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Explore free to play games with Massively
To keep up with tradition, we would like to extend an invitation to our readers to come explore the world of free to play titles with us. Of course, there is a twist. Beau recently announced that he would be covering one free to play game per week, will be inviting players to play along with him, and then he would cover it in a new column called "Rise and Shiny" on Saturday afternoons. But what fun is exploring if you do it alone? So log into the current game and play all week, in this case Mabinogi, and join us on this Friday night at 8 PM Central Time, USA. Send a friend request to Beau on the Mari server, channel 6, and we'll see how much damage we can do to the local fox population! Keep an eye out for the follow-up column on Saturday, though, being that we will be announcing the next game of the week to explore. Be warned that some of the game picks might make you step out of your gamer comfort zone! If you cannot make the Friday night session, Beau will be streaming/recording it live here.
Nexon acquires NDOORS Interactive
It's not quite as stunning as the earlier announcement regarding Turbine and Warner Bros, but for the free-to-play world a big shakeup has taken place. Nexon, known for MapleStory, Mabinogi, and the upcoming Vindictus among others, has acquired a controlling share of NDOORS Interactive, known principally for Atlantica Online. The deal was announced in Korea late Monday evening, with Nexon explaining that they had acquired 67% of the company's shares including those of the former chairman, Seung-Mun Kwon. Nexon CEO Su-Min was quite pleased about the acquisition, stating that the addition of the technical expertise and experience of the NDOORS team would help with the company's long-term plans and global expansion. There's no word yet on what this will mean for the operation of Atlantica Online in the US and elsewhere, although it's reasonable to assume that Nexon would likely consolidate their operations. We'll have more for you on this story as it develops and as further details come to light.
Free for All: RP in FTP?
Roleplay is a funny thing. Its definition can change over time and can adjust for each world that it is needed in. In a game set in modern society, there wouldn't be much that would not be out of character besides mentioning things that do not exist in that specific version of a modern world. If you get into a heavy fantasy game, though, you would probably avoid any modern references or phrases for the sake of staying "in character." And no, "thou" and "thus" are not needed. "Hello, how are you?" will serve just fine. Roleplay is becoming a lost art, though it seems. Most players are in the tavern just long enough to grab the quests. Standing in front of the bank, an old hot spot for roleplay, has become a spot to show off new armor or mounts instead. This doesn't stop me from trying, though, but in my own subtle way. I don't want to scare anyone off, and certainly not some 15 year old kid inside a free to play game. Yes, that's right, there is roleplay inside free to play games.
Mabinogi celebrates spring with cherry blossoms and a new quest
Spring has arrived in Mabinogi, and everyone is enjoying the weather, the budding trees, and the blossoming flowers. Well, nearly everyone. While you're wandering in Tir Chonaill, you may want to stop by the town's graveyard. Why would you want to spend a spring day in such a gloomy place? Well, the graveyard contains the ghost of a young man who would like to see the sights himself, but he's bound to the graveyard and therefore can't do a lot of wandering. You can help him out by bringing a cherry blossom in the new "See the Blossom" event. The quest isn't as simple as picking a nearby flower and running back to the graveyard. You'll need to do some sleuthing to find out where these trees are in the first place, and even then it may not be quite so simple. See the Blossom is available until April 27th, and the grateful ghost will almost certainly make the quest worth your time, so don't miss out!
Mabinogi introduces farm land and more
Itching to grow a virtual garden, live off the land, and cultivate a harvest for yourself or for profit? Check out the latest update to Nexon America's Mabinogi MMORPG, where you can do just that and more. The free-to-play game has just added several new features including three new Shadow Missions which find players teaming up for death matches, battling Fomor monsters and collecting the ingredients that they protect. Additionally, the game update allows players to acquire two new Alchemy skills: Flame Burst and Sand Burst. The former is used for close range attacks while the latter allows players to temporarily disable opponents by blinding them with sand. More details are available at the Mabinogi website as well as the game's Facebook page.
