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The Soapbox: Six reasons MMOs should abandon raiding, part 3
In parts one and two of this Soapbox miniseries, I tackled four of the reasons the MMO genre should abandon raiding as a central gameplay element, but one key argument has been left out until now: The social aspect of raiding. Whatever else is true of raiding, it is definitely social. Communities spring up and keep going largely based on that raiding community, to the point that it's easy to assume that everyone in a game's population raids. There are lengthy discussions about raiding, about how to raid, about tips and tricks for clearing raids. The social aspect of raids is what I think has kept them around so long; it's easy for a designer to look at that sort of engagement and see it as vital. Yet there's more to the story than might be available at a glance, and the social aspect is not without steep costs. Those social elements do not carry the weight of everything else... mostly because they aren't as strong as they appear.
The Soapbox: Six reasons MMOs should abandon raiding, part 1
Raiding is no longer doing MMOs any favors. I've compared raiding to open PvP in the past, and the comparison still holds up. It's something that a lot of games developed in response to a specific genre-defining game have featured. But it's not doing those games any favors, and it might be time to take a hard look at this gameplay element that games survive in spite of rather than because of. If we learn nothing else from WildStar's issues when it launched into what should have been an ideal environment, it's that raiding certainly isn't driving players into a game's waiting arms. But I don't want to just say that and let it roll around on the floor. Let's actually break the argument down across a couple of articles this week. Why does raiding need to shuffle off of the main stage, definitely as the default endgame model, perhaps altogether? I can give you six good reasons.
Dungeon Hotfixes, Need before Greed now default
When Warlords of Draenor launched, it brought with it a new loot system - the personal loot of Raid Finder was now in place for dungeons. There were advantages and disadvantages to this - one of the advantages was that loot didn't drop that no one wanted, for example. But a lot of players found it a less than compelling system. And apparently their voices have been heard, because it's back, baby. Rygarius posted a host of dungeon and raid hotfixes, including but not limited to the return of Need before Greed as the default loot system in dungeons. What else is happening? Completing your first Heroic Warlords dungeon nets you a reward of 50 Garrison Resources. The return of the Call to Arms feature for in-demand roles like tanks and healers. You will now once again be able to queue for dungeons from the Ashram cities of Stormshield and Warspear. What do you think of these changes?
Wizard101 adds four new dungeons
Wizardry is not a safe profession these days. Wizard101 has grown even more dangerous with the addition of four brand-new dungeons spread across the game's level range, and Massively fully expects multiple online casualties to result from this irresponsible action. The new dungeons are the snowy Shangri-Baa Mountains (level 25), Barkingham Palace (level 40), the House of Scales (level 60), and Castle Darkmoor (level 100). The latter is vital for wizards seeking a new spell for their arsenal, as a Castle Darkmoor quest will award one new shadow-enhanced card for each school of magic. The November update came with other improvements to the game, including bypassing combat idlers' turns, more member benefits, and savable equipment sets. We've got a video covering the shadow-enchanced spells for you to watch after the break.
The Nexus Telegraph: Is WildStar's raid size change too late?
Very few people are going to contest that scaling WildStar's biggest raid down to 20 people is a good move. Some will, yes, but when 400 players are working on content five months after release, that's a good sign that it's not doing the most basic job of getting people to play it. Bringing Datascape's size down is an indisputable good thing. The question, of course, isn't about that. It's about whether it's too small a change too late in the game. Make no mistake, this is a change that is significant enough to merit an announcement, but it's one that just missed the big patch we finally received not too long ago. (My initial reaction to that is middling, for the record, neither bad nor really a break from form or something that justifies its long delay.) I would be surprised if we see this change actually live in the game before next year. And it's a change of more conceptual significance than anything else because unless someone very quietly managed to clear Datascape without telling anyone, the end of that raid has gone unseen.
New TERA vid explores expansion dungeon
Ready for some new TERA dungeons? They're coming in the new Fate of Arun expansion and they're also showcased briefly in the preview vid we've embedded after the break. There are four new instances including Sabex Armory (level 61 and up), Macellarius Catacombs (64 and up), Ravenous Gorge (65 and up), and Bathysmal Rise (65 and up).
