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True fans of the genre, get thee hence to Cabal II's closed beta
Are you a "true fan" of the MMO genre? If so, then according to a hyperactive press release by ESTGames, you'll surely want to sign up for Cabal II's closed beta on the official site. The beta sign-ups for the sequel to Cabal Online are indeed live, and a focus test is already in the works for December 19th through the 22nd. Cabal II is an action-MMO with "fluid, skill-based combat"; it's aiming for a 2015 release in both North America and Europe. [Source: ESTGames press release]
The Daily Grind: Should achievements be broadcast to your guild?
Some games do it and some games don't. I'm talking here about broadcasting your achievements automatically to your entire guild. You slay that 500th dragon, ding level 30, or fall to your death for the 10th time, and your guild knows courtesy of the game client being a big gossip. "Hey, did you hear about Syp? Guys, he totally looted the Sacred Gem of Zazzanzorforr!" But is this a good thing or not? Personally, I like playing MMOs that auto-broadcast achievements because I like knowing what my guildies are up to. I see a lot of mutual encouragement going around due to these messages. However, I also know some folks see these notices as spammy, pointless, or annoying. Where do you lie on this issue? Should achievements be broadcast to your guild? 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!
CABAL Online greenlit on Steam
CABAL Online is coming to Steam. So says an ESTsoft press release sighted on Gamasutra. The company is fresh off "an 83-day campaign" to get its free-to-play fantasy MMO approved on Steam's Greenlight program. EST's release says that "additional information including release timeframes and region support details will be made available soon."
Bungie files trademark apps for Glimmer, Fallen, Hive, Cabal, Vex
Bungie is on the hunt for intellectual property, filing trademark applications for five ideas: Glimmer, Fallen, Hive, Cabal and Vex. Filed on March 11 and spotted by Gamespot, each word seeks protection for a range of products, including video games, novels (graphic and classic), Halloween costumes, clothing, action figures, television and movies.Bungie, of course, is working on Destiny, a persistent-world console shooter with RPG elements. Destiny will come to the PlayStation 4 alongside the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions, sometime not in 2013.
CABAL Online patches Rising Force
There's a new sheriff of Patch Town, and its name is Rising Force. CABAL Online recently added a massive update to the game that includes a new PvP setting, a challenging dungeon, and a skill overhaul. Rising Force introduced a 1v1 ranked PvP system that works cross-servers. If this is your kind of bag, you can choose either a standard or ladder battle. The latter is available only at specific times according to the game's schedule. CABAL Online's latest patch opened the doors to the Tower of the Undead B3F, a time-attack dungeon that can swallow up parties of seven players and spit them out broken and defeated (or rich and triumphant). Rising Force also contains new gear, a spiffy hoverbike, and over a hundred additional achievements.
Cabal II preps Korean launch, rolls out new trailer
Cabal II is looking good, real good these days. The CryENGINE 3 title boasts eye-popping visuals, although we haven't gotten any face-time with the game to judge how it handles. We'll be hearing more about it soon, however, as Cabal II prepares to launch in South Korea next month. The sequel to Cabal is the first of the CryENGINE 3 MMOs and is being developed by ESTsoft. We've got a spiffy-looking trailer for you that shows off not only the game's good looks but also its many classes, from Warriors to... um, Force Bladers. Check it out after the jump! [Source: ESTsoft press release]
Get a look at Cabal II's character creation
While some of you have been waiting in front of your local brick-and-mortar outlet in anticipation for Cabal II, you might... what, you didn't know there was going to be a Cabal II? There's going to be a Cabal II. Consider yourself informed. In any case, before we were so rudely interrupted, we were going to tell you that Steparu.com has given us our first look at the game through its character creation system. Both male and female versions are present, along with a vast array of sliders, skin tones, tattoos, and saucy underwear. You never know if Cabal II might be in your future, but if it is, then the following videos will most certainly be your first steps into the game. Check them out!
Enjin offers guild recruitment system
Guild hosting service Enjin has added a new tool to its ever-increasing arsenal: guild recruitment. The site's new global game recruitment system allows organized groups to post their "players wanted" ads for searching souls to discover. The recruitment list is sortable by category and includes an MMO-dedicated section. Using the system, guilds can post a lengthy introduction letter to convey its purpose and history, where it's located, how many games it's a part of, and what voice communication (if any) it uses. At the time of this writing, Guild Wars 2 has the most recruitment ads, followed by World of Warcraft and Star Wars: The Old Republic. [Source: Enjin press release]
The Daily Grind: What's the best guild you ever joined?
