Massively

Atlantica Online entering the realm of the Three Kingdoms

Eliot Lefebvre — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 22:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Game mechanics, Patches, News items, Free-to-play, Atlantica Online

If you've never read Romance of the Three Kingdoms or studied a bit of Chinese history, you're missing out on a drama full of intrigue, cleverness, and sweeping battles. Fortunately for players of Atlantica Online, you don't need to know the history to enjoy the upcoming Three Kingdoms update. Slated for release on the 26th of April, the update will contain a variety of new quests and systems along with a new mercenary hero, Guan Yu.

The quests will center around the Battle of Red Cliffs, with players getting the chance to rub shoulders with well-known figures such as Cao Cao and Liu Bei. Players can also enjoy the new Expedition Team feature, which allows mercenaries to be dispatched for side objectives while the player focuses on the more pressing battles of the day. Check out some of the concept art in the gallery below, and if you're fond of Atlantica Online, make sure to check out the new update on the 26th.

Gallery: Atlantica Online

Atlantica Online entering the realm of the Three Kingdoms originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 19 Apr 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Nexon takes Atlantica Online under its wing

Justin Olivetti — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Business models, MMO industry, Free-to-play, Atlantica Online

Like a kid moving back into his parents' house, Atlantica Online is coming back home to Nexon. Nexon-owned NDoors both developed and operated the turn-based MMO, but Nexon has decided to take over the publishing and servicing duties directly as of March 22nd.

While Atlantica Online will continue to run as normal, this move does signify a few changes for the game. Nexon has promised that it will improve gameplay, make the servers run more efficiently, and ensure new content for the playerbase. Atlantica Online will also start using Nexon's NX Cash for in-game currency and will convert current Gcoins into NX Cash at the rate of 100:1,000. Atlantica Online has already removed the stamina system from the game, allowing gamers to play as long as they like without restrictions.

The transition between NDoors and Nexon will take the better part of a month to make sure that everything moves over smoothly. Until April 19th, players will be able to use their NDoors accounts to log into the game, after which it will be necessary to make the switch to a Nexon account. By moving early, players will get a grab bag of goodies for their diligence.

Atlantica Online has posted a rather extensive FAQ about this transition for all interested parties.

Nexon takes Atlantica Online under its wing originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 09 Mar 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Atlantica Online removes Stamina, allows unlimited play

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, News items, Free-to-play, Atlantica Online

Nobody likes to be told how to play. Even if you have a good reason to try to limit player activities, players want to have the freedom to play an MMO however they want and whenever they want. It's a lesson that Atlantica Online has taken to heart with its latest mechanical change overhauling the Stamina system. Specifically, the overhaul consists of removing the system in its entirety as of today, allowing players unfettered access to the game's content.

Previously, the system was in place to prevent players from taking too many actions during a given period of time, which fatigued characters and locked down further progress. The removal allows players to continue playing for as long as they wish. Atlantica Online's players will no doubt be happy to hear that there's no clock in the background any longer, which is undeniably good unless you needed to be reminded to get up from the computer once in a while.

Atlantica Online removes Stamina, allows unlimited play originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Atlantica Online rings in the holidays

Krystalle Voecks — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, News items, Free-to-play, Atlantica Online

Christmas has come to Atlantica Online, and with it, a host of changes that are certain to excite both new and veteran players. In the most recent updates, players are enjoying sweeping changes in the game's tactical battle system, the opening of Santa's Villa, and a new dungeon to explore. Small groups of three 125th-level-and-higher players can head into the Ancient Lava Valley area and pit their skills against a host of monsters called the Flame Guardians. The overhauled battle system has opened up more control of battles for players, as well as introducing a solo mode for the Trojan War missions. As if that wasn't enough, players also have the option of adding a stable, which allows them to showcase two mounts of their choosing at their homes for other players to ooh and aah over.

In addition to all of the above, Atlantica Online is also holding a 200% bonus experience weekend from December 24th to the 26th, perfect for getting your character caught up over the holidays. Those playing at other times won't be left out, however, as nDoors is running 150% bonus experience weekends in Atlantica Online leading up to the big Christmas event. To top it all off, players who log in Christmas day will be awarded gifts at certain times -- and the next day boasts a huge World PvP competition for those more interested in a festive holiday gankfest.

Pop over to the Atlantica Online site to check out the details of their most recent patch and the various ho-ho-holiday events!

Atlantica Online rings in the holidays originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 Dec 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Atlantica Online prepping big December patch

Jef Reahard — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, News items, Free-to-play, Atlantica Online

Ndoors Interactive is getting ready to unleash a substantial December update for its turn-based Atlantica Online MMO. In a press release Friday, Ndoors let us know that we can expect a brand-new dungeon, new journeys and storylines, and a significant makeover for the game's Tactical Battle System before the end of the year.

The facelift includes a larger UI and tweaks to camera angles, message alerts, and indicators, all of which should enable players to more efficiently manage their gameplay. After you've gotten acclimated to the UI changes, the new Ancient Lava Valley dungeon will allow you to join with two buddies in order to take on the fearsome Flame Guardians. The dungeon is timed, so make sure you clear all the monsters quickly to claim your share of the new loot items.

