Florensia

Exclusive Florensia Interview

Zyuu — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 08:47:44 GMT

We recently had a chance to interview Florensia's team at Burda:ic – about the game, how things are going and what players can expect in the future.

What about Florensia was it that made Burda:ic interested enough to license it for the western market?

What really interested us were the unique look and feel of the title, as well as the strong set of features it boasted. We saw many other possible games, but we had the feeling something was missing, be it a lack of graphical power or features. We were shown Florensia a year ago, and were so impressed with its potential that we licensed it immediately.

How do you think Florensia will do within the very highly competitive MMORPG market? What kind of impact will it have?

Florensia unites many interesting aspects of both free-to-play and pay-to-play games. High-quality, anime-inspired graphics are combined with surprisingly dark and mature content, resulting is a title that appeals to beginners and hardcore gamers alike. A unique dual battle system also allows players to individualize their characters by choosing to specialize in either land or sea battling. Furthermore, future features like sealed items, siege warfare, faction wars, pet system, trading, and instanced dungeons are being developed around community feedback. Florensia is free-to-play, but we aim to have the same level of support that most subscription-based MMOs feature. The website will also support the community, acting as an international portal, offering community features such as blogs, personalized avatars, and rankings. With the close connection to alaplaya.eu, registered users are able to benefit from the free features there as well.

Can you tell us more about the four different base classes?

First of all, Florensia has more to offer than just the four base classes. In August, we are planning to release a class change system that will allow users to change to one of two possible extended jobs at level 40, for a total of 12 different classes. Furthermore, the users are completely free to create unique builds specializing in one of the six stat values and the skills they prefer. Skills often depend on specific weapons, so balancing a character takes some very strategic thinking.

Explorer (can later change to Excavator or Sniper): The Explorer is a swift and rapid gunner who wields either a rifle or dual pistols. With consecutive shots, movement and dexterity buffs, and the ability to wear light armor, they are firmly focused on ranged combat. Mercenary (can later change to Gladiator or Guardian Swordsman): A classical warrior type, the Mercenary can specialize on one-handed Swords / Shield or two-handed Swords. He can either provoke and tank the monsters or act as offensive fighter. Noble (can later change to Court Magician or Magic Knight): As magicians, Nobles need to keep their distance or use their abilities to distract the enemy as they prepare their elemental attacks. They wield either a magic stone called a Cariad or a light Rapier to reinforce their powers. Also able to enslave monsters, the Noble is far more than just the classic elemental mage. Saint (can later change to Priest or Shaman): Unlike the classic buff and heal character, the Saint can is quite capable of defending him or herself with attacks of light and darkness. Since the skill tree allows you to choose both offensive and supporting spells, choosing a Saint doesn't necessarily mean you will spend your time passively healing and supporting other party members.

What can you tell us about the Pirate class?

Unfortunately, our users will have to wait a little longer for the first details on the Pirate class to be revealed. What we can say is that the Pirate is rumored to be a swift and deadly melee fighter, theoretically the ideal counterpart to the heavy-hitting Mercenary.

How does PVP work in Florensia?

For now, there are two basic PVP modes available in Florensia: one-on-one combat and the party-versus-party duel system. In both cases, users or parties can challenge each other directly by activating their PVP mode and right-clicking on the enemy. A Duel Stone then marks the PVP area, with the system automatically recognizing wins and losses. We consider these basic modes to be very important as preparation for upcoming siege, faction, and guild war features.

We've received a short sneak peek on the upcoming dungeon called Avery, is there anything else you can tell us about it?

In the underground below Avery Mansion, Lord Avery built a laboratory to study the magical impact of Sprites on humans. Under pressure from the two Unions who control Florensia, Lord Avery extended the experiments too far, losing control of the magic and killing every person within the mansion. Enchanted by the Spirits, their tortured souls still wander the grounds, haunting those who dare to set foot within its walls.

