In the blog, G1cannon has touched on a number of topics that may help Atlantica Online players better enjoy their experience in the game. I take special interest in his research on the recently introduced Jackpot License, which allows players to accumulate loot through the Item Obtaining Window for one day and eventually decide whether to acquire all the items or jackpot one particular item and get a larger quantity by sacrificing the other items.

In an example of how the Jackpot License can work for players, G1cannon showed images of the result of his “jackpoting” Giant Crystals, which are used to upgrade some mercenaries like the Beast Trainer, Exorcist and, recently, the Punisher. Here’s an excerpt from his posting:

The below (image of the accumulated items in the jackpot window) was achieved after a four-hour non-stop grinding in Gooznu World using two bewitched mobs 95 percent of the time in the second level of Goonzu (in the left downstairs area).

I also have data, thanks to BloodyProsty, that a very similar jackpot resulted in more than 35,000 crystals, so we understand that this was lucky to get a very high multiplier and the current one is either “normal” or low multiplier. (There is a hidden multiplier in jackpot).

The profit using today’s market prices I calculated is 617.13 million gold. So it’s very interesting. However, it’s not realistic to sell anywhere near this amount on the market at stable price, so taking half would be more realistic, around 300 million profit.

To give you a better idea, here are images of G1cannon’s before and after jackpot:

Atlantica Online: Giant Crystal Jackpot

Another point of interest is the Atlantica Online Item Analysis System, which gives players the opportunity to earn more crafting experience when they break down or dismantle an item. For the benefit of those who are not familiar with Atlantica Online and its features, let me explain.

In Atlantica Online, every time you dismantle equipment, you get crafting experience for that particular item. For example, if your Level 10 character breaks down a level 90 weapon, say a Dragon Heart Axe, he or she gets axe crafting experience, provided that the character has at least one level in that crafting category. You also get crafting materials from dismantling equipment, usually elements and element shards.

Under the Item Analysis System, you can analyze one item that your character can craft by using a Hammer. Doing this will bring up the Item Analysis Window that shows five cards with different multipliers. Of course, NDOORS Interactive, publisher of Atlantica Online, isn’t about to spoonfeed you with large bonuses. So muster up the courage to flip one of these five cards and suck it up if you don’t get a favorable multiplier. The lowest multiplier is x1 and the highest is x20.

Well, enough of my prattle. Hie off to G1cannon’s Atlantica Online Wisdom and help the guy build a good database on the game’s different systems by submitting screenshots of your own experiences with the Jackpot System, Item Analysis System and the Independent Mercenaries System.

Post from: MMOtaku

This jumping through hoops to please the skeptical FPS market gets easier the more unique features an online first-person shooter has. Not that I’ve seen anything special in Cross Fire, a game developed by South Korean firms SmileGate and Neowiz, and published in China by Tencent and in North America by G4BOX Inc.. through Z8Games.

Cross Fire Online female character sprite

So what are Cross Fire’s features that should set them apart from other MMOFPS? Here’s a breakdown:

Team Deathmatch. Players must work together to kill opponents a designated number of times or get more kills within a designated time limit.

Search and Destroy. The Black List (one team) attempts to destroy designated points with C4, or destroy all Global Risk (the other team) players, while the GR team must destroy all Black List players before the bomb is planted. Of course, if the bomb is planted it can still be disarmed for a GR victory.

Elimination Mode. Similar to team death match, but players don’t respawn when they are killed, and it runs on a bsis of rounds instead of kills or a time limit.

Free For All. A mode where there are no teams but with optional weapon restrictions. Players constantly respawn at different locations.

They seem pretty common to me. All these gameplay modes are available in almost all first-person shooters and MMOFPS available on the market today.

Here are two features that I think may pique your interest enough to play Cross Fire:

Ghost Mode. All Black List terrorists are cloaked in invisibility when they are not moving and are armed only with melee weapons, while all Global Risk mercenaries are fully visible but can use all available weapons. The Black List must use stealth to blow up the target with C4 to win, while the Global Risk mercenaries must defend the target and shoot down any ghosts. Global Risk can locate invisible Black List when in their vicinity as they emit a heavy breathing sound.

