Vindictus Trix

Vindictus EU: Interview with a GM (Pt III)

2014-08-21T19:30:00.000-04:00

The Nexon EU staff hosted a third installment of Questions and Answers with this time focusing on questions regarding their support team as well as the state of the game.

GM Belsazar answered plenty of questions directly from players and posted each of the 31 questions with comprehensive responses in true professional manner. The answers aren't necessarily what you would expect, they responses are genuine and candid...honest even. You don't get the feeling that Belsazar is working an angle or pushing a gimmick. I personally appreciate the ability to peer into what the team has going on as well as getting to know them, their background and their values a bit better.

Things of interest:

Functions that the Nexon EU Staff can actually do without DevCat. (Q2)
Though EU team is working to ensure that the EU players voice is heard, the decision to move EU to premier is still up in air at the time of print. (Q5)
About them patch notes...was that a dig?! I love it (Q17)
A GM FINALLY acknowledges and responds to server population. (Q18)
Vindictus is "planned" to exist until at least Q3 of 2015 with content planned until then. (Q18)
No new website for EU until at least 2015...and here I thought NA was bad. (Q20)
We can look forward to one update a month for a while. (Q30)

Please keep in mind, Vindictus in EU is home to the remaining XE server in the Western world and is access limited to various countries throughout Europe, some responses are specific to that version of the game.

Interview with NX Belsazar

Dear Mercenaries,

As you may recall, I have promised a third batch of your questions.

It took me quite a while to reply to your questions, but the time has finally come to deliver what has been promised, enjoy .

Originally Posted by Elyr12

1. Could you make a photo of the staff? It would be nice to know more you all :v

We proudly present you a picture of the Vindictus Europe Staff!

....The real staff is actually quite shy

Originally Posted by Elyr12

2. What can the staff actually do? Can Nexon create new events/choose when hold them and their rewards?

The staff is able to design offline events, including rewards, and sometimes we request in-game events to be developed by the Devs. For example, the storyline including rewards and effects for the "Dew's Farewell Event" was completely created by the staff and then brought to life by DevCAT. However, before you jump to conclusions, all events - whether held off- or online - have to be discussed with the developers and can only be realized once mutually agreed upon.

Some events simply exceed the feasibility that can be realized by either publisher or developer. That being said, I hope you understand that we do our best to meet your expectations and take in as many of your ideas from the forums as possible.

Originally Posted by R0JS

3. How long does it usually take to test new content on your internal test server before patching it to live server?

We are not necessarily testing everything ourselves, as we have a third party within the Nexon Group doing this on our behalf. They are trained to provide the Quality Assurance (QA) accordingly to the information handed out by Devs and the Publisher. Nonetheless, some things are not considered and only appear when evaluated by several thousand players. Of course, not all possibilities can be accounted for and this is where the players' creativity kicks in, discovering previously unaccounted for bugs and/or exploits.

Looking back over the past 2 years, I must say that the testing and organization have gotten much better. The GMs have access to the test client and are helping in the QA process whenever a new update is due to be released. As this is not their main objective, it is impossible for them to test everything thoroughly. Addtionally, due to the workload that comes with creating new content, the Devs are not able to approach all open bugs that are reported. They are generally categorized by importance and severity and, depending on whether the issue occurs on one or all of the servers (regions), it may be categorized differently, in accordance with it's overall impact on the service.

Originally Posted by ulasyea

4. Are we going to see Fansite events in this century?

Unfortunately, we have only had 1 event so far, which was "merely" a quiz. Running fansite events on a legally bound corporate website is not that simple. We had a couple of really cool event ideas, such as a regularly held tournament based on the Project Mayhem Tournament but, unfortunately, it was not deemed feasible and had to be dropped.

We are still considering running events with fansites in the future, however. If you have any suggestions, feel free to contact us directly or post them in the forum. We are constantly browsing the forum for your feedback and ideas, doing our best to implement those event suggestions when possible.

Originally Posted by ulasyea

5. When you're going to tell us your decision about Premiere server? It has been a while since you created that poll and it is still there...

The poll was re-done and so far the status is that most users voted for the XE version. We are still in discussion with developers (including your feedback, of course) to try and find a mutual agreement. We will update you as soon as there are news but for now we will stick with the XE version.

Originally Posted by ulasyea

6. Any news about Vindictus Steam release?

There are currently no active plans to bring Vindictus to the Steam platform in near future. The plans that we had before were postponed several times due to other games' releases and then dropped for the time beeing. We do not give up on that goal, but we can't make any promises at the moment.

Originally Posted by z1n3kbulu

7. In the previous interview, you stated that one of the reasons behind the delay was because the developers' answers had to be translated from Korean to English. Does it mean that all communications between you two have to be translated before going through?

The basic communication is in English. But files such as the interview and some others are provided in Korean and need to be translated first.

Originally Posted by B1ackomega

8. Why is the chat filter so harsh? You can't even say fifty because 'fif' is gay in French or something. In a game where female upper assets are flopping about all over the place, this seems fairly ridiculous.

We have experienced this issue in a couple of our games. Apparently, the main issue is not the list itself, but rather the algorithm that checks the language used in-game. It basically detects a "sub-string" so to speak, instead of a 1:1 match of the word. In the case of "fif" and "fifty" the filter kills every word that has "fif" at the beginning.

We will discuss this matter with the Devs, though it might take a longer while before the matter is attended to.

Originally Posted by ImmortalTeknik

9. Can you guys, the Game Masters, see or read in the game's logs any private conversation (guild chat, whisper) that happen between players?

Big Brother Bel is watching you!

Originally Posted by Yukania

10. Do you like strawberries?

Funny story, I have a sort of love/hate relationship with strawberries. I love to eat them, but when I was 18, I had to pickup strawberries for my father's bakery and had a really severe accident... and guess what? I nearly died in a strawberry field Would have been quite tragic, don't you think?

Originally Posted by Yukania

11. Can't you finally tell us Dew's gender?

Dew's gender is: "tomboy" .

Originally Posted by Yukania

12. Was Karok your first character?

No.

Originally Posted by Yukania

13. If not, what did you played from beginning?

A Fiona. Love the gameplay. Also, I love to hide behind a wall of iron. :-)

Originally Posted by Yukania

14. Which country do you come from (weil du ja auch deutsch reden und schreiben kannst)?

German/South African with a mix of everything (literally).

Originally Posted by Yukania

15. Did you go to a University?

Yes, and I studied Japanese, English, and Computer Linguistics. But my Japanese is rusty and my English grammar is terrible... So what can we learn from this, kids? Don't study! Learn how to play games! ^_^

Originally Posted by NyanKirtrazu

16. Vampire bride set again? Cash item dye? All the cool outfits and inners from JP and KR?

The Vampire sets have been on sale just recently. Yes, most of them will come to our service with a delay, but they will be available. The exceptions being those avatar sets that require prior licenseship acquisition, such as the Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan) ones.

Originally Posted by Xubar

17. Why don't you provide the complete patch notes? You don't have to translate them to german if you don't have the time.

Well, unlike the US service, we are mostly using a different approach by providing the Developer's Notes, which do cover the major content updates. Additionally, we are trying to provide as much information about new updates as possible. Personally speaking, I think that the updates and patch notes in the past months have become better and we intend to continue on with the improvements.

Originally Posted by Xubar

18. An honest answer please: Is Vindictus EU running out of players or in more common words dying? I am asking because I experienced already once in the past at another game GMs trying hard on forum events to keep the remaining players playing like you did the last few months while nothing happend ingame.About one year later the community manager admitted that not a single developer is working on the game since the last update. (?) I agree it is not exactly the same situation here, but nonetheless we had a lot of "post something at forum" events the last months and the significantly decreased amount of players in ch1 indicates a shrinking playerbase (and there are other signs too). So I want to know whether Vindictus EU is still running economically viable or whether it is already in danger to be shut down soon.

Speaking from personal experience, I can at least agree with your perception of less people being in the game. But this strongly depends on the season, content updates, and other factors. If another game is released that targets the same user group, players tend to check out the other game, but they do return for the bigger updates.

There are plenty of Devs working on Vindictus' content for the future. We already have a roadmap for a rough outline until Q3 of 2015; there is plenty of in-game content to arrive.

We are currently also providing the Devs with some ideas to target one of the key factors of the game that players like: the storyline. While it surely is a nice to have the storyline supported by cut-scenes and other additions that build up the atmosphere, I guess most players will be content to simply follow a well-narrated storyline that is merely supported by NPC dialogues and maybe a few items that you can collect and deliver.

We are aware of the situation and Vindictus is far from the shut down status. Our focus is on attracting more users to the game to make the game's concept more beneficial to both the community and the publisher.

Originally Posted by MILWAUKEExx

19. Can you give us a status update on the French client, for which you were "hiring" people over a year ago?

Unfortunately, this plan has been dropped. We also discussed offering a tool for fan translations, but we had to drop that one as well due to the workload of the Devs, who are currently busy until 2015 with creating new content and character(s).

