The Rune Guys Podcast hosted by Grant and Ben, cover Runescape news, events, happenings, hints, tricks, tips, and community with a unique style of humor. Email content to runeguys@gmail.com.



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Well, we passed the one year old benchmark and we are celebrating with a podcast! I bet you didn't see that coming!

-Intro
-The Podcast Is Over a Year Old
-Rune Guys, Best of the Last Year
-Outro

The Rune Guys Podcast officially supports the FreeMMOGamer.com

The MMO world is saturated with many different titles. Some games shine with their brilliant delivery and aesthetics, while some games don’t make the cut. Rappelz can be considered one of the latter. We can definitely call Rappelz a classic, being a 2 year old game. However, not all classics are worth playing anymore in this day and age. Rappelz still has a huge playerbase and frequent updates, but it doesn’t hide the fact that the game has nothing innovative or revolutionary.

The Rappelz site offers a general plot for the game, dividing your character selection to three races: Deva, Gaia, and Asura. Each race has three different jobs and specific progressions, but it all falls to three common stereotypes: melee, caster and summoner classes. Sadly, the site’s story is insignificant to the game. Quests offer no real content about the Rappelz story, and instead give you dialogues of the quest giver’s personal whim. Like most MMORPGs, Rappelz inevitably turns into a grind game once you reach higher levels.

Players start out at a very slow pace. The game requires the character selection screen to be locked with a different password, a thankful precautionary measure similar to Requiem: Bloodymare, disabling any further access from any attempted hacking. As your character sets foot in-game, the NPC gives a short welcome and the start of a long yet rewarding tutorial quest chain. Luckily, for those impatient, the tutorials can be skipped by teleporting out of the island and into the mainland. Once your character reaches level 10, the first job change is unlocked.

Character building is very basic. Stats are automatically distributed according to your profession. Progressing job levels and enhancing equipment are the only chances to provide stat modifiers. On the other hand, job points earned from quest rewards and grinding are spent on increasing job levels and specific skill levels. However, higher progressions of the skill and job level require insanely large amounts of job points, forcing your character to keep grinding for hours on end. Rappelz also offers the staple item upgrading and socketing, nothing remotely special, since the later parts of the game will inevitably require the use of upgraded equips. In addition, a rare energy called “Lak” can be collected and exchanged for chips, items that increase physical or magical damage for a certain duration. The Lak system is a nice touch, but it only strengthens the fact that Rappelz is a boring grind.

The game gives emphasis on the pet and guild war features. All players have access to pet summoning and command skills up to a certain extent, thus enabling the familiar to aid the character offensively and defensively. Advanced pet skills are left to the summoner class. Guild wars, on the other hand, provide a unique twist in the form of dungeon territories, instead of towns. Otherwise, the benefits seem all too the same, reaping the taxes and having free entrance privileges.

A game of more than 2 years old is definitely showing signs of its age. Visuals are bland and bleak, much like an old Playstation 2 game. Sounds could have been done better, but it does complement the overall ambience of the game. Add that to the monotonous gameplay and you’ve got a game that should’ve been shelved a long time ago. Loyalists and MMORPG purists may derive short pleasure from it, but for new players, pass this one up.

Graphics: 6
Sound: 6
Gameplay: 5
Story: 1
Final Score: 5/10

The Rune Guys Podcast hosted by Grant and Ben, cover Runescape news, events, happenings, hints, tricks, tips, and community with a unique style of humor. Email content to runeguys@gmail.com.



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Rune Guys Episode 21 "McFail"
We finish our skill discussion and notice that Runescape is lacking in updates in episode 21 of the Rune Guys podcast.

-Intro
-Agility Update
-Mobilizing Armies
-Blue Blocks
-Slayer/Hunter Talk
-Mail Bag
-Special Award
-Thanks You’s
-Outro

The Rune Guys Podcast officially supports the FreeMMOGamer.com

Jason and Joey talk in depth about the thief class, give a mini-guide on doing Lavalon, tell listeners of secrets people might now know about, and more! And this time we have structure. Sorry no Caleb this time around. Hope you guys like it and happy listening!

