Itching to get your hands on those G-points so that YOU, too, can start collecting those premium items and costumes?
Look no further, DeSanggria has all the answers!
Check out this latest blog post, where she lists the places where you can buy both the actual physical Game Value Cards [GVCs], as well as the electronic PINs!
There's also news from the official website: the My Bellem's Box Granado Espada box set will be shipping throughout the region very soon!
And there's even the nifty Item of the Month feature, which users select on the forums!
Now we can buy those nifty items as well - so what are you waiting for? Buy now! ^^
Friday, August 31, 2007
A meditation on politeness and civility in Granado Espada
Quick refresher course in Granado Espada politeness, coming right up!!!
Okay, here's hoping that you, the reader, at least took a peek at that linked post. It's not even shameless self-promotion or an attempt to get people to read my other entries. I'm just saying, it's an impetus to the subject at hand today - that is, being civil in Granado Espada.
~meditation begins~
The word civil can mean any of the following:
1. of or relating to a citizen or citizens *
2. of ordinary community life as distinguished from the military or the ecclesiastical [i.e., not of the armed forces or of the religious groups]
3. civilized [as in, to raise (a society) to an advanced stage of development, or to educate in manners] *
4. not rude; polite *
[from the American Heritage Dictionary]
The three definitions marked with stars are the ones we kind of need to reflect on right now.
With the IAH-mediated release of Granado Espada now in its commercial phase, the developers must be hoping to attract more players to begin exploring this New World with such promotions as the launch parties, the item mall, and the many unique features of the game. It is thus their responsibility to make sure that all of the game's features are fully optimized and working, and to follow up complaints and/or concerns with alacrity and sensitivity.
Do we as players have any corresponding responsibilities to the game? I believe the answer is a big, resounding Yes. It is our responsibility to present ourselves, the players, as people who welcome those who are new to the game, who help each other out, and, in many cases, stay civil even when the game hosts such features as Colony Wars and the Baron mode.
Over the past few nights while I've been grinding my NineMoons family in Cervantes, I've been witnessing some very non-civil behavior from certain players. By non-civil, I mean contrary to the definitions cited above, and in some cases, contrary as well to the general rules of online etiquette that I referenced in the post I linked at the beginning of this meditation.
Players who routinely kill-steal other players - who are, in some instances, actually at the keyboard instead of being AFK. Players who taunt other players extensively, even to the extent of typing out obscenities - and finding means around the filters to do so.
Other than these in-game anomalies, there are also the taunts and evil words being bandied about in some Granado Espada players' blogs. The victimized blogs installed a tagbox code primarily so that they could interact with their readers at a moment's notice, but the tagboxes are being vandalized and spammed. Some of those being hit were spammed precisely because they had just been spotlighted by other members of the player community.
In this instance I'll freely admit that my tagbox has been trolled several times.
Might I be so bold as to say, people who act in these non-civil ways are griefing the other members of the community? Griefing in this case would refer to its definition of playing the game simply to cause grief to other players through harassment. It could also be extended to the practice of trolling other people's fan sites and blogs, as these actions also cause grief to the owners / webmasters.
[See Wikipedia for an extended discussion of the term.]
The more important question now might be, what can we do against these griefers?
The community as a whole has the power to act upon these griefers - a power that is both a right and a responsibility. We're all going to have to face this problem sometime.
~meditation ends~
Okay, here's hoping that you, the reader, at least took a peek at that linked post. It's not even shameless self-promotion or an attempt to get people to read my other entries. I'm just saying, it's an impetus to the subject at hand today - that is, being civil in Granado Espada.
~meditation begins~
The word civil can mean any of the following:
1. of or relating to a citizen or citizens *
2. of ordinary community life as distinguished from the military or the ecclesiastical [i.e., not of the armed forces or of the religious groups]
3. civilized [as in, to raise (a society) to an advanced stage of development, or to educate in manners] *
4. not rude; polite *
[from the American Heritage Dictionary]
The three definitions marked with stars are the ones we kind of need to reflect on right now.
With the IAH-mediated release of Granado Espada now in its commercial phase, the developers must be hoping to attract more players to begin exploring this New World with such promotions as the launch parties, the item mall, and the many unique features of the game. It is thus their responsibility to make sure that all of the game's features are fully optimized and working, and to follow up complaints and/or concerns with alacrity and sensitivity.
Do we as players have any corresponding responsibilities to the game? I believe the answer is a big, resounding Yes. It is our responsibility to present ourselves, the players, as people who welcome those who are new to the game, who help each other out, and, in many cases, stay civil even when the game hosts such features as Colony Wars and the Baron mode.
Over the past few nights while I've been grinding my NineMoons family in Cervantes, I've been witnessing some very non-civil behavior from certain players. By non-civil, I mean contrary to the definitions cited above, and in some cases, contrary as well to the general rules of online etiquette that I referenced in the post I linked at the beginning of this meditation.
Players who routinely kill-steal other players - who are, in some instances, actually at the keyboard instead of being AFK. Players who taunt other players extensively, even to the extent of typing out obscenities - and finding means around the filters to do so.
Other than these in-game anomalies, there are also the taunts and evil words being bandied about in some Granado Espada players' blogs. The victimized blogs installed a tagbox code primarily so that they could interact with their readers at a moment's notice, but the tagboxes are being vandalized and spammed. Some of those being hit were spammed precisely because they had just been spotlighted by other members of the player community.
In this instance I'll freely admit that my tagbox has been trolled several times.
