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Elsword Online open beta starts April 27th
Not enough side-scrolling manga-style beat-'em-ups in your life? Elsword aims to remedy that, and the title's closed beta is rapidly nearing an end. According to a new Kill3rCombo email blast, open beta is just around the corner and the servers will be up and running at midnight PDT on April 27th. You can download the client right now, and the game will automatically patch to the new open beta version as soon as the servers come up. The new public testing period will also see Elsword's item mall open for business, and guild features (as well as consumable items) will be enabled. You can learn more about the title at the game's official website as well as via our recent hands-on impressions piece.
Soul Master closing down for redesign, scheduled to return in 2011
Soul Master, an action MMORTS from GamesCampus, has announced that it will be joining the ranks of shuttered MMOs on November 16th. In something of a departure from your typical MMO shutdown, the notice on the free-to-play title's official website states that the game is tentatively scheduled to be re-launched in the summer of 2011 after it has been completely reworked. The current build is "not sufficient to meet our standards in both the direction we feel game development should go and the quality of the experience we feel is deserved by the player community," says the announcement. The statement also hints at Soul Master's resurrection in six to eight months, one that will apparently feature a more traditional style of MMO character progression. Check out all the details on the official website.
Waging WAR: Warhammer's new online store
This week's Waging WAR catches a whiff of recent happenings on the internet and with Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. Greg dives in face-first, grabs a fist-full of the news, and delivers a fast-ball rant on the issue. Well, apparently the RMT has hit the fan, and the resulting spackle is starting to plaster the proverbial walls of the blogosphere and beyond. Recently, some information was released about what players can expect to buy at EA-Mythic's new store. Although only a few items are actually available now, there's a pretty extensive FAQ on the server transfer service, and we'll have to wait a little longer for the Progression and Personality packs, as they're set to be released along with patch 1.4. Naturally, the drama is building up some nice momentum, and it will be interesting to see how the whine will affect this particular cheese over at the Mythic official forum. For now, you can read past the break and enjoy my rant.
Lost Pages of Taborea: What's $15 worth?
Hello everyone! This week, Jeremy Stratton (your usual Lost Pages of Taborea host) and I are swapping columns for variety -- so thanks to Jeremy for allowing me, Beau Hindman, to take over his column for the day! I have to admit that I am relatively new to the game, never having really given my character time to grow into a proper hero. Fortunately, the game's free-to-play status allows for this type of reckless avatar growth. But how free is it? Runes of Magic is not a "freemium" game, one that literally asks for payment at some point in order to level higher or to explore new content. It's my favorite type of free-to-play: the kind that gives you the client, gives you a free house, and even loans you a mount to make early level travel much easier. Critics of free-to-play will say that most free-to-play games trick, convince, or even force players to spend large amounts of money in the cash shop in order to "succeed," often without defining what "success" means. While I admit that I play at the speed of molasses, I do maintain a few titles in which I slowly, but surely, obtain higher levels. Runes of Magic isn't one of them, yet, so I want to take a look at how much I will get for a typical subscription amount: 15 US dollars. So, how much does it buy me?
En Masse's response to microtransaction speculation: TERA is not a microtransaction game
In one of our recent TERA articles, we speculated that TERA may be going towards a microtransaction/subscription model thanks to the wording in a press release sent out by Digital River, TERA's online shop service. However, senior producer Brian Knox has sent us a statement that sets the facts straight: TERA is not a microtransaction game. "After a press release by Digital River announcing our e-commerce partnership a few players expressed concerns that TERA would be a micro-transaction game in addition to requiring a subscription fee; that is not the case," said Knox. "TERA is not a micro-transaction or cash-shop item game. The game is built and designed to function as a subscription-based game. We would have to make dramatic changes to the game's design to support micro-transactions and there is no intention of doing so."
