Christmas Post

Surprising things keep surfacing in my email. I guess that's what happens when you sign up to dozens -  scores - of games and services over the years. Suits me. I like getting mail.

Today's was about a game I'm very fond of but which I haven't played for quite a while: Dragon Nest. I've commented before, more than once, on the title's confusing history; the number of times it's changed publishers; the numerous variant versions with their differing gameplay; the problems I've had accessing my characters after changes of ownership ; the impostion of regional IP checks...

It's hardly surprising I'm frequently confused about which version I'm supposedly playing but last time I checked I think it was Dragon Nest: Origins. That's who sent me the email, anyway.

The big news is a huge update coming at the end of the month, raising the level cap to 70 and adding a whole raft of new content. The full patch notes are extensive. As well as numerous quality of life improvements and tweaks, some of the highlights include

• a new class - Assassin 
• a new zone - Anu Arundel
  
• three new dungeons - Golden Meadow, Bronze Crescent Forest & Valley of Eclipse
• a new game mode - Chaos
• a new Nest - Guardian Nest

The capital, Saint's Haven, gets a graphical makeover and there are updates to character models and hairstyles. There's even a trailer on YouTube.

It's all very impressive and even more so when you realize Dragon Nest: Origins is a private server. I'd either forgotten that or, more likely, given the checkered history of the game, I hadn't even realised.

There's also a Christmas event going on right now. I have no idea what it is but when I logged in someone was recruiting a group for "Santa", snow lay thick on the ground in Saint Haven and there were decorations and presents all over the central square. 

There was also a continual soundtrack of Christmas music; some very familiar and recognizeable tunes like Jingle Bells and Silent Night, all in a louche, lounge-jazz style. Quite possibly the best seasonal musical accompaniment I've heard in an mmorpg this year.

The email rather charmingly exhorted lapsed players like myself to jump back into the game, aknowledging that "We understand that life can get in the way of gaming, but we hope this patch will entice you to jump back into the world of DNOrigins. Our community is friendly and welcoming, and we'd love to see you in-game again." 

I'm happy to take them up on that encouragement. I'm always saying I want to get back to Dragon Nest. Even though, at level twenty-nine, I'm unlikely to see most of the new content, I'm very keen to find out what the revamped Saint's Haven looks like.

Maybe I'll even try the new Assassin class. I do have fourteen of my sixteen character slots still available, after all..