|
|
Past News
Did you miss that important news story? Do you want to read what happened while you were on vacation. Here's where to get that info!
Our news software, Coranto, has a bug which makes it purge links to news articles more than two years old. What is left of programmers who volunteer their time to support this software do not know why this bug occurs. We manually index older news pages in our Archived News
section.
|
| |
|
Saturday, December 30, 2023
|
|
 |
|
A loss in the community: Ramaducci passes away
|
The statues in the Tiger Clan garden act as silent sentinels in the late evening following the announcement of clan member Ramaducci's death.
 Unfortunate news came out of Tiger Clan this evening, as they are mourning the death of a member. Tiger Clan Primogen FireElement explained Ramaducci was a relatively new member of the Kingdoms, having migrated from Dark Ages in the last few months. He, Arkanis, vegas, and many others enjoyed Ramaducci's company and brief presence in the game. Ramaducci's passing was reported as happening on December 16.
"He was a really nice guy, with a very positive attitude. He only ever had good things to say about NTK and its community, and he will be very missed," said Arkanis, "It's still such a shock to me. Rama and his girlfriend Kahtia were a lot of fun to play the game with."
"He was very sweet, and someone who would always say hello when you passed them," Bergeron added.
The Kingdoms are a small and nostalgic place, where everyone's presence echoes in some way and is appreciated. In this way, it is unique. When our community experiences a loss of one of its players, the game feels that absence.
We often think of our little online world as something permanent, or made of binary data and pixels we shouldn't mind. But, that simply isn't true. Everyone is ephemeral - everyone needs to be remembered and appreciated for their presence and contributions to this world.
Go out there in the community, and meet someone new, or someone you've seen around but never conversed with. Or, remind someone close to you how much they are valued to you. These small actions can have a tremendous impact to someone else that you cannot even imagine.
Our sympathy goes out to the friends and family of Ramaducci, in this world and in the physical realm.
Much appreciated
Thank you, FireElement, for the information on Ramaducci and the screenshot of his character. Appreciation also goes to Arkanis and Bergeron for their assistance making this article.
Know something we don't?
Get in touch with the friendly folks at NexusAtlas, or contact Chongde in-game with information, screenshots, or conversation. Got a screenshot? You can submit screenshots to NexusAtlas by writing to reporterchongde[at]gmail.com. Please submit full-size screenshots in a .bmp or .png format. (You can take screenshots in these formats in-game by using the Shift+Ctrl+3 and Shift+Ctrl+4 keys.) Please ensure character names and chat windows are not on display. NexusAtlas staff will maintain your privacy by cropping out your statistics/items/spells.
- Shiori "Chongde" Sato reporting
|
|
|
See something wrong? Tell us!
|
The reporter marvels at the rickety haunted house in Buya, wondering how it is still standing despite being older than her husband anyone living can remember. She also wonders what is making those strange strings of lights twinkle, as electricity won't be harnessed for a long time into the future.
NexusAtlas strives to be the Kingdoms' primary source of guidance and to be as helpful as possible as a reliable asset of the community. In this spirit, the reporter is asking for the Kingdoms' help in making sure the information here on NexusAtlas is up-to-date and accurate.
A lot has changed in our beloved Kingdom of the Winds since the birth of NexusAtlas. We are aware that some of the data is outdated and needs correcting.
As an ongoing project, the reporter (Chongde) is taking recommendations for what corrections are needed in the NexusAtlas database.
If you are interested in contributing to the effort, N-Mail Chongde in-game a note with the subject line, "NexusAtlas Correction." Please note that screenshots may be requested to verify the information.
The NexusAtlas staff thanks you in advance, and as always, appreciates the communication and efforts of the community.
Know something we don't?
Get in touch with the friendly folks at NexusAtlas, or contact Chongde in-game with information, screenshots, or conversation. Got a screenshot? You can submit screenshots to NexusAtlas by writing to reporterchongde[at]gmail.com. Please submit full-size screenshots in a .bmp or .png format. (You can take screenshots in these formats in-game by using the Shift+Ctrl+3 and Shift+Ctrl+4 keys.) Please ensure character names and chat windows are not on display. NexusAtlas staff will maintain your privacy by cropping out your statistics/items/spells.
