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MapleStory's Dragon Master Evan blazes to the live servers
These days, it seems like you can barely cross the MMO portion of the internet without hearing about Dragon Master Evan. While you might have assumed that he was some new musical act or another, he's actually the harbinger of the newest class in MapleStory, as well as the focus of the most recent update to the game. There's been quite a bit of teasing about the update in the time leading up to it, but now it's finally available on live servers, giving players everywhere a chance to take control of their very own dragon. Since the dragon has its own options to be customized as it grows stronger, MapleStory players are going to have their hands full for a while. If that weren't enough, however, Nexon has also put together a number of events to celebrate the deployment to the live servers. They've also rounded up all of the prior lore and quest information about Evan. So rather than spending your weekend out being told how a dragon ought to be trained, you might want to simply go train your own. And if you need more motivation, there's a video past the cut displaying just what a properly-trained dragon is capable of doing.
Free to Play: The value of zero
Recently I read about Min Kim, VP of Nexon America, commenting that he thinks that their new set of games might actually be looked over because of the lack of a subscription. Essentially, it is the same quandary that an artist gets into when he or she wonders how much to sell their art for. I used to be scolded by my fellow artists all the time for not charging enough for works of art, the argument being that something handed out for too low of a price is often seen as gimmicky or cheap. As Kim put it, if "someone were to pass you a gift card worth $100, and they say, 'Hey take this, it's free.' Initially you would clam up and go, 'Wait, what's the catch?'" He pointed out that many subscription based developers might have to start giving more bang for a player's buck in order to keep up with the new, higher quality games that are coming from the FTP market. It will be interesting to see if this happens or not. But I can totally see what he means about pricing, or the lack of. My artist friends and I used to have those discussions about pricing for hours. I used to practically give the stuff away not because I thought it was bad, but because I just saw it as something I wanted people to enjoy. One of my friends told me he set his prices sort of high, and that this created a "value" for the item, something that the collector could claim that the piece was worth. If you look at the millions of dollars that some art brings, you have to wonder: is it only worth that amount because someone paid for it?
Nexon MMOs not coming to Mac or consoles any time soon
There's been quite a bit of talk coming out of Nexon from the time of the GDC -- revealing two games, more news on the venerable MapleStory, and even a developer initiative announced shortly before the conference. But if you were waiting for the other shoe to drop, there is one after a fashion, because the company still has no plans to develop anything for the Mac or for consoles. Both Vindictus and Dragon Nest are apparently popular choices for players to request on consoles, but according to Nexon America vice president Min Kim, neither one is planned for development for the console platform. Kim went on to explain that his company's base of operations in Korea meant that Mac support was a distant afterthought at best -- the market for non-PC games in Korea is minimal. Of course, in both cases he said that the support is something they would like to expand to eventually, but for now there's just not enough reason to expand. Which is sad news if you're one of the many users who prefer a fruit-based computer, especially with more and more games expanding to be playable on any platform. [Thanks Tracey!]
Nexon iNitiative launching contest for new games
Having a great idea for a video game goes hand-in-hand with playing them, and it goes double for MMOs. (Admit it, you have at least two that you keep locked up tight in your mind on the chance that Blizzard or Turbine or NCsoft come calling. It's okay.) But more often than not, those of us who specialize in playing and talking about making games never get beyond the idea stage. Making these things costs quite a bit of money, after all, and one lone game fan ranting about ideas isn't usually going to attract venture capital. Nexon America wants to make life just a little bit easier for the indie game developers and aspiring developers out there. They've just launched the Nexon iNitiative to bring funding to smaller studios and independent games, with an open contest for submissions. The best idea gets a cool million dollars of invested money, as well as a chance at a Nexon publishing contract. So while it's not quite a private design studio to make your great MMO idea come to fruition, it's a great chance for small developers to get a big leg up. If you think you've got what it takes, check out the submission guidelines and get cracking!
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.