Finally, Atlantica will be adding a solo mode to the Trojan War missions as well as new mount stable functionality to its player mansions. Check out all the details at the official website.

Atlantica Online prepping big December patch originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 04 Dec 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Atlantica Online unveils new vampire countess mercenary

Jef Reahard — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, News items, Free-to-play, Atlantica Online

Ndoors Interactive recently introduced a new mercenary to Atlantica Online and, just in time for Halloween, the latest addition is a sultry vampire countess named Carmilla. Players can make use of Carmilla's tactical advantages as well as spells that can be used in multiple ways. These include Dark Harmony (a healing spell), Dusk Elegy (which deals AoE damage), and Vampiric Thirst (which deals damage and leeches health).

Ndoors has also updated the in-game store to feature an array of Carmilla-centric items including skill books, a coffin, a summoning rose, and a jewel box. Atlantica's newest mercenary is also noteworthy for being fan-created. Symban from the Macedon server was the winner of the Mercenary Madness Contest that resulted in Carmilla's design and inclusion in the live game.

Atlantica Online unveils new vampire countess mercenary originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 29 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Atlantica Online unveils Sheriff Christine

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, Classes, Patches, Previews, News items, Free-to-play, Atlantica Online

Atlantica Online has given us a rather appealing bit of information -- a new mercenary is moseying into town tomorrow. And true to form, she's promising to bring some interesting new wrinkles to the gameplay for anyone interested in laying down the law. Sheriff Christine is the latest addition to the game, offering players a variety of abilities to help control the flow of battle and interactions with the enemy party, using stuns and control-like abilities to turn the tide.

Among her arsenal of stuns and control abilities is her new Arrest ability, which freezes an enemy unit for two turns. She also brings area damage into play with her Revolver Rush skill, or single-target damage with her self-buffing skill Steady Stance. We've also been given a few exclusive screenshots of Christine in action, so check them out in our small gallery, and keep your eyes open for Christine's full launch in Atlantica Online tomorrow.

Gallery: Atlantica Online's Sherriff Christine

Atlantica Online unveils Sheriff Christine originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Massively takes its turn with Atlantica Online's new patch

Beau Hindman — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Historical, Galleries, Screenshots, Expansions, Game mechanics, Patches, Previews, Free-to-play, Hands-on, Atlantica Online

As we waited on the conference call for the Atlantica Online developers to start our virtual press tour, a fellow journalist and I chatted about the possibilities of virtual tabletops. I told him about my desire for a real virtual tabletop game, one that would allow players to take turns setting up scenery, adding armies and destroying each other. Little did I know that I was about to see something that would make me feel the same satisfaction as a tabletop does, despite their being different in a few ways.

Atlantica Online's new patch will allow players to participate in the new Tactical Battle System -- essentially a turn-based strategy game of moving pairs of soldiers across a map, avoiding and setting traps, and defeating mighty enemies. During most of the interview, I found myself asking questions that were already covered, since I was just having too much fun playing the game to hear our hosts speak. Frankly, I wasn't embarrassed. After all, isn't becoming immersed in strategy the point of a game like Atlantica Online?

Read on and I'll tell you the details of what I found, including the scoop on the eagerly awaited housing system.

Continue reading Massively takes its turn with Atlantica Online's new patch

Massively takes its turn with Atlantica Online's new patch originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Nexon acquires controlling interest in GameHi

Eliot Lefebvre — Fri, 28 May 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play

Earlier this month, Nexon acquired NDOORS Interactive, but apparently that's just the beginning of their acquisition spree. The company behind popular free-to-play titles MapleStory and Mabinogi has just acquired GameHi, makers of Dekaron among others. The deal reportedly took place for 73.2 billion won (nearly 60 million dollars in US currency), which looks to be higher than GameHi's overall revenue for 2009 (which was reported at 41.5 billion won). No word yet on how this will affect any services for GameHi's games.

Considering the recent NDOORS acquisition, Nexon seems to be taking advantage of their dominant share to buy out several smaller free-to-play developers in both the Korean and American marketplace. All signs point to their acquisitions focusing on developers, which raises the question of whether Nexon is aiming in the direction of overarching companies such as NCsoft, with several owned studios working with the central company. It's food for thought, although the promise of the quick-approaching Vindictus certainly dissuades any notions that Nexon's own developers are sitting idle.

Nexon acquires controlling interest in GameHi originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 28 May 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Latest Atlantica Online dev diary details new patch

Rubi Bayer — Wed, 19 May 2010 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, Free-to-play, Atlantica Online

Atlantica Online's latest developer diary brings welcome news to players: details of the latest major patch. NDOORS have made changes and adjustments to both the PvE and PvP sides of the game, so no matter where your gameplay preference lies, you're sure to find something new that interests you.

Many of the changes are small on the surface but will bring some important conveniences to fans. PvP players, for example, don't need to worry about finishing a competition with a full inventory. They'll now receive any items that don't fit in their inventory by mail. PvE players will find some updates to old quests as well as one completely new one.

