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Celebrating the dances of Guild Wars 2
What's the most important thing about next week's launch of Guild Wars 2? Is it deciding which race/gender/profession combo you'll make for your main? Is it deciding which server you'll play on? Or is it figuring out which dance emote looks best on your character? Thanks to our own livestreamer extraordinaire, Richie Procopio, we have a look at each race's and gender's dance emotes in the game, which were just introduced with yesterday's stress test patch. Skip past the cut below to see the fun little video for yourself -- all in glorious HD! Even a Bookah like you knows that Guild Wars 2 is on the way, but it takes an Asura's intellect, a Human's charm, a Sylvari's wisdom, a Charr's passion, and a Norn's love of strong mead to dive into beta and make sense of a game this complex. Fortunately, we have all five on the Massively staff. Enjoy our previews, guides, and our weekly GW2 column, Flameseeker Chronicles!
RuneScape general store makes its debut
RuneScape's latest update includes Solomon's General Store, an in-game shop that runs on the purchaseable virtual currency of RuneCoins. But don't start looking for ways to break the game with this store's items -- it sells vanity and aesthetic items like outfits, accessories, animations, and titles, but nothing that will upset the delicate balance of the game. Solomon's store can be accessed through your extras menu or customization interface. Within the store you'll be shown new items, a list of categories of items available, and a handy little button to let you purchase all the RuneCoins you want. Items and animations can be previewed, so you'll be able to see precisely how awesome whatever you're buying is. In order to display these items, titles, and animations, you'll have to go into the customization interface of your equipment panel, where you'll be able to fine-tune details like what item is controlling your stats, what item sets your appearance, what title is on display, what color your outfits are, and more. As a special treat, every RuneScape player can receive a one-time gift of 200 free RuneCoins through the store. [Thanks to David for the tip!]
E3 2012: Hands-on with SOEmote
There's aging gracefully, and then there's EverQuest II. Sony Online Entertainment's eight-year old fantasy flagship is pretty much the benchmark for MMO feature sets and functionality at this point. There's so much to do in the game that it's overwhelming at times, and that was before the introduction of the roleplayer's dream known as SOEmote. SOEmote is one of those things that you'll either love or hate. In a nutshell, it's facial scanning technology that takes webcam input and outputs it to your avatar. EQII's toons already boasted some of the most visually expressive animations in the genre, complete with a laundry list of /emote commands that's longer than this article. SOEmote takes that to the next level (and it also adds voice-modulating capabilities, though these weren't exactly listenable due to the din of noise that is the E3 demo floor). The tech is scheduled to hit the game's live servers toward the end of this month, and it'll be met with both huzzahs (from the roleplayers and the immersion enthusiasts) and WTFs (from the raiders and progression fiends).
Mists of Pandaria Beta: New female pandaren emotes added
If you watched our last video of the female pandaren emote animations, you may have noticed that some emotes were missing. The latest beta build seems to have added quite a few more, including a second idle animation. We've made a video of the newly added animations for you, including a shot of the secondary idle animation. Be sure to view it in high quality for the best picture. I think my two favorites on this particular roundup are the beg animation, which has a lot of subtle nuances in the face and posture of the model, and the new idle addition. For some reason, her new idle reminds me a lot of Ariel from The Little Mermaid, excitedly exploring. It suits the pandaren, since they've spent thousands of years on the Wandering Isle for the most part and away from the world at large. It's open warfare between Alliance and Horde in Mists of Pandaria, World of Warcraft's next expansion. Jump into five new levels with new talents and class mechanics, try the new monk class, and create a pandaren character to ally with either Horde or Alliance. Look for expansion basics in our Mists FAQ, or dig into our spring press event coverage for more details!
Breakfast Topic: What's your favorite emote in WoW?
