First English Server For Ragnarok Online 2 Goes Open Beta

Do you remember Ragnarok Online? You know, that anime-styled MMORPG that became popular all over the world a few years ago. Well, it now has a sequel and it's called Ragnarok Online 2. The game everybody loved still has that anime-style look but it's now in full 3D. How awesome is that?

(Ragnarok Online 2)

Your favorite classes are back except maybe for the Merchant Class but you'll still have five classes to choose from and these are the Swordsman, Magician, Archer, Thief and Acolyte. Each class has an advanced class in which you can change to as soon as you reach Level 25.

Blacksmith is no longer an advanced class of the Merchant class because there is no longer a Merchant class. It is now part of the Job System. There are four types of jobs for you to specialize in and from these jobs you can choose to become a Chef, an Alchemist, a Blacksmith or an Artisan.

Unlike the old Ragnarok Online game where all maps are open to everyone, Ragnarok Online 2 will have Instanced Dungeons. These will allow you to party up with your friends and not have to worry about other players kill stealing or looting from your kill.

The card system is back and it's better than ever. Cards give your character extra traits and abilities and you can slot and equip up to 5 different cards. You can get these cards from hunting monsters or by synthesizing better and stronger cards from an NPC. To store all your cards, you can use a Card Album because your inventory is not big enough to hold all of them.

PvP (player-vs-player) was a big part of the old Ragnarok Online game and Ragnarok Online 2 has it as well. You can choose to battle or duel anywhere or you can opt to fight it out in the Arena. Choosing where you accept to duel can mean life or death (or not). LOL!

Of course, Ragnarok Online 2 won't become complete without those cute Peco Pecos to mount. You can get your first Peco Peco mount at Level 15 and all you have to do is buy it from the Mount NPC in Prontera. By the way, the Peco Peco is not the only mount available in the game. You'll eventually find other mounts to buy and ride as you play the game.

New to Ragnarok Online 2 is the Flying Service. This service will let you fly to your destination quickly. You can choose from two types of Flying Services and these are Short Distance Flying and Far Distance Flying. Short Distance Flying will only fly you within the same area while Far Distance Flying will take you anywhere quickly but it will cost more.

Trading in Ragnarok Online 2 is done in two ways. The first one is by setting up a Personal Shop and the second one is by using the Auction House. Selling items through your Personal Shop won't incur any fees. The Auction House will charge you an auction fee but you don't have to stay online to sell your items.

Ragnarok Online 2 has more features available but you'll have to play the game to find what these features are. If you are interested in adventuring once again in Midgard then visit the official website, create a new account, download and install the game.

To learn more about Ragnarok Online 2 and to play it for FREE, click here!

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C9 Offers Class Reset For Free

Starting from December 12, 2012 until December 19, 2012, inactive players who will come back and play C9 again will receive a free Class Reset Item. What does a Class Reset Item do? Obviously, it will let players choose another class for their characters in C9 and all they have to do to get one is play the game again. Of course, they will have to return and play the game again before December 19, 2012.

 
(Image Credit: C9)

Why would players want to reset their character class? In the e-mail notice sent by Webzen, there are two reasons why players will want to do it. The first reason that Webzen gave was maybe they "didn't choose the right class" when they first created their characters. Not choosing the right class is definitely a problem and could explain why they stopped playing the game.

The second reason Webzen gave was the character class they chose for their characters "was too hard" for them to play. Obviously, players don't want to play a game that's hard to play because it will only frustrate them. If that cause of that was their choice of character class then giving them the opportunity to change it can possibly get them back to play again.

Players who will avail of this offer must use the Class Reset Item immediately because this particular item will expire in only a week. If they have two or more characters in their account then the character that has the highest level will get it. Unfortunately, they won't get to choose which character will get it.

By the way, the Class Reset Item will only let you change your advanced class. For example, a Guardian can change from a Blademaster and vice-versa. Base classes are not changeable.

C9 or Continent of the Ninth Seal is an action-packed multiplayer online RPG. It's fun to play and players will enjoy hours and hours of dungeon raiding by themselves or with friends. Inactive players who are looking to play the game again should definitely take advantage of this offer from Webzen.

To learn more about C9 and to play it for FREE, click here!

