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A sneak peek at Atlantica Online's new class and dungeon
It's time for this newest installment of NDoors Interactive's bi-weekly developer journal here at Massively. We've covered so much already, but now we're excited to see some news of a shiny new class, called the Druid Mercenary, and the Grand Canyon Dungeon. Here's what they had to say: Atlantica Online is proud to present our newest addition to our growing list of mercenaries, the Druid. In our next patch, players who have reached level 100 will be able to begin the recruitment quest for this axe wielding mercenary.
Atlantica Online dev journal: Thanksgiving festivities
It's time for this newest installment of NDoors Interactive's biweekly developer journal here at Massively. We've already covered the Stimulus Package event and the game's one-year anniversary, so now we turn to the upcoming Thanksgiving event. Here's what they had to say: Thanksgiving time in Atlantica Online has never been so festive, as we are introducing two new in-game event items this year. Players will be introduced to an NPC who will offer them a special Thanksgiving quest. The rewards for fulfilling that quest are new additions to your formation, as well as a new clothing item for your avatar.
Atlantica Online speeds up download with new Lite client
Atlantica Online just celebrated its first year in the US, but the free-to-play game apparently had another trick up its sleeve -- namely, allowing players interested in the game a chance to get in and start playing even faster. After all, it can be obnoxious to download a client and wait for it to patch through updates when you just want to dive in and get to playing. Ndoors Interactive has just launched the game's lite client, a way for a smaller initial download to let you start playing the game as fast as possible. The new client's trick is to only frontload the first twenty levels of play while downloading the rest via background processes. This allows new players to log in and start playing their character faster, but it can cause issues for existing players who might be at a higher level (and the press release specifically suggests avoiding the lite client if that's the case). For everyone who hasn't started the game, it's an interesting way to make the startup more accessible and significantly faster. Consider taking a look over the weekend, and possibly getting in on some of the one year celebration goodies Atlantica Online has to offer.
Atlantica Online celebrates its one year US anniversary
It's been one whole successful year for Atlantica Online in the US, and Ndoors Interactive is ready to celebrate with special bonuses and in-game events throughout this November. The first of many celebratory specials offers players a 200% experience boost, something sure to make everybody pretty happy. Then, there's the weekend in-game events, followed by new in-game items, a special Thanksgiving event, a fan art contest and we're guessing a lot more. So, to recap: oodles of extra experience and rare new items, along with fun holiday and anniversary distractions. Oh, right and even a fan art contest for the creatively inclined types. Yep, seems like a particularly awesome month for Atlantica Online players. In fact, for more deets from Ndoors themselves, check out the official word on all the in-game events and such after the break.
Atlantica Online dev journal: The Stimulus Package Event
The good folks at NDoors Interactive have begun a new bi-weekly Atlantica Online developer article here at Massively where they'll showcase the latest and greatest news they'd like to feature to the Massively readers. This week, it's all about a new event where the prize is a snazzy set of in-game wings as teased in the header image, and shown in its entirety with another exclusive image after the jump. Here's what they have to say about the event, the wings and their game:NDoors Interactive Inc. currently has an exciting opportunity for players to join the highly acclaimed MMO, Atlantica Online with their newly launched Stimulus Package Event. Atlantica Online delivers an RPG style battle system and a lush world that incorporates characters that players might find familiar, such as, Caesar, Charlie Chaplin, Beowulf, and many more. However, instead of controlling just one character, players have the opportunity to lead a party of nine unique mercenaries into battle, such as, the inventor, Da Vinci; the pirate, Anne Bonny; the minstrel, Paganini; the Spartan, Leonidas; and many more!The Stimulus Package Event is an opportunity for players to try out the game and have a chance to win 500 Gcoins by simply referring friends while exploring the world of Atlantica. As a special prize, the individual who has the most referred invites will receive a special item, the Blessed Argos' Wings. The next top five players with the most qualified referred invites will each receive normal Argos' Wings.
Ijji.com boasts over 9 million registered accounts
Ijji.com has hit a major milestone recently, revealing that their systems have tallied over 9 million accounts in their database. That's a pretty big number, and while they may not all be active accounts, it's still a very impressive amount of sign ups for anyone to have. This comes as good news to players of Rohan, Soul of the Ultimate Nation, Luminary, HolyBeast Online, and Atlantica Online, as ijji.com funnels players into all of those games. More people means more players, and more players ultimately means more of, well, everything. Ijji.com is still working on the upcoming MMOFPS, Huxley: The Dystopia, so those 9 million members will certainly come in handy in the future, as we'd all like more targets to shoot at for easy experience. Keep on signin' up, newbies! Fresh experience for all!
