Want to win a pair of Divine Angel Wings? Sure you do!
All you need to do is join this all new contest on my blog!
***
One of the most unique features of Granado Espada is that not only can you interact with many colorful and interesting NPCs - but you can also recruit many of them to join your adventuring family in the New World! And they even bring new stances, weapons, and fighting styles with them!
Therefore, RNPCs are love and we all know it!
♥♥RNPCs ARE LOVE♥♥
The rules for this contest are really, really simple. Just comment and tell me who your favorite RNPC is, and why.
Be creative! Write a very short story. Post a poem you wrote about that RNPC whom you love so much. Put up a link to your fan art. Show a screenshot that you created that features him/her. The possibilities are endless!
This contest will run until midnight [Singapore time] of 27 September 2007 - Thursday next week. I will draw one lucky winner from all of the entries, and announce on 28 September, Friday!
So what are you waiting for? Get ready to tell the world who your favorite RNPC is, and stand a chance to win a pair of Divine Angel Wings for a lucky member of your adventuring family!
***
Got blogspotted again, this time for the first part of my coverage of the GE PH Commercial Launch events. Thanks to RCM Hrin for the wonderful prize!
The fifth in a series of posts documenting the Granado Espada launch events in the Philippines, taking place over the weekend of 15-16 September 2007.
Featuring smaller pictures for easier reading and navigation.
Previous posts:
Event Prep
Press Luncheon and Upcoming Patches
Liberty's Wrath Finals
GE at e-Games Evolution
Granado Espada is nothing without its community, and one of the major reasons why I covered the events was so that I could finally get to interact with many of the guys and gals whom I've met in-game or through their blogs!
Here are some massive shout-outs, and for those with blogs, a lot of link love!
Welling of AdeptasFraternas faction [thanks to Feitan at the forums for the correction], and the lovable boys from PasawayProphecy faction, all from Caravaggio server. Welling is one of my fellow GE bloggers and a friend of mine; he competed along with Team Cainta during the PvP tourney. The PP boys saved me a place in the registration line - maraming salamat, guys!
Alex Crosse and Nate of Casa Reclusion, in the flesh!
Sigrid and Stiles!
We - Crosse, Nate, Sigrid, Stiles, and me - all had fun with the many trivia questions thrown around during the 15 September Day Raid.
The mighty Arcleaumont, the linchpin of Team Cebu and a fellow blogger too!
From Anonymous faction in Cervantes, come all the way from Baguio to help cheer on their faction-mates during the tourney finals: Esteveste, Anima, and Prettylicious [the girl]!
DeSanggria, Ligaya [known in-game as Lucido], and NineMoons, at the close of the Day Raid! The two girls went on to party hard at the Night Raid!
Lord Darrick of Casa Reclusion, at the e-Games Evolution roadshow!
The Casa Reclusion boys sandwich NineMoons, with prizes in hand!
I hope to see everyone again at the next Granado Espada event, and the next, and the next....~!
***
This closes the coverage of the launch events for Granado Espada in the Philippines. Hope you enjoyed reading about it, as much as I did covering the events and blogging about them afterwards!
The fourth in a series of posts documenting the Granado Espada launch events in the Philippines, taking place over the weekend of 15-16 September 2007.
Featuring smaller pictures for easier reading and navigation.
Previous posts:
Event Prep
Press Luncheon and Upcoming Patches
Liberty's Wrath Finals
Next post:
NineMoons's Shout-Outs
The day after the Granado Espada Commercial Launch Day/Night Raids at One Esplanade was marked by yet another GE-related feast: the kickoff program for the IP e-Games Evolution series of roadshows. This series of activities will take the redesigned e-Games logo and the consolidated roster of MMOs all over the country, from schools to malls to internet cafes.
By consolidated I mean that e-Games is now promoting Granado Espada along its other games: Ran Online, O2 Jam, Dance Battle Audition, Supreme Destiny, Battle Position, and Dreamville. Previously, GE was being promoted by e-Games's sister company IP-Interactive; now, one company promotes all of these popular games. And the roadshow was designed to call attention to that very fact.
I got to the venue, the Block at SM North Edsa, at around noon and saw that the preparations for the day's event were nearly complete. pCM Veya, fresh from the Night Raid and the previous day's activities, was helping set up the GE booth. She also gave a short welcoming message during the program.
pCM Veya and her sunglasses at the GE booth.