Players wandering the dark and mystic halls of Lord Avery's mansion will encounter monsters both sinister and bestial, including skeletons, werewolves, vampires, mutated forms of lesser monsters, and a giant boss. Players are discouraged from entering the dungeon before level 40, but that may change with the addition of second classes and the upcoming balancing patch. Once that update adds Monster skills to the game, the harder enemies should make Avery Mansion a much more dangerous place.

And any other dungeons you feel deserve to get mentioned that players might find exciting to visit?

Each island has its own special dungeon designed for players of an appropriate level. Cardiff Island’s Fox Den, ruled by boss monster Silver Vixen, should prove quite challenging to starting players. On Magnel Island, the remains of an ancient castle called Tulach Dungeon contain a plethora of horrible monsters. Adventurous sailors may find their way to the Sea of Bones dungeon, a darkly impressive area with skeletons and sea monsters just waiting to be discovered. Braver, mid-level seafarers may find that the island Hideout of the Pirates of the Black Dragon is just the challenge they need.

Having your own ship is something that is getting attention from MMORPG players across the world, tell us more about how this works, what impact does it have?

Players may currently choose between five ship types, each of which is a small or medium-sized craft. Leveling up on the sea will allow players to move up the naval skill tree and specialize in abilities appropriate to the ship type. Each of the five ship classes, Armored, Big Gun, Torpedo, Maintenance, and Assault, may be equipped with at least nine different pieces, from guns to masts. There are also special parts for each type and special sets for various level ranges. At the dock, players may modify and register their ship, buy food and ammo, and hire a crew as they prepare to set sail. Keeping an eye on details like the ocean currents and the wind, they may either travel in peace mode or switch to war mode and man the cannons against attacking monsters. The upcoming balancing update will diversify these ship types even further.

You say that Florensia will have its open beta sometime in July, can you be more specific?

We are planning to launch the open beta of Florensia on three servers toward the end of July.

Do you have any favorite aspect of Florensia?

As a team, we all like the fact that Florensia hasn’t yet shown its full potential. The game is steadily growing, and comparing the peaceful atmosphere with the sinister horrors of Avery Dungeon should give you an idea of what to expect in the future. Details like the carefully planned updates, the upcoming class change system, the dark storyline, and the dual battle system are very exciting to us.

Siege warfare is an interesting feature, what can we expect from it and how does it work?

We can't disclose too many details yet, but unused islands like Cony or Ron will probably be integrated into the siege warfare system. Besides siege warfare, other PVP features focused on the Unions and guilds are also being planned for future updates.

Content patches for free to play MMOs are often released much later than they are in their original language. Since Florensia is originally a Japanese MMO, do you think content patches will be behind times by a lot or do you have measures in place to release content in a swift manner?

Currently, we are completely in sync with the Japanese version. Even if we have to translate all new content into six, soon to be seven, languages, we will always attempt to stay very close to the original Japanese text. In working with Netts, we have found a company who understands the need of a constant content flow.

We asked you to tell us your favorite aspect of the game, but, what kind of feature do you think will make players stay and really enjoy Florensia, what put it apart from the rest?

Hopefully the new features we announced with the open beta will make players curious. Furthermore, Netts is creating a sophisticated gameplay system with trading, production, and war. These features should give players a varied selection of in-game goals. The three main islands and current seafaring options will get new high-level content as well. With all of these upcoming additions, we think there are quite a few surprises left to attract new players.

How many dungeons will exist when Florensia launch in North America and Europe?

Five in total: three on shore, one on a special island occupied by Pirates, and one at sea.

Florensia sports a dual battle system, what can you tell us about it?

The dual battle system gives players the freedom to choose whether they want to level their character on land or at sea, as well as the ability to specialize in both kinds of combat. The sea system is harder to master, but every player will have to give it a try if they want to visit the other islands.

Exploring "the vast ocean" is emphasized when reading up about Florensia, how vast is the ocean so far, what can we expect from checking it out?

