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Massively Exclusive: New Zentia patch 1.3 screenshots and trailer
Zentia fans get a special treat today, as ChangYou has given us a few goodies to help show off Zentia's upcoming patch 1.3. We have a handful of new screenshots as well as a short trailer to help whet your appetites for stylized martial-arts action. What's new in Zentia version 1.3? For starters, character creation and selection have both received an overhaul and boast brand new designs to make the process even smoother. A new tutorial has been introduced to the game as well, letting new players get their bearings on the Immortal Plane. For long-time players, the patch introduces a new high-level epic questline that culminates in a battle with the demon lord, Demonor. Check the gallery for the new screenshots, and kung-fu kick your way past the cut for the trailer. %Gallery-127698%
Duke of Mount Deer announces Chinese open beta, releases new screenshots
ChangYou announced today that its most recent in-house-developed MMORPG, called Duke of Mount Deer, will be entering closed beta in China on July 22nd. The game takes place within the martial arts fantasy universe of Louis Cha's novel The Deer and the Cauldron (which should help to explain the somewhat bizarre name). Duke of Mount Deer boasts "beautifully rendered, cinematic quality graphics" as well as the ability for players to move from server to server at-will in order to play with friends and hunt down their enemies. Players are able to choose one of six classes, each with its own signature weapon, and set out on adventures with hundreds of other players. For more information on this upcoming title, head on over to the official site, and be sure to check out the gallery below for more screenshots. %Gallery-127604%
New Zentia trailer showcases 25-man raids
"No matter how powerful you think you may be, no matter how much epic gear you may have, something will always smack you down. There is of course a better way. Gather 25 friends and bring the heat." ChangYou's newest raid trailer invites you to take on one of the game's three toughest raid bosses in its new trailer for Zentia. Whether you're up against the gargantuan Ghost Wold Spider (ew ew ew ew ew ew), the psychic Clairaudient, or the ominously named Nine Shadow Scorpion (EW EW EW EW EW EW), there's no doubt that you and your 24 best friends are in for a challenge. So Zentia wants to know, "Are you a boss?" For gameplay footage of players against these big nasties, jump on past the cut and join the battle at Zentia's official site.
Tian Long Ba Bu introduces two new mounts and celebratory mount sale
Attention all wanna-be Tian Long Ba Bu Kung-Fu masters: Are you tired of having to run all over the place? After all, you need to conserve your energy for dramatically roundhouse-kicking people in the face, so you can't go tiring out your legs with something as mundane as walking. Luckily, ChangYou has a deal for you! In celebration of the introduction of two new mounts -- the aptly named Black Beast and White Beast -- all mounts in the item shop are being sold for up to 50% off. The deal begins tomorrow and will run only for a short period of time, so if you want to cash in on this special offer, you had better crane-kick and tiger-uppercut your way over to the TLBB official site.
Zentia developer ChangYou spends $68 million on a browser game company
Brower-based gaming is starting to really catch on, with a variety of games either staking out the browser as the sole required program or offering play options to browser-bound players. ChangYou, the development company most known to western readers for its game Zentia, has apparently decided that the browser field is worth investing in to the tune of $68.3 million, as it was just announced today that the company had purchased a controlling interest in Chinese company Shenzhen 7Road Technology Co. The acquisition is intended to complete on June 30th, with up to $32 million more up for grabs if Shenzhen 7Road manages to meet certain performance milestones through the end of next year. While there's plenty of reason to speculate about what this means for the future, it's certainly interesting to note that a free-to-play game developer is making such a large investment in a browser company -- an action that could have long-term ramifications for both present and future games.
Zentia dishes on virtual romance and expansions
It looks like ChangYou, publishers of Massively favorite Zentia, has been keeping itself really busy lately. Besides its recent opening of a PvE server, the company has now released a major expansion for the game. What's inside the rollout? A lot. You can marry your in-game sweetheart thanks to the new marriage system, adventure up to the new level cap, explore new areas and dungeons, check out the new discipline system, tame and collect new mounts and pets, sell your items to other players for tokens, and much more. Of course, you could go to the official site and just read the patch notes, but we can do you one better. We thought the expansion marked the perfect time to sit down with Susan Revelt, the game's producer. She was gracious enough to take some time out between napping at her desk, drinking gallons of coffee, and shooting Nerf Guns at her wily community manager to answer our questions. Click past the cut and enjoy the interview and trailer!
