New update, Gracia – Part 1, completely changes the way Lineage II is played

NCsoft®, the world’s leading publisher and developer of online computer games, today announced major changes in its massively multiplayer online (MMO) game, Lineage®II. In an update from The Chaotic Throne™ series called Gracia™ – Part 1, players will find advancing in the game to be dramatically faster. This, plus a host of other changes to enhance the player experience, makes this update much more accessible to newer players than before.

The increase in leveling speed is due in part to a new Vitality system, which rewards the player with an experience bonus for time either spent away from the game or in safe zones. New characters will start out with maximum Vitality, so they can begin improving their character’s advancement within minutes.  An increase in rewards for accomplishing quests, battling boss creatures, as well as greater accessibility of items also enable players to increase their character’s level more quickly.

“Gracia represents a huge change to Lineage II,” said Tim Tan, NCsoft’s North American producer. “The increase in leveling speed allows players to create new characters and advance nearly twice as fast as before. This will allow players to experience the meat of Lineage II quickly, giving them the ability to visit new and exciting areas and cool high-level content much quicker than before. While this game is still a hardcore game, these changes with Gracia – Part 1 make the game much more accessible to new players. I hope gamers will take another look at what Lineage II has to offer.”
Continuing the storyline and changes brought with the earlier expansions, this first of three updates involving the land of Gracia, introduces a new terror with the strange dream-like inter-dimensional world of Kamaloka. Adventurers of varying levels can easily travel to Kamaloka and face a series of incredibly potent creatures that are tailored to the experience of the players. The expansion also offers a selection of new and improved skills, many new items, and improvements to the Cruma Tower, as well as other hunting zones.

Lineage II is known as the gaming market’s premier player-versus-player (PvP) online role-playing game, with a customer reach of more than 19 million players worldwide.

The Lineage II 4th Anniversary Edition pack is now available at retail. For more information about the retail box contents and where to purchase go to: www.lineage2.com/4thanniv.html. To find out more about the game, please visit the Lineage II web site at: www.lineage2.com.

The Lineage II team has released more information about the upcoming Gracia Part 1 free expansion. This expansion will significantly change the user experience in that it allows for much faster leveling and advancement. However, there’s more to Gracia, including a new dungeon called Kamaloka, new skills and items, and enhancements to Cruma Tower. A dev paper from the Lineage II team is available now which covers some other features of the Gracia Part 1 update.

Developer Paper and screenshots below.

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The Lineage II development team has sent us a development diary about a new instance in the upcoming Gracia Part 1 update.

“We’ve built Kamaloka as a universally-accessible fun instance that nearly all Lineage II players can make use of, from levels 18 on up.
 They can experience multiple iterations of Kamaloka as they progress in levels, which shouldn’t take too long given Gracia’s newly-implemented fast and furious leveling.”
- Lineage II Development Team

Kamaloka Instance Dev Diary and screens after jump

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The Lineage II team has just released some very interesting information about their upcoming update, Gracia Part 1. The game is going through system level changes which will significantly reduce the “grind.”

“…the process of building and leveling characters can be a very long and frankly tedious process in Lineage II, which may serve as a barrier for letting a much larger group of potential customers to fully enjoy our game…with the release of Gracia; they’ve completely changed the rules and made Lineage II even better and a lot more fun.”

While Lineage II is still a hardcore game for the elite PVP fan, it is breaking down some barriers to entry with Gracia Part 1 and its new Vitality System. This update, expected to go live in August, is free to subscribers.

Also, the preview site for Gracia Part 1 went live last week: http://www.lineage2.com/gracia/

complete developer diary about how leveling is faster in Lineage II, and screens, after jump (more…)

“To the west of Aden lies the land of Gracia. Ages ago, the empire of the Giants flourished here, but when they dared to rebel against the main god Einhasad, she smashed their
civilization into ruination with the Hammer of the Stars. Gracia became infamous…It is a hard, harsh, and barren land where survival is equally a matter of luck and skill.”
– Lineage II Lore

The Lineage II team is working on the latest installment to the Chaotic Throne series, Gracia. This area is rich with fiction and possibilities, so the next three scheduled expansions
should involve Gracia.  Gracia Part 1, which the team is working on, now, is expected to launch this August.

