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EVE Evolved: What DUST 514 should have been
It's now been almost six months since DUST 514's official release, and I think it's safe to say it hasn't quite lived up to expectations. The game was lauded for its revolutionary realtime link with the EVE Online universe, but so far there's very little back-and-forth between the two titles. Originally intended as an MMO in its own right but also as an integral part of EVE's territorial endgame, DUST now exists largely as a lobby-based first-person shooter with the twist that equipment is lost on death. Even the planetary conquest portion of DUST that could be considered its most MMO-esque element has been abstracted into a series of instanced and scheduled 24v24 battles. DUST's main rival during development was the PC-based PlanetSide 2, and had the two games released on the same platform, I'm sure that rivalry would still be in the media spotlight. I've been playing PlanetSide 2 for just a few days, and I can already see elements that would make it a far better fit for the EVE universe than the current version of DUST. So what could DUST learn from its non-console-only counterpart? In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at how PlanetSide 2 handles issues of persistence, planetary conquest, and vehicle spawning, and why I think DUST 514 should be borrowing a few tricks from its game design.
The Summoner's Guidebook: The game without a meta
It should be no shocker that the Crystal Scar is my favorite League of Legends map. Dominion is a more frantic and dynamic gametype, and it rewards tactical, free-thinking play more than the Classic game mode. The Classic maps reward technical skill and strategic thinking, but they aren't my preferred battlefield. I know a lot of you dear readers feel the same way. Dominion is weird because it doesn't have a real, established metagame. Although cries of "4 top, 1 bottom" can be heard in virtually every match, they rarely hold up for more than a few minutes, and the four top players can be seen running backdoors, ganking bottom, or solo jungle roaming as the game progresses. This is my first attempt at a Dominion overview, but the honest truth is that even the hardcore analyst-types like yours truly struggle to define exactly what wins Dominion games. There's a lot of room for discussion on this one, so let's get started.
Fallen Earth's 2.27 patch introduces factional warfare
GamersFirst has patched its post-apocalyptic sci-fi MMORPG Fallen Earth to version 2.27. There a slew of additions and tweaks, but the biggest is undoubtedly the addition of new faction territory control mechanics. According to the patch notes, alliances are for losers, as Fallen Earth's version of factional warfare is a no-holds barred six-way showdown. The factional control area is north of Blaine, and it consists of 13 flag-control points. Seven of these points feature keeps that players may capture and maintain, as well as partake of various perks contained within (like the new Death Toll gear). That's not all, but you'll need to head to the official Fallen Earth website to learn more.
Star Vault reveals more Mortal Online territorial control details
A couple weeks back we heard tell of Mortal Online's territorial control update. Today, Star Vault has elaborated on the new sandbox system via a news bulletin on the game's official website. It seems that the feature is still fairly early in the development process, as the site says that internal testing is still in full swing. External testing, by way of a specially selected focus group, is planned for next week. What's that, you want to hear more about mechanics? Very well. Keeps act as a "starting point" for guilds in the territorial control system. Each keep awards control points (CP) that can be spent on towers and "various things." Keeps also feature an overseer NPC who provides extra protection, sells goods and features, and more. Finally there's the prominence system, which involves earning prominence points (PP) through various methods including PvP and PvE. There's more, of course, but we don't want to deprive you of a chance to visit the Mortal Online website, so off you go.
Mortal Online update expanding territory control features
Mortal Online's sandbox is about to get a bit sandier if a new territory control update video is any indication. The fantasy title from Star Vault has had a rough time in the court of public opinion since its June 2010 launch, but development continues apace. The latest patch brings control structures to the table, and according to the video intertitles, said structures can be placed anywhere near territory that you already control. Occupied land then earns taxes and control points for its owners, and control points may be spent "to further increase the area of any of your control structures, increase their abilities, or build more of them." City control is possible with the new update, as is the collection of guild points after completing "various deeds." Star Vault says that the guild points can be used for a number of actions including outlawing players in your territory or declaring martial law. Check out the video after the break and head to the official Mortal Online website for more details.
