MMO ☆ Culture

Last Chaos (KR) - Signing off after 7 years

2012-01-31T00:17:00.001+08:00

Once touted as a direct competitor for NCsoft's Lineage 2, Last Chaos (Korea) will be shutting its doors come 16th February for both game servers and website. Last Chaos lasted around 7 years, clocking 2,586 live days since it went into Open Beta in its native homeland on 28th December 2004. Overseas, Last Chaos has seen various different localized servers in 15 different languages. The North American server, under Aeria Games, is still running (link).

En Masse : Asians are hackers , hence IP blocked

2012-01-30T11:27:00.001+08:00

(Source) Another piece of bad news following the lawsuit between NCsoft and En Masse Entertainment, all Asian IPs will be blocked from the official North American servers. Yes, it means that even English-speaking nations such as my country will be blocked. Why does En Masse sees all Asian countries as hackers' haven? Ain't there hacking contests held in the Western world as well? I was actually going to get the game since the launch falls on my birthday, but I guess it is a good thing now. Asian players, time to look for another game!

Will En Masse IP block based on region?

To keep the quality of service high for players within North America we have decided to disable IP addresses from which fraudulent traffic originates. We encourage players in these regions to participate on servers specifically designated for their area.

We block IP addresses used by hackers

En Masse will block IPs based on region. Asia, Africa, Russia, and the Middle East are included on the block list. While we appreciate that there are players in these regions who would enjoy playing on En Masse servers, it's unfortunate that the vast majority of Internet traffic we see from these regions are from cyber-criminals relating to account theft, gold-farming and other hacking behavior.

What about proxies?

Services that promise to improve your ping and decrease lag may sound promising, but they are frequently used by hackers and criminals who want to remain anonymous. Although we do not block them by default, a proxy or server host will be blocked if it becomes a popular tool for criminal behavior.

You can play TERA on En Masse servers from North America, South America, Europe and Oceania.

En Masse has a license to operate TERA game servers in North America. This means that if you are in North America, South America, Europe (excluding Russia), and Oceania (Australia, New Zealand, Micronesia, Melanesia, and Polynesia) you can play on En Masse Servers.

RaiderZ (KR) - New test phase after graphics overhaul

2012-01-29T20:18:00.002+08:00

Maiet Entertainment, the Korean developer famous for GunZ 1 and the upcoming GunZ 2, has revealed the non-target action combat MMO, RaiderZ for some time now (including a few test phases). Recently, the game surfaced again after going back to the drawing board over in Korea. The game's graphics, using Unreal 3 Engine, was given a total overhaul as the main focus. You can view the difference in the example below (click to enlarge).

7 new screenshots (below) were also provided along with this official news. If you are unsure about RaiderZ, the game basically pits players against giant monsters, with different weak spots (arms, legs. head etc) and using their body parts, able to craft various equipments. It is something similar to Vindictus meets Monster Hunter, with no fixed class as well.

RaiderZ is currently still scheduled to hit the English market later this year, with Perfect World Entertainment publishing the North American server (link) and Frogster publishing the European server (link). The Korean server is due to enter a small scale test phase of 200 players next month.

GunZ 2: The Second Duel (KR) - No kStyle in sequel

2012-01-28T15:02:00.002+08:00

After going through some of the comments in my YouTube channel, there are a couple of posters who are still not sure if kStyle found in GunZ 1 will be appearing in the sequel. The answer, as noted in a post back in December 2011, is a "no". I might be nearly 2 months late with this news, but here is the full article again for those who did not catch it.

Q. When was GunZ 2 project started?

A. GunZ 2 project was started on the second half of the year 2007. But the first 2 years were spent building fundamental technologies and testing, so release point was postponed later than what we originally planned.

Q. What is the biggest difference between GunZ 1 & GunZ 2?

A. The noticeable feature of GunZ 2 is the adaptation of Full Physics Game Engine. There are many games which use Physics Engine, but it is mostly used for visual effects or it is used under limited circumstance for multiplay. But, GunZ 2 synchronizes all Physics simulation on the network, and this exclusive technology realizes the users to experience and perform such creative gameplay in GunZ 2 which is completely different from GunZ 1. Unfortunately, the trailer doesn’t fully display this feature but as the development progresses and through the release of new information you will see and feel it greatly.

