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Black Gold opens up character creation before open beta
Are you looking to start playing Black Gold Online's open beta? The servers open up completely on June 20th, but veteran players will be able to access the character creator starting today at 5:00 p.m. EDT. That means that you can just jump right in on the 20th, and you can earn a few extra prizes along the way for starting early. All players who make a character early will have access to a special gift pack to help jump-start their adventures in the game. They can also take part in a contest to create the most attractive character, the best likeness of a celebrity or other real individual, and the most hideously ugly character possible. Everyone who's not a veteran will have to wait until the 20th and won't be eligible for these special rewards; if you've been involved in the game's testing up until now, you'd best get in and start creating today.
E3 2014: Hands-on with Black Gold's PvP
It can be hard to demo an MMO at E3. Some studios stick a bunch of journalists together and have us try an instance, which can be fun or, if the worst of us ends up taking a key position, it can be rather frustrating. Other studios let you into a questing area but, to be brutally honest, these usually feel pretty stale compared to the nearby console games that let you do more than kill 10 goblins. Snail Games broke from the mold by letting us PvP in its upcoming Black Gold Online MMO, and while there were some issues, I felt a bit more confident about the title than I did last year.
Graphical upgrades en route for Age of Wushu
How do you feel about Age of Wushu's graphics? Do you think that they could really use an upgrade? It seems that they'll be getting one. Shi Hai, CEO of Snail Games, was recently interviewed in China, and a translation of that interview reveals that graphical upgrades are definitely in the works. While he declined to specify exactly what sort of upgrades would be coming, he did joke that the rumors about the Unreal 3 engine might well be true. Shi Hai also commented on the potential of a subscription server for Age of Wushu, noting that while several free-to-play games have dabbled with the idea, they seem to inevitably wind up going back to the free-to-play model in time. He stated that the company is currently focusing on porting the game to home consoles rather than exploring the possibility of any sort of subscription server. You can read a few more translated statements at MMOCulture.
Black Gold Online brings mechs to PvP battlegrounds
When you head to the PvP battleground in Black Gold Online, don't be surprised if you're the only chump walking around on two legs while everyone else is lording over you in mobile fortresses of steel, iron, and beastial flesh. In a new dev diary, Snail Games elaborates on the Battle Carrier system in Black Gold's PvP. Players will be able to choose and customize their own walking mech or creature out of over 100 models. The Battle Carriers come in five varieties -- Raid, Assault, Siege, Aerial and Anti-air -- and each of them are strong against some and weak against others. Producer Kee Zhang promised that no one Battle Carrier will dominate the landscape in PvP: "The idea of using a battle mount, with its own damage and attacks and such, came into the mix pretty early. The real light-bulb moment came when we thought of this 'Rock, paper, scissors' assortment -– every Carrier has advantages and attack bonuses over certain other Carriers, and in turn is vulnerable to another. It makes teamwork and strategy a must."
Snail Games announces mobile titles, Black Gold Online open beta date, E3 lineup
Snail Games has announced its lineup for this year's E3, and along with the expected expansion to Age of Wushu and showing off some Black Gold Online, the publisher is also revealing three new mobile titles. Heroes of Gaia, Puzzle Heroes Saga, and Taichi Panda are all set to release on iOS and Android platforms at a yet-to-be-announced date. Age of Wushu's fourth free expansion, Tempest of Strife, is now available but will be showcased at the Snail Games E3 booth as well. And then there's the highly anticipated Neo-Victorian steampunk MMO Black Gold Online which will begin open beta on June 20. Watch for our own coverage of Snail Games and all other MMO goodies from this year's E3 next week. [Source: Snail Games press release]
Massively's first impressions of Black Gold Online's beta
Do you prefer a steampunk or fantasy flavor in your MMO? With Black Gold Online you don't have to choose! And for those who vehemently dislike one or the other, you're welcome to express that distaste on the battlefield; Snail Games' upcoming free-to-play game features realm versus realm warfare that pits machine against magic. With these two different genres represented, the game looks to please a broader spectrum of players than the traditional single-genre titles that populate the MMOverse. The question is, will it succeed? Even though we've perused available news and watched a variety of videos about everything from the various classes and different races to action combat to guild vs. guild systems, nothing beats getting into the MMO and experiencing it for yourself. Closed beta for Black Gold Online began mid-May, so I jumped in to get a taste of what awaits players when the game hits open beta this summer. What I found is that while the game excels in some areas, it comes up short in others. Here's a run-down of my first impressions.
