pending-updates
Latest
Dark Age of Camelot adjusting New Frontiers again
Sometimes adjustments seem like a good idea right up until they're implemented. That's the case with Dark Age of Camelot's recent changes to New Frontiers. The game's most recent producer's letter states that they were made and quickly proved to not have the desired effects, which means that several elements need to be tweaked and re-balanced. This includes several rollbacks -- Relics will return to Relic Temples, docks will be returned to their original location, and players will no longer be able to port to shore-keeps. The updates to the game in the near future won't be limited to PvP, however, as the development team is also looking for ways to spruce up PvE content by modernizing mechanics and adding in new loot. In the longer term, there are also plans to revamp the game's LFG interface and provide a Champion Level increase. Check out the full producer's letter for all the details.
TERA's staff planning on more events and more content updates
TERA has consolidated to three servers today, but the latest dispatch from producer Chris Hager doesn't dwell on that. No, this dispatch is all about what the game has in the pipeline, starting with more events for players to enjoy. Hager lays out plans the team has made for the fall, like new small-scale events run by the staff on a more regular basis alongside weekend events targeting larger groups of players. The update doesn't mention dates, but it does give several ideas of event types (random races or scavenger hunts as flash events, increased dungeon rewards for weekend events). Hager also stresses that the game is rolling out further content updates starting with the return of crafting quests and a large-scale Berserker update. There's another large patch due out this fall as well as significant changes to Enchanting, and there are undisclosed further projects being developed jointly by En Masse Entertainment and Bluehole Studios. Players looking for more details can glean a few from the official letter.
Perpetuum rolling out Gamma Frontier tomorrow
Home is where you hang your hat, but in Perpetuum, home is also where you ensure that your mining operations remain stable with the aid of several high-powered turrets. The next major update to the game, Gamma Frontier, is all about making sure that your home is the best it can be. Player corporations will be able to make use of the game's new Modular Private Colony system, setting up static buildings and defenses for large-scale industrial operations, helped by the addition of 24 new teraformable islands. Obviously, player-run structures are a pretty big deal all by themselves, but the update also includes a new rendering engine for land and sky textures. There's also a new public test server available so that players can take the measure of future updates before they go live. If you're a longtime fan of the mech-based game, you can tide yourself over a little longer by taking a look through the several new screenshots of the update below. [Source: Avatar Creations press release] %Gallery-156617%
Star Trek Online looks to anniversary updates, free-to-play updates, and beyond
Star Trek Online's second anniversary is just a month away, but the game's transition to a free-to-play model is even closer than that. In the game's latest developer diary, executive producer Stephen D'Angelo talks about updates leading into the business model shift, the anniversary, and the eventual rollout of the game's next season. A couple of new bug fixes and feature improvements will be rolled out to the live game before January 17th, at which point the game will shift over to the free-to-play mode. In February, the game will be celebrating its anniversary with a new KDF flagship, the debut of the Odyssey-class Federation ship, and soon thereafter a series of Dominion featured episodes. Players can look forward to season 6 sometime in June, with the development team aiming at something new in the game roughly every other week once the game is free-to-play. It's a tall order, but Star Trek Online fans at least have those frequent updates to hope for if not necessarily expect.
Lord of the Rings Online bringing in major stat changes
If you've played Lord of the Rings Online extensively, odds are good that you're familiar with the concept of stat caps. Functionally, stat caps are that certain point at which further increases to the stat in question will be wasted -- useful for balance purposes, but rather frustrating when players find new abilities and equipment useless due to the stat caps. So it's probably going to be a good thing when Rise of Isengard makes stat caps largely a thing of the past. That's not the only useful takeaway from the new developer diary, however, as the game's statistics are also undergoing further revision to make the game easier to understand at a glance. A new stat, Finesse, will be added to specifically reduce your target's ability to evade or resist attacks. Resistance, Mitigation, and Critical Hit will all be merged from their current state (so melee, ranged, and tactical critical hit will all become simply Critical Hit). Finally, there are some changes incoming in terms of interactions with primary stats. It's a short diary, to be sure, but the implications for Lord of the Rings Online players should be far-reaching.