Originally Posted by Temerer

20. Do you ever plan to update that hideous abomination you call your website? Despite not being updated in crucial departments (missing vella character info) non working links, and looking like lady gaga puked on it. This is a turn off for new players coming to learn more about the game.

Yes, we know. We would love to change the design of our website to a more current, modern version. Unfortunately, our team that is responsible for this task has been busy in the past with tasks that were related to new projects, namely launching Lost Saga and United Eleven. As soon as the opportunity comes up, we will do our best to update the information and freshen up the website's design, but this will most likely not happen before 2015.

Originally Posted by Mooncatx

21. Why can we only ask you Bel not all GM´s >;?

We will see if the other GMs would like to be available for the Q&A as well .

Originally Posted by Mooncatx

22. What things do you like at the most on this game?

As cheesy as it may sound, I really like this community. Many different characters and even the ones that are more difficult to handle are entertaining to a certain extent . I played many "similar" games in the past, such as the Prince of Persia series, Batman series, and other action-based combat games. It is quite sad to see that there are still so many new "point & click" and "tab targeting" games being released. Not a big fan of those.

I am also really fond of the introduction of the boss monsters in this game. I would love to see more traps like in Season 1, as they were ridiculously funny and entertaining when I started to play the game. Hitting the switch to see your whole party die or cutting down the bridge... classic! Never gets old.

Oh and, not being a chauvinist, I am a fan of the 'jiggly' physics effects in the game. Which guy hasn't turned the camera, zoomed in and repeatedly pressed the "S" button ?

Originally Posted by niki212

23. Why isn't there a cooperation between very skilled players and the game administrators (why don't you let few good players help you test the content before it is out)?

We did discuss this matter with the developers, however their idea of a publicly-available test server was limited only to the Asian region.

Originally Posted by niki212

24. Why don't you guys shorten your names to just three letters?

Like Bel? Zya? Iza? What about you then? Nik? Because in my case, for example, Belsazar has a meaning, so Bel, Bels, Belz, and Belly are more like nicknames that users have given me, in the nature of internet language. And I do use Bel sometimes, if my reply is meant to be more casual. Official statements usually end with Belsazar.

Originally Posted by niki212

25. Will we see some of the GeMs recording their own solo?

You may ask them in the forum, and if they would like to, they will. They are quite busy with replying to all customer related issues as well as maintaining the game to keep it free from frauds and goldsellers. It is a very time consuming job.

Originally Posted by BlueRox

26. Are you guys planning on Vindictus merchandise anytime soon?

No, there are no plans for this.

Originally Posted by ImmortalTeknik

27. How much time a day you guys spend playing on your normal accounts, in average?

By "you guys", I guess you mean the GMs and myself? I can't give an exact number for them, but I would say that they spend their time regularly in the game, as it was the main reason to join in the first place. They were and are, after all, dedicated Vindictus players who wanted to help other users.

For me, I started to play in the Closed Beta and joined Nexon Europe in early 2012. I am one of the few guys who has been able to stick with the game, for which I joined in the first place.

Originally Posted by ImmortalTeknik

28. Are your normal accounts in any guild, at the moment? (Futile to request, but could you name which ones, if yes?)

They are not in a guild anymore, but I was a part of a guild before and I enjoyed it a lot. When I joined Nexon, I could not spend as much time in the game, and therefore I left the guild.

Originally Posted by ShadowFog1

29. Just a (useless) question; Why the gm in game are like truffle? You don't find them when you need, and you find them when you don't need XD?

That is actually pretty much the same situation in all free-to-play games. It is a philosophical question, much alike the "if a tree falls in the forest and there is nobody around, will it make a noise?" .

Originally Posted by SirRFI

30. We used to be about 3 months behind Korea in updates, but recently it has increased to half an year disadvantage. Is there a reason behind this?
I believe players would like to see updates coming up faster - every month an actual content update, rather than just bunch events and nothing besides that.

We need time to translate the content coming in and, as you may have noticed, our portfolio has grown a lot since we launched Vindictus. Nexon currently publishes 8 games, and this creates more work for our localization team as well as for other departments.

As things stand now, we are prepared to release one update per month for the next couple of months and are doing our best to adjust to your feedback without creating a big gap between the content updates.

Originally Posted by SirRFI

31. When we can expect dyeable avatar items in Vindictus Europe? And how it's going to look like? Buy already with colours of choice, dyeable via ampoules or possibility to change colours at any time using other method?

We are still waiting for this feature and are optimistic to see it's implementation still within this year, 2014.

We hope these answers shed some more light onto our work, personality, perhaps have cleared some concerns.

- Vindictus Europe

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: This Q&A is relevant to the EU servers which operate the XE (Extreme Edition) of Vindictus across Europe. These statements may or may not be applicable to the NA version of the game.

This is the third installment of Interviews that EU has done for their community. They began in early summer of 2013. To review some of the other Q&A sessions including DevCats response on then pertinent issues, read on.

Q&A Part III: Interview with NX Belsazar (8/21/2014)
Q&A Part II: Interview with DevCat (02/19/2014)
Q&A Part I: Interview with Belsazar & DevCat (06/13/2014)

Vindictus Responds: How to Report Scams

2014-07-25T18:58:00.000-04:00

It seems like its been eons since forumers requested action against scammers in Vindictus as well as a clear definition of scamming. Scamming has been a long time problem in the game, perpetuated by both the lack of a real trading system and the malfunctioning mailbox. Dozens of naive and trusting players have been the victims of scams and have pleaded with Nexon NA to do something about it.

Zoltar has issued this responded to requests for information about Nexons stance on scamming and how to report wrong doing. Today he posted the thread "How to Report Scams".

Scammers are officially on notice that bad trades and trickery will be dealt with and lead to potentially permanent account bans.

The best part about this is that Nexon has (FINALLY) also openly stated that the trading NX for gold and cash is against the TOS. Hopefully this will alleviate some of the bad seeds in and around the Vindictus servers.

How to Report Scams

Hey Mercenaries,
It saddens us to see more reports of player scamming recently. For those of you who aren’t aware of what this entails, it is when one player tricks another into sending them a valuable item with promises of enchanting / enhancing it or reimbursing them in some other way. The player who receives the item then goes back on their deal and keeps the item.
First and foremost a warning to players carrying out these scams. We are very serious about stopping this problem and when you are caught you will be punished. Because of the serious nature of these actions punishment sits outside of our banning guidelines so you may very well find your account plus any other associated ones permanently closed.

Here are a few tips for players to avoid being scammed:
• If something is too good to be true it probably is.
• Don’t send valuable items to another player so that they can enhance, enchant, increase quality or anything else. This is just asking to be scammed as there is no guarantee they are going to deliver.
• Don’t trade items for IOUs unless you know the person really well.
• Establish the identity of the person you are talking to. If they claim to be someone you know on an ‘alt’ either get them to get on their main to prove it or identify them some other way.
• Never share your account details, login or other personal information with people in-game.
• If you do take part in a ‘risky’ trade (which we advise against) screen grab the conversation, sent mail with attached item and anything else relevant. Having this proof helps clear things up much quicker in the event of a scam.

Please note trading NX for gold or NX items for gold is not just against the game’s terms of use but also more risky than straight item for gold trades. Although we will still take action against people scamming using these items we will not be returning any lost gold or items to players who get scammed as both parties are breaking the rules.

Steps to report a scam:
• First step is always to try and resolve things with the other player. There may have been an honest mistake.
• If a resolution isn’t possible, please contact our CS department and provide a detailed account using the following steps:
- CLICK HERE (please note, if you’re not already logged in you’ll need to do so and then click Submit a ticket)
- Under Game Selection choose Vindictus
- Under Category choose Report a Player
- Under Sub-Category choose Misconduct and Harassment
- In the Summary area please type Scammer on East, AU or West server (choose whichever server you were on)
- In the Character Reported area, please provide the character/name of the player you want us to investigate
- In the Details area, please provide us as much information as possible about the scam
- Under Options, click the Attach a file link and upload your screenshots (alternately, you can include a link to a photo hosting site in your Details)
- Click Finish
• CS will investigate your ticket and take action if sufficient evidence of wrong doing is found.

Again please take all reasonable measures you can to prevent being scammed and in any instance where this occurs send us a detailed description of what happened so we can take appropriate action.
Thanks

Preview: Q&A Interview with Developers on Arisha

2014-07-22T07:35:00.000-04:00

Arisha Concept Art

The Mabinogi Heroes development team sat down to have an interview with INVEN about the newly revealed "Arisha" coming out this week.

Courtesy of World Wide Game Watchers and "afkalmighty" we are able to have a translated version of the interview. Because this is now confirmed information we will be including validated information about Arisha in our news.

