The always lovely folks over at Perfect World Entertainment have let us know that they push Heroes of Three Kingdoms into Closed Beta on the 13th of July.

The always lovely folks over at Perfect World Entertainment have let us know that they push Heroes of Three Kingdoms into Closed Beta on the 13th of July.

CoH: Between Good & Evil Video Documentary
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NCSoft has released the “Between Good & Evil” Video Documentary and of course OnRPG is hosting it for your viewing pleasure!
The documentary offers an exclusive first look at the gripping moral decisions that heroes and villains will face on their journey down the path of good and evil, giving players a behind-the-scenes glimpse of what goes into creating an expansion for the world’s most popular super heroic MMO.

Fans of the franchise and new players alike will learn from the developers why the alignment system and the new Praetoria content make the Going Rogue expansion the ideal time to join the game.
Cronous Review: Diablo it is Not
By Vincent Haoson (Vincenthaoson), OnRPG Journalist
In the world of MMOs, Diablo has been the usual basis for a lot of MMOs that uses the dungeon crawling experience because of the sheer simplicity yet addictive nature of the game’s overall design and concept.
Cronous is one such MMO where you would find a lot of Diablo-like elements infused into its core gameplay. However the game sets itself apart and stands on its own thus creating a gaming experience similar to Diablo yet totally different from it.
To start things off Cronous is a 3D MMORPG that is set in a once beautiful and lush world that is now under chaos due to an alien god and his followers. Your role in this world is as its hero, the person who shall finally bring forth peace in the land of Cronous.

Bring peace, one mob at a time
The game’s overall concept can be seen as similar to Diablo’s. As the hero your task, regardless of how you go about it, is to be the savior of the world you are in according to the job class you chosen. This storyline has been quite overused and seeing how the game plays out does not really affect much of your gameplay except for the events and quests that you’d be doing.
Cronous plays like your typical 3D MMORPG save that the camera angles are restricted. The in game controls feels similar to Diablo with an addition of being able to zoom the camera and move it in a circular motion.
There’s nothing new or innovative with Cronous’ gameplay. In fact, the game plays like any other MMORPG out there. The game’s familiar gameplay is both its strength and weakness because this type of gameplay jives well with the game’s other game features, but this also brings about a boring game for those who are looking for something new.
The Skill tree in Cronous is similar to the skill tree in Diablo, where every level up gives you a skill point that you can allocate to a certain skill area you want. However, this is where the similarities end because Cronous’ allows a more personalized way of allocating those skill points. The areas you can allocate points to are practically every aspect of your character.

Cronous area map
Aside from allocating to the usual offensive or defensive skills your character has, Cronous gives you the freedom to allocate skill points to the general attributes of your character. From one handed-weapon mastery to health regeneration, you have complete control if you want to allocate those points or not.
Cronous takes a different path by making your characters as customizable as possible. This kind of skill tree system allows a very varied character build where one character may have the same job but a different skill set.
The problem with this kind of system is that you have to really grind to get to the point where you are satisfied with your skills.

Learning skills
This kind of skill tree system automatically labels Cronous as a grind fest. Undoubtedly it is. You have to really grind if you want to beef up your character. Thankfully, with the skill system as it is, grinding during the lower levels is a breeze and within half a day you can get to a decent level.
Cronous also has a lot of quests where you can not only earn experience but also items as well. Of course this should be expected from any MMORPG. However, they don’t really provide much in terms of experience points so it’s better to just grind.
This is where I think Cronous has problems because as we all know level grinding can be really boring. The game’s graphics and audio is not top notch so you’d really need to be patient if you’d want to play the game for a long time.
Even with the game being a grind fest, there are a lot of game features that make it a rather enjoyable experience, one example is Growth Items that you can acquire if you’re lucky.
Growth Items are special items that your character can carry, and as you carry these items they also grow along with your character. You can allocate a portion of the experience you get from monsters and give it to your growth item. In time this item can eventually become a very powerful weapon that you can name.