Dungeon Fighter Online raises the Threshold of Power
Threshold of Power, the newest addition to Nexon's Dungeon Fighter Online has been released. This game update gives players a wealth of new areas to check out, and raises the game's level cap to 50. Of course, no fighting-style game would be complete without a variety of new moves, either. Add to that the 2x experience and item drops going on this weekend, and you can see why now is a good time to check out Dungeon Fighter Online if you're at all intrigued by the idea of an MMO based on old-school arcade fighting games. Thankfully, Nexon has sent out a video that shows off all the shiny new attacks off for those of us who aren't level 50. With moves as varied as giant energy dragons, on down to a very funny attack called 'Neil, the Sniper,' the video we've embedded for you behind the break is chock full of funky Dungeon Fighter Online craziness. We've also managed to make off with a bunch of screenshots showcasing the new areas and attacks from Threshold of Power, so be sure to check it out! %Gallery-84242%
Dungeon Fighter Online announces major content update
Not content to sit idle after their last update, Nexon has announced another major content update for Dungeon Fighter Online, entitled Threshold of Power. The game is still in open beta but doesn't lack for content, and players that have been enjoying Dungeon Fighter Online for a while will appreciate this update when it arrives. The level cap will increase to 50, and the update will add hundreds of new items as well as lots of new quests and skills. Seven new dungeons will be added, offering up variety in the form of everything from a huge walking tree invading Frostfield to hordes of skeletons and the Death Dragon Spirazzi in The Catacombs. If players find the content a little daunting, they'll like the addition of Advanced Avatar Items, the other major feature being added with the update: "these rare Avatar items offer a boost for Dungeon Fighters and when collecting a set of eight pieces, players gain additional boosts. " The update will arrive on January 27th, so gear up and be prepared for the new challenges!
MapleStory releases videos for new content
Earlier this month, we told you about some fun new content for MapleStory fans -- Nett's Pyramid and the Abandoned Subway. While they were both designed for mid-level players, they are worlds apart in style and content, offering up two very different challenges. Venture into the Abandoned Subway to battle hordes of Ribbon Pigs and Horny Mushrooms (no, really). For a change of pace, visit Nett's Pyramid to take on Pharaoh Snakes, Skeletons, and Mummies while being told "The curse of the pyramids will be upon you!" by a very large and annoyed guardian of the pyramid. Want to see for yourself? Nexon has given us a closer look at the two new areas with some short combat videos of both the Subway and Pyramid. We've included both of them here for you to enjoy. Follow along after the jump to take a look, and good luck with the pigs, mushrooms, snakes, and skeletons!
MapleStory introduces new quest areas
Nexon America's long-running MMO MapleStory is introducing two new areas to their players, less than two months after an extensive content update with a brand new class and storyline. Players can now explore Nett's Pyramid and the Abandoned Subway, party quest areas available soon to all mid-level players. Nett's Pyramid is an ancient-Egyptian themed area full of pyramids and hieroglyphics, along with plenty of creatures such as mummies and skeletons to battle. The Abandoned Subway is a gloomy underground map full of creatures waiting to attack those brave enough to venture in. The new areas are great for hunting and leveling, and will allow players to experience the "Monster Survival" feature, as well as some nice extras. Players who manage to clear all stages in one of the new maps will be rewarded with bonus maps, medals, and buffs. The content will be introduced to MapleStory soon.
Nexon bringing Poptag to North America
Hey, you guys know about Nexon America, yeah? The people who brought us MapleStory and Dungeon Fighter Online among many other titles. Well, they've announced that Poptag is coming stateside, which is sort of Bomberman only fully online and with water balloons... So, it's definitely got a specific "thing" going on. While throwing water filled balloons may not quite match up to tossing explosives, the game goes for a fast paced arcade style that should still appeal to people looking for that sort of experience albeit with cutesy water balloon throwing characters. And yes, this will be a free-to-play title with an item store, but that being Nexon's only business model thus far should've had you guessing as much already. But hey! The game also features a "sweetie" system that actually allows players to marry one another in-game proper -- aww. Poptag is scheduled to be released sometime during the first half of 2010, so if you find yourself interested in playing, keep on the lookout.
