games like Fighting Force and Final Fight. In my defence, MMO players are scientists in a way, constantly exploring the vast world of the game while calculating imaginary stuff to progress further. Let me explain…
MMO Archaeologists
Since most MMOs contain various areas that need exploring, players venture into the world’s unknown parts to seek treasure. Being an archaeologist has its perks and it’s quite important to some players to unlock achievements and various items in the game. As a World of Warcraft player, I was able to see hidden areas through exploration. For those who are interested, some of the items you’ll find while venturing into the unknown can be sold for a high price. Lore-wise, those who are interested in the game’s storyline can learn various things just by running around.

Archaeology is cool!
MMO Alchemists
No dumdum! Not the alchemists found in Japanese animes! Anyway, crafting is one of the most explored aspects of the MMO world, allowing players to produce and upgrade in game items. Rogues or thieves also find this form of science useful as it allows them to produce poison and other substances to boost their weapon’s capabilities.
Mathe-Magic
Yeah, that’s right! Mathemagics! One factor most MMO players need to get used to is lag. Unless you live in a first world country with super high speed internet, this problem is most likely a part of your everyday gaming life. Though annoying, most players need to rely on skill to keep up with gaming lag, especially when playing MMO FPSes. Take Quake Live for example. Since my net connection is not really capable of having a ping of 40ms, I tend to anticipate my opponents’ moves and act accordingly. Calculating imaginary distances may be troublesome for players but nothing can compare to that epic feeling once you see your name on top of the match’s leader boards after competing with non-lagging players. Pre-emptive lag-dodging is awesome.

Moar dps!
Mathe-Magics In Raids
Other than lag computation, Mathemagics is also crucial for group raiding, especially when facing scripted dungeons and bosses. Since some bosses require specific timing and intense calculation, players must coordinate when DPS-ing these bosses down to prevent the boss from retaliating.
For Example: Some bosses mirror attacks once their lifebar/HP reaches a certain point. If the players are not careful, they might find themselves wiping all the way back to level 1 LOL. Aside from this phase, other bosses have a certain pattern that requires players to keep track of how many actions he/she has performed. Not being able to satisfy this requirement often leads to a group wipe.
Computing Stats
People pick their classes to suit their desired play style, but in the end it’s all about math. Computing stats and gear pluses is inevitable, unless you want to be a scrub. Players must always know what particular stat to work on and what gear they must attain to satisfy this requirement. Some games give players less computing by removing the stat program, but that doesn’t mean that you’re off the computing hook completely. In the end, it’s all about balance. Having one strong attack is great and all, but it won’t do you much good when your follow ups or other spells are as crappy as hell. Knowing what’s right for your character is a must. It’s not that hard to compute skill points, really.
MMO Physicists
The most common science involved in MMO games is physics. Everyone and I mean EVERYONE is a Physicist in the MMO world, constantly testing the laws of physics to unlock more options for their everyday adventure. In MMO games, the first thing players try to test is the physical limitations of the game, observing the possibility of flight, clipping through walls (bugs LOL), and going beyond the average human/elf/orc/robot/chibi speed. This form of science is very helpful for both the players and developers as it often gives them hints on how to optimize the game further.

