Gamers: Kepner

We continue with our Gamer Interview Sessions with Kepner. Hailing from Bohol, Kepner shares with us his experiences with a ton of online games and why he doesn’t think he’ll find love online. Take it away, Kepner!

Introduction

My name is Kepner (yeah its not a nick)…I usually don’t use any pseudonyms (nicks) when playing. This is because I really love my name. Its really unique… Thanks to my papa and mama for giving me this name. They said it derived was from a scientist back in the old days. Well, thats all I can say about my name.

I’m currently located in Bohol, Philippines… Yup, the pfamous province of the Chocolate Hills. Foreigners like to travel here and see the wonders. Theres also plenty of tourist spots you can see. This Province has been awarded for the most attractive and beautiful tourists spots in the Philippines. You should all come and visit. (Ill look for you when i visit Bohol hehe — ed.)

Still at school or already working? Can you state where?
Yeah, Both… currently enrolled at University of Bohol in the City of Tagbilaran. Third Year College, Major in Computer Engineering…and I got a part-time job hopping from internet cafes to cafes. Which means, Ill been to almost all the internet cafes here in our area doing a part-time job. In my work, mostly I’m just a cashier. Good thing about my job is free internet access and play games on my spare time.

When did you start playing online games?
Ok now, my epic adventure on online games started when I was on my 1st Year High School. At first I was just looking/watching people play games…and I got interested, said to myself “Wow, that was cool. I wanna see it again”. I can keep on talking about my past but for now, to make my story short… From watching to where I am now (playing games online).

What was your first online game? How did you find it?
This one is pretty easy… It would be Ragnarok Online. (If Im correct) Ragnarok was the first MMO introduced to the philippines way back then(forgot the dates). I find out about this game when levelupgames(LUG) representative came to our cafe to deliver some CD installers. They also gave us some posters which was nice. About the game, the gameplay was superb back in the day up till now. Graphics is decent, 2D Character(sprites) with a 3D Maps was a stunning combination. Making the battle system fast face action. and cute characters..specially the pets. No one can forget there first poring. I can go even deeper details about the game but thats for you to find out. Overall, a recommended game for all ages who wants to play an anime style mmo.

What made you to play online games?
This is tough… Ive been thinking about this even today. What really makes me wanna play online games? I can give you some answers but It may not be the best. 1st would be having fun. Its a game… you should be having fun when playing it. 2nd is when you get bored and got some spare time. No its not the same as having fun. When I said “when you get bored” what I mean is, you either have no work, no school or no friends to hang out at that moment(something like that). 3rd Would be to kill some time, waiting for someone maybe. This answer would be for those who are at the cafes… Playing a game waiting for your GF to arrive or other reason, just to kill time. 4th Would be my reason… Friends. I play online games to meet new friends and communicate to the world as one might say it. Most games this days, gets boring fast and the only way to counter that is to make friends…lots and lots of them. Talking to them online to get the boredom out. About the “communicate to the worldâ€??…Online games make this so. Lts of players with different language…you may meet one of them someday. And teach you how to speak there language. Now that would be cool… Learning a language without going to a language school. Well, that would be some of the reason I can came up with. Maybe others have a set of different reasons… like pretending to be on a fairytale and get away from real life. Its up to you.

What should a online game have to appeal to you? (like graphics, sounds, f2p etc)
Hmmm…with all the games I played what appealed me most would be the graphics. Others might say graphics is not an issue but the gameplay. Its true but for me a good graphics makes people wanna play more and won’t get bored fast. Good graphics would also mean more CPU power, lower end specs will have a hard time running the game. Sounds would be the last of my worries…I can always use my mp3 players. Gameplay would also be one of it… with a good gameplay and good graphics, now that would really want me to stick to it. Ill also like to add the community… Good community attracts players. About the game being f2p or p2p… I’m not really more into online games, so Im not spending money just to play a p2p games. Most of the games I play is f2p. I save my money for Real-life(RL) expense.

Kindly state your gaming experience:

My History of gaming:

First would be Ragnarok(IRO). It was pretty fun back at that days… Mostly most of my classmates play it too. At first, when we were novice…we use to compete each other who’s gonna reach level 10 first then change job. Well, I was the 1st one who did. Then I change my job to an archer. Archer back at that times were pretty good at training/leveling with there long range capabilities. My classmates was like 1 day behind from me. Then they started saying to me I’m an online game addict.

Second game would be Gunbound. After we got tired on Ragnarok…coz some of the countries including ours got block from iRO. We switch to gunbound. In our area it was like the most famous games at that time. Most of the students played it. So we decided to play it to then it become a huge hit. Gunbound PH version came out. The International GB version also block other countries including ours that has a local GB version so we migrated to GB PH. We made guild called EsSeNcE and its members was from all over Bohol. It was a success and famous guild in GB once. Theres a lot to talk about this matter but Ill stop here. And more into my history of gaming.

