Altis Gates (http://ag.igg.com ), IGG’s newest mystical fantasy game, has successfully completed its Closed Beta. Players involved in this test have given positive reviews of the game's architecture and environments in the game. In this week’s dev diary, chief designer Chris shares the inspiration behind these exhilarating designs and his vision for the future.

Provided by IGG

The story of Altis Gates and its theme are closely related to the legendary Atlantis. Since any potential remains of the ancient paradise rest at the bottom of the ocean, the world of Altis had to be created from scratch. We drew extensively from ancient texts describing the wonders of Atlantis, so Altis could reflect the culture of that civilization and relive the glory of the sunken city as accurately as possible. Nevertheless, we wanted to add more to our version of the legend, so the team took the liberty to include some structures that resemble the wonders of our world.

There are many structures in Altis that have strong historical connections. During initial concept discussions, the team agreed that the game should include marvels of the ancient world that players may have heard of but would never get the chance to see in their full glory. In preparation for this, we looked through all the materials available. We read hundreds of books and made thousands of notes for future reference. As it turned out, one of the team’s favorite sources of inspiration was the Discovery
Channel.

While we were collecting a massive amount of data, the team discovered that most of the 8 wonders of the world are located in the Mediterranean region. The Colosseum naturally caught the team’s eyes. This ancient wonder is located at the heart of Rome and is considered one of the greatest works of Roman engineering and architecture. What intrigued us was its purpose. It
was a place where thousands of brave souls fought for their honor and their lives. The team decided to capture this warrior spirit in designing Altis Gates’ Arena. The actual Colosseum was used as a blueprint for creating a 1:100,000 scale model.

There are 2 levels in the Arena. The first is where epic fights take place. To enhance the sense of danger and majesty, we added fire effects there. The top level is the viewing gallery. Like the Colosseum itself, the viewing level is supported by 50 gigantic pillars. However, due to space constraints, there are only 10 rows of the gallery layered in a way similar to the steps of a staircase. The Arena has 5 main areas separated in the middle by a grand entrance. Though the design is simple, it retains the
majestic feel of the Colosseum.

In addition to locations like the Arena, when players visit Altis City they will have to use an elevator which was inspired by the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Similarly, the Segalos Sanctuary in Altis City is based on the Temple of Artemis.

In future patches, the team will try to incorporate more of the 8 wonders into the Altis world. For example, the team is looking into adding a version of the Great Pyramid into one of the game’s instances. Of course, this is all merely speculative at the moment. What is assured though is that players will get to explore the mysteries of these ancient structures in the vast
expanses of Altis. We hope they will find that sense of wonder we get when we’re (re)building them.

For more information on the exciting world of Altis Gates, visit the official website at http://ag.igg.com/main.php. 

-  Chris

Lunia Gets Major Update In Myth 4

It's not a myth - the fact is ijji.com is launching never-before-seen content in the popular anime-influenced massively multi-player online role-playing game (MMORPG), Lunia.  For avid players and curious gamers, ijji.com presents "Myth 4," an expansive update that includes vicious bosses with nothing to lose, a stress-free market system, fresh new character abilities, mind-blowing weapon upgrades and occult dangers lurking behind every corner.

"Lunia is a wildly popular online game, as it appeals to the RPG community and anime fans alike," said Calvin Yang, vice president of marketing, NHN USA, which hosts  ijji.com. "This exciting new upgrade will satiate both groups, and maybe more across
the online gaming spectrum as well, bringing an entirely new dynamic to this game with intense challenges, bountiful rewards and improved logistics. Existing players have new reasons to dive into Lunia, and new players to take a second look."

Lunia's long-awaited upgrade offers gamers a vibrant and stimulating alternative to other MMORPGs on the market. In addition to increasing in-game rewards, the Myth 4 upgrade includes:

• A wider array in classes, additional characteristics and sizes of bosses and monsters, and challenging close-attack characters - further aiding fast-paced gameplay
•  Surprises lurking in dark corners as hidden bosses emerge to seek the complete  annihilation of player's bright-eyed, yet feisty characters
•  Hidden black holes that engulf unsuspecting player, stripping them of their mana - a blow difficult to overcome
•  An improved and simplified market system where players can avoid the hassle and stress often associated with stocking up on supplies and novelty items in Town Square
•  The addition of new, upgraded weaponry for characters to bash and slash adversaries like never before

The story of Lunia revolves around an intricate plot of mystical characters and fantasy settings. The game possesses a unique anime-influence - with cell shading, in the style of Japanese Manga comics. Players battle monsters and each other over the course of multiple, increasingly difficult episodes, making their way through winding storyline of this mystical tale.

Lunia-tics can check out these recent updates to the game.