system-updates
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Get karting quicker with Wii U's new update, out now
The Wii U's summer system update is available now, headlined by quicker booting and auto-installs of further updates. When you turn on your Wii U the firmware's Quick Start menu lets you select recently played or installed games and boot into them in seconds. In other words, getting into Mario Kart 8 just got a triple mushroom boost. Nintendo already introduced auto-downloading of system updates in the powered-down Standby mode, and now the Wii U can install them in Standby too. Another new Standby feature is GamePad Alerts, namely optional "special notifications from Nintendo" that pop up on the tablet even when the system's turned off. Other additions include a revamp of the Users Settings screen, a Notifications icon on the Home menu, and the ever-faithful improvements to system stability. [Image: Nintendo]
Darkfall Unholy Wars updates the balance of power
It was a couple of weeks ago that the development team behind Darkfall Unholy Wars first discussed the issue. Warriors in the game were just too good, meaning that the class meant as the easiest to first pick up was also the easiest to absolutely crush your enemies with. So the team stepped back, examined the problem, and put together a comprehensive set of changes meant to make all of the game's roles more appealing. The three major changes put into effect were an increase to damage mitigation for non-Warrior armors, more normalized stats for every role, and a slight reduction in Warrior armor against the relevant damage from specialized damage types. The net effect should be that weaker classes now stay up longer and can deal more damage to Warriors, allowing more skilled players to pull ahead in battle. For more details including revamps to the wobble mechanics and individual ability tweaks, take a look at the full list of balance changes. [Thanks to Jane for the tip!]
Newest patch notes Star Wars: The Old Republic highlight bug fixes
Bugs are frustrating, and inevitably some of them seep through to launch with a new MMO. Star Wars: The Old Republic produced a fairly polished end product, but there were still issues, most notably certain memory problems with Taris and some harvesting nodes that couldn't be harvested. As a result, the game's first patch has been rolled out following this morning's maintenance, and the first set of patch notes have gone live detailing the bugfixes and minor updates provided. Aside from the two obvious changes, there has been a handful of balance adjustments. Slicing has seen a slight downgrade to bring its rewards more in line with those of other gathering professions, and the Mandalorian Raiders flashpoint has seen several enemies lose their immunity to crowd control. Players can look forward to more steady adjustments as the game continues, but some quick fixes to noteworthy issues are always good to see -- especially so close to the holidays.
Newest version update lands for Final Fantasy XI
It's time for players to advance once again in the latest update to Final Fantasy XI. Another increase to the game's level cap has gone live with this patch, with the new cap set to 95, just a stone's throw away from the promised height of 99. But the addition of the newer cap and all that it entails isn't the only thing of note with this update, which includes new battlefields, the next installment in the Voidwatch battles, and of course a plethora of new items and balance tweaks. Along with those major changes comes a host of smaller updates, including a long list of items that can be sent through the mail to other characters on the same account and the addition of Grounds of Valor tomes to several areas previously lacking them. Dynamis has also received another pass of updates, up to and including the option for players to resell any timeless hourglasses they no longer have a use for. It's a good day to be a Final Fantasy XI player, even if waiting for the update to download might feel like an eternity.
The Dawn a bit further off for Mortal Online
When Mortal Online first announced its far-reaching expansion, Dawn, it was a little hard to believe. (The day the news first came out didn't help matters, certainly, as it was announced on April 1st.) But it's a very real thing, and players of the game have no doubt been hotly anticipating its release. Unfortunately, as it turns out, the release date of Dawn has now been pushed back to the end of the month at the earliest and the beginning of June at the latest. So what's behind the delay? The newsletter explains that there was a server issue which required some reworking, with the caveat that the required updates have ensured Dawn will be even better. Mortal Online players can assuage the wait at least a bit by reading the extensive article by Black Opal detailing several of the expansion's features, including explanations of the new gathering system, Task system, and new styles for housing and buildings.
Final Fantasy XI brings updates for adventuring fellows
While Final Fantasy XI's Adventuring Fellows have always been an excellent idea, some of the implementation hasn't been quite as strong. A combination of a short summon time and strict limitations on where your fellow can be active have always hampered the system. The next update for the game is aimed at addressing several of these issues, however, giving players more reasons to call a fellow out and more opportunities to do so throughout the world. Active duration for fellows has been doubled across the board, with new fellows staying for 90 minutes and increasing to 180 minutes at maximum bond. The number of enemies that can be engaged has been increased even more significantly; your fellow will initially engage 50 enemies before departing, rising to 100 enemies at the apex. Combine that with several new areas for Final Fantasy XI players to call their backup NPC, and there's the hope that your fellow will be less of an occasional buff and more of a near-constant companion.
Ryzom launches 1.7 patch
Ryzom might be a five-year-old game, but despite the few hiccups it went through, it remains an attractive and diverse game with a number of features still not widely found in the genre. Having celebrated its anniversary earlier this year, the game continues to roll along at a steady clip, exemplified by the newly-released patch 1.7. The patch's title, The Kitin's Lair, alludes to one of its central elements: a new zone, the first part of the aforementioned lair. Kitins are one of the game's central adversaries, and so the patch's warning to avoid entering the lair alone is no doubt well-advised. That's hardly the only feature in the latest patch, however -- the game has also added an overhauled mail system, in-game forums for roleplaying and guilds, and the ability to enter viewable character biographies built in to the game's engine. The game has also adjusted the level display system, now using numbers to indicate the target's level only when it is close to that of the player. The addition of official Windows 7 support makes Ryzom more accessible, so the game's players would do well to take note of what the patch brings, and those of you who've never heard of the game may want to give it a fresh look.
