Testing TERA ~ Adventure Gamer

Around December 2009 I was lucky enough be chosen for the English focus group test of TERA. I had a blast playing it with some people from the official forums. Only a tiny portion of the game was being tested, but it had me entertained the whole weekend. And that's a bit rare in MMORPGs nowadays. So what's special about TERA? Here's a quick explanation from the official site:

TERA is the first true Action MMORPG, providing all of the depth of an MMO with the intensity and gratification of an action game. Players fully control their characters using the game's dynamic battle system.
Player actions can change the balance of power in a world threatened by dark powers as seven allied races try to work together to protect their lands from marauding monsters, underworld dwellers, and evil scheming gods.

I love you too, random female human.

If it's the first I don't know, there are a few others floating around (like Vindictus). But the part about "true action" is all but a lie. Click your mouse button, your sword swings. If you miss, you miss. No target select resulting in you being able to hit someone even if your weapon is off visually. It's all about hitboxes and a dynamic combat system. Being a pretty Unreal Engine 3 game doesn't hurt either.

Anyway! This weekend En Masse Entertainment (the game's North American publishing company) are holding a Community Play Event. Everyone from the focus group tests are invited, as well as some people from the community. This time around we will be testing an English translated version of the client, more or less identical to the Korean release client. And unlike the FGTs, players won't be under an NDA. This means that we will be free to spread any screenshots and recorded footage of the game we get during the event.

I'm kind of excited to see what has changed since 2009. I spent a lot of time during the FGT just exploring the world. It was quite refreshing having such a huge and open world that still had a lot of detail to it. But back then I only got to see a few areas and most of the world was empty and unfinished. Hopefully I'll have time to both explore and try out PvE with all the classes.

So look forward to some screenies and hopefully a couple of videos, as well as my impressions of the game this weekend/early next week. And if you want to read others impressions and thoughts you should check out the Comunity Play Event forum over at the official site. Only participants can post, but the board is open for anyone to read.