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Shroud of the Avatar opens up access to Release 5
It's time to get skilled in Shroud of the Avatar's combat system. That is, it's time to actually have access to the skills that will eventually be in the game. Release 5 is now open to the game's backers, and it brings with it 35 of the 171 skills that will eventually be in the full game. Some skill lines are more fleshed out than others; while the Death line has access to death in both touch and ray form, Water is currently limited to Ice Fist and nothing else. But that will change. Aside from this major addition, the new release will also see the first wave of potential backers admitted into testing with keys that have been given out via an Alienware Arena promotion. There's also a new lighting model in place and a variety of functionality updates. Whether you're in the early access period or just want to keep an eye on the development, check out the full list of Release 5 notes for more details.
Phantasy Star Online 2's beta ends in Southeast Asia
While Phantasy Star Online 2 is unreleased here in North America, the residents of Southeast Asia will soon get to experience the game in English. The servers for this version of the game are region-locked, but it's still as close as the game has gotten to a local release thus far. Curious about how it went? The team working for local publisher Asiasoft shared thoughts regarding the beta experience in a recent interview. The team states that while the game already has new race/class options available in Japan (as it has been out for some time), releasing these options in the localized version will depend partly on player progress. Tie-in events such as those found in the Japanese version are also nixed, as most of those cross-promotional events are strictly for Japanese marketing and wouldn't make much sense to the audience. For more details, take a look at the full interview.
PAX East 2014: Landmark's current tools and future crafts
We've all seen what gamers are capable of making in Minecraft. A quick search online turns up replicas of everything imaginable, sublime works of art, even inexplicable cat fountains. According to Dave Georgeson, this is exactly what led to the creation of Landmark, and by his own admission the development team owes Notch a Christmas card solely because of that. Without that limitation, Landmark wouldn't be what it is now, nor would it be developing into what it will eventually be. At this year's PAX East, Georgeson explained to me that as much fun as Minecraft is, it lacks something crucial: a way for players to see all of these creations. Landmark, by contrast, is designed from the ground up not just to allow that sort of interaction but to actively encourage it. And that's only the beginning; the game's current status as a sort of super-Minecraft is the simplest core expression of the game's promise. By the time it's done, the whole point is to make a game that can be anything, a game for all seasons and tastes.
ArcheAge alpha is officially underway
Trion Worlds has announced today that the alpha test version of XLGAMES' ArcheAge is now underway. Yes, that sentence was real. No, you don't need to rub your eyes and re-read it; the game is finally in testing after lying dormant for so long that many feared it had been quietly shelved. We're staring down the barrel of more testing and an ultimate release. You don't believe it? That's fair. Don't take our word for it; take it from the trailer just past the cut that's being used to advertise the start of testing. Admittedly, it isn't showing off in-game footage, but it is in English. Besides, it's cool. The long wait for English ArcheAge fans won't be quite so long now, especially as press (like us) has the testing NDA dropped and can start talking about our experiences in the client. [Source: Trion Worlds press release]
Trove offers a peek at March improvements
If you want to invest yourself in voxel-based crafting and destruction, you're not starved for options. Trove might not be the highest-profile option within that field, but the game is still in heavy development and updating regularly. An official update shares what the team has been working on in March for anyone who hasn't been kicking around in the game itself, starting with laser mining. Yes, you're not hacking away with a pick any more; you're burning things out with laser beams. March also saw the inclusion of ultimate abilities for the Knight and Gunslinger and the rollout of Personal and Adventure worlds. Players can also forge their own dungeons and wear gear free of the threat of decay. For April, the development team will be hard at work with a forging system to upgrade equipment as well as the inclusion of the Fae Trickster. Isn't it nice to have options?
New Swordsmain trailer focuses on your story
Perfect World Entertainment has a new trailer out for its upcoming Swordsman martial arts MMO, this time focusing on the title's backstory and luscious visuals. As in any classic RPG, you start in an innocent village that comes under attack by a sinister foe. Barely escaping with your life, you begin to train in one of the 10 schools and investigate said foe while leaping on top of buildings and being all wire-fu on the world. Check out the short trailer after the jump and let us know what you think!
The Nexus Telegraph: What it means that you can buy Wildstar
On March 10th, I opined that we were close to seeing a release date for Wildstar, along with the end of the NDA and a real change to beta structures. On March 12th, Carbine Studios announced all of that. Prescient? Possibly. All right, no; I just made an educated guess that turned out to be educated completely right. Astute readers will remember that I also made an educated guess about Medic and Engineer that turned out to be more or less completely accurate, as well, so I am apparently on the same wavelength as the people over at the studio. I didn't find out I was right on the money until you all did. That having been said... do I need to stress that this is a huge deal? Here's a game that fell under the "most anticipated" header for this site two years in a row, and now it's finally going to be a thing. We're finally moving out of beta testing and into launch. So let's talk about the impending launch, the pre-ordering, and all that comes along with both.
