The first major server stress test will begin tonight in Runes of Magic. According to a press release from Frogster, 30,000 players have already been invited to the already running closed beta, and they will be called upon from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. GMT after server maintenance to bring the server under as heavy a load as possible.

Of course, this stress test comes just in time for Halloween, so the developers have some treats in store.

Simultaneously, the beta testers will get a first glimpse of the event system in Runes of Magic. Just in time for the Halloween weekend, they will be greeted by grim pumpkin heads, singing ghosts, monster parades and specially designed landscapes. Interested players can take part in special Halloween quests, fight together against the big pumpkin or turn into monsters themselves by drinking certain potions.

The second stress test will be held Saturday, Nov. 1. Players can still apply for closed beta phase 4 on the Web site. The full press release regarding the stress test can be found after the jump.

Berlin, Oct. 30th 2008: Today Frogster will start the first big server stress test for Runes of Magic. For this event, the Berlin based publisher has invited around 30,000 interested players to the already running closed beta. After a server maintenance during the course of the afternoon, all players are called upon from 8pm to 3am to bring the server under as heavy load as possible. The second big stress test will follow next Saturday and is divided into several phases. Additional information can be found on the official website: http://www.runesofmagic.com/en/news,id69,stresstest_details.html

Simultaneously, the beta testers will get a first glimpse of the event system in Runes of Magic. Just in time for the Halloween weekend, they will be greeted by grim pumpkin heads, singing ghosts, monster parades and specially designed landscapes. Interested players can take part in special Halloween quests, fight together against the big pumpkin or turn into monsters themselves by drinking certain potions. Those so called "seasonal events" are not only a feast for the eyes, but a lot of Non Playing Characters (NPCs) are explaining, why the special activity is actually taking place. The next big event is already being planned for Christmas. MMO fans can still apply for the closed beta phase 4 on www.runesofmagic.com.