Artix Entertainment
Artix Entertainment, LLC is an independent video game developer and publisher founded by Adam Bohn in October 2002. It is best known for creating browser-based role-playing video games—including AdventureQuest, DragonFable, MechQuest, and AdventureQuest Worlds—using Adobe Flash. Following the end of life of Adobe Flash Player in 2021, Artix developed a standalone launcher for personal computers that includes many of the company's popular Flash-based games, most of which continue to receive content updates.
Around 2012, Artix Entertainment began development on their first 3D game, AdventureQuest 3D. A kickstarter campaign for the game ran from November 2015 until New Year's Day 2016. The game was officially launched on open beta in October 2016. It features full cross-platform play, allowing players to access the game from a computer or mobile device. Like AQ Worlds before it, Adventure Quest 3D is also real-time and allows for group battles. The game was initially playable during its closed beta stage in web browser using Unity Web Player. Due to Unity Web Player being no longer supported by most browsers and Unity itself, the game was transferred to Steam for Mac and Windows in March 2016, and was released for mobile around late October. In August 2019, the game featured a virtual in-game concert with the nu metal band Korn. Special challenges and Korn-related items were also released within the game to coincide with the event. The in-game concert collaborations continued with rock bands Alice In Chains in November 2019 and Breaking Benjamin in February 2020.
AdventureQuest
The first game by Artix Entertainment is AdventureQuest, released in 2002. Set in the world of "Lore", it is a single-player, online role-playing game (RPG). The gameplay, described as "purely combat" by the developers, allows players to complete quests and battle enemies using a variety of weapons, skills and items. Battles are turn-based and allow players to earn gold and experience points (XP). The game also includes events in which players can collectively impact the story of the game, although the game remains single-player and each player acts individually. Players choose an initial class of Fighter, Mage or Rogue, but can become other classes such as Knights or Paladins. While it is free-to-play, players may pay to upgrade their characters to "Guardians" and receive exclusive in-game benefits. In addition, there is an in-game currency called Z-tokens that can be purchased with real money and used to buy special items. In 2008, the game had 6.5 million players a month and over 90 sponsors for Z-token purchases.
DragonFable
After AdventureQuest gained popularity, Bohn developed a 2.5D game called ArchKnight and released it in 2005 exclusively for AdventureQuest Guardians, though it was incomplete. ArchKnight was later used as the basis for DragonFable, Artix Entertainment's second game, which was released to the public in June 2006. DragonFable originally served as a prequel to AdventureQuest, featuring crossover events and younger versions of various characters. Like AdventureQuest, DragonFable is free-to-play with an optional one-time fee for exclusive benefits, referred to as the character gaining a "Dragon Amulet".[citation needed]
MechQuest
Artix Entertainment's third game, MechQuest, was released in late 2007. Unlike Artix Entertainment's previous games, MechQuest is a science fiction RPG, although its gameplay is similar to that of AdventureQuest. Players pilot giant mechas in turn-based battles incorporating cooldown mechanics. Depending on the type of mecha, different upgrades and weapon slots are available. Players can also engage in melee combat and explore a game world with shops and NPCs. The game uses improved animations compared to AdventureQuest and features anime-style animations. It is also free-to-play with additional content available as a one-time purchase.
AdventureQuest Worlds
AdventureQuest Worlds, released in October 2008, is Artix Entertainment's fourth major game and first MMORPG. Like its predecessors, it uses 2D animation, although in a much simpler style to account for the increased server load. The game incorporates elements of all three previous games in its story. Unlike its predecessors, membership is not a one-time payment, but rather a regular monthly or yearly payment. Play is similar to many MMORPGs, with players being able to chat and fight both in-game monsters and other players, in limited areas. Characters can be customized in appearance and gear, and character classes are available to train in game. Combat is not turn-based as in Artix Entertainment's previous RPGs, but is real-time and allows for group battles. Special events take place often, with many holidays being celebrated in-game. Other special events include wars, in which players collaborate to defeat enough "waves" of monsters to win the war over several days, and live events with guest stars like Voltaire, One-Eyed Doll, George Lowe, Paul and Storm, Jonathan Coulton, the cast of Ctrl+Alt+Del, Ayi Jihu, ArcAttack, They Might Be Giants, Andrew Huang, Mia J. Park, The Crüxshadows, Dreamers, and Michael Sinterniklaas as the voice of Deady.
EpicDuel
In December 2009, Artix Entertainment opened a public beta for a new science fiction MMORPG, EpicDuel, which they acquired from Epic Inventions LLC, who were developing the game independently. EpicDuel's battle system is primarily based on player versus player gameplay. EpicDuel was fully released in August 2010.
HeroSmash
HeroSmash was a superhero-themed MMORPG based on the same engine as AdventureQuest Worlds. HeroSmash was originally titled SuperHeroQuest, but the word "SuperHero" is a trademark of DC Comics and Marvel Comics which prevented Artix from using the name. Players with active AdventureQuest Worlds memberships were able to play an alpha version of the game starting in December 2010. Public beta testing began in 2011. In 2014, due to a lack of player support, development ceased on HeroSmash but the company pledged to keep the game's servers running at a loss until they could no longer afford to do so. Following the end of life of Adobe Flash Player, HeroSmash was quietly shut down.
Imagem: SharkD · BY-SA · Openverse
Payment in Artix games consists mostly of a one-time payment, or subscription in the case of AdventureQuest Worlds and HeroSmash, which unlock extra content. Most games also have "secondary currencies" (microtransactions) which are gained through offers or from spending real world money. These currencies can be used to buy in-game items. In October 2010, the company launched its online shop, HeroMart.
AExtras
AExtras is a system of obtaining the previously payment-based secondary currencies in Artix Entertainment's games. It was first introduced in AdventureQuest Worlds before becoming available for all its major games and portal. In December 2010 it was discontinued in all but the Master Account System to encourage users to connect their accounts and earn rewards from there. Players can obtain free secondary currency or membership through the completion of third-party offers.
In November 2010, Artix Entertainment published its first novel, The Dragon's Secret, written by AdventureQuest player Lyra Trice Solis. Artix Entertainment has also released three animated shorts. The first, Artix Vs. the Undead, was made as a teaser for the DoomWood storyline in DragonFable. The second short, Death from Above, was released as a sneak peek to the MechQuest storyline and was developed by J6 of the Artix Entertainment staff, and can be viewed in the game MechQuest. The third short labeled as Nulgath vs. Dage was created as a cutscene for OverSoul, a PvP orientated card game that follows Nulgath into another realm during the Nulgath vs. Dage War in AdventureQuest Worlds.
