MicroVolts

MicroVolts (H.A.V.E Online) is an online multiplayer third-person 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 was sold to Masangsoft.[5]

Microvolts
Original Microvolts logo
Developer(s)NQ Games(2010-2017); Masangsoft (2017-)
Publisher(s)Rock Hippo Productions LTD. (2010-2017); Masangsoft (2017-)
EngineGamebryo with PhysX
Platform(s)Windows
ReleaseInitial release: August 12, 2010
Masangsoft release: 2020, date not available
Genre(s)Third-person shooter
Mode(s)Multiplayer (online)

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

The game is set in the real world where toys have come to life behind closed doors. A secret battle began between nine original figures, code-named MicroVolts. Naomi, Knox, Pandora, C.H.I.P were the names of the original prototypes, but they were soon joined by other modified versions (Kai, Simon, Amelia, Sophitia, and $harkill Khan). The toys battle it out for valuable battery resources and ultimate supremacy of the Micro World.[8]

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.

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 27 different maps, each featuring a different theme, layout and size.[11] The 27 toy-like environment maps include Junk Yard, Castle, Neighbourhood, House Top, Model Ship, PVC Factory, Chess, Battle Mine, Toy Garden, Magic Paper Land, The Studio, Toy Fleet, Academy, Hobby Shop, Bitmap, Wild West, Rumpus Room, Cargo, PVC Factory (Night), Forgotten Junk Yard, Beach, Tracker Factory, Bitmap 2, Rock Band, Rock Band W, Rock Band S, Foosball and Championship Castle siege. The Reactor map is only for Invasion. Academy Invasion is the only map for the Boss Battle.[12] 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.[13]

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.[14]

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.[15]

A clan feature was introduced to the game upon its official release.[16] Players can create, manage and challenge other clans in-game for domination of the Micro World.

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.[17]

Customizable options can also be purchased through in-game points called Micro Points (MP).[18] 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.[18] 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.

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 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.[19]

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".[18]

Reviews have highlighted the game's larger-than-life environments as giving the game a "different feel and approach to the online-action genre",[20] 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.[18] 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.


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References
  1. "MicroVolts Closed Beta Starts Today" (Press release). IGN. August 12, 2010. Retrieved March 28, 2011.
  2. "MicroVolts Second Closed Beta Starts Today" (Press release). IGN. January 28, 2011. Retrieved March 28, 2011.
  3. "MicroVolts Starts Its Open Beta" (Press release). IGN. March 10, 2011. Retrieved March 28, 2011.
  4. "MicroVolts Official Launch Date Announced: June 9" (Press release). IGN. June 7, 2011. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
  5. "MICROVOLTS". mv.masangsoft.com. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
  6. "Most Anticipated MMO". MMOSite.com. TM Group. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
  7. 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. "Rainier" (March 7, 2011). "'MicroVolts' Open Beta Coming This Week". WorthPlaying.com. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
  12. "MicroVolts Maps & Modes". MicroVolts.com. Rock Hippo Production. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
  13. "MicroVolts Battery Charge". MicroVolts.com. Rock Hippo Productions. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
  14. "MicroVolts Open Beta Starts on March 10th" (Press release). pcgamersworld.com. March 8, 2011. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
  15. "MicroVolts Starts Its Open Beta". FreeMMOGamer.com. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
  16. "MicroVolts Celebrates a Successful Launch Week" (Press release). IGN. June 16, 2011. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
  17. Elve. "MicroVolts CBT Review- Kill!Kill!Kill!Die!Die!Die!". MMOSite.com. TM Group. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
  18. Altay, Omer. "MicroVolts Review". MMOHuts.com. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
  19. Lumley, Josh (March 12, 2011). "MicroVolts Review". FinalLevel.com. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
  20. Usher, William (March 10, 2011). "MicroVolts Heads Into Open Beta". CinemaBlend.com. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
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