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Second Wind: Age of Conan
I remember playing Age of Conan when it first came out; it seems like an eternity ago. So many titles have been released and failed since then that it's easy to get it all mixed up, and it doesn't help when many of those titles are sub-par or just plain boring and forgettable. Age of Conan sort of messed with my head with its insistent instancing and odd combat mechanics. I just couldn't wrap my head around what the game was trying to do. Is it a hardcore PvP-centric MMO? Many would say so. Is it a grand, single-player adventure? In some ways. Is it an immersive romp through the long-lived lore of Conan the Barbarian? I guess so. It's a bit of all of these but does none of them perfectly. I decided to jump back into the game because the last time I played it was when it switched over to its odd freemium model that is all-too-common in Western MMOs these days.
SOE 'harasses' players with a massive PlanetSide 2 patch
If SOE was going for the Award for Largest Patch Notes in Recent Memory, it just might have achieved it with its recent update to PlanetSide 2. Just for the sake of journalismistic investigationism, we did a rough count and discovered over 3600 words in the official post. And it's not just a patch about a few bugs and bits of tweaking; there's a new vehicle in town called the Harasser. According to its description, the Harasser is a "speedy armored assault buggy that plays a dual role as both a transport and strike vehicle." It also carries three units: the passenger (who can be a MAX unit), a driver, and a gunner. We imagine it running up, guns blazin', dropping a heavy and tearing away to pick up another. Brilliant! Among the changes is a tweak to certifications for the Lightning, the best small tank in the world of PlanetSide 2. But we might be a tad biased. Check out the game for free on the official site.
Second Wind: All Points Bulletin Reloaded
I could make this a very short piece by saying that APB: Reloaded is simply as fun now as it has ever been. The game is a blast in more ways than one. Heck, I could close it right now by telling you that not only was my return to the game well worth the effort but also that it also served to slap me on the side of the head to say, "Hey, dummy, remember how fun it is to run over people?" I'd rather give you more details, though, especially for those of you who might not have played the game or haven't played it in a long time. APB: Reloaded is essentially a lobby-based shooter. The lobby -- or social district, as it is called -- and the instanced battle arenas are massive places. While I livestreamed the game last week (you can watch the embedded video after the cut), someone accurately commented that watching it was like watching "GTA Online." I agree, but it's also so much more than that. Join me past the cut and I promise not to run you over. (EDIT: I was able to order an APB: Reloaded box from Newegg.com for $7.99 USD which contains "over $50 value" like a permanent Magnum gun, a Cisco car, 500 G1 credits and 30 days of premium. I paid no shipping fees at all and received it within three days of ordering, but after this article went live.)
EverQuest's Shadow of Fear lets you hear the voice of Luclin
EverQuest's Shadow of Fear just launched; it's the update and second part to the Rain of Fear expansion that released in November. Yes, you read that right: This is the old-school MMO's 19th expansion. If that's not impressive enough for, the list of content that comes with the patch should hold over vets for a long time. If you're level 100, you'll be able to enjoy new zones and content and brand-new mechanics. The essence of fear is literally raining down in the form of crystalline shards. While players fight to restore balance, an ancient city has been resurrected with no explanation. Mysteries? New content? New spells, items, missions, raids quests, and storylines to discover? Yeah, we wanted in on that. We hung out with producer Thom Terrazas, lead designer Jonathan Caraker, assistant lead designer Julie Burness, and assistant lead game designer and Douglas Cronkhite for a video tour of the new update. Read on to hear what we thought and catch the brand-new trailer too. %Gallery-186007%
Why I Play: Villagers and Heroes
Villagers and Heroes, formerly called A Mystical Land, surprised me. I had gone several weeks if not a few months without logging in to the game for longer than a half an hour, so you can imagine my surprise when I realized that the game not only had been improved but had added systems that I thought it never would. In other words, the game was suddenly a world, a fully realized browser-based MMORPG. Despite my feeling that the game was going to languish in state of semi-completion, suddenly it had housing, more crafting, a better UI, and a fully stocked cash shop. I've streamed the game before, but now I find myself logging in a lot more than ever. And now, after hosting a livestream with associate designer Cameron England (embedded after the cut), I'm really having fun with the game and have noticed that it offers a lot more than games that are much more well-known. This is why I play Villagers and Heroes.
