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MechWarrior Online kicks off Mech Warfare Month
Driving a multi-ton battle 'Mech isn't like picking your friend up at the 7-11 in your dad's Prius; it's a massive, complicated war machine that has to be understood before it can be wielded against foes. So if you think that piloting one in MechWarrior Online will be as simple as hitting the WASD keys and the occasional 1 or 2, think again. This is why Piranha Games has launched Mech Warfare Month on the official MWO site, giving us a full run-down of how movement and combat is handled in the game. Concepts such as 'Mech "torso twists," jump jets, environmental obstacles, and heat management have to be taken into account from the onset. To bring down the hammer on enemy 'Mechs, players will use a balance of energy, projectile, and ballistic weapons -- and they have to keep track of ammo while doing so. Piranha wraps up the post with a lengthy list of keyboard and mouse commands that will be necessary to learn for safe 'Mech operation. While the full list of controls and HUD details may send some running for their nearest touch-screen device, this level of detail is exactly what attracts such a devoted fanbase to the franchise. We're speaking with Piranha Games at GDC this week, so stay tuned for an in-depth interview as to how this game is shaping up! [Thanks to Nimsy for the tip!]
Final Fantasy XIV launches patch 1.18
Final Fantasy XIV players have been waiting for patch 1.18 to drop for quite some time, but the wait is finally over. Players can finally access the variety of updates and improvements that the newest patch has promised, including a large overhaul to the combat system that ushers in auto-attack functionality and the addition of the new Grand Companies. While the former is just the first step toward making a more thorough overhaul of the game's combat engine, the latter will give players rank 22 and up new missions to participate in while attempting to safeguard Eorzea. Other improvements include a streamlining of the enmity system complete with in-game warnings, improvements to repair functionality, and a general streamlining and adjustment of the guildleve system. All told, it's quite a large change to the existing elements of the game, something that Final Fantasy XIV players will no doubt want to devote a fair chunk of time to exploring.
Video highlights the differences in Final Fantasy XIV test versions
We're not done with the love for Final Fantasy XIV around here by a long shot, especially not as the game moves into the next phase of testing. Amidst secondhand reports, allegations, rumors, and the general wall of non-information Square-Enix surrounds the game with, it can be difficult to know whether the new phase of testing has actually changed anything, or we're just looking at the same build with a few names changed. There's a new video making the rounds, however, demonstrating exactly what has changed. It's easier to understand the changes by watching the video, but in brief: they've improved light sourcing, distance rendering, and a vastly different combat system. The latter is perhaps the most surprising, as the two systems sound similar but have significant differences when compared side by side. Any fan of Final Fantasy XIV is encouraged to watch the video not just to see the version comparisons, but to get a good sense of what the game will look like in action.
The Daily Grind: Is action-based combat the way forward?
In the early days of MMOs, it wasn't really feasible for developers to put action-based combat into an online game and expect all users to be able to have a good experience. These days faster internet and other advancements allow games such as Age of Conan, Darkfall and Champions Online to have a combat system where, for example, dodging an attack actually involves moving yourself out of harms way. The alternative to this action combat style is the system that most MMO gamers of the last decade will be very familiar with, seen in games like World of Warcraft, Lord of the Rings Online and countless other titles.MMOs without action-based combat still have their share of mechanics to keep things interesting. Abilities that must be used from the back or the side (or are more effective that way) mean that combat isn't necessarily a stationary affair, and you can still hit multiple targets in a lot of cases. Some might even find that the action style is too "twitchy" for their liking. Proponents of action combat however might say that they'll never go back to boring auto-attacks. Is a real-time action combat system something that all new MMOs should aspire to have, or just another option that has its place but shouldn't take over?