I asked recently whether people agreed with me in my dislike of the emote /spit and got an interesting yet mixed response. A couple of responders mentioned that they'd like to see another emote in WoW -- and funny enough, I agreed with them! The amount of times I've absentmindedly typed /tongue, expecting to have my character stick their tongue out at my target ... and these commenters said they would like that included as well! I'd love that. To be positive rather than negative, what's your favorite emote in the game? I warn you now, I will shake my head disapprovingly at anyone who says it's /spit. However, like another commenter, I'll probably type /shake and end up shaking my rear at you instead! I reckon my favorite emote would be either /violin or /cower. I find /violin hilarious for some reason, and I enjoy the animation that goes with /cower, especially because it seems to be one of those that lasts until you move. You can /lol in the middle of a /cower, and you'll take a brief pause from cowering to laugh, then go right back to it! Simple things please simple minds, right? And if you're looking for inspiration, here's a list of all the emotes in the game.
Breakfast Topic: Does /spit need to go?
In the interest of full disclosure, I feel I should be totally honest with you all. I hate spitting. Of course, I know it has its uses -- one can't swallow toothpaste, after all -- but people spitting in the street? Gross, and completely unnecessary. When I used to cycle competitively, people did it all the time, and I hated it then, too. I was reading the comments on a recent Breakfast Topic and noticed that one thing that cropped up a bit in people's dislike of PvP was the use of unpleasant emotes by their enemies to rub in their victory or simply just as play progressed. This brought /spit to mind. It's something that I see every now and then, and I honestly cannot understand what possible purpose it ever served in the game or what purpose it continues to serve now, apart from providing another avenue for people to be unpleasant to one another. If there was one emote from WoW that I would remove, /spit is the one. But as I said, as a person who hates spitting, perhaps I'm just being unfair. So, dear readers, maybe you disagree? Or maybe there's another emote you dislike more than that one? I can put up with /rude, but not /spit. At least /rude can be funny if used at the right time and in the right context. What do you think?
Breakfast Topic: Does WoW need more emotes?
Emotes are ... well ... efficient. See that picture up there? It clearly communicates to you, the viewer, that this noble individual is involved in a thoroughly arduous task of navigation. Truly, William Rand and Andrew McNally would weep with joy. Unfortunately, before the lovely /map emote was added as part of patch 4.1, the last time new emotes were added to the game was as part of the Wrath of the Lich King expansion pack. That was more than three years ago. Personally, I'm a big fan of NCIS, and I would love a /headslap animation. What do you think? What new emotes should be added (keep it clean!)? Editor's Note: WTB /doublefacepalm, for when one /facepalm just isn't enough.
Some Assembly Required: Six must-haves for creative expression
Creativity. It is expressed in so many ways in so many mediums. Art, literature, architecture, music, performance... I love it all, conventional and unconventional. Heck, I revel in it! Why do you think my work and recreation include gaming? Wait, gaming?! You betcha! Beyond the artistry of the developers, MMORPGs offer outlets for player creativity in a variety of ways. I am not ashamed to admit that the primary reason I delve into MMORPGs is not for the gameplay but to explore and experience the creative expression of others (and to express some of my own as well). In fact, finding and sharing that very creativity by championing and highlighting player-generated content is precisely what Some Assembly Required is about. Between (or in lieu of) the hacking, the slashing, and the plundering, players seize proffered tools in myriad virtual realms to build works of art, pen masterpieces, construct edifices, compose melodies, and take the stage, all within the pixeled confines of a virtual world. Unfortunately, not all games have adequate tools for such creative expression. While inspired players can make do if they must, having supporting features exponentially enhances a game (and positively affects retention). Thankfully, some games provide a few standard-setting features that -- in my opinion -- should be included in every game on the market. Here are six of those must-have features.
