i was gonna skip this mmo but after watching latest trailer i think i will test it.

if its really as nice as the trailer i will play ffxiv for pve and b&s for pvp

goinna aim for Kung-Fu Master or Force Master to test playstyle

hope both mmo wont come out at same time now so i have time to hardcore on one first ^^

this game is much much better then aion with good graphics and no more stupid lame limited flight pvp.

just need to test the gameplay and combat system now to convince me.

i hope they wont neglect team and community features in this mmo ^^

hmmm the trailers quite interestin...will try destroyer if i play it

Well we still don't know how they will go about the english version , it looks like it'll be a lot of time between korean and english release

frankly i hope it come out after 2011 for english version ^^

I don't think it will come out before 2011 they can milk Aion for quite some time 1st, and they probably will let the huge ammount of mmos coming in 2010 last a little so people start quitting those for other big mmos.

Oww btw that destroyer part of the trailer LOL they show off him throwing that poor gunner guy away 3 times

Well yeah for 2010 I'm looking forward to Star Wars : TOR and dunno when FFXIV is comming out but that too. And I also have big expectations for B&S. I think these 3 will be huge , so I hope they don't all come out at the same time :D

Around this time last year, fans of NCSoft's games weren't just buzzing about Aion; back then, the company had another recently-announced MMO that gamers were looking forward to. But as time went on, Aion's development pushed ahead into the lead, and it won the lion's share of press coverage and hype. The other MMO—out of the limelight, but not forgotten—is called Blade and Soul, originally announced by NCSoft in July of 2008. Now that Aion's time to shine in the world of pre-release excitement has come to an end, many fans are once again looking ahead to "next big thing" territory.

Part of the reason that Blade and Soul's buzz-factor is on the rise is its distinctive art style and high-octane gameplay. Dubbed with the "next-generation" tagline, Blade and Soul's combat more resembles a console-based fighting game than a traditional MMORPG (check out NCSoft's latest video trailer). In fact, rumor has it that NCSoft is developing the game with the intention of releasing a console version at some point after its PC launch. So it's no surprise that, in a time when every MMO developer on the block is slapping the "innovative" label on their product, fans are yearning for something that truly stands out.

When NCSoft announced Blade and Soul, it described the game as an "Oriental Martial Arts MMORPG" that sheds the usual high-fantasy motif in favor of an original world based on "Oriental mysticism." According to NCSoft's initial announcement, the game world is inspired by a Korean myth called "Song of Genesis." Player factions are designed from characters in the mythology, and the basic premise is similar to many creation myths; you fight against God-like forces to bring the world back to its original harmony.

At the time, NCSoft released a handful of concept art and screenshots to accompany the announcement, along with a single gameplay video that showcased Blade and Soul's action-oriented, arcade-fighter-esque combat. The video was well-received among MMO and martial-arts gamers, especially after learning that Blade and Soul's art direction was modeled after famous Korean artist Hyung-tae Kim.

Under the direction of the same team that developed NCSoft's successful Lineage II, Blade and Soul was built with the Unreal Engine 3 (the latest generation of Epic Games' ultra-solid and magnificently-optimized Unreal Engine). By using this engine to design an MMO, the developers will have an easier time delivering on the promise of a next-gen,  "AAA" title—but on the other hand, the more complex the engine, the more time and money it can take to build.

According to this post on a Blade and Soul fansite, the game could be delayed until 2011; apparently the developers need more time to reach the full potential of what they can do (scouting Taiwan's landscapes to create a more realistic game environment, for example). Blade and Soul will also feature a dynamic environment that engages the player in different ways; that is, players can manipulate certain conditions in the environment, just as the environment can manipulate the player's experience.

NCSoft is making some lofty claims regarding Blade and Soul's next-gen aspects, as many bloggers have commented after running down the features list. An MMO with combat that's played out like Tekken? Is it even possible, from the practical/accessible standpoint? NCSoft has remained tight-lipped about Blade and Soul's specific gameplay mechanics, but after all, the company is billing it as a "next-gen" MMO. Maybe this time, a publisher isn't just using the term as a marketing buzzword.

Unofficial fansites like BnSFacts claim to have confirmed various features or gameplay elements, like this fact sheet from the aforementioned blog. According to these facts, there is no skill bar displayed on-screen, your position in relation to your opponent is very important in combat and you have the ability to counter enemy attacks. A "swift jump" ability is also named, which is the only way players can access certain areas of the world. Leveling is said to be dependent on proficiency with weapons, which might imply a skill-based progression system.