Might I be so bold as to say, people who act in these non-civil ways are griefing the other members of the community? Griefing in this case would refer to its definition of playing the game simply to cause grief to other players through harassment. It could also be extended to the practice of trolling other people's fan sites and blogs, as these actions also cause grief to the owners / webmasters.
[See Wikipedia for an extended discussion of the term.]
The more important question now might be, what can we do against these griefers?
The community as a whole has the power to act upon these griefers - a power that is both a right and a responsibility. We're all going to have to face this problem sometime.
~meditation ends~
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Granado Espada roundup: commercial launch is at MIDNIGHT!!!
Hey all! I bring you a Jaclina-load of Granado Espada news as the Open Beta phase winds down into its final hours!
RCM Hrin's latest updates at the main site include:
- the brand-spanking-new official videos page
- a brief discussion of security concerns in the face of scamming and hacking incidents [in which case I reiterate my call for the Axlander family in Cervantes to be banned - they're spamming the world broadcasts with ads for the SharpGold RMT site!!!! GMs please do something about that!!!]
- upcoming events, including Andre Janzur's Ladies' Fashion Week, an upcoming in-game event, and the major launch parties in Malaysia and the Philippines
- and the deadline for the free 90 days has been extended: until 10am tomorrow morning, if you have at least ONE Level 20 character in your Granado Espada account/s, you can enjoy the free 90 days of gameplay!
***
from pCM Veya's blog:
- the nifty clock counting down to the Philippines launch party for Granado Espada
- the GVCs that will be available in the Philippines, which will be in the following denominations: PHP300, PHP100, and PHP50
- details for the Granado Espada National Tournament
- details for the launch party, such as the location and some of the activities [cosplay, celebrity guests, band appearances, offline quests]. head over to the latest post for just a sampling of the prizes up for grabs at the launch!
- and the teaser for the e-Games Evolution mall tour, dated 16 September
***
Finally, I've been following DeSanggria's posts on her upcoming cosplay, The Idge Project and I've got to say, that looks like a really good costume!
[Between you and me, though, it's that huge-ass sword I'd really like to have - but how the heck do you steal something as big as that? XD Just kidding!]
And not only that, this line from the latest Idge Project entry really caught my eye:
...but I do hope I can organize a small pictorial of sorts with my friend who's going as Brunie Etienne on the event as well.
Both Idge AND Brunie are coming to the 15 September launch??? I'm so there with my digicam!!!
Edited to add: Desanggria told me that fellow GE player Lucido will be the Brunie cosplayer! A reunion is in the offing!!!! ^^
RCM Hrin's latest updates at the main site include:
- the brand-spanking-new official videos page
- a brief discussion of security concerns in the face of scamming and hacking incidents [in which case I reiterate my call for the Axlander family in Cervantes to be banned - they're spamming the world broadcasts with ads for the SharpGold RMT site!!!! GMs please do something about that!!!]
- upcoming events, including Andre Janzur's Ladies' Fashion Week, an upcoming in-game event, and the major launch parties in Malaysia and the Philippines
- and the deadline for the free 90 days has been extended: until 10am tomorrow morning, if you have at least ONE Level 20 character in your Granado Espada account/s, you can enjoy the free 90 days of gameplay!
***
from pCM Veya's blog:
- the nifty clock counting down to the Philippines launch party for Granado Espada
- the GVCs that will be available in the Philippines, which will be in the following denominations: PHP300, PHP100, and PHP50
- details for the Granado Espada National Tournament
- details for the launch party, such as the location and some of the activities [cosplay, celebrity guests, band appearances, offline quests]. head over to the latest post for just a sampling of the prizes up for grabs at the launch!
- and the teaser for the e-Games Evolution mall tour, dated 16 September
***
Finally, I've been following DeSanggria's posts on her upcoming cosplay, The Idge Project and I've got to say, that looks like a really good costume!
[Between you and me, though, it's that huge-ass sword I'd really like to have - but how the heck do you steal something as big as that? XD Just kidding!]
And not only that, this line from the latest Idge Project entry really caught my eye:
...but I do hope I can organize a small pictorial of sorts with my friend who's going as Brunie Etienne on the event as well.
Both Idge AND Brunie are coming to the 15 September launch??? I'm so there with my digicam!!!
Edited to add: Desanggria told me that fellow GE player Lucido will be the Brunie cosplayer! A reunion is in the offing!!!! ^^
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
An entry full of surprises!
First off, a big CONGRATULATIONS to Welling for being the first to have his blog spotted by RCM Hrin. You'll all have found out by now that for the next few weeks, she and members of the IAH Granado Espada team will be highlighting blogs and blog posts about the game on the main site.
And Welling was the first to be spotlighted! Big props to you, dude!
[If you want to join in, you can sign up at this forum thread.]
***
Next up, this piece of news, confirmed by Tsubaki himself: Yakisoba Faction is disbanding! Oh dear me. Real-life concerns have left the Yakis no choice but to take a temporary hiatus from the game.
It will be quite interesting to see how the politics of Cervantes server - not to mention the Baron points, and future Colony Wars sessions - will be affected by this new development.
***
A couple of nights ago while getting my elementalist Ravashi up to the magic level of 28, a player named Liqueur began announcing that he/she would be dropping all of his/her items in a town. As I was grinding at the time, I decided to let the opportunity to score some stuff pass by, as I was loath to give up my spot in Tetra Corridor.
Imagine my surprise later when Liqueur then announced that he/she was giving away all of his/her money to the player who could guess where his/her in-game nick had come from!
That, I decided to go for, as Ravashi had by then made 28; and immediately after Liqueur's broadcast I PM'd him/her my guess: Silent Mobius anime?
[Learn more about Silent Mobius at Wikipedia.]
