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New producer's letter for Warhammer Online
As we approach the end of the year, which has been a pretty tumultuous one for Warhammer Online, it's not surprising to see a new letter from the producer. But this letter is also a letter from a new producer -- Bruce Maclean, who is apparently now taking on the duties as producer. There's no word on Jeff Skalski except that he is still "working hard" on the game. But we may as well focus on the positives, as the letter itself doesn't speak about the problems the game has had, instead focusing on the improvements that have come into Warhammer Online over the past year. The patch 1.3.3 graphical improvements are cited as a notable improvement, as are the many updates the game has seen over the course of the year and the launch of the Macintosh client for the game. There's also a brief discussion of what might be expected in the near future, which include useful weapons earned via RvR gameplay and a new scenario structure. How far in the future isn't mentioned, but they're hinted to be close, which could be excellent news for a game that's seen its fair share of ups and downs. As the letter says, however, now is the time to drink and relax and enjoy the game so far. Good advice, that.
Age of Conan offers streaming expansion demo Monday
If you're playing Age of Conan, the odds that you're looking forward to the upcoming Rise of the Godslayer expansion are... pretty much one to one. The news on the expansion has been fairly slow in coming since its announcement earlier this year, but it looks like we're due for a big burst of new information on Monday. Funcom has announced that the developers will be hosting a streaming demo of the game on December 7th via Xfire. The demo, hosted by game director Craig Morrison and the expansion lead designer Joel Bylos, will begin at noon PST (3 PM for those of us on the other coast). Scheduled to last for an hour, it promises to cover both the content in the demo -- which is all slated to be new material -- as well as the expansion in general, which is targeted for release in the first half of 2010. Both the developers and their hosts at Xfire are excited about the chance to show off a live demo, and odds that the game's playerbase is excited are, again, probably one in one. So clear some time to catch the broadcast on Monday, and see what's in store for Age of Conan as it journeys into the eastern empire of Khitai. [ via WarCry ]
Hands-on with the Sith Inquisitor of Star Wars: The Old Republic
With the recent announcement of the final two classes in Star Wars: The Old Republic, there was at least a little bit of genuine apprehension. After all, while the idea of playing a different flavor of Force-user with the Consular or the Inquisitor was indisputably entertaining, how different could they really wind up being from their cousins? The lucky dogs over at our fellow site, Joystiq, recently got a chance to play a hands-on demo with the Sith Inquisitor, and the answer is in: they really are a whole other ball-game. The term "hands-on" is a bit ironic, considering that the Interrogator is actually a very hands-off sort of class. Keeping in line with the game's classes having a strong set of archetypes drawn from the films, the class is drawn from the mold of Emperor Palpatine, with a variety of ranged Force attacks including the ever-popular arcs of lightning. The demo they got to play, unfortunately, was on the shorter side and didn't include such perks as the still largely unseen companion system, but as the article states, the game feels very solid in this demo. There's still a lot more to be seen for Star Wars: The Old Republic, but even this little taste should help encourage fans of the game.
