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Free for All: So, what does "MMORPG" mean?
As a reader of Massively, you should have a pretty good idea what MMORPG means. Not just what it stands for, but what it feels like, looks like, and behaves like. The problem is, despite common definitions, the games keep coming in different shapes and sizes -- and from all over the world. While I receive many comments about the Western coverage that Massively features, I would only be doing half my job if I reported on only the latest half a dozen games to break the multi-million-dollar budget mark in America. The world is a smaller place, especially now. And across the world there are MMORPGs that are being played and enjoyed in many different ways. There are PvP games, games that place players into instance after instance with only a handful of other players, all while offering the potential to hang out with thousands of other people. Is an instanced combat game still an MMO? How about a game like Mabinogi, which maintains a persistent world, but is broken into several invisible channels for players to skip in to and out of? This is impossible, but I think I will try to define exactly what MMO means -- now, in this current market.
Mabinogi Europe reveals huge Uncharted Lands expansion
Nexon Europe, makers of the sprawling Mabinogi free-to-play fantasy MMORPG, have just released the Uncharted Lands expansion that brings massive amounts of content updates to European players in one fell swoop. Uncharted Lands collates three years of Korean updates and two years of North American updates into one patch, culminating in the European Mabinogi client being brought up to speed a mere four months after its initial launch. Included in the update are two new races (giants and elves), multiple new explorable locations (Connous, Physis, Courcle, and the city of Tara, among others), and flying mounts. Finally, social features such as the postal system, fashion and cooking contests, and activities including jousting and farming have been made available in the huge update. You can learn more at the official Mabinogi website, as well as check out an expansion trailer after the cut.
Free for All: Knowing my limits
I'm a 36-year-old gamer. My eyes, ears and lungs are not what they used to be. The decline started with art, something I have been doing since I was a small child. Then I added on heavy drumming for the last 23 years. Next, throw in gaming for the last 10 or 12 years. For good measure, add in a small case of asthma. For all intents and purposes, I have enough nerd cred to keep me in the club for life. Still, I would love to get rid of the migraines from eye strain and the aching tennis elbow. The asthma takes care of itself -- through exercise and avoiding smoking. Since I started writing for Massively, though, my eyes take on a lot more strain than they should, especially considering how defective they already are. So I've had to take steps to ensure that I'll be able to continue to write, and that I will be able to continue to write for a long, long time. Read on, and I'll tell you what I do and what games work for me.
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!
Free For All: Ten misconceptions, two opinions -- part two
Recently I had an idea to send my MMORPG.com counterpart, Richard Aihoshi, an email requesting his input into my column. He has been very helpful and informative, and I am glad to say that he has taught me a few things. We ran through some ideas and decided to discuss 10 common (and undying) misconceptions about free-to-play games. He posted the first half of the discussion in his weekly column which can be read here. He has also written for Beckett Massive Online Gamer magazine and is the former editor of RPG Vault. After the jump you will find the rest of the discussion points. I would like to highlight that, while the following points are commonly brought up to both Richard and me, more and more players seem to be accepting free-to-play as what it is: an option, and nothing more. These points are not an attack on subscription-based games or their developers, but are simply an attempt to butt two heads together in the hopes of clearing out the fog a bit. After all, we both receive many comments and emails regarding these misconceptions, so this list was shockingly easy to make.
Nexon grows as MapleStory hits 7 million registered users
It must be said that Nexon is having a good year. A very, very good year indeed. As free-to-play titles are on the rise in the MMORPG genre, Nexon is reaping the benefits of this trend as more people flock to its titles like Mabinogi. As a result, the company has seen a 26% jump in revenue for the second quarter this year, and its profits are trending up compared to the same time last year. Even for F2P MMOs, Nexon's games boast impressive numbers: MapleStory has crossed the seven million registered user line, Combat Arms four million and Mabinogi one million. "Our player base and revenues continue to expand, which tells us that gamers find that our free-to-play business model fits their play needs," said Nexon America CEO Daniel Kim. Nexon is also looking forward to releasing Vindictus, a promising title that we most recently previewed at San Diego Comic-Con last month.
Free for All: Not everyone drinks at the bar
I understand the opinion that all free-to-play games are "not fun," or that they are "nothing but a grind." Even though this is a generalization that is nowhere near the truth, and despite the fact that the giver of these opinions couldn't have played every free-to-play game in existence to base this information on, the idea behind the sentiment is pretty solid: "I do not like free-to-play games." I cannot argue with that, being that it is an opinion. If someone wants to lump games into a category based on "how a developer might make money" then so be it. It is not only my opinion that there is good and bad in every payment model (just check some of the comments section on some of our columns) but that, more-than-likely, the generalizer has probably played only a handful of these games, and filled in the gaps of his opinion with ideals that are closer to racism than actual experience. There are two things that I can present as evidence to a free-to-play game's quality, however. Two things that are so important and yet so basic that no game could live without them. Two things that make up the very foundation that MMORPGs should be built on, so that gameplay and style can be stacked on top.
The Daily Grind: How do you like your in-game holidays?