Q. Will there be any other class than the 3 classes presented for the official release?

A. No, because developing additional class is a huge job. Sometimes we heard about adding a healing class rumor, but this was never an issue even from the beginning. For the official service, total of 3 classes will be launched, and these include female assassin, male fighter, and female heavy characters which weren’t shown on the trailer.

Q. Is character customizing possible?

A. Of course. We just didn’t apply the equipment change part for GSTAR because of the limited time for the show. We already prepared enough costumes to present for the official version, and you will see it as more information about GunZ 2 reveals.

Q. Enforcement of PvE mode?

A. Yes. We consider PvE mode in GunZ 1 as just a foretaste. We were determined to make attractive and enjoyable PvE mode so user can also have fun just by playing PvE mode. However, PvE mode is not enough to experience everything about GunZ 2. Our ultimate goal is to provide more experimental features in PvE to bring a brand new gaming experience for players.

Q. Will there be the technique called kStyle at GunZ 2?

A. kStyle from GunZ 1 will not be included in GunZ 2. We acknowledge that kStyle would have enhanced the popularity of GunZ 1 but it is also true that it holds many derivative problems. And also we doubt for the necessity to keep kStyle since GunZ 2 will have totally new tactics and controls. Just considering what we have planned for GunZ 2 so far, we believe that there is enough content to exceed GunZ 1 and provide a lot of enjoyable features. So there is no need to be disappointed about kStyle.

Q. When will GunZ 2 be officially released?

A. We are currently working on the contents and elaborating more on Full Physics Game Engine. It is hard to tell definite timing for release but it is our goal to release early next year (2012) in Korea.

Q. Please tell about international language service plan.

A. So far, only the release of Taiwan, Macao, and Hong Kong during the third or fourth quarter of 2012 is confirmed. Since GunZ 2 is receiving lots of attentions from many game publishers of different territories, we hope to be able to release regarding additional officially servicing territory by early next year.

Q. Do you have any plan to lead the international service by development studio such as GunZ 1?

A. Not at all. Actually it is difficult to say that it won’t happen in the future, but for now we can’t prepare for such service plan or the operating team. We think that we have accumulated good experience while leading an international service for GunZ 1, but it is out of our capacity to operate an international service in our own at this moment.

Ragnarok II (KR) - Open Beta finally announced

2012-01-27T16:56:00.002+08:00

(Game website) After years of delay, months of beta testing and millions of fans waiting anxiously, Ragnarok Online II (Korea server) will finally be entering Open Beta! This will happen on 22nd February 2012, late next month, burying all the negative news that the game will once again be postponed. Those of you with a Korean Social Security Number (KSSN), are you ready?!

En Masse executive replies on NCsoft lawsuit

2012-01-27T11:48:00.003+08:00

(Source) While not exactly a long speech, En Masse Entertainment's Vice President of Publishing, Mr Chris Lee, has apparently spoke about the lawsuit filed by NCsoft. En Masse Entertainment is the North American subsidiary of Bluehole Studio, the Korean developer of TERA accused of stealing sensitive information from NCsoft with regards to Lineage 3.

Update - Court papers reveal plans for Lineage III

2012-01-26T15:01:00.004+08:00

(Source) In a follow-up to the previous post on the lawsuit filed against Bluehole Studio by NCsoft, the full court papers have been spotted online, with the latter's plans for Lineage III described in almost full details before it was apparently cancelled. From what I have read (giant bosses, action combat, political system etc), TERA does seem to be a legitimate copycat of the original blueprint of Lineage III. Read the full details in the source link above.

NCsoft files lawsuit to thwart TERA launch

2012-01-26T11:44:00.011+08:00

Just recently, it was announced that TERA will finally be launching this May (link) in North America after several apparent delays. However, according to a lawsuit filed on 13th January 2012 by rival online games developer NCsoft, the launch date and plans might potentially be in jeopardy.

NCsoft Corp. filed a trade secrets and unfair competition lawsuit against rival Bluehole Studio Inc., claiming the company was created by former NCsoft employees (working on the fabled Lineage 3) who stole software and artwork to launch their own product. The full document can be read below.

