Nexon America Inc. has announced that its free online multiplayer first-person shooter, Combat Arms, is officially launching tomorrow with the grand opening of the “Black Market”, a virtual shop where players can purchase various premium items and characters to be used in the game, such as aesthetic gear and new characters that come with 50,000 Gear Points. Anyone who chooses to sponsor the game through Black Market transactions, however, won’t have an unfair advantage over regular players during actual matches in order to preserve gameplay balance. Combat Arms’ melee system will also be revamped with the addition of several new melee weapons, such as the Ninjato and the Machete.
Since its closed beta launch back in May of 2008, Combat Arms has expanded its free content to feature more than 40 weapons, 8 maps, 4 game modes, and robust character and weapon customization options, and will continue to improve and upgrade both its free and paid content with regular patches and updates on a bi-monthly basis.
“Combat Arms had a great beta run, with players of all levels loving the fast-action FPS game play and in-game community features for ranking and challenging other players,” said Min Kim, vice president of marketing for Nexon America. “With this launch, gamers now have access to additional play options that help the player stand out without compromising the fairness of play.”
In a recent interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Kevin Hanna, who’s the creative director of Google Lively, mentioned that they’re planning to use the game’s architecture as an online games platform for developers, akin to current platforms such as Metaplace and Multiverse.
The technology would allow indie developers to create virtual worlds, MMOs and online games more efficiently with Lively’s existing tools and infrastructure. This is yet another testament to how Google is permeating almost every aspect of the internet, and in this particular case, which is supporting the indie online gaming community by providing developers with Lively’s open API, I welcome it. We’ll be getting to see more innovation and fresh ideas from the underground.
NPLUTO, developers of Drift City, is soon releasing another free online multiplayer game called G2: Wild Wing through NHN’s game portals. It’ll first be available in Korean at Hangame, after which if proven successful, will most likely be ported over to NHN’s North American gaming portal in the future, ijji.com.
G2: Wild Wing Screenshot
Following the footsteps of Ace Online and Aeronauts, G2: Wild Wing is intense aerial combat MMO influenced by 20th century aircraft and elements of steampunk with anime-inspired visuals. Expect to be soaring at breakneck speeds through the air, blasting sci-fi enemies while performing advanced piloting maneuvers when the game becomes available.
The recently released Drift City Stage 2 update adds a myriad of exciting new content to the free online multiplayer racing game, Drift City. Players can enjoy new features such as 4 new vehicles, custom decals, glossy paint, a brand new group-based PvE campaign called the Undercity, and two new battle modes: Time Lap Battle and Real Match Battle. Several events, tournaments and challenges are also being held between now and the end of October for a chance to win multiple in-game prizes. Only the most skilled drivers will be rewarded.
Drift City’s gameplay generally consists of earning experience points, items, certifications, and Mito (Drift City’s in-game currency) in various cities by completing missions, deliveries, bounties and HUV chases, as well as competing with other players in the Battle Zone, the game’s core component. Players can acquire new vehicles and upgrade them with a wide variety of performance parts, most of which are crafted, traded and purchased via auction house. For the sake of vanity, players also have the option of customizing the look of their vehicles with body kits, exhausts, spoilers, etc.
Known as Skid Rush in Korea, Drift City was launched in North America last year and usually has 1000+ players online at any given time on the same server. It incorporates many of the gameplay elements found in typical MMORPGs into a racing game, such as a storylines, quests, leveling up, crafting and emphasis on social interaction. Much of the game’s themes are influenced by such manga series as Initial D and it also shares a lot of similar aesthetic styles as Burnout. Henceforth, many regard Drift City to be the most successful racing MMO since Motor City Online.
GameHi, developers of Dekaron Online, are getting ready to start their closed beta test for latest online game, Metal Rage, a futuristic third-person shooter where advanced robotic tank-like vehicles are the front-line combatants in military warfare. The story takes place in the year 2070 A.D. when humanity struggles to survive as 3 factions with opposing political ideologies are at odds with one another. Up to 32 players can battle simultaneously in skirmishes. This is one of the few foreign online games I wouldn’t mind seeing translated to English ASAP.
