The One Where It's Time To Say Goodbye

"Today is the day! The day when an angel, Hrin has lost her wings, the day that immortal Hrin has lost her godlike powers, the day that this deity has fallen to earth and become nothing more than a mere mortal in order to pursue her dreams in Glasgow..." I announce theatrically to Kaioujin and Lorenza as they roll their eyes in disgust at my usual dramatic choice of words.

I don't know why, but as I am typing this final entry, I feel as though I am typing out a 'dear john' letter where I'm breaking up with you guys. I guess this is the part where I awkwardly say to you,"It's not you, it's me..."? LOL.

In any case, I think it's been a great 2.5 years with you guys. Like all relationships, we had our ups and downs, but we've come to learn to accept and respect each other in our own ways. Thank you for your patience, your understanding, and most of all, your love for our child, Granado Espada. Please continue to love her (yes, I firmly insist that if Granado Espada were a real human child, it would be a girl - cos only the female species can have that complicated a gameplay and I will firmly dispute the argument that it could be a boy 'because only males would love 3-somes i.e. MCC') and cherish her. Please continue to show kindness and support for the rest of Team GE and of course your new regional community manager, [CM] Lorenza.

Meanwhile I am truly touched and grateful to Desanggria for organizing an in-game event to bid me farewell on 6 September 2009. Thank you all for attending it and for giving your well wishes! Here were some of the screenshots of the event:


Yet another special thanks the Pinoy gaming community who got together and wrote me a very touching card and mailed it to me along with a necklace and earrings. As I looked at those simple accessories, the first thought that came to my mind was,'All the Tiffanys and Harry Winstons in the world could not be more valuable than this...'

Lastly, a big thank you to Bea who created this farewell video for me. Erm... but before you attempt to watch it, there is one thing you have to take note of. Children, stay away from alcohol as much as possible, for as you can see, excessive drinking can have very detrimental consequences like unflattering photos and abnormal poses...



For those of you who asked me for my Facebook account email address, here it is: hrinshire@hotmail.com. Some of you also asked me if you could have the URL of my personal blog in order to continue following my life's adventures. Well, I am truly flattered and I shall definitely make attempts to entertain as much as possible over at http://daniellehrin.xanga.com

Once things are more settled over in Glasgow, I'll start playing Granado Espada again with my family name reverted back to Hrin. Please don't get scammed by anyone else - I wouldn't ask for your passwords or 'items pl0x' you. Woot! I am pretty excited to revert back to normal player mode and do normal player stuff like join factions and raid bosses - something you guys have always been taking for granted!

From this moment forth, [CM] Hrin is now just... Hrin.

Goodbye my friends. :)

The One About GCA Merchandise!

Woot! The designs for the GCA Granado Espada merchandise are out!

Featuring... Hellena's Lucky Deck laptop skin!

... a DOTZ laptop skin!

...and a 'Masquerade' handphone wiper!

Just out of curiosity, which of the laptop skins do you guys prefer? The DOTZ one or the Hellena one? We're trying to nail down the production quantities and your input would be really valuable! Leave me your comments, ya?

The One About Games Convention Asia

Things are starting to get reallyyyyy hectic around here with preparations underway for Games Convention Asia. IAHGames is the official gaming partner for this major regional event - where all of the gaming industry's big players in the region fellowship together.

We are planning various stage events and a festival area which has quest stations to play mini games and win various Granado Espada merchandise. Currently, we are looking at Granado Espada Masquerade Logo handphone wipers and check this out - Granado Espada laptop skins! Yep that's right! We were totally inspired by our Malaysia partner (SMM) who created such fantazzztic GE laptop skins that we have been pushing for the same thing to be launched during GCA as well. Hopefully things will turn out well! I'll post up any sneak preview visuals as and when I receive them.

Moving on to the updates about V3.5, the localization text has been integrated and we are currently awaiting the final client build from IMC which should arrive mid September. Then we'll be doing the QA testing and if everything turns out well, then tentatively, we should be set to launch on 8 October 2009.

In the meantime, here're a few other events to look out for in the upcoming 2 months:

The Andre Challenge - Costume Design

1 Sept to 30 Sept

That’s right, you heard him! Andre is out to recruit talented artists in Granado Espada! Do you have what it takes to design a FANTAAAZZZTIC costume? So pick up your drawing tools today! Who knows, you might be the one!