Character fighting
Cronous’ Growth Items are one of the things you’ll love having as you play the game. It’s like your own small pet that you can nurture and eventually use to beef you up. Having one keeps you playing and it’s one of those things that you’d die to have.
Aside from the Growth Items, Cronous has its own siege warfare system called Union War. Union wars follow the format of siege wars in the different MMORPGs and give you a reason to be part of a guild and be active in leveling and strengthening your character.
Though the concept is only a rehash of the various siege systems in other games, you cannot deny the pull of such systems for players to keep on leveling. The Union War is what makes people come back to Cronous as the players have already established ties with their guild mates.
Cronous is a game that some systems that can really get your attention. However, the overall feel of the game really brings it down. There are other games that have are better overall that you can spend your time on.
If you’re someone who wants to get a little nostalgic and would like to see how Diablo may have turned out if it became an MMO, then Cronous is the game for that. However, if you are really looking for something better then I’d suggest you look for another game to play.
Pros:
– The skill system and skill tree enables you to create a unique character for your class
– The virtue system helps is a good equalizer for the rude players
– Growth Items adds an element of player “marking” actual in-game elements.
Cons:
– Dated game graphics
– The games feels to much like Diablo
– Grind fest.
Fairy Story Leads you into Another Alice’s Wonderland
An exclusive first look at the gripping moral decisions that heroes and villains will face on their journey down the path of good and evil.
Battle Of The Immortals Preview
By: Kei Beneza (dividelife), OnRPG Journalist
Battle of the Immortals is a medieval fantasy themed MMO set in the world of Motenia three hundred years after Ragnarok (or the end of the world). Ruled by the tyrant Dragon Emperor, the elves banded together to overthrow this tyrant by sealing him and his army with the aid of ancient magic. In preparation for the evil emperor’s return, warriors from all over the world seek the great power source to ready themselves for what is yet to come. The story is quite catchy though rather generic in a way. We have the old gods, the draconian tyrant, and the presence of a greater power. Created by the makers of Perfect World, Battle of the Immortals comes with a lot of similar yet updated features. You may see a lot of familiar aspects in the game mechanics but what truly matters is how well it stands out in today’s gaming meta.

Battle of the Immortals
There are five different classes in the game; each built with their own unique play style that complements their respective roles in battle.
The classes are as follows:
Berserker- Berserkers are the hard hitters of the game. They are similar to the traditional Barbarian class only with less armor and solo capabilities. They can be susceptible to magic and attacks due to their light armor, but they always even the odds with their massive damage output.
Champions- As the actual tank class in the game, Champions are blessed with powerful armor and high defense rate. They are capable of taunting mobs and performing various AOEs that help lure monsters away from other players. Champions are very useful in PVP, especially since it takes a number of players to knock one down.

Pick a class
Heretics- Heretics are the silent helpers behind the curtain, commonly known as the healer. Just as the role name implies, it is the Heretics job to ensure his or her party’s survival. Although they are commonly healers, Heretics are also capable of casting harmful spells that often drain their target’s HP. They can also “silence” enemies, blocking their skill usage for a short amount of time.
Magus- Unlike some classes, the Magus is given a fairly low amount of HP and weak sets of armor; however, they make up for it by casting powerful spells that target multiple enemies, dealing damage their opponents cannot ignore.
Slayers- Slayers are the typical rogues of the game. They have mid-ranged HP and mostly rely on Dex and evasive action to avoid losing life points. They are extremely fast and damage their targets like a bunch of rabid wolves chewing one limb after the other. They are also capable of messing with their opponent’s mobility, a great class for DPS lovers everywhere.
One particular feature that makes this game good is the diverse world. The game is blessed with tons of areas that differ from each other. You won’t have to get used to the same desert zone, as you will be ported to other areas as you progress in the game. Quite refreshing!
What makes this game extremely interesting is its enjoyable pet system. Pets are easily acquired in the game and all five classes are free to have one. Pets can be gathered by simply killing monsters and bosses. There’s a huge chance that monsters drop their “pet version” upon their defeat, so watch out and get as many as you can. Much like player classes, pets also have their own stats for you to level, and can learn various skills as they level up. These monsters can aid you well in your journey so be sure to farm for one (or two… or tons).

