Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Webzen giving away fully geared high-level characters]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/15/webzen-giving-away-fully-geared-high-level-characters/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/15/webzen-giving-away-fully-geared-high-level-characters/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/15/webzen-giving-away-fully-geared-high-level-characters/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Webzen - free characters promotion
Have you ever played an MMORPG and thought, wow, this would be fantastic if I could ditch the pesky progression?

If so, Webzen has a promotion for you. It's called Skip the Low, Jump to High, and it kicks off today and runs through March 14th. The company is giving away free high-level characters and items in ArchLord, Soul of the Ultimate Nation, and MU Online. ArchLord players will receive level-60 characters that are fully geared, while S.U.N. fans can look forward to level-90 toons with gear and level-up boxes. Last but not least, MU players will get level-220 characters and +9 weapons and armor.

But wait, there's more! MU is offering double XP during the promotion period, and S.U.N. is bringing a new server online.

[Source: Webzen press release]

MassivelyWebzen giving away fully geared high-level characters originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>archlordf2pfantasyfree-fully-geared-charactersfree-high-level-charactersfree-to-playgrindmumu-onlineprogressionpromotionsskip-the-low-jump-to-highsoul-of-the-ultimate-nationsunwebzenWed, 15 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Check out Webzen's full games lineup with our all-in-one giveaway]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/19/check-out-webzens-full-games-lineup-with-our-all-in-one-giveawa/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/19/check-out-webzens-full-games-lineup-with-our-all-in-one-giveawa/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/19/check-out-webzens-full-games-lineup-with-our-all-in-one-giveawa/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Everyone loves a good beta key giveaway -- checking out a new game before the general population and helping to improve said game is a tempting pairing. Here at Massively, we've got a beta key giveaway with a twist! Webzen, the company behind MU Online, R2 Online, Archlord, and S.U.N., has given us 1,000 all-in-one beta keys to share with our readers.

A single key will give you access to new content and more in each game. For Archlord, you'll be given a level 100 character, limitless free access to cash items, and access to the new Ascent From Hell expansion -- all on the beta server. In S.U.N., you'll have a special potion which will level your character to 30, a beta key mount and fast level-up, and the ability to create the new Episode 2 class. R2 Online players will be invited to the second user test and will be able to experience the currently-unreleased Siege and Spot Warfare content. Finally, the all-in-one key will give free access to MU Online's Rage Fighter Class.

To participate, all you have to do is pick up your key on our giveaway page, then head to Webzen's All-In-One event page. Create your Webzen account if you haven't already, redeem your key where indicated, and choose the game you want to access first. Enjoy your all-in-one access, and our thanks to Webzen for providing the keys!

[Sorry, all codes have been claimed]

MassivelyCheck out Webzen's full games lineup with our all-in-one giveaway originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 19 Jul 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all-in-onearchlordbeta-keybeta-key-giveawayf2pfree-to-playmu-onliner2-onlines-u-nsoul-of-the-ultimate-nationsunwebzenTue, 19 Jul 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Webzen readying Soul of the Ultimate Nation: Episode 2, preview server]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/14/webzen-readying-soul-of-the-ultimate-nation-episode-2-preview/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/14/webzen-readying-soul-of-the-ultimate-nation-episode-2-preview/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/14/webzen-readying-soul-of-the-ultimate-nation-episode-2-preview/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

New content is on the way for fans of Soul of the Ultimate Nation, and Webzen has just announced the impending release of a global trial server for the game's Episode 2 patch. The new shard will go live on April 28th, and it aims to give players a preview as well as collect feedback prior to the patch's official release.

Episode 2 brings major changes to the game including a new leveling system, itemization changes, and new quests. Webzen's press release states that the revamp should "please various gamers with its simple yet strategic gameplay."

In addition to the leveling adjustments, Episode 2 introduces the custom passives system whereby players may tweak their avatars' abilities via customizable buffs. The mechanic is intended to encourage grouping between new and old players, and the resultant buffs will stay active as long as the party remains intact. Head to the official Soul of the Ultimate Nation website for more info.