Devcat MH Arisha team - project manager, animator, programmer, and modeler

Here are the goods, confirmed from the interview:

Vindictus is getting a new female character!
Arisha will be released on July 23rd in Mabinogi Heroes, test server.
She will be a dual weapon character - like Fiona - carrying a Longblade and a Castlet (both new weapon types)
Though she carries a Longblade, Arisha is a Magic / Intelligence (INT) based character.
She was created to add stability to the Market Place in relation to demand for Intelligence (INT) based items.
Her Castlet shoots Mana Stones and the Longblade slices
Arisha uses an "MP" bar in addition to her health and stamina bar. Right now this is Arisha exclusive.
Her gameplay may be difficult to master, like Spear Lann but with a different challenge
She was created for the Western world, and sports a more voluptuous body type and is not based on any source character/type
She will be able to stop time...nuff said

Whoa baby. We can't wait to see what DevCat drummed up this time. Gamers are getting another Intelligent Diva to strut their stuff though the perils of Vindictus.

Extra Info:

We did some digging of our own into the meaning of "Arisha". Here is what we found:

Its origin stims from the name Irene or Arina:
>> Arisha is a Russian girl name - meaning `Peaceful`.
>> Derived from the Greek Eirēnē, which is from eirēnē (peace). The name Arisha is borne in Greek mythology by the goddess of peace, the daughter of Zeus and Themis
>> Arisha is an indirect Quranic name for girls that means one who is building something great. It is derived from the Ain-R-Sh (throne, to build).
>> Arisha can also mean Highness in Hindi
>> The lyrical Arisha is a very unique name for a baby girl. More commonly used in Russian and Hindu cultures, Arisha has that slightly exotic and feminine appeal that you may have been searching high and low for.

How do you get away with being a character in this game and having the name "peaceful"? One may never know.

Extra Side Note: Datamining from the game is not condoned. In this case it has ruined the official launch of a new character. Though Nexon should have protected their IP better, each of us has an onus to do better. The Devs put a lot of work and creativity into generating content and characters for us, sometimes its better to just not spoil the surprise.

Your white hat is gray.

Sayonara Mailbox Glitch

2014-07-17T03:11:00.000-04:00

That's right Mercernaries with the July update comes a lot of great things. But none of those is more pleasing to long term players as the news that Devcat has fixed the Mailbox glitch! While this long awaited fix didn't make it into the official patch notes, the glitch is most definitely gone.

The glitch began when Nexon made changes to Mailbox functionality to allow 5 items to be sent and received. That functionality never fully worked. It has been a major pain point every since then for players in all regions. Players were getting a Microsoft C++ Runtime Error causing a disconnection from the game. Players eventually came up with workarounds for the issue by avoiding hovering over an items icon. This led to an influx of scammers who seized the opportunity to take advantage of the limitations. Though Nexon did add some new functionality to the mailing system it hasn't been fully functional since before its "upgrade".

...Until now! Effective immediately, players will no longer will receive the Runtime error that has plagued us for almost a year and half. Mail can now be hovered on and previewed prior to accepting into inventory. Even though Nexon NA didn't exactly announce this, we are extremely happy to have the fix.

Now if we could just get an Auction House we'd be in business...Thank you!

Vindictus Opens Up a New AP Shop [NA Exclusive]

2014-07-16T19:21:00.000-04:00

True end game players rejoice! Nexon America is opening up a new shop in Vindictus and its aimed directly at you. The Vindictus Support team announced the new feature on their Twitch preview, and it is now live!

New AP Shop

The AP Shop will be housed in the Colhen Inn with Ernmass as its shopkeeper. Players will be able to use their accumulated Ability Points (AP) as currency for the NX items available for sale. According the Vindictus Staff, the items in the shop will rotate throughout its beta phase. Items will be available for purchase with AP for players starting at level 40.

The Shop will initially feature the following items such as (limited time) Enhancement Runes, Clodogh's Dye Ampoules (Empty), and Goddess Revival Feathers.

Currently AP is used for ranking skills, using second transformation, restoring destroyed equipment and for testing your luck with Videks Power Infusions. Because every battle in the game provides AP, introducing another way to use it is more than welcome for those at true end game with completed characters and no desire to blow things up.

What the Store means for you:

Players will have a way to purchase limited NX items for zero monetary cost.
Players with maxed AP and excessive AP capsules will have an additional way to spend AP.
Market prices for Dyes will likely drop for a while (don't worry too much, Outfitter Dyes are on the way)

What you should know:

After getting to level 40 the AP Shop button will appear when talking to Ernmass in the Colhen Inn.

Current Merchandise:

Merc Recover Potion (100AP) - Limit 3 daily
Goddess Grace [Individual x1] (300AP) - Limit 1 daily
Goddess Grace [Party x3] (1000AP) - Limit 1 time weekly
Clodaghs Dye Ampoule (1000AP) - Limit 1 weekly (tradeable once filled)
Enhancement Rune (5000AP) - Limit 1 weekly (first 2 weeks only)

The AP Shop is currently an exclusive to Nexon NA's version of Vindictus (Mabinogi Heroes does not have this store). This was an intriguing surprise since development for Vindictus is done by DevCat in Korea and they generally receive all updates prior to NA. We asked Ruin3d (Communications Director, Vindictus - Nexon NA) for more information and here's what he had to say:

"Most content is created for all markets but every now and then we get the Devs to build us a feature we specifically wanted. This was a request our team came up with and they built it for us.

Not sure if it will get released elsewhere or not."

It looks like Nexon NA has finally started to take a look into the game to make some things make sense for the NA region. We look forward to any other changes they may come up with. The Beta Phase is expected to last until October, so stock up on your goodies while you can!

Vindictus: July 2014 Patch Notes [NA]

2014-07-16T11:31:00.000-04:00

Gates of Hell

Desolate Malina

July 2014 Patch Notes

Journey to the gates of hell and face a horror from beyond the grave in Vindictus’ Season 2, Episode 4- Part 1, out now!

Take on two new bosses, both the stuff of nightmares, and enjoy fun summer events and new additions to the cash shop. Read on for all the details on the newest update in Vindictus.

Inquisitor Ulchas - Desolate Malina

Terrifying New Bosses

Two new foes have crawled their way into Vindictus, and both are sure to have you waking in the middle of the night, drenched in a cold sweat.

Ulchas is rumored to be an undead warrior or perhaps a demon from the underworld, but whatever he is, his strength is unparalleled.

Ulchas can summon a sentient blade called an Aquillore to aid him in battle, and can restore his health when wounded, making him one of Vindictus' most challenging bosses.

Lavasat the Sentinel - Gates of Hell

Lavasat is a demonic hound with a body of twisted metal and a heart that pumps molten magma. He can cut mercenaries in two with a flick of his tail, and is protected by towering Hellspikes. You'll have to use your wits and a bit of teamwork to destroy all six spikes before moving in for the kill.

To help you defeat these monstrosities, a special Episode 4 Raid Event is being held from Thursday, July 17 to Wednesday, July 30. During the event period, receive two extra raids against Lavasat and Ulchas. To read more about this and other events, click here

New Ping Meter

To help our players with connectivity, we have introduced ping meters to the Quest Board. Now before setting off on a raid, you can refer to the Quest Board to check a boat's connection relative to your own. Connection speeds are classified by color; please refer to the chart below for details:

Status (Color)Ping/Latency

Blue You may experience light lag
Green You may experience moderate lag
Yellow You may experience significant lag
Orange You may experience severe lag
Red Lag will most likely be very severe
Black Lag cannot be determined

Blue Ping Meter (Great Host Connection)

Black Ping Meter (Cannot be Determined)

New AP Shop

A new store has opened its doors and it's only accepting one form of currency- AP! That's right- now you can use AP to purchase select items, freeing up your wallets while upgrading your mercenary. With the AP Attendance Event, you can stock up on AP and then go nuts at the new store.

To access the shop, speak to NPC Ernmass in Colhen. The AP Shop is only available to players Level 40 and above, and is stocked with the following items:

Item Name - xQuantity | Price (AP)/Purchase Limit

Merc Recovery Potions x20 | 100 AP / Daily 3
Goddess Grace x1 | 300 AP / Daily 1
Goddess Grace (Party) x3 | 1000 AP / Weekly 1
Clodagh’s Dye Ampoule x1 | 1000 AP / Weekly 1
Enhancement Rune x1 | 5000 AP / Weekly 1

Please note the purchase limitations for each item. For example, you can purchase the 20 pack of Merc Recovery Potions three times a day, but you can only purchase every other item in the shop once per day.

Notes:

All items in the AP Shop will be available until the October update. Except for the Enhancement Runes, which will only be available for 2 weeks.
Merc Recovery Potions expire after 2 days.
All items are untradeable.
Restrictions only apply to a single character- meaning if you purchase 1 Dye Ampoule with one of your characters, you can still purchase another with a different character.
The AP Shop is currently in beta, and its contents are subject to change. New items will be added at a later date.

