Starr Long, the Producer of Tabula Rasa® at NCsoft® North America, talks about the newest changes to the game with Deployment 11 and the impact of Operation Immortality™.

We’ve seen a lot of attention focused on Tabula Rasa® within the last few months, culminating with the release of Deployment 11 last week and the launch of Operation Immortality™ in July. The influx of new players from our promotions has been great, and with the monthly updates we’re continually keeping our veteran players happy with new and interesting content. While we push forward with continuing to develop and promote Tabula Rasa, it’s important to examine how we’re accomplishing this and there’s no better example than Deployment 11.

starr_long.JPGWith all these new players coming into the game, we knew we had to look at our new user experience and make sure it was the best we could possibly have. We engaged in video-taped usability sessions and other metrics to determine what new players were doing and what we could do better. Then we re-examined the course of the game, as well as the storyline, to see how we could integrate new players better into our universe. When a new player finishes watching the intro trailer to Tabula Rasa, their first moments afterwards should be a continuation of that story. The new player experience needed to convey that Tabula Rasa is a science fiction game, and you’re put into the meat of the drama almost immediately. We also wanted to manage the tutorial system better, as well as the context and delivery of the gameplay tips. Our incoming players and even the veterans who have gone through the new player experience agree: it’s awesome.

Speaking of the veterans, we can’t just concentrate on the new players. Our community and support teams do a terrific job supporting a constant slew of activities for everyone to participate in, many of which the community creates themselves. There are plenty of fun events and feature exclusive content on the public test server (PTS), like the Friday Night Fights boxing matches—including a bout you might have heard about, featuring General British trading blows with Jesus Chavez. We have a player vs. player (PvP) wargame map and even something else that’s very current to the times, a Tabula Rasa-themed Olympics created by the PlanetTR fansite staff. (more…)

Scott Johnson, Olympic gold medalist, three time National Champion, and 2006 Olympic Hall of Fame inductee, has been invited to send his DNA into space as part of NCsoft’s Operation Immortality

Operation Immortality™, a project intended to collect and archive the very best of what humanity has accomplished, is creating a digital time capsule of the human race, including messages from people around the world and DNA samples from some of our brightest minds and most accomplished athletes. Scott Johnson, Olympic gold medalist in gymnastics, three-time National Champion and 2006 USA Olympic Hall of Fame inductee, now stands among those who have been asked to participate in Operation Immortality’s mission to preserve the most talented and influential people of our time, and has submitted his DNA to be added to the capsule.

Johnson, represented by 4U Management in Orlando, Florida, is most commonly known for leading the U.S. Men’s Olympic gymnastics team to victory in 1984 in Los Angeles, when he emerged out of nowhere to win the title and help the U.S. win its first gymnastics team medal since the early 1930’s. He then went on to captain the U.S. Men’s Olympic Team in the 1988 games, before retiring later that year.

Now, twenty years later, Scott is once again being recognized by being invited to add his DNA to the “Immortality Drive” and have it placed upon the International Space Station (ISS) when video gaming luminary Richard Garriott makes the exhilarating journey to the ISS on Oct. 12, 2008.
“Participating in Operation Immortality is an incredible privilege,” says Johnson. “Knowing that my DNA will be immortalized for all time and that I have been chosen as one of mankind’s most “accomplished athletes” is truly an honor.”

The “Immortality Drive,” is currently in the process of being loaded with information from people all over the world at the OperationImmortality.com website. Players in Garriott’s latest game, Tabula Rasa®, will also have their character information downloaded onto the drive.

“This is your chance to leave your mark,” says Garriott. “I’m thrilled to have Scott Johnson on board with me.”

Mankind is encouraged to submit their suggestions for humanity’s greatest achievements, and leave their immortalized message for future generations. A select few may also have their DNA chosen to join Garriott, Johnson and other icons on an out-of-this-world experience, and possibly become the future of mankind.

NCsoft has release a new video for its upcoming new title, Aion: Tower of Eternity. The game play video depicts the quest players must take in order to receive their wings (at level 10) in the game. The Ascension quest also shows how player grow from ‘normal’ beings to god-like Daeva’s.

see the trailer below

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.

Compared to the previous corresponding year, sales rose 7%
Pre-tax profit reached US$10.2 million

Seoul, South Korea, Aug. 13, 2008 – NCsoft® Corporation today reported second quarter 2008 sales of KRW 81.2 billion (US$78.6 million), operating profit of KRW 8 billion (US$7.7 million), pre-tax profit of KRW 10 billion (US$9.7 million), and net income of KRW 6.1 billion (US$5.9 million). Compared to the previous year, sales rose 7% while the operating profit, pre-tax profit and the net income dropped 25%, 31%, 42%, respectively.

NCsoft announced that the increase in sales was due primarily to the shutting down of private Lineage® servers and the successful update of Lineage II Gracia™ Part 1. The drop in operating profit was due to continued investment, including personnel, in development studios across the NCsoft organization.

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Sending digital time capsule with human DNA on Richard Garriott’s journey to International Space Station

Could you be the savior of humankind?  NCsoft, the world’s leading publisher and developer of online computer games, has announced it will launch the “Immortality Drive” – a time capsule with the digitized DNA of select video game players and space aficionados – into orbit when famed game designer Richard Garriott travels to the International Space Station in October 2008.
As part of NCsoft’s “Operation Immortality,” Richard Garriott – the man who created Tabula Rasa, a massively multiplayer online (MMO) PC game that explores the destruction of Earth – is now venturing into space to save humanity.

