Kids everywhere are marking their calendars for May 16. Thats the day Chaotic, the highly-anticipated new multi-platform trading card game from 4Kids Entertainment and TC Digital Games launches online and at retail.
Starting May 16, kids will be able to purchase starter decks of either UnderWorld or OverWorld Chaotic trading cards at comic and hobby stores nationwide. Each card has its own unique alphanumeric code and power structure that not only ensures that virtually no two cards are alike, but also enables kids to upload their personal collection of Chaotic trading cards to battle and trade online at no additional cost. The companion website,
www.chaoticgame.com, will also go live on May 16.
Excitement is building among kids and gamers looking for the next hot trading card game experience, said Kahn. 4Kids background as the licensing agent for Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh! has given the company tremendous insight into what makes a successful trading card game. Chaotic has all of those elements and more because of its unique online component, he said.
Chaotic stands alone in the ever-evolving and growing kids digital entertainment landscape, Gannon added. Chaotic is revolutionary in that its online component is organic to the games play value, not merely an add-on, he said.
In this next-generation collectible trading card game, players battle teams of Creatures armed with Battlegear and Mugic the power of music and magic - for supremacy in Chaotic. Either with physical cards or through online play, players take turns moving their Creatures on a battlegrid, challenging their opponents Creatures to battle until only one team is left standing. All Creatures have magical powers -- grouped into five Element categories: Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Discipline -- which determine the various Attacks used in battle.
Complementing the Chaotic trading card game is the animated TV series airing Saturday mornings on 4Kids TV. In the show, two teenage boys, Tom and Kazdan, discover a portal to the secret world of Chaotic while playing the Chaotic trading card game. The boys realize that the one-of-a-kind alphanumeric codes on their trading cards are actually scans of these living creatures, much like super-charged DNA. When the boys are challenged to a battle, they are transformed into the creatures whose scans they have captured. By watching the animated series, viewers can discover battle strategies that will ultimately help them master the Chaotic trading card game for both online and offline game play.
Since December, 4Kids TV on FOX has offered kids the opportunity to download exclusive virtual Chaotic trading cards. To date, over 300,000 cards have been downloaded, setting up a foundation of players who are anxiously waiting for the cards to be available at retail and the corresponding online game experience to be activated.
Chaotic marks the first time 4Kids Entertainment is going to be directly producing product to be sold at retail. In December, the company announced the creation of TC Digital Games LLC, a trading card company, and TC Websites LLC, an online multi-platform game company. Their first venture is to bring the Chaotic trading cards to market as well as oversee
www.chaoticgame.com. 4Kids Entertainment, a global provider of childrens entertainment and merchandise licensing, is majority owner of TC Digital and a fifty percent owner of TC Websites.
Chaotic Story Overview
INTRODUCTION:
Chaotic is the first entertainment brand specifically designed to unite the worlds of immersive story-telling, role-playing and technology. The revolutionary trading card game brings together on-air, on-line and in-person game play.
In the new television series on 4Kids TV, two teenage boys, Tom and Kazdan, discover a portal to the secret world of Perim while playing the Chaotic Trading Card Game. Perim is a parallel universe which is inhabited by four tribes consisting of hundreds of unique creatures.
The boys discover that the one-of-a-kind, alphanumeric codes on their trading cards are actually scans of these living creatures, much like super-charged DNA. When challenged to a battle, the Chaotic player transforms into a creature whose scan they just captured. The winner keeps the other player's creature code. When they aren't battling, the boys use their Scanners to transport themselves from Chaotic to Perim, scanning Creatures, BattleGear, Mugix and Locations to use in the Battledromes "high-tech" oholodecks'where Players use their Scanners to build BattleTeams, just as they do on Earth.
The television series is all about the game and the game is all about the code.
THE POWER IS IN THE CODE:
At the core of the Chaotic card game is the concept that everything in the universe (every person, place and thing) has its own, unique Code that represents the totality of its reality.
For Creatures in Perim, Chaotic Code is their DNA plus (all physical, psychological, intellectual and emotional descriptors: strength, memory, appearance, ability, and attitude) even what they're wearing at the instant they're scanned.
For BattleGear and Mugix, the Chaotic Code contains all physical and material descriptors plus any magical powers and properties they possess when scanned.