Dawn of Fantasy interview and exclusive screenshots
Scheduled for a release in 2010, Dawn of Fantasy is a title we hadn't been hearing a great deal about before now, but certainly not for lack of impression. The game promises to offer both single-player modes and a large-scale MMORTS mode, allowing players to command small units up to huge armies across the world of Mythador. With three races, promises of huge-scale city warfare, and a flexible and adaptive system, it's shaping up to be an impressive offering in the currently rather anemic MMORTS field. We recently had a chance to talk with Executive Producer Konstantin Fomenko and Assistant Producer Alex Walz of Reverie World Studios, who were kind enough to offer us several screenshots in the gallery below as well as an exclusive interview. We're also working on getting our readers entry into the upcoming closed beta of the game, so read the interview after the jump, and take a look at the official site for more information about the game. If you're a fan of the RTS genre, you've got some reasons to be excited here. %Gallery-79066%
Warhammer Online announces 1.3.3 patch tests
It's been a dance of extremes on Warhammer Online of late, mixing up good news and rather unsettling news -- but did you come to the game to bite your nails and be nervous? Or did you start playing to lay waste? Assuming the latter, there's some good news to be had in the near future, as two mass playtests are scheduled to occur within the next week on the public test server, Warpstone. Both are testing features slated for 1.3.3, which implies that this patch is not so far off on the horizon. Both tests will start at 8 PM EST (that's 5 PM for those of you on the other coast). December 1st will see the test of the War Report, which was explained in the November newsletter to be a new service helping players see what was taking place nearby and jump immediately to the conflict. Two days later, December 3rd will be the kick-off of a mass battle stability test, also featuring the new graphical improvements slated for 1.3.3. The announcement also mentions the possibility of winning an Enslaved Manticore or an Imperial Griffon Mount, although details are not given. Whatever the future holds for Warhammer Online, it's nice to get a chance to test out the new features before they go live, so clear away some room on your schedule next week.
Mortal Online lifts the NDA
Getting into a closed beta is usually good news for the player, with one unmistakable caveat -- the NDA. You can't talk about anything that's going on when you play the game, either the cool features that are encouraging to anyone on the fence about the game or the horrible problems that make it a miserable slog. Mortal Online has long been fairly quiet to the outside simply because of its NDA -- but that changes now. As of today, the NDA is lifted on the game and it can be discussed freely. Henrik Nystrom on the official forums explains that while the game is still undergoing more polish, the core features have all been implemented and tested, which means that the developers are comfortable having the game discussed and dissected elsewhere. The post also states that the release date might be pushed back a little, as well as the plans for the game to move into a fully-open free-to-play beta as they move on to the next phase of testing. It's certainly good news for people interested in Mortal Online who didn't want to purchase the game sight-unseen. So, if you've been playing the game in beta so far, what are your thoughts? You can tell us all about it now. [Thanks Mortal Online Radio!]
Champions Online previews Nemesis Confrontation
What's more dangerous than an interdimensional prison in which malevolent creatures of immense power plot the destruction of the entire Champions Online world? That same prison being taken over and used as a lair by your hero's Nemesis and the dangerous Shadow Destroyer. After hints and the surprise playtest event, the official site has unveiled a preview of the upcoming Nemesis Confrontation, which looks like an interesting jump forward in the content offered by the game. Obviously, the Lair in question is the highlight of the update, which features combat against alien gladiators as well as a collection of powerful villains. There are other rewards to be earned as well, however -- ranging from a number of different hero enhancements to costume pieces in the vein of the enemies fought within the lair. If you can't wait to run the lair in order to get the costume pieces (perhaps you have a perfect character concept to start with), the preview promises that they will also be available in the C-Store. Champions Online isn't going to make players wait long for the event, either, as it's launching on the 24th. It should give players quite a bit to be thankful for -- when they're not battling extradimensional alien gladiators, at least.
