MMO news, guides, reviews, features, interviews and more at Ten Ton Hammer

MMORPG Online Game for Mobile - Commercial Service Begins in South Korea

A press release was issued this morning that is lofting more than a few brows across the MMO community. Close your eyes and imagine if you will a day where you can play an
MMO on your cell phone. Think that is pie in the sky dreaming? Not anymore...keep reading.

Com2uS begins subscription service for "IMO: The World of Magic," Korea's first wireless MMORPG, following a successful open beta test.

Seoul, July 2006 – Com2uS has announced the start of paid subscription for its MMORPG (massive multiplayer online RPG) for mobile phones from July 18. “IMO: The World of Magic” launched in Korea on June 8 and has been available for free during its open beta test. The game represents the first commercial release of an MMO game in Korea for mobile and is priced at 4,900 (around $5), which includes all network charges.

IMO: The World of Magic puts players into the real-time online world of Inotia. The game is for mobile, but it offers gamers much of what they’ve come to expect from MMORPG on the PC. In an MMORPG, users enter a persistent, real-time online world, where they go on quests, team up with other players to fight monsters, collect items, fight against other players, and try to level up their characters. Com2uS added additional quests, dungeons, and party play options to mark the start of the paid subscription service. Future content for IMO will be added in episodes, the current instalment being, “Episode 1: The Wingfriel Island.”

IMO brings gamers a great MMORPG experience on mobile, as well as offering a gaming experience and subscription plan well suited to the limitations of a mobile phone platform. Com2uS is planning to add functionality that will take advantage of the mobile platform itself: for example, utilizing SMS in the game.

Com2uS hosts the online infrastructure of IMO with 6 servers, each server supporting around 500 simultaneous users. The number of servers could increase as more users sign up to play. To date, the game regularly supports 1,000 simultaneous users.

“MMORPG are immensely popular in Korea on the PC and helped give birth to one of the most vibrant gaming cultures in the world,” commented Ji-young Park, CEO of Com2uS. “We are very pleased to have launched the first commercial MMORPG service for mobile in Korea.”

Profile -
Title: IMO: The World of Magic
Genre: MMORPG
Launch date in Korea: Open beta period – June 8; commercial service: July 18
Servers (hosted by Com2uS): 6, although can increased if there is further demand
Platforms game is currently serviced: BREW, WIPI
Features: Players can customize their characters (name, appearance, skills), interact and talk with other users in real-time, fight against monsters and also other players (PvP), participate in party-based play, take on quests, trade items, and explore.

I know you have thoughts on this. Head over to the forums here at Ten Ton Hammer and tell us!

Cartoon Network to Develop Massively Multiplayer Online Game with Grigon Entertainment

First Partnership Between U.S. Entertainment Company and a Korean Game Developer

Cartoon Network announced today that it is developing its first massively multi-player online game (MMOG) in an unprecedented partnership with a leading MMOG developer, Seoul-based Grigon Entertainment. Cartoon Network New Media, already a leader in online entertainment and gaming, will debut the game in the United States. This is the first-ever partnership between a U.S. entertainment company and a Korean developer to create an MMOG for the global marketplace.

The Cartoon Network MMOG will launch in spring 2008 and target the growing and sophisticated kids' interactive gaming market. The game will be free to download, with subscription and micro-transactions available to players to enhance the gaming experience. New areas for exploration and play are planned and will be added regularly over a span of several years. The game brings Cartoon Network's beloved characters and sensibility to the fast-growing online gaming realm with an "East-meets-West" creative approach. Grigon Entertainment is best known for successfully developing and launching several online games in Asia, including Seal Online, a light-hearted role-playing game (RPG) that took the online gaming world by surprise. Localized versions are available in Korea, Japan, Taiwan, China, Indonesia and Thailand.

"Cartoon Network is an immersive experience for our fans, and this MMOG will allow our fans to interact with their favorite characters like never before. Not only will kids be able to play with their favorite characters like Mac and Bloo, Ben 10 and the Kids Next Door, but they will also be able to develop their own online gaming personalities and interact, virtually, with other players in a safe way," said Jim Samples, Cartoon Network executive vice president and general manager. "This MMOG is a key part of Cartoon Network's growth strategy, and is an important complement to our mobile, broadband and our existing online business. With the MMOG, mobile content, our Web sites and, of course, our linear network, Cartoon Network is always on for kids."