MassivelyWebzen readying Soul of the Ultimate Nation: Episode 2, preview server originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 14 Apr 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>custom-passive-systemcustom-passivesepisode-2f2pfantasyfree-to-playglobal-trial-servergroupingleveling-changesnew-itemsnew-questsparty-buffspress releasePressReleasesoul-of-the-ultimate-nationsoul-of-the-ultimate-nation-episode-2suntrial-serverwebzenThu, 14 Apr 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Soul of the Ultimate Nation heading back to Webzen]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/26/soul-of-the-ultimate-nation-heading-back-to-webzen/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/26/soul-of-the-ultimate-nation-heading-back-to-webzen/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/26/soul-of-the-ultimate-nation-heading-back-to-webzen/#commentsFiled under: , ,

First we heard that NHN, running under ijji.com, would be transferring control of Huxley back to its developer Webzen here in North America. Now, news has reached us that NHN has decided to follow suit with the other Webzen game ijji.com has held for the last year -- Soul of the Ultimate Nation. Thankfully, those who are a part of the world of SUN need not fear: Plans are underway to make sure that all active characters are transferred smoothly between hosts. (Those of you who tasted the banhammer are SOL, even on the new host.)

The cash shop in Soul of the Ultimate Nation is already closed; character transfers are already open and will continue until January 21st, 2011. For those who have already set themselves up to make the jump, Webzen's SUN servers will be online as of December 15th, ready to welcome veterans and new players alike. If you choose to opt out of the transfer altogether, ijji.com is offering a pro-rated refund of cash shop items that your character may have had before the 22nd of November. For more details, check out the detailed FAQ on the ijji.com site.

MassivelySoul of the Ultimate Nation heading back to Webzen originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Nov 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>character-transferf2pfree-to-playijjiijji.comnhnnhn-gamesNHN-USApro-rated-refundsoul-of-the-ultimate-nationsunwebzenFri, 26 Nov 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Webzen celebrates Archlord and S.U.N anniversaries]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/21/webzen-celebrates-archlord-and-s-u-n-anniversaries/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/21/webzen-celebrates-archlord-and-s-u-n-anniversaries/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/21/webzen-celebrates-archlord-and-s-u-n-anniversaries/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Noted free-to-play publisher Webzen is celebrating not one, but two MMORPG anniversaries this week. FIrst up is Archlord, the PvP-focused title that offers players the chance to become the titular ruler and indulge in perks such as controlling the server's weather and riding a dragon mount. Webzen has created a special anniversary zone inside the game which will spawn special mobs as well as a gold drop buff for players under level 60.

Soul of the Ultimate Nation (S.U.N.) is also celebrating an anniversary this week, and to mark the occasion, players will receive a 200% XP buff. S.U.N. features hack-and-slash combat, a unique Battle Zone System where players create their own instances, and music by Academy Award-winning film composer Howard Shore.

MassivelyWebzen celebrates Archlord and S.U.N anniversaries originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Oct 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-combataction-MMOanniversaryanniversary-eventsarchlordf2pfree-to-playhack-and-slashsoul-of-the-ultimate-nationsunwebzenThu, 21 Oct 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Soul of the Ultimate Nation sees the spreading Shadow]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/30/soul-of-the-ultimate-nation-sees-the-spreading-shadow/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/30/soul-of-the-ultimate-nation-sees-the-spreading-shadow/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/30/soul-of-the-ultimate-nation-sees-the-spreading-shadow/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

It might seem like everything is all fine and dandy in Soul of the Ultimate Nation, but there's a shadow on the horizon. More specifically, there's Shadow, the newest character added to the game. A combination of dark sorcery and assassin skills form Shadow's potent, solo-friendly skillset, something the game's development team had been hinting at since the beginning of the year. But that's hardly all that's new in the game, which has expanded the high-level content as well.

Player characters over level 100 have access to nearly two hundred added quests, as well as new high-level areas in Helron's Castle. Neville's Swamp and Bronze Moon City, as well as the area conquest for the aforementioned castle, are all open. To cap off the experience, players have access to the fourth village in Soul of the Ultimate Nation, giving high-end players a spot where they can congregate with one another. Rather than forcing you to just read the text, however, we have both a set of preview images in our gallery, and two trailers for the update embedded past the cut.

