Guess the Open Beta Test Start Date!

Dragonicans! Although your road to the Dragonica Online Open Beta Test has been a long one for some of you, I am here to tell you that your journey to the world of dragons is nearly ready to begin! The OBT will begin on August... wait... hold on, this is far too easy. I suspect this is a fine opportunity to reward our deserving community with some lovely Dragonica Online wall scrolls. Charge up those psychic powers and read on for more information!

We've seen the myriad threads making educated and wild guesses about the start date of the Dragonica Online Open Beta Test and we'd like to settle the matter in our own special way! Your part in this is quite simple: choose the date in mid-August (from Monday the 17th to Friday the 21st) that you feel is the correct start date in the poll above this thread. Guess correctly and you'll be in the running for one of four Dragonica Online wall scrolls!

Want to participate? Click here for the full details!

This contest ends August 7th 11:59 PM Pacific (August 8th 2:59 AM Eastern). Choose well, Dragonicans!

ZAM Interviews THQ*ICE's Community Lead Scapes

The Dragonica Online team played host to thousands of individuals last week at Comic-Con 2009. One of those individuals was a representative from ZAM, formally known as Allakhazam.com, who came with a set of questions about THQ*ICE's first MMORPG offering and Community Lead Evan "Scapes" Berman was there to answer them. Here is a pair of questions and answers to get you started:

ZAM: First of all, we're just a little curious about why THQ*ICE is somewhat behind the other English ports of Dragonica Online - both the European and the SEA-ANZ versions of the game have been out in open beta for at least a month or two.

Evan Berman: We've been working on localizing the game, making the quests more, I suppose, 'approachable' for the Western gamer. Originally, the game had more 'cut and dried' quests, but instead of "kill 10 rats," we want it to be "kill 10 rats because they spoke ill of your mother." We want to give you a reason to want to go kill those rats. So that's been why it's taken a little bit more time. We're also fixing additional bugs and minor graphical things - the things that really will give the game the polish it needs to really succeed. This is part of why we've been taking a little bit longer to release it. We actually just got out of Closed Beta Test about a week ago, and we'll be going into open beta in late summer.

ZAM: There have been a lot of rumors about the 'secret' job class changes available to players who don't class change until level 30, like the 'Duelist' for the Swordsman, the 'Gunslinger' for the Archer, the 'Doctor' for the Magician, and the 'Bard' for the Thief. Are these classes real, but perhaps not implemented yet, or are they really just rumors?

Evan: We too have heard those rumors, and we find them quite... intriguing.

The full ten-question interview can be found at this link.

THQ*ICE Returns from Comic-Con 2009

A party of THQ*ICE team members bravely ventured into the depths of San Diego this past week for Comic-Con 2009, the 40th year of the convention. Armed with thousands of stickers and comic books and dozens of wall scrolls, the group faced off against 125,000 event attendees over the course of five days starting with Wednesday's Preview Night. Fighting through sleep deprivation and sore feet, the party emerged victorious, introducing Dragonica Online to a wide audience of gamers both new and seasoned.

We would like to extend special greetings to our new and current members who visited the THQ booth and learned about Dragonica Online firsthand. Images of the event will be published later this week.

GameSpot's Tour of THQ's Comic-Con Booth

Dragonica Online saw an impressive amount of coverage during Comic-Con 2009 and press sites have started to publish articles, images, and now video of their hands-on experience with the title and interviews with THQ*ICE team members. During the week of the convention, GameSpot posted a "THQ Virtual Booth Tour" featuring the three games being demonstrated at booth 5207, one of which was Dragonica Online.



The video can be found on GameSpot at this link.

Bring Your Own Balloon to OBT!

You've seen them floating behind your characters, obediently following you across far stretches of monster-infested lands. They've been your ever-present banner, your unspoken message, your... floating, smiling green poo-creature. They are your balloons. Cosmetic. Cute. Filled with virtual helium. Now it's time for you to create YOUR balloon, the balloon you will proudly equip and show off to your fellow Dragonicans.

Enter the BYOB2OBT contest!

Utilize the Dragonica Online pictures available via our official Flickr page and your boundless imagination to compose an image that you feel your fellow Dragonicans would proudly display as they vanquish the dark forces that threaten the world of Dragonica. Not the best at image creation? You can still collect the winning in-game balloon! Just be sure to vote in the contest finalists poll after the submission period ends to receive the winning balloon in-game!

Want to find out more? Full details can be found in this thread.

This contest ends August 3rd 11:59 PM Pacific (August 4th 2:59 AM Eastern). Best of luck, entrants!

gamebunny.com Interviews THQ*ICE's Ben Serviss

gamebunny.com, the website where "[They] Know MMO", has interviewed THQ*ICE's Product Manager for Dragonica Online, Ben Serviss. The question and answer sessions covers ten questions ranging from topics of gameplay to monetization structure to "lighthearted" exterior. Here's the beginning of the interview:

gamebunny:
Thanks so much for chatting with us today. To start us off, can you give us the quick-hit description of what Dragonica offers and why we should be excited?

