Tera Online News

The Velika Guardian
Issue 3

Extra! Extra! Read All About It!

Hot off the virtual presses, the third issue of the Velika Guardian is here! Isn’t it nice to enjoy your weekly TERA community news magazine without pesky subscription inserts falling out onto the floor? As always, hit us up at community@enmasse.com with your news tips and clever suggestions for the Guardian!


Focus Group Test 2 Westernization Postmortem Published

Learn what our Focus Group testers thought about our Westernization efforts for TERA in our second FGT2 postmortem article. The first article addressed the gameplay experience while this one covers the game's comprehensive localization efforts as described in the article's opening passage:


Read the entire FGT2 Westernization postmortem article. Or if you missed it, check out the first postmortem article on gameplay.


Producer Sam Kim on Ten Ton Hammer Live on May 29th

Tune in to TERA! This Saturday, En Masse Producer Sam Kim speak with Ten Ton Hammer Live, the MMO news website’s live streaming podcast. Sam will answer TERA questions from Ten Ton Hammer and its community. The podcast begins at 7:00 PM Eastern (12:00 AM GMT).

Visit TenTonHammer.com for more information.


Vote in ZAM.com’s Poll on MMOs at E3 2010!

ZAM.com has published a new poll asking which MMO title you most want to learn more about at this year’s E3. Guess what? TERA is in the running! Cast your vote on the ZAM.com website.


En Masse Staff Interview Round-Up

If you’ll forgive the pun, we’ve been participating in interviews en masse this month! We know it's not easy to keep track of them all so we've compiled links to all of this week's interviews: TenTonHammer.com chatted up VP of Publishing Chris Lee on user-created content in MMOs, Producer Sam Kim discussed core game elements in an interview on Stratics.com, and Lead Writer David Noonan answered Examiner.com’s TERA lore questions and provided six new screenshots. In the realm of TERA fansites, Senior Producer Brian Knox spoke with Italian fansite TERAOnline.it about PvP and German fansite TERA-Welten.de interviewed Community Director Jason “BrotherMagneto” Mical.

With all this interviewing, you may think we’ve lost our virtual voices. Think again: more interviews are coming your way next week!


Screenshots of the Week: Set 3

Feast your eyes on three of the cities and towns you’ll visit in TERA in the third installment of our weekly screenshot feature. Beyond the majesty of Velika lie Lumbertown and Crecentia, two villages that each border two different forests filled with unique creatures. Head over to the official TERA forums and vote for which woodland Screenshots of the Week should feature next!



Scope out Screenshots of the Week: Set 3.


TERAHispano.com Publishes "Road to Velika" Walkthrough

Spanish TERA fansite TERAHispano.com has produced a new article based on players' experiences during our second Focus Group Test: a walkthrough of TERA’s first few levels leading up to the city of Velika. Read about the new character experience from creation to level 11 on TERAHispano.com!


TERA’s First Fan Art Contest Ends Soon!

Have you entered the first TERA Fan Art Contest yet? Time is running out!

Post your original masterpiece on the official TERA forums for a chance to have it featured in our June newsletter along with a short blurb about your artistry. But hurry up: the deadline for contest submissions is next Friday, June 4th! Check out the excellent entries made so far and submit your own in the Fan Art Contest thread!

One more word on digital newspaper versus dead tree newspaper: your risk of papercut while reading the Velika Guardian averages around zero.
-- Scapes

The Velika Guardian
Issue 3

Extra! Extra! Read All About It!

Hot off the virtual presses, the third issue of the Velika Guardian is here! Isn’t it nice to enjoy your weekly TERA community news magazine without pesky subscription inserts falling out onto the floor? As always, hit us up at community@enmasse.com with your news tips and clever suggestions for the Guardian!


Focus Group Test 2 Westernization Postmortem Published

Learn what our Focus Group testers thought about our Westernization efforts for TERA in our second FGT2 postmortem article. The first article addressed the gameplay experience while this one covers the game's comprehensive localization efforts as described in the article's opening passage:


Read the entire FGT2 Westernization postmortem article. Or if you missed it, check out the first postmortem article on gameplay.