The latest round of Blade and Soul news came out of Gstar 2009 in Korea earlier this month, when NCSoft released the 11-minute gameplay trailer mentioned above. There is still no word as to when the North American version of the Blade and Soul will be developed (as confirmed by IGN's recent interview with art director Hyung Tae Kim). However, NCSoft did unveil four new races (the Gon, Jin, Kun and Lyn) and four new classes (Kung-Fu Master, Blade Master, Force Master and Destroyer) in the video.

For now, fans are stuck with the familiar waiting game, as NCSoft puts the finishing touches on Blade and Soul in Asia. North American and European gamers will have to wait a bit longer, until the developers officially announce the distribution of NA/EU versions (which will presumably be passed off to NCSoft West for localization).

Got it from Mina.



So far, the only differences for race I saw are:
Jin - Big boobs, very human.
Gon - More muscular and sexy. Something like tough look.
Kun - Elf-like without the ears. Long and slim body and very revealing clothes..
Lyn - Very distinctive with the mouse ear.

So far, the ones which interest me a lot are Jin, Kun and Lyn. Not sure which to pick..

Force Master and that one which uses ink to draw characters (Think would name as Tao master? Lol) seems good to me. Ah~~

I didn't see the class that had all those blades floating behind her in one of the very 1st B&S vids that we got to see in this video. But am very interested in that one

Sounds like Monster Hunter's fighting style.
Hope it won't take too long :)

I've been looking forward to this game, the destroyer seems like the class for me

Hmm not very visual on Wtf is the difference from a Kung Fu master , Blade Master and Destroyer lol . but id guess kung fu master is the class thats all hands on like in the first trailer (2008).

ya moe heh,i guess most of the players will go for blade master since its the flying blades female in first trailer that got most interested in b&s in the first place

anyway according to this poll in mmo forum.b&s have highest players commit to testing it when it comes out

BLADE AND SOUL : 267 CONTINENT OF THE NINTH(C9) : 52 DRAGON NEST : 24 MABINOGI: HEROES : 24 TERA : 81


noticed they didn add in major mmo like ffxiv or swtor in the poll since they mainly want to know who is more commit for the lesser known mmo titles.

with the massive amount of nice mmo coming out in 2010,the competition will be fierce

Supamoe wrote:Hmm not very visual on Wtf is the difference from a Kung Fu master , Blade Master and Destroyer lol . but id guess kung fu master is the class thats all hands on like in the first trailer (2008).

Blade Master - Sword type. Probably the one who can summon flying blades behind them.

Kungfu Master - the fist type. 1 on 1 close combat.

Destroyer - That huge axe can act as a weapon or a shield (Shown in trailer). One special move I saw in the video is he grabs the victim and hit it far as if the victim is a baseball.

NCsoft unveiled a video recording the interview on the development of Blade & Soul, which had been exhibited at GStar 2009 held in South Korea between Nov. 26 and Nov. 29. Interviewees involved in this video include Blade & Soul's producer- Jae Hyun Pae and art director - Hyung Tae Kim who is also a famous art designer familiar to players, sharing with the audience their ideas about the game. Here is the details in this interview.

As the development director, which part of Blade & Soul do you pay the most attention to?
Pae: Our core goal is to have our players enjoy different gaming experience, so we pay much attention to those seeming to be ignored or hard to reach in the existing games. With "martial arts" as the game's theme, we are striving to allow players to adventure throughout the gaming world as martial arts experts with unparalleled jump skills.

As the art director, which part of Blade & Soul do you pay the most attention to?
Kim: We focus much attention on the game's visual effects and graphics. "Characters", which are the embodiments of players in the game, are the most important thing. Therefore, we're working hard on maximizing the charm of in-game characters.

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In comparison with the existing MMOs, is there anything totally new in Blade & Soul?
Pae: Yes, we are trying to integrate those that are considered taboo or unreachable in the existing MMORPGs. For example, moving the opponent forcefully, catching even wrestling the opponent, jumping as high as 10 - 20 meters, attacking consecutively... All these are what we're pursuing and are of the greatest importance.

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What do you think of the art director, Kim Taehyung?
Pae: Kim Taehyung has been well known for his knowledge on quests and drawing. Actually, he also knows a thing or two about the model construction concerning 3D quests, as well as some other 3D related technologies. Our original character models were just planned by Kim Taehyung himself.

The graphics unveiled last year have enjoyed relatively wide popularity. What's your opinion in this respect?
Pae: Though the game content completed last year has been unveiled by the development team and has enjoyed popularity among players, all developers including me still don't feel satisfied. That's because this is just a small part of what we've planned, and there's still a long way to go.

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