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Massively Exclusive: Elsword shows off Add's new job
Getting a new job is an exciting time. It means that you have new coworkers to meet, new procedures to observe, and in some cases, the ability to shoot homing psionic bullets that cover the map and kill enemies you didn't even know were there yet. The last case is more pronounced if your new job looks like Elsword's new job path for the character Add, but it could happen with your new data entry job, too! Maybe. Probably not. A preview video just past the cut shows off the Lunatic Psyker path in action, which features... well, about what you'd expect from the title: psionic explosions, powerful lines of energy, all the fun stuff you could ask for. Add also gets the ability to redirect damage that he's dealt directly into enemies, which should make stringing together combo attacks and otherwise crushing his foes that much easier. [Source: KOG Games press release]
Champions Online brings the Steel Crusade on September 4th
If you've been sitting around in Champions Online and cooling your cape for a while, you'll be happy to know that a new update is dropping in September, and it's a big one. Partly because players will be facing off against Mechanon, and he's pretty large to begin with. But it's also an update that introduces several new areas, a new mission arc, and a new experience for players who have hit the level cap and want something new to do. Steel Crusade is a two-part update that starts with players finding people bursting into flames across Millennium City in an adventure that leads inside the bodies of the victims to identify the source of this affliction. Ultimately, the arc culminates in a direct attack on Mechanon's orbital station... followed by an anniversary event that pits players against Mechanon himself in a world boss encounter. It also introduces something that City of Heroes veterans will find familiar in the form of the Reawakened Automaton: a new archetype available to experienced players with unique perks.
Tree of Savior delays closed beta, talks classes
Classes are the hot topic for this week's Tree of Savior community Q&A, with many of the questions concerning the different roles that players will assume in the upcoming title. The Q&A was coy on a few specifics, such as which class only has five skills, but was more open on other topics. The Alchemist was singled out as a class that synergizes well with crafting, the Wugushi was noted as a class with a strong poison bent, the Pardoner was shown to be a scroll-producing Cleric, and the Peltasta was revealed as a sword-and-shield fighter. For those hoping to get some beta action in this summer, we have bad news: It's been delayed. "We focused on the development so that we can launch CBT within this year's summer, but more time was needed than we had expected on the overall balancing of the game so we think CBT will be delayed a bit," the devs wrote.
Obsidian explains Skyforge's class-swapping system
Obsidian and My.com are back today with another new Skyforge dev diary, this one a lengthy explanation of the game's class system. Skyforge allows class-swapping that will remind players a bit of RIFT: You'll pick a base class and then unlock intermediate and advanced classes as you play, swapping your current played class along the way. Check out the team's full explanation! Skyforge: Classes Many people have made the observation that the Skyforge class system is non-traditional and unique for an MMORPG. Our decision to design our class system this way was influenced by changes we see in gamers. In recent years we've seen a change in the way people play games, specifically, with the new found popularity of MOBA games. They have fast become the most popular online games and are consistently beating records for participation in various tournaments.
Vindictus previews upcoming hero Arisha
Bad news first: if you're a stateside player of Vindictus, you don't know when you're going to be able to start playing with Arisha, as she's not releasing in Korea until August 7th. You can, however, take a look at her trailer just past the break to get a sense for the character and how she fights, so that's something, at least. In play, Arisha looks to be a fast-moving character using a single blade and magic to teleport, freeze time, and otherwise tear through her opponents. Also, by the looks of it, she's got a pet dog. Take a gander at the trailer if you're interested in seeing more about the character, although you will have to wait for a while yet to play her yourself.
League of Legends previews Gnar without a word
Who is Gnar? An upcoming champion for League of Legends. How does he or she play? We don't know. All we know is a little bit of what Gnar is all about, and that is shown in a quick teaser site that manages to convey a story without using a single word other than Gnar's name. Gnar seems like a pretty happy sort at first, but when a calamity befell Gnar's family, Gnar didn't handle it too well. Gnar can be seen breaking out of an ice tomb and setting forth on what we can only assume will be a rampage filled with enemy champions. Take a glance at the preview page to watch the whole thing play out, and keep your eyes peeled for more information on how Gnar will play. (Speculation has him focused on crowd control and area denial.)
Vindictus highlights its new character with fashion silhouettes
When you think about it, catwalk struts are seriously underused as a means of introducing new content to an MMO. Vindictus is taking the genre in a bold new direction with its latest reveal. The Korean reveal page for the new character makes it clear that Arisha is bringing a whole new style to the game. That style is... well... style, perhaps? Seriously, the trailer doesn't reveal anything but a silhouette. Datamining has revealed that she's a hybrid melee/magical character, although that could go a lot of different routes. Still, you can get a very shadowy peek at her in the trailer past the break. Based on that, she'll attack primarily with six-inch heels and fishnet stockings because hot pants, heels, and plunging necklines are crazy useful in combat.