In a complaint filed in New York federal court on Jan. 9, South Korea-based NCsoft, which specializes in massively multiplayer online role-playing games, or MMORPGs, says it has brought similar claims against Bluehole and its ex-employees in Korea, but that Bluehole is now planning to release an English-language version of its game in the U.S.

NCsoft maintains that Bluehole and its U.S. subsidiary En Masse Entertainment Inc. were founded by a group of NCsoft employees who quit to go into business for themselves in the midst of creating a new game called Lineage 3.

“These individuals did not leave NCsoft empty-handed or with benign intent,” the complaint alleges. “To the contrary, they made off with copious amounts of confidential and proprietary NCsoft information, computer software, hardware and artwork relating to Lineage 3.”

“Their business plan was simple and audacious: create a competing product using the very work they had done while at NCsoft, launch it themselves to great fanfare and acclaim, and, in the process, deal a crippling blow to their former employer,” the complaint said.

The former employees were convicted in Korea of stealing trade secrets from NCsoft in 2009, and the convictions were mostly upheld by an appellate court, according to the complaint.

NCsoft also lodged a civil complaint against the individuals and Bluehole in Korea in 2010. The company won damages and an injunction barring the individuals from using NCsoft's proprietary information going forward. However, the damages award was overturned by an appellate court.

Appeals of both the criminal and civil cases are currently pending before Korea's highest court.

Despite the litigation, Bluehole launched its game, Tera, in Korea last year, and has announced plans to release an English version in the U.S., the complaint alleges.

The current lawsuit claims that the U.S. version of Tera makes use of NCsoft's trade secrets, including documents, source code, artwork and know-how related to the development on Lineage 3, and copyrighted works, including concept art created for Lineage 3.

It also asserts claims of breach of confidence, unfair competition and unjust enrichment.

The suit seeks temporary and permanent injunctions blocking the release of Tera in the U.S., as well as enhanced damages for Bluehole's alleged misconduct.

Bluehole was not available for comment on Friday.

NCsoft is represented by Gene W. Lee, Jeanne C. Curtis and Peter J. Brody of Ropes & Gray LLP.

Counsel information for the defendants was not immediately available.

The case is NCsoft Corp. et al. v. Bluehole Studio Inc. et al., case number 1:12-cv-00172, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New York.

Update: From the TERA official forums, the senior community manager has replied (source):

Update: From the TERA official forums, an awesome image which sums up the players' feelings now. (source):

Blizzard cancels BlizzCon 2012

2012-01-25T21:58:00.002+08:00

(Source) Someone just sent this news to me via MSN, and I thought I should share it with everyone else. Blizzard has officially cancelled BlizzCon 2012 (this year), and will commence with BlizzCon 2013 next year instead. I am surprised, since I foresee this year's event to focus mainly on World of Warcraft's new expansion and Diablo III as well, together with a teaser for the new MMO. Blizzard Entertainment understaffed perhaps? Hmn...

Blizzard Entertainment is proud to announce the 2012 Battle.net World Championship, a major global eSports event featuring some of the best pro-gaming competition in the world. Slated to take place in Asia toward the end of 2012, the Battle.net World Championship will host this year’s StarCraft II and World of Warcraft Arena World Championship tournaments. Blizzard gamers and eSports fans from around the world will be invited to attend and witness some of the most skilled pro players on the planet battle it out for cash and glory.

We’re excited to be showcasing Blizzard eSports on a truly global stage this year. We're also heavily focused on getting Diablo III, Mists of Pandaria, and Heart of the Swarm into players’ hands as soon as possible. In light of our jam-packed schedule, we’ve decided to hold the next BlizzCon in 2013.

More details about the 2012 Battle.net World Championship and BlizzCon 2013, including specific dates and locations, will be coming in the months ahead.

Eclipse of Eden (JP) - Closed Beta 1 on the horizon

2012-01-25T19:49:00.002+08:00

First known as Last Online (link), then renamed to Lune of Eden for the Korean server (link), this particular MMORPG was renamed as Eclipse of Eden for the Japanese market. A non-target action MMO which some say resembles Devil May Cry, Eclipse of Eden will be entering CBT1 next week, marking the first public access for the game even before Korea. The trailer above briefly displays the skills of the 4 main classes: Fighter, Scout, Magician and Warrior.

