en masse entertainment
Latest
Exclusive: Zombies Monsters Robots launches T-Rekt update tomorrow [Updated]
En Masse's not-so-massive co-op online shooter Zombies Monsters Robots heard you liked dinosaurs, so it's launching a dino-themed update tomorrow. In the aptly named T-Rekt patch, "players will find themselves battling for survival against some of the most terrifying, prehistoric beasts that walked the Earth, including a T-Rex with a rocket launcher strapped to its back" because of course it's a T-Rex with a rocket launcher strapped to its back; the game is called Zombies Monsters Robots for skies' sake. The studio also promises three new co-op maps, three new competitive maps, and new gear in the patch. We've got the launch trailer as well as some fresh screenshots below. Enjoy!
TERA introduces Kickstarter-esque BAM Killer event
Instead of asking for cash, TERA has taken to crowdfunding to solicit manpower. Using a fake Kickstarter page, En Masse invites players to help combat the out-of-control population explosion of BAMs -- or Big Ass monsters -- throughout TERA before they invade our world. How dire is the situation? Watch the video below to see! From now until September 16th, players can contribute to the BAM kill count and work toward the ultimate goal of 5 million BAMs dead in 21 days. Each day players log in during the event they will receive a special loot box that will contain five federation bills and a chance to drop bronze, silver, or gold BAM tokens -- tokens that can be exchanged for costumes, accessories, and even weapons exclusive to this event. For a look at all the possible rewards, check out the BAM Killer program. [Source: En Masse press release]
TERA Korea is getting guild fortresses that float
Let's all take a moment to lament that what I'm about to share is currently specific to the Korean version of TERA. There. Now that that's out of our system, we can appreciate the fact that Bluehole's new guild sky fortresses are pretty dang impressive, even if we won't see them in the En Masse version of the game for a while. MMO Culture reports that TERA Korea is also removing side quests from the fantasy MMO's quest log and placing them in a new interface nugget called Scouting Command, ostensibly to allow for more focus on the game's main story. But you really wanted to see the guild fortresses, right? Click past the cut for the vid.
Want to see your artwork on TERA's load screens?
If you've ever looked at TERA's loading screens and thought "I can do better," well, put up or shut up. En Masse is hosting a contest designed to spice up the waits between zones in its fantasy action MMO. You'll need to come up with original artwork (i.e., no screenshots), and you'll need to submit your entry no later than August 17th. You could win a new avatar outfit for your trouble, as well as the chance to see your work -- featuring your character and server names -- in the game. Click through the links below for more details and the full contest rules.
TERA's level cap to hit 65, new continent on its way
Bluehole Studio and En Masse Entertainment have announced today that their fantasy MMO TERA will be receiving a level cap increase and expand into a new continent later this year. The level cap will increase to 65, adding new skills and glyphs in the process. Along with this will come the Northern Arun continent and the world's fourth largest city, new instance dungeons, quest guide, enchanting system improvements, and more. Mention of a special competition for seasonal guild housing is also in the notes, and players are speculating in the forum thread about what this might mean. While Korea will get this new content in late July, En Masse says that the goal is to make it available for North American players by the end of the year. [Thanks to Leiloni for the tip!]
TERA's Patch 27.02 hits North American servers
TERA's Wounded World patch (Patch 27.02) has finally hit the North American servers after teasing us on the Korean servers for a time, and with it, we see some long-awaited additions to the game including new dungeons, a new boss gauge system, new gear, new master crafting rank, and more. Ghillieglade, Lakan's Prison, Abscess (normal and hard mode), and Rift's Edge (normal and hard mode) are the newest dungeon additions to the fantasy MMO while the dungeon bosses have been tweaked to allow more comprehensive information on which boss you're attacking and how close it is to kicking the bucket. Check out the complete patch notes at the official site for more information. [Thanks to Leiloni for the tip!]
Bluehole's not developing a TERA sequel after all
Korean MMO maker Bluehole Studio officially shot down long-circulating rumors about an in-development TERA sequel this week. While the firm is working on two new games -- currently codenamed Project W and Project EXA -- they "will only be similar to TERA in terms of western fantasy design," according to MMO Culture. The studio is also developing a mobile TERA spin-off tentatively titled Elin Expedition which features turn-based combat and additional Arborean lore and backstory.
