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NCsoft heaves out new Dungeon Runners content
Oh those wild and wacky guys at NCsoft. Over the last few weeks we've mentioned that new content was coming for the snarky Dungeon Runners MMO. Well... someone heaved up their breakfast and walla - bits of new content have magically appeared. With Chill Bill and his unsavory "friend" Shivery, a new dungeon called Balzack's Burrow is now available for player levels 55 and up.Content updates for DR are normally referred to as "Chunks," but since this is not as big an update, the gang at NCsoft refers to this one as a "Heave." HA! Balzack's Burrow is rife with sweet loot, some ugly monsters (see above) and a final boss-battle that will require you to use some of that gelatinous stuff you have in your cranium normally called a "brain." This particular "Heave" also includes 51 new quests, two new fighter armor sets, new mythic items, a two-handed rifle (for rangers) and improvements to the user interface and the waypoints system. For all the details (that are fit to print that is), check out the DR patch notes. Enjoy!
Shivery the Incorrigible Snowman
Over on the Dungeon Runners' official blog (called "The Blog"), there is a tongue-in-cheek Q&A with their newest star, Chet Tliyelidr. Or, as he's known in-game -- Shivery the Incorrigible Snowman. In case you're wondering, according to Chet his last name is Eskimo for "snow that has been marked by Dungeon Runners." As I said... tongue firmly in check.Chet is incorrigible, sarcastic, and feisty. He incessantly (and hilariously) berates the interviewer with gems such as telling him that his brain is the size of a lump of coal, and rhetorically asks if he's fresh out of Blog Correspondence School. Chet also seems to melt a bit under the scarf when asked about one Chill Bill (soon to be every player's favorite pet snowman).Good stuff., and gives you just a small glimpse into the hilarity that permeates this wonderfully fun (and free) game.
NCsoft bombards Facebook
The social networking site Facebook is the MySpace for older folks like yours truly. NCsoft has apparently come to realize that these social networking sites are really just an extension of Massive Multiplayer Online Games and as such sees them as a viable means to spread the love and promote a few of their games. Currently they have individual pages for Richard Garriott's Tabula Rasa, Dungeon Runners and Exteel. As of this writing the TR page has 107 fans, the DR page has 112, and Exteel has 72. What I want to know is... where's the CoX love? Clickety-click on over and start connecting with fellow gamers. Ya never know who you might run into.
Chill Bill cometh
As we mentioned a few weeks back, Dungeon Runners will be getting a fresh batch of content soon. Included in the update will be the ability to "Build a Snowman" named Chill Bill (seen above) who will aid players in a host of helpful and funny ways.Ten Ton Hammer has posted 6 exclusive screen shots of ole Chill Bill for your perusing pleasure. Check 'em out and see what's in store for you and your fellow Runners. I sense... SNOWBALL FIGHTS!
Want to work for NCsoft?
As we mentioned a few days ago, the gang at Dungeon Runners is looking for a few good dungeon builders. Turns out, NCsoft in general is looking for some new blood in their Austin (TX) office as well as their two offices in California.Aside from the DR jobs in Austin, there's an interesting hybrid position NCsoft calls the Minigame Designer-Programmer now open. they also need an Associate Community Coordinator for Lineage II, and a Web Production Manager. The QA department needs an experienced tester and some folks in Tech Support. The brand new NorCal studio in Mountain View is where City of Heroes has been moved to. They are looking to hire "a ton of people" in the near future: Art: Animators, Character Artists, Concept/2D Artists, Technical Artists, User Interface Artists and VFX Artists. Engineering: Game Engineers, Junior Software Engineers, Server Engineers and Software Engineers. Design: Missions, Powers, Systems and Worlds. Aliso Viejo is down in SoCal (Orange County to be exact) are working on "a top, top secret project." They need qualified peeps for a Lead Quest Designer and a Lead Level Designer. If you're interested (and qualified), view all of their openings at the NCsoft Job List. Good luck!
Dungeon Runners chunk 2 preview
Warcry has up a preview of the second big update to NCsoft's Dungeon Runners. The free-to-play fantasy game will be getting another heaping helping of content (which they call a 'chunk') sometime in the near future. The update is interesting, because there is some good news and some bad news.The Good News: Non-members (freebie players) will be gaining access to a bunch of features that are currently Members-only. Things like bank pages, stackable potions, and Rare/Unique items will now all be part of the free-to-play package. Members are getting some bennies too, with three bank pages instead of one, and the continuation of certain benefits like Mythic items and priority logins.The Bad News: These non-member benefits are coming at a price - they're finally adding the in-game ads that have been promised since the game launched. Warcry's Razor explains: These won't be "in-game" ads in the classic sense, but more "around-the-game" in nature. The most noticeable of these will be a banner ad at the top of the play screen ... Non-Members will also see static ads on load screens occasionally when switching zones. Video ads will play during login and logout. Both types of players will also gain access to a secure trading system they're calling 'Bartering', which can allow for item transfers between characters anywhere in the game world. A mixed, but exciting, bag for DR players.
Diminishing returns on silencing effects repealed
Alright, Shamans, you can stop spamming the forums now. It appears that the much-decried diminishing returns on silence effects, like Earth Shock, have been repealed: After further discussion about the change in patch 2.3 which adds diminishing returns to silencing effects, we've decided to revert the change. Though we do feel that being chain school locked is a problem and plan to address it at some point in the future, we weren't comfortable with the amount of testing this particular change received. (Eyonix)I really hate to say this, but it almost looks like these forum "revolts" are working. Earlier in this patch cycle we had Paladins making thread after thread about threat reduction, and they got it. Now, Shamans have beat the stuffing out of their own little corner of WoWdom, and poof, here's the change they hated so much removed. Is this really a case of the squeaky wheel getting the grease, or is it more that the change was bad and that's the cause of both the revolt and the repeal?[thanks, Hybrys]
The Wii on Dr. Phil
Dr. Phil, in his latest one-two punch at arch-nemesis Oprah, did one of those crazy audience giveaway things. They didn't get cars, of course ... oh no, they got something better. And in case your predictive powers are slightly out of whack, we'll lay it down straight for ya ... he gave everyone a bunch of Wii's.Heck, he even gave Wii Tennis a run-through. After dressing up in pretentious high-performance athletic gear, he proceeded to defeat his opponent amidst whining and blatant cheating. Check it out for yourself ... and wish you were one of those lucky, lucky audience members.[Thanks, Camran!]
