Dark-Warriors

Dark Warriors is a multi player online role-play game (MPORPG). While the game play primarily takes place in one land (Westland) at the current time, there has been some discussion of opening more areas to explore in the future. This game is currently under development, so be prepared for changes in game play, new additions and tweaks to existing areas of the game.

The following Game Rules, violations of the rules and the punishments for breaking those rules, should be read before you sign up to play the game.

You stay awake at night wondering what it would be like to live the life of a Dark Warrior. Imagining the mystical creatures, battles and adventures you would experience and the many riches you would be rewarded with. As you continue to wonder, you look up to the night's sky and see a faint message written in the stars. It says "Join the elite, proud and strong Dark Warriors and you shall not be disappointed". Your destiny awaits...

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DC Universe Online Hands-On Preview

DC Universe Online seems like an obvious extension of the popular comic book brand. The fact that the game hasn’t even entered Alpha testing does little to tame the rabid MMORPG fans that are looking for something outside the staple fantasy genre. With so many heroes, villains and morally grey characters in the mix, how could DC Universe Online be anything but awesome?


At first glance, DCUO looks like every other MMORPG out there. The title follows the standard set forth by Ultima Online and its ilk, with health, mana, and equipment bars littering the screen. The preview build that I saw was running off of a PlayStation 3, but it was tough to notice a difference between the console and PC versions. While the overall resolution is lower on PS3, I didn’t notice any reduced spell effects, feel encumbered by a controller or get hamstrung by hardware lag.

Technical prowess of the PS3 aside, I did get to see a bit of new content during my demo time. I was handed a pre-built shock-heavy character that fights the good fight with the Justice League of America. After some spell practice, I ran to aid a group of biologically tainted civilians. Combat against the Joker’s thugs was quick and dirty, with electrical bombardments, physics-based attacks and environmental items dealing the most damage. Adding to the complexity of battle was an appearance by several famous DC characters, with Batman helping to revive the endangered civilians and battle by my side. As if the Dark Knight didn’t offer enough help, some of the former brainwashed mobs joined our ranks as well. After easily dispatching the zombie leader, I was awarded with a piece of loot that automatically matched my previously chosen color scheme. No longer will avatars need a visit from the Queer Eye people to keep them looking sharp!

It appears as if SOE really plans to keep players constantly rubbing shoulders with the characters that have made DC comics such a long-lasting brand, and that’s a damned good thing. I am thankful that SOE has plenty of development time left, as the environments remain incredibly empty and undetailed outside of the sparingly used interactive pieces. As interesting as the demos have been, one has to wonder what the general grind is going to be. Will the MMO focus on quests and instances? Is general mob farming a viable strategy? What we don’t need to worry about is the PC-PS3 cross-platform play, as it seemed to work fine from what I was shown. If SOE’s focuses on the gameplay and story as much as the technology, DCUO will be hard to pass up.

DC Universe Online remains undated, although we expect it to be released sometime in 2010.

Source:http://www.thegamereviews.com

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Aion aims to fly to the top of the MMORPG rankings

Look out World of Warcraft; here comes another new MMORPG with its goal set to knock off the king of online fantasy gaming; and while WoW’s established base, entrenched name recognition and savvy marketing may be too much for any new game to overcome, Aion could take a sizeable bite out of the WoW apple.

Aion, with its state-of-the-art graphics; emphasis on flight as both a form of mobility and a tactic in combat; and unique elements, like RvRvE (realm vs. realm vs. environment), is officially the most anticipated MMORPG since, well, World of Warcraft.

Due to arrive in late September, Aion is “. . . a visually stunning massively multiplayer online RPG where you ascend to divinity and fight in an epic celestial war. Wielding divine powers and the capability for true flight, you must bring salvation to your people and restore balance to a vast, beautiful world shattered by cataclysm,” according to NCSoft, developer of Aion and a number of other very successful Online Games, including Guild Wars, Lineage and City of Heroes.

The basic theme of the game is, on the surface, fairly standard stuff. A world has been sundered in two and the inhabitants of each half-world blame each other for the catastrophe. The Elyos, a beautiful race of light angelic-like beings loath their opposite number, the dark winged Asmodians, whose hatred of the Eloyes runs equally deep.

In the middle of the divided world lies the Abyss, a dangerous world of its own and home to the chaotic evil know as the Balaur. Both the Eloyes and Asmodians believe that by surviving the rift between the two worlds and conquering the enemy race, the world as they once knew it will become whole once again.

While the Elyos and their Tower of Light and the Asmodians and their Tower of Darkness seem to be metaphors for angels and devils, good and evil and/or heaven and hell, that isn’t really the case. Their appearances came about as evolutionary changes necessitated by their environment. The only true evil is the Balaur, who inhabit the Abyss.

Realm vs. Realm play comes into effect when the Eloyes battle the Asmodians. Realm vs. Environment takes place when the Balaur show up in the Abyss. The thing about the chaotic Balaur that adds so much to the game itself is that the Balaur will sometimes aid one side and sometimes the other. Then again, the Balaur might show up in such numbers that the Elyoss and Asmodians have to put aside their enmity and join forces against the Balaur.

