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Team Meeting Diary

The folks at Roma Victor sent us a note pointing to some new content on their site. Even thought he dates say April, we are assured this content is newly posted and ready for your viewing pleasure!

Check out the team meeting dev diary and new images today!

A Review of Roma Victor

Rome wasn't built in a day nor was Roma Victor, RedBedlam's historically-based MMORPG. Released after three years in development, Roma Victor now stands as one of the few MMORPGs that focuses on history as well as realism. Heady from the indie MMO game development conference, Cody "Micajah" Bye was eager to sink his teeth into this niche title by the indie studio.

Unlike many games that you'll find in today's MMO marketplace, Roma Victor is – essentially – a giant sandbox. This is a world where you have options to do a large variety of different things – from building a fort, to making some armor, to fishing in a stream, to farming for food, to murdering your next door neighbor. All of these actions are available to you once you've progressed past your first ten quests.

More is just a click away.

Competition Winners Announced

The official site for Roma Victor has been updated with an announcement of winners of the latest short story and screenshot contest.

We recently announced the winners of the screenshot and short story competition. View the winners here.

There is still time to enter the latest screenshot competition, check out the Competitions Page for further details.

Hadrian's Wall To Make History Once Again

A press release was issued today to announce that the folks behind Roma Victor are planning to gather at the historic Hardian's Wall.

“It's going to be a very humbling experience to stand in the ghostly ruins of a location we know so well as home to a thriving community in our own virtual recreation of the era,” says Kerry Fraser-Robinson, Managing Director of RedBedlam and lead developer on the Roma Victor project. “We're very keen to promote the educational and inspirational value of virtual worlds, as they can provide people from all over the world with exciting and highly interactive access to ancient history, which has been brought to life in a way never before realised.”

Read the rest of the press release to learn more.

The Escalation of Roma Victor

A press release was issued this morning with news about Victor Roma. This announcement includes news about new systems and more!

29th March 2007, Brighton - Independent UK developer RedBedlam Ltd recently published another “State of the World” insight into its development activities and is now pleased to announce a major planned update: “The Escalation”.

“The Escalation” update for Roma Victor is scheduled to be released in May 2007. As well as featuring significant updates for the guild and encounter systems, this free expansion includes a sophisticated mechanism for player elections, founding new settlements and even introduces the possibility of conquering, pillaging and looting these player-run settlements.

Learn more in the full press release.

Innovative new virtual economics system means no monthly subscription fees.

The makers of Roma Voctor have issued a press release this morning to announce the first 5,000 account keys sold to this new title.

Independent UK developer RedBedlam Ltd is pleased to announce the public launch of its highly anticipated massively multiplayer online role playing game, Roma Victor ® (www.roma-victor.com). Based in Roman Europe around the Year 180, the game gives players an opportunity to immerse themselves in an historically authentic virtual world with thousands of other players.

Last week download sales of Roma Victor reached 5,000, after a successful commercial test period, during which Roma Victor achieved cult status amongst a growing band of committed regular players, and the Limited Edition public launch on July 16th 2006.

Read the full press release to learn more. Are you playing Roma Victor? Tell us all about it in the forums right here at Ten Ton Hammer.

No, Ukash is not a former Soviet state that has a good chance to beat the US in World Cup soccer.

Not that it's difficult, /mourn Team USA. Ukash is a European cash-for-virtual-goods concept that RedBedlam will use to allow Roma Victor players to swap out cash for Sesterces, the in-game virtual currency.

Ukash is simple to use, and Ukash vouchers are available in over 120,000 stores across Europe. The company has plans to make Ukash available in 12 countries by the end of 2006. As simple to use as mobile top-ups, customers can exchange cash for a Ukash voucher and then spend the value online in an identical way to existing credit card holders.

“It’s a perfect fit,” said Justin Lunny, Director of Sales for Ukash “We have already worked successfully with other online-based businesses, including MMORPG’s, but we see this particular partnership as a special progression into virtual worlds and their economies.”

“The Roma Victor commercial test already has a burgeoning economy,” said RedBedlam’s Managing Director, Kerry Fraser-Robinson, “and we recognise that many players do not have or want to use credit cards for online payments: Ukash can offer players the option of using cash instead, with no hidden costs at all.”

First we have crucifixion from Roma Victor, now you can collect your thirty pieces of silver in real currency. Read the official press release from RedBedlam at ResponseSource.

