Yearly Archives: 2012

Mafia Block

Mafia Block is a free-to-play adventure into the criminal world. Commit crimes, manage property, fight other players, and pay off the Don in a battle for criminal supremacy. When you’re not on the job, explore, rest in the hospital, or train at the gym to further your criminal career.

 

 

Features

Competitive PvP: Seek out other players and test your mettle in controlled battles. It’s your choice who you fight, but be careful – making someone angry may end up placing a bounty on your head.


Multiple ways to advance: Train in the gym, take a class, explore the city, or take on a day-job to increase your character’s potential.

 

Property management: Rent or own your own property to increase your will. Short on cash? Rent your property out to other players.

 

Gang up: Create a gang with friends, or join an existing gang. Gangs get special forum and shoutbox access, a gang vault, and the knowledge that someone else with a gun has got your back!

Oversoul Online

Oversoul is a card battling MMORPG from Artix Entertainment. You battle against monsters, defeating them to have the chance to use them in battle against other players. Each battle revolves around the use of attack, defense, and special cards, dealt randomly from your deck. Special cards take unique consideration, as they have a wide variety of effects that can turn the tide of combat. With a wide variety of creatures to use, masters to find, and competition to be had, Oversoul is an entertaining option for the competitive player.

 

 

Features

Unique Characters: There are several different types of creatures to collect in Oversoul, from humanoids, to dragons, and more. Finding a type that works for you is key!

 

Card Based Battles: Each deck contains attack, defense, and special cards. Using your special cards wisely is the key to victory, as their effects are powerful and varied.


Player Versus Player: Not only will you be able to catch and level monsters, you can also compete against fellow players. Use your guile and wit to overcome your opponents!

 

Browser Based: Nothing to install or download. Ever! Wherever you are, you can capture new monsters, or compete against other players.

Elvoria Online

Elvoria is a text-based MMORPG played in a browser. You hunt monsters, gather materials, and craft powerful items. Complete quests to obtain quest points, to further develop your character. You can train ten times each day, and enroll in various academy courses to increase the experience from enemies, or the yield from wood and ore. Create or join a clan to receive even more benefit to your abilities.

 

Features

Real Time Battle: Every attack is detailed when you fight a monster. Learn how to optimize your stats to defeat them even easier!

 

Crafting and Gathering: Obtain ore and wood, and other items, and craft powerful items. Equip them yourself, or sell them to make a good profit!

 

Questing: Take on various quests to earn quest points. These points can then be used to boost your character even more.

 

Achievements: By reaching various milestones in Elvoria, you can obtain a variety of achievements. Try and get all of them to show your skill!

 

NetDragon Introduces Game Play in Absolute Force Online

NetDragon Introduces Game Play in Absolute Force Online

 


Absolute Force Online
will challenge all players whether you are a newbie or a veteran player.  There are currently two types of Battlefield Modes in Absolute Force Online (AFO).   These types are the Classic Battle and an Exclusive Hero Battlefield.  In Classic Battlefield players can only use first person viewing, but if players decide on Exclusive Hero Battlefield they have the option of switching from first to third person view.  Each player is different so AFO developers want to ensure players get what they want in this MMOFPS.  Death in AFO is not always a bad thing, after a certain number of deaths a player will enter super hero mode, enabling stronger abilities.  NetDragon offers players many exciting game play modes which sets AFO aside from other games in this genre.

 

Just like death in AFO, players receive perks from dying, but players also receive perks from killing other players.  Like in all MMOFPS’s killing is a huge part of the game and in AFO that is no different.  Arsenal Mode, which is a unique game feature where the goal is to kill the most opponents, but with every player you kill you will receive a better weapon.  The thrill of hunting your prey has never been so rewarding.  Each player can receive upgrades from pistol to rifle, to machine gun, and even to grenade launcher.  But having the biggest gun in a fight means nothing if your foe brings the better vehicle to trump you.

