About the World: The World
zOMG! is widely varied with lots of local flavor differentiating one area from another. There are many areas to experience, whether open grass fields, dense jungles, sandy beaches, ancient ruins, public towns or zen gardens to journey through.
The areas described below are only the areas open immediately at Launch. The world of zOMG! continues to grow steadily after Launch, so stay tuned for even more details later.
Barton Town
When you start playing, you'll start with a training mission that teaches you the basics of the game, but when you're done with that training mission, you'll enter into......Barton Town!
We don't want to reveal the whole thing quite yet (because surprises are fun), but here is a section of that town brought to life within zOMG!.
The Town is thriving with not just the various shopkeepers and personalities you already know, but many more characters are being added to make it feel like a thriving village. You'll be able to spend a lot of time here, in Gaia's original town.
Click on the thumbnail to enlarge.
The Village Greens
South of Barton Town lie the sprawling suburbs known as the "Village Greens". A walled enclave of private housing (known simply as "Towns") exists here, kept separate from the rolling hills, flower gardens, and the golf course greens after which this area is named.
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Bill's Ranch
To the west of the Village Greens are the pastures and farmlands of Bill's Ranch. Bill raises cows, chickens and is a famous farmer of garlic. He and his son, Purvis, run the ranch, selling their wares in nearby Barton Town.
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Dead Man's Pass
It's dark. It's gloomy. It's a twisted, creepy mountain above Bill's Ranch with a house at the top owned by an ancient family that no one sees in the daytime. It's not a popular tourist destination.
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Zen Gardens
To the west of Barton Town lie the sculpted and manicured Zen Gardens, tended by a family of resident botanists and horticulturists. Koi ponds, bamboo trees and groves of lanterns surround a central contemplation shrine. Famed throughout Gaia, these Gardens are a well-loved tourist destination. The woods they border to the west are dense thickets that few people have a reason to brave. The road leading west is the way to Durem.
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Bass'ken Lake
The home of some mighty fine fishin', Bass'ken Lake was once a thriving lumber camp. The old lumber mill there has been closed for some time, but "The Old Fishing Hole" general store is still open, mostly due to the efforts of its tough and crusty proprietor.
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Buccaneer Boardwalk
The old boardwalk here has been purchased by a coalition of pirates and is being renovated for a massive grand opening in the future. Currently, most of the area is still sealed off as the construction continues, but some of what is changing can be seen from the beach, and the pirates give hints of things to come.
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Gold Beach
This popular tourist beach is golden sand next to gentle lagoon-like waves. Surfers paddle far out past the barrier reef to catch the bigger waves there, and they swear that the rides are worth the effort. A lighthouse stands high over the beach, warning ships about the reef so they don't add to the countless shipwrecks found throughout the Shallow Sea.
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Old Aqueduct
The remains of the old aqueduct that was used before the Durem Reclamation Facility was created are still present here, although dilapidated and fallen now into beautiful ruin. The jungles to the northwest stretch down this far, but have not yet fully consumed the old stones. The Zurg artifact called the Star Portal lies dormant here still, guarded by a handful of ever-present GIB agents.
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Otami Ruins
Long ago, there was a fierce civilization of warriors that built a huge empire in the area. So ferocious was their society that they tore themselves apart with their constant aggression. Eventually, the people themselves disappeared, leaving only their monolithic statues and ruins behind to tell their story. Jungles overgrow the entire area and what was once a massive city-state is now the home of monkeys and macaws
Click on the thumbnail to enlarge.
KATSUMI
Concept Drawing
Look for his character in the Zen Gardens.