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Wasteland Diaries: New skills
Clones of the wasteland: We are heading toward uncertain times. The February State of the Game was announced last week, and there are some massive changes to Fallen Earth coming our way. The 1.4 patch changed the way we fought, and so did the 1.7 patch. This next patch, which will likely be 1.8 (if not 2.0), will probably be the biggest change to the game mechanics since launch (and 1.4 was no slouch). The uncertainty will not be allayed until we see the new system on the PTS. It's slated to hit the test server in "the middle of the month," so we may see it soon. In this post, I would like to analyze the SoTG and try to infer what kind of implications this new system will bring forth. There will be some pretty obvious changes but also some subtle changes that nobody will foresee. Although the new skills and mutations system isn't the only thing coming with the next installment, it will be the focus of this post. There is also a new area called Ruination on the way plus major economy changes and scavenger bosses, but I am more interested in the skill revamp. Fallen Earth will be a different (hopefully in a good way) game by the end of the month.
Wasteland Diaries: Tester-day
I spent an entire day on the Fallen Earth Public Test Server (PTS). I have to admit, I was pretty impressed with what I saw. The development team over at Fallen Earth, LLC is making some sweeping changes to the game. I wasn't just impressed by the new artwork and the smoother game mechanics; I was also impressed with the amount of communication the Fallen Earth dev team is giving to its testers. And why not? We pay the devs to test their product. While there is a lot of new stuff to check out, I spent the majority of a day trying to digest as much of this new content as I possibly could, and I didn't really even scratch the surface. I spent a good eight hours on the server, though about four of those hours were devoted to testing the combat system. I did a few bug reports, but aside from grenades being totally broken, most everything seemed to be in order. After the break I'll give you some first-hand accounts of what I've discovered. You could just read the patch notes, but it just isn't the same.
Waging WAR: Hands-on with Thanquol's Incursion
This week, Waging WAR brings you Greg's hands-on impressions of the new RvR 24v24 instanced dungeon coming soon to Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. With true grit, determination, a staff, sequined robe and his trusty wizard hat, Greg brushes the dust off of his Archmage skills and reviews Thanquol's Incursion. I was able to put together everything needed on Wednesday evening, so setting up for Friday afternoon's scheduled test of Thanquol's Incursion didn't take long at all. I didn't want to get tied up in learning a new career along with testing completely new content, so I decided to stick with what I know best and roll my Archmage on the PTS. Luckily, I tend to go light in the add-on department, so after getting my keybindings ready and scattering my UI all over the screen in my own (olympically) special way, I flew to Praag and found a warband in no time flat. Friday's event started up right on time, and the testing was under way. The warband headed out to one of the various instance gates and we zoned in. Follow along after the break as I discuss my first-time hands-on experience with the new RvR gated 24v24 instanced dungeon: Thanquol's Incursion.
Wasteland Diaries: What's next?
There isn't yet a known release date for the next Fallen Earth patch. The 1.7.1 patch will make some fundamental changes to the combat system. These changes will be far-reaching, but they will not alter gameplay drastically. Mainly, we will see an increase in damage dealt across the board. This will make combat in Fallen Earth seem a bit more dangerous than it is now. PvE just doesn't quicken my pulse like it did when I was a new player in Sector 1. The patch will also address this. It will also add the faction control points. The main focus of the patch is the combat re-vamp and the control points. The Armor Use skill and the Dodge skill have been redesigned, and the way that damage mitigation works is a bit different in version 1.7.1. The faction control points will give the clones a reason to fight, and the victorious faction will reap far-reaching rewards. I'll go into more detail about these tidbits and more after the break, so without any further ado, let's move on.
Form and function in Fallen Earth's latest state of the game
There's been a lot of excitement in the Fallen Earth community over the upcoming combat changes, and in producer Dave "Archangel" Haydysch's latest state of the game address, he assures everyone that the anticipation is worth it. "As I mentioned," Haydysch writes, "this is the FIRST iteration... we will use your feedback to make further adjustments and improvements to the system until we feel the system is ready to go live." He urges players to participate on the public test server, where numerous systems are being tested, including these combat upgrades and the upcoming Faction Control Points, which should add spice to the PvP play in the game. Looking at future patches, Haydysch reports that the team will be revamping combat skills and mutations relating to each of Fallen Earth's six factions. The team is also working hard on bringing additional visual improvements to the wasteland, which "will improve the look and feel of the world as a whole." These improvements are scheduled to hit the game at the same time as the next live event, which is so far a mysterious mystery shrouded in mysteriousness. Finally, Haydysch acknowledges additional selections will become available in the Rewards Store, including (drum roll please) more space for inventory-starved adventurers. You can read the full state of the game report over at Fallen Earth.