Producer Sam Kim on Ten Ton Hammer Live on May 29th

Tune in to TERA! This Saturday, En Masse Producer Sam Kim speak with Ten Ton Hammer Live, the MMO news website’s live streaming podcast. Sam will answer TERA questions from Ten Ton Hammer and its community. The podcast begins at 7:00 PM Eastern (12:00 AM GMT).

Visit TenTonHammer.com for more information.


Vote in ZAM.com’s Poll on MMOs at E3 2010!

ZAM.com has published a new poll asking which MMO title you most want to learn more about at this year’s E3. Guess what? TERA is in the running! Cast your vote on the ZAM.com website.


En Masse Staff Interview Round-Up

If you’ll forgive the pun, we’ve been participating in interviews en masse this month! We know it's not easy to keep track of them all so we've compiled links to all of this week's interviews: TenTonHammer.com chatted up VP of Publishing Chris Lee on user-created content in MMOs, Producer Sam Kim discussed core game elements in an interview on Stratics.com, and Lead Writer David Noonan answered Examiner.com’s TERA lore questions and provided six new screenshots. In the realm of TERA fansites, Senior Producer Brian Knox spoke with Italian fansite TERAOnline.it about PvP and German fansite TERA-Welten.de interviewed Community Director Jason “BrotherMagneto” Mical.

With all this interviewing, you may think we’ve lost our virtual voices. Think again: more interviews are coming your way next week!


Screenshots of the Week: Set 3

Feast your eyes on three of the cities and towns you’ll visit in TERA in the third installment of our weekly screenshot feature. Beyond the majesty of Velika lie Lumbertown and Crecentia, two villages that each border two different forests filled with unique creatures. Head over to the official TERA forums and vote for which woodland Screenshots of the Week should feature next!



Scope out Screenshots of the Week: Set 3.


TERAHispano.com Publishes "Road to Velika" Walkthrough

Spanish TERA fansite TERAHispano.com has produced a new article based on players' experiences during our second Focus Group Test: a walkthrough of TERA’s first few levels leading up to the city of Velika. Read about the new character experience from creation to level 11 on TERAHispano.com!


TERA’s First Fan Art Contest Ends Soon!

Have you entered the first TERA Fan Art Contest yet? Time is running out!

Post your original masterpiece on the official TERA forums for a chance to have it featured in our June newsletter along with a short blurb about your artistry. But hurry up: the deadline for contest submissions is next Friday, June 4th! Check out the excellent entries made so far and submit your own in the Fan Art Contest thread!

One more word on digital newspaper versus dead tree newspaper: your risk of papercut while reading the Velika Guardian averages around zero.
-- Scapes

The Velika Guardian
Issue 3

Extra! Extra! Read All About It!

Hot off the virtual presses, the third issue of the Velika Guardian is here! Isn’t it nice to enjoy your weekly TERA community news magazine without pesky subscription inserts falling out onto the floor? As always, hit us up at community@enmasse.com with your news tips and clever suggestions for the Guardian!


Focus Group Test 2 Westernization Postmortem Published

Learn what our Focus Group testers thought about our Westernization efforts for TERA in our second FGT2 postmortem article. The first article addressed the gameplay experience while this one covers the game's comprehensive localization efforts as described in the article's opening passage:


Read the entire FGT2 Westernization postmortem article. Or if you missed it, check out the first postmortem article on gameplay.


Producer Sam Kim on Ten Ton Hammer Live on May 29th

Tune in to TERA! This Saturday, En Masse Producer Sam Kim speak with Ten Ton Hammer Live, the MMO news website’s live streaming podcast. Sam will answer TERA questions from Ten Ton Hammer and its community. The podcast begins at 7:00 PM Eastern (12:00 AM GMT).

Visit TenTonHammer.com for more information.


