A new character to come for Grand Chase PH

I'm suffering from the damned cold & cough right now, and my throat's starting to kill me... T_T

But still, it doesn't stop me from posting what's new in the online gaming scene... ^^

Since all of Grand Chase players in the Philippines (including my younger bro) are anticipating for a new character to arrive after the extended server maintenance tomorrow (it was rescheduled due to the national holiday today), I decided to post about the new character. Yep, I'm talking about Mari the Ether Tech (Rune Caster in other versions).

Here's a little info about Mari (taken from the official news statement at the Grand Chase PH website):

Cownat was once a great and industrious kingdom, known for its advanced technology. No one knows what happened all those years ago, but what they do know is that a great cataclysm destroyed Cownat, leaving the kingdom in ruins, its people lost to memory.

Until now.

A survivor emerged from the depths of history, with no memory of how she got here or what happened to her home. A bit shy at first, she slowly warmed to her surroundings and became curious about the people of this age, about the technology, about magic, about…well, everything!

And so, to satisfy her curiosity, she agreed to join the Grand Chase in search of adventure and new things to discover. Her name is Mari, and she is the one and only Ether Tech!

As an Ether Tech, Mari uses gadgets and machines to turn the tide of battle. She can summon machines like turrets to attack her enemies, put up mana shields to protect her and her teammates, and use a jetpack to get to safety. Mari may seem shy and sweet, but never underestimate the amount of firepower she has up her sleeve!

The Grand Chase welcomes Mari the Ether Tech to their ranks. Follow them in their mission to rid the world of evil once and for all!

By the way, the Ether Tech is Mari's first class. In other versions (excluding Thailand and Indonesia), the second & third job classes of Mari were released (Gunslinger and Polaris respectively, names might change in the PH version). These two will be released perhaps next year (maybe after Sieghart's forth job) , while Mari's fourth job class will come out in the Korean servers sometime at the end of the year or in early 2011 (just a speculation, though). 


Anyway, aside from the release of Mari, GC PH players will witness another new event in the form of Gacha Selion. Works the same as the Gacha Ariel event, except that once you open the sealed beads using the Spell Book, there's a chance you'll receive Dark Flame, Dark Inferno & Dark Volcano armor sets, capes & weapons, plus you'll get a new pet once you complete all Gacha bead (Sealed, Ancient Sealed & Epic Sealed) items: Selion, the Master of Flames (as awesome as Ariel, trust me!). 


That's all I have to report for now. Visit the official Grand Chase PH website for more info... ^^

EDIT: Added Indonesia to the not available list... Sorry, my memory's getting so rusty... ><

Craving for more

I just wish I could go back to play online games again but before, but because of me having limited Internet time right now, I had no choice but to be in hiatus mode. But still, I just sure hope I'll go back to playing Cabal or Runes of Magic, or rather, go back to my good ol' Ragnarok days, since my older sis came back to playing the game. If not, I'll just continue to satiate my curiosity for new online games that would soon be competing in the online gaming market.

Speaking of curiosity, here are some of the new online games that I suggest you try out:

Card Monster Hero - homepage

It's currently in closed beta phase for the global server of this game, but still, try it out if you like the playing card format: cards are used to summon minions or mercenaries, use skills, and even as materials to create new items.

 

Aika Global - homepage

If PVP and castles war are your thing, then this game's for you, for it has castle wars and even a full - scale 1000 vs 1000 nation war. Plus, if you want to have a companion for your adventures, then you must get a Pran, which evolves and grows stronger as it levels up, and it even has its own inventory, skills and equipment.

Mission Against Terror - homepage 

If you want an MMOFPS with a twist, then check this out, for it has some nifty cool features, like dancing to replenish lost HD during battle; polymorph grenades for transforming enemies into animals when they get hit; voice chat for easier communication to teammates; and even a "mummy mode", in which you'll end up becoming a bandaged zombie if you get bitten by one.