While the Yanks in the audience are busy recovering from their Independence Day beer-and-BBQ binges, the rest of you might well be wondering what all the fuss is about regarding that most American of holidays. Well, I'd love to wax on about it, but since we're not a history blog, let's look instead at the myriad MMORPG holiday celebrations that happen throughout the year. Whether it's something like the fireworks shenanigans going on in Mabinogi this weekend, or the double XP happening in EverQuest II, every title normally does a little something extra for the major holidays including Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, and of course, July 4th. Does your favorite game celebrate real-world holidays? If so, does it make any attempt at dressing it up to fit the game world, or is it just an excuse to indulge in some free items or unusual quests? What are your favorite holiday gaming events?
Mabinogi rolls out Independence Day events
Get ready to say Happy Birthday America with Mabinogi's 4th of July Fireworks Event. The free-to-play fantasy MMORPG from Nexon is celebrating the holiday weekend with an Independence Day promotion that begins July 1st and runs through July 6th. Players can grab fireworks from general shops in the game, shoot them off as high as possible to win in-game prizes, and check out the special messages that will appear when the fireworks are launched. Also new for the holiday weekend is the Ice Capture the Flag event, in which players attempt to steal watermelons from the opposing team while freezing enemies in place with a special event weapon. Finally, players can also take part in the Premium Treasure Chest event, in which treasure boxes will drop from mobs all over the world of Erinn. Check out the official website for all the details.
Nexon Europe brings horses to Mabinogi
Are those hoofbeats you hear in the latest Mabinogi Europe video? Horses have been available for North American Mabinogi players for years, but the European players have been left out in the cold. That's about to change, as Nexon Europe is bringing horses to their Mabinogi community. The announcement came yesterday from Nexon Europe: Shire, Thoroughbred, and Halflinger horses are now available in the cash shop. That's not all, though: the Unicorn mount is also available to European players until June 30th for 15,000 NX cash. The mounts offer different benefits and seat either one or two players depending on which you purchase. Check out the new Facebook video highlighting the horses, then pick up your very own, non-sparkly pony in Mabinogi!
E3 2010: Dragon Nest hands-on
Dragon Nest couldn't be more different from Vindictus, Nexon's other new title. Where Vindictus is all about "elegant brutality," Nexon describes Dragon Nest as "kinetic and beautiful." And though both games are lovely in their own way, Dragon Nest's style is more typical of what you'd expect from Nexon: The art is stylized, with a bit of an anime feel to it. Gameplay felt a surprising amount like Nexon's 2-D classic arcade-style MMO, Dungeon Fighter Online, though DN is fully 3-D and much more like what you'd expect of an MMO. But like DFO, DN's combat is fast-paced, full of flashy animations, and just a lot of fun. With every game we see from Nexon, it's clear that they're taking everything they've learned from previous development and adding it to their latest project. Though we haven't seen everything the game has to offer, Dragon Nest may be their most polished game yet. %Gallery-95665%
Mabinogi Goddess of Light update adds capital city
Nexon America brings word of a new update for Mabinogi, their free-to-play fantasy life MMORPG that boasts over one million registered players. The patch, called Goddess of Light, brings a new city into the world of Erinn, as well as jousting competitions, wine making contests, fashion contests, and an auction house. Players can now explore Tara, the capital city of the Allech Kingdom, to take part in all of the aforementioned events. Additionally, players can commission an in-game NPC to draw likenesses of their characters for display in player housing, personal shops, or on clothing. Finally, the Goddess of Light update introduces a new transformation ability known as the Awakening of Light, as well as new alchemy skills including Frozen Blast, Rain Casting, and Metal Conversion. View all the details at the official Mabinogi website.
Free for All: Introducing my trade route
There isn't a game in existence that will perfectly match every type of player. I have found that even my favorite games of all time could do with some tweaking, which is not the fault of the developer. No game-maker can read our minds, and there will always be limits on technology that will hamper the MMO creative process. But let's not forget the tools that are provided by developers, even within simple games. In almost every game I play, I try to apply some section of the Immersion Rules, a set of guidelines I made a few years ago that dictate how I interact with the world and other players. It's not a rigid set, though, and I am always bending it to a particular game or style. Lately I've been determined to assign my characters, in all my games, some sort of job to make money with. It could be an adventurer, a collector, or in the case of Mabinogi, a trader. This week I wanted to show you how I do it, so that you might find some inspiration to assign your own character a task or two!
Free for All: My top five F2P games
You know, I think I have a pretty clear mission here at Massively. I want to do my part to point out anything different or fresh to help keep this special genre of entertainment going in a good direction. If I can introduce 20 people to five new games, then I think I did a pretty good job. It can be a pretty rough trip, sometimes, as I wade through horribly designed websites and illegible fonts to fish up some independent gem or two. Over the last few years, I have discovered that my playstyle has changed to meet the demands of my curiosity. The games that I enjoy the most allow me to come and go, like a faithful dog that meets me after a long days work. They have to meet certain criteria, and even then have to be flexible enough to bend to my MMO ADD. So, here's a short, very short, list. This is the hardest list to write, not because it is hard to fill, but because it is almost impossible to cut off. Read on and see if you agree with my top five favorite free-to-play MMORPGs. (In no particular order.)
