Forsaken World Interview w/ Jon Belliss the Director of Marketing for PWE

"Forsaken World is one of the latest and best looking free-to-play MMORPGs in Perfect World Entertainment's line up. Forsaken World offers outstanding graphics, new races and classes, and a plethora of things to do in-game. The biggest attraction for this game besides its graphics has to be its Realm vs. Realm combat. That said, the fate of the land will be in your hands. You must choose which race you represent in the battle against Dysil, and also look for the powerful relics that were lost in the previous wars and you must seek out the Godly Essences which can make you become godly. Drive back the forces of evil and defeat them once and for all! All in all, Forsaken World could shape up to be one of the better PvP games offered by Perfect World." Jon Belliss the Director of Marketing for Perfect World Entertainment was kind enough to answer a few questions for us about Forsaken World"


Game Ogre: Can you tell us the inspiration for Forsaken World, and some of the influences that were a part of the creation of the game?

Jon B. Most of Perfect World Entertainment’s games have influenced by Asian culture and with the North American and European audience, we wanted to create a game from the ground up with the western audience in mind. Forsaken World is a product of this desire and players can look forward to a blend of western mythologies in the background story, art style and character design.


Game Ogre: Can you introduce us to the lore behind Forsaken World? Who are Dyos and Nyos, and how will players interact with the story during gameplay?

Jon B. As with most western mythology, the Forsaken World lore is based on the battle between good and evil. Nyos is bent on destroying the world of Eyrda, but Dyos manages to trick Nyos into leaving. While players won’t be directly interacting with the Dyos or Nyos, they will see their influence throughout Eyrda.

Game Ogre: There are 5 Races including some more unique ones like the Protector, Vampire, and Bard not typically found in many if any other MMORPGs. Can you tell us a little about these classes and what makes them a special playing experience?

Jon B. Certainly, the classes that you mentioned, the Protector, Vampire and Bard, are race specific and are unique to Forsaken World. The Protector, for instance, can only be played by the Stonemen, who serve to shield their allies from vicious attacks by taking it themselves. Kindreds can become Vampires, who can use their own blood during battle to power their spells and vicious attacks or even save the lives of their allies through their own sacrifice. Elves can be Bards, who are able to string together different combinations to debilitate enemies while assisting their allies.


Game Ogre: Can you tell us some about the different professions in Forsaken World and their benefits of being learned?

Jon B. There are a total of 14 occupations that any player can master in Forsaken World and there are many benefits to each including crafting your own potions and food, gaining access to hidden quests as a socialite to seeing the future through the use of astrology.

Game Ogre: How does the combat system work in Forsaken World? What can we expect in relation to quests, dueling, arena battling, raids, etc?

Jon B. Forsaken World offers a variety of different combat systems from PvE quests to unique PvP content, including open world PvP, PvP dungeons, territory wars and dungeons. One of the most unique combat elements is the Soul Orbs that players can gather in PvP. Once players have gathered enough Soul Orbs from their opponents, they will become much more powerful, adding a whole new layer of PvP strategy.


Game Ogre: I noticed that you offer a lot of PVP events in the game like guild battles, castle occupation, and full on 24/7 PVP. What does Forsaken World offer the more “Peace Loving†Role playing crowd and how does it plan on satisfying the PVE market?

Jon B. Forsaken World does an excellent job balancing PvP and PvE features and will open up new content depending on what players prefer on the server. The server will also take on a different appearance depending on players’ preference, for example a more PvP oriented server will appear much more chaotic appearance than a PvE server.


Game Ogre: There are two types of in game currency, Soul Coins and Coins. What is the difference between the two, what are both types used for, and what was the factor in deciding to make two different types of currency to be used?

Jon B. Players can obtain Soul Coins from quests and killing monsters and use it to upgrade skills, crafting and buy potions while Coins can be used to buy things from other players and at certain NPCs. The big difference is that Soul Coins are bound to players, which will reduce gold farming and will keep the game fairer for all players.


Game Ogre: Going back to the guild battles, Are there any rewards or benefits for the most dominant guilds in the game? What checks and balances are in place to make sure one guild doesn’t dominate completely forever?

Jn B. The Territory War system ensures that guilds of all sizes will be able to benefit as well as reward smaller guilds for banding together to take on bigger guilds. Like any Territory Wars system, there are many benefits, but one of the most unique is the ability for guilds to bid on a floating bases, which will offer members a multitude of NPCs, functions, abilities, perks and other benefits.



Game Ogre: Forsaken World offers both mounts and pet systems. Can you tell us a little about these and what types of both might players be able to find? What are the benefits of a mount or a pet and what types of ways can players acquire them?

Jon B. Players will be able to obtain both mounts and pets through natural progression of the game. Mounts will allow players to travel through the in-game world much quicker while pets can be raised and trained to aid them in battle.


Game Ogre: There are many instances in Forsaken World and a wide variety of daily events. Can you tell us about some of your favorite ones and about the benefits of doing these instances and events?

Jon B. A very popular instance that can be run daily is the Nightmare Carnival. Traditional instances involve players delving into a dungeon to kill monsters and bosses. This instance is built around a series of challenges that, in most cases, require party members to work together in unconventional ways. These challenges range from crossing a room full of deadly gas on a small moving platform, to collecting items while avoiding patrolling enemies that will interrupt and distract you. Rewards for completing this instance range from the staples of experience and money, to things like exclusive titles and powerful items.


Game Ogre: I read that there is a point in the game that the player could become one of the gods. Can you give us any info on this? What else will be available for players at level cap to keep them interested and entertained?

Jon B. The God System is aimed at rewarding players who achieve an elite status or achievement, for example, if a player has travelled the most in-game distance could become the god of transportation, thereby granting them the power to teleport themselves or other players anywhere on the server. There’s quite a bit of end game content including the Territory Wars system as well as the floating command centers for guilds.


Game Ogre: I noticed some tongue in cheek humor in the quest chains, often relating to modern culture, like the reference to Twilight during a werewolf quest, and some more Famous NPC names like Hell the Ripper, Wendy, and Peter Pan. What led to these doses of comic relief and name dropping? Was there any other intent or importance behind them?

Jon B. Forsaken World is our first MMORPG built from the ground up with the western audience in mind and combines elements from various western cultures, but with a twist. They were definitely put there on purpose and I think players will really enjoy the cultural references.
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Game Ogre: Forsaken World will have a Cash Shop. Can you tell us how the cash shop currency will work, and ways you can obtain the currency used in the cash shop? In addition what types of items will be found in the cash shop and how can they affect your gameplay?

Jon B. Players can purchase Cash Shop currency or trade for it with other players, giving all players the opportunity to participate in the Cash Shop. The Cash Shop in Forsaken World, as with all other Perfect World Entertainment games, puts and emphasis on convenience and fashion versus allowing players purchase power, making it fair to paying and non-paying players alike.
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Game Ogre: If players are still unsure if they should try Forsaken World what would you like to tell them to help them make up their minds?

Jon B. Forsaken World is an amazing game and unlike most triple A MMORPGs coming out this year, Forsaken World also happens to be a free-to-play game. Free-to-play means there’s a low barrier of entry to try Forsaken World and while there’s very little to lose, there’s a whole lot to gain if you get into the game and don’t need to pay a monthly subscription for it.