 

 

AFO brings 5v5 helicopter battles to life in their unique Vehicle Mode.  Vehicle Mode allows players to battle in the air against other players, recreating your own Apache vs. Mi-24 battles.  Players have access to various types of helicopters fully equipped with machine guns and missiles for explosive showdowns.  Players are put directly into the cockpit when the battle begins.

 

 

Both the Arsenal and Vehicle Mode are exclusive to Absolute Force Online.  AFO also offers game play modes that players are used to in most MMOFPS including Bomb Mode, Capture the Flag, Zombie Mode, Team Deathmatch, and Squads.  Absolute Force Online wants to ensure that players get the classic MMOFPS gameplay, but also the excitement of the game features that are exclusive to only Absolute Force Online.

 

 

AFO is currently in the Development Stage and Closed Beta is estimated to start towards the end of 2012, just in time for the holiday season.

Tyrian Times – Dark Tidings Approach

Tyrian Times- Dark Tidings Approach

By Meredith Watson, OnRPG Tyrian Reporter

 

 

Halloween is now over but wasn’t that fun? Possibly one of the best MMO Halloween events but it really is too early to tell. Will there still be novelty in it next year and will ArenaNet change it up?  I know in games such as World of Warcraft and EverQuest II the same Halloween events have been happening for years and fail to excite those that have done it for several years running. Once you’ve done the headless horseman three million times trying to get an epic ring or clean up dirt piles again in a haunted house it gets a bit passé. Hopefully, ArenaNet will mix it up year to year but it doesn’t seem too likely. However, it was good fun.

 

 

Act IV

The portal to the Mad Realm has been closed but Mad King Thorn was still about telling bad jokes as he was in Guild Wars. It was a bit anti-climatic after the excitement of Act III but still entertaining. Now, as of early November, you can find Mad King Thorn in Lion’s Arch but it is really just some guy in a Mad King Thorn costume which is a clear nod to the Guild War version of the character. He is handing out witches hats (account bound). So if you haven’t gotten yours yet make your way to Lion’s Arch before time runs out.

 

 

Lost Shores Event

The November event is soon upon us.  There is a new poster in Lion’s Arch that ArenaNet released half of on Twitter and the other half on Facebook with cryptic messages from them such as “pack your bags” and “time for a vacation”. Sounds lovely. A nice holiday in the sun perhaps? Don’t pack your swimming costume just yet. The official Guild Wars 2 site has this to say: Something stirs in the Sea of Sorrows…Unravel a mystery of monstrous proportions in the Lost Shores, a one-time massive event that will change Tyria forever.

 

 

The translation of the mysterious holiday poster reads as follows (translated from New Krytan):

 

 

Avast! Ahoy all ye landlubbers!
The hardworking members of the consortium are proud to announce the upcoming unveiling of your dream vacation! Coming soon we will open the gate – the asura gate – connecting Lion’s Arch to a veritable tropical paradise of magnificent proportions!

Swim in the radiant waters*!
Relax on the beach*!
Dance the night away*!
Prepare to hoist your jolly roger and to embark on a most majestic adventure with your favorite band of salty dogs!

Arr You Ready?

*Towels not included. The consortium cannot be held responsible for aquatic-related and rhythmic-related injuries (or other injuries related to misadventure or otherwise general buffoonery). Our medical staff will be on-call to happily ignore your needs should they inevitable arise.

 

 

We don’t know what is going to happen with the next event but we do have some other clues aside from the humorous yet possibly misleading poster mentioned above. If you go to the beach front near Sanctum Harbour Waypoint you will find a strange warning sign and a very large beached whale.  Around the whale are water buckets that can be used to wet the whale for whatever, unknown at this time, reason.  The translation of the warning sign is as follows:

 

 

 

Danger:

Enter at your own risk

Lion’s Arch authorities cannot be held responsible for missing / stolen / damaged / and/or devoured appendages, small children, dinghies, fruit baskets, skritt, pumpkin flavored marshmallows, spoons, goofy hats, Ascalonian salads, pocket watches, earrings, in-laws, spirits of the wild, eye patches, war machines, seraph, rhubarb pies, mystical artifacts of unquestionable power, mystical artifacts of questionable power, seeing eye squirrels and carp.