NCSoft will be using the CryEngine, immersive 3D graphic system to bring unprecedented realism, physics and graphic details to what promises to be, if nothing else, probably the most beautiful MMORPG ever to grace a monitor or television screen. Those of you who are familiar with the popular first-person shooter, Far Cry, have already gotten a taste of the amazing world that can be created via the CryEngine, umm, engine!

Aion, though, if far more than just flash. According to Beta Tester Mark Dunmire, “This is the game that will lure sizeable numbers from WoW.” Dunmire, a longtime player of MMORPGs, has maxed out toons in WoW, Age of Conan, Warhammer and several other online games, so he knows of what he speaks.
“I’ve been in the Aion beta since its inception; and I have to tell you, it has captured me like no other game I’ve played. It’s stunning visually but the depth of the story, and the sense of never quite knowing what you’re getting into when you fly into the Abyss makes every play session a fresh experience.”

Mark also pointed out that unlike many MMORPG releases that are plagued by bugs, Aion should arrive with a high degree of polish on it. “Aion has been around for several years in Korea and most of the bugs have already been fixed. The game is being ‘Westernized’ but it should be an incredibly smooth release. It’s darn near perfect in Beta.”

Unquestionably, Aion will have its share of naysayers, will be similar to MMORPGs that have preceded it, have classes that feel a bit too familiar, etc. However, its look and its focus promise to deliver more substance than mere hype. Prepare to ascend and earn your wings; then fly into the Abyss!

By James Trunzo

Source:http://www.examiner.com/

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MMORPG 101: What are financial systems in MMORPGs?

Nearly every MMORPG has some sort of financial system. Money or its equivalent is usually represented by something that makes sense within the larger context of the game. Thus, in most fantasy MMORPGs, gold is the unit of money. Along with money or its equivalent comes things to buy with that money. Items or rewards which can be bought with and sold for money are usually collectively referred to by the playerbase (and most developers) as loot.

In-game money and loot are big components of the social structure of most MMORPGs, although they don't hold the same importance in every game. World of Warcraft, for example, is a game where gold and the items it can buy are fairly critical aspects of the game. City of Heroes, on the other hand, while it does have a market system and loot-like items now (it didn't have much at its launch), places less importance on such things than does World of Warcraft.

Sometimes loot doesn't play a major role in character advancement, but in many cases, it is vitally important. In games where loot represents physical armor or weapons, not having the proper "gear" can make a character undesireable for certain game content. In games like this, loot is highly prized and can lead to arguments over who gets what when an item "drops" (i.e., becomes available upon defeat of an enemy).

Another problem that can arise from MMORPG market systems is "gold selling," or "real money transfers." Companies and individuals will gain a lot of game money, either through relentless "farming" or exploits, and then sell that in-game money for real-world money. This is against the rules of nearly every MMORPG, and it is a problem that game companies are constantly striving to squash. Accounts are banned if they are found to be in violation, and harsh restrictions are placed on trial accounts in an attempt to prevent trial accounts from being used as easy gateways into the game world.

Having a financial system in an MMORPG adds another layer of immersion for players and adds variety, so that it's not just a bunch of "kill that mob" or "collect these objects."

Source: http://www.examiner.com/

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Ankama to introduce DOFUS 2.0 at Penny Arcade Expo

ANKAMA will attend Seattle's Penny Arcade Expo on September 4th to 6th to present the brand new version of the 20-million-player tactical MMORPG DOFUS, DOFUS 2.0.

Since 2004, Penny Arcade Expo has become the largest Game Festival in North America with an exponential growth over the years and sponsored parties throughout downtown Seattle. Being one of the biggest independent studios, ANKAMA is proud to join the PAX and to celebrate games and gamers along with members of the independent gaming community.

Five years after its debut, a brand new version of DOFUS is due to be released soon, in order to meet players' expectations. The Penny Arcade Expo will be the opportunity to reveal DOFUS 2.0 for the very first time in a major exhibition in North America. The game has been completely revamped, featuring more detailed graphics, new animations, improved performance and gameplay in order to give players a renewed experience of their favorite game.

During the event, ANKAMA will spoil attendees with:
* A 600 sqft booth (#3117) dedicated to DOFUS 2.0 right in front the expo entrance! 20 computers will be available for players to test the game for the very first time in the US!
* A display of all ANKAMA's DOFUS-related licensed products!


By attending the Penny Arcade Expo, ANKAMA is proud to finally get to meet its American audience and looks forward to introducing US gamers to the revamped version of DOFUS.

About the ANKAMA Group
Founded by Anthony Roux, Camille Chafer and Emmanuel Darras in Roubaix in 2001, ANKAMA is an independent group which produces digital creations and employs over 350 people. The international success of the group's MMORPG DOFUS, with more than 20 million players, enabled ANKAMA to branch out into several related industries: online games, publishing, animations, web design, press, mobile phone services, video games for next gen' consoles. ANKAMA is also currently developing Wakfu, a crossmedia project including animated series/video game/card games and comic books. Find out more on our official website: www.ankama-group.com

DOFUS
www.dofus.com
Treading a lush path between video game and animated cartoon, DOFUS brings a whole new dimension to online Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games. With its manga-inspired graphics, gripping tactical game play and wild humor, DOFUS has created a unique style of its own for other MMORPGs to follow and currently boasts 20million players worldwide.

Source: http://pc.ign.com/

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