Fresh from this week's announcement of Interlude, an expansion to the MMO PC game Lineage II, NCSoft has decided to treat us to some additional information on how the duelling system will be improved by the new update.
Tim Tan, Lineage II Associate Producer, discusses in detail the enhanced dueling system in the next free update of Lineage II.
What is Interlude?
Interlude is the next huge, free update for Lineage II offering the chance to take part in a game that has captured the imagination and reached over 17 million gamers worldwide. Forming a bridge between the Chaotic Chronicle and the future Chaotic Throne (scheduled for later in 2007) Interlude hints at what is to come in the challenging times ahead.
The brand new Dueling combat mechanic is one of the highlight features being offered in Interlude. Interlude is scheduled to launch this week.
The Dueling System
The Dueling System is a way for one player or a group of players to challenge other players to combat. In Lineage II's new Dueling System, experience is not lost if you lose a duel and you may challenge anyone, regardless of difference in player level. This is a great new system for players to try, letting them discover new combat tactics, test abilities, and settle disputes without ever having to suffer from any penalties. There are two types of duels: one versus one and party versus party.
Dueling Strategies
One versus One Strategy
In a one on one battle a player initiates a duel by targeting a player and using /duel command or by using the "Duel Request" icon in the action window. If an opponent accepts the duel request there is a short standby time followed by a three second countdown. At the end of the countdown a "Start!" message will appear and the duel will begin. After the duel starts, it will continue until one player's hit points falls to zero. At this point, the defeated player bows to the winner and a system message will appear on the screen. A duel not completed within two minutes is a tie and ends normally.
Outside the normal victory conditions, there are a couple of other ways a duel can end prematurely. Either player may give up by using the /surrender command. It is also important to keep distance in mind when fighting-if the combatants get too far away from each other the duel will end. Plus, remember that you can start fighting only after the "Start!" message is given, or the duel will end. Attacking a player who is not involved in the duel will also result in the current duel ending.
Party versus Party Strategy
In a party versus party duel, the leader of a party can send a duel request to an opposing party member using the /party duel command, or by using the "Party Duel Request" icon in the action window. The party leader of the Challenged party receives a "Duel Accept" window, and is the only one who can agree to the request. Both parties will teleport to a Dueling Arena once the duel is accepted. After thirty seconds of preparation time in the Dueling Arena, a three-second countdown will begin. A "Start!" message will appear, signifying that the duel has begun. Any member of a party that falls to zero hit points is frozen in place until the duel is over. The duel continues until all members of one party have been similar knocked down to zero hit points. The defeated party bows to the winning party and a system message appears chronicling their victory. Both parties are then transported back to their original locations. Party duels that are not completed within five minutes are considered a tie and end normally.
Dueling Tips
When attempting to duel it is important to remember a couple key things. You can't duel if you are:
1) Flagged as chaotic
2) In a peace zone
3) Currently participating in a siege
4) In a clan war
5) Swimming
6) Riding a mount
Testing out your skills
Interlude also introduces new skills available to many of the higher level classes. Are you a Grand Khavatari interested in seeing how much damage your new Force Barrier skill can withstand? Maybe you are a Spectral Master looking to find out how good your new Spectral Knight summons fare in battle. The Dueling System is a perfect way to get familiar with your characters abilities while competing and having fun.