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Eberron and beyond: Seven years of Dungeons and Dragons Online
Dungeons and Dragons Online has always been a strange creature in the realm of MMOs. Ever since its launch, it decided to veer off in its own direction instead of following the rest of the pack. It brought back complicated character creation, somehow worked the arcane rules of D&D into an MMO format, and put a huge emphasis on group instanced content instead of world exploration. Then when Turbine turned DDO into an experimental platform for a successful free-to-play model, suddenly the rest of the industry was following DDO instead. Virtually overnight, a small-teetering-on-extinction MMO became a modest hit well into its lifespan. As DDO celebrates its seventh anniversary and looks back on the past year, let's look at how this odd duck of a game continues to surprise and delight gamers. Join us as we consider the journey that bridged the gap from last February to this one -- and see if, just maybe, DDO is calling you to roll its dice once more.
Taking the high road with DDO's Update 16
You know how the saying goes: Neither wind nor rain nor hurricane will keep Turbine from its appointed rounds. While the studio lost power due to this past week's Hurricane Sandy, all of its games kept on ticking. Dungeons and Dragons Online Senior Producer Eric Boyer said the studio is generally hurricane-proof. "The servers are in a secret location powered by magic and are not affected by anything," he laughed. "Well, most anything." We spoke with Boyer on the phone about DDO's second post-expansion update, which is loosely scheduled to hit the game in a couple of weeks. Update 16: The Netherese Legacy will continue the Forgotten Realms storyline that began with Menace of the Underdark and Update 15. It's an update that takes us down a famous path, introduces a new enemy faction, and gives additional love to the fledgling Druid class.%Gallery-170124%
The Perfect Ten: Worst expansion names of all time
When SOE announced that EverQuest's 19th expansion would be titled Rain of Fear, I instantly found myself tripping over the name. I shouldn't have -- it's a few simple words that are first round picks for spelling contests -- but it defied the traditional naming conventions for MMO expansions. Many people I talked to kept wanting to write "reign" instead because "rain" seemed like a deliberate misspelling by some intern in Smedley's empire. Homophones aside, Rain of Fear is hardly the worst expansion title I've ever seen. The industry has had its share of bad names, from the confusing to the downright unpronounceable. Sure, we get used to these titles, and perhaps it's nit-picky to lug them out at such a late point in many of their lifespans, but petty is my middle name. My first name is Tom. And these are 10 poorly named expansions. Deal with it.
PAX Prime 2012: DDO has been busy
Dungeons and Dragons Online has been keeping its dev team incredibly busy. It wasn't too long ago that the Menace of the Underdark expansion came out, and hot on its heels came update 15, the Song of Druid's Deep. Did you blink? Have you missed some of what's been going on? Luckily for you, we caught up with the Turbine team at PAX and have everything you need to know to get up to speed. Menace of the Underdark introduced the world of the Forgotten Realms by leading players through the Demonweb, into the Underdark, and out into Faerûn and the town of Eveningstar. The Song of Druid's Deep update sends out the first tendrils of adventure into the wide world around Eveningstar. Players have to deal with a growing corruption -- zombie-like plant beings and infected humans and dryads -- and chase it to its putrid heart. If you want an in-depth look at the update, be sure to read our hands-on article about the Druid's Deep experience. Update 15 comes not only with new quests and monsters, but the digital version of the time-honored monster manuals. Players with monster manuals can earn rewards, including Turbine points for big achievements and exclusive creature companions for the biggest achievements, while keeping track of all the terrifying foes they've faced. Additionally, there is a variant of the Ruined Keep challenge called the Daybreak Ritual. The team isn't slowing down. With plans for a few quality of life fixes in the very near future and update 16 in November, Turbine is keeping up its quick pace. Update 16 will bring in five new quests, another wilderness area, and an emphasis on creating real connection between the areas of Faerûn. Massively's on the ground in Seattle during the weekend of August 31st - September 2nd, bringing you all the best news from PAX Prime 2012. Whether you're dying to know more about WildStar, PlanetSide 2, RIFT: Storm Legion, or any MMO in between, you can bet we'll have it covered!