Dragonica Insider Episode 2 - Timmy is in the well!


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Join Jason, Joey, and Caleb as they explore a world of possibilities and adventure in the realm of Dragonica. They discuss everything from the back story to the finer details of this amazing free MMORPG. Dragonica, a free to play MMO that hopefully all kinds of people will enjoy.

The Dragonica Insider Podcast officially supports the FreeMMOGamer.com

MapleStory Europe, the popular free-to-play online MMORPG, promises a great summer season for its 1 million+ European players with today’s patch.
Starting off with a significant update of its present game system, players can now make use of even more convenient and handy interface features, including jump-downward function, various functional upgrades and hotkey add-ons.

Today’s patch further delivers the following updates and events:

- New Maps: Aqua Dungeon & Mini Dungeons
Aqua Road gets extended by the anticipated “Aqua Dungeon" where boss monster “Pianus" makes its first appearance to the European players.
Furthermore, new mini dungeons open their portals to offer players a private hunting session of their own.
- Monster Showdown & Summer Drop Event
The 4-week Monster Showdown Event pits players against a lineup of familiar as well as rare boss monsters. Defeating them one by one will be rewarded with extra EXP and bonus points. Another 4-week Summer-Drop Event joins the traditional summer bash where monsters drop summer-exclusive items during usual quests.
- New Community Features: Guild Union and Family System
Players can now team up with up to 5 guilds to fortify their solidarity and team spirit within their Guild Union. The new Family System will assign players as “mentors?to sponsor his/her “juniors" through the game. Fostering a great family will reward the family leader in various ways and help new players with their familiarization within the game.
- Multipet System
This new system allows players to have up to 3 pets at once and to benefit from the combination of unique skills and effects of each pet.

“Today’s patch will bring MapleStory Europe to another dimension," says Sung Jin Kim, Manager at NEXON Europe. “We had promised a great summer with extensive, exciting new contents, and this is merely the beginning of our delivery. We hope that our players can enjoy the new maps and exclusive events even better with the upgraded game system and community features. We are already excited about our next big release, the “Knights of Cygnus" this very summer. “Knights of Cygnus" is a completely new concept as our players have never experienced before, and will definitely open the second chapter of MapleStory Europe."

MapleStory originally launched in South Korea in April 2003 and quickly went on to become one of the most successful online games of all time, with over 92 million registered accounts across the world. MapleStory Europe launched in May 2007 and counts more than 1 million registered players, offering gamers in Europe the chance to play MapleStory in four different languages ?English, German, Spanish and Dutch.

For further information on MapleStory Europe and to sign-up for the game, please visit http://maplestory.nexoneu.com

Perfect World Entertainment Inc, a wholly owned US subsidiary of Perfect World Co., Ltd., today announced the official launch of Ether Saga Online. Following its successful beta program, the popular free-to-play MMORPG has now officially “gone live” with its latest game play update which includes all-new features and quests, enhancements, and more. Players can now create permanent characters and fully immerse themselves in the expansive Ether Saga Online game world by downloading the game at: http://eso.perfectworld.com/download.

Based on the Chinese literary classic, “Journey to the West,” Ether Saga Online combines a robust feature set with lavish graphics and a youthful anime style. The game’s intuitive game play systems and large variety of unique features create a truly one of a kind experience for gamers of all skill sets. Unlike other MMORPG games that charge subscription fees, Ether Saga Online allows players to immerse themselves in the expansive game world free of charge. Once inside, players can earn and spend in-game currency to upgrade their character and an assortment of items in real-time to enhance and personalize their game play experience.

Increased Level Cap to 105 - Characters gain access to 13 new class skills from levels 91-105, effectively doubling the number of core player skills.