RIFT confirms development of an addon API
It's been rumored for much of the day with implementation scattered throughout the test client, but it's been confirmed -- addons are coming to RIFT. In a post to the official forums, James Nichols explains that the game's addon API is currently being tested for implementation, with the hope that players will be able to customize the game's interface while still maintaining the high level of quality found throughout the game. A precise release has not been stated, as the API is still in its earliest stages of development. Fan reaction has been mixed, as addons have long been a contentious element of many games -- some players feel that they strip down complexity of play, and there are obvious comparisons to be drawn with World of Warcraft. At the same time, the promise to allow free customization and alteration to RIFT has many players excited and looking forward to the new feature. Either way, it's coming to the game, so only time will tell what the implementation will bring. [Thanks puremallace for the tip!]
Newest producer letter for Final Fantasy XIV talks patch 1.18, dungeons, and camps
Starting in the next patch for Final Fantasy XIV, the little aetheryte camps won't be the only signs of civilization outside the main cities. According to the newest producer's letter from Naoki Yoshida, new camps and hamlets will be added to the map with the next patch, which is also slated to include the first changes to the game's battle system and instanced dungeons for ranks 30 and 50. These are features that players have been hearing about for some time, and it's excellent to have a more definite timeline for the implementation. The down side to this, of course, is that the larger dose of content and upgrades will mean a longer gap between patches, as patch 1.18 is currently set to be released in mid-June. Yoshida goes on to say that it's quite possible the team will break some of the content down and release a 1.17b patch at some point in May, just to help tide players over. Final Fantasy XIV players are encouraged to read the full letter and get ready for more sweeping changes, along with further previews of the dungeons due in the near future.
Wizard101 releases producer's letter for April
Wizard101 is staying cool -- frosty, even. At the very least, the game's storyline is staying icy, as the game's next new area will be the region of Wintertusk. The newest producer's letter from Leah Ruben explains that Wintertusk will continue the story started in Grizzleheim, giving players a chance to venture farther into snowbound regions of the world against various tundra-themed enemies. But there are a lot of other changes coming along with the game's next update, offering players of all levels new content and additions. Higher-level players will be able to enjoy the addition of high-level quest pets as well as a variety of additional spells and effects designed for the best of the best. Lower-level players will be heading back to Crab Alley to continue the mini-story associated with the Selena Gomez promotion a while back. There's also some new content slated to just be meant for those at the apex of power, as well as the opportunity for players to upgrade a given spell to help it match their newer abilities. In addition, the letter includes a continuation of last month's questions and answers for the producer. Wizard101 players can check out the full producer's letter for more information.
Star Trek Online posts the latest Engineering Report
Season 4 for Star Trek Online is still without an ETA, but it's getting closer with each passing day. As the latest Engineering Report states, it's being worked on by the development team with vigor along with several other projects for the game. And while the next major patch obviously contains the lion's share of big content additions, the recent launch of the Foundry has certainly helped matters. But there's more to be done, not just for player-generated content but for the game as a whole, and as in months past the report seeks to outline what's near release, being worked on, or being discussed. Playable fighter craft are on the table for testing, along with more Gorn customization options and visitable planets within the Sol system. Further on down the line, the report lists plans for another ground combat revision including an over-the-shoulder mode as well as persistent zones for player tutorials. Star Trek Online players should take a gander at the full rundown of features in development, enough content and system adjustments to make anyone look forward to the future.
