Ran Online Goes Global

Things are heating up in the local scene as the Philippines will play host to the Ran Online Global Tournament 2008, with the finals to be held on October 4, 2008, at the SMX Convention Center. A lot of fun and excitement await gamers as teams from Hong Kong, Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam will fly to the Philippines to challenge our own Pinoy team to a grueling PK fest.

The Philippine team is composed of the following from Havoc Server:

Vincent Van Amado (Team Leader)
Carlo Angelo Magcalas
Kevin Medina
Martin Joseph Buday

Battle Mechanics
Each team will have four players, each representing a character class from RAN. Characters will be pre-generated with the following:

50,000 gold
40 pcs HP,MP,SP 50% potions
Level 180
180 Skill Points
Senior Armor Set (Defense 25, Resistance 0)

and with the following statistics (before stat and skill point allocation):

Brawler: HP 1602; MP 77; SP 560
Swordsman: HP 1478; MP 76; SP 698
Archer: HP 1314; MP 106; SP 436
Shaman: HP 1271; MP 221; SP 499

Swordsmen using a blade will not be allowed to use the Blood Lust skill, and Shamans will be unable to use Resurrection.

Arrows, charms, and potions are also available from the different NPCs. Unlimited bus tickets will also be available, to ensure that the competitors can move from the Ready Zone to the Battle Zone. The Chief Instructor will also be there to allow the combatants to create gangs.

After the character has been customized with skills, weapons, and statistics, and necessary purchases have been made, the teams are to create their gangs, from their parties, and prepare for battle. At this point in time, the teams will be notified that they will be transferred to the Battle Zone, with the Bus Terminal waiting to take them to their destination.

Once the teams enter the Battle Zone and confirm they are ready, the Bus Terminal will be removed from the map, and the battle will start.

The Battle Zone is similar to a wrestling ring, a square arena in the middle of the map where the teams will duke it out. The red zone indicated on the map, with borders marked with warning signs, indicates the death zone. Characters that move to the death zone will die, as the zone is similar to the bomb zones in the Ran Battle Royale. Last team standing wins. Once the winner is announced, the teams will then move back to the Ready Zone, using the Bus Machine that has once again been summoned, and await their next match. The teams will battle it out ladder style, with the order of matches to be announced at a later date.

Extreme Beauty

The Global Tournament not only marks the matching of wit and skill, since the Ran Global Tournament Site is in search for this year's Global Ran Boy and Girl. Ranatics from all over have sent in their pictures for the preliminary judging, and one male-female pair will represent each country to vie for being the next Global Ran Boy and Girl.

Winners of Extreme Beauty will win various real-life and in-game items, which include this exclusive and permanent in-game costume.

In Game
In game, everyone is hyped up about the recently released Hover Boards, which not only look cool, but provide people with a much faster way to move around a map as well. Everyone knows the scene in the game - you need to level up, even if the leveling spot is so far away from your location. None of your buddies is in the area, and there are simply no bus stops after Middle Hole. Instetad of risking your life and walking slowly to the spot to start your grinding, the Hover Board brings you there faster. It's like having a Shaman cast Massive Haste on you, only on a smaller scale.

boards

There are four boards available. Both the Sable board and the Sable Mark II board do not have a level requirement, but the Skylock and the SkyLock Quad boards require users to be above level 50. Of the four boards, the SkyLock Quad is the fastest.

There are even costumes available to match your spanking new board!

Ranny Bear

Ranny Bear is the latest addition to the RAN Online pet family. If you thought the Husky and the Turtle were cute, wait 'til you get a load of this awesome teddy bear. Ranny Bear can also be taught the same skills as those taught to other pets, and it eats the same food consumed by other pets. New costumes for this ursine companion include its Pilot box, Knight Box (where it looks like Puss in Boots from Shrek) and the Scuba Box.

Be sure you're not left behind! Get the latest RAN Online patch and hover off into the sunset with your cute and cuddly bear companion.-by Pepper Laforteza

Source: Game!