Star Trek Online - Beam me up, Free to Play !

2012-01-22T00:12:00.001+08:00

(Register now) As you would have read, Star Trek Online just gone Free to Play a couple of days ago under the stewardship of the developer (Cryptic Studios)'s new owner, Perfect World Entertainment. Though I have had no qualms paying a month to try the game out back then, the game apparently did not have the final "pull" factor for me to do so. Hearing the game going Free to Play (F2P), I almost immediately gave it a try.

I got to confess, I am pretty impressed with the first hour or so of trying this game. Star Trek Online is nowhere near the colossus which is The Old Republic, but getting to try out space flight and combat early in the game (almost immediately) is something which pleased me. Yes, it may lack the many features which The Old Republic has, but the development budget is no where near, hence it is an unfair comparison.

Like most maneuvering of vehicles in online games, such as rowing the boat, I am pretty bad at this. The combat, both space and ground, in Star Trek Online might not be anything ground-breaking, but I actually enjoyed it, even if I stayed at a spot while firing at enemy ships without the need to move about dodging them.

There are 4 sections of your ship, in layman terms the front, back, left and right, which can be damaged. The strategic thing to do is to position yourself properly after a side takes too much damage from a source.

I am actually glad to give this game a go before I go overseas in a couple of hours to visit my relatives. This is certainly a game I will be playing more of over the next few days of my holidays once I return. Free to Play is really good move for Star Trek Online, and I will recommend those who are looking for some (free) space adventures to try it out.

Nexon acquires global rights for Shaiya

2012-01-21T21:19:00.003+08:00

In what I see as a really bizarre business move, Nexon Korea just purchased the global IP rights for Shaiya, which is developed by ChoiRock Games (formerly Sonov). With this deal, the 30-odd team members behind Shaiya will now move and work under the Nexon brand. Note that ChoiRock Games is not being bought over, but just the Shaiya team and the game rights.

In service since 2006, Shaiya is currently in service around 16 countries, with the North American server currently under Aeria Games (link). Perhaps the extensive global outreach and the game's success is what Nexon banked on. It is unknown if Shaiya 2, currently under development, is included in the deal.

Wuji Online (KR) - Joining the martial arts family

2012-01-21T11:21:00.000+08:00

Following the recent rush of scheduled martial arts and kungfu MMORPGs due to land in 2012, yet another one is on the horizon. The main difference is, while games such as Age of Wulin (link), Butterfly Sword Online (link) and Swordsman Online (link) are all developed in China, Wuji Online is developed in Korea by a development studio under the revived EyaSoft (of Luna Online fame). Much of the basic combat and a feel of the game can be seen in the trailer below.

Wuji Online boasts a class-less system and a freedom of learning different skills, which a couple of games are currently doing. By upgrading your skills, the effects and actions will change as well. Going the traditional Korean MMORPG way, each equipment can be bored up to 9 times to be embedded with upgrade gems.

Massive instanced dungeons and 15 Vs 15 RvR (not PvP) are some of the other features currently being touted. Aiming for release in the China market as well, Closed Beta is scheduled for the end of this year.

League of Legends - Tom Cadwell in the house

2012-01-20T18:55:00.002+08:00

So, as part of Tom Cadwell's holidays and travelling, he was in town yesterday to give a small seminar about game designing, share his experiences and of course, having a Q&A session with the staff of some local development companies. If you do not know him, he is currently the Director of Design in Riot Games, overseeing League of Legends and also worked on World of Warcraft as well. League of Legends is immensely popular on a global scale and was most recently recognized as Taiwan's number 1 title.

If you have seen Tom Cadwell's picture from 2 years back (link), it is really obvious he has grown much more... Well, in the Chinese saying over here, it is "wealthy". Anyway, Tom hates Volibear with a vengeance apparently, one which could not be explained by words when I asked him. I started playing the game just 2 months ago, and am still enjoying the daily AI matches. Being a carebear, the PvP section is not for the weak-hearted, like me.