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Calling For Heroes As The Chronicles Begin In SEA For DragonSaga

The highly acclaimed DragonSaga is soon to be rolled out in the region and they are calling out for beta testers. Players with heroic hearts can start saving the world by participating in DragonSaga’s closed beta. Beginning November 30th, gamers can start registering their email address to receive a mystery gift & exclusive updates for the closed beta.

(DragonSaga)

Developed by Gravity Games Co. Ltd., makers of internationally acclaimed Ragnarok Online, DragonSaga SEA is a one-of-a-kind, revolutionary 3D side-scrolling free-to-play massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG). It is going to be the first game to be published by NHN Singapore in the region. NHN Singapore is a subsidiary of NHN Corporation, a leading global Internet company headquartered in South Korea, operating the country’s top search portal, Naver, and number one online game portal, Hangame. The company also operates LINE, a popular mobile messenger with more than 73 million subscribers, which allows users to call and text over data for free.

“We at NHN Singapore are very excited to release this game to the South East Asian audience. We are making the game available through the closed beta testing as it is a good venue for seasoned, casual and even newbie gamers to report bugs, make suggestions, and rate the game accordingly. We are expecting a good turnout on this as we can assure that those who are familiar with the game that DragonSaga SEA will feature a much more diverse world and dynamic action as well as features-rich and more exciting content,” shares Mr. Eric Lee, Managing Director of NHN Singapore.

The Game

Supported by a full 3D system that allows players to navigate not only sideways but also move up and down, the new and improved DragonSaga SEA is sure to provide gamers an enhanced gaming experience with its vast and brilliantly made 3D world.

Dungeons and monster bosses, a pet, housing and marriage system, gamers are sure to encounter these in the new world of DragonSaga as well as combo chains, cool armour sets and groovy dance moves. Not only that, DragonSaga SEA is hosted on two servers and supports two languages, English and Chinese, for all gamers to enjoy.

Gamers taking part in the Closed Beta will get to experience the Legendary Content. They can expect livelier and visuals-rich game as the makers of DragonSaga SEA has overhauled the game graphic engine and improved the mini map, making the game interface much more vivid, enjoyable and at the same time easier to play with. Not only that, they can watch out for the new chain combo system and additional special effects that has been added escalating the players’ gaming experience to a whole new level.

The Call

Gamers who are ready to take on the challenge of being a brave Warrior, an unyielding Magician, an acute Archer or cunning Thief can be part of the chronicles of DragonSaga SEA by signing up for the upcoming closed beta. Commencing sometime on December, the closed beta testing leads the way for the game’s grand launch in the first quarter of next year.

“We believe that DragonSaga SEA will surely meet the expectations of the players in the region who are going to try out the all new DragonSaga SEA. We are inviting all avid players and everyone with heroic hearts to join us in this new and exciting world of DragonSaga and a special surprise awaits the players when the game officially commence early 2013,” ends Mr. Eric Lee.

Follow DragonSaga For More Updates:

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/DragonSagaSEA
YouTube Preview Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/DragonSagaSEA
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dragonsagasea

To Register for the Closed Beta, Visit the Website at: http://dragonsaga.gsquare.com

About Gravity Games Co.

GRAVITY GAMES was founded in 2003, and was known as online game development company of MMORPG ‘Dragonica’, and
‘Dragonraja’. Especially, ‘Dragonica’ has accumulated user registration more than 1.5 millions of people around the world. Currently, it is bringing successful service in 11 countries including Japan, US, Europe, and Taiwan. It started to provide service in the domestic market in 2010, and became popular with variety contents and high quality.
Visit www.gravitygames.co.kr for more information.

About NHN Singapore Pte. Ltd.

NHN SINGAPORE is a wholly-owned subsidiary of NHN Corporation and serves as focus point for providing a valuable platform for games developers in leading overseas expansion of online games services to Singapore and other South-East Asia countries. NHN Singapore is preparing to launch a new online game community portal, offering games in wide range of genres, including fun and interesting causal mobile games, multiplayer web-based games to arcade-style, console-quality online role-playing games. The service will offer gamers the best in interactive online game entertainment, combining innovative social platform functionality with popular hit game titles.

Visit www.nhncorp.com for more information.

To learn more about DragonSaga SEA and to play it for FREE, click here!