The City Defenders - Reboldoeux

24 Sept to 22 October

Are you an avid RNPC collector? Then this event is definitely for you! Recruit and level up all RNPCs in City of Reboldoeux and you may stand to walk away with attractive in-game prizes!

It’s Holidays! Time to play GE!

4 Sept to 1 October

We’re giving you free items just for playing more in the New World! Login every week to get complimentary gifts! Plus, if you hit perfect attendance, we’ll throw in even more goodies!

The One About Shooot Awards - Machinima Contest

Just a heads up - we're collaborating with Shooot who will be hosting an international machinima contest. Winner gets a fully sponsored trip to Japan to attend Siggraph Asia 2009! The deadline for all submissions is on 25 October 2009.

Here's the bonus of creating a Granado Espada Machinima film - unlike other participants who have to pay USD30~50 for each submission, you guys get to submit your videos for free! More details will be out shortly on the website. But for now, you can start preparing your script/storyboard etc!

Source: http://www.shooot.com/pages/fiesta

SHOOOT Awards - Submission NOW OPEN!

SHOOOT to stardom and be rewarded when you submit your Machinima film for SHOOOT Awards 2009. The Grand prize of the SHOOOT Awards is a fully sponsored trip to attend SIGGRAPH Asia 2009 in Yokohama, Japan! You will also stand a chance to win attractive prizes from our sponsors! All you need to do is to create your own movies* from either your favourite 3D game or virtual world and submit your work to us! It's simple, and you could just be our lucky star!

*Rules and regulations apply.

Submission Deadline

All entries must reach us by midnight 25 October 2009 (Singapore Time, GMT +08:00)

Submission Categories

A total of 15 Award titles to be given away in all!

Main Categories

INTERNATIONAL
- Open to submission entries from all over the world.
SINGAPORE OPEN
- Open to all submission entries from Singapore, including professionals and instituitions.
SCHOOLS
- Open to submission entries from Singapore schools only, including IHLs.

Sub-Categories

1. BEST SHORT MACHINIMA
- Honors the best short format film under 1 minute in length.
2. BEST LONG MACHINIMA
- Honors the best short format film under 5 minutes (at 1 minute) in length.
3. BEST 30 SECOND TVC MACHINIMA
- Honors the best film featuring a branded service or product.
4. BEST ORIGINAL MUSIC
- Honors the best original music in a machinima film.
5. BEST GAMES MACHINIMA
- Honors the best machinima created from any 3D game.

Winners would be announced during the SHOOOT Awards Ceremony at the SHOOOT Fiesta on 6 December 2009.

*Judges reserve the rights to confer, or otherwise, the Grand prize to the best Machinima entry from any Award category. The Judges' decision is final. The organizer reserves the rights to amend the Awards rules and prizes without prior notice.

How To Submit

You can submit your entry to us through either one of the following methods:

1. Email us the URL of your Machinima film via awards@shooot.com
2. Upload your Machinima film to our SHOOOT Members Portal and send us your username via awards@shooot.com
3. Post us your Machinima film in a DVD-ROM at 291A South Bridge Road, Singapore 058836 and attach a copy of the form below:

• Download SHOOOT MGM Awards Submission form (for Individual submission)
• Download SHOOOT MGM Awards Submission form (for Group submission)

For more enquiries about the submission method, please email us at awards@shooot.com.

Submission Fees

Submission fees are WAIVED for all entries for the School Category. (Submission fees will also be waived for IAHGamers submitting Granado Espada films.)

For International Category, a submission fee of USD50 applies per sub-category submission.
For Singapore Open Category, a submission fee of SGD30 applies per sub-category submission.

For more enquiries about submission fees and payment, please email us at awards@shooot.com.

About SHOOOT Fiesta 2009

SHOOOT Fiesta is conceived as a medium which allows individuals to express their creativity and learn to be creative with digital platform through the creative showcase of others. It gives an accessible and instant opportunity to allow budding or serious film-makers, game makers, gamers, animators, virtual world lovers to showcase their creative works to a larger audience.

