Yearly Archives: 2011

ACE Online Releases Infinity Field 3

ACE Online Releases Infinity Field 3

 

 

ACE Online, the popular 3D space shooter, has unveiled the release of the hotly-anticipated Infinity Field 3 patch! Infinity Field is an instance-based event, which can be done once daily. Players combat through numerous stages of combat in order to receive awesome item drops.

 

NEW MONSTERS:

The Shrine army has hatched a scheme to attack the mother ship Osiris when they least expect it. It’s up to YOU to defend Osiris as you attack Shrine army’s new ship: SHADE!

 

 

4 new monsters will be launched to fend you off: Caim, Andras, Berith and Eligor. These illusive enemies will stop at nothing to thwart your advances!

 

NEW ARMORS:

Defeating the IF3 can lead to very promising results. If you do well enough, you may be able to receive Caim, Andras, Berith and Eligor-inspired Boss Armors!

 

 

XP Rate Increase/Log In for Items!

With Infinity Field 3’s release, Subagames has decided to provide all players with an XP rate increase of up to x4! In addition, if you log in to ACE Online and stay logged on for long enough, you will receive an item that allows you to fight in Infinity Field 3 twice a day!

 

 

While IF3 is here to stay, this login event and XP rate increase will only run for a few weeks, so take advantage of it while you can.

The Sims Social: Facebook Done Right

The Sims Social: Facebook Done Right

By Remko Molenaar (Proxzor), OnRPG Journalist

 

 

Now you might wonder why The Sims Social? Wasn’t there a Sims Online game before? Well yes that is true but unfortunately that game was closed by Electronic Arts in 2008. This time however Electronic Arts decided to make an application for Facebook called The Sims Social. This new game is a free-to-play browser game that is integrated into Facebook’s social network.

 

 

Now you are probably thinking ‘why release a game that has failed before’? Well I think Electronic Arts figured Facebook would combine the missing elements that caused The Sims prior downfall. Namely this addresses the initial box purchase that deterred people away from trying the game before. It also makes it easier than ever to meet up with people and get the full online experience.

 

Gameplay

When you start up The Sims Social you need to create a character. Be careful as you’re only allowed one character per Facebook account. You can customize your character by changing their hair, eyes, mouth, nose and gender. You can also give them different clothes and stereotyped personalities. Now the personality is very important in the Sims Social since it will influence your gameplay and give you several extra options throughout the game.

 

 

As in every Sims game, the object is to build up a house and maintain your family. This time you only have one Sim to maintain and it cannot die. So luckily players like me are protected from killing off their Sim on a whim due to one wild night of not thinking things through. Even though they can’t die, you will still have to deal with the basic functions of life commonly see in other Sims games. The classic hunger, hygiene, bladder, sleep, fun and social actions are all present. If you do not maintain these actions and keep your Sim satisfied, then it will reflect in your Sim’s behavior. If your Sim is running low on an action you might have a problem working on your job and hobbies. This way you can’t build anything or upgrade stats or do any other actions with objects.

 

 

Speaking of which, your Sim is limited by a stamina system called energy. While most maintenance actions don’t require energy, the majority of interesting activities will. You can only have 15 Energy points max and you will regain 1 energy point every four minutes. When you have run out of energy points you will either have to wait or buy Energy with real money.

 

 

Don’t have any friends? Or do your friends shy away from Facebook games? EA planned for this by providing 1 NPC (Non Player Character) as a friend. There is also a game forum teeming with people to meet. If you want to get serious about this game, I highly suggest you make real friends and this is the best way to do it. Real friends are vital for completing certain objectives and earning increased in-game money.

 

 

The in game currency is called Simoleons and is earned by doing actions in the game. Basically every action gives either some money or some other object you can use to craft items or furniture with. With Simoleons you can buy a lot of furniture and clothes for your Sim and your house. You can also buy exclusive items with SimCash which is as you can probably guess the real money currency in the game.

 


Conclusion

The Sims Social is a really fun game that you can play on Facebook. It is a really addictive game to play with your friends and I had a lot of fun playing it. There are plenty of activities to entertain you whether you choose to play casually or more hardcore. The house size is upgradable so you can continually pack rat away your endless junk in ever larger spaces. The Sims Social is the perfect Facebook game to get more socially in contact with other gamers that like to play games. I recommend everyone that has Facebook to give this game a shot as it really is a fantastic browser game.

