Pangya

Written by Loren Xue

Computers - Games

Tags: computer games | golf | Pangya

olf as we know it today originated from a game played on the eastern coast of Scotland in the Kingdom of Fife during the 15th century. Players would hit a pebble around a natural course of sand dunes, rabbit runs and tracks using a stick or primitive club. Golf was invented in Fife, Scotland in 1497, over 500 years later AsiaSoft Online have taken us to anther level in golf; Fantasy Golf. We already have fantasy football, etc. so why not golf. We sent Loren Xue to find out what a 'Pangya' was.

"As a girl growing up, I often wondered why men liked walking about baking under the tropical heat, getting sweaty and sunburnt and carrying their irons and woods in their leather golf bags after a white pocked ball escaped me entirely. I always thought that it was just a way of getting some fresh air whilst doing something that was totally surreal."

Then my editor threw me a golf assignment at The Pangya Initial Tee Party in the Plaza Singapura near to Orchard Road. This was Singapore's first virtual golf meet. A strong turn out of around 200 beta players was present at the launch, with about a 65% male, 35% female ratio.

Super Swing Golf Season 2 is targeted at PEMBs, and to the golf playing as well as the non-playing community. Although it is easy to work your way around the relevant features it is far from an easy game. You need to aim to hit a Pangya... a what? A Pangya is the perfect shot. For this you earn cash points that are redeemable in the character shop for special items like shoes and super powers. For difficult shots, such as long ones over water, you are able, if you have enough power, to utilise the super strength button to burn air and get that shot on to the green.

"Pangya is another proud presentation by AsiaSoft Online to gamers in Singapore and Malaysia. Based on our understanding of the latest gaming trends, Pangya has all the essential elements to be a truly engaging, highly rewarding game for PMEBs, golfers and families," Said Mr. Addison Kang, CEO of AsiaSoft Online Pte Ltd. "With over 10 million worldwide players and established as one of the top three games in Thailand, we are confident that Pangya will take the local markets by storm and work its way up to become one of the top games in the local gaming charts.

What I saw surprised me. The graphics were sparkly and bright, the choice of avatars that I will be controlling are well designed and easy on the eye. It's like the manga comics that I used to read; nothing like the dull green landscape that I thought I would see, but bright vivid active backdrops that draw you in to the surrounding countryside. But pretty graphics do not a good game make - I knew nothing about golf and that was that. Surely this game is going to prove difficult? I didn't even know what to look out for!

Not so, as I found out. The game is easy to control, and my attention was brought to not just the accuracy and strength of my swing, but surrounding issues like wind speed and direction, the angle of the slope that the ball lays on, the choice of clubs, as well. When I lost miserably, my sweet-looking avatar flashed a temper pout that would ward off many hardened professionals, echoing what I felt inside but wouldn't display in front of a crowd.

I was smitten - by the graphics, by the fact that I can chat with people during the game, by golf. As if that wasn't enough, my gracious game-companion enticed me with the virtual shops that would give Susie (my avatar) my customized look. Talk about having the best of both worlds! 

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Check the game out at http://passport.asiasoft.net.

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