Rappelz Online Philippines - homepage


I know it's like the usual MMORPG, but it manages to boast itself to be different through its pet system: pets will be undergo a three-stage evolution process until it becomes an adult, with unique classes, skills and equipment . Plus, its character customization system is almost like Perfect World, but on a bit smaller scale.

 












Oh, and here's another game you might be curious about: With Your Destiny Global. But I would rather not talk about it, since I found out that it was actually the global version of Supreme Destiny, which was once published by IP e-Games but unfortunately ended up biting the dust after quite some time.


So there you have it, I'm back from the hiatus of discussing online games, and I might come up with more blog posts about once I find more updates and interesting info about the online gaming market.


That's all for now! Signing off... ^^

Spirit day? What's that?!?

Ok, this is very weird. I was on my usual routine of checking my DeviantArt messages when I see this:

Color change on the top horizontal strip of dA

 At first, I was very skeptical on what exactly happened, until I saw one of the pictures tinted with purple, indicating that it was an important event of the day. It was known as "Spirit Day".

I never heard of the day before, so I did a little research and even checked out PJ Punla's latest blog (she's one of the former writers of GAME! Magazine as far as I know it) for some details. Finally I checked out this website: 

http://www.glaad.org/spiritday

That was when I found out that "Spirit Day" was an important day dedicated to gay, lesbians, homosexuals and other kinds of transgenders who fight for their right to live normal lives. Can you imagine being mistreated just because you're having a different sexual orientation? That day was worse, for lives were even lost during that time.

As you can see, this post was typed in light purple color. It's because people are asked to wear purple shirts to show support against hatred and discrimination against gays, lesbians, & other people with unique sexual orientation. Purple was said to be the color of "spirit" according to the rainbow flag, which is on reason why purple became the official color for the Spirit Day.

So remember, never discriminate people just because they look and act "different". Instead, welcome them with open arms despite differences.

That's all for now! ^^

About separation

Last night, I watched another Inazuma Eleven Pokemon DP Battle Dimension episode. In the former, Nathan a.k.a. Kazemaru (the green - haired ponytail guy) was very downcast with the Raimon Eleven's latest defeat in the hands of Genesis (another team from Alieus Academy)and Shawn's (Fubuki's) serious injury that he decided to lay low from the team for a while. As for the latter, Jessie had to say goodbye to her Dustox so that it could be together with another Dustox (the one with brown wings that belonged to another random trainer) as they went to the so - called "Dustox Crossing", the time when the Dustox fly off in a form of a golden archway to Mt. Coronet so that they could start a new life and have a family in a flower field there.

It's indeed very painful when we experience separation, whether it's going to another place for a while, or watching a friend depart to somewhere else without turning back. But still, changes are permanent, and we have no choice but to accept it, if it's necessary.

Whatever it is, it's important to keep memories of friends in our hearts, so that it will always be worthwhile.

That's enough ranting for now... Signing off... ^^

Black Rock Shooter, one - of - a - kind

I first heard of Black Rock Shooter from the show entitled "Culture: Japan" by Danny Choo. There was a company known to produce excellent figurines (known as GoodSmile Company), and the figure details are very good. The main protagonist there was a hit, especially with that cool pose. Here's the pic:

Ok, enough ranting about the figurine, for I'm now talking about the anime show itself.

For the unitiated, Black Rock Shooter focuses on two sides of the coin: the real world, and the alternate world. In the real world, two girls meet and become friends, but later on, one of the girls disappears and her friend becomes worried about what will happen to her.


Meanwhile, in the alternate world, the main protagonist (the girl with back hair tied into pigtails and pale blue eyes with the left one blazing with a blue flame, wielding a oh - so - big cannon which can change into any weapon) is at constant warfare with the villain (the girl with the same hair color but with a somehow wavy hairstyle and pale green eyes, with the Grim Reaper scythe as her weapon and can control black skulls with glowing eye-holes). Later on, with a warm hug, the menacing spirit is finally defeated and the real person turns out to be the main character's friend who vanished from the real world. Eventually, the main protagonist crosses paths with her look - a - like and merges with her. In the end, the two friends go back to their normal lives, but things don't look as they seem in the end, with another girl acting strangely again.