Cash Shop Update

New items are also coming to the cash shop. At the Supply Depot you can stock up on even more AP with the AP Package, a fantastic bargain. Over at the Avatar Shop, the call of the wild has turned the mercenaries of Vindictus into jungle beasts- two new inner armors are available, for both male and female characters.

Vindictus Wildman Inner

Vindictus Jungle Heat Inner

Finally, our most stylish new item: the Biker Avatar costume. Sporting the badge and colors of the V.R.M.C., or Vindictus Rebel Motorcycle Club, this all-leather getup comes in two variants, one with enhanced stats. Put one on and wannabe baddasses will know you really mean business.

Biker Outfitter - Guys

Biker Outfitter - Chicks

For the full rundown of July's new cash shop items, click here.

It sure is hot this summer. Must be all that hellfire coming from Lavasat's back. Looks like you're gonna need an extinguisher...Be sure to check back with Vindictus Trix for our July Content Review coming soon.

Vindictus: S2E4 Twitch Preview [NA]

2014-07-16T09:29:00.000-04:00

Vindictus Hosts its 3rd Twitch Stream and reveals Season 2, Episode 4 - "No Gods, No Kings" (also known as Paradise of the NonBelievers). Previews of upcoming raid bosses, new armor and weapon sets, a stream giveaway, and the very first reveal of the AP Store were on the roster as almost 800 viewers tuned in to this weeks demo.

GM - Zinyden (L), CM - Zoltar (R)

Hosted by: Zoltar and Zinyden
GMs players: Zinyden, SamoSam, Orkus

On screen characters [Ulchas]: Crock (Karok - Zinyden), Kaichonu (Kai - SamoSam), and KobraKai (Kai)

On screen characters [Lavasat]: Crock (Karok - Zinyden), KobraKai (Kai - Orkus), Kotaka (Lynn - SamoSam)

Clearing the Air

Previous streams have been met with a bit of discontent from the players because our GM's have been fairly beefed up beyond normal standards. Zinyden took some time to explain why they needed it. Basically because they are demonstrating content designed for 8 people with being played with 3, they beefed up the characters to make the best use of time. So yes "Naysayers", Ziny is rocking +15 everything but its so that the gameplay is a bit swifter which allows them to show us the the content as well as get through some of the bosses different states and transitions.

Preview - S2 E4, (Part One)

"No Gods, No Kings"

New area being released is called "Annwyn" and is available from the Malina mission board. It houses both runs "Desolate Malina" (Ulchas, 6-man raid) and "Gates of Hell" (Lavasat). All raids (Levels 50-69 and 70-85) will require a higher level of skill, teamwork and attention not seen before. Quick reflexes will be key to survival.

Inquisitor Ulchas

Shortly after your boat departs you've entered "Desolate Malina" as your party of 6 walks onto the shores of our once glorious getaway. The beachfront has been visibly darkened with despair. Exploration up to town reveals your foe and the battle against Inquisitor Ulchas begins.

Inquisitor Ulchas - Desolate Malina

Party Play - Inquisitor Ulchas Defeated

The team reviewed the battle quirks while actually fighting the boss. Ulchas gave the trio hell but they were able to get through and demonstrate each of the stages. Ziny also outlined several tips and aspects of his attacks that only viewers were able to see.

Lavasat - Gates of Hell

Storyline progression will bring you to the Gates of Hell, once you arrive you are met with the beastly guardian, Lavasat. Reminiscent of Lionotus mixed with a Kangaroo, Lavasat looks like it is sure to be fun.

Lavasat is an 8-man raid that does not require a lot of skill but does require that you pay attention. Team work is favored over brute force with this guy. Players will have to first eliminate all of the "Hell Spikes" surrounding the entry. During this pre-battle Lavasat does not take damage. Use this stage to build SP for the battle.

Lavasat - Gates of Hell - S2E4

After each "Hell Spike" is destroyed, Lavasat will become dormant, resting where he lies giving the party the perfect opportunity to shift gears for the main attraction which is concurring the bull. This is a good time for Staffies to stack their skills and to regen and provide a corona for the party. Players should use this break to repair and heal up.

During the next 15 minutes to an hour Lavasat will jump, leap, crush and inflame the party. Tame him by using the chains provided by the game and lassoing his horns as he turns red. The objective is to steer him away from the lava pools flowing from the walls which allow him to regenerate his spiked armor along his back. Continually breaking armor plates will allow you a shot at the main break off which is his . Keeping him away from the lava walls is crucial because Lavasat only takes 30% of your damage dealt if he has full armor. Once he's broken though, players will deal 150% damage. Evies will have to learn to chain effectively or risk not obtaining the "El Matador" title and Chainblade Vellas will be a definite asset.

AP Shop

The AP Shop was revealed as a new Beta feature for the NA region. We will now have an opportunity to use excess AP to buy some NX items. There aren't a lot of offerings right now but will be a great addition for players level 40 and above.

A few items included in the first beta include Enhancement Runes, Clodagh's Dye Ampoules, and Goddess/Party Graces. Limitations include once weekly and once daily options but are available for all characters on an account as long as they are over level 40.

** Gold is not required to purchase AP Shop items. **

Ping Meter

The Ping Meter has been added within a week after being released to Korea. The Ping Meter allows you to preview the hosts connection. Avoid Yellow and Red meters as these will cause you pain.

Black bars are supposed to mean that the connection cannot be determined or that the boat has already left the dock.

Stick to Blue and Green meters for a solid playing experience.

New Armor & Weapons

With new raids comes new armors! Well, sort of. The crew demonstrated Armageddon and Majesty gear including new armor and weapons, which will be available to craft once Part 2 is released. Armageddon (Level 80) is a fiery garb of doom, while Majesty (Level 70) shows the more elite side of the Royal Army uniform.

Wrap Up

Ziny and Zolt wrapped up the Twitch Session with a brief overview of the following:

New Battle Report (Available soon on YouTube)
FAQ about S2E4
Discussion of upcoming events

Twitch Giveaway

Winners of this weeks Twitch "Random" Giveaway were SuperiorKimchi, Xionosy and BlueSentienal.
Congratulations guys, we hope you got something awesome :)

Watch it in HD

Check out the videos replay for yourself here:

Be sure to Follow Vindictus to stay in the loop on all of the updates coming soon.

Vindictus: July Battle Report

2014-07-15T21:44:00.003-04:00

The Vindictus July Battle Report is here!

Just moments after this weeks Twitch Stream the monthly Battle Report is already online complete with some answers to a few inquisitive questions posed by the reveals from the broadcast.

First a short recap - we will be receiving Episode 4 of Season 2 in two parts. The first part (along with other updates) is set to be released this week. This includes the ability to collect items for crafting Armageddon and Majesty (lvl 80 and 70 armors) once the second part of S2E4 is released. The most shocking and exciting news that we received is that an AP Store is coming! This is being added to the Vindictus NA branch as a beta for the game. Though this brings up some of our own questions, the excitement really cannot be contained.

An AP Store, Season 2 Episode 4 and New Armor (Previews) along with an improvement to the "party" experience are all coming your way THIS WEEK!

Check out this weeks Battle Report and the FAQs brought to you by Zoltar.

____________________________________________________________________

Here is the next installment of the Vindictus Battle Report. This week we cover two new raid bosses: Ulchas and Lavasat, the AP Shop, the Ping Meter, new Weapon and Armor sets and new summer events. We also tease the upcoming content update!

Below are some FAQs for you to indulge in

Q. What content will be seen in the No Gods No Kings update and when is it out?
A. This update will add two new raid bosses: Ulchas and Lavasat as well as the beta AP Shop, a ping meter and a couple of summer events.

Q. Where do I find Ulchas and Lavasat?
A. These bosses are at a new location on the Malina Battle Board. Making a boat is the same as for any previous content.

Q. What items do they drop?
A. They have a number of drops but the ones to look out for are the Golden Inquisitor’s Brooch from Ulchas and the Hellguard Iron Fang from Lavasat. These are main ingredients in the new Armageddon weapons and armor sets so make sure you hang onto these!

Q. What is needed to craft each Armageddon piece?
A. Armageddon weapons use a Golden Inquisitor’s Brooch (Ulchas), a Hellguard Iron Fang (Lavasat), a Legendary Druid Horn (Druid) and two Divine Teardrops (Cromm Cruaich) as well as more common boss drops. Most Armageddon armor pieces use a Hellguard Iron Fang (Lavasat), a Legendary Druid Horn (Druid) and other more common materials dropped by each boss. Some substitute the Hellguard Iron Fang for a Golden Inquisitor’s Brooch (Ulchas).

Q. What is used in the Majesty items?
A. Majesty items are crafted using the more common boss drops from all four bosses in Episode 4.