Vote in ZAM.com’s Poll on MMOs at E3 2010!

ZAM.com has published a new poll asking which MMO title you most want to learn more about at this year’s E3. Guess what? TERA is in the running! Cast your vote on the ZAM.com website.


En Masse Staff Interview Round-Up

If you’ll forgive the pun, we’ve been participating in interviews en masse this month! We know it's not easy to keep track of them all so we've compiled links to all of this week's interviews: TenTonHammer.com chatted up VP of Publishing Chris Lee on user-created content in MMOs, Producer Sam Kim discussed core game elements in an interview on Stratics.com, and Lead Writer David Noonan answered Examiner.com’s TERA lore questions and provided six new screenshots. In the realm of TERA fansites, Senior Producer Brian Knox spoke with Italian fansite TERAOnline.it about PvP and German fansite TERA-Welten.de interviewed Community Director Jason “BrotherMagneto” Mical.

With all this interviewing, you may think we’ve lost our virtual voices. Think again: more interviews are coming your way next week!


Screenshots of the Week: Set 3

Feast your eyes on three of the cities and towns you’ll visit in TERA in the third installment of our weekly screenshot feature. Beyond the majesty of Velika lie Lumbertown and Crecentia, two villages that each border two different forests filled with unique creatures. Head over to the official TERA forums and vote for which woodland Screenshots of the Week should feature next!



Scope out Screenshots of the Week: Set 3.


TERAHispano.com Publishes "Road to Velika" Walkthrough

Spanish TERA fansite TERAHispano.com has produced a new article based on players' experiences during our second Focus Group Test: a walkthrough of TERA’s first few levels leading up to the city of Velika. Read about the new character experience from creation to level 11 on TERAHispano.com!


TERA’s First Fan Art Contest Ends Soon!

Have you entered the first TERA Fan Art Contest yet? Time is running out!

Post your original masterpiece on the official TERA forums for a chance to have it featured in our June newsletter along with a short blurb about your artistry. But hurry up: the deadline for contest submissions is next Friday, June 4th! Check out the excellent entries made so far and submit your own in the Fan Art Contest thread!

One more word on digital newspaper versus dead tree newspaper: your risk of papercut while reading the Velika Guardian averages around zero.
-- Scapes

The Velika Guardian
Issue 3

Extra! Extra! Read All About It!

Hot off the virtual presses, the third issue of the Velika Guardian is here! Isn’t it nice to enjoy your weekly TERA community news magazine without pesky subscription inserts falling out onto the floor? As always, hit us up at community@enmasse.com with your news tips and clever suggestions for the Guardian!


Focus Group Test 2 Westernization Postmortem Published

Learn what our Focus Group testers thought about our Westernization efforts for TERA in our second FGT2 postmortem article. The first article addressed the gameplay experience while this one covers the game's comprehensive localization efforts as described in the article's opening passage:


Read the entire FGT2 Westernization postmortem article. Or if you missed it, check out the first postmortem article on gameplay.


Producer Sam Kim on Ten Ton Hammer Live on May 29th

Tune in to TERA! This Saturday, En Masse Producer Sam Kim speak with Ten Ton Hammer Live, the MMO news website’s live streaming podcast. Sam will answer TERA questions from Ten Ton Hammer and its community. The podcast begins at 7:00 PM Eastern (12:00 AM GMT).

Visit TenTonHammer.com for more information.


Vote in ZAM.com’s Poll on MMOs at E3 2010!

ZAM.com has published a new poll asking which MMO title you most want to learn more about at this year’s E3. Guess what? TERA is in the running! Cast your vote on the ZAM.com website.


En Masse Staff Interview Round-Up

If you’ll forgive the pun, we’ve been participating in interviews en masse this month! We know it's not easy to keep track of them all so we've compiled links to all of this week's interviews: TenTonHammer.com chatted up VP of Publishing Chris Lee on user-created content in MMOs, Producer Sam Kim discussed core game elements in an interview on Stratics.com, and Lead Writer David Noonan answered Examiner.com’s TERA lore questions and provided six new screenshots. In the realm of TERA fansites, Senior Producer Brian Knox spoke with Italian fansite TERAOnline.it about PvP and German fansite TERA-Welten.de interviewed Community Director Jason “BrotherMagneto” Mical.

