Monthly Archives: March 2012

War Inc. Battlezone

War Inc. Battlezone is set in a world where Mercenary and Paramilitary Commando Units rule the day. Some had said that 2012 wasn’t the end of the world, but it damn near might as well have been. The global economic chaos that started in 2008 had run rampant for almost 4 years. National fortunes were squandered and lost. International trade turned into international hostility and deprivation. A number of Nations disintegrated into anarchy and civil war as all out conflict broke out between various Nations. International corporate powers emerged with in different countries, demanding controls and powers from spineless government officials and a bad situation simply got worse. Death, Famine, Pestilence, and War spread as if the 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse had actually been released from the Gates of Hell.

 

 

Features:

 

Modes: Capture and hold points around the match in Conquest, destroy all competition in Deathmatch, and bomb your foes (or prevent them) in Sabotage.

 

Guns: Experience a wide variety of modern weaponry, each rated in terms of damage, decay, spread, recoil, firerate, range, and capacity.

 

Skills: Utilize skills like bulk up, guardian angel, and double ammo to gain an advantage over unsuspecting foes.

 

Archlord: An Age when Games were Challenging

Archlord: An Age when Games were Challenging

By Remko Molenaar (Proxzor), OnRPG Journalist

 


 

ArchLord is a free-to-play 3D fantasy MMORPG developed by Webzen. The game was first released in March 2005 in South Korea and a year later the game also was published for North America and Europe. Unfortunately due to the poor reviews from the gaming press the game had to undergo changes and the game became free-to-play. The game is still running successfully under its new publisher Webzen, and I decided it was time to give the game a new shot. There have been plenty of expansions released over time and the game is currently on the seventh expansion called Heaven & Hell.

 

 

Of course the first impression of any game (other than perhaps some flashy cinematics) comes from the character creation menu. I had to choose between 4 races which are the Human, Orc, MoonElf and DragonScion. Each race has 3 classes to choose from, bringing the total number of classes to 12. I chose to go for the MoonElf race and the Swashbuckler race because I wanted something different from my typical elementalist class. The Swashbuckler wields Rapiers and Daggers which make them more effective at close combat. Their excellent Attack Speed and Dodge rate makes them a devastating force when in close quarters against another player.

 

 

Once finished detailing my Moon Elf Swashbuckler I was ready to go on my journey to get as mighty as possible. After introducing myself to the elder I got a quest to slay Young Barricks near Norine. These weird mutated rats would take no effort to dispatch.. or so I thought. Even though these beasts were only level 1 they were still quite hard to slay. I knew then I wouldn’t be able to take this game lightly and get out alive.

 

 

Now I played this game during its initial release and the graphics at the time did not impress. However it seems over the course of their expansions and updates that the game now looks quite good and has much stronger support behind it than in the past.

 

 

Gameplay

To move your character in any general direction you can choose what suits you best. Do you prefer to point and click to your destination or do you prefer to use the keyboard along with the mouse? You can choose whatever you want and it works out perfectly. Although in my experience the keyboard controls are a bit sloppy and you are better off mastering point and click.

 

 

If you are a player that likes to annoy others by killing them you are free to do so. Archlord was made with PvP oriented players in mind. After reaching the level of 6 you are free to attack players who are not in a safe zone like villages and towns. But be careful! Once you attack a player that was not flagged as a villain you will receive a first attacker symbol and basically everyone is able to attack you without receiving any penalties. Once receiving the level of fifteen a player is able to go to dedicated PvP combat grounds also known as battle squares. Players will not receive any penalties or villain points here and the expected free for all is usually in full swing. If you belong to a guild you are able to do Siege Warfare. In order to siege a castle two guilds must go to war. The winning guild will rule the castle along with its area and the guild master who leads the winning guild will also be compensated.

 

 

Archlord also provides a lot of side features to keep players busy. One of the most notable of these is the crafting system. The player is able to upgrade items in unique ways by gathering materials from carving, skinning and ransacking any defeated monster in the game. This will bring up valuable materials which then can be used to craft any other items with professions such as Alchemy and Cooking. The player can also use the refinery for several purposes. To refine an item simply drag it into the Refinery and press the Refine button to start the process. The refining process is permanent and you will lose all materials in the process so make sure you know what you’re doing before checking out this system.

 

 

Graphics

To play this beauty of the game you need the following specifications in your computer rig running in order to play this game.