Advanced Programme

Start Time	End Time	Event/Activity
Day 1
16:00	17:00	Opening Ceremony of SHOOOT Fiesta 2009 by Guest-of-Honour Showcase of SHOOOT Awards Finalists' Works
17:00	17:15	Tea & Networking Session
17:15	19:15	Thought-leadership Talks by Industry Speakers on New Media and Learning (Target Audience: Industry professionals, educators and government agencies)
19:15	21:15	Live Virtual Music Performances
Full Day		SHOOOT Fiesta Exhibition (Public Walk-in)
Day 2
11.00	18:00	Full-day Master Classes on Machinima, Games and Metaverse (Target Audience: Academics, Educators, Students, Digital Artists, Gamers, Youths, etc.)
17:00	21:00	Cosplay Event
Full Day		SHOOOT Fiesta Exhibition (Public Walk-in)
Day 3
Full Day		SHOOOT Fiesta Exhibition (Public Walk-in)
19:00	20:00	Fashion Show : The Real and Virtual Live Virtual Music Performances
20:00	20:30	Presentations by SHOOOT Awards Finalists and Sponsors
20:30	21:00	SHOOOT Awards Ceremony : Celebration of Machinima, Games and Metaverse
21:00	22:00	Networking Party

For more news and updates about SHOOOT Fiesta, please click here.

The One About The Birthday Sword

Well... it's my birthday today! Woohoo! 1 year less young! (Argh!)

And soooo... I'm gonna share a little sneak peek of the in-game event coming up tomorrow, otherwise known as Hrin & Lorenza's birthday bash! More like belated birthday though. This event had been previously scheduled for the beginning of the month but due to some refining to the system, it had to be postponed till now.

The birthday bash is an enhancement type of contest where active users (mule/invalid accounts have been filtered out) will be given a birthday sword to enhance. Different level of enhancements will give you different rewards at the end of the event. Tentatively, the event is scheduled to end on 24 September 2009 and the birthday sword will be removed from your inventory.

More details will be out tomorrow on the website, but here's the chart of rewards that the birthday sword wields:

On top of that, to supplement this event, there will also be a 30% discount on imperviums and enhancement boosters during this period!

Item Name Current Price Promotion Price
Enhancement Booster 550 GP 385 GP
+5 Impervium: Normal 9,900 GP 6,930 GP
+6 Impervium: Normal 11,000 GP 7,700 GP
+5 Impervium: Veteran 13,200 GP 9,240 GP
+6 Impervium: Veteran 16,500 GP 11,550 GP
+5 Impervium: Expert 14,300 GP 10,010 GP
+6 Impervium: Expert 17,600 GP 12,320 GP

Birthdays aside, I have something else to announce as well. I will be leaving IAHGames this 11 September 2009 to pursue my Master's degree in Business Administration (MBA) full-time in Glasgow, Scotland. It's gonna be pretty hectic since 11 Sept is my last day in Singapore as well - will be catching the night flight on that same last day of work!

With my departure, Lorenza will be taking over one of my roles - that of Granado Espada Regional Community Manager. The handover process is still in the works and once it's official, there will be a proper announcement etc. So stay tuned for that!

Frankly speaking, I've never been great at goodbyes. Despite being relatively articulate, I truly find myself at a loss of words as to what I will say in my last blog entry on Sept 11. So much to say, yet... some things are best left unsaid. Guess I will think about it over the next 2 weeks and try not to cry me a river when I type that last entry.

Take care, you guys. :)

The One About Nobody, Nobody But Choo

One of the Granado Espada gamers, Darrick, created this uber cool poster of the Wonder Girls in Granado Espada and posted it up on Facebook. From what we hear, he'll be creating an MTV using "Nobody" as the theme song this September! Really looking forward to seeing that one.


For those who have nooooo idea about who the Wonder Girls are and about the latest internet revival of their song,"Nobody", enjoy this video clip:

The One About 'From IMC to You' Episode 2

This is soooo long overdue, but as promised, here's the next batch of feedback given by Mr Pocket about some of your suggestions:

Suggestion: Pet Mercenary Card - Turn a pet to become a petbox again. This is good if you are short in vis and you want to sell your pet to have income or if you are bored with your pet.

IMC Mr Pocket Answer: Unfortunately, pets are not designed like NPCs i.e. (1) Can’t recruit the same type again (2) Can’t remove from system side.

The current condition is programmed very simply for the pet system. In this way, there will not be specific user bugs and issues like what some of the players encounter in their Quests, or Characters.

X X X X X

Suggestion: Recipe Box - Randomly gives you a recipe when opened (much like Andre's or Kaj's boxes or ring boxes)

IMC Mr Pocket Answer: The basic idea concept looks great. However, some recipes can be accepted for the list, while others can’t. The important thing is what will be the recipes in the box as we cannot allowed the very top tier recipes in there yet. Anyway I suggest that you guys discuss and design the contents “recipe box”.

