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New DDO screenshot gives first look at Update 6
Dungeons and Dragons Online's next update will bring more content to the game, and the excitement for Update 6 has been high in the DDO community, thanks to one little detail: underwater combat. That's right, the next update will not only bring a new wilderness area -- the Red Fens -- but it adds underwater combat to DDO. We'll meet up with our old friends the Sahuagin and take to the waters. It's an exciting addition to the game, and if you feel you simply can't wait until Update 6 drops, maybe you don't have to. VIP players can copy characters onto the Lamannia server and try it out for themselves right away!
Dungeons and Dragons Online patch 1 released for Update 5
Patch 1 for Dungeons and Dragons Online Update 5 dropped this morning, clearing up a long list of problems that have plagued the game since Update 5 arrived. Issues large and small were taken care of, including several things that players have been dealing with since Update 5 released in the first place. Fog of War, for example, has been resetting immediately upon leaving an area. This was extremely inconvenient if you left an area for just a minute or two, because you'd come back to a completely black map. Thankfully that's not an issue any more. Guild renown got several fixes, including the return of the small guild bonus, an increase to the renown drop rate for monster kills, a fix to renown decay at level 26, and and adjustment to renown decay at level 26. Those are just a couple of highlights -- the full patch notes are available on the DDO site. Do you know about a problem the patch didn't take care of? Check out the updated Known Issues thread.
DDO Update 5: Massively's interview with Fernando Paiz
Dungeons and Dragons Online Update 5 has been out for a while now, and it came on the scene to mixed reviews. Some players were unhappy about the combat changes, bugs here and there caused problems, and there were a couple of hotfixes in the first few days. The new adventure pack and guild renown system balanced it out nicely, though. In spite of continued glitches they were viewed overall as a great addition to the game. We were curious about several aspects of the update and what Turbine has planned for the immediate future, so we posed a few questions to Executive Producer Fernando Paiz. Follow along after the jump to see what he had to say about DDO's Update 5.
Turbine solves DDO auction house bug
Dungeons and Dragons Online players have been dealing with a handful of annoying bugs that came about with Update 5, but there's no doubt that the Turbine staff has been just as vexed by the issues. The community was happy to hear that Turbine got one pretty significant one taken care of today. The infamous auction house bug -- which caused expired auction house items to vanish without a trace -- was finally solved, according to a post on the official forums. "Users who lost their auction items following the release of Update 5 have received an in-game mail on the affected character that returns their lost item. The item will appear as a pair of boots in the mail, however once you detach the item it will show up in your inventory as the one you lost. Make sure you select 'Detach' before deleting the mail message. If the item has not appeared in your mailbox, please log out and log back in and check again." So if you're missing an auction item, check your mail for mysterious boots. As for the rest of the ongoing issues, we're hoping to hear from Turbine regarding those very soon.
Newest round of DDO screenshots depict final Phiarlan Carnival quest
There's no doubt that Dungeons and Dragons Online Update 5 has had its share of troubles -- Turbine's still hard at work trying to sort out some of the difficulties -- but it's got plenty of upsides as well. Some of the most prominent of those have been the very well-received overhaul of House Phiarlan and the new adventure pack, Phiarlan Carnival. Haven't ventured in yet? The newest round of screenshots might just tempt you into giving it a try. Today's screenshots are of "Over the Big Top," the final quest in the series. The quest offers evil soothsayers, a guy who teaches you the secret behind the saw-the-lady-in-half trick, and trained hellhounds atop giant fireballs -- what's not to love? Check out the gallery below for a preview of the quest. %Gallery-94875%
Exploring Eberron: First impressions of Update 5
Update 5 arrived on the Dungeons and Dragons Online servers Monday, making for a rough first half of the week. Guild renown, the underpinning of the much-touted airship system, was bugged to the point that it had to be completely turned off for most of Monday and Tuesday. The servers came down for four hours Tuesday afternoon for a hotfix. When they came back up, guild renown was fixed. Unfortunately, the auction hall bug was still hanging around, causing players with expired auctions to receive in-game mail containing nothing -- their items had disappeared into the ether. The auction hall was partially disabled Wednesday to alleviate the problem, and hotfix round two brought the servers down for a few more hours. This doesn't mean that Update 5 was a bad thing. Not even close. The rough start was only one facet of this update's launch week -- there is plenty to talk about after things settled down in that arena, and overall some great additions were brought to the game. Follow along after the jump as we look at the first week in Update 5.