Naoki Yoshida hints at future developments in latest Final Fantasy XIV letter
One of the promises that Naoki Yoshida made to Final Fantasy XIV players upon taking over the job of producer was regular, open communication. It's an easy promise to make, but the producer has also followed through in the delivery with his regular letters to the community as a whole. The newest letter has just been released, promising a variety of changes and updates in tomorrow's patch 1.17 and beyond -- including hints of an additional job system supplementing the existing Armoury system. The main thrust of this particular letter is explaining the division of labor in the game's development, with teams working on battle system revamps and improvements alongside quest teams and art teams, allowing for the game's current pace of small, rapid patches. There's also a promise that the Grand Companies will soon be unveiled on the official site, organizations which Yoshida states will be extremely important in the game's upcoming content. Final Fantasy XIV fans can read the full letter on the official forums.
Fallen Earth shows off Alpha County in the newest State of the Game
If you were hoping to find out that Alpha County in Fallen Earth was a last bastion of uncorrupted civilization... well, we have some bad news for you. But in all likelihood you expected nothing of the sort, and thus the previews of the new region included in April's State of the Game letter will come as no surprise. Since the release seems to be just around the corner, this month's update is all about the surreal landscape and wasted environment players will be exploring in this newest region. Accompanied by a surfeit of screenshots, the letter talks once more about the technical challenge involved with bringing this newest region into the game. A new style of terrain means checking extensively to make sure that critters are behaving correctly when engaged by players, and the variety of new weapons and items available means that there's a lot of testing to make sure that nothing breaks the game's structure. Fallen Earth players will want to take a look at the full preview for all the details and several pictures of the latest part of the wasteland.
The Mog Log: Until we run out of road
One of the uniquely fun parts about writing a column on Thursday is that every so often, Square-Enix decides that it wants to completely ruin my day. Case in point: I had an entire column written about the complete dearth of information that we'd been given of late about Final Fantasy XI, the writing of which was immediately followed by Friday's announcement of the road ahead for the game over the next twelve months. So that was awesome. OK, it's a legitimately pretty awesome piece of news, but I can't help but wish that the team had waited until Monday or something. My own griping aside, we now have a clear picture about what's waiting in the wings for Final Fantasy XI. And it's good, but that positivity has some caveats, and there are some issues that aren't getting addressed despite all of the news. I think the current team really "gets it" in a way that Tanaka never quite did, but I think there are also elements that are just so ingrained in the game and its development culture that some fixes we need are being pushed off or ignored.
Newest producer's letter released for Star Wars Galaxies
Despite the layoffs and restructuring that has recently hit Sony Online Entertainment, Star Wars Galaxies is still going strong and improving. Producer Teesquared has chimed in for this month's producer's letter, outlining some of the planned additions to the game over the course of the next year. And what will that entail? Outlined in the letter are updates to the ongoing Galactic Civil War. Players can look forward to Galactic Civil War 2 being split into three updates to allow for faster release, with part one adding more objectives in space and three new fighter ships to help achieve those objectives. Part two will bring the war more directly to player-run cities and guilds, while part three will be a general balancing pass aimed at improving the game all around. While Teesquared spends a great deal of time looking back at the past year and outlining the changes that have been made to the game, it looks like Star Wars Galaxies players can look forward to a mix of system tweaks, PvP improvements, and content additions. Fans should take a look at the full letter for more details.
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.
Quest changes en route for Final Fantasy XIV on Monday
Final Fantasy XIV is only just coming back from its temporary shutdown, but it's a known fact that the team hasn't been sitting idle during the downtime, and it looks like the developers have been putting the finishing touches on another small patch. Patch 1.16a is slated to arrive during scheduled maintenance on Monday, and while it's not a major update, it does change one rather important issue -- the way that quest targets are currently handled. When implemented in patch 1.16, enemies intended as quest targets did not provide the player with drops, experience, or skill points. That factor is being changed, according to the preliminary notes for 1.16a, with the respawn timer correspondingly lengthened. While it's possible this might change in the short time remaining before the scheduled release date, the modification should be a welcome one for Final Fantasy XIV fans getting reacquainted with the newly restored game over the weekend.