(Hrin's Comments: Ok guys, you know what this means! Start coming up with your recipe box wishlist - BUT remember not to put in the top tier recipes. You can leave me comments here or even start a forum thread to discuss about this and compile the list. And of course, please manage your expectations. Not EVERY suggestion can be accepted as there will likely be things that could cost major imbalance in the game. IMC will know the situation the best so we must faith in their judgement.)

X X X X X

Suggestion: Mailboxes - These mailboxes can be located at most places for convenience, all mailboxes can receive and send. You may receive items when you are at the beach or even on Lava Plateau, any where, it doesn't matter.

IMC Mr Pocket Answer: Yes we’re actually making this MAIL system in GE! I am not sure about when it will be launched exactly but it is already in progress.

X X X X X

Suggestion: Show Vet/Expert/Master levels in the Barracks

IMC Mr Pocket Answer: I brought this issue up to our staff. We’re still in discussion about this.

X X X X X

Suggestion: Baby Back Costume

IMC Mr Pocket Answer: Whenever you make suggestions about costumes, do send me some images at the same time so there we can have some concept of how it should look like.

(Hrin's Comments: Good point. Whenever you guys make suggestions, do remember to include in the image of what you think it should look like. Now, whoever suggested the baby back costume, do send me an image or post the url in the comments section.)

X X X X X

Suggestion: The ability to walk in town for videos.

IMC Mr Pocket Answer: This suggestion has be given before by other users in other GE versions. However, ss this item is just for fun, so it is not on the top priority of items to be developed yet. There is a way to do this in a creative way though - some users use the “cursed stone” items so walk in the town.

X X X X X

Suggestion: New item effects, like Diablo 2. E.g. Great Sword of Armagedon: Atk would be lower than other normal same lvl weapon, but effect: 10% chance to cast Lv.5 Meteor Strikes on hit.

IMC Mr Pocket Answer: That’s an interesting idea… but I think it willl be hard to make it for now. I have brought this issue up to our staffs and we are in discussion.

X X X X X

Suggestion: Raid Boss Killer Announcement on the server. For example : "Novia has been killed by Family Name] Family.

IMC Mr Pocket Answer: We think that good idea that users can let their names be “announced” when they kill boss monsters. We will start making the “Raid Boss Killer Announcement” stuff. But before that, we will need the information below:

1. List of the boss monsters which you want to announce when they’re killed
2. The notice announcement. (Eg. AAA family of BB faction just killed the Novia of the Frozen Tower!)

(Hrin's Comments: Compiled wishlist, please! :D)

X X X X X

Phew ok, that's all for today. A lot to start thinking about and planning already. We are currently very occupied with preparations for V3.5, please bear with us and be patient.

Will someone be so kind as to help us out with the above? :(

The One About Jelly in a Pocket

Well... this entry should actually be more like The One About The Long Awaited Barracks Management System.

But since one of our GMs, Jelly, has recently become exceptionally close friends with Mr. Pocket and we have been teasing her mercilessly about their 'special friendship', this blog entry is dedicated to Jelly & Mr Pocket. After all, it was Mr Pocket who shared this bit of exciting news with her - that kGE recently launched the barracks management function which you guys have been bugging us endlessly for! We will likely get in V4.0. We have almost completed localization for V3.5.14 and planning to launch it in October 2009. After that, we will be starting work on V4.0.

Not to digress too much, here's a sneak peek from Mr Pocket's barracks!

The window highlighted in red allows you to call for a window, whereby you can select your teams! ‘Colony War Team’? ‘Team Arena Team’? ‘PvP Team’? Or even a ‘Kids Team’ are all at the click of your mouse.

ALT+T allows you to trigger this lil' pop-up window:

The first button lets you select the relevant customized teams while the second button, either lets you delete the team or clear the field below it -> not too sure about this one, something might have gotten misunderstood during the Kor-nglish conversation between the Pocket Jelly.

The second button in the highlighted red box allows you to arrange your characters; it means ‘Move to other location’ in the barracks.

The first button triggers a pop-up window that shows you the equipment that selected character is wearing!

Cool huh?

To end this blog entry on a childish note,

JELLY AND POCKET SITTING IN A TREE, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!

Bwahahah!!!

The One About IAHGames Customer Support Survey

I've just returned from Bangkok and feeling a bit under the weather. Hopefully, it isn't H1N1! My HR has been actively measuring my temperature every day... I feel so singled out and marginalized! Arghh!

