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Champions Online extends automatic veteran rewards to lifetime subscribers
Lifetime subscriptions are tricky things. Being able to simply drop money and forever have access to a game is nice on paper, but it takes a while before it starts paying for itself, and it really comes back to bite you if you turn out to not enjoy a game's direction. Champions Online was one of the first games to offer a lifetime option, and as of today Cryptic Studios has sweetened the offer slightly by giving lifetime subscribers all of the game's veteran rewards. As soon as you purchase a lifetime subscription, even if you've never logged into the game before, your account is eligible for every single long-term subscriber benefit. Obviously this won't have much of an impact on people who have already been lifetime subscribers since the beginning, but more recent players will benefit from an influx of new rewards. It's up to you whether or not those extra perks are worth a $300 investment in the game.
Champions Online nerfs dodge for the sake of diversity
Champions Online is looking to nerf -- er, re-balance -- its dodge mechanic for the sake of diverse builds. As it stands, Cryptic noticed that the too many players were stacking dodge for its passive ability that outstripped other forms of avoidance and tanking. A new dev diary explains that while dodge tanking will still be viable, the team is looking to reduce dodge rating, keep the chance bonuses flat, and make dodge proc off of active powers. A new power, fluidity, will be introduced as a block power to help superheroes avoid being hit. The team is also lowering the damage from critical chance in an upcoming build while raising the damage from offense to keep it from being lopsided. These changes follow significant tweaks to the game's alert system in the previous patch.
Cryptic tweaks Champions' alert system
Cryptic and Perfect World have patched in a significant update to Champions Online's alert system. For starters, rewards for Grab and Smash alerts have been swapped. Grabs now give XP while Smashes grant resources and a resource buff. Grab alerts will also require a level 10 character going forward, while Smashes will require a level 20 toon. This was done to prevent low-level XP seekers from signing up for something they likely won't survive. The devs have also tweaked Champions' queue structure so that "there will always be one Grab, one Burst, and one Smash available at a time." Click through the links below for more info.
Jack Emmert to speak on free-to-play vs. pay-to-win
Can free-to-play MMOs be developed without dipping into the pay-to-win well? Cryptic CEO Jack Emmert is firmly on the "yes" side of that argument and will be stating his case at GDC Next in November. Emmert will be delivering a talk during a session titled How to Avoid Pay-to-Win with F2P. The session description is as follows: "With an F2P business, developers must carefully weigh business needs against game balance. Typically, players immediately question whether a game is actually pay-to-win and not truly free-to-play. This session tracks how Cryptic Studios has tackled this very difficult question in each of their current MMOs, and provides a method to address both concerns." Cryptic is helming a number of free-to-play games, with its current F2P roster consisting of Champions Online, Neverwinter, and Star Trek Online.
Champions Online sheds some light on how powers get designed
Superhero games are kind of into powers. It's their entire schtick. But how does a new powerset go from a vague concept to an actual set of abilities? Champions Online takes a look at this with a new development blog looking at how the Telepathy and Laser Sword mini-sets came into existence, straight from the hand of developer Chris Meyer. Meyer explains how Telepathy's revamps came about as a result of the set needing more cool stuff to do, while Laser Sword was meant as a thematic complement to a story arc. Both sets were intended to reward players for taking multiple powers out of the same set without explicitly forcing that behavior, creating cross-power synergy and positive interactions. This also led to certain design issues, such as the initial Laser Sword design feeling clunky and not having enough options for players in terms of passive powers, something that required a reworking of the set's focus and the addition of passive powers that work with other sets as well. If this sounds fascinating to you, you can find more of the hard design details in the official blog.
