Rock, Paper, Shotgun

For the past couple of days I’ve been filling idle moments by dabbling in the Drakensang Online beta. Let me just state, for those of you who have been attracted to this article by the Drakensang name in the header, that this has little to do with the original Germanically twee-ruggedness of the Drakensang RPGs. It captures a little of their art-style, perhaps, but this is a very light Diablo-like MMO with seriously low specs. It’s a beast whacker, a loot gatherer, a quest-runner, an inventory… inventorer? You know the sort of thing. That’s not to say it’s a bad game, especially for free, which it will be. It’s also rather clever with its browser-based tech, with one of the best web-players I’ve seen outside of Unity. Some more thoughts (and a trailer) on all this below.

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The chaps over at Bigpoint send word that their latest online RPG, the rather beautiful-looking Drakensang Online (based on the German single-player RPG series’ “Anderworld” setting – is that right? Not The Dark Eye stuff, anyway…) is now taking beta applications. Go and hit the “Play Now For Free” button on their site to bring up the registration form. Word is that you’ll hear back any time from today if your application is successful. For firm evidence of the game’s pretties, go and take a look at the trailer, which I’ve embedded below. It’s got a splendid Diablo-y look to it, so I hope the game lives up to these initial glances. We’ll have some more on it soon!
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EA Phenomic’s project with German developer Bigpoint, Lord Of Ultima, has launched, freed from beta. It’s a browser-based MMO RTS, which boasts will continue changing your territory while you’re logged out. It’s got Ultima in the title. I’m not clear why.

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Battlestar Galactica (the original) is famous for owing a debt or two, or three, or four, or five, or six, or seven to Star Wars – cheekily dashing to cinemas before Lucas’ could sequelise his space opera. The tables have turned this time around though, with Battlestar Galactica (new version) Online getting, well, online before Bioware’s Star Wars: The Old Republic does.

Today, in fact. You can join the human vs Cylon war for free, and quicker than you can say “by your command.”
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Via Blues I spot that there is finally a smidgeon of Battlestar Galactica Online footage for us to point at and exchange worried comments as it approaches. Some space combat, some lumpy-lookin’ people. But which one is the cyclon? It’s the one in the metal suit, you fool, run! And so on.

You can sign up for the beta on the main site.
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This is interesting. Bigpoint send word that the moderately popular German RPG Drakensang will be reappearing as free-to-play online RPG. Apparently it’s going to feature top end 3D graphics in a browser, too. Bigpoint tell us that “The in-house developed Nebula engine – which was used in the development of the PC versions of Drakensang – makes it possible to play the game in a browser without players needing to install any software onto their computer.” The site isn’t fully up yet, just this German-language email registration page.

I’ve posted the brief teaser trailer below, and it’s got a bit of in-game footage in there. Not looking bad at all, although it’s set more at a Diablo sort of angle than the last Drakensang game. Go take a look.
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That being the official Battlestar Galactica MMO, rather than the spangly space-shooter we posted about last week. BSG Online is a free to play browser thingy created by Bigpoint, a German firm who’ve made a mountain of cash making a slew of browser MMOs in the past. I suspect standard behaviour from many quarters is to sneer at the very concept of free to play and browser-based, but I get the sense there’s quite a lot of money/effort going into this one. That doesn’t mean it’ll necessarily be the BSG game we’re crying out for, of course, but it also doesn’t mean this’ll be a shoddy cash grab either. One way to find out: sign yourself up to yonder beta. Closed at the moment, but taking on new sign ups all the time, and due to go open in December. Go!

Catching up with some news from the back end of last week! The previously covered Battlestar Galactica Online revealed that Dean Stockwell (A character from Battlestar Galactica), Callum Keith Rennie (Another character from Battlestar Galactica) Tricia Helfer (A third character from Battlestar Galactica), Grace Park (Someone else from Battlestar Galactica), Aaron Douglas (Battlestar Galactica), Katee Sackhof (Who you know from Battlestar Galactica), Edward James Olmos (Yet another Battlestar Galactica character) and James Bamber (Jace & His Wheeled Warriors*) are “do”ing their roles in the forthcoming browser-based MMO (powered by Unity). Go over to Bleeding Cool for more grabs of the cast in game-o-vision or see the (not in game) trailer beneath the cut…
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Oh no! RPS’s TV-news champion John Walker is unavailable to post this news because he is stricken with gut-horror and must away to bed. The more mite! RPS readership, please use your psychic powers en masse to make him better. Anyway, German browser-MMO types Bigpoint are making a Battlestar game. It’s being developed in the Unity engine as a browser-embedded 3D game, seemingly to be available for a limited time only. Also this stuff: “Players will be able to choose to play as cylons or humans in a constant struggle to control the universe or just survive its perils. A blend of tactical space combat, exploration, and mission-based gameplay will provide a diverse experience. The dramatic missions will define the game’s overall storyline, enabling the player to delve into mysteries of the Battlestar universe.”

And teaser website here. Full press release below.
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