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PAX East 2013: Hands-on with WildStar's Spellslinger and Warrior
When you start following a game, you always worry that it won't live up to your expectations. It's inevitable, really. I didn't fall in love with WildStar after years of playing; I fell in love based upon a trailer and a design philosophy that appealed to me. The game itself could be far removed from my first impressions, or it could be a cocktail of half-finished systems and unsatisfying gameplay. Without some personal experience in Nexus, all I could to do was wait for the game and hope that it matched my hopes. Of course, WildStar hit the ground running at PAX East 2013. I wrote on Friday about my experiences with the new housing video and some of the game's zones, but that's no substitute for playing the game. So it was with a slight sense of apprehension that I found myself standing behind the demo station controls and jumping in for the first time at PAX. Would I be satisfied, or would this turn out to be a love affair that didn't survive contact with the game itself?
Gorgeous Black Desert trailer shows off combat, classes, and weather
Pearl Abyss has released seven minutes of stunning new footage from its Black Desert MMORPG. The clip features an eyeful of the game's unique weather and climate systems (which are specific to each region) as well as plenty of fly-through shots featuring varied environments. We also get a good look at mounts, combat, and closeups of various classes like the Valkyrie, Wizard, and more. Steparu has posted a brief write-up on the game as well as a couple of additional videos covering housing and the trade map. Combat is described as a hybrid between third-person action titles like TERA and Vindictus and FPS-style systems like those in the Elder Scrolls series. Head past the cut for the full trailer.
Dragon Sword trailer focuses on action combat
Dragon Sword, a new title by the Chinese company NetEase, has put out a new trailer highlighting its action combat technology. Slated for release some time this year, the game is built around an in-house engine, Next-B, that's being touted as one of the most advanced 3-D engines yet. The game features non-target combat action, open PvP, castle sieges, and large-scale fights against huge boss monsters. Skip below the cut to check out the combat technology video.
Daybreak action MMO aims for global release
Chinese developer Linekong is bringing Daybreak to the global market. "That's great," you may say, "but what is Daybreak?" Daybreak is an action MMORPG to which players can connect either through a client or browser. The game currently has four classes, all gender-locked: the Knight, Hunter, Puppet Master, and Mage. Among other features are a handful of PvP modes, upgradeable mounts, pets that evolve, and bosses both in dungeons and the open world. Despite that action moniker, Daybreak currently doesn't allow players to attack while jumping or swing their weapons while running. A fatigue system for entering dungeons and other in-game systems is augmented by heavy emphasis on the cash shop, at least on the game's current Chinese server. Skip below the cut to check out some trailer and gameplay videos for yourself.
WildStar Wednesday shows off the telegraphs of combat
It makes sense that in the space western atmosphere of WildStar you'll have to worry about telegraphs. But these aren't the sort of telegraphs that communicate a message over long distances. No, these are combat telegraphs, the red areas that show up on the battlefield to let you know that something is about to happen. In this week's WildStar Wednesday, executive producer Jeremy Gaffney narrates a video showing off the telegraphs in the wild. While the telegraph system is universal in notifying players that something is about to happen, every warning requires a different response. Some are attacks that can be dodged by a quick sidestep, some require fast movement, and some require unorthodox movement by jumping behind the monster. Gaffney also shows off how environmental triggers can be used against enemies by luring them into one another's attacks or into unsafe areas, creating a dynamic combat environment. Take a look at the full video just past the break to see just how the telegraph system gets the message across to players in the game.
Game of Thrones MMO announces full name, upcoming trailer
The upcoming MMO by Bigpoint now has a full name: Game of Thrones Seven Kingdoms. Producer Max Pfaff is relieved to have this major step out of the way: "Selecting a game's title can be quite an arduous process, especially in the free-to-play space where games must be easily discoverable by players around the world. By selecting Game of Thrones Seven Kingdoms, we're confident that we've chosen an identifiable name that will resonate with the global community of diehard Thrones fans." The project, which is being developed with HBO's cooperation, is set to make its grand entrance at this year's Comic-Con. It's there that the studio will show an exclusive game trailer, which promises to show the Seven Kingdoms' visual aesthetic and gameplay. If you haven't already, definitely check out our interview with Bigpoint about Seven Kingdoms from this year's GDC! [Source: Bigpoint press release]
Massively Exclusive: An interview with WildStar's Jeremy Gaffney
Big releases from the WildStar development team at Carbine Studios seem to be few and far between, which is why the recent footage from early testing was such a breath of fresh air. Aside from showing off some of the game's role-based content for Settlers and Scientists, it also displayed new environments, new combat elements, and the unique graphical flair that attracted fans even before anything had been said about gameplay. We gamers are a curious bunch, though, and seeing a bunch of cool new stuff doesn't stop us from asking questions. Executive producer and design director Jeremy Gaffney recently hosted an AMA session on Reddit, but he was also kind enough to answer a few more questions from us here at Massively about combat flow, racial differentiation, and the usual character roles in MMOs. Take a look past the break at what the game will offer players when it finally goes live... which most WildStar fans agree can't be soon enough.