Q. Can I craft items in Season 2 Episode 4 Pt.1?
A. No, all new recipes require drops from both parts of Episode 4. Recipes will also be disabled until the Pt.2 update in August. That doesn't mean you can’t start collecting drops from the two new bosses in the meantime though.

Q. Why split the content like this?
A. Nexon America is driving towards a higher quality experience for our players. This means we are allowing more time for testing and bug fixes before releasing updates. To adequately QA all Episode 4 content we need until August, however we wanted to release something for players to enjoy this month, hence the split.

Q. What is the new AP Shop and why are you adding it?
A. The AP Shop is a new addition to the game allowing players to purchase certain NX items using in-game AP. It is currently in beta so only select items are available but over time we will be adding more cash shop items to it. The concept behind the AP Store is giving players alternate means to access items currently only available for cash purchase.

Q. What other items will be added to the AP Shop?
A. Over time we will be updating the store to trial other NX Depot items. We don’t have a full list right now but the desire is to offer a broad selection of the most popular items.

Q. Why is there a limit on the number of Runes a player can purchase?
A. We are in early beta right now so want to ensure we don’t open the game up to any unforeseen exploits. Over time as we balance AP store pricing and identify potential problem areas we hope to be able to relax restrictions on the more valuable items.

Q. What is the Ping Meter?
A. The ping meter is a visual display which shows players what the host connection is like before boarding a boat. Blue indicates very little lag, Green is moderate lag, Yellow is significant lag, Orange and Red are severe lag, and Black indicates that your connection to the boat cannot be determined.

Q. What are the summer events?
A. Two summer events will be launching with this update. The first is an AP attendance event which will allow players to gain AP for use on skills or the new AP Shop. The second will allow players to unlock all new toy weapons for their characters. +15 toy weapon anyone?

Q. What frequency should we expect Battle Reports?
A. We are hoping to release one of these reports monthly so subscribe to our Youtube channel to be kept in the know.

Review: Lynn | Lewd Meets Lethal

2014-07-12T18:08:00.002-04:00

Who is Lynn?

Lynn is the newest addition to the Mercenaries and a saucy little thing. She is a princess of the Lost Kingdom and on a mission to restore her Kingdom to it's former glory (picture a less seductive Iset). After enduring numerous trials and hardships in her past she now prepares to face a plethora of new and otherwise deadly challenges.

Lynn sports a variety of smashes and counters that makes her a hybrid Sword Vella/Scythe Evie with a slight mix of Chain Vella (In my eyes).

Lynn’s repertoire consists of the usual 1-2-3-4 Smashes (I’m used to Chain Vella having only a 1-2-3 windup with no 4^th smash so it’s taking a little getting used to for me.)

Skills

HollyCaust - East Server

If you’re interested in a breakdown of each of Lynn’s skills and what they do in detail check out the full list here.

Swift Assassin [SA] / Zhen Swift Assassin

Beautiful. Stunning. Magnificent. *Insert every other positive adjective imaginable*. This move is so pleasing, both aesthetically and functionally. During my time as a Vella (more so Chain) I always found myself stamina-drained even with every possible Stamina related item/skill available (potions/r3 Stam Regen/Cold Heart/Etc). Swords have the luxury of Slashing High so they can kind of, sort of bypass the need for easy Stamina recovery. The ability to proc AT LEAST 10 stamina for a quick, last minute dodge is such a wonderful thing. I cannot begin to tell you how many times I've needed just a tad bit more stamina in order to get out of harms way. The damage is almost very nice. A fully stacked, no crit detonation nets me around 20-30k damage depending on what boss I'm facing, which is a nice chunk.

______________________________

~ NOTE: I will NOT be giving exact values for her skills in my portion of the breakdown. Those numbers can be found in the aforementioned data tables once they have been posted on forums ~

______________________________

Dark Cloud (LR)

SA: None

I find this skill highly useless. The only time I have any success with is when juggling players in PvP. Perma juggle combo'd into a Swift Assassin detonation is such a rewarding thing to see.

Feel free to drop a line down below if you've found some magical method of using this skill to achieve maximum damage.

Iron Machete (LLR)

SA: Fishtail Pole

I find myself utilizing this skill along with it's Zhen counterpart (Fishtail Pole) more often than the smashes that require longer windups (Broken Sword/Centipede Strike). Lynn suffers from hitbox difficulties (at least from what I've noticed) in a sense that her attacks are very straightforward... literally.

Iron Machete basically proceeds forward and any slight horizontal movement by a boss will cause you to either miss or wind up in an unattractive position. Luckily Lynn's dodge is so forgiving what with the ability to store Wind Steps and use them when needed.

Broken Sword (LLLR)

SA: Drunk Mantis

Only 360 AOE available to you. Pretty good for clearing trash mobs but it's nothing compared to Chain Vella's Bitter Gale (That thing clears everything and their mothers). I often times only use this skill when there's some trash mobs grouped up or if I feel like I can fit it in. Once again, I don't have actual multiplier values so I don't know if that's wasted damage or the right choice. I'll be sure to make future posts on my findings if I stumble upon something.

Centipede Strike (LLLLR)

SA: Flying Guillotine

Oh baby this move. This move always brings a much needed change to my otherwise stoic expression. Lynn propels herself midair and proceeds to booty pound the ground and if you don't or cannot Little Rat then she basically remains grounded for a little bit. For all you booty lovers out there this is the skill that pays the bills. But in all seriousness this is a very rewarding skill in my eyes and the skill I tend to use most often. The only issue I have is that in crowded raids (such as Bark) where it's difficult to see yourself, it's often hard to get the timing of Flying Guillotine right. Also this is one of two skills that can be used post Killer Dart.

Thunderleg (Dodge Key + Directional button)

Little Rat (Dodge Key)

Hits an enemy: Furious Tiger (Upgrades next smashes Swift Assassin from 1 mark to 2 marks)

Deflects an attack: Wind Step (Double-tapping Dodge will launch you behind the enemy)

I swear this is the most enjoyable dodge in the game. You get the spammability of Glint, the damage mitigation of Cross Cut, it puts distance between you and the boss AND it allows you to reclaim said distance with the push of a button. I wasn’t even aware she had Wind Step until I played her. Now the whole “Ninja Outfitter” release makes sense.

____________________________________________________________

Useful Videos

I highly recommend checking out the gameplay of Lagerowonder and Junyoop on YouTube. They are highly knowledgeable and passionate about the game. Be sure to subscribe.

Lagerowonder Lynn 101

Junyoops' Lynn Solos Lionotus Hero

Also check out Junyoops Lynn Playlist

~ Thanks for taking the time to read this review. I know its far from informative or even useful but I just wanted to give my take on Lynn so far. ~

~ Feel free to leave your thoughts on Lynn down below and we can talk the talk. ~

Here's some Eye Candy

Contest: The Lynn Chronicles

2014-07-08T15:39:00.000-04:00

Its time to get those creative juices flowing and let your imagination run wild. To celebrate the arrival of Lynn Nexon's Vindictus [NA] team wants you to dust off those keyboards and break out your Movie Maker...Check out the latest fanfiction contest.

We know Lynn has a lot of fans and we want to reward them. That's why we're hosting a fan fiction contest from now until 11:59 PM PDT on Sunday, July 13. We want you to compose your very own story for your personal Lynn. Perhaps your Lynn isn't from a lost kingdom and still lords over subjects in a faraway land. Or perhaps she is a chosen one destined to defeat the Fomors and guide the people of Vindictus to the promised land of Erinn. It's up to you to decide what path you want her to take.

Contest Information

Dates: Contest ends at 11:59 PM PDT on Sunday, July 13

Details: Create a unique story for your Lynn character using either comic panels or video narration. Just post your images or embed your video into the official forum thread, which can be found here. Story must take place inside the world of Vindictus and feature its lore. Write the best Lynn yarn and you could win a Regal Panda Chieftain Package, a Shadow Leather Ninja Set, or a host of other hot items!

PRIZES

Long Spirit Hoodie

Shorter Spirit Hoodiee

Tee Shirts and Lanyard

(5 Winners for Each Entry Category)
1st Place - 5th Place receives their choice of:
One (1) Shadow Leather Ninja Set OR
One (1) Regal Panda Chieftain Package (Blue) OR
One (1) Regal Panda Chieftain Package (Red) OR
One (1) Old World Equipment Set
+ Spirit Hood***
+ One (1) Vindictus T-Shirt
+ One (1) Vindictus Mouse Pad
+ One (1) Vindictus Lanyard

*** 1st place winners will receive a Long Spirit Hood while 2nd -5th place winners will receive the shorter version. ***

*T-Shirt sizes are subject to availability and are delivered on a first reply-first send basis. Winners will be emailed at their Nexon account registered email address for shipping details*

We'll report back with the names and snippets from the winning entries.