TERA: Rising previews Wounded World update, Rift's Edge encounters
En Masse Entertainment is gearing up for its next TERA: Rising update in the west, which we now know is called Wounded World. The studio told Massively this week that the update is loaded with fresh content, including a three-man scenario in Lakan's Prison, a solo rescue mission in the primal forest of Ghillieglade, a seven-man foray into the Abscess instance, and a 10-person Big Boss BAM Slam in Rift's Edge, complete with new gear and bosses and rewards. We've got an exclusive video and screenshots of some of the new bosses and encounters coming in the update. Enjoy them below.
TERA's Chinese publisher has a deal for VR headsets
Good news for the VR enthusiasts today, or at least the VR enthusiasts who live in China and have a deep-seated desire to hack at some monsters in TERA. The game's Chinese publisher, Kunlun, revealed an agreement being made between the company and Sony to bring the game to the latter's virtual reality headset. The idea is that the headset will allow players to step into the game with what amounts to a full IMAX experience, only with significantly more giant monsters. Nothing has been said on whether or not this option will be available for players in North America. The Chinese version of the game is planning on its first large-scale open test in August, and there will be unique content for the region, but hopefully that won't include the ability to play the game with a headset strapped over your eyes.
Here's some odd art from Bluehole's TERA sequel
The TERA sequel is still a thing, as Bluehole Studio served up the game's first publicly revealed artwork at the Nexon Developers Conference 2014. MMO Culture has the image, and is that the white hand of Saruman on that dude's trenchcoat?
TERA's remodeling system removal causing player unrest
Avatar customization is a big deal in MMOs, especially ones as gorgeous as TERA. It's such a big deal, in fact, that changes to TERA's system brought on by the recent Reaper patch have resulted in a titanic forum protest thread that's well over 30 pages long as of this writing. In a nutshell, TERA's dearly departed remodeling system allowed players to alter the look of individual gear pieces. It was similar to World of Warcraft's transmogrification mechanics, but it has now been replaced by a system that necessitates grinding for tickets that may be exchanged for whole armor sets. [Thanks everyone who tipped us!]
TERA brings out the Reaper
Today's patch for TERA is bringing a brand-new class in a pint-sized package: the Reaper. Patch 26.04's star attraction is the new Reaper class, which only becomes available once a player hits level 40 with at least one character (And yes, there's an achievement to be the very first Reaper on any given server. Make us proud, Massively readers!). The Reaper is a leather-wearing, Elin-exclusive class that does mid-range damage with a scythe. It utilizes chains and combos extensively to do its DPS work. The patch also contains the new Reaper starting area of Ashen Hope, a big revamp to the crafting system, a production system, and an update to glyphs and the skills UI. It's a two gig patch, so you'll want to familiarize yourself with all of the ins and outs of the patch notes before you log in.
TERA's Reaper class heads to NA servers on May 13th [Updated]
The official Facebook page for TERA has posted an official North American release date for the Reaper class, already live in Japan and Korea, and that date is May 13th. According to fansite TeraToday, the Reaper is a free class available to players who already have a character over level 40; they're shadowy fighters who excel in close- and mid-range combat. We've included the Reaper trailer below. Pew pew slash slash and all that. [Update: The studio has just posted an official website for the new class.]
TERA's having a birthday party and you're invited
TERA celebrates its second birthday this weekend, and for reasons that make sense only to MMORPGs and hobbits, that means it's giving its players a bunch of presents. En Masse will be handing out 20 prizes per server per day from today to May 1st, with a special jackpot chance for those who play over the weekend. The prizes include party packs, special mounts, skins, and the all-important 2013 swimsuit bundle. Everyone who logs in will be showered in daily federation bills, and this Saturday the team plans to bring in "special guests" who come bearing -- you guessed it -- more loot. The studio produced a trailer to punch up the festivities and demonstrate just how far the game has come since launch; we've included it below. Happy birthday, TERA!
