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The home stretch: Trion posts RIFT's beta 7 patch notes
Today marks the beginning of the end: the final beta event for RIFT, which also happens to be the first open beta as well. To kick off this six-day event, Trion Worlds posted another set of lengthy patch notes as the team feverishly works to refine the product before its February 24th head start. From new emotes to UI improvements, there's a little something for everyone here. Probably the largest change overall is with the souls; a good deal of the game's 32 PvE souls received tune-ups and adjustments. Guild features were given a few passes as the team added a few new perks and replaced a number of guild banners. Trion also implemented in-game Twitter functionality, allowing players to tweet their in-game statuses and screenshots to the world. And for the always-vain Dwarves, well, it looks as though RIFT finally got that latest shipment of Botox: "Male Dwarves no longer look so... weathered. Current male Dwarf characters will probably appear to have lost a few years off their face somewhere." You can read the full patch notes on the official forums.
City of Heroes offering a sneak peek of Issue 20 content
The team at Paragon Studios is talking a pretty big game for Issue 20 of City of Heroes. We've already seen a preview of one of the major additions of content, which will also herald several new features to the game, including an auto-team queueing function. Not sure how it will be implemented? Then jump on in for the special sneak preview event on Wednesday, starting at 7:00 p.m. EST, when players on the test server will get to try out the upcoming Behavioral Adjustment Facility for themselves. As this event is taking place on the test servers, the usual caveats that content may change significantly before release do apply. That being said, it's an opportunity to put the major new systems into play, giving players a chance to test out the queue system as well as the League setup, and of course, the Incarnate trial. If that's not incitement enough, the development team will be on-hand to answer questions and take part in the experience. City of Heroes players with a bit of free time on Wednesday are encouraged to head over and adjust some behaviors with extreme prejudice.
Scott Hartsman wraps up the sixth beta event for RIFT
With the open beta less than a week away, now is the time for Trion Worlds to step up and address the lingering issues RIFT has before it starts being available for general consumption. Fortunately for the development team, it's a task it's proven quite accomplished at, and the newest wrap-up for the sixth event proves that there's still a lot going on behind the scenes. Scott Hartsman takes the opportunity in the last pre-open beta wrap-up to discuss PvP in the open world, damage tuning, and the difference in raid sizes for endgame content. As Hartsman puts it, some of the anti-PvP measures put into place will be removed on PvP servers, meaning weaker guards around hubs and destroyable wardstones. Damage levels seem to be in a fairly good place across the board from the development perspective, but they're something that will be watched closely during the open event. Hartsman also touches more on the late-game rift content and what it will mean for the game's balance and the availability of content. RIFT players should take a gander at the full rundown and get ready for the open beta starting on Tuesday next week.
Beta 5 patch notes posted for RIFT
If you've been following RIFT closely over the past few weeks, you know that the fifth beta event has just begun. That means it's time for a new batch of updates, and the staff at Trion Worlds has come through. The notes for the newest event have been posted, and they contain an exhaustive number of changes, including a much-requested public grouping system and a number of UI improvements. There's also the usual collection of bugfixes and changes based on testing feedback. Many players had requested some sort of open grouping system to coincide with the game's dynamic events, and the new public group system facilitates just that. Although the system still requires clicking a few buttons and flagging yourself as open for public groups, it streamlines the process of getting everyone organized and cooperative during a rift battle. RIFT testers and fans should take a look at the full list of changes before diving into the newest event.