Wasteland Diaries: Combat overhaul
Merging a roleplaying game (RPG) and a first-person shooter/third-person shooter FPS/TPS seamlessly can be difficult to say the least. I can only think of a few examples of games that have been done well in this manner. But none of the examples I can think of is an MMO. Granted I haven't played every game in existence, so this is by no means a definitive assertion. I'll call Fallen Earth an MMO/FPS in this post, for the sake of simplicity, even though it's an MMORPGFPS/TPS, but that's a mouthful and it looks like something an Enigma machine spit out. The Fallen Earth combat system is a mix of two very different game types: an MMORPG and a shooter. Some of my detractors insist that Fallen Earth is an MMORPG with "manual targeting," but I respectfully disagree and consider it as much of a shooter as games that run on the Quake 3 engine. Just because it doesn't have "bullet-drop" physics doesn't mean it's not a shooter. There is a combat revamp headed our way this month, so I thought I would do an in-depth analysis of the FE combat system. After the break I intend to pop the hood on the combat system and take a close look at its mechanics, then try to surmise what changes might be incoming (even though I've seen some of them).
Aion's Assault on Balaurea expansion live on PTS
Ready to get a preview of Aion's forthcoming Assault on Balaurea expansion? You're in luck, as today finds the new content live on the Public Test Server, a couple weeks ahead of its September 7th release date. Pre-existing PTS players will find that their characters have been wiped, which is a small price to pay for the chance to test the new content with accelerated XP and loot drop rates. Assault on Balaurea features a new pet system as well as new zones, instances, quests, and a level cap increase. Check out the official press release for more information, including how to install and run the PTS client.
Aion's Assault on Balaurea expansion coming to public test server
OK, Aion public test server (PTS) fans: would you like the good news first or the bad news? Never mind, here's the bad news: the PTS has been brought down and its database wiped (i.e., your characters and legions are now digital rubble under the NCsoft wrecking ball). The good news is that all of the destruction, terror, and mayhem is in service to the forthcoming Assault on Balaurea expansion and its eminent appearance on the testing shard. Beginning on August 18th, you can be among the first to experience the new content, in addition to sampling it with the significant XP and drop-rate boosts exclusive to the PTS. The expansion hits the live servers on September 7th, so be sure and read up on how to access the PTS client if you'd like an early start.
Wasteland Diaries: New paint job
The Fallen Earth 1.6 patch is a couple days old now, and I've had a chance to check out some of its features. I've painted more vehicles than Earl Scheib this week. I was able to test the respec injectors on the Public Test Server (PTS). I haven't tried them on the live server yet, but I have a few misallocated points that aren't serving much of a purpose. I was able to run through the new, extended tutorial with a brand-new clone. And the Fallen Earth team has given us the ability to flag ourselves for PvP anywhere, anytime. This should prove interesting. If you have been waiting on the sidelines for the next patch or are wondering what new things are in store for us, I will give you a breakdown of the new stuff I have been able to check out myself after the cut. The patch is only a few days old, but I have been trying to experience the new features to the fullest in that short time.
Lineage II readies Freya update
NCsoft's Aion and City of Heroes may get more press here in the States, but the workhorse of the Korean MMORPG maker's worldwide stable continues to be Lineage II. The long-running fantasy title is gearing up for yet another substantial update, with the much-anticipated Freya patch scheduled to hit the public test server on July 29th. Lineage II's updates have always been rather meaty (and free of charge, provided you have an active subscription) and Freya is no different. Included in the patch is everything from new weapons, armor, and abilities to entirely new overland and dungeon areas. Small touches aren't left out either, with new social emotes -- including partner dances -- scheduled for inclusion, as well as reduced teleportation fees and an increase in available quest journal space. The patch notes have yet to be released, but you can get a sneak peek at the projected additions on the Freya wiki page. Additionally, mark your calendar for the Freya reveal festivities and don't forget to read the official press release. Finally, check out some of the new armors after the cut. [Thanks Justin!]