- Shiori "Chongde" Sato reporting
|
|
Sunday, December 24, 2023
|
|
|
|
Feeling sleepy? Visit Winter Wonderland/Nightmareland
|
The reporter tries to charm a large hound during a chilly dream in Winter Wonderland to find out what (or who) he has buried in a nearby snowpile. The villagers were reportedly away from their posts for a time, raising questions of their whereabouts.
Happy holidays! If you haven't found yourself snuggly tucked in at your favorite inn lately, it's time to participate in the annual tradition of letting your mind lapse and take you to Winter Wonderland or Nightmareland. Merely slip between the sheets of a lovely bed at an inn (favoring the southernmost one) and wait to be whisked away.
For those new to these realms, there are sundry activities, competitions, quests, and treasures to be found in both areas. For a complete listing and detailing of all the event areas have to offer, please check out Maron's past coverage from Thursday, December 24, 2020.
Whether you celebrate a holiday this month, or are just appreciating the love the season has to offer, we at NexusAtlas wish you the best, and a happy new year!
Much appreciated
The reporter wishes to thank everyone that supports NexusAtlas as she celebrates her 100th article published on the site.
Know something we don't?
Get in touch with the friendly folks at NexusAtlas, or contact Chongde in-game with information, screenshots, or conversation. Got a screenshot? You can submit screenshots to NexusAtlas by writing to reporterchongde[at]gmail.com. Please submit full-size screenshots in a .bmp or .png format. (You can take screenshots in these formats in-game by using the Shift+Ctrl+3 and Shift+Ctrl+4 keys.) Please ensure character names and chat windows are not on display. NexusAtlas staff will maintain your privacy by cropping out your statistics/items/spells.
- Shiori "Chongde" Sato reporting
|
|
Saturday, December 16, 2023
|
|
|
|
Dashing through the maze: Santa Mhul hands out gifts, coal
|
General of Koguryo CronxJr should have been a Diviner, as he seemingly predicted the presence of new Lumps of Coal in this year's Santa Mhul boxes. Pictured are the first arrivals of visitors on day one of Santa Mhul in the Koguryo booth. (Screenshot courtesy of CronxJr.)
Note: There will be a two-hour bonus Santa Mhul on Saturday, December 23 at 6:00AM PST (9:00AM EST). The snowman used to enter the maze will be found only at east gate Kugnae.
It's the most wonderful time of year, where the three royal families usher in the masses to navigate the frozen maze leading to the Holiday Workshop! Everyone was welcome to partake in this generous annual tradition held by the Archon team and Royal families, and their entourages.
Community members dreaming of mysterious presents stood in line in hopes of greeting a Royal and receiving their yearly gift. With the enormous array of random gifts, some lucky few walked away with rare weapons or armor, while others collected common trinkets. Even if one's luck dipping into the prize pool was not so wonderful, everyone had the opportunity for a little community fun, and to try not be pelted with colorful snowballs.
Those that already received their yearly gifts, or just wanted to hang out with their friends and other community members in a Christmas-themed area would linger in the Holiday Lounge.
The lounge Christmas Tree, when approached, assigns you a Secret Santa Lodge Gift. You are then tasked to present the gift to the correct person also lingering in the lodge. Small gifts, such as Ice Fans, seasonal mantle items, and Candlelights are gained from opening packages delivered to you.
This year's Santa Mhul events came with an extra surprise: Two new items were added to the grand list of potential prizes from the gift boxes. It didn't take long for the community to unravel the mystery behind these two strange tokens: Unsigned Death Pardon, and Lump of Coal.
Left: IceDFire screams at an Unsigned Death Pardon on the ground next to him. Right: The pop-up box displayed upon using the Unsigned Death Pardon. (Screenshots courtesy of IceDFire.)