War of the Immortals CB Testing Has Begun

War of the Immortals CB Testing Has Begun

 

 

Perfect World Entertainment has announced their Action MMORPG, War of the Immortals, is now in closed beta testing. A new trailer showcasing gameplay is now live as well!

 

 

Prospective heroes across the globe may now begin their journeys to become greater warriors, even as they’re swept into the wake of an impending war. War of the Immortals features interactive environments, vivid landscapes, classic action-RPG gameplay and awe-inspiring monsters.

 

 

During closed beta testing, players explore content from levels 1 to 50 as one of eight classes. War of the Immortals also boasts a unique pet system based on the concept of ‘capture and customize’. That comes alongside an advanced guild system, which allows players to establish housing for guild members, recruit new warriors, plan dungeon runs and create new recipes and items.

 

 

“War of the Immortals gives players a heightened AAA free-to-play experience with interactive environments, soul gear, an in-depth pet system, territory wars, PvP, and compelling action-RPG combat,” said Jonathon Belliss, Executive Producer, Perfect World Entertainment Inc. “We have brought together some of the most requested MMORPG features into one compelling new game and look forward to hearing what gamers have to say about the closed beta experience.”

 

 

To celebrate the closed beta launch, Perfect World Entertainment is giving away one of two prize packs consisting of Logitech gaming gear and a limited edition War of the Immortals mouse pad valued at $210. All players that log into War of the Immortals between now and November 13 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific will automatically be entered for a chance to win.

Lime Odyssey Discusses Professions

Lime Odyssey Discusses Professions

 

 

Aeria Games released new details about the three profession-based classes available for characters in Lime Odyssey: The Chronicles of Orta, its upcoming 3D MMORPG. One of Lime Odyssey’s most unique and well-developed features is a system in which players not only put long hours into mastering their battle-themed roll, but also into mastering a crafting profession.

 

In Lime Odyssey, players assign a race, battle-themed class, and domestic profession to their new character. Available professions are the handy Chef, skilled Tailor and rugged Blacksmith. Once in-game, players can switch between their character’s battle class and profession at any time with the push of a button. Both the battle and professional traits are equally important to a character’s survival as they journey across the magical continent of Orta in search of Lime.

 

 

Any race can adopt one of these professions in Lime Odyssey: The Chronicles of Orta:

 

  • Blacksmith – Gather metal, ore and wood extracts as you travel. Learn to forge armor and powerful weaponry for you and your friends.
  • Chef – Search the land for various fruits, berries, meats and other ingredients. Cook up potions and meals to strengthen and heal your party.
  • Tailor – Stitch together leather and cloth armors for the less hearty races from animal furs and other materials you find in Orta.

 

 

Gather the required materials then switch to your profession class. Your character will whip out a set of trade-specific tools and begin crafting before your eyes! Obtain hundreds of profession-themed quests, ranging from simple tasks to complex assignments. Each profession’s end product becomes either a helpful tool or a viable commodity for trade.

 

 

Also for those wondering, Aeria believes their game will be Alpha test ready before December. Don’t get your hopes up too high but the possibility exists! Until then check out the new set of screenshots showcasing the Professions.

The Sims Social

The Sims Social is a facebook based browser game that brings the world of The Sims into a casual social platform. Customize your Sim and then fight for your dreams, stir up trouble, develop relationships with NPCs and Facebook friends, and maybe even find your soulmate.

Dungeon Defenders: Multiplayer RPG Perfection

Dungeon Defenders: Multiplayer RPG Perfection

 By Neil Kewn (Murxidon), OnRPG Journalist

 



Co-op is all the rage these days. Whether built from the ground up or shoehorned into a sequel, most top-tier games will usually have some aspect of team-based gameplay. The great thing about co-op is how versatile it is, and players have realized that you can have just as much fun working with other players than trying to kill them. The latest co-op concoction to hit gamers isn’t a massively ambitious title, but it’s one that captures the essence of multiplayer in its simplest form. It’s stylish, it’s addictive, it’s fun. It’s Dungeon Defenders.