Fallen Earth pushes fast travel, Serendipity to PTS
Fallen Earth's public test server (PTS) has some new content for intrepid wasteland bug-hunters. The updates take the form of fast travel, Blood Sports Assault, and a new system called Serendipity. Serendipity is designed to add a bit more variety to the game's PvE and loot tables. It will be "introducing rare spawns throughout the world. Upon their demise you will have the chance to receive new gear never seen in the game before, so be on the lookout -- you don't know what you will find," says producer Dave Haydysch. The fast travel is pretty self-explanatory, while Assault is a new Blood Sport PvP game type that features two teams of up to eight players as well as attack and defense objectives. Check out the full press release over at the official website.
Aion test servers to open for NA and EU
This is a test of upcoming content, this is only a test... server, that is. Aion's quality assurance team is proud to announce a pair of bug-stomping, issue-resolving, feedback-spurring test servers -- one for North America and one for Europe. These servers are primed to open on April 29, so that players can preview patches and engage in some winged QA. Aion testers won't be given a fancy pre-made character, but instead will see a MMO in fast-forward: XP, Abyss Points and drop rates will be jacked through the roof to allow for rapid progress (in the name of testing, of course). The Aion team specifically notes that any test server characters won't be included against character limits. As public test servers (PTS) are always a great way for studios to involve the playerbase in making the game better, Aion subscribers should be happy to be included in the process. You can read the entire announcement over on the Aion forums. [Thanks Nick!]
LotRO releases new PTS and preliminary Book 7 patch notes
Turbine has just announced a brand new public test server for Lord of the Rings Online called Bullroarer. This test server will allow plays to experience content before it is ready to go live, allowing the players to help test the content and give their feedback. You will need to download Bullroarer separately from the live game client, and you must have an active LotRO account.What's even more exciting about this announcement is the fact that the newest content update, Book 7, is live on Bullroarer right now for players to explore! Since this is a test server, it will incorporate a copy from a live server. Right now that first server is Elendilmir, but anyone is invited to create a character and experience the new content. Turbine says they will soon enable the Eyes and Guard Inn in-game to allow anyone to boost their characters up to max level and experience everything. Check out the current Book 7 patch notes (that are subject to change before going live) and count on Massively for much more coverage of Book 7 as it nears live release.
TR's Mechs have arrived on PTS with Deployment 16
Tabula Rasa's Public Test Server just received a brand new shipment of Mechs, and the AFS recruits are pumped! With the highly-anticipated Deployment 16 hitting the PTS last night, Personal Armor Units are finally here. The CELLAR Arena and the Edmund Range Training Grounds have both been expanded to accommodate the Mechs, as well as some newly available combat technology installed.This patch also brought about some other goodies, including three new armor sets with level 50 stats that can be worn by any level, new pets, new emote items, hyper-EXP tokens and probably the coolest thing of all time: 40 unique weapons named after some of the game's most involved players. Look for a post later today regarding more on that. In the meantime, if you don't already have the PTS installed, check it out for these latest changes to the game before they go live.
Deployment 10.6 now on Tabula Rasa public test server
Tabula Rasa's Public Test Server has now been fitted with Deployment 10.6. The main feature of this update is a change to Grey Market Vendor items -- their cost has been increased by 500%. The developers felt that the power of the Grey Market Vendor weapons was not proportional to their price, hence the rather drastic increase. They have left Control Point vendor items alone, but they will continue to monitor the equipment situation to make certain that crafted items are better than those bought from NPCs.if you want to get involved with the testing on TR's PTS, you can visit this guide at the official site to get started.