We've included the full Atlantica Online developer diary entry after the jump, so follow along for all the details.

Continue reading Latest Atlantica Online dev diary details new patch

Latest Atlantica Online dev diary details new patch originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 May 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Celebrate the spring with Atlantica's May Weekends

Justin Olivetti — Mon, 03 May 2010 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, Free-to-play, Atlantica Online

With the gorgeous spring weather coming to many of us, the enticing pull of the outdoors may prove irresistible -- unless a proper distraction arises, of course. The folks over at Atlantica Online are hoping that players will trade meadow romps for hardcore gaming with the advent of May Weekends.

For starters, there's a sweet 150% experience boost each Saturday and Sunday through the month, which is cause for celebration in and of itself. On top of that, players get to experience special themed events:

Big Boss Bonanza (May 8-9) -- Special bosses will roam the land, offering additional challenges and rewards.
Item Giveaway (May 15-16) -- Log in with your level 20+ character at certain times to receive free prizes.
Pop Quiz (May 22-23) -- Answer a GM's pop quiz correctly and net yourself a nice piece of loot.
Monster Invasions (May 29-30) -- Monsters are laying siege to major cities, and must be fought off!

With something different going on each weekend, players have a great reason to dally in Atlantica. Read the official article for the full scoop!

Celebrate the spring with Atlantica's May Weekends originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 May 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

WonderKing unveils new PvP system

Rubi Bayer — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, PvP, News items, Free-to-play, WonderKing

NDoors has something new for fans of WonderKing: a brand new PvP system. The existing system has undergone a complete overhaul, and the WonderKing team is anxious for their players to check it out.

Some of the revamped features include an in-depth user interface that will show your opponent's statistics, varying maps, a dedicated PvP arena, the ability to set hotkeys for your favorite skills, and brand new mechanics to encourage strategy and quick thinking. Want to check it out? The new PvP system launched yesterday, so all of the new features are up and running for players.

What's more, NDoors is making it even more exciting by offering some great real-world participants. An iPad, iPod Touches, NDoors game cards, and many other items are all up for grabs. A PvP guide can be found on the WonderKing site, as can all the details on the contest.

WonderKing unveils new PvP system originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Apr 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Atlantica Online dev diary hints at forthcoming features

Jef Reahard — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Atlantica Online

NDoors Interactive is pleased to announce new features coming to their Atlantica Online free-to-play fantasy MMORPG later this year in their latest dev diary. The update talks about everything from new security measures to new outfits, as well as the winning Mercenary design from an earlier contest.

Check out all the details after the cut.

Continue reading Atlantica Online dev diary hints at forthcoming features

Atlantica Online dev diary hints at forthcoming features originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Atlantica Online adds cherry trees, XP boosts

Jef Reahard — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Atlantica Online

It's time for another weekly update on Ndoors Interactive's Atlantica Online. The free-to-play fantasy MMORPG is celebrating Japan's Sakura Matsuri (Cherry Blossom) festival by making the craftable trees available to players for a limited time.

From April 20 to May 18, town owners can craft cherry trees, place them in their towns, and provide a beautiful view for residents and visitors alike. The trees will bear fruit which players can pick once per day by obtaining 100% will and paying 200,000 gold. Half of the gold payment will go directly to the sponsoring town's guild fund. Cherry tree fruit will also give players a 10% XP boost for two hours upon consumption, and the bonus stacks with other XP boosts such as the Blessing License.

The cherry trees can only be guild-crafted and require a building craft skill of level 5 or better. You'll need to gather a cherry leaf, stem, and root, then spend 10,000,000 Workload to place the tree in your town.

Atlantica Online adds cherry trees, XP boosts originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 11 Apr 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Get experienced with Massively's new WonderKing giveaway [Updated]

Shawn Schuster — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Free-to-play, WonderKing, Giveaways

Those generous people at NDOORS are at it once again with a brand new giveaway in their 2D MMO WonderKing. This time, the Level-Up Set Giveaway presents new players with the opportunity to grab one of 1,000 keys we've been given for our readers. These keys grant seven days of in-game EXP Tickets (+20% EXP) and Drop Tickets (+30% drop rate). Limit one key code per person.

How can you grab one for yourself? Simply head over to our giveaway page, claim a code at the bottom of the page and follow the directions there. You'll need to be a new WonderKing player with an active account, which can easily be remedied by visiting their main site and signing up.

[Update: We contacted NDOORS after comments left on this post and they've now informed us that these codes are only for new players.]

Get experienced with Massively's new WonderKing giveaway [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Apr 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

WonderKing hosting Spring Break events

Kyle Horner — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Events, in-game, News items, Free-to-play, WonderKing

Sure, while some people's real life Spring Breaks have since passed, that doesn't mean you can't celebrate elsewhere. At least, that's the stance Ndoors Interactive's WonderKing is taking, as the game is holding several in-game Spring Break events now through April 7th.

