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New TERA dev diary looks at genre-bending
The folks at En Masse assert in their latest dev diary that perhaps MMORPG isn't the best acronym to describe their upcoming game TERA. Instead, they suggest MMOACRPG, or Massively Multiplayer Online Action Combat Roleplaying Game. The dev diary goes into detail over how TERA is unlike the typical MMORPG on the market today. It explains how each class requires "timing, aim, and precision to excel" and how "dodging, blocking, and movement play a big part in your survival," which is quite a jump from the usual target-and-begin rotation outlook we see in most games. The full dev diary contains further information, including a small tidbit on the game's political system. If you're keeping an eye on TERA as it makes its way to the west, we recommend you take the time to read the full entry!
TERA producer: Getting to endgame doesn't take a lot of time
Episode three of the official TERA podcast is a wrap, and community director Jason "BrotherMagneto" Mical sits down with En Masse producers Brian Knox and Chris Hager to talk voice acting, E3 2011, and the recently concluded community play event. There's also a few interesting blurbs related to TERA's endgame, both in terms of reaching it and what it entails. Hager discusses the challenges of recording "greet and goodbye" dialogue snippets for quest-givers as well as more involved cinematic presentations that will occur throughout the TERA progression experience. Knox jumps right to fan concerns about TERA's leveling curve, saying that it doesn't have much in common with your typical grindfest. "We're putting a lot of focus on adding more content to the endgame and making sure there's lots to do at max level. Getting to max level in TERA, it doesn't take a lot of time. We've made sure that progress is fast and efficient," Knox explains. So what is there to do at endgame? Knox says that dungeons and boss fights will play a significant role, and En Masse will be tweaking the difficulty levels to continually challenge players.
Massively's Exclusive TERA lore: It's Good to be the (Slave) King
Yesterday's exclusive TERA screenshots shone the spotlight on the Red Lash pirates (both their swashbuckling foot soldiers and their fearsome Gula commanders). Today, Massively brings you the latest Day in the Life TERA lore snippet, and with it a deeper look into the world of one Bardragul. Bardragul, in addition to being grossly overweight and in need of a toothbrush, is also fond of trading slaves and playing with his food (which is usually sentient, alive, and aware of the fact that it's about to be a Gula's next meal). Head past the cut for more on this Red Lash brigand and the grotesque family of TERA AI monsters to which he belongs.
Massively's Exclusive TERA screenshots: Pirates and BAMs
Massively's got a pair of new TERA exclusives coming your way this week, the first of which deals with both BAMs (En Masse Entertainment parlance for big-ass monsters) and pirates. With all due respect to the ninja fans in the audience, pirates reign supreme, particularly the Arborean pirates on display in our new screenshots. These cultured gents are representatives of the Red Lash and are composed mainly of Castanic rogues that do the bidding of their Gula overseers. That's right, the BAMs are running the show, as the cutthroat and corpulent Gulas currently direct the buccaneers that make up the rank and file of the Red Lash. Head past the cut for some pirate and BAM-flavored lore, and don't forget to check out the four exclusive new screens in our gallery below. %Gallery-88481%
TERA shows off Centaur lore and tactics
The official TERA website has updated with a look at one of the mobs players will likely encounter in their journeys around Arborea. Centaurs are found primarily in the Fey Forest region and look to challenge adventurers with spear attacks, hoof attacks, and their ability to sidestep player combos. The new entry also reveals a bit of centaur lore, noting that the legendary creatures are "presently allied with the fey creatures of northwestern Arcadia province in an uprising against woodcutters, whose drastic logging practices are in danger of denuding the forest in order to fulfill lumber orders from Velika." Tactically, centaurs are prone to rapidly closing the distance to a target as well as coming to the aid of nearby faeries and other centaurs. Check out all the details, as well as a couple of new screens, at the TERA website.
