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Defiance launches the Silicon Valley update
It's time to take it to the ruins of California in Defiance's latest patch, which introduces a large free expansion in the form of Silicon Valley. Karl Von Bach has disappeared into the region with plenty of his followers, but it turns out that the area is slightly less pleasant than advertised. Specifically, it's overrun with a cult called the Pilgrims of the Guiding Light as well as Grid, giving players plenty of things to shoot. The team behind the game has put together a new trailer to help players get excited about a trip through the valley. Aside from new missions, players can unlock new outfits and synergies, new weapon mods, and an expanded EGO cap. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and start shooting; those cultists aren't going to deal with themselves. That's the Acolytes of the Getting Out Of Your Way Conveniently -- that's not even in this expansion. [Source: Trion Worlds press release]
One Shots: A horse and his girl
I have a strong suspicion that ArcheAge is about to become one of the most screenshotted games when it launches in the West. Until that fateful day on which my inbox will explode with pics, here's reader Balsbigbrother to tease a little of what is to come. "Here's a quick screen shot of my character Celosia and her faithful horsey companion Chapp taken during the first closed beta weekend," Balsbigbrother writes. "It's a really gorgeous-looking game, and I also really appreciate the fact that the female characters have sensible, functional-looking armour for the most part rather than the usual bikini armour nonsense." But what about bikini horse armor? For shame, that beast is practically nude! For more shocking and lurid photos, click on the button below and make sure your mom isn't standing over your shoulder.
WildStar's Sabotage update is now live
PvP fans who were miffed at the PvE focus of WildStar's first major content update, Strain, will be mollified by today's release, Sabotage, which is now live. It introduces a new level 30+ 15v15 battleground called Daggerstone Pass and adds new achievements and decorative housing items -- because nothing says PvP like new housing items. PvE gamers needn't worry, however; Carbine says "the next drop is for you!" Massively's WildStar expert Eliot Lefebvre previewed Daggerstone Pass and the rest of the patch earlier this month.
Defiance's Silicon Valley expansion arrives next week
Trion Worlds aims to publish Defiance's next expansion, Silicon Valley, next week on August 5th. The "completely free world expansion" will bolster the newly free-to-play MMO with new story content as well as a new modifier, Encryption, for weapons and shields. Says the studio, Within the world expansion, players will find Karl Von Back has disappeared into Silicon Valley with his EGO-imbued followers, but it's not the paradise they promised. The valley is overrun with Grid, and a strange cult, the Pilgrims of the Guiding Light, have taken hold in locations across the zone. As all new mysteries unravel, the populace of Silicon Valley calls for help, and only ark hunters have what it takes to face the trials ahead. Trion intends to stream on Twitch this evening at 6 p.m. EDT to answer questions about the update. [Source: Trion press release]
NCsoft launches Lineage II's Ertheia expansion today
Lineage II's latest expansion, Ertheia, launches today, bringing with it a new race (the Ertheia), two new classes (Ertheia Fighter and Ertheia Wizard), a new racial skill (Alchemy), new stats (Charisma and Luck), a level 99 instance (The Dimensional Barrier), and two new hunting zones for -- you guessed it -- Ertheia characters. Former players can take advantage of a welcome-back promotion that includes a pack of goodies for veteran characters and a free mount for freshly rolled toons. We've included some concept art as well as videos describing the lore and new classes below.
Guild Wars 2 launches part one of The Dragon's Reach today
It's Tuesday, so you know what that means: Another installment of Guild Wars 2's living story is here. Today, ArenaNet releases The Dragon's Reach: Part 1. "The third episode in this second season of Living World sees the whole of Tyria now threatened by the Elder Dragon Mordremoth," says the studio. "Attacks by Mordremoth's minions have stretched ever-farther, from the arid Maguuma wastes to the Timberline Falls and the heart of Kryta. [...] Now the threat is making itself felt in the far reaches of Ascalon. The charr in the Iron Marches have witnessed an outbreak of Mordremoth's corruptive power, and they're in need of your aid!" Massively's GW2 expert Anatoli Ingram wrote in-depth about the lore behind this episode last week, and we've included some new screenshots and the trailer below.
