T.E.R.A.

[Rulke]

Well, one thing we do know is that a release outside of KOR was planned early on for Tera, so production for the NA/EU versions has been going on for a long time. Unlike Aion, which if I remember right came out like a year later or so after KOR release, I think BHS and its distribution partners are much better prepared. For all we know, our version could be as up to date as the KOR version, it’s hard to say. I know the most recent trailer already has official English dubbing, so I am keen to believe that EnMasse is right on the tail of BHS in terms of development.

Who knows though? Could be a summer release (spew), but I am hoping for spring. When we see another FGT I think we'll be very aware of how close release is. Some have suggested too that these FGTs are taking the place of CBTs, so our OB may be closer than we think. Anyway, I am still very eager for the game and excited to play it. I know there are other factors to consider when releasing a game (like other franchise releases in similar genres) but I remain hopeful for a US release before May 2011.

[Lucavi]

All I saw were tits, people not protecting their hearts from possible arrows and tiny people wielding HUGE weapons (which is kind of a turn-off; I like -some- realism in my fantasy games) Have there been any gameplay vids?

[Katlan]

OP has tons of video and stuff of gameplay, ect... Should check it out

[Lucavi]

I shall. Figured it might be there.

[arus2001]

All I saw were tits, people not protecting their hearts from possible arrows and tiny people wielding HUGE weapons (which is kind of a turn-off; I like -some- realism in my fantasy games) Have there been any gameplay vids?

While I'm with you on the tiny people using huge weapons, sometimes I feel like trying to defend practicality or realism in the weapon/armor category is a lost cause. Things like (cross)bows and guns always seem to be designed to pierce armor, while heavier armor also hinders mobility in closed quarters where other martial weapons will just crush or cut through it like a soda can, anyway. Perhaps this is just a gross failure of media depiction over time, but armor just seems more about how cool you look than how much it can actually protect even if it looked like it could.

[Elcura]

Armour is mostly for looks, but it should be feasible to use in battle as well. I mean, if you're going to wear any sort of armour it should have realistic functionality at the very least. It's not hard to make other aspects unrealistic and cool, but basics are basics.

[Lucavi]

I just get annoyed by the battle bikinis and whatnot, and the androgynous men wearing what could be construed as... battle spandex with the chest exposed? I know its Asian and that's what they do, and the reverse is the west's obsession with late 20's white male protagonists with shaved heads, a little stubble and varying layers of thick-ass armor (with guns! Don't forget guns!), but shit, at least back in the SNES days of FF IV, I could imagine that Cecil and Kain were actually wearing the thick-ass armor that you bought from towns and found in chests.

The Ogre Battle series has traditionally had (IMO) some of the most realistic amounts of armor for the classes. Mages wore robes (full for men and everything but shoulders and tits for women, but cleavage sells), Paladins wore complete sets of plate mail with coifs and full helms, Dark Knights wore probably 400 lbs of thick plate, and had absurdly high defense to match, ninjas wore cloth, and got one-shot as a result. Even archers had their bow-holding hands and arms decked out in heavy armor, while leaving their nocking hand light and responsive.

All of the armor had the stats to match the defense. Anyone with their tits popping out was going to have shitty armor (against physical), and anyone that you couldn't see what they looked like under their armor was probably not going down anytime soon (except to magical). I look at these games now (and WoW is to blame as well) where chicks in bikinis can actually be considered tanks, and can shrug off attacks as well as some dude in gothic plate clad from head to toe.

Sex sells, yadda yadda, but c'mon. A little authenticity wouldn't hurt. There's plenty of dating sim games out there for guys that want to fap. I don't need the characters ugly, but I'd like for them to have defense that matched the amount of armor.

[Kuya]

I think Demon Souls might be an example of the realistic armor that you're talking about. If you wanted high defense, you were definitely not going to see much skin. Not that you'd want to anyway, most of the character models were goofy looking (but sometimes because of the lighting).

[Elcura]

Westerners have their stereotypes just like easterners do. I equally can't stand the massive bulky armour that if you wore for real you wouldn't be able to move, or probably even breath, nevermind run around, roll, smack people with weapons or use that stupid chainsaw attached to your gun (yes, I'm singling out GoW).

But like everything, the good designers can make armour practical and pretty! Seriously though, if you're going to wear armour, sex appeal shouldn't be a priority. Save it for when the armour comes off, then the daddy issues can go on.

[Katlan]

Western developers aren't nearly as bad as Asian dev's. Asian dev's seem to make the heaviest armor the most revealing, and cloth the least

[Cyn]

I can't for the life of me figure out why you people would care so much about it. Females in fantasy have been portrayed for decades this way. Just look at the cover art for novels back in the 80s.

[Lucavi]

Westerners have their stereotypes just like easterners do. I equally can't stand the massive bulky armour that if you wore for real you wouldn't be able to move, or probably even breath, nevermind run around, roll, smack people with weapons or use that stupid chainsaw attached to your gun (yes, I'm singling out GoW).

But like everything, the good designers can make armour practical and pretty! Seriously though, if you're going to wear armour, sex appeal shouldn't be a priority. Save it for when the armour comes off, then the daddy issues can go on.

I mentioned that (I hate the western stereotypes more than anyone), and I actually used a Japanese game as my personal standard of what I consider to be pretty damned acceptable. I agree with you though, on both fronts.

@Cyn: Because a good game shouldn't need T@A to sell? Because it gets annoying after awhile? Because it can potentially ruin one's experience with trying to get drawn into a game where no matter what class you pick, you're going to have bouncing tits and a perky ass (thong-clad) running around everywhere?

[Elcura]

I can't for the life of me figure out why you people would care so much about it. Females in fantasy have been portrayed for decades this way. Just look at the cover art for novels back in the 80s.

'Cause good character design is more than tits, ass and flash? Or perhaps you think that because it has been so for that long, that it can't or shouldn't change?

[Cyn]

Almost nothing involved is based on reality or common sense, why pick out that aspect of it? I'd see where you were coming from if it were a war sim or something, but it's fantasy. Chicks in skimpy armor looks cool, so that's what they do.

[Katlan]

I can't for the life of me figure out why you people would care so much about it. Females in fantasy have been portrayed for decades this way. Just look at the cover art for novels back in the 80s.

I'm not complaining, I just wish they would make cloth gear as sexy as they make plate =p

[Elcura]

Almost nothing involved is based on reality or common sense, why pick out that aspect of it?

Because elements are based on reality and common sense? How else are we supposed to relate to fantasy settings otherwise? How else are we supposed to believe shit like that?

[Cyn]

How else are we supposed to believe shit like that?

You think you're supposed to believe it's real? You can't get into slinging fireballs at 30ft tall monsters because your armor doesn't seem practical and realistic?

[Katlan]

How about we not shit up this thread w/ an argument over realistic armor models and stuff. Pointless bitching is pointless, this isn't the first mmo to do this and it won't be the last. If you want realistic armor models go play that shitty game called XIV (I went there)

Also, we are talking about a game where the weapons are often 20x the size of the person holding it.. and your complaining about armor not being realistic? lol

[Elcura]

How about we not shit up this thread

I agree with this much, but only cause Cyn doesn't seem to get it. And the weapon size was already mentioned. And yes, it's also stupid.

[Cyn]

Oh I get it.