Zombies Monsters Robots closed beta coming to get you in May
Zombies, monsters, robots, oh May! You'll have the chance to kill 'em all next month, when En Masse Entertainment's Zombies Monsters Robots goes into closed beta. Along with PvP deathmatches, the beta will feature two additional modes: Kill Every Thing, a wave-based survival mode, and Assault, a humans vs. aliens mode. Kill Every Thing will only have one map for beta players, but Assault and PvP will feature two maps each. For your chance to enter the beta, you'll need to register on the Zombies Monsters Robots website. Doing so will also enter you for a chance to win a First Blood Pack, which contains exclusive in-game items. Although the press release announcing the beta doesn't specify what said items are, an image on the game's website shows two characters decked out in shirts reading "First Blood," as well as red and black tiger-striped bandanas and rifles with the same red and black design. ZMR was announced at last month's GDC, and has been dubbed a spiritual successor to iOS shooter Mercenary Ops. [Image: En Masse Entertainment]
TERA's federation bills let you buy discontinued cash shop items
En Masse has added a new wrinkle to its TERA cash shop. The next time you log into the free-to-play fantasy brawler, you'll receive a pack of five federation bills for your trouble. You'll get five more on each subsequent login "for a limited time," and En Masse will be "introducing more and more ways to get them" in the future. The bills aren't tradeable, but you can share them across all the characters on your account. They're used at exclusive merchants in towns spread throughout Arborea to purchase "some of those rare items no longer available anywhere else" as well as "plenty of other goodies and treats." [Thanks Dengar!]
32-team TERA PvP tourney starts Saturday, March 9
TERA fans, you've now got some weekend plans -- assuming you didn't already have weekend plans, of course. En Masse is hosting a three-vs.-three PvP tournament in Champions' Skyring starting on Saturday, March 9th. This will be a single-elimination event composed of 32 teams, with 3,000 En Masse cash shop points going to the winners alongside a premium ninja costume bundle. The second place team gets the costume bundle and a thousand EMP, while third and fourth place finishers will take home the costumes. All participants will receive an afro head slot accessory. If you're not much for PvPing, you can view the shenanigans via En Masse's Twitch channel. The event runs from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. EST on Saturday and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday. Click past the cut for the full press release. [Source: En Masse press release]
The Soapbox: My hypersexualization conundrum
Every now and then here at Massively, we receive an email that isn't super nice. I know this may come as a shock to many of you -- the internet is, after all, a place of tolerance and constructive debate -- but sometimes the Massively inbox is no place any sane person would want to be. One reader recently took the opportunity to offer some choice thoughts on Massively staffers. And amidst the jumble of insults and generalizations, the reader levied the ever-powerful "hypocrisy" charge at us for claiming to care about hypersexualized designs of female characters in MMOs while simultaneously playing as those very hypersexualized characters. How could we possibly purport to care about the presentation of women in games if we're all running around in chainmail bikinis? Generally speaking, I prefer to not have my habits and behavior challenged via ad hominem attacks and false comparisons. But I have to admit that this one particular charge piqued my curiosity. Why is it that the majority of my characters are female? Am I, as a person who looks down on hypersexualized designs in games, committing an act of hypocrisy every time I create a female character? Let's sort it out. And before we begin, remember that the Soapbox, like most of our editorials, is just one person's opinion and doesn't represent the thoughts of Massively as a whole.
Massively's Valentine's Day roundup
When a mob hits your eye with a big sharpened spike... that's not really amore! In fact, it's downright painful. But it's February -- a time when love is in the air, hearts are aflutter everywhere, and pink and red festoon your favorite MMOs. So in the spirit of the season, go ahead and give that mob an extra-hard love tap, right from... er, to the heart! And don't forget to collect whatever treasures it had for you because we all know Valentine's Day isn't all about the love; no, it's about the loot! Want to know where to get your hands on something special for this holiday? There are plenty of celebrations throughout the MMOverse offering a plethora of events and goodies. Check out some of the various Valentine's events and specials going on now.
The Soapbox: Novel content trumps novel mechanics
Action combat. Interactive conversations. Public quests. Voxel worlds. There are many game mechanics that developers of massively multiplayer online games crow about when promoting their games because these are the things that make their games stand out from the pack. Even if they're not the first to do it, they'll proclaim that they're doing it bigger and better than their predecessors. I don't have a problem with any of this. It's when the developers and their ardent fans gloss over the importance of the actual content these mechanics are applied to that I get annoyed. Mechanics are just a skeleton, and they can't do anything at all without some meat on the bones. Content matters, and good, fresh content will keep players interested long after the novelty of unusual mechanics has worn off.
