clan-wars
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Call of Duty: Ghosts 'Clan Wars' metagame starts Monday
Call of Duty: Ghosts is the No. 1 game, in terms of sales, for the PS4 and it's the top pre-ordered game for the Xbox One in North America across Target, Best Buy, Gamestop and Wal Mart, Activision announced today. Clan Wars, the app metagame for Ghosts, kicks off on Monday, November 25. Clan Wars spawned from Call of Duty Elite's Clan Operations and it adds a layer of competition to multiplayer matches, allowing clans to compete for extra goals specific to the different game modes. Playing the right mode in the right area allows clans to earn points and get in-game bonuses. It's all detailed on One of Swords.
World of Tanks producer soliciting feedback for possible clan wars changes
Wargaming.net producer Dmitry "Overlord" Yudo is fishing for player feedback on his development blog. His latest post titled [WoT] Your Global War focuses on World of Tanks' clan wars mode, which he says has been rather "slow lately." Yudo mentions several possible feature additions, including more territories, historical and non-historical events, seasons for the global map, mercenaries, clan tanks, and more. He even hints at a wipe and object construction as possibilities, so head over to his blog and make your voice heard. The news of a possible revamp comes after Wargaming.net announced that the clan wars mode will be temporarily frozen over the Christmas holidays.
Lineage II releases Glory Days update
Hallelujah, the Glory Days are here! NCsoft released the update for Lineage II today, which is certainly one of the most sizable the game's ever seen. The publisher said that the patch was directly influenced by player suggestions and comments. Glory Days adds a something for the whole family of gamers. The update includes new raids, zone overhauls, a nifty clan wars PvP system, dual classes, subclasses, zombie quests, and a whole mess of smaller changes and improvements. If this is your game, then you will want to clear about a half-hour or so to read through all of the patch notes. We've got the soul-stirring trailer for Glory Days after the jump!
GDC 2012: Wargaming.net on World of Warplanes, clan wars, and taking over the world
Wargaming.net had a huge presence at this year's GDC, and why not? The firm is growing at an exponential rate, and we're not just talking about the fact that it has World of Warplanes and World of Battleships coming down the pike. CEO Victor Kislyi told me that over the past year the firm has expanded to include 700+ employees and a global presence that features development centers in Kiev, Ukraine, and Russia. The firm's flagship World of Tanks title currently boasts 18 million players worldwide, and it is paving the way for the second and third entries in a World War II trilogy. Its clan wars mode is also the starting point for a grand vision of military combat at the squad level.
RuneScape's Clan Citadels puts game design in the hands of players
Last week, we brought you the news that browser-based fantasy MMO RuneScape would be introducing clan citadels in its next expansion. We heard that these customisable castles in the sky would feature a tier-based progression system, but until now we didn't know what the actual castles would look like or if any kind of new gameplay would come with them. Jagex has just revealed that the expansion's gameplay element is potentially as huge and revolutionary as their massive Dungeons of Daemonheim update. The new floating castles act as meeting places for clans, and will contain exclusive skill-training areas for woodcutting, mining and other skills. Working on the clan's skill plots will add resources to upgrade the castle and pay for its upkeep, but may provide slightly less experience gain than traditional skill-training areas. Customisable clan battlefields provide a sandbox map editor tool, letting clans design and build their own battlegrounds and minigames. Players will be able to design their own arenas and gameplay for the first time in RuneScape's ten year history, creating anything from capture the flag style matches and monster hunts to basic clan versus clan PvP battles. Perhaps the most exciting part of the feature is the ability for clan members to invite other players to try their games and challenge rival clans to competitive battleground matches. The expansion launches on 26th July. Skip past the cut to watch the official clan citadel trailer and get a sneak peek at the castle's in-game visuals.
