Online gamers can win extras over Chuseok

For online games, which must constantly update events to cater to the large number of users, it is perhaps natural that this week, most of the games available on the Web are loaded with motifs inspired by Chuseok.
This week, the Korean harvest Thanksgiving holiday is unusually long, which may have employers crying, but game publishers are tickled.
Traditionally, Chuseok is supposed to be spent with the family and paying homage to one’s ancestors. It is also no secret that during such long holidays, many children are given permission from their parents to indulge in games. Many young adults (especially singles who do not wish to go out to watch dating couples hold hands in the streets) also spend a lot of time playing games during the holidays.
For these loyal customers, game developers have come up with some events to help bring some Chuseok cheer into their holiday.
On Kart Rider, unarguably Nexon's most popular online game, game users can try a new Carro Rabbit kart, which is shaped in the figure of a rabbit. One myth attached to Chuseok is that on the night of the full moon one can see a rabbit pounding tteok, Korean traditional rice cakes, on the moon. This bunny-mobile is not only cute, but it can also fend off bananas, which other players can throw at you to make you slip off the track.
In addition to the bunny kart, Kart Rider players who play from now until Oct. 8 will be able to receive 50 percent more points from their gaming than usual.
On role-playing adventure-arcade games such as Land of Wind and Tales Weaver, Chuseok events include gathering fruit from chestnut or persimmon trees for game items. In Legend of Darkness, you can feed autumn harvested fruit to horses and cows for special points.
On Special Force, an online shooting game run by Neowiz, all players during the Chuseok holiday will get a “lucky chestnut.” An inline skating racing game called R2beat offers hanbok, or traditional Korean costumes, for game avatars.
The game developer Webzen is also offering benefits over the holiday. Between 8 and 11 p.m. every evening until Oct. 17, game players of its online games, which include MU, will be able to receive double the “experience points” they would normally receive. Also, on a random basis, a “fruit of abundance” will grow on trees.
Gravity also provides gifts on its massive multiplayer role playing games. On Ragnarok, until Oct. 10, players who find rice bags that have been stolen by the jade rabbit monster will be given one of three types of rice cake. On Time N Tales, a monster called the Jay Knight will appear every three hours. If anyone defeats that character, then all users logged onto the game at that time will get 10 pieces of songpyeon. Songpyeon is a type of tteok that is eaten at Chuseok. Gamers may “eat” songpyeon to gain physical strength.

by Wohn Dong-hee