With all this interviewing, you may think we’ve lost our virtual voices. Think again: more interviews are coming your way next week!


Screenshots of the Week: Set 3

Feast your eyes on three of the cities and towns you’ll visit in TERA in the third installment of our weekly screenshot feature. Beyond the majesty of Velika lie Lumbertown and Crecentia, two villages that each border two different forests filled with unique creatures. Head over to the official TERA forums and vote for which woodland Screenshots of the Week should feature next!



Scope out Screenshots of the Week: Set 3.


TERAHispano.com Publishes "Road to Velika" Walkthrough

Spanish TERA fansite TERAHispano.com has produced a new article based on players' experiences during our second Focus Group Test: a walkthrough of TERA’s first few levels leading up to the city of Velika. Read about the new character experience from creation to level 11 on TERAHispano.com!


TERA’s First Fan Art Contest Ends Soon!

Have you entered the first TERA Fan Art Contest yet? Time is running out!

Post your original masterpiece on the official TERA forums for a chance to have it featured in our June newsletter along with a short blurb about your artistry. But hurry up: the deadline for contest submissions is next Friday, June 4th! Check out the excellent entries made so far and submit your own in the Fan Art Contest thread!

One more word on digital newspaper versus dead tree newspaper: your risk of papercut while reading the Velika Guardian averages around zero.
-- Scapes

The Velika Guardian
Issue 3

Extra! Extra! Read All About It!

Hot off the virtual presses, the third issue of the Velika Guardian is here! Isn’t it nice to enjoy your weekly TERA community news magazine without pesky subscription inserts falling out onto the floor? As always, hit us up at community@enmasse.com with your news tips and clever suggestions for the Guardian!


Focus Group Test 2 Westernization Postmortem Published

Learn what our Focus Group testers thought about our Westernization efforts for TERA in our second FGT2 postmortem article. The first article addressed the gameplay experience while this one covers the game's comprehensive localization efforts as described in the article's opening passage:


Read the entire FGT2 Westernization postmortem article. Or if you missed it, check out the first postmortem article on gameplay.


Producer Sam Kim on Ten Ton Hammer Live on May 29th

Tune in to TERA! This Saturday, En Masse Producer Sam Kim speak with Ten Ton Hammer Live, the MMO news website’s live streaming podcast. Sam will answer TERA questions from Ten Ton Hammer and its community. The podcast begins at 7:00 PM Eastern (12:00 AM GMT).

Visit TenTonHammer.com for more information.


Vote in ZAM.com’s Poll on MMOs at E3 2010!

ZAM.com has published a new poll asking which MMO title you most want to learn more about at this year’s E3. Guess what? TERA is in the running! Cast your vote on the ZAM.com website.


En Masse Staff Interview Round-Up

If you’ll forgive the pun, we’ve been participating in interviews en masse this month! We know it's not easy to keep track of them all so we've compiled links to all of this week's interviews: TenTonHammer.com chatted up VP of Publishing Chris Lee on user-created content in MMOs, Producer Sam Kim discussed core game elements in an interview on Stratics.com, and Lead Writer David Noonan answered Examiner.com’s TERA lore questions and provided six new screenshots. In the realm of TERA fansites, Senior Producer Brian Knox spoke with Italian fansite TERAOnline.it about PvP and German fansite TERA-Welten.de interviewed Community Director Jason “BrotherMagneto” Mical.

With all this interviewing, you may think we’ve lost our virtual voices. Think again: more interviews are coming your way next week!


Screenshots of the Week: Set 3

Feast your eyes on three of the cities and towns you’ll visit in TERA in the third installment of our weekly screenshot feature. Beyond the majesty of Velika lie Lumbertown and Crecentia, two villages that each border two different forests filled with unique creatures. Head over to the official TERA forums and vote for which woodland Screenshots of the Week should feature next!