The ocean is indeed vast, and large parts of it remain unexplored. It will take a few minutes to travel between the small harbors attached to each island. The Sea of Bones and the Pirates of the Black Dragon Hideout are currently the only combat-related areas, but more will follow.

What can you tell us about the quests and its system?

The quests are an important part of any game, inviting the users to complete tasks and increase their levels. On the one hand, unique and class-specific quests will guide players through the fields and dungeons as they kill monsters, collect items, lead NPCs, and fulfill delivery tasks. On the other hand, there are “Shell Quests,” repeatable jobs that reward with specific items or money. Shells have to be bought in town and each Shell Quest is designed for a specific level range. We especially recommend the "Start of the Adventure" quest for new players. It is a step-by-step guide to the movement and control systems, handed out by the guild master of each profession.

Rumors say there will be a way to build cities, if true, anything you can share with us?

We would like to let this stay a rumor for now. We’ve started thinking in this direction, but nothing that can be revealed in the near future.

Finally, the pet system in Florensia, could you tell us how it works?

There will be different opportunities to hatch and raise a pet. Once players qualify, they may find pets that need to be rescued from strong boss monsters or received as rewards for special tasks. Pets will evolve and become stronger as they join the player in battle.

We'd like to thank the Florensia team at Burda:ic for taking the time to answer our questions. Hopefully the interview was informative for everyone reading!

For more information on Florensia, check out our Florensia portal

Florensia is currently in Open Beta.

Florensia Open Beta Launched

Zyuu — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 03:52:54 GMT

Today Burda:ic a publisher of online games worldwide, announced the open beta launch of Florensia, a free-to-play MMORPG from Japanese developer NETTS. Following a highly successful closed beta period, players the world over are now invited to traverse vast lands and sail the open seas in search of dark dungeons and undiscovered treasure. With four starting classes and a huge variety of weapons and spells from which to choose, Florensia is a rousing adventure that blends vibrant, 3D graphics with classically accessible MMORPG gameplay.

Florensia Closed Beta 3 Launched

Zyuu — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 03:13:27 GMT

Florensia Closed Beta 3 is now open. According to Burda:ic, the company behind Florensia in Europe and the US, the Closed Beta 3 will last around one week.

With the new 1.5gb Closed Beta 3 client, many things has changed and been improved upon. Many more languages are supported and you gain more experience when leveling up. There's much more, though.

This is the final Closed Beta phase and after the Closed Beta 3 closes, they will continue to improve the game and after that's done, Open Beta will commence.

Find out more about Florensia at our Florensia Portal.

Hope you enjoy the keys we gave out!

Florensia Closed Beta 3 Key Giveaway

Zyuu — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 21:35:04 GMT

Curse.com is happy to reveal that we're giving away keys for the upcoming Closed Beta 3 of Florensia. It's scheduled to begin the 10th June. Only registered members of our community can acquire a key. If you're not registered with Curse.com yet, sign up for a Curse.com account here.

Keys will be distributed via our Private Messaging system. The amount of keys we give away are quite a few, however, we will only give them away between today (Saturday) and until end of Sunday. After Sunday has passed, our key give away is closed.

To get a key for the Florensia Closed Beta 3 test follow the steps below:

** Giveaway is over **

For further information about how to register your beta key and sign up, visit the official Florensia website.

Florensia is a completely free next-generation 3D fantasy MMOG from Japan providing a whole new world, the vast ocean and various features supporting experiences on both land and sea. The international version of the game aims to get people from all over the world outside Asia connected in order to protect the frail balance between peace and war in Florensia together. Create and develop your own personal character, build a ship and train your abilities afloat and ashore with the unique dual battle system of Florensia.

After the so-called great upheaval, all that remains of the once prosperous continent Lux Plena is a few islands and the uncharted wilderness of the sea. Numerous dangers threaten the survivors who now have to fight great battles against various monsters and human hazards in order to survive. But even among the humans themselves, peace and harmony are rare and valuable, as various unions and factions attempt to gain the absolute power.