TERA box art revealed, game one step closer to release
Upcoming fantasy MMO TERA has been in closed beta for some time and is fast approaching release. Created by Korea-based developer Blue Hole Studio, the game is due to be published in North America and Europe by En Masse Entertainment and Frogster respectively. With the game's first big community testing event officially starting tomorrow, fans of the game will finally get to try it out. TERA took another step toward realisation today as En Masse has given fans a first glimpse of the official box art. The colour schemes and visual styles in the box art are designed to mirror the styles you'll find in the game once it's released. In a refreshing change, the female character featured in the image is a lot more conservatively dressed than is usually expected from box art or from TERA. Head over to the official TERA website for a sneak peek at the new box art.
TERA European community test kicks off, political system detailed
Blue Hole Studio's TERA has officially kicked off its European testing phase, according to this morning's press release from Frogster. The German gaming company is publishing TERA in Europe, and has sent out 1,500 invites to "the most dedicated and hardcore fans from the TERA community." The special testing event will run for four days, and Frogster says similar events are scheduled for the "very near future." Frogster also drops a few hints regarding the game's political system, noting that it's intended to be endgame content and that elected rulers will access exclusive mounts, impose taxes, and manipulate NPC villagers. The system involves something called policy points which are acquired via questing, and Vanarchs (the term for players that ascend to the position of regional ruler) must determine how and where to spend them.
TERA's Chris Lee on making a Korean MMO into an American hit
The recent announcement regarding a mind-meld between En Masse Entertainment and Atari for the purposes of bringing Bluehole Studio's TERA to North America has generated a fair bit of industry buzz. Not only does it indicate an impending release date (though En Masse remains coy about anything other than a "2011" date), but it also signifies to fans of AAA Asian-themed MMOs that they'll soon have an alternative to Aion and Lineage II. Gamasutra recently chatted up En Masse publishing vice president Chris Lee about the challenges inherent in bringing TERA to the West, and surprisingly, the "westernization" catch-phrase -- and associated deflections -- were nowhere to be found. Lee instead focused on how En Masse has a long road ahead when it comes to turning a Korean MMO into an American hit (regardless of the title's inherent quality). "One of the biggest misconceptions in the business is that a good game will sell itself," Lee says. Lee also spoke to TERA's decision to bypass the free-to-play craze as well as the title's unique combat mechanic, which is "a large departure from traditional MMOs, regardless of region."
En Masse Entertainment publishing Tera with Atari
Atari is happy enough about its MMO revenues to go shopping for another one. Publisher En Masse Entertainment announced that Atari will distribute its action MMO, Tera, to retail in North America. The game, which attempts to combine MMO trappings with a timing-based, action-game-style combat system, is expected to be available in America through the new partnership this year. En Masse's Chris Lee cited Atari's "strong distribution network" and "culturally iconic brand" as reasons Atari was a good fit as distributor; we're guessing it's mostly that first thing.%Gallery-119227%
En Masse signs with Atari for TERA North American retail distribution
What do En Masse Entertainment and Atari have in common? As of this morning, both entities are officially working to bring TERA to North American shores in 2011. According to a new press release, Atari has signed on as the exclusive retail distributor for the action fantasy MMO which released in Korea earlier this year. "When we first played TERA, we could see that it had all the elements of an MMO hit," said Lee Jacobson, SVP of Licensing and Digital Publishing at Atari. "Our expertise in retail marketing and bringing MMOs to market combined with TERA's obvious quality makes this a great fit for both companies." TERA was developed by Bluehole studio, with En Masse serving as both co-producer and North American publisher. The game allows players to join the Valkyon federation and fight to save it from mythical monsters and warring gods while engaging in dynamic combat that places a high premium on player skill.
