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An Interview with Daniel Lin

Jon Wood Posted:
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Interviews 0

Tales of Pirates: Interview with Daniel Lin

Daniel Lin, the Manager of Overseas Marketing for I.G.G., stops by to discuss their game Tales of Pirates.

MMORPG.com:

What classes are available in Tales of Pirates?

Daniel Lin:

In Tales of Pirates, each character has a variety of classes they can specialize in. When players reach level 9, they can talk to the respective NPCs to start the quest to select their basic class. When they reach level 40, they can specialize further into their basic class by doing another quest. There are ten classes in all: Swordsman, Hunter, Herbalist, Explorer, Crusader, Champion, Cleric, Seal Master, Sharpshooter and Voyager.

MMORPG.com:

Your website says that there are only four characters to choose from. How will players feel as though their characters are special and unique?

Daniel Lin:

The key thing is that players can customize their characters by choosing different hairstyle and face, which means the customizing and accessorizing of ToP is pretty well, especially when you get deep into this game.

MMORPG.com:

Does ToP run on a level based system, or a skill system?

Daniel Lin:

Well, it runs on level based [system] but skills play very important role. The level indicates the basic ability of a player, but good use of skills can sometimes play decisive role.

MMORPG.com:

Can you describe the land combat system?

Daniel Lin:

Sure, [this is] a bit unexpected for players, the land combat system looks more abundant than sea combat. Boasting a real time battle design which is player controlled, coupled with the delicate special visual effects incorporated into the battles, the land battle design remains a sight to behold.

MMORPG.com:

Can you describe the sea combat?

Daniel Lin:

For Tales of Pirates, it is the first and newly designed system that allows for large scale and exhilarating sea battles. As the number of participants increases, different strategies [are] utilized in fighting, [and] the battles become ever more important.

MMORPG.com:

What is the Island Battle System that is mentioned on your website?

Daniel Lin:

Oh, the Island Battle System still in the testing stage. I appreciate that many people take note of it. We will release it after few months as a new update patch. It should be an exciting part of sea battle, especially for guild[s].

MMORPG.com:

What is your business model? ie: When the game launches, will it be pay to play?

Daniel Lin:

That would be interesting, I have be asked it for million times. Actually, Tales of Pirates is a success production after 18 months operation in Asia, it has been eliminated most of unstable elements, such as bug in-game. So I.G.G. decide to give a month open beta and the final launch will be sometime in May 2007. Please pay attention in official site www.talesofpirates.com.

For an official announcement, I have to say Tales of Pirates (ToP) will be a free to play MMORPG in the final stage, people can register and login for free completely, which is propitious to make friends and join guild in this game.

MMORPG.com:

This game has had success in Southeast Asia. Can you tell us what changes you have made to bring it to a North American audience?

Daniel Lin:

As I said, ToP is a really success production without errors in-game, so I.G.G. brings the latest version to North American audience. It means [not much is] different so far, however, the expansion for [the] North American edition is coming and the game spotlight events are suit[able] for all North American audience[s], undoubtedly.

MMORPG.com:

What makes ToP stand out from the crowd of MMORPGs currently on the market?

Daniel Lin:

Firstly, I need to say this game - TOP is aim[ed] at North American audience edition, which means different polic[ies] from other Asian local English version MMOGs. Secondly, some of MMORPGs currently get grand medieval or fantastic graphics, however Tales of Pirates has a different cartoon style of graphics with [a] huge mission system and storyline as a massive multiplayer online game. Also, I think the most attractive thing is that people can start this game so quickly and easily without complicated issue. There is not an MMORPG can be fit all taste of players, but ToP will find [its] own way in 2007, it should be a red-blooded product on the market.