Offer based incentives added to Nexon games
It's long been a known fact that most "free" services are supported largely by advertising. MMOs, by and large, have stayed away from the advertising model, instead opting for item shops and subscription fees to turn a profit. Nexon America, however, has decided to go in a different direction -- and you can probably guess what it is straight from the introduction. The company, producer of the popular games MapleStory and Mabinogi among others, will be adding offer-based advertising in exchange for item shop cash starting at an undisclosed time. The nature of the offers isn't stated, but it seems poised to run in a similar methodology to Facebook-based games, albeit hopefully without the sometimes rampant scams. No word on whether or not the ads will intrude on gameplay itself, but it seems unlikely -- and at least for now, they simply remain another option on the main site to earn item shop currency without money. Still, it's a notable change in model, and not something that's commonly seen outside of the realm of social gaming. Only time will tell how players will react.
The Daily Grind: What's your favorite vanity pet?
It may be the absolute height of fluffery, but vanity pets (AKA "non-combat pets" and "it'll cost you $5 in our item shop") are adored, desired, collected and flaunted by many MMO players. Even the most hardcore among us show a softer side by pulling out a playful puddycat before a raid, and it's not uncommon to pass by a traveler in the wilderness who has a faithful companion by their side. For some people, it makes them feel less alone in their journeys; for others, vanity pets are a status symbol. Most MMOs have these pets in one form or another, pets that don't attack your enemies but perhaps charm them with fashionable cuteness. From WoW to LotRO, from Mabinogi to Free Realms, from Wizard101 to Guild Wars, vanity pets are some of the most desired items. So what's your favorite, if you have a particular softness for these summonable critters? Which pet did or do you always use above all others? And what made them your favorite -- was it its rarity, its looks, its animations, or its similarity to your favorite animal?
Free for All: Five favorite game systems
This week I decided to talk a bit about some of my favorite game systems. Systems are essentially the building blocks of all quality MMORPG matter, allowing for an experience that is unique and worth returning to. Developers have been very creative in designing these systems that, like good technology, are not often noticed by gamers. Good systems blend into your experience but enhance it, and often make the overall game play seem like something more than it would be without them. Here are some of my favorites, and I would recommend downloading these games and checking them out. Or, if you are already playing these games, take a moment to notice how much thought went into these systems, and also of how much time you spend using them. Their simplicity can sometimes be deceiving, hiding the complicated processes that help your game play be a detailed and varied experience.
Bunny hop through our Easter holiday roundup
As Massively readers everywhere recover from the second-greatest candy holiday of the year, many MMOs have also enticed players with virtual sweetness. Easter may not be the most popular of in-game holidays, but there's something very MMO-ish with "collecting" eggs and hunting down giant, man-eating rabbits wherever they trod. Even future MMOs like TERA are eager to get their own virtual bunny event up and running. Take a gander through our Easter holiday roundup, and let us know what your favorite in-game event is! Final Fantasy XI: An Egg-hunter Is Hatched "Initial eggs" are eggs of avian persuasion that have been inscribed with a single letter of the alphabet. During the Egg Hunt, adventurers can receive a random initial egg from the festival moogles once every Vana'dielian day. Collecting and forming certain combinations of initial eggs will garner you event egg-sclusive prizes. World of Warcraft: Noblegarden 2010 Noblegarden will run this year from Sunday, April 4 (this Sunday) through Sunday, April 11. If you've never done Noblegarden before or only done its fairly low-key, pre-2009 version, it helps to know that Noble Gardener (the holiday's meta) is part of the year-long What A Long, Strange Trip It's Been achievement that rewards the 310% speed Violet Proto-Drake.
Mabinogi's Easter Egg-scavation
If Easter has taught us anything, it's that chicken eggs are an odd but reliable source of candy. This is generally not good press for chickens, as they already suffer from being tasty and associated with cowardice. Nexon's Mabinogi hopes that your Easter egg hunting skills are strong and sharp, as they invite players to participate in an egg hunt to end all egg hunts. It turns out that these aren't ordinary eggs, either. Laid by the fabled hens of Erinn, their eggs occasionally come out (why not) fossilized. It's these fresh-yet-ancient eggs that demand attention, as players will extract their stony yolk in search of an iconic Easter Egg Capsule. These capsules contain (why not) candy, which, when eaten, bestows the adventurous eater with various stat bonuses and unanswered questions as to which came first: the chicken or the petrified egg. Start your egg-scavating by heading over to the Mabinogi website and firing up this colorful MMO.
