Template:All Game Nav Template:Infobox PangYa (Korean: 팡야, lit. "Bang!"), is an online multiplayer casual golf simulation designed by a Korean development company, Ntreev Soft and published by Korean online game publisher HanbitSoft. The full game is free to download, although certain special items for the game (such as clothes for characters, new equipment and new playable characters) can only be purchased with real money. However, real money items give only a small advantage over the non money items. The game's outcome is usually determined by personal skill. In addition, there are many chances to win the game's currency without having to spend money--one way of evening out the playing field without too much loss of profit.
Gameplay
PangYa's gameplay is designed similar to most other golf games. The power and accuracy of a shot are determined by a meter located at the bottom of the screen, using the "three-click method": one click to activate the meter's bar, one click to set power, and one click to set accuracy. Clicking is either done by moving the mouse pointer over the bar and clicking, or simply pressing the space bar. The WASD keys can be used to replace the arrow keys.
Should the player hit the ball with perfect (or almost-perfect) accuracy, the shot is called a "PangYa". Missing a Pangya will result in a loss of power, and either a 'hook' (where the ball angles to the left from the intended trajectory) or a 'slice' (where the ball angles to the right from the intended trajectory).
The similarity of PangYa with other online golf games end here. The game's graphics look more like that of an anime than real golf, and many features are derived of creative imaginations rather than realism. For example, players use golf clubs that resemble household products or baseball bats, courses such as Silvia Cannon and Wiz Wiz are set in fantasy realms, and certain special shots that do the physically impossible can be performed.
Character Stats
Character stats affect a player's ability to play the game. While skill is more important than stats in the game, extra stats often give an edge over other players. Stats can be boosted in two ways: by purchasing items (either with in-game 'pang' or with cash 'cookies') and by upgrading slots.
- Slots and Upgrading : Certain equipment in the game has 'slots' in which you can upgrade at a cost to improve your character stats. Stats in 'slot's are different from stats that are immediately gained when you equip the item. These require upgrades to take effect, and will stay on the particular character until the equipment that provides the slots is removed. For example, if Hana is equipped with a skirt with +1 control and additional +3 control slot, she will receive one extra control and with upgrades, receive another 3. When she unequips that skirt, she will lose all 4 control. If she upgraded all 3 control slots before and she equips a skirt with 3 control slots, she'll automatically get 3 control without upgrading it again. However, if she equips an item with less than 3 control slots, she'll only receive the number of control allowed instead of the full +3.
- Downgrading : At a smaller cost, a player can downgrade their stats. This is especially useful when extra stats are making the game hard. For example, over upgrading power (beyond 20 points) will reduce the control and accuracy of a character. Stats cannot go into negative values, and will be read as 0.
Power
Power increases the distance of your woods. This allows players to hit further and reduce the number of strokes required to reach the green. Longer drives make it possible to eagle holes that were impossible to eagle without the assist of extra power. Each point in power increases the club distance by 2 yards. For every point in power above 20, control and accuracy decrease by 1 each. Power does not increase Iron, Wedge, or Putter distance.
Players receives an extra power slot for upgrade whenever he/she levels up to another rank.(From Rookie to Beginner, From Beginner to Junior, from Junior to Senior and so forth)
Control
Control decreases the slider speed on the power meter. This means setting the desired distance and hitting pangya are made easier for the player. Control is reduced whenever power is upgraded above 20 points. High control is useful for players that do a lot of special shots, or have difficulty hitting pangya.
Accuracy
Accuracy increases the 'pink area' on both side of the white pangya tab. This allows greater margin of error if a player misses his/her Pangya shot. A wider pink area allows for bigger error with less 'hook' or 'slice' than a narrow area with even minute error. Hitting too far outside the pink area will give a 'bad shot', and the player will hook or slice the ball at extreme angles or, in the worst case, miss the ball entirely. Accuracy is reduced whenever power is upgraded above 20 points.
