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EVE Evolved: Top five tips for new EVE players
I often hear people say that EVE Online is a lot more fun to read about than actually play, and I've even caught myself saying it jokingly to friends and writing it in articles. But the truth is that amazing stories like the recent world record-breaking Bloodbath of B-R5RB are a hell of a lot better when you're a part of the action or have the first-hand experience to put the event into a wider context. All of EVE was impacted by that battle, with its effects rippling through the in-game markets and reshaping the political landscape of New Eden. But to read about it, you'd think the carnage in B-R5RB ended when $310,000 US worth of titans went up in smoke. EVE has seen a huge influx of fresh faces since that colossal battle at the end of January, with thousands of new characters being created and the Rookie Help channel bursting at the seams. Whether you've always been a closet fan of EVE who has finally been convinced to take the plunge or you just want to join the ranks of the warring alliances you've read so much about, starting out can be a daunting experience. The sheer amount of information there is out there to absorb and sort through is overwhelming, and not all of it is up to date. CCP released a great new player guide recently to help newcomers assimilate, but I've still received several emails asking for advice on getting started. In this week's EVE Evolved, I delve into the new-player experience with a 14-day free trial and reveal my top tips for starting out on the road to creating your own sandbox story.
Welcome to World of Warcraft blog series debuts
There are a variety of guides and resources available to new WoW players out there, including the official new player help forums and our own WoW Rookie column, but Blizzard's just added a new one to the mix. "Welcome to World of Warcraft" is a blog series that provides exactly what it says: a welcome for new players, with detailed information on how to get the hang of the game. The title of the first post is "Basic Movement and Combat". As you might imagine, it instructs players on how to use the keyboard and mouse to get around in the game, how to use and read the map, and the basics of dealing with hostile mobs, including attacking, healing, rezzing, and finding your corpse. It's been several years since I personally have needed resources like this, and reading them over always brings a rueful smile to my face as I recall the many rookie blunders I made. Falling off of Teldrassil is, I believe, a common one for those of us who started with night elves. I'm not ashamed! Considering the age of World of Warcraft, it's sometimes easy to forget that there are still new players starting who need all this information. I'm glad Blizzard is keeping these folks in mind, and for all the new people out there, I hope your introduction to WoW is a good one and I look forward to seeing you in the game!
Runes of Magic Chapter III adds marriage, raises level cap
Frogster and Runewaker Entertainment have announced that Runes of Magic is adding even more content to its recent Chapter III publish, in the form of tomorrow's 3.0.3 update. The patch boasts an entirely new zone, the Northern Janost Forest, which also adds over 100 new quests to the free-to-play fantasy title. In addition to the new high-level content, the player level cap is being raised to 60. The patch is also introducing a new relationship system whereby players can bind themselves as lovers, friends, or as a master and an apprentice. Each pairing grants buffs to players when grouped with their significant others, and marriage is also possible via a wedding ring and a special chapel in the city of Varanas. Finally, Frogster is implementing a new beginner pet to ease the newbie transition into the world of Taborea. The pet manifests itself in the form of a pixie and grants buffs and heals in addition to providing gameplay hints.