The Codex added to RIFT's PvP weekend
Looking forward to RIFT's upcoming PvP beta weekend? You're in good company -- a lot of people are, which is part of the reason Trion Worlds has made the event even sweeter. Aside from the already-announced Black Garden warfront, players in the 20-29 level range will be able to take part in the Codex battle. It's a chance for Defiants and Guardians to cross swords for control of the eponymous artifact with unknown purpose. In terms of gameplay, the Codex will be a domination-style map, with players seizing control points around the artifact and attempting to control the Codex itself. Players can also earn points by defeating enemy players as well, helping to put the game on a faster clock when players interact with one another. RIFT fans can test out the warfronts this weekend, starting at 1 p.m. EST tomorrow and running until the same time on Monday, January 10th.
Tabula Rasa's Deployment 12 hits public test server
Some potential changes to Tabula Rasa have arrived on the Public Test Server in the form of "Deployment 12," which we recently hinted was on the way. NCsoft has posted the patch notes for Deployment 12 which include changes and improvements to much of the game. One of the more significant updates mentioned is the Omega Labs instance, which is only available to level 50+ players, but numerous other changes to maps and missions are detailed at the Tabula Rasa site. Improved game mechanics, fixed interactions, and enhancements to how shadows and hues are displayed are all outlined in the patch notes as well. The changes on the Public Test Server are extensive, so be sure to see the full breakdown for a look at how Tabula Rasa is gearing up for the next Deployment.
TR's Feedback Friday details upcoming Clan Owned Control Points
In this weekend's Feedback Friday, Tabula Rasa's QA Lead, Neal "Thade" Johnson, gives us some more insight into the upcoming Clan Owned Control Points. This new feature is something the Destination Games developers have been talking about for a very long time, but it seems we're finally getting closer to seeing them live.These control points won't be strictly PvP, although they may start out that way. Eventually though, the team hopes to add PvE functionality. Apparently, these control point battles will be set up like a spectator sport called the COCP Rumble Show, complete with host Stewart Richards. You can join these battles as a participant, or simply sit in the hovering observation deck to do a little spectating. The battles will provide certain buffs and prestige point rewards for successful wins, and may just be the one thing (besides PAUs) that players have been waiting for the most.
Tabula Rasa's new PvP Control Point Wargame
We've been hearing word of more exciting variations on PvP coming to Tabula Rasa soon, and in this week's Feedback Friday, we get some more details and screenshots for the new Control Point Wargame. Apparently, in this PvP zone, each team will own a fortress containing a control point. If one team conquers the other's control point, the losing team is imprisoned and subject to humiliation and ridicule, courtesy of the winning team. This battleground will be introduced to the Public Test Server with Deployment 9 and probably stay to iron out bugs at least until Deployment 10.Also in this report, we get word of Clan Lockboxes which will be introduced as part of the Clan-Owned Control Points feature. At first impression, they seem to operate almost identically to the WoW guild banks, complete with restricted access and clan log tabs. These will be in Deployment 9 on PTS only, but will most-likely be introduced to the live servers with Deployment 10.
The more things change, the more they stay the same
Geldon Yetichsky, of the blog Digitally Staving off Boredom, wrote an interesting piece about why he canceled his City of Heroes account. He contends that CoH is lacking one important thing: Nothing really changes. Aside from a few pieces of dynamic content like Recluse's Victory, Safeguard Missions, and the Rikti invasions, nothing ever permanently changes the game world.CoH is (almost 4 years later) still one of my favorite games, and the MMO that brought me around to actually liking the genre. As much as I hate to admit it... he has a point. No matter how many times you lay the smack down on the bad guys, or rescue a damsel in distress... none of it has a lasting impact. The bad guys continually respawn and the same seemingly hapless citizens always need to be rescued.What he wants to see is a game world so full of life that it actually disrupts and inconveniences players. A game world that is more like real life, where actions have real consequences and where change is an everyday occurrence. As Geldon says: change and consequence may be inconvenient, but without, there can be no real meaning of player's actions in a virtual world. I couldn't agree more. He offers EVE Online and 10Six as exceptions, but there is another.Tabula Rasa has ongoing, contested battlefield control points, and the Bane unceasingly fight to take control of them. These dynamic, world-altering areas are at times completely inaccessible. They're important because they not only house teleporters, hospitals, supply depots, but also mission NPCs. Additionally, you can earn tokens for defending and taking back these CPs. Participating in these skirmishes really gets the blood pumping and what you do has a direct impact on the game world. All in all... it's something we need to see more of within the genre.
