fiesta-online
Latest
Fiesta Online's sixth anniversary celebration includes disco
What six-year-old doesn't want a big bash full of fun for his birthday? Well, Fiesta Online is no different, and the free-to-play anime game is celebrating its sixth birthday with a party that lasts the rest of the month! The festivities -- running from Friday, November 15th through Sunday, December 1st -- include a dolled up anniversary town, an open disco floor for getting your groove on, and a new multi-part quest that includes an exclusive Black Archon mount. Players can also dress up as popular townsfolk using new masks, compete in a GM-led dungeon-diving speed game, or collect Murumuru minipets. Get in the celebrating spirit with the anniversary trailer below. [Source: gamigo press release]
Outspark closes, gamigo acquires Fiesta Online
Free-to-play publisher Outspark has officially closed its doors, but its Fiesta Online MMO will live on thanks to an acquisition by gamigo. Outspark CEO Philip Yun says that "a substantial part of the team has joined gamigo, and will work from gamigo's San Francisco office to manage and support the games." A press release on gamigo's website also mentions that the firm will be moving its New York-based North American office to San Francisco.
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?
Fiesta celebrates five years of operation with a cavalcade of events
Five years is a respectably long time for an MMO to be running, and Fiesta is hitting that milestone this month. That's especially notable as the free-to-play title launched in 2007, when the very concept of a free-to-play game was still in its infancy. But like many MMOs, the team behind the game at Outspark isn't just celebrating internally. Instead, players are going to be reaping the benefits of the game's long life through several events, both in-game and out. Players can start off by taking to the streets in the Birthday Grand Prix race and taking part in the new High Roller event, searching for dice across the game's zones for special prizes. Then there's the Anniversary Dance Event running across the servers at the end of the month, a chance to get together with old friends in the game and dance until you stop. You can also enter to wear a pair of JustBeats Monster Headphones by Dr. Dre on the official Facebook page. Whether you're an old veteran or a new player, if you're a fan of the game, be sure to take part in one of the events before the time runs out! [Source: Outspark press release]
Free for All: New browser-based converts shine light on issues
I recently threw out a prediction that within five years, most of our MMO content will be coming through our browsers. To be more specific, I think that most players in the United States will be enjoying their favorite MMOs within a browser. That can mean several things but does not refer to games like Free Realms, a client-based game that is only signed-into at the browser level. As with any discussion about genres, mechanics or styles in the MMO world, I have to be very specific. It's pretty likely that a very large percentage of the US playerbase is already playing browser-based games. Look at the American market for games like RuneScape, Battlestar Galactica Online, Club Penguin, Drakensang Online, Evony, and Ministry of War and you might just find millions of players. Next we need to consider that there are more games coming into the browser market. This new batch is essentially a group of standard, client-based MMOs that are porting themselves to the browser. I tend to be a little skeptical about some of these in the short-term, for several reasons.
Rise and Shiny recap: Fiesta Online browser version
Fiesta Online is getting pretty long in the tooth. Heck, it's a game I have played and returned to several times over the years, and I've never quite stuck with it. Don't get me wrong -- the game is quite nice-looking for its style and always seems to have a ton of players on, but there are a lot of titles I would love to be spending time with. Unfortunately, I have to pick and choose, and a game like Fiesta Online will normally land on the list of games that I play very infrequently. I had a great time recently when I toured some high-level content with the developers and was more excited to hear about a browser version of the game coming out soon. Why would a browser version matter? I have predicted (and I am still sticking by this prediction) that most MMO content will be delivered via the browser within five years. The truth is that most MMO players probably play a browser game already, especially when you consider games like RuneScape, Dark Orbit, Battlestar Galactica Online, Club Penguin and scores of others, but I mean to say that the browser will become the accepted way to get your MMO content. Yes, one day we will look back, giggle, and say, "We used to download and install massive files just to play a game!" So how does Fiesta Online's browser version perform, and what is the point of having one in the first place?
Massively tours Fiesta's new Expedition to Adealia
Who doesn't love checking out a game's new content? I love it, for sure. So I was more than happy to sit down and ride along with the developers of Fiesta as they showed off their new expansion, Expedition to Adealia. The tour wasn't all rainbows and kittens, that's for sure. I found myself surrounded by towering monsters, crazy children brandishing giant knives, and massive, fire-breathing boss-monsters. It was fun, but I had no idea this cute Anime title could be so hardcore! Luckily for me, my hosts had the ability to heal or resurrect me when needed. I didn't do too shabbily, though, and I shot arrows like bullets, bringing down every mighty beast I came across. It was fun, yes, but a real slaughter. Well, for the monsters at least. And for those of you who'd like to host your own dance party in the game, Outspark was kind enough to provide Massively with plenty of goodie bag codes to give away. To get this free item, head to the redemption page and enter the item code MassivelyFiesta. You have until the 31st of January to redeem it. Journey on to see just what I found during my tour of the Adealia expansion!
