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Firefall patch 1.1 brings elemental destruction
A major new update has gone live for Firefall, bringing with it new types of weapons and weapon damage types. As the name suggests, Patch 1.1: Elemental Destruction is all about ways to unleash different elements upon enemies to bring about their ruin. The update's newest weapons are the plasma flak cannon and bio injector, however even older weapons can get new modifiers to change their damage type. The additional weapon modifiers include thermal, flaming thermal, bioactive, virulent bioactive, electrical, charged electrical, beam, laser beam, microplasma, and emissive microplasma. Even grenade launchers have gotten love with new ways to throw out explosives in a spread or cluster. Patch 1.1 also adds five dynamic encounters, two new ARES job boards, and a hardcore version of Kanaloa the Destroyer. Check out Massively's previous in-depth look at the new weapon types of Patch 1.1.
Exclusive: The weapons of Firefall's Elemental Destruction
In the wake of Firefall's announcement of its September 16th Elemental Destruction launch date, Red 5's RudiKazootie returns with another dev diary about the update, this one focusing on the new elemental weapons, new weapon modifiers, and new primary archetype weapons arriving next week. Enjoy!
Exclusive: Firefall's Elemental Destruction update launches September 16th
It's official: The newly revitalized Firefall is due to release its first major update, Elemental Destruction, next week -- on Tuesday, in fact. The patch is bringing new dynamic encounters in addition to abilities and weapons. And if you're a Firefall nut, then today is your day because Red 5 Design Director RudiKazootie has penned an exclusive dev blog discussing in detail the five new dynamic encounters being introduced with the update. Enjoy the full read and new screens below, and keep an eye out for Friday's edition too.
E-thugs are actively attacking Trion's stable of MMOs, ArcheAge open beta 'going forward as planned'
Trion Community Manager Ocho has just posted an announcement to players of RIFT, ArcheAge, Defiance, and Trove that the studio is currently under a denial-of-service attack affecting some game services. He writes, Following last night's ISP maintenance, our overnight team has confirmed a DDOS that is currently aimed at Trion's services. We're actively working with our ISP partners and the authorities on both mitigating its effects and ensuring this group gets caught. Our live games are up and ArcheAge's open beta is going forward as planned. While the attack persists, there may be some effects on network stability and some website unavailability. You also may need to use the Resend Code option for our login security and RIFT's Coin Lock if the email doesn't reach you at first. We'll keep you informed as the situation evolves. If I'm bored of writing about the lame antics of script-kiddies, I'm sure MMO studios are livid about being forced to divert resources to combat them.
Firefall gets a Chinese publishing deal
It's been a long road to Firefall's release on its native shores, but the game has more places to go just the same. Red 5 Studios and The9 have entered into an agreement with System Link Limited to publish the game in China for a five-year period. This will result in at least $160 million being paid to The9 for licensing fees and royalties. System Link Limited is itself a joint venture formed by The9 and Qihoo 360 Technology Corp, so it's a fairly dense nest of interrelationships. It can only be hoped that the game's release will be met with open arms in China. [Thanks to SolaRSaphire for the tip!]
PAX Prime 2014: Defiance defies barriers to play
If there's one message that Trion Worlds wants to get out about Defiance from PAX Prime this year, it's that the game is bursting with content and absolutely welcoming one and all to play. While we're still waiting for the conversion of the Xbox 360 version to free-to-play, PlayStation 3 and PC players can already jump into the game and experience the title for free. The team's been hard at work refining and fleshing out the game, so for people who might have only dabbled in it shortly after launch, it's almost a completely new world to explore. As season two of the TV show recently wrapped up, so will the current Aftermath storyline in the game. Both the show and the game dealt with the growing threat of cults, and the MMO will be packaging up the entire saga for players to revisit later in September. The devs also shared with me that they used the real-world setting of the Bay Area to unleash some pent-up hatred toward the San Francisco airport and its parking in one of the new areas. Good to know that MMOs can be both fun to play and therapeutic for its makers! Massively's on the ground in Seattle during the weekend of August 29th to September 1st, bringing you all the best news from PAX Prime 2014. Whether you're dying to know more about Warlords of Draenor, The Elder Scrolls Online, Landmark, or any MMO in between, you can bet we'll have it covered!