RIFT beta 5 introduces public grouping, will be "twice as big" as beta 4
Ready for their fifth taste of RIFT this week, beta testers will find a host of changes and improvements waiting their assessment. Chief among these is a much-requested feature: public grouping. Because so much of RIFT's dynamic content revolves around spontaneous zone events, players have clamored for a way to quickly group up instead of spending precious time spamming the chat channels. Two UI additions now allow players to connect with public groups as efficiently and quickly as possible. This news comes from Scott Hartsman, who posted a lengthy preview of RIFT's beta 5 event on the official forums today. Announcing that beta 5 will be "twice as big" as the previous beta event, Hartsman revealed that the team is increasing the number of servers from 18 to 32, which should allow for up to double the amount of players. Other changes in store for players this week include a better organization of planar currencies, Rogue energy fixes, ranged sound improvements and "significant love" for invasion mechanics. Hartsman also revealed a few items that the team is working on for future updates, such as better racial abilities and master looting. You can read his full announcement here. %Gallery-111840%
Warfronts star in the RIFT beta 4 patch notes
As you may or may not have heard, Trion Worlds is unleashing the fourth RIFT beta event today, an event that spans the entire weekend. And as Uncle Ben used to tell us, with great beta events come great patch notes -- so what do players have to look forward to with this update? The most significant change to RIFT's beta is the increase of the level cap -- to 27 -- and the unlocking of the Stonefield and Gloamwood zones. In the prior three events, players were limited to a maximum of level 20 and confined to the two starter areas. This round, players looking for more PvE dungeon goodness should enjoy the Darkening Deeps and Deepstrike Mines, while PvPers will rejoice at the inclusion of Warfronts (Black Garden for level 10 and above, The Codex for level 20 and above). Warfronts are like World of Warcraft's battlegrounds or Warhammer Online's scenarios -- instanced PvP areas where (hopefully) evenly matched teams can go at it under special conditions. There are several quality-of-life improvements rolled into this patch as well. The skill soft queue has been upgraded to a full next ability queue, more hotbars are available, and many of the souls are getting tweaked. You can read the full patch notes here.
DC Universe Online closes its beta with a bang
With release just a scant week away, DC Universe Online has a loose end to tie up -- specifically, the still-ongoing beta test. In the grand tradition of betas, of course, it won't be with a simple message to buy the game and a server shutdown. No, players will get to take part in something epic in the tradition of the source material, with a grand battle involving iconic characters of the universe as well as player characters. Each of the closing events involve two iconic DC figures going head-to-head -- either Superman against Lex Luthor or The Joker versus Batman. Players will have the opportunity to fight alongside the iconic villain or hero depending on character alignment, with times varying based on the server. And in the event that you can't attend, the team will be helpfully posting status updates on each iconic battle, as well as possibly introducing a few new wrinkles to complicate the event. DC Universe Online testers should still do their level best to be present for the battles -- after all, who wouldn't want to close off a beta by teaming up with Batman?%Gallery-112847%
RIFT beta events: Impressions from the staff
Trion Worlds' RIFT has become the talk of the town in MMO-land lately. Since the NDA dropped a few weeks ago, every MMO blogger, journalist, and fan is spewing his impressions of the game. We had our own impressions from Karen Bryan after the first beta weekend, but now we'd like to present you with thoughts from the rest of us who played. As you might imagine, not all of us agreed on the game's quality. Follow along after the jump for our staff impressions of RIFT after the third beta weekend event.
Gardening gone bad: RIFT's Runic Descent revealed
As RIFT beta testers are sharpening their knives and stringing their bows in anticipation of this weekend's PvP beta event, Trion Worlds continues to reveal the true scope of Telara. The team is proud to present the latest RIFT dungeon: Runic Descent. Runic Descent challenges teams of five players to band together and cull the bad weeds of a twisted garden that sits beside the ancient Dwarven city of Hammerknell. In so doing, the players will aid the Dwarves' attempt to reclaim their heritage while uprooting world-corrupting magic. And if there's madcap looting in the process? Nobody will complain. As it has with all of RIFT's other dungeon and zone reveals, Trion isn't skimping on the backstory either. Hit the jump for the tale of Runic Descent, as well as a few brand-new screenshots of the instance.
Trion announces next RIFT beta event, showcasing warfronts
Hot on the heels of its year-end beta event, Trion has announced the dates for the next round of beta for RIFT. From Friday, January 7th, at 10 a.m. PST until Monday, January 10th, at 10 a.m. PST, players invited to beta can participate in the next event, which features PvP Warfronts. In addition, players can now explore content from levels 1-25, which means an extra five levels and more points to spend on the soul trees. Players who participate in a Warfront are also eligible to win an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 video card. Visit the official RIFT website for details on the event as well as information on Warfronts.
