J
Jeremiah.Dyess
Guest
We caught up with project manager Edwin Huang who was nice enough to take a few questions about the new, free to play IGG title, Tales of Fantasy.
Stratics: For the uninitiated, what's the premise of Tales of Fantasy?
Edwin: Well, the land of Elterra is split mainly between two factions: Ashland and Bohren. Various conflicts in politics, culture, and trade practices have led to a long history of wars and struggles between these great nations. Players take one side or the other and react to the events that transpire.
As they progress, players must make decisions, crafting their journey as they choose. Their characters will meet people from all walks of life, do battle against a myriad of deadly beasts, and uncover the secrets of the land of Elterra.
Stratics: What sort of characters can players make?
Edwin: After choosing between Bohren and Ashland, players will select a one of 2 starting classes from which they develop into more specialized classes as they advance. There are 4 class paths and 8 final classes available. Each of these is unique in fulfilling a certain role on a team. From a fearless warrior to a destructive mage, players can choose a class that suits their combat style best.
Stratics: What are some interesting or unique mechanics available in the game?
Edwin: Let me give you two examples. Wings are one of our coolest features. After meeting the right requirements, players can actually get shiny, glimmering wings of their own that add a measure of elegance to their characters and provide attribute boosts. These wings also evolve to become more powerful as additional requirements are met.
The refining system is another highlight worth mentioning. Using this system, players can customize each and every piece of their equipment to make it better and stronger. For mount lovers, we also have mounted combat that’s a real spectacle during large battles.
Stratics: Tales of Fantasy is a free to play MMO. Are there any microtransaction plans in place? If so, how much will it affect the game?
Edwin: Microtransactions are certainly available. There is an Item Mall in-game, where players may purchase various items for affordable prices using real money. These items are also attainable in-game with hard work and diligence. As much as this is a F2P game, our goal is always to ensure fair gameplay for everyone.
Stratics: The Bohren and the people of Ashland subscribe to different religions. Does this factor into the gameplay at all?
Edwin: Yes! In fact, as players progress through the story, they will find that many of the conflicts that exist between the 2 great nations actually stem from their differences in beliefs. Differences aside, teamwork is the ultimate key to survival, and achieving a great many things in life. In Tales of Fantasy, going solo will only take you so far.
Stratics: What was the inspiration behind the design of this game?
Edwin: Well, the original idea was based on the idea of time and dimensional travel. Suppose you were transported back in time to a medieval era? With that in mind, we began to flesh out the story and its related background, adding elements of conflict and great evils into the big mixing pot. After a lot of work, we came up with a game that we’re all very proud of and eager to share.
Stratics: How does PvP work in Tales of Fantasy?
Edwin: Thank you for this great question. PvP is one of our major highlights in the game. There are a great many ways for players to interact with and do battle against each other under a variety of scenarios. For example, the Arena focuses on gladiator style matches between players, or small groups of players. The Faction War allows for massive, free-for-all PKing against hordes of opposing players. Some of these PvP modes even earn players Honor points, which can be used to purchase all sorts of items in-game.
Stratics: How much content is available for high-level players? Is there a large endgame component?
Edwin: Oh yes, the largest portion of Tales of Fantasy is definitely focused on the endgame. When players hit the level cap, they will start to uncover the true plot behind the story of the events in Elterra, discovering the true purpose of the Dimensional Gate. Story aside, high-level PvP options are also available.
Stratics: What sort of character customization options are there?
Edwin: We fully understand the role of vanity in any game, and as such we have integrated a full-featured character customization system. Players can determine their body shape and customize facial features such as shape, hairstyle and more. We want each player to make a character that’s uniquely their own.
Stratics: Finally: if you had to sum up Tales of Fantasy in one sentence, how would you describe it?
Edwin: There’s a new world where new adventures are waiting for heroes to bring them to life in Tales of Fantasy ( http://tof.igg.com)!
Stratics: For the uninitiated, what's the premise of Tales of Fantasy?
Edwin: Well, the land of Elterra is split mainly between two factions: Ashland and Bohren. Various conflicts in politics, culture, and trade practices have led to a long history of wars and struggles between these great nations. Players take one side or the other and react to the events that transpire.
As they progress, players must make decisions, crafting their journey as they choose. Their characters will meet people from all walks of life, do battle against a myriad of deadly beasts, and uncover the secrets of the land of Elterra.
Stratics: What sort of characters can players make?
Edwin: After choosing between Bohren and Ashland, players will select a one of 2 starting classes from which they develop into more specialized classes as they advance. There are 4 class paths and 8 final classes available. Each of these is unique in fulfilling a certain role on a team. From a fearless warrior to a destructive mage, players can choose a class that suits their combat style best.
Stratics: What are some interesting or unique mechanics available in the game?
Edwin: Let me give you two examples. Wings are one of our coolest features. After meeting the right requirements, players can actually get shiny, glimmering wings of their own that add a measure of elegance to their characters and provide attribute boosts. These wings also evolve to become more powerful as additional requirements are met.
The refining system is another highlight worth mentioning. Using this system, players can customize each and every piece of their equipment to make it better and stronger. For mount lovers, we also have mounted combat that’s a real spectacle during large battles.
Stratics: Tales of Fantasy is a free to play MMO. Are there any microtransaction plans in place? If so, how much will it affect the game?
Edwin: Microtransactions are certainly available. There is an Item Mall in-game, where players may purchase various items for affordable prices using real money. These items are also attainable in-game with hard work and diligence. As much as this is a F2P game, our goal is always to ensure fair gameplay for everyone.
Stratics: The Bohren and the people of Ashland subscribe to different religions. Does this factor into the gameplay at all?
Edwin: Yes! In fact, as players progress through the story, they will find that many of the conflicts that exist between the 2 great nations actually stem from their differences in beliefs. Differences aside, teamwork is the ultimate key to survival, and achieving a great many things in life. In Tales of Fantasy, going solo will only take you so far.
Stratics: What was the inspiration behind the design of this game?
Edwin: Well, the original idea was based on the idea of time and dimensional travel. Suppose you were transported back in time to a medieval era? With that in mind, we began to flesh out the story and its related background, adding elements of conflict and great evils into the big mixing pot. After a lot of work, we came up with a game that we’re all very proud of and eager to share.
Stratics: How does PvP work in Tales of Fantasy?
Edwin: Thank you for this great question. PvP is one of our major highlights in the game. There are a great many ways for players to interact with and do battle against each other under a variety of scenarios. For example, the Arena focuses on gladiator style matches between players, or small groups of players. The Faction War allows for massive, free-for-all PKing against hordes of opposing players. Some of these PvP modes even earn players Honor points, which can be used to purchase all sorts of items in-game.
Stratics: How much content is available for high-level players? Is there a large endgame component?
Edwin: Oh yes, the largest portion of Tales of Fantasy is definitely focused on the endgame. When players hit the level cap, they will start to uncover the true plot behind the story of the events in Elterra, discovering the true purpose of the Dimensional Gate. Story aside, high-level PvP options are also available.
Stratics: What sort of character customization options are there?
Edwin: We fully understand the role of vanity in any game, and as such we have integrated a full-featured character customization system. Players can determine their body shape and customize facial features such as shape, hairstyle and more. We want each player to make a character that’s uniquely their own.
Stratics: Finally: if you had to sum up Tales of Fantasy in one sentence, how would you describe it?
Edwin: There’s a new world where new adventures are waiting for heroes to bring them to life in Tales of Fantasy ( http://tof.igg.com)!