The Unsigned Death Pardon is an item that upon activation, prevents the user from dying once. Using the item awards the player a pop-up box reading, "Something tells you that as long as you have this you can cheat death. But, not if you're fighting a fair duel. Do you want to proceed?" You are implored to select "Yes" if you wish to activate the item. Upon losing all of one's Vita, the note dissolves, and the user's health is restored to 50%. Note: In order to utilize the item, the user must not be wearing any sub-accessories.
Left: The reporter and Kirkland stand flanking a Lump of Coal on the ground. Kirkland would donate his Lump of Coal to the reporter for research to be posted on NexusAtlas. Center: The pop-up box for the Lump of Coal is displayed. Right: The reporter recovers from crying (B-emote) with a dark cloud lingering overhead after using a Lump of Coal.
In the event you were extra naughty this year, the Lump of Coal appeared in your gift box. Upon use, this item spawns a pop-up message of "You suspect this will protect you in the hour of need... But at what cost?!?! Do you want to proceed?" Upon activation, the user will cast Coal Vertigo, Coal Harden Body, perform a crying emote, and a grey cloud will linger over their head. The effects last for one minute.
Scenes from the Holiday Workshop
Left: Members of Koguryo's court banter on who is on the naughty list this year in Koguryo's booth in the Holiday Workshop. Queen Yun was handing out gifts on the second day, and was joined by Prince Mobon, and Prince MingJung (dressed as an elf by the left wall of the booth.) Center: Prince Daeso is hard at work on day one of Santa Mhul doling out gifts. He is flanked by Imperial Ministry of Buya members and figures from the Buya Imperial Army. Right: Archon Primogen Alilolelotte assists Queen Lasahn with greetings while the royal hands out presents in Buya's stall.
Left: King ChaeRi is flanked by Princess Sutsang and supporters in the Eternal Order of Nagnang and Royal Guard of Nagnang as he greets visitors on the first day of Santa Mhul. Center: Princess Sutsang took over gift-giving duties on day two, borrowing her father's entourage. She was encouraging people to greet her with the phrase "Merry Sut-mas!" Right: Leviticus (in red) approaches Shizuko to hand her a Lounge Gift in the holiday lounge. He spent hours in the Holiday Lounge passing out Secret Santa gifts.
General of Koguryo CronxJr warrants himself a court-martialing by taking over the throne while King Mu-Hyul was occupied. (Screenshot courtesy of CronxJr.)
Much appreciated
We appreciate IceDFire, Family, xHEALMANx, and Kirkland for the assistance getting info on the two new holiday items. Thanks goes to CronxJr and Alilolelotte for helping with the coverage. A big thanks also goes to the Archon Team, Royal team, ministries and armies that helped make the event extra special this year.
Know something we don't?
Get in touch with the friendly folks at NexusAtlas, or contact Chongde in-game with information, screenshots, or conversation. Got a screenshot? You can submit screenshots to NexusAtlas by writing to reporterchongde[at]gmail.com. Please submit full-size screenshots in a .bmp or .png format. (You can take screenshots in these formats in-game by using the Shift+Ctrl+3 and Shift+Ctrl+4 keys.) Please ensure character names and chat windows are not on display. NexusAtlas staff will maintain your privacy by cropping out your statistics/items/spells.
- Shiori "Chongde" Sato reporting
|
|
Monday, December 11, 2023
|
|
|
|
Brotherhood with the Do: Do-cember Festival is held
|
Master Tsengyu leads the opening ritual of the Do-cember Festival with an explanation behind the spirit of the event.
This weekend, the Do path hosted the second annual Do-cember Festival, where the community was invited to their home to celebrate brotherhood, enlightenment, and friendly sporting. The festival serves as a unique opportunity to meet with members of the Do path, as well as partake in some fun and games to further relations within the community.
