MicroVolts

Last updated
Microvolts
MicroVolts Logo.jpg
Original Microvolts logo
Developer(s) NQ Games (2010-2017) Masangsoft (2017-)
Publisher(s) Rock Hippo Productions LTD. (2010-2017); Masangsoft (2017-)
Engine Gamebryo with PhysX
Platform(s) Windows
ReleaseInitial release: August 12, 2010
Masangsoft release on steam: August 2023
Genre(s) Third-person shooter
Mode(s)Multiplayer (online)

MicroVolts (H.A.V.E Online) is an online multiplayer shooter developed by Korean developer SK iMedia and published by Toronto-based publisher Rock Hippo Productions for Windows (PC). MicroVolts released its first closed beta phase on August 12, 2010 [1] and launched its second closed beta on January 28, 2011. [2] The game's open beta phase began on March 10, 2011. [3] Rock Hippo Productions announced that the official release of the game would start on June 9, 2011. [4] It was shut down on 9. September 2017 9AM GMT and the rights were allegedly sold to Masangsoft. [5]

Contents

The game was ranked as the Second Most Anticipated MMO of 2010 by MMOSite's Reader's Choice Awards. [6] It was also named as MMOGames' Editor's Choice in April 2011. [7]

Story

Set in Hyuga High School's figure club, the core of this game is the drama of various characters. Set in a miniature garden diorama with chessboards, schools, war-destroyed towns, gardens, ships, toy boxes, and more, players operate electric figurines modeled after the members of the figure club and wield various weapons. Naomi, Pandora, Kai and C.H.I.P were the names of the original prototypes, but they were soon joined by other modified versions (Knox, Simon, Amelia, Sophitia, and $harkill Khan). The toys battle it out for valuable battery resources and ultimate supremacy of the Micro World. [8]

Characters

Naomi

Naomi was the first female doll introduced to the MicroWorld. She is the most played female character, followed by Pandora. Her innocent, anime school girl appearance often misleads her enemies into thinking she is of little threat.

Naomi had base Run Speed +2.0% and did more Rifle damage.

Pandora

Named after the Greek mythology character, Pandora uses evil tricks to dominate the playground. Not fond of males, due to a neglectful owner, this ball-jointed doll uses her seductive appeal to lure in targets before destroying them. Pandora also despises Naomi, a young anime doll.

Pandora has pale purple skin and has often more of a gothic/dark look, making her seductive and poise.

She was one of the first 4 figurines released, and obtaining her had the cost of 20000 MicroPoints. Later in MicroVolts Surge this was changed and she became a free playable character.

Pandora had +2.5% Explosion Armor and did more Sniper damage.

C.H.I.P

C.H.I.P. (Complex Humanoid Interchangeable Parts) is a mechanized Stikfas Figure originally created using spare parts salvaged from a junk yard. He has a very taunting and fun personality, making him loved by many. He is extremely impatient and always the first to charge into battle, without any regard for his own safety. This makes him a highly unpredictable opponent. He was one of the first 4 figurines released, and obtaining him had the cost of 20000 MicroPoints. Later in MicroVolts Surge this was changed and he became a free playable character.

C.H.I.P had a base HP of 2040, Run Speed boosted by 1.0% and did more Bazooka damage.

Knox

Knox was one of the first four figurines in the game, being cost free made him the most played male character until MicroVolts Surge. He is the stereotypical 'punk' character, dressing in t-shirts and shorts along with rather ridiculous hairstyles. His comments are also very intimidating and taunting. Knox was made to be a more tough version of Kai.

Knox had a base HP of 2080 and did more Gatling Gun damage.

Kai

Kai is modeled after a highschool boy, going in pair with Naomi. He was the fifth figure added to the game, charming everyone and becoming one of the most played characters. Although he was added so late into the game, his character was one of the first 4 figurines made in MicroVolts lore, making him a character well known to the Asian playerbase.

New generation

There were 4 more characters later added to the game that don't have much information about their background.

Amelia is modeled after an Elf, having a more pristine and clean look. She was first obtainable through MP and RT hammers, RT shop or Legenday High Elf Package. She was the first character that had her own set of weapons. Amelia's base stats were run speed +3.0%, and Explosion Armor +10.0%.

Sophitia was a peaceful priestess that choose the way of war to fulfill her destiny. Her figure wore a silk white dress and gold accessories making her look godly and pristine.