And here's the result of my guess:
Thanks also go out to pCM Veya for the gift of a pair of Divine Angel Wings, currently being worn by my Sabre Garde fighter Tuon.
Doesn't she look so pretty? ^^
And Welling was the first to be spotlighted! Big props to you, dude!
[If you want to join in, you can sign up at this forum thread.]
***
Next up, this piece of news, confirmed by Tsubaki himself: Yakisoba Faction is disbanding! Oh dear me. Real-life concerns have left the Yakis no choice but to take a temporary hiatus from the game.
It will be quite interesting to see how the politics of Cervantes server - not to mention the Baron points, and future Colony Wars sessions - will be affected by this new development.
***
A couple of nights ago while getting my elementalist Ravashi up to the magic level of 28, a player named Liqueur began announcing that he/she would be dropping all of his/her items in a town. As I was grinding at the time, I decided to let the opportunity to score some stuff pass by, as I was loath to give up my spot in Tetra Corridor.
Imagine my surprise later when Liqueur then announced that he/she was giving away all of his/her money to the player who could guess where his/her in-game nick had come from!
That, I decided to go for, as Ravashi had by then made 28; and immediately after Liqueur's broadcast I PM'd him/her my guess: Silent Mobius anime?
[Learn more about Silent Mobius at Wikipedia.]
And here's the result of my guess:
Thanks also go out to pCM Veya for the gift of a pair of Divine Angel Wings, currently being worn by my Sabre Garde fighter Tuon.
Doesn't she look so pretty? ^^
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Colony Wars update and fun with DeSanggria: PvP and Baron mode!
Before anything else, here's the results of tonight's Colony Wars session:
Congratulations to the following factions which acquired and / or defended their colonies: Dominion, Yakisoba, CARNAGE, Vendetta, Orb, CloudNine, Anonymous, Vradical, and DarkCrusade!
I'm wondering now if there will be a wipe of this map tomorrow - remember that in this entry it was stated that from 29 July until commercial release, there would be no wipe of the Colonies.
Well, we've made it to commercial release - is this a last hurrah before that happens? Stay tuned!
***
Last week after the Colony Wars session DeSanggria and I agreed to do something we'd never actually done before then: we made an agreement to meet each other in PvP today and see how much we both had to learn with regard to that feature.
Before I tell you what the results were, here were the line-ups we used:
NineMoons - Aurana, scout / Tuon, fighter / Chimal, wizard
DeSanggria - Cyradis, scout / Alaena, fighter / Verdandi, elementalist
We decided to do a best-of-three match and met up in the City of Auch on Channel 3.
And...I won!
Which only means that when the inevitable rematch rolls around I'd better do my best~! ^^
Good game, girl!
***
But the fun doesn't stop there! After our match DeSanggria and I decided to go farm for Catherine parts at the Torsche Mansion dungeon.
We saw a bunch of bots there and out of sheer curiosity, we tried Baroning some of them!
I did manage to hit one family, but they logged out before I could complete the kill.
In stark contrast here's DeSanggria as a Baron, after she managed to whack 2 bot families!
Woot girl~!
***
And finally, a bit of a change in the current line-up:
This would be: Aurana, First Aid / Fortitudo scout; Ravashi, Possession Ice elementalist; and Shahnti, Standing Shot Grace Bernelli.
While attempting to level Ravashi at the Tetra Ruins so that she could use her nifty elite stuff, I managed to pick up a Daemon Shooter - so I promptly rotated Shahnti into the line-up so that she could make good use of a good rifle! And it's because of that gun that they've both leveled up very quickly at the Tetra Dungeon.
I think I'll stick with this team for the moment, at least until Ravashi makes Level 28. Then I might go back to my regular line-up to continue farming at Torsche Mansion.
***
Props to DeSanggria and to Welling for sharing the fun at i-Hooked Katipunan tonight!
See you around and happy hunting to all~! :D
Congratulations to the following factions which acquired and / or defended their colonies: Dominion, Yakisoba, CARNAGE, Vendetta, Orb, CloudNine, Anonymous, Vradical, and DarkCrusade!
I'm wondering now if there will be a wipe of this map tomorrow - remember that in this entry it was stated that from 29 July until commercial release, there would be no wipe of the Colonies.
Well, we've made it to commercial release - is this a last hurrah before that happens? Stay tuned!
***
Last week after the Colony Wars session DeSanggria and I agreed to do something we'd never actually done before then: we made an agreement to meet each other in PvP today and see how much we both had to learn with regard to that feature.
Before I tell you what the results were, here were the line-ups we used:
NineMoons - Aurana, scout / Tuon, fighter / Chimal, wizard
DeSanggria - Cyradis, scout / Alaena, fighter / Verdandi, elementalist
We decided to do a best-of-three match and met up in the City of Auch on Channel 3.
And...I won!
Which only means that when the inevitable rematch rolls around I'd better do my best~! ^^
Good game, girl!
***
But the fun doesn't stop there! After our match DeSanggria and I decided to go farm for Catherine parts at the Torsche Mansion dungeon.
We saw a bunch of bots there and out of sheer curiosity, we tried Baroning some of them!
I did manage to hit one family, but they logged out before I could complete the kill.
In stark contrast here's DeSanggria as a Baron, after she managed to whack 2 bot families!
Woot girl~!
***
And finally, a bit of a change in the current line-up:
This would be: Aurana, First Aid / Fortitudo scout; Ravashi, Possession Ice elementalist; and Shahnti, Standing Shot Grace Bernelli.
