Drakensang Online, the award-winning action RPG and MMO, is in the midst of preparing the largest content update in its history. With an already improved game entry, new group finding features and the unfavoured Crystals of Truth removed from the game, Drakensang promises to delight hardcore fans and new players alike.
“We’ve got much more in store for everyone”, says Drakensang Online Producer Jonathan Lindsay. “We’re in the process of making PvP battles even more exciting as we are currently designing a Guild Battle system. For those who are looking for something more than PvP, the content expansion will also encompass substantial upgrades across the whole world of Drakensang Online. In terms of graphics, gameplay, and content, we are beginning a new chapter in Drakensang’s history. We anticipate releasing this groundbreaking update in the summer months. Action RPG and MMO fans are going to be blown away.”
The content expansion comprises of a whole new continent, an increased level cap, a host of new NPCs and monsters plus a wealth of in-game and graphical improvements. The continent will be called Lor’Tac – the World’s Heart. Lor’Tac will lead into a completely new part of Drakensang´s world Dracania, and will appear heavily influenced by Aztec and Polynesian culture. Set in a tropical rain forest, the player will fight in more than 10 new maps against more than a dozen new monsters and encounter two new tribes. The level cap will be increased from 45 to level 50. In addition to this new continent, the skill and talent system will be completely overhauled for all four character classes to allow for a much greater level of customisation in combat.
Already improved game play
“Our main goal for the last few months is to improve core gameplay”, says Jonathan Lindsay. “In the past, Crystals of Truth were needed to identify a looted item before being able to equip, but they were rare or expensive to obtain. This monetization feature tended to damage the core game loop of slay, loot, equip. For the last 6 months we’ve been working hard to make it possible to remove the often maligned Crystals from the game and now they are finally gone. We’ve also changed the ‘Essences’ power-up so that it no longer does any damage in PvP, as we felt it was lame to be defeated by someone just because they were using stronger Essences. With these two big changes plus the new group finder function and completely new game entry, there’s never been a better time to try out Drakensang Online.”
The Dwarf character class was previously only available to premium members or players level 35 and up. Now, the Steam Mechanicus is available to all players for free and has also undergone significant improvements. Previous premium feature ‘auto-collect’ of gold and other currencies is now also available for everyone.
“We wanted to make sure that the game was fun to play for free players too, since they are an important part of the community and, in the end, we as a team want to make great games that everyone loves to play”, remarked Lindsay.
Thanks to extensive visual improvements, new character animations and changes to the game’s environment, Drakensang Online has dramatically increased its overall quality level. As part of this, the world of Dracania has become a little darker and more mysterious than before. Hundreds of destroyable objects and numerous NPC’s (Non-Player Characters) have been added to the game, thereby making it possible for players to interact more with the game world. Players seeking action and adventure now have over 900 quests and 90 maps at their fingertips. If that were not enough, there are also events running every month that unlock access to hidden areas of the game world, where especially valuable loot can be found.