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MMO FPS Planetside 2 Blasts Its Way Through Fans

After playing an hour full of intense shooting, camping, and flying slow futuristic aircrafts (can’t they make fast aircrafts in the distant future?), this is my impression of the newest MMOFPS Planetside 2. For starters, Planetside 2 is like the original Planetside combined Halo sans the ringworld and the grumpy gun-toting aliens. It also incorporates Black Ops 2’s fast-paced action and Battlefield 3 with its maps and character classes, all topped with the intensity and immensity of Nuclear Dawn. Simply put, the game is as exciting as it looks: Master Chief wannabes fighting at large, verdant terrains while planes and tanks storm them for a quick and easy kill.

(Planetside 2)

Despite my reference to other games because as no FPS is original anymore since Counter Strike’s release, Planetside is probably one reason why you should go back to FPS. Created by Sony Entertainment Online, we think this is one of Sony’s attempts to buy back in the bloated genre of first-person shooters, except that it looks promising. Gameplay-wise, it will make you fight against literally scores of players on ridiculously huge maps, and mostly your games are just skirmishes of a bigger war to take over the fictional planet of Auraxis.

Like Planetside 2, online casinos provide both escapist entertainment and therapeutic catharsis at the stroke of a button. Whenever we feel angry or hungry for something (definitely not food), we just boot our computers, load our favorite games, and get consumed by the digital world. However, unlike online casino, the only things we get out of playing video games after several hours are massive headaches, insomnia, and the cringe after seeing our electric bills. Online poker, on the other hand, gives you the chance to have fun and at the same time, hit jackpots, sweep tables, and get the lucky 777. Thanks to online casino sites like partycasino.com, playing casino has never been convenient. Aside from the usual casino games such as video poker, slots, baccarat, and roulettes, there are also fun-filled arcade games with rewarding prizes such as the famous Bejeweled. Also, for the geeky players out there, partycasino.com has their Marvel-themed slots. It’s like a casino, but in the comfort of your homes.

Going back to Planetside 2, it uses Sony’s Forgelight engine, which is also used in EverQuest Next. Finally, Sony has kept up with the conventions of most first-person games when it comes to graphics, such as real-time radiosity, realistic physics, motion blurring, eye adaptation, and high-dynamic ranging. Aside from the improved physics of the game, the environment also took a serious leap from bland to fresh and exciting. After playing, you probably wouldn’t step on the vegetation due to its realistic rendering. However, the best part of Planetside 2 is that there is a class that has a JETPACK, which you can use to fly short distances. Although we have criticisms of the game too, it will be best to leave it to you and see if Planetside 2 will be one of the best online FPS games for years to come.

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Bigpoint Celebrates 300 Million Registered Users Worldwide

San Francisco – Dec. 5, 2012 – Bigpoint (www.bigpoint.com) – a worldwide leader in online games – announced today that it has exceeded 300 million registered players on its premiere global gaming site Bigpoint.com. Over the past decade, Bigpoint has delivered multiple hit titles, such as Battlestar Galactica Online, Drakensang Online, Farmerama, Pirate Storm and Dark Orbit, amassing communities across the world. To honor this sensational achievement, the free-to-play (F2P), browser-based gaming giant will hold a sweepstakes from Dec. 5-18 for new and registered users to win prizes, including brand new smartphones and special sets of gold coins.

(Bigpoint Celebrates 300 Million Registered Users Worldwide)

“In recent years, we’ve seen a rapid increase and unprecedented numbers in our titles. We want to celebrate our accomplishments and show our appreciation to our international community,” said Heiko Hubertz, founder of Bigpoint. “The strength and support of our players exemplifies how we’ve evolved in the F2P industry, and motivates us to keep driving innovation in browser games.”

Bigpoint is the provider of numerous award-winning titles such as Drakensang Online, the hack-n-slash action-MMORPG, Farmerama, the virtual farming business simulation, Hollywood IP-based projects like Battlestar Galactica Online, a tactical space-combat MMO. The company recently launched Gameglobe, a unique browser-based experience that lets players create, share, and play their own games and game worlds in partnership with Square Enix, and looks forward to the release of new games in the pipeline for 2013.

Since Bigpoint’s founding in 2002, the company has established a large-scale distribution network with 1,000+ global media partners that publish its portfolio. Bigpoint.com hosts games for every segment of the market including casual, core, and hardcore titles – more than 65 high-quality games available in 25 languages and over 300 million interactive users.