New Dungeon Fighter Online video highlights NPCs
Dungeon Fighter Online released its first major update back in December, refining their game and clearing up some areas that had been giving players trouble. Now they are shifting their focus to helping players get to know the world in Dungeon Fighter Online, beginning with the NPCs. With this goal in mind, Nexon America has released a new video highlighting four of the main NPCs. Lady Kiri the Gunnar specializes in firearms and mechanics -- she has a wonderful contraption known as the Equipment Re-Enforcer that can make your equipment much stronger. It can also break your equipment, so be careful. She also has several quests, at least one of which tells you to go to Mirkwood. Surely she's not asking you to go play another game, right? We'll assume not, and move on to alchemist Loton Maximug, who sells potions for a variety of buffs to your character as well as use of his Disassembling Machine. This machine can break unused equipment down into smaller building materials. Traveler Delilah is next on the list, found at the end of each dungeon ready and willing to make equipment repairs for the right price. The last NPC is the mysterious GSD. He's blind and has a demon-possessed arm, but is heralded as the greatest swordsman around. He serves as a trainer and weapons vendor for Slayer characters. Follow along after the jump for the video introduction to these NPCs.
Massively's Black Friday MMO sales guide
The holidays are officially here (if you're a retail chain, then they've been here for about a month) and so it's time to start looking for deals to give to either your MMO-playing loved ones or, well, yourself! Shopping can be a pretty big hassle, especially if you're not accustomed to hunting for the best deals. So, we've gone and outlined the season's new releases, as well as some places you can hope to find sales in the coming weeks.
Nexon plans new content for MapleStory
Nexon America is planning a new content expansion for MapleStory, scheduled to launch in December. The story of Aran represents a new class of players for MapleStory, and tells of five legendary heroes who fought the Black Mage years ago. One of those heroes was Aran: "After being cursed by the Black Mage and spending hundreds of years trapped inside ice, Aran woke up one day as an average man -- no powers and no memory of his past." The story is rounded out by Lilin and Tru. Lilin is a young girl, the lone member of her clan who still believes in the prophecy that says the five heroes will be revived someday. She remained behind, waiting for their return after the rest of her clan had moved on. Tru is an information dealer and member of Lilin's clan who helps her as much as he can, even though he moved on with the rest of the clan. More information on the new content can be found here, and a teaser video of the new content can be seen after the jump.
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.
Redefining MMOs: Developers weigh in, part 2
Erling Ellingsen, Director of Communications, Funcom: "A bit surprising to me is that in terms of number of players, it hasn't changed a bit. Ultima Online, EverQuest and Age of Conan has roughly the same number of players per server -- which is quite interesting actually. These worlds have remained quite the same in size, so apart from EVE Online -- which is in a slightly different category because of their game world -- these games haven't become any more massive in terms of population and size of the game world. I'm still waiting for that super-MMO with 500,000 players, one billion square miles of fantasy world and a complex, virtual society filled with political intrigues and personal and social challenges. "The truth is, however, that the size and scope of MMOs has remained relatively the same except for development in graphical technology. It's the same number of people playing, roughly the same size of the world, and we're doing the same things -- building houses, killing critters, leveling up and looking for loot. In many ways, the MMO genre is still in its infancy, and I am looking forward to more advanced MMOs in the future that really challenge the genre standards. "We don't need [a new term for 'MMO'] yet, I think. We're still quite early in the MMO era, and I think some of the big changes are yet to come." Min Kim, Vice President of Marketing, Nexon America: "By definition, MMO means that a game is massive, multiplayer and online. MMOs therefore provide an environment where one player is able to interact with many other players through a setting facilitated through an internet connection. .. "Today, the term MMO is taking on a broader definition where character persistence combined with the ability to play with multiple people suffice (i.e. session-based MMOs like Combat Arms, and KartRider). MMOs have evolved to adopt multiple genres, and the gaming genre should now be attached like a suffix to "MMO" to fully describe the type of MMO a game is (e.g. MMORPG, MMORTS, MMOFPS). However, this starts to get confusing for many when one considers online versions of games like Texas Hold'em or Chess, where there are massive player bases that have high levels of engagement and some level of persistence. ... "I believe the definition of MMOs has elevated to a point where it is bleeding to define games that simply have players that play with each other online. At Nexon, we have tossed the idea of calling our games 'connected games,' 'live games,' 'social games,' etc. However, at the end of the day, our goal is