The opening ritual
The Do ushered visitors into the Meditation Room, which is a dark, quiet, starlit chamber found in the back room of the subpath's home (A secondary entrance resides behind the Do representative in Tangun.) The community members took their place in a semi-circle around the master of ceremonies, who explained the reasoning and expectations behind the gathering:
"Hello and good evening! If you don't know me, I'm Tsengyu, a Master of the Do path. I'm here to welcome you to the Do-cember Festival! We are here this weekend to share in an environment of brotherhood, where we will nourish our body, mind, and spirit together. We hope that this festival will also prove as a glimpse into what the life of a Do encompasses. We're not just sticks in the mud as rumored, believe it or not!
"We Do strive for self-betterment, always training and challenging ourselves. We strive to preserve life, and preserve our ways of life. We don't seek conflict, but are trained to end them. We master our own emotions, and don't let them rule us, but acknowledge their existence and reasonings. We strive for humility and moderation; we are compassionate to others, not overruling. It's a difficult path to walk, and full of paradoxes. It's not for everyone. I think Lao Tzu said it best, in Tao te Ching Chapter 68:
"'The best warrior does not give free reign to violence.
The most skillful fighter will not let anger cloud his mind.
The skilful tactician wins without a battle.
A great commander overcomes men by placing himself below them.
This is known as the 'virtue of not striving'.
It is also called the ability to manage others.
This is regarded as the earthly embodiment of the way of Heaven.'"
"Heavy stuff, I know. I'd be up for a conversation about it later, if you want. But in the meanwhile, there is something everyone can take up and enjoy. Around you are practice swords. I invite you to pick one up and join me in a warm-up kata to get our blood running. Some of you might have never picked up a sword before, and that's perfectly fine. I will guide you through the basics."
The Master (Guide) would walk the eager crowd through a kata composed of the "Eight Energies of Taijijian," with inspiration borrowed from the Wudang San Feng Taijijian techniques. In a mode of call-and-response, the Master demonstrated the postures of the sword, while the visitors would imitate his pose. When put together, the kata was formed, resembling a dance in structure.
"We are all brothers and sisters here," he said. Tsengyu also explained that anyone can practice this martial art, which exemplifies deliberate and precise choreography and fluidity.
Left: Zarsheiy eliminates another player from the field with a successful cast of Kamikaze during a round of Kendo Royale in the Do Training Area. Right: Astrael pops a true or false question while players rotate around the field during Weapons Dance Trivia at the Do Combat Hall.
Day one of Do-cember
After the mood and mode of the festival had been set, the visitors were directed to the Do Training Area for the first game of the evening. Kendo Royale is a chaotic bout of speed and luck, where players are equipped only in spring garments and an Ilbon Knife. The objective is to be the last figure standing without having suffered a Kamikaze blow, as all entrants compete together in a battle royale-style match. Surviving the round earned a combatant one point, with points accumulating until the timed end of the event. The person with the most aptitude for survival (and points) walked away as Kendo Chidoja for the event.
The throng of people was then hurried to the Do Combat Hall. The second event was far less violent, but no less competitive. Weapons Dance Trivia was a variant of the classical Weapons Dance, except were only two weapons to choose from in this twist on "Musical Chairs." The host would announce a trivia question while the players danced (or generically gestured) around the arena. Players would select their answers by standing on either a Steel Dagger or a Wooden Saber corresponding to "true" or "false." Players that selected the wrong answer, or were unable to secure the correct weapon to stand on were eliminated from play, until one remained per round. At the end of the event, all winners of rounds were awarded with a legend mark for being a successful Weapon Dancer.
Left: PaleMale strikes Sydnei in hopes of casting Chill on her during a bout of KenDu Mountain in the Do Training Area. Right: Master Yvie explains the criteria of the 1-Hour Story Contest in the Room of Enlightenment.
Who has earned the right to be at the top of KenDu Mountain? That was the question being answered in the Do Training Area as "students" (players) whacked at each other with Ice Sabres with wishes of casting Chill on their opponents to eliminate them from play. As fewer and fewer players remained on the field, they were moved from the mountain's base (an array of Slags) to the rocks at the top, until only two remained to stand on Stardrops for a face-off. Surviving the face-off earned a point, and the player with the most points went home with a shiny new mark as Kendo Chidoja.