During the campaign, Tabula Rasa players have a chance to have their DNA sequenced, digitized and sent into space on the Immortality Drive. In addition, all players with active accounts on September 2, 2008 will have their Tabula Rasa characters uploaded to the device, giving them the opportunity to go to space virtually.  In order to make this unique opportunity accessible to as many people as possible, free trials of the game are available at http://www.rgtr.com/trial.  Garriott will place the Immortality Drive on the International Space Station when he travels there this fall.

“I’ve been able to do some very exciting things in the games business, but nothing of this magnitude,” said Garriott, executive producer for Tabula Rasa at NCsoft. “I’m thrilled we can offer the once in a lifetime chance to millions of gamers to virtually go to space with me. A select few will have their DNA digitized and sent. And, theoretically, if anything happens to the human race, it could be their DNA that is used to resurrect humanity.”

Starting today and lasting through August 31, 2008, anyone with a PC and an Internet connection can go to http://www.OperationImmortality.com and participate in weekly polls on humanity’s greatest achievements which will be included on the Immortality Drive, such as “What is the greatest song of all time?” and “What is the greatest technological breakthrough of all time?” Current Tabula Rasa players, or those who download and play the free trial, will also be able to enter a personal message for inclusion on the Drive.

“This is your chance to leave your mark,” says Garriott. “While everyone can participate in the polls at OperationImmortality.com, Tabula Rasa players will be the only gamers in the universe who can say that a piece of them is in space, since we’re sending their in-game alter-egos, and for some, their DNA, to space with me.”

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Target, Best Buy and Rite Aid to sell cards for popular NCsoft online games

NCsoft, the world’s leading developer and publisher of online computer games, is teaming up with InComm, a technology firm that develops markets and distributes stored-value gift and prepaid products, to bring many of NCsoft’s popular games to consumers on prepaid Game Cards.

Some of the top retailers in North America are participating in the new retail initiative that will include City of Heroes, Richard Garriott’s Tabula Rasa and Exteel. Target, Best Buy and Rite Aid will be the first stores to offer the NCsoft Game Cards.

 “This is a great opportunity for NCsoft to grow its expanding portfolio of triple-A massively multiplayer games beyond traditional retail channels,” said Lisa Bell-Cabrera, vice president of sales for NCsoft’s North American business. “Of course, we think this is a huge value to our customers. The InComm cards provide an incredibly convenient way for our customers to access our games and by using the cards, they’ll be getting some bonus items that will enhance their game play experience.”
The City of Heroes cards will provide purchasers with an exclusive in-game jet pack in addition to a convenient way to download and play the comic-book inspired online computer game without requiring a credit card. The City of Heroes Game Cards will retail for US$20 and come with 30 days of game play.

Tabula Rasa Game Cards will retail for US$14.95 and will be available exclusively at Best Buy stores. Those who purchase the Tabula Rasa Game Card will get an exclusive in-game rocket. Like the City of Heroes card, the Tabula Rasa card provides a handy method for downloading the client and includes 30 days of game play.

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NCsoft readies the number 1 super-powered MMO for more  

There is a reason for the rejoicing in Paragon City and the Rogue Isles. It is official – NCsoft has completely merged the two games into one game universe. All current subscribers who only had one of the games (City of Heroes or City of Villains) now have access to the features of both games. Additionally, all City of Heroes and City of Villains games for sale at retail or online will grant access to both games.

This is the final step needed in preparing the IP for future projects, to be announced later this year. Paragon City and the Rogue Isles have always been a part of the same game universe. When City of Villains launched in 2005 as a stand-alone game, it did not launch with an extra subscription fee, so there has always been this feeling that they are closely related. What’s different here is that NCsoft has taken down the barrier where players had to have a City of Villains serial code to make a villain, and vice versa. Now, it doesn’t matter if you bought Heroes or Villains, you can make characters from either faction and experience their unique game content. Additionally, Heroes now have access to base building, which was previously only available if you had purchased City of Villains.

“In setting the stage for our upcoming plans for the IP, we felt the time was right to truly consolidate the City of Heroes and City of Villains universe,” said Brian Clayton, General Manager and Executive Producer. “We have removed all restrictions that were created when City of Villains launched in order to make way for some really cool content and features we have in the pipeline. This is an evolution of the IP that lays the foundation for what’s to come.”

The most recent game update, Issue 12: Midnight Hour, launched in May and included a wealth of features, including a new Greek and Roman inspired zone, Villain Epic Archetypes, Powerset Proliferation, as well as more character slots so that players can try out the new character powers and Archetypes.

 “We know that character variety is one of our greatest strengths and that’s why our players love to create new characters” said Matt Miller, Lead Designer. “Even former players who reactivate will be pleasantly surprised to see new open character slots waiting for them.”

Uniting the City of Heroes universe enables the development team to focus on other features slated to come in future installments. Improvements to Supergroup Bases and raids, an offline character reward system, and the previously revealed Mission Maker are just some of the systems that will see the benefits of a unified City of Heroes game.

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…)