Hyperspace Beacon: Roleplayer's rant
I don't like to rant. Really! Usually, ranting is full of emotionally charged rhetoric, and oftentimes it's riddled with inaccurate statements. I especially don't like to rant about something that I like a lot. For instance, Star Wars: The Old Republic has, by far, exceeded my personal expectations for any MMO; however, some missteps in production have tainted its perfection. (No, I'm not going to talk about Ilum again.) Of course, we are all looking for our version of perfection in an MMO, right? Unfortunately, no MMO will live up to that expectation. In fact, if I did find my version of MMO perfection, I would probably be the only one playing it. But I do believe I have ideas that those in my community could latch on to. They are also relatively simple. Yes, yes, I know nothing is ever as simple as it seems, but indulge me for a few moments. As many of you know, I enjoy roleplaying in my MMOs -- character creation, really. I'm not one of those roleplayers who hang out in a pub all day never experiencing any gameplay. Although there's nothing wrong with that, I find it a be a waste of $15 a month. I have complied what I believe will make the experience of SWTOR more enjoyable for those who enjoy playing the game like I do, and I think that those of you who don't necessarily like to roleplay per se but do like to create unique characters in the MMO space will agree that these are a must. I did set some personal criteria when compiling the list. For instance, I didn't want to break BioWare's general vision for the game. I also wanted to use existing items in the game so that my expectations were realistic -- no guild capital ships or image design system. And all of these items have been mentioned in print someplace before, so I'm not the only one who believes these should be implemented.
Wings Over Atreia: The twelve days of Solorius
Aren't I thoughtful? As my present to you, I am going to help banish those Solorius tunes that got stuck in your head a couple of weeks ago. How shall I accomplish this? No, not with a home-delivery amateur lobotomy or a plethora of psychotropics (though these could alternately be helpful I concede) but by replacing them of course! Yes, let's round out the season with a rousing rendition of The Twelve Days of Solorius. Last year, I shared my first ever Aion holiday wish list. Although nothing from that hopeful list was granted in 2011, there is promise of at least two of those items being introduced to Atreia next year! So while some may have considered my brazen declarations of wants an exercise in futility, I shan't abandon hope! After all, what is a holiday season without hope? Is there a little something special you'd like to see in Aion? Make your list then check mine twice past the cut.
Rise of Immortals MOBA launching September 12th
Ready for another MOBA title? Ready or not, there's a new one on the way, and Petroglyph has just announced that Rise of Immortals is set to launch on September 12th. The game is currently barreling through the final days of its open beta test, and as such you can still sign up and get a free preview as well as take home 1,000 Petroglyph coins and an exclusive immortal skin. Rise of Immortals is free-to-play, and the dev team is looking to expand the MOBA genre by adding features like social hubs, emotes, persistent character progression, and collectible combat and vanity pets. That's not all, either, and we'll have more details for you in next week's edition of Not So Massively!
'Will the door open?': CCP opens up about the future of EVE's avatars
Tactical Gamers has a lot of nice things to say about EVE Online's latest expansion, Incarna, but more than just fawning over the truly revolutionary ability to make avatars who walk around in a room, the site roped in two of the game's leads, CCP Soundwave and CCP Flying Scotsman, to jaw about the latest and greatest in the game. The first, and probably biggest, question for the devs was, "Will the captain's quarters doors ever open to allow avatars to interact with other players?" The devs confirmed that, yes, such a day is coming and will take place over a series of phases. The first stage is to include what CCP is calling "Establishments" in which players can mingle and take part in "various activities." Interestingly enough, the topic of emotes is a divisive subject among the CCP staff, with some arguing for their inclusion and others fearful that emotes will turn EVE into World of Warcraft, what with the dancing Elves on mailboxes and all. Emotes will be eventually added, but they will have "meaning" behind them. For more on Incarna, super-capitals and the future of the game, give this interview a listen!