Contary to popular belief, Accuracy does not increase the white Pangya tab's width. It, instead, increases the amount of power bar you gain with each hit.
Spin
Spin determines the maximum spin that a player can apply to a ball, which is extremely useful when facing extreme wind in a shot. Front spin on the ball causes the ball to travel at a lower angle to the ground, which is useful for avoiding overhead obstacles. The ball will also land on the ground earlier and roll more than normal shots. Because the ball spends less time flying through the air, wind affects front spin shots less than normal or back shots.
Back spin, by contrast, creates a higher arc of travel. This is useful for avoiding low-laying obstacles like bushes. The ball lands closer to the desired distance and rolls less compared to a front spin shot. Back spin shots travel through the air longer and wind will have a greater effect on the ball trajectory. Because back spin lands closer to the desired distance of a shot, it is useful hitting up hill where ball roll distance is easily diminished by friction uphill.
Applying spin to a ball is required before a 'Power Spin' can be made. See Special Shots for more detail.
Curve
Curve determines the maximum curve that a player can apply to a ball. Curve is useful when a straight shot isn't possible due to obstacles. It is also used to increase or decrease the effect of wind.
Applying 'curve' to the right hand side of the ball will make it arc to the left, while applying it to the left makes it arc to the right. While it isn't required to use curve to score well, it is useful on certain holes (where the straight path is blocked, and going around would take more shots than par) and can also be used to work "with the wind" and make a cleaner approach to the green, as well as increase distance.
Applying curve to a ball is required before a 'Power Curve' can be made. See Special Shots for more detail.
Characters and Caddies in PangYa
There are seven characters in PangYa (eight in the Korean version) and nine caddies. Each character has different strengths and weaknesses making some characters better suited to players over others. Characters may be improved throughout the game by buying various items such as clothes, shoes, accessories, etc.
The following characters are the characters currently available in PangYa (names appear as they would appear in Albatross18):
Caddies, on the other hand, are assigned specific attributes that will instantly improve the players abilities and occasionally give advise to the player throughout the game. The longer the player plays with a caddy, the more experience a caddy will get. Caddies will perform more tricks and give more advice as their level increases.
The following caddies are the caddies currently available in PangYa (names appear as they would appear in Albatross18):
When a player registers and plays the game for the first time, they are assigned a Starter Character: Scout or Hana. Which character the player receives is based upon the gender indicated during registration. If the player completes the tutorial in its entirety, they will receive the starter caddy, Papel. Through Pang or Cookies, they will be able to purchase the additional characters and caddies.
Currency
The currency of PangYa is Pang. Pang is normally earned by finishing a hole at even par or lower, pulling of unsual shots and making difficult chip-ins. Pang can be used at the Shops to buy equipment or items. Equipment generally improves the player, while items generally help the player to perform certain shots. For example, the Lucky PangYa item widens the white PangYa zone on the power meter so the player can hit a PangYa without much difficulty. The Pang can also be used to upgrade equipments and clothing avatars for different characters via a slot system, which grants slots for players to upgrade their character's attributes.
A cookie system has also been established on most PangYa servers (PangyaSEA's A-Cash system deviates from this, but is inherently identical), which allows people to buy equipment and items using real cash. Cookie/A-Cash items usually give a slight advantage over Pang-bought items as they usually possess innate attributes as well as more slots to offer than Pang-bought avatars. (An example on PangyaSEA would be the Hawaii Shirt worn by Leorio, a Pang-purchased shirt offering one Power Slot, versus several pieces of Leorio's A-Cash clothing that offers an immediate Power+1 attribute and 3 additional Power Slots.)
Pangya Season 3 : Revolution
Between the 25th and the 27th of July 2006. Korea PangYa has launched its closed beta of PangYa Season 3 : Revolution. The new season featured many new feature in addition to revamping of the current game features. These include but probably not limited to:
- Enchanced game menu interface
- New character Kaz - Descendant of a demon king.
