Shikibu: November 2007

Nov 29, 2007

Lyto's Perfect World (完美世界)

Lyto will probably released a new game known as "Perfect World" (完美世界) somewhere in the late first quarter of 2008 in Indonesia.

http://www.lyto.net/

The only games from Lyto which I have played was Seal Online. I actually liked Seal Online, until Lyto charged a periodical membership fee, which means that it is not a free online game that it used to be. After months later, Lyto re-changed the membership to Seal Online back to free again. But by this time, I am no longer interested to play the game. I like to focus only on one game which I really enjoy. In this case, it is Ran Online.

However, after reviewing the movie clips of the "Perfect World" (完美世界) at

YouTube.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rELm0Xz_eTA

Then I started reading stuffs at the international "Perfect World" (完美世界) site, and I feel that the game seemed like a spectacular game which I could move on to from Ran Online. The international site is at:

http://1perfectworld.com/

The graphic, the actions, the characters, the story background, the gameplay, and the details are already enticing. And then... the music finally wins my heart. Hahahaha....
Wikipedia has a profile on "Perfect World" (完美世界), and you can read it through the following link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfect_World

If you don't understand Chinese/Mandarin language, the words 完美世界 are read as Wán Měi Shì Jiè, which translates perfectly to "Perfect World."

完美 : Wán Měi : Perfect / Flawless
完 : Wán : Fully
美 : Měi : Beautiful
世界 : Shì Jiè : World / Planet

There are three races you can play, and each race has two classes, total to six classes. I am not sure whether I got the elves correctly, but they are:

武侠 : Wǔ Xiá : Swordsman / Warrior
法师 : FǎShī : Magician / Mage
妖兽 : Yāo Shòu : Werebeast / Beast
妖精 : Yāo Jīng : Werefox / Fox Spirit
蜮蟒 : Yù Mǎng : Elven Archer
蜮灵 : Yù Líng : Elven Priest

In the movie clips you can access at YouTube.com, the character customization is really one of the best, or the best customization that I have ever seen. Compared to RF Online, Ran Online, or any other MMORPG in Indonesia at the moment, "Perfect World" (完美世界) by far has the face character customization mode.

However, "Perfect World" (完美世界) requires quite a large processor, memory, and hard drive. In addition, with the rich graphic and gameplay, I am not sure whether the Indonesian populace in general can truly enjoy the game to its fullest. Additionally, there another worry related with the internet connection. These would be my main concerns, whether the game is going to generate a lot of players community in Indonesia.

Nov 28, 2007

QiGong / Shaman (Part I)

I began playing Ran Online after watching my cousins played the game in 2006. I first started my hand with this MMORPG near the end of December 2006, prior to me flying to Hanoi, Vietnam to attend my best friend's wedding there.

I chose Sacred Gate campus, because I like the word Sacred, and the word Gate. Why I chose a QiGong/Shaman is probably because I like magical attacks, somehow reminded me of the cool magic from Final Fantasy VII.

Shikibu's evolution in the game went through the following process:

Started with a Pow-type QG
Reset to an Int-type QG
Evolved into a hybrid Int+Att (Wrath of Gaia + Gravity + Meteor) QG
Reset to a hybrid Int+Att (Weakening, Advance Weakening, Stone, Poison) QG
Reset back into a hybrid Int+Att (Wrath of Gaia + Gravity + Meteor) QG

From January to August 2007, I usually played three to four times a week. Mainly from 12:00 AM to 5:30 AM. During Friday night to Sunday, I played longer hours. I began to play daily from September to October 2007. Two months of crazy playing.

Since then, I have significantly reduced my playing hours.

Aside from this, I don't usually keep grudges with most of the other players. But, just like in real life, in the virtual reality you will find jerks (orang brengsek), too. I play games because I am a Gamer. I have played games since I was 9 or 10 years old, back during the Atari age and then the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) age. Online games are fun because you get to interact with different people from different backgrounds, characters, and thinkings. You make new friends, you get in touch with camaraderie, sportsmanship, team works, and so on.

Anyway, the 4th evolution happened because a QG with the negative status ailments are real deadly during PK. It's built purely to cause negative status to other players from different campus during PK. See, this built does not kill the enemies, 'cause the killing can now be executed by other users from different jobs/classes (i.e. fighters, swordsman, archers, QG pow/att).

This type of QG mainly deals a combination of the following skills:

Scroll of Weakening (very short delay & casting time)
Advanced Weakening (moderate delay & casting time)
Scroll of Stone (somewhat long casting time but moderate delay)
Scroll of Poison (short delay & moderate casting time; cast this when skill #2 & #3 are in delay, and/or cast this on single enemy; best result when this is first cast before other negative status skills are cast, otherwise it's quite useless because it doesn't cause negative poison effect on the enemy)

When you are facing this type of QG as an enemy, DO NOT let it cast Advanced Weakening, Weakening, and/or Poison on you. Advanced Weakening is a very dangerous skill because it really slows down your movement to attack and cast any skills.

If you have a skill that allows you to run real fast, run away first when you see a QG gets close on you during PK, and then quickly approach it and began your attack. Surprise attack, diversion, & carelessness of the opponent are the only three methods that this QG strongly strategized upon to effectively cast it's negative status skills.

There is another way to face this type of QG. If you have a support/Int-type QG in your party, tell that QG to cast Frenzy Attack or FA to the enemy's QG. You must work together to cancel the enemy's QG attempt to cast its skills, and then that's it. If your QG mastered the Scroll of Stone, cast that skill to the enemy's QG. However, don't cast FA on the enemy's QG that is built with Attacking skills like Wrath of Gaia, Gravity, Meteor, and/or Spirit Summon. There is a possibility that you can't kill that QG type, and that QG type can cause a more powerful damage to you and your party.

However, I reset back to an Int+Att (Gravity + Meteor) type of QG, because I was really not satisfied with the negative status casting QG. See, I do enjoy attacking the enemies/monsters with damaging skills instead of just waiting for others to kill the enemies/monsters for me.

Concluding part I of this simplified FAQ, I would like to say that choose and build a character that suits your personality and playing style. Do not choose/build a character just because other people say this is good or not good. However, there will be times when what other people advised you would be a real great advice. More on this later.

The character you choose should be the one that you really enjoy and have fun playing with. If you focus on that character, you will be among the best to use it.

A master is a master because the master focuses on one thing, and one thing only. The master knows the ins and outs of that one thing which he/she focuses on.

That is why in Ran Online, the "Char Combine" mode is only available much later in the game, especially when your character reaches a very high level. After you have become a master of one job/class/character, you can then branch out to master another job/class/character to complement the original job/class/character which you have mastered. Meanwhile, if you like, you can try practicing and learning other job/class as well.