While attempting to level Ravashi at the Tetra Ruins so that she could use her nifty elite stuff, I managed to pick up a Daemon Shooter - so I promptly rotated Shahnti into the line-up so that she could make good use of a good rifle! And it's because of that gun that they've both leveled up very quickly at the Tetra Dungeon.
I think I'll stick with this team for the moment, at least until Ravashi makes Level 28. Then I might go back to my regular line-up to continue farming at Torsche Mansion.
***
Props to DeSanggria and to Welling for sharing the fun at i-Hooked Katipunan tonight!
See you around and happy hunting to all~! :D
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
PK'd for the very first time!
Hope no one minds that there's no screenshot - I was too busy trying to figure out something I need to do on Sunday....
But, yes, the very first sGE player to win Baron Points off me is none other than the entity whose in-game name is miaka. This took place in Channel 2 of Cervantes server, on the El Lago de Tres Hermanas map, near the Pioneering Memorial. All it took to take out my team - and the mobs I was fighting - was a supercharged Chain Lightning spell from a female elementalist wearing Rosa Matrimonio robes.
Hey, miaka, I hope at least that my death by PK allows you to get your very own Wheel of Destiny costume that much sooner!
And man, I am so NOT looking forward to the day when I actually have to defend myself again, as I never even got a chance with this one....
But, yes, the very first sGE player to win Baron Points off me is none other than the entity whose in-game name is miaka. This took place in Channel 2 of Cervantes server, on the El Lago de Tres Hermanas map, near the Pioneering Memorial. All it took to take out my team - and the mobs I was fighting - was a supercharged Chain Lightning spell from a female elementalist wearing Rosa Matrimonio robes.
Hey, miaka, I hope at least that my death by PK allows you to get your very own Wheel of Destiny costume that much sooner!
And man, I am so NOT looking forward to the day when I actually have to defend myself again, as I never even got a chance with this one....
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Colony Wars update, the new commercial, family news, and the GE PH Big Bash!
Today's Colony Wars results - congratulations to Dominion, Yakisoba, CARNAGE, Anonymous, and Vradical factions!
This was an especially hard-fought session, and it always helps to have a friend nearby for some colorful commentary - guess who I ran into at i-Hooked while covering this CW? The DeSanggria family, that's who! ^^ She was covering the CW sessions in both Cervantes and Caravaggio servers!
***
This is a bit late, but if you haven't seen it yet, then take a look at the new Granado Espada commercial video!
Tell me what you think about this video in the comments thread!
***
A NineMoons family member makes Level 50, and shows it off!
I've finally made it to this big milestone in the game - halfway to Veteran status for the very first time! It will be my task to have my scout and wizard match their fighter sister soon!
***
News from DeSanggria about the upcoming Granado Espada Philippines Big Bash!
The event will take place at the One Esplanade venue, near SM Mall of Asia, on 15 September!
The Limited Edition boxes will be up for sale then, as well as the game time + G-Points cards for the Philippines!
There will be a Day Party, which will be free admission for all; and a Night Party, with dance tunes provided by the DJ group Big Fish!
Stay tuned for more details on that one - and yes, I will see you all there!
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Got in-game items? Then listen up!
Winners of the Trivia Bonanza:
Arcleaumont
Leoz
Pharina
Hawksmoor
Thoraine
Emanone
Mena
Stiles
And everyone else who has obtained codes for in-game items such as the Angel Wings, Emilia the Sage, and the SingTel Combat Manual - you can now claim your items!!!!
Note that the in-game items won as a result of the community contests are now called the Divine Angel Wings, which provide a +5% to movement speed and a +5% to attack speed.
Please refer to the following link:
The guide to claiming official items
And now - into the game!!!!
***
On the above list? Check your email inbox! I sent you your codes already! ^^
Arcleaumont
Leoz
Pharina
Hawksmoor
Thoraine
Emanone
Mena
Stiles
And everyone else who has obtained codes for in-game items such as the Angel Wings, Emilia the Sage, and the SingTel Combat Manual - you can now claim your items!!!!
Note that the in-game items won as a result of the community contests are now called the Divine Angel Wings, which provide a +5% to movement speed and a +5% to attack speed.
Please refer to the following link:
The guide to claiming official items
And now - into the game!!!!
***
On the above list? Check your email inbox! I sent you your codes already! ^^
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Thinking about mobs is giving me the heebie-jeebies.
So here we are, day 2 of no Granado Espada.
To pass the time, I've been playing the game inside my head, trying to foresee all the possible courses of action needed to complete certain quests.
In particular, these quests would be:
- Return of the Cannon-Trooper, the duel with Jose Cortasar and Claude Baudez in Coimbra
- Investigation of Torsche Mansion, the first quest given by Jean-Pierre Gascon in Auch
There are also the optional quests for two RNPCs:
- Adelina's Revenge
- Gracielo's Coimbra Showdown
And in future, I'm thinking about how to start and complete these additional quests:
- Panfilo and his cows
- Lorch and the watch
- Tiburon and his gang of kid thieves
- Najib Sharif and his dyes
- the Torsche mansion quests - chief being the Torsche's Robe for female elementalists, the French Maid headband for female wizards [a friend of mine donated his French Maid dress to me, and I bought a Witch's Broom weapon at the Market], and my STR Catherine
It gets interesting when paired with something I'm currently working on for some friends at university: what makes super-villains tick?
In theory, the raid bosses, dungeon bosses, mini-bosses, RNPCs, and many of the ordinary mobs in Granado Espada might be thought of as super-villains, if only for their advanced powers and skills.
My part of that topic is the witch aspect of villainry, and it really cracks me up when I think of every monster in GE - not just, say, Sasha or Helena or M'Boma or Cherlyn or Summoner Catherine - as witch-type super-villains.