Gallery: S.U.N.: Shadows Fall

Continue reading Soul of the Ultimate Nation sees the spreading Shadow

MassivelySoul of the Ultimate Nation sees the spreading Shadow originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>areasassassincharactersdark-magicdark-sorceryf2pfree-to-playhigh-level-areashigh-level-contentnew-areasnew-characterpatch-trailerspreviewsshadowsoul-of-the-ultimate-nationsuntrailerswebzenFri, 30 Jul 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Virtual Whirl: News of the Whirl]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/20/the-virtual-whirl-news-of-the-whirl/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/20/the-virtual-whirl-news-of-the-whirl/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/20/the-virtual-whirl-news-of-the-whirl/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

This week, in The Virtual Whirl, we're having our monthly roundup of news items. Things that got missed, things that didn't make the cut, things that got buried, and things that really should have gotten your attention anyway.

Continue reading The Virtual Whirl: News of the Whirl

MassivelyThe Virtual Whirl: News of the Whirl originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 20 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>business-modelscharity-lindencharity-majorseconomyeducationfeaturedfrancogridhypergridhypergrid-businessinfinity-lindenjack-lindenjohn-lesterlinden-labmaria-korolovmeadhbh-hamrickopen-metarverse-centopen-metaverse-currencyopen-sourceopen-wonderland-foundationopensimopinionoracleosgridpathfinder-lindenproject-wonderlandreactiongridrobin-whytesciencesimsecond-lifesunthe-new-world-gridthe-virtual-whirlvirtual-worldsvirwoxSat, 20 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Soul of the Ultimate Nation unearths Aiort graveyard]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/27/soul-of-the-ultimate-nation-unearths-aiort-graveyard/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/27/soul-of-the-ultimate-nation-unearths-aiort-graveyard/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/27/soul-of-the-ultimate-nation-unearths-aiort-graveyard/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The crew over at ijji.com have just released a new content update for Soul of the Ultimate Nation, and this one has some nice additions for long-time players. The update introduces a new area called the Aiort graveyards, perfect for those level 100 and higher characters. Did I say higher? Yes! That's because this new update also raises the level cap in Soul of the Ultimate Nation to a mind-bending level 115.

Along with the new area and level cap increase, players are being treated to over 150 new quests for players from level 70 on up in places like Etherain, Valley of Dragonkin, the Cursed Tower, and of course within the Aiort graveyards.

Continue reading Soul of the Ultimate Nation unearths Aiort graveyard

MassivelySoul of the Ultimate Nation unearths Aiort graveyard originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 27 Feb 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aiort-graveyardcontent-patchendgamefamilyijjiijji.comlevel-cap-increaseshieldingsoul-of-the-ultimate-nationsunSat, 27 Feb 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Soul of the Ultimate Nation lays down plans for 2010]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/27/soul-of-the-ultimate-nation-lays-down-plans-for-2010/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/27/soul-of-the-ultimate-nation-lays-down-plans-for-2010/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/27/soul-of-the-ultimate-nation-lays-down-plans-for-2010/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The new year is a busy one for Soul of the Ultimate Nation players, as we'll be looking forward to not only a string of updates, but a brand new class to play with as well.

This year is the year of the Shadow, SUN's sorcerer/assassination combination character. Carrying a really cool sword that's reminiscent of Ivy Valentine's weapon from SoulCalibur, the Shadow is made for playing the game solo. So for all those of you out there who have been looking to get away from the groups and set out on your own, the Shadow is the character you've been looking for. Beyond the addition of the Shadow, Webzen is also rolling out mounts and the ability for your characters to transform for the international version.

For all of the information on the new additions as they roll out, keep an eye on the Soul of the Ultimate Nation website.