Vindictus is Advertising

2014-07-08T15:28:00.000-04:00

We've been hearing tales of late night commercial sightings but today Zoltar has confirmed it, Vindictus is running a TV ad campaign. My heart literally leaped 30ft in the air when I heard this. We've waited sooooooooooooo long for this day...ADS!!!!!!!!!!!! Exposure!!!!!! Notoriety!!!!

The following video is running on channels such as Adult Swim, Esquire TV (G4tv), Comedy Central, Spike TV, and MTV2 overnight across the service region.

Not only that but we've also started seeing Google ads sporting Vindictus. You can see a few here on this article. This is awesome news because gamers everywhere are now in the target market for at least seeing Vindictus on their screen and wondering what its all about. The brand awareness and visibility is guaranteed to be great for the game.

~We love it, we love it~

We love the playerbase that this campaign is geared towards. We love the fact that Vindictus is advertising! We love that these campaigns are sure to mean more players and more interest in Vindictus on all three servers.

Vindictus Season 2: Episode 4 Trailer

2014-07-06T11:55:00.000-04:00

Ulchas is coming.

Season 2 Episode 4

Are you ready?

Are you?

Both Europe and North America are ramping up when it comes to Episode 4.

Right after Lynn we are anticipating the release of Episode 4's first two bosses, Ulchas and Lavasat within the first half of July.

NexonNA has announced that the release, comprised of 4 raid bosses will be split in their arrival. Ulchas and Lavasat are first up as we enter the completion of the Season 2 storyline.

Over the NA holiday, EU posted a teaser on their YouTube. Check it out and prepare yourselves for some new content that's sure to ignite the servers.

EU TEASER S2E4 TRAILER

Trailer Released: July 4th 2014

Raid Boss: Ulchas
Character: Hurk

Vindictus Announces S2E4 Lavasat and Ulchas

2014-07-02T20:59:00.001-04:00

Season 2, Episode 4 has been confirmed for July

Special Announcement
Attention all Mercenaries, Royal Army Members and Coffer Chasers,

Season 2 Episode 4 has been confirmed for a 2 part release during the month of July. Zoltar our awesome CM, confirmed this news shortly before broadcasting a Twitch.stream moments ago. No firm dates or details have been provided but now is the time to prepare yourselves...something wicked is coming this way!

Message from Zoltar, Vindictus CM [7:31PM EST]

Mercenaries we are happy to announce that hot on the heels of the release of Lynn we will be releasing the next episode of Season 2’s storyline.

The episode 4 content release will be split into two parts with the first hitting later this month, featuring new raid bosses Lavasat and Ulchas.

These new bosses will require teamwork and coordination to take them down, so make sure to start preparing for the upcoming battle!

Are you excited? Tell us what you think about splitting the Episode into two parts...love it or hate it?

Contest: Clash of the Karoks [Winners]

2014-06-27T14:58:00.000-04:00

~ CLASH OF THE KAROKS ~

You were challenged to get out there and show them Fomors who's boss. You boys really pulled through showing off that sexy and newly revamped clash in full effect!

Congratulations to the following winners of the Clash of the Karoks forum contest held by Vindictus NA.

These entries were chosen as the best clash screenshots and videos across all servers. Most entries were pretty fantastic and make the game look great.

Congratulations to all participants!

Winners for Best Screenshot

StrongRight

StrongRight - Winner

Aandrus

Aandrus - Winner

iiamikarok

iiamikarok - Winner

MasterEidann

MasterEidann - Winner

Helleus

Helleus - Winner

Winners for Best Video

xXSoulsXx

Lushly

Oceans

BattleLore

Voltharas

The Changing Face of Vindictus NA

2014-06-26T18:30:00.001-04:00

Ruin3d has provided the Forum Community with an update on the various actions and activities that the Nexon Support team has been putting in place for Vindictus. This includes the new image, community involvement and in game improvements.

We're capturing this so we can cheer as NexNA actualizes on these changes. We also plan to hold their feet to the fire in the event these promises don't come to fruition.

What improvement are you most anticipating? Do you feel positively about the changes? Talk to us in the comments below.

_________________________________________________________________
Ruin3d - Communications Director, Nexon NA (June 26, 2014)
Vindictus Forums

-------------------
Hey everyone,
I wanted to give you a quick update from Nexon America on Vindictus in our territory and some of the changes you will be seeing over the coming months.

As this might well get pretty lengthy I’m going to split it into sections.

Nexon Launcher
Some of you will have already noticed that Vindictus is now available on the new Nexon Launcher. The launcher is currently in beta but is already outperforming both web and desktop clients for speed of updates and stability.
A number of additional changes and features will come online in the near future.

To switch to the launcher download the installer here:

http://games.nexon.net/nexonlauncher/

It will automatically transfer your Vindictus files across so you won’t need to re-download the game.

Vindictus Websites

This week we launched a redesigned Vindictus landing page for new players. This summer we are starting a new advertising campaign for the game so needed a new landing experience to tell new players why they should play the game.

You can check out the full landing site here:

www.vindictus.nexon.net/landing

Help us spread the word by sharing this with friends you think might be interested in playing the game!
Coming next: A full website redesign and all new forums.

Community

You will all be familiar with our rock-star CM Zoltar. He took the helm at the start of this year and has been working hard to improve communication and interaction with you, the community.

One of the first changes we made was adjusting the communication process, Nexon employees now post more frequently and we try to be more candid with our responses. We are all gamers so want to talk to you guys as players first.

Exclusive content is another focus area for us. This week we released the first of our Battle Reports, which is a new video series where Zoltar will show the community upcoming content.

You can watch episode #1 here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFpjzhHo79c

Going forward we will have regular Battle Reports as well as Twitch streams, community events (in and out of game) and other exclusive content.

Customer Services

The Customer services and GM team have also been hard at work refining how they work. First up was revising the guidelines the GMs work by to ensure that less players are incorrectly caught up in actions taken to stop hackers. These guidelines are in play now and will be continually evaluated and improved.

We also now have more options for support with forum ban appeals, live chat and GM presence on the forums and on social. In the near future we hope to start opening up even more channels to help solve problems faster and more efficiently.

Game Service

Our game team is working hard to deliver the best experience for Nexon America customers.

As an example recently we took the decision to push Lynn back a week in order to fix some bugs and ensure a better service. We also chose not to release the Iset/Keaghan outfitters alongside Lynn as we wanted to evaluate the distribution method for them with the devs.

Our team is dedicated to helping make Vindictus a more enjoyable, more fair experience for everyone.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, please continue to give us your feedback and we hope to keep improving our service.

Team Vindictus

Vindictus: Twitch Debut!

2014-06-26T16:09:00.004-04:00

The Vindictus Support team streamed their first ever Twitch broadcast today.

Lynn Meets Her Fans on Twitch

The Twitch stream was one part of a two part effort to supply the Mercenaries with some much needed and appreciated communication and a preview of Lynns gameplay.

Announced just hours before hand, the crowd reached over 650 viewers for this first ever official stream of Vindictus live from the test server. Viewers were treated to more of Zoltar, Community Manager of Vindictus NA and a first ever glimpse of Zinyden, one of our favorite Content Analyst/GM's. The two were streaming from a "green" room in Nexon America HQ.

Zinyden (L), Zoltar (R)
Tag Team to answer questions about Lynn

Zoltar, CM

Zinyden - GM

The pair fielded questions from the very live and rambunctious chat stream and answered the number one question among players - "When is Lynn coming?" The answer - "Soon." was given, teasing at the one-liner made infamous by our previous beloved CM, Alteris.

The Lynn preview consisted of Zinyden creating a Lynn, going through hair selection and available inners along with body model customization options. Zinyden then set his "noob" Lynn aside and treated the viewers to some action packed gameplay, featuring a fully developed Lynn.

Zinys beefed up model showed Sohee-Lynn, decked out in the best gear, welding a +15 Skeleton Glaive with a shiny beastly glow. Sohee reached 20K attack, 64 attack speed, 96 crit and boasted over 7K health making her the ultimate threat. She picked up her glaive and skipped off to battle showing NA the way of the Falling Petal. For about 45 minutes of gameplay we watched as Ziny and Zoltar answered questions while making their way through the challenges of Lakoria, Keaghan and Succubus Hero.

Despite a few technical difficulties the first Twitch broadcast was a success, leaving the viewers with more information than they had going in and a refreshed energy for the Lynn hype train! At the end of the stream, 3 viewers were surprised with freebies, a Fusion Rune for each.

We can look forward to more Twitch Streams in the future.
Don't miss out!. Join Vindictus for their next Stream. on their official Twitch Channel. http://www.twitch.tv/vindictus/

Congratulations to:

Kaitoo69, Prophetsama, Kurokuroi
Winners of the First Twitch Giveaway

Lynn is now live on the Nexon NA server - Go Play Today

Vindictus: June 2014 Patch Notes [NA]

2014-06-26T14:15:00.001-04:00

As we continue to improve and restructure Vindictus, we are happy to announce the arrival of our newest character, Lynn. An exiled princess, Lynn is the youngest mercenary and one of the nimblest. Leaping from one corner of the battlefield to the other, her glaive spinning, Lynn creates a mesmerizing war dance as she fights

Lynn is here!

