GameStreet – Wizard101 News

Schools

MMORPG.com Wizard 101 Correspondent Gabe Pursel writes this look at the different available schools in the magic-weilding MMO Wizard 101.

Unlike most games, Wizard101 has no actual classes. Everyone is a wizard and there isn’t any getting around that. What the game does have is schools. What school you choose will effect which spells you can use and for the most part how you will play. There are seven schools of which to be a part, and you can not switch schools at any time. Although you will earn training points every so many levels that can be used to learn spells from other schools. Remember, any spells from your school are free while other schools require training points to learn.

Read about Schools

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J. Todd Coleman Interview

MMORPG.com Wizard 101 Correspondent Gabe Pursel recently asked a number of questions of KingsIsle Entertainment Executive Director J. Todd Coleman about their magic-filled MMO Wizard 101.

Gabe Pursel:

What exactly do you do with Wizard101?

J. Todd Coleman:

Well, I sort of made it up… the initial idea, that is. The concept for Wizard101 came out of a series of conversations between myself and Josef Hall (our Director of Technology.) Technically, I am the "Director" of Wizard101, which means that I own the creative vision, and the management of both the development team and game service.

Over the last few years, I have been involved in just about every aspect of the game’s development: high concept, game design, engineering (scheduling, that is – I’m not a programmer), customer support, marketing, pricing, operations, etc. At the end of the day, my job was to build a strong team, manage the creation of the game, and take it to market successfully. (That said, step one is the real trick. If you hire amazing people, everything else is easy.)

Oh yeah, and I also get to make up cool monsters, like Ninja Pigs and Humongofrogs.

Read the J. Todd Coleman Interview

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Explore the World of Grizzleheim

Wizard101 expands today with the addition of a new world called Grizzleheim. The new world is currently only available on test servers, but will hit live servers this July.

For more info on Grizzleheim, check out the press release below:

Grizzleheim Opens in Wizard101®

Expansion introduces major new world plus exciting new features

Plano, Texas-June 23, 2009 – Online entertainment company KingsIsle Entertainment, Inc., today announced the launch of a major new world expansion on the test servers of online virtual world Wizard101® (www.wizard101.com). Grizzleheim is a lush new environment based on Norse mythology that will further challenge players and introduce them to three new tribal races: Viking Bears, Wolves, and Ravens. The expansion also introduces item crafting, a bazaar, and several community features significantly increasing opportunities for adventuring, socializing and creativity for players of the massively popular online game.

"Wizards will have a great time exploring the woods and mountains in Grizzleheim," said Wizard101 Lead Designer James Nance. "It’ll be accessible to lower level players as well, not just those who have completed Dragonspyre, and the new races will introduce some compelling elements to the storyline."

The world of Grizzleheim features an airy, outdoors landscape of snowy mountains, glacial ridges, and towering trees. Wizards will be able to explore several new adventure areas with rich environments. Wizards will first meet and learn about the Viking Bears of Grizzleheim – great traders with the ability to travel the worlds of the Spiral in their longboats. As Wizards become powerful and spend more time in Grizzleheim, they will uncover a great mystery about the world.

Grizzleheim also features new opponents for players to battle, such as wood spirits, barbarian boar mercenaries, and other mysterious creatures. Currently live on the test servers, KingsIsle expects to open the new expansion to all players in early July.

Popular with families who like to play together or connect over distance, Wizard101 was designed with the safety of young players in mind. It is rated E10+ by the ESRB. Anybody with a Windows based PC can play the Free-to-Play areas of the game for as long as they like. Advanced content is available by subscription or microtransaction. Wizard101 gift cards can now be found at more than 13,000 retail outlets nationwide.

For details, visit https://www.wizard101.com/site/home2/wizard101/page_8ad6a404207fb2fd0120a1589af60841

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Sunken City Guide

MMORPG.com Correspondent Matt Plourde has taken in the Sunken City dungeon in Wizard101 and checks in with this guide for pointy hatted adventurers.

After defeating Lord Nightshade, you will discover a place called Nightside. The door to Nightside is hidden behind the waterfall near the Rainbow Bridge in the Wizard City Commons. Apparently, the Death School fell into a ravine! Here, you can learn the remaining Death School spells and some taunt/de-taunt spells as well. Further, the entrance to the Sunken City is in Nightside. Marla Stinger needs to prove that Grubb exists, and you are tasked to help her.

Sunken City is the first "dungeon" in Wizard 101. What’s a dungeon? Dungeons are instanced/private zones in Wizard 101 which are more difficult than the other areas in the same world. When you are about to enter a dungeon, you are prompted with a warning which tells you that the area will reset if you are gone for 30+ minutes and approximately how long it takes to complete. Sounds like fun!

Check out the full guide

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Sunken City Dungeon Guide

MMORPG.com Wizard 101 Correspondent Matt Plourde writes this guide for the Sunken City Dungeon.