We're currently in the midst of trying to improve our customer support services so please do help out by answering the survey below. Meanwhile, I really hope you guys will take this survey seriously and be honest about the things that are truly important to you. There's always a trade-off when it comes to costs, therefore, in order for us to truly prioritize what is important, please use a more balanced approach in answering the questions and not simply answer 'Strongly Agree' for your entire wish list, ya?

Here's the link to access it: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=H_2fIMBwj493ia5ddI5u_2fhTg_3d_3d

There's around 50 questions, yes I know it's a bit lengthy and as a little token of appreciation, I'll be randomly selecting 50 gamers to give some Adelina Booty Search Codes to!

Thanks for all the support, guys! I'll be updating another 'From IMC to You' Episode 2 pretty soon, so stay tuned for that.

The One About Part Time Jobs & Internships @ IAHGames

Rushing to finish writing my Granado Espada article for Playworks magazine so this will be a realllll quick update since I'm desperate for time.

There are some part time and internship positions available at IAHGames. Working hours are weekdays from 9am~6pm. These are the positions available:

1) QA Tester (Granado Espada)
2) Customer Service

If you are interested in any of the positions, please send an email to community@ge.iahgames.com stating the following:

For those seeking internships, please state how long your internship term will be and attach your resume of school results, part time jobs you have taken before and extra curriculum activities that you have undertaken in your school.

Subject Title: Internship - [Position Interested: QA or Customer Service or both]

Please also send in your answers to the following questions:

1. Why did you apply for this position?
2. Tell us about a challenging situation you have faced before and how you dealt with it.
3. What do you think is important for an online gaming company to succeed?
4. What are your expectations towards working in IAHGames in this position?
5. If you were any item in Granado Espada, what would it be and why?
Any other comments you may have?

For those seeking part time positions, please send in your resume with the following:

Subject Title: Part Time Position - [Position Interested: QA or Customer Service or both]

Please also send in your answers to the following questions:

1. Why did you apply for this position?
2. Tell us about a challenging situation you have faced before and how you dealt with it.
3. What do you think is important for an online gaming company to succeed?
4. What are your expectations towards working in IAHGames in this position?
5. If you were any item in Granado Espada, what would it be and why?
Any other comments you may have?

We regret that only shortlisted applicants will be notified to come down for an interview. We are looking to fill these positions quickly, so for those interested, please apply asap!

The One About The Tragic Treasure Hunter

Once upon a time, when everyone was high on Vietnamese G7 coffee...

"Hey guys, Mr Pocket is asking us what name we want to give the NPC for the lottery event during V3.4 launch," Kaioujin says.

"Singapore Pools? Casino Royale?" MeepokTah casually suggests.

"Hmmm... it's an NPC, not a place, so it has to be more of a person's name," Kaioujin says.

Contemplative silence until MeepokTah bangs his table in a 'Eureka!' moment.

"I KNOW! I KNOW!!!" he exclaims.

All eyes turn to him in anticipation.

"We'll call him... TIKAM MAN!" he proclaims proudly.

"HAHHAH! Ya! We should name him that!" the rest of the team responds enthusiastically.

*Facepalm*

"TIKAM MAN!? Eeeeew!!! I violently object! That's so not classy at all! Can we have something slightly more sophisticated?" I groan.

"Hmm... true... I have an idea!" Kaioujin exclaims.

Finally, a voice of reason.

"Yes, bro?" I grin, happy that Kaioujin is on my side.

"We'll call him Hron! Hrin's evil cousin!"

By now, the rest of the team is rolling in laughter as I growl at Kaioujin.

"So... it's settled then! Hron, the Tikam Man!" MeepokTah concludes.

"Eh guys, come on. It's bad enough that he is the security guard for my Treasure Mission. Do you really have to subject him to further torture with such an awful name?!" I protested. Just the sound of that name gave me instant goosebumps. I was starting to have serious regrets about raising objections. Maybe Hron's fate might have been different. He could have had a cooler name, like Willy Wonka or Darth Vedar.

Hrin's Faithful Security Guard

No one is listening to me now, being deeply engrossed in loudly fantasizing about some random ludicrous background story about Hron the Tikam Man being some long lost cousin of mine and how we nearly romanced until *gasp* we discovered we were cousins!

Gosh, they really should keep their day jobs...

So there you have it, the tragic tale of Hron's origins.