Quest Line Enhancements – The main quest line from levels 1-45 has been streamlined to introduce players to the game mechanics and reduce the number of kill quests.

New Raid Encounter – A new raid has been introduced. Designed for 6-24 players, The Obscurity is sure to challenge adventurers.

New Difficulty Modes – Now features Easy and Hard modes for dungeons to encourage more casual gamers to compete in quests.

Enhanced Gear Upgrading – Enhancements to the gear upgrading system provide players with new options to increase their chances for successful upgrades.

New Monsters! – The addition of new elite monsters and the White Dragon world boss further adds to one of the most compelling aspects of Ether Saga Online’s game play.

Integrated Quest/Navigation System – Players will not be confused about where to go or what monsters to kill. Quests will have “link” which allow players to click on them and automatically navigate to their quest objectives.

Unique Races and Classes – Three different races as well as six different classes. Each class having its own unique play style and gameplay.

In-Depth Pet System – Every player starts with their own pet. Players can tame and capture new pets as they adventure through the world.

Element Leveling System – As players level up, they receive points that can be assigned to specific elements. Each element has its own characteristics and affects the core gameplay of each user.

Unique Skill System – Each class has a set of unique skills. Skills are not learned from trainers but rather on the fly through a battlefield menu system.

Birthday Skills – Each character receives special abilities and skills related to the day their character was born.

Clan Skills – Players can create clans/guilds and have opportunities to learn new abilities and skills as a group.

Fusion System – Players can actually fuse with their pets and gain access to new abilities and gameplay options.

Monster Card System – Players can collect monster cards which allow them to transform into specific monsters. In monster form, players gain access to new abilities and skills.

Crafting System – Players can choose from 9 different crafting and gathering skills.

Reputation System – Monsters will have their own factions in-game. Players can gain reputation with these creatures and gain access to new content.

Alliance System – Clans can group up into Alliances in order to combat difficult monsters or even other Alliances.

Fans of Ether Saga Online can visit the official website at: http://eso.perfectworld.com/ to view additional game play details, trailers, and screenshots.

Acclaim Games announces the re-development of their recent MMORPG The Chronicles of Spellborn which was released in February, 2009. The development is planned to carry into 2010 and will include several enhancements and changes to the current game. The enhancements and development of the new model will be carried through a joint venture between Spellborn NV and the development studio of Frogster Asia Co. Ltd. based in Seoul, the Korean studio bringing its expertise in the field of free-to-play and micro-transactions.

After the re-development, the current subscription model will be switched to a free-to-play system supported by micro-transactions. This will open the world of Spellborn to all players and give them a chance to experience the rich lore and game-play in its entirety.

Players who are currently playing the game will be able to continue playing the game in its current form via the subscription service. At the point where the new version is released, any unused subscriptions will be credited to their accounts. Any players who wish to register for a account can sign up at http://spellborn.acclaim.com (Spellborn is currently freemium. You can play for free up to level 9).

Wicked Interactive, a North American MMO publisher, today announced that it will launch a series of summer events for Yedang Online's popular MMORPG, Priston Tale. Players of Priston Tale can participate in the Summer Events beginning July 1st by going to http://pt1.subagames.com.

The Summer Events will consist of seven unique events during the month of July. Each of the events will begin on each Tuesday in July and will last for two weeks each. Priston Tale players will also receive increased experience rates throughout the month of July.

"We are excited to launch the Priston Tale Summer Events," said Garvin Yeung, CEO of Wicked Interactive. "We hope that our players will enjoy and take advantage of the free fireworks and other great events we have lined up while they enjoy their summer playing Priston Tale."

Event #1: Free Fireworks
The Summer Events will kick off by lighting up the night skies with free fireworks for all players of Priston Tale beginning July 1st to celebrate Canada Day, Independence Day in the U.S. and the beginning of summer.

