Who the hell is Nightwing and what the heck does he have to do with The Boy Wonder moniker? Well, unless you’ve lived under a rock like Patrick Star for the past three decades, you know that Robin and Nightwing are one and the same, Dick Grayson, also known as The Boy Wonder.

So when did this transition from Robin to Nightwing happen? It all happened in 1984, when the 18-year-old Dick Grayson got dismissed from his role as Robin. This event and Grayson’s adventures in his new alter ego are documented in the Nightwing series published by DC Comics from 1996 to 2009.

DC Universe Online: Nightwing shows 'em how it's done

Well, enough of my prattle. Let me give you Sony Online Entertainment’s take on the revelation of Nightwing’s entry into the world of DC Universe Online:

What happens when Dick Grayson, The Boy Wonder, becomes a man and decides to leave his mentor to take on new adventures? He takes on the name Nightwing and joins forces with the Teen Titans against criminals of the night. Second only to those of Batman, Nightwing’s fighting skills and detective abilities are a definite advantage for a hero who also has gas pellets, smoke capsules, and an acetylene torch.

Wearing a bulletproof and fire-resistant costume that is wired with a single-shot taser, Nightwing can easily incapacitate any attacker. His weapons of choice to combat foes, including the H.I.V.E. (Hierarchy of International Vengeance and Extermination), are twin, shatterproof-polymer Escrima sticks. Keep in mind that you get to play alongside or against Nightwing in DC Universe Online, so choose your own armaments wisely.

For more information about the game and its various characters, go check out MMOtaku’s previous postings about this massively multiplayer online game or the official DC Universe Online website.

Post from: MMOtaku

Getting a closed beta key to join the test is simple. Just check out the Mercenary Wars website (yes, it’s running despite the game only being in closed beta) for the details.

Hey, Dum-dum! You give me gum-gum!

Going back to the topic at hand, the new round of beta test features all-new content, including two new maps (Museum and Watercourse) and a new gun, the fan-favorite Desert Eagle. The Black Market, the cash shop or item mall of Mercenary Wars, is also open to serve players. As a bonus for this closed beta, all items in the Black Market will be free.

“The second closed beta for Mercenary Wars provided us with valuable feedback on how players interact with the game and areas where we need improvement,” said Chris Keswani, marketing manager of Uforia. “Hosting this third closed beta allows us to gain even more feedback and give our players better content.”

The third closed beta test will run from November 16th to November 19th, 2009.

Those who manage to get in to this closed beta can look forward to a major event, the Night at the Museum. During the event period, each kill made in the new Museum map will be counted as a raffle ticket. Kills made in the gameplay mode “Plant the Bomb” will be counted as two raffle tickets and detonating and defusing a bomb will count as four raffle tickets. At the end of the event, Uforia will tally up the tickets and randomly pick three players to win a Razer eXactMat Gaming Mouse Pad.

Post from: MMOtaku

Too bad. I really want to try Karos Online, despite some negative reviews I’ve read about it. Complaints range from the game being a massive grindfest, where you as player need to grind your character for the experience points to level up, and being a clone of more popular pay-to-play or subscription games, particularly Lineage II.

Karos Online, an MMORPG published by NHN Corporation

Well, there’s still a lot of room for improvement. That’s why it has undergone, and will still undergo, beta testing. I’m really curious as to how Karos Online will hold up against today’s generation of free-to-play MMORPGs that don’t have the grindfest associated with most games coming out of South Korea.

Karos Online does have several elements that can fire up the loins even of the staunchest subscription-model MMORPG fanatic. The Fletta System is one such feature that promises to add some spice to an otherwise common game.

The Fletta System is divided into two subsystems, the Fletta Gem Item and the Fletta Point System.

In the first subsystem, players can craft special armors and weapons called, well, Fletta Gem Items. These items are available to all classes and levels, have six grades (from D, the starter grade, up to SS) that can be upgraded, provide stat bonuses comparable to items that can be purchased at the player’s level, change appearance automatically to suit the character’s class and level, and can be traded between players.