A tour of WildStar's upcoming Black Focus area
The next update for WildStar has some pretty big shoes to fill. Arriving on November 11th, it's the first update the game has seen since August, when the game abruptly peeled back from monthly updates to quarterly ones. It comes after a round of server merges. It needs to prove to fans who are still subscribed to the game that there's good reason to keep playing and that more content is on the way in the near future -- that there's a reason to hold out hope. Earlier this week, I toured the Black Focus, the five-person group content releasing in the new region of The Defile in the upcoming patch. Not all of my questions about the zone as a whole were answered since I didn't get to go through all of the quests leading into this particular encounter. However, I did get a chance to form at least some first impressions and see how well this bit of content holds up. And there's a new trailer past the cut if you just want to watch that.
Aion: Invasion launches today with new zones, dungeons, and server vs. server PvP
The battle for Atreia expands today as Aion's latest free content update launches. Invasion introduces two all new zones, two new dungeons, a daily log in reward system, new world bosses, and a new gear enhancement system. On top of that, Daevas will be able to participate in the open beta of server vs. server PvP! The two new zones include Kaldor, the burnt-out remnant of what was once the ancient Danuar land, and Levinshor, the colorful territory of Tiamat's origin. Kaldor is home to Wealhtheow's Keep, a place featuring new fortress siege elements. Levinshor is home to new species that will associate with the Elyos and the Asmodians. Of the two new instances, The Linkgate Foundry is for level 65 players and is solo, whereas Igdel Dome is a six-man PvPvE instance. This server vs. server PvPvE will happen in a zone called Panesterra, which was thrown into another dimension by a massive Ide explosion. There, 100 players from each server and faction will battle against one another as well as baddy Beritra's forces in a massive seige to control the zone. The first live siege begins on November 9th. For a look into the new content, check out the trailer below and dive into even more details in the patch notes. Then log in daily for your special gifts!
Firefall teases update 1.2
An update is coming to Firefall, and it promises to be a big one. A brief overview of the game's next major update has been posted on the official site to show off some of what players can expect, starting with the new Operation: Miru. This is endgame instanced content designed for five players at level 40, featuring a combination of mechanics and gunfights that heretofore have not been present in the game. The update will also feature a new piece of open-world content via the Accord Skydock, a new form of watchtower content, and a new live event. Broken Peninsula has also received updates to make it less broken from a mechanical standpoint rather than a geographical one. You can read up on all the sketchy details here, and keep your eyes peeled for more hard information as it becomes available.
The Mog Log: Exploring Final Fantasy XIV's 2.4 dungeons
The first time I ran the new dungeons added to Final Fantasy XIV in patch 2.4, I was kind of surprised. They seemed a lot harder, and I hit more wipes on the way to the end than I had while learning the 2.3 dungeons. After a couple of additional runs, though, I don't think they're really all that bad, just replete with mechanics that are sort of designed to trip groups up and with more than a few nasty surprises. It also helped that I was running with Ninja after the first runs, so that felt more natural. As it's been less than a week since the dungeons were added, it seems like a fine time to give you lovely folks a guide to what's going on in here and what needs to be done. So let's chatter about the new dungeons you'll be running in Expert roulettes for that beautiful poetics armor.
Dungeon of the Endless rockets to Steam today
Amplitude Studios' roguelike Dungeon of the Endless left the Early Access nest today, launching in full on Steam. The game entered its alpha phase on the platform in December as the developers' next "Endless" game, set in the same universe as Endless Space. In it, players guide a crew of heroes through randomly generated dungeons, gathering resources and fending off foes to survive. It also features cooperative multiplayer for up to four players. The retro-styled PC and Mac game costs $13 (€12) for the Pixel Pack or $20 (€19) for the Founder's Pack, the latter offering additional ships and heroes. Those looking to upgrade from the Pixel Pack to the Founder's pack can do so for $7.20, a 10 percent discount on the standard upgrade price. The Founder's pack also features half-off coupons for both Endless Space and Endless Space: Disharmony. Head past the break for a look at Dungeon of the Endless' launch trailer. [Image: Amplitude Studios]
RIFT's newest dungeon is called the Citadel of Insanity
Citadel of Insanity has a nice ring to it, don't you think? It'd probably make a swell guild name or at the very least, a subforum title on a particularly crotchety MMORPG message board. Alas, Trion has already put it to work as the name of a new RIFT dungeon. It includes a giant armored crustacean called Glacieus, a "massive nightmare worm," and a couple of other bosses who may cause your party to break a sweat. You can read all about the new dungeon on RIFT's official website.