Atlantica Online opens Van Gogh's Gallery, adds the Minstrel Paganini to their mercenaries
When Atlantica Online adds a new update, you know it's going to be a unique tie in to the history of the world. This update is no different, as Atlantica adds a brand new, reality bending dungeon to their mix -- Vincent Van Gogh's Gallery.Van Gogh's paintings have been collected by his friends, and have been put on display together in a local church. But, when the paintings start to react with one another and open doors into other dimensions based on Van Gogh's work, it's up to the players to find out what's going on and what drove Van Gogh to madness before his death.Other aspects of this expansion include the addition of the Minstrel Paganini (the woman shown above), a brand new music wielding class based on the 17th century violinist Niccolo Paganini. The level cap is also being increased from 120 to 130, which also means that a few of your mercenaries will bet getting upgrades as well!All in all, this looks to be a trippy addition to an otherwise solid free-to-play title. We applaud the use of Van Gogh's paintings as the new dungeon because, quite frankly, it's a pretty unique concept. Enjoy your decent into madness, Atlantica players! Don't cut off your own ear!
Atlantica Online adds a new mercenary to the mix along with optimization fixes
Hwarang. No, please, don't ask us how to pronounce it. We tried looking it up and not even Google wanted to tell us exactly how to say it. But, this new unpronounceable mercenary is the latest addition to Atlantica Online.Hwarangs are taken straight from the history books, like most of Atlantica's mercenaries, as they were an elite military unit from 10th century Silla (an ancient Korean kingdom.) In the game they will be represented as potent archers with a high offensive capability but low defense. Hwarang units also have the option of sacrificing themselves in battle to buff the rest of the mercenaries under your command.Hwarangs aren't the only thing coming with this patch, however, as the Atlantica team has made the difficult decision to increase the minimum system requirements in order to cut down on load times and increase client optimization. This move has been made in order to make sure the client can perform in areas with high population counts, as that has been a hang up of the game in the past. Only a small minority of users should be affected by this change, but it will be a wealth of benefits to all other users operating in high population areas.The full patch notes are available on Atlantica's website, if you wish to delve into the many changes and fixes.
Massively catches up with the Atlantica Online team
Atlantica Online is truly a unique F2P game that has enjoyed a fair bit of success since its launch late last year. We showcased the game in February of this year and figured it was about time to see how the game is doing six months later. In fact, we often get emails from readers asking for more Atlantica Online coverage, so the interest is certainly there from your end. Now knee-deep in a pretty remarkable competition, the NDOORS devs also explain a bit about how this contest has fared and how close they are to awarding that new car to a lucky winner.So follow along after the jump to read the brief interview and be sure to check out our complete coverage of the game for more information.
Ijji.com users can now access Atlantica Online
Users of ijji.com will be happy to know that as of today their ijji accounts can now be used in tandem with Atlantica Online, letting them jump into the game without any new signups or or registration processes. Any current ijji.com member can simply jump on over to Ndoors and grab the game's client and sign in with their ijji.com account, no strings attached.Well, there are strings attached, actually. Good strings. This opening also marks the start of the "A New Recruit" event, which awards new players with bonus mercenaries in their party when starting out and item bonuses for every new mercenary they get.While we realize that this may not be a story of earth shattering importance, it is interesting to note that the publisher, Ndoors, is letting another website enter the game's servers without actually creating a brand new version of the game. This isn't a group of stand alone servers, meaning ijji.com users will be entering into the already vibrant North American Atlantica community. Not a bad way to add more people to your servers, if you ask us.
Win a new car playing Atlantica Online
NDOORS Interactive has issued a press release announcing the launch of a "Mega-Event" for Atlantica Online, offering a variety of prizes, not the least of which is a car -- the Scion tC 2010. Apart from being a Mega-Event, the contest also has a specific name: "Unlock Your Way to Atlantica". Players get a key for each hour spent in-game, and the keys are then used at this webpage to unlock in-game items and chances to be in the raffle for real-world prizes. These include:• 1 – Grand Prize: 2010 Scion tC sports coupe• 5 – Alienware 750i*• 5 – BFG Tech GeForce GTX 295• 5 – Playstation 3 80GB• 5 – XBOX 360 Pro• 5 – Acer H233H bmid 23" LCD Monitor• 5 – Nintendo DSi SystemsReading the fine print reveals a few other caveats to winning any of these. Players must be at least level 20 in order to win the out-of-game prizes, and level 50 to win the car. Turning in a key will also provide a 200% experience boost, which should help those trying to hit the minimum level requirements for their swag. Once 2,000,000 keys have been entered the contest will be over and someone will drive away in a Scion (contestants from overseas will have to accept cash instead. It looks like the other prizes are still fair game for international players).