Dungeon Fighter Online offers screenshots and dungeon preview
Mixing side-scrolling fighting action with RPG elements seems like it should go together like peanut butter and chocolate, so the biggest surprise about Dungeon Fighter Online is that no one else thought of it first. The game is still in the middle of its open beta, but Nexon's most recent offering gave us a small preview of some of the dungeons to come in the game as well as a number of screenshots of them in play. Each of the dungeons in question are accessed from a larger hub area, allowing you to whisk yourself promptly off to a specific dungeon, each with its own enemies (and presumably different rewards). The central area Grand Flores, for instance, leads to Mirkwood Frost and Blazing Gaqarak, with the former being a rime-coated expanse of woods and the latter an eternal forest fire. The Sky Tower leads to the Vestibule of Darkness, full of light-dousing goblins and enchanted armor, and the Golem Tower, in which you fight a large number of... well, okay, that one kind of makes it obvious. (It's not kittens.) The Temple of Apostasy leads to the GBL Arad Branch, a library-themed dungeon in which hordes of librarians attempt to surround you with magic and the rage of a thousand cracked book bindings. Last but not least, Noire Ferra includes among its cavernous reaches the Spider's Lair, sure to be a top vacation spot for arachnophobes everywhere. Take a look at our gallery of shots, and if it gets you interested in Dungeon Fighter Online, let's not forget that the game is currently in open beta. %Gallery-77061%
Final Fantasy XI's A Shantotto Ascension releases new trailer
Final Fantasy XI's final new add-on adventure, A Shantotto Ascension, comes out the ninth of November. Should eight more days prove too long a delay, you might just be pleased at what we have to say. A new trailer, you see, has been put on the site, with our dear professor in the center spotlight. And if you lacked apprehension regarding Shantotto, this new trailer may have you pull quite the reversal. The trailer makes mention of rituals demonic, a threat whose recurrence is horribly chronic -- but lest you assume that the danger's routine, you had best keep a watch on this unfolding scene. For Shantotto denies that she has lost her mind, and thinks herself flawless (or so she's opined). Yet all of the images that we see within leads us to believe something mad will begin -- and while we don't mean to drive players to terror, to not say the truth would be too much an error. For Shantotto seems poised upon something gigantic, and appears to enlarge to proportions titanic! If you've made Final Fantasy XI your home, be prepared to defend all the roots that you've sown. The release is still pending, but you may purchase today -- so go view the trailer, no need to delay!
Star Trek Online preview a look at game's core concepts
Now that Champions Online is live and full of players facing off against comic-style villains, Cryptic Studios is starting to reveal more about their other major MMO project, Star Trek Online. We're noting more gaming press coverage of this title and came across a preview at the online community Alltern8 written by Carl Doherty. It's worth a look for Star Trek fans curious about what the MMO might add to the IP. He gives readers a basic overview of what Star Trek Online has to offer, but Doherty also acknowledges the challenges Cryptic Studios faces with making the game a hit with fans of the franchise. Doherty writes, "The cerebral pacing and ambitious allegories of Star Trek don't always translate well to the action-packed experiences most gamers expect." That's by no means an indictment of Cryptic's particular take on bringing Star Trek into the MMO world. In fact, Doherty's impression of STO is that it has the requisite interplay of exploration and conflict that's made Star Trek such an enduring IP.
The art direction of Black Prophecy's gearheads
With all the buzz about space MMOs that are exploring the final frontier or participating in archaic representative democracy, it can be easy to lose sight of Black Prophecy, the upcoming game from German developer Reakktor Media. However, that doesn't make the news about it any less exciting, and it's surprising how much information can be packed into even a simple developer diary about the art direction of one of the game's factions. The Tyi faction, a race of superhuman cyborgs that now consider themselves beyond their parent race, are under examination this time, with a detailed look at how the Tyi aesthetic and philosophy are conveyed through ship designs. As one would expect from a race accustomed to replacing body parts as fashion or necessity dictates, the Tyi ships are designed with a very modular nature, far more exposed and mechanical than the smooth and sanitized looks seen from other factions. The developer diary talks about the construction of the ships and the stations, as well as showing off several visually stunning pictures that help demonstrate the hard-edged technological feel the faction will bring. If all of that piques your interest -- which it very well might do -- you might want to sign up for the upcoming beta, and get a chance to see Black Prophecy in action.
Rock the jailhouse with Age of Conan's Iron Tower
For whatever reason, MMO gamers have a low opinion of prisons. We always seem to assume that rather than being filled with fuming criminals kept under strict control, every one you venture through will be full of escaped criminals staging an elaborate prison break. Then again, it does have a cool factor going for it, which is doubtlessly why Age of Conan has dipped into the well with its upcoming Iron Tower. MMORPG.com has recently featured both a rundown of the upcoming dungeon's features and a short internal interview offering more details about the tower's design and purpose. Concluding the game's lore regarding the conflict in the Common District of Tarantia, the Iron Tower is embroiled in a war between a group bent on releasing a specific prisoner and a warden dedicated to preventing that same prisoner's release at all costs. Neither side is benevolent toward the players, with the warden at the edge of madness and the invader releasing prisoners to help supplement her forces, and the battle up the tower requiring high-level players to deal with both forces amidst the deranged captives. If that sounds like a good time to you -- and if you're fond of Age of Conan, we can't imagine it wouldn't -- take a look at both the rundown and the interview, and get ready to break in to a prison.