Champions Online suffers from an invasion... again
Attention players of Champions Online: Millennium City is being invaded! Wait, what do you mean by "again"? Yes, the city does get invaded on a fairly regular basis as this is a superhero game, but this time it's serious! It's robots! Specifically, robots that appear to be controlled by Dr. Destroyer, also known as the guy who ruined Detroit (like, more than now) and who has long been presumed dead. We know, normally an invasion of the city by any sort of robot elicits little more than a yawn and an inquiry about what to do for lunch, but there are rewards to be had too. The Drifter is collecting the cores of these Destroids in an effort to learn whether or not these are a knockoff of Dr. Destroyer or the genuine article. So log in and start defending Renaissance Center, and get ready for the Mega-Destroids slated to attack Champions HQ later in the month. Because of course they are.
Perfect World Entertainment expands into the mobile market
You know Perfect World Entertainment as the publisher of such MMORPGs as Neverwinter, Star Trek Online, and Champions Online. All client-based games on the PC, these free-to-play titles fetter players to their gaming rigs. Today, the company announces it's breaking free from those PC bonds and expanding into mobile gaming as both developer and publisher for new titles. The new games will focus on the core genres of action RPG, strategy, TCG, MMORPG, and MOBA games. While looking forward to partnering with more talented development studios around the world, PWE already has a portfolio of mobile games lined up: the trading card game Elemental Kingdoms from China-based iFree Studio; the RPG adventure game The Null Society from San Francisco-based Agent Disco; the turn-based multiplayer game BombBuds from Seattle-based Fugazo; and the MOBA Arena of Heroes from Austin-based Sneaky Games. For a deeper look at this new direction for the publisher, be on the lookout for our exclusive interview with PWE this Friday in MMObility. [Source: Perfect World Entertainment press release]
A Mild-Mannered Reporter: All the superheroic news that was fit to print in August
Some months surprise you. When I went back through July's news a month ago, I was surprised to see that there had been a lot of superhero stories that I had collected but not really thought about; what I thought was a quiet month turned out to be quite active. August, on the other hand, was a pretty light month with only one major update that arguably could be pushed to next month depending on perspective. Incidentally, this was the first summer in a while that didn't have a good superhero film come out. Coincidence? Almost certainly. Our current month promises to have some shakeups. There's a Kickstarter in the wings for The Phoenix Project, and the other major titles all have patches just over the horizon. But today we're looking at the calm before the storm, known to most people as "August." Even if there weren't many world-shattering revelations, there are still some elements worth discussing.
The Stream Team: Labor Day edition, September 2 - 8, 2013
To the youngsters, Labor Day has always always seemed misnomer since folks actually get to take time off from school and work. So a more appropriate moniker would be Play Day, amirite? But the older crowd knows that the day was meant to honor the hard work and contributions of workers. So in the spirit of honoring hard work, we pay homage to those who tireless toil to entertain us -- The Stream Team! Hats of to you, and a three-BBQ-rib salute to boot! Want to join us in this week-long celebration for our streamers? Then tune in to Massively TV and watch a live show or two and catch a few reruns as well. We've got all you need to know right here. (For the snacks, however, you're on your own.)
Double XP and giant cake mark Champions Online's fourth anniversary
September 1st marks the fourth anniversary of the launch of Champions Online, and Cryptic and Perfect World feel like celebrating. Players logging in to Champions Online after Thursday's regularly scheduled maintenance will be able to attend an anniversary concert, enjoy an enormous cake, and talk to special NPCs to receive free gifts containing new action figures, costume pieces, and water balloons. Also on deck for the celebration is a double XP and double Questionite weekend, which kicks off Friday at 1:30 p.m. EDT (10:30 a.m. PDT) and ends Monday at 1:00 p.m. EDT (10:00 a.m. PDT). The special anniversary events run until September 13th.