First Impressions: Nosgoth is all right, but that might not be enough
Let me begin with a somewhat tortured analogy: Nosgoth is sort of like discovering an obscure bit of British nobility of dubious importance. Those intimately familiar with the relevant lineage will be somewhat perplexed by this stranger, who is not really at all what they expected. Everyone else will just see someone showing up in a crowded field without a whole lot to say. In a way, that would almost be easier, since then you could just write it off altogether. It's just not terribly unique. Nosgoth is the sequel to the long-running Legacy of Kain series, which eventually moved over into the Soul Reaver series and kind of petered out in 2004 or so. A lot of people really enjoyed it, and there have been rumors about another sequel coming out pretty much forever. Instead of being an in-depth RPG, however, Nosgoth is a class-based asymmetrical shooter. So it's not really as much a sequel as it is a thorough pillaging of an existing IP layered onto another sort of game altogether.
SMITE brings out Ullr right before official release
The official launch of SMITE is just a few days away -- March 25th, to be specific. But there's still time to work in one more deity to the game's overall lineup. The last pre-launch patch has added Ullr, the Glorious One, a hunter capable of working in both melee and ranged combat with equal damage. Using his ultimate ability swaps stances, letting him attack with greater speed from range or steal life with his melee hits. Swapping between ranged and melee stances also shifts how Ullr's abilities work. Ranged mode allows him to fire a column of damage or use a targeted AoE along with a buff to physical damage. Melee mode, however, swaps abilities to a ranged attack, a leap to a target location, and a movement speed buff. The patch has also updated the physical models of several gods, meaning that when the game goes live next week, it'll be in the best state possible... and with one more god to play.
Hands-on with WildStar's PvP
Oddly, for all that WildStar's development team has talked up combat, we've seen virtually nothing of the game's PvP beyond tantalizing promises. And beta tests, of course. Considering that the game's launch is in a couple of months, if you're pre-ordering you might want to know what you'll be getting yourself into. Which is why the team has, thankfully, produced a new DevSpeak video -- embedded past the cut -- that provides a top-level overview of the game's two most accessible PvP modes, Arenas and Battleground. Normally, these are accompanied by lengthy question-and-answer sessions, but in this case I jumped in for one purpose and one purpose only: smashing heads. As a proud member of the Dominion, I was pitted against the filthy exiles in Walatiki Temple. So let's talk about how the match played, and how a few subtle twists on a relatively simple format combined to make the whole thing a much more invigorating experience than I'd expected.
Here's how you can play World of Tanks Blitz on your iOS device
It's been nearly a year since Wargaming announced World of Tanks Blitz, its 7-on-7 mobile title inspired by World of Tanks and said to "rival anything on a console." The firm has officially announced that WoTB's closed beta will commence once it "roll[s] out the server infrastructure and accumulate[s] enough beta applications." That's where you come in, because Wargaming has also published beta application links for both Europe and North America.
Perfect World Entertainment announces Swordsman
Don't you love a clear, unambiguous title? Swordsman leaves no doubt as to what the game will involve. Put simply, there will be swords. There will be men. There will be men with swords, men who know how to use swords. There may even be men who know how to use swords fighting other men with swords. It's a title that promises to deliver a whole lot of swords and men with training in same, what else could you ask? Yes, there's more information than that. Swordsman is based upon popular wuxia novels by Louis Cha, set during the Ming dynasty and featuring ten diverse fighting styles. It sounds like a familiar premise, but it certainly beats another outing in which you're a pseudo-European knight with gleaming plate armor, yes? Check out the full press release for the game just past the break, and sign up for beta on the official site if that's your bag. [Source: Perfect World Entertainment press release]
Transformers Universe opens up first-come, first-served beta signups
Do you want to be in the first wave of Transformers Universe testing? Then go sign up right now. No, don't finish reading the rest of this article, sign up right this moment. The first beta event is apparently taking place this weekend, March 15th and 16th, and invitations are being handed out according to the highly advanced metric of "the first people who ask for it get it." So go sign up, we'll be here when you get back. If you don't get in, you can still entertain yourself with two new character reveals past the cut. Front-Line is a big old hulk of an Autobot warrior with twin axes, a chaingun, and a massive hammer for use against the Decepticons. Conduit, meanwhile, takes care of the Deception medical needs while also providing fire support with his ranged rifle. You can take a look at both videos embedded just past the break. [Source: Jagex press release]
The Elder Scrolls Online answers community crafting questions
The Elder Scrolls Online wants crafting to be a major part of your experience in the game. The latest set of answers to community questions makes this very clear, outright stating that the vast majority of crafted gear is meant to be superior to found equipment. Yes, certain items from the world might have unique boosts that you can't craft, but even those items can be upgraded and improved by dedicated crafters. Dedication is a key consideration: Since your pool of skill points is the same for both battle skills and crafting skills, choosing to advance your crafting abilities will potentially mean passing on more combat-oriented techniques. Other topics under discussion are the finding and use of style books as well as how set bonuses and crafted sets are designed in the game. Check out the full list of answers if you can't wait to make your mark in Tamriel by making things.
