Line #132 VideoGame/RunesOfMagic


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/runes_of_magic_box.png]]
2	-> ''A long time ago, the god Ayvenas created a book, in which he captured the shape of the world and recorded the origin of life. The book's name was "Taborea".''
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4	''Runes of Magic'' is a "free to play" {{MMORPG}}, developed by Runewalker Entertainment. Though developed in Taiwan, it became [[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff surprisingly popular in America and Germany]] after another company called Frogster Interactive translated it into English and German.
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6	It is often criticized for being [[FollowTheLeader very similar]] to ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'', to the point of some calling it a rip-off. Even its fans are willing to admit this if you press them. Nevertheless, it has met with great success, and the number of players who signed up on both the launch of the open beta and the full game were unprecedented for a free-to-play {{MMORPG}}. Thanks to an online "[[AllegedlyFreeGame item shop]]" where players can buy "diamonds" with real money in order to get items, extra character customization, and gameplay conveniences, plus boxed versions being sold in Europe, Frogster and Runewalker still manage to make a profit off it despite its "free-to-play" status.
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8	The game is set in the HighFantasy world of Taborea, specifically on the continent of Candara. In ancient times, Candara was the homeland of Taborea's [[AndManGrewProud exceedingly proud]] humans, but that civilization was destroyed in a [[TurnedAgainstTheirMasters robot uprising.]] Some humans survived on the nearby continent of Kloyida, however. They are now in the process of rediscovering the LostTechnology of the Ancient Kingdoms and recolonizing the ruined land of Candara.
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10	Players start out with the ability to choose one of eight classes. Starting at level 10, players can also choose a "secondary class" ; someone might play as a Warrior/Knight, or a Rogue/Mage for example. Upon getting both primary and secondary classes to level 20, one can also choose a ''third'' class.
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12	Players start out in a small mining colony where they are introduced to the world and gameplay, then promptly set off into a WideOpenSandbox.
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14	This video game provides examples of:
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16	* AllegedlyFreeGame: A mild example. The game is still perfectly playable if you don't pay extra, but the stuff in the item shop can make it more fun.
17	** You will spend AGES farming cash at endgame without diamonds, however.
18	** You used to be able to buy diamonds on the auction house with in-game currency -- in other words, to earn premium currency (and all its rewards) without spending a dime.
19	* [[AllThereInTheManual All There on the Website]]
20	* AntiPoopSocking: Stay logged in for too long, and the NPC's will start telling you to quit playing! This makes questing impossible, since every quest involves talking to an NPC at some point.
21	%%* AnAdventurerIsYou
22	* AnInteriorDesignerIsYou: This being a frontier, homesteads are simply given to everyone.
23	* AwesomeButImpractical, depending on how you combine two classes: Mage/Priest combos are very versatile, but both classes rely on the same limited resource (mana).
24	%%* {{Backtracking}}: So... much... backtracking...
25	* BeastMan: Most prominent are the Capras, which are goat-people. There is also Snoop the Stubborn, who is basically [[ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}} a talking version of Snoopy]]. Around Eastertime, Gaia Rabbits also appear.
26	%%* TheBeastmaster: Wardens get to summon pets to help them do their fighting.
27	* {{BFS}}: Any two-handed sword.
28	* BigBad: Sirloth for the first three chapters. While you're in Candara, if something really bad is going on, chances are the Zurhidon are behind it and he's pretty much the most prominent Zurhidon member shown.
29	* BloodStainedGlassWindows: The Forsaken Abbey zone.
30	* BreakableWeapons: It takes a long, long time for them to break though, and they can be repaired afterwards.
31	* {{Cap}}: You can only get to a certain CharacterLevel, and only carry a certain amount of items.
32	%%* CharacterCustomization
33	%%* CharacterLevel
34	* ChokepointGeography: '''Every''' geographical region is divided by mountains, and you '''must''' take narrow mountain passes through them if you plan on travelling between regions without magic.