Pets R’ Us
One staple feature among MMOs today is the instance system, which takes players on a non-persistent dungeon for them to finish. Players will need a party of six to survive instances and must rely on their teammates to ensure the raid’s success. There are tons of instances in the game, with gigantic epic bosses and diverse settings guaranteed to keep players on the edge of their seats. One thing you just have to love about the game is the fact that it features not only instanced dungeons but also persistent ones. This however does not separate the areas in terms of difficulty as both types contain elite monsters that are hard to knock down.
The game sports the same PVP system as Lineage 2, which grants the attacker infamy upon attacking other players who are not participating in a duel or who are not in a PVP zone. Once a player with too much infamy (red name) dies, he/she will be sent to the PVP prison until his/her infamy goes back to normal. It’s a hefty price to pay for Open World PVP lovers but works wonders for MMO care bears (Non-PVPers). If you want some hardcore action… go to the arena.

PVP Karma in Battle of the Immortals
As far as graphics go, Battle Of The Immortals’ visuals are quite astounding. There are various areas to be explored, each with their own stunning view, allowing players to enjoy exploring. The game sports the isometric bird’s eye view, which can be adjusted accordingly to support the player’s desired zoom point. The graphics are impressive but lack a bit of texture. Not the best graphic around, but surely something that can keep you entertained with its flashy elements.
I think the game has its own kind of charm. The classes look good and the armor sets are definitely flashy. Playing the different classes is quite enjoyable but needs more diversity in terms of builds. The dungeons are enthralling and provide countless hours of tanking and spanking; a good feature for dungeon/instance lovers everywhere. The graphics may need some improvements in terms of the in game fonts and text styles. Running it on certain resolutions can mess up texts making them unreadable. Other than that, I think it’s a pretty good game. Fun and easy to play– that’s about everything.
Blackshot Europe Interview: Opening Up to the World
Questions by Vincent Haoson, OnRPG Journalist
Answered by Martin Simon (Leading Product Manager) Horst Kühn (Junior Product Manager) Dennis Hilgersom (Marketing and PR Manager)
Blackshot Europe has currently started its open service and we here at Onrpg had the chance to talk to the people who are currently making things work behind the scenes. Here’s what the people at Efusion MMOG have to say about Blackshot’s current status.
OnRPG: You recently started open service and previously had 3 closed beta phases, how is the game so far?
Martin: We are in the plan of our launch procedures and our main focus is to make this game stable running. The Open Service is so far our biggest stress test, and shows us the last remaining issues. There are some points left we need to fix before the retail release but we are confident to fix this.
Dennis: In the last 3 weeks after the Open Service was started we gained another 10.000 players which made us very happy.
OnRPG: What kind of errors you faced in the 3 CBT’s or in the start of the open service mainly?
Horst: We had several crashes and disconnect errors in the 3rd CBT which have been really annoying. But with the help of our community and testers we could fix them very fast!
Martin: The biggest issue was the GameGuard implementation which gave us really some headache, but this has been done now to our full satisfaction. There are still some small issues with the connection to the service which we need to solve. Additionally we are working on the network code to reduce the possibility of lags in game.
OnRPG: How’s the game’s community support? It seems that players are really making the game work, what are your thoughts about this?
Dennis: Our community support is split into 2 areas;
•1. The support in areas which touch the product directly, i.e. issues with client, server and connection. This is being dealt from our product managers who can actively support them and guide them the most effective way. Beside this our supporters are assisting in the support tickets and forums with the common problems to reduce the workload of the managers.
•2. The community issues, i.e ranting, flaming insulting in game is being dealt by the Community Manager and the supporters directly. Either in game or via support ticket. If a player is really crossing the border we are interfering actively, but I need to say it’s less than expected.
The support team is consisting of volunteers who helped us already in the internal alpha tests and throughout the closed betas. We selected them out of the community when we finished the 3rd CBT. Currently we have 8 volunteers which will be raised always with the community growth. Basically the work is currently more in game related as we get really seldom a ticket on crucial things!