Simon was a cyborg figurine. Due to being in a near death situation, Simon had his body armored and he turned into what he is today. His main life motive is hunting and killing people who hurt him. He was obtainable by MP or RT Hammers or 6900RT. He had his own set of obtainable weapons only available to his use. When added, Simon had +100 HP and +10% Bullet Armor protection, but it was changed to +30 HP and +3.0% Bullet Armor because people considered him over-powered.

Sharkill Khan was a figurine modeled after a rapper. Not much information was released about this character. His base HP was 2200 and that was the only buff he had.

Weapons

Unique to MicroVolts is the fact that players have access to all seven types of weapons within a given match, unrestricted by class. The weapons are Melee, Rifle, Shotgun, Sniper Rifle, Gatling Gun, Bazooka and Grenade Launcher. [9] Each player starts out equipped with a basic weapon of each type, and can purchase more weapons through Micro Points from the in-game shop.

New players receive a set of trial weapons for a week. These possess much better stats than the default stock weapons. Unlike weapons bought with RT, these need no repairs. This helps the player to build up an amount of MP before leveling up.

Weapon Upgrade System

In the newest release of the game it will be easier to upgrade as pay-to-win is no longer in the game. Anyone with MicroPoints(MP) is easy enough to try, and you can always switch the upgrade options to your liking.

Furthermore, the upgrade options will have the same value as long as they are of the same type.

Gameplay

Game modes

There are 17 game modes in MicroVolts: Team Death Match, Free For All, Item Match, Capture the Battery, Close Combat, Elimination, Zombie Mode, Arms Race, Invasion, Scrimmage, Bomb Battle and Boss Battle. [10] Each mode requires the player to use different skills in order to succeed. While some of the modes rely on team play and cooperation, such as Team Death Match and Elimination, other modes require a player to play offensively, such as Free For All and Close Combat and Arms Race.

Boss Battle is a special mode where 1-4 players have to fight an enormous robot and mini-robots called "Trackers". Players must avoid attacks and destroy the mini-robots in order to survive. Successfully defeating the boss and winning the mode will give each player a gift box of Diamond, Gold, Silver or Bronze; Diamond is the rarest. Each contains a random gift, and better gifts correspond to the rarity of the box. Completing this mode doesn't give the player any experience points or micro points (MP), as in other modes.

Maps

There are 28 different maps, each featuring a different theme, layout and size. The 28 toy-like environment maps include:

The Reactor map is only for Invasion. Academy Invasion is the only map for the Boss Battle. Some maps are exclusive to certain game modes.

Game features

Battery Charge

Battery Charge is the game's reward system. By completing certain activities, players are able to unlock new rewards in the form of Micro Points, forum signature, image/video posting privileges, poll creation, and for a 25% charge earn a "RockHippo" set playable for the Knox character. The Battery Charge System is currently removed but developers are planning on a similar, better system. [11]

Achievement system

By completing certain objectives in-game, players unlock achievements. This allows players to gain Micro Points to spend in-game. There have been no updates to this system since it was first introduced.

Community events and forum

MicroVolts regularly hosts game tournaments, social media and forum events for players. These have included a Splash of Colour Event, which invited players to colour-in a wallpaper design, submitted as an official MicroVolts wallpaper; and a CrossVolt Contest which quizzed players on their MicroVolts game IQ. [12]

Social media

The game engages with players through Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and MySpace. Its website features a clubhouse area which grants players access to unique community features. [13]

Clans

In the new Clan Hall, players can now create or manage their clans. They can also request membership into coveted clans or recruit elite members to their ranks. Players ultimately compete in-game with other clans for domination of the MicroWorld and placement on the Clan Leaderboard. [14]

Ranked Mode

5 tiers and 3 advanced tiers!

From Bronze to Diamond, and Advanced tiers for the top players!

Competition is always fun, thrilling, and challenging.

Each season a new league will start to determine who would be the true honorable winners!

You play better? Prove it on the League Match!

League Match

In the new release of the game MicroVolts now known as MicroVolts Recharged, once the game releases they will add the league match [15] system which will be a 2v2 match with chooseable gamemodes, maps and in the loading screen you'll be approached by the newly added dioramas.