to grow truly massive player bases. The reality is that the majority of these massive player bases probably won't care about whatever we call our games, as long as they are fun and keep them enjoying the experience. Rather than thinking of new terms, I want us to focus our energies on creating great playing experiences with massive player bases to justify the existence of the terms that currently exist. "When people outside the industry ask me what kind of games we work on, I simply say 'online games.' The frustrating result is that sometimes people respond with, 'I heard those poker games make a lot of money.' ... I would like people to call our games FFOs -- Fun Free Online games." Laralyn McWilliams, Free Realms Creative Director, Sony Online Entertainment: "It's interesting, because I think there is a shift in terminology. 'MMO' has come to mean a specific kind of massively multiplayer game, as the short version of MMORPG rather as a general term for all massively multiplayer games (where MMORPG is a subset of MMO). You see the term 'virtual world' used now to describe massively multiplayer games that don't feature strong character progression or RPG elements. We classify Free Realms as a 'virtual world,' despite the game's light stats and character progression, because Free Realms emphasizes moment-to-moment fun over the grind to level 80. "I think we'll see new terms evolve as the genres deepen and clarify. I would bet, for example, we start to see more sports MMOs, and then we start to see more specific kinds of sports MMOs. There will probably be an 'MMO' sports game, where you level up as a baseball player by playing baseball in the game, and there will probably be a 'virtual world' sports game, where you hang out, talk about your favorite teams, and have fantasy football in a virtual setting. It's such a new area in game development (which is itself a new field) that I think we have only just started to scratch the surface." Fernando Paiz, Dungeons & Dragons: Eberron Unlimited Executive Producer, Turbine: "To me, 'MMO' means a game where thousands of players can simultaneously connect together in a persistent world where they can play and socialize together. When the term was first used, it was narrowly defined to be a fantasy RPG game in the mold of Asheron's Call or EverQuest. Today MMOs are quite diverse and can be in a variety of genres and for a variety of audiences. "[We] probably [need a new term for 'MMO']. But no one has come up with a term for it that is both appropriate and catchy enough. I think 'persistent online game' is the closest phrase that captures the essence of what MMOs are. To me a 'virtual world' specifically describes a shared online environment. You can have a virtual world that is not necessarily a game." Bill Roper, Design Director, Cryptic Studios: "I don't think 'MMO' means anything differently now than it did when it was first used, except that now MMO almost always has an implied RPG (role-playing game) attached. "I think the [term] we have right now is simple and explanatory. If someone is going to make something outside of the understood definition, they should come up with an acronym or terminology that makes sense. For example, an MMOFPS (first-person shooter), or MMORTS (real-time strategy) would be examples of this. "'Virtual worlds' tend to denote a lack (or limited amount) of directed game play. These are more sandboxes that thrive or die purely on player-generated content. Second Life is obviously the best example of this concept. MMOs do best when the developer continues to create new content and give players new systems to explore with existent characters." Page 3 of Redefining MMOs: Developers Weigh In
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.
Nexon revenues are up, largely driven by MapleStory
One of the most successful companies operating in the free-to-play games arena is Nexon, which reported their July revenues are up 35 percent year-on-year, according to Worlds In Motion. Much of this good fortune can be attributed to MapleStory, which set a new max concurrent user record of over 70,000 users last month. While the number of registered users in a free-to-play MMO doesn't tell the whole story, Nexon recently announced MapleStory has 92 million registered users worldwide, six million of which are in North America. Nexon America VP of Marketing Min Kim was quoted by Worlds in Motion about the company's plans for North America. Kim said, "We're heavily investing on all fronts -- in our games, our publishing platform, aggressive marketing efforts as well as customer service. The best news for Nexon America is that our success isn't just reflected in registered users, but in actual, dramatic revenue growth."
Impressive new Dragon Nest and Dungeon Fighter Online gameplay videos
Nexon America is coming to the Penny Arcade Expo this year, and they've released two very cool new Dungeon Fighter Online and Dragon Nest gameplay videos. Now, we were already curiously interested in Dungeon Fighter Online before, but after seeing this video we're now officially excited to try the game out at PAX.Then you've got this Dragon Nest gameplay video, which really caught our attention when we watched it. This game has seemingly come from left field with combat that looks as though it were ripped straight out of a console action RPG. If you're into these games at all, it should be good times soon enough when they officially release in North America -- DFO sometime soon and DN next year.Click and ogle the videos after the break.