The GE booth, located directly at the entrance of the activity area, boasted eight PCs for use during the 3v3 PvP tournament and to help new users register within the game. Two standees flanked the booth opening:
The return of the hard-working male musketeer.
A new female elementalist standee, this one dressed in the Elementalist robes and already in battle.
The GE sign at the back of the booth, flanked by two columns.
The rules for the 3v3 PvP mini-tourney, on a banner next to the male musketeer.
Two GE-related cosplayers showed up at this event:
The winner of the GE cosplay at the Day Raid, the female elementalist.
Me and the model wearing a Le Blanc costume. [Thanks to Ms. Ivee for the correction!]
Once again, e-Games President and COO Steve Tsao made the opening remarks of the event.
I also got a quick interview with him at the venue. He said that the redesigned logo, arrived at after much trial and error and consultation with the constituent player communities, heralded a relaunch of the company to include celebrated titles such as Granado Espada and upcoming releases under its aegis. He emphasized that the free-to-play games would remain free-to-play forever, and that they would be bringing in more free-to-play games, as well as games with new business models, to cater to more segments of the gaming public.
Next month, he promised that there would be major statements regarding the acquisition/release of new game titles. Now there's something to look forward to!
Mr. Tsao gets interviewed by Hero TV.
GE Product Manager Ivee Feria reprised her Powerpoint presentation from the 15 September press launch, and even gave away some really cool prizes during the trivia questions: the coveted door hangers and postcards, and more pairs of Divine Angel Wings.
Ms. Feria during her presentation.
It seemed like a lot of fun was had by all at this kickoff event. And since it's a roadshow, expect these booths and activities, and a lot more fun, as they make their way around the country!
***
Final post: last but not the least, new friends and introductions~!
To view all the pictures from the event, please click on this Photobucket album: Granado Espada launches.
The third in a series of posts documenting the Granado Espada launch events in the Philippines, taking place over the weekend of 15-16 September 2007.
Featuring smaller pictures for easier reading and navigation.
Previous posts:
Event Prep
Press Luncheon and Upcoming Patches
Next posts:
GE at e-Games Evolution
NineMoons's Shout-Outs
One of the showcase events of the Day Raid of the Granado Espada Commercial Launch in the Philippines was the National Finals of the Liberty's Wrath 5v5 PvP Tournament. Qualifying tourneys were held in the different regions of the country in the weeks leading up to the launch, and the winners were to compete against each other in the finals during the launch itself.
The eight winning teams represented the following regions:
- National Capital Region [teams NCR-1 and NCR-2]
- Northern Luzon [Baguio]
- Central Luzon [Bulacan]
- Southern Luzon [Cainta]
- Visayas [Cebu]
- Northern Mindanao [Cagayan de Oro]
- Southern Mindanao [Davao]
The rules of the finals were the same as in the qualifiers except one:
- all matches 5v5
- players used pre-made accounts on the GE test server, containing the five stock characters and Emilia the Sage, all at Lv. 100 + Veteran status
- weapons and armor were provided
- no item trading or exchange between players
- no unsportsmanlike conduct, uncivil behavior, or rudeness
- the different mechanic involved potions and other consumables: many of the standard consumable items were already provided in the test server accounts, such as HP and SP potions, buff potions, resurrection potions, orbs, and bullets
Fantastic prizes were up for grabs to the 3rd placer, runner-up, and national champion:
3rd Place - 1 Chrysalis Box, 1 pair Divine Angel Wings for each member
2nd Place - 1 Pioneer's Kit Strategy Pack [15 days], 1 pair Divine Angel Wings for each member
1st Place - 1 Pioneer's Kit Strategy Pack [30 days], 10 Ring Boxes, 1 School Uniform Look costume of choice, 1 pair Divine Angel Wings, merchandise from sponsors for each member
All matches during the event were held as best-of-three rounds; on-site coordinators oversaw the teams and enforced the rules of the finals.
Here's how the event played out.
The Eliminations pitted the following teams against each other, in the following order. Winners are indicated in italics:
NCR-2 vs Cainta
Cagayan de Oro vs Cebu
Bulacan vs Davao
NCR-1 vs Baguio
The four winning teams immediately went to the Semifinals:
Cainta vs Cebu
Davao vs Baguio
The Cebu and Baguio teams made way for the 3rd Place match:
Cainta vs Davao
And finally, the event was capped by the Championship match:
Baguio vs Cebu
3rd Place - Team Davao [Carracci: Cabagnaughty, CaBankai, Cabagnoot, Cabagnut, CabagnotA]
Yes, there seemed to be a theme in the members' names.
