Published by Kwari Limited and developed by Micro Forte, Kwari is released as a free download in Europe January 7, 2008. Kwari is a first-person shootermultiplayer online game based on an innovative business model, where real currency is used to buy ammunition, and players exchange money between each other based on their player skill. The mechanisms for competition between players include:
When one player successfully shoots and hits another player, he takes an amount of money from that players account.
The player holding an item called "the pill" when the game ends receives a jackpot amount and
The player holding "the pill" for the longest during the match receives a jackpot amount.
There is a video that explains the ideas behind the game. Kwari Limited went into administration, seemingly marking the demise of the game, Kwari is now operating again.
Overview
The Kwari servers are divided into different that allow those playing to select different stake levels. The higher the stake, the more money each point of health in the game is worth. Kwari also uses a skill matching system across all Game Types to ensure that players are matched against opponents of a similar skill level. In addition to basic first-person combat, players can make or lose money in a variety of ways. This allows players who are good at first-person shooter combat to make money, as well as rewarding other players who may have different styles of play. Money can be gained or lost in the following ways.
Kwari is a deathmatch style game that supports up to 16-players. Every time a player is hit with a weapon in Kwari money transfers between players. How much is determined by the stake level played. For example, in a one cent Game Type, every point of health is worth one cent. Killing another player with 100 health at this stake level would result in one dollar of profit. If a players game balance is reduced to zero they are removed from the game.
Key Jackpots
There are numerous cash Jackpots that run across all Kwari games, these are known as the Key Jackpots and are often colour-coded. The Jackpots are funded by money from player deductions, not including player-to-player damage. The Key Jackpots are won by collecting Keys hidden inside the Kwari Crates that appear in all of the arenas. These Crates can contain items such as weapons, but also contain Jackpot Keys. Each Jackpot Key is released at specific times in all games, giving all players an equal opportunity to collect it. Several Keys are needed to win each Jackpot. Once one player has collected all of the Keys for a specific Jackpot the money is added to their account and the Jackpot reset, ready to be won again.
First Gold Jackpot Win
The Gold Jackpot is currently the highest prize that can be won playing Kwari. The first Gold Jackpot was won on February 13, 2008 by a player called Sinister who won over $20,000.
The Pill
During each match the money used by players to buy weapons and other deductions is added to The Pill. A glowing ball, this spawns two minutes from the end of each Kwari match and can be picked up by any player. When collected a timer will tick up on the screen showing the player how many seconds they have held The Pill for. The player carrying The Pill is marked for all other opponents to see, The Pill is dropped when they die. At the end of the match the money in The Pill is split between the player that held it for the longest amount of time and the player that finished the match holding it.
Soundtrack
As well as the circle that follows The Pill on the HUD players can track The Pill by listening out for the music it generates. The soundtrack for Kwari includes music from Roadrunner Records, featured bands are Caliban, Sanctity and Trivium.
Challenges
When playing Kwari, players may receive Challenges that can be completed for a cash reward. Once a player has received a Challenge it stays with them until the Challenge is completed.
Items And Equipment
Weapons
There are ten weapons in Kwari, each with different attributes and damage values. Many are based on familiar first-person shooter weapons such as the Shotgun and Rocket Launcher. Each player starts with the basic Machine Pistol and can purchase new weapons in the game by collecting them. All of the weapons use the same Ammunition, but the ammo cost to fire each weapon varies depending on the damage it can deal.
There are ten available in Kwari. These range from power-ups that boost players abilities for short periods of time to the Jackpot Keys that are used to unlock the Kwari Jackpots. All of the Pickups, apart from the Coin and the Jackpot Key can be found either in Crates located around each arena or at fixed locations within each map.
Although Kwari can be downloaded for free, players need to buy Ammunition with which to play. This is the only payment made to Kwari Limited, 100% of the money put into Kwari by players remains in the game and can be won by any player. When players first download the game they are given Play For Free virtual cash and Ammunition, which can be used to practice before playing for real money.
Eligible countries
Kwari is currently only available in the below countries. However, on the Kwari Forums Kwari employees have confirmed that the game will be coming to additional countries in Europe and the United States.
The reviews for Kwari by the hard-core gamers have been poor, with GamesMaster Magazine described the graphics as "laughable" and "a decade out of date". This is not surprising as Kwari was never intended for hardcore FPS players. The aim was to draw players to win real cash, not to provide an immersive, state of the art visual gaming experience.