One Shots: The green marble
Man, Bunglerm00se is so lost right now, you can't even imagine it. At least he's getting a great view as he contemplates having to trudge back. If you haven't heard, space is, like, really really big. Costco-family-packages-of-goldfish-crackers big. "WildStar is shaping up to be one of the most immersive, interesting, and (above all) fun MMORPGs I've played in over a decade of mMm-Mor-Pu-Guhing, and I'd recommend it to just about anyone!" Bunglerm00se enthuses. "This is from the first shiphand mission your character can run. In this case, my character was asked to liberate a moonbase from a deadly menace. Is there any other kind of menace, you ask? On and around Nexus, the answer is 'no.' But the scenery sure is pretty." You know what else is pretty? Everything after the break. Just you wait and see, my friends.
Skyforge defrosts the Cryomancer class
Obsidian and My.com have just revealed Skyforge's Cryomancer, the latest addition to the playable roster of this class-switching MMO. As you might have guessed from the name, the Cryomancer is an ice mage, a "lord of ice and snow," who slows, immobilizes, and shatters enemies. Enjoy the full reveal, including screenshots, a class trailer, a partial spell list, and even a bit of lore.
Previewing WildStar's Daggerstone Pass PvP battleground
Before I talk about the upcoming PvP map for WildStar, I feel I should really defend myself for my usual performance in PvP. Here's the simple version: I am all right at PvP. I know enough about what I'm supposed to do to avoid completely shaming myself. I am not the best. But can I turn a ragtag group of other journalists into a fighting force capable of defeating preformed groups of people wearing PvP gear? Definitely not. Along with several other journalists, I took to the field with Carbine Studios staff members yesterday, boosted my fresh Exile character up to 50, and took on all comers in the rated version of the new Daggerstone Pass. We lost several times. On the bright side, we lost in such a way that I was able to get a better sense of the map and can talk about it with some confidence, so that's good. In my weak defense, I don't think we had a chance against a fully premade team in PvP gear anyway.
Skyforge previews its Lanber Forest zone
Obsidian and Mail.ru have just unveiled Lanber Forest, a key area in the companies' upcoming sci-fantasy MMO Skyforge. Lanber Forest was once "an oasis of pristine nature" distant from industry and politics but is now overrun with a dark evil awakened by a traitorous god, along with more mundane baddies like "looters, smugglers, [and] evil men, who have decided to cash in on the grief of others." That, of course, is where you come in. Read on for the complete lore description and a few screenshots of the (damn pretty) zone.
Guild Wars 2 launches Entanglement today
Guild Wars 2 fans, prepare yourselves for some tangly living world action today as ArenaNet launches Entanglement, episode two of the ongoing second season of the game's story content. Players will continue the established plot arc that has them joining a now-familiar cast of NPCs in the newly opened zone in the Maguuma Wastes. The lethal, fast-growing vines that have plagued the Brisban Wildlands have begun to spread. Word reaches you of trouble in the town of Prosperity, where the asuran prodigy Taimi was left alone to research the threat. Get back to Prosperity, meet up with Braham, and check in on Taimi. [...] There are secrets hidden within the newly revealed area of Dry Top, just waiting to be discovered. Learn more about the mysterious denizens lurking beyond Prospect Valley and come face-to-face with never-before-seen foes. Follow the trail you picked up in the last release and continue your search for the ley line hub. Stay wary! In Dry Top, danger and discovery go hand in hand. Don't forget that if you can't play the episode in the next two weeks, you can log into the game and save the episode for a later date. ArenaNet has also released new screenshots for the event's launch; enjoy them below.
One Shots: Requiem for a rancor
You know what scene from Return of the Jedi that always got me teared up? When Luke kills the rancor and the beast's owner breaks down sobbing. You just know that thing was his best friend and now... now there is a large, monstrous hole in his life. Reader Chris could have had a lifelong companion but chose to go the Luke route in Star Wars: The Old Republic. "I let a Sith escape Belsavis in order to save the injured fighter pilot Conrad Gall from an 'ancient beast' -- a rancor, as it turns out. It was a close fight, as you can tell by where my Trooper finally took it down." Hats off to the brave rancor, whose only crime was being born a big, fat, sharp-toothed freak. Stop the bullying, I say!
Are we there yet? A century of the smartwatch in pictures
With two Google-powered smartwatches currently on sale, and the circular Moto 360 already causing a stir among design geeks, wearables are one step closer to securing a place on our wrists. And while many of us aren't ready to strap on a Gear Live, G Watch or Pebble just yet, that doesn't mean the smartwatch is a new concept. In fact, depending on your definition of "smart," these gadgets have been fusing time-telling with extra functionality since the early 20th century. From wrist-borne spy cams to radio-controlled timepieces, here's a look at this wearable's evolution.