MassivelySoul of the Ultimate Nation lays down plans for 2010 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 27 Jan 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>character-transformationmountsnew-classshadowsoul-of-the-ultimate-nationsunupcomingupcoming-patchwebzenWed, 27 Jan 2010 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Soul of the Ultimate Nation rolls out a large content patch, raises level cap]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/18/soul-of-the-ultimate-nation-rolls-out-a-large-content-patch-rai/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/18/soul-of-the-ultimate-nation-rolls-out-a-large-content-patch-rai/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/18/soul-of-the-ultimate-nation-rolls-out-a-large-content-patch-rai/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Soul of the Ultimate Nation (SUN) hasn't been out that long and it's already getting an injection of content!

Players of Webzen's second MMORPG will be happy to have a brand new level cap of 100 to ascend to, sockets on items so you can modify your weapons with gems, the new ability for crafters to make "elite" armor (the best armor in the game for now), and one new dungeon along with a brand new field.

The Cursed Tower is an interesting dungeon offer that starts off at level 20 and goes all the way to level 100. Each wing of the tower is specifically crafted for a certain level range. For example, the Emerald Sanctuary is tuned for players between level 20 and 40. So, no matter your level, you'll have something available to you in the Cursed Tower.

The Valley of the Dragonkin is the brand new field area, coming equipped with new quests to beat and monsters to kill. We'd say more about it, but we have this handy video of players in the Valley of the Dragonkin right after the break. So, don't listen to us, watch it for yourself by continuing to read!

Continue reading Soul of the Ultimate Nation rolls out a large content patch, raises level cap

MassivelySoul of the Ultimate Nation rolls out a large content patch, raises level cap originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Dec 2009 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>elite-craftingijjiijji.comsoul-of-the-ultimate-nationsunthe-cursed-towervalley-of-the-dragonkinvideoFri, 18 Dec 2009 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Soul of the Ultimate Nation gets a German server]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/05/soul-of-the-ultimate-nation-gets-a-german-server/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/05/soul-of-the-ultimate-nation-gets-a-german-server/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/05/soul-of-the-ultimate-nation-gets-a-german-server/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

European Soul of the Ultimate Nation players, your lag shall forthwith be reduced! Webzen, the developer and global publisher of Soul of the Ultimate Nation, will be opening a brand new European server for those of you playing on the mainland.

Klippe, the new server set to be physically based in Germany, comes in response to the growing European community in SUN. While the server will not be region locked to Europe and will be available for all regions, don't expect a good connection unless you live in Europe. But, on the bright side, you can play with your European pals if you want to suffer the lag.

If you haven't played SUN in a while and you were frustrated with connecting to Etherain, the North American server, then perhaps now is the time to jump back in and give Klippe a whirl. It's up right now, for your convenience.

MassivelySoul of the Ultimate Nation gets a German server originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 05 Dec 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battleeuropeeuropean-serversfantasyklippepvpserversoul-of-the-ultimate-nationsunwebzenSat, 05 Dec 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Soul of the Ultimate Nation starts beta, blink and you'll miss it]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/15/soul-of-the-ultimate-nation-starts-beta-blink-and-youll-miss-i/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/15/soul-of-the-ultimate-nation-starts-beta-blink-and-youll-miss-i/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/15/soul-of-the-ultimate-nation-starts-beta-blink-and-youll-miss-i/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Have you ever felt like a game or expansion is languishing forever in beta? Soul of the Ultimate Nation, the upcoming free-to-play MMORPG from developer WEBZEN, has an interesting approach to this particular problem -- they're running a short beta. A very short beta. A beta so short that it's easy to miss it until it's almost over. A three-day beta, specifically.

That might sound like a recipe for disaster, but it might not be. According to the official press release, the game has already been running for quite some time in Asia, and the beta is primarily for the global version of the game which is going live at the end of the month. In order to appeal to more players, the developers are giving away free items to players who take part in the beta test, including those which are normally part of the game's microtransaction system. If you're interested in checking out Soul of the Ultimate Nation and want to get your hands on these items, of course, you'd better hurry -- the beta is ending October 16th, with the global version officially launching at the end of October.

