[Xfire] Chatteox: Hello! We are very pleased to welcome everyone to the Trickster Online Live Chat! Please welcome our special guests from Trickster, GM Chaos, GM Mobius, and Eugene Kim, who will now introduce themselves and start taking your questions!
eugene: Hello, I am Eugene Kim, Producer of Trickster Online, it is very nice to see so many tricksters here!
GM Mobius: Hello, This is GM Mobius. I love you all!!!
GM Chaos: hello there~ I am Trickster's very own GM Chaos. Nice to meet you all :)
eugene: Question: Kyuubi_Fanatic: ok, How do the owners of trickster fund it? its an mmorpg, so it must be expensive. Do u run it entirely off of money given thru my shop points or do u just privately fund it?
Answer: My Shop is the revenue generating portion of the game - however, the game is always FREE to play, and no one is obligated to purchase anything to enjoy Trickster
eugene: Question: franick: I commend you, the staff, on creating one of the very few MMORPGs where leveling is nicely balanced relative to all the other in-game activities in Trickster Online. Because of such incredible balance, players are able to engage in any activity and and feel just as satisfied and fufilled in the goals that they set in this game. For the player who feels like they have "done it all," what future or potential plans and features do you have for Trickster Online that will further add to the already multi-faceted variety of the gameplay?
Answer: Currently we are updating the game with fresh content on a bi-weekly basis, there are also plans for brand new and exclusive content specifically for this release as well as something very special... for now we'll just say it actively involves the Guilds competing against one another ^__^
GM Chaos: Question: Kyuubi_Fanatic: is there some kind of ultimate quest in trickster or simply a mesh of mini-quests for players to interact with?
Answer: We are going to be releasing a new quest weaving through the game called 'Episode Quest' system. It'll span over the entire game and each quest will connect with one another.
eugene: Question: kowiz: When do you think Mirage Island, Mermaid Palace, and Episodes Quests will be released?
Answer: Much of the new content like the Mermaid Palace will be released in conjunction with everyone's favorite time of year (for gaming) summer. It will be here sooner than you think
GM Chaos: Question: franick: Aside from in-game events, what plans does the Trickster Online staff have for events? IE: Screenshot contests, comic strip contests, mini-film creation contests, one-liner joke screenshot contests, etc.
Answer: We've held our very first comic contest and it was such a fantastic turnout. We would definitely hope to have a similar contest in the future. Screenshot contest or one-liner joke is definitely a good idea! :)
eugene: Question: franick: Many players anticipated and were very pleased with Player Vs Player battles. Many players also anticipate the future Guild Vs Guild feature. Given the demand of more multiplayer/competition oriented features like GvG and PvP, If possible, do you plan on creating other multiplayer features/battle themes such as a "defend/assult the castle/leader," "king of the hill," or "capture the flag," or other themes that would enhance the diversity and strategy of multiplayer battles?
Answer: We are constantly looking for new ways to better the game and increase the fun factor of trickster Online for different types of players. Also, we do have some plans immediately in queue for the Guilds
eugene: Question: Kryptos: Wil there ever really be major systems and items exclusive to English Trickster?
Answer: NPCs, events etc becoming exclusive for ETO is definetely a possibility!
eugene: Question: Puppet: Is the pet system going to be more fleshed out in the future, like feeding, leveling, fighting, looting, and skills for the pet?
Answer: we've actualy been considering that exact idea for quite some time. But it does take a great deal of time and work to make those types of changes. But, please, stay tuned, we think we will have some great news for you regarding the pets, very soon!
GM Chaos: Question: ت۩۞۩DeathNeedle۩۞۩: What are you doing about those using emulators to bypass nprotect or using host ips to bypass nprotect. What about the skills glitch that hasnt been fixed in 10 months?
Answer: Bypassing our security system is definitely not what we want to see. We are always taking measure to make sure the game stays fair. Trickster Online constantly receives security updates and any attempt to bypass would result in an action taken by our staff.
eugene: Question: dragonarcanis: The past events have been wonderful, will there be any return to them? ie Will there be any way to obtain older quest items other than buying them from other players?
Answer: We dont have an exact date for this yet, but there will be opportunities for new players to enjoy some of the more fan-favorite events from the past.
GM Mobius: Question: ryomota: When will the rest of the 2nd job skills be released?
Answer: All of the 2nd job skills are scheduled to be released before summer.
eugene: Question: ODST_2LT/{ATK}Gen Musaku°: Question: What is the intended target audience for Trickster Online?
Answer: We've been extremely fortunate in that we have a broad and encompassing player base - we have seen players from many nationalities, genders and ages - we want it to simply be fun, despite age, culture or gender, and I think we're doing very well with that so far
eugene: Question: ryomota: When will the rest of the 2nd job skills be released, and when will 3rd job be released?