Pandemic Mode. One to two players are infected and turned into zombies 10 seconds into the round, depending on how many players are in the game. An infected zombie will begin with 6,000 HP. When a person is hit or attacked by a zombie, they become a zombie with 2,000 HP. When the time is up, the survivors win. IF all the survivors become zombies, the zombies win. Zombies are flung backwards when shot and the map is completely darkened to add more suspense to the game. It is supposed to scare you and confuse you when you are not paying attention.

Now that’s what I’m talking about! Two gameplay modes that are sure to add spice to the game. It’s unfortunate, though, that the Pandemic Mode is available only in China, Japan and Vietnam.

If you want to know more about this free-to-play massively multiplayer online first-person shooter, go visit the official Cross Fire website for North American players.

Post from: MMOtaku

According to the guide posted by Level Up! Games, publisher of Perfect World on my side of the global pond, I have to speak with the Elemental Emissary and take the Elemental Sounds quest. As a reward, my character, Malystryx the Yao Jing (werefox in Perfect World Malaysia and venomancer in Perfect World International) will get a random spirit among the Spirits of the Seasons.

Perfect World Elemental Emissary conversation menu

This is where it gets hazy, especially for those who don’t really bother to read instructions. When I spoke to the Elemental Emissary earlier today, I selected “Spirit Summoning” from the NPC’s list of appropriate answers. Upon clicking on the emissary, the first three choices that one sees are “Spirit Equipment,” “Spirit Summoning,” and “Quest.” Needless to say, I went ahead with my choice and got Winter, one of four Genies, in exchange for three pieces of Immortal Stones (Fairy Stones in Perfect World Malaysia and Mirage Celestones in Perfect World International).

Boy was I wrong!

If I had only searched for an online guide for Perfect World Dawn of the Elementals first instead of dawdling with something I didn’t know anything about, perhaps the experience would be better. Or not. Making mistakes in any journey counts as a positive if you learn something from it.

So what should I have done? According to the guide, again, I should speak with the Elemental Emissary (check!) and take the Elemental Sounds quest (uhmm…). Instead of “Spirit Summoning,” I should have clicked “Quest.” Great!

Now I have two Perfect World genies, one of which is equipped. I’ve also taken the second quest from the Elemental Emissary that resulted in my character getting an Amplified Common Stone. Ugh, another mistake! This second quest should only be taken when the genie you have equipped reaches Level 19.

Back to the drawing board!

If you’ll excuse me, let me read up on Perfect World literature so that next time I log into the game, I’d have a fair idea of what to do.

Perfect World: Malystryx gets a genie!

Post from: MMOtaku

If the mobs at Northern Underworld aren’t cutting it for you anymore, then it may be time to head down to the Southern Underworld, reportedly the home of some of the toughest foes in the world of Neo Steam. If you’re curious as to what you may encounter in the new dungeon but don’t want to get your feet wet, so to speak, hie off to Sade of Neo Steam’s blog and check out her screenshots.

There’s also good news for players who have had their fill of duking it out in the Colosseum. The Magnasseum is now open and the reward for competing and successfully completing each round is a chest that may contain Chromide, an item that boosts experience points.

Of course, you have to survive all six rounds against different opponents. Losing one round means forfeiting the remaining rounds. We can’t have that now, can we?

