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November 10 2010

In the wake of recent announcements regarding the Eastern release of TERA, En Masse has posted the following information regarding the Western version.

Unveils Next in Race and Class Series: Amani and Lancer

En Masse Entertainment, the company behind the pioneering action MMORPG TERA, is pleased to return this month with another installment of news from the world of TERA. In preparation for the game’s highly anticipated 2011 launch, En Masse provides a look at the integral role of achievements in the TERA player experience, and continues with the next installments in En Masse’s series of race and class features, each of which will spotlight one of the game’s six mythical races and eight unique classes.

Achievements in TERA: Heightening the Player Experience

Typically, MMO gamers play with the goal of leveling-up, acquiring the best items, and completing quests in order to craft the ultimate character. TERA expands upon this basic player experience with a richly designed achievement system that offers fresh challenges and unexpected rewards. Players can garner acclaim through a wide variety of achievement types, including exploration- and quest-based achievements, PvP achievements, statistical achievements (such as the number of potions consumed or the number of deaths), and even social achievements like talking to every NPC in the game!

In addition to the enriched gameplay, TERA’s achievement system also deepens and expands the game’s story. Achievements provide players the ability to relive plotlines, story settings, and character information—previously experienced by playing through quests and reading NPC text—in a whole new way! As players continue to gain levels and delve deeper into the story, they unlock corresponding story journals one by one, further expanding the rich lore and story of the world of TERA.

Featured Race: Amani

“They aren’t gonna stab themselves!” —a common amani exclamation

The descendants of dragons, the amani (ah-MAH-nee) are identifiable by their considerable stature, and reptilian features and skin. Enslaved by conquering giants and freed by the goddess Kaia with the help of the castanics, the amani value freedom above all things. They are naturally watchful and slow to trust, but having earned their trust, you will have it until you prove faithless. You really don’t want to do that.

Amani are direct in speech and action, honest, candid, and somewhat imperious. They are usually respected, often admired, sometimes feared. No one doubts they will say what they mean, do what they say, and make life very hard on their enemies.

Featured Class: Lancer

Key attacks in the lancer arsenal are Lance Charge and Onslaught—powerful moves that drive deep into enemy formations. Along with ever more powerful combo attacks, high level lancers boost the defense of party members, weaken their foes’ armor, and draw aggro from all parts of the battlefield, establishing themselves as a dynamic and necessary part of any group.

From an RP perspective, the Amani will be an absolutely insane race to play.  The potential for rich back stories will only be limited by the player’s imagination.  Likewise, I am certainly hoping that we will have engaging quest-lines for this race.

The achievement system appears to be very broad and all-encompassing.  The fact that you’ll be able to trigger quests via achievements is actually very interesting, and will certainly make it so that we the players are driven to complete specific achievements.

I’m hoping though, that the system will also provide a lot of base information so that the achievements don’t simply become a guessing game.

Make certain to check out the Lancer video above, if you haven’t already.  It is quite awesome, I must say.

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