TenTonHammer.com Preview Beta Key Giveaway

What's better than one Preview Beta Test key giveaway? A whole bunch of Preview Beta Test key giveaways! Folks who didn't manage to grab an Activation Key during yesterday's giveaway on MMORPG.com, fret not!

TenTonHammer.com has started distributing Activation Keys to the Dragonica Online Preview Beta Test on their website here. Want one? It's easy! Just click the button below, enter your email address, and the Activation Key will be on its way to you!

Got your Activation Key but no THQ*ICE Passport yet? You'll need one to apply your Acitvation Key to and to log into Dragonica Online. Head on over to our quick and painless Passport registration page to get yours before PBT starts!

IGN.com on Dragonica Online's Classes

Following up their "Pre-E3" preview of Dragonica Online, IGN.com has published a summary of Dragonica Online's character classes: the Warrior, the Magician, the Archer and the Thief. Here is a brief passage:

The 2D side scrolling action with 3D characters and monsters will be released later this year, and will introduce adventurers to the battle against the Dark Dragon Elga, whose agents are threatening to release the creature from its prison and spread evil across the land. As a new hero that has chosen to take up arms against Elga and his followers, you will gain separate equipment, skills and combos based on your class to help you in your quests through dungeons and maps.

Although most of the article's information may be rudimentary for those intimately familiar with Dragonica, notice that the names of second tier classes in Dragonica Online have been revealed. Click here to read the full article.

Preview Beta Keys for All from FilePlanet

Earlier this week, FilePlanet started giving out Dragonica Online Preview Beta Keys exclusively to their subscribers (see here for our blog post). Now, as of this morning, any FilePlanet account holder can secure an Activation Key, subscription or not!

What do you have to do? Simply visit this page for details. Bear in mind that their number of Preview Beta Test keys is limited so get yours quickly!

Dragonica Online's Product Manager Says Hello!

In what will become a regular feature here on the Windia Portal, we have our first post by a guest blogger from the Dragonica Online Team!

Hi everyone! This is Ben, Product Manager for Dragonica Online. We’ve been watching the community grow at a rapid clip, and can’t wait to show you some of the awesome stuff we’ve been working on behind the scenes. Especially the -– oops, might want to keep a lid on that for now...

I’ll be popping in now and again on the blog to go into detail about our upcoming plans to bring exciting features and exclusive events to the world of dragons, but for now keep an eye on the forums for a chance to win a key for the imminent Preview Beta Test!

Be sure to keep an eye out for his second blog post coming up this week as it will reveal a number of the more salient changes made to Dragonica Online since players last sampled it during our Alpha Test in April.

Preview Beta Test Game Client Information

We've had a lot of questions about this subject and we'd like to address them! Here's the rapid-fire question-and-answer section:

How can I download the game client?
It will be posted to our Game Downloads page as we get closer to May 29th.

How large is the game client?
800-900mb.

Is there a Mac version of the game client?
Not at this time.

How much of the game has been localized for the North American market?
100%. Every string. And we'll continue to do so for ongoing content.

Do I need a THQ*ICE Passport to download the game client?
Yes.

Do I need to have an Activation Key applied to my Passport to download the game client?
No.

If you have more questions, feel free to ask them in this thread.

MMORPG.com Preview Beta Test Key Giveaway

Secure your place in the Dragonica Online Preview Beta Test TODAY! MMORPG.com has 1000 Activation Keys and they're giving them out NOW! Point your browser over to this link and login with your MMORPG.com account to score yours.

Got your Activation Key but not sure what to do with it? Read this forum thread!

UPDATE: MMORPG.com is down to their last 100 keys in under half a day! Grab yours quickly!

UPDATE #2: MMORPG.com's Preview Beta Key Giveaway is soon to come to a close with only 10 Activation Keys left!