Around the back alleys
OnRPG: How big is the game’s current community? Has the amount of players met your expectations? What are your thoughts about it?
Dennis: We distributed approx 35.000 beta keys with the help of our 30 partner gaming sites in that time, and the activation rate was really amazing high. Around 30% of the keys have been activated and were used in the game. After the CBT and with start of the Open Service we made some advertise as well which resulted in a stable growth till now.
OnRPG: BlackShot is facing a lot of competition with the number of MMOFPS games released or are being released, what do you think is BlackShot’s edge against them? Why do you think so?
Dennis: BlackShot is so far unique as it has some very dark future background which can be also used for events and so on. Most of the FPS leak some story background, and I think this something we can really make interesting and working for this game.
Martin: There is a lot more than only the story, I would say. Basically this is a download and install game which works great. The client is small and the install process goes quite fast. Additionally the weapon mastery system is very unique and is enabling the players to earn some very special weapons and items by playing and master a special weapon type.
Horst: Guys you forgot the “Bunker Defense” where players can train their aiming and also tactic in smaller groups against AI controlled enemies. This sounds maybe boring, but it’s great fun and teach coordination which comes very useful for clan matches later!
OnRPG: What do you think is the best sell of BlackShot to the gamers out there? Why do you think so?
Dennis: As Horst said, the “Bunker Defense” mode is something special, but in all it’s the package which we are offering with BlackShot. Interesting story, Weapon Mastery system, advanced clan features, activities and also the options which will come in the commercial release very soon. There are still many things we have hidden and which will be a nice surprise when it goes retail!
Martin: I agree it’s the package and not only a simple number of features. We from eFusion MMOG and especially the product managers are working very close to the community and their demands but also to the developers.