35	%%* ClassAndLevelSystem
36	%%* CriticalExistenceFailure
37	* CombatMedic: Priest-class characters are supposed to heal people, but they can also kick ass if you use them right.
38	%%* DeathIsCheap
39	%%* EnoughToGoAround
40	* ExpansionPackWorld: Justified on the grounds of this being a frontier--the new lands aren't just appearing, they're being ''[[HandWave discovered.]]'' Oh, well, at least they're free.
41	* ForcedTransformation: A few days before the end of Open Beta, statues of a giant frog appeared all over Candara, surrounded by frogs. Whenever players killed enough of these frogs, the Frog King would appear, and if it kissed you, you'd have froginated yourself.
42	%%* FungusHumongous: The Fungus Garden
43	%%* {{Gotterdammerung}}
44	* GreenRocks: The titular runes of magic, which do basically whatever the designers want them to.
45	%%* HealingPotion
46	%%* HitPoints
47	%%* HolidayMode
48	%%* HollywoodDarkness
49	%%* HolyHandGrenade
50	* HotWings: The "Phoenix" spell for mages. It looks pretty neat, but how often do your enemies [[AwesomeButImpractical line up nicely for you]]?
51	%%* HyperspaceArsenal
52	* ImpossibleItemDrop: From the mobs you slay.
53	%%* ItemCrafting
54	%%* LevelGrinding
55	%%* LookOnMyWorksYeMightyAndDespair
56	* MagicKnight: Knights, by default. Also, each character can eventually get two classes -- resulting in plenty of Warrior/Mages, Warrior/Priests, Knight/Mages, and Knight/Priests.
57	* TheMagnificent: Players can get such titles by slaying boss monsters or completing quest chains.
58	%%* {{Mana}}
59	%%* MoneyForNothing
60	%%* {{MMORPG}}
61	* NebulousEvilOrganization: The Zurhidon. You could probably guess just from how their name sounds.
62	* OnlyMostlyDead: When you "die," you fall over. You can still talk and pan the camera around, and it is possible for a sufficiently skilled priest to revive you.
63	** Sufficiently skilled - read "played for all of three hours and hit level 10."
64	%%* OurDwarvesAreAllTheSame
65	%%* OurElvesAreDifferent
66	%%* PatchworkMap
67	%%* PlayerVersusPlayer
68	* {{PVP Balanced}}: parodied [[http://forum.us.runesofmagic.com/showthread.php?t=13656 here.]]
69	* RainbowPimpGear: The item shop does allow players to recolor their armor, but most players aren't willing to pay RealLife money for such a trivial feature. Which results in some very, erm, colorful-looking high-level characters.
70	%%* RandomlyDrops
71	%%* TheRedMage
72	* RuinsForRuinsSake: Subverted. All the ruins were in fact built by somebody, we find out what many of them are supposed to be, and there are NPC's studying them to find out more.
73	%%* SceneryPorn
74	%%* ShouldersOfDoom: For extra doominess, said shoulders are ''on fire''.
75	%%* SquishyWizard: Mages, Priests, and either combination of the two.%%Are examples how?
76	%%* StatusBuff
77	%%* StatusEffects
78	* {{Stripperiffic}}: Good gosh. The game's website used to have a picture of a woman wearing little more than a ChainmailBikini, but the game's [[http://us.runesofmagic.com/us/classes.html classes]] still follow this. At least for girls, naturally.
79	* SwordAndSorcerer: Both types are present.
80	* TurnedAgainstTheirMasters: The mechanical guardians of the Ancient Kingdoms.
81	%%* TwentyBearAsses
82	%%* UndergroundLevel
83	* UrbanSegregation Varanas is divided into the Lower City East (merchants), the Lower City West (craftsmen), and the Administrative District (ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin).
84	%%* VirtualPaperDoll
85	%%* WideOpenSandbox

Context VideoGame / RunesOfMagic