Asian-themed browser-based MMO Yitien hits open beta tomorrow
Sometimes, one has a particular sort of gaming itch in need of scratching. If your recent itch happens to have been a Chinese-themed high fantasy browser-based game, you are so, so lucky. Yitien, a new title from R2Games, happens to fill that niche ever so nicely, and it's launching into open beta on April 9th. Yitien is about mastering two legendary weapons, going on quests, slaughterfying other players, mastering the subtleties of Yeti disguises, and minigames. The game already boasts a marriage system, which "provides awesome stat bonuses." So there's... there's that. [Source: R2Games press release]
Chinese browser MMO Yitien launches alpha on March 29th
R2Games will be bringing Yitien, a Chinese-themed MMORPG, to browsers starting on March 29th. The developers promise a variety of play, from turn-based battles and multi-player arenas to PvP events and a version of the ever-familiar rock, paper, scissors. In one event, players can sign up at a certain time and enter a zone that transforms every player into a yeti. There will be no way to distinguish players from NPC yetis, but points and treasure are earned as NPCs are defeated and player attacks are successfully repelled. Attacking other players, however, will award you no points. Players will also participate in a simple board game, rolling dice and moving a number of spaces. The first player to reach a certain location on the board wins the game. Players landing on the same square will battle, while players who run into mysterious warriors will have to fight using rock, paper, scissors for the chance to win lucrative trinkets. Already available in China, Yitien has accrued 20 million total registered players with an average of 500,000 users logged on at one time. (How many bots are involved with those numbers, we'll never know.) You can sign up now on the official site. [Source: R2Games press release]%Gallery-184260%
Free for All: Taking my turn in Ecol Tactics
Last weekend, I spent some time with Ecol Tactics, a new turn-based MMO brought to us by Games Campus. It features a lot of the same mechanics we have seen before, similar art design to other titles, and a browser-based, Flash-based accessibility that is always welcome. Sure, I was able to enjoy it for only several hours, but during that time, I noted just why Anime and turn-based combat is still successful and why Ecol Tactics is wise to take such a successful genre and launch a new title within it. Anime is easy to digest. The characters on the screen feel chunky but agile. There's something instantly likeable about the characters in Ecol Tactics. They are detailed like an army of miniature soldiers. Wisely, the developers show you some high-level spells and combat before you even get out of the newbie area. I have to admit that I looked forward to the day I would be able to lay waste to a half-dozen monsters with a single swipe of my weapon. %Gallery-176948%
Hyperspace Beacon: SWTOR's Section X is not a steaming pile of poodoo
Although one of the quests in the new daily area of Star Wars: The Old Republic requires you to sift through fecal matter to find a DNA sample, that doesn't mean that quests actually stink. In fact, I believe it's just the opposite. The new quest additions to SWTOR allowed me to overlook some of the issues in the free-to-play model that I mentioned last week. Subscribers can access the new Section X area for free, and free or preferred accounts can access it for 600 Cartel Coins. The Republic previously abandoned exploration of this area of Belsavis until recent intelligence placed minions of the Dread Master in the area. That, along with the recent discovery of the transport ship known as The Fatality, has piqued both the Republic's and Empire's interest in the area. Players have two major tasks in the area: The long awaited HK-51 companion quests start here, and a new set of level 50 daily quest are found here. Let's take a moment to examine those two major aspects of Update 1.5.
What WoW Free to Play players can and cannot do
The World of Warcraft Starter Edition is Blizzard's free to play option for WoW. While it is a good way to get to know the game, don't go running out to tell all your friends to play with you for free until you know a few things about this edition. In order to avoid pronoun trouble, your friend is named Veronica. A Starter Edition player cannot send or receive mail. So you can't mail bags, gold, or even an empty welcome note to Veronica. Pet Battles are off limits for free to play people, but they can purchase the training -- unfortunately. Veronica will be able to create a Pandaren, just not a monk. More free to play info after the break.
Yo ho ho: Happy 10th birthday, Puzzle Pirates
Puzzle Pirates is still way ahead of its time, despite the fact that it just turned 10 years old. For many years, MMOs have tried to get players to work together in real time in myriad ways, yet Puzzle Pirates is the only one that has approached the problem exactly in this way: having each player work a different puzzle to represent different activities. One player controls the direction and speed a ship travels, two players work a "bilging" puzzle to help keep water from filling in, perhaps a few more players man the sails, and another plays a puzzle that represents keeping the ship repaired. What you end up with is a pretty realistic depiction of a team working together to sail the high seas, fight NPCs, and attack other players. This same puzzle-based gameplay works its way throughout the entire game, making for a very unique and in-depth experience. It also ensures that players become experts at certain puzzles, something that easily represents the way a real-life sailor would become an expert at his or her station. In a word, it's brilliant. Massively checked in with CEO Daniel James on the occasion of the game's birthday. Read on for the scoop!