InnoGames, the creator of the highly successful and ridiculously popular persistent browser-based game (PBBG), Tribal Wars, has recently launched their second free PBBG called The West, a massively multiplayer web-based Sim/RPG where players play the role of a character living in the wild west time period, interacting and competing with thousands of other players for fame and fortune.
Upon creating your character, you’ll notice that the game driven mostly by a static, textual and image-based interface like most other browser-based games. The West, however, takes it to a new level on par with Ikariam with its high quality renders and advanced JavaScripting/Ajax, making the general gameplay experience more atmospheric and immersive than usual. Instead of managing a tribe/empire like in Tribal Wars, you’ll control a single character represented by an icon on a live, dynamic, scrollable map, where you can see other players and locations which you can travel to and interact with. Once you reach a higher level, you’ll be able to form an allied community with other players and build towns which provide various advantages.
Town Screen
Initially, you’re going to want your character to take up a job such as Tobacco harvesting. You simply set the duration you want to work and the process will start automatically. When the duration is complete, you gain money and experience proportional to the amount of time you spent working. You’ll also be able to take on quests given by NPCs in various towns. With the experience and money you accumulate from jobs and quests, you can upgrade you character’s attributes and skills, and purchase improved guns, horses and equipment, all of which will be needed when you engage in duels and shootouts with other players.
Saloon
The West just launched a week ago and already there are 44k registered accounts. After messing around with the game for a little bit, I think it has massive potential and can possibly end up overshadowing other similar-themed games of the same genre. It’ll be a fascinating to see a rivalry cook up between Wild West Online and The West within the next few years.
Players can now register for the closed beta phase of Outspark’s new free online multiplayer game, Blackshot. Blackshot is a gritty militaristic first-person shooter in which mercenaries violently compete in war zones for wealth and prestige. The game aims to captivate players with its intense hardcore FPS action set in realistic urban environments and combat engagements. The closed beta phase will start with 4 character classes, 6 maps, 3 gameplay modes and a variety of items to choose from.
“We’re bringing an exciting new type of multiplayer game to our active community with Blackshot,” said Susan Choe, founder and CEO of Outspark.”This immersive and challenging first-person shooter will provide our members with a new way to compete against one another and have fun. Innovative features like the game’s player-versus-environment mode invite gamers to come and enjoy a quick battle or an afternoon of fun with their friends.”
NDOORS is giving Atlantica Online open beta players the opportunity to win numerous prizes including thousands of dollars in cash by entering a random drawing. To enter, you must reach level 20 and participate in the Free Leagues, Atlantica Online’s PvP arena, at least once between September 24th and October 23rd, 2008. The more people participate in the Free Leagues, the bigger and better the prizes get, and more chances to win. One lucky winner will even be able to take home $10,000 if there 30,000 Free Leaguers. Visit here for more details.
“NDOORS created something unique in the MMO world when we designed the deep turn-based, strategic world of Atlantica Online. So we decided we needed something just as original for our open beta,” said Peter Kang, CEO, NDOORS Interactive.“This is going to be unlike anything anyone has seen before.
Interplay’s website has been relaunched today and Chris Taylor, one of the original members of the Fallout development team, has returned to the company. He will be the lead system designer for the Fallout MMO, currently codenamed “Project V13″. Last year, Jason Anderson, who worked on Fallout 1 and 2, also returned to Interplay.
Bethesda Softworks did acquire the rights to the Fallout franchise last year, but Interplay was allowed to retain the rights for the upcoming MMO version. And since Fallout 3 is the creation of Bethesda Softworks, the MMO could be an entirely different beast that won’t even utilize the Oblivion engine. The Fallout MMO was announced to have entered production in April this year, but no further details on the game have been divulged.
