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New Crowfall illustration hints at 'core game system'
Creative director J. Todd Coleman has posted a new update on the Crowfall boards that takes a look at the journey from concept art to game asset. There's also an "illustration that provides clues for both a core game system and one of our key narrative threads," he writes. Crowfall is a new virtual world currently in development at Artcraft, a new studio comprised of MMO industry veterans operating under the mantra of "real skill, real risk, and real consequences."
The Daily Grind: What's your favorite Secret World deck outfit?
Before I get to the traditional question that powers the Daily Grind, I'd like to give a pre-emptive heads-up to any Massively newbs in the audience. Yes, it was a slow news day when this piece was published (8:00 a.m. EDT). Yes, this is pure fluff meant for fun and perhaps discussion over a cup of coffee. With that out of the way, let's talk The Secret World. More specifically, let's talk about the game's spiffy deck-based outfits. I just finished collecting all of them on my Templar. Some of them are truly butt-ugly, but a handful of them make my character look even more badass than he actually is (which is pretty badass, don't get me wrong). Anyway, which deck outfit is your favorite? 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!
EVE Online Second Decade collector's edition revealed
Moments ago at EVE Online's tenth anniversary Fanfest, CCP revealed plans for its Second Decade Collector's Edition box. EVE never really had a proper collector's edition, and the tenth anniversary of the game is the perfect opportunity to release one. The box will come with an awesome physical Rifter model that doubles as a USB hub, a CD of the tenth anniversary EVE symphony from this year's Fanfest, and a series of codes to redeem to cosmetic items in EVE Online and DUST 514. The box is due for release in October 2013 and on the EVE store and Amazon and can be pre-purhased right now for $149.99 (€149.99 for those in Europe). Cosmetic upgrades for EVE include a new golden pod skin that applies permanently to one character, some new bloodline-based in-game clothing, and several collector's edition ships. Players will get a five-run blueprint copy of the tenth anniversary Gnosis battlecruiser and a re-skinned red Tash-Murkon Magnate, and pre-purchasers will get a bonus Nefnatar Thrasher. DUST 514 items include a set of permanant Amarr templar drop suits and weapons with the same stats as normal items but lower skill requirements.
The Secret World reaches one million beta signups
It's hard to fathom how you can have "secret" societies when over a million new people know about them, but somehow we don't think Funcom's sweating the security breach. In fact, the studio seems quite proud of the fact that a million players have signed up to test The Secret World. The Facebook tie-in is also getting record views, with almost two million visits over the past few weeks. Senior Vice President Morten Larssen sees this as a shining omen for a dark world: "Shattering our previous beta records gives us great hope for The Secret World's launch and its future. Combining this positive number with the excellent feedback we have received from both beta testers and the press that have played the game, make us very optimistic for a successful launch of The Secret World." Anyone who's pre-ordered The Secret World can get in on tomorrow's beta weekend, the first of several that Funcom's planning in the lead up to release. This beta weekend will be focused on the Templar starting experience and the area of Solomon Island.
The Secret World announces first beta weekend
Beta weekends are all the rage these days, and now Funcom is getting in on the action. The studio has announced that its upcoming fantasy-horror MMO, The Secret World, will be the subject of a series of weekend beta tests, the first of which is beginning this weekend. From Friday until Sunday, players who were lucky enough to get their hands on beta keys via preorders or giveaways will be able to jump into the boots of a Templar initiate. After undergoing the proper procedures for joining the less-than-secretive secret organization, players will be whisked away to Solomon Island, New England, where they will be tasked with finding the source of the ancient evil threatening Kingsmouth. The full details of the beta weekend, including a handy-dandy FAQ, can be found over at The Secret World's official site.
PAX East 2012: Exploring the dark corners of The Secret World
As anyone around the Massively offices can tell you, I am eagerly-bordering-on-obsessively awaiting the release of Funcom's latest entry into the MMO market, The Secret World. I'm all about the supernatural, occult, and paranormal, and The Secret World's "all the myths are true" philosophy is right up my alley, so when I heard that there would be a playable demo at PAX East 2012, it was all I could do not to squeal like a 12-year-old girl (and I may have done so anyway). Of course, many people are hesitant about the title. Between The Secret World's subscription-cum-microtransactions business model and Funcom's track record of poor launches and bug-laden games, some gamers are finding themselves hesitant to get hyped up for the game's June 19th launch. Of course, I'd be lying if I said I weren't at least a bit cautious myself, regardless of my enthusiasm for the game. So how is the game shaping up? Well, sit down, grab yourself a drink, and let me tell you what I think.
Funcom reveals The Secret World skill deck templates
Funcom has penned a new dev diary at MMORPG.com, and the piece reveals three new skill decks from the firm's The Secret World title. What's a skill deck? It's The Secret World's answer to the how-do-you-make-a-level-free-MMORPG question, and it allows players to select from 500 abilities to create "exactly the type of character they want." Funcom thinks the system will seem daunting to players used to simpler class-based mechanics in competing MMOs, and as such the firm is adding a few deck templates to offer players a helping hand. Three of these are profiled in the new diary, including one from each of the game's factions. The Witch Hunter focuses on big damage spikes and represents the Templars, the Warlord is your basic swordfighter from the Dragon faction, and the Thaumaturgist is the Illuminati's answer to the gunmage archetype. [Thanks to fallwind for the tip!]
