“We communicate a great deal with our Trickster community and these new features are some of the things they have told us they would like to see,” said Chris Lee, chief executive officer of Ntreev USA. “With this new update, players will get all kinds of new opportunities to unlock mysteries, increase skills.”

Trickster Online gets a new update from Ntreev USA

Here’s the lowdown on the new features courtesy of an announcement story sent to MMOtaku by Ntreev USA:

Surprise Spot. The new surprise spot system is a fun and useful daily quest that will give players access to special vendors and non-player characters as well as drilling bonuses. Every day players will have an opportunity to find map pieces that can be combined and used to find buried treasure. The spot where the buried treasure is hidden will either give players large amounts of items when excavated or teleport the Trickster to a hidden map.

Card Identification. Cards an integral part of the Trickster lore and game system. The new card identification system will add another use for cards that pushes them beyond fun flavor and into a game-defining tool. This system lets Tricksters use cards to create new items by playing a matching game. More importantly, it gives Tricksters access to the Secret Cards of Caballa Island. When Tricksters find all 16 secret cards they will be granted access to the new and exciting Enlightenment.

Enlightenment. The path to becoming a true Trickster has been long and, thus far, unending. Now players will be given a chance to become a true Trickster and unlock the Guardian that will protect them. Once Tricksters find all 16 cards, tehy will be granted access to a special series of quests that will plant the Soul Seed within them. The Soul Seed will carefully watch the actions of the Trickster and form a guardian inside it. When the Soul Seed is ready, it will unlock the Trickster Guardian.

Guardians. There are four guardians: Magic, Charm, Sense and Power. The nature of the Trickster will determine the guardian a Trickster receives. When the guardian is active, it will follow the Trickster and protect him or her with its life. Guardians are essentially combat pets that will attack and help the Trickster.

For more information about the new patch and download the game client, hie off to the official Trickster Online: A New Discovery website.

Post from: MMOtaku

I’m calling it Tideborn because that’s how the new race is being called by Level Up! Games, Perfect World’s publisher in the Philippines. It’s actually much better than simply calling the race “Mermen” because they are more than that. But that’s how the Chinese are calling them, Ren Yu Chuan Shuo.

Along with the new playable race, Perfect World is also introducing two new character classes in the Rising Tide patch, the Assassin and the Psychic. Of course, these new classes are exclusive to the Tideborn race. It is yet unknown if the classes are exclusive to gender, like the Yao Shou (Werebeast or Barbarian) and Yao Jing (Werefox or Venomancer) of the Beast race.

Dual-weapon fanatics may be delighted to know that the assassin class uses dual daggers as weapons with which they deal extreme damage in a short period of time. The downside is that assassins can only wear light armor (for obvious reasons). Oh, and their damage is based on dexterity, not strength, much like the Yumang (or Archer).

Perfect World Tideborn Assassin

Psychics, on the other hand, use magical orbs and use their skills to aid comrades in battle. Let’s take a look at some of the skills of this character class: Life Bubble (recovers 500 HP and increases MP recovery by 30 over 30 seconds), Freeze (deals water elemental damage and has a 50-percent chance to slow target for five seconds), Amplify Damage (adds 150 physical damage to attacks) … and a whole lot more.

Perfect World Tideborn Psychic

I’ll discuss the other skills in a later post as most of them are still subject to change. Let’s just hope the arrival of the Tideborn will usher in a renewed love for playing Perfect World. I’ll be sure to rejoin old friends in Perfect World Philippines if this patch is implemented.

Images downloaded from Perfect World International forums.

Post from: MMOtaku

For one, it’s one of the best holidays to launch events. I just wish that online game developers and publishers would come up with better gimmicks than simple bash-this-monster-and-get-this-item or open-this-box-and-get-a-random-item-that-is-totally-useless events. I mean, come on, guys! Fire up those neurons and produce something fun!

Like what, you ask? Okay, here’s an example. I’m currently playing Atlantica Online, and as part of the game’s Halloween events, publisher NDOORS Interactive asks players to purchase 13 candies from NPCs (which takes forever in game terms, by the way), craft them into a candy bag, and submit it to another NPC in exchange for a flying broom.

Here’s what the broom looks like on my Atlantica Online character:

Atlantica Online character on Halloween event flying broom

Cool, eh? Indeed, it’s a visual spectacle. But that’s as far as its use goes. It gives only minimal bonuses to stats, something like +5 to all attributes and a 10-percent boost to movement. So why not use it for some other event, like a race.

Guilds can be asked to field a representative to participate in a race around the virtual world of Atlantica Online on the clutter-free Titan Server, from Sapporo to Vancouver, with a game moderator at different check points. I know it’s a difficult undertaking, but it’s the kind of event that gets loins fired up and the spirit of camaraderie and friendly competition alive.

Heck, even the cities featured in Atlantica Online can be egged on to participate by providing trivia about them for players to answer before moving on with the race, or something like that.

See what a little imagination coupled with real-world smarts can come up with?