PBT Keys Available for FilePlanet Subscribers

Looking for another way into the Dragonica Online Preview Beta Test (PBT)? IGN's FilePlanet has the solution! Subscribers to their website can claim a Preview Beta Activation Key for use on May 29th when the Preview Beta Test begins. Be aware, it's a limited quantity! Here it is in their own words:

Dragonica Online is the first fantasy action MMO to merge 3D side-scrolling, fast-paced combat and comical, yet devastating, skill system never seen in a single MMO offering. Combining vibrant graphics and expansive player freedom, Dragonica Online breathes new life into the traditional side-scrolling MMO.

We're offering our FilePlanet subscribers a chance to participate in the special "Preview Beta Test". Get a firsthand look at this revolutionary new MMO. Journey to the World of Dragons!

Follow this link to be taken to their Dragonica Online promotional page.

The Official Dragonica Online Forum is Evolving!

As some have already noticed, the Official Dragonica Online Forum has started growing in more ways than just population and activity! A new category called Beta Information has been created to focus on thread related to our Preview Beta Test coming up on May 29th. These threads can help visitors sign up for the beta, learn about Activation Keys and find out more about the PBT's details.

Over the course of next week, a new overall forum structure will be introduced. The new subforums will encourage discussion across a wide range of subjects including gameplay modes, character clases, and off-topic chat. Got a suggestion for an area of discussion? Voice it on the forums!

Make Paris LOL in our Screenshot Caption Contest

Just learned about our Preview Beta Test starting on May 29th and want a piece of the action? Looking to secure your place as one of the first Dragonicans to enter the Windia portal? Not the best at 'shopping together images to compete in our series of art competitions? You have arrived at the correct blog post.

Sharpen your biting wit. Bring your "A" game of comedy to the table. Put your fierce sense of humor to the test. We are challenging you to:
You may not have met Paris yet so heed this warning: she is not easily amused. That thin smirk she's sporting is no smile. You will have to muster every jocular resource in your arsenal of clever to succeed at this daunting task.

We have called upon an ancient device of great spontaneous-laugh-inducing power to aid you in this quest: the comedic image caption. Your weapon, a single screenshot. Its ammunition, your words. Together they combine to become a force capable of compelling even villains such as Paris to roll on the floor laughing her ass off.

Some will fail. Some will deliver. Some epic lulz will most certainly be had. Full details can be found in this forum thread.

Dragonica Online Preview Beta Test Starts May 29th!

Dragonicans! Hear ye, hear ye!

The long-awaited start date of THQ*ICE's Dragonica Online Preview Beta Test has been announced! Next Friday, May 29th, invited beta testers will begin their journey to the world of dragons! The Preview Beta Test or PBT will feature an updated Dragonica Online game client with numerous fixes sourced from player feedback during our Alpha Test this past April. Ben Serviss, our Product Manager, will be making a Windia Portal blog post detailing the specifics as to what new changes Dragonica Online has seen.

Can't wait that long? Read on! In addition to the PBT we will be hosting a Sneak Preview Beta Test or SPBT which will begin two days ahead of the main phase. This early portal to the world of dragons will open for a small number of invited beta testers, granting them 48 hours of exclusive access to Dragonica Online. As there is no non-disclosure agreement for any of our test phases, these first explorers of Windia and beyond will be free to report their findings to the entire community through text or visuals.

Want a beta invite? Look no further than the official Dragonica Online forums! Multiple contests and events have begun or will be starting in the coming days, the prizes of which are invites to all of our beta tests in addition to in-game items. A new one will be launching later today! All that's needed to participate is a THQ*ICE Passport ID which can be created in a matter of seconds right here.

We're very excited about this next step towards releasing Dragonica Online and so is the community! Your fellow Dragonicans are actively discussing this latest development on the official forums - why not join them?

Fresh Shipment of Screenshots Delivered to Flickr

A new selection of Dragonica Online gameplay images have been uploaded to our official Flickr page, more than 40 new glimpses of the character classes in action and purging Windia and beyond of their foes.

New to the scene is the Trickster class, one of Thief's two potential advanced job classes. To see more, be sure to visit our Screenshots set on Flickr.

The Final Dragonica Conquest!

Part III of the Dragonica Conquest begins!