Tradition is a good thing: The Secret World's Templar trailer tries to recruit you
Meet Rose. She's a white-haired 21-year-old who eschews Facebook and club hopping in favor of fighting the forces of darkness. As one of The Secret World's Templars, Rose has fallen in with an organization that she thinks has the best chance of prevailing through the coming war. Rose is also the star of Funcom's Templar trailer, which gives us a brief overview of the faction's philosophy and focus. Loyalty, tradition, brotherhood, and discipline are the cornerstones of what makes the Templars so effective in combating the evil that we fail to see all around us. Still haven't made up your mind which TSW faction to join? Rose makes the case for why it's good to hang with the Templars: "We are the lions of the secret world. When we roar, everyone listens." You can watch the full trailer after the jump, and don't forget that Funcom is hosting a Q&A on Facebook today at 10:00 a.m. EST!
The MMO Report: Occupy Azeroth edition
This week on The MMO Report, Casey wonders whether we're occupying Azeroth yet -- after all, Blizzard seems to be one of the few MMO companies capable of losing a million players while increasing profits. "You guys gonna have to sell your Lear jets in order to cover your yacht maintenance costs?" wonders Casey. No. No, they are not. The Beard also discusses EverQuest II's latest free-to-play transition ("people are still paying for that game?!"), The Secret World's Templar week, Minecon in Las Vegas this weekend, and Bigpoint's Game of Thrones MMO -- an IP we'll probably be sick of "before the game even comes out." Casey winds down with a list of winners for the ongoing MMO Report drinking game contest and an amendment to the rules: "Taking a drink every time I say something sarcastic is not a drinking game. That's just called drinking. Because it never ends." Make the jump for the full MMO Report!
Ragnar Tørnquist divulges the secrets of the Templars in new interview
The Secret World's week of the Templars continues today with a new interview over at IGN. The game's head-honcho, Ragnar Tørnquist, gives fans the skinny on what drives the ancient order of the Templars. The organization's goal is simple: Eradicate evil at all costs. Of course, the Templars are rather scrupulous in regard to what qualifies as evil. For instance, they firmly believe that the use of blood magic is unclean, but that doesn't stop them from using it for themselves. Fight fire with fire and all that. For the full 411 on what the Templars are all about, head on over to the full interview.
Funcom hosting The Secret World Templar Q&A on Facebook
Want to know more about The Secret World's Templar faction? Aside from reading up on everything related to Templar Week, the best thing you can do is tune in to Funcom's next Facebook developer Q&A session. The shindig happens tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. EST, when lead content designer Joel Bylos and writer Ben Schroder will be fielding your Templar-related questions. Funcom's press release says that interested gamers are free to submit their questions in advance, but the devs may not be able to answer everything. Thus far Templar Week has served up some new screens, art, and a few mission details, and the dev Q&A looks to be the icing on the cake. Funcom also notes that the Illuminati faction will be getting a similar week-long publicity treatment in the near future. [Source: Funcom press release]
The Secret World sketches out the Templars
The Secret World's Week of the Templars continues, as today Funcom released a batch of artwork featuring the faction's look and locales. The Templars' red-and-white outfits may not be everyone's cup of Earl Grey tea, but for us and ours, it looks quite snazzy, especially on the PvP uniforms. This is a faction that says that the end of the world is no reason not to dress up in style. The rest of the concept art focuses on Templar-related areas, such as a "Camelot" castle in a park, a fighting pit, and a lounge where off-duty Templars can knock back a drink or unload a few dozen rounds at the adjacent firing range. You can get a feel for the Templar faction in our gallery below! %Gallery-72395%
Week of the Templars storms The Secret World
Moving away from the Far East machinations of the Dragon faction, The Secret World is instead heading to the refined, cultured setting of the UK as it shines a spotlight on the Templar faction for an entire week. The Templars are perhaps the most famous of The Secret World's three factions, with historical roots in the Crusades starting in the 12th century. While they may not maintain a low profile, the Templars do keep a tight lid on the inner workings of this secret society. Senior Producer Ragnar Tørnquist describes the organization succinctly: "Uncompromising and fiercely brutal, the Templars is an organization with a single goal: to eradicate evil no matter how long it takes them. This is a great opportunity to shed some light on this secret society." The Week of the Templars will cover the range of artwork, videos, and interviews. To kick it off, Funcom has released six new screenshots of the Templars, including the group's base of operations and agents in action. You can take a look at them all in the gallery below. %Gallery-72395%
Eden Eternal update introduces Templar, player housing
Aeria Games has been teasing Eden Eternal's latest update since late last month, and now it's finally live. Eden Eternal players get a smattering of new goodies with the new patch, from the Templar class to player housing. In addition, the level cap has been raised to level 60, and new maps and dungeons have been introduced to keep players entertained on the way to the top. To get in on the free-to-play action, head on over to Eden Eternal's official site. [Source: Aeria Games press release]
Aeria teases Eden Eternal's Templar class
Eden Eternal is adding features at a rapid clip. The free-to-play fantasy title from Aeria Games recently announced its player housing implementation and is now following that up with some info about the new Templar class. Actually, scratch that. Today's press release -- and the accompanying video -- doesn't feature much info at all beyond a tease for what Aeria calls "a very important class [for] those who wish to fight their way through all the new dungeons in the new upcoming content." In any event, the Templar is currently scheduled to go live in "early October," and you can watch the teaser clip after the break. [Source: Aeria Games press release]
Massively Exclusive: Eden Eternal teases the Templar
Earlier this week, Aeria Games announced that a new update would be coming to Eden Eternal sometime early in October. One of the features planned for said update is a new class, the Templar. To tease Eden Eternal fans, Aeria has given us a short trailer showcasing a Templar and his magic-wielding friend going toe-to-toe with a number of monsters. For the full trailer, head on past the cut, and then click over to Eden Eternal's website to play for yourself.