Those preferring a quiet, meditative event were ushered to the Room of Enlightenment. The One-Hour Story Contest challenged writers to compose for the theme of "under a layer of snow." The tales did not have to fit a mode of war or strife, with creative liberties welcomed and encouraged. The collection of entries will be judged by the Do subpath, and the winners announced later this week. With the crowd thinned out and dispersing to go to FAV or MMM, the evening ended, but not without the promise of more fun the following afternoon.
Left: Do Master CronxJr welcomes a handful of participants to Do Fencing at the Do-cember Bonsu - a few events held earlier in the afternoon for visitors in international timezones. (Screenshot courtesy of CronxJr.) Center: Dycean and Eshol face off in a match of Do Kendo during the Do-cember Bonsu portion of the festival at the Do Training Grounds. (Screenshot courtesy of CronxJr.) Right: Amira and PaleMale strike each other at the same time during a Do Fencing round in the Do Combat Hall later in the evening during the festival's main block.
Day two of Do-cember
The second day of the festival started in the late morning with the "Do-cember Bonsu." This pair of events was catered to international visitors who may not be compatible with events held later in the evening. The community members enjoyed participating in Do Fencing and Do Kendo, or were welcomed to spectate from the sidelines. Do Kendo, unlike its Royale version described from day one, is played in a one-versus-one environment in a small ring.
The main block resumed in the evening, with more Do Fencing first up on the docket. Do Fencing is a game played across two horizontal lines, where Rogues and Warriors use sanctioned vita attacks to score points on the other participant. A Whirlwind or Lethal Strike earned 3 points, and a Berserk/Feral Berserk or Desperate Attack earned 2 points. A Warrior vs. Warrior match also allowed for the use of Slash for one point each. The matches only reset in the event of a death, or if a player earned over 10 points for the round.
Once the visitors were ready for a break from beating each other up in friendly sport, prospective students lined up in the Room of Enlightenment for an opportunity to find answers to burning questions about the Do. The community was invited to grill a panel of Do Masters during the Ask-a-Do event, where information on Do discipleship, subpath philosophies and attitudes, and trivia on weaponry and attacks were offered. The Do path is often considered to be complex and mysterious, and the pathmembers present were eager to clarify many of the confusions surrounding the particular brand of warriors.
Left:Do Master Jahova answers a query during the Ask-a-Do event in the Room of Enlightenment. Center: StarArcherie, representing Destiny Clan, calls out the results of the roll during Destiny Bingo in the Do Combat Hall. Right: Do Master CronxJr and Jamiroquai synchronize their Slash attacks during a Kumite match in the Do Training Area.
While the healthy barrage of questions and answers kept everyone busy, other Do representatives and Destiny friends set up for Do and Destiny Bingo collaboration next door in the Do Combat Hall. Rather than array of Trigram Keys, flowers, and Ambers, this variant was filled with a plethora of assorted weaponry matched to coordinates on a grid. A lucky roll of coordinates corresponding to one's pre-set Bingo card netted some easy gold and (humble) bragging rights, assuming the player could fill out the appropriate pattern on their card.
Those that enjoy Do Fencing may find Kumite to be a challenging derivative. Rather than being limited to a horizontal field of play of two parallel lines, a full arena encloses combatants, who utilize a similar point system in hopes of besting their opponent one-on-one. Like Fencing, the sanctioned attacks are Desperate Attack, Lethal Strike, Whirlwind, and Berserk/Feral Berserk. The additional dimension of play adds another element to the game, with the freedom to move changing the dynamics of combat.
Suyung responds to a passage of Morihei Ueshiba's Art of Peace during the closing proceedings of the Do-cember Festival.
The closing ceremony
The busy weekend would wind down with the community being invited back to the Meditation Room, which was lined with an array of flowers to offer a calming environment. The last event of the evening consisted of a lesson derived from passages one through five of Morihei Ueshiba's Art of Peace.