Shadow of Legend released the first batch of screenshots showcasing some of the new 2.5D graphics that they’ve been planning to replace the current 2D isometric graphics for quite some time, which will be appearing next month in October. Shadow of Legend is a free fantasy MMORPG that was going to be the world’s first cross-platform MMORPG that allowed players to access the game via desktop and smartphone or PDA device due to the game’s simplistic yet robust design. However, since the inception of the 2.5D engine, development of the mobile version has been put on hiatus.
As part of a promotional event, new players registering a Sho Online account for the first time will be rewarded with 200 free points to spend in the Sho Online premium item shop between now and October 6th. Everyone who registers, though, must first reach level 10 before qualifying for the free giveaway.
“The Sho Online community is growing in leaps and bounds,” said David Markowitz, producer of Sho Online at MMOsmart. “With this event we wanted to show new players our appreciation as they join this great community. They have a lot of great content to look forward to in Sho Online.”
Sho Online is a free MMORPG based on ancient Chinese history, mythology and Taoism where players take part in a constant struggle for supremacy between two dynasties, the Zhou revolutionaries and the Yin empire. One of the major components of Sho Online is its unique War System. A war is sparked when one of the nation’s figureheads is assassinated. When that happens, the server will announce an impending battle and allow the people of each nation to choose whether or not they’re drafted, after which they’re teleported to a base where they get to prepare for 5 minutes. The two nations then battle it out to see who gains the most territory in an hour which determines the result of the war. The location of the battle depends on where the previous war left off. For example, if Yin wins the battle at Cheon-un gate, they will acquire Cheon-un gate and both nation’s armies will be moved to next battlefield which is Lake of the Seadragon.
Aside from fighting on the field, there are also siege battles. When a battle takes place at a certain location, players have the option of playing the role of a siege unit such as the Chariot, Crush Cart, Ballista, Flame Thrower, Battle Wagon and Catapault. Other interesting gameplay elements include the ability to obtain mythological creatures as companions and acquire mystical powers by uncovering rare artifacts.
Ashen Empires is an MMORPG created as a tribute to Ultima V by Jason “Lothgar” Ely, one of the developers of Ultima VIII. It started as a free underground 2D MMO called Dransik, which garnered such a cult following that it went pay-to-play. Shortly after, a new free version of the game was released alongside Dransik, called Dransik Iso. The game was based off of the Dransik engine using improved 2D isometric graphics. Over the years, Dransik Iso evolved and became a more robust game than Dransik, changing its name to Ashen Empires. Though, Lothgar ceased working on it since Asylumsoft Inc. sold it, where it changed studio hands numerous times prior to now being owned by Pixel Mine. Currently, both Ashen Empires and Dransik Classic are available for free. AE, however requires a subscription for premium content. It should be noted that a new AE expansion called Tides of Fate is also in the works, which will be introducing ships, guild halls and various other content and updates.
Fireteam Reloaded Screenshot
Fireteam Reloaded is a free online multiplayer team-based isometric urban combat game. Gameplay description:
“Play as one of three unique character classes across a variety of post-apocalyptic urban settings in a bloody struggle to dominate your opponents. You can go solo or team up with up to three other friends in thrilling matches that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Just like in a real life fireteam, the smallest military unit, teamwork and communication is critical to success in Fireteam Reloaded. You and your team will succeed by formulating strategies that take into account class strengths/weaknesses, items, and the map layout. Only the smartest and fastest players will rise to the top of the ranks.”
Gamasutra has discovered that the canceled project in 2007 from Ensemble Studios was indeed a Halo MMORPG, which supposedly began development sometime in 2006. Three separate teams were setup to come up with their own prototype of the game, two of which were aborted pretty early, but the concept design of the remaining prototype has recently surfaced on the internet.
Prototype
At first glance, I was certain these images were a joke because I thought that if they were seriously attempting to adapt Halo into an MMO, they’d be wise enough to make it an MMOFPS like Planetside, but these concept images clearly represent something that was more inspired by World of Warcraft. After seeing that, I immediately became glad that the project didn’t go through. It saddens me that people still think MMOs have to conform to this typical mainstream mold that Everquest first pioneered. Sure, it’s a successful formula, but it’s driven by the average gamer’s addiction. To the sophisticated gamer, it’s no longer a stimulating gameplay design. It’s time to move forward and make some progress, like what EVE has done and what games like Earthrise and All Points Bulletin are doing.