To celebrate her arrival we are hosting two events to help you level her up, plus new packages and outfits to make your Lynn unique. Even more items are coming to the cash shop, and a host of new events will also be held. Read the full details on this month's massive update.

The Princess of the Lost Kingdom
Lynn was once an innocent princess, caught in the middle of a conflict between rival kingdoms. When her castle was burned to the ground Lynn was exiled, and spent much of her youth wandering the land, looking for a purpose. Now she is ready to accept her destiny: to reclaim her birthright and return her lands to their former glory.

Lynn is an extremely agile character armed with a glaive. Though she doesn't have high defense, her speed and rapid-fire strikes make her a deadly combatant in any scenario. Head to her microsite for more info.

Celebrate Lynn’s Arrival
Ready to try out Lynn? Get her up to speed with the Lynn Celebration Event. During June, play as Lynn and receive special Fightin' Boxes when you hit certain level milestones.

Max Lynn out as quickly as you can and you might be entered into the annals of Vindictus history. If you're one of the first ten players to reach Level 80 with Lynn, you'll receive a special title showing off your elite status.

For more information on these Lynn-tastic events, click here.

Returning Veteran Event
Lynn's arrival is a great opportunity for veteran mercenaries to jump back into the game and try out something new. To reward our long-standing players, we're hosting an event for anyone who hasn't logged in during the past 90 days.

Upon logging in, veterans will notice a pop-up window that displays the benefits they'll receive for rejoining the fight against the Fomors. One of these rewards includes a special clover emblem that will be displayed beside their in-game name, to better show off their legendary status.

Novices would do well to seek out these veterans, as they possess invaluable knowledge and battle experience. Plus, if a veteran is in a dungeon party, all members will receive a 50% Combat EXP & +10 AP bonus and a Redeployment Coupon they can exchange at the Traveler's Return Shop. NOTE: Non-veterans can only get this item when a dungeon is completed with a veteran.

Mercenaries of all experience types can visit the Strange Traveler (in Colhen), Eccentric Traveler (in Malina), or Shady Traveler (in Rocheste) and purchase useful items such as Goddess Graces, Blessing Stones and even a new Avatar outfit.

Honorbound Event
This week marks the beginning of the Honorbound Event, which gives you a chance to earn rewards just for recommending Vindictus to your friends. Become a mentor for a new player and you'll both receive a gift and 100% bonus Battle XP when you raid together. Extra experience? Now that's what friends are for!

For more information, click here.

Cash Shop Update
There are so many new items coming to Vindictus the shopkeepers aren't sure if they can even store it all. Pick up the Dancing Blade Package to give your Lynn a new look, then change her makeup style with the Blood Lotus Beauty Package (also available for all other characters). Boost Packages help get new characters started, and the Lynn-specific package is designed to make her the most formidable mercenary yet.

New hairstyles and makeup have also been added to the Avatar Shop.

For the full rundown of all these great items, click here.

Lynn may be a teenager, but she is wise beyond her years. Grab a glaive and set out on adventure with this exciting new character.

Reblogged from Vindictus Official Patch Notes; not responsible for inaccurate or missing information.

Be sure to check my review of this months update.

Vindictus: Enter a World Beyond

2014-06-23T14:12:00.000-04:00

Enter a World Beyond...

Out with the old and in with the new.
Just yesterday we were talking about how the old logo was ushered out in favor of the new logo that better suited the "darker and more depraved Vindictus"...well look at what the Vindictus NA team has been up to!

Vindi's Community Manager, Zoltar presented the world with this fresh new trailer of Vindictus.

Vindictus releases a new gameplay trailer June 23, 2014.

Coinciding with the "World Beyond" message, the trailer features a snippet of the original cinematic trailer (refreshed to fit with the theme) and quickly proceeds to the new world filled with action shots of a few of our most treacherous foes from both Season 1 and Season 2. The trailer is simply stunning and of course puts the new logo and brand out front for all to see. The apocalyptic trailer concludes reminding players that Vindictus is FREE TO PLAY.

Check it out and let us know what you think!

Play today - Vindictus - www.vindictus.nexon.net/landing

Vindictus: June Battle Report

2014-06-23T10:53:00.000-04:00

Zoltar, Nexon Community Manager for the Vindictus NA team is really stepping things up for players.

After a long period of hands off game management we FINALLY have a CM that gets it. Zoltar has been at the helm of the player Community for just over 6 months and we've really begun to see some much needed changes. Many of those have brought our game up to par with the basics that we'd lacked from previous management.

Rejoice for the return of game news!

Not too long ago we practically begged Nexon to get in our face with news (Spotlight:Vindictus Production Team News), details and to keep us in the loop as to what is to come. Well folks, the team has answered the call!

Last week, Zoltar started a new series called: Vindictus Battle Report.

First Battle Report - Lynn Overview and Season 2, Episode 4 Sneak Peek

The Battle Report is a video series that will cover upcoming content, special announcements and all other things Vindictus so stay tuned for more!

Vindictus Season 2, Episode 4 Boss Preview

Vindictus Logo End of an Era

2014-06-22T16:36:00.000-04:00

A month ago Friday marked the end of an era. The end of the Vindictus' Golden Logo.

A new world rises. NexNA staff announced that our Vindictus would be getting a new symbol to stand for our game. A new logo along with a complete rebrand.

As we reported at the time, plenty were outraged. Since then we've slowly seen the old logo being ushered out. Nexon has stated that the replacement logo better fits their vision of a darker Vindictus, a world of epic battle beyond that which we've seen.

A little over a month later and several questions still haven't been answered with the most concerning being, "what about EU?"

Nevertheless, we must move on. We have a new logo and its time to send off the old one properly. Please take this time to remember the old logo, one last time before completely putting it to rest.

The following is a collection of the interwebs best versions of the Vindictus Logo.
Click on each one to view it in its version to view originals.

~ Rest In Peace Logo ~
You served us well as our symbol for vindication, thank you.

Lynn - Vindictus NA Trailer

2014-06-20T17:03:00.001-04:00

~WATCH IT IN HD ~

*No Words Needed*

Lynn Makes Headlines!

2014-06-19T05:10:00.000-04:00

Our Lynn has certainly turned up the interest in Vindictus. Gaming sites everywhere are talking about "EU's" release of Lynn yesterday.

CALL TO ACTION

The press is great for the game. We wanted bring you an ongoing list of articles we've found about Lynn so you can get out there and support the game in comments with your love for Vindictus and excitement about Lynn.

What you can do...
Hit up the comments to help drive interest for the game. We need people to know what Vindictus has to offer and the release of Lynn is a perfect time to do it. ESPECIALLY because NA isn't being released until NEXT WEEK. Show some support and welcome Lynn properly NA!

Log into your favorite gaming site and hit up their comments with your excitement for Lynn!

List of "Lynn in the News"

XLC Gaming Network
**Awesome Photo spread**
New Character Available for Epic Action RGP Vindictus

Massively ~ Joystiq
Vindictus EU Introduces Playable Lynn

MMO Reviews
Vindictus Welcomes New Playable Character

F2P.com
Vindictus Gets a New Character

MMO-Play
Vindictus Unleashes Lynn In Europe

PC-Games Deutsche
Lynn Announced as Playable Character

MMO-Flag.com
Vindictus Unleashes Lynn in Europe | MMO Play

OnRPG
Vindictus (Europe) Lynn Now Available

Vindictus EU Lynn Battle Glaives Trailer

Game Magazine
Vindictus Sexy Lynn Teaser Video

Gamer News EU
Vindictus EU Introduces Playable Lynn

1337mmo.com
New Character Available for Epic Action RGP Vindictus

[We'll be Updating as more relevant articles are posted. Check back or hit us up in the comments]

Royal Armors: Iset and Keaghan

2014-06-18T21:01:00.003-04:00

Iset, Princess of the Desert and Keaghan apparel will be donned by the fortunate few in Vindictus. They are coming our way in the form of Outfitters, equippable over armor.

These aren't your usual Outfitters, they are only available by chance. They come as a part of the Royal Pouch, released during the Lynn Update. Rather than making these items directly purchasable, players will have to buy Royal Pouches until they get one.

In EU, players may trade these on the market if they can afford them vai Tir Coins. In NA, that option is not available at this time.

Iset (left) Keaghan (right)

The Iset Outfitter truly cloaks your character with the full appearance of the boss Iset..

Royal Pouch Gachapon

Royal Pouches also offer Twinkling Armor. Players obtaining this will be able to give their characters a see-thru look showing off their sexy Inners/Swimsuits.

