Ryl: Path of the Emperor E3 2005 Impressions

Ryl: Path of the Emperor is described by Planetwide Games as being a fantasy-based massively multiplayer online game with some sci-fi elements. We had a chance to sit down at Planetwide's booth at E3 for a look at this MMO, originally from Korea, that the publisher is hoping will be big in America as well.

Ryl, like Lineage (the other MMO that's big in Korea), is a primarily PVP-based game. We're told that you'll be going after quests and monsters early in the game, but after you level up a bit, you'll be released into the wild and forced to fend for yourself against the big bad wolves of the player-versus-player kingdom. There are three kingdoms in the game, and you'll be forced to align yourself with one of these. There are also player-run guilds within each kingdom, which you may find advantageous to join. You'll automatically be hostile to players from other kingdoms, and you may find that your guild is at war with other guilds from within the same kingdom, as well. Suffice it to say that you'll find yourself with plenty of opportunities to kill or be killed if you pick up Ryl.

Indeed, the PvP content here is going to be pretty hardcore, from what we've seen. Players have the ability to construct buildings and even fortifications, leading to guild strongholds popping up here and there. These strongholds won't just be for show, though. When a guild finds a site with good mining veins, they'll obviously want to lay claim to it, but they'll be forced to defend those veins and their city from rival guilds that might seek to wipe them out. To encourage a bit of large-scale battle, the developers have included what are known as "world weapons," which are massive, unique weapons, and only one can exist at a time on any given server. When a guild gets together the required materials for a weapon (and we're told it's very difficult), they can construct it and fire it, apparently anywhere on the map, releasing a huge destructive force in a 500-meter diameter around ground zero, likely killing anyone in the area and doing huge damage to buildings. Smart guilds will follow up this blast with an assault from ground troops, so it seems like these are going to be the equivalent of nuclear weapons in an online Command & Conquer: Generals match. When you hear that someone's built one, you might want to do your best to either go all out on assault, or just head for the hills.

In addition, the PvP content will be boosted by the participation of game masters, who have the capability to dynamically create events that are tied to the game's storyline. For instance, in a previous event, GMs created and controlled three superpowerful lords that took up residence in each of the three kingdoms. The players were told about these lords and tasked with entering the opposing kingdoms and killing them, so that some players went on the hunt while others stayed behind to guard their own lord. All players from the kingdom with the last lord standing were given a boon to their stats for a while as a reward.

Another aspect of the game that the team seems to emphasize is your ability to upgrade and modify weapons. There are a few ways of doing this. The first is by finding another weapon of the same type as the one you're using, bring it to a blacksmith, and then compare and contrast stats. If the new weapon has better stats in some areas than your old one does, then you'll apparently be able to mix and match and meld the weapons together to create something better than either of them. Secondly, you'll be able to enhance your weapons with various metals that you'll find by enemy drops or via mining. Lastly, later in the game you'll be able to pick up gems that give you permanent boosts as well.

Make no mistake: Ryl is all about the action. There's no crafting in the game (outside of the aforementioned weapon upgrading), and the million-dollar PvP tournament it's planning to hold next year at E3 should let you know precisely where its focus lies. If you're interested in getting down and dirty with fellow MMO rapscallions, then stay tuned to GameSpot. We'll have more info on Ryl as it approaches its North American launch.