SOE teases H1Z1's dynamic weather
We all know that the most important thing to your MMO immersions when you're neck-deep in zombies and dastardly corpse-looting player-killers is whether you can wear a t-shirt in a blizzard with impunity. Worry not, roleplay fiends, for SOE has today teased its dynamic weather system for upcoming survival MMO H1Z1 via a septet of screenshots that show the effect of changing seasons on the environment. Enjoy!
One Shot: The eternal vigil
Some MMO tableaus attempt to tell a wordless story, and some of those stories are up for personal interpretation. I love finding these scattered around the world because they invite my imagination to be a part of the experience instead of spelling it out for me. Reader Chiara came across our first screenshot of the week here in Elder Scrolls Online, and it brought out strong emotions: "I don't really know what this man's story is -- but I can't help but wonder about it since I've first seen him. Did he die there? Did someone arrange his skeleton? I've no idea, but the scene just struck me as incredibly sad." Maybe he was keeping a vigil for a loved one. Maybe that vigil is not yet over. Who knows?
Skyforge's Divine Observatory and rewards detailed
Skyforge has this thing called the Divine Observatory, which is a sort of global surveillance and warning system that monitors the pleas for help from Aelion's mortals and sends immortal player characters to their aid. Said players "will have access to more than 40 exciting solo and group PvE adventures, five different types of PvP competitions and 10 massive open world locations to explore," according to the latest My.com press release. "As players complete adventures, they will receive rewards including credits, the most common currency on Aelion, Gems of Insights, which are used to develop skills and talents, unlocking new classes and characteristics, and Exotic Currencies, which can be used to buy new outfits to customize the look of the characters," the firm says. Click past the cut to read the full spiel and don't forget to have a look at the screenshot gallery while you're at it.
One Shots: Regrets, I've had a few
Staring at a sunset is a perfectly legitimate time to look back at one's day (and one's life) to muse upon victories won and defeats suffered. The regrets are then cast upon the sinking sun to be taken into the void of yesterday. Tomorrow? Tomorrow is a clean slate of possibilities. Reader Dynatos submitted this warm and fuzzy Final Fantasy XIV picture. "Here's another sunset, this time in Thanalan with my tanky Carbuncle. I kinda miss him after he was replaced." Regrets? We've all had a few. And if you don't read the rest of this column, you will regret it. That's friendly advice, not a threat.
WildStar unveils Strain-themed customization options
It is the doom that slumbers beneath Nexus. It is dread and loathing. It is a vile plague that both the Dominion and Exiles are desperately striving to purge. It's your new housing decor! Yes, the WildStar fashion police have spoken, and with the game's first major update, covering your home in the tentacles, eyeballs, and various protrusions of the Strain is all the rage this year. Also covering your clothing and mounts, because at that point why not, right? Players will be able to pick up new plugs and decor for houses, new costume items and dyes for their personal equipment, a new hoverboard, and new mount customizations, all of which should make your character look completely Strain-infested. If that's what you want, at least. No word on what functions the new plugs will perform, but we're betting it'll be gross. Take a look at the official drop page for a few more pictures of these customizations in action. [Source: Carbine Studios press release]
TERA: Rising previews Wounded World update, Rift's Edge encounters
En Masse Entertainment is gearing up for its next TERA: Rising update in the west, which we now know is called Wounded World. The studio told Massively this week that the update is loaded with fresh content, including a three-man scenario in Lakan's Prison, a solo rescue mission in the primal forest of Ghillieglade, a seven-man foray into the Abscess instance, and a 10-person Big Boss BAM Slam in Rift's Edge, complete with new gear and bosses and rewards. We've got an exclusive video and screenshots of some of the new bosses and encounters coming in the update. Enjoy them below.
FFXIV releases Defenders of Eorzea trailer, screenshots
Square-Enix has just released a brand-new and lengthy trailer for Final Fantasy XIV's upcoming Defenders of Eorzea patch. The video and the new promo site preview new boss battles, new quests, the Syrcus Tower dungeon, several dungeon hard-mode variants, private chamber customization, chocobo raising, desynthesis, and the new crafting recipes Patch 2.3 goes live on July 8th. We've got the trailer and some new screenies below.