For those of you who do not know what 'tikam' means, it means 'Random Pick' in Malay language. The term 'Satu' means One and 'Dua' means Two. The full article should be up on the website soon, after Kaioujin finishes up his soap opera script of Hron The Tikam Man. But in the meantime, enjoy some screenshots of the event:

Privileged Treasure Hunter...


...gets downgraded to Hron the Tikam Man!

The One About V3.4 The Masquerade Trailer

One day more to the launch of V3.4 The Masquerade!

Hopefully all goes well or else Meepoktah, Kaioujin and me might have to end up missing the Video Games Live concert tomorrow... (Noooooooooooooo!!!)

Just uploaded the trailer, so enjoy!

The One About V3.4 The Masquerade Launch Date

Just a quick update!

V3.4 The Masquerade expansion has been postponed by one day, to Friday instead. Maintenance will also be shifted back by 1 day to this Friday, 19 June 2009 instead.

Gosh I should start using Twitter for such short updates instead...

The One About 'From IMC to You' Episode 1

First of, here's wishing Desanggria's Granado Espada Blog a Happy 2 Year Anniversary! Thanks for being so passionate about GE and for writing so many interesting blog entries. :)

We've been sending some of your feedback and suggestions gathered from the feedback forum and tickets about Granado Espada to IMC regularly. Our faithful liaison over at IMC is a really nice and humorous guy - someone whom we endearingly call Mr. Pocket. He very kindly responded to some of these feedback. I felt that his insights were really valuable and would like to share with you guys some of their responses.

Disclaimer: The following is tentative and is accurate at this point in time. Thus, please do not take this as the gospel truth that will never change over time or due to unforseen circumstances.

Suggestion: A cash shop item to reset stance skill points.

This is already developed. It will be added in V3.5.

Suggestion: Allow rearrangement of characters in Barracks.

This item is one of the 'most wanted' stuff across all the various GE versions. However, since it isn't an extremely critical factor that affects game play itself, this development has been postponed till a later time. Someday this patch will be applied!

Suggestion: A small window to see characters' equipped items in Barracks.

Yes, we're making this feature.

Suggestion: Higher spawn rate of monsters for Bahamas Ancient Territory.

The spawn rate is dependent on the number of players in that map. Currently, the spawn rate per player is already high. Anyway, in V3.5 you’ll have a brand new upper-grade Ancient Territory called "Chaos Requiem of the Heavens". There are really, really lots of monsters there, and even huge EXP card rewards from the pioneer monument! You'll like it!

Suggestion: Players want to allow their skill bar to be made customizable so that they can set the skills they want and also have different items to use.

This is extremely hard to program because of the complex nature of the GE system. But we will try to make it, so someday it will be applied.

Suggestion: The Key of Truth-A key that mystically fits on all locks,doors and boxes.

There’s really lots of stuff that must be “unlocked”. We can’t make that type of MacGyver Key.

(ROFL!!! I LMAO when I read that MacGyver part. Mr Pocket and his wicked sense of humor!)

Suggestion: A server-time clock

I’ll discuss about them with the rest of the IMC staff and let you know if there will be any further developments on this.

* * *

That's all for now. If you would like to make further suggestions, you may do so at this thread.

Drop me a comment and let me know if you guys enjoy this type of blog entry and I'll continue this as a permanent fixture as a 'From IMC to You' type of blog series.

The One About Hellena's Tarot Deck

We're just one week away from V3.4 The Masquerade launch! So far, testing has been going pretty smoothly, thanks to our efficient QA Shinobi.

We'll be having a mini teaser game starting Monday called Hellena's Tarot Deck. For 4 consecutive days, there will be a different set of tarot cards revealed daily with alphabets hidden inside. You will then need to unravel the code word at the end and SMS to a specific number to receive an exclusive pair of unreleased wings.

Here's a sneak peek at the teaser:

The website will be re-skinned as well to have a whole masquerade/circus feel to it. Check it out:

And of course, here's the lovely poster!

Someone was asking me about Master Scrolls release in V3.4? Tentatively, it's part of the item release plan. We are planning to tie it in with some type of event, however, this will depend on the approval and feedback from IMC before we can proceed. That's all for now! Drop me a comment if you guys have any questions in regards to V3.4 and I'll pick a few to answer in my next blog entry.