Free-to-play

MicroVolts is released under the free-to-play category of games; the game itself is free to download and play, and revenue is generated from micropayments. Players may buy the in-game currency, called Rock Tokens (RT), to purchase exclusive items to customize their characters. Hair, face, top, bottom, hands, shoes and accessories for each character can upgrade the character's abilities, such as faster run speed, additional health points and extra bullets. Additional weapon upgrades can also be obtained. [16]

Customizable options can also be purchased through in-game points called Micro Points (MP). [17] These can be earned by playing the game. The number of Micro Points given to a player is determined by their kill/death ratio, their mission accomplishments, a win or loss and the duration of the match. Micro Points are also given for accomplishing certain objectives in the in-game Achievement System, completing objectives in their Battery Charge system, and leveling up characters. [17] Gaining levels has no impact on gameplay, but serves as a useful indicator of skill. The game keeps track of individual performance with every weapon and character as well.[ citation needed ]

A comprehensive update of MicroVolts in 2011 introduced a new "Capsule" icon from which players could get items. The capsule machine can currently be used with RT. Rock Hippo Productions introduced MP mode for the capsule machine, but they removed this feature soon after. This was most likely because people exploited it by creating thousands of new accounts, and spinning the machine endlessly until they hit an MP Jackpot, resulting in millions of MP points. Most capsule weapons do not require repairing, and MP weapons are much more less powerful than RT weapons.

Players level up their characters through gaining experience points within a played match. Experience points are determined by a player's kill/death ratio in a match, a win/loss of a match, mission accomplishments and the duration of the match. When a player levels up, additional customizable options become available. [18]

Reception and recognition

MicroVolts was awarded Second Place in MMOSite's Reader's Choices for the Most Anticipated MMO of 2010, [6] and was MMOGames' Editor's Choice in April 2011. [7]

The gaming community welcomed this third-person shooter as something new and different, as most shooter MMOs are from the first-person perspective. The ability for characters to carry seven weapons at once, freely switching between each, "makes gameplay feel varied and unique". [17]

Reviews have highlighted the game's larger-than-life environments as giving the game a "different feel and approach to the online-action genre", [19] and having a distinct fast-paced gameplay.

MicroVolts was also noted by some gamers as bearing similarities to Team Fortress 2 , as an early trailer for MicroVolts had a comparable graphic style. [17] All the weapons in the game are equivalents of TF2 weapons.

The capsule machine

The capsule machine (released November 11, 2011) features "rares" that are unique and generally cannot be won anywhere else in-game. Rares include gold, silver, and bronze forms. All seven weapons have versions of "rares." Rare clothes also exist for each character. Some have since been retired.

The Capsule Machine costs 1,000 RT (roughly $1) a spin, and the user spinning is guaranteed to receive an item. The chances of winning a rare based on an 100k RockToken / Weapon experiment are roughly expressed by a 1 : 75 ratio (or a 1 in 75 chance of winning a rare). Clothes are easier to win, and have a rough 1 : 25 ratio per rare. Whether the clothing won is HP or Speed is completely random and determined on the spot.

Related Research Articles

<i>SD Gundam Capsule Fighter Online</i> 2007 video game

SD Gundam Capsule Fighter Online (SDGO) is a MMOTPS developed by South Korea based PC game company Softmax that allows players to take command of Units involving all Gundam eras such as: Universal Century, Anno Domini(Gundam 00), Future Century(G Gundam) and many more.

<i>Grand Chase</i> 2003 video game

Grand Chase was a free-to-play, two-dimensional side-scrolling MMORPG, developed by the South Korean company KOG Studios. Alternative names for Grand Chase included Three Young Heroes, Eternal Adventures, both used in Taiwan prior to its closure, as well as Rainbow Warriors on the Mainland Chinese server.

<i>Rift</i> (video game) 2011 video game

Rift is a fantasy free-to-play massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed by Trion Worlds. Rift takes place within the fantasy world of Telara. Two competing factions, composed of a selection of races and classes, battle each other and the enemies who emerge from dynamic "rifts". The game was released in March 2011. A port of the game, called Rift Mobile, was released for Android on January 25, 2012.

<i>CrimeCraft</i> 2009 video game

CrimeCraft was a free-to-play online Persistent World Next-generation Shooter dubbed "PWNS" by Ukrainian developer Vogster Entertainment and published at retail by THQ. The game is set in the near future where the world lies in anarchy and gangs have replaced governments.