Scope out Screenshots of the Week: Set 3.


TERAHispano.com Publishes "Road to Velika" Walkthrough

Spanish TERA fansite TERAHispano.com has produced a new article based on players' experiences during our second Focus Group Test: a walkthrough of TERA’s first few levels leading up to the city of Velika. Read about the new character experience from creation to level 11 on TERAHispano.com!


TERA’s First Fan Art Contest Ends Soon!

Have you entered the first TERA Fan Art Contest yet? Time is running out!

Post your original masterpiece on the official TERA forums for a chance to have it featured in our June newsletter along with a short blurb about your artistry. But hurry up: the deadline for contest submissions is next Friday, June 4th! Check out the excellent entries made so far and submit your own in the Fan Art Contest thread!

One more word on digital newspaper versus dead tree newspaper: your risk of papercut while reading the Velika Guardian averages around zero.
-- Scapes

Q: Will the PVP system will be more oriented toward solo PVP, group PVP or mass PVP?

A: The most fitting answer to that question is really "all of the above." We set out to give players as much choice as possible when it comes to TERA’s PvP. Dueling is a basic feature of the game--anyone on any server can initiate or take part in a duel. Groups will inevitably come into conflict with one another both on large battlegrounds and in smaller-scale skirmishes. At higher levels, players will come into contact with other player groups more and more often, so at that point you’ll see a natural move toward group or mass PvP.

Q: In the past someone mentioned a “declaration of PVP” in PVP servers – how will this work?

A: We want to create a system that allows for full PvP freedom but discourages ganking. The declaration of PvP you’re referring to is something in the Korean version of the game that warns a PK target you’re about to kill them, which we actually removed in our first Focus Group Test to see how the game worked without it. It’s not quite perfect yet but we’re getting close.

Westernization

Perhaps the hottest topic of the FGT2 forum, the Westernization feedback category covered the gamut of story, dialogue, naming, game flow, and quests. Overall, testers commented positively on TERA’s Westernization and felt it was a strong indication of our goal for the final product. It's important to note that our Westernization efforts are nowhere near complete; as TERA proceeds through development, its Westernization will continue to be improved upon.

Testers found the core story intriguing and were excited to enter the world presented at the start of the game. Feeling involved in advancing the narrative through interaction with NPCs and engaging dialogue was important to the majority of participants: they wanted to feel that their character was pivotal to the game’s plot. Additionally, players wanted to experience more immersion through the exotic naming of items, skills, and other in-game elements to more closely match the colorful fantasy world of TERA.

We agree with our testers that the best way to convey the tale of TERA is through the quests and denizens of the world. An improved ratio of pertinent story quests to side missions will be introduced in future builds of the game. Also, we intend to polish the names of the equipment, NPCs, and monsters of the land to provide a more immersive experience.

Feedback on the game's flow was clear: playing through the Island of Dawn was a finely crafted experience, while adventuring beyond level 11 and the first major city required self-propelled exploration. Quests during the first 11 levels were easy to find and rewarding to complete. The feedback on later quest chains, however, showed that our testers sought better flow and rewards that scaled to match the increased difficulty levels. Participants agreed that quests were a viable method of leveling, and they would like even more dynamic and exciting quests. Some testers also reported that they were able to level well simply by killing monsters instead of accepting quests.

We want to make questing the optimal method of leveling. To that end, we're developing more than 1,000 quests and four times as many quest archetypes as were in FGT2. Additionally, we are evaluating and improving the geographic distribution of quests to ensure that the rewards scale to match the required level.

TERAHispano.com has published a brief walkthrough of TERA as experienced during Focus Group Test 2. Titled "Road to Velika", the article takes the reader through the new character experience starting with the Island of Dawn and ending at the first major city, Velika.

Read the full article on TERAHispano.com. Keep an eye out for Set 3 of Screenshots of the Week which will feature the city of Velika and its neighboring towns.