Guild Wars ups the ante for PvP
"This has been a longstanding problem with our competitive formats," the June Guild Wars dev diary bemoans. "There are a great variety to try, but many people haven't found enough reasons to jump in." Hence the impetus behind Guild Wars' June update, which contains a number of new incentives to entice players into the PvP arenas. Some of the biggest changes include the ability to trade Z-coins, new PvP quests, and additional formats that award Zaishen Strongboxes. Another significant change to Guild Wars is that Alliance PvP formats now award Imperial faction. Imperial faction can be converted to one of three types, depending on the player's need: Luxon, Kurzick or Balthazar. This way a player can fight for one side but earn points toward the other, which should go a long way to increasing the frequency of matches. ArenaNet hopes that these changes will encourage players to branch out into different types of PvP instead of sticking to one format that's tied to specific rewards. There are plenty of other tweaks in this update, so be sure to read the full dev diary to learn about changes to titles, the Codex Arena, GvG emotes and more!
The Road to Mordor: Dungeon-running with Turbine
As we talked about last month, Turbine's toting around a double-barreled shotgun full of content that it's preparing to unload. While the biggest blast will undoubtedly be Lord of the Rings Online's third expansion, Rise of Isengard, the team is working hard to provide us with plenty to do between now and then. Part of that effort is directed at Update 3, which is currently scheduled to go live on May 23rd in North America and after June 1st for Europe when the LotRO Global Service takes effect and all of the accounts are moved under Turbine's purview. I eagerly sat down with Turbine's Aaron Campbell and Joe Barry for a play-through of Update 3's two new three-player instances, Halls of Night and Inn of the Forsaken. Both of these scalable instances will be available to a wide swath of players, and they feature mechanics and sights never before seen in the game. Also, they're wicked cool. So join me today as I take you on a brief tour of horrors and adventures beyond imagination. Has everyone used the restroom before we go? Are you sure? It's a long article; I don't want you leaving in the middle of it. OK, let's ride!
Hyperspace Beacon: Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter
It's interesting: When I'm intrenched in the news of Star Wars: The Old Republic, I tend to forget sometimes what people know and don't know. For instance, I love what I've seen of Guild Wars 2, but if you were to ask me, "Who is that tiny race with the big machines?" I would have to look it up. So it shouldn't have surprised me when I received an email a couple of days ago asking about non-combat activities in SWTOR. I know there has been talk of non-combat activities, but it's usually pushed to the side so that combat can take the forefront. I certainly don't blame anyone for that. Most players are interested in combat, and BioWare's marketing is, of course, going to focus on that. This message I received from Isaiah was concerning his whole guild. He asked the following: We are primarily interested in the RP aspects of the game. I theorized that the RP elements and player interactions on the RP servers will be community-regulated, meaning the players drive the RP as opposed to BioWare. BioWare briefly touched on crafting months ago, but nothing new has been revealed. What about mounts? Player housing and the ability to name our ships? What about non-armor clothing options and general RP immersion into the universe? I know it's a rather open-ended line of questioning, but do you have any insights or theories about non-combat activities in game? Beyond the break, I will answer these questions, and since he asked me about my theories, I will do a bit of that, too. See you on the other side.
Super Hero Squad Online shows some /emote-ion
Your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is at it again: swinging from the rooftops, snapping the next great shot for the Daily Bugle. But what is he capturing this time? It's certainly not a picture of himself saving the day. He's taking pictures of all his superhero friends posing in the streets of Superhero City. Super Hero Squad Online isn't all about saving the day every minute. Sometimes you just need to relax or maybe show off to your friends. Gazillion Entertainment and The Amazing Society have put together a trailer of all your favorite characters of SHSO showing off their emotes. From Black Panther playing with a ball of yarn to the Wasp riding a wild rodeo pigeon, superheroes know how to have fun, and in Super Hero Squad Online, these heroes are yours to command. Jump past the break to see the trailer for yourself, then fly on over to HeroUp.com to sign up for the beta, today!