Want a clearer picture? Look here.


But still, it's a great show to watch, especially with the fight scenes and the tensions going on. The drawings are indeed very gorgeous and neat, but not that original, since some speculate that the gun-wielding girl may be similar to Vocaloid's Hatsune Miku in terms of the hairstyle.


Here's another pic of the gunslinger, this time it's from an artist in DeviantArt:

If that's interesting for you, put Black Rock Shooter onto your watch list. I'm sure it's worth the hype!


See ya later, fellow readers! ^^

When vigilance is a must

Anything can happen even when we least expect it, whether it is good or bad. In my mom's case, it was bad, really bad. Her golden - color bag was stolen by a thief while she's in a restaurant in Bacolod. One minute, she was enjoying the food, and then, she realized that her bag's gone missing once another minute was passed. Now she lost all the important stuff: her purse, house keys, ATM cards, EVERYTHING!

We all know that stealing other people's things is a crime, but still, there are other people who still do it, usually due to poverty or even problems that involve money. It's very traumatic to experience being stolen by someone, and for those who do the deed, it may be fun at first, but in the end, karma can be unforgiving.


That's why it's important to always watch our backs and keep on guard. After all, the signs that read "Please keep an eye on your valuables" is always posted for this. And if you see someone stealing, don't hesitate to report. It may be worth the trouble... ^^


So remember, I repeat, always be on guard! Now signing off...

 

Mendoza hostage taking, a tragedy indeed

Up to now, I could still remember the recent hostage taking in Quirino Grandstand, with Rolando Mendoza being the mastermind of it all. The pictures were indeed still clear in my mind: poor tourists being held hostage inside the bus, police shooting guns like mad, and even the cries of people who were mere witnesses of the tragedy. It was indeed a tragedy that will forever be marked in the pages of Philippine history.

In case you haven't heard of it, check out this video:























I mean, what the heck is wrong with the hostage taker? All I know what he was indeed very desperate and hysterical about having his plea of clearing up his name not answered up to now. But still, I hope he had to come up with another way to discuss the problem, the one that does not involve putting innocent lives in danger.


But unfortunately, it's too late now. He was already dead, and his poor brother, Gregorio, was coerced to explain what exactly happened in the court. Even his family members couldn't help but to witness that incident helplessly.


But the worst of all, tourism here in the Philippines would slowly go down the drain... ><


I sure hope such things would never happen again, for the country's reputation would indeed be tarnished with a stain that would be hard to clean.


Ok, that's enough ranting. Now signing off...


EDIT: Put up the name of the hostage taker. Sorry if my memory's not clear... ^^;

About the growth (and demise) of MMORPGS in the PH

Nowadays, MMORPGS are one of the popular sources of entertainment for Filipinos, as well as one of the most popular business opportunities, with the growth of Internet cafes and game publishers. Online gamers would flock at their favorite gaming spots and spend lots of time grinding and doing quests to fortify their characters, no matter what attack style they would be. More importantly, MMORPGs are also a way to socialize, with chatting and forming parties with friends and fellow players.

The MMORPG phenomenon started with Ragnarok Online, published by Level Up! Games, way back in 2003. Although not many people play the game like it used to be back in the early years, it was still marked as a unforgettable memory and still garnered a strong following, with lots of updates to keep it going.

More importantly, Level Up! Games now has a long list of online games for players to enjoy, including Flyff (formerly under NetGames Inc., which is now disbanded), Grand Chase, Hello Kitty Online, Perfect World, Rohan Online, and even KOS: Secret Operations, its first MMOFPS. It even brings international games to Pinoys, like Neo Steam, Silkroad Online and Deco Online.