The Dragonica Conquest, our first series of community events, concludes with Part III, the wallpaper contest. Combining the disciplines demonstrated in Parts I and II, creating striking and functional wallpapers involves an eye for framing, composition, and most of all subject matter. As with Part I and II, your work may be featured as part of Dragonica Online in a very real way! Read on for more information.

Dragonica Conquest Part III of III

The Wallpaper Battle has commenced! Utilize the high-resolution images of Dragonica Online provided via our official Flickr page to compose an image that encapsulates the game, focuses on a single character, or both! The choice is yours. The only limitation is that submissions must be at least 1024x768 pixels and have to demonstrate Dragonica Online in some manner. Beyond that, your creativity is invited to run wild! Full details can be found in this forum thread.

Although this is the final segment of the Dragonica Conquest, numerous new contests are planned for the immediate future! We have more Preview Beta Test keys to give out before its arrival, be sure to monitor this blog and the official forums for more details.

MMORPG.com Publishes Second Developer Journal

Skills and the combo system are the subject of our second Developer Journal, freshly published on MMORPG.com. This installment focuses on the colorful abilities you'll be using to dispatch your equally colorful foes and how they range from the expected to the anything-but-expected. Here is a short sampling:

Dragonica Online's skill system allows for in-depth gameplay that is easy to play but difficult to master. Adventurers begin their journey with the basic skills for their chosen class, battling monsters in order to advance to the next level and learn new, powerful skills. As players reach new levels, they earn Skill Points that can be used to acquire more advanced abilities. With plenty of choices available, players can take their time to develop truly unique characters tailored for any kind of play style.

Another set of six screenshots match this Developer Journal. Scope them out in the full developer journal here.

GameSpot Puts Dragonica Online in Spotlight

GameSpot.com has published a "Spotlight On" article about its first hands-on experience with Dragonica Online and the game clearly left quite an impression. The piece addresses the game's unique mix of genre, gameplay essentials and revenue model. The article focuses on the colorful abilities you'll be using to dispatch your equally colorful foes and how they range from the expected to the anything-but-expected. Here is a detailed passage:

Though [Dragonica Online] will have many of the trappings of a traditional massively multiplayer game, it'll also have a lighthearted sense of humor and won't take itself too seriously. One of the levels we saw in action was a dock area near the ocean, where our enemies were walking sharks dressed as pirates. Like with other sidescrolling beat-em-ups, you'll defeat your enemies by pummelling them repeatedly if you choose a combat-oriented class, such as the warrior or archer (which fights enemies by repeatedly shooting them with arrows), though some of game's other classes, such as the magician and the thief, fight in other ways.

Read the full article by following this link.

IGN Takes "Pre-E3 2009" Look at Dragonica Online

While Dragonicans wait for our Preview Beta Test and E3 2009, IGN.com has published a preview of Dragonica Online outlining the game's style, feel and features. The article addresses Dragonica Online's core storyline, unique mix of genres and "over the top" skill imagery and monsters. Here is the opening passage:

Take fast-paced action, mix in 3D side-scrolling gameplay and toss in MMO item crafting, party systems and community features, and what do you get? Dragonica Online is the answer. An upcoming free-to-play MMORPG that's scheduled to launch this fall from Barunson Interactive and [THQ*ICE], Dragonica Online plans on featuring accessible game mechanics for beginners with loads of depth for MMO vets. I recently checked out a demo of the game, which featured colorful environments, unique monsters and customizable characters battling across a magical land.

Click here to read the full article. Dragonica Online will be making an appearance at this year's E3 which starts June 2nd. Until then, be sure to scope some of the new screenshots and concept art in IGN's Dragonica Online gallery.

Dragonica Online Teaser Published to YouTube

Those familiar with the brief story summary on the Dragonica Online website will no doubt recall the passage "an unlikely agent threatens to release the Dark Dragon, spreading evil’s corruption across the land." Well, it's time meet that unlikely agent in our teaser video recently published on our YouTube page.



Perhaps we've seen that hooded figure somewhere before? Somewhere on this very blog?