SD Gundam Online - New regional server lands

2012-01-20T10:04:00.006+08:00

(Closed Beta signup) No matter your gender, you would have heard of Gundam some point in your life. While Gundam Online has just launched in Japan (link), 4 nations in the Asia Pacific region will be getting SD Gundamn Online, published by Shanda Games of Dragon Nest SEA fame. Landing on Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines and Australia, SD (Super-deformed) Gundam Online is a 3rd person online shooter with various modes, pretty much like your FPS titles, but with over 300 different mechas to choose from.

A reminder, Closed Beta application starts today and the game will go live on 14th February for its first test phase. Fors player from North America, there is a local server which you can play on here (link).

Rumor - Mabinogi II reveals 5 characters

2012-01-19T16:58:00.001+08:00

According to Korean media ThisIsGame, Nexon is set to reveal the 5 playable classes found in Mabinogi II. This event, called "BORDERLESS", is being held by Nexon to display the various artwork from the company's games. In the short teaser trailer below, 5 classes resembling a mage, archer, warrior, bard and an unknown class is shown sitting around a campfire.

BORDERLESS will begin at the end of this month, lasting a total of 20 days in Dosan Park Art Gallery, Seoul.

F.E.A.R.: Origin Online (KR) - 2nd trailer revealed

2012-01-18T20:41:00.002+08:00

I always thought there is quite a huge fan base for this franchise, but apparently not many are getting excited about this upcoming online remake of the game. Perhaps it is because F.E.A.R.: Origin Online is currently slated for a Korean release only. Well, no matter what, the 2nd trailer for this horror shooter was just made public a couple of hours ago.

The trailer above shows some PvP action between 2 groups of 4, including the usage of mecha-like EPA (Elite Powered Armor) during battles. Fighting through the zombies, players will also have to escape the infested hospital.

For now, there are 3 modes announced: scenario (4 players co-op), fear (players begin as spirits, taking over NPCs and using them to fight against opposing team, unsure if opposing team will get this function as well) and finally, normal mode (maps such as team demolition and free-for-all).

The War of Genesis 4 : Spiral Genesis (KR) - Debut trailer

2012-01-18T15:40:00.002+08:00

The trailer, with English subs, basically explain what this game is all about and the franchise's origin. The War of Genesis is basically the Final Fantasy of South Korea, with its success in the rather small console gaming market over at the Land of Kimchi. In case you missed it, the game is turn-based, with the first impression on me a mix of Atlantica Online with Final Fantasy's background. Enjoy the trailer!

Star Trek Online - Free to Play begins

2012-01-18T14:14:00.002+08:00

(Register now) Remember a few months back when Perfect World bought over Cryptic Studios (link)? Well, the transition has slowly but surely began, as the developer's original games are now all Free to Play (F2P), with Star Trek Online the latest to join the bandwagon.

I guess I will be giving the game a shot early next week, as I have not played the game myself. Will it be worth the time, especially since I am getting on age and becoming extremely choosy? We shall see. For the differences between a paying and non-paying player, you can see the comparison chart here (link).

Firefall (CN) - Media confirms marketing deal

2012-01-17T13:36:00.004+08:00

I reported this a couple of weeks ago (link), and here is the update on this news. According to foreign reports, it has now been confirmed that The9 and Shanghai Shenhua Football Club have signed an agreement where players of the club will be wearing shirts emblazoned with the Firefall logo. Firefall will be published by The9 in China, with the latter's CEO also the owner of the football club.

Nicholas Anelka, who signed for Shanghai Shenhua Football Club last month, will be the official spokesperson for Firefall in the country as well, nabbing a marketing fee of USD 5 million over a period of 2 years. Anelka's annual wage as a football player, as estimated by the French media, is speculated at 10.6 million Euros.

AIKA Epic III : Dispheron Warfare (KR) preview

2012-01-16T20:26:00.002+08:00

First off, there are no new classes, new advancements or new features related to Prans (except a chance of getting rarer gifts when talking to them). AIKA Korea is now heading towards Epic III, which will see more combat content added. I will skip the main storyline about how the folks need to find a new place to mine resources, and Dispheron will be the new continent this time round.

