Dragon Empires update

Codemasters has today announced that Dragon Empires has entered its first live testing phase. Members of the development team and a number of testers are currently putting the game's player vs. player combat through its paces internally, and an open beta test is scheduled for later this year. More than 130,000 players have already signed up to take part in the test, but applications are still being accepted at Codemasters' official Dragon Empires Web site.

"Dragon Empires' PvP combat system will be a revolution in MMORPGs," said Ted Carron, the game's producer. "No longer will players simply be clicking attack and cycling through special moves. They will need to constantly think both tactically and strategically in order to achieve dominance over their foes. To have PvP combat as our first live test phase is highly important--we're ensuring we get it right from the start."

Dragon Empires will feature a number of character types such as outlaws and bounty hunters that have been specifically designed to make player vs. player combat an integral part of the gameplay. Codemasters' aim is to implement a combat system whereby both tactics and skill rather than luck determine who is victorious in a fight. Players will have to manage their energy levels when in combat, and they'll want to choose their weapons according to their own skills and to the type of enemy they're up against. Heavy weapons will sap energy more than light ones, and Codemasters has suggested that strategies in the game might include players carrying weapons beyond their abilities in order to bluff opponents, and letting enemies exhaust themselves by absorbing their blows with a shield before finishing them off.

Large clans of players are expected to fight for control of the gameworld's 50 cities, and it's hoped that these epic battles will also feature a degree of strategy. Certain players will have the ability to drop magical shield walls and traps to block off enemy approaches, while others will be able to build totem poles with healing properties to benefit their allies.

Dragon Empires is currently scheduled for release in the second quarter of 2004. For more information, check out our previous coverage of the game.