Who will get it first
OnRPG: You described BlackShot as a realistic MMOFPS, what game features does it have to make it realistic?
Horst: The physics are very realistic and we don’t have such very unrealistic movements you see in other FPS. If you run with your AK-47 it will be very hard to impossible to aim correctly. I have played many FPS and always this feature was very annoying. I think from the current MMOFPS this is one of the best physics so far, but it’s hard to compare all games with one product and say this or that is that is more realistic.
Martin: I need to add that the character movements you are seeing on your mates or enemies also don’t look like impossible and that this is also adding some more realistic atmosphere to the game. I need to point out that this might be also depending on the map you are playing. In the kill or get killed maps (TDM mode) this is at all not important, but in TFM and Search and Destroy I like this very much!
OnRPG: How many weapons are the in BlackShot right now and how often will you be updating the game’s armory? Why?
Martin: Currently we have 22 models but there are a lot of varieties available which raise the total amount to 40. There will be many more weapons in the next future but it’s hard to say now how often we will increase the numbers. Basically there will be new items, skills, maps and weapons in the patches at least every month. I think it might be more often, but we are in the begin of the service and it would be too early to release all plans!
OnRPG: Is there any difference between the global server of BlackShot with the Europe server you’re handling? Will there be any Europe exclusives in this server? Why?
Dennis: BlackShot global does not exist, the publisher Garena is focusing on the Asian market beside Korea and Japan. We have the license for EU (34 countries) at the moment. Players from the EU will play on our BlackShot EU servers. There will be differences between the services and maybe also in game, as we have a totally different market and we will focus on the European customers.
OnRPG: The game currently has four characters for character creation, will you be including more as the game continues on? Why or why not?
Dennis: For the moment those 4 characters will stay, but there are already plans to bring something new into this game very soon. But the number of characters will be not raised dramatically as this is based on the background story which is about cloning!
OnRPG: The game has currently the usual amount of game modes you can find in a MMOFPS. Will you be including more in the future? Can you give us a little idea on what possible game modes will you be including?
Martin: We only can say at this moment that there are additional modes planned, but not when it will be added or how it will be. Be sure that we will continuously update the game, and game modes are one of the most important points to compete with other games.
OnRPG: According to the game story, BlackShot has three factions in it, the BlackShot mercenaries, the cloners and the people of Gaia. Will these factions be included in the future game modes that you may be including in BlackShot? Why or Why not?
Dennis: The fractions in BlackShot (Gaia and the cloners) are fighting each other with the mercenaries, so basically the mercenaries are only tools for those 2 fractions. The different mercenary agencies are represented by the clans in our game. So basically all fractions are already included!
OnRPG: The game seems to have a fairly well-written story. Will you guys work on this in the future and probably create some events out of it? Why or why not?
Martin: When we go to retail service we will as expected use parts of the story to create reason for tourneys and emphasize the community to fight clan wars. Also there might be some stories we tell with the help of our in game supports to turn the heat on in game. We have plenty of ideas on this!
Face to face
OnRPG: There are some MMOFPS games that have features that include weapon customization will you be including this in BlackShot? Why or Why not?
Martin: Well we have this system as well but you need to master your weapon skill to enable the system. Silencer and scopes are the options but also some special modified weapons can be earned. There will be later more options but for now we don’t release more info on it J
Horst: We are already working on some ideas for adding more of this customization options later into the game!
OnRPG: What’s in store with BlackShot in the coming months ahead?
Dennis: There are many parts we haven’t released so far and which will finally be added. Some of our players already know those things from the service run by Garena, others will be brand new and again others are made by our requests. The main focus for the moment is to fix the last issues and raise it to the commercial service with many updates for the players.
After this our Product Managers will use all their creativity and also the suggestion of the community to make this game as unique as our already serviced games (NavyField and Blitz1941)
OnRPG: Thank you for your time!
eFusion MMOG: Thanks to you for this great opportunity!
Wargaming.net® Announces Closed Beta Test for World of Tanks
Over the next few months World of Tanks players worldwide will get access to more than 70 authentic military vehicles representing German and Soviet sides with a chance to unlock and explore their full upgrade and level-up potential in tense PvP battles. 7 unique maps featuring various types of terrain designed to provide the ultimate action-packed experience will serve as proving grounds for the beta test.

Relive history in Heroes of Three Kingdoms Closed Beta on July 13th
Be One of the First to Change History and Earn the Title of Emperor

– Battle of Thermopylae (Spartan 300 Battle) – Estimated casualties 22,300 – 22,500
– Battle of Waterloo (Napoleon’s Defeat) – Estimated casualties 47,000+
– Battle of Gettysburg (American Civil War) – Estimated casualties 51,000
– Battle of Red Cliff (Three Kingdoms era) – Estimated casualties 100,000+
MMO Leaders: Never mess with the Capabilities of a Gamer
By Kei Beneza (dividelife), OnRPG Journalist
What does it take to lead a pack of blood thirsty Orcs in the midst of battle? Is your Racial Archon a leader in real life? It’s amazing how players can exercise leadership through MMO games. Whether it’s war, raids, or simply PVE, there will always be a player who’s calling the shots. Could it be because he is quite knowledgeable about the game, or is it because he just knows how to pull a group together? As far as IBM (a computer company) is concerned, MMOs are actually one of the best ways to prepare a leader for the real world, given a good real-time simulation of actual planning to exercise their leadership capabilities.
Not in most cases! What’s amazing about this concept is that it’s very easy to distinguish which individual is capable of leading, even at an early age. After interviewing some Guild Leaders and Raid Leaders in the real world, I was actually surprised as these individuals were not as I thought they would be after meeting their Online Personas. Believe it or not, most of the leaders in the MMO world are NEETs (Not in Education, Training, or Employment) and underpaid employees. Some of them even have low self-esteem, which hinders them from achieving further goal.

