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Yarr! ArcheAge CBT4 video shows player piracy
Fancy being a pirate in the fantasy world of ArcheAge? You can, and all it takes is a ship and a crew of your best mates. A new player-made video shows off the game's naval combat potential, and the clip is basically three minutes of jaw-dropping PvP action. There's plenty of carnage courtesy of player-manned ship cannons and destructible hulls, and we can also see combatants crossing swords on the decks of enemy ships (if you look closely you'll catch a glimpse of a player using a hang-glider to travel from one ship to the next). The video also gives us a good look at ArcheAge's functional ship rigging, and you can see players unfurling sails, interacting with various ship controls, and even climbing a mast to the crow's nest. Check it out after the break.
New ArcheAge clip shows underwater environments
XLGAMES continues to roll out the interesting video clips for ArcheAge, and the latest such features a look at the sandpark title's underwater environments. While the game's oceans and waterways are quite beautiful when viewed from the deck of a ship, there's a whole new playfield that awaits gamers under the sea. The video shows off shipwrecks, resource gathering, and underwater fishing, and we're betting there are plenty of nautical monsters to hunt as well. Did we mention the retro dive helmets and scuba gear? See for yourself after the cut.
ArcheAge CBT4 extended to March 11th, 'if not later'
Those of you having fun in ArcheAge's fourth closed beta test will be happy to know that the party isn't stopping just yet. XLGAMES has announced a two-week extension for CBT4, ostensibly to subject the recently introduced siege system to more player-driven tests. Fan site ArcheAge Online says that "the beta will continue on until at least March 11th, if not later." ArcheAge is a fantasy title that seeks to meld the best parts of both sandbox and themepark design conventions. The game is the brainchild of Lineage creator Jake Song, and you can check out Massively's impressions of the beta via our CBT3 recap.
ArcheAge fan site features lots of CBT4 info
There's still no word on an English-language version of ArcheAge, but that isn't stopping fan sites like ArcheAge Source from digging up lots of interesting stuff on the Korean sandpark title. The site has a wealth of information covering several aspects of ArcheAge's fourth closed beta phase, including multiple skill guides, lore, and various videos. If that's not enough for you, there's also the latest beta patch notes that are available via Google translate. Check them out to learn more about siege ladders, the game's family system, and importing your own graphics for cloaks and ship sails. [Thanks to Andrew for the tip!]
XL releases new ArcheAge combat trailer
If you're already looking forward to the start of ArcheAge's fourth Korean closed beta test, XLGAMES has a new gameplay video that will probably launch your excitement level into the stratosphere. Though it's a short clip, it boasts a lot of siege footage (including some spiffy shots from above as player-controlled hang-gliders fly over the action). We also get a brief look at a few of the game's combat spells as well as PvE clashes with a couple of sizable boss monsters. ArcheAge is a sandpark title being developed in Korea by XLGAMES and Lineage creator Jake Song. Thus far there are no public plans for a western beta or release.
XLGAMES shows off new ArcheAge CBT4 teaser
XLGAMES has released a new teaser trailer for ArcheAge, presumably to mock those of us who haven't yet managed to snag an invite to the sandpark title's fourth Korean closed beta test. The clip shows a small invasion force traveling by ship towards one of the game's continents and, as usual, the visuals on display are a cut above (way above) the MMORPG norm. Strangely, there's no combat on display during the trailer's two-minute running time, but there's plenty of atmosphere, ambiance, and anticipation just in case you weren't already beside yourself with excitement. Check out the full clip after the break and let us know what you think.
New Archeage CBT4 clip shows expanded character options
If the latest XLGAMES' video is any indication, there have been some significant changes to ArcheAge since the close of last spring's third Korean beta. A new clip recently uploaded to the development firm's YouTube account shows off a new login screen, new avatar models, new character creation options, and new music. Our experience of the game's CBT3 phase found the character customization a bit lacking (mostly because a ton of the options were greyed out), but it looks like XL is going to remedy that by adding a lot more functionality for CBT4. Have a look at the new clip after the break.
New ArcheAge clip shows off CBT4 transportation
Starving ArcheAge fans, take heart. With the onset of the game's fourth Korean closed beta test, we'll likely be seeing more news and views from the upcoming fantasy sandpark over the next few weeks. Today's reveal is a two-minute video focusing on the game's mounts, and while there are a couple of clips that we've seen before (notably portions of the hang-gliding footage and the airship shots), there is a whole bunch of new stuff as well. There are the requisite horses, of course, but also some nifty steampunk automated carriage thingamabobs. The video also features some mouth-watering shots of player ships complete with unfurling sails, what appears to be functional rigging, and players climbing masts, turning the ship's wheel, and more. See for yourself after the cut.
XL Games teases new ArcheAge screenshots
ArcheAge may be a ways off from its North American and European debut, but that's not stopping fans of XL Games' upcoming sandpark from scouring the far corners of the web for the latest news. Today we've got a few new screenshots for you to ogle, and they cover everything from the fantasy title's stunning naturescapes, to some newly revealed personal-sized boats, to what appears to be one of the hang-gliders from the ChinaJoy trailer released earlier this year. Fan site ArcheAge Online has the details, and the source article says that XL is teasing these shots as a quick preview of what players can expect during the fourth phase of Korean closed beta testing. CBT4 doesn't have a fixed schedule as of yet, but we'll keep you up to date on it, as well as all the latest ArcheAge news as it happens.
Blade & Soul beta videos show more Assassin footage, dungeon combat
Blade & Soul's closed beta phases are a tough ticket for American game journalists, but luckily many of the Korean testers have been capturing their experiences and uploading the videos to YouTube. MMO Culture has collected a few of these choice morsels, and there is a range of gameplay on display including more Assassin class combos and abilities (this time in a game context instead of a promotional clip) as well as quite a bit of dungeon-crawling footage. The videos, which you can view after the cut, show a mixture of solo and group play in a couple of different environments. While most of the clips are around 10 minutes in length (or under), there's quite a lot to take in if you're unfamiliar with the martial arts MMO. Blade & Soul is being developed by NCsoft and is currently undergoing its second Korean closed beta test. The company has yet to announce plans to market the title in Europe or America.
Blade & Soul adds new zone for Korean CBT2
We haven't heard much about Blade & Soul of late, but the Korean martial arts MMORPG from NCsoft is still alive and kicking. The game's second closed beta phase starts August 29th, and according to ThisIsGame.com, the invite-only testers will have a new zone to explore. The Great Desert looks to be the primary stomping ground for CBT2, as the dastardly villain who killed your master at the beginning of Blade & Soul's story has fled to the region and is leading players on a merry chase through the game world. In terms of gameplay proper, the Great Desert is said to feature 10 instanced dungeons, but beyond that we don't know much about it as of yet. We'll bring you more info on the new testing phase as soon as it becomes available.
ArcheAge CBT3 review talks crafting, labor points, and nautical exploration
If you've been curious about the crafting and gathering systems in XL Games' forthcoming ArcheAge sandbox, you'll want to check out the third and final part of ArcheAge-Online's extensive CBT3 review. The piece has a detailed breakdown on the game's labor point system (a third point pool, if you will, much like more traditional health and mana pools). Labor points are somewhat scarce despite regenerating over time, and most of the game's non-combat activities require them (harvesting apples from apple trees, chopping down said trees, building furniture and boats, etc.). It's a unique system, and ArcheAge-Online goes into the nitty gritty of the mechanics and offers up plenty of opinion as well. The review also features commentary and video footage on sailing and nautical exploration, with interesting tidbits about boat construction and the discovery of player settlements on uncharted islands off the beaten path. Head to ArcheAge-Online for more.
Massively Exclusive: The sweet and sour of ArcheAge's third closed beta
Forgive me for getting this out of the way up front: I frickin' hate betas. Loathe them. Avoid them like the plague, usually. Why then, did I find myself foregoing sleep for the better part of last week to log into XL Games' third closed beta test for ArcheAge? Curiosity, for sure, and maybe just a hint of desperation. As the MMORPG genre moves farther and farther away from the types of games worlds that drew me in a decade ago, the chance to get a preview of what some fans are hoping is the next great AAA sandbox was enough to overwhelm my betaphobia. It's been quite some time since I've glanced out my window to see the sun rise while playing an MMORPG through the night, and ArcheAge definitely has its claws in me at this point. Is it the next great sandbox, though? Is it even a sandbox at all? Can XL successfully meld two design philosophies (sandbox and themepark) that are, in many ways, polar opposites? Those questions are difficult to answer, but join me after the cut and I'll give it a shot.
ArcheAge producer talks tanking, adventure system, and closed beta
AAportal has translated a new interview with XL Games lead designer Kim Kyung-Tae, and the piece sheds a bit of light on what players can expect in ArcheAge's third Korean closed beta test later this month. The event is designed for 5,000 players and will feature newly enabled game systems including adventures, battlefields, and instanced dungeons. The interview boasts several interesting nuggets, chief among them a brief description of ArcheAge's adventure content. "Adventure content works by a system of hints: the player can randomly find a clue or hint how to find a special place. If you collect enough hints to find it, you will see a special item or monster. These can't be found in normal ways, only through the adventure contents, so it is not related to leveling up," Kim explains. Adventure system rewards won't replace quest or crafted items and instead exist "just for fun." Kim also has some intriguing things to say about the MMO trinity, more specifically the fact that gameplay in ArcheAge doesn't require a tank. "The overall gameplay will be around using various devices and cooperating with other players in the party. In real life, no one should be able to tank a big monster, and instead take it down with trickery. We want it to be the same in the game." The interview also features discussion on siege mechanics, housing, and travel systems, and you can read the full text at AAportal.
ArcheAge fly-through video sighted in the wild
Waiting with bated breath for more information about the XL Games sandbox title called ArcheAge? We are too, and rest assured that we're working on the Jake Song-led dev team to try to get some answers regarding the mysterious Korean import. In the meantime, we're keeping our eyes peeled for new videos, whether they're snippets of closed beta footage or officially sanctioned trailers like the one we've found for you today. While the last video focused heavily on naval combat and player ships, today's three-minute opus is a bit more tranquil, featuring fly-through footage of some of the game's vast explorable areas. You'll see everything from mist-shrouded forests and mountainous highlands to Middle Eastern-flavored harbor towns and sprawling medieval-style villages. Check out the goods after the cut or on YouTube.