Japanese magazines give more Final Fantasy XIV glimpses
It's hard to tell how far along Final Fantasy XIV is in development -- there have been rumors that it's aiming for a beta late this year, and the pictures we've seen already have a metric ton of polish, but there are a lot of questions unanswered. Luckily, the intrepid fans at Final Fantasy XIV Core have been hard at work combing not just the official American information releases, but the plethora of Japanese magazines covering the title. Recent translations of features in both Dengeki Playstation magazine and Famitsu have shed some more light on features and intents regarding the game's overall direction. Although some of the information has been stated elsewhere, such as some of the general attributes of the Discipline system, there are some interesting tidbits. One of the more noteworthy features is the promise that there will be an "optimal distance" for attacks not just for archers (a feature it has in common with its predecessor), but for lancers as well. Lancers are also slated to be gaining the option of using javelins as thrown weapons. We're told nothing regarding having multiple jobs, but rather that leveling one job will also level attributes useful for several different jobs -- possibly indicating a more holistic approach to levelling in multiple fields. If you're even remotely interested in Final Fantasy XIV (and who isn't by this point), take a look at both translations for more nuggets about the game, including some of the game's slated music and several high-quality scans.
Star Wars: the Old Republic has a literal powder keg on Balmorra
Like it or not, Star Wars: the Old Republic is not so dissimilar from its source materials -- its planets universally have themes. There's the city planet, of course, and we all know there's going to be the desert planet. And, as it stands, we're now poised to have the weapons planet -- which promises to be as explosive as such a title would suggest. The game has recently unveiled Balmorra, the site of an ongoing struggle between the Republic and the Sith Empire, where the victor claims the preeminent weapons manufacturer in the Core Worlds. The planet started as an ally of the Republic, but during the long war with the Sith Empire the Republic was forced to scale back its efforts to help perserve the planet's independence, culminating in a full withdrawal of its reinforcements to the world. The Sith quickly claimed the planet in force, with only an underground resistance left with some Republic support to fight back against the invaders and do what damage was possible. Of course, when you're on the most deadly weapon-making planet in the area, you can do quite a bit of damage. The rejuvenated Republic is now returning its troop presence to the planet's surface in hopes that it can wrest the world back after the brief lull of peace, but the Balmorrans haven't exactly forgiven and forgotten the earlier abandonment. For more information on what promises to be one of the most explosive areas in Star Wars: the Old Republic, take a look at the official page containing more pictures and information.
Star Trek Online preview a solid overview of the game
Massively has been following along with the development of Cryptic Studios' upcoming Star Trek Online, and we're seeing that more previews are being written about the game in recent weeks. The latest preview is from Eurogamer's Keza MacDonald, who recently spent some time checking out Star Trek Online. It's a nicely worded look at the game as it exists today, an MMO title where "Cryptic is creating a flexible yet faithful interpretation of the Star Trek universe that stands a good chance of living up to even the unrealistic expectations of the faithful," writes MacDonald. The Eurogamer preview hits upon the balance between ship combat and away missions, the importance of tactics in space combat, and the kind of experiences players can look forward to on planet surfaces. There are no revelations of new features here, but what Keza MacDonald has put together is an excellent overview of the game, and worth a read for fans of Star Trek Online.