Zentia pushes patch 1.2 live
If you've been looking forward to the big expansion patch for Zentia, you're in luck. The patch has recently gone live, giving players a chance to enjoy a plethora of content -- including the marriage system, a rather apropos addition that allows players to have both a ceremony and a reception to commemorate the happiest in-game day of their characters' lives. And if you're not quite feeling in the spirit of Valentine's Day, the newly increased level cap should still offer you plenty to work toward. East Island, a level 70-80 zone, has also been added to the game, complete with mounts and pets to locate. There's also a new Discipline system in place to allow players to focus on new class-based combat skills, helping to distinguish characters and focus specialization. Between that and a variety of new items (including some additions to the cash shop, as could be expected), Zentia players have more ways than ever to enhance a character and plenty of new content to enjoy.
Massively's guide to Valentine's Day festivities
Ah spring! 'Tis the time when young men and women's thoughts turn to love -- or at least scoring some nifty holiday-themed loot! This year there's quite a bit going on. Some events are old familiar ones that have stood the test of time. Others offer new twists and things to do for those who have been there, done that. If you aren't feeling the love bug biting, there's even the odd anti-Valentine's-type event, perfect for those who would rather rain destruction down on the head of anyone foolish enough to approach him with anything heart-shaped or pink. Curious as to what's going on? Check out our listing below -- and feel free to chime in if you know of a fun event others should check out! Rip out your Fallen Earth character's heart for Valentine's Day (February 11th-13th) What's better than surviving a nuclear holocaust and wandering your way across a blasted brown landscape rife with societal collapse? Why, sharing said wanderings with someone you love, of course (or at least, someone you lust after in that we've-got-to-do-this-for-the-future-of-mankind sort of way). In a novel spin on the traditional mid-February holiday, Icarus Studios is presenting Fallen Earth's Valentine's Day Massacre event, and clones everywhere can literally offer their hearts as a sign of affection (and a +3 stamina buff). Vindictus spreads the love with new update and holiday (February 1st-15th) Quirky events have quickly become one of Vindictus' staples. Right now players can participate in V-Day events for special rewards. If fishing and chocolate hunting isn't your bag, you can simply purchase a Valentine's Package at the Supply Depot for "sexy Valentine's themed Inner Armor." Cute undies, in other words. Valentine's events will end after the 15th, so players are encouraged to partake sooner rather than regret it later. Time for love in Final Fantasy XI (February 1st-15th) Valentine's Day is almost here, that special time of year when you attempt to distill the essence of a romantic relationship into chocolate form. And if you were hoping to escape from the day within Vana'diel, your efforts are rather misdirected -- Valentione's Day coincides nicely with the holiday in the real world, with just as much saccharine summation of liaisons in Final Fantasy XI.
Zentia offers lots of goodies in upcoming patch 1.2
When it comes to irreverent, fun, free-to-play games that some of the crew here at Massively are fond of, Zentia has managed to earn a spot on that listing. Sure, the brightly-colored landscape may not be in everyone's style, but games that don't take themselves seriously definitely should be! Along with the promise of everyday shrimp versus crab battles, Zentia's upcoming 1.2 patch will add in a lot of things that players have been looking forward to. Aside from a new zone, new mounts, pets, items and more things of a normal nature that players expect in large updates, patch 1.2 will also offer up many other changes. Among the plans are a new Marriage system, a way to earn even more experience, and a Consignment system that will allow players to sell their items to other players server-wide. For now, while we wait for more details, we have a teaser trailer after the jump, offering a first look into this upcoming Zentia expansion, as well as a few new screenshots tucked into the gallery below. But really, epic shrimp versus crab battles... Do we need to say more? %Gallery-98306%
Free for All: Three trends that need to go away in 2011
You know what? I hate geek memes. Heck, I hate the word meme. I generally will not support any term or phrase that was made popular in the last 10 years and mainly through the use of the internet. If it was made popular in programming circles in the early days of BBS (whatever that means) or if it was lovingly crafted during the great internet bubble of the '90s, I will avoid its use. Most of the time, I do not want to use someone else's words to support my own. You will never see the following sentence coming out of my virtual mouth: "Oh, hai! >.< All your base are belong to pedo bear! O.o Angry writer is angry!" The worst of the worst has got to be "die in a fire." Yes, I know you are a geek. I get it -- you are using a term that, I am sure, qualifies you as a socially awkward individual, as someone who simply must say the most inappropriate thing at the most inappropriate times (such as during a developer chat with developers who had almost lost their lives to recent wildfires -- I am not kidding). But I will not wear that badge of geek cred. Until now. These practices that I am about to list to you after the cut can, you know, die in a fire.
Updated: On the fourth day of giveaways, Zentia gave to me...