 

 

If you look out into the harbour you will also find a mysterious new ship with a distinct symbol. There are other ships around Lion Arch as well including one underwater bearing the same symbol. You may also notice if you are having a dip in the waters around Lion’s Arch that dolphins and humpback whales have appeared.  What ever could it mean?

 

 

Not far from the Claw Island Portage waypoint is a new house with a non-working asura gate. It is reported that there are posters in the house though not always visible.  Both posters are said to be in New Krytan and Ashodian and are translated as:

 

 

Beware

Flesh-eating swarms

Lion’s Arch Authorities are diligently combating an unstoppable onslaught of flesh-eating swarms. We apologize for the inconvience. We ask that, for your own safety, to stand close and to let our professionals die horribly so that you may continue to live. If you rank yourself among the righteous then by all means assist in the extermination process. We are certain that somewhere, someone at some time will be grateful for your heroic, if not pointless, sacrifice.

 

 

Warning

Dangerous sea monsters

Lion’s Arch Authorities kindly remind all visitors that sea monsters have rendered our beaches unsafe for the general public. Should you choose to ignore this warning then upon your inevitable, grisly demise members of our local pirate population will insure the fair division of your remaining, worldly possessions. Despite your potential horrible end, find comfort in the knowledge that you will soon no longer care and that you will have made a generous contribution to those who, ironically, have more respect of the rules than you do.


 

Whatever ArenaNet have up their sleeves for us, it should be a great time.  They aren’t doing anything by halves it would seem. What do you think it all means?  Are you as excited for the November update as we are?

DOTA 2: Halloween Brings Diretide

DOTA 2: Halloween Brings Diretide

By Mohammad Abubakr, OnRPG Journalist

 

 

Dota 2 has been the game taking up most of my free time during the last few months. While also continuously adding all existing heroes from DOTA, Valve also continues to add their own features into the game. With great features already in the game such as cosmetic items, leaver and replay systems, Valve has just released a new map alongside a unique game mode for Halloween!

 

 

Most Dota 2 players that follow the game closely knew about this upcoming update weeks before release but started to wonder when it would be pushed to the main client. Halloween had already passed and the TF2 Halloween was already released but the Dota 2 Halloween map and game mode was nowhere to be seen.

 

 

There was talk on Reddit about the Dota 2 team working extra hours in hopes of releasing the new game mode during this year’s Halloween season. Turns out this was true as the patch was pushed to the main client late Halloween night. I was very excited for this new game mode but I would have to wait until the following day to try it out!

 

 

Before we jump into Diretide, the new game mode available during Halloween 2012, let us go over some other changes this patch brought for us. The most obvious change this patch has brought for us would be an updated user interface and map decorations with the Halloween style in mind. The map is played the same way as only visual changes have been made to everything from a bloody river to zombie creeps.

 

The water has become blood!


Even the default announcer has been replaced with a Death Prophet announcer featuring very well done Dota 2 themed poems. The map has been designed in such a way that the Halloween changes are there but do not interfere with the player’s ability to focus on the game. Overall, I am very happy and impressed with the work the Dota 2 team over at Valve has done with the new Halloween themed map.

 

 

The Dota 2 shop also offers some new items including Death Prophet, Wind Runner, Invoker,  and Anti-Mage items, Diretide chest and key, Baby Roshan courier, and a Greevil egg. The new Diretide chest can only be opened using the new Diretide key and offers very good drops. Unlike most chests, the worst you can get by opening it is an uncommon item and if you are very lucky an unusual Baby Roshan courier.

