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Jukebox Heroes: Reader requests 2
It's been far too long -- going on 10 months now, in fact -- since we last had a reader request week here on Jukebox Heroes. My bad! I'll try to do these a little more often from now on. The idea here is to take all of your comments from previous columns, sift them for "oh man, why didn't you include [name of tune]? That's the best!" mentions, and compile a few of them to share with everyone. After all, I'm certainly not the beginning, middle, and end of taste in MMO music. So here we go with several reader requests over the past year, covering a wide span of MMO scores. There's bound to be a few good listens in here, so give them all a try and let me know which of your favorite tracks we should cover in part 3!
Granado Espada preps Bristia Season 2 update
Granado Espada is preparing to fire up the engines to its second season of the Bristia expansion next week. Bristia Season 2 is scheduled for July 24th and has a new recruitable character, new area, and plenty of additional surprises. Well, they won't remain surprises if you read the rest of this article, so it's your choice. The new recruit is Olivia, a traitor and spy who likes to do her fighting up close and personal. Olivia uses light armor and attacks furiously with fists and daggers. You'll have to finish up the first part of Bristia in order to get her to join your team, however. Bristia Season 2 will also include a new haunted field map called the Scar, retuned stats, new elite weapons, improvements to character buffs, and a continuation of the storyline.
WolfKnights Online debuts from Kim Hakkyu
Kim Hakkyu, former developer of such MMOs as Ragnarok Online and Granado Espada, released several brand new screenshots for a project his team is working on called WolfKnights Online. For fans of IMC Games following along at home, this looks to be what was previously known as Project G2, not to be confused with Project R1, which is an entirely different game being worked on by the same studio. Check out the gallery below and let us know what you think in the comments. Like I even have to tell you that part!%Gallery-188961%
Jukebox Heroes: Granado Espada's soundtrack
So here's an impossible task that lies before me right now: picking one musical genre that defines Granado Espada's score. I can't. It simply cannot be done. I've listened to a lot of soundtracks, my friends, and this game's score is literally all over the place. I don't know how or why the composers chose to toss opera, techno, electronic, international, jazz, and epic fantasy together like a bi-polar salad, but the end result is a nutritious blend of the crazy voices and catchy tunes. Part of the... diversity on display here is the result of of a collaboration between several composers and one composer group: SoundTeMP, S.F.A., Junsung Kim, and Osamu Kubota. The game's sound department defended the decision to host a variety of composers in an interview, saying, "We took such an ambitious approach with the music in terms of different styles and the sheer quantity that we knew relying solely on a single composer would be inadequate." Granado Espada has survived several transitions between companies and even a couple of name changes, but its soundtrack has endured just fine. It may be one of the most eccentric soundtracks you'll ever absorb, but at least it's never boring!
Exclusive: Granado Espada expansion to feature drunken pistoleer recruit
Earlier this month we reported on the impending relaunch of Granado Espada, and today we've got some new screenshots and a bit of info relating to the title's new Bristia expansion. When the content patch drops next month it will feature new missions, quests, items, and zones, including the port city of Kielce which is featured in the gallery below. Also on tap are new recruited characters, which are a large part of what sets Granado Espada (formerly known as Sword 2) apart from other MMOs. The game's multi-character mechanics allow you to control three avatars simultaneously, either by creating them all at the start of the game or hiring new recruits as you play. Bristia will also include a drunken barber recruit known as Barrol who uses dual pistols. Publisher Redbana says that "as his drinking increases, so do his attacks, critical hit chance, and movement speed." %Gallery-176600%
T3Fun brings Granado Espada back online
Granado Espada, formerly known as Sword 2, is up-and-running once again, this time under the care of T3Fun after the publisher picked it up from GamersFirst. Existing characters have been carried over to the new version of the game, so players can pick up right where they left off. To sweeten the deal, T3Fun is providing migrating players with some spiffy in-game items as a reward for their loyalty. On top of all of that, Granado Espada has gained some shiny new features in its transition to T3Fun's stable. The press release boasts of "14 brand-new recruit NPCs," along with new weapons, costumes, armor, maps, and missions. If you'd like to check the game out for yourself, head on over to the official site and give it a spin; it's free, after all. [Source: Redbana press release. And thanks to William for the tip!]
Jukebox Heroes: Christmas music
Merry Christmas and happy holidays from the staff at Jukebox Heroes! When it comes to the season, I have to admit that I'm a bit of a Christmas music junkie. Not nearly as bad as some I know, and I'm totally for a ban of hearing such music in public spaces before Thanksgiving and after New Year's Eve. I just love how it's so cheery and makes me feel warm in my tummy. A couple of months ago when I realized that this column would fall on Christmas day, I entertained the notion of just featuring MMO Christmas music. That seemed a bit silly to me; there's no way that there could be more than a scarce handful of tunes, right? It turns out that there's quite a bit, actually. So whether you're celebrating, taking some time just to game, or bored out of your gourd, why not hit the jump and see how MMOs have contributed to the enormous library of Christmas music?