Third would be the Audition Online. It’s a dancing mmo just like DDR on playstation back at that days. But in audition you use your hand and press only the arrow keys and space bar in your keyboard instead of your feet stomping on the gamepad. It was pretty nice with all there dancing moves and sounds. It makes me wanna dance too. It was on international audition when I first play it. Then it went down because of lots of hackers and not enough support from the developers. But a month later a global audition came out. Hosted by the same people hosting the maple story global. And Oh I play maple story too…but it was just like a week of playing. Not much to discuss about it thought. Then a month later after the release of global version… a PH version got released too… then I started playing on it again.

Fourth, Flyff… until today is still famous of its first flying mmo. I played it for like 2 months I think (forgot the exact time). Made a RM Lv71, Assist Lv60 and a Blade Lv73. I was pretty fun flying around…it was the first flying mmo at that time. It was on CB I think and they didn’t wipe out. So we keep the golds and buy the expensive items in game. We use to play it during the night till morning… partying together makes the party level reach to 50+. Lots of fun while doing it.

Fifth, Infinity Online, I think its not very famous at that time… I only knew 1 Pinoy user in game. I used to play this when I got bored grinding on other mmo’s and want a new style of fighting a fast pace action strategy online game. Its really just like rakion but at that time rakion cant be accessible in the PH. They block our IP. The game got like 6+ characters I think.. and it’s a PvP-room oriented game. Its not a point and click game… its more on click = attack, combination of clicks = combo attacks. Its pretty fun too… and very competitive. You can also do missions…where you kill number of mobs or defend the entrance, kill the boss and more.

Sixth, Silkroad… The most famous F2P game out today… Its very unique with no class system and the Triangular conflict in which you can be all, a thief, a hunter or a trader. Skill system is unique too… You can choose from three different Skill tree…naming Ice, Lightning and Fire. More info can be found at www.silkroadonline.net I don’t want to ruin the fun for you. I strongly recommend playing this one if your still didn’t tried it. My friends and I use to play this with our names ending with “Rangers�?. Yeah, rangers, we were called GreenRanger, WhiteRanger, BlueRanger, and other color rangers. It was very funny when we decided to make our name theme.

Seventh, 02Jam. We really didn’t spend too much time playing this game. This is for a quick game if we are waiting for something… nonetheless its like a piano in your keyboard. If you have good reflexes then youll be good at this game. Basically is just like ddr but instead of arrows you press the key corresponding to the tile dropping from the above. Well, you get the idea when you play it. Very addicting and fun game.

Eight, 2Moons. This is reminds of DIABLO 2… the interface and the gameplay feels like Diablo 2 but only 2Moons is in 3D. Didn’t spend much time on this game again. Just made an Incar Magician Lv30, and here the spells can do CRITICALS. This was my first experience that spells do crits and it was pretty nice too. You can 1 spell crit hit a monster when doing it. And the offensive/cursing words is legal in this game. The NPC usually the one using it most often.

Nine, Scions of Fate(aka Yulgang). Before the CB starts, this one was pretty much the HYPE of the month. They have like 70million registered users online worldwide. I play this game so much that I got like 4 characters…and they have 5 class. This game basically uses party system too much that you have to party in order to advance in the next level. Which is good, to make friends easily. Theres also a unique feature in this game… the CHAOS and ORDER faction war… in which the two faction fight each other to gain power. At level 35 you can choose what faction your gonna be. The two faction has different looks, skill animation and maps to train/level. And to promote friendship within the faction you cant party the opposite faction. More info to this site: fate.netgame.com

I think that’s all about my history of gaming experience. What I learn from my gamings is that you need to spend a lot of time just to play one game. So stick to 1 game and be good/best at it. For I still looking for that perfect game to play.

Which games, both online and offline, would you classify as your favorites?

Online, my favorite would be Silkroad… Its what every gamers needs…well not all but its what I need atm. And my friends play it too so that makes me wanna play it more. More info on my post above.

Offline, well, there is this one game I love to play offfline. Its Warcraft: Frozen Throne and the map Defense of the Ancients(DOTA). We play this game together with my friends in the cafes. Hopping cafes to cafes playing DOTA and betting money for it (I know it sounds illegal). You can also play it online… but if your connection is not that great. You’ll have lag/delay issues so better stick to LAN games.

Try to imagine that you’re trying to convince someone to play your favorite online game. How would you do it? What would you say?
I haven’t really tried convincing people to play games… But I would say to them this:
“Try it first then say whatever you want.�? – Not that good but its what I can come up with. And show them how to play it too. Teach them the curves and angles of the game.

Did you have an experience playing a online game that didn’t appeal to you?
Yeah, there is…I would like to post the name of it but for rules sake I wont. Totally I was downloading the game for a week then when I try to play it… It was way way off the way they present it. I mean it doesn’t live up to my expectations. Maybe I just too hype for it and then lost interest when I played it. Well, the screenshots and movie trailers was soo cool but the game itself is very bad (that’s my opinion). Others may think the opposite.

What aspects of the game turned you off?
As I already said from my answer on “What should a online game have to appeal to you? (like graphics, sounds, f2p etc)�?. Bad Graphics… really turn me off, and whats worst was the bad gameplay. Graphics really means everything to me. I don’t wanna play a game that has like stick figures. Well, that’s just me. And oh, Guides…really need that on a game… I cant play a game without guides.

Put yourself in the shoes of a game developer, what game would you like to develop and why? Which systems from the current online games would you incorporate?

Hehehe, this is funny for me…I was thinking of making a Pokemon online when I was just a little brat. System to use would be like Flyff, the anime look, the 3D characters and maps, and the pets. XD I know this is kinda childish. But it may be a huge hit back at the days when Pokemon was famous. Nothing much to talk about this matter. Maybe someday I’ll be one of the gamedevs and make the dream come true…lol

Making Friends Online

Do you have an in-game best friend/s?
Yeah, but not only in-game also in real life.

What are their/his/her screen name and what game did you met
him/her/them?
Well, at RO he uses the screen name KnightLord…You might guess hes class is LordKnight. We are very competitive to each other in any game.

Are you part of a guild?
Yes, its called EsSeNcE guild in Gunbound.

What game is this guild located and can you give us a short info about the guild?
Taken from reborn.cjb.net:
Who are we? We are members of the guild called EsSeNc3. EsSeNc3 is one of the oldest guild in the Gunbound Philippines Server. Started in Bohol and founded by their former GM(Guild Master) mitsuw11, right after the transfer of accounts from the Gunbound International Server, the guild started to grow slowly. But due to the lack of guild members, some members started to recruit friends and friends recruited more friends. Thus, the guild grew and became an inner circle where everybody knows everybody. As the GPS’ population increased, that circle was soon to be broken and opened up to other players from other places. The first of whom we now know as AnGeLBuEnA. And since then, players from other places started to fill the ranks. Read more on reborn.cjb.net.

If you can remember, how did you guys meet? What guild activities do you usually do?
For our history read more on reborn.cjb.net

Funniest Moment while playing Gunbound.
Well, theres too many to mention when we play gunbound. Each time we play, we laugh so hard we can barely control it. Jumping from the ledge, Tornado eating the shots, and many more to mention. You just have to experience it when you play. It happens alot.

Saddest Moment while playing Gunbound.
Hmm, saddest would be when the guild broke up… but we got over it now. and the guild reform once more.

Do you believe in finding love in online games?
Dunno yet, but in some other countries it does exist… Its like falling in love in textmates. Maybe its also the same in online games.

With so much role playing on online games, do you believe that maybe just maybe, one of those you just pWn3d is Mr/Ms perfect?
I doubt that… Im more into real life than online games when it comes to my personal life. But for fun sake some people marry each other in-game.

What can you say about online gaming in the Philippines right now?
There are a lot of new games coming out to compete with those currently in service...

Yeah, theres been alot I miss this few days… I been more on playing international games than here in the philippines. Its nice to say that Philippines is making a name of itself in the online game market. Hope they keep it up and more games to come in the future. Most good games this days came from korean…so I hope philippines gonna import that games here in the philippines. Now that would be cool.

What advice can you give to individuals seeking to jump into the
fascinating world of online gaming?
Someone once said to me that “Curiosity can kill a cat”. If you really want to play the fascinating world of online games… better have a good spare amount of time playing it or you’ll have problem scheduling your time. School, Work and Play is a three different things better be prepared. And take some time to find a game the suits you most…you don’t want to be playing a game that doesnt appeal to you. When you find that perfect game for you. Read the guides, forum or do a research about the game. It may help you alot when you gonna play it. Learn the curves and angles first. Second in my mind when your in-game would be mind your manners…In order to build a good community. I encounter most of the people in online games doesnt have manners at all. and all that said… Good Luck to your Online Game Career. Have Fun!!!

Any shout outs and greetings?

Mower Cafe - Where people become GODLIKE!!! DOTA tayo mga peepz.
Reborn.Cjb.net - My guild in GB, My home, My friends… thanks all!!!
Pinoys.co.nr - My guild in SoF… you can count on them in times of needs.
InfinityTavern.com - My guild in Infinity… the long lost forum of the lost. XD GoodLuck!
Ragnarok Guild - Ultima Guild… Miss you all!!! Hope to see you again.
Silkroad Guild - Rangers Guild… Tama na yang bot… mag grind naman kayo. hehehe
Others I left to mention - Thanks all…Peace, Goodluck gaming.

Your message to our dear readers?
Anyway thanks for reading… I kept it simple and clean…and made all answers as interesting as I can possible can. Hope you enjoy that and find it interesting. XD Thanks and Goodluck gaming. ^^