 

 

The Greevil egg is a unique item that will hatch to become a Greevil courier after the Halloween event comes to an end. This new courier’s appearance will depend on how many and what kinds of essences players add into the egg. These essences can be found by simply playing Diretide and drop like regular items. We do not know which essences lead to which results as we will have to wait until they hatch.

 

 

However, we do know that mixing different colored essences will result in the combination of the colored essences added into the egg. There are also unusual essences which increase the unusual level of the egg by adding additional glowing rings around it. However, we have to wait and see what this will mean for the final hatched courier.

 

 

Greevil eggs can be bought from the Dota 2 store, found by playing Diretide, or received after killing your first Roshan in Diretide.

 

 

Onto the best part of this patch, Diretide. This new game mode is made up of three different stages: Candy Chaos, The Trickster Awakens, and Sugar Rush. At first I assumed these three stages were separate game modes which must individually be queued for but it turns out Diretide progresses through all three in one game.

 

Chance to win rare items!


After both teams have selected their heroes, the Candy Chaos stage begins. In this stage both teams have 20 minutes to try and fill their team’s pumpkin with as much candy as possible. Instead of spawning the regular catapult creeps, Roshlings march alongside melee and ranged creeps. These Roshlings are quite tanky and do decent damage but upon death they drop candies.

 

 

When player pickup these candies, they get added into their inventory and decrease their hero’s max HP per candy, making it essential to hand in candies in small amounts. If a player dies with candies in their inventory, they are dropped and lootable by either team.

 

 

The pumpkins must also be defended as when they are attacked, they drop candies allowing opposing teams to steal candies. These pumpkins act as towers granting true sight and the ability to teleport on them. Due to these major changes to the Dota 2 map, new strategies must be employed.

 

 

I have found that mobile heroes work the best due to their ability to quickly steal and hand in candies. You only have twenty minutes so focusing on farming for late game is not an option. These changes lead to a very fast paced and action packed game.

 

 

It is also important to note that when candies are handed in, EXP and gold is given to all team members allowing for multiple heroes in one lane to be a viable option.

 

 

After 10 minutes The Trickster Awakens causing Roshan to randomly target heroes on the map, alternating teams, and charging them for candies. Roshan will continue to bash the target unless he is fed a candy. This adds another thing to worry about during Diretide as players must carry at least one candy per team after the ten minute mark.

 

 

This Roshan is much stronger than the normal Roshan and cannot be killed, so feeding it candy is the only option in order to survive. Even if you run, you will only be wasting time as it will catch you.

 

 

Once 20 minutes have passed, the team with the most candies is awarded items, one for each team member! Diretide is a gold mine when it comes to items! My friend has gotten two courier drops and another mythical item drop just from Diretide simply by playing for two days.

 

It’s like a raid boss but in Dota!


Now comes the time for Sugar Rush. In my opinion, this stage is the one that amazed me the most. You would never expect to see something like this done in an action RTS. Both teams team up to fight Roshan aiming to kill him in the shortest amount of time possible. All players also receive items after Roshan has been slain.

 

 

Players are given gold to purchase items in order to fight this raid boss like Roshan who uses abilities such as Tiny’s toss, mass sunstrikes and deafening blasts. These spells are strong enough to one hit some heroes and do major damage to others making it essential to dodge them. The charge time is fairly slow and obvious so players should have no excuse of being hit. That is unless he tosses you into a sun strike.

 

 

Players have come up with strategies to defeat Roshan as fast as possible in hope of receiving a golden baby Roshan courier. The group of players that beat the current record time are given this very rare and valuable courier. Groups of players really wanting this courier aim to get matched against each other and with 10 players working together, farm for 8 to 9 hours on heroes like Pudge to deal massive critical strike damage.

 

Do you think teams should be allowed to work together just to beat the record?


You are probably wondering how they are able to stall the game for 9 hours when stage three begins automatically after 20 minutes. They tie the score which in turn does not result in a winner until one team hands in more candy. However, since all 10 players are working together, most likely queued together in low priority, they can stall the game for as long as they like.

