Tera (video game)

Tera

Original North American cover art
Developer(s) Bluehole Inc.
Publisher(s) En Masse Entertainment, Gameforge,[1] NHN Corporation via Hangame, NHN Japan Corporation via Hangame Japan
Distributor(s) Atari,[2] Ubisoft[3]
Designer(s) Yong-Hyun Park
Byung-Gyu Chang
Huang Cher Ung
Composer(s) Inon Zur
Rod Abernethy
Engine Unreal Engine 3
Platform(s) Microsoft Windows
Release date(s)
  • KOR: January 25, 2011
  • JPN: Aug 18, 2011
  • NA: May 1, 2012
  • EU: May 3, 2012
  • RU: February 26, 2015
Genre(s) Massively multiplayer online role-playing game
Mode(s) Multiplayer

Tera is a 3D fantasy themed massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) developed by Bluehole Inc.. The game was released in South Korea on January 25, 2011, in Japan on August 18, 2011, in North America on May 1, 2012, in Europe on May 3, 2012, and in Russia on February 26, 2015, with closed and open beta testings taking place before the launch dates. NHN Corporation, NHN Japan Corporation, En Masse Entertainment and Gameforge publishes the game in these regions, respectively.[1][4][5] In February 2013 the game was renamed to Tera: Rising concurrently with the game's launch to the free-to-play model.

In September 2014 the game was renamed to "Tera: Fate of Arun" in the same patch that added a new level cap and expanded Tera's horizons with the new continent in Northern Arun: Val Oriyn "cut off from the rest of the world for centuries, Northern Arun is a land of savage jungles, colossal ruins, and the undiscovered homeland of the Barakas" [6] The patch became effective on December 2014 in America and Europe .[6][7]

Gameplay

Tera has typical MMORPG features such as questing, crafting, and player versus player action. The game's combat uses a real-time battle system that incorporates third-person camera view. The player targets an enemy with a cross-hair cursor rather than clicking or tabbing an individual opponent (which is called the "Non-Target battle system" by the developer). The Players need to actively dodge enemy attacks.[8] A keyboard and mouse or a control pad can be used to control the character.[9]

Characters may be one of seven races.[9] Each race has a set of unique "racial skills" that gives them minor advantages. Races also have their own unique animations for many class-specific skills. Tera also has 12 classes (as of August, 2016),[10] each with their own unique abilities and attributes.[11]

The developers collaborated with CCP Games and their successful use of "PLEX" for Eve Online as a way of deterring gold farmers. As a result, Tera released a currency called "Chronoscrolls" that works similarly, as it allows game time to be purchased with real money and sold for in-game gold. The use of Chronoscrolls is only available to users who have purchased the game either digitally or physically. Those with the "Discovery Edition" cannot use Chronoscrolls.[12]

Development

In February 2013, Tera in North America and Europe transitioned to "Tera Rising", which changed the subscription model to a "freemium" design (free play plus purchasable premium status and customization options). The developer has promised no time, level, or content restrictions for free players after this update.[13] Players who purchase a 30-day "Elite" status will receive increased dungeon rewards, in-game discounts and other metagame advantages.[14] Due to the new model, the "Chronoscrolls" mentioned above are being phased out, and are no longer sold by the developer, nor usable to extend game time. Existing chronoscrolls can be sold to merchants for 2,000 gold.

The Japanese and Korean versions of Tera also became free to play in December 2012 and January 2013, respectively.[15]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic77/100 (35 reviews)[16]
Review scores
PublicationScore
Eurogamer8/10[17]
G44/5[18]
GameSpot7.5/10[19]
IGN6.5/10[20]
PC Gamer (US)64/100[21]
The Escapist3.5/5[22]

Tera has been met with generally favorable reviews,[23] citing the action-based gameplay, huge and widely varied seamless world, the exciting and recurring BAM fights, the ease of using the game's auction house (called the Trade Broker) and lush, detailed graphics as the game's high points.[24] The option of using a console controller also provided much satisfaction for players that wanted to play an MMORPG without relying on a keyboard and mouse.[24] The game's musical score received praise for its varied and emotionally charged tracks ranging from epic orchestral pieces to more mellow tunes.[25] Criticism is directed at the game's generic collect/kill/rendezvous quest grind to level up, with some quests backtracking simply to talk to the same NPC.[26] Player killing is commonly done in the Open World and has been met with a lot of praise due to the freedom and constant action it can bring to daily questing and traveling.[26] Critics have targeted the Nexus Wars feature as a blatant rip-off of Rift's system.[27]

In March 2013, after switching to a free-to-play business model, the game passed 1.4 million registered accounts.[28]

On May 5, 2015 Tera's new patch 31.04 was released in which the game became available on Steam. Along with being available on Steam, the gunner class was released and new dungeons were added.[29] Bluehole also "release[d] inactive character names, making them available to new characters."[30]

