It’s been a while since we’ve covered TERA, and I figured it’s time to change that. This time, we talk about an important choice you will make at the start of the game – your calling. The game features 8 classes: 4 melee, 1 ranged, 1 caster and 2 support. Today, we are going to cover the melee classes and their associated gameplay styles. So, if you like getting up close and personal with your enemies, read on.

First off, we have Lancers who are the main tanks of the game and are able to have the best protective equipment, as well as the ability to protect allies with their shields. They are a melee class, but due to the length of the spears they carry, they can easily attack from medium range. Due to particle collision in the game, your shield isn’t just a fancy piece of gear that you wear to impress ladies, but also a vital tool you have to rely on in order to prevent damage both to yourself and to the allies behind you.

In between blocks, you’ll also be making active use of the various taunts and guards available in order to keep aggro. When the going gets tough, expect to add a dash of offence skills as well. The Lancer brings reliability and survivability to the party. Skillful tanks in other games will feel right at home with this class.

We also have Slayers who use greatswords to maximize the reach of their swings, and are a melee class geared for fighting groups of enemies at once, while still being able to dodge enemy blows. Slayers do not have ‘spike’ damage like their cousins Berserkers, but they do make up for it with their versatility. This class has a wide range of skills for AoE damage, but can also utilize a couple of abilities that focus on a single enemy. Continue Reading

Earlier this week, iTZKooPA mentioned the ‘carrot-on-a-stick’ approach regularly emphasized in Forsaken World. Today, I’d like to delve deeper into this aspect of Perfect World Entertainment’s upcoming title and show you that these systems go deeper than you could have imagined.

Right from the get-go, the game offers a mixture of comfort and gentle encouragement in order to ease players into the initial experience. Upon your log-in, you receive a few shinies to keep you excited and give you that warm fuzzy feeling of being welcome in this new world. They include things like health and mana potions that have infinite use but expire after a week, bag extensions, identification scrolls, and various buffs. The mysterious box that sits in your inventory is not simply a gift dispenser, but also a tool for players to get acquainted with various game mechanics. Along with identification scrolls and food that temporarily increases your stats, it frequently gives out introductions to game features relevant to your current level.

The constant stream of presents is timed at certain intervals to avoid an overdose, but also to keep you wanting more. The reward mechanic is nothing new, but Forsaken World does it better than competitors by making these presents actually useful to your gaming experience. Moreover, they also serve the purpose of introducing and getting you accustomed to the idea of having a vast amount of convenience items at your disposal from the beginning. That way, once you go past the new player experience and get into the meat of the game, the idea of having (buying) various shinies will not seem like an unusual one. This doesn’t mean that higher level players don’t get rewards though, quite the opposite.

Every player has the option to pray when the in-game constellation changes (part of the Zodiac System mentioned earlier). The first four prayers have a chance to give you additional experience and items. There is also a journal that neatly organizes your progression in each game zone and frequently awards achievement points that you can get through exploration and questing. In addition, being a member of a guild will net you a daily reward in the form of experience scrolls and several types of in-game currency.

This sort of encouragement goes beyond mere rewards and can be seen in the fabric of Forsaken World itself. Each significant layer of activity and content in the game has some sort of a meaningful system attached to it in order to encourage and lead players on. Examples of these systems are everywhere. Certain interval levels are accompanied by a pop-up box that aims to introduce players to additional content that has become available. It’s not just a simple Help menu though, as it teaches you about the quests available for your level range, what monsters to kill, what jobs you can learn, as well as where to farm money and equipment. It also allows you to set reminders and see what events are currently on. In addition to all of this, you get a hefty Encyclopedia that is reachable from the main menu once you acquire it. It acts as an in-game wiki of sorts and allows you to search through its contents using keywords.

Everything in the game is designed to make the process of chasing that carrot as unobtrusive as possible. Systems like a quest tracker that allows your character to travel to key locations on auto-pilot, as well as a detailed map of the surroundings, allow you to easily navigate around the world with a couple of clicks and make sure that the time spent in Forsaken World flows quickly and without you even noticing.