Atlantica Online releases mid-year patch
NDOORS Interactive announced today that the mid-year update for their free-to-play, turn-based MMO Atlantica Online has been released and includes several new features that will "enhance the user experience and improve gameplay", according to a press release. This patch will add the following new or improved features: Jackpot System: A new challenge system which allows players to select an item they have found in battle and gamble for a chance to obtain a large quantity of that item, with odds determined by the item's value New Dungeon: The 'Mysterious Inn' has been added to the Central Asia region and is available to players level 120 or higher Improved Arena Betting: Now players can bet on arena battles remotely Chatting Emoticon Function has been added Ring Craft: Will now be called 'Accessories Craft' and will have the ability to craft rings and necklaces Sound interesting? You can also check out more information on Atlantica Online, as well as interviews and an early dev tour of the game at our category page.
Atlantica Online selected for Game and Game World Championship 2009
Atlantica Online, the free-to-play turn-based MMO from NDOORS Interactive has been selected as an official title of the 2009 Game & Game World Championship (GNGWC). For those unfamiliar with this event, what is GNGWC? It's an annual Korean game festival and tournament that's held in major cities around the world representing different regions -- Los Angeles, Leipzig, Singapore, São Paulo, Tokyo, and Yongin (South Korea). Regional tournament champions are ultimately invited to the Grand Finals held in Korea. GNGWC is run by the Korea IT Industry Promotion Agency (KIPA) which aims to promote Korean games to players globally.The announcement mentions Atlantica Online being played in GNGWC 2009: "Selected as a GNGWC title for the second year in a row, Atlantica Online features a revolutionary turn-based battle system that utilizes free PvP leagues and a new 100v100 tactical battle system for PvP combat. Atlantica has proven to be an ideal title for e-sports competitions with its unique PvP combat." Top-ranking competitors can earn prizes, including cash prizes in the Grand Finals. Beyond the NDOORS Interactive title being a prominent aspect of GNGWC, the release also mentions that Atlantica Online will be expanding to new territories in Asia: Taiwan and Vietnam.
Atlantica Online running bonus XP weekend with 'thank you' gifts
The popular free-to-play MMO Atlantica Online from NDOORS Interactive ran into difficulties with their extended server downtime earlier this past week. However, any player outcries over this haven't fallen on deaf ears. NDOORS states, "Even through the delays, you stuck through it with us, and for that we want to thank you the only way we know how - through bonus experience time!"All players are currently receiving a 150% experience bonus which will last all weekend, ending on Sunday April 26th at 11:59pm PDT. NDOORS Interactive adds, "As an additional 'thank you', we'll be sending all logged-in players an Artisan's Cube at 1pm PDT on Saturday, April 25th, and Sunday, April 26th. This box will give you the choice of some Skill Decrease Books, Waters of Life, Growth Vials, Secret Vials of Potential, or several scrolls." If you haven't given this particular game a shot in the past, the 150% XP bonus weekend sounds to us like an ideal time to see what Atlantica Online is like.
Atlantica Online opens first cross-server PvP battle area: Titan Server
Massively has noted that the quality of some of the free-to-play MMOs on the market is improving, with a few standout titles poised to break the stigma of low-quality associated with F2P titles. Atlantica Online from NDOORS Interactive is one of the free-to-play titles Massively has taken a look at in recent months. They've just announced that Atlantica Online's first cross-server PvP battle area, the Titan Server, is now open. The official release states: "The independent game server will enable interaction between all players from all Atlantica servers, creating the first true test of who is the best of the best. Players can now board a designated Titan ship and journey to and from the Titan Server to access new content, chat with other players, and compete against each other in massive PvP tournaments."
