Im not gonna say I know the whole story from an official standpoint, cause I dont but I will tell you what I have heard. Bluehole Studios, a korean MMO developer, are all former members of the Lineage III dev team. They all left for reasons unknown (the rumors are varied) and formed their own company and began deloping a new game using the Lineage III engine/coding, all or in part.

The game that resulted from this is T.E.R.A. and it's pretty sweet. Fly has been ogling trailers, vids and screen of this game for a week now and finally I took a real good look and yeah, Im pretty amazed. Not only are the graphics beautiful but the game play is pretty unique.

"1,2,3,1,2,3…"

Facing the mob and repeatedly pressing a skill button is no longer exciting.
Even the unprecedented hit title, WoW, doesn't deviate from the traditional combat system.

TERA introduces a ground-breaking innovation to the MMORPG combat system.

From the start, the company hoped to realize a combat system that would set a new global standard. After careful consideration, it was decided that TERA's fight sequences should closely resemble real fight scenes. Hence, TERA will introduce omni-directional attacks, where distance and direction must be coordinated for weapons and spells to work; moreover, healers must continuously take new battle positions to cast spells. Also, depending on body weight ratio between a mob and player, an enemy hit will register a fall-back reflect. These are some of the innovative features in TERA.

Also, unlike games that claim to be a MMORPG by emphasizing action-style gameplay, TERA does not utilize zoning (section loading). All users will seamlessly move throughout the world, sharing a singular combat experience. Moreover, the foundation for the innovative combat system originates from the robust client/server technology. This breakthrough technology is one of the many revolutionary features developed by Bluehole to enhance the end-user experience.

The targeting system looks like something I would really be interested in. I read around the internet that it is scheduled for beta release this summer but no real dates. If anyone can translate some information from the official TERA site, I would appreciate it.

01 July 2009, 12:30

Astrum Online and Joymax announce the russian launch of Silkroad Online

Astrum Online Entertainment, the leader of Russian interactive online entertainment market, and Joymax, global entertainment company of South Korea, are happy to announce the beginning of cooperation. According to Agreement signed by parties, IT Territory as part of Astrum Online entertainment group now has publishing rights for Silkroad Online on the terrritory of Russia, CIS and Baltic states.

During the Signing Ceremony that took place in Moscow the 30th of June, Chan Woong Jeon, CEO of Joymax, and Alexander Vashenko, CEO of IT Territory, put the signatures starting the cooperation under the terms and conditionsof Silkroad Online licensing Agreement.

The Russian localized version of Silkroad Online (http://silkroad.ru/) will work on free-to-play model. The Russian release of the game is scheduled on a boundary of 2009-2010.


source: Astrumonline

OK, so Ive had a full day to play this game. Yes, I still love it. It's beautiful, involved, has a great story and the amount of interaction between you and the environment is awesome. Its a bit linear. I mean, you cant really stray too far from the path they set. You go down a corridor of NPCs and monsters, picking up quests along the way. It may get better at higher levels. Ill get more involved as I play to a higher level because EVERYONE has given a basic rundown of how Aion is in the first ten levels. I just wanted to add how much I like it and how glad I am that I bought the Collector's edition cause flying is really kick ass. I suck at it but Im getting better.

Yup, you heard me, Im selling the Silkroad Online Wiki. You will get the domain, the complete files and everything contained within to be hosted on your own site. It is quite busy and a great resource for any silkroad site, but Im not playing silkroad and slowly, my site is switching over to an Aion site.

If you are interested in buying the Silkroad Online Wiki, email me at admin[at]igamelegit.com

Apparently, at some point Silkroad Online's Community Manager changed yet again. Silkroad Online eats more CMs than any other online game EVER and we never even know their names!

Here is an interview I discovered today. I think the CMs comment about botting is the most colossal understatement ever made about SRO. But apparently they are trying to get some GMs. That might be a good idea.

Silkroad Online: Interview with Community Manager Rob Alvarez

source: mmogamer.com
Mobin Koohestani, the latest member of The MMO Gamer’s writing team, debuts today with an interview with Joymax Community Manager Rob Alvarez. The interview focuses on the company’s most successful game, Silkroad Online.

Today I am joined with Rob Alvarez, the community manager for Joymax USA. Joymax is not only the developers of the free MMORPG “Silkroad Online”, however they are known for others such as “Dark Eden”, as well as “Deco Online”. Now the primary focus for today is about their hit game “Silkroad Online”. So without further ado, I’d like to ask Mr. Alvarez some questions about the main concept and idea behind “Silkroad Online”.

The MMO Gamer: What was the main intention you had planned that Silkroad Online would bring to other MMORPG players?

Rob Alvarez: To set it apart from the the bevy of MMO titles already out there, Silkroad Online was intended to be a step back in time in terms of place setting and story. Silkroad Online was also intended to open players up to a new experience that differed from most traditional MMO games, starting with a broad set of unique and amazing skills and jobs. Silkroad Online has always been about the power of choice, especially in terms of character development and the constant struggle between the merchants and thieves along the Silk Road trade route. More than anything, we wanted the players to feel the constant, daily challenges facing the inhabitants of the Silk Road.

The MMO Gamer: What sets Silkroad Online aside and unique amongst other MMORPGs?

Rob Alvarez: I think Silkroad Online really brings historical elements and classic tales to the forefront of modern gameplay. Through the use of our triangular system, players have the option to walk the path of the merchant, thief, or hunter. Through this gameplay mechanic, players are able to see firsthand how their actions impact the trading economy in ways both negative and positive. The Fortress War system also makes players more inclined to guild up with other players, allowing them to control the grounds and taxes within each respective location as the conquering guild.