At least Halo Wars looks promising, the manifestation of what the original Halo was supposed to be in its early stages when it was being developed for the PC before it became a first-person shooter on the X-Box. It could turn out to be a legitimate contender to Starcraft 2.
Mark Jacobs, co-founder of Mythic Entertainment, voices his passionate hatred for gold farmers by ranting on his blog about vehemently tracking down and banning more than 400 gold farming accounts since Warhammer Online’s official launch on September 18th. In one instance, he compares them to maggots and calls them bottom feeders. It also tickles his jollies to have deployed a “strike team” dedicated to swiftly dealing with those spammers and coming up with creative in-game messages that announce the demise of their accounts, such as “Tchar’zanek has ordered the slaughter of [Spammer] and all others of his kind who weaken the Raven Host by providing wealth and power to the unworthy.”
Jacobs has even been secretly offered a piece of the pie from the companies behind gold farming operations, which he says would have netted him a “very, very tidy sum, far more than we would see from box sales.” but he insists that his response to their proposals will never change, and that is to go directly to hell.
Dofus, the popular Flash-based turn-based tactical MMORPG with over 4 million accounts created since its release, has just opened up a new server with special hardcore rules for players who dare face the challenge of permanent character death. To make the server worthwhile, experience and drop rates are multiplied and players who emerge victorious in battles get to acquire all of the equipment of the defeated party.
Meanwhile, the developers are preparing to release Dofus 2.0, a milestone update that’ll significantly enhance the game’s visuals. Furthermore, the client will be entirely revamped and rewritten in order to improve performance and allow for greater flexibility for future expansions.
Ankama, the developers of Dofus, are based out of France and have also produced two other online multiplayer games: Dofus Arena and Wakfu.
Internet Gaming Gate (IGG) is going to begin rolling out major upgrades to their free MMORPG, Angels Online. The new patch is called The Lost Atlantis and will be implementing a host of new features, including a staggering list of new items, new pets/mounts, new locations and collectible cards. Here’s the in-game story behind the update:
“Long ago, there was a mystical kingdom called Atlantis located to the west of the beautiful city of Eden. Generations of Angels lived and worked there in peace. However, this peace was soon overwhelmed by the ferocity of war. After the war, Atlantis was torn from the land and sunk beneath the waves. Even after this tragedy the people of Eden sought peace. Recently, scientists from the Iron Castle Exploration Association have found the exact location of Atlantis. The first cooperation among four factions in history was created. They have created a great exploration ship, Habosen, and planned to go to Atlantis. While Angels all over Eden cheered their bravery and hoped for the best, evil shadows gathered under the water.”
A visual improvement that they’re also planning to add are gleaming weapons. When you attack an enemy with a weapon that contains a special damage type, you’ll be treated with a glow pertaining to that effect, as seen here:
Gleaming Weapons
And the most gleeful part of the update, in spirit of the new Atlantis theme, one of the new featured mounts is a robot shark. Peek it:
Version 3.0 of Wonderland Online will soon be introducing a ton of new content, starting with a revamped class system that allows players to be reborn into six new powerful classes with enhanced skills and special abilities. Due to advancements in aviation technology, players can also look forward to being able to venture out into space with player-created airships, landing craft and space vehicles. On top of that, they’re adding four new civilizations to explore, lots of new monsters to battle, as well as new exciting adventures and storylines to experience, making sure that game won’t be getting stale anytime soon, especially to veteran members of the community.
Wonderland Online is a free MMORPG developed by Chinesegamer International Corp that heavily borrows elements from traditional Japanese console RPGs. Each player can choose from 12 different characters, specialize in 4 different elemental techniques, and learn various tradeskills such as fishing, mining and alchemy.
