Exclusive Game Preview: Zangworld Online

While many of the online roleplaying games currently in development emphasize graphically rendered worlds with the latest in 3-D technology, the upcoming Zangworld Online takes a very different approach.

In the words of the game's lead designer, Kristan Korns, "Nobody I know that's playing in any of the current generation of MMORPGs is saying 'Gee, this would be a great game if only we had more polygon count.' What gamers that I talk with consistently ask for is more ways for players to permanently affect the game world, and for something more immersive than camping static spawns."

Zangworld Online emphasizes a highly-detailed backstory, and an evolving storyline that will be directly affected by the players.

The game world in ZWO is centered on the city of Terraxa, which sits astride a multi-dimensional rift. Twelve Houses, or Clans, compete with one another to explore and exploit the resources of the neighboring dimensions.

The ability to traverse the rifts and vortexes into the nearby dimensions forms the foundation of the Houses' power, and a focal point for Player Vs Player conflict.

"There isn't a PvP Switch per se," explained the game's lead designer, "but each of the Great Houses has a few safe areas in dimensions that only they can reach, and Terraxa itself is a neutral zone of sorts. Outside of those areas, story-driven and in-character PvP will probably be quite prevalent."

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The sheer number of combat skills, support skills, and trade skills in Zangworld Online is staggering (over 170 in all). ZWO's designers explain that the large number of sometimes overlapping skills was neccesary to avoid the "one true template" phenomena observed in previous skill-based online roleplaying games.

Among the more cruicial skills for a character to choose from among, are the three different methods of dimensional travel (Vortex Magic, Rift Magic, and Shadow Travel). These three methods are mutually exclusive and offer differing advantages and disadvantages in their use.

Zangworld Online developers have also confirmed that one of the most talked-about skills in recent RPG history is prominently featured in the game. "Yes," a senior ZWO designer confirmed, "Zangworld Online does feature Precasting as a viable combat magic skill."

Zangworld Online's licensing of the popular LP MUD code and Microsoft Office's helpfull paperclip will provide a familiar feel to both gameplay and to the game's user interface.

The licensing of the the Anime-style graphics engine behind the older game Go Go Racer Training Hentai 1995 was somewhat more controversial however.

While speaking to reporters at the ZWO Announcement Party, the game's lead designer defended the licensing agreement. "These types of games with Anime-style graphics have sold quite well in Japan for years, and Anime has many American and European fans also.", he explained, "In addition, the huge number of tentacle animations in Go Go Racer's files have taken some pressure off of our monster animation team."

Beta Testing:

Zangworld Online is currently scheduled for initial Beta Testing in Fall of 2001.