I find that a great guild can make or break a game for me. It's always exciting to know that there's a terrific group of people waiting to talk with you and hang out with you when you log in every day. Long after the memories of my daily adventures in an MMO have faded, I can still recall the people I talked and grouped with as clear as anything. I've been part of many wonderful guilds over the years, but one of the most special in my heart was in World of Warcraft. This guild got me into blogging for starters (which in turn led to my very first mention on Massively!), and I formed quite a few strong friendships there that have continued to this day. So what about you? What's the best guild you ever joined, and what makes it so special? 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!
CABAL Online celebrates sixth anniversary with events, prizes
CABAL Online is six years old this week, and Games Masters is putting on a few celebratory events to, er... celebrate. What sorts of events? Let's see. There's monster hunting, gathering, and various lotteries that can lead to prizes both in and out of the game. Razer gaming headsets, artwork, in-game Drei Frame armor, and several other virtual armor and weapon pieces are up for grabs. The devs are also adding new high-end outfits, content, and items. Don't worry if you're a low-level player, though; Games Masters is adding goodies for you too. Full details are available on the game's official boards.
The Secret World talks Founding Cabals and corrupt sun gods
As part of the process of gearing up for launch, The Secret World's community team is setting a lure for cross-game guilds. Any existing guild leader can apply for a chance to have his or her guild to to be selected as a Founding Cabal. Cabals are TSW's super-secretive-sounding version of guilds. Founding Cabals come with a whole host of benefits including guild name reservation, beta keys for members, a lifetime account and 5,000 Funcom points for the leader, and the possibility to get five years of hosting via Guild Launch. Check out the forum post for application details, and prepare to marshal your forces to stake your claim in the world. While we're speaking of marshaling forces, a lore post today shed some light on the dark powers stirring in the once-hidden city of the sun god. After the Black Pharaoh Akhenaten was driven mad by the beckons of the evil sun god Aten, the vizier Ptahmose and his seven children worked to end the pharaoh's reign and protect the world. To that end, the seven children turned themselves into statues infused with the powers of the Egyptian gods, the better to hide the dark city from the rest of the world. There's no such thing as a happy ending for this kind of story, though: The city has been found by cultists, ghouls, jinn, and other baddies. The living statue Sentinels are having a hard time holding back the dark corruption, which means it's time for a hero -- you. Players will help the Sentinels, retrieve relics, rally spirits, restore balance, hack mainframes, and come face-to-face with the Black Pharaoh himself. [Thanks to Spartan for the tip!]
Cabal's Third Awakening patch hits Monday, brings new battle mode
Game-Masters is readying a new update for its free-to-play actioner known as Cabal Online. Mark Monday, May 7th on your calendar because The Third Awakening patch is bringing quite a few changes to Cabal's European client. Among the tweaks are a new battle mode, new achievement and appearance-changing systems, and powerful new jewelry and gear. There's also a dungeon called Hazardous Valley. We're betting that you'll want some friends to tackle it if the name is anything to go by, and we're also quite sure that the rewards will be worth your time. More details are available at Cabal's official website. [Source: Game-Masters.com press release]
Cabal readies Episode VI: Legacy of Darkness expansion
Summer's heating up for denizens of Nevareth (that's the world of Cabal Online, if you're scoring at home), and the free-to-play MMO's Legacy of Darkness expansion looks to add a fair bit of the content to the game very shortly. The Episode VI update "throws a series of challenging encounters at players of all levels including outdoor bosses, a dungeon point system, a revamped upgrading system, and a brand new time-based instance [called] Maquinas Outpost," according to a new press release. The new dungeon boasts some slick rewards too, not the least of which is the drool-inducing Drei Frame armor set. Episode VI: Legacy of Darkness also boasts its share of smaller gameplay tweaks, chief among them improved drop rates, new customization items, new pets, and increased success rates on rune crafting. While we can't give you a definitive release date as of yet, we can tell you to head to the official Cabal website for further details.
Trion profiles RIFT's Endless Court
Launch day has come and gone for the juggernaut that is RIFT, but thankfully, that hasn't stopped Trion Worlds from pumping out nifty lore-centric PR pieces. The latest installment covers the sordid history of the Endless Court, a cabal of cultists that "trade flesh and breath for the hollow promise of power over the dead." The Endless Court was born of the dark designs of a fallen mage (Alekor Devishnille) and a corrupt warlord (Mahr Rilthain), the former of whom slaughtered whole villages to obtain ritualistic components and the latter of whom sacrificed his own children to prove his loyalty to Regulos. There's more darkness, despair, and danger in the lore excerpt after the cut, so don't say we didn't warn you.