Ben Serviss:
Dragonica Online stands out from the crowd by combining fast-action combat and our innovative 3D sidescrolling mechanic with the size and scope of a traditional MMO game. Players can explore the world of Dragonica, slay monsters with the help of fast combo attacks and special skills, and team up with friends to seek out new adventures.

Care to read on? Click here for the full article.

MMORPG.com Publishes Third Developer Journal

Weapons and armor are the topic of Dragonica Online's third Developer Journal published on MMORPG.com. This article addresses the implements and equipment you'll be utilizing to subdue and survive the monsters who seek to do you in as you adventure through Dragonica Online. Two passages from the article can be found here:

Every adventurer needs a reliable weapon and Dragonica Online offers players a vast selection of combat weaponry. There are two main combat styles players can master in Dragonica Online: melee combat and long-range assault. Each job class specializes in unique combat techniques that are only available to their profession. As players grow their characters to advanced classes, choosing the right weapon will be critical in slaying mobs with ease.

Just as all adventurers need reliable weapons, adventurers also need armor to protect themselves from danger and peril. Dragonica Online's Armor System is divided into unique pieces, each with a distinct defense rating contributing to the overall armor strength. While not every item you encounter may provide defensive stats, items can also grant important character enhancements that increase a player's strength, durability and chances of survival.

Click here for the full article which also features samples images of weapons and armor sets you may encounter on your journey!

FreeMMOGamer.com Reviews Dragonica Online

Free-to-play MMO game news site FreeMMOGamer.com has published a detailed article touching on Dragonica Online's features and fun. The piece starts from the game's origins and finishes by answering the question, "is Dragonica Online worth the wait." Although this'll spoil the ending, they determine the answer to be "definitely."

Barunson Interactive is on a roll with their greatest masterpiece. Dragonica was one of the most anticipated MMORPGs ever since its development in 2006. Its super-deformed anime looks, pseudo-2D sidescroller, and cel-shaded graphics account for the anticipation and the hype. Numerous teaser gameplay videos generated much criticism and excitement from fans and critics. Early 2009 marked the beginning of a new adventure. Was the game worth the three-year wait?

Click here to read the full article.

IGN.com Previews Dragonica Online

The Dragonica Online Closed Beta Test saw not only numerous gamers from a variety of backgrounds but media representatives as well. One such individual has written a Dragonica Online preview on IGN.com, detailing the basics of the game's look and feel. Here is a snippet of the full article:

Unlike other MMOs that attempt to present a dark or mature fantasy setting for players to fight through, Dragonica has a colorful, almost cartoon-like presentation for its world, monsters and characters. A closed beta for the game recently ended, and during the beta I had a chance to go through some of the earlier areas within the game, accomplishing quests and getting a sense of what the full game will be like when it's released later this year.

Click here to read the full article. Additionally, check out screenshots taken during the Dragonica Online CBT in their gallery.

Forum Maintenance: Friday July 17th, 3:00 AM

Hello Dragonicans,

We wanted to provide you all a heads-up on some upcoming forum maintenance. On Friday, July 17th at 3:00 AM Pacific (otherwise known as tomorrow morning), the forums will be inaccessible for no more than two hours for maintenance purposes. The maintenance is anticipated to end at 5:00 AM Pacific if not earlier.

Thank you in advance for your patience!

A Small Note of Thanks from THQ*ICE

Dragonicans,

Breaking with the tradition of our usual lengthy posts, we're going to take a different tactic with this particular blog post. Here is the core of what we wish to convey to you all:

Thank you all. Thank you for making our Closed Beta Test remarkably engaging, exciting, and illuminating. Most of all, thank you for making our Closed Beta Test a success! We hope you had just as much fun playing Dragonica Online as we did bringing it to you. Your participation in our events, feedback on our forums, and infectious energy in-game made this final closed beta phase truly memorable.

We commend your dedication to Dragonica Online and look forward to seeing all of you in our Open Beta Test. Journey well, all Dragonicans everywhere!

MMOSite.com Lists Dragonica Online in "Recommended MMOs of July"

Just a quick news tidbit!

MMO-centric news website, MMOSite.com, has listed Dragonica Online in its round-up of eight recommended MMO titles to watch during the month of July. Listed alongside a number of popular titles, Dragonica Online ranked second in user voting.

You can read the full article here.

"Historic Moments of Closed Beta" Screenshot Event

The Dragonica Online Closed Beta Test will be coming to a close on July 14th but the memories you've generated can be saved forever! For the last 48 hours of the CBT, we're encouraging all Dragonicans to take screenshots of themselves, their guilds, their friends, and whatever else may be going on during our last beta test phase's final moments.

Event: Historic Moments of Closed Beta: Screenshot Event
Details: Post your favorite screenshot to the forums; the best will be remembered forever.
Prize: A place in Dragonica Online history!
Date: Monday, July 13th and Tuesday, July 14th at 4:00 PM Pacific

Be aware, strange things have been happening across El Grego in these last days. Rumors are spreading amongst the townspeople of El Grego of shadowy wanderers skulking across the countryside. Be on your guard!

Hail, Friday Night Battle Royale Champions!

Talk about intense! Dozens of fighters duked it out for the title of champion across three rounds in our Friday Night Battle Royale. We have a wealth of screenshots and even video to share. First thing's first, though: here are the results!