Something to think about while we mentally play GE, waiting on the actual game.
Oh and I've got to download that patch!
***
Open comment thread: tell me your favorite super-villain! The character can be from GE, or from any other source.
Have fun ^^
To pass the time, I've been playing the game inside my head, trying to foresee all the possible courses of action needed to complete certain quests.
In particular, these quests would be:
- Return of the Cannon-Trooper, the duel with Jose Cortasar and Claude Baudez in Coimbra
- Investigation of Torsche Mansion, the first quest given by Jean-Pierre Gascon in Auch
There are also the optional quests for two RNPCs:
- Adelina's Revenge
- Gracielo's Coimbra Showdown
And in future, I'm thinking about how to start and complete these additional quests:
- Panfilo and his cows
- Lorch and the watch
- Tiburon and his gang of kid thieves
- Najib Sharif and his dyes
- the Torsche mansion quests - chief being the Torsche's Robe for female elementalists, the French Maid headband for female wizards [a friend of mine donated his French Maid dress to me, and I bought a Witch's Broom weapon at the Market], and my STR Catherine
It gets interesting when paired with something I'm currently working on for some friends at university: what makes super-villains tick?
In theory, the raid bosses, dungeon bosses, mini-bosses, RNPCs, and many of the ordinary mobs in Granado Espada might be thought of as super-villains, if only for their advanced powers and skills.
My part of that topic is the witch aspect of villainry, and it really cracks me up when I think of every monster in GE - not just, say, Sasha or Helena or M'Boma or Cherlyn or Summoner Catherine - as witch-type super-villains.
Something to think about while we mentally play GE, waiting on the actual game.
Oh and I've got to download that patch!
***
Open comment thread: tell me your favorite super-villain! The character can be from GE, or from any other source.
Have fun ^^
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Colony Wars update: today's results! Plus a family update!
This week's results.
It looks like the balance of power in Cervantes server continues to shift. Perhaps we might be seeing a temporary equilibrium before the commercial launch and the new patch?
Congratulations to the Factions that were able to acquire and defend Colonies: Dominion, CARNAGE, Yakisoba, Anonymous, and Vradical!
***
On a lark I decided to try another set of stances for my fighter, Tuon. She's now using a fairly nifty rapier, and is leveling Epee Garde and Sabre Garde in turn. Check out the screenshot:
Family: NineMoons
Server: Cervantes
Members: Aurana, First Aid/Fortitudo Scout; Tuon, Epee Garde/Sabre Garde Fighter; Chimal, ESP Wizard
Levels: 49-all
I'm now leveling this family in Torsche's Mansion, Reception Hall, and with luck I can start amassing the pieces required for the Torsche's Dress elementalist robe ^^ Not to mention collect the body parts for Catherine [I'm making the Strength Cath variation], and collect dress parts for the French Maid headband for my wizard!
I'm beginning to like this dungeon a lot.
Good hunting to all and see you again soon!
Granado Espada roundup: belated updates and a modly announcement
the business model announcement:
Everybody who doesn't yet know that Granado Espada will have a hybrid business model of P2P with Item Mall, check out the following official sites and announcements:
the official announcement from IAH Games, and the accompanying FAQ
RCM Hrin's announcement, with a special extra about the shopping mall
mCM Selwyn's announcement
Granado Espada goes commercial on 30 August!
If you've been playing GE since the POBT, and if you have at least one Level 20 character now, then you'll enjoy three months or 90 days of free game time effective 30 August.
And if you have the box set, then you get nine months or 270 days of free game time.
NineMoons's two cents:
Yes, I know that there are already some people who are not happy about the business model. There will be some who are complaining simply because they wish the game to remain free. There will be some who will think this business model is not only elitist but will also spell the game's doom. There will be some who will feel that this is not conducive to welcoming new players.
Personally, though, I would like to heave a sigh of relief.
I'm glad that the hybrid model is affordable. Just to let you think about it: 1 month of unlimited GE game time only costs PHP 257.60, or about PHP 260.00, rounded up to PHP 300.00. This is much lower than the 1-month cost for other local P2P games. And that includes 5000 G-Points for the item mall!
I'm glad that the hybrid model will allow both IAH and IP-Interactive to keep up the content and the quality of the game.
And, I guess I'm also glad that the hybrid model will help to keep the freeloading troublemakers out of the game.
Oh, please take note of the heading on this section: the preceding five paragraphs are completely my own opinion and do not in any way reflect official comments on the business model. This entire section was purely for my own opinions and you may direct any responses straight to me. Okay?
***
I was at the 2nd Internet Cafe Congress and Online Games Summit yesterday for the Granado Espada presentation, and I bring you pictures!
>
One of the PCs at which e-Games and IP-Interactive offered free play of their games, including GE.
A GE t-shirt for sale!
pCM Veya's presentation for GE, with AVPs playing in the background.
pCM Veya holding a signed Granado Espada Limited Edition Box Set~!
The girls of Granado Espada PH: from left to right, pCM Veya, me, and DeSanggria!
That's me wishing I had that box set for myself!
***
Will be updating again tonight after the Colony Wars - watch out for that one!
***
And the modly announcement: I'll be updating this blog about once a week or so, usually after Colony Wars. Something called "Real Life" is getting in the way of the blogging and leveling....
Everybody who doesn't yet know that Granado Espada will have a hybrid business model of P2P with Item Mall, check out the following official sites and announcements:
the official announcement from IAH Games, and the accompanying FAQ
RCM Hrin's announcement, with a special extra about the shopping mall
mCM Selwyn's announcement
Granado Espada goes commercial on 30 August!