On a lighter note, Crazy Pomba is back, and he has a truckload of items to give away, including a new mount—the Spotted Riding Pu-Moo. Here’s a partial list of some new items in Neo Steam and their bonuses:

Neo Steam Spotted Riding Pu-Moo

Cow Set:

Bovine Bonnet: Max STA +168, Max MP +170, MP Regen +9%, STA Regen +9%
Muumuu: Max HP +550, Atk +18, M-Atk +17, HP Regen +23%

Brave Set:

Hunting Bow (Back): Atk +12, M-Atk +8, Con +2, HP Regen +10%
Headdress (Face): Def +10, Max HP +80, HP Regen +10%
Feather Decoration (Head): Def +5, Max MP +20, Max STA +30, MP Regen +10%, STA Regen +10%

Berserker Set:

War Banner (Back): Def +5, Max HP +120, HP Regen +15%
Viking Helmet (Face): Def +10, Atk +18, M-Atk +14, HP Regen +12%
Viking Horns (Head): Def +5, HP Regen +15%, MP Regen +15%, STA Regen +15%

Swimsuit:

Summer Swimsuit (Robe): Max HP +102, Def +3, Max STA +29, Max MP +16
Summer Bracelet (Gloves): HP Regen +113%
Summer Sandals (Shoes): Max HP +18, Run Speed +20%

Check out the screenshots of the new item sets on the official Neo Steam: The Shattered Continent website.

Post from: MMOtaku

I know you’re begging to ask what the big deal is with newsletter subscriptions and how they are linked to getting MMOre Power in an MMO setting. All right, let me go straight to the point. Having a subscription to the newsletter of an online game affords you special items through what publishers call “promotional codes” attached to the monthly newsletter.

Oh, the items aren’t really what you would consider godly. They also generally don’t give big boost to character attributes and the like. But these items are very helpful in either leveling your characters or getting decent loot.

Take Atlus Online’s latest promo for newsletter subscribers to the online game Neo Steam: The Shattered Continent for example. This Halloween, players get three items: a Gold Premium Preview, which grants a character increased share of experience points and more gold, Sharp Horns, a snazzy headgear that brings out the demon in you, and a Creepy Crate, which contains a random goody.

Look what the newsletter dragged in: Goodies in the online game Neo Steam.

Neo Steam isn’t the only game that gives away goodies with its newsletter. Take my word for it, subscribing to an online game newsletter is worth it. If you’re afraid of spam, don’t fret. These newsletters only come once a month. Unless you’ve subscribed to newsletters of over a dozen games, you have nothing to worry about.

Who says gifts only come during birthdays and Christmas?

Post from: MMOtaku

4story character creation screen

Not that 4story is devoid of merits. Far from it. Despite a warning I’ve received from a fellow gamer and colleague in the gaming industry that I might end up disappointed if I start playing the game, I still pushed through. Obviously, from the title of this posting alone, one can discern that I’m not distressed with my choice.

Like I said, it’s almost—and I do mean ALMOST—like World of Warcraft, and indeed the game takes full advantage of this fact. Fortunately for Zemi Interactive, developer and publisher of 4story, the game has a few twists that may push it into the spotlight and grab the attention of MMORPG fans like yours truly.

Just like in other MMORPGs, I started my adventures in the world of 4story as a ranged class, an archer, for Craxion, the nation of mysterious magics. There are two other factions in the game: DeFugel, the nation of bravery soldiers, and Broa, the nation of strong troops.

These three nations are perpetually at war and every change in territory ownership in 4story affects the number of quests you can take on, the type of items you can recover, and of course the place you can go to. But that’s nothing new, I’m sure.

What’s new, however, is what Zemi Interactive calls the Real-Time Strategic Command System, or RSCS. It’s unique to 4story and it allows field commanders to command his troops much like a general in today’s real-world battlefield. With the aid of the mini-map, the commander can see where his soldiers are located, order them to move to specific areas, and talk to them.

Although the commander can always use chat to issue commands, the battlefield minimap has shortcut keys that mirror basic commands like “move out,” “hold position,” and “engage.”

Not bad … not bad at all. I’m sure it gives player-versus-player warfare a whole new dimension. Now, if only Zemi Interactive can sustain this and make 4story move out from the shadow of World of Warcraft, then we’ll have a truly great, free-to-play MMORPG to romp in.