The MMO Gamer: What are some of the newer aspects that have been brought in Silkroad Online recently?

Rob Alvarez: A number of things have been added to Silkroad Online quite recently, including the Qin Shi dungeon, Magic POP system, and an increased level cap. In addition, our next expansion, Legend IV Plus, will be released later this year and will feature new weapon effects, new mobs, new quests, and an entirely new dungeon for users who are level 80 and above to explore.

The MMO Gamer: How strong has the game progressed from its original release?

Rob Alvarez: Originally we only had the Chinese race to play and a fraction of the land to cover. Since then, we have added the Europeans as a playable race and expanded to cover the lands between Europe and China with dangerous baddies and treacherous dungeons. We focused on giving our fans and dedicated players something fun, and Silkroad Online developed a strong following as a result. We anticipate that as time goes on, it will continue to pull in curious onlookers who are searching for something new.

The MMO Gamer: What changes do you hope to make, if any in the future?

Rob Alvarez: Our top priority at the moment is increasing Game Master support to combat the rise in botting issues that we’ve experienced. No online titles are ever completely free from hackers and cheaters, but we are continuously working towards implementing additional security measures that allow us to provide Silkroad Online players with the best possible experience.

The MMO Gamer: What in your opinion is the biggest accomplishment about Silkroad Online?

Rob Alvarez: Honestly, we see our biggest accomplishment as the continued growth and development of the community globally. Despite the trouble makers that are present in our servers, Silkroad Online really is a fun and entertaining game with so much to offer players who really engulf themselves into our world. Even with all of the other free to play games out there, we continue to maintain and grow our active base of players. It is truly a blessing that after all this time people still want to play Silkroad Online and see what new features and content we have in store for them.

The MMO Gamer: What do you foresee for Silkroad’s future within the upcoming year?

Rob Alvarez: Change. Like Obama, but with less political discussion and more action. This will mean a shift in direction and a better understanding of how to make Silkroad Online more and more enjoyable to play as time goes on. Also, the Legend IV Plus update will be released soon and it will bring with it a new dungeon. That means more mobs, new quests, and the potential for new unique drops, as well.

The MMO Gamer: Do you feel that if the game continues to expand, any additional monthly or service charge fees would be applied?

Rob Alvarez: No, I do not see that happening at any point. We would never do something that could upset the balance between faithful users and the continued development of the game. Our CEO wanted to develop something for everybody, not just the people who would pay to play. That said, there could be additional types of services offered in the future, but no plans are currently outlined in our product roadmap.

The MMO Gamer: What incentives are given to players from Silkroad Online?

Rob Alvarez: Our main incentive to players is providing high-quality content. Whether that means major web events or new skills and weapons, it is our duty to provide users with unique ways to enhance their Silkroad Online experience.

The MMO Gamer: In your opinion, is there going to be a lot more added to the game as time continues?

Rob Alvarez: Personally, I do not see an end in sight for the content and expansions we keep developing, but it really is up to the community. As long as we have the player interest and fan support, the possibilities of what we can add and build upon within Silkroad Online are endless.

The MMO Gamer: Thank you for answering our questions!

I know that the layout of your blog is something like branding but I enjoy messing with it too much. I look at more than anyone and I get tired of the way it looks! I find that searching through templates, rearranging things, making new graphics, and everything else that comes with making a new blog layout, to be a calming act.

I especially like when it gives me trouble. I get to sous out the problem and try to fix it. WOOO. I know, Im a total intarweb nerd but I dont care. So this is my new theme. It took me about 4 hours from, "Hmmmm I think Im gonna change my layout!" to "If I mess with it any more Ill break it." I did use a premade template cause I really, REALLY dont have the oomph to completely design a new one. I will one day but Im afraid that will take the lighthearted fun out of redoing it so often.

So anyways, enjoy my labor of love and try not to make fun of me for my nerdness. Note that the theme has shifted from Silkroad Online to Aion. Yes, I think I have found a new home for a while or Im just adding to the hype for this game. All I know is I have been waiting for it to open for years now and FINALLY it seems to be looming on the horizon. (9/22/09 in NA) So good luck to those staying in SRO.

Because Fly and I are eagerly awaiting the opening of Aion, we have completely redone IgameLegit in an Aion theme. This was a mostly handcoded and designed theme done by Fly and I with some help here and there from various friends of the forum.

We also added an Aion section and minimized the Confederation section to be equal to both Aion and those legits at tSRO. So if you havent heard about this new game Aion, you must be living under a rock...

Review: Aion Beta Weekend from MMORPG.com

After my last entry about some of the upcoming MMOs, luck would have it that I was able to get a chance to play Aion during one of their recent beta preview weekend type events. Today I am going to try to give you my impressions from playing during the recent weekend event that had a level limit of 10, but did allow players to make characters from both of the game's factions. While I will be the first to admit that 10 levels is hardly enough to review much of anything, but I think I got a chance to sample the game and take a look at various aspects that were present.

Just to recap quickly here before I get started, I went into this with a few preconceptions about the game in terms of graphics, polish, and whether or not the game would be bringing anything new to table. I have seen some pretty remarkable screenshots of the game, so graphically I set the bar pretty high. The game has also been out in a foreign market for a while, so I expected a fair amount of polish. In terms of innovations I approached Aion with fairly low expectations. As soon as the log-in screen popped up as seen above, I felt somewhat reaffirmed that graphically I would not be disappointed. So with all that being said, let's get started!

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