View from the front of an Atlantica Online character on a Halloween event flying broom

Post from: MMOtaku

“Sieghart is a fabulous new addition to Grand Chase,” said Chris Lee, chief executive officer at Ntreev USA. “Sieghart is a skilled and accomplished character that our players are sure to enjoy. That combined with the multiple Halloween events going on make October a big month for Grand Chase and its community.”

New Grand Chase character Sieghart

Now that October is ending, it’s time for Grand Chase players to look forward to a better future courtesy of more updates.

Let’s take a closer look at Sieghart, shall we?

Sieghart was a renowned hero of Bermesiah (the world of Grand Chase) 600 years ago, but disappeared in the midst of ruins. Reappearing in the times of Grand Chase, he tells the people that the Highlander gods saved him from death and gave him the gift of immortality.

In continuing the saga of Grand Chase, Sieghart comes in at a time when a few brave knights and nobles are trying to stop the Ascendant God from invading Bermesiah.

Sieghart, by the way, is also the name of Elesis’ grandfather. Beyond that, they have little similarity. Sieghart has a chargeable gauge to strengthen attacks, much like Jin’s, that fills up over time. This gauge fills faster whenever Sieghart gets damaged or deals damage. Like Elesis, Sieghart wields a long blade.

Aside from the introduction of Sieghart, Ntreev USA is holding various Halloween events for Grand Chase, like the Jack-o-Lantern Drop event where players receive special items to use in their quests. This event will run until November 3rd.

For more information about these Halloween events, make sure to drop by the official Grand Chase website.

Post from: MMOtaku

An official of China’s Ministry of Culture told online games portal 17173 recently that they were still reviewing NetEase’s application for Wrath of the Lich King, the second expansion of the company’s licensed massively multiplayer online role-playing game World of Warcraft.

This official, however, declined to confirm a release date for the expansion, the interview added.

World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King wallpaper from Blizzard Entertainment

Earlier this week, it was revealed that shareholders of online games operator The9 sued company executives before a United States court for allegedly violating the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 by making inaccurate statements about its finances between November 15th, 2006 and July 15th, 2009.

If I read that class suit right, it seemed that company officials hid the drop in revenues from shareholders. This same decline in income reportedly led to the loss of The9’s license to operate World of Warcraft in China.

My only advice is, “Guys, while you bicker among yourselves, it is your players, loyal customers, who are suffering the most.”

For more information about World of Warcraft, I suggest you hie off to another great b5media EveryJoe blog, WoW Obsessed.

Post from: MMOtaku

Before the stroke of midnight today, October 31st, the Runes of Magic Pumpkin Festival will be launched. Gee, I didn’t know pumpkins were a staple in Taborea. Going back to the topic, well, Taborea and all its denizens will bear witness to the birth of, get this, Deranged Pumpkin Monsters and Crazy Demon Pumpkins.

As if those aren’t enough, these new monsters will fill the Oblivion Shrine to the brim, and it’s up to you, dear adventurer, to slay them and get points by using captured pumpkin seeds to defend yourself.

At the end of each round, characters who has the most points will be awarded Mad Fire, which can be exchanged for pieces of a special Pumpkin Festival set. No, it’s not a costume or something like that. The set is actually comprised of items like transformation drinks and small companions.

Oh, don’t worry about the time limit. The Runes of Magic Pumpkin Festival will run until the middle of November.

Runes of Magic: Wouldn't it be cool to turn your character into this zombie for an hour?

That’s just the tip of the Halloween iceberg. There’s more! What is a Pumpkin Festival if you can’t come to the party dressed like one? This is probably the rationale behind the Runes of Magic Spooky Drinks.

No, Spooky Drinks aren’t some sort of witch’s brew that can befuddle you. It’s actually a way to transform your character into what Frogster Interactive Pictures AG, publisher of the game, and Runewaker Entertainment Corp., developer of the game, call ghoulish beings for about an hour.

The catch is, you should have a subscription to the Runes of Magic newsletter for a special voucher code that enables a player to redeem a gift pack containing one of three types of Spooky Drinks. These concoctions can turn you either into a goblin, a zombie, or a small pumpkin head. Personally, I’d rather be any of the first two “ghoulish beings” mentioned rather than the last. But then again, that’s only me.

For more information about the game’s Halloween events, check out details on the Runes of Magic website.

Post from: MMOtaku

For starters, all characters above level 20 and is logged on at 6 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time will receive a special gift. What this gift is, we still don’t know. It better be “special”!

Happy Birthday, Atlantica Online!

Well, if the gift doesn’t cut it, there’s always the 200-percent experience point bonus time for the entire first week of November. So break out those mercenaries you’ve been keeping in the merc rooms and put them to work on finishing quests that you’ve missed.

Still not enough to sate your hunger? Hmmm, maybe a mouthful of Delicious Chocolate Cakes and Fresh Strawberry Cakes will fill you up. On November 7th-8th and 21st-22nd, Atlantica Online will again be threatened by a monster invasion, and yes, it’s from these mobs that you’ll get your just desserts (pun intended!).