Masters of physics
It’s also helpful in various circumstances like escaping from monsters or players who are out to kick your ass. From personal experience, it always pays to know that that big leap to the rocky pits below won’t kill you. It’s not my fault they were afraid that it would kill them. Yep, knowing these simple things can aid you well in your journey, especially if you have the Feather Fall ability and they don’t XD.
Innovation and Improvisation
Although illegal, bug exploiters are also scientists in a way as they try to tweak our mundane MMO lives to make things easier for everyone. This includes money hacks and using the training dummies in Orgrimmar to produce free soul shards XD. It also allows players to discover different types of combinations they can achieve to enhance their character’s overall performance (example: gear upgrades). Developers don’t usually spoon-feed their players with the necessary information to be the best character around. There are a lot of things to discover and definitely more things to experiment on. Being the best character on the server is one thing, but being the innovator of that class tweak is just downright awesome.
Told Ya!
Brainless activity? Pffft! That’s the last thing an MMO is, at least for biased people like us LOL. I mean, come on! Mashing that stick in Tekken is a lot more brainless than going from one town to another <_<. Anyway, MMO players are indeed scientists in a way. It’s not as complex as in real life, but at least you know your brain is still making progress while embarking on your fantasy adventure. I hope you guys liked this article as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Demon’s Souls
Set in a dark fantasy world, players take control of a custom hero who has journeyed to the fictional kingdom of Boletaria, which is being ravaged by an accursed fog that brings forth demons that feast on the souls of mortals. The game has been described as a spiritual successor to the King’s Field series, a previous series of games from the same developer. The gameplay involves a character creation system with emphasis on gathering loot through combat with enemies in a non-linear series of varied locations. It also has a unique online multiplayer system integrated into the single-player where players can leave useful messages and warnings for other players’ game worlds.
Legend of Edda
Legend of Edda takes players on a journey through a dynamic storyline divided into five unique chapters based on the conflict of two opposing factions. Players will pledge their allegiance to Olympus or Titan from the beginning — prior to character creation — which will play a large role in upcoming PVP and RVR battles.
Legend of Edda will also offer a deep class system including six options: Warrior, Swordsman, Assassin, Archer, Cleric and Wizard. Players will be able to choose their character’s first class during initial character creation and upgrade to subclasses by completing promotion quests and eventually upgrading to different classes while obtaining greater and more powerful skills. A unique portal system will make transporting among maps and areas seamless and keeps the gameplay flow intense. Players can also look forward to instanced dungeons, seemingly undefeatable monsters, a special pet system, and four varieties of quests!
Key Features:
– 4 Main Quests Types– including Standard, Main Story/Scenario, Class Specific and PVP and Faction
– An array of options for PVP– Including Personal duels, Guild battles, Free world player killing, Sacred Treasure Battle, 1v1 or Party vs. Party battles.
– 6 base classes–Each with up to 7 possible upgrades.
– Sacred Treasure Battle– Death-match PVP between 2 factions. Bonuses for winning faction, from items to buffs.
– Instanced Dungeons-Players can allow for personalized runs for their party with numerous difficulty settings, puzzles, traps for items and exp rewards.
– Comprehensive Pet System-Pets offer assistive skills.
– Teleportation System–Easy world roaming to maintain a steady flow of gameplay.
– Unique Monsters – Five ranks of monsters each with unique abilities and drops.
– 5 grades of weapons-Each grade offers large amounts of customization through strengthening and enchanting.
– God power skill system–skills of the gods as rewards from Faction vs. Faction battles (stronger than character skills).
– Hero Classes-Players have the ability to change their character into a hero. Upgraded appearance, weapons, skills, and abilities.
Highstreet 5 Review: Dance up a Storm
Highstreet5 Review: Dance up a Storm
By Vincent Haoson (Vincenthaoson), OnRPG Journalist
When it comes to rhythm games, you never really get to see anything new because the game’s practically just you listening to music and letting your fingers do the tapping. It’s just a skill based game that leaves too little for the imagination of developers to well, develop. This is of course based on the rhythm games I have played as a reviewer and an avid MMOR player. However, Highstreet5, Snail Game’s rhythm game goes out of the box and provides rhythm players with something more than just finger tapping goodness.
First Impressions
Upon starting your game in Highstreet5 you are immediately introduced into one of the game features the game has, your home. Yes, that’s right you have your own home in the game that you can furnish and hang around at.

You are then introduced to the numerous game features you’ll be immersing yourself into. Practically you are going through the usual tutorial stage of the game, but the truth is everything’s pretty much self-explanatory as long as you give time to explore the game.
Socialize
As I began my Highstreet5 experience the one thing that’s pretty much prevalent in the game (aside from the rhythm competition part) is the game promotes socializing and well, dating. I personally think this is the main reason for keeping people from playing– aside from the customization (which will be discussed later on) features the game has.

The game practically reeks of “online dating” where a lot of items, modes and even areas cater to the various social gathering points in real life. You have clubs, parks, malls as areas to mill around, socialize and dance (of course you can’t really dance at malls in real life but that’s not the point). I think the game tries to make an online equivalent of these places to give players more than playing to the tune of songs the game has.