If you've been playing GE since the POBT, and if you have at least one Level 20 character now, then you'll enjoy three months or 90 days of free game time effective 30 August.
And if you have the box set, then you get nine months or 270 days of free game time.
NineMoons's two cents:
Yes, I know that there are already some people who are not happy about the business model. There will be some who are complaining simply because they wish the game to remain free. There will be some who will think this business model is not only elitist but will also spell the game's doom. There will be some who will feel that this is not conducive to welcoming new players.
Personally, though, I would like to heave a sigh of relief.
I'm glad that the hybrid model is affordable. Just to let you think about it: 1 month of unlimited GE game time only costs PHP 257.60, or about PHP 260.00, rounded up to PHP 300.00. This is much lower than the 1-month cost for other local P2P games. And that includes 5000 G-Points for the item mall!
I'm glad that the hybrid model will allow both IAH and IP-Interactive to keep up the content and the quality of the game.
And, I guess I'm also glad that the hybrid model will help to keep the freeloading troublemakers out of the game.
Oh, please take note of the heading on this section: the preceding five paragraphs are completely my own opinion and do not in any way reflect official comments on the business model. This entire section was purely for my own opinions and you may direct any responses straight to me. Okay?
***
I was at the 2nd Internet Cafe Congress and Online Games Summit yesterday for the Granado Espada presentation, and I bring you pictures!
>One of the PCs at which e-Games and IP-Interactive offered free play of their games, including GE.
A GE t-shirt for sale!
pCM Veya's presentation for GE, with AVPs playing in the background.
pCM Veya holding a signed Granado Espada Limited Edition Box Set~!
The girls of Granado Espada PH: from left to right, pCM Veya, me, and DeSanggria!
That's me wishing I had that box set for myself!
***
Will be updating again tonight after the Colony Wars - watch out for that one!
***
And the modly announcement: I'll be updating this blog about once a week or so, usually after Colony Wars. Something called "Real Life" is getting in the way of the blogging and leveling....
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Granado Espada roundup: Baron Mode updates, Vergo the Cursed, and character trading! Plus a laugh for gamers...
After the maintenance, a series of brand-spanking-new updates and new things to do in-game!
From the official website ge.iahgames.com:
Get ready for the return of The Dark Lord, Vergo the Cursed! A special treat laid on for tomorrow, 9 August, which also happens to be Singapore's National Day. And look at that: the event name has "Part 1" in it - is the Dark Lord attempting to reclaim the New World for his own nefarious schemes?!
Something for the citizens who are curious about Baron Mode: an explanation for Baron Mode and what happens, plus a teaser about Baron Mode items!
[Especially relevant for your faithful blogger; see this entry as to why.]
From RCM Hrin's blog hrin.iahgames.com:
RCM Hrin reveals her take on the Mercenary Contract and Character Trading feature.
This is a particularly interesting topic and I'll try to post my opinions on it soon, as well.
And finally, let's have some fun with gaming in general:
From the folks at Destructoid.com, particularly their writer David Houghton: an ongoing series of posts called A Guide to Recognizing Your Gamers! With 9 posts already under his belt in this series - and still going strong - see if you can find yourself, your friends, and gamers you know in these categories!
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
I'll be updating this entry as more chapters are posted.
Enjoy the game and happy leveling to all!
From the official website ge.iahgames.com:
Get ready for the return of The Dark Lord, Vergo the Cursed! A special treat laid on for tomorrow, 9 August, which also happens to be Singapore's National Day. And look at that: the event name has "Part 1" in it - is the Dark Lord attempting to reclaim the New World for his own nefarious schemes?!
Something for the citizens who are curious about Baron Mode: an explanation for Baron Mode and what happens, plus a teaser about Baron Mode items!
[Especially relevant for your faithful blogger; see this entry as to why.]
From RCM Hrin's blog hrin.iahgames.com:
RCM Hrin reveals her take on the Mercenary Contract and Character Trading feature.
This is a particularly interesting topic and I'll try to post my opinions on it soon, as well.
And finally, let's have some fun with gaming in general:
From the folks at Destructoid.com, particularly their writer David Houghton: an ongoing series of posts called A Guide to Recognizing Your Gamers! With 9 posts already under his belt in this series - and still going strong - see if you can find yourself, your friends, and gamers you know in these categories!
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
I'll be updating this entry as more chapters are posted.
Enjoy the game and happy leveling to all!
Monday, August 6, 2007
NineMoons's Granado Espada Trivia Bonanza: THE WINNERS!!!!
Congratulations to the following participants and winners of my trivia quiz contest!
From Cervantes:
Arcleaumont
Leoz
Pharina
Hawksmoor
Thoraine
Emanone
From Carracci:
Mena
Stiles
Please watch your email inboxes for the Angel Wings codes [and instructions for use] which I shall soon be mailing to you!
And everyone give some love to pCM Veya for generously donating the prizes for this contest!
Thank you and till the next contest, all~! ^^
[p.s. I know I said I'd be releasing the winners on Thursday, but I decided to move the announcement up after this. Cheers!]
From Cervantes:
Arcleaumont
Leoz
Pharina
Hawksmoor
Thoraine
Emanone
From Carracci:
Mena
Stiles
Please watch your email inboxes for the Angel Wings codes [and instructions for use] which I shall soon be mailing to you!
And everyone give some love to pCM Veya for generously donating the prizes for this contest!
Thank you and till the next contest, all~! ^^
[p.s. I know I said I'd be releasing the winners on Thursday, but I decided to move the announcement up after this. Cheers!]