Star Wars: The Old Republic launches the Cartel Market on the PTS
Since the free-to-play announcement, Star Wars: The Old Republic fans have been asking what exactly will be offered in SWTOR's microtransaction cash shop. Fans on the public test server now have the chance to find out. This morning, BioWare shut down the PTS for a few hours and brought it back online with a fully installed Cartel Market. To test out its new market, BioWare set all PTS players to F2P status so the team can fully assess the F2P options. But does that mean that players have to spend real money to test out F2P? No; according the patch notes, "all PTS testers will be periodically granted a small amount of Cartel Coins for the purpose of testing the Cartel Market." Earlier today, the Hyperspace Beacon talked about the impact of F2P on SWTOR. Log on to the PTS, test out the Cartel Market, then let us know what you think in the comments. How does it stack up to other cash shops? Is this enough to change the course of the game?
Hyperspace Beacon: Will free-to-play save SWTOR?
Last week, I discussed the reasons I still play a game that literally a million people have quit playing. I believe a huge part of that discussion stemmed from my expectations of the game. I truly believe that many people expected Star Wars: The Old Republic to be the answer to all MMO problems and Wookiees. Of course, no game could ever live up to that dream. I attempted to curb some of those expectations in a few of my articles, but some community desires were just beyond the scope of BioWare's plans for SWTOR. This led to disappointment and a lot of unreal prospects for the game. On that note, I'd like to take a look at the free-to-play plans for our Star Wars MMO. Many players hope that F2P will finally launch SWTOR in the right direction. Others believe that if SWTOR had launched F2P, we wouldn't have seen the mass exodus that we saw in March. (Of course, there are also those who claim that F2P is just the next step toward fail and that the game will shut down in less than a year.) Personally, I'm a fan, so I'm hopeful. However, I take that hope with the realization that this could definitely be the beginning of the end for SWTOR. Ultimately, the potential for success hinges on the disparity between what the players want and what BioWare delivers. Will F2P save SWTOR?
First Impressions: WarMage Battlegrounds
WarMage Battlegrounds, by developer Burst Online Entertainment, is as simple game that pops up in a window and requires no large downloads. At first, everything about the game is simple, from the character creation to the layout of the map. However, after spending some time in the game tweaking my army loadout, and worrying about how to get my WarMage's mana pool to refill faster, I have to say that there is quite a bit of in-depth strategy packed into this unassuming indie title. You play a WarMage, a caster-type who has been set into the world to defend and conquer other WarMages. Your weapons consist of a small army, creatures, and a hotbar filled with scrolls, artifacts, and spells, and you battle it out with other players and NPCs on sometimes large (but always manageable) maps. If you have played Pox Nora, a turn-based title from Sony Online Entertainment, then you will be familiar with WarMage Battlegrounds. But WarMage Battlegrounds does some things that are well ahead of Pox Nora, things that take strategy gaming to newer heights.
Previously on MV TV: The week of September 22nd
It's that time of the week again, people! Time for those unlucky few who missed our livestreams as they went live to click beyond the cut and enjoy my favorites of the week. It's hard picking them out, so I reach out to the team and ask which ones deserve to be highlighted. Honestly, all of the livestreams deserve the spotlight, but it should be no surprise to find out that individual streamers find their own streams to be the best of the best. I tend to agree, and every week I am surprised at just how no-nonsense and informative our streams are. Be sure to bookmark our livestream schedule calender so that each week you can tune in to your favorite. Feel free to suggest titles for streaming and to chat it up with our streamers live as they play! This week we have MJ returning with her favorite games like EverQuest II, Aion, The Secret World, Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, and Guild Wars 2. Richie joins in with his current favorite, Guild Wars 2, and I round things off with an hour spent with the Ultima Online developer team, a goblinball session with community leaders in Allods Online, and a tutorial on building a house in Wurm Online! Trust me, if there is one goblin-kicking, dev-interviewing, house-building livestream series that you should watch, it's this one!