H.A.V.E. Online is a massively multiplayer online game (MMO) third-person shooter cartoon-style video game. It is developed by Korean developer SK imedia. There were several versions of these games. The first version was hosted in Taiwan, followed by a Thai version. NQ Games, with Rock Hippo Productions announcing that they would publish the game for North America and Europe under the name "MicroVolts". MicroVolts shutdown permanently on 9. September 2017. There are currently no running versions of the game.

<i>Heroes of Three Kingdoms</i> 2009 massively multiplayer online video game

Heroes of Three Kingdoms is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game set in ancient China during the fall of the Han Dynasty. The game, developed by Perfect World, offers free-to-play, no subscription-based game play, and entered Open Beta status on October 16, 2009. The North American version, entitled Heroes of Three Kingdoms, was announced on April 12, 2010 by Perfect World Entertainment, the US subsidiary of Perfect World Co. Heroes of Three Kingdoms entered Closed Beta on July 13, 2010.

<i>Ragnarok Online 2: Legend of the Second</i> Massively multiplayer online role-playing game

Ragnarok Online 2: Legend of The Second is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed and published by Gravity Co. and is the sequel to Ragnarok Online.

<i>Dead Frontier</i> 2008 video game

Dead Frontier is a free-to-play, browser-based survival horror game which takes place in a post-apocalyptic, zombie-infested setting. It is operated by Creaky Corpse Ltd. Dead Frontier was released for open beta on April 21, 2008, and has over ten million registered accounts.

<i>Eden Eternal</i> 2010 video game

Eden Eternal, also known as Finding Neverland Online, or Eternal Atlas—The Refined FNO in Japan, was a free to play anime styled massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed by X-Legend and published internationally in Western European languages by Aeria Games. The Open Beta was released on 15 June 2011.

<i>Realm of the Mad God</i> Massively multiplayer online video game

Realm of the Mad God is a massively multiplayer online shoot 'em up video game created by Wild Shadow Studios and currently owned and developed by DECA Games. It was in public beta from January 2010 and the browser version launched on June 20, 2011. On February 20, 2012 the game was made available on the digital distribution platform Steam for Microsoft Windows and OS X.

<i>Brawl Busters</i> 2011 video game

Brawl Busters was a free-to-play Online Multiplayer Action video game developed by Korean developer, SkeinGlobe, and published by Toronto-based publisher, Rock Hippo Productions, for the PC. The game was officially released on December 15, 2011, and the servers were closed on September 4, 2013.

<i>CardMon Hero</i> 2011 video game

CardMon Hero is an anime-inspired free-to-play massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) developed by Redbana and published by HanbitSoft. The game is unique in that players are able to command their primary avatar along with various mercenaries summoned via magical cards. Also, unlike most MMORPGs players, are not given classes to choose from but instead weapons which can be changed at any time and depending on which weapon is equipped decides what cards can be used. The game was released worldwide into open beta on January 19, 2011, and a full release has yet to be announced.

<i>Age of Wushu</i> 2012 video game

Age of Wushu is a free-to-play 3D martial arts action MMORPG, created by independent developers and procured by Chinese company Snail. The game revolves around the wuxia-inspired lore surrounding martial arts and adventures in Ming dynasty China. The European version, Age of Wulin, which had been published by Webzen, closed in July 2017, with players being given the option of transferring to a new European server established as part of Age of Wushu, the version of the game published by Snail USA.

FIFA Online 3 is a free-to-play massively multiplayer online football game which was announced on 13 August 2012 and entered the 1st closed beta on 20 September 2012 to 23 September of that same year in South Korea. On December 18, 2012, it was released in South Korea.

<i>Disney Infinity</i> (video game) 2013 toys-to-life sandbox video game

Disney Infinity is a 2013 toys-to-life action-adventure game published by Disney Interactive Studios. It was announced on January 15, 2013. The game used collectible figurines that were then synchronized with the game, unlocking characters from Disney and Pixar properties that interact and go on adventures. The game was released for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, Wii U, and Nintendo 3DS in August 2013. A PC version of Toy Box was also released on November 14, 2013. The game had a budget approaching $100 million. A sequel, Disney Infinity 2.0, was released on September 23, 2014. The third edition, Disney Infinity 3.0, was released on August 30, 2015, and introduced support for the Apple TV. This game was also later released on Microsoft Windows in 2013.