On the fourth day of giveaways, ChangYou gave to me... four welcome gifts! On the third day of giveaways, Icarus gave to me... three months of gameplay! On the second day of giveaways, Hi-Rez gave to me... two gift packages! On the first day of giveaways, Turbine gave to me... a lifetime VIP! Today we continue Massively's 12 Days of Giveaways! During this 12-day event, you'll find presents galore, courtesy of some of the best MMOs out there. Every day until December 24th, we'll post a new contest for you to enter. We've got a huge pile of goodies to give away, so they're going to be fast and furious -- you'll have 24 hours from the time the contest is posted to enter. Don't worry, though, because we're going to do our best to accommodate everyone -- you'll simply have to leave a comment to be entered in the random drawing, and we'll be posting each contest at a different time of day. Today's (very generous) gifts are from Zentia, the free-to-play game from ChangYou that's gained a lot of attention. Its charm attracted and kept a high number of players, and things are busier than ever in Zentia thanks to the holidays. Follow along after the jump to see what Zentia is up to for the holidays -- and what gifts we have for you today!
Exclusive TLBB screenshots show off high-level zones
Along with the holiday festivities, Tian Long Ba Bu (TLBB) is excited to announce the addition of several new high-level areas in the game -- and you can get your first peek of them right here on Massively! TLBB's Emperor has ordered his best and brightest players to head out and conquer four virgin territories in the game: Mt. Fleming (level 90-95), Flame Valley (level 90-95), Salt Lake (level 84-98) and Azure Pit (level 84-89). When they return from battle, players can enjoy activities like Snowman Chess in the city of Luo Yang. Take a look through the gallery below, and make sure to check out TLBB's Great Winter Update which hits servers tomorrow! %Gallery-110546%
Exclusive Zentia contest information and more
My, how Zentia has grown! One moment, the charming game is slowly working its way into our hearts, and the next it's parading around with a fat playerbase and upcoming contests. Well, we have more exclusive information for you again -- this time it involves server changes and prizes. Time to celebrate the first PvE server opening for Zentia! The PvP server Spoon will be converted to a PvE server (date to be announced) There will be no force attack on regular maps anymore The battlegrounds War of Camp, Royal Hunt Park and Treasure Island will have force attack enabled Don't worry; dueling will still be allowed on all maps In celebration of the new server and the holidays, ChangYou has decreed that lucky random players will receive 200 tokens to use in the cash shop -- a total of $50,000 in tokens! On top of that, four really lucky players will receive a $500 Amazon gift card, just in time for some holiday shopping. (I wear a small, by the way.) If you'd like to find out more information about the game, check out some of our first impressions here and here. You can sign up for a free account on the website and follow the game on Facebook.
One Shots: Do a little dance, make a little xp
One of the many fun parts of working here at Massively (or perhaps the pitfalls, depending on your free time quotient) is getting the chance to check out MMOs one might otherwise not have known about. A game that has become a surprise favorite amongst some of the staff is Zentia. This funky free-to-play MMO from ChangYou offers fantasy, sure -- but it takes a very silly twist on it with epic shrimp vs. crab battles, dance parties and more. Today's Zentia screenshot comes to us from Brianna Royce, our senior editor and devotee of all things silly and fun. She explains the image: "Here's a shot of the northern gates of the Serene City, one taken from the edges of the Serene Forest itself. The Serene City is the first of the large walled towns a player will encounter. In addition to featuring plentiful quests for the mid-teens character, it boasts markets for player vendor stalls and the infamous Dancing Nenny, whom you can follow and dance with (in long conga lines of players) for free experience!" We're always on the lookout for scenes and screens of games we don't get to see often. If you'd like to contribute, just email your image to us here at oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing. We'll post it out here for everyone to check out and give you the credit for sending it in. %Gallery-85937%
Zentia shows off pet and mount videos
Pay attention, MMO pet and mount fans. ChangYou.com has some new videos focusing on Zentia's furry (and scaly) companions that you might want to check out. Over the course of the two-part video series, producer David Markowitz discusses everything from how to obtain your first pet, to basics about the interface, to the care and feeding of your pets and mounts. You can even use your pet as an automatic route to your destination in the game world, and the vids will show you how. You'll also learn about pet storage slots, battle vs. travel mounts, and pet upgrade items. Oh, and over half of the creatures you see in the Zentia game world can be captured and trained as pets or mounts, offering a ton of visual variety. All in all, the videos are pretty invaluable for both Zentia and MMO pet fans. Check them out after the break or on the official forums.