Outspark announces Fiesta Online expansion, Expedition to Adealia
Outspark has announced a new expansion for its flagship free-to-play MMO, Fiesta Online. For the uninitiated, Fiesta Online is a fantasy MMORPG that puts players in the shoes of one of seven classes (such as Archer, Cleric, or Trickster) and sends them on a quest to -- what else -- save the world. More or less, anyway. The expansion, known as Expedition to Adealia, will bring players to the eponymous continent of Adealia. There, they will be tasked with battling "the evil that consumes the land." The expansion will also increase the level cap, allowing players to progress their characters' power even further. To find out more about the upcoming expansion, or to join the game yourself, head on over to Fiesta Online's official site. [Source: Outspark press release]
Fiesta Online whips up a creamy browser version
With a current playerbase of over five million users, you'd think that Outspark would be plenty happy with Fiesta Online as it is. However, the publisher has decided that there are more steps it could be taking to widen the accessibility for this free-to-play title, and as such, the devs are preparing a new version of Fiesta Online that you can play in your browser. Coming this winter, the Fiesta Online browser edition will access the full game that current players experience. Players will be able to log onto either the browser or standard client and interact in the same game. Outspark says that this is only the first part of greater changes coming to the game. Outspark CEO Philip Yun says this is all about giving its customers more choice: "With such a large fan following we hear plenty of opinions on what players want. In preparation for more content coming in the future, we wanted to provide old and new players more ways to enjoy and play their favorite MMO." [Source: Outspark press release]
Players of the world vs. Malephar: Fiesta Online creates the ultimate showdown
The colorful Fiesta Online -- the party MMO that is always prepared to breakdance if someone turns on a beat -- has conga'd forward with its latest update: Malephar's Lair. Named for a nasty centaur who doesn't play well with others, the update has plenty of new challenges for high-level players. Geared-up level 105 players can attempt to take Malephar down in his fortress, but before they do so they'll have to beat a pair of mini-bosses that serve as gatekeepers to the encounter. Take him down, and new legendary weapons will be yours for the taking! The update also includes 10 additional sets of armor, class balances, repeatable quests for those levels 89 and higher, and a special unicorn mount that lasts for just a week and can only be obtained by excelling in the guild tournaments. [Source: gamigo press release] %Gallery-108290%
Fiesta Online celebrating third anniversary
Three years ago today, Fiesta Online's first server opened to the public, and gamigo has just announced plans for the title's birthday celebration via a new press release. The festivities will run through August 18th and include "special events and major contests." First up is the Birthday Cooking Competition and Come Party With Me events on the the Fiesta Facebook page. There's also the Fiesta Birthday Quest and Fiesta Online Summer Festival events, as well as new and exclusive track suit and mini gift items in the game's cash shop. Fiesta is free-to-play and features five classes as well as PvP, in-game weddings, and an estate system that allows for decoration and personalization.
Fiesta Online unveils the Joker class
Outspark's Fiesta Online has your standard MMORPG classes. There's the Fighter, the Archer, the Mage, and the Cleric. The free-to-play fantasy title departs from the norm with the latest entries to its class stable, though, and today the devs have announced a followup to the Trickster class that was announced last March. That followup is known as the Joker, and though he doesn't look terribly serious, he nonetheless brings the pain as well as your average comic book supervillain. According to an Outspark press release, the Joker is "an agile melee fighter who can deal a great deal of damage to his opponents in a short period of time." Additionally, Jokers boast their own class-specific system which involves absorbing souls from defeated opponents to strengthen subsequent attacks. Weapon-wise, the Joker favors claws and dual swords. If you're interested in learning more about the class, or if you're ready to download Fiesta Online, head to the official website.
Check out Fiesta's new Trickster class in our exclusive video
The Fiesta Trickster class has been teasing fans with its impending arrival since the beginning of this month. We've had video, some screenshots, and even a special event in which fans played the game to find a password that would unlock further clues to the mystery of the Trickster. The question under all of this has remained, however: when? While the Trickster is far too slippery to reveal an exact date and time, we can tell you that it's finally arriving this week! Keep your eyes peeled for the release on Fiesta's site for this new class, but in the meantime we've got a special preview for you here at Massively. We have an exclusive early look at the Trickster release video, so take a look after the cut to see the Fiesta Trickster in action!
Fiesta Online unveils the Trickster class with a sneaky in-game event
The Fiesta Online team has been hard at work on some special events to celebrate the release of the game's new Trickster class -- but we can't tell you what they are. As is befitting this hard-to-pin-down class, the events associated with it are a bit of a puzzle. There will be a special password-protected event page on the Fiesta Online site later tonight, and the password can only be found while playing the game. We can give you a few hints, however. There will be jester caps available in game as part of the festivities, you can earn special in-game weapons, and the GM team -- particularly GM Trixie -- is feeling a little mischievous. Your job is to find that password once the event begins and use the event page to guide you to the special items and quests. Check out the image above for a sneak peek. For the rest of the details, keep an eye on the Fiesta Online page tonight for all the details, and have fun!