PTS begins HD broadcasting trial in Taiwan
Just months after BBC HD headed to Taiwan on Chunghwa Telecom and Vastar Cable began HD IPTV trails in the same region, in comes word that local public broadcaster PTS has fired up its first OTA HDTV trial. Currently, the signals are only covering the metropolitan areas of Taipei and Kaohsiung, but if all goes well, we could see it spread to other regions in the near future. Reportedly, the Taiwanese government has provided PTS with an $88 million subsidy in order to "establish a nationwide HDTV broadcast network in three phases," and from what we can gather, the HiHD channel will enable residents to watch the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics in high-definition later this summer. 'Grats, Taiwan![Via DigiTimes]
TR patch 1.8 on test later today, get leveled to 30
We're excited to report that Tabula Rasa's patch 1.8 will be on test some time today. Among the changes, and this time it appears there's a real smattering of different stuff, is a new target lock-on system that allows you to set both friendly and and hostile target locks. Also, this blogger is excited about the changes to the Demolitionist class, which could finally prompt him to get that Sapper over the hump from level 28 to 30. We don't have full patch notes at the time of posting, because the patch isn't up yet, but we'll update with further details as they become available.And as an added bonus, Harley Quin will be hanging around Alia Das, just like with patch 1.7, to level players to 30 so they can test out the changes that are only available at a higher level. According to CuppaJo, they're looking to make this process automatic in the near-future, but for the time being this is how it'll work. This service is only available today and tomorrow, so make sure to get on sometime soon if you want to give the new patch a full look and you don't already have a character on Orion, which is the server being copied over this patch.
Curing Tabula Rasa's aggro problems
Over the weekend, we took up developer Kagasumi's call to try out Tabula Rasa's new patch 1.7, and the enhanced, killer AI that came along with it. You can read our impressions of the change here, but the short version is that the wider aggro sharing on test takes away all the strategy and decision-making of combat and replaces it with an unsurvivable zergfest.While we assumed the only choices were between a smaller or wider aggro sharing radius, Planet TR poster Line has written up a pretty thorough post exploring another possibility. It doesn't make sense, Line says, for enemies to be able to locate a player the instant he gains aggro of one enemy within a certain radius. Enemies should at least have to use an ability (which could be stopped by the player) to draw the attention of nearby allies, and that attention should be drawn to the threat's point of origin, not the player. What Line is describing, in essence, is the sort of AI routine more commonly seen in the shooter genre.Is it feasible to see this sort of code-heavy change this far into release? Maybe, maybe not. We do know it'd make the game considerably more engaging. And it'd be better than being zerged.
New TR patch bringing the goods on test server
Word on the street is that Tabula Rasa's patch 1.7 should be hitting the public test servers as we speak. As you probably already well know because you follow our coverage religiously (right!?), patch 1.7 should herald in some hefty changes to the Spy and Ranger classes. We've been hearing good things about Fire Support, the new skill replacing Reinforcements. Evidently, these spawnable AI allies for Rangers actually have the capacity to kill enemies now! What a pleasant surprise.An even better surprise is that, perhaps hearing our prayers, dev team member Harleyquin will be on the test server all day at Alia Das, leveling players to 30 so they can test out the new class changes. This is an extraordinary boon to the player base, because their existing testing procedures only allowed players with characters on a given server (and it's Centaurus this time around) to run through the changes and report feedback. It's certainly not a long-term solution, but it shows that they've been listening. So make sure to go poke Harley if you've got the time to log on.For the full patch notes, check after the jump.
Tabula Rasa's testing procedure needs a revamp
With the recent announcement that, once again, our favorite servers weren't going to be part of the testing process (no offense Centaurus) for Tabula Rasa's new patch 1.7, we're reminded of how horrible this system has proved to be over the last several months. For the uninitiated, the TR development team generally chooses only one of the game's four servers to copy over to the test server. If your server is picked for that patch, all of your characters are copied over and you can log in and test things out a couple weeks before the patch goes live. If yours doesn't get picked, you're stuck rolling a new character from scratch.There are several problems with this. For one, the active hardcore fan base (that is, the kind of people who would actually log into a test server to report bugs and forgo any progression on their actual character) is precipitously small to begin with. So when they take this active player base and divide them by four to test new patches, everybody loses. Only a fraction of the community leaders get to contribute input to class changes, patches don't get as thoroughly tested as they might be if the full community was brought to bear, and poor writers like those at Massively only get to cover patch changes in earnest when their servers are chosen.Is it really too much to ask to be able to copy a character to test on demand? Let your hardcore fans do your work for you!