Lost Pages of Taborea: You can play for free
The life of a free-to-play game columnist sometimes feels like driving a super-charger across a post-apocalyptic planet's surface: pock-marked with jagged smoking craters, littered with crumbling cities and dotted with shanty towns full of biker gangs. No matter how hard I try to avoid anything dangerous on my way to a coveted twinkie factory, it's only a matter of time before I run into some. I usually try to avoid anything that I think will immediately ignite a box of old, wet dynamite when talking about Runes of Magic, but I think I'm going to go out on a limb this time by saying you most certainly can play RoM for free. I had spent two years browsing many other MMOs' cash shops before I saw RoM's, and back then a lot of what they sold were time-restricted items. You could buy any assortment of outfits, mounts, or even some attribute boosters, but you lost most items after a short amount of time. I know a lot of F2Ps operate differently now and have started experimenting with many ways of selling items, beyond any perceived notion that the game was built with simple roadblocks. Still, I think those games feel very separated from their cash shops and that's why RoM's shop stands out to me.
Lost Pages of Taborea: The cash shop
I'm really looking forward to the coming weeks in Runes of Magic. I'm shopping around for a new guild to partake of siege wars and other guild goodness. I'm also planning to throw some funts or maybe even a macaroni toward the Item Mall. I've spent money on RoM before, but most of it went toward decorating my house, customizing the look of my equipment, or extra storage chests. This time around, it's all about beefing up my attributes and jumping into more content. I need to alleviate that trudging-through-mud feeling I'm getting from the leveling curve while prepping for some dungeon action. It will be win-win for everyone. I'll be having more fun by opening up new aspects of gameplay and you'll get to read all about it. First thing I need to do though is speed up some armor-enhancing to boost my ability to kick some butt. Since I'll be doing all of this shopping, I thought I'd cover my opinions on how Frogster handles the Item Mall. Click past the break -- free of charge -- to see my opinions on pricing, what types of items you can get and how it will affect your gaming.
The Daily Grind: Which titles should try F2P?
Let's face it. In these harder economic times, there are a lot of people cutting back on subscriptions. Folks that may have carried multiple MMOs are now choosing more carefully. Those who probably wouldn't have taken a look at a free-to-play game before are now at least reading up on them in case anything they might like shows up. Companies like Turbine, EA/Mythic and others are starting to look towards models that turn the old "14-days to try it, then either buy it or sod off" on their ears.Our question this morning is what game (or games) do you think need a F2P overhaul? Would you use something like what Turbine has done with Dungeons & Dragons Online, offering free play and an item mall that sells adventure packs? Do you think the Warhammer Online unlimited trial/velvet-rope model is better? Grab your morning caffeine and let your thoughts flow in the comments below!
Buy special Station items and SOE will donate to Haitian relief
If you've been considering donating to Haitian relief efforts and happen to play EverQuest, EverQuest II, or Free Realms, then we've got some news that you'll undoubtedly want to take a look at. Between now and midnight PST on January 18th, for every purchase of either a Zando T-Rex pet in Free Realms, a Protectors of the Faydark armor crate in EverQuest II, or a Plush Bear item in EverQuest, SOE will donate $10 to the relief efforts up to a maximum of $25,000. Considering each of the items only costs 500 Station Cash to purchase, that equates to players donating $5, then SOE matching the donation with $5 of their own and then sending it along. That's pretty cool in our book. So if you want to help a great cause and land a little something fun for your EQ, EQII, or Free Realms character, then these items are something you'll want to pick up before the midnight on the 18th. Also, a big thumbs up to SOE for offering items to raise money for Haiti. [Update: SOE has raised $25,000 for this relief effort in just three days!]