Crucifixion returns to Britain.
The folks at Roma Victor are nailing their fans to the cross. Is there a better way to keep your fans attached to your game?

"For immediate release: 23rd March - Britain will witness its first crucifixion for almost two millennia later this week, when Cynewulf is nailed to a cross as punishment for ganking other players as they first appear.  Cynewulf,(in real life a 27 year-old electrical engineer from Flint, Michigan, USA) has no need to worry about suffering any permanent pain to his hands or feet, however, as this barbaric sentence is due to be carried out in cyberspace; in the virtual world of Roma Victor ®
Roma Victor is an online recreation of Britain in Roman times, where players live virtual lives as slaves and citizens of that all-conquering Empire. The world is currently in the final stages of testing and will officially launch on July 1st 2006, after which thousands of players will be able to live out their own virtual lives within ancient Roman-occupied Britannia.
Cynewulf, who is the first player within Roma Victor to receive this brutal punishment, will be hung on a cross for a full seven days on full public display in the digital reconstruction of the provincial town of Corstopitum (modern day Corbridge in Northumberland, England).
Kerry Fraser-Robinson, RedBedlam’s CEO says: “Roma Victor has been designed from the outset to offer an historically authentic and realistic virtual world. Although crucifixion is nowadays synonymous with persecution and religious symbolism, in 180CE it was just one of many severe punishments used by the Romans to punish criminals and to send a clear message out to other potential wrong-doers. And since our online world is historically authentic, we feel that applying this punishment to cheats, hackers and other virtual wrongdoers is not only appropriate, but also adds to the gaming experience by resonating with classical history.”
Crucifixion is to be used as a form of player 'ban' within the virtual world of Roma Victor, with the length of the ban reflecting the severity of the punishment. For cheating by exploiting a bug and advancing his or her character's skills unfairly, for example, a player might typically receive a seven-day ban; multiple or more serious offences will result in a longer (or even permanent) ban.
Further information on this story and Roma Victor in general can be found online at http://www.roma-victor.com/news"

• Even more Roma Victor News

There are 100 (yes I said 100) new screenshots at the Roma Victor Website. Go Check them out in all of their technicolor glory.

If you get tired of the clicking, you can always more news and info on Roma Victor

MMORPG.com has an Interview with Nick Witcher of Redbedlam Studio, the developer of MMORPG Roma Victor. The interview is bundled with 8 exclusive screenshots of the game.

MMORPG.com: Graphically, Roma Victor does not have the flash of some other games. What do you say to those who seem to like your game concepts, but are critical of your visuals?
Nick Witcher: A critical response is understandable but I think a little unfair. We have only ever released candid live screenshots of real players and NPC's within the test. We don't release screenshots that are more concept art over a true in-game experience. The graphics settings are set low for testing reasons, but as the test progresses, we'll be turning those up, but not before we're ready. Tech issues first; eye candy second.

Mmm... eye-candy... But I digress.

Read More About Roma Victor

Have a strong desire to wear short skirts and carry a big sword? Well you are in luck my friend!

After several years of some tremendous efforts put in by a truly dedicated team and community, we've reached an historic milestone for RedBedlam and its first virtual world, Roma Victor." said Kerry Fraser-Robinson, Managing Director of RedBedlam. "Our open and community-centric approach to design and development has paid dividends and we now enjoy a loyal following that has helped shape an awesome game world. We're now really looking forward to growing and expanding so that new players can join our exceptional community and start exploring the diverse world of Roma Victor."

RedBedlam Ltd is pleased to announce the release dates for its Roman Empire based MMORPG Roma Victor.

I came, I saw, I left disappointed...
160 new screenshots are now available from the "historically authentic" MMORPG's official site. Too bad it's not more graphically authentic: Ben Hur meets the original Half Life. Man, this concept had me jazzed too. Here's hoping the gameplay makes up for the vapid chiarroscurro artwork.

"
As we approach three months since the Roma Victor Commercial Test
started, KFR has uploaded the contents of his screenshots directory.
These screenshots were all captured during testing in May and June 2005. "

See the screenshots here.

Betavus for the Restovus.
MMORPG.com is giving away 180 beta accounts to Roma Victor. It's possible that they wrote this:

"MMORPG.com is proud to announce that we have teamed up with RedBedlam to bring you a new and exciting contest! We are giving away 180 tester accounts for Roma Victor which will enable you to play the game before it goes live in September!"

You can read about the Roma Victor Beta contest at MMORPG.com.