The materials you need to create Fletta Gem Items can be retrieved from NPCs as quest rewards, looted from monsters or through mining and fishing.

Fletta Points, on the other hand, automatically accumulate in the course of hunting down and killing mobs. Players can choose to use Fletta Points to either enhance their character’s attributes, save them to receive a blessing that boosts experience points, or execute high-level skills.

Oh, before I close, I should let you know that the third and final closed beta test for Karos Online is slated for November 27th to November 28th, 2009. If you want a closed beta key, hie off to the Karos Online forums and find out how.

See you in Asmara! That is, if I can find a way to join the CBT.

Post from: MMOtaku

Bizarro indeed needs no mask to scare pesky children on a trick-or-treat spree on Halloween. For those unfamiliar with this Frankenstein’s Superman, Bizarro is a fictional supervillain that appears in comic books published by DC Comics.

As a testament to the popularity of Bizarro, his name, however fictitious it may be, is often used to describe anything that uses twisted logic or a person with a twisted mind (or personality, I might add).

So how did this twisted mirror of Superman come to be? Why, from the equally twisted mind of a supervillain, of course. Bizarro is the result of a project gone awry … a project commissioned by Superman archenemy Lex Luthor. Here’s a brief background of the Man of, uhmm, Twisted Steel:

In hopes of having a Superman of his very own, Lex Luthor called upon his top scientist, Dr. Teng, to scan and replicate the hero’s genetic structure. Due to complications in the construction of the carbon copy, their results gave birth to a monstrous menace, Bizarro.

Bizarro has a reputation on the streets of Metropolis that is the polar opposite of Superman’s. With freeze vision, flame breath, and strength to match Superman’s, Bizarro is a daunting enemy. Kryptonite, which can cripple Superman, actually gives Bizarro strength, giving him an advantage over Superman.

Bizarre indeed.

DC Universe Online and Sony Online Entertainment Present Bizarro

Post from: MMOtaku

“We are very excited to launch this new game, ad we are confident that this will be the first-person shooter that Filipino gamers will be talking about and getting their action gaming fix from,” said Jane Walker, chief executive officer of Level Up! Games, in a statement.

The only clue that Level Up! has given as to the title of the online game is that it is powered by Valve’s Source engine. What’s Valve and the Source engine, you ask? Why, Source is the most well known graphics and physics engine for first-person shooters. It gives life to Half-Life 2 and Counter-Strike, two of the most popular video game shooters.

As for Valve, well, it’s an American video game development company based in Bellevue, Washington. Founded in 1996, the company is better known for its first product, Half-Life, and its star Gordon Freeman.

Between you and me, I think this new MMOFPS that Level Up! is bringing to the Philippines is Sting: The Secret Operations, the first Korean online shooter that uses the Source engine. Doesn’t ring a bell? Maybe some of the game’s other aliases can shed some light. The game, developed by YNK Games of Korea and distributed by YNK Interactive, is also known as Sting Online, Code Name Sting (Japan), and K.O.S.: Secret Operations (North America).

Sting: The Secret Operations from YNK Games

If my hunch proves correct, then Sting will be Level Up!’s second title from YNK, the first being the massively multiplayer online role-playing game Rohan: Blood Feud.

Well, we’ll know soon enough what this new first-person shooter is. Level Up! is scheduled to unveil the game at one of the Philippines biggest online gaming events, Level Up! Live 2009, on November 7th, 2009.

While we’re waiting for that event, let’s check out the game trailer for Sting: The Secret Operations:

Post from: MMOtaku

Trickster Online's Nurse Nyxx

In Episode 5 of Trickster Online: A New Discovery, characters will be catapulted into the past of Don Danihen and Rosaline Gracia, who spent their childhood together. That’s not the only thing the two shared. Apparently, the young Rosaline, who never opened up to anyone before, has done so with Don Danihen.

