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Playing with Gunz

Not just guns, swords too figure in Gunz, a new online game, launched across the country

PHOTO: SHAJU JOHN

EXITING MOMENTS ONLINE Venkat Mallik of Level Up

The most important attribute of a good player of Counter Strike 2 — the LAN-based third person shooter where a team of terrorists and counter-terrorists pit strategy and sub-machine guns against one another — is his or her ability to read the opponent's mind. At the local Internet parlour, this opponent will be sitting in the next booth.

With Level Up's new online game `Gunz,' it's a little more difficult because that opponent could be in any of the 70 cities across the country where the game is available.

Having introduced Ragnarok last year, an MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game), Level Up Network India, the country's first online game publisher, has brought an MMOTPS (Massively Multiplayer Online Third Person Shooter) `Gunz' to the market.

Venkat Mallik, managing director, Level Up, said he expects Gunz to do even better than Ragnarok, which is currently played in over 70 cities in India. But even as a game, Gunz — despite the rather inane title — has more to offer than Counter Strike 2. Not only do you have (obviously) guns, but you are also supplied with a sword, which gives you more hit points and can be used to protect yourself from bullets. Also, the gameplay allows you to run sideways on walls a la Neo from The Matrix, fly off bridges and even stick your sword into a wall and jump, making it possible to scale otherwise-impossible heights. When you get hold of the game — you can do so either by buying the CD or by making the 130 MB download off the website www.gunzonline.com, you then get to choose between a clan server, where two teams are pitted against one another, or the match server which is basically free for all in the style of Quake III Arena.

As you gain experience points, you also earn `bounty,' the currency in the game, which allows you to buy bigger guns, rocket launchers and protective armour. It even allows you to indulge in a little virtual-vanity — you can pick up `cool hats and capes that make your wall running manoeuvres look even more breathtaking.' The company is clear about its aim: "To make Gunz the top online game in the country." Mallik said, adding that the company plans to launch a series of marketing activities, like introducing a national ranking system and celebrating the achievements of a local LAN player at a national level.

A key differentiator between this game and its predecessor, Ragnarok, is that a section of Gunz will always be free. Mallik said while Ragnarok works on a straightforward subscription model, the Gunz customer might be required to pay for accessing certain areas, perhaps specific servers, or may pay in rupees as well as in `bounty' to buy guns and equipment.

ABHINAV RAMNARAYAN

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