Article 3: Changing of board director of Fiesta

Ex-EA vet takes CEO role at Outspark

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/ex-ea-vet-takes-ceo-role-at-outspark 

Electronic Arts' former senior VP of corporate and business development Owen Mahoney has joined US MMO publisher Outspark as CEO.
Outspark claims to be the biggest US publisher of free-to-play games, with a global audience of 4.7 million registered users and 5.4 million unique visitors to its web portal.
"Since founding Outspark in early 2007, the Freemium MMOG market has evolved dramatically," offered Susan Choe, who steps aside from the CEO role to take up a position on the board.
"Outspark’s team has built a leading game publishing company, executing solid growth while bringing together a unique MMOG publishing platform with social community elements. With Owen’s leadership and business experience in the global gaming industry, Outspark will evolve as a leading global game industry player."
Mahoney spent nine years with Electronic Arts, where he spearheaded corporate development, equity investments and strategic partnerships.
"Having the opportunity build on Susan’s success is a great privilege and I'm honoured by the board's endorsement," offered Mahoney.
"Outspark appeals to a vast global user base and to everyone who wants to establish a connection with gamers around the world in real time. Outspark’s game publishing platform and portal also offer fantastic opportunities to both content developers and game publishers, and I look forward to providing value for Outspark, our loyal user base, investors and our great staff."

Article 2: An interview with Ryen Olson,publisher of Fiesta Online

Fiesta Online News & Events
http://www.fiestagold.com/News/0807/fiesta_online_interview_with_ryan_olson.html

Fiesta Gold>>News0807 >> Fiesta Online Interview with Ryan Olson

Fiesta Online Interview with Ryan Olson

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Outspark is a unique publisher and operator of free online community games and it's executives had said the company's primary goal was to help PC-based online games find the same market in North America as they currently enjoy in Asia. Fiesta Online, Outspark's first game, is a full 3D cartoon fantasy MMORPG based on brilliant and dynamic cartoon style graphic images.Now let Ryan Olson, Marketing Coordinator at Outspark, give us more details about this game.
MMOsite: Hi, glad to talk with you. To start, can you basically introduce yourself and Outspark to our readers?
 Ryan Olson: Sure thing! My name is Ryan Olson and I'm the Marketing Coordinator at Outspark. As part of my job I work with pretty much everyone inside the company (game product managers, game masters, customer support staff, web producers and more) as we work to build a great online community where visitors can enjoy free games, make friends and have fun online.
Outspark is building what we like to call a "virtual playground" filled with many different types of cool entertainment. Think of it like a theme park filled with lots of cool ways to have fun. Right now we offer two MMORPGs (Fiesta gold and Secret of the Solstice) and Bread ??n Butter, a collection of Flash games played inside your web browser. Even more games are on the way. Later this year we plan to release Pi Story, a 2D side-scrolling MMORPG with an anime style and some really cool features.
 MMOsite: What is your impression of GDC 2008? What titles were you showcasing at this year's GDC and what was the feedback?
 Ryan Olson: GDC 2008 was great; we had a chance to attend quite a few panels and meet with some potential partners and members of the media. While Outspark didn't have a booth or other type of official exhibit, we conducted meetings in a hotel suite near the show and showed off all three of our current games. Feedback was good; a lot of people in North America are just becoming familiar with free-to-play games and we're excited for a chance to talk about what we're doing and what makes it cool.
 MMOsite: How are things going on with the open beta of Fiesta? How many players have you attracted? And is there a solid date for the commercial launch of Fiesta Gold?Ryan Olson: Fiesta is doing really well; players are enjoying it and we continue to publish a lot of great new content for the game. That being said, it's still pretty new so we can't release too many specifics about the size of the player base. We did just announce a fourth game server, however. Altogether, the Outspark community is approaching 2 million registered users, meaning there are a lot of people enjoying our games. It's pretty cool to see. Fiesta's official commercial launch was November 7, 2007 ?C that's when we opened the game store. Right now you'll find tons of cool premium items inside, from new outfits and pets to power-ups like experience boosters.
 MMOsite: As we know, Fiesta is a Korean made MMORPG. What are the reasons for you to bring it into the U.S. market?
 Ryan Olson: Outspark wants to partner with the most talented development teams we can, and we believe Ons On (Fiesta's developer) made a game with a lot of great features that English-speaking gamers would enjoy. Quests, guilds, a large game world, crafting professions??these are just a few of the great features in Fiesta. When you combine them with the dynamic in-game events run by our Game Masters (monster battles, scavenger hunts, dance contests, parties and more), we believe the result is a really unique, fun game.
 MMOsite: Fiesta is a cute anime style MMORPG, so does it mean it is only aimed at teens and female gamers? Or it is fit for all ages and types of gamers?
 Ryan Olson: Fiesta gold does have a cartoon style but we think it appeals to a variety of players. Those new to MMORPGs can download the game and start playing right away and it has enough options to keep more experienced players entertained too. Quite a few Fiesta players tell us that the game is their first MMO, while others may have come over from bigger, more well-known games.
 MMOsite: One of the most fascinating things about Fiesta is the Kingdom Quest system. How will the system work? What kind of quest is it? And are there any requirements on the level and number of the players?
 Ryan Olson: Kingdom Quests are one of the coolest parts of Fiesta and let a small group of players (usually around 15) work together to defeat tough monsters, earn experience and treasure. Examples include battling the King Slime, fighting Mara Pirates, or even surviving an encounter with the King Kong Phino.
 Players are eligible for Kingdom Quests as soon as they reach level 5. In each town there is a special NPC that keeps a list of all Kingdom Quests and signs up interested players at multiple times throughout the day. Kingdom Quests are very popular and can sometimes be difficult to join, but persistent adventurers are well rewarded!