E3 2012: Hands-on with Core Blaze
What can I say about Core Blaze? Gorgeous is the first word that comes to mind, and I'm not just talking about the cosplayers and the giant weapon sculpture that Gamania trotted out for its E3 demo event. The game is built on the Unreal Engine 3, and it puts Epic's toolset to fine visual use. Rain drops bead and run on your monitor. River water looks refreshing enough to drink. The game's day/night effects are slick too, and to hear Gamania's reps tell it, the cycle (along with inclement weather) determines the effectiveness -- or ineffectiveness -- of certain attacks.
E3 2012: Perfect World's RaiderZ isn't Monster Hunter Online
Action combat seems to be the name of the game for MMOs at this year's E3. While tab-targeting is nice for eating pizza and raiding, sometimes you want something more visceral, so we have some top contenders for you today. RaiderZ is Perfect World Entertainment's newest action-based MMO, and while some people have an issue with its name, I've heard others note, in both positive and negative lights, its similarity to another game series very dear to my heart. I say that the comparison is a bit unfair to Perfect World, since what the studio has created isn't just different -- in some ways, it's better, especially if you're a fan of MMOs, which, if you're reading Massively, you probably are. Since I know some console folks (even me!) have been thinking it for a while, let's just say it out loud and get it over with: RaiderZ is a Monster Hunter clone! Got it out of your system? Good. Now go wash your mouth out with soap.
Arcane Legends officially announced
While we knew it was coming, it is still nice to get official confirmation: Spacetime Studios has announced Arcane Legends, its latest MMO for iOS, Android, and Chrome. With Arcane Legends, Spacetime Studios is going back to its fantasy roots. Instead of Pocket Legends' more traditional MMO combat, however, Arcane Legends will feature action combat full of combos and button-mashing. During the combat, a rage meter will allow players to activate powerful abilities when it's completely full. The three classes announced for the game are the Warrior, Rogue, and Sorcerer. Arcane Legends will support both co-op and PvP gameplay. CEO Gary Gattis thinks that Arcane Legends is different enough from previous Spacetime endeavors to justify its development: "With every Legends title we are focused on bringing something distinct to cross-platform gaming. With Arcane Legends we set out to create an action RPG with a clever and funny story, meaningful multiplayer gameplay and above all furious fast-paced tactical combat." Massively will be getting its first look at Arcane Legends at E3 next month.
ArenaNet: Guild Wars 2 a 'reaction' to sluggish MMO design
Do you believe that the MMO genre has been stuck in a rut over the past few years? So does Christopher Lye, the global brand director for ArenaNet, who publicly denounced the post-World of Warcraft trend in the industry as stagnant. In an interview with Gamasutra, Lye stated that Guild Wars 2 is walking the walk when it comes to genuinely challenging the status quo in the industry. "Honestly, I think the problem is that there's been a lack of change in MMO design and that Guild Wars 2 is a reaction to that," he said. "People will call this risky, but we think it's riskier just to churn out the same MMO that everyone has played before." Lye pointed to Guild Wars 2's scaling dynamic event system and its action combat as examples of how ArenaNet is forging its own path. Observing that player consumption of content is "virtually insatiable," Lye said that the team has developed tools to allow it to implement changes and additions to dynamic events in hours, not weeks. Is this industry stagnation coming to an end? Lye says yes: "We're finally seeing a point where companies realize that they're not going to create the next great MMO by just copying what's come before."
NEOWIZ launches Seven Souls Online
We brought you an exclusive preview of Seven Souls Online at last month's GDC event in San Francisco. This month, NEOWIZ has officially opened its doors to everyone via the title's official launch. Seven Souls takes place in the world of Akkadia, and it combines ancient eastern and western culture with sci-fi elements and a free-to-play business model. In terms of gameplay, the title features three classes, combo-based combat, and a cube system that provides for rare combines, crafting items, and item deconstruction. Traditional MMO staples like questing and open-world PvP are present and accounted for, and NEOWIZ is also running a few launch-specific bonus events including a max combo contest, a boss monster video contest, and an Easter egg hunt. Further details on the contests, as well as the free client download, are available on the official Seven Souls website. [Source: NEOWIZ press release]
The Daily Grind: Would you play a Witcher MMO?
I've finally conquered CDProjekt's The Witcher 2, and yeah, I'm one of those guys who devours single-player games and thinks about whether they'd make successful MMOs or not. I played the original Witcher RPG many moons ago, and one of the few things I remember about it is the tacky naked wench trading cards. Thankfully, the sequel is a superior (and less juvenile) game in every respect, and in fact it's one of the more impressive PC RPGs I've experienced in a number of years. Yeah, it's high fantasy, but it's fairly original, it's for adults, and it features fascinating lore rife with factional conflict (and a unique take on traditional elves). Would The Witcher 2's cinematic presentation and unforgiving combat translate to a traditional MMO? I don't know, but I'd definitely pay monthly for a Temerian "action MMO" akin to Vindictus. What about you, Massively readers? Would you play a Witcher MMO? 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!