 

Minimum settings:

Windows 2000 Service Pack 4

Intel Pentium 4 – 1.4 GHz or better

512 MB or More RAM

Geforce FX, Radeon 9600 or better

DirectX 9.0c or More


Recommended settings:

Windows XP Service Pack 2

Windows 2003 Service Pack 2

Intel Pentium D 915 (2.8 GHz)

2 GB or More RAM

Geforce 6×00, Radeon x600 or better

DirectX 9.0c or More

 


If you aren’t familiar with computer specifications or you are a bit unsure of what kind of computer rig you are running, then be sure you bought your PC in the last 6 or 7 years to be safe.

 

Conclusion

Even though Archlord had a sloppy original launch it has done what most games fail to do and renewed itself under a F2P model. Over the years the game has received many updates and expansions and it is truly a great title in the genre. The game has a lot of features to keep players entertained. If the storyline, challenging PvE, and a diverse roster of classes are major selling points of a game to you, then Archlord is a must play. It has a little something for everyone and great customer support to boot.

Divina Dev Blog: Creature Tome

Divina Dev Blog: Creature Tome

By Tiramisu, Beanfun Representative

 

 

 

Some games would argue that being the greatest fighter involves trapping creatures within hand-held containers, but Divina has a different approach. Instead of relying on an army of animals to be successful in battle, players can study the creatures around them, and eventually gain the ability to imitate both their skills and their physical form.

 

 

It’s all thanks to a little system known as the “Creature Tome.”

 

 

Players gain access to the mysterious tome (denoted by a magnifying glass icon) after completing a quest at level 11. From then on, whenever you defeat certain Demons (not all Demons are tome-worthy) within each territory, you’ll be considered “researching” them. Research enough Demons and you’ll gain access to their abilities and special rewards.

 

 

Take the Emerald Draco for example.

 

Who’s that Demon?


Before you fight an Emerald Draco, your Creature Tome will be blank. You may be able to see Emerald Dracos nearby, but until you’re fighting one face to face, you’re not able to fully research them.

 

 

After fighting your first Emerald Draco, your Creature Tome will gain a new entry and one of the question marks will be replaced with the Emerald Draco’s handsome mug.

 

 

That’s one down, 69 to go…


The bar on the Demon’s picture shows your research progress. The percentage after the first kill will give you an idea of how many Demons you’ll need to kill before research is complete. In this case, it’s going to take about 70 Emerald Dracos to complete its entry. This number will vary depending on the type of monster (normal, boss, etc.). Thankfully, some of the sub boss and instance boss Demons only require a few kills to complete their research.

 

 

Yes, that’s right, you can turn into an instance boss and decimate those hard-to-kill monsters or strut through town like the BAMF you are. But let’s get back to our dragon…

 

Congratulations. You now have a PhD in Emerald Draco.


Once you’ve completed researching a particular Demon, its Demon card and a message will appear, and the Creature Tome entry will change.

 

I’ve always wanted to be big, green and scaly.


You’ll see two new buttons in place of the progress bar. Clicking the magnifying glass will bring up a larger (and sometimes more detailed) view of the Demon’s artwork, while clicking on the silhouette will transform you into the Demon by using a skill called “Mimicry.”

 

 

Keep an eye on the Mimicry descriptions – transforming into some Demons will actually grant you their most powerful skills!

 

 

Filling each Creature Tome section may seem tedious, but it’s actually designed to work in conjunction with each of the quests you’ll receive in that particular area. So while you’re trying to exterminate x number of Emerald Dracos for the local Demon Hunter, the total amount killed still counts toward your Creature Tome research.

 

 

Bingo!


Each Creature Tome section offers three rewards – two for completing research on three Demons in a row (across, down, or diagonally) and one for completing all research within a given section. For example, in the Predators’ Den section, the first connection will net you Splendid M-Gem (increases chance of creating weapons with embeddable items), the second connection will grant you a chest with mystery items inside, and full completion will grant you a raw stone good for increasing the stats on a Divine Wheel core. The rewards offered will vary from location to location, but they’ll usually include one-of-a-kind or rare items.

 

 

Killing monsters to complete quests is certainly nothing new in games, but with Divina’s Creature Tome, your grinding is not only rewarded with the usual EXP and loot, but with new forms, abilities, and unique items as well.

 

 

Clever girl…


…Besides, who doesn’t like walking around town as a giant dragon?