Neverwinter shows off the Scourge Warlock for Tyranny of Dragons
Do you want to fight some dragons? The next expansion to Neverwinter is all about fighting dragons, hence the title Tyranny of Dragons. Would you prefer to do so whilst conjuring up forbidden and evil magic from beyond to help smite your foes and empower your party? Then the Scourge Warlock is right up your alley. You can check the new class out in the trailer just past the break. Scourge Warlocks are casters who can summon a Soul Puppet from the beyond, using their magical prowess to leech health and empower allies while leaving enemies as shambling shells. They also have access to a new paragon path, Hellbringer, which... well, it doesn't summon bunnies and stomach rubs. Take a look at the official development blog for a clearer picture of what these casters are capable of, and watch the trailer to see the class in action before Tyranny of Dragons goes live on August 14th. [Source: Cryptic Studios press release]
The Nexus Telegraph: The basics of crafting a WildStar build
There are few things I love so much as writing a column for June 30th only to find out on the 30th that the patch I'm discussing is going live on July 1st. You know, when it's too late to change anything. I really would have been happy to have found that out before the day. But, hey, WildStar's first patch came out, and now I've had a couple of weeks to explore it a bit. Am I happy with it? Sufficiently, yes, although I haven't yet digested it in full. For one month out from launch, I can't complain much. Of course, that's not the first thing that I want to talk about today. I want to talk about builds. Rather than giving you the absolute best-of-the-best builds for tanking and DPS and so forth, which I can't quite do, I want to help you figure out how to make a build that works. It's a satisfyingly interactive, and there are lots of very functional options however you choose to build your character.
Tree of Savior devs talks classes and more
The latest Tree of Savior dev blog touches on a few of the game's 80-odd classes including the Linker, the Psychokino, the Sadhu, and the Necromancer. You can probably guess what's involved with that last one, but the previous three seem pretty unique. The Sadhu uses "out-of-body" skills while the Psychokino employes telekinesis. The Linker chains mobs together so that they'll "receive damages or debuffs simultaneously," according to blog author and developer Hakkyu Kim. There are bits and bobs about Tree of Savior's non-combat classes, too, as well as info about the game's music and a class-focused video. Click past the cut to give it a look!
The Daily Grind: What's your favorite ArcheAge class name?
Among the many, many things to like about ArcheAge is a class name roster that puts the entire rest of the MMO genre to shame. You think I'm exaggerating? Well, let's start with the fact that the game features 120 class combos, which are essentially builds comprised of three distinct skill trees. If you choose to mix the Occultism, Shadowplay, and Vitalism skill trees, for example, you're a Vulgarist and you get a nice little Vulgarist tag underneath your character name when people mouse over your avatar. If you'd rather dabble in the Songcraft, Archery, and Occultism trees, you're a Gravesinger. Or you could be a Fiendhunter, a Chaotician, a Planeshifter, a Jackknife, or a hundred-odd other kick-ass names! These are just a few of my personal faves, too, so have a look at this list and tell me your favorites. 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!
Warhammer 40k: Eternal Crusade base classes announced
In a post on the official Warhammer 40,000: Eternal Crusade forums last night, Behavior Interactive Lead Designer Brent Ellison announced the basic class list for the coming game. The classes are: Space Marines: Tactical, Devastator, Assault, Apothecary Orks: Shoota, 'Eavy/Loota (final name TBD), Stormboy, Painboy Chaos: Tactical, Havoc, Raptor, Aspiring Sorcerer Eldar: Dire Avenger, Fire Dragon, Dark Reaper, Swooping Hawk, Howling Banshee, Striking Scorpion, Warlock Why do the Eldar have more classes than the others? Ellison explains that while the other factions are flexible, the Eldar are highly specialized: "[The Eldar have] as much customization as the other factions, [but] it's spread across a larger number of classes, and there are fewer combat roles per class. Our goal is to do justice to each faction, so rather than try to cram the same system into the Eldar, we opted to widen their class selection in order to give them the roles they needed to be competitive on the battlefield." Elite and hero classes haven't yet been introduced.
The Mog Log: Final Fantasy XIV's superfluous damage Ninja
If you don't know whether or not I'm excited about the inclusion of Final Fantasy XIV's newest class, I don't know what to tell you. I've been playing a character who's been an in-character Ninja for the duration of the game's life, so obviously I'm happy to finally have it available to me. I personally would be happiest if it were a tank, since I do so enjoy tanking in the game, but I have plenty of people to run stuff with anyway. I'm not worried about queue times anyhow. At the same time, though... we know there's a shortage of tanks in the game right now. This isn't a mystery or a secret. Healers are more common but still hardly as ubiquitous as Bards and Dragoons. So is the inclusion of another DPS class really a wise decision? With the precedent established, would Final Fantasy XIV have been better off adding a more party-oriented option into the mix?
