Exteel

Exteel is a Third-Person shooter game published by Korean game company NCsoft, and developed by NCsoft's E & G Studios.

Exteel is a third person shooter where players control giant customized mechs (similar to Virtual On and Armored Core) into combat against other online players, or more rarely, against computer controlled enemies. The game features fully customizable characters, as well as a variety of gameplay modes.

An alpha version of this game was released in Korea, and closed beta testing began in the United States on November 16th, 2006. The developers anticipate releasing Exteel as a "free to download, free to play" format. However, access to other weapons, and parts will be limited to customers paying a fee for NC Coins, though this game will remain Free To Play if you only make an account with PlayNC. The game's maps contain advertisements for other NCsoft titles, most likely to justify for free play of the game.

Closed Beta
This phase of testing began on 16 November, 2006 and ended on 31 January, 2007. A new closed beta test phase has started on 18 September 2007. All previous beta accounts have been wiped.

Open Beta
A new open beta session began on November 14, 2007 though this day was for those who had previously been invited for the second closed beta. Those who logged in that day recieved a free "Sky Blue" paint option. The official start of the open beta session began on November 15, 2007. Players can create a PlayNC Account and then "Link" that account to their Exteel account. The beginning of the open beta also removed the Non-Disclosure Agreement.

Team Battles
There are four game modes available currently, Death Match, Team Death Match, Last Stand, and Territory Control. They are all time limited with the winner decided by the amount points obtained within that time limit. Draws occur when the round ends and there is an equalibrium in points on both teams or in separate players. Winners get more experience and credit than the losers.

Death Match
Death Match is the standard melee mode, where all participants in the room are engaged in free-for-all battle. Everyone is on their own team. The winner is based on the calculated amount of kills, deaths, and assists at the end of the round time limit.

Team Death Match
Similar to Death Match as in the main objective for victory is in killing the other team. However, in Team Death Match, you reside in one of two teams, the blue or red team. For one team to win, it must have a higher point contribution than the other. Killing players is the only source of points for this mode. The winning team is the team with the higher total point contribution at the end of the round time limit.

Last Stand
This "stage mode" in Exteel allows for players to team together and battle NPC enemies who will try to invade and convert aeroports that are start out belonging to you. You win by holding off the enemies for the set time limit. You lose if they completely invade and convert a aeroport. Last Stand mode has many levels that increase the number of aeroports that you and your team must defend. It also increases the level of the NPC enemies, giving them more health, damage, and better artificial intelligence.

Territory Control
This mode of gameplay involves invading and taking over neutral and enemy aeroports. The act of taking over the aeroports contributes points to your team. If allowed, the two teams at some point in the round are able to travel to the other side of the map and attempt to take over the main base of the enemy. If successfull, the game is ended instantly and team that successfully invaded the enemy base are decided winners. In a rare and amusing event when both teams attempt to neutralize and convert each others' aeroport bases at the same time and succeed, it is not a tie, but the bases for the teams are switched.

Weapons
Exteel features various types of weapons for melee, short range, medium, and long range combat.

Melee Weapons
The melee weapon series do not require a lock-on like the ranged weapons (exclusing rockets) to damage an enemy, thus they lack an aiming recticle in the center of the screen. As such, they are capable to damaging more than one opponent per attack.

Swords
The sword series are shorter range than the spears and do less damage. However, what they lack in strength they make up in speed. Swords generally detract less from the speed of the mech and have much less weight than the spears, allowing faster attacking and less delay after attacks.

Rocket
This weapon, though catergorized under a long range weapon, is still able to be fired and damage at close range as it is the only ranged weapon series that does no require a lock-on to damage opponents. It relies on its shell size and explosion for damage. As such, it can be catergorized under any heading however, the weight and the slow speed of the rocket makes it at most times ideal for long range combat.

Statistics
In the world of Exteel, you are able to incorporate and upgrade many attributes to your mech as you gain levels and ranks. You gain 3 "Pilot Points" per level. Each stat costs 2 Pilot Points to increase and has a maximum level of 30, aside from the Marksmanship stat.

Health Points (HP)
Increases your HP by 10 points per level. Increasing this stat helps you live longer in game, enabling you to survive longer in hostile conditions.

Energy Points (EN)
Increases your EN by 10 points per level.

Skill Points (SP)
Increases your SP by 10 points per level. Increasing this skill enables you to execute skills that you have added to your mech more frequently within the game.

Speed
Increases speed stat by one per level.

Scanning Range
Increases your Scan range by 12 points per level. Increasing this stat increases the range of your radar, enabling your mech to be able to detect enemies and allies farther away.

Marksmanship
Increases the size of your crosshair by 5 points per level. The maximum level for this stat is 5. Each level costs 3 times the level Pilot Points (ie. Level 5 costs 15 Pilot Points to obtain, meaning it costs 45 Pilot Points to master this stat.