After defeating Lord Nightshade, you will discover a place called Nightside. The door to Nightside is hidden behind the waterfall near the Rainbow Bridge in the Wizard City Commons. Apparently, the Death School fell into a ravine! Here, you can learn the remaining Death School spells and some taunt/de-taunt spells as well. Further, the entrance to the Sunken City is in Nightside. Marla Stinger needs to prove that Grubb exists, and you are tasked to help her.

Read the Sunken City Dungeon Guide

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New Housing System Added

KingsIsle Entertainment has announced that they have added a new housing system called Wizard Castles and Lands to Wizard101.

While the real housing market may still be languishing, KingsIsle Entertainment has made the dream quite accessible for players of online virtual world Wizard101® (www.wizard101.com). A robust new housing system called Wizard Castles and Lands is being made live in the game today, enabling players to customize their own personal space. The new feature ranges from a dorm room to luxury private floating island villas that can be decorated inside and out, complete with blossoming cherry trees, sculptures and a car in the driveway.

“As with other aspects of Wizard101,” said Wizard101 Director J. Todd Coleman, “we really wanted to make sure Castles & Lands was a feature all of our players could participate in from the very beginning.”

Wizard Castles and Lands provide a whole new aspect to the all-ages game of wizarding adventure, card collecting, spell casting, mini-games and more. All players, including Free-to-Play (FTP), start out with a dorm room at the Ravenwood School of Magical Arts with hundreds of decorating options from wallpaper to in-game trophies. Modest and luxury private Castles & Lands can be purchased with in-game gold, giving players a virtual space to invite their friends and showcase their Wizard101 style.

Read more here

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The Ups of Shopping, UI and Loot

MMORPG.com Wizard 101 Correspondent Matt Plourde writes this article focusing on the UI, Shopping and Loot aspects of the game looking at how each system hits and how they miss.

Okay, the gloves are off for this one. I’m a big Wizard 101 fan, and I continue to play & enjoy my time in the Spiral. However, there are some glaring holes in the Interface, Shopping & Loot systems. Some of these pitfalls can be navigated, and some are just part of the experience. Hopefully, you’ll find some useful tips below!

Interface:

Wizard 101 does several things right: your view is not cluttered with windows, bars, or a massive radar. Aside from a few unobtrusive icons around the corners of your screen, the main view is dominated by the 3D world and your character – bravo! This is no small feat for a modern MMORPG.

Read The Ups & Downs of Shopping, UI and Loot

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2 Million Users and Gift Cards

KingsIsle Entertainment has announced that Wizard101, their kid friendly MMO set in a wizard school, have announced that over 2 million unique users have signed on to play the game along with their announcement of their new gift card program.

Plano, Texas – April 30, 2009 – Online entertainment company KingsIsle Entertainment, Inc. has announced a gift card program for family-friendly hit game Wizard101® (www.wizard101.com), which recently surpassed two million unique users who have registered to play the game.

Starting today, $10 prepaid Wizard101 gift cards are available in 7-Eleven® stores nationwide. Purchasing through local outlets offers friends, family and fans of the 3D virtual world of Wizards and spell-casting more options for unlocking advanced game content.

"Wizard101 gift cards give our growing community more flexibility and parental control in their purchases – beginning with a way to purchase advanced game content in a store," said KingsIsle CEO Elie Akilian.
The $10 price point makes Wizard101 gift cards an affordable birthday gift, allowance treat, or a fun surprise for the in-game pet collector. With the new gift cards, players who don’t have a credit card will have more independence in the way they spend small increments in the game, whether they decide to unlock new areas of the game or purchase equipment and accessories for their Wizard101 characters, such as wands, treasure cards and holiday items.

Read more here

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Basic PvE Deckbuilding Strategies

MMORPG.com Wizard 101 Correspondent Matt Plourde writes this guide to building your duelling deck in the magic-based MMORPG.

In Wizard 101, most of the typical player’s time will be spent in Player vs Environment battles. This guide will illuminate some of the nuances of the spell deck system as it relates to PvE content. Enjoy!

Wizard 101 more closely resembles a card-based duel game than an MMORPG. When I say "card", I am talking about real paper in the real world. If you’ve played Magic: the Gathering but you’ve never played World of Warcraft – you might find yourself more at home in Wizard 101 combat than an MMO veteran. For the uninitiated, card-based duel games (like Magic) rely on each player to build their "deck" of cards ahead of time and then duels are determined by a set of rules, strategy, and a little luck. Of course, the strategy you use to construct your deck is at least as important as the strategy you use on the battlefield. The same holds true for Wizard 101.

Read Basic PvE Deckbuilding Strategies

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Latest Update Live

KingsIsle Entertainment has announced the launch of the latest update to Wizard101 which adds new spells, friends panel improvements, a quest helper, and more.

Plano, Texas – April 13, 2009 – Online entertainment company KingsIsle Entertainment, Inc. today announced a Wizard101® (www.wizard101.com) game update with features that include powerful new spells, a Training Points Buyback system, and a Quest Helper.
Wizard101 is a mainstream massively multiplayer online (MMO) game that has attracted well over one million players. The new features now live in the 3D virtual world include:

New High Level Spells
For level 48+ players, a new spell card for each of the seven schools of magic is available through a quest, with a special surprise for those that succeed. See your professors to get started!