Atlantica developer journal explains dungeon options
Kim Tae Gon has written another developer journal for MMORPG.com about his game, Atlantica Online. This bi-weekly journal delves into Atlantica's many dungeon types and how they reach over and affect the social state of gameplay in groups.Where most games have only instances and raids, Atlantica offers many different types of dungeons. Some of their dungeons, the individual dungeons, are targeted towards one player where other dungeons, such as the nation dungeons, are targeted towards 500 players at once (50 players from 10 guilds). This makes Atlantica into a very expansive game that caters to almost all tastes and playstyles, and has the bonus side effect of bolstering the community to formulate plans with one another.Kim's full developer journal can be found at MMORPG.com, where he gets into the specifics of his goals in creating all of these types of dungeons and how to access them.
Atlantica Online's lead producer sits down with GameSource.it
Our friends across the pond at GameSource.it recently had the chance to sit down and chat with Kim Tae Gon, the lead producer on Atlantica Online, and ask him some questions about what made Atlantica so special in the MMO market.Kim gladly laid out his enthusiasm for the game's main selling point, the turn-based strategic combat system. Atlantica uses a turn-based system, rather than the standard real-time systems found in almost all MMOs, to let combat progress with the player making decisions with his character and other units, rather than simply their own character. The system's history is complex, being originally derived from Luminary: The Rise of the GoonZu, Tae Gon's previous title, and ideas presented in the Korean game Gersang. Out of both of these titles, and with a renewed emphasis on combat rather than strategic control of territories, came Atlantica's combat system.For the full interview, check out GameSource's website as they ask Tae Gon on his favorite mercenary in Atlantica, how the economic crisis has hit their company, and how Tae Gon and his team work to overcome the western market's stigma of free-to-play titles.
Atlantica Online opens sixth server to meet growing demand
Atlantica Online has grown into such a behemoth of a game that they've recently announced the opening of their sixth server to meet growing consumer demand. This server, named Delphi, will open to the public on March 6th during a special two-week event celebrating the game's success. Fortnight of the Oracle will follow the opening of the new server and allow players to receive a 120% experience boost, which will be increased to 150% on weekends. In addition, you'll also be able to enjoy: Level-up Race –More than 100 players will receive 1,000 Gcoins for reaching a designated level the fastest. Screenshot Contest – Players who submit the best screenshots will receive Gcoin prizes. Quiz Bowl – Players who correctly answer questions from GMs will receive in-game item prizes. Monster Hunts – Unique enemies will be spawned at various sites for new players to battle and earn rewards. Treasure Hunts and Item Giveaways – New players will have more opportunities to find crystals and scroll boxes and receive other free in-game items.
Atlantica Online: Now you can take Pocahontas to The Rock
No, our headline is not a typo. If you've ever wondered what it would be like to have Pocahontas in your adventuring party or what it would be like to turn Alcatraz Prison into a dungeon, wonder no more! Atlantica Online's latest update has added both! Now you too can show the "Colors of the Wind" (aka elemental spells shot at your face) to the backwards prisoners of Alcatraz!Pocahontas and Alcatraz aren't the only significant additions in their latest update either. Atlantica also has two new player classes to try out -- the musician and the maniac. The musician is a guitar wielding spellcaster available to all players, able to hit two enemies in a row with a blast of their music. The second class, the Maniac, is more of a crazed, power saw wielding class that's only available to players who already have on class at level 100 or above. Creating a maniac will set you back down at level 1, but his power saw can attack all enemies in a single row on the battlefield, making this guy pretty powerful.This is just a small taste of the patch notes for this release. For all of the crazy details, head on over to Atlantica's site to check them out.[via IGN]
Massively's exclusive tour of Atlantica Online
There is no doubt that 2009 will be remembered as the advent of quality free-to-play MMOs. No longer will there be a stigma that F2P equals unplayable quality, as games like Runes of Magic and Atlantica Online will grab the attention of the normal triple-A gamer. Will it last? Will it change the face of MMO gameplay and business models forever? While there's certainly an inevitable evolution involved in every form of media and entertainment, we believe Atlantica Online will make a lasting impression in the genre.Officially launched on October 30th, 2008, Atlantica Online has already garnered the title "Best F2P MMO" from many gaming sites. It is supported through microtransactions that don't affect the game play itself, and sports a turn-based combat system that focuses on strategy, rather than how fast you can click your mouse. Massively got a chance to sit down with Ian Keller of Atlantica Online for an exclusive interview regarding the game's best, and little-known game features. Follow along after the cut below for a look at our time with Atlantica Online.
