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Using your skills effectively is the key to survival in an online-roleplaying game like Runes of Magic. Therefore, the user interface of Frogster's upcoming MMORPG keeps all important information and functions directly at hand. Players can also tweak the interface freely to their personal needs. Adjustable hotkeys offer quick access to all skills of the character and can easily be equipped via drag & drop. Players are also able to activate as many action-bars as they want, allocate the desired number of hotkeys to them and move them freely on their screen. Smart online gamers can also assign keyboard shortcuts to their hotkeys, so that they can rapidly react in crucial situations.

Using these possibilities wisely, players can build their own combat set out of the entire pool of skills, in which the different actions for healing, melee and ranged combat, buffs, debuffs and special skills will find their place depending on the character class. Besides those crucial abilities, players can insert emotes to their action-bar to alleviate the communication with fellow adventurers. After all, challenging somebody to a PvP duel looks much cooler, if it is accompanied by the right gesture, and the winner of a grand fight has all the right to raise its fist into the air to celebrate victory.

Macros and Add-ons

Players can also assemble macros in Runes of Magic to gain fast access to mighty attack or heal combinations. Using macros, they can string together a series of commands, with which they are able to sequentially use items or skills to achieve customized effects. Players can for example combine a debuff with an attack targeting the weakness they just created, use small or larger heal combinations on their comrades or combine actions for opening attacks or emergency situations. There are virtually no boundaries for creativity here. Players with programming skills can apply further modifications using script languages like Lua and XML. Lua scripts can be embedded into macros or used in add-ons, which players can tailor to their own needs with some XML knowledge.

Maps & Quest Log

Different maps of the game world Taborea do not only offer a helpful orientation about the shortest way between settlements, mines and other interesting places, but can also display quest givers. Who wants to be guided to them or to the next quest target, can locate them using the world search and activate a convenient navigation system. This handy online GPS can even be activated for different targets and then indicates the direction with differently colored arrows.

To complete accepted quests, a small mini-map in the upper right hand corner of the screen shows useful information about merchants, monsters, raw material deposits and other interesting objects. In case players lose track of their objectives, a look into the quest log will show all relevant information for their missions including the promised rewards. Players can manage the status of each quest here or abandon it altogether. Selecting a monster, NPC or player with a mouse click brings up the portrait of your target including a status display. A simple right click opens the menu for social interactions like trading, group invites and much more. Moreover, Runes of Magic offers the possibility to view additional information about Taborea's creatures such as names, titles or energy values – or to cast off all displayed text information if the player wants to have an unspoilt view of the world. Thus, the user interface can also be completely switched off.

In the backpack of Runes of Magic travelling adventurers store their complete inventory like spare weapons, armor, potions, quest items and other loot. With a few convenient functions they are able to quickly straighten up all items. Besides a view of the complete inventory, the backpack can separately show equipment, runes, crafting materials and potions or sort the inventory according to these categories. And if you really have to throw away something, the dust bin function is a convenient way to get rid of useless stuff.

With an extensive range of features Runes of Magic prepares to redefine the standard of free-to-play MMO games. Right from the launch Runes of Magic will convey its absorbing story in over 600 quests embedded in an atmospheric world. Players can choose from six main classes. Combined with a secondary class they dispose of 36 individual character classes over all. All characters possess unique skills with impressive combo attacks and can use mounts in the later stages of game play. A particularly attractive feature for guilds and players is the possibility to arrange their own virtual homes with individual furnishing. Thanks to an extensive crafting and reputation system, thrilling PVP as well as demanding dungeons and boss-monsters, no wishes remain unsatisfied. The Taiwanese developer Runewaker has developed Runes of Magic according to western MMO standards within a time frame of three years. The studio will provide new challenges for players every three to four months with free add-ons and updates.

Features:

• Free2play, no monthly fees, free download
• Dual class system with switchable primary and secondary classes
• Enthralling background story
• Already over 600 quests and level comprehensive quest series on launch
• Instanced and persistent dungeons
• Individually developed skills and spells
• Armor sets with special bonuses
• Dynamic item system: Upgrades with hundreds of runes
• Activatable PvP system (Player vs. Player duels)
• Epic crafting system with the possibility to improve existing items
• Individual coloring of clothes and armor
• Housing: personalization with individual furniture for players and guilds
• Special zones for guild houses
• Reputation system
• Scalable user interface based on the users flavor (development of own add-ons possible)
• In-game map and radar system to find dealers, resources and quests easily
• Auction house: auction and purchase items
• Teleporting possibilities per runes
• Different and unique mounts
• Controlling with mouse (point & click) and keyboard (WASD or arrow keys) possible

MMO fans can find a registration form for the newsletter on the official teaser site.

The German version will come to light even before Christmas 2008, shortly there after an English version will be released.

Frogster Interactive Pictures AG strives to release both the European-English version and the American version at the same time. Concerning the US version Frogster currently looking for a qualified US-Publisher.

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