- 2 new special shots - Spike shot and Double Power Shot
- Chatroom - Up to 30 players can join a selected course and interact with each other. Interaction include chat, showing emotion, playing pangya music on an in-game player, and trading of pang based item between players.
- New play mode, approach mode - Similliar to Pang Battle's final round. Players' ball are placed at a bad lie in dire condition and strong wind condition. Players are required to hit as close to the hole as possible without sinking it in. This mode support up to 30 players.
- Mascot system - Much like caddie, mascot will follow you around a game and will provide non-stat based bonuses(Extra experience, extra pang, extra item slot etc.). Some mascots have small detail like a sign that player can put messages on.
- New 'AAA' difficulty course - Deep Inferno
- Hairstyles - Players can now change their character hairstyle.
- New animations - Earlier character like Scout/Hana receives new unique power shot animation(Much like Max using only one hand during power shots and Arin disappearing and reappearing.). In addition to that characters now receives new animations for Albatross and Hole-in-one shots unlike in Season 1 and 2 where they just show the animation from Eagle shot. Camera angle and pan has also been revamped to make shots look more dramatic.
It looks likely that PangYa Japan will soon be upgrading to Season 3. Check the homepage for hints of upgrade.
Critisisms
There have been critisisms of bugs within the game, which is no different from other online games. It is the disconnect bug that has brought users to this attention. For example: A user plays and disconnects all of a sudden . This problem has started during newly-completed upgrades to the Season 2 client. The users have already taken note that when they disconnect, their Quit-Rate arises, which lowers their reputation and acceptance of a game from users who dislike quitters. NTreev Soft and the publishers are bringing this up as their top priority and the correction to this bug is in progress.
A small freeze of the game, known as a lag, has been a small complaint for some users, but it is once again no new news compared to other online games. This may be from the disconnect bug taking effect or their computer's memory and speed.
Taking from the fact from SEA servers, scores have been rising to -54 on ranking by course. This has been reported numerous times by Asiasoft Forum users and is unknown to the publisher of whether the user has truthfully played and resulted in a -54 score or not. It is most probably found as a hack, but nothing has been done yet.
Super Swing Golf PangYa (Nintendo Wii)
First unveiled at Nintendo's E3 press conference during a montage trailer, Super Swing Golf PangYa is confirmed to be released for the Nintendo Wii game system. IGN recently revealed the game will be released during the Fall of 2006. The game was in joint development by Ntreev Soft and Tecmo, and it will be released by Hanbitsoft in Korea and Tecmo in Japan.
IGN also revealed that the game has been built from the ground-up for the Wii. Unlike the computer version, PangYa for the Wii will focus more on single player. Each character will have their own story arc and will earn gear and apparel throughout the game.
External links
- Official Albatross18 Website - Game Factory, Inc. (PUS) OGPlanet (OGPL)
- Official Chinese PangYa Website - T2 Entertainment Inc.
- Official Korean PangYa Website
- Official Japanese PangYa Website - Gamepot Inc. (PJP)
- Official Indonesian PangYa Website - PT Boleh Net Indonesia (PIN)
Note: In exclusion of boleh.com, the said link may not load in some countries as the IP through the countr(y/ies) will be refused connection.
- Official Thai PangYa Website - Ini3 Digital Company Limited (PTH)
- Official Brazilian PangYa Website - Uno Network do Brasil Comunicacao Ltda. (PBR)
- Official Philippines PangYa Website - Netgames, Inc. (PPH)
- Official South-East Asia PangYa Website - Asiasoft Corporation (PTE)
- Official Taiwanese Pangya Website - Gamania Digital Entertainment Co.,Ltd. (PTW)
- PangYa English Manual
- Albatross18 Insider News MySpace Page containing blog entries by Albatross18 staff about upcoming updates on Albatross18 and chances to receive pang.