Land of Chaos Online devs answer your questions!

Last month, we offered Land of Chaos Online fans the chance to ask the developers all about the game in exchange for answers and prizes. The winners have been chosen, the questions have been answered, and burda:ic is in the process of handing out prizes to those who asked the winning questions.

Product Manager Hendrik Loga stepped in to see what the players wanted to know and answer their questions. He covers everything from upcoming features to PvP mechanics to lore, so follow along after the jump to see what the players asked and what Alaplaya has to say about LOCO!

Xanzaki: The overview for the game states there are plenty of playable characters with unique skills and personalities. How many playable characters are there, and would each one offer a different playstyle and approach to the game?

Hendrik Loga: We plan to bring up to 30 heroes to life in LOCO. Each one of them will have their very own background story, as well as abilities, skills, and fighting styles. With the arrival of certain new heroes, we are also planning to release new weapon branches, too!

Mayhemeffect: With LOCO getting ready to move into its second year, what new features are looking to be added such as new play modes and team or guild functions?

Hendrik Loga: Our 2011 schedule for LOCO is quite packed. We will open at least two new battlegrounds, Aqua Sanctuary and Thunder Mountains; release more than five new heroes; and add a completely new mode that we can't talk about just yet. The guild and the team functionality in the game will also be evolving considerably, and we will continue to work hard on balancing fixes and increased usability.

2Y3D: Will it be possible to play 1v1 battles with my friend?

Hendrik Loga: It is currently not yet decided whether we will be implementing a 1v1 PvP mode.

Souringan2: How does the Ladder System work? For example, there are matches where I only got 1-2 ladder points, and sometimes I get 7 LDP. Is the amount of LDP dependent on the LDP of the enemy? How high is the chance to sucessfully upgrade an item from +x to +y? How does the Mag/Phy Attack and Defend System work? For example, in your character information, you can see that the attack is much lower than the defense.

Hendrik Loga: Wow -- so many good questions! First, the ladder/ranking system works like a simple ladder where you start in the middle (with around 1,500 points). For each battle you play, you gain or lose points depending on a number of factors, such as the level and strength of your enemy. If you win against a much weaker player, you gain fewer points. We have implemented this system to avoid having high-level players take advantage of beginners.

Unfortunately, I cannot say anything about the statistics and chances for refining or producing items, but I can share that damage done is calculated by the sum of all attacking abilities (basic stats, weapon bonuses, items, and artifacts) minus all attributes of the opponent's defense (basic stats, armor bonuses, items, and artifacts).

Dunner3: Will there be more battlefield maps available eventually, and if so, when might we see them?

Hendrik Loga: As mentioned in one of my earlier responses, we are planning to introduce a number of new maps in the near future. To keep updated, your best bet is watching the portal homepage for all the latest info.

Artoki: Despite its current map limit, the world and characters of LOCO are engrossing and compelling, and I for one look forward to learning more about them. Are there any plans to add a single player/story mode for those us who are interested in learning more about the backgrounds of our heroes and the land itself?

Hendrik Loga: We're glad to hear you find the heroes' backgrounds interesting, because we really like the way they've turned out. We definitely want to expand this and provide more and more details about all the characters. In the very near future, we are going to release a new Chronicles Book on the webpage with more info about the known (and even some unknown) heroes in LOCO. Regarding a story mode, I can't say anything yet!

Lac0nic: What actions/content will be available to guilds in the game?

Hendrik Loga: Our main focus for guild content right now is on guild wars. We believe the guild system is a core part of the game and are working hard to build it up further.

Azrael: In what way do the developers go about telling the story of the purgatorium vs. nature in a PvP-oriented game?

Hendrik Loga: We currently provide quite a lot of story on www.loco.alaplaya.net, as I'm sure you know, and we plan to continually add to the overall story of LOCO this year. PvP-focused games don't often have a deep storyline, but this has been an important aspect of LOCO during every part of the game's development.

Thanks for your time, Hendrik!