Eden Eternal update bringing new class, player housing, and more
Aeria Games announced in a press release today that Eden Eternal will be on the receiving end of a rather large content update sometime in early October. What gives this update such heft? Well, for starters there's the new Templar class, plus a level cap raise, and oh yeah, player housing. If five new levels, a new class, and houses aren't enough for you, get this: You can throw parties! In your house! House parties! Anyway, also included in the update are a variety of high-level areas, alpaca coins (which can be found in high-level zones and redeemed for various prizes), and a new pirate invasion event! Shiver me timbers and all that, matey. To get in on the swashbuckling, house-partying fun, just head on over to Eden Eternal's official site and sign up. [Source: Aeria Games press release]
Ragnar Tørnquist discusses The Secret World's history, factions, puzzles, and more
Funcom's Ragnar Tørnquist, project lead of the upcoming The Secret World, sat down with John Walker over at Rock, Paper, Shotgun to chat about everything TSW. The interview is delightfully in-depth, and is actually only the first part of the entire interview, so TSW fans have something to look forward to as well. In part one, Mr. Walker talks with Tørnquist about the history of The Secret World and how it arrived at the point it's at today. They also spend a bit of time discussing the game's three factions -- particularly the enigmatic Dragons -- and their potential motivations and interactions. And lastly, of course, they talk about the game's ARG-esque puzzles, which blur the line between game and reality for a more immersive experience. For the whole first part of the interview (which is really a must-read for fans of TSW), head on over to Rock, Paper, Shotgun.
Rock, Paper, Shotgun gets an inside look at The Secret World
Illuminati, Templars, and Dragons alike, sit down and listen up. The ever-so-entertaining and informative John Walker over at Rock, Paper, Shotgun has an exclusive inside look at Funcom's upcoming MMORPG The Secret World. The title, which is being headed up by adventure game visionary Ragnar Tørnquist, is set in the real world, though with a few dark and dangerous twists. Mr. Walker spends a good deal of time talking about the much-talked-about ARG-esque connection between The Secret World and our reality. He goes into detail about a particular puzzle offered by the game which requires players to do a good deal of real-world research in order to reach their in-game goal, which sounds absolutely fascinating. Combat is also touched on, with Mr. Walker noting that "while its delivery is relatively traditional... there's enough that's different here to be interesting." For the full, fascinating read, head on over to Rock, Paper, Shotgun!
Wings Over Atreia: Making the cut
"What position are you applying for?" The interviewer listens and nods. "Mmhmm. Thank you. Now, what special skills can you bring to the team?" "Please list all previous experience and describe your major accomplishments." A pause. "Have you the required equipment to adequately perform your duties?" The interviewer is quiet while sizing up the applicant. "I'm sorry, but you just don't quite have what we are looking for. Next!" Sound familiar? No, this isn't a job interview -- this is the rigmarole many players experience simply to get into a group in NCsoft's Aion. You might think that time of day or availability of people in the right level range would have the most affect on forming up a group, whether in a legion or a PUG. Instead, players often must contend with an entirely different beast before even stepping foot into an instance: group elitism. Unless you have a regular group of friends with identical play times or a very supportive legion, you are apt to occasionally find yourself in the situation of seeking a group while traipsing about Atreia. Even with a regular group, there are going to be times you are left more-or-less on your own and just want to get something done. Thus begins the (oft times unpleasant) task of creating or finding a group. Like a microcosm of drama played out in short spurts, group formation showcases a variety of less-than-desirable attributes: greed; envy; lust; selfishness; and inflated egos. Just how exclusive can this process become? Your inclusion could ride solely on your class, equipment, or skill set, and have nothing to do with your ability and skill as a player. Heck, even your name may keep you out of groups. Join me past the cut to explore elitism in group dynamics in Aion.