We wanted to share a new video that Bluehole Studio has produced showing changes being made to the TERA engine based on feedback from the recent Korean Open Beta Test 3 and Western Focus Group Test 2. One of the key pieces of feedback we received was the desire for more character customization and this video shows one of the upcoming enhancements to TERA that allows players to customize the unique look of their character: more facial feature options and feature sliders to allow for custom modification.



Click here to see the video on Hangame.com.
-- Scapes

First Half of TERA Focus Group Test 2 Postmortem Published

We have finished compiling and processing the massive amounts of feedback received from TERA's second Focus Group Test and now the community gets to read our findings and how TERA will evolve as a result! The feedback generated by our dedicated Focus Group Testers has been seperated into three broad categories: gameplay, Westernization, and technology. The first piece focuses on gameplay while the second piece will focus on the latter two categories. Our summation of Focus Group Test 2o follows:


Click here to read the full gameplay postmortem.

TERAHispano.com Interviews Chief Operations Officer Pat Wyatt

First of a pair of major question-and-answer sessions with TERA fansites this past week, TERAHispano.com asked more than twenty questions of En Masse Entertainment's Chief Operations Officer Pat Wyatt and Producer Sam Kim. Subjects ranged from game security to feature development and included two questions specific to the Spanish community. Here is a sample question:


Click here to read the full interview on TERAHispano's website. It is available in English.

TERAGamers.de Interviews TERA Producer Sam Kim

The second fansite to recently publish their En Masse Entertainment interview, TERAGamers.de asked Producer Sam Kim more than a dozen questions regarding core game elements, character customization, and localization. Read on for a pair of juicy answers:


Click here to read the full interview on TERAGamers' website. It is available in both English and German.

World Lore Galore!

Eager to learn more about the world of Tera? Be sure to check out the two newly published world lore pieces! Click here to learn about the landmass of Northern Shara on the official TERA website. Looking for a different presentation style? Click here to be taught about the history of the land as lectured by a Baraka to his young Human student.

Anticipate more details and TERA world lore in coming weeks!

Apply Today to Test TERA Tomorrow!

Well, not precisely tomorrow: more "in the near future" but that doesn't flow as well.

En Masse Entertainment has launched its new tester application process! TERA fans looking to test the game can now sign up to participate in upcoming test phases using this short survey. Be sure to read the original news piece for more information.

TERA Included in IGN's "Big Games List" for E3 2010

With 2010's Electronic Entertainment Expo coming up fast, IGN.com has published and continues to populate their "Big Games List", a directory of games being shown at the show. Here is a quote from the article:


Click here to read the full list on IGN's website. E3 2010 begins June 15th and En Masse Entertainment will be there demonstrating TERA on even more demo kiosks than were available at GDC 2010. Expect more E3-related updates toward the end of May!

Ideas for Instances: Puzzles for Instance!

Threads from the official TERA forums and fansite forums may also be included in the Velika Guardian! Shortly after the second Focus Group Test ended, Focus Group Tester n00balisk posted a poll asking fellow community members their thoughts on what they would like to see in TERA's instanced game areas. The consensus of more than 170 votes was overwhelmingly in favor of being challenged to solve puzzles in addition to testing their mettle against boss monsters and their minions.

n00balisk goes on to suggest "the puzzles [could be] randomly generated each time you enter the instance. That way even if you are familiar with the puzzle it will be different each time you enter. This would keep each experience somewhat fresh! I think it would be great to have the puzzles require each person to play their part!"

Interested in joining the conversation? Click here to visit the forum thread.

Share Your News with the TERA Community!
Discovered a hot scoop? Sourced new press coverage? Found something newsworthy? If it's TERA-related, tell us about it!

The Velika Guardian is YOUR community newspaper and we are eager to hear what you feel it should feature. Tell us about it us via email at community@enmasse.com and keep an eye out for the next issue: your news may be published!
-- Scapes