Race leaders
OnRPG: Do you have the capacity to lead?
Guild Leader: Not at all…
OnRPG: But you’ve done a very good job, I mean, you HAVE led your race to victory for more than a year now.
Guild Leader: It’s not like it’s the same as in real life. I only became the Leader because they said I knew the game more.
As you can see, some of them are even unaware of their inborn talents. To some of them, the game is merely a way to become someone else, namely their exact opposite. But what if there’s more to them that meets-the-eye? What if the role of being the Epic Hero can also be applied in real life?

Believe it or not, MMOs can be the best training program for future leaders, as well as a spawning pit for new ones. Some are not even aware that they’re already executing high caliber leadership skills on the field. Aside from the ability to communicate flawlessly and open-mindedly, the MMO world presents players with the necessary skills to fulfill requirements that are rare for individuals to posses in the real world. Although a game is JUST a game to some, practical things like marketing strategies and mock economies can also be found in the field and can help train players in various ways. It also allows players to gain experience in dealing with certain situations like: risk taking, group collaboration, communication problems, functioning under pressure, and of course, the ability to express one’s self further.
Source: Shacknews.
Putting pressure on the leaders
Though some adults think you’re probably better off enrolling in a training program, IBM says that MMOs and the business world have various similarities in terms of the challenges presented. The MMO world is indeed a living and breathing world, so the decision of one can have an all-out effect on the virtual planes. What follows are a couple of requirements in the business world that are harnessed subconsciously when playing MMOs:
– Incentive structures that motivate workers immediately and longer term
– Virtual economies that create a marketplace for information and collaboration
– Transparency of performance and capabilities
– Recognition for achievements
– Visibility into networks of communication across an organization
Source: QJ.net
This isn’t really an excuse for you play MMOs all day, but at least you can tell your parents that you’re getting somewhere (somehow) LOL.
Jim Spohrer, IBM’s Director of Servives Research, say that success in the business world can also depend on the capabilities of the gamer. He also stated that Smart Organizations are recognizing various employees who exercise their MMO Leadership skills in real life. Many of the traits presented by almost every MMO out there can be associated with the business world. According to them, it’s a gold mine of leaders, and the only thing left to do is to collect your mercenary ;). I guess you can call it “learning, the fun way”. What we call normal in the fantasy world is actually quite astounding in real life. Know your capabilities, and harness them.
Ingame group activity
Aside from Leaders, the MMO plane can also subordinates in a way, as it presents challenges that force players to bend down and experience more things. Situations like “WE NEED A HEALER” among a group of players can also encourage players to try new things, namely, creating a healer class character, or just simply trying them out. MMOS demand teamwork and a lot of it. Leading in MMOs also encourages people to take responsibility and learn from their mistakes, whether it’s boss fights where you wipe continuously, or simply strategizing in PVP. I suppose you’ll be surprised at how much you’ve LEVELED UP in real life since you started playing.

To some, it’s just a game, but tell that to IBM. Quite surreal isn’t it? It’s like the whole idea of big companies hiring people who specialize at gaming is just a dream, but think again. MMOs give you more skills than just the average skill-tree you’ve sought to level up. Leaders are all around us, and some are not even aware of how well they can do in real life, let alone the skills they are subconsciously projecting. Know that there’s more in stored for you, and the hardest quest in the game may only be the beginning of what you’re about to face in real life. If your mom tells you to stop playing, just tell her that you’re training for the future J. Think about it… if ever monsters somehow overran the world, you might be the first one employed XD.