Blizzard gives preview of the Isle of Conquest battleground
Blizzard community manager Nethaera has announced some more details of the new battleground coming to World of Warcraft with Patch 3.2, Call of the Crusade.The "Isle of Conquest" will be a new place for Horde and Alliance to face off in forty-vs.-forty PvP across different locations offering their own unique challenges and rewards. Blizzard has put together a preview site for the Isle of Conquest explaining about the battleground and its objectives and resources that the Horde and Alliance will struggle over. Each location will have a certain advantage, ranging from Glaive Throwers and Catapults to an airship that allows players to parachute into the enemy keep. Have a look at the Isle of Conquest preview site for more on what to expect from Call of the Crusade's battleground. One of Azeroth's millions of citizens? Check out our ongoing coverage of the World of Warcraft, and be sure to touch base with our sister site WoW Insider for all your Lich King needs!
Star Trek Online preview looks at ship battles and exploration
There are few science fiction properties in existence that command the fan devotion that Star Trek does. Cryptic Studios is hoping to tap that huge fanbase with Star Trek Online, one of their massively multiplayer online games in development. Gamespot writer Andrew Park recently got a hands-on with STO that sheds some more light on the title. Park explains where Star Trek Online is set in terms of the IP's extensive timeline (the year 2409) and the political backdrop (The United Federation of Planets/Khitomer Accords). Much of his preview of STO focuses on three main aspects of gameplay -- ship battles; exploration; and away teams -- but Park also imparts some details about race customizations and the importance of preparation (advance recon, crew choices, weapon and shield decisions) in succeeding as a starship captain. If you're interested in hearing more about the upcoming title, you'll want to check out Andrew Park's "Star Trek Online Exclusive Impressions: Ship Battles, Exploration, and Away Teams" at Gamespot.
Jumpgate Evolution preview looks at PvE combat basics as well as PvP
Jumpgate Evolution is a title that some of us on the Massively staff are excited about, particularly since its (expected) June release date is right around the corner. But why does this game interest us? Simply stated, it will inject aggressive manual control and 'dogfighting' style combat into the space MMO genre, something we think a number of gamers out there will appreciate. We've taken a look at Jumpgate Evolution at some of the major gaming events in the past and spoken with NetDevil quite a bit about the title, but as that release date creeps closer there's always more info coming out. Case in point: NowGamer received an invitation to a press event at the Codemasters HQ in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, where they were given a hands-on with Jumpgate Evolution. This gave Ben Biggs from NowGamer the opportunity to put Jumpgate Evolution through its paces and write about how it turned out.
Blizz may not do previews for patch 3.2
Back way before patch 3.1 was on the PTRs, the first concrete information we got about the patch was a round of class previews from the CMs. Over the course of about a week Blizzard showed us a few changes they were thinking about implementing for each class. Some (most?) got implemented in the live patch (like Savage Defense), and some got scrapped completely, like Power Word: Barrier. It was made clear all along that these were only provisional changes, subject to modification as the patch progressed through the PTR and onto the live realms. Still, some players are upset that what they see as "promised" changes did not come true. Invoking the spirit of "this is why we can't have nice things," Ghostcrawler warns that he's "not sure if we will do previews for patch 3.2 given the response this time around."
GDC09: Massively previews Huxley, a hybrid sci-fi MMO and FPS
Huxley: The Dystopia is a massively multiplayer online first-person shooter (MMOFPS) in development at NHN USA. We haven't heard much about the title since mid-2008, so we were happy that NHN USA was willing to sit down with us at GDC 2009. We spoke with Andy Hong, Huxley's Project Manager, who showed us some of the basic concepts behind the game. Huxley is a persistent world built upon Unreal Engine 3 foundations and is a game that differs from many of the MMOs we cover at Massively. Like other titles entering the market such as Global Agenda, Huxley is a marriage of the twitch combat of a first person shooter with classes, skills, trading, banking, and player housing we associate with MMOs. "At the core of the gameplay in Huxley, at its heart, it's an FPS," says Hong. But the depth of the rest of Huxley's gameplay, not limited to its quest and crafting systems, makes it a title quite unlike any pure FPS. %Gallery-48874%