(Note to NDOORS: You may want to spice things up a little by adding a bit of background story to why these monsters are frequenting our cities and towns. It is, after all, an MMORPG. What happened to the “role-playing” element?)

If that is still insufficient, you’ll have the chance to prove your mettle against the game moderators in the already-monthly affair that is the GM Battles. The twist is, this time around, all players on a server gets five Fresh Strawberry Cakes when a player wins against a GM.

For the rest of the rewards, head on over to the Atlantica Online website. It’s almost 6 p.m. PDT and I’ve got to log in my character.

Post from: MMOtaku

With the chance to show off their imagination, Fallen Earth players gave their all in exploring the wasteland of the area previously known as the Grand Canyon to submit a costume based on the six factions featured in the game—Children of the Apocalypse (CHOTA), Traveler, Vista, Enforcer, Lightbearer and Tech.

Of course, the contest eyed a player’s creativity, so it was only natural that the best submissions were determined in three different categories—Most Original Setting, Most Accurate Game Costume and Best Inside Joke on Scavenging.

According to Fallen Earth, the winners will be contacted via email and will receive a Fallen Earth prize pack consisting of a Fallen Earth t-shirt, messenger bag and poster autographed by the dev team. Winners will also have their photographs featured on the Fallen Earth website.

Fallen Earth: With that mug, who needs Halloween costumes?

Full list of winners after the jump.

Without further ado, I present to you the winners of the Fallen Earth Halloween Costume Contest:

• Most Original Setting: Sinoth
• Most Accurate Game Costume: blackenedlegions
• Best Inside Joke on Scavenging: spookdi
• Honorable Mentions: faust, Schipperke, Beorend, jac428

Fallen Earth has also kicked off a special in-game event, Days of the Dead. This week-long event provides gamers the opportunity to slay zombies in order to receive special weapons including a signature shotgun, sawed-off shotgun and a cricket bat. The event is open to current and new players as Fallen Earth LLC is offering a 15-day trial to those who sign up to assist in the zombie killing.

“We wanted to give fans some fun, seasonal activities,” said Jessica Orr, marketing manager for Fallen Earth. “Halloween is a perfect time to give our players a chance to be creative as they make costumes and knock-off a population of zombies.”

For more information about the game, hie off to the official Fallen Earth website.

Post from: MMOtaku

“The testing phase as we lead up to launch is very important to us so we are looking to our community to come and check out the game and give us their feedback on things we can improve upon,” said Mike Min, creative director of Uforia.

Oh, yeah? How about those who missed the roughly two-day test? Are we important enough to get another go at the beta test? *Hint, hint*

Of course I’m kidding. Just iron out the kinks, guys, and let us in to the game come open beta.

As a consolation, Uforia sent me a few images and an announcement story on what we may see in Mercenary Wars come crunch time. Here’s an excerpt from the announcement:

Don't run ... you'll only die tired. Getting the bead on an opponent in Mercenary Wars from Uforia.

Uforia, an online game publisher specializing in massively multiplayer online games, has announced its weaponry lineup for its highly anticipated online military FPS, Mercenary Wars. The arsenal is made up of 14 different weapons including assault rifles, submachine guns, shotguns, sniper rifles and machine guns.

“With this much variety of weaponry, Mercenary Wars is taking combat to a new level,” said JK Kim, chief executive officer of Uforia. “By offering this broad range of arms, we are providing players with the kind of non-stop, action-packed gameplay that they desire.”

To learn more about the armament, view exclusive videos and screenshots, and of course learn more about the game, visit the official Mercenary Wars website.

Post from: MMOtaku

Oh, and we’re not talking about some law in China but the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the law governing the secondary trading of stocks, bonds and the like in the United States of America.

High-profile law firm Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman & Robbins LLP has filed the class action lawsuit against The9 on behalf of its shareholders with the Southern District Court of New York.

In the complaint, The9 shareholders alleged that The9 and certain directors and officers failed to disclose that the company was unlikely to renew its licensing contract with Blizzard Entertainment for World of Warcraft. As a result of the non-renewal of the license, The9 shares dropped 18 percent to USD$8.35 on July 15th after The9 reported a USD$36.9 million or 72 percent reduction in its 2008 net income.

Since it’s a class action suit, other parties may join. In fact, the law firm that’s handling the case is encouraging other shareholders to join. Here’s an excerpt from the announcement it made regarding the lawsuit:

If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than 60 days from today. If you wish to discuss this action or have any questions concerning this notice or your rights or interests, please contact plaintiff’s counsel, Samuel H. Rudman or David A. Rosenfeld of Coughlin Stoia at 800/449-4900 or 619/231-1058, or via email at djr@csgrr.com. If you are a member of this Class, you can view a copy of the complaint as filed or join this class action online. Any member of the putative class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member.

Pretty legalese, eh. Never mind if you can’t sift through the jargon. One thing is for certain, The9’s goose is cooked.

For more World of Warcraft news, stay tuned to MMOtaku or WoW Obsessed.

Post from: MMOtaku