Answer: We will be moving forward on these, and you should expect to see them out and finished some time around the end of summer/beginning of fall of this year
GM Chaos: Question: Himan-J: What are the challenges of changing a game from Korean to Japanese/English
Answer: It's definitely gotta be the humor part. Trickster contains a lot of jokes not specifically suited for English audience and it gets little tricky when we need to get the joke across. We often end up ditching the original context and bring in new personalities and backgrounds for our pets, NPCs, and items. :)
eugene: Question: Kyuubi_Fanatic: will the pets ever be more interactive in battle, like healing and attacking rather than simply speaking up every now and then?
Answer: We have actualy already been thinking along these lines - we have not settled on an exact course of action just yet, but we do want to make the pets a much bigger part of battles/gameplay
eugene: Question: Kryptos: Do you intend to expand farther past 3rd job, maybe to a 4th job in the future?
Answer: we do not currently have any plans for 4th Jobs per se, however we DO plan to further expand the Skills for the other 3 Jobs, giving players more options and ways to refine their characters
GM Chaos: Question: ¤§HÅHZÃM¤ ┌╦╤─: Do you guys personally play any other MMO's other than Trickster Online?
Answer: Of course we do! Our company staff are very dedicated gamers and we need to keep ourselves familiar with all the online games both new and old.
eugene: Question: dragonarcanis: The progression from night to day is well done, but I have found it to often be hard to see past the lighted area. Will there be any items to increase this area? Also, will there be any further differences between night and day, such as increased spawn rate of monsters, monsters becoming more aggressive, etc?
Answer: We don't currently have any plans to increase the "lit area' in dark maps - however, we are underway on making the time of day more influential on the trickster world (NPCs, monsters, aggro of monsters, shops, etc) ^__^
GM Mobius: Question: Himan-J: What are the challenges of changing a game from Korean to Japanese/English
Answer: One of the most difficult aspect while changing it to english version is the translation part. Many NPC's use expressions that are not commonly used in English and in some cases, we had to change the whole block of dialogue in order to fit the english audience. Also, some of the cultural specific npc, region, and map names have been changed as well.
eugene: Question: Cloudbeam: In the future will you be able to exchange tails and ears for more variety? For example im a raccoon with fox tail and lion ears
Answer: No, we actually are not planning on doing something like this. It was a decision that was made to adhere to the original spirit and purpose of trickster, all the Character types are very specific and serve a purpose with their chosen animals
GM Chaos: Question: dilan: Trickster is, as far as I know, basically free of hackers, but if somebody were to hack, I know you would ban him/her for hacking, but what measures do you take to make sure the hacking never happens in the first place?
Answer: We have certain security systems in place to prevent this. Unfortunately, it's a cat and mouse game but it is our intent and goal to make the game hack free. Rest assured, when we hear any news of hacking, we take any necessary measure to make sure hacking is not seen in the game.
eugene: Question: BuffaIo: Can you explain what the real dungeon system is like? It has had many people wondering what that is about.
Answer: it is more Party focused, unique items, and better enemy AI, multiple floors etc - but for now that's all that we can say - we WILL be announcing more particular details on our website ^__^
GM Chaos: Question: [3456]Fr0z3n-316-[CSR]DN: Does Trickster have a swear filter?
Answer: As a matter of fact, we do! It gets updated very frequently. Bypassing this filter is also a big nono. We'd like to see everyone get along. :)
GM Chaos: Question: FileFront - Thundgot: Do you in the Trickster Onlie Staff think it will bypass World of Warcraft with over 8 million players?
Answer: It would be magnificent to achieve that number. Only you can help us surpass that number!
eugene: Question: Shamps: Question: How did you come up with the idea for Trickster, llike using animals for the characters, and drilling for experiance for examples?
Answer: Originally (and of course, still now) the game has been about the gaming experience from the original console RPGs (that we all love). The game has changed quite a bit since the original concept (story/play wise) as we talked about in the IGN interview, but as for concepts like drilling and so forth, that actually came from the initial iteration of the game (where the characters where farmers working the land and defending it from a monster invasion). Developing a game is a long process and along the way, many things do change - we have focused on the original spirit that we set out with, and I think we have succeeded in staying with that great feeling.
GM Mobius: Question: A Lone Warrior: Is the (possible) update of Episode Quests going to be about the Original Cards and Harkon? Are there any plans on working out that (or any) part of Trickster's story?
Answer: Episode Quest is based on the old and legendary myth of Caballa Island. And yes, some part of the story involves the history behind Harkon and cards. There are several parts of episodes and later part of them has not been released yet. Please tune in and see how episode quest turns out! :)
eugene: Question: BuffaIo: What will the card battle league exactly be like? And what type of benifits are there from being on top?
Answer: We will be testing the actual Card Battle League very soon, and the actual League will provide very nice prizes for being the best. Some of the items will be unique to this league.The way it will work, is that it will be very easy to keep track of which players are really the best at Card Battles.
GM Chaos: Question: DoTheEvolution: Do you think the cute graphics turn-off certain gamers before they even get the chance to involve themselves in the game?
Answer: I don't think it's a turn off but rather a preference. What's wrong with cute graphics? ;)
GM Mobius: Question: [-E-] SilentKillzr|Leader: Question: why is the korean lvl cap 999 and the english 400?