CABAL readies Episode V expansion
CABAL Online is gearing up for its latest expansion, and the meaty Episode V: Mercenaries looks to add quite a bit of content to the free-to-play action MMORPG. Chief among the additions are a mailing system, a complete revamp of the dungeon and loot drop systems, and the titular NPC mercs. The new mercenary system gives players the ability to summon an NPC ally inside of the game's dungeons, while simultaneously providing new objectives thanks to a variety of different mercs available to find and recruit. Six different NPCs will be available initially, with new and stronger flavors set for future release. Episode V is also bringing dual pet functionality to CABAL, as well as a variety of features centered around the game's dungeons. Players may now pause dungeon encounters, talk to competing groups via a dungeon chat channel, and keep track of entry requirements on the new dungeon interface. The expansion is slated for December, and we'll keep you posted as a firm release date becomes available. In the meantime, check out the gallery of new screenshots below. %Gallery-108751%
One Shots: Bust a move
With players now able to reach level 180 (!!) in CABAL Online due to the release of its latest expansion, old players have returned, and some new players are looking into the game as well. After all, it's not every day you get to step into hell in an MMO. On the way there, however, you'll cover some interesting ground, like the desert we see in today's screenshot courtesy of Andrei U., who has been checking the game out. He writes in: "In the middle of a fresh dance routine, my CABAL Online wizard shows off his new threads. I haven't been playing CABAL for very long, but it seems like the more I play it, the more I enjoy it. I find that a bit strange because it's the exact opposite for most free-to-play MMORPGs." Do you have screenshots of your favorite game that you haven't sent in to us yet? If so, why are you holding back? You should gather those up and send them to us here at oneshots@massively.com. Be sure to include your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing. We can always use more screenshots to show off! %Gallery-85937%
New CABAL Online expansion throws players into hell
Only the bravest or most foolhardy (or both!) would voluntarily step through a portal into hell, but ESTSoft is betting that many high-level players will do just that when Episode IV: Porta Inferno releases for CABAL Online. The latest expansion to the game will offer players a wide assortment of treats, from an increased level cap (up to 180), a revamped item upgrade system, new skills, and hellishly cool maps to explore. Porta Inferno is scheduled for release later this month, but if curiosity is pawing at the back of your neck, then hit the jump to see the exciting, blood-splattered trailer. Put on your flame-proof undies, it's about to get hot... very hot.
Gameforge buys majority stake in Frogster
MMO business news isn't normally as sexy as the latest press release from BioWare or as divisive as the newest F2P conversion announcement. That said, occasionally an industry-related story comes along that indicates something equally big is in the water. Today's announcement of Gameforge's bid to take control of noted free-to-play publisher Frogster seems destined to turn a few industry heads, including ours. Gameforge, which heretofore has specialized in smallish F2P games like Cabal, has just acquired a 60 percent majority holding in Frogster, the German publisher known primarily for distributing Runes of Magic. The purchase deal went through at $33 US a share, which places Frogster's overall value in the neighborhood of $85 million US. Frogster, and now Gameforge, is looking to grow its portfolio not only with Runes of Magic but also by publishing the forthcoming Mythos dungeon crawler as well as by securing the European publishing rights to the highly anticipated TERA action MMO from Bluehole Studio. The Gameforge folks have been busy little bees this summer, as they earlier announced an agreement with CBS to publish several browser-based games centered around the Star Trek intellectual property.
CABAL Online's secrets are out
CABAL Online is one of those free-to-play titles that's like a shy whale, swimming under the surface of our attention while growing bigger every day. And before you know it, Pinocchio and Jonah are in deep, deep trouble. Tortured metaphors aside, it's good to hear that CABAL continues to expand. Games-Masters.com just released a massive update for the game entitled "Secrets of Radiant Hall." The centerpiece of the update is the titular Radiant Hall, a new 7-man, level 130+ raid to uncover the secrets and best the challenges of the Phantasmal clan. Their secret? Fanta! (OK, not really -- but we hear there's a dragon involved.) The update brings a host of new and improved features to CABAL as well, including a daily quest system, new character customization options, a better UI, a party search system and the Catacomb Frost solo dungeon. Catacomb Frost is interesting in that level 110+ players have a scant 25 minutes to save a girl; fortunately, there are three difficulty levels depending on how daring you feel that day. You can check out the full update over at CABAL Online's site.
CABAL Online reloads for a new update
Free-to-play MMO CABAL Online has recently played host to a new update entitled "CABAL Reloaded." The new update has aimed to correct a few areas of gameplay as well as offering players some brand new content to play through. As a few other games have recently done, CABAL has looked at their earlier gameplay and made a few changes to the early content. In Reloaded, the developers have added three new dungeons targeted at those between levels 35 and 70, giving lower level players more options of game play. New quests have been added to the game as well, but those quests are more targeted towards endgame players, rather than midgame. Other additions, such as skill books and a change to the party interface, adds more to the playability of the game than it changes how the game plays. For the full story on what's been added and changed, check out the full patch notes available on the North American forums.