GamersFirst dropping Sword 2, title picked up by T3Fun
GamersFirst is out of the Sword 2 business, it seems. The publisher announced that it will be dropping its contract to publish and host the title at the end of the year. Fans of the game have no reason to fret that they're about to lose their world, however; HanbitSoft's subsidiary T3Fun will take up the slack come January 1st. Due to the transfer between companies, players will need to expressly consent to allow their game data to be transferred over. The announcement post contains instructions how to do just that. Also, Sword 2 players won't be able to transfer their GamersFirst store currency, so spending it now is highly recommended. There are a lot of details to go over, so if this affects you, be sure to read the whole post very carefully. [Thanks to William for the tip!]
The Perfect Ten: Best MMO theme songs (part two)
The last time on the Perfect Ten, disaster struck the good ship Poseidon and the surviving readers were running out of air as they tried to escape the flipped-over vessel. Also, we were counting down the top 20 MMO themes, but that's of small consolation to the soon-to-be bereaved friends and families, don't you think? Because we play these games extensively, it's not uncommon for MMO music -- and themes -- to become vilified by the sheer number of times we've heard them. That's a little unfair to a three-minute piece of soundtrack that slaves every day to feed his wife and kids, doing the best he can in a trying situation. So perhaps we can put aside melodic oversaturation to look at these tracks anew, shall we? With half of them out of the way, it's time to look into the elite of the elite: the 10 best MMO themes of all time. According to me. A guy you don't know. You've got goosebumps, don't you?
GamersFirst launches Sword 2: Revelations
GamersFirst announced today that it has launched Sword 2: Revelations (formerly known as Granado Espada: Sword of the New World). But this isn't just a simple re-name and re-release; The team is introducing "three brand new expanded skill systems, a new area for questing and exploration, [and] a new unique playing character and pet to both drive the continually evolving story of Sword 2." The new skill systems are all crafting-related, introducing new Alchemy, Cooking, and Wing Crafting systems. Viron Island is the aforementioned new area, complete with new quests and three distinct forests, each with its own distinct challenges. And lastly, the game introduces Raven, a former spy that offers "complex gameplay options and the new pet Capybara which provides players with increased experience gains and item drop rates. For more information, head on over to Sword 2's official site.
Sword 2 officially launches
We've been hearing a fair bit out of GamersFirst about Sword 2, existing in an odd conceptual space as both a major update to the existing Sword of the New World and a new game in its own right. For existing players, it functions something like an expansion, and for new players it's being billed as a whole new package. But you don't have to take our word for it, as the beta testing is finished and the game has officially launched now. Several of the key features have remained largely unchanged, such as players controlling three separate characters at once. Other elements have been completely overhauled, many of which we've heard about from GamersFirst themselves. Perhaps most importantly, the game is still free to play, and if you can handle the download over the weekend it could be a pleasant diversion for the holiday. The full list of patch notes for the release can be read here, and feel free to take a look at our recent galleries for the game below. %Gallery-92550% %Gallery-87809%
One Shots: A quiet romance
There's something to be said for the quiet of a Sunday -- and for the lovely architecture and fashion of days gone by. That's why we couldn't resist this picturesque Sword of the New World screenshot sent in to us by FragmentaryHorcrux of the Fontaineblanc family on the Bristia server. The other thing that makes this excellent is the thought put into the note that came in along with it. After all, One Shots is just as much about what players are doing -- and love -- in their favorite MMOs. As such, since he sent in a great big note we're going to turn the rest of today's post over to him. Remember if you'd like to join the fun and tell us why your favorite game is your favorite game, email your screenshots to us here at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name, the name of the game, and a descripion. We'll post it out here and give you the credit. For now, on with FragmentaryHorcrux's letter -- just be sure to check out the rest of it behind the break! This shot shows one of the many romantic vistas of the Port of Coimbra in the game; a Scout, Fighter and Elementalist at the Lookout Point with the Eastern part of the town and the ocean in the background. %Gallery-85937% %Gallery-9798%
Sword of the New World celebrates their second anniversary
Free-to-play MMO Sword of the New World, the game best known for letting one player control three characters at the same time, has reached their second anniversary. In true MMO style, the game isn't letting the event slip by unnoticed as they release a major content patch and begin a celebration, all in the name of the anniversary.Nocturnal Sonata, version 2.9, adds a brand new unique player character to the mix. In Sword of the New World, players can control their own characters, their "family," or add in storyline characters called unique characters once certain conditions are met. This update adds Claire, the small girl who can pack an insane punch. Claire comes with the ability to hold a two handed weapon with one hand, and her specialty is... well... cannons. Adding her to your party, however, requires you to earn the trust of one of the game's NPCs and Claire's adopted brother, Claude.The update also includes the new raid instance, The Secret Tower (as shown above), as well as a new buyable dungeon, Bahamar Ancient Dungeon. For the full details, check out the patch notes available at the Sword of the New World main site.