The main highlight for Dispheron will be the new high level dungeon, Abyss Gates. This place apparently has 4 gates which players have to fight through, with the minimal level to enter set at 71. Abyss Gates will drop level 85 weapons, including the level 80+ armor pieces and some rare honor equipments.

The maximum level has been raised to level 85 as well, with players getting 3 times the normal stat points from level 81 onwards. Each class will be getting 6 new skills. For the mid levels from 21 to 70, there will be a new PvE zone in which they players will be separated into 3 different tiers. This is to help them level faster through some sort of matchmaking party system.

The rest of the updates are some minor changes to current features and systems, along with a new UI upgrade as well. In all, the initial information released is not really something to go gaga about, but we shall see.

RF Online (KR) - Becoming an online shooter

2012-01-15T00:30:00.004+08:00

I am sure most veteran gamers would have known about or even played this game. Rising Force Online, also known as RF Online (link), was a Pay to Play title in the English market before changing to a Free to Play one. I actually paid for it for 4 months back in the days. The Korean version is going on step further, with the game currently down for 3 days for its conversion into an online shooter. Note that this is an update, all data for the Korean server will remain.

Yes, you read it right. After being in service for 8 years, the game will now reborn as a MMOPS (massively multi-player person shooter) with 3 modes available, being first person, second person and third person mode. 2nd person view here is not from the enemy's point of view, but more of "over the shoulder" view, something like Gears of War. You can see the icons in the image below. Combat will become a non-target one as well, making RF Online a rare open world sci-fi online shooter game.

GranAge (CN) - Chain combo mania

2012-01-14T17:18:00.003+08:00

For the past few hours, I have been giving a shot at the Closed beta phase for GranAge (CN). Published in China by Shanda Games, I never really though I would come out of the short experience as a happy gamer, since there are not many action side-scrollers which I really like. For me, GranAge is like MapleStory on steriods, with the action of Dungeon Fighter Online.

As introduced in my previous postings (link), there are 4 basic classes in the game, with the boring foursome of Knight, Assassin, Magician and Archer. There are class advancements of course, which you can see here (link). As you can see from the tutorial videos above, basic combos are performed simply by pressing the direction button and the attack key. Skills can be added to the combo mix, but as a newbie player they are just a waste of mana at times.

Starting off using the Assassin class, I was attracted to his attack speed, even though his damage and health have the worst ratings. This class is awesome fun,and do note that dealing lowing damage will actually help boost combo points in such games.

The card system (above) is perhaps the highlight of the game, beginner wise. Players get to swap and choose combos using monster cards, each with different effects. These cards, for now, are bought using in-game gold from an NPC. I am guessing rarer cards will drop from bosses in the future as well. The final video below showcases the change in effects and attacks after getting some of these cards.

There are a couple different types of dungeons, for example storyline (no rating given at the end), the normal rated dungeon and a few casual ones with jumping quests, anti-gravity challenges and more. For now, the GranAge is really a lot of fun for the weary gamer in me. Only time will tell if this novelty will wear off fast like most others. I was told an English server is bound later this year, so watch out for it.

Mabinogi Heroes (KR) - Kay finally arrives

2012-01-13T21:38:00.002+08:00

After being teased as the 5th character for over a year, Kay will finally be hitting the Korean servers of Mabinogi Heroes on the 17th, which is just days away. As the first physical ranged combatant, Kay packs a heavy kick of his own when engaged in melee combat, along with dodging and bomb skills. Are you ready to play Robin Hood?

Below are Kay's 3 teaser trailers before the official one above was released. Personally, I would think Karok's trailers are by far the best ones I have seen. I wonder if a 6th character is in the works...

Project Fiona - Razer's latest hardware venture

2012-01-11T11:26:00.003+08:00

Remember the USD 2,799.00 Razer Blade (link)? After drawing mixed comments for its efforts in trying to "save" the gaming world, the company is back with its latest device, the first gaming tablet, codename Project Fiona.The side control panel are apparently part of the machine though... Well, let's wait till more information is in and a "game industry-saving" price before drawing any premature conclusions.