Exclusive: Designing the expanded Incarnate trees for City of Heroes
It was rumored for a while and confirmed at PAX East -- Issue 20 of City of Heroes will feature four new Incarnate slots for characters to improve their abilities. That means a huge breadth of new power and ability choices for everyone, and it should lead to some very interesting gameplay once the four new slots become more common among players, especially as the Incarnate abilities aren't tied to any specific archetype or power selection. Of course, that means there are all sorts of new issues for the Paragon Studios team to deal with as the powers go through the phases of design. In this exclusive developer diary, Tim Sweeney, system designer on City of Heroes, has given us the lowdown on how the new endgame slots were conceived and designed. Jump on past the cut to see how the four newest slots were put together for the upcoming patch, from concept to balancing issues.
Developer diary outlines the goals for Lord of the Rings Online's upcoming raid
Raid design is as much an art as a science. Lord of the Rings Online is slated for a big update to its raiding game with the removal of the radiance mechanic, but that's hardly the only feature in the queue for the upcoming patch. Ost Dunhoth is en route, and in a new developer diary, Joe Barry talks about some of the major changes that are being placed in the raid to make it fun and challenging in equal amounts. Aside from the known fact that no radiance will be needed, the raid will also feature an automatic cooldown reset for each boss fight, ensuring that players won't be prohibited from a second try by a recharging skill. The raid is also divided into three wings, with progress through the first two needed to unlock the third and final wing. Take a look at the full rundown of features in the diary entry, which also includes a few previews of the loot. And if you're a Lord of the Rings Online player in Europe enticed by new content, well, there is a Welcome Back weekend running...
Exclusive: MapleStory video preview of upcoming class
New classes and new abilities are always a good thing. MapleStory is already full of classes and abilities, but the upcoming Aftershock update will be adding in a new set of abilities for the Cygnus Knight class. Players who have attained level 120 in the class will be granted the option of making a new character of the Ultimate Explorer class, a character starting at level 50 and bypassing the early training levels for veteran players. The fine folks at Nexon have put together a preview showing off some of the new abilities and attacks players will be able to enjoy in the new update, animated with MapleStory's usual aplomb. While it's a bit on the short side, it should still give a picture of what new destruction can be wrought in the game's side-scrolling regions. Click on past the break for the video, and keep an eye out for further news as the patch gets closer.
Naoki Yoshida releases another producer's letter for Final Fantasy XIV
Naoki Yoshida has been making big changes to the structure of Final Fantasy XIV ever since he took over as the game's producer, but the recent patch 1.15a was only the beginning. In the latest producer's letter, Yoshida not only discusses the recent changes and the reaction to same but also lays out further plans for game updates, as well as opens up the second player poll for the game. This time, the poll is focused around changes to the battle system, including the addition of an auto-attack and the future of the dual rank/level system. The letter itself contains several interesting promises, including plans to introduce a wider variety of world quests, instanced dungeons, and a reduced overall party cap of eight players instead of the current 15. While several of the changes listed are further in the future, Yoshida stresses that the team is hard at work on every aspect of the game, with the battle systems next up for the biggest review. Final Fantasy XIV players should read the full letter and take part in the poll, which closes at the end of next week.
The Mog Log: The road ahead
I was originally going to take this week to start looking at building a character in Final Fantasy XIV, but then I got smacked in the face by something else. Namely, there was a gigantic explosion of news about the coming version updates for the game, the sort of thing that really takes precedent over my natterings about freeform character development. (If you were really looking forward to that, don't worry, it'll still find its way into the column at some point.) A lot went through my head as I was reading the updates listed. There were a couple of things that struck me as a bit worrisome, several things that I am psyched about beyond all reasonable points, and one strange little theory that occurred to me as being just paranoid enough to have some truth to it. And yes, were we promised customizable ships in there at some point? I can get behind that.