Fiesta Online reveals the Trickster
"The Trickster is here!" the brand-new trailer for Fiesta Online proclaims. Affectionately known as "Trixie," this class has had players wondering what Outspark had planned for the New Heroes of Isya patch. While the trailer doesn't cover much territory, the main feature of the class is highlighted: dual-wielding. Trixie is shown with a pair of nasty-looking dual claws, although the video promises that dual blades is also a lethal option. The Trickster can specialize as either a Renegade or Reaper, and Outspark has said that the class deals damage in a freaky new way. You can get a glimpse of Fiesta Online's Trickster after the jump, and don't miss out on our interview with Outspark about this upcoming patch!
Massively's exclusive look at Fiesta's new content
Mysterious updates are starting to appear on Fiesta's homepage and Facebook, and players want to know what's going on. Outspark's darling of a game has been going strong for quite a long time now, so the players have a real need for new information. What do these images mean? Who are these strange characters showing up? What does it mean for them? Lucky for the players, we were able to sit down with the team at Outspark for a brief interview about the incoming patch, titled New Heroes of Isya. There are still plenty of mysteries left, but this exclusive image of a new weapon, along with the following interview, might serve to clear some of the fog. So click past the cut and enjoy! Just don't let this Trixie character get you.
Head into the Leviathan's Nest with Fiesta Online's latest expansion
Fear not the Leviathan, my gaming brothers and sisters! While his power is great, his wrath mighty, and his breath most foul, only brave heroes like you can stop his reign of terror once and for all! Fiesta Online has cracked open the doors of the Leviathan's Nest, the newest expansion to the game. Players daring enough to explore the hazard-filled dungeon will find the titular beast as well as two additional boss monsters who are just crashing at his pad for the time being. Once the Nest has been cleared out, a bounty of new armor sets and weapons will shower down on the heads of the victorious. So, y'know, watch out for falling swords and plate armor. If you want to give the Leviathan's Nest a go, head on over to Fiesta Online and see who's the boss of whom, and be sure to peruse the dungeon gallery below. %Gallery-108290%
Free for All: Why I play free-to-play
I hid in waiting under a soggy sheet of cardboard for the past three days with stale Cheetos as my only nourishment. I had but a single target, who finally exited his house with bleached skin, a red fuzzy head and blurry eyes. As he stood at his front door trying to shoo away the sun like a vampire, I made my move. At last, I thought, Beau's spirit hood will be mine. By the time I was well into a Keanu Reeves-style flying scissor-kick, I realized an important tactical error. It wasn't the horror-filled eyes of a man who had spent too much time indoors staring at a computer screen that I was looking into, but the fierce come-get-some eyes of a teenager with spiky, dyed hair who was practicing his karate moves. Had I thought beyond simply looking cool as I made my attack, I would have realized I spent every ounce of energy I had to pull off the insane leap-kick that actually looked more like what you'd expect: a tired, wet, dirty, malnourished geek hop-skipping and shouting gibberish through a yard with a piece of cardboard stuck to his back. The three-day diet of stale Cheetos did not give me enough fuel to defend myself from the brutal pummeling that the pint-sized Bruce Lee gave me. It turns out Beau lived in the house next door. He had seen my wild display and subsequent beating, so he came out to help me. He invited me into his house to let me clean myself up, extolled the dangers of trying to live out movie fantasies, and offered to let me write his column for a week. It wasn't a spirit hood, but it was a very nice gesture. The dog-shaped cookies were a nice gift too, although I don't know why he snickered every time I ate one. No. The above tale really didn't happen, but Beau is letting me write his column today so I can tell you why I love to play free-to-play MMOs.
Online operators avoid balls-up with football trademarks
The last time we saw any statistical data on overall awareness of intellectual property issues, it seemed that awareness of copyright and trademarks was quite appallingly low – and actual accurate knowledge about them was a very rare thing indeed. Surprisingly few people seem to know their way around the don't-do basics, and with record numbers of trademarks being registered in recent years, it is actually nice to see that some online operators have got a firm grip on things this year. Honestly, if you tossed a press release on our collective desk touting your virtual environment or MMOG having items or outfits available in support of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ ... well, it'd probably cause an avalanche of pizza boxes ... but after we got the mess cleared, we'd probably assume that your promotional stuff was littered with unlicensed FIFA trademarks. It's happened before.
Fiesta Europe opens two new instant dungeons
European Fiesta players are in luck as Gamigo has opened up two new instant dungeons in the game, and not just for high end players either! Players in the mid-game levels of 25 to 45 can now take on the challenges of ferocious monsters in the Tower of Izyel. Players will fight to retake the tower with one of the monster creator NPCs, Maria, and hopefully restore the tower's purity. High level players will be able to enjoy the Lair of the Sleeping Dragon, where we here at Massively think that dragon won't be sleeping for long once players start entering the lair! It's really hard to sleep with all of those adventurers in their plate mail clunking around. For all of the information on Fiesta Online Europe, check out their main website.