 

 

While the Roshan fight is lots of fun, it can begin to feel like a grind as seen in many MMO raid bosses. Hopefully next year extra variations are added so that it does not become a grind for items as Valve did seem to rush this patch in hope of getting it in this Halloween season.

 

 

In conclusion, Dota 2’s Diretide patch turned out to be very well done. I did have my doubts about how well a new game mode would work, but as always Valve did not disappoint. If Valve continues to include seasonal game modes and maps as seen in Team Fortress 2, we could be in for a treat!

AlphaBeta Soup 11/3: MechWarrior Online, KingsRoad, WorldAlpha, and More!

AlphaBeta Soup 11/3: MechWarrior Online, KingsRoad, WorldAlpha, and More!

By Shannon Doyle (Leliah), OnRPG Journalist

 

 

It’s been a light week in the world of Alphas and Betas. But there was good news for MechWarrior as it was able to work past the issues that was holding it back and it is now in open beta. The last WorldAlpha Alpha weekend has been scheduled to take place November 9. With closed beta weekends scheduled for later in the month and into December. Lord of the Rings Online is now in beta testing for Macs. And finally there is a giveaway going for Kingsroad beta keys.

 

As ever anything new this week or any changes are in orange in the list below.

 

 

OnRPG Giveaways

These are all the beta giveaways currently running on OnRPG. There’s no guarantee that we won’t run out so grab them quick.

Kingsroad Beta Giveaway

 

 

Dates Announced:

Below are the MMOs who have announced upcoming beta events that haven’t started yet.

 

Final Fantasy XIV A Realm Reborn: Alpha applications now being accepted
Rift: Storm Legion: Open Beta November 5 (Open to all Trion Account Holders)
WorldAlpha Alpha & Closed Beta Beginning  November 9
City of Steam: Closed Beta November 16
Kartuga: Alpha November 24th (Event is only for 16 people who will be invited to the studio after a competition)
Arctic Combat: Open Beta December 6
Path of Exile: Open Beta December
Age of Wulin: EU Closed Beta 2013

 

 

Alpha:

These games are currently in Alpha. Signups are available via the link.

The Repopulation
Xulu

 

Closed Beta:

MMOs which are in closed beta require application and often require approval before access can be gained.

Age of Wulin(EU, Asia) EU in Early 2013
Age of Wushu(US) Ends November 25, Round 2 Begins December 20th
Ascension: Arenas of War
Black Prophecy Tactics: Nexus Conflict
Born To Fire
Bounty Hounds Online
Dragon Knights
Dragon Nest EU
Dust 514
Hawken
Firefall
Forge
Grimlands
GUNS and ROBOTS
JollyGrim
Marvel Heroes
Patterns
Pirate101
PlanetSide 2
Ravaged
Salem
SmashMuck Champions
SMITE
Starlight Story
Strategoria
UFO Online
The War Z
World of Warplanes

 

 

Open Beta:

Games in open beta require an application but often it is little more than signing up for an account.

Cyber Monster
District 187
End of Nations No current beta event ongoing
MechWarrior Online Now Going
Oversoul
RaiderZ (Founders Pack includes Neverwinter closed beta access)
Soul Captor
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Online (Russian)
Universal Monsters Online

 

 

Expansions:

These are the beta events for games which are already live. These are for new content which is going to be added to the game at a later date. Access is limited to the current playerbase and often requires special permissions to take part.

Guild Wars 2 Mobile Authenticator
Lord of the Rings Online Mac

Shot Online Goes Big With Massive UI Update, Content Expansion

Shot Online Goes Big With Massive UI Update, Content Expansion

 

 

GamesCampus today successfully launched the huge game overhaul for their veteran title, Shot Online!  Mixing professional golf with RPG and competitive mechanics, Shot Online brings the world of competitive sports straight to the user.  Today marks the arrival of the new user interface, added content like a new title rank, and of course, a new course!  Register or sign into your GamesCampus account and download the game at http://shotonline.gamescampus.com/

 

 

“Alongside the massive user interface improvements we’ve launched this week, we’ve also added some player-requested features, like improved guild housing and an updated town square,” said Hubert Yee, Head of Marketing at GamesCampus. “We’re already hearing it’s like playing a new game again, while having all the same friends and awesome gameplay!”