Nexon America's financials continue to impress in Q3
We reported back in August that Nexon America had begun the third Quarter of 2009 with a very solid July; their revenue for the month grew 35% over the numbers for July 2008. Now that Q3 is over, they are happily touting some additional (and still impressive) figures. August 2009 beat out last year's August revenues by 32%, and September hit a lofty 44% growth in revenues compared to the same time in 2008. Overall, Nexon America's third quarter revenue grew 36% compared to Q3 2008.Nexon America's CEO David Kim pointed out that this success comes without the bump that releasing a new game often brings: "Increasing our revenues without having added any new games to the company's portfolio for more than a year tells me that we are on the right track. Dungeon Fighter Online is just ramping up, so no revenues generated by that game are reflected in the outstanding third quarter we've had.Dungeon Fighter Online is still in open beta, but an item mall has just been launched for the game. We can only imagine that Nexon's growth will continue when these revenues begin to show up on future financial reports.
Bright Shadow set to light up Western shores in 2009
The US arm of Japanese game publisher Gamepot (note: not Gamespot, nor indeed Gamestop) has announced that they will be bringing a new free-to-play title to North American gamers by the end of the year. Bright Shadow promises hordes of unique monsters -- frightening stuff like squirrels with scythes -- collectively known as "Umbra" to battle throughout the game's world, using one of 20 different character classes. One of its other main features is a strong focus on social functions, with a robust guild system including guild halls and rankings. The world will have an "ever-changing weather system" and will contain a plethora of instanced dungeons.While the Umbra monsters will remain fairly untouched during the localization process, there will be new story lines and some beefed up character customization options awaiting players of the US version of Bright Shadow. Down the line, an RMT item mall will be introduced, allowing players to spend "Pot Cash" to get their hands on some aesthetic character enhancements. A teaser site has been launched and a closed beta application will be available through it some time soon, with the closed beta scheduled to begin this fall. Hit the jump to see a CGI trailer for the game.
Redefining MMOs: The rise of F2P
These days it seems like you can't move three feet in the MMO space without bumping into a Free-to-Play (or F2P) game. As the person who writes First Impressions from time to time, I play quite a lot of them. As such, I'm always looking at new F2P games that pop up, from tiny indie titles to mega-corporate offerings. Just about any subset you can imagine is represented out there: flash games, isometric, side-scrollers, mini-games, embeddable web-only, local client. Curious about what genres you might find? How about fantasy, steampunk, post-apocalyptic, casual, cartoon, pirate, anthropomorphic, space, and so much more. If it hasn't been made yet, wait six months - someone will probably do it, considering. Quality, too, runs the gamut. Some games are incredibly addictive, while others make you want to take a run at the dev team with a sock full of quarters.
The Daily Grind: Is there a difference between item malls and gold farmers?
With the recent news of China banning the exchange of virtual currency for real world currency, it brings up the future of gold farming in that country, and possibly the world. While China is certainly not the only country which employs MMO gold farmers, it's often labeled as the biggest offender. There is certainly a difference between trading real world money for virtual money and trading virtual money for real world money, but this new China legislation shows that the legalities of both practices are becoming real issues to lawmakers.So we're curious to know how you feel about the whole process of trading in either direction. It was once a stigma among gamers, but many companies are adopting this practice in a legal way, conducted by item stores and in-game currency exchange. Besides the fact that these item malls are supported by the game studios, do you see a difference? If so, what are they? Discuss!