Hyperspace Beacon: Six reasons to return for SWTOR update 1.4
I've been playing MMOs for many years, and in that time, I've realized that the big thing they all have in common is that they get better with age. Unlike most single-player games, MMOs are in a constant state of flux. Besides the social interaction, the fact that I can leave a game for a couple of months then come back to find things have changed makes this gaming genre more interesting to me than your average RPG or FPS. Oftentimes, it's fun to come back to a game that I liked but maybe wasn't sticky enough to play all the time just to see what has changed, and maybe I'd like it more the next time around. That's kind of what happened to me with Star Wars Galaxies. When the game launched, I thought it was great to explore the Star Wars universe I'd grown up with as a kid, but I couldn't latch on to the game because of the bugs and other minor issues. It wasn't until about six months after launch that I was actually able to grasp the game and play it long enough to find out why people were so smitten. Perhaps Star Wars: The Old Republic will be the same kind of game. When it launched nine months ago, there were bugs, though not as big as SWG's bugs, mind you. The content needed a little tweaking. And certain systems like the Galactic Trade Network did not function well. But now with update 1.4 coming tomorrow and free-to-play on the horizon, it might be a good time to invite your friends to come back or even come back yourself. Let's examine some of the reasons to do so.
Previously on MV TV: The week of September 15th
Ah, what a week in livestreaming for the Massively crew! Luckily, no one was discouraged by the fact that I was unable to stream my usual amount because I was waiting on a new PC to arrive. What brave soldiers, what fearless souls! I begged them to go on without me, and... well, they did. Pretty easily, actually. Be sure to bookmark our livestream schedule page so you won't miss another! Anyway, what did we do on to stream? Well, tons of stuff. I took some of the very best streams from last week and assembled them in one easy-to-swallow pill. All you have to do is sit back, relax, and watch the wackiness! Like what? Like Richie taking on some more Guild Wars 2 in beautiful HD; MJ leaping bravely into The Secret World, EverQuest II, Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, City of Heroes and Aion; and Mike PvPing in EVE Online and World of Tanks. I rounded things off with my one stream of the week: a look at IMVU, a social MMO for those who really, really like to go goth.
MMObility: Project Theralon puts players deep in the browser sandbox
If you're a sandbox fan who's not familiar with the browser-based sandbox called Project: Theralon, become familiar with it. For sandboxers as well as browser-based MMO fans, this game will nudge the genre up in quality and help undermine the notion that browser-based gaming is limited, linear, and boring. In Project: Theralon, players will be able to make characters how they want and can eventually become dragon-riders, powerful characters who can fly through the environment causing havoc as they go. During my interview with the game's Associate Creative Director Sven Ehrentraut and Public Relations Director Piotr Pilich, I watched live as the game was loaded in a browser and a character mounted a dragon, flew through the landscape, and hopped off into a fight. The game has been in development for only six months, but there's already plenty to get excited about. Click past the cut and I'll give you all the details!
Free for All: Blasting through Clone Wars Adventures' new Carlac content
I love the Clone Wars animated telvesion series on Cartoon Network. So when I heard that Sony Online Entertainment was making the Clone Wars Adventures MMO using the Free Realms engine, I was more excited than a tween with an unscratched Station Cash card on Christmas. Finally I would be able to play in the world of the Clone Wars without having to venture into the lower digit channels! Recently SOE released (somewhat quietly) a new area to explore and conquer. In the Carlac zone, players are tasked with defeating piles of Death Watch baddies and Pre Vizsla. Tune in past the break, where I'll defeat Pre myself!
Choose My Adventure: How I fell in love with The Kingdom of Loathing
Well, it's time for me to say goodbye to The Kingdom of Loathing. It's more accurate to say that it's time for you to say goodbye to the KoL diary that I've been keeping over the last several weeks. Perhaps we can meet in-world to discuss the game further? Before you go, allow me to recap what I learned from my time with this odd browser-based MMO. I guess it'd be easiest to tell you what kind of player I am and why this game fits my playstyle so well. That way you can ask yourself if it sounds like the right fit for you, based on a comparison of our two personalities. No matter what conclusion you come to, you should still try the game. I don't know how someone could not want to try any new game he came across, but that's getting into my preferences. Even then, there is no denying the convenience of a free-to-play, browser-based, multi-platform sandbox MMO that also offers years of content and a very unique fanbase. It all started several weeks ago...