Answer: Korean version also has level cap at 400 which is same as the English version of Trickster Online.
eugene: Question: Shamps: Why use 2 different animals for male and female for the same class type? Why not just use the same animal just as male and female.
Answer: We wanted to present some diversity in the choices, more than just the difference between genders - and of course, more animals to choose from!
GM Chaos: Question: zegridathes: Do you ever plan on holding any 'IRL' events or gatherings game/comic conventions?
Answer: We are all big fans of manga/manhwa and animes in general. It is also very evident that our player base are all big fans as well. Who knows? You might see us somewhere in the future. It is definitely being considered. :)
eugene: Question: Ragnarok: in the future will we see scheduled periodic Player Vs Player tournaments?
Answer: If the Card Battle League works out well, than this is something that may come about in the future too ^__^
GM Mobius: Question: Kryptos: Do you intend to add more PvP arenas? I've seen videos and pictures from kTO
Answer: We have plans to add more fields for PK arenas. Currently we have battle field of desert and battle field of garden. In other versions of Trickster, some of the cultural specific fields were added such as soccer fields and baseball fields which were the most favored sports in that countries.
eugene: Question: Wafflez-Sugoi: What are the advantages of partying, if any?
Answer: Aside from the EXP advantage, there is also the upcoming Real Dungeon system - and of course, it's ALWAYS more fun to play a game with others!
GM Chaos: Question: A Lone Warrior: Which countries (or continents, if you want more privacy) are you three from? How do you hire new GM's?
Answer: Our office is located in sunny Southern California. Contrary to what many people think, being a GM is a full time office job. No, we don't work from home and yes, we pay taxes as well. Our hiring process varies from time to time. :)
eugene: Question: Puppet: When a new world comes out, will Jewelia characters be able to transfer over?
Answer: This is not something that we are considering at this moment and time
eugene: Question: 死の影: Are you working or have something in mind about implementing new character classes?
Answer: Currently we are planning on focusing more on developing and expanding the abilities etc of the current types available
eugene: Question: Wafflez-Sugoi: The classic feel of many older, console RPGs is an inspiration to this game, are there any specific titles, or unique elements of some of these RPGs that inspired you further?
Answer: Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy (5-6), Secret of Mana, Zelda (all the great Snes console RPGs) were certainly the inspiration for Trickster, they are great games, we wanted to make a great game too. The feeling from playing those games was what we wanted to recreate.
GM Chaos: Question: JoltyV: I see maintance tonight? Is there anything being added? Like more second job skills? Anything at all? Or just a long maintance?
Answer: Sorry to get yout hopes up there. It's just a regular maintenance on our servers. However, could it *gasp* be a preparation for things to come in the future very soon? ;)
GM Chaos: Question: zegridathes: As GM's do your duties include more than just keeping the game running? Are you also responsible for compiling patches or is there a separate devteam that handles the inner workings?
Answer: Our whole team works as one unified organization. Everyone is looking over and helping out with what others are doing. However, as far as Game Master is concerned, we are often referred to as Superman or go-to-guy. We cook and clean as well. Just kidding. :)
eugene: Question: eXg. Det: Sry i came into this abit late, so this may have been asked. But why is Trickster free? What is your buisness model? Hows is it monitized? To me free games scream spyware and or information mining. Why is trickster safe to play?
Answer: We want as many people to play as possible (without subscriptions) - and this revenue model is something that has not really been tried in the West, but it is a rational business model. And of course, we do NOT have ANY spyware, or ways of illicitly collecting data from our players - nor do we sell personal information etc. That is wrong, and we want nothing to do with it - we simply want people to enjoy and play our game ^__^
eugene: Question: DoTheEvolution: Do you expect certain character classes or builds to do better in the PVP? Or will the pvp be more teambased and therefore balanced out by the idea of "teamwork". Do you think characters spell dmg cooldown etc will have to be changed to better balance this PVP?
The characters and builds/classes, etc offers so much diversity for any player - it really matters how you want your character to grow - but I will say, that there is NO one typ,class or job that is made to be superior in PVP - a great player will really be the deciding factor over the Character type ^__^
eugene: Question: Ragnarok: Question: will there ever be an item group that allows you to teleport to towns from anywhere in the world?
Answer: we already have one such item available in my Shop - and are planning on adding another more advanced item as well
[Xfire] Chatteox: Ok, that concludes the chat with the Trickster Online team! Thank You to our special guests and thanks everyone for participiating. Now onto the prizes! If you are one of the winners PM me for instructions on how to claim your prize!
eugene: Thank you so much for coming by and providing us with really great questions to answer! We really enjoyed it, see you all on Caballa Island ^__^ !!!
[Xfire] Chatteox: 10 Winners: "Travelers Set" from MyShop: including Pink and Blue potions, Portable Port AD, and the Flicker Drill.
1. Kryptos
2. Kyuubi-Fanatic
3. Kenaro
4. Kowiz
5. Buffalo
6. Franick
7. DragonArcanis
8. A Lone Warrior
9. Havoc
10.Ragnarok
[Xfire] Chatteox: Thanks again everyone! That was a fantastic chat! Don't forget to PM me Winners!