MMORPG.com: How did Rise of the Dragonian Era start up? What is the history behind the development of the game?
Ryan Kwon: The developers of RODE Online were the ones who created Hero Online. We did research on many of the MMOs that were currently on the market in preparation for RODE and came to the conclusion that we would like to take the typical ground battles to the sky. We wanted aerial flight, as well as the mount system, to play a bigger role than simply being the means of transportation. That is why we created the mounted combat system to allow players to freely engage in battles not just on the ground, but also in the air.
Dragons are an important part of the game. We noticed that in most MMOs, dragons were enemies to be disposed of, or simply guiding forces to the players. In RODE, we wanted them to be the main focus of the game. Based on this concept, the idea of dragon-worshipping nations was born. There are two different dragon lords, each residing in a nation, and the dragons belonging to that nation will carry their dragon’s lord’s special abilities and characteristics, which will be a huge factor in the strategic warfare between these nations.
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MMORPG.com: What types of characters can players select? What does each one bring to the game?
Ryan Kwon: Players can choose from several different nation-based races, ranging from humans, elves, lycans, demons, and more. There are also four different character classes, each of which can develop into one of two advanced paths known as specializations. Warriors are adept at melee combat and can access the Berserker and Templar specializations; Rogues are stealthy, preferring to strike the enemy with status ailments such as poison. They use bows and dual swords, and can specialize as Wind Slayers or Spirit Rangers ; Mages are focused on destructive magic and summoning skills. They can later become Necromancers or Pyromancers; the Cleric is a support class, but is capable of dealing powerful damage as well. Clerics can advance to either Priests or Elementalists.
MMORPG.com: How does your castle siege system work in the game?
Ryan Kwon: We have developed the Weekly Base Overthrow and Anytime Base Overthrow systems and are currently preparing to implement them into the game.
Weekly Base Overthrow takes place only once in a week in a PvE zone. There are 7 contested, or neutral, bases. The nation that occupies the most bases wins.
Anytime Base Overthrow lets players enter a war right away at any time. For each nation, there is an aerial base and a ground base. In the middle, the “Tower of Glory” exists. After destroying the opponent’s aerial and ground bases, the tower will appear, and if that is also destroyed, the game is won.
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Territory War is a war system that we are planning to develop. RODE has many castles that are controlled by each nation and we want to allow players to take over the opposing nation’s castles.
We are also planning on developing the Territory Invasion system, in which players from a nation can attack the other nation’s PvE areas.
MMORPG.com: How does castle siege tie into the Deablo system where monsters attack players castles?
Ryan Kwon: The Deablo System is based on the Azurian:Firean “influence ratio.” If a nation has more influence over the other, Deablo, who is the evil dragon lord, will attack that nation. The defending castles will be attacked and the players in PvE fields will also get attacked at random times. Of course, it doesn’t mean that just because a nation’s influence is low, Deablo won’t attack that nation. Also, if certain conditions are met, Deablo can also appear during Castle Sieges and influence the outcome of the war.
MMORPG.com: Tell us about Dragon Riding? How does it work in the game?
Ryan Kwon: At the beginning of the game, players are given a dragon egg. After hatching their egg, players will have their own baby dragon pet that, with time and training, grows to full size and can be used as a mount. There are also other dragons and mounts in the game that players can have access to as well. When players are on a mount, they will get a special set of skills unique to the mount that can be used in combat. Players can ride their dragons around the continent to explore and also take part in aerial combat if they encounter an enemy midflight.
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MMORPG.com: What sets Dragonian apart from other MMOs, what is it you want to say to players about the game?
Ryan Kwon: RODE is a really unique gaming experience with diverse races and classes, and we hope that if you’re looking for a fun MMO with a special mount system, you’ll give RODE a try. We especially think players will enjoy the ability to hatch their own dragon and evolve it into a magnificent mount that will accompany them into battles. RODE is heavily PVP oriented, so if you love PVP, definitely check out the game. We have regular PVP wars between the two nations, and we are planning on developing and implementing even more PVP systems to the game. Aside from PVP, there are tons of quests that focus on the mystery behind the conflicts between the two nations and the strange events that take place in the world. The game also features voiceover from many famous voice actors for NPCs dialogues as well as engaging cutscenes.
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