 

 

UI improvements already announced by GamesCampus included a new UI to track a player’s stats, new avatar evolution, a streamlined course and room selection with improved options like mulligans and time limits, as well as numerous chat function additions and changes.  Now even more features have been unveiled during today’s patch, including a new course and golf rank to master!

 

 

The Hyundai Song Gia Course is modeled after a gorgeous golf course in Vietnam.  This ‘normal’ difficulty course is intended for intermediate players who have mastered the easy courses but are not yet ready to move on to the expert courses.  Of course, the master players are not being forgotten, and an upcoming unnamed course will be strictly for the highest level of play.

 

 

A new Town Square has been erected for players to gather in.  Alongside socializing, the town square contains important NPCs like shops, golf masters, an auction house, and more.  The Gleiger Guild House is now available for guilds to build; guild houses can now be expanded up to level 9 and level 10.  A level 10 guild house grants all members 1.7x EXP for their guild course, as well as a 1.4x EXP bonus when golfing alongside a guild member.  All of this will be important when seeking the newest golf title: Grand Pro Royal I.  This coveted title requires level 110 and the completion of the first Grand Pro Royal questline. More titles will be coming in 2013.

 

 

In response to players’ feedback with the 30-day cooldown between advancing to new titles, the cooldown has been reduced to 24 hours (1 day).  Alongside this change is a new streamlining of titles, which were previously spread between levels 54-72 — now titles can be acquired in order between levels 55-71; a full list of these changes is available on the Shot Online website.  This is in addition to a complete sound effect overhaul (49 sound effects moving up to 120) and motion upgrade.  Approximately 500 character motions tweaked or refined, two new dances added), along with a new “Game Function” menu where players can adjust everything from the size of their swing bar to sound levels, chat macros, and much more!

 

 

To celebrate this massive new update, Shot Online is featuring a slew of top notch events happening now.  The Songia & Gleiger rounding event will give players a shot at earning up to five success cards that can be redeemed for exciting prizes including a Gold Platinum 1 Month Coupon, bonus 2000 CC and much more!  The “Collect the Congratulations Cards” event will have players receiving and submitting congratulations cards in exchange for fabulous rewards. And lastly, Shot Online is looking for feedback on its latest update, so for every review posted on the forum review section players will be chosen at random and awarded bonus CC with a chance at winning up to 2000 CC!

OnRPG Shotgun News 11/2: Absolute Force, GW2, Asheron’s Call, and 38 Studios

OnRPG Shotgun News 11/2: Absolute Force, GW2, Asheron’s Call, and 38 Studios

By Shannon Doyle (Leliah), OnRPG Journalist

 

 

Absolute Force Introduces New Game Play Modes

Absolute Force Online has introduced two new game play modes. In Arsenal Mode every successful kill you make gives you an upgraded weapon. While 5v5 helicopter battles are being introduced in Vehicle mode. These add to the five already existing modes.

 

 

Rhode Island Files Suits Over 38 Studios

So, you thought the drama was over with the auctioning off of 38 Studios’ assets? Think again. This time the state of Rhode Island is going after several parties including banks, 38 Studios directors, and law firms which were all involved in the deal.

 

 

Guild Wars 2 November Update Teased

A new page has appeared on the Guild Wars 2 website teasing the upcoming November update The Lost Shores. It is being advertised as a one time massive world event which will change Tyria forever.

 

 

Asheron’s Call Turns 13

Asheron’s Call is officially a teenager. We haven’t seen any mood changes yet but despite recent job losses at Turbine we know it will have a growth spurt. An update in February has been confirmed on the forums. Happy Birthday Asheron’s Call!