Event #2: "Wanted": Morif
Once the best alchemist in the known world, Morif is now a wanted criminal. Morif turned his back on humankind in search of adventure but kept the secret of perfect item aging to himself. The nations of Priston viewed this as an act of ridicule and have ordered a warrant for the capture of Morif - dead or alive. Players can hunt down Morif and be rewarded with Sheltom forces and Sheltoms (which are used for
upgrading weapons and skills).

Event #3: Nine and Tail Amulet
Priston Tale players are sent on a quest to help Praya, an assassin from a distant land. They need to find a pair of Amulets: the Nine Amulet and the Tail Amulet. When combined together, the Amulets form the seal of the love Praya once shared with the monster, Ninefox. Generous rewards are offered in exchange for these valuables.

Event #4: Summer Ball Sports
The monsters are out to play - sports, that is! Hunt monsters from all over Priston Land to steal their ball. New items will include Beach Balls, Soccer Balls, Volleyballs and more. Players can activate these items to reveal their true worth.

Event #5: Mini Monsters
Miniature versions of monsters will be appearing at select areas of the Priston world!

Event #6: Summer Experience
Experience needed to level up characters will be increased by 50% on the weekends beginning July 3rd and again on July 18th. This will be followed by a month long Summer Experience Event starting again on July 28th and moving into August. Players are invited to take this chance to join the highest ranks of Priston Tale society!

Event #7: Ice Cream
After all, you can't truly enjoy summer without ice cream!

This time no key will be asked to open the doors to the world of Ys Online. You will only need a Key To Play account to enjoy this fully detailed game. Also there won’t be any character wipe after this!

Choose carefully your race and specialisation following your game style. If you have any doubts, take a look to the Game Guide from our Official Site. And even if you can’t decide, remember you can create a maximum of 6 different characters in your account.

During the Closed Beta phases, more than 100,000 keys have been distributed. Without the help of all the players which have been sharing their suggestions with us, nothing could have been possible. So Key To Play would like to thank them for all their efforts with an exclusive Closed Beta tester reward.

GameNetworks.com announces the launch of the official CTRacer teaser website. CTRacer is the latest next-gen Massive Multiplayer Online Racing Game. The game has built a large interest in the gaming community, and is now going global!

The official website includes browser with exciting video clips from the game itself. This site also provides the latest news and information about the upcoming game. The site has a register page for the interested players to receive future updates and beta announcements.

For the latest information, please visit http://ctr.gamenetworks.com

Allowing anxious fans the chance to play new content for the very first time, online game operator THQ*ICE LLC today announced the consumer debut of Dragonica™ Online for North America during the nation’s largest anime and manga convention, Anime Expo® 2009, from July 2 – July 5, 2009 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. More information can be found at www.anime-expo.org.

Located in booth #428 in the H Hall, THQ*ICE is giving convention goers access to one of the most highly anticipated free-to-play, massively multiplayer online (MMO) games of 2009. While supplies last, fans that visit the Dragonica Online booth will receive a special Activation Key that gets them exclusive access to the game’s Closed Beta Test in advance of its launch this Fall. Throughout the show, THQ*ICE will be hosting a variety of promotions including a raffle for limited-edition Dragonica Online wall scrolls, a special Anime Expo-themed in-game item and more!

“This is the first time any U.S. anime convention has been incorporated and immortalized in any MMO game,” states Ms. Liyin Liang Anime Expo Convention Chairwoman. “We are happy to work with THQ*ICE and have them bring such an amazing and exciting game to our convention!”

“We are excited to officially unveil Dragonica Online to our fans at this year’s Anime Expo and let them experience new content for the very first time,” said Aaron Dean, Marketing Manager for Dragonica Online. “As part of our commitment to our fans, everyone who stops by our booth will be able to demo new game content, receive special prizes and have the opportunity to get an Activation Key for our Closed Beta Test. We look forward to the event and the chance to get feedback on their experience which we’ll then use to create the best game possible.”