Players will also learn a bit more about Don Cavalier and Don Giuvanni. Before Trickster Online’s Episode 5, no one has ever explored Don Cavalier’s room, much less know its location. The room holds the key to the secrets of the Megalo Company.

As players progress through Trickster Online, they will discover a mysterious sarcophagus in a secret room. The question is, “Does it hold the corpse of Don Cavalier?” If it does, why is his body in such a secluded place? Was he trying to cover something up? These secrets and more will be revealed as players take a step closer to becoming a trickster while uncovering the secrets of Caballa Island.

“Trickster fans are very interested in the intrigue and secrets behind the Megalo Company and Caballa Island so we are excited to bring them Episode 5, which reveals more secrets and fun,” said Chris Lee, chief executive officer of Ntreev USA. “Episode 5 will answer some pressing questions that pique gamers’ curiosity as they race to discover the secrets lurking in Caballa Island.”

For more information about the new patch, hie off to the official Trickster Online website and discover Episode 5 for yourself.

Post from: MMOtaku

Awww, but The Green Arrow isn’t exactly super by some standards, so what is he doing in DC Universe Online. Well, for starters, that’s probably why he’s a well-liked chap. Ollie’s lack of any super powers endears him to a lot of DC Comics readers. And this is what the folks at Sony Online Entertainment is banking on.

To be totally honest, I never liked The Green Arrow—that is until I saw him in action in an episode of Justice League Unlimited entitled Fearful Symmetry. In this particular episode, Supergirl has some bad dreams and The Green Arrow—with the very confusing The Question—helps her with what turns out to be a big conspiracy.

Where most superheroes would have punched their way through to get to some answers, Ollie used wit and cunning to help Supergirl. And I love his attitude, the angst, a product of his losing a multimillion-dollar fortune courtesy of a storyline revamp by writer Dennis O’Neal from the original concept of Mort Weisinger that made it appear that The Green Arrow was a copycat of Batman.

Oh, and it isn’t every day that you encounter a superhero who is a former mayor of a major fictional city. Ollie Queen is the former political head honcho of Star City—yeah, the same city that gave birth to The Flash.

The Green Arrow and Green Lantern join forces against Lex Luthor in DC Universe Online

Bah, enough of my prattle. Here’s how Sony Online Entertainment introduced The Green Arrow to the multitude of DC Online Universe fans:

Sony Online Entertainment Reveals The Green Arrow in DC Universe Online

With his excellent aim, The Green Arrow (Oliver “Ollie” Queen) is an expert archer who never misses a shot at cleaning up the streets of Star City. His marksmanship is constantly giving him the opportunity to invent new kinds of arrows, including a boomerang arrow and dozens of other tricks that explode on impact. The by-products of his years of study and spiritual training are his enhanced strength and stamina, which are matched only by his political convictions.

The Green Arrow is a key member of the Justice League of America and a very close friend to Green Lantern. Friends of Green Arrow consider him a bit outspoken for his own good, but his cutting wit and devilish smile infuriates his rivals, including Captain Boomerang, who yearns for the day to defeat The Green Arrow.

Post from: MMOtaku

Okay, enough with the jokes that Mercenary Wars is just another Counter-Strike clone. Although it can’t be denied that the game indeed looks a lot like other MMOFPS out on the market, it does have its merits. Just the fact that it has a built-in “bot” system where instead of fragging other players you get to shoot down heartless computer-controlled sprites adds a whole new dimension to gameplay experience.

What really takes the cake, however, is the fact that you can upgrade your character in Mercenary Wars using the Stat System. From what I understand, a player can allocate a set amount of points to improve their characters. For example, placing a point in the SMG skill will boost its capability in handling sub-machineguns.

What’s unclear is how exactly do these points help since most first-person shooters, including those online, makes use of a players skills and hand-eye coordination rather than computer-aided targeting and movement. I can understand wanting to upgrade walking speed and defense, but weapon skills?