Sunday, August 5, 2007
Colony Wars update: scoop of the New World! Plus more news!
I logged into the game halfway into the Colony Wars session, and as things seemed to still be shifting on the world map, I went and got myself some dinner before settling in to watch the show.
The first surprise upon my return from the supply run was that CARNAGE Faction had conquered five colonies, and while I watched my screen, a notice that said they had taken their sixth colony came up! Wow!
At the thirty-minute mark, the world map began to change even faster, and many new factions were announced to have obtained colonies.
Finally, it began to dawn on me and on the DeSanggria family that a big event had happened in this week's Colony Wars.
Take a look at the final map for yourself:
See what happened there? At the end of this Colony Wars, Yakisoba Faction had only one single colony left to them, the one at Lago Celeste!
[Edited to add: the official Yakisoba statement, from their blog.]
Wonder what happened to them tonight? And for sure we'd all better watch next week's Colony Wars to find out what happens to them then!
Congratulations to all of the Factions who gained and/or retained their Colonies: CARNAGE, Dominion, Yakisoba, DarkCrusade, ChaosLegion, XeNaTioN, TheRepKnights, Vradical, and Anonymous!
Next week will be such a great Colony Wars session, I can feel it!
***
In other updates.
This screenshot was taken yesterday, in the City of Auch.
Yup, that's me running into RCM Hrin at the Auch Item Dealer. Judging by those robes and armors, her family on Cervantes has hit Level 5x. Soon after that her family opened a portal to a saved warp and went off, no doubt to level some more while the 2x EXP mod is still in place. ^^
And today, while covering the Colony Wars at El Lago de Tres Hermanas, some very strange information popped up on the left side of my UI:
I have a bad feeling about this! So I hit Alt + R, and sure enough, my suspicions were confirmed:
Oh dear. Family Level 6 means my NineMoons family on Cervantes is now eligible to be Baroned! The most likely triggering factor was Chimal hitting Level 49, the last member of this current group to do so.
I guess I should learn how to properly PvP from now on, and make doubly sure all my good items go into my storage instead of staying in my inventory.
*braces herself*
The first surprise upon my return from the supply run was that CARNAGE Faction had conquered five colonies, and while I watched my screen, a notice that said they had taken their sixth colony came up! Wow!
At the thirty-minute mark, the world map began to change even faster, and many new factions were announced to have obtained colonies.
Finally, it began to dawn on me and on the DeSanggria family that a big event had happened in this week's Colony Wars.
Take a look at the final map for yourself:
See what happened there? At the end of this Colony Wars, Yakisoba Faction had only one single colony left to them, the one at Lago Celeste!
[Edited to add: the official Yakisoba statement, from their blog.]
Wonder what happened to them tonight? And for sure we'd all better watch next week's Colony Wars to find out what happens to them then!
Congratulations to all of the Factions who gained and/or retained their Colonies: CARNAGE, Dominion, Yakisoba, DarkCrusade, ChaosLegion, XeNaTioN, TheRepKnights, Vradical, and Anonymous!
Next week will be such a great Colony Wars session, I can feel it!
***
In other updates.
This screenshot was taken yesterday, in the City of Auch.
Yup, that's me running into RCM Hrin at the Auch Item Dealer. Judging by those robes and armors, her family on Cervantes has hit Level 5x. Soon after that her family opened a portal to a saved warp and went off, no doubt to level some more while the 2x EXP mod is still in place. ^^
And today, while covering the Colony Wars at El Lago de Tres Hermanas, some very strange information popped up on the left side of my UI:
I have a bad feeling about this! So I hit Alt + R, and sure enough, my suspicions were confirmed:
Oh dear. Family Level 6 means my NineMoons family on Cervantes is now eligible to be Baroned! The most likely triggering factor was Chimal hitting Level 49, the last member of this current group to do so.
I guess I should learn how to properly PvP from now on, and make doubly sure all my good items go into my storage instead of staying in my inventory.
*braces herself*
Saturday, August 4, 2007
The answers to the Trivia Bonanza questions!