Meanwhile, we are looking for alpha testers for a web based IAHGames virtual world which is currently in development. It's a very closed door event since it is still in its very raw stages and we would need constructive feedback for the further development of web platform. More details available here!

The One About MeePokTah's Auction

MeePokTah's auction is coming up in 4 days' time! If you haven't already done so, do pre-register by emailing gse@iahgames.com

I'm reallyyyyy looking forward to this auction because MeePokTah himself will be auctioning off his valued 'GE treasures' collected from all over the region:

Some of his precioussss items include... Granado Espada Korean Novel

Super rare Korean Royalist VS Republican silver foil poster! There is also another poster that is yet another gem - a concept art poster which I don't have the photo of.

Hmm... what else? Oh, a Granado Espada water bottle from Philippines:

Then of course, the super limited edition 2009 GE diary with stickers:

And since MeePokTah is the King of All Things Auspicious, he absolutely insisted we auction off something auspicious. And so, what better item than our lil' Fortune Cat?

Meow?

I've gotten very fond of the slideshow function available in Flickr, so well, here's some of the other items available during the auction:



There's also one or two little surprises in the auction as well, but I'm not going to ruin the fun by revealing them here! ;)

More details about the auction available here.

The One About V3.4 Logo

V3.4 The Masquerade logo is ready! Here's a sneak peek:

Since it's the masquerade, why isn't there a mask?

The earlier version did include a mask, but since the logo would be too small to notice the mask, the creative team decided not to crowd the logo too much. So the mask will still around, but placed at the subtext of 'Deception takes center stage' instead. More updates coming soon!

The One About Vietnam GE CBT Activities

Ack! I've been wanting to post these photos up since last week, but oh well, better late than never I guess. In summary, it was an awesome party that I will live to regret not being at. The most beautiful people in HCM were all gathered there - from models, to TV celebrities. The DJ spinned Tiesto soundtracks from GE. Mr. Hakkyu Kim also visited a local university to give a talk to their students about Granado Espada's game development and for a Q&A session. Enjoy the slideshow:



We just received the V3.4 client and will be starting intensive testing pretty soon. IF all goes well, we will most likely be launching "V3.4 The Masquerade - Deception Takes Center Stage" on Friday, 19th June 2009.

Hellena is a very cool character. I've always liked magic and summons the most and I am absolutely loving it that IMC is creating Hellena who has both magical abilities and a summoning ability. Hellena is able to summon a Frost creature

Frost at Lvl : 100
Type: Human / Light Armor / No Attribute / Small
Max HP: 49764
ATK Rating: 50
Fire RES: 40
ATK: 2830
Ice RES: 40
DEF Rating: 50
Lightening RES: 40
DEF: 138
Mental RES: 40

To recruit her, however, you will need to have Emilia and Ania to activate the quest. (Ania will be out in V3.4 as well.) Ok, back to work work.

The One Where Meepoktah Cries Me A River...

(a.k.a The One About The Power of My Plantronics Headset Gamecom 777)

What can possibly bring a grown man to tears when listening to Aria De Coimbra?

Nope, it's not the failed enhancement of his +9 Constellation Weapon... it was the day I let him listen to that song on my newly acquired Plantronics Headset Gamecom 777.


It was hilarious seeing the various reactions on the faces of my colleagues as I placed the headset on them. It was such a unanimous response - They instantly stopped doing whatever they were doing and their eyes opened widely, as if they had just been enlightened to a new world of audio utopia. And then they have this dazed look in their eyes, as if hypnotized and drawn into a different dimension. Yup, I kid you not. That's just how powerful this headset is!

Serenade me from all angles~

Dramatics aside, what really sets this headset apart is first of all, its 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound. In less technical terms, 5.1 surround actually means that sound seemingly comes from 5 'angles': Left, Center, Right, Left Surround, Right Surround. Of course, since a stereo headset is only capable of 2 channels, it doesn't actually make 5.1 sound. How it actually works is that it mixes the sounds so they seem like 5.1 channels. The integrated sound card makes it sound like you have 5 speakers and a subwoofer, even though you're just wearing a stereo headset.

This adds an incredible edge in gaming, especially when playing FPS type of games. It was like a dream come true when I could actually hear which direction my enemies were coming from and every beat of their pitter patter footsteps. It is simply too realistic and definitely not recommended for the faint-hearted or those on medication.

The headset comes with a USB 2.0 adaptor which produces the surround sound - so just simply plug and play to get it working (no drivers needed!). It comes with analog as well, which makes it compatible with your MP3 players or other devices that uses the usual 3.5mm plugs.