Patch 4.1 PTR: New map animation coming
Our (my 10-man) prayers have been answered! /map has an animation now on the test realms, and it totally rules. For those of you who don't know about /map, the greatest emote in World of Warcraft, you need to try it out. There have been few times in WoW when I have felt more at peace with myself and my surroundings then when I have held my trusty map. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise -- /map is the best, most trustworthy, and amazing emote that will never let you down. And now it totally has a real map. You also may be thinking that the words in this post are intended to be humorous or spoken in a mocking or sarcastic tone. You are wrong. Join the /map brigade, and be one of the cool kids. Patch 4.1 cannot come soon enough. Thanks to reader Iceleaf for the tip! WoW Patch 4.1 is on the PTR and WoW Insider has all the latest news for you. From previews of the revamped Zul'Aman and Zul'Gurub to new Valor point mechanics to the new Archaeology items.
Wings Over Atreia: Anticipation, part deux
A bonding experience. Love ya man, really. Last week's article seems to have struck a nerve. I feel like I know more of you now on a more personal level. And that's not just because I skulk around Atreia spying! The thoughts and comments you have shared have reaffirmed how universal our experiences are; what we think is a slightly unique situation is really just like so many others (OK, maybe not the legionmate who walks around in a duck suit, but others). You know the saying "You are unique dear, just like everyone else." Whether we have Black wings or white, whether we're a PvPer or even a carebear, many of our hopes for Aion are really quite similar. But I digress. As promised, this week I continue with my happy rave (it's better than a rant, yes?) about some of the treats promised us in the upcoming 2.5 patch. And just like I would with a proper dessert, I saved the best for last. Or at least my favorite! This week, we look more in-depth at additional pets, additional instances, and additions to legions. Relive that yearning experienced when anticipating Christmas mornings of yore and join me past the cut to sneak a peek at our hopefully-soon-to-be unwrapped update goodies for Aion.
Wings Over Atreia: Anticipaaaaaaaaaaaation
You know the feeling -- you learn about some upcoming goodness and you want it. Or do you crave it? You can fall anywhere along the spectrum of anticipation, provoked by things you just look forward to all the way to things that make you squeal in schoolgirl giddiness at the mere thought! It's a game in and of itself. Such is the way of Aion updates, which tantalize and tease players for quite some time before going live (and even longer if you can translate the original Korean patch notes yourself!). Not yet having a release date for updates is not dampening the anticipation of many Daevas but rather is fueling it instead. So what brought about my musings on this topic? I squealed! More specifically, an announcement this week that put me right into the giddy mode: Winter is coming! George R.R. Martin's fifth book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series will release in July. Now, while my fangirliness in its supreme is reserved for this outstanding literature, I also have things that I am looking forward to in game. However, there are those who have a virtual heart attack when new goodies for Aion are announced; I have one legionmate who will only re-sub when update 2.5 rolls around and brings with it all the little bells and whistles he is pining for. It is quite interesting to listen as he randomly pops into Ventrilo to trumpet the greatness of this upcoming gaming salvation, then disappears again into the night. So what about 2.5 has my legionmate so excitable... and excited? Skip-to-my-lou past the cut to take a look at some of the upcoming features.
Wings Over Atreia: Shakespeare in Aion
OK, OK, maybe Shakespeare is a bit melodramatic, but the idea of taking on a role and playing it out on a stage is not a foreign idea -- even in Aion. It just so happens that this stage is not under your feet but in virtual space instead. Besides, I happen to love Shakespeare, so props to me for mentioning him in a gaming column! Now, I am the first to admit that NCsoft doesn't make it easy for a gamer to roleplay in Aion; there are scant few tools to support this style of play. But that doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Despite this dearth, there is in fact a whole community comprised of legions both large and small as well as individuals. These players use personal connections and a player-created chat channel in-game as well as external tools such as the Aion Roleplayers website to bind themselves together and support the community as a whole. So what exactly is roleplay, and how viable is it in the world of Atreia? Exit stage left (past the cut) to define RP, debunk some RP myths, and explore RP in general Aion.
