Turf Battles: An Introduction to Turf Battles

How has the development of Turf Battles been going? Can you talk about the state of the game currently?

Turf Battles has been through a multitude of changes over the last year. Originally the game was very sparse in terms of content, and was not received well. So we shut it down, and began rethinking our strategy. This included adding tons of content based on our player suggestions, such as the Islands PVP system, and PVP channels. Over the last few weeks we have had this content implemented onto our test server, so everything is slowly coming together. We are now very close to launching into beta, again.

When do you see the game going into Open beta?

Currently the open beta for the game is not scheduled. We must first release all the new game content in closed beta, and make sure there are not any show-stopping bugs that were missed by our internal testing team. Once we are confident that the new content and battle systems are ready, we will launch into open beta.

The game has a unique PvP system can you tell us about how it works?

All PVP in turf battles is based on a point system. The first is the PK-Point, which is used to rank players. You can gain a PK point by killing another player. As you gain certain amounts of PK points your character will glow a certain color. This helps others know if you are a newb, or someone that shouldn't be messed with.

Built on this Pk point system are the PVP scenarios, which come in a few different forms. The first is that when your character hits level 40 (usually within 1-3 hours), you can openly fight any other player in the game level 40+. This can be done by simply pressing the alt key, running up to someone and laying the smack down.

The second system is the Islands PVP system, which is essentially a twenty four hour a day seven day a week territory capture. There are 5 islands, each of which has a certain level bracket attached. Player tribes (guilds) can attack the Islands NPC guardians and take over. Which gives the tribe full access to the resources and drops of the Islands monsters. These monster drops are used to create powerful weapons and armor, and are all around useful in daily game life, making them highly valuable. The trick is that at any time, an enemy tribe can attack your Island's guardian and attempt to take over. This means that tribes who own Islands must constantly be planning the defense of their turf.

Tell us about the Tribe system, how does this work and how is it used in conjunction with other players?

A tribe is essentially a player guild. Being a member of a tribe will grant you access to the tribe shared warehouse, as well as the ability to participate in the aforementioned PVP activities. Tribes can also ally with one another, or declare war on other tribes. A tribe war can end with territory won or lost, depending on the loser, as well as your tribes reputation being destroyed with other players. For example, if you win a tribe war your tribe name is announced to the entire server as having decimated the losing tribe, thus either increasing or decreasing your tribe's reputation with others.

Tribes are important for players because it is a means of survival. Players who run without a tribe are often hunted by war parties from other tribes. Joining a tribe also allows you a chance to participate in the Islands system, and potentially gain access to some of the best items in the game.

What can players buy in the item mall? How will items impact game play?

The item mall sells all sorts of enhancements for the player. These include healing potions, attribute boosters, movement increases etc. There are also teleport scrolls, that will move you to dungeon levels without having to clear the first few areas.

In terms of gameplay the item mall has a minimum impact. Much of the fighting in Turf Battles is based on the skill of the player, rather than the quality of the item they are using. The idea is to make leveling more efficient, without ruining the balance of the game.

How many classes does the game offer? What will players be able to enjoy?

There are five classes in game. Two melee classes, Two casting and one Ranged attack.

The melee classes consist of Blade Warriors, who are essentially hard hitting, heavily armored tanks, and Fist Warriors, who deal massive damage over time, but lack in the armor department.

The casting classes consist of the Red Mage, who are powerful damage dealing casters who deal massive damage with fire based area of effect spells, and the Blue mage who are a more defensive casting class, specializing in area of effect crowd control.

The Archer is the ranged support class, that combines a variety of steady damage over time, with a ton of party support skills, and monster debuffs.

What plans do you have for 2010 with Turf Battles?

In 2010 we plan on having released Turf Battles commercially. We will then add a steady stream of content to the game over the course of 3-6 months. Included in this will be new PVP content, dungeon revamps, and possibly a few other surprises.

The game seems like it would appeal to PvP centric players, do you have something you want to say to them?

If you like joining a guild, and getting rewarded for killing others, then this is the game for you. Also, we are devilishly handsome, so if you're not into PVP, you'll still have the GM's to look at.

What are your favorite parts about Turf Battles?

Personally I love the variety of PVP content. However my favorite part about the game is working closely with the community. Throughout the entire process they have been incredibly supportive of our decisions. Many of the people that are in the community, have been with turf battles and its many incarnations for years. So they bring a ton of game knowledge and are quick to let us know when there are problems. We honestly wouldn't have been able to make all of these changes without their feedback. So if you're reading this, thanks!