Black Gold opens up preorders
Black Gold Online is launching as a free-to-play game, but there's no reason you should let that simple fact stop you from pre-ordering it! Admittedly, it's not so much the game you're ordering but a retail box that also comes with a variety of goodies contained therein, but still. Pre-orders are now open, letting you plop down $20 to unlock a variety of perks in the game when it goes live this summer. The pre-order package includes a special horse, special clothing, high-end crafting ingredients, and around $20 of in-game currency, which would serve to offset the cost of the boxed edition quite nicely. Aforementioned boxed copies will be shipping alongside the game's full launch this summer. If this is right up your alley, the game's official pre-order page will direct you to the retailers offering this deal; you can also check out the full press release just past the break.
Black Gold Online outlines its Guild vs. Guild systems
Guilds in Black Gold Online have plenty to do. Sure, there are the usual social aspects of guilds, but there's also a constantly amplifying race for technological progress combined with territory control. The latest development blog on the official site discusses how guilds can advance and grow in power, as well as the basic outlines of the territory control feature with characters fighting it out over energy wells. All guilds have a level of technology available to them, determined by the amount of eponymous black gold used to upgrade the guild. This can come from members, or it can come from energy wells, which can be fought over on both a factional and intra-factional basis. It's entirely possible for two guilds of the same faction to fight repeatedly over the same well. Take a look at the full article for more details about how you can send your forces to fight and die for that all-important energy.
Black Gold devs talk art design, 'clash of styles'
Snail's latest promotional post for Black Gold focuses on the game's distinctive visuals and art design. While there's little in the way of new gameplay information here, there is plenty of arresting concept art that melds fantasy, Victorian futurism, Wild West motifs, and of course steampunk.
Tempest of Strife showcases Age of Wushu's weather events
With Tempest of Strife rolling out today, Age of Wushu players will be able to experience the sandbox in a whole new way. In fact, it is considered AoW 2.0 by the community. This expansion not only ushers in six additional factions (including a healing class and a group of scheming eunuchs) and their corresponding headquarters but also introduces the ability to change factions or belong to two at once. Additionally, dynamic weather will alter the environment, and special raid-type events will randomly accompany the weather changes. It all sounds pretty intriguing, no? Thanks to a recent walkthrough, I was able to get a taste of what players can expect when they log in to Tempest of Strife. And while the depth that the new faction features add is pretty impressive, the weather raids stole the show.
Black Gold Online closed beta begins May 15th
In a press release issued today, Snail Games announced that the closed beta for its steampunkish MMO Black Gold Online will begin on May 15th. Says the release, Closed Beta participants will see large-scale battlegrounds with customizable 'Carriers' (large battle mounts for each faction) and can develop over 100 distinct carrier-types for battle. Black Gold Online also features true hardcore PvP, where players can fight against members of their same faction as well as opposing forces across a variety of battlegrounds, arenas and 'Chambers of Greed.' Finally, players can join even larger Energy Well battles as they form armies to fight for control of precious resources in large-scale faction and guild battles. The closed beta will also include revamped graphics and a refreshed interface. We've embedded the latest trailer below!
Age of Wushu's expansion hits May 7th; here's a trailer
Age of Wushu's Tempest of Strife expansion launches on May 7th. To celebrate, Snail has released an action-packed trailer that shows off new classes, new environments, and the new weather system. ToS also brings new face-lifting customization options, personalization-enabling equipment inscription, and new sects to the table. The martial arts sandbox MMO also boasts a new website as of this morning. Don't forget to click past the cut to watch the trailer! [Source: Snail Games press release]
A fierce weather front is blowing into Age of Wushu
Age of Wushu is introducing dynamic weather effects that will do more than look moody; they will actually herald several events. Each weather effect will have a different event that it will trigger. The great fog will start a school assassination PvP contest, the sandstorm will begin a treasure hunt in the desert, the eclipse will launch an invasion by the Prince of a Thousand Sentiments, and the thunderstorm will give you the opportunity to find the fight of the century. This weather system will be coming with the Age of Wushu: Tempest of Strife update. You can check out the weather effects preview video after the break!