Four hours over Telara: RIFT beta three event extended
Four hours may not seem like a huge deal in the grand scheme of things, but for RIFT beta testers enjoying the third event this holiday weekend, it's a welcome boon. After all, how much extra carnage can one squeeze into that time frame? If you're a smart player, the answer is "a lot!" Community Manager Abigale came on the forums yesterday to announce that this week's beta event would be extending a little longer than planned: "Thank you for your feedback and for your patience as our team keeps working to prepare Rift for future betas and release. We'd like to show our appreciation by extending the beta for another 4 hours! Servers will be open until Friday, 2 p.m. (PST) ." RIFT's third beta event is featuring the 1-20 zones for both Guardian and Defiant factions. Players testing the game have access to two dungeons and the mass rift invasions that are becoming the keystone of the PvE experience.
RIFT beta 3 patch notes show major soul changes and more
RIFT's third beta event kicks off today, and Trion Worlds has the novel-sized patch notes to prove that the team's been busy. Many fan sites rushed to repost the beta forum notes, which is allowed now that the NDA has dropped. The biggest change that previous players will see concerns the much-ballyhooed soul system, RIFT's flexible character builder. Previously, players would get only one of three souls at the start, with another at level five, and gain soul points at the rate of one per level. With Beta 3, this has been changed so that you can pick from all of your archetype's souls at the start and will leave the beginner area with three souls instead of two. In addition, Trion is handing out an extra soul point every third level, bringing the total number of soul points for a level 50 character up to 66. Of course, souls aren't the only focus of this patch. Among the many changes are the inclusion of the rest system, the ability to rename your pets, a preview of the soul trees before you purchase them, and a number of new invader boss encounters for both sides. Read up on the patch notes here, and we'll see you on the battlefield!
First Impressions: Pandora Saga beta event
When I was asked to check out Atlus Games' Pandora Saga in its new form, I was slightly excited. Only slightly, though. See, I've taken a look at it before and found a lonely game with nothing but grinding to offer -- at least at first. So I hoped that the game had changed some, perhaps matured a bit for this newer offering for a newer audience. I didn't know it back then, but the game I was playing was not really the North American release. I just signed up and played it, and I didn't pay attention to any warnings that "This is not the North American version!" if there were any. As it goes, this new version is really just a more localized and tweaked version of the previous game. The big difference for me came not in the form of quests and content, but in playerbase. The game space was flooded with players, most of them pining to hit level 30 first or run off to reported huge PvP matches. Again, I kind of felt left behind. Yes, I was given some handy experience potions and stat-increasing aids, but normally I play a First Impressions game a few hours a day for five to seven days. I had this game for only about three days. Click past the cut and I'll tell you more.
Ten levels of RIFT: A guide to your first day in Telara
With two RIFT beta events under my belt, I was given the supreme honor of creating a guide to the first 10 levels of the game. Naturally, I fell apart under the stress, assumed the fetal position for a couple days while whimpering about "frame rates," and then was prodded into action by our editors. That's quite literally "prodded," mind you -- Massively purchased a pair of cattle prods last year at a police auction. It's going to be years until the scorch marks fade from my spine. The purpose of this guide is two-fold. First, we want to give anyone who's interested in RIFT but couldn't get into the beta a chance to vicariously experience RIFT's newbie path. Second, while RIFT is careful to hold your hand during your first steps into Telara, there are always a lot of things that can be easily missed while one is partaking in the wonders of a new virtual world. So this guide is here to share a few tips and pointers that beta testers may have missed. What are you waiting for? Roll up a new character by hitting the jump!
RIFT beta powow with Scott Hartsman
This is, by any measure, a busy week for RIFT. Fresh off the second beta event, Trion Worlds has dropped the NDA for the game and announced a third beta to take place over the holidays. As the process speeds exponentially faster toward launch, Scott Hartsman and his team have a white-knuckled grip on RIFT for all the bumps, shimmies, dips and hills that such a high-profile title offers. Even with a heaping amount of work on its plate, the team has been willing to share its passion for RIFT with the press and community. During this slight lull between betas two and three, Hartsman sat down with us over the phone to jaw about lessons learned from the beta, why Trion has dropped the NDA, how RIFT's already made history, and when we might be seeing this game on the shelves. Hit the jump and let's do this thing. As Hartsman is fond of saying about the game, "S**t just got real."