A song of trees and fire: A deeper look at DDO's Update 15
Earlier this week, Turbine released Update 15: Song of Druid's Deep for Dungeons and Dragons Online. Seeing as this was the first post-expansion update and that it took us further into the Forgotten Realms setting, we had to get a closer look at what Update 15 added to the game. Lead Content Designer Ricardo Liu and Community Manager Amanda Grove invited us along to a tour of the new content. Liu said that the speed of Update 15's arrival is a sign that Turbine wants to kick up the pace of releases. The update includes a new four-quest adventure pack, the monster manual, and an additional challenge. With Update 15, many more options are available in the DDO store. Turbine's set the pricing as follows: Menace of the Underdark adventure packs are 2495 Turbine Points for all, account-wide epic destiny unlock is 995 TP, the Eveningstar Challenge Pack is free for VIPs and 695 TP for others, and the Druid class is free for VIPs and 1495 TP for others. The pricing details out of the way, we got right into the fun of all of Update 15's new adventures. It's a tale that will give the green thumbs among you a plague of nightmares.
DDO Update 15 goes live with new adventure pack
Never letting a little thing like releasing an expansion pack slow them down, the developers at Turbine have pumped out the first post-Menace of the Underdark update for Dungeons and Dragons Online. Update 15: Song of Druid's Deep significantly adds on to the expansion content, including the titular adventure pack for high-level characters. This adventure pack includes four quests and comes in two varieties: level 17 and 23. There's also a new challenge called The Ruined Keep: The Daybreak Ritual which is being included with the Eveningstar challenge pack. On top of that, the latest update for DDO includes a "monster manual" that can be filled out for extra rewards, the ability to purchase the expansion through the DDO store, and several tweaks for the wet-behind-the-ears Druid class.
D&D Online's Song of Druid's Deep screenshots released
It's been a little while since Dungeons & Dragons Online's Menace of the Underdark expansion came out, which means it must be time for a content update. Surely enough, Monday, August 20th, will be playing host to the launch of the game's Update 15: Song of Druid's Deep. The update will bring in a new Monster Manual and a brand-new adventure pack with new dungeons and exciting monsters. You can get a sneak peek of three of the dungeons -- Outbreak, Overgrowth, and Thorn & Paw -- right here! Check out the gallery below to get a glimpse of what awaits you in the Song of Druid's Deep. [Source: Turbine press release] %Gallery-162605%
Jukebox Heroes Extra: Five exclusive DDO music tracks for your listening pleasure
I'll be honest: Part of the reason I'm doing this column is to get my grubby mitts (and ears) on as much MMO music as possible. So while it's great to talk with composers about their projects, I'm even more interesting in hearing the finished result. For a companion piece to my Chance Thomas interview, Turbine sent over five exclusive tracks from Dungeons and Dragons Online: Menace of the Underdark. Sound Video Technology Director Steve DiGregorio wrote, performed, and recorded each of these, as both he and Thomas collaborated on Turbine's two expansions. In addition to the tracks and my thoughts on them, DiGregorio provided descriptions of each for illumination. Are you excited? I know I am, so let's hop to it!
Jukebox Heroes: Chance Thomas talks about scoring Turbine's expansions
For many Lord of the Rings Online players, the name Chance Thomas is synonymous with the feel of virtual Middle-earth. From the earliest days in the game, explorers have traversed the Shire, Moria, and beyond listening to Thomas' melodies. So we were excited to hear that Turbine is bringing Thomas back to score not only Riders of Rohan (his first soundtrack for the game since Mines of Moria) but also Dungeons and Dragons Online: Menace of the Underdark as well. Thomas is an Oscar- and Emmy-winning composer who's been working primarily in the field of video game music since 1998. Being a huge fan of MMO soundtracks, I made it a personal quest to talk with him about these two new scores and how he feels about working in this genre. In the weeks ahead, I'll be reviewing both Rohan and Underdark's soundtracks, but today I wanted to focus on the man behind the music. Join me, then, as we embark on a voyage to worlds far away, sailing on the wings of a song. Geez, that's cheesy, ain't it?