RIFT previews the Glacial Maw dungeon
It's nice that RIFT's upcoming expansion is named Nightmare Tide because it really gives you a clear idea of what you're walking into. So when you read about the upcoming level 65 dungeon, Glacial Maw, it doesn't really surprise you. A dungeon that takes place burrowed inside of the carcass of the powerful Izbithu, wherein you fight off an infestation of parasites hoping to make the dread creature rise once more? Nightmarish, sure, but that's what you were promised on the tin. Of course, all of that is assuming that you make it to Izbithu's corpse first, since first you'll have to fight your way past an ice drake that tends to eat anyone investigating the decaying monstrosity and a golem fused with tentacles and sharks. And even once you fight off the insidious parasitic infection, there's something even worse in the depths of the body. Which... just the fact that you're fighting inside of a giant corpse is pretty bad, yes? Take a look at the official preview, but you know it's not going to be pretty.
Final Fantasy XIV shows off the dungeons of patch 2.4
We don't know exactly when patch 2.4 will drop for Final Fantasy XIV, but we know it will be soon -- and not just because it's been about three months since the last major patch, but we've also got a peek at the three new hard mode dungeons coming in patch 2.4. The Sunken Temple of Qarn and Sastasha will be updated in new forms, while Snowcloak takes the role of the completely new dungeon for players to navigate. While the massive ice wall of Snowcloak is visible in the game now, a series of tunnels will be navigable in 2.4, allowing players to enter the depths searching for the source of this formidable barrier. Meanwhile, Sastasha has become invested with a new group of apparent pirates straight from the depths of the sea, and the Sunken Temple of Qarn has proven to be less conquered by adventurers than originally thought. Take a look at the full preview for more details; you can also check out the details on viewing livestreams from the upcoming fanfest in Las Vegas.
World of Warcraft shows off the dungeons of Warlords of Draenor
As the release of Warlords of Draenor inches ever closer, it's no surprise that players might want to know what dungeons they'll be running religiously for the next several months. The official World of Warcraft site has been updated with a preview of the eight new dungeons being added with the expansion, four of them intended for leveling along the way and four of them pegged at level 100 for players who have already reached the top. On the leveling path, players will stop in the Bloodmaul Slag Mines, the Iron Docks, Auchindoun, and Skyreach. Once at the cap, they can start exploring the Shadowmoon Burial Grounds, the Everbloom, and the Grimrail Depot... or they can take a trip back to Azeroth to view the revamped Upper Blackrock Spire. Take a look at the full preview for more of the lore backdrop for the newest dungeon drives coming to the game in November.
Will running five player content be viable in Warlords?
I actually really enjoy five player dungeons. One of my disappointments in Mists of Pandaria was that we never got any five mans beyond the start of the expansion and that they basically became just a means to farm some valor - since no new fives were introduced, they couldn't be tuned to in any way keep up with gear from Throne of Thunder much less Siege of Orgrimmar. They became laughably easy unless you were running them as Challenge Modes, ultimately. And this bothers me because I'm one of those people who feels like five player content never really had lived up to its promise in World of Warcraft. Especially now that raid dungeons have become so accessible, with LFR and flex making it easier than ever for almost all players to get some level of raiding if they want it, I've always felt like fives need a refocusing. Having normal and heroic difficulty fives really separate with better rewards for fives is a good start, but where Challenge Modes didn't grab me was in their completely cosmetic rewards. I always felt like CM's should offer gear on par with at least normal mode raiding - a group that decided to focus exclusively on Challenge Modes or some other form of very hard five player content should be able to progress their character not just visually, but actually as well. Why do I feel this way? Well, I'll tell you.