If the game’s gameplay is rooted on rhythm, dancing and music, I say that the game’s socializing feature’s is it’s better half. If you grow tired of dancing to music– you can just pretty much lounge around and be with your friends which the game does provide wonderfully.
Customize
The thing about socializing is that you also have to look good when you do. Highstreet5 provides an answer to that by having a very– fluffy set of clothes for women, and a myriad of cloth designs for men. The game also provides different accessories ranging from shades, caps to motorcycles and wings, yes wings.

The customization choices pretty much show the fashion sense the game has. The game adopts the pretty boy/pretty girl look with the emphasis of looking beautiful for both men and women.
Music
The choice of music in Highstreet5 is pretty varied. You have modern pop songs from both the east and west, with eastern songs hailing from japan, korea and china. The variety of songs can really be pump you blood or curl you to bed. It covers almost all the commercial tastes any player can have save for metal and rock.
The other game feature Highstreet5 has is you can dedicate a song for someone on the same area you are in. May it be your “partner” or someone you are flirting with, you can just go to the DJ NPC and make arrangements for the song, much like in real life clubs (though of course you have to pay the dj in clubs to make sure he plays your song). This nifty game feature will remind you that this game is not just about rhythm and dance but also socializing and getting yourself a “partner” in the cheesiest, clubbiest way.
Dance
So aside from the game’s music, the dances itself do promote the search for a partner. The dance modes in Highstreet5 vary from solo, to group to partners. What I liked about the game is that unlike in other rhythm and dance games you can dance almost anywhere you want in the place you are in. Exploration and dancing are pretty much intertwined that you can just walk around the dance area and either chat or mingle with the other dancers around you.

The dances in the game are pretty much the usual set of moves you can see in real life dancing and other games of the same genre. However, Highstreet5 has the stunts mechanic in place where you get to do your own set of pretty awesome dance moves that would boost your score.

The game does stay true to the socialize factor of the gameplay because the game encourages you to dance with a partner. Even the community itself is littered with players looking for couples to compete with.
Lounge
What I liked about Highstreet5 is that you have a lot of areas you can visit and walk through. It’s not like the older rhythm and dance games where you are only restricted to rooms and dance battling with other people.

I liked that the game allows you to free roam because it gives you something else to do. This is the thing that other games of the same type lack. Highstreet5 is in fact a world in its own and these lounges help the game have that feel.
Conclusion
Overall, I like Highstreet5 and the apparent move to go outside of the box with rhythm and dance games. It has everything you could ask for in terms of socializing and dancing. It’s a pretty good alternative for real life clubbing in the off chance you can’t either go out or you are underaged but then caution must be given specially because this is the internet so anybody can be behind the character you are “socializing” with.
The only gripe I have with the game is that it is too feminine or rather too metrosexual-ish that the hardcore gamer in me still finds it hard to accept the fact that guys can be equipped with beautiful wings. I know I may sound a douche, but the game’s characters and the customizations are just too beautiful to my liking. The game does appeal more to the ladies and those who are into fashion and all so I guess this game is pretty off limits for guys who like their characters beefy and bulky.
Pros
It has free roam.
You can dress up your characters.
Has all the socializing features anyone needs.
Cons
The game may be too feminine for hardcore gamers.
The interface is pretty cluttered during performances.
Camera angles can be pretty awkward once you start dancing.
Aion: Assault on Balaurea Podcast
Learn about the contents of the first free expansion for Aion: Assault on Balaurea.
Vindictus Golem Fight
Vindictus allows you to literally manipulate your environment: prepare to have your mind blown!
Aika Online Ashes of Betrayal Expansion Interview
Aika Online Ashes of Betrayal Expansion Interview
Questions by Vincent Haoson, OnRPG Journalist
Answered by Christina Kelly, Community Manager, Aika
We here on OnRPG just got word that Aika Online released the game’s newest patch, Ashes of Betrayal. We were given the opportunity to talk to the people behind Aika Online to ask them about the game changes and about the things players may expect from this patch.
OnRPG: What was the development and preparation process like for Ashes of Betrayal?
It was intense and exciting! We worked very closely with our developers (HanbitSoft) to make sure the expansion content was localized and tested properly. Of course there was also a fair share of late nights and lots of pizza! Additionally, because there was so much content rolled into Ashes of Betrayal, we had to coordinate the testing ofover 100 quests, a new Temple to expand our Relic War PvP mode, a free buff system to encourage players to play in their nations’ PvP channels, and so much more. We also collaborated with the excellent Gala-Net marketing team to get the word out about the expansion and all of the events we had planned for it. And of course we were busy preparing events like the Race to Level 60, Naked Noobie Run, and our This Means WAR! drop event for in-game prizes.
OnRPG: What changes were implemented for Ashes of Betrayal? Have there been big revamps to Aika’s gameplay and interface? Why or why not?
We added a ton of new content and features to Aika with Ashes of Betrayal. Not only are there two new areas with 100+ quests and a raised level cap, but we’ve also added new class evolutions for all character classes with new skills, gear, and a stat point distribution system. Then, for our nation war PvP mode, we added a balancing mechanic called the Underdog Nation which gives free items to new and low-level players in the least populated nation to help them level up. We’ll rotate the Underdog Nation on a continual basis so that nation populations stay relatively even with each other, which will keep nation vs. nation warfare pretty exciting. Finally, we also introduced a free buff which is available only to players on the PvP channel (as opposed to the PvE channel, where you can’t engage in nation vs. nation PvP) to encourage more of the large-scale combat which sets Aika apart from other MMORPGs.