The Chaotic Code of Locations contains the Codes of all the objects within the Location plus their pertinent space/time descriptors. (This excludes Creatures, BattleGear and Mugix within the Location).
Naturally, because everything is in a constant state of change, the Codes of the original Creatures, BattleGear, Mugix and Locations continue to change. That's why Creatures, BattleGear, Mugix and Locations can be scanned hundreds of times and never have the same Code.
Using the Chaotic Codes from their Chaotic cards, Players enter a new dimension in gaming as they collect, trade and battle with unique, virtual cards in the online world of Perim.
EARTH:
Earth is home to our main characters. Here, Chaotic is a trading card game that's popular worldwide. Kids can compete either in person or online. However, if a lucky player receives a mysterious PassWord it opens the doorway to???
CHAOTIC:
Chaotic is where players play the game "for real" in the Battledromes where they build their BattleTeams and ultimately transform "via the Codes" into the actual battling Creatures.
Outside the Battledromes, Chaotic is a place where players interact with one another, hang out at the Chaotic "PortCourt" and watch the battles on big screens. When it's time to build up their decks, players need to scan Creatures, Locations, BattleGear and Mugix, and that means a trip to???
PERIM:
Perim "where much of the action of Chaotic takes place" is a place of magic, danger and adventure. It's divided into two known realms: the OverWorld and the UnderWorld. Both realms have a variety of Locations, each with its own unique character and effects on Creatures. Four known Tribes inhabit the realms: the OverWorlders, the UnderWorlders, the Danians and the Mipedians.
Though Perim's Creatures live in a magical world, they are subject to the same kinds of personal jealousies, deep-seated animosities and bitter rivalries familiar to humans. However, for ages, they have all fought each other for resources, power, prestige, knowledge and the most elusive, most valuable thing of all: the Source the legendary font of the magic power of Perim. All the magic of Perim's Creatures, BattleGear, Mugix and Locations flows from the Source.
The Source is what all the tribes desperately seek. Whoever controls it controls their tribe's destiny and the destiny of all of Perim. No one knows precisely what it is or where it is. Only that it is.
CREATURE INFORMATION:
Generally, the Creatures featured in the series are those most actively engaged in inter-tribe conflicts. They are combatants, which is why they are sought by the Players for scanning. However, each area of Perim is populated by other "tribe people" who are usually not involved with actual battles.
All Creatures have "magical" powers which usually manifest themselves as Attacks used in battle. They also have distinct, individual personalities just as the human characters do.
Creatures' Powers are grouped into five "Element"categories: Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Discipline. The types of Attacks Creatures can use are based on their personal Attack Element(s).
In addition, all Creatures can use Discipline Attacks. Discipline Attacks are based on the four Disciplines: Speed, Courage, Wisdom and Strength. Each Creature has its own numeric Discipline Rating for each of the four Disciplines. Depending on target Discipline Ratings, Creatures may be able to Attack and lessen a target Creature's Life points.
TRIBES:
OVERWORLDERS
The OverWorlders are, more or less, the good guys. They live in the OverWorld, the above-ground portion of Perim. The OverWorld is most like Earth. It has a vast variety of geographic Locations. Generally, OverWorlders fight fair and are the most "human" and mammal-like. The OverWorlders have diverse element attack abilities, using combinations of Earth, Air, Fire and Water Element Attacks.
Maxxor is the OverWorld leader.
MIPEDIANS
The Mipedians are the lizard-like tribe. The Mipedians have generally sided, partially by default, with the OverWorlders.) They live in Locations hospitable for lizards in the OverWorld ?" sandy deserts, canyons, salt flats, oases, tropical rainforests, bayous, swamps and jungles. Their ability to become invisible can compensate for their relative weakness. Mipedians are generally Air Element Attackers. Mipedians have a monarchy of sorts and the tribe is ruled by fighting royals.
UNDERWORLDERS
The UnderWorlders are, more or less, the bad guys. Physically they are (generally) like demonic gargoyles. They fight ?odirty,? with fiery, oily, steamy, toxic, burning Attacks. Some can also use Earth, Water and/or Air Element Attacks. UnderWorlders live below the OverWorld in an equally vast and varied subterranean world. Chaor is the UnderWorld leader.