Sweepstakes

Beginning December 5th through December 18th, Bigpoint will offer new and registered players in its network the chance to enter in a sweepstakes to win exciting prizes, including brand new mobile smartphones, sets of five gold coins, and much more. Eligible participants must sign up with a valid email address on the official page at www.bigpoint.com. Registered users will receive an e-mail containing a link to enter in the sweepstakes. Winners will be selected at random and notified should they win.

About Bigpoint

Bigpoint is an online-game developer, publisher and content provider for more than 1000 global distribution partners. Bigpoint’s free-to-play games are played by over 300 million registered users in over 25 languages. The company’s portfolio includes casual, core and hardcore titles, such as Battlestar Galactica Online and Drakensang Online. Employees from more than 35 countries work together at the company headquarters in Hamburg, Germany and at various locations around the world including Berlin, San Francisco and Paris. Bigpoint has received various awards, such as the European Business Award 2011, the MMO of the Year 2012 for Drakensang Online, the Mashable Best Online Game Award for Farmerama and the MTV Skyscraper Award for Excellence in Game Development. For more information please visit www.bigpoint.net.

To learn more about Bigpoint games, click here!

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Lockboxes, Chance Packs, Lucky Boxes, Etc. Is PWE Running A Casino?

PWE or Perfect World Entertainment is an online game publisher. Some of the online games it publishes are Star Trek Online, Champions Online, RaiderZ and Blacklight: Retribution. Besides being published by PWE and Free-To-Play, all these games have another thing in common and you'll find it in each game's item shop or marketplace.

(A sample Chance Pack in Blacklight: Retribution)

Each game has a different name for it but, in general, you can describe it as an item that gives out uncertain or random items. In Star Trek Online and Champions Online it's called a Lockbox. Blacklight: Retribution's name for it is Chance Pack and, in RaiderZ, it has what it calls a Lucky Box. All of these items may have different names but all of them have the same function and that is to give out random items.

Also, these items are bought with Zen and Zen is bought with real money. With that in mind, buying these items is almost like gambling because you'll only get a random chance of getting the actual item you want from it and, instead of using chips or gambling chips, you use Zen to pay for them. So, is PWE running a massively multiplayer online gaming casino?

Casinos are almost synonymous to gambling and, with the existence of such items in games published by PWE, you are like  gambling with your money every time you buy any of these items. Of course, if all you want is to gamble then why not just go to an online casino and gamble till you drop but, then again, why go there when you can do it in your favorite PWE published MMO.

(A Lock Box in Star Trek Online)

Gambling has no place in any massively multiplayer online game. PWE can call it a lockbox, a chance pack,  a lucky box or whatever it wants to call it but, as long as it gives out random items and it is bought with Zen which is bought with real money, buying it is still gambling because what you'll get when the item is opened is uncertain or random.

This is just a suggestion but PWE should just sell the item directly and not put it in a random box along with other useless items. By selling items directly and not putting them in a random box, the perception of gambling is removed from the item sold.

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Play Mortal Online For FREE

Did you know that you can now download, install and play Mortal Online for FREE? Yes, this once Pay-To-Play game is now available to everyone for FREE. Those who wish to continue paying money as a subscriber can do so but those who want to try the game first before spending money on a subscription can play the game for FREE without any obligations.

(Mortal Online Free-To-Play)

Like most Pay-To-Play MMO games that went Free-To-Play, Mortal Online's Free-To-Play option has limits. For example, instead of 100 skills points, Free-To-Play players will only get 60 skill points. 60 skill points against 100 skill points. Paying players will definitely get a huge advantage over non-paying or free players.

Below are just some of what a premium or paying player will enjoy in Mortal Online:

• Maximum for all skills is 100
• Premium accounts may use thievery skills
• Premium accounts may loot expensive objects
• Premium accounts may trade expensive objects

Free players who wish to enjoy everything the game offers will just have to subscribe or pay the monthly fee. Paying players who will downgrade to free-to-play will get the restrictions as well. Subscribing again will lift or remove the restrictions.

As you can see, Mortal Online's Free-To-Play offer is more like a really extended trial because you'll have to subscribe or pay to enjoy the full game. Not having the ability to loot and trade expensive items can become a burden later in the game.

Anyway, those who wish to try out the game can do so freely and without worrying about anything. Casual players will enjoy their free accounts because they can now play the game anytime they want without spending anything.

See the YouTube video below to get a glimpse of what you can do in Mortal Online.

To learn more about Mortal Online and to play it for FREE, click here!

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