When it comes down to it, there are basically two types of MMO-players. Those who view their time spent in-game simply as a source of entertainment and a fun experience, and those who are drawn to the promise of a living world that they can influence and be a part of. Forsaken World is a prime example of the former, and a well-crafted one at that. By not being afraid to admit its themepark roots, the game manages to improve the old formula and have multiple hook points that will leave players coming back for more.

World of Warcraft is often compared to crack, a substance that gets you addicted almost immediately upon consumption and has severe withdrawal issues. Forsaken World, on the other hand, is more akin to refined heroin, something that gets you attached to it over a period of time, without you even noticing. Wait, this isn’t a blog about drugs? Son of a…

Welcome back to the second half of our preview series covering Forsaken World – the latest title from Perfect World Entertainment. In part 1, I promised to talk about some additional features of the game that might catch your interest. Once again, please keep in mind that a good portion of this information has not been officially confirmed by PWE, yet.

Zodiac System
Upon creating your character, the game will ask you to pick a Zodiac sign. Your choice may affect some of the rewards that you get in-game, your character’s luck and other aspects of gameplay. Rumours say that participating in the Zodiac system will also play a role in the progression of your server. How exactly this will be carried out is still unknown.

PvP with a twist
Forsaken World gives players access to PvP from level 30. Adding an interesting twist to this common feature is the Soul System. Any player, while fighting, can activate the Awaken Wrath skill that will greatly increase their fighting power, but will also leave them more vulnerable to opponents. While in this mode, there is a chance that characters will drop Soul Orbs when hit with a direct attack. Whoever picks up enough of these orbs will experience a big rise in power and will have an easier time kicking ass.

Hopefully, this mode will increase the importance of tactical maneuvers and control over the battlefield in the standard PvP fare.

Monsters have bigger brains
Another notable feature in Forsaken World is the increased attention of devs to the AI of various monsters inhabiting the world. Perfect World Entertainment has even invited two professors from Princeton University to help design this system. The aim was to make fights more challenging for players by allowing mobs to react to different situations, actively use skills and debuffs, as well as heal each other. Whether the developers have succeeded in their attempt has yet to be seen.

More than 10 secondary occupations Continue Reading

Glad you could join us for the third installment in a series of preview articles covering TERA Online. Today, we are going to take a look at the various races whose interactions drive the narrative of the game forward.

Baraka

TERA features an impressive cast of races within its lore. Each one has a well-developed and largely interesting background, with sparks of originality here and there. You have baraka, the peaceful descendants of giants who tower above all other species.  Despite their impressive presence, one should not assume that this race is a simple collection of fighters and brawlers, for baraka value balance in all aspects of life. As a result of this philosophy, a baraka will train himself diligently in the art of combat, as well as strive for the hidden depths of arcane knowledge.

Having long abandoned the cruel ways of the Republic of Giants, baraka were spared when the gods decided to annihilate their evil brethren at once. Since then, the baraka clan has assumed a nomadic way of life, its members traveling from city to city in an attempt to gather knowledge and chronicle the flow of life in all of Arborea.

Amani

After the death of the deity who created them, this race of fierce warriors was conquered by the Republic of Giants. As slaves they fought countless battles, conquering land and destroying anyone who disobeyed their masters. Having been born and bred in the atmosphere of constant struggle, bloodshed and death, the amani inherit savageness and aggression through the genes of their dead ancestors. Their cruel past still haunts them, for amani prefer to keep their distance from baraka, who remind them of endured hardships and oppression.

Eventually, the race was freed by the goddess Kaia who called upon the help of the castanics. After they were granted free will, the amani have transformed into a species that values honour, integrity and loyalty above all else. These days, they serve as the first line of defense of the Valkyon Federation. Their hardened bodies and the sheer power they exhibit on whim, allow this race of reptilian-like fighters to be the bones that hold the alliance together.

Few need to ask these warriors to prove their words, for they will be the first ones to sacrifice themselves for the right cause. They still long to be in the thick of a fight, slashing brutally and carving their way into the enemy. Only this time, it is for the right reasons. Continue Reading