Put the pedal to the metal with a beta key for Test Drive Unlimited 2's beta event this weekend
You know, we don't get many racing games around these parts. Need For Speed World was one of the first games, for sure, but there was another game before that -- Test Drive Unlimited. Test Drive Unlimited is back with a sequel, and this time it's coming to the PC crowd in addition to the consoles. TDU2 will be taking place on the beautiful Mediterranean island of Ibiza. Just like before, your single-player and multiplayer experiences are blended together in TDU's "always online" M.O.O.R state (Massively Open Online Racing), so you'll pass/meet other players, even if you're choosing to play the single-player mode. This version of TDU also finally allows you to get outside your car and walk around as an avatar, buying clothing and customizing your look. And, if you missed not being able to form your own social cliques in the last game, no worries! This sequel features the ability to create "clubs" -- groups of drivers racing for power and profit. This weekend is a special beta event for the game, and we here at Massively are holding 1,500 keys to give away! Be the first to check out the new Test Drive Unlimited by jumping past the break for your key and the full instructions on how to get into the beta weekend!
Aika's end of CB2 siege event video
As part of its closed beta 2 ending, Aika -- developed by HanbitSoft and JoyImpact and published via the gPotato portal -- recently held a big PvP event that turned out to be a smash hit with the community. There's a short video showcasing some of the action, which you can find after the break. It's short, but there's a lot going on so a second or third viewing may be a worthwhile idea. The large PvP battles and city siege features of Akia help it to stand out amongst the ever growing crowd of free-to-play titles, but don't take our word for it because open beta is right around the corner. We'll be interested to see what the wider MMO community thinks of the game.
Fantasy Earth Zero beta beginning March 3rd
It's been a long and winding road getting Fantasy Earth Zero over to western markets, but the wait gets shorter every day. The game was announced not too long ago as being due for our shores, and the release is even closer than we might have guessed. Not only is the beta beginning on March 3rd with the client now available for download, players can look forward to a variety of in-game events to celebrate the participants. The most obvious benefit is that testers in the open beta will receive a code for a special weapon, done up in gold and silver with turquoise inlays. A contest is also being held for the "best" bug report, with the top prize worth $30 in the unfortunately-named potcash and a special hat. As if that weren't enough, there will be special GM-hosted battle events and question-and-answer sessions with the GMs, offering assistance in learning how to play and how to get the most from the game. Gamepot is throwing quite a bit behind the launch of the game, so if you're looking for a new free-to-play title you may wish to give Fantasy Earth Zero's beta a go. [ Thanks to Evan for the tip! ]
Europe getting Aion beta and keys
Aion is huge and it's not even out here yet, but that doesn't mean this WoW-killer doesn't have a massive fan base. Well European fans are in for a treat as gaming site Rock, Paper, Shotgun are offering keys to any gamer who emails them. The Aion beta will be taking place between 5-7th June and will allow participants to get a taste of the game by leveling an Elyos (the angel types) to twenty and explore the most-recently revealed zone of Eltnen. The only catch being that you must be in Europe to enter the beta, so I'm guessing the keys will only activate if the servers confirm your IP address is within the EU.So what are you waiting for, EU folks? Get emailing now before all the keys are gone!
Win a chance to play Age of Conan PvP [updated]
So would you like to play some Age of Conan PvP non-stop starting on April 18th and going through to the 20th? If so then Funcom, Eidos and GameSpot have just the beta event for you -- with a catch. You've got to go through the GameSpot website to sign up for the chance to be one of 15,000 lucky winners, which means you also need to have a GameSpot account to sign up in the first place. We're not all too happy about the GameSpot side of this awesome beta event, but read on to find out why we think it's still very much worth it to sign up.Update: It looks like the sign-up page is having technical issues that are being worked on.