Post from: MMOtaku

At present, Uforia has only revealed five maps, including a museum filled with ancient treasures to a restaurant filled with secret meeting rooms, which are sure to pose a challenge even to the most aim-savvy player.

Welcome to my playground: One of the five maps in Mercenary Wars.

“We are pleased to reveal the interesting maps of Mercenary Wars as we continue to develop its unique gaming experience leading up to its official launch,” said Chris Keswani, marketing manager of Uforia. “The five maps that we’ve created differ dramatically from one another, allowing players to truly experience the challenge and excitement of adapting into the dynamic environments throughout their quest.”

The list of the maps and their descriptions after the jump:

Sweden. Although the International Hessian Order, one of the factions in Mercenary Wars, is based in the United States, it has a base in Sweden. The European country initially gave protection to the group in exchange for a percentage of natural resources that it gets from battles, but eventually found itself in a quandary when IHO decided to overthrow the government.

The Museum. This facility houses a variety of ancient artifacts ranging from prehistoric to Egyptian, and then from medieval to modern. Located in Africa, the museum is the main stronghold of the Continental African Mercenary League, another Mercenary Wars faction.

Mosque. Well, it’s no longer a mosque, according to the back story of Mercenary Wars faction Medjay Mercenary Unit. This group of Middle Eastern mercenaries overthrew the peaceful monarchy and replaced it with their kill-for-hire rule of law. The former mosque serves as the group’s training area.

The Restaurant. Another stronghold of another mercenary group. This dining establishment is a bulwark of the United Asian Front, serving as a business center for the trade in arms and other contraband. With its myriad rooms, the restaurant is a veritable maze that aids the group against other factions.

The Factory. This building is the main base of the Mercenarios Unidad del Americas. The factory acts as the group’s nerve center that routes vital supplies and assigns members to different locations around South America.

That’s it? Yes, at the moment, that’s all there is. Uforia promises that more maps will be added during Mercenary Wars‘ closed beta period.

Post from: MMOtaku

Although the odds are stacked against me in my bid to participate in the Atlantica Online Titan League, I’m willing to keep an open mind. It’s gonna take a lot of resources, the kind that can move mountains, to set up a mercenary build and arming characters just to get in the competition.

Let’s take a closer look at the factors that make or break an Atlantica Online player’s resolve in entering and coming out on top of the Titan League:

Atlantica Online Titan League competition

Build. In Atlantica Online’s unique player-versus-player system, a player has control over one main character and eight mercenaries, each with his or her own set of strengths and weaknesses. One key to staying in top form is by having a good build. The type of main character you have usually dictates which build to master. Staff mains usually go for the area-of-effect build, making heavy use of mercenaries that have AOE spells, such as the Beast Tamer with her Beast Summon Skill and the Witch with her Meteor Storm. Bow mains, on the other hand, are real fans of the snipe build, choosing to fight beside Dark Archers, Prophets and Hwarangs.

Level. In any massively multiplayer online role-playing games, the level of your character plays a critical role in ensuring victory in any situation, be it player-versus-environment or player-versus-player. Although character level is not the be-all-end-all solution to winning, it certainly gives you an upper hand in terms of hit points and other attributes. Of course, it also pays to maintain maximum might for your team with the use of Growth Vials and skill books.

Equipment. The effect of over-upgraded weapons and other equipment in the Free League is still highly debated, but its effect on player morale can’t be disputed. Seeing weapons with auras being wielded by the enemy makes you feel inferior when the best you can do is getting your equipment upgraded enough to emit only a weak glow. It has the opposite effect on the player who has the big guns, giving him a morale boost that may push him to perform better.

Character Skills. The higher the skill level, the higher the damage and the longer their effects last. To fight on a level playing field with the masters, you need to boost the skills of your main character and all eight mercenaries. Scrimping on skill books is a no-no if you want to win.