A preview site is expected to launch next week, but the team has already released some fiction about the newest update to the game.

Read the fiction and see a few screens after jump

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The Lineage II team is continuing to send information out about their recent update to the game, Hellbound. This diary by the North American production team talks about the fun departure that Fantasy Isle represents for the hardcore Lineage II players.

“Lineage II enjoys its reputation as one of the most hardcore player vs. player (PvP) massively multiplayer online games in the market today, and its die-hard community reflects this in many ways…When our passionate players and clans aren’t involved in long-term castle sieges or fortress battles, what do they do to wind down or just want to have some fun?”

Check out the dev diary and 12 screens, which show a very different place than the rest of the Lineage II world

Download the Dev Diary - Hellbound Fantasy Isle Here

Today marks the fourth year that Lineage II, the elite PvP game for the elite player, launched in North America. The team would like to celebrate by giving more information about Transformations that were just launched in the game’s Hellbound update last week. In addition to the Hellbound update, there is an incentive-packed 4^th Anniversary Edition retail box in stores now! http://www.lineage2.com/four_year_anniv.html

You can download the Developer Diary about Transformations here: Link

And with a whole batch of new screenshots:

(Click to Enlarge)

AUSTIN, Texas, April 24, 2008 – NCsoft^® today announced the release of Hellbound^™, the newest addition to the Lineage^® II franchise, in conjunction with its 4^th Anniversary Edition retail package. Continuing the storyline and content from December’s popular expansion Kamael^™, Hellbound increases the game’s level capacity to 85 and adds significant quests and skills. Players finally get the chance to best the diabolical boss Beleth fighting their way through multiple towers in the Steel Citadel. Enhancements to the pet system enable players to grow their wolf pet into a mount called a Fenrir. Additionally, this update adds more transformation options, where players earn the ability to temporarily transform into a powerful alter-ego with special skills that will aid them in their ventures.

The Hellbound expansion is free to current Lineage II subscribers; however, there are many added bonuses for those who purchase the 4^th Anniversary Edition, available this week in stores. Customers who purchase this game pack receive the game client, all Lineage II expansions including Hellbound, plus an unprecedented sixty days of game time. Customers also receive two exclusive in-game items, and Lineage II fans that have had accounts for a year or more can take advantage of special discounts on account services, including gender, character name and server changes.

Lineage II is known as the gaming market’s premier player-versus-player (PvP) online role-playing game, with a customer reach of more than 19 million players worldwide.

“The content in our Hellbound expansion really rounds out what we started in Kamael,” said Tim Tan, NCsoft’s North American producer of Lineage II. “The expansion was very popular with our players and we’re happy to follow up with more content so soon after its launch. Players can now really sink their teeth into the Hellbound area of the game, and the raised level cap gives them a fighting chance against Beleth! The 4^th Anniversary Edition box we’re releasing today adds value for our current players, but we also encourage our former players to check out the unique account service loyalty benefits and start playing again.”

The Lineage II 4^th Anniversary Edition retail pack is available starting this week for an estimated street price of US $39.99. For more information about the retail box contents go to: www.lineage2.com/4thanniv.html.

To find out more about the game, please visit the Lineage II web site at: www.lineage2.com.

The game is rated Teen by the Entertainment Software Rating Board.

The Lineage II team has just released a dev diary that talks about several features in the Hellbound update (slated to go live on 4/23), as well as why they think the 4^th Anniversary Edition retail box is a cool thing for players to get. They’ve included 15 screens that illustrate items they mention, like transformations, the two in-game items in the 4^th Anniversary box, and fighting in the Underground Coliseum. They also show the lighter side of Lineage II, with screens of Agathians and a parade that goes through Fantasy Isle approximately four times a day.

you can Download the Developer Diary Here:

lineage 2 hellbound-whysocool (Developer Diary)

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and if your interested the sales sheet:

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The Lineage II team has just released new details on their 4th Anniversary edition package that will launch in conjunction with Hellbound, the game’s upcoming update.