E3 2011: World of Tanks teases clan wars trailer, new screens
World of Tanks may not be the biggest name in the E3 house this week, but the free-to-play action MMO's clan wars trailer nonetheless brought some big guns to bear on the annual gaming convention. The 40-second spot features a handful of tanks careening across what appears to be a scorched landscape highlighted by fiery fault lines. As the camera pulls back, we get a good look at a stylized campaign map of the European theater over which World of Tanks' clan wars metagame is fought. Wargaming.net has also released a bunch of nifty new screens to celebrate convention week, and you can get an up close and personal look at World of Tanks' highly detailed hardware in our gallery below. After you're done, head past the cut for the teaser. %Gallery-125725%
World of Tanks releases Ultimate Conquest mode
Wargaming.net is finally taking the wraps off its much-anticipated World of Tanks clan wars mechanics, and hundreds of clans are gearing up to wage war across the title's expansive map. Ultimate Conquest is now live and features its own web destination complete with clan rankings, a world map, and a handy guide. The clan wars map currently encompasses Northern and Mediterranean Europe and will eventually include Asia, Africa, and North America. "We've been working on this for so long, and now we are proud to say that the Ultimate Conquest has begun. This mode is a huge leap for the whole project, as it will add an important strategic element everyone has been so passionately waiting for," says clan wars coordinator Kirill Mal. You can learn more about the World of Tanks metagame at the official North American or European portals, and you also check out our clan wars-focused GDC interview with Victor Kislyi. And we've got a new clan wars tutorial video for you just after the cut.
RuneScape launches clan support
The long-running browser-based MMO known as RuneScape has a new (and long-awaited) update in store for its loyal players. Today marks the addition of clan support to the free-to-play fantasy title, and the patch offers a number of tools to assist players in organizing and maintaining the RuneScape equivalent of the traditional MMO guild. The latest game update from Jagex features new clan chat channels, a new clan camp social hub area on the world map, and customization options including mottos, motifs, and colors (which are evident on clan capes and a territory marker known as the vexillum). Jagex has also added clan-specific gameplay content in the form of rated clan wars, allowing for clan vs. clan challenges and associated leaderboards. Finally, Jagex is gifting each clan with a personalized web presence including public and private forums, stats, and membership details. More information about RuneScape clans is available at the game's official website.
World of Tanks rolls on to release day
How's about we strap ourselves inside 60 tons of steel, form up with a company of like-minded comrades, and steam-roll those unfortunate chaps rolling along in the enemy tank brigade on the other side of the map? If you answered hooaahh, World of Tanks is probably an MMO that you'll want to check out (and even if you didn't, the game is free-to-play, so you've got nothing to lose). So grab your buddies, your extra ammo, and a cup of that engine degreaser that passes for coffee and avail yourself of video tutorials, interviews with Victor Kislyi, and clan wars discussions -- all courtesy of the best World of Tanks coverage on the web. That's right, release day for Wargaming.net's action/strategy MMO is finally here, and Massively's got your mission-critical intel briefing just after the cut.
World of Tanks Clan Wars signups begin
Since our GDC sit-down with Wargaming.net CEO Victor Kislyi, we've been quite anxious to get our hands on the World of Tanks Clan Wars mechanic. Happily, the system is just about ready for prime time, and the company has put out a press release announcing official clan signups for both European and North American servers. The Clan Wars action takes place on a global map that is divided into several provinces. Each province features its own particular revenue stream, and Wargaming.net intends for hundreds of clans to duke it out for territorial control rights. Clan Wars will also feature economic and diplomatic systems, making it an entirely new play option for fans of World War II-based armored conflict. "Clan Wars is not just a new game mode, but rather a separate gameplay layer or meta-game designed to provide years of fun and action for those fond of strategic thinking, politics, alliances, and intrigue," Kislyi explains.
GDC 2011: World of Tanks' clan wars showcase player and developer passion
MMO devs rarely play their own games, right? That's the conventional player wisdom, anyway, and it's commonly found on forums, guild chats, and vent channels after a particularly painful nerf. Apparently the devs at Wargaming.net didn't get that memo, though, as our GDC sit-down with Victor Kislyi illustrated. Kislyi is the driving force behind World of Tanks, the World War II-based action MMO currently shattering industry concurrent user records as its Russian beta steamrolls the free-to-play competition. Not only does Kislyi play his own game, but he plays (and discusses) it with such passion that you can't help but root for the scrappy title and the team from Belarus that is bringing it to life. Join us after the cut to see what Kislyi had to say about the upcoming clan wars implementation as well as player politics.