Snail previews Age of Wushu's scheming eunuch Rootless Clan
Want to get castrated and join "a cabal of scheming eunuchs?" Age of Wushu's Rootless Clan is for you. The martial arts sandbox game's upcoming Tempest of Strife expansion introduces the "mysterious yet heinous" new class which is an expert at both ranged and melee attacks. The AoW website features more info about the archetype's skills and abilities as well as a teaser video. Or you could just click past the cut to watch the latter. Hey, don't say Massively never did anything for you!
Age of Wushu celebrates anniversary with events, expansion info
Snail has unveiled a new page on its Age of Wushu website dedicated to celebrating the martial arts sandbox's anniversary. It contains links to various social media events as well as info on in-game activities including special world bosses, XP boosts, and more. The festivities run through April 24, 2014. The firm has also published a letter from AoW game director Hao Han that summarizes the upcoming Tempest of Strife expansion. Snail plans to launch said expansion soon.
Age of Wushu's latest class sect features 'fatal musicians'
Snail Games has introduced yet another new sect slated to appear in Age of Wushu's Tempest of Strife expansion. The latest class addition is called Peach Blossom Island, and it's an archetype skilled in both ranged and melee combat. "These masters of art combine elegant music notes with lethal crowd-control moves to excel in group battles," Snail explains on its website. "For centuries, Peach Blossom Island has been an idyllic retreat for martial art experts and hermetic musicians. They are here to escape worldly concerns, and to bide their time until their services are needed once again. Trespassers come at their own peril; to arrive at Peach Blossom Island unannounced is to meet a swift death at the hands of a true master." Click past the cut to see a preview video of the class in action.
Black Gold's closed beta getting 'major changes,' new classes
Snail Games says that fans of steampunk MMO Black Gold Online can expect "a newer, smoother, updated version" of the title when closed beta testing starts "soon." The game's UI, graphics, battlefields, and vehicles will be tweaked, and Snail says that "major" combat system, quest line, and PvE changes are already happening. While there's no date on the closed beta just yet, today's press release reveals that it will feature four new classes. You can click past the cut to read the full notice. [Source: Snail Games press release]
Snail introduces Black Gold's Thaumaturge
Snail Games has added a new summoning class to its Black Gold Online steampunk MMO. The Thaumaturge "beckons dark spirits and miraculous forces for powerful long-range continuous damage casting," the company says. Thaumaturges may be played by characters from the Buvont and Lokemean races, and they use magic staffs, enchanted scepters, and mystic vials to do their dirty work. As you might expect, they also wear cloth armor. More details are available via the Black Gold website.
The Daily Grind: What game do you plan to revisit?
Snail's recent sect announcements for its upcoming Age of Wushu expansion have rekindled my interest in the fantasy wuxia sandbox. I played it for a good bit at launch but ultimately left due to the steep learning curve, the horribad translation, and other demands on my time. I've often thought of returning to the game, though, as it hits a number of my sweet spots and is utterly unlike anything else in the MMO space. What about you, Massively readers? What's that one MMO you're always keeping tabs on and planning to revisit when you get the chance? 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!
Here's Age of Wushu's new 'warrior maiden' sect
Snail has updated its Age of Wushu website with another new sect preview from the martial sandbox's upcoming Tempest of Strife expansion. Today's reveal is the Palace of Shifting Flowers, which boasts "a balanced set of skills featuring both melee and ranged attacks." The Palace is a group of female-only apostles that Snail calls a "zealous cadre of warrior maidens sworn to seek vengeance from the the men who wronged them." Click past the cut for the class preview trailer, and don't forget that AoW is now available on Steam.
