IGG’s Daniel Lin talks about the 16^th century MMO, Voyage Century
By Michael Lafferty

“In Voyage Century you can choose to become a dastardly pirate, plunder the merchant ship, capture the city, and realize your pirate dream”

The feel of the waves crashing against the hull, the slight shudder as the cannons fire and the acrid gunpowder smell that dances above the waves. The ring of steel as swords flash through the air, below the Jolly Roger.

If the pirates life is one you wish to have lived, then Voyage Century, a massively multiplayer online game from IGG, may have what you are looking for. The game takes place in the 16^th century and allows gamers to pursue the life of a pirate, or maybe a merchant, or how about … well, let’s just say that there are numerous choices for careers in this time frame.

In development for four years, Voyage Century will feature:

• Sea Battle System: Display the grand scenes of sea battles; Cannon firing, colliding, grappling and close combat, etc

• Guild System: Player birth place; Complete guild establishment, investment and facility; Amazing guild battles both on land and sea.

• Interactive System: Diversified ways to form a group; All kinds of chatting platform; Complete trade system and booth system.

• Pirate System: Independent camp;Absolute challenge to orderly player;Alternative, exciting and romantic life.

• Adventure System: More than 1300 kinds of findings;Compose one’s own encyclopedia; Seek for treasures in the sea.

• Treasure Map System: Collect pieces and patch up the treasure map; Seek for rare cultural heritage; Dig for supernatural ancient.

• Trade System: More than 40 cities and 130 kinds of merchandise; Dynamic price fluctuating according to supply and demand; Profit doubles on popular goods.

• Land Battle System: Many battle skills and stunts; Swords, guns, cold and hot weapons used together; Intelligent NPC, more exciting battle.

• Living System: Diversified ways to collect (Mining, Lumber-felling, Planting, Fishing); Making all kinds of equipments and items.

Want to know more? GameZone did and so we contacted IGG’s Daniel Lin for a chat about the title:

Question: What will set Voyage Century apart from some of the other pirate-based games in development? Where does the name come from?

Daniel: Most pirate-based games focus on limited medieval events, countries and culture. But Voyage Century covers an all-world map and almost famous events in 15-16 century. Also, Voyage Century includes not just pirating and fighting, but also adventure and (playing the role of) merchant over the world. It's a quite simple name, isn't it? Voyage is our theme through the whole game and we put the story background in 15-16 century.

Q: What types of characters are there and will people level their characters up in the traditional MMORPG way, or do you have other systems in place to take another route through the leveling process? Will people only gain adventuring experience?

Daniel: In a traditional game, you have to choose one class, warrior, mage or others when you create your character. However, Voyage Century provides you with a way to create your character more freely. You won’t get stuck spending all your time in a class you will get tired of. Every new character has the same attributes at the beginning; you could pursue a merchant career, then sign up with the navy, or work your way as an adventurer and even become a dastardly pirate. Also you could become a farmer, axe man, miner, doctor or whatever you want to be according to your own favor. We’ve taken the shackles off of RPGs and given you the freedom to pursue your own destiny. If your level is lower than 30, you could learn the skills at ease in the game and if the level is above 31, the skills have limitation for some roles. People can gain experience not just adventuring but experience from commerce and battle as well.

Q: Tell us about the combat system. Does the game have PvP? Is the combat reflexive based? Can players avoid or dodge attacks?

Daniel: Yes, there will be PvP in this MMORPG. However it can only happen in some designated areas, such as the high seas. Players can avoid attacks in most cities except some cities that have been occupied by guilds. Also, the areas outside every port are protected.

Q: How difficult was it to realize combat for both land and sea? In some games, sea battles can be long, drawn-out affairs where ships tack and turn and then have to fight the wind to get broadside for the release of the cannons? How does your game handle this? Will players be able to board other ships and go into a melee mode?

Daniel: It is pretty easy to realize combat of both sides for land and sea. You definitely need to turn the cannon side of the ship before you fire, but damage also depends on what kinds of cannon you brought. The most important thing is players can board other ships and go into melee mode on the board. The RTS mode for close battle is exciting, both for land and sea.

Q: How does the economy of the game work? Is it politically driven? Is it player based? Does it follow the concept of running trade routes with supplies, buying low and selling high?

Daniel: The economy does subject to players trade routes. The price of the goods will be fluctuated according to the change of the supply-demand situation. In such a dynamic trade system, wise merchants can make rich profits by grasping the information about geography, climate, pirate and the amity between cities.

In the game, there are various ways to earn money, such as selling special local product to other countries, planting, fishing and mining. The system will show clues on the prevalent articles in each country every other cycle. With this information, the merchant can profit from the price difference by selling the prevalent articles.

Q: How much social interaction will the game allow?

Daniel: This game allows a public vendors system for every player who wants to sell their own in any street in any city as a mini open market.

Q: Does the game have a scheme for clans or guilds? If so, what would be the advantage to belonging to a clan or guild?

Daniel: Yes! If you want to found a guild, you should satisfy the requirements: the skill of the character should be above level 11, the character should own 100 thousand silver, be supported by at least four players (party with four other players, the party leader would be the guild leader). You and your supporters shouldn't be other guilds.

There are a lot of advantages to belonging to a guild, such as people can produce some limited edition weapons or ships once they join the guild.

Q: What sort of graphics engine does this game use? How detailed are the different aspects of the game (land and sea)?

Daniel: The 3D graphics engine Voyage Century uses was developed by our own dev team totally. People can see the windswept leaves and sternward wave in the sea clearly.

Q: What do you find compelling about the 16th century and pirates that will translate to a good game experience?

Daniel: Architecture, special local product and mysterious pirates behavior. The emergence of pirates affects the whole voyage age. In Voyage Century you can choose to become a dastardly pirate, plunder the merchant ship, capture the city, and realize your pirate dream. Of course, you have to prepare for the cost as a pirate. You should keep away from the merchant ship that which the battleship convoy. All large trade caravans will be convoyed by dreadnaught, in that way, the victory or defeat will be hard to predict.

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