Sierra Online is pulling the plug on FreeStyle Street Basketball on September 25th after only under two years of live service. Can’t say I didn’t see this coming. The game was a nice breath of a fresh air from the usual mundane selection of online games. There aren’t many sports games to choose from, let alone a basketball game. I guess the few die-hard players are now forced to seek refuge in the Philippines version of FSSB, which fortunately for them, is not only in perfect English, but also has superior content, such as a broader range of character customization options. The Chinese version of FSSB even has a full-court 5v5 mode, but good luck trying to navigate the foreign site and client.
The North American version of FSSB only featured half-court 3v3. Players were able to create Point Guards, Shooting Guards, Small Forwards, Power Forwards and Centers, and personalize them with a wide variety of appearance options, attributes and abilities, after which they’d take their new ballers to the playground court to challenge other players in one on one or team matches while developing their skills and climbing the ranks. Sierra Online generated revenue from the game’s cash shop where players purchased premium gear and various other advantages with “bills” and required new users to purchase a CD key from a retail box to get started, but no subscription was needed to play. You can witness the official forum being flooded by disappointed fans here.
Two new sleek Mechanaughts that will be included in the next major content update for Exteel have been featured in the latest fiction titled Escalation, which describes some of their characteristics and versatility.
Influenced by classic anime series like Mobile Suit Gundam and video games like Armored Core, Mech Assault and Virtual On, Exteel is a free online multiplayer game developed and published by NCsoft that was released late last year in 2007. As an action/shooter/fighting-hybrid, players battle each other in frantic third-person combat with giant robots called Mechanaughts using weapons ranging from heavy artillery cannons to plasma blades.
The Vigilant
“The Vigilant represents the latest in Heavy Mechanaught technology. It is able to take more punishment than previous designs—the rest of its specifications are classified currently. Designed with current and upcoming massive weapons in mind, the Vigilant is one of the first shots in the new Mechanaught arms race.
This feat of mechanical design also required a jump (so to speak) in booster technology, so engineers built the Argus booster to accompany the Vigilant into battle (though it’s not required, so anyone can purchase the Argus for their Mechanaught).”
The Aerobolt
“Sleek, fast, efficient—these are the words pilots across Natha use to describe the Aerobolt, a light new Mechanaught design that promises to keep opponents on their toes and defenders alert at all times.
Make no mistake, however—the Aerobolt is not a front-line combatant, nor is it built to absorb punishment. Its angular aircraft-like design hints at its speedy maneuverability, combined with the ability to conduct rapid, violent assaults that would leave an enemy reeling and unable to respond effectively.
Scouting and sneakily capturing objectives would be another obvious function of the Aerobolt. Its designers even constructed a brand new fin-shaped booster to compliment the Mechanaught’s narrow frame: the Cyclone.”
Further details on a new race, The Tindremenes, as well as a new location, The Tindremic Empire have been revealed over at the official Mortal Online website. The Tindremic people are proud, nationalistic conquerors belonging to the most advanced civilization in the known world. Driven by a caste-system, the Tindremenes most resemble the Roman Empire of our real-life world history.
The development team is now allowing members of the community to come up with a unique creature design concept which will actually be put in the final game if it beats out all other user submissions. They’re looking for creative and interesting creatures that suits the Mortal Online universe. If imagination and illustration is your forte, there’s no reason not to join the contest, you’ll get to brag to all your friends that your own personal work was used in an MMORPG.
A couple of interviews with the Mortal Online development team at this year’s annual Game Convention in Leipzig are also now available for viewing here and here. Moreover, the development team explains why only a handful of media (footage, screens, demos, etc.) have been released to the public with the following statement:
“The production of Mortal Online is currently in a stage where we are migrating the game content into our new network solution. The main reason for not sharing much game information (such as detailed gameplay, combat, in-game videos) at this stage is because we want to make sure we can deliver what we will be showing. As soon as our large systems and features are in the network solution, and this might take some time, we are going to show you more of Mortal Online.”
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