In the old language of the ancestors, "Florensia" means "travelling and working for your goals, going ahead on the way of life". Everyone in the known world - may it be the pirates, the brave adventurers or the monsters on the open sea - is working for their goals, so that "Florensia" becomes the reason for their existence.

The ocean inherits many secrets - new islands, dungeons and ways to train your character will be available in the future. Listen to the wind whispering ancient tales from a time where magic was the most valuable of all arts. Documents from back then will be deciphered, tragic tales of war and friendship, of union and chaos will be revealed.

Features:

Develop your own character

Choose among four base character classes and reach level 40 as in the future, you will be able to change your jobclass. Each base class will be able to decide between two different paths - so who will you be?

Explorers are fleet-fooded masters of swiftness with many powerful and lethal attacks for either guns or light melee weapons. With their light equipment, they need to act wisely while being surrounded by enemies, but their talent for rapid attacks and critical hits saves them.

Nobles fight with elemental and spiritual magic power and illusions to trap and kill their enemies in a very effective way. Being able to teleport when in danger, they can for example conjure the heat of all-consuming fire and strike many enemies at the same time.

Mercenaries are brave melee warriors who can either tank and withstand enemies or choose the offensive way of combat. Using various types of swords, they keep control over the whole combat situation using well-placed strokes while supporting their friends with battle shouts.

Saints can either support their friends as healers using the power of light. But they can as well attack with the divine power of light and nature or call upon the shadows of the night for offensive battle. Although they seem fragile, an underestimation will lead to a painful lesson.

Rumors tell that that Pirates have been seen attacking like sharp spears, incapacitating and mercilessly killing their enemies. Will it one day be possible to study the skills and techniques of those mysterious assaulters? In the future, the mysteries of the Pirate Union will be uncovered and the Pirate will be available as fifth base character class to choose from.

Collect various sets of equipment, choose your individual looks. Improve your level and spend your status point in order to create a unique build. Complete the skill trees of your choice and learn how to become a braver fighting for the sake of your beloved.

In the future, you will be able to hatch and raise a pet. Not only on your travels, but as well in combat, this valuable companion will aid you.

Upgrade your equipment and fight with the best gear available ingame for your personal goals. Solve quests and riddles to gain treasures and to increase your knowledge of the world of Florensia. Special features, such as the fishing system, will help you gain money and to get connected with other players.

Explore the countryside and the vast ocean

The unique dual battle system of Florensia allows you to increase both land and sea level of your character. While fighting in instanced dungeons or on the open field, your land level will increase. But after a while, the adventuresomeness will lead you to the dock where you can build your personal ship. Collect the various ship pieces, choose among five different types in various sizes and set sails with a hired crew. Complete the naval skill tree and find the perfect ship for your purposes:

Ironclads are huge armored ships with strong defensive abilities that won’t draw aside when it comes to direct confrontations

Ram Ships are swift offensive ships that cause lethal damage using cannons or shocking horns

Giant Cannon Ships are specialized on long-distance fights and can cause damage to a wide area

Assault Frigates don’t have the highest defensive or offensive powers, but due to their high speed, they can swiftly fire at enemies without getting caught

Logistic Support Ships can repair other ships by means of various repair devices and buffs and furthermore, they can place underwater mines to slow the enemies

On the open sea, huge monstrosities will cross your way. Aside the three known islands of Cardiff, Exeter and Magnal, other islets or dungeons might await you somewhere beyond the horizon.

But even on shore, dangerous encounters can not be avoided. Fight in the darkest dungeons and find out more about the dark secrets, the ancestors of Lux Plena left behind for makind.

Prepare for unique PvP battles

Join a guild and be a part of the upcoming PvP battle system. Duel your friends and foes afloat and ashore and increase your fighting skills. And the training's not for nothing: In the future, it will be possible to fight against other guilds in various PvP modes. Special PvP zones will be added to witness glorious fights.