If you're a WonderKing player, the big three events to check out are an Easter Day party, the chance to win fashion items and a big Spring Break-style party. Granted, we expect any of you going in will probably just party most of the time. At least, that's what we'd do...

Check out the full, official list of events after the break.

Continue reading WonderKing hosting Spring Break events

WonderKing hosting Spring Break events originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 30 Mar 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Atlantica Online adds voice chat functionality

Kyle Horner — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: News items, Free-to-play, Atlantica Online

Vivox has brought voice communication to yet another MMORPG with today's news that Ndoors Interactive's Atlantica Online now offers the feature to its players. Interestingly, the voice-over-IP service has been made available through the game's official website, as opposed to within the game itself. While there's nothing stopping players from accessing voice chat while in-game, it's still an odd choice.

The only thing that really matters is whether or not it works, and given Vivox's fairly extensive experience via games like EVE Online, EverQuest II and Global Agenda there shouldn't be any unacceptable issues for Atlantica Online players. The feature should be available to players now, so long as you're logged into your account when trying to access voice chat.

Atlantica Online adds voice chat functionality originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 25 Mar 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Atlantica's Mercenary Madness contest

Jef Reahard — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Events, real-world, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Atlantica Online

Ndoors Interactive has taken the wraps off their Mercenary Madness contest, which invites players to submit designs for a new Atlantica Online character. The contest winner will not only nab the thrill of seeing their design brought to life inside the strategic turn-based MMORPG, but also a nifty chunk of real world loot including artwork of their design autographed by Atlantica developers and as yet unnamed game merchandise.

"Our community has always played an important part in shaping Atlantica Online," said Ndoors CEO Peter Kang. "We want to further their involvement with the game and show our appreciation for their feedback by literally letting them become part of the design process."

Players have until March 22, 2010 to submit designs, which should include the following:

Type of mercenary (existing classes only)
Name of each mercenary upgrade (Initial Name, level 20, 50, and 80 Upgrade Names, and Hero Name)
Back story of mercenary character
Description of mercenary's appearance (images are encouraged)
Mercenary skill names and descriptions

All entries should be submitted to event at ndoorsinc dot com. Full event rules can be found here and you can download a submission template here.

Atlantica's Mercenary Madness contest originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Love Struck in Atlantica Online

Shawn Schuster — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Events, in-game, Free-to-play, Atlantica Online

It's that time of the year, and love is filling the air. Cupid's arrow hit Atlantica Online big time with the introduction of the Love Struck event, taking place Tuesday, Feb. 9 through Tuesday, Feb. 23.

During the event, players can roam through Atlantica Online and purchase Cacao Beans from Wandering Merchants. These Cacao Beans, in addition to a few other ingredients, can in turn be crafted into sumptuous Valentine's Chocolate. Possible options and ingredients can be found in the Crafting Skill menu, under Food. Also, a player's food crafting rank must be at a level 1 or higher. Want to know more? Keep reading for specific info on available event items.

Continue reading Love Struck in Atlantica Online

Love Struck in Atlantica Online originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Feb 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Massively's WonderKing Online launch day roundup

Seraphina Brennan — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Launches, News items, Free-to-play, WonderKing

It's launch day for WonderKing Online and Massively, as usual, has you covered. But wait! What is WonderKing, you ask?

WonderKing is NDOORS Interactive's newest free-to-play title, joining the ranks of Atlantica Online and Luminary: Rise of the GoonZu. WonderKing plays very much in the vein of MapleStory, offering a two-dimensional, action and platforming based experience rather than the traditional 3-D MMO targeting combat.

However, unlike MapleStory, WonderKing goes a bit further with its MMO aspects in the form of crafting and cooking systems, an upcoming player housing system, and the upcoming ability to become a king by taking over a castle and defeating other players.

We've been keeping up with WonderKing for you guys, so here's a roundup of our coverage on this new free-to-play title. Read, learn, and find out if WonderKing is right for you!

Continue reading Massively's WonderKing Online launch day roundup

Massively's WonderKing Online launch day roundup originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 28 Jan 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Atlantica Online unleashes content update

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, Endgame, News items, Free-to-play, Races, Atlantica Online

Atlantica Online has rolled out another content update to the game, giving every player what they've longed for: the chance to beat the stuffing out of an impressive number of crab people. That's really what everyone wants out of a game, so we should all just go home and kill crab people. Of course, there were a couple other elements improved or expanded in the game's update, but who cares about little things like new skills and improved competition ranks when faced with a dynamic new cluster of enemies?

Leaving aside the awesomeness of getting to beat up homarids in Atlantica Online, the update is quite substantial, with a lengthy set of patch notes available on the official site. Players can enjoy augmented health points to extend the length of engagements, as well as the aforementioned new skills and competition ranks. The game has also streamlined its system of Mana Stones, combining and simplifying the Repair, Enhance, and Enchant stones to make life easier for players.

If all that's still not appealing enough to you, the fishing system has been improved, which might wind up bringing you back to crab people yet again. Take a look at the full notes to see all the additions and updates with this latest patch.