GDC 2011: Massively takes on TERA's Smuggler Hideout, and Brian Knox teases the political system
Ah TERA, you're such a tease. And we're not just talking about your skimpy outfits, oh no. Your political system, your endgame, your Westernized (whatever that means) makeover... all of these have conspired to leave us breathless with anticipation. Fortunately, we were able to take TERA for a spin at this week's GDC 2011. Along with help from a PUG comprised of En Masse Entertainment staffers, we ventured deep inside the game's Smuggler's Hideout, battling BAMS (En Masse shorthand for big-ass monsters) and checking out the title's streamlined UI and spiffy combat mechanics. Join us after the cut for a brief recap of the demo as well as an interview with producer Brian Knox during which we (politely) demanded a definition for the much-discussed concept of Westernization.
TERA community play event coming in March
After a brief sojourn to celebrate the Korean launch of Bluehole Studio's TERA, it's back to the grind for the En Masse Entertainment team tasked with bringing the fantasy action MMO to western shores. January saw En Masse achieve a significant milestone in relation to the game's final server hardware configuration, and the focus is now shifting towards a community play event tentatively scheduled for March. The event will serve two purposes: a test of the new hardware and an opportunity for players and people flitting about the periphery of the TERA community to get an updated look at the game. Event participants will be noticeably free of NDAs, so we're expecting a good bit of new TERA info and impressions over the next little while. En Masse will host a second event "a couple of months later," this time focusing on account management and support systems, with the North American beta to follow. Said beta will be "a multi-part odyssey" according to the official TERA website.
TERA's first level 50 player interviewed
How long does it take enterprising players to reach the mythical endgame of Bluehole Studio's new TERA MMORPG? If you're a Popori Berserker named Dog, the answer to that question is not very long. The Korean version of TERA officially launched on January 25th, and Dog has already scaled the level grind summit to become the world's first max-level TERA toon. In an interview at TERAfans, Dog speaks to the leveling curve, the PvP, and the ease of the overall experience. He also admits to putting in "42 hours or so at the beginning before I have to sleep or before my guild forces me to sleep." So how about that endgame? The interview states that he hasn't seen much of it as of yet and offers no insight into TERA's super secret political system. Dog does indicate that he ran every dungeon in the game at least once during his whirlwind leveling journey and is "a little worried about how easy they are." We'll add the usual this-is-the-Korean-client qualifier here, and we'll also direct you to TERAfans for the full interview.
TERA interview attempts to decipher "westernization"
Uh oh, it's time for the W-word again. Last week's entry in the TERA Race and Class series purported to explain En Masse Entertainment's definition of westernization. The vaguely worded nature of the press release raised more questions than answers, though, and the folks over at ZAM recently caught up with En Masse producer Brian Knox in an attempt to put some meat on the westernization bones. Knox's insights steered clear of specifics, instead focusing on a general definition as En Masse sees it. "Westernization refers to our process of adapting a game to fit the Western market. In some cases, text localization and new marketing assets are all that are needed. Other times, specific game mechanics and features require tweaking for the market," he says. So what exactly does that mean for TERA? It's anyone's guess at this point, and it could be as simple as text translations or as complex as class differences or a softened XP grind. We'll keep our eyes peeled for more details.
TERA class videos explode from Frogster!
Bluehole Studio has been a bit silent as of late regarding its action MMORPG, TERA. But today, European publisher Frogster treated us with not one, not two, not even three, but eight trailers from the lands of TERA. These stunning videos give us a taste of each player class: Warrior, Lancer, Slayer, Sorcerer, Archer, Priest, Mystic, and Berserker. Despite what it may look like, each teaser is shot using TERA's in-game engine and textures -- there's no outside studio work here. Never-before-seen class features are showcased, and Frogster hopes to whet your appetite with these action-packed videos. Follow after the break to judge each class video for yourself. So, truthfully, do these videos make you more excited about TERA?
