[Each day, Worlds in Motion will be taking a closer look at individual virtual worlds. We'll start with a nuts-and-bolts overview, then move on to an in-depth tour, to be followed up with a conclusion-- all with the aim of bringing you all the essential info and details on each world in the rapidly-developing virtual landscape.]
Let's investigate Dungeon Runners, the new MMO from NCSoft that brings a lighthearted twist to classic genre conventions. We'll start with an overview!
Name: Dungeon Runners
Company: NCSoft
Established: May 2007
Overview: Dungeon Runners is a medieval-fantasy MMO, where players choose to become either a fighter, mage or ranger and take on quests, explore dungeons, and gain in strength. It stands out as a humorous send-up of a classic genre, frequently poking fun at itself and at similar games.
How it Works: Dungeon Runners requires the download of NCSoft's PlayNC software; all NCSoft online games are downloaded, updated and launched from a centralized utility. Once in-game, users navigate using either mouse controls to move and access menus, or keyboard controls to the same end, with arrows to move and hotkeys to bring up menus. It's an appealing way to let users personalize their control scheme with a combination of both as they see fit.
Payment Method: Dungeon Runners is completely free both to download and play, and there are no microtransactions. Though no play areas are restricted to members-only, there is an optional monthly subscription of $4.99 that allows access to a few key features: exclusive items, log-in priority when servers are full, a "bank account" that lets players store extra items rather than discarding them when their inventory is full, and potion stacking, which means all carried potions occupy a single inventory slot instead of one slot per individual potion. While it's possible to fully enjoy play without any of these, the membership features offer an important convenience for more serious users.
Key Features:
-Flexible time investment -- some dungeons can be completed quickly for casual play, while others are more in-depth geared for heavy questers
-Dungeons are randomly generated -- impossible to play the same area twice
-No quests or game situations require cooperative play; fully possible to play alone if desired
-Separate PvP and PvE servers
Useful Links:
Ars Technica Explores Dungeon Runners
Dungeon Runners Controls
Dungeon Runners Blog
Dungeon Runners Forums
Dungeon Runners' First Update Adds PvP