Talk to me, baby

When I first used it, I was totally oblivious to the fact that there was a well-concealed microphone attached to the inner frame of the headset, which could be easily flipped down. The microphone is even extendable to wherever your mouth is.

Its noise-cancelling feature helps to filter background noises significantly. When I was chatting with my friends in Ventrilo, they expressed gratitude that they finally didn't have to be subject to my usual TV drama serials playing loudly in the background. (Thanks a lot, guys...)

The mic-mute button cleverly positoned on the volume control knob is especially useful when you wanna get all mushy with your partner, without grossing the rest of your faction mates out on Ventrilo.

On that same note, you will still be able to give him/her your full attention when using your headset, since the headset's open-ear design allows you to hear background sounds and even your handphone ringing.

Built to last... in comfort

I always have a problem with the cables of my headsets since they wear and tear pretty easily, especially when I bring them overseas for travel. To me, one of the best plus points of this headset is that it is constructed to military-grade standards with extra-strength cables for rugged use.

Surprisingly, comfort isn't compromised with its durability factor. Any contact that my head could possibly have with the headset was cushioned totally - the earpods and the top frame have these non-allergenic cushions that rests comfortably on my ears and atop my head. Despite looking extremely bulky in appearance, the headset is unexpectedly lightweight, which is another critical factor for long hours of gaming or listening to music.

Some things to take note of, though. One is the uncomfortable amount of pressure on my ears after some time of using it. However, I noticed that after some days of using it, the headset 'adapts' to the size of my head and the pressure became significantly less. I guess it's just that initial 'teething' stage, much like getting used to a new pair of shoes, or in this case, the new shoes getting used to you.

The other issue is that some Vista users may not be able to hear anything after plugging in the adaptor. Not to worry - simply go to your Control Panel>Sound and Set Default to the Speakers - USB Audio Device to switch the sound output to the headset.


And voila! You're done!

On a really random note, here's a little trivia -Plantronics headset was used by Neil Armstrong when he first landed on the moon...

Currently, Plantronics Gamecom 777 is the very first Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound headset to be launched in Singapore and it's definitely the worth the buy. At the very least, try to get your hands on a headset to test-demo it and savor a taste of Audio Utopia, if only for a little while. It will be well worth your while!

Plantronics Gamecom 777 retails at SG$169 and can be purchased from the following locations:

- IAHGames iCafe (Funan DigiLife Mall)
- The Software Boutique, #05-42 Funan DigiLife Mall
- Tec-Drome, #05-78 Sim Lim Square
- Game Haven, 29 Carpenter St
- E2Max, #04-18 The Cathay

So now, are you ready for a taste of Utopia?

The One About Helena's Voiceover

Just like I promised, this blog entry is all about the new RNPC in V3.4, Helena. This time round, Runner managed to get a gorgeous French singer to do the voiceovers. Check out Helena's voiceovers:



This has simply got to be Runner's best work ever! The flavored text and singing bits were really good. After listening to the clips, I turned to him and declared,"RUNNER! THAT WAS A MASTERPIECE!!!!! YOUR BEST WORK EVERRRR!!!! I WANNA HAVE YOUR BABIES!!!!!"

I then proceeded to force the rest of Team GE to give him a standing ovation and a round of applause. The next thing I'm gonna do is to force them to use some of the clips as their SMS ringtones. You guys can do the same by downloading the files over here.

Well, what can I say?

There's magic in the air~

The One About Vietnam Granado Espada CBT

In about 20 hours' time, Vietnam Granado Espada will be officially introduced to the rest of the world via a major press conference hosted by FPT Online, followed by the commencement of their CBT.

Their press conference is truly going to be an exciting one! A famous Vietnamese architect will be giving a talk about the baroque architecture of Granado Espada. They even invited the most famous fashion designer in Vietnam to design some costumes based on Granado Espada and to showcase them in a fashion show during the press conference. (And no, the fashion designer isn't anything like Andre Janzur, just in case you were wondering!)

Here's some exclusive photos of their pre-event setup:

Vietnam Granado Espada's Project Runway?

Gorgeous setup ain't it? Too bad I wouldn't be able to be there for the actual event. :_(

Nevertheless, I'll post up some photos as soon as I get them from Jon. More updates about V3.4 coming up in my next entry - here's a teaser: it's gonna be the new RNPC Helena's voiceover!