Mabinogi Interview - Part 2

Jonric: Since it's a frequent concern among players, how is the loot divided among or allocated to the party members?

Duck Soo Choi: You can set 'finish rules'. They allow you to decide who gets to kill a target mob. It can be set to the biggest contributor, anyone in the party, or even taking turns. The finishing blow decides the possessor of the loot.

there will be exclusive content for North America that will focus on aspects that we believe our players would enjoy most. We will introduce mounts in the future, as well as other races.

Joe Wreggelsworth: Loot is split depending on how the group leader sets the party. You can make it free for all, take turns on who gets it, or set it to the person who did the most damage.

Jonric: What benefits do party members gain? Are there any bonuses? And what limitations apply, such as group size?

Joe Wreggelsworth: Bonuses come mainly in the natural fact that while in a group, you will be more effective in combat. You will be more effective against more powerful enemies and can employ more strategy when taking out bosses.

Duck Soo Choi: The system allows for faster progress in a dungeon as well as a safety net. If you die inside the dungeon, you can't ask for help if you came in alone. If you are partied with someone, the other members can revive you on the spot, with lesser penalties.

The maximum party size is eight, and if any members go out of your sight, you will not be able to locate them correctly on your mini-map.

Jonric: Is the game oriented more towards groups or players who would rather solo? Are there long-term guilds?

Joe Wreggelsworth: Neither. And both. Mabinogi really caters to a player's personal tastes. They each get to select what they want to do. While playing solo is a viable option, grouping with others is always going to be more fun, as there is more power in numbers. When you have a group of people, the dynamics just invite more fun.

There are guilds. They serve as a method for like-minded players to hang out with each other, but at the moment, there is no content restricted to members.

Jonric: What is the music sharing system, how does it work, and what considerations led to its inclusion in the game?

Joe Wreggelsworth: It's not really a music sharing system. It's one that allows players to create music and play it, or write it to a scroll, thereby allowing others to play it in-game. It's one of several details included in Mabinogi that round out the game experience. How many bard classes have you played in an MMO where you wished you could choose the music you were playing? That pretty much sums up the motivation there.

Jonric: What are your primary goals in the area of community development? What kinds of support do you provide, both in the game and outside?

Duck Soo Choi: We want to create an enjoyable environment for players to gather and relax in. Campfires provide safe places to heal quickly, where monsters can't attack. So naturally, players on the hunting grounds gather around them and chat. Some will play music, and some will cook food to share with others.

When running to a place, if you see a dead player with a phoenix feather up, you'd normally revive him (and gain extra XP), which is an opportunity to befriend new players. There is even a concert hall for bands to play their written music for an audience. All these features are thoughtfully integrated into Mabinogi to promote the community. Plus, the depth of the game gives players a lot to discuss, and many do so in our forum at www.nexon.net.

Jonric: Looking ahead to how the game will evolve, what are some notable things you're willing to mention at this time?

Joe Wreggelsworth: You can expect much more content, many new features and systems, and a rich, exciting storyline. In addition, there will be exclusive content for North America that will focus on aspects that we believe our players would enjoy most. We will introduce mounts in the future, as well as other races. Mabinogi is currently in Generation 1, and there are many more generation updates to come.

Since we know that Mabinogi is a mature title that has been operating successfully in the Korean market for nearly four years, it's easy to appreciate that the North American version, which launched late this March, will see plenty of content additions for a long time to come. For now, however, we'd like to thank the Nexon trio of Joe Wreggelsworth, Duck Soo Choi and Min Kim for the time and effort they put into this informative two-part interview.

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