D&D Online showcases two more Menace of the Underdark dungeons
If you have the urge to hack-and-slash your way through some undead or test your mettle against a new type of demon, Dungeon and Dragons Online's recent expansion Menace of the Underdark has just the two dungeons for you. The Unquiet Graves dungeon features Drow necromancers desecrating a once-peaceful graveyard and constantly reanimating the bodies of the dead. The second dungeon, The Deal and the Demon, pairs players with the notorious mercenaries, the Yugoloth, to get rid of a demon lord deep inside the Demonweb. Peer into these new dungeons in the gallery below. [Source: Turbine press release]%Gallery-148679%
DDO opens a window to Menace of the Underdark raid
While Dungeons and Dragons Online: Menace of the Underdark has been out almost a month now, there's still a lot of the new expansion that remains to be seen by the public. One of these views is that of the final boss of the capstone 12-person raid, Lolth. Turbine's sent in a few pictures showing this intense battle between level 25 players and her royal spiderness in the Demonweb. Check them out! That's not a suggestion; it's an order. [Source: Turbine press release] %Gallery-148679%
DDO shows off new expansion dungeon House of Broken Chains
Dungeons and Dragons Online's first expansion Menace of the Underdark is now a week old, but have you seen everything? Neither have we. Luckily for us all, Turbine keeps treating us to screenshots showcasing the new areas. Today the spotlight is on the new dungeon called House of Broken Chains. Besides just offering the standard fare of foes, this dungeon presents a new dynamic in the game. As players fight both slaves and their masters, they can choose to kill all of the slave masters and free the slaves or simply eradicate everything in true hack-and-slash form. Take a look at the images of this new dungeon along with other Menace of the Underdark screens in the gallery below.%Gallery-148679% [Source: Turbine press release]
Touring Dungeons and Dragons Online's Demonweb
To be honest, I haven't delved very deep into Dungeons and Dragons Online, and I have lost count of how many times I've gone through that first introductory dungeon. The reason isn't the game itself. It seems great, and Turbine has done a lot of work on it over the years. What always gets to me is the setting. For me, "Dungeons and Dragons" is synonymous with Forgotten Realms, and while Eberron seems interesting, it causes a mental disconnect. So when Turbine finally got its hands on the Forgotten Realms-license and offered Massively a tour of some of the areas in the now-released expansion Menace of the Underdark, I jumped at the opportunity. Even if I'm not Chaotic Evil in real life, my inner Drow couldn't resist a trip to the Demonweb.
Dungeons and Dragons Online: Menace of the Underdark goes live [Updated]
Hope your dice are polished and your character sheets fresh from the copier: Dungeons and Dragons Online's first expansion has gone live on Turbine's servers. Menace of the Underdark is now available for all players who have purchased the digital expansion pack from the studio. Menace of the Underdark represents a sizable addition to the game. With it, DDO is expanding into the Forgotten Realms campaign setting and offers a new class, the Druid. Players will also be able to level up to 25 and expand their characters with the epic destinies system. "Menace of the Underdark delivers a wealth of content for our players and introduces significant engine upgrades that allow us to bring to life in a striking, visually impressive manner two of the most requested features, the new Druid class and access to the Forgotten Realms setting," said Executive Producer Fernando Paiz. While you patch up the game, you can check out the last of Menace of the Underdark's developer interviews after the jump! [Source: Turbine press release] [Update: Turbine just announced over Twitter that the game is now available on Steam!]