Final Fantasy XIV shows off footage from the Tokyo Game Show
Final Fantasy XIV players were treated to a preview of the game's next major patch over the weekend as the Tokyo Game Show wrapped up. Producer and director Naoki Yoshida showed off the first trailer for the patch as well as a quick preview of the new dungeons, the upcoming Rogue and Ninja, and the arena where players will face off against Shiva. While all of the videos are in Japanese, most of them have very little narration, making them just as accessible if you don't speak the language. The trailer is embedded past the cut, but it's only one of the four videos. Shiva's arena features a central dais and a lower area connected by staircases, implying that players can be knocked off or may even choose to jump off at certain times. Sunken Temple of Qarn and Sastasha are receiving the hard mode makeovers for the patch, while Snowcloak takes the role of the new dungeon. A few more tidbits are also revealed by the Rogue/Ninja video, including a sneak peek at the class's stealth mechanics. Jump past the break for the trailer to get a taste of what's coming.
Destiny unlocks its first raid and goes on sale
Destiny hasn't been out for every long now, but if you've been power-leveling along, you might very well be level 26 or above. And that's a good thing if you want to take on the game's first raid, which has just been unlocked for players. The Vault of Glass can now be entered, with hardcore enthusiasts already rushing to be the first one to clear its challenges. As with all of Destiny's raid content, a fire team must be assembled out of members of your friend list, as there is no matchmaking option for Vault of Glass. Haven't yet picked up the game? Well, you can do so now at a discount; despite the short amount of time Destiny has been out, retailer BrandsMart is reportedly offering the game for $30, which larger retailers such as Target and Wal-Mart may or may not price match. (Reports are conflicting.) While you likely won't be ready for the Vault of Glass if you take the offer, you will be able to get in on the ground floor a fair bit cheaper, so it's still a win. Kotaku argues that as of this morning, Destiny has "resoundingly mediocre review scores" with "76.29% on GameRankings and a 77 on Metacritic." Our sister site Joystiq reviewed the game this morning, giving it four out of five stars.
Archlord 2 turns on Archlord system tomorrow
Has Archlord 2 officially launched yet or is it merely riding that nebulous open beta soft launch train? It's hard to tell with this title, but what we do know is that the MMO will be releasing its first major content update tomorrow. This update includes two new world zones, a contested area, the titular Archlord PvP system, four additional dungeons, a flexible dungeon system, and plenty of equipment sets. To go with the update, the team is running a login event from September 16th through October 13th during which players can receive a four-piece avatar set by logging in at least once a week. We've got the official launch trailer for Archlord 2 after the break, which is perfect for those of you with eyes or ears or an acceptable substitute.
Warlords of Draenor: Ion "Watcher" Hazzikostas on healing in dungeons
Dungeons can be tricky to balance. Too easy, and everything turns into a 'go go go' zergdown. Too hard, and no one wants to run them. This is of course subject to change as gear and skill and familiarity all increase, of course. But it's a topic that Ion Hazzikostas recently took up on the forums. One of the things people have been concerned about is the change to how healing works, and Ion discussed it and why they made the changes. Basically, it came down to the idea that with mana regen effectively not a factor in Mists, the only way to kill players in raids was with massive spikes of damage that required immediate reaction from healers to survive. Our goal is not to make healing more difficult. Note that nowhere in the above did I say that a problem with Mists healing is that it was too "easy." We want to slow down the pace a bit, and for the challenge in healing to lie more in making decisions about spell usage and targeting, and less in twitch-reaction and sustaining a DPS-style rotation. This also means that the cost of a mistake is not a dead player, but rather a more injured one, giving you a chance to fix your error. So what does this have to do with dungeon tuning? Quite a bit, as it turns out. Dungeons are being tested on the beta now (I've recently gotten to run Auchindoun and Shadowmoon Burial Grounds) and when they're tested, your level is adjusted to the bare minimum necessary to run said dungeons. This of course means that players are testing the content at its lowest possible threshold, because it has to function for players in the minimum gear to get into the door. And this leads to issues with healing, because the dungeons aren't final yet. It's an interesting job, beta testing. Often, stuff doesn't work - that's why you test it. We've reproduced Watcher's post in full after the cut. For the most part, I'm interested to see if Blizzard actually succeeds with their goal of slowing down healing.