"Online games have been the most important driver of Cartoon Network New Media's success over the last few years. With more than 84 million U.S. homes expected to have broadband Internet access by 2008, and Cartoon Network's reach and creative vision, we're excited to enter the fast-growing world of massively multiplayer online gaming," said Paul Condolora, senior vice president and general manager, Cartoon Network New Media. "In Grigon Entertainment, we have found a partner who understands how to build a successful MMOG for the casual marketplace. With our characters and creative direction, along with Grigon's experience and technical know-how, we think Cartoon Network's MMOG will have great success and longevity."

"It's my greatest pleasure to work as partners with Cartoon Network, the world's most influential entertainment brand," said Byung-Kyu Cho, chief executive officer of Grigon Entertainment Co., Ltd. "When I look at the globally adored characters of Cartoon Network getting together harmonically with the renowned strength and uniqueness of Grigon, I have all my confidence that we will proudly present an online game which will astonish the world."

Massively multiplayer online gaming has expanded in the United States in recent years, with games like World of Warcraft and EverQuest achieving large and loyal followings. Most MMOGs have been driven by high-intensity fighting and action with fantasy elements and have attracted an older, adult audience. To date, few games have targeted younger audiences. In Asia and Europe, where broadband penetration is ahead of that in the United States, MMOGs have been developed for all audiences, from kids to teens and adults.

Cartoon Network's games will feature a persistent and expanding world, which will allow players to develop their own characters, attributes and possessions over the course of many months and even years. Players may also meet and interact with other players online, forming virtual friendships and communities. Cartoon Network's MMOG will be compliant with the Children's Online Privacy and Protection Act (COPPA) and will offer a safe gaming environment for players.

This sounds like an exciting project. Are you ready for your favorite cartoons to morph with MMOs? Let us know what you think of this press release in the forums here at Ten Ton Hammer!

Will Your Favorite Class Endure the Test of Time?

MMORPG.com's Thomas Mortensen has written an editoral that looks at the evolution of playable classes in MMOs. This interesting look at the course of these classes through the past, present and future is well worth the read.

The MMORPG genre has changed a lot since the early days of Meridian 59 and Ultima Online, but the games still relies on the basic classes introduced back then. Most MMORPG still use the Fighter, a heavily armoured close combat character that can take lots of damage. Having to rely on short-range weapons and relative low damage his fights may last long. Thus he will need the healer, whose job is to heal the party and make sure they stay alive. A second role of the healer is to buff the party by adding temporary enchantments, which make the party stronger, faster or more resilient. The mage is the most fragile character, but he can deliver large amounts of ranged damage through arcane magic. Though the games do not always use the same names for the character classes they are always build on one of these arch classes or a mix of two of them through hybrids like the Bard, Paladin or Battlemage.

This mix is tried and proven in MMORPGs through the past ten years. The fighter takes the damage, the healer keeps him alive and the mage deals the damage. But will these three classes keep being the blood of MMORPGs in the years ahead?

Read the rest of this article and let us know what you think in the forums. Keep checking back for the latest updates on your favorite classes and games here at Ten Ton Hammer!

Experience the First SOE Block Party

This release is posted on the Matrix Online official site...

Come join us for the first-ever SOE Block Party! This community event will be held during the 2006 San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday, July 22 from 3:00 PM until 7:00 PM. Even if you’re not attending Comic-Con this year, stop by the Block Party, anyway!

The Block Party will also feature guided tours of the SOE buildings, prize raffles, food, drinks and other assorted goodies. There will also be SOE game demos, including a sneak peak at the upcoming PlayStation®3 title, Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom!

Come and meet SOE dev team members and staff—you may even get a chance to drop them in the dunk tank! You’ll also have the opportunity to meet acclaimed fantasy author R.A. Salvatore along with comic writer and The Matrix Online storyteller, Paul Chadwick.

Busses will shuttle attendees from the San Diego Convention Center from 3:00 PM until 5:00 PM (Look for the SOE signs near section B of the Convention Center). Return trips to the Convention Center will be running every half hour until 7:00 PM. For those of you coming on your own, we highly recommend carpooling, as parking will be limited.

For those wanting “just the facts":

* What: SOE 2006 Block Party
* When: Saturday July 22, 2006. 3:00pm - 7:00pm
* Busses from Comic-Con to SOE 3:00pm - 5:00pm
* Busses from SOE back to Comic-Con - Every 30 minutes
* Where: SOE Headquarters. 8928 Terman Ct., San Diego, CA 92121 (map)
* Why: Meet SOE staff, tour SOE buildings, free food, drinks, games, music and prizes. To have fun!

Attendance: FREE

RSVP for the SOE Block Party Today! BlockParty@soe.sony.com