Congratulations to Phearin, TOP, and lnfinity who came in first, second, and third place respectively! More over, congratulations to all participants! All those who did not place are still receiving 10 Gold and a Star Balloon!

For the full Flickr set of images, click here! We'll be posting video of both Friday Night Battle Royale and First Hero Tournament early next week. However, a sneak peek of the footage of the latter can be found here!

GamesRadar.com Closed Beta Key Giveaway

Haven't gotten in on the Dragonica Online Closed Beta Test yet? Visit GamesRadar.com to secure your place in the CBT with one of their Activation Keys. Here's a passage from their article:

Swords, sorcery, and ridiculously cute avatars hacking enemies to bits in their never ending quest for more XP and better gear. Dragonica Online seems to have all the basic elements that decent free-to-play MMOs need. There’s solo questing, group questing, PvP, and four basic classes to choose from. And from what we’ve seen so far, it looks pretty solid with hand-drawn art and side-scrolling, combo-centric combat that tempers the grind of adventuring.

Follow this link to be taken to their Activation Key giveaway!

Memories from Anime Expo 2009 on Flickr

For those of you who were unable to visit our booth at Anime Expo this year, we've got you covered. A series of pictures from the event have been published to our Flickr account for you to enjoy.

Click here to see the whole set.

Got a Dragonica Online Fansite? Get it Listed!

Have you created a Dragonica Online fansite? Looking to increase your traffic? Get listed here on the Windia Portal!

Post the name and URL of your fansite in this forum thread to be considered.

Get Your PvP On This Friday!

After Wednesday's First Hero Tournament proved to be a popular event, we're going forward with an even bigger PvP competition: the Friday Night Battle Royale. This series of timed death-matches will yield three champions but all who participate will be rewarded for their efforts.


Event: Friday Night Battle Royale
Details: Participants compete in a series of ten-minute, nine-man free-for-all battles to come out on top. Tenth spot will be occupied by a THQ*ICE spectator. The best of these preliminary fights will go on to the semi-finals. The best of the semi-finals will go on to the finals, which will yield us our champions.
First Prize: 100 Gold and full armor set of your level and class.
Second Prize: 50 Gold and head armor piece of your level and class.
Third Prize: 25 Gold and backpack item to be determined.
All Participants: 10 Gold and Star Balloon.
Sign-Up Duration: Until 4:00 PM Pacific (7:00 PM Eastern) on Friday July 10th
Duration: Battles start at 6:00 PM Pacific (9:00 PM Eastern) on Friday July 10th
Requirements: MINIMUM level 20 character. Availability at the above time. Only one participating character per player.

Interested in signing up? Reply to this forum thread with your character name, level and class!

Arigato and Sayonara, Anime Expo 2009

On Thursday, July 2nd, the THQ*ICE team attended Anime Expo 2009 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Armed with wallscrolls, Closed Beta Test invitations, in-game Anime Expo balloon codes, "Wings of Paris" stickers and new video content on a flatscreen plasma playing nonstop, the crew settled in for the long haul in our beautifully designed corner booth on Aisle 400. We loaded up Dragonica Online on our four demo machines, turned the gameplay trailer up and braced for the onslaught of 50,000 attendees eager to begin their journey to the world of dragons. The clock struck noon, the PA system declared Anime Expo 2009 open, the convention hall doors opened...

The next 96 hours is largely a blur of incredible cosplay, thousands of free stickers and learning how to yell above the din to announce raffle results. Booth visitors ranged from the uninitiated to dedicated forum members. Hundreds of new Passports were registered. The wallscroll giveaways yielded audiences that filled the aisles around the booth. Sadly, the event wasn't without casualties. One of the demo machines overheated and failed to locate its hard drive after its third reboot. Thankfully, the humans promoting Dragonica Online persevered and endured. When the PA system announced Anime Expo 2009 closed on July 5th, the Dragonica Online team walked away not only with an incredibly successful event which saw all of our wallscrolls, CBT invites and stickers claimed but also with the knowledge of how to make our next event even bigger, better and more undeniably awesome.

Arigato and sayonara, Anime Expo 2009! Comic-Con looms in the not-so-far-off distance and we are ready for it because of your teachings.

OnRPG.com Closed Beta Test Key Giveaway

Take part in the Dragonica Online Closed Beta Test TODAY! OnRPG.com has 1500 Activation Keys and they're giving them out NOW! Follow this link and login with your OnRPG.com account to grab yours. There are 400 Activation Keys left at the time of this posting!

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

MMORPG.com Closed Beta Test Key Giveaway

Secure your place in the Dragonica Online Closed Beta Test TODAY! MMORPG.com has special Activation Keys that also provide a set of gift items and they're giving them out NOW! Point your browser over to this link and login with your MMORPG.com account to score yours. In addition to granting access to the Dragonica Online Closed Beta Test, these gift keys provide an exclusive MMORPG balloon item, [Small HP Eternity Potion], [Small MP Eternity Potion] and a [Phoenix Feather]. There are about 200 of these keys left, grab yours by clicking the image below.

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