Dungeons & Dragons Online offers up new Menace of the Underdark screens
If you're an avid Dungeons & Dragons Online player, you probably already have Menace of the Underdark preordered. After all, the expansion is launching on June 25th, so you've got less than a week to wait. But that's still not quite "launching right now," and even if you have the expansion purchased, you might want a look at more of what to expect. The newest batch of expansion screenshots should help tide you over for the next few days. So what's in there? Aside from previews of two of the new quests coming in the expansion, there's also a look at the environment and architecture of Sschyndrylin, which is not exactly a pleasant spot to hang out over the weekend. Take a look at the gallery below for a full lineup of all the new screenshots as well as the previous shots of the expansion, and mark your calendar for Monday, when you can start killing Drow on your new Druid. [Source: Turbine press release] %Gallery-148679%
The Road to Mordor: Breaking down Riders of Rohan's pre-purchase
This past week or so has been absolutely nuts with all the new information flooding in about this fall's Riders of Rohan. We've gotten confirmation about the release date, the expansion website, pricing information for the different expansion pack editions, a partial feature list, an official FAQ, word of a forthcoming instance cluster, and a first look at the mounted combat system. Expansions always rile up the Lord of the Rings Online faithful, and I'm pretty jazzed to see whether Turbine can pull off what's probably the most epic addition to the game since Mines of Moria. I'm going to save analysis of the expansion as a whole until next week because today I want to dive into the slightly confusing morass of pre-purchase options and pricing to see what's worth pursuing -- and what might be worth ignoring.
Dungeons & Dragons Online discusses the lore of the Underdark
In preparation for the upcoming expansion Menace of the Underdark, the team behind Dungeons & Dragons Online has been producing a series of preview videos about the new content to be found. The newest video focuses on the lore of the Underdark and the Forgotten Realms, a far more traditional fantasy setting compared to Dungeons & Dragons Online's normal home of Eberron. As discussed in the video, it's a challenging setting to work with, and not just because player expectations are high. From a visual standpoint, the Underdark is iconic, but it's also challenging to keep interesting -- after all, it's made up of miles of caverns that need extra points of visual interest. On the storytelling side, the problem is almost reversed, with so many iconic monsters and characters that it's a challenge to fit everything in there. Take a look at the preview just past the break to see how the team addressed these issues and to get a peek at some of the monsters and environments from the new expansion.
Dungeons and Dragons Online unveils new Menace of the Underdark screens, video, open beta [Updated]
On the 25th of this month, Dungeons and Dragons Online players will have the opportunity to set foot in the treacherous caverns of the Underdark for the first time with the launch of the game's next expansion, Menace of the Underdark. To help players prepare for this momentous excursion, the folks at Turbine have released a new behind-the-scenes video that introduces players to some of what they can expect from the depths of the Drow homeland. Drow, of course, are a given. Players can look forward to squaring off against the race's nefarious priestesses and mutated dryders while they explore the city of Sschindylryn below the King's Forest of Cormyr. A number of deadly creatures await curious adventurers, including a new dragon for players to hunt. For the full details on what to expect from the Underdark, just check out the gallery below and then click past the cut for the full video. [Source: Turbine press release] %Gallery-148679% [Update: Turbine likewise announced today that the expansion is in open beta, so head to the forums and jump in!]
DDO expansion screens take you inside Demonweb
It's Wednesday, which generally means two things. One, there are only a couple of days left until the weekend. Two, there are probably some new Dungeons and Dragons Online expansion screenshots to share. Turbine has gifted us with yet another set of captures from the upcoming Menace of the Underdark update. This batch centers on the Demonweb region. If you're not up on your Forgotten Realms lore, Demonweb is basically the spider goddess Lolth's home plane. As a result, arachnophobes will want to move on to the next post. For everyone else, there's our MotU gallery below. %Gallery-148679%
DDO expansion screens show off dryads, werewolves
Want the latest Dungeons and Dragons Online expansion screenshots? We've got them for you in our gallery below, and they focus on dryads and werewolf monsters from the forthcoming Menace of the Underdark patch. The shots are set in the Eveningstar region of the Forgotten Realms, which players will initially encounter after porting over from DDO's original Eberron locale. Menace of the Underdark will add quite a bit of new content to DDO, including a new Druid class, epic destinies, and an old familiar campaign setting. The expansion is now available for pre-order on Turbine's website. It launches on June 25th. [Source: Turbine press release] %Gallery-148679%