Training Point Flexibility
See Mr. Lincoln in Golem Court for buying back your training points with Crowns (Wizard101’s micro transaction currency). With this new feature, Wizards may buy back the training points they used and spend them on different spell cards.

Quest Helper
Stuck on a quest? No more! Find help by going to your Quest Journal and highlighting the desired quest. The yellow arrow on your screen will guide you to your quest.

Read more here

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New Voiceovers On The Way

KingsIsle Entertainment has announced that they will soon be adding new voiceovers in all quests, cinematics, and boss encounters in Wizard101.

Plano, Texas–March 12, 2009– Online entertainment company KingsIsle Entertainment, Inc. announced today that the first two worlds in Wizard101 (www.wizard101.com), which recently surpassed its one millionth player, will soon feature voiceovers in all quests, cinematics, and boss encounters. Wizard City and Krokotopia voiceovers will be implemented on March 16, with Marleybone, Moo Shu, and Dragonspyre to follow.

"The voiceovers add an amazing amount of personality and richness to the world" said J. Todd Coleman, director of Wizard101. "In particular, the seasoned voice of Merle Ambrose is very entertaining and in line with our vision for the Headmaster of Ravenwood."

Additionally, players will be able to share in-game items they collect between all the characters on their account. Items can be stored in the player’s dorm room and used by any characters the player has created. Each account may create up to six characters. "When a boss drops a really cool item after a battle that is meant for a different School of Magic, players can now share it with another character that can use it," explained Coleman.

Read more here

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PvP Overview

MMORPG.com Wizard 101 Correspondent Matt Plourde writes this look at the Player vs Player system in the made-for-all-ages MMO.

While Wizard 101 is fundamentally a PvE (Player vs Environment) game, the PvP (Player vs Player) arena system is mostly enjoyable, usually challenging, frequently lopsided, and sometimes frustrating. Let’s take a look!

The arena is accessible from Unicorn Way. Diego now sells PvP reward gear, and the door to the area is right behind him. If you are a subscriber, then you may participate in "ranked" matches or "practice" matches. All other players are limited to practice matches only. Ranked matches affect your PvP ranking (think chess) and also award Arena Tickets (used to purchase gear from Diego). You gain 10 tickets for a win, 3 tickets for a loss, and no tickets if you flee! Though you do not gain any tickets for practice matches, you do have more control over the match as far as levels go – you can set the minimum and maximum levels.

Read the PvP Overview

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More Than One Million Registered Players

KingsIsle Entertainment has announced that more than one million players have registered to play Wizard101, and they’ve rewarded the one millionth player with a year of free game time, and everyone else with 101 Crowns.

Plano, Texas — February 13, 2009 — Online entertainment company KingsIsle Entertainment, Inc. today announced that over one million unique users have registered to play the highly immersive 3D virtual world Wizard101 (www.wizard101.com), just five months after its launch in September 2008. "The response has been absolutely overwhelming," says Elie Akilian, founder and CEO of KingsIsle. "We knew the game would appeal to families but we were surprised to see how well the game resonates with the hardcore set. The mechanics are a cross between a traditional Collectible Card Game and an old-school turn based Role Playing Game, and that makes us incredibly unique."

The company is marking this milestone by rewarding the millionth registered player with a free one year subscription to the game, and a statue with an interactive commemorative plaque featuring the Wizard’s name has been placed in the Wizard City Commons.

As a special "thank you" all current and future players will receive 101 free Crowns automatically in their account. Crowns are used to purchase game areas and unique items. Several new items that cost less than 101 Crowns have been added to Wizard101 including a limited time commemorative Storm Beetle pet.

Read more here

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A Look at Mini-Games

MMORPG.com Wizard101 Correspondent Matt Plourde writes this look at the mini-games that have been incorporated into the kid-friendly MMO.

In addition to the normal card-based MMORPG experience, Wizard 101 offers eight free mini-games. While this wouldn’t normally be a feature worthy of trumpets and fanfare – these mini-games are more than mere fluff. Playing the mini-games is the most economical way to refill your potions and mana. As an added bonus, you can also earn a trivial amount of gold and items if you score well enough – and maybe a spot on the high scores list!

You can access the eight free games by heading to the fair grounds in Wizard City (behind Merle’s house). Simply walk up to any of the tents and hit the "x" key. Each of the other worlds also has a spot to access the mini-games.

Take A Look at Mini-Games

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Combat Primer

MMORPG.com Wizard101 Correspondent Matt Plourde writes this overview of combat in the not-just-for-kids magical MMO Wizard101.

I think I need an intervention – for my wife. Since showing her Wizard 101 a few weeks ago, we’ve been playing every night. She has several characters and she’s addicted to Sorcery Stones (one of the mini games). She tells me she hears the music in her head throughout her day, and I’m really starting to worry about her. Well, if you find yourself in the same place – or you’re thinking of trying this game – enjoy this guide to wizard duels in Wizard 101.

Read the Combat Primer

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