Warhammer 40k: In the Grim Darkness of the Far Future

Warhammer 40k: In The Grim Darkness Of The Far Future

 

 

There Are Only Budgets.

 

 

A bit of sad news out of THQ and spotted by eagle eyed Imperial Guard scouts on Twitter. Warhammer 40K Online : Dark Millenium is no longer going to be an MMO.

 

From the press release:

THQ Inc today announced that it has refocused Warhammer® 40,000®: Dark Millennium™ from a Massively Multiplayer Online game to an immersive single player and online multiplayer experience with robust digital content, and engaging community features. Further product details, platforms and release timing will be announced at a later date.

 

The news gets worse however. AAA MMOs need big staff counts, so with the refocusing of the game to a mostly solo experience, 79 full-time employees at Vigil Games in Austin, TX and nearly 40 more from Relic Entertainment in Vancouver, B.C. are being let go.

 

 

The full press release can be viewed here.

Luvinia Online Releases Abbes Dungeon

Luvinia Online Releases Abbes Dungeon

 

Luvinia

 

Outspark raised the level cap on its brand new free-to-play fantasy MMORPG, Luvinia Online, to Level 87, and opened Abbes Dungeon, a massive instanced zone of fierce PvP fighting, to players Level 80 and above.

 

 

Players have been training for weeks for the bloodbath that’s about to ensue in this kill-or-be-killed, loot-rich zone of no consequence. Upon approach, a guitar shreds as fireflies dart around the enchanted garden entrance, but the roar of the God of Darkness can be heard from the Underground Palace where Shin, the ruthless boss of Abbes, lay waiting with his faithful sidekick, Kohler The Minotaurus, and his thug militia. Only the strong will survive.

 

Luvinia

 

“Abbes has incredibly cool graphics and a killer soundtrack to accompany the attacks of unrelenting bosses and mobs – our players will be impressed with how hard they’re going to have to fight,” smiles Philip Yun, CEO, Outspark. “Kudos to our developers, Simo and Shanda Games, for rewarding Luvinia’s highest level players with such challenging content.”

 

 

Weekdays, from now until Friday, April 6, 2pm PT, Outspark is hosting seven wicked Kill Billy PvP events where players can test their mettle by trying to defeat an all-powerful GM. Big loot will be dropping and there’s sure to be mayhem as players vie to be the last one standing. You can also redeem code “ABBESEXP” for a free exp boost here.

Forge of Empires Embarks on a Closed Beta

Forge of Empires Embarks on a Closed Beta

 

Forge of Empires

 

InnoGames just launched its newest browser game, Forge of Empires, into a closed beta. While the closed beta will be in English, InnoGames also plans several other languages to be available for the upcoming open beta.

 

 

Forge of Empires is a browser-based strategy game that allows players to create a city and develop it from the Stone Age onward throughout the centuries. Players can create a vast empire through military campaigns and skillful dealings, as well as discovering new technology and building impressive historical buildings. On top of this, one must foster a healthy culture for citizens and develop trading techniques to ensure proper building supplies.

 

 

Besides an ever-growing number of PvP-elements Forge, Empires contains a long-term single player campaign which offers months of entertainment and a turn-based battle system on a hex-field. Tactical facets to the game will keep strategists challenged and a unique research tree enhances player control in the title. InnoGames provides additional information in the game’s blog.

Star Trek Online Goes Multilingual

Star Trek Online Goes Multilingual

 

 

There has been a bit of good news coming from the Star Trek Online team in Europe. Star Trek Online is now available in both French and German. In addition the website, forums and support are available in both languages. Hopefully they’re working on getting support for Klingon next. There will also be more EU friendly in game events in the future. To celebrate this fantastic news they’re having a special Q Double XP Weekend this weekend March 29th to April 2nd!

 

 

“The launch of Star Trek Online in Europe is the culmination of our efforts over the past several years to bring gamers the Star Trek universe on a truly massive scale,” said Dan Stahl, Executive Producer for Star Trek Online. “We’d like to share this accomplishment with our community of players that have given their ongoing support to help us create an innovative game that captures Star Trek’s essence and we are happy to offer a localized experience for our French and German-speaking players. Our team is looking forward to sharing this experience with players in Europe and across the world.”

 

 

The websites are available by going to fr.startrekonline.com and de.startrekonline.com or just startrekonline.com and selecting the language you’d like on the upper right side of your screen.

 

 

Leben Sie lang und in Frieden!

Longue vie et prospérité !

Live long and prosper!