Powers will be unleashed, greater goals than the will of single guilds will form alliances battling for resources and reputation. Siege warfare is the key to honor and glory and only the best ones will be able to occupy a harbor in the end.

Impressive graphics, monsters and game design

Florensia presents itself with distinct and detailed graphics the adventurers can immerse themselves into. Monsters from the innocent Dodo to the mighty Draug bewitch the eyes of those who dare to enter this world. Ancient castles, blooming towns and harmonious landscapes may suggest peace and harmony, but deep inside the heartland and on the ocean, human and monstrous enemies are seeking power.

Special Feature: Avery Dungeon close-up (Future update)

Many people in Florensia have their own tragic story. One of them is the owner of the Avery Manor House. In the underground below the noble villa, he built a secret laboratory using dark magic and the aid of a Union. Humans were brought to the laboratory for mysterious experiments and their souls shattered, remaining in the magically sealed laboratory.

After a while, the magic could not be controlled any more and those who tried to fight the tortured souls back got killed themselves. Although the powerful initiates of the experiments try to keep the rumours down, it is not sure how much longer the situation can remain stable...

Florensia Trailer

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Florensia: Further Closed Beta 3 information

Zyuu — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 17:00:20 GMT

Burda:ic have announced that the Closed Beta 3 of Florensia will probably start on June 10 and last around one week. A new game client can be downloaded for free from June 9 on.

http://www.florensia.eu/florensia/pag.../multimedia.html

Some announced and other unexpected changes have taken place in the meantime. Florensia will now be available in six different languages: English, German, Spanish, French, Portuguese and Italian. Turkish will as well be added soon. A separate forum section will be added to the official Florensia forum where users can report potential language bugs.

http://www.florensia.eu/forum/

Furthermore, small content updates will also be added to the game client. Among other things, the map system will be revised and the launcher will now offer the possibility to select the game's language. In addition to the first world server LuxPlena, a second server called Pardioc will be opened and all users will be given a small gift to enhance their looks and gaming experience.

After the CB 3, there will be a complete wipe. For the OB, new content will be added to the game as well as the new Florensia website. The users will probably not have to download a new client for the OB.

Florensia Closed Beta 3 Soon

Zyuu — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 02:58:01 GMT

Florensia Closed Beta 3 should be out soon. We will give away 3000 Florensia Closed Beta 3 keys soon. Stay tuned.

Dear players,

we would like to inform you that the patches we created together with Netts are almost done. We are currently planning to launch the new client on June 9 in the late afternoon (Time zones / UTC+2 Central European Summer Time) so that we can probably open the servers for the CB 3 on June 10 (late afternoon / early evening UTC+2) for a week plus one or two days.

Please note that these dates and times can still change depending on possible problems with the client!

What has changed?

Well, quite some things actually! You will be able to play Florensia in English, Spanish, German, French, Portuguese, Italian.

Please note that there are still some language issues that need to be fixed - and we need your help for that! We will open a new forum section once the CB 3 has started where you can report all the language bugs you find. Please note that there are also some phrases in the English client that are not as neat as they should be (: We will fix the things either during the CB 3 or between CB 3 and OB.

And what else?!

We call it "small content additions" 8-) I'll tell you more on June 9 / June 10, I promise. Just keep an eye on this thread! We haven't forgotten about the gimmick we promised all players in the newsletter either.

Furthermore, some more key giveaways will take place within the next few days. Invite your friends to Florensia and play together with them - the more the merrier.

One last thing before I wish you good luck and patience - please note there will be a wipe between the CB 3 and the OB. In the CB 3, everything you achieved and all your characters will however still be available.

Good luck with the keys and thanks for your patience!

Regards Florensia Staff

New MMO added: Florensia

Zyuu — Sat, 10 May 2008 15:44:52 GMT

We've just added a new game to Curse, Florensia. Check out our new Florensia portal, filled with information about the game, screenshots, videos and a special feature: Avery Dungeon close-up.

We will be giving away 3000 closed beta keys for Florensia soon. Keep checking back.