Nexon acquires controlling interest in GameHi
Earlier this month, Nexon acquired NDOORS Interactive, but apparently that's just the beginning of their acquisition spree. The company behind popular free-to-play titles MapleStory and Mabinogi has just acquired GameHi, makers of Dekaron among others. The deal reportedly took place for 73.2 billion won (nearly 60 million dollars in US currency), which looks to be higher than GameHi's overall revenue for 2009 (which was reported at 41.5 billion won). No word yet on how this will affect any services for GameHi's games. Considering the recent NDOORS acquisition, Nexon seems to be taking advantage of their dominant share to buy out several smaller free-to-play developers in both the Korean and American marketplace. All signs point to their acquisitions focusing on developers, which raises the question of whether Nexon is aiming in the direction of overarching companies such as NCsoft, with several owned studios working with the central company. It's food for thought, although the promise of the quick-approaching Vindictus certainly dissuades any notions that Nexon's own developers are sitting idle.
Mabinogi releases Generation 3 in Europe
For those of you across the pond who have been looking for a bit more action in your "fantasy life," Nexon Europe has a bit of news that will likely be of interest. The company is gearing up to release the Generation 3 update to their game Mabinogi, which will escalate the fight between the Dark Knights (not to be confused with Batman, mind you) and Paladins. As part of Generation 3, players will be able to take up arms and battle for either side -- all the while enjoying newly uncapped skill ranks. Along with the new battle challenges, this update adds in a guild system, perfect for gathering your friends together before you enter the fray. Additionally, the marriage system has also been added for those who want to signify their character's connection with another. (No word on if digital alimony also enters into the picture, but then we'd guess it wouldn't be much of a "fantasy" life.) Experienced and new players alike can also take advantage of special Mabinogi Generation 3 launch quests to land some nice loot as they play. More details are available on the Nexon EU Mabinogi site, or you can check out the shiny new launch trailer after the break.
Free for All: How much content does 25 dollars buy?
With the recent announcement of 25-dollar mounts in EverQuest II, gamers drew lines in the sand. "Step past this line, developers," said some, "and we'll teach you a lesson." Understandably, many thought that 25 dollars was too much to ask for a single in-game item. Meanwhile, hundreds, if not many thousands, bought the item and further blurred those lines. Some think that this is sending a dangerous message to developers, one that will only encourage further lazy development and lackluster efforts on the part of the world-makers. I think the more dangerous message is sent when you avoid the purchase of the mount, or avoid the use of any cash shop in any form. We can look at established and successful free-to-play games for our evidence, proof that content should be measured on a case-by-case basis. Players have shown that they are comfortable with buying their content a bit at a time, and developers have shown that they can be trusted to put out good content. But, what are these dangerous messages that the standard subscription model and box prices send to developers?
Mabinogi celebrates upcoming expansion
Mabinogi's next expansion, Goddess of Light, is on the way and we got the scoop on the new content just a few days ago. Nexon's pretty excited about the expansion, and rather than make us sit around until the June 9th release date, they've opted to give us all sorts of contests and sneak peeks at Goddess of Light during May. If you're a Mabinogi fan who somehow missed their Facebook page, you'll want to remedy that right away. Throughout May, you'll find new pictures and updates as well as information on upcoming skills and hobbies on both Facebook and on the Mabinogi forums. What about events in-game? Never fear, because you'll find plenty to do there too: "...we will constantly be hosting contests and chances to win Premium Character Cards, 2x Experience bonuses, and even a chance to be immortalized in the Erinn Walker!" With less than a month to go until Goddess of Light, you can expect new updates every weekday, so make sure you don't miss anything!
Rise and Shiny: Mabinogi
Each week Rise and Shiny asks you to download and try a different free to play game, decided 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 Friday night at 8 PM Central time, followed by this column the day after. If you cannot make the event, I will stream and record it here. I welcome any suggestions for games, either in the comments or at beau at massively dot com. I decided to start out with Mabinogi because it's easy to jump into, yet has more systems and skills than most games I have ever come across. While the graphics might turn some players off, once they give it a chance they should find a game that never ceases to delight. Nexon America continues to improve the game, adding new features and expanded areas several times per year. I have been playing the game for quite a while yet still have to complete even the first few chapters of the main storyline! Not only can you chase after dreams of conquest, but can become a tailor, a blacksmith or many other jobs that will result in the same fame and riches. So let's take a look at the game that we picked for this week, and please let me know what you think in the comments section!
Nexon hands out details on next major update
Exciting news, Mabinogi fans! Nexon America contacted us and asked to give you a sneak peak at an exclusive image from their upcoming update "Goddess of Light." Not only will there be a brand new area called Tara, complete with the standard banks, general stores, smithies and clothing shops, but the newest addition will have players scrambling to get there: an auction house that will allow players to sell rare items to each other. Tara is the capital city of the Aliech Kingdom and has such features as jousting grounds and another hub for shadow missions, as well as a small connecting gully called Correave. Not only will players find beautiful scenery like they have never seen inside the gully, but also special trees that will produce honeycomb which can be used to make royal jelly, honey and pollen. Look for the update coming June 9th.