Champions Online Cybermind alert is now live
Cryptic and Perfect World must be busy today, launching both the Neverwinter expansion Fury of the Feywild and the final chapter in Champions Online's Fatal Err0r stoy arc at exactly the same time. Champions Online players can now enter the cyber lord's digital lair with four friends, facing off with Cybermind himself in a battle that demands the use of color-coded software and other trickery. The content is tuned for level 40 heroes. Those who are triumphant will earn rewards in the form of resources, costume pieces, and in-game collectible action figures. Also new in Champions today are laser swords, which can be used by freeform characters and are most definitely nothing like lightsabers. The laser sword and its use are discussed in depth on the official Champions Online blog, or you can grab yourself a freeform character slot and learn the intricacies of this elegant weapon by slashing bad guys in the face. Your call.
A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Superheroic news for July
So how's everybody been? You all doing well? Because I'm super, and thanks for asking. For some reason, July was one of the first months since its announcement that seemed to be fairly quiet for Infinite Crisis; I can only guess that most of the staff was too busy playing to make announcements, which would be the ideal situation. But the other superheroic games on the market certainly didn't quiet down, with Marvel Heroes and Champions Online both making plenty of noise. Even DC Universe Online got in on the action, or tried to until SOE Live wound up being all about one game. But I'm getting ahead of myself. You want a rundown on the super scene from last month? It's all here behind the cut, so come on down and take a look. It's the third month since we moved over to the new format, and I can't help but hope that I'm starting to get into the cadence.
Champions Online previews upcoming Carrier Wave mission
Champions Online's heroes were instrumental in stopping an attempted hacking, but they're needed again once the source of the hacking attempt is discovered. The second mission in the game's current Fatal Error arc will be available on Thursday, and it sends players straight to the source: Cyberlord's carrier in Canada. Players are tasked with getting on the ship and stopping Cyberlord before he tries again, since that's much easier than just stopping his hacking attempts every single time for another few years. Needless to say, the mission will involve bashing through robots on the decks down to the core of the ship, with new perks and titles available for anyone who defeats enough robots. Players can also earn new Cybernetic Boots for taking part in the operation to prevent another hack attack. For more information on in-game action figures obtainable through this mission, take a look at the official preview, and be sure to finish the first part of the arc before the second comes out tomorrow.
Champions Online's FATAL ERR0R takes the fight to cyberspace
Just when the superheroes and heroines of Champions Online thought they had enough problems to deal with in the real world, it looks like there's some serious trouble brewing in cyberspace. On July 18th, Cryptic Studios will be introducing the first part of Champions Online's latest story arc, FATAL ERR0R. You see, the Champions' semi-sentient supercomputer Socrates is under siege by some sinister hackers, and it's up to players to act as a living firewall. In addition to the usual globetrotting, players are going to have to go all TRON and head into the treacherous territory of virtual reality to fend off the viruses that plague SOCRATES. The cyberspace excursion will take place in a group instance ideal for two to three players, and players of any level can get in on the action thanks to enemy level scaling. Players who successfully stand in defense of SOCRATES will be rewarded in meatspace with snazzy new virtual-reality-themed costume pieces. Part one of the FATAL ERR0R arc goes live on July 18th, but in the meantime, check out the gallery below for a sneak peek at the copious amounts of '80s neon that awaits. %Gallery-17946%
One Shots: Video games are bad for you
I love the snarky billboards in superhero MMOs. I don't know why, exactly, these games became the place to place them, but I'm not complaining. Reader Elliot sent in one of my favorite billboards from Champions Online. I'm honestly tempted to make this into a business card. "I am not sure if this is up to par for One Shots," he wrote, "but I ran into this sign outside RenCenter in Millennium City and couldn't resist snapping the pic." We now return you to a feedback loop of irony. A sign in a video game warning you about playing video games? My head spinneth. Let's check out the rest of this week's player-submitted screenshots before I need to go lie down, OK?
Champions unleashes new lockbox-powered story arc
The prelude to Champions Online's latest story arc kicked off yesterday with the release of the SOCRATES Data Cache lockbox. The game's latest dev blog has all the details, and it mentions something about "a desperate race to save Millennium City." Lockboxes apparently factor into the arc quite heavily, as they'll drop from monsters but will require a 100 Zen Cosmic Key of Cash Shop Power to open. The arc features five new digitally themed costume pieces.