OnRPG: How big of an impact has Ashes of Betrayal caused so far? Why?
Ashes of Betrayal has had a major impact on the game, particularly for higher level players and active PvP-ers. The new Temple has changed the strategy of Relic War, since it’s located in a high level area and is more easily defensible than the other Temples. We’re also seeing the effects of the Underdog Nation system now, as new players have been attracted to the Underdog nation since its implementation. It’s been wonderful seeing this mechanic work as intended, and giving the Underdog a chance to contend in the PvP world.
We also believe the expansion has made the community more enthusiastic about conquering new challenges – not just mastering new skills or getting new equipment, but also in working with us, the Aika team, to balance game mechanics. It’s a very exciting time for everyone, and a particularly good opportunity for our team to increase our communication with players.
OnRPG: How does the Ashes of Betrayal storyline tie itself to the current storyline Aika has? Did you introduce a big twist in the player’s story in Aika?
As soon as you step foot into the world of Aika, you are given the role of an Aitan – a gifted human with exceptional skills, responsible for the safety and welfare of Lakia. Through the first fifty levels of the game, players are faced with the malicious entities known as the Zereca and the Dark Legion. “Ashes of Betrayal” reveals more treacherous details about the venomous Sinclair and his Dark Legion. The Aitan continue to learn more about Sinclair’s evil deeds while fighting for the good of Congress and Lakia.
OnRPG: What’s the most sought after new game feature for Ashes of Betrayal? Why do you think so?
Players were most excited about the class evolutions. The new skills, raised level cap, new gear, and stat point system all contribute to a dramatic change in the way players approached their characters. It’s always exciting to have new goals to work towards and new ways to dominate your opponents, and these features certainly appeal to our players. The new skills also have great animations and really interesting strategic uses, which gives everyone that extra motivation to level up and use their skill points. For instance, at level 59, the Templar (the evolution of the Paladin), can learn a skill called Blades of Aika which deals large amounts of damage to enemies within a 3-meter radius every second for at least 20 seconds. As the Templar mainly specialized in defensive and tanking powers pre-expansion, the addition of Blades of Aika means she can potentially become a serious damage dealer as well.