The pros and cons of free to play Dungeons and Dragons Online pt. 2
The cons of the whole switchover Item malls that offer players the ability to purchase items or item upgrades degrade the gaming experience. We've been over this before -- letting Mr. Moneybags deck out his character at level 1 so he's 10x more awesome than everybody else is a major downer to people who don't have the money. While I've pored over the text that Turbine is released, it doesn't appear that they will be offering items like weaponry or armor. They will be offering "items of convenience" to the players. My best guess is things like potions, perhaps portals, resurrection scrolls, things such as these. Even though these are low powered items, they can still annoy you when Moneybags can teleport all over the place and you're left walking and taking the slow route. This con is, however, offset by the fact that points can be earned by actually playing the game. It sounds like they are attempting to make the cash shop available for everyone, not just the Moneybags of the world. This will be interesting to watch, as no other developer as truly tried this in the American market. "I could easily see some players offering up items in the auction house above the amount that a free player's wallet could hold." The big con to this is the limited play that free players get. Limited auctions and limited mail are two nasty inconveniences in their own right, but limited gold storage and limited chat seem to be the features that take the cake. How would you like it if you couldn't chat in all of the chat channels, or were restricted to how much you can say in game? Even worse, limited gold storage may mean that you might not be able to purchase the best items from the auction house simply because your wallet just doesn't hold enough. I could easily see some players offering up items in the auction house above the amount that a free player's wallet could hold. This is going to inconvenience the player further because it's going to restrict how the player can interact with the auction house and interact with the vendors in the world. Another two bites out of the pro pile are the fact that free players rank lower than DDO VIP subscription players in the login queue and free players don't get access to customer support. This means that a constant influx of DDO VIP players could easily keep bumping free players back in the login queue, should the server become overpopulated. While I don't exactly see this happening, it could become problem should the lines really get backed up. I know I wouldn't like to see that my place in line as number 27 get jacked backward to 30 or 35 just because a few subscribers chose to log in. Lastly is the fact that free players are stuck with the online knowledge base and the forums as their source of aid should they encounter problems. I can foresee some free players attempting to play the game, getting stuck on some odd technical problem, and then becoming unable to solve it simply because the knowledge base doesn't have their problem on file. You're going to inevitably lose some people over this, just because they don't want to deal with the frustration of attempting to make a free game work. It's a free game, so if it doesn't work, just move onto the next game. The bottom line? The final thoughts for all of this is you should weigh it for yourself. If you want to save some cash and you like Dungeons and Dragons, then this might just be the experience for you. If you're looking for a second quality MMO to have as a side-game, then this might also be what you want to pick up. If you're someone who's easily frustrated by limitations, however, then you might not enjoy this experience. Some of the stuff, like decreased auctions, gold storage, and chatting capabilities might hamper gameplay just enough to turn off some people. But, don't take my word for it. Judge the game for yourself when it hits free to play status later this summer. Turbine has just announced that Dungeons and Dragons Online will be moving to a free-to-play business model, and we have the inside scoop. Be sure to read our complete coverage of the changeover, and look for more info as DDO Unlimited approaches launch.
The pros and cons of free to play Dungeons and Dragons Online
Dungeons and Dragons Online going free to play is undoubtedly an awesome announcement. But exactly how awesome of an announcement is it?Yesterday we were all over the announcement, covering the basics of what can be expected with this changeover from subscription based to free to play. But now, I'd like to break that down even further, and really look at the changes in an in-depth manner.Certainly not everything about the new version of DDO has been defined by Turbine, but we're going to take a look at the basics of what this new version offers and compare the ups and downs of what's being offered. By the time we're done looking over the new system, you'll be able to answer that one burning question that's plaguing your mind.Is free to play DDO worth it for you?
E3 2009: Launch date announced for Rohan: Blood Feud's crafting system
YNK Interactive has revealed at E3 that their free-to-play MMO Rohan: Blood Feud will be getting a crafting system later this month. Andy Tubbs, the head of YNK Interactive's Rohan Division, helped make the announcement: "We are excited on soon releasing the Crafting System that will coincide greatly with our other game features like the Exchange Market, a place where players will have the ability to sell and/or buy crafted items from other players." The Exchange Market Tubbs referred to allows players to sell their items for Rohan Points, which is the currency needed to purchase things from the Item Mall -- in other words, crafting and selling the results could potentially become a good alternative to spending your own real cash.The crafting system will involve three steps: the first is collecting resources, then comes the extraction of crafting materials from those raw goods, and finally, the actual crafting can take place with the refined materials. Various enhancements can be applied to crafted items once the creator is skilled enough. Look out for the new system to debut on the 16th of June. Massively is on the ground in Los Angeles this week and covering all the latest E3 MMO news coming from the convention. Check out our breaking coverage (or all the Joystiq network E3 reporting) and keep your eye on Massively's front page for the latest developments.