Silver Surfer hangs ten into Marvel Heroes
Is more than one color for a superhero costume maddening to your sensibilities? Do you look at caped crusaders and wonder, "If only they used beach sports equipment for physics-defying purposes?" Are you the sole die-hard fan of the second Fantastic Four movie? Then today, my friend, is your day. Marvel Heroes has added the Silver Surfer to its in-game hero roster. The Surfer is an alien who used to work for the planet-eating Galactus but has since defected to the forces of good. The new hero has two costume options, including the Savage set, and is available to purchase either with money or Eternity Splinters.
Supergirl lands in Infinite Crisis today
Turbine wants you to know that it has added Supergirl to DC-based MOBA Infinite Crisis. Supergirl is a bruiser "who loves getting up close and personal," the company says via press release. Said release offers a bit of the character's backstory, but more crucial for our purposes is a three-minute gameplay video. You can view it after the break! [Source: Turbine press release]
Swordsman gracefully leaps into closed beta
Sharpen your blades, for Swordsman has started closed beta and there's no going back. Perfect World Entertainment announced today that the free-to-play martial arts MMO has begun closed beta testing in the West. The closed beta will take place only for a limited time, ending on June 27th, but for those who get into it, there will be opportunities to unlock items for the launched game. The team is on top of known issues for the closed beta so far. Interested testers can register for a chance at a key or lurk on Swordsman's Twitter feed. [Source: Perfect World press release]
The Mog Log: Final Fantasy XIV's E3 revelations
Let me open off with an apology: Last week didn't feature a Mog Log column, and that happened without warning. This was a calculated decision; I figured last Monday it would be silly to talk about a game promised many exciting E3 reveals before those reveals when there was a game that had just launched. So I held off talking about Final Fantasy XIV until this week, but I am sorry if anyone had a fear this column was being unceremoniously dropped. But oh my, was it ever worth it. Here we are in the wake of E3 fit to burst with new information, new revelations, all the fun stuff you could ask for from the convention. It's ever so joyous. So let's talk about what we've learned about the next patch, the patch after that, vague rumblings of the future, and... um... darn. There was one big thing that got unveiled at E3, wasn't there?
Dungeons & Dragons Online launches Update 22
Are you ready to buckle your swash? Has your swash been buckled in anticipation? Do you own a variety of buckles and swashes? Because Dungeons & Dragons Online has just released Update 22 onto the live servers, and that means that Bards will have plenty of buckleswashing to do with the addition of the Swashbuckler enhancement line! Dance, parry, crack horrible puns, and stab at people while still retaining all of the usual song-based mechanics of Bards. It's free for everyone! Update 22 also includes an epic-level upgrade to Three Barrel Cove, perfectly complementing the newly swacklebushing methods of Bards. There are also major improvements to guild levels and guild airships, allowing guilds to hit level 200 while sporting new and improved facilities on new and improved airships. And there's new stuff in the cash shop, too, giving DDO players plenty to do if they ever tire of the interactions of swashes and buckles.
E3 2014: Final Fantasy XIV discusses ninjas and same-sex marriage
The first of two official livestreams for Final Fantasy XIV has just wrapped up at E3. While the stream focused on a variety of questions from the fans, two big points were hit during the discussion. The first was the revelation of a new class slated for introduction in patch 2.4: the Rogue class, which will lead into the Ninja job. This will be a damage-dealing class that dual wields knives and daggers, complete with enhanced movement skills and stealth abilities. Producer Naoki Yoshida also announced that the game's marriage system will allow any two characters to be joined together, regardless of race, nation, or gender. The translated answer explained that in the world of Eorzea, it seemed inappropriate to restrict the system. Players will be given the options of having their characters pledge eternal love or simply eternal friendship, with the possibility of special mounts for the happy couple. Massively's on the ground in Los Angeles during the week of June 10-12, bringing you all the best news from E3 2014. We're covering everything from WildStar and Landmark to Skyforge and H1Z1, so stay tuned!
Darkfall Unholy Wars unveils custom role tutorial
The introduction of custom roles to Darkfall Unholy Wars is going to mean a major shakeup to the way that skills work overall. It's getting patched in today, and if you're not ready for the change yet, you're in luck; a tutorial video has just been released and is embedded just past the cut. If you want to be a master of magic with a two-handed weapon and leather armor? You can make that happen now. As previously revealed, players will be able to select eight role skills, one ultimate skill, and 16 total skills fr their custom arrangement. You can also choose your attribute boosts as well as the requirements of gear -- if you'd like heavy armor to be gated by your Dexterity instead of your Strength, that's a thing you can do. While the tutorial won't explain to you how to make a good built, it will give you the tools to make one properly.