Fans who are unable to attend Anime Expo but are interested in participating in the Closed Beta Test can register at http://dragonica.thqice.com for the chance to receive a Closed Beta Test Activation Key.

Uforia, a new online game publisher specializing in massively multiplayer online games, announced today that it will begin the Open Beta Test for Red War: Edem's Curse (http://redwar.uforia.com) starting at 6 PM PDT. Red War is an exciting free-to-play online MMORPG which takes gamers through the worlds of Meltya and Alies. Gamers can choose from three classes as they battle the dark forces of Qelian and the inhabitants of Meltya and attempt to prevent their peaceful world of Alies from being overtaken.

The Open Beta provides players with countless hours of fun and plenty of opportunities to meet new friends as they explore several new maps and battle new monsters that have been added since the last beta session. There is also a host of exciting events that will give players many chances at winning unique prizes that they will be able to use during the Open Beta period and beyond.

Players also will not have to contend with any character wipes as is often the case in many games. The characters that the players create will be permanent.

"We recently completed a very successful closed beta where we had hundreds of players from all over the world experience the game and provide some thoughtful feedback," said Mike Min, Game Operations Producer. "Now we are opening up the game to even more players to come and experience the world of Red War."

July 4th is a day of decoration, parades and fireworks for players from United States, but World of Kung Fu entertains players from all over the world! So, why not decorate our community with flowers and illume the sky with fireworks?

From June 27th, the prices of decoration items listed below will be reduced to only 1 gold. And we will launch a very interesting event at the same time.

Event: You Make Our World Beautiful, We Make Your Journey Easy!

Time: 20:00 to next 02:00 From June 27th To July 7th (Server Time)

Place: Anywhere in World of Kung Fu

Participants: All the players in all the four servers (Yeah, no matter you are level 1 or you rank high in the LEVEL RANK)

Rewards: Let's firstly take a look at what you can get from this event - Hundreds of Sheng Xiao Stones and Sheng Xiao Jades! You can exchange them to Sheng Xiao Pets! Do you want a permanent Jade Dragon to loot items for you and provide you buffs? Don't hesitate and join us!

Game Rule: The rule of this event is very very simple. You just need to arrange the Decoration Items, into a Sentence - Use some roses, for example, to form a Letter first. Then the letters of roses will compose a Word. And some words you make this way will be read as a sentence. When you decide what sentence you want to "write", call a GM and the GM will teleport to you. You have at most 15 minutes to finish your sentence. If your sentence is valid, the GM involved will record your name and your sentence, and then you can get your rewards.

Try your luck! More details about Independence Day Event, please visit www.worldofkungfu.com.

Nexon America is now accepting Closed Beta tester applications for its upcoming action-adventure title Dungeon Fighter Online. Interested gamers should visit http://dungeonfighter.nexon.net and click on the Apply for Closed Beta button to get started. The deadline for applications is July 6. (Nexon will release the dates of the Closed Beta test at a later time.)

Dungeon Fighter Online pairs classic arcade-style action game play with an immersive RPG fantasy world and brings both online for one incredible free-to-play experience. Individuals who are selected as Closed Beta testers will be among the first in North America to venture into the mystical world of Arad, a peaceful land beset on all sides by the forces of darkness.

To beat back the sinister tide, players choose to be one of five character classes – Fighter, Gunner, Mage, Priest or Slayer – each with its own abilities and devastating attack combinations. From there, it’s off on a fantastic journey through Arad’s towns and villages, where a colorful ensemble of quirky characters send players on increasingly perilous quests. Along the way, players can fully customize themselves with weapons, armor and, of course, the most killer threads.

Playing online further enhances the experience, as players can chat and message with friends, trade and auction items, form parties to tackle dungeons as a team, and much, much more.



For more information on the game and how to apply for the Closed Beta, gamers should visit http://dungeonfighter.nexon.net.