Atlantica Online unleashes content update originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Jan 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

WonderKing goes open beta, offers panda pet

Krystalle Voecks — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Screenshots, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, WonderKing

If you enjoy side-scrolling free-to-play MMOs that you and your kids can play together, then you'll be glad to hear this piece of news. Ndoors Interactive, the company that brought Atlantica Online to this side of the pond has opened up the doors on their newest MMO offering, WonderKing. Set in myriad worlds thanks to dimensional travel, this new game pits players against hordes of demons who seem to inhabit everything from particularly pernicious jackalopes and jello to testy tiki monsters.

Returning players from WonderKing's closed beta who come back and play in open beta will be treated to a special secret gift. (Could be meat, could be cake!) If you haven't tried out WonderKing, don't worry -- they have something for you too. Between now and January 10th at 6PM Pacific, all players who log in will be given an adorable Black Panda pet as a way to help them test out their shiny new pet system. So, if you've been looking for a way to while away the winter hours with the family, or perhaps you're simply passionate about panda pets, head on over to the WonderKing site and take advantage of their shiny new open beta.

Gallery: WonderKing general gallery

WonderKing goes open beta, offers panda pet originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 08 Jan 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Atlantica Online offers a charitable donation

Eliot Lefebvre — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Business models, Events, real-world, News items, Free-to-play, Atlantica Online

Admit it. At least once when you were shopping for this year's frenzied rush of consumerism, you took advantage of a "buy one get one free" deal or something similar for yourself. You got a present for the person you were shopping for and a little something extra on top of that, nothing wrong with it. Even though the holidays are thankfully receding into memory, though, you can still get a bit of that rush of something for you and something for others in Atlantica Online for a couple more days. Ndoors Interactive is offering a set of in-game stocking stuffers that also donate a portion of their profits straight to charity.

The stocking stuffer randomly contains one of 30 rare item sets, all of them having various positive boosts on any Atlantica Online character. In addition, each one purchased also has a portion of the revenue from that sale donated to Child's Play, a well-known gamer-centered charity that has continue to skyrocket in donation volume over the years. The only catch for the stocking stuffer is that you have to move quickly -- the pack is disappearing from the store after December 30th, just in time for the new year. And, really, isn't it worth getting that one last rush of being kind to others while being kind to yourself?

Atlantica Online offers a charitable donation originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 26 Dec 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Atlantica Online dev diary: Visiting Santa's Villa

Shawn Schuster — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Historical, Screenshots, Culture, Events, in-game, Free-to-play, Atlantica Online

It's time for this newest installment of NDoors Interactive's bi-weekly developer journal for Atlantica Online here at Massively. We've covered so much already, but now we're treated to some detailed info on their winter holiday event. Here's what they had to say:

This Christmas season we are proud to bring back Santa's Villa to our players. During this holiday season, players who are over level 20 and have been playing for at least an hour will receive Mistletoe. This item, when exchanged for a Santa Villa Ticket, will give players access to all the treasures that lay inside.

Continue reading Atlantica Online dev diary: Visiting Santa's Villa

Atlantica Online dev diary: Visiting Santa's Villa originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 19 Dec 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

USA takes the gold in Atlantica Online during the Game and Game World Championship

Seraphina Brennan — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Culture, Events, real-world, PvP, News items, Free-to-play, Atlantica Online

It's not very often that we get to announce that an American player won an international gaming championship! RobinSwan from the US server of Atlantica Online went to capture the gold this year in the Game and Game World Championship (GNGWC), a collection of events focusing on different MMOs and featuring the top gamers from around the world.

Robin went to trump 16 competitors from Europe, Vietnam, North America, Korea, South America, China, Japan and Thailand to take the prize of $5,000 and the gold medal for the Atlantica Online event. Robin's winning mercenary combos included a stun-lock/DoT combination of the Musician and Shaman to close the final match against Liu from China.

We've got an exclusive Q&A with RobinSwan about his winning techniques after the break, so come along and learn some PvP tactics for Atlantica Online.

Continue reading USA takes the gold in Atlantica Online during the Game and Game World Championship

USA takes the gold in Atlantica Online during the Game and Game World Championship originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Dec 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Atlantica Online adds new content

Rubi Bayer — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, News items, Free-to-play, Atlantica Online

NDoors Interactive has a brand new content patch for Atlantica Online, and it introduces players to a brand new storyline. The "Call of the Wild" patch will lead players to Coyote's Valley, the home of the Great Bear tribe and the druids that serve as their defenders.

The Great Bear tribe has lived in Coyote's Valley for 400 years, enjoying a peaceful existence, but that's about to change: "...a malevolent mastermind plans to unearth the powers buried deep beneath the land to leverage for his own evil gain." Players in groups of up to eight people will fight alongside the Great Bear tribe in an attempt to stave off the invaders. If you are level 100 or above, you will have a little extra help available to you. Raging Wind is a young boy, but one of the druids who harness the power of the land to help defend the tribe. Players at a high enough level can recruit him as a mercenary to join your party.

The "Call of the Wild" patch is available now.