Mercenary Wars from Uforia

Let’s take a look at what Uforia has to say about the Character Stat System of Mercenary Wars:

Uforia, an online game publisher specializing in massively multiplayer online games, has revealed the full details of the Character Stat System for its upcoming online military FPS, Mercenary Wars. With a large number of characters and almost unlimited customization, players can look forward to highly unique characters to play, from finely tuned snipers to fast and furious run and gunners and everything in between.

Mercenary Wars features a large number of characters that the player can customize. For each new character that a player earns in-game they can allocate a set amount of points into different stats to give them different strengths. For example, there are stats to increase a character’s skill with SMGs, Rifles, and Sniper Rifles. A player can also increase a character’s walking speed, grenade-throwing abilities, defense increase, and much more.

Although a player must select just one character to start a battle with, they may switch between them during re-spawn time. If a player’s selected character specializes in SMGs and speed,t hey can switch to their sniper specialist while re-spawning, thus allowing an added depth of strategy and the ability to adapt to what is going on in the battlefield.

For more information about the game, visit the Mercenary Wars teaser site.

Post from: MMOtaku

Then suddenly it hit me. I read the headline again, “YetimeNet Will CB Hot Volleyball on September 17th.” Was this Hot Volleyball the same as the Beach Volleyball that MMOtaku featured in October last year?

Let’s take a look at the two announcement stories from the China-based online games portal 17173. This is the latest announcement:

YetimeNet Will CB Hot Volleyball on Sep 17

Shanghai-based online game operator Yetime Network Technology plans to start the closed beta testing of its licensed 3D casual game Hot Volleyball (Re li Pai Qiu) on September 17. The test account registration began on September 10.

This is from almost a year ago:

Beach Volleyball Enters Second Closed Beta in China

Beach Volleyball, the 3D simulation online volleyball game, has entered its second closed beta on October 24.

Developed by Shanghai Yetime Network Technology, Beach Volleyball is an online casual game with a sports theme. The game is developed on the world-leading 3D engine with realistic character design. There are beaches and official match fields that provide different game experience.

Talk about confusing. So which is which, and which is correct. I realize that online games developers, operators and publishers sometimes get their dates mixed up, especially when it comes to closed and open beta tests and commercial launches. This is because they need to work out the kinks in the programming of every game to ensure a smooth gameplay experience for their clients.

But relaunching a game under a slightly different title and doing another round of beta testing? Weird.

Actually, this online volleyball game (I don’t even know what to call it anymore) is only under license by Yetime from Radiance Digital Entertainment. Watching the matches is fascinating, from a former volleyball varsity perspective. I’d rather have the real thing, though.

If you want to know more about Hot Volleyball, err, Beach Volleyball or whatever Yetime decides to call it, I suggest you search for videos since navigating the sites of Yetime and Radiance can be just as confusing. I remember posting one in the first article on the volleyball game in MMOtaku last year.

Post from: MMOtaku

Yes, you heard that right—a new race! Enough playing with stocky humans. Now you have the chance to play graceful elves—that is, if the elves in Runes of Magic conform to the stereotype of elves in different RPG lore. Here’s hoping that the females of the new race appear, well, more feminine.

In a few hours, at 3 a.m. of September 14th, 2009, Frogster will take the Runes of Magic servers down for the new patch. Aside from the new race, expect a few more changes like new zones and instances, two new classes, and a new level cap, Level 55. Servers will be up by September 15th at 3 a.m., according to the e-newsletter sent out by Frogster to all registered players.

As an added come-on to new Runes of Magic players, Frogster is giving away Diamonds, the item mall currency, to the elves who reach Level 55 first. There are four categories: Level 55 Warden, Level 55 Druid, Level 55/55 Warden/Druid, and Level 55/55 Elven Class/Random Dual Class. The first two get a thousand diamonds each, while the last two get 2,000 each.

Hmmm, this has me thinking … what if I reach Level 55 Warden and decide to get a second job, and get to Level 55/55 Warden/Druid first?

I better stop myself from playing out the scenario in my head—at least, until Runes of Magic gets patched.

For more information about the upcoming patch, hie off to the official Runes of Magic site.

Post from: MMOtaku