GDC 2012: Bigpoint discusses the Game of Thrones MMO
The Game is coming. It had to be said. And for fans of George R.R. Martin's epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire, that one little phrase elicits some powerful and mixed emotions: excitement (to actually wander about Westeros) and dread (will it actually be Westeros?). There was even a collective cringe among some Massively staff when the announcement was made that Game of Thrones was becoming an MMORPG. Could such a complex world translate well into the virtual realm? It made the transition to television pretty well in HBO's series, but a free-to-play browser-based MMO is a whole other beast. We're pleased to say that fans of the books and the series can breathe a little easier and even look forward to the upcoming title becuse it's going to be gritty, it's going to be gory, and power will shift like the winds across the Dothraki Sea. Massively was able to sit down with Jorgen Tharaldsen (Producer at Artplant), Alan Dunton (Public Relations Director at Bigpoint), and Rob Ollett (Executive Producer at Bigpoint) to discuss details about what's coming.
Beware of BAMs in TERA's Feral Valley
If you haven't ponied up for a TERA pre-order or scored an invite to the game's ongoing closed beta weekends, you might want to head to MMORPG.com and check out the newest zone preview video. Even if you are gearing up for another jaunt through Arborea this Friday, the clip is worth a look because it shows off more of the game's gorgeous environment, character, and mob visuals. Feral Valley is the setting, and lest you think the location is mislabeled, one of TERA's ubiquitous big-ass monsters calls the place home (and throws his weight around quite handily as wave after wave of player characters attempt to take him down). See for yourself after the break.
Going toe-to-toe with TERA's first beta weekend
Over the past months, many fans of En Masse Entertainment's upcoming "real action combat" title TERA have been wondering whether the game will ever see the light of day. Between sparse development details and word of legal troubles, TERA's future seemed to be in constant jeopardy as cries of "vaporware!" grew steadily louder. Well, those voices can finally have a bit of a reprieve because over the course of this past weekend, players were able to jump into the world of Arborea and experience TERA's action combat firsthand. I was among those players, and after a joy-filled romp through TERA's gorgeous landscapes (thanks in no small part to my fabulous guild -- hi Territ!), I'm ready to conjure up some thoughts that will hopefully somewhat resemble my impressions of the closed beta weekend. So if you want to know whether the game's real action combat hits the mark or it's a swing and a miss, follow me past the cut and let's take a look.
See TERA's Lancer and Sorcerer in action
We told you yesterday that a tidal wave of TERA closed beta videos were heading your way, and now we've got a couple of clips that take you deep into the fantasy MMO's action combat. In case you've been living under an Arborean rock for the last 12 months, TERA's combat is its raison d'etre, and publisher En Masse Entertainment is hoping to have a significant impact on the current MMO combat paradigm that's built on tab-targeting and hotkey spamming. Join us after the break to see TERA's melee and ranged flavors courtesy of the Lancer and Sorcerer classes.
TERA launching May 1st in North America [Updated]
Well, it's officially official. En Masse Entertainment is launching its long-awaited TERA MMO on May 1st in North America. A posting on the game's website confirms the date, and it also mentions both standard and collector's edition offerings, the contents of which will be revealed in February. In the meantime, En Masse is accepting beta applications, and the company also promises "lots more in store" for the month of January. TERA was originally developed by Bluehole Studio; the title launched in Korea in early 2011. The game is a high fantasy MMORPG focused around action combat and featuring an endgame political system. [Update: Frogster has also announced that the EU version of TERA will be available on May 3rd.]
TERA producer confident that game offers something new
"If we had simply cloned a successful MMO, I think we'd have a battle on our hands, but we didn't," says TERA Europe producer Stephan Krippendorf. He's talking, of course, about the inevitable World of Warcraft comparisons that dog every new fantasy MMO (comparisons that seem particularly irrelevant given TERA's impressive visuals and divergent combat). "When you dive into the game for the first time, swing a sword, cast a spell, dodge and weave in combat, you'll be hooked," Krippendorf explains in an interview at Videogamer.com. The sit-down covers a bit about the game's action combat mechanics as well as the story elements and the endgame political system, but most of the juicy tidbits center around the title's potential success in a crowded MMO market. "I think TERA has what it takes to be a huge success though, regardless of WoW numbers," Krippendorf concludes.
The Repopulation adds action mode combat toggle, military system
Last week we told you about a new three-faction sandbox MMO called The Repopulation. Today we've got the very latest on the game courtesy of Above & Beyond Technologies' end-of-September progress report. As it turns out, some of September was dedicated to preparing for the game's initial announcement and piecing together the accompanying trailer. Other than that, though, the devs did make a bit of progress on gameplay proper. Action mode combat was the biggest addition, and the update describes an interesting mechanic that allows users to "toggle between action- or RPG-mode combat at any time during gameplay." The other big addition is The Repopulation's military system. In a nutshell, it's a ranking system that allows players to gain military XP while performing various duties for their nation's armed forces. Ranks, medals, and perks like armor, weapons, vehicles, robotics, and special abilities are among the system's rewards.
