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Preview: Runes of Magic (PC)
http://www.vg-reloaded.com/?p=1675
February 16, 2009 by Adam Waddilove

Is this free MMORPG magical or just another clone of WoW?

For the past few weeks, I have been playing the open beta for Runes of Magic…an MMORPG that’s free to download and there are no monthly fees, which in the recession can only be a good thing for gamers. But does it do enough to surpass its competition?



My time with the MMO has been short, but from what I can tell it has the potential to be a big hit. The presentation values are amazing for a game like this, especially one that doesn’t require you to put any money down, unless you want to buy specific items that is. It doesn’t break the mould of the genre, but it does everything you would expect from your standard MMO that charges you so much a month. Which begs the question, why do the better ones still do that when games like Runes of Magic can come along and offer a similar experience for less money? I doubt I’ll hear answers from Activision Blizzard, Turbine or Funcom, but maybe the people should make their own minds up on this one.

Before you begin, you obviously make your character your own with a deep level of customisation that you would expect. You choose one of the standard character classes and then after a quick tutorial, you are chucked into the world of Taborea. For those of you who like specific features of a game, here they are:

1. Free2play: no monthly fees, free to download
2. Regular updates with new content, e.g. classes, races, game modes and much more
3. Extensive dual class system with six primary classes and a selectable secondary class.
4. Versatile spell and attack combinations
5. Over 600 quests and comprehensive quest series with continuous storyline
6. Integrated into an enthralling background story
7. Already over 600 quests and level comprehensive quest series on launch
8. Freely accessible game world in atmospheric 3D
9. Instanced and persistent dungeons
10. Individually developed skills and spells
11. Armor sets with special bonuses
12. Dynamic item system: Upgrades with hundreds of runes
13. Activatable PvP system (Player vs. Player duels) with arena battles and guild wars
14. Server vs. server PvP
15. Ranking system: ranking lists
16. Mounts: various unique mounts
17. Epic crafting system with the chance to improve existing items
18. Housing from the beginning: personalization of houses through
individual furnishing
19. Guild houses in special zones
20. Reputation system
21. Scalable user interface based on the users preference (development of ones own add-ons possible)
22. In-game map and radar system to find dealers, resources and quests easily
23. Auction house: auction off and purchase in-Game items
24. Teleporting possibilities per runes
25. Controlling with mouse (point & click) and/or keyboard (WASD or arrow keys) is possible

All these features sound very impressive and will more than satisfy those who enjoy the genre. My favourite feature is being able to turn on an arrow that points you towards your chosen quest giver or dealer, which helps for those just getting used to the game.



The biggest problem that I can see Runes of Magic trying to overcome is its lack of originality. It’s a great game, but it doesn’t do anything we haven’t seen in an MMO before it. Quests are a mixture of killing and fetching items, while combat is the same point and click that has been in every MMO apart from Age of Conan, which took a more arcade-style approach to combat. My point is that if Runes of Magic just did something a little different, perhaps a new style of combat or a different type of mission structure, something we haven’t seen before…then it would become intriguing to the masses, and as a result…people would try it, especially considering it’s a free download.

It’s going to be interesting to see how Runes of Magic progresses over the upcoming months and if it will indeed be a worthy contender into the MMO arena. I will be reviewing it when it’s out of beta to see if its overcome it’s small problems, but otherwise it’s looking to be another good MMO that any fan should give a try.

http://www.vg-reloaded.com/?p=1675

Runes of Magic Live

Frogster America announces that Runes of Magic is out of beta testing, and the subscription-free MMORPG is now officially live. There's an interview with Frogster's Sean Kauppinen on Ten Ton Hammer discussing the conclusion of the beta period, and here's the announcement:

SAN FRANCISCO – March 19, 2009 - Frogster America, Inc. today announced the official launch of Runes of Magic, the Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG) that is redefining the standard for free-to-play titles. Starting today, players can immerse themselves in the first chapter of the game, Rise of the Demon Lord, and experience the wonders of Taborea. Runes of Magic is available as a free download from the official website at: http://www.runesofmagic.com.

Anyone who has not yet registered can do so for free at the official website and begin adventuring immediately. Players with existing accounts can continue to use their characters created during the beta and can also expect an expanded game world in comparison with the previous open beta version. New quests and an epic quest series, as well as new instances, offer fresh game content. A final fine-tuning of the German and English translations and bug fixes have also been implemented.

The fantasy world will soon been expanded with the addition of ‘Ravenfell’, a coastal area with a distinct pirate feel. The game world will be further complemented by regular updates following the release.


THX - http://www.bluesnews.com

http://us.runesofmagic.com/us/news,id25 ... coast.html

*slap*

"Stupid insects," the aging warrior growled, fighting his way through swampy puddles and flailing his arms to repel mosquitoes. His helmet's visor wasn’t helping.

"You should have listened to me," the mage said. "This potion of mine might not smell too nice, but it would have solved that problem for you."

The mage, who hovered millimeters above the slimy surface of the swamp, rolled up the sleeves of her robe and said with a smirk, "As you can see: not a single sting."

"Oh, do shut up!” cried the warrior. “Watch where you’re going, lest you tumble and land head first in this slurry."

But the mage grinned wider and giggled.

Exploring the newly discovered lands northeast of Ravenfell, the warrior and the mage saw exotic plants as high as mountains and marshes full of insects lusting for the blood of wary travelers. And now they were stranded in this bog having been chased halfway through it by Tiktaalik, fearsome creatures that are half fish and half man.

Adventurers who had explored these lands before them had said something about a human settlement, which was where they were heading. The warrior and the mage didn’t think it could be much farther — just behind those trees over there.

Maybe the humans in the settlement had a quest or two that would pay well. Maybe they knew more about the Trolls and the Naga and the other foul creatures roaming these lands. Whatever the case, the warrior and the mage were about to find out.

Welcome to the Weeping Coast!

Before releasing “Chapter Two: The Elven Prophecy,” we’re making available a new zone: the Weeping Coast.

The swampy land with its branching channels lies northeast of Ravenfell, and dangerous creatures such as the Tiktaalik, Nagas and Trolls threaten passersby. With the introduction of the Weeping Coast, we will raise the level limit to 52 and introduce 200 new quests.

Scheduled for August, the release of the Weeping Coast will mark the beginning of the multistage launch of “The Elven Prophecy.”

A new trailer has been added to our video section and offers a glimpse at the new territory.