Zentia releases new content, new ways to get beat up
Are you enjoying the Zentia open beta so far? Judging by the response we've received here on Massively, it seems a lot of people are discovering this "charmingly hardcore" game. Well, ChangYou has gone and done it now by introducing four new playable characters, tons of new content to explore and new high-level instances to conquer. What's in store for you as you approach the elder levels of the game? If PvP is your thing, you could always attend the Survival Event where between 10 and 40 players will be on each side, battling it out with mounts and cannons. Check the in-game events calendar for more information. Or, maybe exploring Serene City at night sounds more like your speed. In this instance-after-dark, ghosts, goblins and haunted suits of armor have taken everyone hostage. Find the secret artifact before they do! Want to hear more? I think you know what to do -- follow me after the jump!
Massively Exclusive: TLBB reveals new Halloween pets
Tian Long Ba Bu (TLBB), a free-to-play MMORPG set in ancient China, has just announced the availability of several new Halloween-themed pets. ChangYou.com, developers of the action title (as well as the free-to-play Zentia title), revealed that the spooky critters will be stampeding across both the EU Dragon and US Dragon Oath servers beginning today. The pets include a Jiang Shi (zombie), a Tutankhamen-inspired creature, and the ever-present pumpkin-head man. In addition to the new companions, TLBB is hosting a Halloween-themed event featuring new quests and rewards. Check out all the details on the game's official website.
Zentia celebrates open beta, new website and contests
Zentia has been one of those surprising little games that seems to have come out of nowhere. You would be hard-pressed to find another game that features so many details under one roof -- as well as so many smart-alec monsters. Well, it seems to be taking off, thanks to its ability to prove itself to disbelievers. With this new-found success comes a series of announcements (as well as an upcoming contest from us here at Massively), starting with open beta kicking off in early October. The developers will be adding four new characters to choose from, exciting high-level content, plenty of new events and access to the token shop. A recent patch also added fixes for common issues. Developer ChangYou also launched a brand-new website for the game and is hosting a screenshot collecting contest to celebrate. The "Legend of the Zentia Seeker" starts with a poem and details being published on the official forums: Heroes! You are charged with a new task, One with rewards greater than you could ask. Complete this quest to gain the treasures you seek, But adventurer be warned: it's not for the meek. Find NPC's from across the land, From the densest forest to the beaches' sands. You will travel far, your search will be wide, But you must discover where they all hide. And once you have found their mysterious locations, Take a picture of each with no hesitations. Follow the guidelines for your chance at true bliss, Break just one rule and your efforts are useless. Now, heroes, I wish you all the best, So get out there and enjoy this contest! You can also like the game on Facebook, or follow the team on Twitter.
Rise and Shiny recap: Zentia
Each week Rise and Shiny asks you to download and try a different free-to-play, indie or unusual game, chosen by me, Beau Hindman. Some of the games will be far out of your gaming comfort zone, and some will pleasantly surprise you. We will meet each Tuesday and Friday night at 9 p.m. EDT (8 p.m. CDT), followed by this column the Sunday after. I welcome any suggestions for games, either in the comments or at beau@massively.com or Twitter me @Beau_Hindman. It's hard for a game to strike a perfect balance of fun and challenge. In fact, I'd say it's the result of otherworldly forces as much as it is the hard work of the developer. Many of the greatest games I have ever played are a conglomerate of many factors that were beyond the control of the artists, writers and producers who first crafted the world. Sometimes, the crew must simply hope that its ship floats, and that it happens to set her to sail just as the weather is perfect. Then a game like ChangYou's Zentia comes along, a game that has all the wonderful qualities I am looking for -- as the result of some very smart, specific design choices made by some very creative people. Sure, I discovered the game on accident (I wasn't actively looking for a game the day Zentia fell into my lap), but the game has obviously been crafted with precision and care. If you'd like to read up on some of the details of the game, you can check out our E3 coverage here, or read an article of mine here. Also, you can get your closed beta key here. Otherwise, see me after the break, and be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments section!
Win cool Zentia goodies courtesy of ChangYou and Massively!
How would you like to win yourself a freaky-yet-cool ent mount for you and two of your friends to ride around on? How about a half-pig half-man to tote you around town? You can win one of these, courtesy of our friends over at ChangYou, makers of Zentia. If you are unfamiliar with the game, head over to this column and get yourself a closed beta key. While you're at it, read about the charming nature of the game here. Zentia features a robust travel system, even allowing up to 10 players to travel together on one mount! You can catch your own rides, buy them or trade for them. But wouldn't you rather be seen on one of these babies? If so, read on to find out how to participate in the contest.