World of Warcraft and The9 make China's top ranked supercomputers list
Real-life scientists recently overran World of Warcraft and wrapped their brains around trogs and intracellular signaling. One mind trip from the mad scientist James Wallis intrigued us with his experimental astronomical calculations in Azeroth. However, there is another real science underneath the brilliant theory-crafting bringing these worlds to life and players across the Globe and that is the computer infrastructure. One entity responsible for this science is the The9, a leading MMORPG operator and developer in the Chinese market, and with over 5.5 million World of Warcraft subscribers that's going to take a lot of computer power to feed the PC baang frenzy. According to the UK edition of The Register, The9 ranked on China's Top 100 supercomputer list taking half the top ten spots with 12 machines overall in the top 100. The 1950–core clusters taking the top spots were built by HP, and when taking all 12 machines into account The9 has a least 18,032 cores of processing power dedicated to keeping MMOG players all across China fixated on: World of Warcraft, Soul Ultimate Nation, Granado Espada, and Joyful Journey West.
Sword of the New World expands with Nocturnal Sonata
IGN has a scoop on the new 'Nocturnal Sonata' expansion to Sword of the New World, an MMO also known as Granado Espada in Asia. Sword of the New World is a free-to-play title brought to North America and Europe by the K2 Network. Massively has looked at this game in the past and found it to be a quirky title; IGN describes its setting as 'the European Baroque period if it was designed by a modern anime artist'. Sword of the New World becomes even more surreal given that its old world setting is juxtaposed with a techno soundtrack. Surreal qualities aside, the game has some interesting features, particularly the use of collectible UPCs, or Unique Player Characters. The concept is somewhat comparable to the Heroes in Guild Wars. You control up to three characters at once who are members of your 'family'; certain NPCs for whom you've successfully completed quests offer themselves up to be added to your family as UPCs and called upon to aid you in your adventures. They provide access to special hybrid classes with unique powers to match. There are over 40 such UPCs, and two more are initially being added in the Nocturnal Sonata expansion: Vincent Rio (who inflicts damage with music) and Baek Ho (martial artist extraordinaire). Yet more UPCs are to follow in the coming months, adding new gameplay possibilities to Sword of the New World. The Nocturnal Sonata expansion will be released on June 25, and closely follows the 'The Land of the Dead' expansion released only three months ago.
Sword of the New World gives players their Manifest Destiny
If you're a Sword of the New World player who's been looking for more stuff to do in his -- or her -- game of choice, then you're in luck! What's being called "The long awaited expansion" to Granado Espada (Sword of the New World to us Stateside) has finally hit the game. It's name is Manifest Destiny, which also happens to be your families' claim to the new lands by order of Queen Vespanola.The expansion (which is free) contains more content then you can shake your weapon of choice at and a bevy of tweaks. Most notably are the two new areas Gigante Island and Bellem's Relic, a bunch of new items and an event that is very uniquely titled "Andre's UFC" or "Andre's Ultimately Fabulous Competition" Well, we can't say that Sword of the New World lacks a personality when it so obviously has the quirky thing down pat.
IAHGames changes Granado Espada model again - returning to free-play
After announcing that Korean MMOG, Granado Espada, would be commercial on 30 August, 2007, Asia-Pacific operators IAHGames have announced that the MMO will be free-to-play at some (as yet) unannounced date in the Asia-Pacific region in the very near future (The game is, as we understand it, already free-to-play in North America, having gone free-to-play on 21 August 2007). That's Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam. Granado Espada (also known in North America as Sword of the New World, where it is operated by K2 Network), won the 2006 Korean awards for Best Graphics, and for Game of the Year. Reviews and responses in North America have been more mixed, but Granado Espada does provide some interesting departures from more regular MMO fare.
Sword of the Nude World
You type in your username and password on the logon screen, the game loads, and you see your character... in the buff. No, you haven't been hit by a keylogger-- if you're playing Granado Espada (a Korean MMO known as Sword of the New World in North America), then odds are you got hit by some kind of weird hack or hoax. Apparently, players logged out of the server on October 20th, and then logged back in to find their characters naked (NSFW, even though pics are blurred), complete with.. umm.. anatomically correct graphics.How incredibly strange. Random Battle suspects that it's a hoax of some kind, but changes like that have to come server side, so either a player was able to dial into the server and change models somehow, or a wayward mod messed with something as a joke. IMC Games, the game's maker, is reportedly looking into the incident. In other news, Sword of the New World's subscription rate among males has skyrocketed. Go figure.
SUN is most anticipated game in China
According to the latest poll from Chinese gaming site, 17173.com, Korean developer Webzen's Soul of the Ultimate Nation is the most anticipated game in China. Other titles in the top ten include Guild Wars and Granado Espada (both will be operated by WoW host The9), as well as Kingdom of Warriors, Ragnarok Online 2, and Rohan. Analysts are predicting China's online gaming market will approach $1 billion in annual revenue within the next year, surpassing Korea. In response to this gaming boom, major publishers such as Electronic Arts, NCsoft, Take-Two, and Ubisoft have opened development offices in Shanghai. Webzen is currently putting the finishing touches on MMO-shooter Huxley for the North American market, but has also opened an office in Shanghai to produce Kingdom of Warriors.See also: Disney, Shanda bring online content to China