New Screenshots and More on Flickr

We've added twenty new images of screenshots, scenes, and concept art to the Dragonica Online Flickr page for you to enjoy! Previously unseen enemies, skills, and areas are now available for use in our ongoing signature picture contest, Part II of the Dragonica Conquest series.

Scope our newly-updated sets on Flickr by following this link.

Developer Journal Published on MMORPG.com

Our first Developer Journal has been published on popular news site MMORPG.com. First in a series, this article feature details on Dragonica Online's monsters and boss battles. Here is a brief snippet:

One of the first Dungeon Bosses players will face is the mad scientist Dr. Farrell. Corrupted by the sinister witch Paris, the formerly peaceful Doctor was driven to obsession in order to serve her dark ends. Now mutated into a hideous beast by excessive self-experimentation, Dr. Farrell threatens to unleash his darkest experiment yet upon the world.

As an added treat, new screenshots are also available! Be sure to check them out in the full developer journal here.

Curse.com Launches Dragonica Online Page

The latest addition to their F2P (or free-to-play) section, the Curse Network has published their Dragonica Online page. In their site's first Dragonica article, Curse.com writes about the game's origins, estimated release window, and how Dragonica Online's beta is coming up later this month. They also link to an ongoing forum contest where members can guess the start date of our Preview Beta Test to guarantee an invite to the test!

Haven't made your THQ*ICE Passport ID yet? Now's the time! Follow this registration page link to be immediately added to our list of potential testers and gain access to the official Dragonica Online forums.

Hail, Dragonicans!

The players have spoken and a decisive decision has been decided. A number of intriguing and inventive suggestions were posed both in the forum thread and in an IRC channel but in the end the choice was clear. With more than 60% of the vote, Dragonica Online fans shall hereby be called "Dragonicans". Interested in seeing the poll results? Read others' input and join the discussion by clicking here.

As stated, this blog and all other official communication channels will now use Dragonicans to collectively refer to Dragonica Online players. Hail, Dragonicans!

Dragonica Online Assets Come to Flickr

Heroes, enemies, character classes and more await you! Glimpse into the world of dragons with the latest images uploaded to the Dragonica Online Flickr page.

Provided for use in Part II of the Dragonica Conquest, these images can be easily manipulated to create inventive and artistic signature pictures for submission to the contest. Care to find out more? Check out the forum thread on the subject over here.

Our Flickr will continue to be updated with screenshots, concept art, and wallpapers as we near our Preview Beta Test (PBT) in late May and beyond.

The Dragonica Conquest Marches On!

Part II of the Dragonica Conquest begins!

The Dragonica Conquest, our first series of community events, continues with Part II which will call on the community’s creativity and originality. While Part I tasked writing and communication ability, Part II will challenge your inner muse and imagination. As with Part I, you’ll have the chance to have your work represent Dragonica Online in a very real way! Read on for more information.

Dragonica Conquest Part II of III

The Signature Battle has commenced! Demonstrate your talents of creative artistry and digital image manipulation by producing signature picture templates that can be modified by others to personalize for use on the official Dragonica Online forums and beyond. Participants who aren’t overly familiar with image creation software should check out the submissions to Part I of the Dragonica Conquest to peruse the tutorials newly-written by your fellow community members. Your signature picture designs have a lot of leeway when it comes to creative freedom but they should demonstrate Dragonica Online in some manner. Full details can be found on the official forums here.

Guess When Preview Beta Test Starts, Get Invited

Although the previous blog post revealed that the Dragonica Online Preview Beta Test (PBT) will launch in late May, you can secure your spot in this early testing phase today! How? Simple! Point your browser over to the official Dragonica Online forums and check out the "Guess the Preview Beta Test Start Date" thread over here. Post your estimation of when Dragonica Online's first beta will begin in the thread and that's it! (I suggest a date sometime in May, myself.)

Registered members who guess the correct date will receive an invite to the PBT! Haven't registered yet? Create your free THQ*ICE Passport ID in a matter of seconds over here. After participating in this contest, be sure to check out the Dragonica Conquest Part I and II for more chances to guarantee a beta invite!