Massively's exclusive TERA lore: Five Tenets
Curious about the stoic Baraka race of En Masse Entertainment's upcoming TERA MMORPG? If so, Massively has a treat for you in the form of our latest exclusive lore entry from the world of Arborea. Despite their fearsome physiques and brooding countenances, Baraka are one of TERA's more scholarly races, and their barrel-chested bodies belie a gentle nature and pacifistic tendencies. It's not all bookworms and turning the other cheek though, as today's yarn by En Masse lead writer David Noonan demonstrates. When pressed, Baraka can be quite fearsome -- if cerebral -- fighting machines. Join us after the cut for a day in the life of Thuul, a Baraka archer tasked with defending his home against the horde of argon invaders.
TERA video shows off Sinestral Manor
Lately it's been rather quiet on the Arborean front, as Massively hasn't posted any new TERA-related info for the better part of two weeks. Happily, Game Informer is here to quench that drought courtesy of a new gameplay video. While it's a little on the short side, the clip does feature new in-game footage and a glimpse inside the creepy bowels of the Vampir Mansion (also known as Sinestral Manor). You might recall the curiously spelled Vampirs from one of En Masse Entertainment's screenshot of the week featurettes, and you might also be a bit puzzled (as we were) at the distinct lack of Vampirs to be found in Game Informer's Vampire Mansion tour. That said, there were plenty of other beasties on hand, including a fearsome boss featured over the last half of the clip. There's also plenty of combat to be found, so head over to the Game Informer website and have a look.
En Masse issues official clarification regarding TERA's action combat
Rumors have been flying about TERA this week, mainly due to a pair of ThisIsGame.com interviews with Bluehole Studio higher-ups that were translated from the original Korean by TERAfans. Today, En Masse Entertainment (TERA's North American publisher) has issued an official statement clarifying the second piece, and more specifically, shooting down any notion that TERA's long-touted action MMO combat has changed. "TERA's combat system hasn't changed and action remains a crucial element to the game. There was a mistranslation in the article where the phrase 'lock-on system' was used instead of 'lock-on skill,' which was the original context of that statement. We are committed to making adjustments to TERA based on player feedback, but the game will still offer all the depth of an MMO with the intense action combat system. This will not change," said Matt Atwood, director of public relations for En Masse.
TERA interview translation hints at targeting and combat changes
Despite the recent rumors of a prolonged delay in the North American/European testing and release schedule, there are still plenty of interesting goings-on in the world of TERA. ThisisGame.com has once again published an interview with Bluehole Studio heavyweights (including TERA's executive developer, CEO, and lead graphic artist), and once again the Korean original has been translated by the folks at TERAfans. There are quite a few interesting nuggets to be found throughout the piece, none more curious than the apparent closed beta tweaks to the game's much-ballyhooed targeting system. We'd like to stress "apparent" here because in the absence of confirmation from North American publisher En Masse Entertainment, these translations fall squarely under the rumor sub-heading. That said, if the info is accurate, it represents a shift from what we've heard of the game's combat thus far. "TERA is an MMORPG with action elements, but the game itself is not an action game. If we call TERA a non-targeting game, many people expect an action game. Throughout the game's various tests, we tried to make TERA easier to get into, adding a lock-on system and many other improvements. After those changes we also decided to rename the non-targeting system to "free targeting system". Let's be honest free targeting rolls off the tongue better doesn't it? It doesn't sound so negative," the article says.
TERA North American release rumors abound
A storm is brewing on En Masse Entertainment's official TERA forums, one that threatens to bring more drama to the intarwebs, kill helpless Popori in their beds, and delay TERA's North American release for months. OK, maybe the first two are a bit overwrought, but there are rumors regarding the game's possible late 2011 arrival swirling around the internet. It all started with an interview at a Korean website called ThisIsGame.com, which spoke with Bluehole Studio boss Kang-Suk Kim. Fan translations of the interview seem to indicate that TERA will launch in Japan during the first half of 2011 and North American/European beta testing will begin a month later (which would lead to an even later final release date). So far though, the dates are a mixture of speculation and conjecture as En Masse (TERA's North American publisher) has declined to offer any clarification. Rest assured that Massively is checking with our Korean sources, and we'll bring you the very latest as it happens.