Strategy. Of course, all these—from build to level, from equipment to character skills—mean nothing if you don’t know how to use your team by maximizing the use of each character and exploiting the enemy’s weakness. What skill do you cast first? Which enemy mercenary do you take down at the soonest possible time? These are just some of the questions that race through a player’s mind when fighting in the Atlantica Online Free League.

Fast Hands and Keen Eyes. These go hand in hand with strategy. Knowing how to move accounts for nothing if you can’t move fast enough and if you’re not observant. Slow hands make you miss turns. Tired eyes make you miss important stun counters and spell effects. Remember that you only have a maximum of thirty seconds to act. Getting delayed for a few seconds may spell disaster for your quest for glory in Atlantica Online’s Titan League.

Well, there you have it, some of the elements that make a good Atlantica Online Free League player. If you have something to add, feel free to post a comment.

Many thanks to Atlantica Online Delphi Server’s Sazanality for the video.

Post from: MMOtaku

While other MMORPGs market in its item malls some trinkets that boost experience points rates, NDOORS and Atlantica Online takes it a step further with the Blessing License, which essentially works the same except for the fact that it also increases attack power or damage by 150 percent and defense by 110 percent.

Atlantica Online Blessing License

These bonuses are pretty handy if you’re exploring shadow dungeons—high-spawn areas where your skills as a player may be put to the test—on your own. Couple the boost to attack and defense with the 150-percent bonus to experience points gained, then you have a formidable tool for leveling in the world of Atlantica Online.

This power, however, comes with a price. The Blessing License costs 1,499 Gcoins, which is roughly USD$15, on the Atlantica Online item mall. Fortunately, the license lasts for 30 days. It is suggested that you purchase a Blessing License only if you have lots of free time in your hands.

I’m saying this based on experience: My Blessing License is about to expire. I was unable to play Atlantica Online for around two weeks because of problems with my computer. So I wasted half of the USD$15 I paid for the license.

Don’t be discouraged. Just be aware that the clock runs on this item even when you’re offline. So is the Blessing License still a good buy? Of course! The license has seen my character through the worst that Atlantica Online can throw at her. I assure you that it’ll drastically change your gameplay experience—for the better.

So what are you waiting for? Grab a Blessing License and start delving into the belly of those shadow dungeons in Atlantica Online.

Atlantica Online player party versus mobs

Post from: MMOtaku

Not.

Actually, I’m just a little flustered after a few hours of playing my merchant TikaWaylan on Valkyrie, the free-to-play server of Ragnarok Online Philippines. Oh, yeah, she’s now a blacksmith. Damn job change quest!

The source of my frustration is, as you may have already guessed, the Blacksmith job change quest. The Merchant job change quest is a walk in the park compared to that of the Blacksmith.

Nah. It’s easy, really. The problem with the way I did it was I followed the instructions of a guide published before all the important updates were introduced. In hindsight, I should have consulted online resources prior to going on the quest. It would have saved me a lot of zeny, the in-game currency, not to mention time and exertion.

If you’re a Ragnarok Online old timer like me, you probably think the Blacksmith Guild, the place where you begin the quest to change from merchant to blacksmith, is still in Geffen. Well, it isn’t. It’s now in faraway Einbroch, and the only way to reach it is to ride a damn zeppelin.

My Ragnarok Online merchant character on board the zeppelin to Einbroch, home of the Blacksmith Guild.

The quest still starts with a conversation with Guildsman Altiregen (Altazen) at the Blacksmith Guild (ein_in01 18, 28). Finding him is the easy part. It gets muddy after that. He refers you to an NPC named Geshupenschte (Getsufenst) who, in the old days, stayed in Alberta. Nowadays, however, he “lives” in nearby Einbech (ein_in01 201, 27).

This was where I got lost.

Anyway, I won’t bore you with the other details. Suffice it to say that I have learned my lesson, but don’t care to do everything all over again. I’ll leave my Ragnarok Online characters to my daughter, who has taken a liking to romping in my old MMORPG flame.

Post from: MMOtaku