DANIANS
The Danians are the insect-like Creatures who live in a vast area of the UnderWorld called Pillar Mountain, a mountain range, which they have made their colony. The Danians have loosely, erratically aligned themselves with the UnderWorlders. They tend to use Fire and/or Earth Element Attacks, but they also have a "Hive Strategy" (strength in numbers). The Danians' social structure is a hierarchy, with A, B and C type mandiblors at the lowest rungs, which are essentially "foot soldiers."
ATTACKS:
Creatures battle by using Attacks. Attacks are their natural, magical abilities to deal damage to their opponents. Attacks always emanate from the Creature.
BATTLEGEAR:
BattleGear is the magical/technical equipment Creatures use in battle. Generally, BattleGear protects (shields), attacks (weapons) and/or transports (vehicles).
LOCATIONS:
Locations are the places where Creatures live and where Players in Perim can visit.
MUGIC:
Long ago, magical, musical beings called "Mugicians" lived in peace and harmony in Perim. At some point, conflict over the Source divided them into warring tribes. The warring Mugicians mutually destroyed each other. Their spirits, however, lived on. Their Mugix (magical orbs that held specific Mugic) were scattered all over Perim.
The Spirit Mugicians still roam Perim, seeking to inhabit fellow tribe members so they can carry on the fight. Mugicians imbue Creatures with the ability to cast Mugix. When a Creature finds or creates (a new) MugiSphere, he may use it only if he has a Mugician inhabiting him and a MugiSphere of the correct tribe (or a Generic Sphere).
When casting Mugic, a Creature holds a MugiSphere, summons the Mugician within to enter and activate the Sphere. The Creature then announces the Mugic the Sphere contains and his intended target of the Mugic within. The Mugix bursts apart, and a seven note ?osong? (Mugic) is heard. A giant magical effect occurs and the Mugic creates the desired effect.
CHAOTIC LEAD HUMAN CHARACTERS
TOM & KAZ:
Tom and Kaz are typical teenagers who live next door to each other in a typical suburban town.
Though both love Chaotic, Tom is more focused on the experience of Chaotic, while Kaz is more focused on building his deck and winning his battles.
Tom "mainly an OverWorld player" loves meeting Creatures, exploring their world and experiencing excitement and adventure. At first, though, he is very shocked and overwhelmed by transporting to Chaotic, transforming into his battling Creatures and experiencing the battle ?ofor real.? Tom quickly gets over his fear and becomes a bold ?" maybe too bold ?" risk taker and thrill seeker.
Kaz "mainly an UnderWorld player" focuses on the game, becoming a better player and improving his battle skills and his collection. He tends to be more cautious and less adventurous; preferring to calculate the odds before taking a risk, unless rare Creatures, BattleGear and MugicSpheres are at stake. Kaz frequently warns Tom about the dangers of Perim, and Tom usually ignores Kaz.
Though they are close friends, there is a bit of a rivalry between the boys. Kaz strives to stay on top of his game by using his head. Tom is a naturally gifted player ?" he believes in going with his gut feelings in all situations.
PEYTON:
Peyton is a comic character. He is a formidable yet quirky Chaotic player. Peyton speaks in slang, has an encyclopedic knowledge of the game and Perim; his intense opinions; his appearance and his unorthodox style of battle and the way he expresses himself all lead to comedy. He looks funny, talks funny and acts funny. He likes to test unusual theories and strategies in battle, which, shockingly, lead to victory more often than not. Though he loves to win -- especially with his Mipedian Creatures -- Peyton will also battle using some of Perim's freakiest Creatures, just to have the experience of transforming into them and "feeling their vibes."
SARAH:
Sarah is the smart, spunky female sidekick who uses loves to speak her mind. A fearless and shrewd Chaotic player, she is the most likely to get into a fight with the boys and the other Players. Sara is not afraid to take on a Creature who gets her angry, so the boys sometimes have to drag her out of danger in
Perim. She's very protective of the boys and would do anything to help them. Because Sarah has a life-long interest in insects, she's naturally drawn to the ant-like Danians.
KRISTELLA & KLAY:
Kristella and Klay are the creepy, twin brother-and-sister team of pranksters (also known as the "Gruesome Twosome"). Though they don?Tt look alike, they dress alike and do everything together. The twins' favorite activity (besides battling in Chaotic) is sabotaging our lead characters. Kristella and Klay are snobbish, conceited, rude and patronizing.