Mabinogi looking for moonwalkers
Mabinogi, the fantasy life MMORPG from Nexon, is gearing up to celebrate its second anniversary in North America with a new in-game event called Jump to the Moon. Nexon is keeping a lid on event details, as they are specific to individual servers and require a targeted number of 'moon-walkers' to activate. To participate, grab a friend to help you seesaw your way to Eweca. Once you've made the jump, check out the miniature cows, dancing pandas, and giant moon bunnies, and be sure to grab your Cow Robe reward. If your server reaches its moon-walker quota, you'll be able to enjoy the anniversary event over the weekend of March 26-28. You'll also receive a special Mabinogi Anniversary item. Check out the full press release for more details.
GDC10: Nexon's Vindictus revealed
I'll admit to being somewhat of a Nexon fanboy, and someone that considers them to be in the toy business rather than in the MMO business. They manufacture joy in my eyes. Bright, shiny joy. But the recent announcement of their new title "Vindictus" shows us a game that we are not used to seeing from Nexon. While it will follow the same business model that other Nexon games do, it promises to be a "sexy" game: a game that will make players feel like a hero. It promises to be more of an action game, or as Nexon America's Vice President Min Kim put it when he sat down with us for an interview, "an mmoACTIONrpg, epic, fierce and intense." Want to know more? Want to see the killer trailer? Join us after the jump. %Gallery-88064%
Mabinogi's Alchemy update brings in new boss
With the most recent patch to the American Mabinogi servers, Nexon introduced the Alchemist to the world. Since then, players have been pitting their skills in special Shadow Missions against the evil denizens of the Shadow Realm. But now there's a new threat looming on the horizon, bringing with it all new challenges. Added to the game with the update is a special boss monster available to players towards the end of the Alchemist storyline, Claimh Solas, who is described as the "fiercest and most terrifying" of the newly added monsters. Claimh Solas will spawn once a week, on Saturdays, for players to band together into groups and take down in a special arena dedicated to the fight. While he starts out as a dangerous monster, players will have to battle together to weaken him and summon the golden dragon from the Mabinogi: Dragon update to assist them in taking him down. However, he will then respawn in a different form, his demonic wings replaced by swords to be used against his attackers. So if you're one of the many folks hanging out while Mabinogi goes through extended downtime, it's a good time to plan out leveling through the Alchemy story -- or seeing which friends will be around on Saturday, if you're already there. With that said, if you're one of the people who hasn't checked out Mabinogi but this sounds interesting to you, we've included the trailer for the recent Alchemy update behind the break.
Mabinogi fuses science and magic with new Alchemist update
In real life, alchemy was an early scientific movement that wound up stumbling upon a few concepts important to modern science. In Mabinogi, it's at the heart of the most recent update as a mixture of both science and magic, allowing characters access to new skills and abilities through research and magical prowess. The Alchemist update for the game has just been released into the wild, and brought with it a new form of gameplay, the aforementioned Alchemist abilities, and not one but two different holiday events for players to enjoy. Within the new zone, Taillteann, players will be able to explore both the Alchemist's House to research components of the new skills, or take part in the game's new Shadow Missions. If taking part in the missions and the new storyline isn't as appealing for the moment, however, there's also an event running for both Valentine's Day and the Lunar New Year, with both offering players a few carrots if they take part in the festivities. Mabinogi has been keeping a steady stream of content updates for some time, and this newest update promises to give players even more to explore within the world of Erinn.
Mabinogi adds Shadow Missions
Mabinogi, aside from having a bit of an alphabet soup name, is not a game known for holding things back until the next content update. If they can think of something neat to add in, they'll happily do so more often than not. So it's not exactly a surprise that with their upcoming Alchemist update, focused around (wait for it) the Alchemist, the game will be adding brand-new "Shadow Missions" as well. Meant as a cross between regular party quests and dungeons, Shadow Missions are part of a new struggle against the nebulous Shadow Realm and the inhabitants of Erinn, Mabinogi's setting. The approach might feel a bit like the Skirmish system from Lord of the Rings Online, as you pick your mission from a message board in Taillteann depending on which of several types you feel like undertaking. Once you've chosen a mission, traveling north from town lets you cross over into the Shadow Realm and take part in the battle, either protecting important figures or leading the siege against the dark inhabitants of the area. The official site has a small preview with a list of mission types for what looks to be an interesting addition to Mabinogi's gameplay.