Aika PVP Battle
OnRPG: The update’s storyline seems to be pretty action packed, how will this affect Aika’s current PvP system? Will there be big changes to it? Why or why not?
The PvP system is largely separate from the PvE storyline – we like to think of the PvP as the serious end-game content and the PvE as a source of comic relief and relaxation. That being said, one of the new areas in the expansion, Ashwood, contains a new Temple for storing the sacred relics which are the focus of our nation vs. nation Relic Wars. This means that each nation will have four Temples, each in a different area of the map, to place and protect their relics. The different Temples have different geographic features which influence their defensibility and each nation must use money from its treasury to maintain Temple defenses. Therefore, this addition makes Relic War much more complex for players, particularly the leaders of each of the nations.
OnRPG: How vast are the new maps? How many dungeons will you be including in the expansion?
The new maps include more than 100 new quests for players to participate in. Players can expect to meet several new, engaging NPCs and dozens of new MOBs that bring even more flavor to the world of Aika! Although there will be new people to meet and even more monsters to kill, players can also expect to see familiar faces along the way. You didn’t think that stint in Tabazra Desert was the last you’d see of the flamboyant Captain Coco, did you?
OnRPG: How will the new maps and dungeons tie-in with the expansion storyline?
“Ashes of Betrayal” unveils the story of a civilization at war. As players enter the new world, it seems that the half-human, half-bird race of the Kynari have ruthlessly turned against one another. It turns out, however, that Sinclair and the Dark Legion are responsible for planting evil seeds in the once-tranquil Darkrane Forest. Aitan are now faced with the challenge of bringing peace back to the forest!

Combat in Aika
OnRPG: Can you provide more info regarding the new job classes that are open to players 51 and up?
Sure! At level 50, every class can go on an advancement quest to reach a new evolution for their character once they hit level 51. Class advancement is the only way to level up after 50 – you can’t stay as your original class form and still unlock all the new upgrades. The first and second class form names are below:
Original Form – Evolution Form:
Warrior – Conqueror
Paladin – Templar
Rifleman – Sniper
Dual Gunner – Pistoleer
Warlock – Arcanist
Cleric – Saint
OnRPG: How powerful are the new job classes that will be included in the expansion? How will these job classes enhance the Aika Online gaming experience?
The new forms are very powerful and introduce more flexibility into stat customization. After level 50, players are given a certain number of stat points every time they level up. These points can be distributed among the different stats which previously did not change as you leveled up (Strength, Agility, Intelligence, Constitution and Luck). The different attributes are each important to different classes – Strength and Constitution for the Warrior, Agility for the Dual Gunner, and so on. Between stat point distribution and gear enhancement/customization, players can create characters which are unique and more closely reflect the player’s playing style. Each class can also learn 3 new skills between level 51 and level 60 – two active skills and 1 passive. These new skills introduce much more complexity into the balance of the game. High level players need to carefully consider the way the new skills complement or enhance the old ones, and their importance in PvP vs. PvE.

OnRPG: With the new stat point system in place, does it mean that new characters created during the expansion will have more stats to allocate compared to pre-expansion characters? Or will there be an implemented system to prevent this from happening?
No. Stat points are only available from level 51 onwards. New characters cannot add or reallocate stat points.
OnRPG: Were there any game balance issues after the expansion was released? How did you deal with the problem?
There were some game balance issues from the expansion, and we’re currently working with the developers and considering feedback from the community to adjust them. The leveling curve changes drastically from 50-60 compared to 1-49, so we’re implementing a new quest chain and running events to help players level up. From valuable player feedback, we also discovered that the new temple is much more balanced with 3 relic slots instead of 5. We’ve also been closely monitoring the Underdog Nation and other new mechanics’ effects to make sure they don’t upset the balance of the game.
Runes MMORPG: Battle for the Dryanium
Forced into exile, the Corynthian Mages land on a forsaken island, Kaliend, where they are welcomed as saviors by the natives believing that they’ll bring back an age of wealth and glory. Soon internal disputes between Mages will however kindle a war without mercy. To prevent the whole situation from turning into total chaos, an ancient custom is brought back to life, forcing the Mages to stop using magic outside of specially designed arenas until one of them is designed as a leader. The struggle has begun, the factions raise their champions to emerge victorious and change the fate of Kaliend.
Runes MMORPG is a massively multiplayer online game set in the fantasy world of Faera. Players incarnate Mages suspected of treason and exiled. Scattered all over the world, they finally gather on the island of Kaliend where they will have to find a way to get their past glory back. But the way will be full of hardships and conflict, and only the most determinate could hope to offer the Mages a better future.
To become the greatest, players will have to confront to each other during heated up battles that will test their dexterity and rapidity, but also their wit if they hope to be victorious and ascend to legend.
Rūnes MMORPG works on every Android phone!