 

 

Dungeon Defenders, to put it simply, is a co-op action game where four players attempt to fend off waves of increasingly difficult enemies.  Its premise is one we have seen before, yet the game feels refreshing and refined. Defenders is all about depth, difficulty and tactical gameplay. Pick a Hero, build defences and protect a magical crystal – it’s a simple idea with plenty of added depth that works on almost every level.

 

 

There are currently four Heroes to choose from. The Squire is primarily a close combat class with a high damage count, The Huntress deals out traps and attacks from afar, The Apprentice can summon magical towers and The Monk acts as a support role, casting magical auras which protect allies and harm enemies. Naturally each hero type plays differently, with each class replicating four of the RPG archetypes we have seen in MMO games (albeit in a far simpler way). More classes are promised at a later date.

 



Jumping into a game is simple. You can opt for unranked, anything-goes online games with support for mods, or ranked, secured games which operate through TrendyNet. Local support is also available. Depending on the current state of the game, you will be dumped into the local tavern or straight into the battle itself. The tavern acts as a place to chat, sell wares and upgrade your character and is presented as a very warm, glowing public house. The graphical style is undeniably welcoming.

 

 

Games begin in the Build Phase. Here, no enemies will spawn and the team can work together to set up defences, traps and summon protection. It’s also a good opportunity to collect any mana, open chests and loot gear left behind from the previous wave. The Defenders Forge can store any items players have collected or swap Heroes out for different ones. Mana is particularly important, as it’s used to summon available defences, activate abilities and purchase upgrades. The impending wave is activated through players touching the Eternia Crystal.

 

 

The Eternia Crystal is the single most important feature in any game of Dungeon Defenders. Players are working to protect the crystal from being destroyed, and the game will end if the enemy does manage to deplete its health bar. It’s important to fend off attacks from spawn points in the map, but ignore the growing horde of elves and trolls busting through your unmanned defences elsewhere and it won’t be long before the whole party is rushing to protect the Crystal. Even the most well-laid plan can crumble quickly, resulting in enormously entertaining, and at times frustrating, frantic frivolity.

 



Heroes are equipped with a primary attack assigned to the left mouse button, and a secondary attack or defensive ability on the right. Other abilities are unlocked through leveling up. Participating in battles awards your hero experience points which can be spent improving your hero’s health, mana, speed and damage in addition to that of any defences you summon. Resistance to certain attacks and the effectiveness of your abilities can be attuned, and your attack and defence capabilities improved through the armour and weapons looted and equipped after a round. The status of your Hero is recorded too, so you can jump into higher-level games as you progress.

 

 

Summoned defences are dependent on the class and the player’s level. Each Hero has a different set of constructs, which a good team will put to good use through tactical deployment and forming chokeholds. These can be repaired during or after games, and even upgraded to improve their effectiveness. Constructs range from simple towers which fire repeatedly at the enemy, to blockades which can halt an advance on your crystal, to auras which will drain the health of any pesky elf which makes an attempt on your life. As you rise through the levels more powerful summons will unlock for use against waves that you previously stood no chance against.

 



Dungeon Defenders has also been developed for consoles, and as such the menu screens and controls are somewhat catered for the controller-equipped. Auto-aim is turned on by default, but the game plays better with it left off. I’ve found it hampers progress instead of aiding it when using the precision of a mouse. Graphically, it’s a very beautiful game. Mixing cell-shading with some superb lighting and spell effects, maps are vibrant and colorful. It runs smoothly, too.

 

 

Dungeon Defenders is a dish best enjoyed with others, and as such the solo experience should only be used to familiarize yourself with the dozen or so maps. In addition to the main campaign there are extra challenges for you to undertake and several difficulty settings for each level, ensuring there is plenty of replay value in this budget title. I’m not entirely convinced that the game is completely balanced just yet, and the Squire seems to be everyone’s favourite class at the moment (despite, at least in my opinion, being the least fun to play). Post-launch support has been great so far though so I expect class balancing to be on the agenda shortly.

 

 

Dungeon Defenders is a massively entertaining and addicting game. Its casual pick-up-and-play gameplay is perfect for those who want a quick game of goblin gutting, yet its tower defence aspect offers a wider range of gameplay opportunities for groups going loot or achievement hunting. With the promise of more class types, maps and other goodies, the game is a superb value for the money and one that any fan of co-op should have in their collection.