PAX Prime 2014: RIFT's Nightmare Tide expansion launches October 8th; Trove's closed beta begins September 25th
Trion made a bunch of ArcheAge fans happy earlier this evening, so now it's time to do the same for followers of RIFT, Defiance, and Trove. RIFT's Nightmare Tide expansion officially launches on October 8th, while Defiance will get "a massive end-of-September" update called Aftermath that includes new missions and events. Last but not least, Trove will enter closed beta on September 25th. Massively's Justin Olivetti learned today on the show floor that this phase of beta will not be wiped prior to launch. Players who have purchased currency will receive half again as much back. Massively's on the ground in Seattle during the weekend of August 29th to September 1st, bringing you all the best news from PAX Prime 2014. Whether you're dying to know more about Warlords of Draenor, The Elder Scrolls Online, Landmark, or any MMO in between, you can bet we'll have it covered!
Get your Dizzel beta item key today here on Massively
Just as our sister site Joystiq did yesterday, Massively is giving away a boatload of Dizzel beta codes to our readers today -- specifically, keys for a Chrome Assault Rifle usable in the game. Dizzel is a free-to-play multiplayer third-person action-shooter by OGPlanet and Neowiz that falls into our Not So Massively category, but we think it could appeal to our regular MMO audience as well. Plus, free stuff! Interested? Just clicky the buttons below to grab your Dizzel item code, then follow these instructions to redeem it: Via official installer: Sign up for a free OGPlanet account by downloading the Dizzel Installer. Once Dizzel is installed, login to the game and create your character. Go to Dizzel's Redemption Page and enter your key code. Finally, check your in-game 'Storage' to add your items to your inventory. Via Steam: Download and Install Dizzel through Steam. Once you're in-game, locate and click the 'Shop' button on the top menu. Press the 'Cash Reload' button located on the bottom right. Steam's Cash Purchase window will be displayed; you will notice 'Item Package Redemption' on the right section. Please input your Keycode, and press 'Redeem,' and allow up to 15 minutes for delivery. Your item will arrive in your Inventory's 'Storage' section.
Choose My Adventure: Firefall as it stands
As I noted in the first week of this month's truncated Choose My Adventure, Firefall is finally an honest to goodness real-life video game. The extended extended beta is over, the launch trailer has released, and the game has been cut loose into the world. One might argue that Red 5 is now officially out of excuses; if something isn't satisfactory in Firefall, it must be unsatisfactory by design. We have stepped beyond the point where "it's a beta" is a fair explanation of the game's rougher edges. Because what we're dealing with is theoretically intended to be a full retail product, it's not useful to talk about what Firefall used to be, nor is it useful to speculate on what Firefall might become. The only honest evaluation of the game, if evaluation is the goal, must center on the current iteration of the product, the one that Red 5 considered complete enough to release as the finished version of its vision. Is Firefall, in its current state, worth playing? Does it offer enough content to keep players engaged? Is it finally delivering on the promise we have glimpsed in its systems? For the first time since my initial encounter with the game in early 2013, I'd say the answer is yes.
Choose My Adventure: The distraught wives of Firefall
"There is no problem in this world a gun can't solve." These words, to my knowledge, are never explicitly stated in Firefall. There's no wise-in-his-grizzledness war veteran to rub his stubbled chin, frown into the distance, and impart such wisdom upon the player. But make no mistake, Firefall's world is one in which most tough situations are resolved with the thunderclap of gunfire. In Firefall's New Eden, violence really is the answer. In last week's Choose My Adventure column, I asked you to help guide my path through this dangerous world, to give my character an identity, a role to play, and a purpose to fulfill. Votes were cast; suggestions were made. I've since created a new character and blasted my way through the re-re-re-re-designed tutorial/opening experience. And while I am, as always, having a wonderful time, I still can't get over my one recurring Fireball criticism: I'm shooting a lots of stuff but I don't care or know why.
Defiance goes free-to-play on the PlayStation 3
Defiance has already made the transition to free-to-play on the PC, but now players with more focus on consoles are getting in on the free action. PlayStation 3 users can now download and play the game for free without any up-front cost, just in time to coincide with the ongoing second season of the television show. No precise dates have been revealed for the Xbox 360 conversion at this time, although it's still due "soon." Players who elect to purchase a copy of the game on the PS3 will receive 1000 Arkforge, four character slots, five loadouts, up to 75 Ark Keycodes, and a 70-slot inventory. They'll also receive 30 free days of Paradise Patron status, which boosts gains on everything from XP to scrips along with a 10% discount on cash shop items. If you like the look of the game but wanted to play it for free on your console, your time is now. [Source: Trion Worlds press release]
Choose My Adventure: Firefall is finally a real game
Forgive me, Massively readers, for I have sinned. It has been six months since my last Choose My Adventure. Luckily, absolution is readily available via a 50-pound desktop computer, a mostly stable internet connection powered by one of the most hated companies in the United States, and three or four Hail Proudmoores. In summary: I have stared into the face of an eternal offline purgatory, clenched my teeth, and growled, "Not today." No, today I'm going to play Firefall. And you're coming with me.