Adaptations

Tera short stories are available for sale as E-books in English at En Masse Entertainment's official site.[31]

Trade secret civil actions

In 2007, NCsoft filed a complaint to South Korean gosu gamer authorities and brought a civil action for damages and an injunction to Bluehole. The Bluehole founders and employees, formerly employed under NCsoft and working on the Lineage III development team, were convicted by a Korean criminal court for the theft of valuable trade secrets from NCsoft in 2009. In 2010, a Korean civil court held these individuals, along with Bluehole, liable for misappropriation of trade secrets, awarding NCsoft about $2 million in damages and issuing an injunction against utilizing trade secrets for monetary gain. The damages were later reversed by an appellate court, but the injunction remained in place. Despite the injunction, Bluehole developed and released Tera in South Korea.

On January 9, 2012, NCsoft filed a civil action in the United States against Bluehole and its U.S. subsidiary En Masse. NCsoft was seeking a preliminary and permanent injunction prohibiting the launch of Tera in the United States, or damages for the substantial harm that the launch would cause NCsoft. They asserted claims for copyright infringement, trade secret misappropriation, breach of confidence, unfair competition, and unjust enrichment under the laws of the state of New York.

On April 18, 2012, En Masse Entertainment announced they were found not guilty in the Korean civil actions.[32][33] However, three employees were found guilty.

References

  1. 1 2 "Gameforge, Tera's publisher in Europe". Gameforge. 2012-12-03. Retrieved 2016-04-06.
  2. ↑ "Atari chosen as USA distributor for TERA". 2011-03-26.
  3. ↑ "TERA's first closed beta phase begins this weekend". Retrieved 2012-02-16.
  4. ↑ "North America Release Date".
  5. ↑ "An Interview with Bluehole Studio's Localization Team". TeraFans. 2010-10-17.
  6. 1 2 "Enmasse Entertainment Patch 29.03.02". 2014-12-16. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  7. ↑ "Gameforge Patch Notes 29.03". 2014-12-11. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  8. ↑ "Tera - PC - IGN". Pc.ign.com. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2012-11-14.
  9. 1 2 Park, Andrew (2010-03-13). "Spotlight On - TERA: The Exiled Realm of Arborea". GameSpot.
  10. ↑ "TERA's 12th Class: Ninja".
  11. ↑ "List of Classes".
  12. ↑ "Chronoscrolls FAQ - TERA". Tera.enmasse.com. Retrieved 2012-11-14.
  13. ↑ "Tera Rising Promotional Page".
  14. ↑ "Tera Rising Announcement Article".
  15. ↑ Williams, Mike (2012-12-27). "TERA goes free-to-play in Japan and Korea". gamesindustry international. Eurogamer Network Ltd. Retrieved 2013-02-08. Korean online operator NHN has announced that announced action MMO TERA will be going free-to-play in Japan and Korea. NHN publishes the game in both regions, with En Masse Entertainment handling the North American and European releases of TERA. MMO Culture has translated both announcements, which state that TERA will convert to the new business model on January 10 in Korea and mid-February in Japan. The Japanese operation has already gone free-to-play, but the in-game cash shop has not gone live yet.
  16. ↑ "Tera". Retrieved 2012-06-28.
  17. ↑ Lindberg, Mikael (2012-06-04). "Recension: TERA". Retrieved 2012-06-14.
  18. ↑ Deesing, Jonathan (2012-05-08). "TERA Review for PC". G4. Retrieved 2012-05-08.
  19. ↑ VanOrd, Kevin (2012-05-16). "TERA Review". Retrieved 2012-06-14.
  20. ↑ Grayson, Nathan (2012-05-25). "Tera Review". Retrieved 2012-06-14.
  21. ↑ Savage, Phil (2012-06-06). "Tera review". Retrieved 2012-06-14.
  22. ↑ Funk, John (2012-05-17). "TERA Review". Retrieved 2012-06-14.
  23. ↑ "TERA for PC Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More". Metacritic. Retrieved 2012-11-14.
  24. 1 2 "TERA review". PC Gamer. Retrieved 2012-11-14.
  25. ↑ "TERA Game Review". MMOs. Retrieved 2015-02-07.
  26. 1 2 "Tera Review". IGN. Retrieved 2012-11-14.
  27. ↑ "TERA To Feature "RIFT" Like Invasions". Lorehound.com. 2012-03-09. Retrieved 2012-11-14.
  28. ↑ Williams, Mike (2013-03-20). "TERA crosses 1.4 million after F2P switch". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved 2013-03-28.
  29. ↑ "Patch 31.04 | Patch Notes | News | TERA". tera.enmasse.com. Retrieved 2015-11-12.
  30. ↑ "Official En Masse Entertainment Support Site". enmasse.com. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  31. ↑ "e-books reference".
  32. ↑ "Court papers from the lawsuit" (PDF).
  33. ↑ "Bluehole Studio NOT Guilty in Trial".
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