Outspark giving away $15,000 in prizes to players
If you're one of the people playing any of Outspark's free-to-play games - Fiesta, Secret of the Solstice, Wind Slayer or Project Powder - we've got a bit of news that may be of interest to you. Apparently Outspark has decided to reward the players who are using their item mall with a little contest. From now until May 17th, 2009 anyone who makes a purchase of at least $25 will be entered for a prize drawing. What's up for grabs? Well, that depends on how much you spend in their item mall. If you drop at least $25 on SparkCash, you'll be entered in the drawing for one of 250 'Ultimate Gamer Packs' which include lots of in-game items for your character in whichever is your favorite Outspark game. Of course, if you plonk down some serious dinero - $50+ in SparkCash - you'll be entered for the cherry prize. One lucky player will walk away with a $15,000 prize pack: Toshiba 46" REGZA XV645 LCD Screen 1080p 120 Hz TV Samsung HT-BD1250 Blu-ray Home Theater System 1 Year Netflix Subscription As usual, this contest is open to those who are 18+ and a US Citizen. They've got all the information over on their page for those who are curious. So if you've been considering spending some money in the Outspark item mall, good luck! Maybe you'll get lucky and all that SparkCash will net you something bigger.
NDOORS CEO on Atlantica Online succeeding in the West
Massively multiplayer online games operating on the free-to-play business model are definitely a mixed bag in terms of quality. As such, they get a mixed reception in the West. Those who like more variety in their gameplay choices than the standard subscription model offers them tend to be more open to alternative business models. Staunch supporters of the AAA subscription model typical of the industry in Western markets have some serious misgivings about what the new crop of free-to-play titles could mean for the industry climate. NDOORS Interactive hopes to change some of these perceptions with Atlantica Online, their strategic turn-based MMORPG. Danny "Ralsu" Gourley from Ten Ton Hammer interviewed NDOORS Interactive CEO Peter Kang about Atlantica Online and how it fits into the industry climate in the West.
Rohan: Blood Feud gets new dungeon and more in latest patch
It's been a couple of months since we last checked in on Rohan: Blood Feud, and it was doing pretty well back then. The latest big news from YNK Interactive's free-to-play MMO is a decent-sized patch that was released last week, which featured a brand new dungeon called the Fire Temple Garden, among other things. The Fire Temple Garden is intended to be a pretty dangerous area for level 80s, and has four separate sections within: Kasa's Tower, The Blazing Temple, The Ring of Flames, and the Lamp of Flames. Starting to pick the common theme here? The selection of screenshots that came with the dungeon's announcement confirm that there will be some firey foes to contend with.16 new quests were added to the game in the patch, and all of these are found in the new dungeon. A system to fuse Option Stones was also introduced, allowing players to fuse multiple stones of the same grade to form a better one. The other main update is a new sidekick called Molly that can be purchased from the Item Mall. Molly can be used to heal your character every two minutes, and she can be leveled up a bit to increase her healing powers. If you haven't tried Rohan yet, you can do so by downloading the client and making an account at the official site.
Browser-based Pirate Galaxy announced
Just how massive can free-to-play MMOs be when there seem to be just as many of them as there are people living on Earth? This we wondered when we learned of yet another new browser-based game. This particular game is called Pirate Galaxy, and it's under development by a German company called Splitscreen Studios. The company employs some folks who used to work at Bigpoint, a leading name in browser games that's also based in Europe.Players of Pirate Galaxy pilot starships which can be upgraded both by things acquired through normal gameplay and through -- you guessed it -- an item mall. Splitscreen's press release stresses that the game's big selling point is how easy it is to pick up and play. "The swift registration process, streamlined interface and seamlessly integrated turorial ensure that the game appeals to beginners and experienced gamers alike," it says.Pirate Galaxy is slated to release later this year. Oh, and it's 3D. Splitscreen claims the graphics "push the envelope in the browser-based games segment." That's not saying much, but of course gameplay is what matters. Unfortunately we don't know much about that yet.