The message of the night consisted of a press for people to understand that we, as humans, originate from the same source, and need to let go of negativities and superficialities in order to open ourselves to the possibility of inner peace. This journey to inner peace is one done deliberately, with discipline needed to keep undergoing the mindfulness needed to strive for it constantly. Distractions like indignation, anger, and grudges only hinder the progress of peace, and add discomfort to the environment around us.
And most of all, anyone can undergo this transformation of behavior and mindset, if they have the desire.
Master Tsengyu closed out the festival with a brief statements:
"We Do invited everyone to our home to partake in fellowship and games. It bares repeating when I say, you had many choices this weekend, and you chose to share time and energy with us. And, it was appreciated.
"We hope to spread the message that self-training and betterment is also a choice. Peace in a time of venom and hate is a choice you can make.
"We hope you leave this place as our friends, and that you understand our ways a little better than before. And, perhaps you had some fun sporting and sparring with us while you were at it."
Much appreciated
A big thanks goes to the hosts and assistants in making this festival happen, and to all the visitors that joined in the fun this weekend.
Know something we don't?
Get in touch with the friendly folks at NexusAtlas, or contact Chongde in-game with information, screenshots, or conversation. Got a screenshot? You can submit screenshots to NexusAtlas by writing to reporterchongde[at]gmail.com. Please submit full-size screenshots in a .bmp or .png format. (You can take screenshots in these formats in-game by using the Shift+Ctrl+3 and Shift+Ctrl+4 keys.) Please ensure character names and chat windows are not on display. NexusAtlas staff will maintain your privacy by cropping out your statistics/items/spells.
- Shiori "Chongde" Sato reporting
|
|
|
Stay off the naughty list: Santa Mhul is coming to town
|
Holly and Mistletoe stand guard as Archon Primogen Alilolelotte's bouncers in the Crystalline Chapel. The Archon wishes to convey that the line in the maze needs to continue moving once the doors are open.
 The Kingdom's favorite time of year is near, with the annual announcement of Santa Mhul's Holiday Workshop opening. Those new to this event will get to experience navigating a festively decorated maze, while dodging explosive (yet harmless) snowballs. At the end of the maze, the visitors meet face-to-face with royalty from all three kingdoms, who will give you a mystery gift before ushering you to the Holiday Lounge for more festivities.
Pro-tips:
- Make sure you have two open spaces in your inventory before entering the Holiday Maze. You risk losing your yearly gift if you don't.
- Mounts can assist in navigating the maze faster.
- Once inside the maze, keep moving, as to not hinder other visitors or clog the lines.
- If someone appears to be standing still in line, hit Ctrl+R to refresh your screen.
- Historically, the maze only allowed registered characters.
- Snowmen will stand at Kingdom gates to allow you entry into the maze when the event begins.
- You can only receive a gift once per character.
- Archons and Judges guard the maze inside.
Santa Mhul Schedule
Friday, December 15, 2023
7:00PM - 10:00PM PST (10:00PM - 1:00AM EST)
Saturday, December 16, 2023
5:00PM - 8:00PM PST (8:00PM - 11:00PM EST)
Sunday, December 17, 2023
4:00PM - 7:00PM PST (7:00PM - 10:00PM EST)
Much appreciated
Thank you, Archon Primogen Alilolelotte, for taking the time to meet with the reporter and not bust her kneecaps while informing NexusAtlas that the schedule was posted.
Know something we don't?
Get in touch with the friendly folks at NexusAtlas, or contact Chongde in-game with information, screenshots, or conversation. Got a screenshot? You can submit screenshots to NexusAtlas by writing to reporterchongde[at]gmail.com. Please submit full-size screenshots in a .bmp or .png format. (You can take screenshots in these formats in-game by using the Shift+Ctrl+3 and Shift+Ctrl+4 keys.) Please ensure character names and chat windows are not on display. NexusAtlas staff will maintain your privacy by cropping out your statistics/items/spells.
- Shiori "Chongde" Sato reporting
|
|
|