The Nexus Telegraph: Between the lines of WildStar's quiet weeks
Did you miss us? I know, it was probably weird not seeing an installment of the Nexus Telegraph last Monday, since I sort of have a reputation for turning in everything early and without fail. (Like the week when I had no power and still turned in my columns.) But there's no need to worry; we're still going live biweekly. Or were you mostly missing the weeks in which we were absolutely swamped by WildStar news? It certainly seems a lot more quiet lately. We've gone from big system reveals to a few tidbits here and there; the two big stories over the past two weeks have been confirmation that we're not getting another big wave of beta invites and that the game's default UI is being revamped. These are both worth talking about, but in this case I think the silence actually says quite a bit all by itself.
Elite: Dangerous discusses alpha plans and docking procedures
Did yesterday's hands-on preview of Elite: Dangerous get you excited for a chance to play the game yourself? Good news -- the game's most recent newsletter confirms that the third stage of alpha testing is arriving in mid-March, meaning the game is that much closer to a wider release. And you can still jump in on the development process if you'd really like to. But the newsletter isn't just about the continued test process; it's also about docking. As simple as that might sound, docking is a very involved portion of the game, requiring careful positioning for a proper lock. It's so complex that the most recent build of the game has actually simplified the process with an improved docking interface, making it easier for players to line up their ships correctly. Take a look at the newsletter for more details, and if you really can't wait to get in on the experience, consider supporting the game on the official site.
Transformers Universe promises that beta is approaching
It's been a long wait for Transformers Universe hopefuls. The game has gone from MMO to MOBA to MOTA (which is still sort of a MOBA), its release date has been pushed back, and hopeful players could be forgiven for increasingly not expecting the game to ever come out. A new post on the official site confirms, however, that the game is approaching its next beta test in the very near future. Players who hope to be taking part in the beta are asked to fill in their computer specifications, giving the development team valuable information about the game's performance on various machines. They should also keep a close eye on their email inboxes; beta invitations will be sent out based in part upon the specifications filled in on the official site. So keep the faith, and before long you too could be swapping forms and blowing up other Transformers all over the place.
Heroes of the Storm enters technical alpha testing
Heroes of the Storm, the game previously known as Blizzard All-Stars, Blizzard Dota, and Blizzard Entertainment Presents A Bunch Of Guys Hitting Each Other, is technically in alpha. Wait, sorry, that's not right. It's in technical alpha. That means that it's in a phase of testing with an emphasis not on balance or gameplay but on making sure that the fundamental engine works. Testing is currently limited to a very small pool of players, but external players are being brought in to really put the game's network through its paces. Players who cannot wait to get in on the game, even with placeholder graphics and numerous bugs, should make sure that their Battle.net accounts are up to date and have opted in for the beta. Again, invitations will be extremely limited at first, although the roster of testers will expand as time goes by. If this sounds like your sort of gig, make sure you've opted in, and stay hopeful that Blizzard will grant you a coveted invitation mail.
WildStar not sending out more mass beta invitations... for this phase
Are you a hopeful citizen of Nexus who still has not been invited to the WildStar beta? Kind of bad news, then, as the community team has confirmed that no more large-scale beta invitations are in the works for the rest of this phase of beta testing. While there are still plans to help people get into weekend beta events, it looks as if the majority of testers currently in the game are pretty much it. Wait a second -- this phase of beta? No, the tweets don't say that there's another beta phase incoming, but that's certainly the implication, which would mean that the game is creeping that much closer to an open beta and a possible release date. So that's good news, although it still doesn't make up for the fact that anyone not already in will be stuck on the outside for the rest of this phase. [Thanks to Siphaed for the tip!]
The Nexus Telegraph: WildStar's NDA and impending release
The release date approaches for WildStar, and that day is... entirely unclear. Maybe it'll be next month; maybe it'll be six months from now. The official word is still silence. Mirroring that silence are the game's current testers, still under an NDA that prevents them from talking about the game even as we in the press can talk about much of the content and leveling currently in place through both text and streams. Are these relevant points to discuss? Yes, they really are, especially in the wake of two prominent illustrations of what can be done with testing phases and NDAs. So let's talk about the NDA, the lack of a release date, and how those elements might tie into one another. Especially as we're coming off of a weekend when more people got to try out the game, it's important to talk about when the gates and the lines of communication will be opened.