MassivelySoul of the Ultimate Nation starts beta, blink and you'll miss it originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betabeta-testnew-titlesopen-betasoul-of-the-ultimate-nationsunwebzenThu, 15 Oct 2009 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Ijji.com boasts over 9 million registered accounts]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/08/ijji-com-boasts-over-9-million-registered-accounts/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/08/ijji-com-boasts-over-9-million-registered-accounts/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/08/ijji-com-boasts-over-9-million-registered-accounts/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Ijji.com has hit a major milestone recently, revealing that their systems have tallied over 9 million accounts in their database. That's a pretty big number, and while they may not all be active accounts, it's still a very impressive amount of sign ups for anyone to have.

This comes as good news to players of Rohan, Soul of the Ultimate Nation, Luminary, HolyBeast Online, and Atlantica Online, as ijji.com funnels players into all of those games. More people means more players, and more players ultimately means more of, well, everything.

Ijji.com is still working on the upcoming MMOFPS, Huxley: The Dystopia, so those 9 million members will certainly come in handy in the future, as we'd all like more targets to shoot at for easy experience. Keep on signin' up, newbies! Fresh experience for all!

MassivelyIjji.com boasts over 9 million registered accounts originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>9-millionatlanticaatlantica-onlineholybeast-onlinehuxleyhuxley-the-dystopiaijji.comluminarymmofpsrohanrohan-blood-feudsignupssoul-of-the-ultimate-nationsunThu, 08 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Soul of the Ultimate Nation closed beta test starts today for all ijji.com players]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/28/soul-of-the-ultimate-nation-closed-beta-test-starts-today-for-al/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/28/soul-of-the-ultimate-nation-closed-beta-test-starts-today-for-al/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/28/soul-of-the-ultimate-nation-closed-beta-test-starts-today-for-al/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


If you've been looking forward to Soul of the Ultimate Nation finally coming to America, well now's your chance to give the game a whirl. Today marks the opening of the game's closed beta test, which really isn't as closed as it sounds.

If you're an ijji.com member, you already have access to the game. If you're not, well simply sign up for an account to get the ball rolling. Please be aware that only four territories have access to SUN on ijji.com currently, and that's Mexico, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. If you're having trouble logging in, check out this thread on their forums.

Closed beta testers will also get the chance to win an exclusive in-game pet -- the husky. To win this illustrious pet, you'll need to fill out one of their closed beta test surveys and have more than 2 characters on your account. The winning 100 accounts will be chosen randomly and will be announced during the first week of the open beta.

So while you're downloading the client, feel free to check out some of our exclusive screenshots below. You'll be awash in the game soon enough.

Gallery: Soul of the Ultimate Nation

MassivelySoul of the Ultimate Nation closed beta test starts today for all ijji.com players originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>closed-betaclosed-beta-contestfantasyfree-to-playhuskyijji.comnhn-usasoul-of-the-ultimate-nationsunwebzenFri, 28 Aug 2009 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Ijji.com unleashes new screenshots for Huxley, Soul of the Ultimate Nation]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/09/ijji-com-unleashes-new-screenshots-for-huxley-soul-of-the-ultim/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/09/ijji-com-unleashes-new-screenshots-for-huxley-soul-of-the-ultim/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/09/ijji-com-unleashes-new-screenshots-for-huxley-soul-of-the-ultim/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Ijji.com sent us a whole slew of information about two of its upcoming titles to us today, and we figured that we should pass on the love. If you're looking forward to either Huxley: The Dystopia or Soul of the Ultimate Nation, you'll be happy to hear that we added 10 new screenshots of each to our galleries today. Huxley's screenshots show a few more battle scenes, including the scoped in view on one of their guns, while SUN has elected to show off some spectacular landscapes accompanied by some nice armors.

If that wasn't enough, we also have two trailers, one featuring gameplay and the other a pre-rendered video, for Soul of the Ultimate Nation, featuring the Shadow class, included in this post right after the break. The Shadow looks like one heck of a wicked rogue class, so take the leap across the break to see his high flying, fast running stunts that even put the Team Fortress scout to shame.