Wasteland Diaries: A brief history
Fallen Earth has a relatively short history, as far as the power struggles on the server. Yes, in case you didn't know it, Fallen Earth is a single-server game. Everything I'll discuss in this post occurred on that single shard. The power struggles in the wastelands, be they between factions or clans, have been ever-changing. It seems that no one group retains power for very long. They say that history is written by the victors. And they could be right, but since we lack clear winners, I'll write it. There isn't really a way to assert dominance in Fallen Earth in any kind of overt way. But there are subtleties that player groups can control. In some cases, they can even hold a resource with which to extort the playerbase. In the future we may see a true struggle for resources in an apocalyptic wasteland, but for now we will have to be content with simply crushing our enemies. After the break I'll chronicle the past year or so and outline how the power struggle evolved through that time period. Not everyone will agree with my perception of the events, but I'll do the best I can to remain unbiased.
Wasteland Diaries: A year? Already?
Has it been a year already? I guess it has been. Fallen Earth launched on September 22nd, the same day as Aion. But by launch day I was already working my way to Sector 3. I pre-ordered and got to start playing on the 9th. My performance at work suffered that first week as I tried to keep up with the power-levelers. Ultimately, I couldn't. But on launch day I was nearly level 30 and still, to this day, I couldn't tell you why I was rushing. I made it to the level cap of 45 a couple of weeks after the official launch. My next three trips through the wastes would be more slow-paced and lackadaisical. While Fallen Earth is still the same game, it has changed drastically since launch day. Drastic change can be good or bad, but in FE's case, it's all good. The game has gotten nothing but better. Sure, the developers have added some mediocre content, but overall the game has been improving by leaps and bounds. And there seems to be no end in sight for these improvements. Let's take a look back at Fallen Earth's transformation from buggy, beta-like MMO to a first-rate gaming experience. After the cut, I'll break it down by patches.
First Impressions: World of Tanks
World of Tanks is one of those games in which you have to wonder how large the target audience is. An MMO revolving around tank combat seems like it would only appeal to hardcore WWII enthusiasts or military hardware geeks. Aesthetically, the tank theme might not appeal to everyone. However, WoT is remarkably easy to get into and enjoy, even if you have no idea what PzKpfw stands for. At this juncture, I would hesitate to call World of Tanks a true MMO. Wargaming.net is focusing on the gameplay elements for the closed beta, so Westerners have yet to experience the clan war political system that will be in the final release of the game. I'll be honest, though -- I don't really mind. The game is that fun to play all on its own. %Gallery-96260%
E3 2010: Victor Kislyi talks tanks... not the aggro kind
While the idea of a tank-based MMO might come across as a little odd to some people, World of Tanks has really shaken things up in its European-only closed beta test. Originally intended as a hardcore MMO for tank enthusiasts and PvP aficionados, interest in the intense, PvP-focused tank MMO skyrocketed in Russia and Europe, with over 40,000 players participating in the closed beta test, including even a few hundred American players who couldn't wait for the US beta coming up in a few weeks. We got to sit down with Victor Kislyi, CEO of Wargaming.net, and discuss just why people are flocking to the tank-themed MMO, and the various changes they needed to make to accommodate a wider audience.
Wasteland Diaries: Clan wars
Clan wars were only added to Fallen Earth shortly after the 1.4 patch, so the system hadn't been extensively tested until this past weekend. Exile and Wolves of War clashed in three towns in Sector 1 on three separate days. These engagements were some of (if not the) largest PvP battles ever fought in Fallen Earth. The clan war system has proven to be a bit unwieldy and there were some minor bugs, but for the most part, it worked as advertised. This past weekend was also testament to the fact that the server can handle 40 or more combatants slugging it out in a crowded town with their mounts present. During the week both sides saw a heavy troop buildup in Sector 1, but it wasn't until Wolves of War massed a large band of Blight Wolf Cavalry in and around Zanesville that the battle lines were drawn. After the town was occupied by the Wolves, they fortified their positions and awaited the inevitable assault by Exile's troops. There will be a full After Action Report after the cut!