Mabinogi enters open beta in Europe
While those of us in North America have been able to enjoy Mabinogi for some time, our fellow gamers in Europe haven't had the chance to check it out. That is, until now. Nexon Europe have just opened up the beta for Mabinogi in Europe, so anyone who has been curious about this fun little world can now check it out. To add to all the launch fun, the Nexon Europe team have put together a video featuring lots of in-game footage from the world of Mabinogi. Between the recently revamped starter areas, job systems, real-time combat, and fun things like the composing/performance skill, it's worth a look if you like free-to-play games. Check out the trailer after the break, or pop by the Mabinogi site to sign up for open beta.
Latest Mabinogi update revamps beginner areas
Nexon has revamped the starter area in their free-to-play MMO Mabinogi, lowering the difficulty in several dungeons and streamlining the Advent of the Goddess storyline a bit in order to make things easier and faster for new players to settle in. Veteran players won't be left out in the cold, however -- this is a great opportunity for them to revisit the beginning storyline. From now until February 9th, twenty random characters from each server that complete Advent of the Goddess will receive a Premium Human Character Card. That's not the only event adding interest to the world of Mabinogi. Players visiting Qilla Base Camp will notice a very special tree growing nearby with pieces of paper attached to the branches. Those pieces of paper are Wish Notes, found in treasure chests throughout Rano and Connous, and players can write wishes on them and attach them to the branches of the Wish Tree. At midnight, the wishes float up to the skies of Rano in a truly eye-catching display, and players have reported that their wishes come true! With these new updates, the worlds of Mabinogi are better than ever for both new and old players.
Closed beta test for Mabinogi in Europe has begun
Hey Europe! Did you guys feel left out of the fun when we talked about Mabinogi? Well worry no more, as the free-to-play multi-faceted game is coming to your shores finally! (Which is kinda funny when you think about it, as Mabinogi is a Celtic-based game and is just now getting released in Europe.) If you're looking for a beta key to jump into the test with, you can find the complete list of sites that are offering keys over on the Mabinogi EU website. To accompany the game's launch, Nexon EU is hosting the first event of the game, the Mabinogi Fan Club. The most dedicated beta testers will win this event, as those who submit the most bug reports with significance will find themselves rewarded with a three month subscription to Mabinogi's "Fantasy Life" service package. The beta testing ends on December 30th with a huge fireworks blowout, so enjoy the closed beta test while you can!
Mabinogi's "Dragon" update adds... dragons
So, unsurprisingly, the new "Dragon" update to Mabinogi is adding dragons to the game. But not just one type of dragons is being added! Oh no, no, no, they've gone for two types of dragons -- the Red Dragons and the Blue Dragons.It seems these two colors are wings deep in war with one another for control of the mythic Golden Dragon, and both sides will do anything to get their hands on this "master dragon" so to speak. Players, on the other hand, now have the option of flying hot air balloons right through the warzone.
Mabinogi to get "Dragon" update this year, teaser trailer revealed
The Ancient Secrets of Irinid patch for Mabinogi was only launched a matter of months ago, but it looks like the team at devCAT kept up their momentum and quickly got to work on the game's next chapter. Publisher Nexon America has just announced that there will be another content update this year, simply titled Dragon, which is focused on a war between dragon factions in a new area called Zardine. This zone will play host to a number of new enemies, and dungeons here will feature a new "hard mode" difficulty.Along with the dragons in Dragon, Mabinogi's recent foray into flight will continue in the next patch, with players engaging in aerial combat with flying monsters -- while manning hot air balloons. Sounds ridiculously precarious, but at the same time fun. The update will also include lots of additional items, weapons, clothing, image enhancements and some pets. The teaser trailer we have posted after the break shows off a bit of everything from Dragon, including the aforementioned hot air balloon combat. Click through to check it out.