Gallery: Huxley: The Dystopia

Gallery: Soul of the Ultimate Nation

Continue reading Ijji.com unleashes new screenshots for Huxley, Soul of the Ultimate Nation

MassivelyIjji.com unleashes new screenshots for Huxley, Soul of the Ultimate Nation originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Jun 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-rpgfree-to-playgameplayhuxleyhuxley-the-dystopiaijji.commediammofpsmmorpgscreenshotssoul-of-the-ultimate-nationsuntrailervideoTue, 09 Jun 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Soul of the Ultimate Nation finally makes its way to America]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/20/soul-of-the-ultimate-nation-finally-makes-its-way-to-america/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/20/soul-of-the-ultimate-nation-finally-makes-its-way-to-america/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/20/soul-of-the-ultimate-nation-finally-makes-its-way-to-america/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

It's only two years late, but hey, we're not complaining! Ijji.com has reported to us that they've obtained the rights to publish Webzen's Soul of the Ultimate Nation in North America and that the game will release somewhere in late 2009.

Soul of the Ultimate Nation, called SUN for short, is a hack and slash MMO developed by Huxley creators Webzen. The game was originally slated to be published in North America in late 2007, but the game's status went silent and slowly slipped off of everyone's radar.

SUN features a quicker style of gameplay, more akin to a game like Dynasty Warriors than your standard MMO. To perform this feat, the game breaks the world map up into zones created by players in towns, very much like creating your own match in a first-person shooter. Players create these fields in order to hunt down monsters, solve missions, or complete quests.

Players can also take objectives to assult areas in a siege-esque manner, where many players create rooms to assault one objective. In these cases, successful and unsuccessful sieges affect how the other in-progress games play out, altering the difficulty of the battle to show the turning tide of one side winning or losing. The game does feature persistent cities where players can mingle, much like it's first-person shooter brother, Huxley.

MassivelySoul of the Ultimate Nation finally makes its way to America originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 20 May 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-rpgdynasty-warriorshack-and-slashhuxleyhuxley-the-dystopiaijji.comsiegesoul-of-the-ultimate-nationsunwebzenzonesWed, 20 May 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Where's Webzen?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/30/wheres-webzen/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/30/wheres-webzen/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/30/wheres-webzen/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Two Hammers at MMO-centric blog gamebunny writes that Webzen is slowly making a retreat from the North American market. The Korean publisher, currently developing the much-anticipated Huxley, has cut Parfait Station and Wiki (aka Project Wiki) from its game roster on the North American site. Although Webzen has not announced cancellations of the titles, only three games remain displayed on the site: MU, Soul of the Ultimate Nation, and Huxley. Release dates are not set for SUN and Huxley.

The disappearance of Parfait Station and Wiki comes on the heels of Webzen relinquishing their publishing rights to All Points Bulletin, three years after having obtained them. Real Time Worlds bought back the rights to APB in April. These changes could diminish Webzen's presence in the North American market for the foreseeable future, and their radio silence on where Huxley is in terms of release doesn't help matters. Quite a number of people seem to be excited about Huxley, particularly among the Massively team; we can only hope that Webzen is just re-prioritizing their projects and releases for North America, and that they're not going to disappear on us anytime soon.

MassivelyWhere's Webzen? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 May 2008 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all-points-bulletinapbgamebunnyhuxleymumu-onlineparfait-stationproject-wikirealtime-worldssunwebzenwikiFri, 30 May 2008 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[D&DO Module 7: The Monk]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/27/danddo-module-7-the-monk/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/27/danddo-module-7-the-monk/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/27/danddo-module-7-the-monk/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

When we first sign on to the special Demo server Turbine had set up to show us Module 7, we found that they'd created a level 16 Monk for us to play with. The Monk class has been in the pen-and-paper game for a long time, but DDO is introducing them with Module 7 as the tenth player class in the game.

