PB Kim, Lead Designer

Lead Designer PB Kim gives us an update on his game in this new interview

RAN Online brings a unique setting to the MMORPG scene. This Asian MMORPG puts players in a campus setting as they battle with martial arts and other means. We recently had a chance to talk to Lead Designer PB Kim about his game.

We are providing various types of event, such as Double EXP, Double Item Drop Rate sort of events you may generally seen from other MMORPG. Moreover we provide unique events, for instance, a localized event which includes mythic heroes or animals in the game by each local festive day schedule. Recently we have arranged a server for Battle Loyal Type competition event and finished testing. We are continuously looking for more joyful events to satisfy our users. Please give us your cool ideas for new events.

The Dragon Boat Event is one of the good examples of well localized events. We are looking forward to organizing more events based on the myth or animation within the local areas where Ran Online is being serviced. Also if we have a chance, we are trying to organize the event which had never been provided before even in other countries. It is an event set up based on the movie scenario, and start the event as the movie releases. I guess this type of events are available among the ‘modern background’ based MMORPG only.

The PK System is a sort of burdens for the developer in terms of considering balance not only between the player and the monster but also between the players. It might be very boring if there is only Player Vs Mob system and millions of players only slaying mobs everyday. The ‘troubles’ between players will give them some kind of ‘subject’ and it may bring a ‘fun’ for others in the game. Also the PK System is the one many of our users suggested continuously. Therefore, to challenging or searching for high-level player, people traveling around the Game Centers and looking for X Box Live. This can prove how much people enjoy the PK System.

We do have future plans for character development, however the term ‘options’ contents various areas and it is hardly giving an answer.

Nprotect does its job very much in the area of its purpose, which is to protect user items and characters. The more upgrade in security system, the more jobs Game Server has to do. However if we put too much effort to catch those hacker’s limitless attacks, we wouldn’t have time to develop the game. There were few hacking programs been used even after we start using Nprotect; but currently we have solved all the problems relating hacks. No need to fear anything relates to hacks!

The party system and club system in Ran Online is only available among the characters from same School. As you can suggest from this, those three schools are in the competition. The competition is not to defeat others as all of them have same goal that is to protect ‘The Real World’. The competition is aimed to decide the leader school among them. Nevertheless, unrelated to the scenario, players seem to decide others as an enemy. It is may be the players in the game represent nowadays human being and life style.

Although I do not have much experiences in the field of ‘martial arts’, I suggest the purpose of ‘martial arts’ is to protect one’s family, friends, and person him self. It is not an action of destroying; it is an action of protecting. Other ‘fantasy background’ MMORPG allows various magic skills, however in ‘modern background’ MMORPG like Ran Online should have very realistic skills. That is the reason for ‘martial arts’ as the main skills in Ran Online. As mentioned above we conclude ‘martial arts’ is an action of protection, therefore inside Ran Online there are too much protecting skills which increased HP and Defense Capacity up to exceeded.

We respect your suggestions about Ran Online. Please tell us specifically about your suggestions and we will correct it shortly if it is considered as a possible suggestion.

I hardly predict the future of MMORPGs; however as the number of users are increasing gradually, there will be game developments aimed for specific targets in near future. There could be not only the Professional type and Casual type but also Communications as a potential for Game it self, more detailed and realistic episodes may occur inside the game.

Once the Music Game appeared in the market, there was a big fashion in the game business because no one could imagine the Music Game before. May be there could be another form of MMO Games appear in the future just like a Music Game’s case.

Nevertheless, I can guarantee you MMO Games will become more realistic in the future. The more you play the more your reward. Maybe it will become more than just a game.

But, Ran Online is a game. We will do our best to being as GAME. Please be with us dear respecting MMO Game Users.