Details announced for clan wars in World of Tanks
As development continues on World of Tanks, Wargaming.net has been offering more detailed information on gameplay and design. The latest news is all about clan wars, the World of Tanks version of PvP. Clans of 50-100 members will duke it out throughout hundreds of provinces on a global map of 1940's Earth, fighting for control of territory, monetary rewards, and in-game benefits such as special tanks and ammunition. Nick Katselapov, the producer of World of Tanks, explains the overall goal of clan wars: "We are not going to reinvent the wheel with the clan wars, we are trying to introduce a deep strategic layer into the game by adding a blend of our own innovative ideas and features from such timeless videogame classics as Civilization or Total War series with comprehensive trade relations and economy, well-thought-out diplomatic system and immersive inter-clan warfare. However, unlike traditional strategy games, in World of Tanks the way of your clan to global superiority will be paved with myriads of online battles against hundreds of other teams and thousands of real people, not just AI controlled bots." World of Tanks is currently scheduled for a fall 2010 release.
Wasteland Diaries: One point four, baby!
Fallen Earth patch 1.4 hits today. This is a big deal. I can't overstate how insanely important this patch is. The combat system has been revamped, and we get the requisite respec. There's Blood Sports in which clones are pitted against one another for glory and Death Toll. You will no longer lose Death Toll for dying, and will receive some just for showing up. Death Toll is now a type of currency which can be spent on gas, ammo and gear. There are new mounts and pets. There is a new area called Deadfall which lies west of Deadfall Point and Warhall. Clan wars are now a reality. The battles will spill out of the conflict towns and into the more civilized areas. We will have an achievement system that chronicles our adventures in the wasteland. The level cap will be increased to 50 and we will get all the new stuff that comes with it. This will all be happening today. Also, today May 7th, 2010, Massively and Fallen Earth will be holding the Blood Sports Brawl in Embry Crossroads. Come on out and say hello with bullets and knives. You must be at least level 5 to take part in the actual Blood Sports, but all levels are welcomed to the party in the bunker bar. Want more information on today's patch? Click the "read more" button.
Fallen Earth's huge Blood Sports patch dated
Icarus Studios, makers of the post-apocalyptic sci-fi MMORPG Fallen Earth, have announced the release date for their Blood Sports content patch. The update, version 1.4 of the game client if you're keeping score, is heavily focused on player versus player conflict and includes four new PvP areas, over 500 related achievements, a Clan War system, and the updated region of Deadfall. The 1.4 update will launch on May 7 and will also feature an expanded level cap (up to 50), a one-time character respec option, and a boatload of refinements including animation tweaks, effect revamps, and of course the new Blood Sport PvP matches. These matches include Survival, Capture the Flag, Assault, and Deathmatch, and allow players to queue up for PvP action regardless of their world location. Participatory and victory points will also be awarded and can be used on end-game armor and assorted gear. Current subscribers can access the live content on May 7, while new players can purchase Fallen Earth Blood Sports from retail and digital download outlets and receive a full copy of the original game along with the content update. "We are thrilled to be able to launch all of the new content in one major patch," said Colin Dwan, Fallen Earth Project Manager. "The team has worked very hard to make this happen and we're sure players will enjoy all of the new gameplay enhancements." Check out the official site for more info, and be sure to sign up for the test server if you can't wait until May 7 to get your hands on the new content.
Wasteland Diaries: What's on the horizon?
Fallen Earth's Patch 1.4 was originally going to include the Deadfall area, item fatigue, pets and new mounts, item overcharging, dueling, New Gallows revision, and raising of the level cap to 50. That, in itself, is already worth the price of admission. But now we are getting even more! The 1.5 patch was originally slated to have the PvP enhancements, such as clan warfare and arena PvP. We will be getting it all in the upcoming 1.4 patch. The release date is Q2, but that's better than "when it's done" if you ask me. Luckily for us, with the Public Test Server, we can check some of this stuff out early. So if you simply can't wait, jump onto the server and take a gander at some of it, at least. The test server has copies of your characters as they existed on February 25, 2010. If you are a new subscriber, you may have to make new characters. There are also special development tools available to you, so that jumping in and testing this stuff is much easier.