Article 1: Stuff we can win

MMO10 The Webs hotspot for Fiesta News Fiesta Online News Reviews Updates and more 
http://www.mmo10.com/game_news.php?id=8470&game=Fiesta&title=Outspark-giving-away-$15000-in-prizes-to-gamers

MO10 Outspark giving away $15,000 in prizes to gamers

By: Krystalle Voecks   2009-05-02T20:00:00     News Item: 8470

Filed under: Contests, News items, Free-to-play, Fiesta

If you're one of the citizens playing any of Outspark's free-to-play games - Fiesta, Secret of the Solstice, Wind Slayer or Project Powder - we've got a bit of news that may be of interest to you. Apparently Outspark has decided to reward the gamers who are using their item mall with a little contest. From now until May 17th, 2009 anyone who makes a purchase of at least $25 will be entered for a prize drawing. What's up for grabs? Well, that depends on how much you spend in their item mall.

If you drop at least $25 on SparkCash, you'll be entered in the drawing for one of 250 'Ultimate Gamer Packs' which include lots of in-game items for your toonin whichever is your favorite Outspark game. Of course, if you plonk down some serious dinero - $50+ in SparkCash - you'll be entered for the cherry prize. One lucky gamer will walk away with a $15,000 prize pack:

• Toshiba 46" REGZA XV645 LCD Screen 1080p 120 Hz TV
• Samsung HT-BD1250 Blu-ray Home Theater System
• 1 Year Netflix Subscription

As usual, this contest is open to those who are 18+ and a US Citizen. They've got all the information over on their page for those who are curious. So if you've been considering spending some money in the Outspark item mall, good luck! Maybe you'll get lucky and all that SparkCash will net you something bigger.