A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Superhero news of June
June was definitely a month. And things definitely happened during it. And some of them could sort of be seen as relating to superhero games, so that's good. Unfortunately, most of them sort of... weren't. That's not entirely true, really. There was some news about superhero games all through June; it's just that most of it had very little to do with the here and now. Most of it focused around what will happen, where games will be going, and what players can expect in the future. There was a decided lack of news about what's going on right now. Still, that makes it no less worthy of review. So let's hop in the not-very-far-back machine and take a look at the news from June, which also featured some sort of gaming convention or another. I can't remember which one, exactly. It'll come to me in a minute.
Daily iPhone App: Solstice Arena is Zynga's shot at multiplayer online battle arenas
I first got to see Solstice Arena, Zynga's latest iOS entry, at GDC earlier this year, and then had a short meeting again last week with the publisher at E3. But you no longer have to take my word on what it's like: The game arrived on iOS worldwide last week, so you can grab the free-to-download title at your leisure. And I recommend you do. Zynga has a reputation for pushy freemium elements in goofy casual titles, but I can confirm this game has none of that. This is a true mobile MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) title, similar to League of Legends, but very iOS-centric in its delivery. The game has been simplified in a lot of very smart ways, producing a high-quality title that's very impressive. In my own play, I've found some minor balance issues (the healer character, for example, seems awfully overpowered, especially when teamed up with a burly bruiser), but I am sure those will get evened out as the game gets periodic updates and tweaks. And while yes, this is a freemium title, that part is also done very intelligently. The freemium elements are mostly confined to customization and convenience. Just like League of Legends, the game opens up a number of free heroes to play every week, so there's ongoing variety even if you never spend a dime. And if you do, real money can only buy you custom skins for the heroes you own, or can pay for boosts in your own XP, so spending money doesn't affect the gameplay at all. Prices are a bit high (which is something else I expect will likely be tweaked in a future update), but all in all, the freemium elements almost never get in the way of the gameplay, which is very respectable on Zynga's part. In short, Solstice Arena is exactly the kind of game Zynga needs to help cleanse its reputation as a money-grabbing casual publisher. I would hesitate to call it truly hardcore (I think the game needs about double the heroes and maybe another map or mode to really start comparing its depth to a standard PC MOBA), but it's definitely a "mid-core" experience that delivers a lot of fun. If you're a MOBA fan or just want to see what Zynga is doing right lately, give it a download and a try on iPhone or iPad.
Cryptic North studio formed to polish Champions Online
In a recent interview with Gamasutra, Cryptic's Jack Emmert announced the formation of Cryptic North, a studio reborn from Pirates of the Burning Sea's Flying Lab and currently set to work on polishing Champions Online. Led by Flying Lab co-founder Russell Williams, Cryptic North is looking to grow the team by recruiting Seattle-based talent. When asked if the new studio will be working on any projects independent of Cryptic's Redwood City, California branch, Jack Emmert called that a "definite possibility." Be sure to read the entire interview over at Gamasutra for more. [Thanks to Psi for the tip!]
The making of an arena and reading of minds at Champions Online
Are you so excited to get tossed into a superpowered battle to the death that you can hardly contain your enthusiasm? That's... actually a little creepy. But if you're a Champions Online fan, there's plenty of reason to be excited about the Forum Malvanum, so it's all right. And you can see what went into the construction of the arena in the game's newest development blog, which walks players from the concept stage through to the finished version of the structure. Seems like the developers read your mind? They might have. They did just redesign the Telepathy set, after all. You can also read all about that on the official site, detailing the new powers and their interplay. The new Telepathy set is meant to provide plenty of control and damage options for new or existing characters, so if your characters tend to be fond of mind games you'll want to take a look at the changes.