As we signed in and got set up, the folks from Turbine introduced themselves: Kate Paiz (who we've spoken with before) is the game's senior producer, and Stephen Muray, lead systems designer, and Jesse Smith, a content designer on the game, also joined us as well (Turbine's Director of Communications, Adam Mersky, also spoke up at the end of the session). As the screen loaded up, Paiz said that with the design of the Monk, they wanted to create a class that played significantly differently from anything they tried before. All of D&DO's combat is real-time (as in, you must press a button to attack, rather than just choosing a target), and the Monk's new abilities add a twist to this system. Basically, the Monk has four different stances (Ocean, Mountain, Wind and Sun -- the developers said they drew a lot of the Monk's lore from Dungeons and Dragons' Oriental Adventures supplement book), and each tweaks his or her abilities and attacks -- during most of the playtest, we used the Sun stance to try and do more damage, though the designers said that depending on how the Monk is specced, he would also be able to tank and or do some self heals and group buffs as the class trained up.



All of the Monk's abilities are governed by Ki energy, which can be tseen in a meter below the health bar, and is simply earned by attacking. Muray mentioned that this was to counterweight the pen-and-paper Monk's "times-per-day" abilities -- in pen-and-paper D&D, many Monk abilities can only be performed once or twice a day, and while Ki energy still lets players perform Monk tricks much more often, they are still kept limited enough that choosing what abilities you use your Ki on is very important.

"Did you just Abundant Leap across that gap? Nice!"
But one of those abilities stands above the rest: Abundant Leap (a variant, we were told of Dimension Door in the pen-and-paper game). Starting around level 10 or 11, the Monk can perform a move (with a low cooldown costing a very low amoung of Ki) that pushes them forward in space with a quick jump -- as you hit the ability, the screen blurs, the Monk leans forward, and suddenly you're about 15 yards ahead of where you last stood. Abundant Leap was, during our session, the most fun thing to do as a Monk -- even in noncombat situations (and perhaps especially in noncombat situations), we were leaping and jumping as much as we could. Once, to cross a gap, we jumped, in midair hit the leap ability, and landed gracefully on the other side. It's a minor ability in the overall scheme of things, but Abundant Leap, almost more than any of the other moves we used, makes you feel like a Monk.

Overall, the class seems fairly balanced, and Paiz said that they had put a lot of time trying to keep the class not only faithful to the pen-and-paper version, but also a dynamic part of the MMO environment. It should definitely be a fun reroll for everyone playing DDO, and for the players who level it all the way up, the later abilities should offer a lot of interesting twists on what the team has created in the game.

After loading the game and playing with the new class for a bit, our game began in sight of a peaceful shrine to one of D&D's greatest heroes.

Click here to continue the preview...

MassivelyD&DO Module 7: The Monk originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 May 2008 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>abundant-leapclassesddoddo-module-7designdungeons-and-dragons-onlinemonkplayteststancessunupdatesTue, 27 May 2008 11:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Sun entering virtual worlds market, maybe aiming at educators?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/sun-entering-virtual-worlds-market-maybe-aiming-at-educators/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/sun-entering-virtual-worlds-market-maybe-aiming-at-educators/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/sun-entering-virtual-worlds-market-maybe-aiming-at-educators/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


The Sun Worldwide Education and Research conference, which starts today and runs until Wednesday has an intriguing entry on tomorrow's agenda entitled Project Wonderland, Darkstar and Immersive Education. If you follow the link to their (long) video about the session you will see that it isn't quite ready to roll yet, but they have taken a number of the issues with Second Life (which they identify at the 800lb gorilla in the room) and they are deliberately aiming to circumvent them.

I have to say that, being hard of hearing, I found the video really hard to watch and understand - the audio quality isn't the highest, but I think from what they said, they are working, deliberately, with open source code wherever possible, or code that is going to be open sourced soon. Many will regard this as an improvement on Second Life, although Linden Lab are aiming this way. However, it also appears that there are some high cost outworld tools required - for example outworld modelling is possible, but only in Maya if I understood their too quiet speech.

At first, and second take, this is not yet ready to go live, but it is looking like it could be a real contender, and it does look like they have learnt the lessons from Second Life.

MassivelySun entering virtual worlds market, maybe aiming at educators? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 25 Feb 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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