Iset and Keaghan Outfitters are not guaranteed.

Lynn Coming Next Week [NA]

2014-06-18T17:06:00.000-04:00

LYNN NEXT WEEK!

Finally what you've all been waiting for. In response to the cries and pleads for information regarding Lynns release date, the Vindictus NA team has issued the following statement....
-------------------------------------

Lynn Reveal! [ Release Week ] by Zoltar, CM [NA]

Dear Vindictus players,
The North American release of Lynn is scheduled for release next week.
Why so late you ask? Why did other markets get it first?

"To answer these questions I need to go into a little bit of detail about how major content releases for Vindictus work. As you know our studio is based in Korea and content gets produced there and then localized for release in other markets. For an update like Lynn we will receive a build from the developers which will then be tested before release to try and ensure it is as bug free as possible.

In this instance the build came over pretty late and Nexon America took the decision to delay a week in order to adequately test it and to add some additional features that didn't make it into the patch. We could have rushed it out for the 18th but would have had no way of ensuring it was of the quality we are striving to reach.

To coincide with this timing shift we are extending the Golden Time Stamp redemption deadline by one week. Any players who purchase the Mandarin Lilac Avatar Package early will not be able to open it until Lynn is released.

We know you are all looking forward to Lynn and hope you don’t mind waiting an additional week so we can do our utmost to ensure you get the great gameplay experience you deserve.
Nexon America will be focusing more and more on quality going forward and if that means delaying a few releases to do things right that is what we will do.
Thank you for your patience.
The Vindictus team
---------------------------------------------------------------------

We'll be reviewing this in relation to the Focus On Quality so stay tuned :)

Lynn | Skills and Abilities

2014-06-18T15:57:00.000-04:00

The Dancing Blades Arrives!

Skills and Abilities

Lynn is a resilient Strength (STR) based character. She will benefit from Training Skills and Armor Proficiencies like the other characters. This is a detailed listing of all of the skills unique to her character and
prerequisites for activating and unlocking them.

Thunderleg

- Spin your spear to deflect and avoid enemy attacks.
- The invincibility duration during the spin will increase with skill rank.
- You can use Smash attacks after dodging if you learn Iron Monkey.

Iron Machete

- Dash and attack enemies with Iron Machete.

- You can perform additional attacks with Fishtail Pole.

Fishtail Pole

- Fishtail Pole can be activated after Iron Machete, brutally stabbing your target.
- You can inflict Swift Assassin on powerful monsters when this attack lands.
- Press and release the Smash key at the right time to unleash a powerful attack.
- If you land this enhanced attack, then you can also use Zhen Swift Assassin, dealing an extra 30% damage.
- You can use enhanced attacks when the skill rank is at C or higher.

XE Move [EU ONLY]

- Unleashes a quick and powerful blow towards nearby enemies.

- Consumes 20% of your maximum HP when used.

- You cannot use it when you have less than 20% of HP remaining.

- It can be used while using a different skill or being attack by enemy.

- If you press the Smash key immediately after using the XE Move, you can use a 4-hit smash.

Active: Iron Flag

- Leap and land with a downward strike, causing an Iron Flag shockwave.
- SP cost reduced and ATT increased by 20% when Jade Fox triggers.
- If a strong enough monster has been affected by Swift Assassin, it can be detonated.
- Additional damage will be dealt depending on the number of Swift Assassins detonated.
- Restores Stamina [STA]

Five Finger Death

- Deal powerful damage to the enemy in front of you.
- You can detonate it when the monster has been marked with Swift Assassin.
- Additional damage will be dealt depending on the number of Swift Assassins detonated and it will also recover your stamina.

Swift Assassin

- Allows you to apply Swift Assassin to powerful monsters.
- You can apply up to 10 Swift Assassin strikes on a target.
- Swift Assassin expires after 60 seconds, but you can refresh the stack by applying new ones.
- You can detonate Swift Assassin with Five Finger Death, doing damage proportional to the number of stacks. Detonating a stack of 10 will briefly stun your target.
- Detonate Swift Assassin to recover Stamina. Detonate a stack of 10 to fully recover Stamina.
- Zhen Swift Assassin will trigger when enhanced attacks land from bonus smash attacks.
- Deals 20% more damage than normal Swift Assassin.

Killer Dart

- Killer Dart allows you to quickly dash forward.

- Can be used even when you're moving. The distance you dash is based on how long you charge up.

- Can use Furious Tiger when you hit enemies with your spear.

- You'll be able to apply one more Swift Assassin with bonus smash hits when you have Furious Tiger.

- You'll get Zhen Furious Tiger for linking Killer Dart and Little Rat.
- Zhen Furious Tiger allows you to apply two more Swift Assassin strikes with bonus smash hits.

- All status effects can be used once, and will disappear when triggered.

Broken Sword

- Spins rapidly to attack nearby enemies with Broken Sword.
- You can perform additional attacks using Fishtail Pole

Dark Cloud

- Strike your target upwards with Dark Cloud.

- Light monsters will be launched into the air, leaving them open to additional attacks.

Drunk Mantis

- Drunk Mantis can be activated after Broken Sword to spin and slash your enemies.
- You can inflict Swift Assassin on powerful monsters when this attack lands.
- Press and release the Smash key at the right time to unleash this powerful attack.
- If you land this enhanced attack, you can also use Zhen Swift Assassin, dealing an extra 30% damage.
- You can use enhanced attacks when the skill rank is at C or higher.

Active: Divine Spear

- Strike three times and then dash in any direction using Divine Spear.
- It will upgrade up to 3 Swift Assassin bombs to the Zhen Swift Assassin version if all hits land.
- SP cost reduced and ATT decreased by 20% when Jade Fox triggers.
- You will dash forward twice after completing your attacks while Jade Fox is active.

Little Rat

- Little Rat allows you to attack then backstep.
- You'll get Furious Tiger when the attack lands and Wind Step when you deflect attacks.
- Furious Tiger let's you get one more Swift Assassin from bonus smash attacks.
- Wind Step lets you teleport behind a target when triggered.
- You'll get Zhen Furious Tiger for linking Little Rat and Killer Dart.
- Zhen Furious Tiger allows you to get two more Swift Assassin strikes from bonus smash attacks.
- All status effects can be used once, and will disappear when triggered.

Flying Guillotine

- Flying Guillotine can be activated after Centipede Strike, leaping and striking downward.

- You can inflict Swift Assassin on powerful monsters when this attack lands.

- Press and release the Smash key at the right time to unleash this powerful attack.

- If executed properly, you can also use Zhen Swift Assassin, dealing an extra 30% damage.

- You can use enhanced attacks when the skill rank is at C or higher.

Iron Monkey

- Iron Monkey allows you to slash after dodging with Thunderleg.
- You can perform additional attacks if you learn Golden Arm.

Active: Chambers of Death

- Strike nearby opponents in front of you with Chambers of Death.
- SP cost reduced and ATT decreased by 20% when Jade Fox triggers.

Active: Jade Fox

- Jade Fox lets you use active skills without cooldown restrictions.
- Will trigger when SP is at 1000, causing SP to slowly drain.
- You will not recover SP from attacks while active.
- You can attack without interruption while active.
- You will lose some SP when hit, but using Thunderleg to dodge will grant invincibility.
- Some enemy special attacks will reduce your HP.
- Jade Fox will end when all your SP is gone.

Active: Long Armed Devil

- Attack nearby opponents up to 3 times with Long Armed Devil.
- Press the Smash key twice afterwards to continue attacking.
**You can use Swift Assassin up to 3 times this way.
- Some SP will be used for each additional attack, up to 3 times.
- SP cost reduced and ATT decreased by 20% when Jade Fox triggers.
- If Jade Fox is active, you can activate up to 3 Zhen Swift Assassin bombs when all of your attacks land.

Golden Arm

- Golden Arm is a skyward slash attack that's connected with Iron Monkey.
- You can use Swift Assassin when this attack lands.

Centipede Strike

- Jump then strike downward with Centipede Strike.

- You can perform additional attacks using Flying Guillotine.

Active: Flying Snow

- Flying Snow is a powerful skill that hits enemies in a wide area.
- Can be used when the target is hit with Swift Assassin.
- Flying Snow is upgraded while Jade Fox is active.
- Targets will be briefly stunned while Jade Fox is active.
- All SP will be used in the attack, but the damage inflicted is based on the SP used while Jade Fox is active.

Zhen Swift Assassin

- Zhen Swift Assassin will trigger when enhanced attacks land from bonus smash attacks.
- Deals 20% more damage than normal Swift Assassin.

Zhen Furious Tiger

- You'll get Zhen Furious Tiger for linking Killer Dart and Little Rat.

- Zhen Furious Tiger allows you to apply two more Swift Assassin strikes with bonus smash hits.

- All status effects can be used once, and will disappear when triggered.

<Information provided by Vindictus EU>