Wednesday, April 24th! The new class of "BLUE PROTOCOL" is the "Beat Performer" who fights with music! Beat Performer, a technical player with guitar and amp, preview report!

This technical class uses a guitar that emits sound waves and an amplifier that amplifies the sound waves as weapons to perform a wide range of tasks, from attacking to providing support to fellow players. We were able to play with the "Beat Performer" for a while, so let's take a look at how it plays and what it can do. Please note that this was a test environment, so specifications may change when the class is implemented.

The catchphrase for the online action RPG "BLUE PROTOCOL" is "Playable anime graphics. The game is set on the beautiful "Planet Regnus" and follows the adventures of the main character as he searches for his lost memories.

In August 2023, two months after the launch of the service, a new class "Blitz Lancer," which fights with a spear and an engraving, was added to the game and attracted a lot of attention, and a second new class, "Beat Performer," will be introduced in the update on April 24, 2024.

A silhouette holding a guitar was shown in the official broadcast "Blue Pro Communication #14" delivered in January of this year, but no one could have imagined that this class would also use an amplifier to deliver attacks and support to various locations.

Battles in "BLUE PROTOCOL" are action-packed, with all classes able to deliver firepower in their own way. The new "Beat Performer" in this context has a strong support-type color, specializing in medium to long-range attacks, buffing (strengthening) and debuffing (weakening) with sound waves emitted from the guitar. The guitar can be used to increase the attack power of allies, grant super armor that prevents rolling back when attacked, put enemies to sleep, and provide a wide variety of other support functions.

The guitar is the weapon of choice, and it is interesting to note that not only the skills but also the normal attacks can be used to show off the groove of the guitar. Support classes in online games often have the image of "the man behind the scenes" or "the silver lining," but the "Beat Performer" stands out from the crowd with its flashy performance and a variety of buffs and debuffs, to the point of eclipsing other classes.

The "Beat Performer" features a "Generate Amplifier," which is activated with a right mouse click. This is the ability to place an amplifier at any location. When the "Beat Performer" performs a normal attack or many tactical skills, the amp also works in tandem to produce the same effect (hereafter referred to as "activation" in this paper).

In other words, the "beat performer's" attacks and support are triggered in two places: the person himself and the area around the amplifier. With such a wide range of effects, there is no way to avoid placing amplifiers.

Some tactical skills are activated while the amp appears, and others are more effective when applied to the amp, so it is no exaggeration to say that the "beat performer" and the amp are one and the same.

Amplifiers do not attract enemy hate (attention) nor do they prevent attacks. In other words, they cannot be used as decoys or shields, but they cannot be broken.

By placing the amps in the midst of the enemy, the "beat performers" can efficiently spread their attacks and debuffs while keeping themselves safely in the rear. Also, even when the boss is on the rampage and other classes would have to evacuate, the Beat Performer can attack unilaterally by placing the amp well underfoot.

Tactical skills for recovery and buffing are also triggered from the "beat performer" himself and the area around the amp. However, if the amp is left at the feet of the enemy as it is during an attack, the buffs will not reach the allies.

For example, if a buff is generated in the midst of a boss's blazing breath, the allies can only watch from a distance in bewilderment. To avoid this, it is ideal to observe your surroundings and place your amp at the feet of an ally in need. If you are in an environment where voice chat is available, you can call out, "I put the amp down! if you are in an environment where you can voice chat.

Fortunately, the coold time of "Generate Amplifier" is very short (about 1 second), so you can place it again immediately. It is a good idea to calmly judge whether you should attack or buff the amp, and change its position frequently.

Regarding buffs and debuffs, don't worry about having more than one "beat performer" in your group. In this work, when the same buff/debuff is applied as an existing buff/debuff, "if the skill level is different, it will be overwritten by a higher level one" and "if a lower level one is applied where a higher level buff/debuff is applied, it will not be overwritten by a lower level one, and the tactical skill will remain at a higher level The effect time of the tactical skill is reset (the same as if it was triggered again)".

Therefore, it is OK to activate tactical skills as often as possible without worrying about skill level. In other words, "the higher the skill level, the higher the priority, the effect time is initialized, and the buff/debuff is restarted.

The problem of overwriting buffs and debuffs with lower-level ones, which is common in online games, does not occur. And it is not possible to inflict the same condition while in the middle of a condition. You can have multiple "beat performers" in your party and still play with peace of mind.

When using various skills, a unique "heat gauge" is accumulated. When the "Heat Gauge" reaches its maximum, the player enters a state of "High Spirit" and attacks and skills are enhanced.

Some tactical skills and class abilities increase the accumulation of the "Heat Gauge," while others strengthen the "High Spirit" state. In addition to the position of the amplifier, the "Beat Performer" must also pay attention to their own "Heat Gauge," making them a class that requires overall observational skills.