Continue reading Atlantica Online adds new content

Atlantica Online adds new content originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Dec 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

A sneak peek at Atlantica Online's new class and dungeon

Shawn Schuster — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Historical, Sci-fi, MMO industry, Free-to-play, Atlantica Online

It's time for this newest installment of NDoors Interactive's bi-weekly developer journal here at Massively. We've covered so much already, but now we're excited to see some news of a shiny new class, called the Druid Mercenary, and the Grand Canyon Dungeon. Here's what they had to say:

Atlantica Online is proud to present our newest addition to our growing list of mercenaries, the Druid. In our next patch, players who have reached level 100 will be able to begin the recruitment quest for this axe wielding mercenary.

Continue reading A sneak peek at Atlantica Online's new class and dungeon

A sneak peek at Atlantica Online's new class and dungeon originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

WonderKing Online enters into the final phase of closed beta

Seraphina Brennan — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Contests, Events, in-game, Free-to-play, WonderKing

It's time for a fiesta in WonderKing Online! "Yippie, arriba, arriba!" as our friend Speedy Gonzalez would say.

The fiesta is being thrown in celebration of the game entering into the fourth and final phase of closed beta, and players can take part in the celebration in a few pretty easy ways. Monday nights from here until the end of the phase are going to be double experience nights, which is absolutely perfect if you want to get to level 30 and qualify for a special gift that will be given to your character at launch.

If you feel more creative, WonderKing is also offering a few contests involving Facebook, MySpace, and YouTube. YouTube users can create WonderKing videos to try to win a special ring, MySpace users can comment on screenshots posted each day to win a special beanie or earmuff item, and Facebook users can write a paragraph about snow to attempt to win a Santa's Gift Bag wearable item.

Or, lastly, you can always go the safe route and submit bugs, as there's even a contest for that! Five users each day who submit bugs will win three Gigantes' Blessing items from the GMs. So, WonderKing players, it's time to get cracking! Fiesta away!

WonderKing Online enters into the final phase of closed beta originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Atlantica Online dev journal: Thanksgiving festivities

Shawn Schuster — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Historical, Events, in-game, Free-to-play, Atlantica Online

It's time for this newest installment of NDoors Interactive's biweekly developer journal here at Massively. We've already covered the Stimulus Package event and the game's one-year anniversary, so now we turn to the upcoming Thanksgiving event. Here's what they had to say:

Thanksgiving time in Atlantica Online has never been so festive, as we are introducing two new in-game event items this year. Players will be introduced to an NPC who will offer them a special Thanksgiving quest. The rewards for fulfilling that quest are new additions to your formation, as well as a new clothing item for your avatar.

Continue reading Atlantica Online dev journal: Thanksgiving festivities

Atlantica Online dev journal: Thanksgiving festivities originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Atlantica Online speeds up download with new Lite client

Eliot Lefebvre — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Launches, News items, Free-to-play, Atlantica Online

Atlantica Online just celebrated its first year in the US, but the free-to-play game apparently had another trick up its sleeve -- namely, allowing players interested in the game a chance to get in and start playing even faster. After all, it can be obnoxious to download a client and wait for it to patch through updates when you just want to dive in and get to playing. Ndoors Interactive has just launched the game's lite client, a way for a smaller initial download to let you start playing the game as fast as possible.

The new client's trick is to only frontload the first twenty levels of play while downloading the rest via background processes. This allows new players to log in and start playing their character faster, but it can cause issues for existing players who might be at a higher level (and the press release specifically suggests avoiding the lite client if that's the case). For everyone who hasn't started the game, it's an interesting way to make the startup more accessible and significantly faster. Consider taking a look over the weekend, and possibly getting in on some of the one year celebration goodies Atlantica Online has to offer.

Atlantica Online speeds up download with new Lite client originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Atlantica Online celebrates its one year US anniversary

Kyle Horner — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Events, in-game, News items, Free-to-play, Atlantica Online

It's been one whole successful year for Atlantica Online in the US, and Ndoors Interactive is ready to celebrate with special bonuses and in-game events throughout this November. The first of many celebratory specials offers players a 200% experience boost, something sure to make everybody pretty happy. Then, there's the weekend in-game events, followed by new in-game items, a special Thanksgiving event, a fan art contest and we're guessing a lot more.

So, to recap: oodles of extra experience and rare new items, along with fun holiday and anniversary distractions. Oh, right and even a fan art contest for the creatively inclined types. Yep, seems like a particularly awesome month for Atlantica Online players.

In fact, for more deets from Ndoors themselves, check out the official word on all the in-game events and such after the break.