Firefall Engineer battleframes get 25% XP boost this weekend
Are you thinking of playing the Engineer battleframe in Firefall? If so you'll want to log in between August 15th and August 18th to take advantage of Red 5's Accord Engineer Battleframe Weekend. You'll get a 25 percent XP boost and you'll get to goof around with all those spiffy deployable devices. The "Engineer excels at locking down an area and providing a safe location for its allies to resupply, " according to Red 5's announcement post.
The Daily Grind: Has Firefall grabbed you for the long haul?
I played a little Firefall over the weekend, and while Red 5's colorful shooter has definitely improved, the ultimate verdict was the same as it was when I test drove it a couple of years ago: fun in spurts but probably not something that I'll play consistently. What about you, Massively readers? If you've come back to Firefall now that it's launched -- or even if you're completely new to the game -- has it caught your attention for the long haul? Why or why not? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Arena shooter Minimum's Early Access price minimized
Updates are to be expected when a game is on Early Access, but patches that also halve a game's price are a little more rare. The latest addition to Minimum, Atari and Prey developer Human Head's third-person arena shooter, is among those rarities, dropping the price of Minimum's Early Access admission from $19.99 to $9.99. Those that have already enlisted as blocky, gun-wielding soldiers on Minimum's minimalistic battlefields still have something to enjoy from the update: Path of Lanterns supplies a new zone to sprint through in the 5 vs. 5, assist-your-team's-base-stomping-robot Titan Mode, with Zen Garden serving as a fresh Team Deathmatch locale. The update expands Minimum's arsenal, too: Proximity mines and sticky grenades can now be set or lobbed to thwart opponents. It's a given that sticky grenades cling to anything your accuracy allows, but Minimum weapon designer TJ notes "your teammates" as a possible host for proxy mines, so don't limit your placement strategies to immobile objects. If you'd rather hone your technique before wildly hurling explosives, the update also adds AI bots, which are just as capable of crafting armor and gathering powerups as human players. [Image: Atari]
Firefall launches its referral program
Are you playing and enjoying Firefall? That's great, but if your friends aren't, the game might be just a little bit more lonely. You could abduct your friends and chain them in front of a computer with the game already loaded, but that seems a bit extreme, not to mention really illegal. Maybe you'd be better off just taking advantage of the game's referral program to drag your companions into the game. That's legal, and it offers some nice benefits. If you refer someone who creates an account, you get night vision goggles, as pictured above. Score one for you! Meanwhile, if said friend goes on to purchase some Red Bean, you both get 10 extra Red Beans. So if you have friends who aren't yet playing, send a mail and see if you can't get them to sign up after all. It's cheaper than buying chains and secondary computers, too.
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]
Leaderboard: Firefall vs. Defiance vs. Destiny
Shooters are certainly in vogue at the moment, what with last week's Firefall launch, this week's Defiance Silicon Valley expansion launch, and next month's colossally expensive Destiny launch. Come to think of it, those three titles are probably worth pitting against one another, wouldn't you agree? So, how about it Massively shooter fans? If you had to pick one of those three titles as your go-to gunplay fix, which would it be? Vote after the cut! Ever wish that you could put to rest a long-standing MMO debate once and for all? Then welcome to the battle royal of Massively's Leaderboard, where two sides enter the pit o' judgment -- and only one leaves. Vote to make your opinion known, and see whether your choice tops the Leaderboard!
Firefall partners with The9, Qihoo 360 in China
Firefall finally launched in the West this week. Red 5 also entered into a business agreement with Chinese megapublisher The9 and Qihoo 360 to bring its long-gestating sci-fi shooter to the Far East. The deal will last for three years and will see profits and equity split equally between the The9 and Qihoo 360, according to GamesIndustry.biz. [Thanks D Houser!]
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]