Main "beat performer" techniques

Soul Combo" (normal attack)

The "Beat Performer" wields a guitar and unleashes three melee attacks and one remote attack. The melee attack is linked to the amplifier. The remote attack will spread further if it hits the amp. The left and right derivatives also fire a ranged attack from the amp, and a long press activates the "high spirit". g2 gives the front derivatives a light attribute, g3 gives the back derivatives a "heat gauge" increase buff, and g4 gives the remote attack a small light attack resistance reduction. ...... and as the level increases As the level of the character increases, various characteristics are added, and the character becomes more support-oriented.

Generate Amplifier (Class Action)

Generate Amplifier" (Class Action): Place an amplifier at an arbitrary location. Amplifiers are activated by various actions, including "soul combos. Only one amp can be placed by a single Beat Performer. A beat performer can only place one amp, and amps placed by other beat performers cannot be triggered. Amplifiers will disappear after 30 seconds in the initial state, and 60 seconds after G3.

Breakdown" (Tactical Skill)

Slams the guitar and swings fully with an additional input; full swing can be charged (accumulated) at G3. This is a romantic move that can be used for self-defense in case of emergency.

Spirit Charge (Tactical Skill)

This buff increases the amount of Heat Gauge, alpha for continuous HP recovery and medium, and beta for increased damage from Soul Combo.

Medical Code (Tactical Skill)

When a sound wave is emitted and hits a fellow player, it will grant a buff to reduce damage and increase the amount of HP recovery. If the sound wave hits an amp, it can affect multiple comrades, so the location and aim of the amp is important.

Stun Wave" (Tactical Skill)

This skill fires a sonic wave to inflict a stun debuff. The sound wave also has a range debuff if it hits an amp.

Brave Note (Tactical Skill)

This one grants a medium damage increase to you and the area around the amp. It is effective even if you don't aim at the amp.

Audiagres" (Tactical Skill)

Places an amp at a specified location and attacks at the same time. It is an "amp installation technique" that simultaneously installs and attacks. This is also a good starting point for other tactical skills.

Router's Song (Tactical Skill)

This tactical skill creates an area around you and your amp that increases damage and decreases damage at regular intervals. Pressing the skill button when the area is deployed will also add a damage reduction buff.

Breaking Beat (Tactical Skill)

This skill also affects itself and the area around the amp at regular intervals, but the effect of the deployed area is an attack. Pressing the skill button when the area is deployed activates an additional attack.

Solid Gain" (Tactical Skill)

This skill places an amp and deploys an area that grants super armor and medium damage reduction. alpha also grants medium resistance to attributes, and beta also grants medium movement speed and increased rescue speed.

Calm Lullaby" (Tactical Skill)

The amp is set up and an area is deployed that grants sleep at the same time.

Cadenza" (Ultimate Skill)

Generates a field of ranged attacks, HP recovery, medium damage increase, and small damage decrease. In addition to affecting the area around you, the same field is also activated from the amplifier.

The tactical skills of the "Beat Performer" can be divided into three main categories: those that generate buff/debuff areas when sound waves hit the amp, those that buff/debuff the amp while it is in place, and those that generate buff/debuff areas at regular intervals. I have summarized them again below and hope it will help you understand this new class.

(1) Those that generate buff/debuff areas when sound waves are applied to the amp.

Medical Chord

Stun Wave

Bind Lock

Reverb Heal" (HP recovery)

Amplifiers that buff and debuff while in place

Audiagres

Solid Gain

Calm Lullaby" (sleep)

Buffing and debuffing areas at regular intervals

Router's Song

Breaking Beat

Halcyon Note" (HP recovery)

Also, this time, we were able to experience multiplayer.

BLUE PROTOCOL" is highly action-packed, with both allies and enemies moving around. In such a situation, the player has to balance support and attack by using the "Amplifier," which is an installation technique, so it is a busy and challenging experience.

In order to aim for damage, place amps at the feet of enemies or in dense areas, and use appropriate tactical skills. While attacking, check the status of your allies, and if any of them are low on HP, place an amp near them or directly hit them with a tactical skill to heal them. He will also reapply any situational buffs such as "Brave Note" and "Solid Gain" as soon as their cool time is up, and he will always keep his "Spirit Charge" to boost his "Heat Gauge" at the same time. If there is an enemy shooting props in the distance and your teammates can't get around them, you can use "Stun Wave" or "Calm Lullaby" to temporarily block their movement.

There is a lot to do. I got the impression that this is a class that can only show its potential if it observes everything on the battlefield closely, and that it must fight while switching its own head between attacking, buffing, and debuffing.

And yet, the attacks and tactical skills are flashy and exciting to watch. Tactical skills can be broadly classified into attack, buff, and debuff, but there is also an "aggressor mode" in the class abilities that increases damage as you equip more offensive tactical skills, so you can be creative with your build. It is an enjoyable class that supports the player with flair and fights alongside his or her friends.

(Reporting and writing by Shinichi Yanamoto)