Continue reading Atlantica Online celebrates its one year US anniversary

Atlantica Online celebrates its one year US anniversary originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Atlantica Online dev journal: The Stimulus Package Event

Shawn Schuster — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Historical, Screenshots, Events, in-game, MMO industry, Free-to-play, Atlantica Online

The good folks at NDoors Interactive have begun a new bi-weekly Atlantica Online developer article here at Massively where they'll showcase the latest and greatest news they'd like to feature to the Massively readers. This week, it's all about a new event where the prize is a snazzy set of in-game wings as teased in the header image, and shown in its entirety with another exclusive image after the jump. Here's what they have to say about the event, the wings and their game:

NDoors Interactive Inc. currently has an exciting opportunity for players to join the highly acclaimed MMO, Atlantica Online with their newly launched Stimulus Package Event. Atlantica Online delivers an RPG style battle system and a lush world that incorporates characters that players might find familiar, such as, Caesar, Charlie Chaplin, Beowulf, and many more. However, instead of controlling just one character, players have the opportunity to lead a party of nine unique mercenaries into battle, such as, the inventor, Da Vinci; the pirate, Anne Bonny; the minstrel, Paganini; the Spartan, Leonidas; and many more!

The Stimulus Package Event is an opportunity for players to try out the game and have a chance to win 500 Gcoins by simply referring friends while exploring the world of Atlantica. As a special prize, the individual who has the most referred invites will receive a special item, the Blessed Argos' Wings. The next top five players with the most qualified referred invites will each receive normal Argos' Wings.

Continue reading Atlantica Online dev journal: The Stimulus Package Event

Atlantica Online dev journal: The Stimulus Package Event originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Atlantica Online adds a new mercenary to the mix along with optimization fixes

Seraphina Brennan — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Historical, Patches, PvE, Free-to-play, Atlantica Online

Hwarang. No, please, don't ask us how to pronounce it. We tried looking it up and not even Google wanted to tell us exactly how to say it. But, this new unpronounceable mercenary is the latest addition to Atlantica Online.

Hwarangs are taken straight from the history books, like most of Atlantica's mercenaries, as they were an elite military unit from 10th century Silla (an ancient Korean kingdom.) In the game they will be represented as potent archers with a high offensive capability but low defense. Hwarang units also have the option of sacrificing themselves in battle to buff the rest of the mercenaries under your command.

Hwarangs aren't the only thing coming with this patch, however, as the Atlantica team has made the difficult decision to increase the minimum system requirements in order to cut down on load times and increase client optimization. This move has been made in order to make sure the client can perform in areas with high population counts, as that has been a hang up of the game in the past. Only a small minority of users should be affected by this change, but it will be a wealth of benefits to all other users operating in high population areas.

The full patch notes are available on Atlantica's website, if you wish to delve into the many changes and fixes.

Atlantica Online adds a new mercenary to the mix along with optimization fixes originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

WonderKing Online closed beta kicks off Thursday, July 16

James Egan — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, MMO industry, New titles, PvP, Free-to-play, Casual, WonderKing

WonderKing Online is a new 2-D sidescrolling MMORPG from NDOORS Interactive that may prove to be a hit with gamers who enjoy titles like MapleStory. We've taken a look at WonderKing in recent weeks, in fact we've given away a ton of beta keys to our readers as well. While there are some similarities between WonderKing and MapleStory, both are free-to-play side scrolling games after all, the NDOORS title seems a bit more aggressive.

This was confirmed in our interview with the game's developers who told us they're working to implement large scale PvP battles (Castle Battles), where guilds will fight it out to control castles and all that come with them, such as exclusive items and dungeons. That may not be in the cards for WonderKing quite yet, but all those readers we gave beta codes to will find out soon enough -- the WonderKing closed beta kicks off tomorrow, July 16th. For those of you that got in, we hope you have a good time in there.

WonderKing Online closed beta kicks off Thursday, July 16 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Jul 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Ijji.com users can now access Atlantica Online

Seraphina Brennan — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: At a glance, Fantasy, Business models, Launches, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Atlantica Online

Users of ijji.com will be happy to know that as of today their ijji accounts can now be used in tandem with Atlantica Online, letting them jump into the game without any new signups or or registration processes. Any current ijji.com member can simply jump on over to Ndoors and grab the game's client and sign in with their ijji.com account, no strings attached.

Well, there are strings attached, actually. Good strings. This opening also marks the start of the "A New Recruit" event, which awards new players with bonus mercenaries in their party when starting out and item bonuses for every new mercenary they get.

While we realize that this may not be a story of earth shattering importance, it is interesting to note that the publisher, Ndoors, is letting another website enter the game's servers without actually creating a brand new version of the game. This isn't a group of stand alone servers, meaning ijji.com users will be entering into the already vibrant North American Atlantica community. Not a bad way to add more people to your servers, if you ask us.

Ijji.com users can now access Atlantica Online originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Win a new car playing Atlantica Online

William Dobson — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Contests, Events, in-game, Free-to-play, Atlantica Online

NDOORS Interactive has issued a press release announcing the launch of a "Mega-Event" for Atlantica Online, offering a variety of prizes, not the least of which is a car -- the Scion tC 2010. Apart from being a Mega-Event, the contest also has a specific name: "Unlock Your Way to Atlantica". Players get a key for each hour spent in-game, and the keys are then used at this webpage to unlock in-game items and chances to be in the raffle for real-world prizes. These include:

o. 1 - Grand Prize: 2010 Scion tC sports coupe
o. 5 - Alienware 750i*
o. 5 - BFG Tech GeForce GTX 295
o. 5 - Playstation 3 80GB
o. 5 - XBOX 360 Pro
o. 5 - Acer H233H bmid 23" LCD Monitor
o. 5 - Nintendo DSi Systems

Reading the fine print reveals a few other caveats to winning any of these. Players must be at least level 20 in order to win the out-of-game prizes, and level 50 to win the car. Turning in a key will also provide a 200% experience boost, which should help those trying to hit the minimum level requirements for their swag. Once 2,000,000 keys have been entered the contest will be over and someone will drive away in a Scion (contestants from overseas will have to accept cash instead. It looks like the other prizes are still fair game for international players).