Easy questions
What changes happen to your avatars when Baron Mode is ON? Red signs appear over the avatars' heads
What elemental property do the monsters of Porto Bello's Desolate Cliff share? Ice
True or false: Yellow or blue items below lv 32 can be converted into Enchantment Chips. False
What key combination is used to bring up the Squad Information window on the UI? Alt + D
What is the name of the ship on which the tutorial is set? Jaclina
Where is the NPC who sells Ferruccio Bread and Milk located? Queen's Garden, Cite de Reboldoeux, behind Ramiro
What color does the Corsair Rosso armor become when worn by a male musketeer? Blue, dark red, and white
Average questions
What was Grace Bernelli's rank / position when she was in the armed forces of Brestia? Intelligence Officer
Name the headquarters of the Republicans and the Royalists. Republicans - Villa de Libertad; Royalists - Reception Hall
What was the CBT name of the wizard / musketeer armor Redingote? ReSpiked Squamatate
Give the full name of the other explorer who went with Ferruccio Espada to discover the New World. Gilberto Granado
What is the FIRST quest item that Claude Baudez asks your family to get for him? 20 pieces of Sulfur
What two items does Lisa Lynway sell at the Sea Elephant Cafe? Avocado Sandwich and Chocolate
What are the stone pillars which emit mysterious power actually called? Hengestones / Hedgestones
Difficult questions
What is the ATK of an unmodified Barkir Rifle? 153
Name all the places indicated on the signpost in the Reboldoeux Stone Pit. Reboldoeux, Quarry, Tetra
Name the item that shows your political party affiliation. Royal Scroll
Who is the Old World swordsmith who is also known as the God of Swordmaking? Sir Ignacio Valeron
What is the name of the body of water that separates the Old World from the New World? Dark Sea
What changes happen to your avatars when Baron Mode is ON? Red signs appear over the avatars' heads
What elemental property do the monsters of Porto Bello's Desolate Cliff share? Ice
True or false: Yellow or blue items below lv 32 can be converted into Enchantment Chips. False
What key combination is used to bring up the Squad Information window on the UI? Alt + D
What is the name of the ship on which the tutorial is set? Jaclina
Where is the NPC who sells Ferruccio Bread and Milk located? Queen's Garden, Cite de Reboldoeux, behind Ramiro
What color does the Corsair Rosso armor become when worn by a male musketeer? Blue, dark red, and white
Average questions
What was Grace Bernelli's rank / position when she was in the armed forces of Brestia? Intelligence Officer
Name the headquarters of the Republicans and the Royalists. Republicans - Villa de Libertad; Royalists - Reception Hall
What was the CBT name of the wizard / musketeer armor Redingote? ReSpiked Squamatate
Give the full name of the other explorer who went with Ferruccio Espada to discover the New World. Gilberto Granado
What is the FIRST quest item that Claude Baudez asks your family to get for him? 20 pieces of Sulfur
What two items does Lisa Lynway sell at the Sea Elephant Cafe? Avocado Sandwich and Chocolate
What are the stone pillars which emit mysterious power actually called? Hengestones / Hedgestones
Difficult questions
What is the ATK of an unmodified Barkir Rifle? 153
Name all the places indicated on the signpost in the Reboldoeux Stone Pit. Reboldoeux, Quarry, Tetra
Name the item that shows your political party affiliation. Royal Scroll
Who is the Old World swordsmith who is also known as the God of Swordmaking? Sir Ignacio Valeron
What is the name of the body of water that separates the Old World from the New World? Dark Sea
Trivia Bonanza: Difficult Round is CLOSED! Quiz is COMPLETE!
Thanks to everyone who joined in!
I'll be putting up all the answers later today, after I finish tallying up the scores.
Winners will be announced in this blog, on the forums, and in-game on Thursday, 9 August - so stay tuned!
I'll be putting up all the answers later today, after I finish tallying up the scores.
Winners will be announced in this blog, on the forums, and in-game on Thursday, 9 August - so stay tuned!
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
NineMoons's Granado Espada Trivia Bonanza: Difficult Round!
Original rules.
The most important rules:
1. Email all answers to hisuifox@gmail.com. This is the only way you can submit your answers to the trivia questions. I'll be disabling comments on this post, and I will also not be accepting answers posted to the announcement thread at the official forums.
Remember, if you want your answers to be included in the competition, email them to hisuifox@gmail.com!!
2. For all trivia contest entries, the following restrictions apply:
- A misspelled answer is a wrong answer
- All or nothing format will be followed, especially for questions that require multiple answers
- Changing answers will not be allowed
- Follow all directions very carefully!
3. While this contest is intended primarily for the Philippine players and community of Granado Espada, our international players are also encouraged to join in.
4. Answers should be sent in this format:
- Family Name / In-game Name
- Server
- Email address
- Answers
5. Deadline for submission of entries will be at 11:59 PM (Singapore time) of the Friday after each round of questions is released.
Meaning, you must submit your answers for the Difficult round of questions by 11:59 PM of Friday, 3 August.
***
Third and final round of questions - brace yourselves, it's the Difficult round!
- What is the ATK of an unmodified Barkir Rifle?
- Name all the places indicated on the signpost in the Reboldoeux Stone Pit.
- Name the item that shows your political party affiliation.
- Who is the Old World swordsmith who is also known as the God of Swordmaking?
- What is the name of the body of water that separates the Old World from the New World?
***
If you were unable to answer the Easy or Average questions, this is your last chance to join in!
I'll be announcing the winners next Thursday, August 9.
Good luck to all and don't forget to email me your answers by tomorrow night, 3 August!
The most important rules:
1. Email all answers to hisuifox@gmail.com. This is the only way you can submit your answers to the trivia questions. I'll be disabling comments on this post, and I will also not be accepting answers posted to the announcement thread at the official forums.
Remember, if you want your answers to be included in the competition, email them to hisuifox@gmail.com!!
2. For all trivia contest entries, the following restrictions apply:
- A misspelled answer is a wrong answer
- All or nothing format will be followed, especially for questions that require multiple answers
- Changing answers will not be allowed
- Follow all directions very carefully!
3. While this contest is intended primarily for the Philippine players and community of Granado Espada, our international players are also encouraged to join in.
4. Answers should be sent in this format:
- Family Name / In-game Name
- Server
- Email address
- Answers
5. Deadline for submission of entries will be at 11:59 PM (Singapore time) of the Friday after each round of questions is released.
Meaning, you must submit your answers for the Difficult round of questions by 11:59 PM of Friday, 3 August.
***
Third and final round of questions - brace yourselves, it's the Difficult round!
- What is the ATK of an unmodified Barkir Rifle?
- Name all the places indicated on the signpost in the Reboldoeux Stone Pit.
- Name the item that shows your political party affiliation.
- Who is the Old World swordsmith who is also known as the God of Swordmaking?
- What is the name of the body of water that separates the Old World from the New World?
***
If you were unable to answer the Easy or Average questions, this is your last chance to join in!
I'll be announcing the winners next Thursday, August 9.
Good luck to all and don't forget to email me your answers by tomorrow night, 3 August!
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