From one online game publisher, others decided to step up to the competition, like E-Games. E-Games also managed to attract attention like its predecessor, with RAN Online as its debut MMORPG. And now, it still continues to entice gamers with Cabal Online, Dragonica, Runes of Magic, Nostale, Granado Espada, Audition Dance Battle, OP7, and its newest titles, Superstar (karaoke) and Band Master (instruments). And so there you have it, many more publishers will soon be coming, and still counting.

But if there are more online games coming into the spotlight, there are other online games reaching their end, which led to their ultimate demise. If you ever checked Alcarcalimo's post about the closing of Lineage 2 SEA here, and even the latest news about ZX Online's upcoming shutdown here, you'll get my point. I know it's melancholic, but as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end.


So there, now you understand what is like to be a customer in the online gaming market, whether you're a hardcore gamer, casual player, or itching to try something new. I hope this will open your eyes to enjoy the life of an online gamer

Discovering more about Japan's culture

With so many things to love about Japan, the country has become a popular place for people to flock in. One would just wish he or she would live there to relish the delicacies of Japanese culture.

Speaking of Japanese culture, I just watched the TV show entitled "Culture: Japan", hosted by popular blogger Danny Choo and K-On voice actress Satomi Oda. The show features some of the stuff that make the land of the rising sun very famous. Here are a few of them featured in the episode:

Cosplay: Popular Pinoy cosplayer Alodia Gonsiengfiao was featured there, with a sneak peek about her home which is also a workshop for her cosplay sorties.

Anime Figures: Mr. Choo was granted permission for a tour about Good Smile Company, the guys behind some of the most renowned anime figurines. The show even featured a few of the figure collectors and Amiami rated the top 10 best figurines to look out for.

Anime: DigitalHolywood was included there also, which served as a training ground for all future animators all over the globe.

Student Life: Fujisawa High School was indeed a school of its own kind, which allowed students to create their own time tables to suit their interests. 

I sure hope there will be another episode of the show, so that viewers everywhere would savor more about the Japanese pop culture. I hope this will spark your interest... ^^

For more about Danny Choo's blog, you can visit dannychoo.com

Oh, and here's Alodia's website for an added bonus: alodiagosiengfiao.com

Of sibling relationships (in anime)

One of the plots you would usually see in anime shows is family relationships, particularly towards siblings. Most of them have featured characters that have either brothers or sisters, or even both. The closeness between them are somehow similar in real life, wherein it differs depending on the situation. It's somehow complicated, but let me simplify this: either they became allies or enemies, and, in some cases, they remained close even though they could not reunite due to unfortunate circumstances.

Here are a few examples:

First on the list is Sasuke and Itachi Uchiha from Naruto. I know how you guys feel when you discover that Itachi's the one responsible for the extermination of their clan. The usual reaction would be anger and retribution for the dead, and it goes the same for Sasuke against Itachi.

Another is Makoto and Kyoichi Shido from Idaten Jump. At first, Makoto wondered if the masked rider is really her brother and why she could not see him immediately, but after rediscovering her MTB bike and removing the masked man's helm, it was indeed a miracle that her guess was right, and she understood the reasons as to why Kyoichi had to conceal his face and go on separate ways from her and his friends, especially if it involves Team ST.

Lastly, there goes Tyson and Hiro from Beyblade G-Revolution. Hiro may seem to be a bad guy at first, especially when he defeats Ray and watches Tyson battling against other beybladers, much to the Tyson's chagrin, but at the regional finals, when he reveals his face to Tyson at last, it was indeed a tearful reunion. After all, one must sometimes camouflage to keep an eye on the person he or she loves most.

So there you have it, folks, the application of real - life sibling relationships in anime shows. Whether it's sibling rivalry, discord, or close bonds, what matters the most is that family is one important factor in one's life, and one must be glad to have grown-up with family members.

That's all, folks! Gotta continue my Beybade G-Revolution marathon! ^^