Win a new car playing Atlantica Online originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 24 Jun 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Luminary introduces new wedding system

Shawn Schuster — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Culture, Events, in-game, Free-to-play

Fans of NDOORS Interactive's Luminary: Rise of GoonZu may be happy to hear that today the free-to-play MMO has introduced a new wedding system to the game. This system will allow a happy couple to get hitched in-game complete with ceremony, proper wedding attire and an announcement throughout the game.

Since Luminary is more of a political MMO, players can either marry for love or for political alliances. Married couples can earn Affection Points, which can reap additional benefits to status effects in game. Plus, on your wedding anniversary (12 days game-time), the new lovebirds will receive a special gift. Check out the complete press release after the jump.

Continue reading Luminary introduces new wedding system

Luminary introduces new wedding system originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 17 Jun 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Massively interview: A Q&A with the developers of WonderKing

William Dobson — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Business models, Game mechanics, Interviews, MMO industry, New titles, Free-to-play, WonderKing

When we last heard about WonderKing, we found out about some of the features in the game that are aimed at bringing depth to its 2D perspective -- things like Castle Battles with siege warfare certainly sound quite grand for this setting. We were lucky enough to have a chance to talk to some of the people behind the game to find out a bit more about these features, as well as the challenges involved with bringing WonderKing over from the Asian market, and some other questions our readers will probably have had on their minds. Yes, that includes the big one: is this more than just a "MapleStory 2"?

Before we get to the interview, we have some good news regarding the upcoming WonderKing beta: we're going to have some beta keys to give away later this month, so if what you read in the interview has you interested, you know where to look for some early access. We spoke with Hyuk Min Kwon, lead developer of WonderKing from Ryu & Soft, and Alex Kim, the game's product manager from NDOORS Interactive. Hit the jump to have a read!

Continue reading Massively interview: A Q&A with the developers of WonderKing

Massively interview: A Q&A with the developers of WonderKing originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Jun 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

NDOORS list the key features of new MMO WonderKing

William Dobson — Thu, 14 May 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, New titles, News items, WonderKing

NDOORS Interactive, the folks behind Atlantica Online and Luminary: Rise of the GoonZu, have chimed in with some details on their next free-to-play MMO WonderKing. They obtained the rights to bring the game to North America last year, and since we're hearing from them now, things must be on track for the intended release window of the second half of 2009. Here's a brief rundown of what WonderKing entails, from Peter Kang, CEO of NDOORS: "WonderKing is a 2D, side-scrolling MMORPG that takes players on an adventurous journey with story-by-story quests, much like a fantasy novel. Along the way, players will travel from beautiful beaches to murky marshlands and frigid snowfields as they battle to save the world."

Kang also made mention of some specific game features, to highlight the fact that 2D does not necessarily mean a lack of gameplay depth. These features include a class-change system, "Castle Battles" that involve siege warfare PvP, mounts and vehicles, pets, private housing, and crafting. NDOORS confirmed that a beta is scheduled for this summer.

NDOORS list the key features of new MMO WonderKing originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 14 May 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Atlantica Online selected for Game and Game World Championship 2009

James Egan — Wed, 06 May 2009 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Events, real-world, MMO industry, PvP, News items

Atlantica Online, the free-to-play turn-based MMO from NDOORS Interactive has been selected as an official title of the 2009 Game & Game World Championship (GNGWC). For those unfamiliar with this event, what is GNGWC? It's an annual Korean game festival and tournament that's held in major cities around the world representing different regions -- Los Angeles, Leipzig, Singapore, São Paulo, Tokyo, and Yongin (South Korea). Regional tournament champions are ultimately invited to the Grand Finals held in Korea. GNGWC is run by the Korea IT Industry Promotion Agency (KIPA) which aims to promote Korean games to players globally.

The announcement mentions Atlantica Online being played in GNGWC 2009: "Selected as a GNGWC title for the second year in a row, Atlantica Online features a revolutionary turn-based battle system that utilizes free PvP leagues and a new 100v100 tactical battle system for PvP combat. Atlantica has proven to be an ideal title for e-sports competitions with its unique PvP combat." Top-ranking competitors can earn prizes, including cash prizes in the Grand Finals. Beyond the NDOORS Interactive title being a prominent aspect of GNGWC, the release also mentions that Atlantica Online will be expanding to new territories in Asia: Taiwan and Vietnam.

Atlantica Online selected for Game and Game World Championship 2009 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 May 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments