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The Daily Grind: Do you grind for max level prior to a cap increase?
So Rise of the Hutt Cartel descended on Star Wars: The Old Republic last week, bringing with it some new content and five additional levels. BioWare hosted a series of double XP weekends leading up to the expansion's early release, presumably to aid players in getting a few of their avatars to the level cap. I partook as much as I could, but I didn't quite make it as I'm still sitting at 48 on my Gunslinger. I'm not usually a grinder, but for some reason I found myself disappointed that I didn't hit the cap before it was raised. What about you, Massively readers? Do you grind for max level when you know a cap increase is on the way, or do you just go about your normal business and enjoy the experience? 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!
God of War: Ascension update increases level cap, fixes audio glitches
God of War: Ascension's 1.04 multiplayer update, outlined by Sony Santa Monica designer Vincent Napoli in a new PlayStation Blog post, will bump up the level cap over 30 and through the "Elite Levels," up to 40. These new levels will enable a new item, two relics, and a new ultimate magic spell for the game's four allegiances.The update will also include a multiplayer stats screen and a number of bug fixes. Audio issues are the biggest priority there, but problems with matchmaking and certain weapon unlocks are also due to be fixed in this update. There's no official release date for the patch yet, but Napoli says it's on the way.
Breakfast Topic: How do you level?
Leveling in World of Warcraft is a rite of passage that we all must go through in order to reach max level where we can play with our friends. Though for alt-a-holics -- and I'm starting to think I may be one of them -- leveling is the whole point of the game. But whether you're leveling for the first time or the hundredth, whether you're speeding through or taking time to enjoy the scenery, chances are you have your own way of going about things. So when you're on the leveling treadmill, what's your choice? For my part, I tend to quest through zones -- especially if they're zones I haven't been through before. But if I'm stuck in zones that I've been through before, perhaps many times before, things get awfully tedious, thus ending my life potential alt-a-holism. But do you quest, dungeon, subsist on dailies and rested XP, or something else entirely? Let us know, so we may commiserate about the leveling treadmill together!
Daily iPhone App: Cling is a platformer that will grab you
Platformers are a tough genre to pull off on a touchscreen. There are a few solid core platformers out there for iOS (Mikey Shorts is probably my favorite), but in general, the lack of tactile buttons and relative shortage of screen space make really precise, strong 2D platforming games hard to do on Apple's devices. Cling, however, is a platformer put together by a team called First5 Games, and it slickly dodges the whole problem of imprecise virtual buttons by using a virtual joystick instead. The hero of the game is a little toy creature similar to the old "wall-crawler" rubber toys popular a while back, where you could stick them on a surface and they'd slowly "climb" down it. Edgar is this creature's name, and he can get around in the game by grabbing on to different pegs, and using those to move through the game's various levels. There are a few different varieties of pegs (some attract, some repel), but the main mechanic here is that if you're not near a peg, you can't control your little guy, which means that some of the levels have to be approached very carefully. It's a really interesting concept, and it turns the idea of a platformer (a game where you jump from platform to platform) upside down. "Jumping" in this game means vaulting yourself from a series of pegs, and if you go off at the wrong speed or angle, it's game over, time to restart the level. In that sense, Cling is a really interesting experiment, and it's well worth a try, especially if you're a fan of platformers, for the price of just 99 cents. The game just got an update recently and unfortunately it seems to have introduced some bugs. But that issue should be fixed soon, and even until then, it shouldn't prevent you from giving this one a look.
Enter at Your Own Rift: The burden of leveling
I've seen a lot of positive comments about RIFT: Storm Legion so far, many of which are praising the expansion's zone designs, the new classes, and especially the Dimensions housing system. However, it seems that there's another comment that pops up frequently that's not as kind: It takes way too long to level from 50 to 60. For some of you, this may be moot. You might already be level 60, have multiple 60s, or have been 60 since the day after Storm Legion came out. For others who aren't even level 50 yet, the expansion might sound a bit intimidating because of the hefty XP requirements to move that level marker up one number. In any case, I think that a good number of us can agree that it's definitely a slow process that detracted from rather than added to the experience of Storm Legion. I've got several thoughts about how leveling in RIFT has become a burden instead of a blessing, how Trion is reshaping the XP game, and what this might portend for the future of the title.
Battleblock Theater will have 200 playable characters, and at least one duck
Developer The Behemoth has been toiling away on its latest, Battleblock Theater, for a while now, and all we've learned about the game has come from a few scant glances at various industry events. But the game is finally code complete, so the developer is being a little more forthcoming with details.On the latest company blog, the team goes through the numbers on the new game: There will be over 200 characters to unlock (compared to Castle Crashers' 30), over 200 levels to play through, and over 10 "weapontools" to use. There will also be a full slate of online multiplayer modes, Achievements and avatar awards to earn, and a "soundtrack created by well-known artists and members of our community" (that community being Newgrounds, which was created by The Behemoth co-owner Tom Fulp).The dev has also shared a video (above) of artist Dan Paladin working on some of the creations in the game. The Behemoth promises more announcements later this year – here's hoping they'll finally be able to bring this long-awaited game to players soon.
Firefall video blog says farewell to levels, hello to skill
The team at Red 5 Studios has been working hard on making Firefall the best game it can be, and as it turns out, that happens to be a game without traditional levels. A new video blog featuring lead designer Scott Youngblood and development VP James Macauley drops the news that the level system is being discarded and replaced with a much more organic system for player growth. Under the new system, players still earn EXP. That EXP will be spent on specific upgrades at a player's discretion rather than marking off specific levels, allowing you to unlock the upgrades that feel relevant in the order you want them. It also places less emphasis on levels in head-to-head matchups, something Macauley stresses is important to the team. There's more than just the removal of levels at work, however; the development team is also overhauling crafting to be more complex and rewarding as well as developing a new system of equipment tiers to keep players advancing. The full diary just past the break only gives brief glimpses of several new systems, but Firefall fans should be quite happy with what's over the horizon.
Daily iPad App: Feed Me Oil HD
Chillingo's Feed Me Oil was released a little while ago, and it's a solid game that didn't get a ton of press when it first dropped. The reason for that is probably because it's somewhat similar to Where's My Water, in that you're trying to get a fluid simulation into a certain place on the screen by tweaking physics-enabled objects in the world. But while Where's My Water was all about digging, Feed Me Oil is much more about creation -- you place objects like platforms and wheels in the world to try and get the "black gold" flowing where you need it to go. Like pretty much all of Chillingo's other titles, there is lots of content here to play through: Lots of levels and puzzles with an increasing number of objects to use and move around to your heart's content. And while the game is on the iPhone as well, it's much better on the iPad -- the graphics are bigger and the objects are easier to manipulate in the game's space. Feed Me Oil is an excellent game, and especially because it's on sale today for completely free. Check it out.
Five top tips for your first few days of Diablo III
Diablo III officially launched at midnight last night, opening the floodgates on what is possibly the most pre-ordered PC game in history. It's been almost 12 years since the previous game in the series launched, and it's still going to this day. Whether you've played previous games, have taken part in the Diablo III beta or are taking your first steps into Sanctuary today, everyone starts with a clean slate. In this article, I give my top five tips for spending your first few days wisely in Diablo III. #5 - Spend most of your time on one character It seems like a bit of a no-brainer to initially focus on one character, but in Diablo III's case, there's a special reason to do it. You'll likely finish normal mode around level 20-30, and until then, you'll get a new skill almost every level. It's only when you've completed normal mode and moved on to nightmare that the challenge really starts and you will have picked out an effective set of skills. Your last active skill unlocks at level 30, and from then on you'll gain a combination of two to three runes or passive skills every level until you hit the level cap at 60. Read on for four more tips you should keep in mind as you start playing Diablo III.
Iris Online opens the Lost Temple of Atlantis
Iris Online players are in for a treat today because it's patch day. And not just the small sort of patch with a bunch of bugfixes, either -- this is the big kind, the kind that opens up new areas and expands the level cap. In fact, it's exactly that kind, as today's update opens four new zones and the Lost Temple of Atlantis for player exploration. The temple is meant as the most challenging dungeon in the game and contains a variety of treasures for players braving its depths. Beyond the temple, the new zones give players new chances to strike back and liberate the land from the Sahar, complete with new quests to enjoy. Those new quests will also help as players head for the new level cap of 75, but if that alone isn't enough, the development team is doubling all EXP and SXP rates until April 29th. Players can also earn special treasure boxes for a limited time, a little extra boost for enjoying the game's new content. [Source: gPotato press release] %Gallery-104882%
Angry Birds Space, Jetpack Joyride, Anomaly Warzone Earth all updated
Angry Birds Space has gotten a free update that adds ten new levels to the extremely popular bird-tossing game. There are ten new icy planets to orbit around, and the update (on iOS, at least) also provides twenty free Space Eagles to play with, and the option to earn one more free per day. Jetpack Joyride finally got its big 1.3 update, adding new gadgets that tweak the gameplay in helpful, hurtful, or wacky ways. And finally, the great Anomaly Warzone Earth HD was also updated, to be compatible with the Retina display on the new iPad. It's on sale right now as a result, available for just US$1.99.
The Daily Grind: Should MMOs bestow account rewards based on character power?
A few months ago, we asked whether you prefer studios to assign vet rewards and similar bonuses to your accounts or your characters. But we've never asked whether you think games should grant out-of-game rewards to players whose accounts have characters of a certain level of power, and that's because it's so rare. In fact, I can't think of a game that's done so other than Star Wars: The Old Republic, which stunned just about everyone this week by announcing a free month of playtime to players who just so happened to have reached level 50, a plan amended yesterday to require instead a certain tier of legacy experience. Cynical readers suggest that such a move panders to those most likely to leave (thus affecting subscription tallies) and betrays the loyalty of day-one veterans who play several lowbie characters rather than focus their attention on a single toon. After all, why should it matter how far your characters have progressed when you're paying the same monthly sub as everyone else? What do you think -- do you want to see other studios dole out playtime and other rewards based on your character's level or gear or other arbitrary measurements of success and achievement? 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!
Uncharted 3's discarded level ideas
Uncharted 3 didn't just pop out of Naughty Dog's studio, polished and fully formed, without any work from the developers themselves. Part of that "work" process involves pitching and sometimes discarding a level idea or two -- or 12. Naughty Dog has released a dozen images of the Uncharted 3 that could have been, along with a brief description of each, to IGN.One canceled level is the "Foggy Forest," pictured above, which transformed into the French Chateau setting in the final game, with less mist and early-morning light. "The Sand Pit" had Sandlantis hidden in a desert sinkhole and the "Floating Reservoir" would have seen Drake fight his way up the inside of an oil reservoir in the shipyard.Check out all of the would-have-been, could-have-been ideas here.
Galcon's Phil Hassey plans a one-way trip to Anathema Mines
Phil Hassey has had some success on the App Store with the popular Galcon, and last week at GDC in San Francisco, he was showing off a game that's actually been in development for quite a while. Anathema Mines, Hassey says, actually has some ideas he's been playing with for a long time, dating all the way back to a few game jams as early as 2005. He's finally reached the point, however, where the idea of the game is solid enough for a release, and Anathema Mines is aiming to arrive on Steam for PC and Mac first, and then the Mac App Store and eventually an iOS version as well. The title is a moody, 2D stealth level-based affair. Your little character is dropped into what looks like a cave at first with nothing at all, and then you're eventually given a flashlight and bombs as items. Bombs can be used to both blow up walls and even shape the level itself, by clearing out cave areas in circular blasts. By the end of the first of 30 levels, however, you run into a guard, and that's where the game's stealth elements come in. Guards in the mines will shoot on sight, and there's no health bars: If you're seen, you're done. So the goal becomes to watch the guards' lines of sight as you go, sneaking around as carefully as you can, trying to find the level's exit. On my first playthrough, I quickly learned that guards were attracted to the sound of bombs going off, and it's easy enough, with just one guard around, to set up a trap and clear them out of the way. But of course later levels get more and more complicated, and each level you're charged with re-finding your items -- Hassey says he likes that sense of being a little lost every time the level starts up. In a later level, I had to clear out three different walls by grabbing a series of colored ID cards, and each card required a different technique to clear past the guards, from simply sneaking around to distracting them with bomb blasts. Anathema Mines is fun and a little spooky -- the game's tense stealth action goes well with the dark graphical schemes. Hassey says he plans for the final game to have about 30 levels, though not all of them are quite done yet. And he says he's had a "fun time making it so that every single light impacts the gameplay." Later in the game, there are apparently Cave Trolls that will charge you directly -- unless you have your flashlight on to push them away. Sounds good. Anathema Mines will be out, says Hassey, "when it's done."
Twitter app, Cut the Rope, SpellTower, SpellCraft School of Magic all updated
We don't usually cover every single update that arrives on the App Store, simply because there are so many apps out there and so many developers working hard all the time. But a number of very popular apps have updated recently, so here's a few big apps with lots of new content to see. The official Twitter app has been updated, specifically the iPhone version. The update allows you to use swipes to gesture around the app, copy and paste the links and text in actual tweets, and many other performance improvements and polishes. It's not a huge update, but it's worth downloading when it shows up in your iTunes or App Store update screen (though let me tell you, if you haven't experienced Tweetbot yet, you're missing out on a great alternative to the official app). Cut the Rope Experiments has gotten its Bath Time update, with 25 new levels, a new playable character, new achievements, and a new leaderboard to play with. It's a solid and highly anticipated update. Zach Gage's great SpellTower word game is getting a big update, which will include both a new multiplayer option and a few other game modes. Multiplayer will work across different iOS devices, too, so you can play with an iPad against players on iPhone, or vice versa. SpellCraft: School of Magic is getting updated to version 1.1 later this week (never mind -- it's out right now). It's a big update for the freemium title that adds lots of new customization options and spells, a healing spell that players can actually grow and craft (so they don't need to use or buy potions all the time), and a new plant that translates directly into gold. There are also some performance improvements and bug fixes included as well. That's four great apps made even better by their developers. If you've purchased them in the past, download away.
NeverDead DLC coming Feb. 21 with new playable character and modes
Konami's making sure NeverDead lives up to its name with the first downloadable content pack, available on February 21. "NeverDead Expansion Pack Volume 1" will let you try a new playable character and play co-op challenges with pop star Nikki Summerfield. The pack will also let you visit an expanded version of the Asylum level, with three new challenges, including taking hold of "score zones," racing across the map through a series of traps and hazards, and a mode called Onslaught, in which you unlock the zone section-by-section by defeating enemies.The expansion will also give segmented hero Bryce Boltzmann two new costumes to dress up in, and you can see some shots of the content in the gallery below. Our NeverDead review called Summerfield a "whiny pop singer," but hey, maybe spending a little more time with her will make you see her in a whole new light.%Gallery-146738%
The Daily Grind: How often do you want new abilities?
We're all very familiar with the term "ding." We're also familiar with the immediate follow-up to a ding -- namely, figuring out what new stuff you get following a new level. Of course, that varies a lot depending on the game. Guild Wars will give players new abilities all the time, whether or not you hit a new level, but Star Trek Online only offers up a new set of abilities every 10 levels or so (equipment notwithstanding). Granted, if a game gives you abilities infrequently, each one tends to be more vital to your overall play experience. Having a wider spread of abilities means more choices, but it also means that each individual skill doesn't matter as much. So which do you prefer? Would you like to be swimming in new abilities and new tricks at every new level? Or would you prefer a slow roll, with new skills coming infrequently but being special when they do come? 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!
Disney introduces new 'Cranky's Story' levels for Where's My Water
Disney has released the very first new content pack for the extremely popular Where's My Water, "Cranky's Story." It features 40 new levels for the price of 99 cents. Instead of guiding clean water to a shower head as you did in the original game, this update has you direct dirty water to Cranky's plate so he can eat his "junk food." Where's My Water is a breakthrough title for Disney. Not only has it been phenomenally popular on iOS, but the game's also been released on other mobile platforms, and the free web version appeared in a campaign about clean drinking water. Disney is currently working on animated media about the game's characters, so this has turned into a pretty substantial franchise for the House of Mouse. This update raises the game's profile and demonstrates Disney's investment in iOS and this property. Fans of the game should find the update in the App Store now.
The Daily Grind: Do you rush to endgame?
Welcome to the endgame... the endgame of 2011! We gamers love to say that MMOs are about the journey, not the destination, but that doesn't seem to stop us from zipping up the levels the instant a game or expansion launches. Hardcore players had hit level 50 in Star Wars: The Old Republic within just a few days of the pre-order early access, before the game had even landed on store shelves. In a game designed to be about telling and participating in a story, players have to be the firstest with the mostest -- the first to cap, the first to get achievements, the first to beat bosses, even the first to master tradeskills. The game doesn't reward you for stopping to smell the flowers, after all. Of course, hardcore achiever players are often the first to start moping when they realize they've burned through months of content in a week -- and all their friends are still busy catching up anyway. What about you, Massively folks? Do you take your time, savoring all the sights and really drinking in the game on your first playthrough -- or do you rush to the lonely endgame? 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!
Leaderboard: Level-based vs. skill-based
When you think about it, the concept of "levels" in MMOs is downright strange -- and contrary to how we live life. I mean, do you suddenly "ding" to a new, arbitrary level after gaining a whole bunch of generic XP for killing spiders because your spouse/roommate/sibling is too scared to do so? Or do you increase your skills and abilities separately through training, learning and practice? And yet level-based gameplay continues to dominate the MMORPG field, since along the way game designers thought we were too dumb to comprehend anything other than "Big number good. Small number bad." Although, to be fair, level-based gameplay has widespread recognition going for it, a quick and simple way to gauge your status versus an enemy's, and a long and storied tradition in video game history. Then again, there are a few MMOs that have said, no, we're going to give skill-based gameplay a try. These are the titles that allow you to focus on some abilities above others, deepening your character's growth at the cost of increased complexity (not to mention increased difficulty for devs to balance!). Whether it's accumulating a collection of skills or simply choosing which ones to improve, this type of system allows for more individual choice. Ultimately, the choice is yours as it is today. Which do you prefer: MMOs that go the level-based route or the skill-based one? Vote after the jump!