Fiesta iPad Giveaway This Summer!

http://mmohut.com/news/fiesta-ipad-giveaway-this-summer 

Have you been craving Apple’s latest touchscreen gadget? Well now’s your chance to get one while playing Outspark’s free to play MMORPG Fiesta Online!
From May 26th to June 22 2010, players will be able to earn raffle tickets in two ways. The first method is to simply play the game! For every full hour of gameplay, players will receive a ticket. The second method is to spend 1000 SparkCash in the Fiesta Store. Every 1000 you spend earns you another raffle ticket!
Entries will be processed on June 25, and prizes will be delivered before July 7. About 100 in-game prizes will also be given away for those who miss out on the grand prize.
Fiesta is the most popular free to play MMORPG on the Outspark gaming portal, and if you haven’t tried it yet this summer event marks the perfect opportunity. Try the game for an hour, see if you like it, and perhaps walk away with a new iPad!
Outspark also publishes several other MMOs and MMORPGs like Secret of the Solstice, Project Powder, Wind Slayer, and the upcoming games Divine Souls, Erebus Travia Reborn, and Fists of Fu.

Dungeon of 2010: Leviathan's Nest

Leviathan's Nest is the new 100 dungeon. The boss (the 2 headed deadly snakes) drop level 100 blues for every classes. Since we've started we've noticed that LN has changed a little bit.  A lot of the challenge has been taken away and while this takes some of the fun away for us, I can see how the community as a whole can definitely benefit from the changes. Ryekaryan is one of the biggest guild in the server and since a lot of the guildmates are capped or just bored, they've been doing a few Leviathan's Nest runs again trying to complete sets for some of our alts.This the mission for the first month of the dungeon.

Mission Objective:  Recover all 4 pieces of level 100 HolyKnight Armors buried within the bowels of Leviathan's Nest.

Secondary, Unconfirmed Objective:  Be the first female HolyKnight in Bijou to acquire all 4 pieces.  Pixel vanity must be maintained at all times.

Mission Details:  Infiltrate Leviathan's Nest via Roumen's Lighthouse.  Eliminate all opposition along the way including Leviathan's underlings King Boogy and King Crab.  Expect strong opposition in the forms of Bats, Caiman Juniors, Boogys, Alcas, Caimans, Gargoyles, Baridons, Crabs, Mad Slugs, and Snakes. No opposition should be left standing in the way of completing the mission.



Additional Team Member Breakdown:

• Gladiator or Knight, Wizard or Warlock, SharpShooter, and Guardian.
• Note:  At least one mage is typically necessary, one cleric is very necessary.

Mission Notes:  Although the primary objective is to acquire the four HolyKnight pieces, other rare armors may be collected and distributed along the way.  Armor drops should be reserved for the specified class to ensure harmony and cooperation amongst the team.  Armor drops are random, the mission may need to be repeated over and over.  Picking up armor that is not specified for you renders the item useless as it cannot be stored, traded, or sold once it has touched the oils of your skin.  Great care is advised when looting the Nest.

Mission Success Stories:
Armors Gained:

• SharpShooter - Skirt and Boots acquired 07/14/2010.
• Ranger - Shirt and Boots acquired 07/14/2010.
• Gladiator - Helms acquired on 07/13/2010 & 07/14/2010.  Boots acquired on 07/13/2010.  Pants acquired on 07/14/2010 but subsequently vanished before a Gladiator could be summoned to retrieve.
• Knight - Boot acquired on 07/13/2010 but destroyed before Knight could be summoned.  Shirt acquired on 07/12/2010 but destroyed before Knight could be summoned.  Pants twice acquired on 07/15/2010.
• HolyKnight - Helm recovered on 07/15/2010
• Guardian - Boot recovered on 07/12/2010 but destroyed as no Guardians were available for pick up.
• Warlock - No armors recovered.
• Wizard - Pants recovered on 07/13/2010 but destroyed as no Wizards could be summoned in time to retrieve.

However as a guild, don't have every set completed yet, I think Warlock might be the only one incomplete, but this is the update so far:

One of the best thing: Weapon Skins

Came across these in the Fiesta file folders, i'm guessing that they are new weapon skins,all of the designs have a rotating or disappearing group of stars and most have some type of glow to them.FIesta dropped a hint a few weeks ago that 'Le Papillon' was coming... they gave us a screenshot or two of a fighter holding a mysterious blue sword in a butterfly motif. Many of us guessed that these would be the newest weapon skins and we were right!

The bonuses are a little different this time around though with a 7% Critical Hit Bonus, 5% Damage Increase Bonus, and 7% Aim Bonus. ..
Well they're here!Of course with my weakness for all things pixel-pretty, I had to hand James my piggy bank and take a few turns banging away on the forge (james forge
: one of the game on fiesta page). Luckily the mace came up pretty quickly, unfortunately it's only a 3k durability one Even so, I kept it, I couldn't bear to part with it... I don't know how much actual grind time it will see, but I suppose it's an option since I also won a 3k Repair Kit.

A few other items I got from James game:
10k Stargazer Staff
25k Stargazer Wand
3k Stargazer Hammer
10k Repair Kit
T2 Perfect Red Eyes (Yes I checked, they're not those deceptive 50%'ers)

Not too bad, I turned in 4 other items for credit (2 50% Eyes, 1k Repair Kit, 3k Stargazer One Hander), had one credit from before so I got a free spin.As long as I stop here, I think I made my money's worth.

Thanks James and thank you Fiesta!

 the Papillon axe skin 

Class: Gladiator (fighter)

 the Stargazer axe skin

Class: Gladiator (fighter)

-> got one for my gladiator

 

the Stargazer mace skin

Class: Holy Knight (healer)

->one of my favorite mace skin,

bought the mace for each of my cleric's character for 6547sparkcash(10usd)

the Stargazer wand skin

Class: Warlock (mage)

My 2nd Life across the Net

Im going to introduce you to the world massively multiplayer online game known as MMOG. It is a multiplayer video game which is capable of supporting hundreds or thousands of players simultaneously and they are played on the Internet, and feature at least one persistent world. I got into the game like a year ago under influence of my friend. My in game name is Lora, and im proud to say i am one of the community member and player of the OutSpark game, Fiesta : http://fiesta.outspark.com/community .  It's a free to play MMO that features anime-styled graphics, a gentle learning curve, and top-notch community.  The game itself is fun to play though as with most RPGs, and especially MMOs, the gameplay can get repetitive, but the social aspect of the game will keep me coming back more than the game elements themselves.

List of my character in Fiesta:
1. Gladiator : level 107 (retired)
2. Holy Knight: level 102 (retired)
3: Wizard : level 101 (retired)
4. SharpShooter : level 100 (retired)
5. Mage : level 91 (retired)
6. Archer: level 76 (permenant)
7. Cleric: level 60 (active)

 

Class: High-cleric level 30 (one of my favorite characters)

Suits: kimono set (mdef),ice cream top(mdef)

Clerics aid fellow adventurers with the holy power of light and deal damage with ommands channeling holy wrath. The cleric can also bless his allies with magical shields and even increase their damage, making clerics an essential part of any raiding group. When a cleric speaks a word of power, you live or die.
Clerics can equip a hammer or mace and a shield. They can only wear armor specific to their class and level. Main attributes for Clerics focused on healing are Endurance (more hit points and defense) and Spirit (more spirit points).

Much has been made for nearly the last 1 year about how Clerics really come up with the short end of the damage when it comes to many elements of gameplay.  Cleric advocates speak of major tactical disadvantages in PvP(player versus player) as in lack of damage, nearly identical evasion to fighters, effective evasion vs effective aim, lack of skills, etc, as well as a lack of these elements leaving Clerics with almost no option other than being dependable on a party to grind So with all of the grumbling, posturing, and debating from the player base, OutSpark asked OnsOnSoft to revisit the Cleric class and attempt to put them back on par with the other two damage dealing classes.

Class: Paladdin level 60

left box:  the build stats 

: full str if you wish to be holyknight (more to solo/combat)

: full end if you wish to be guardian (more to war/grinding)

right box: the inventory

This game is all about how you build your character's stats and getting the right gears and weapons for it. Example of pvp (player versus player) video : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MJHiLNvWgQ