<i>Guns and Robots</i> 2014 video game

Guns and Robots is a cartoon-style online shooter developed by Masthead Studios for Microsoft Windows. The focus on the game is construction of gunfighters and team-based gameplay.

Xsyon is a Sandbox MMORPG massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed by the independent company, Notorious Games. Xsyon is set in an apocalyptic fantasy environment, closely modeled on the real world area of Lake Tahoe which spans the California and Nevada border, west of Carson City using US Geological Survey data. Xsyon is a persistent world crafting sandbox game. It has been designed to have a completely player-driven economy and player-created questing system. This is unusual among MMORPGs, which often rely upon Non-player character vendors and quest givers to perform these functions. Xsyon can be found on many sandbox MMORPG game lists. The game world is currently both Player versus Environment (PvE) and open Player versus Player (PvP), with players being safe from other players only in the starter area and on their own tribe land.

Prodigy Tactics is a tactical role-playing video game developed by Hanakai Studio. The game features figurines representing characters in the game and uses cards to control their behaviors, such as attacking. Both cards and figurines are placed on a game board, with their position on the board influencing their powers and abilities. After an initial release date set in 2015 and not in 2016, the studio announced that Prodigy's release would be delayed due to an upgrade of its gameplay system. A Kickstarter campaign to fund the game's alpha and beta phases began in April 2014, with a $100,000 funding goal. It reached its goal in just three days, eventually collecting $200,000 from over 1,000 backers. An incomplete version of the game was released on September 2018, physical goods from the Kickstarter campaign remain unfulfilled.

<i>Enlisted</i> (video game) 2021 squad-based tactical shooter video game

Enlisted is a free squad-based multiplayer tactical first-person shooter developed by Darkflow Software and published by Gaijin Entertainment. The game is set during World War II and revolves around major battles fought across all fronts of the war. It was an Xbox Series X/S launch title and timed console exclusive. On March 2, 2021, the closed Beta went live on PlayStation 5. On April 8, 2021, the game was released on PC as an open beta test.

References

  1. "MicroVolts Closed Beta Starts Today" (Press release). IGN. August 12, 2010. Archived from the original on September 27, 2010. Retrieved March 28, 2011.
  2. "MicroVolts Second Closed Beta Starts Today" (Press release). IGN. January 28, 2011. Archived from the original on January 31, 2011. Retrieved March 28, 2011.
  3. "MicroVolts Starts Its Open Beta" (Press release). IGN. March 10, 2011. Archived from the original on March 21, 2011. Retrieved March 28, 2011.
  4. "MicroVolts Official Launch Date Announced: June 9" (Press release). IGN. June 7, 2011. Archived from the original on July 21, 2012. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
  5. "MICROVOLTS". mv.masangsoft.com. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
  6. 1 2 "Most Anticipated MMO". MMOSite.com. TM Group. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
  7. 1 2 Hargreaves, Cody. "MMOGames.com Weekly Editor's Choice Review Award: MicroVolts!". MMOGames.com. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
  8. "MicroVolts Characters". MicroVolts.com. Rock Hippo Productions. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
  9. "MicroVolts Weapons". MicroVolts.com. Rock Hippo Productions. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
  10. "MicroVolts Maps & Modes". MicroVolts.com. Rock Hippo Production. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
  11. "MicroVolts Battery Charge". MicroVolts.com. Rock Hippo Productions. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
  12. "MicroVolts Open Beta Starts on March 10th" (Press release). pcgamersworld.com. March 8, 2011. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
  13. "MicroVolts Starts Its Open Beta". FreeMMOGamer.com. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
  14. "MicroVolts Celebrates a Successful Launch Week" (Press release). IGN. June 16, 2011. Archived from the original on March 23, 2012. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
  15. "NEW CHANGES". mv.masanggames.com. Retrieved 2023-02-23.
  16. Elve. "MicroVolts CBT Review- Kill!Kill!Kill!Die!Die!Die!". MMOSite.com. TM Group. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
  17. 1 2 3 4 Altay, Omer. "MicroVolts Review". MMOHuts.com. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
  18. Lumley, Josh (March 12, 2011). "MicroVolts Review". FinalLevel.com. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
  19. Usher, William (March 10, 2011). "MicroVolts Heads Into Open Beta". CinemaBlend.com. Retrieved March 29, 2011.