2nd Place - Team Baguio [Cervantes: HeavensFence, DeathGod, Saints, oGTo, DeathAngels]
They came armed with a banner stating that they were all proud members of Anonymous faction.
1st Place - Team Cebu [Cervantes: Arcleaumont; Pachelbel: Gakitsu, Deathwolf, Encabo, Knightfall]
The only "mixed" team, and the team that went through the finals with a nearly unblemished record. They lost only one round, to Team Baguio during the Championship match.
Congratulations to all the winners!
***
Next post: details of the 16 September e-Games Evolution Roadshow at the Block, SM North Edsa, with special GE features~!
To view all the pictures from the event, please click on this Photobucket album: Granado Espada launches.
The second in a series of posts documenting the Granado Espada launch events in the Philippines, taking place over the weekend of 15-16 September 2007.
Featuring smaller pictures for easier reading and navigation.
Previous post:
Event Prep
Next posts:
Liberty's Wrath Finals
GE at e-Games Evolution
NineMoons's Shout-Outs
In the previous entry I talked about some of the event preparations for the Granado Espada Commercial Launch [Day and Night Raids] at One Esplanade, and featured some of the cosplayers, factions, and decorations.
Now I'm going to talk about the special luncheon hosted by IP e-Games on the same morning, around 12nn. This was for members of the press, including the gaming press, some of the mainstream media such as TV and newspapers, and especially for the online journalists. It was held in the function rooms of Highlands Chinese Palace, an upscale Chinese restaurant in the south wing of the mall.
My own badge at the press luncheon identified me as "GE Blogger/Writer"; the only person so designated.
The e-Games people came out in full force for the launch of their first triple-A title in the Philippines: President and COO Steve Tsao, VP for Marketing Ed Pasion, Corporate Communications head Sheila Rada, GE Product Manager Ivee Feria, and GE Media head Emir Samonte.
The special guests were Mr. Victor Ngo of Cyberworld Corporation in Vietnam, the GE licensee for that country; and three officials from IAH Games in Singapore: Deputy CEO David Ng, Marketing Manager [Marketing & Strategy] Wendy Lim, and Assistant Director for Product Management Jojo Angeles.
From left to right: Mr. Ngo, Mr. Tsao [standing, with mic] and Mr. Ng.
After their opening remarks came a special video presentation: a message from Granado Espada's creator, Kim Hakkyu. In the video he said he was sorry that he could not come to the launch events because of his tight schedule. He also said that he and his group would continue working to create better content for the game.
The subtitle reads: I want thank [sic] all of you again for supporting Granado Espada and giving us so much love.
After the video, Ms. Feria gave a Powerpoint presentation detailing not only what Granado Espada is and what the Philippine community has been up to, but also describing the current patch, v.2.1.18, Forgotten Territories.
Included in this portion of the talk were the Premium Item Shop, the new RNPC Irawan, new dungeons and monsters, the Mercenary Contract, and the Baron-related items.
There was also a brief flash on the Republicans/Royalists conflict, including the Party Elections. The slide that particularly caught my eye was the one that showed the costumes now available to the political party leaders. The Royalist Duke/Duchess can wear the Shield of Peace on his/her back; while the Republican President can wear the Sword of Freedom.
***
Ms. Feria's presentation also contained sneak peeks at the next two patches for GE: Tierra de Muertos and the much-awaited Tropical Island.
Tierra de Muertos ["land of the dead"] features:
- The new RNPCs Cut Lyndon and Eduardo Hingis, who both have the "Summon Grim Reaper" skill.
- A functional necklace, which packs an HP increase bonus.
- The ability to manufacture Lv. 92 Elite items.
Tropical Island features:
- Swimsuits and shades collections. The slide that showed the five stock classes wearing swimsuits brought a chorus of titters from the audience.
- The next-level status after Veteran: Expert status, again accompanied by the extra stat point which can be assigned to a chosen stat.
- Mini-games of chance and 15 new raid dungeons.
- The new RNPCs Selva Norte [rapier], Garcia Hingis [rapier], and Soso [Chapter of Frost/Ice].
***
Other upcoming features hinted at during the event: in-game anti-bot reporting system; pets; and weapon swapping/hotkeys.
***
Next post: a comprehensive wrap-up of the Liberty's Wrath National PvP Tournament~!
To view all pictures from the event, please click on this Photobucket album: Granado Espada launches.