Newest DDO screenshots depict "A Small Problem"
No, not a small problem. We've had enough of those, thanks. These screenshots are of A Small Problem, one of the quests in the brand new Phiarlan Carnival adventure pack that was introduced with Dungeons and Dragons Online Update 5. A Small Problem requires you to track down a giant and convince him to join the carnival. The Phiarlan carnival had cast a Dwarf in the role of the Stormreaver, and someone a bit bigger was called for, so off you go. Check out the gallery below for the five new screenshots from Dungeons and Dragons Online Update 5. %Gallery-94875%
Hotfix coming to Dungeons and Dragons Online Update 5
Dungeons and Dragons Online's latest update "Rise of the Guilds," had a huge emphasis on airships, airship amenities, and the guild renown system. It wasn't the only thing coming in the update by any means, but it was unarguably the feature most strongly promoted by Turbine. Update 5 went live yesterday, and many players jumped in to begin earning renown for their guilds right away. Unfortunately, it didn't last very long. The guild renown system had some underlying issues that caused it to be completely shut down after only a few hours. It was a frustrating situation for both players and Turbine staff, as guild renown is the underpinning of the entire airship system and all the amenities that go along with it. Just a short while ago, Meghan "Patience" Rodberg posted an update on the DDO forums: "We are currently testing a hotfix to Update 5 that will restore the Black Abbot raid and the ability to earn guild renown. The DDO Game Servers are tentatively scheduled to be brought down on Tuesday, June 29 from 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM Eastern (-4 GMT) to deploy the hotfix. We'll update this message with any changes to the schedule. Lamannia will remain up and available during the downtime. Thanks for your patience!" Keep an eye on the forum thread for any updates, and hopefully players will be earning renown and buying airships in no time.
Final Dungeons and Dragons Online Update 5 release notes available
Avid fans of Dungeons and Dragons Online have been watching the Update 5 release notes on the Lamannia forum for quite a while. The Lamannia version of patch notes is always a work in progress; things are added, removed, refined, and changed as testing progresses, and it's all with release day in mind. That day is here, and all the update notes are a handy distraction while we wait for the servers to come back up. We've known for a while that this is a large update, and the notes are split into two sections because of this. The store additions -- mostly thanks to the huge list of guild and airship amenities -- warranted their own list. Overall game updates are out too, as well as an updated list of known issues. Check the notes out, and then pace restlessly as you wait for those DDO servers to come back up! [Edit: Seems the servers just came back up now. Hurry and read the notes while you patch!]
Dungeons and Dragons Online Update 5 brings bonus XP
The servers are down, the servers are down! Dungeons and Dragons Online is... offline! Unless you've been living in a cave for the past few weeks, you know that it's not quite as dire as all that. In fact, most of us are happy to see the servers down, because it means that Update 5 is finally here. Well, almost. The servers will be back up today at noon EST -- a bit sooner if we're lucky -- and Update 5 will kick off with a special bonus: extra XP. Summer Bonus Days, a familiar event to veteran players, gives everyone a 20% XP boost from today until July 5th. You don't have to do anything to activate the bonus; it comes automatically to everyone, so break out the alts -- there's no better time to get some leveling done. See you in Update 5!
Exploring Eberron: Is there a downside to the guild renown system?
This week's Dungeons and Dragons Online guild renown contest encouraged more players to visit Lamannia and check out the renown system. Turbine has been receiving a fair amount of feedback on these features and making adjustments every few days. Some functions -- such as the small guild bonus and renown in treasure bags -- have been removed for the time being, while others have been added. Renown can now be gained when hirelings make kills, for example. Tweaks and changes like this continue as the feedback comes in, and the updates to the Lamannia patch notes are continuing along with the forum discussions. It sounds like a great system, but is there a downside? Follow along after the jump as I take a closer look at the upcoming guild renown system and what it means to guilds of all sizes.
Newest DDO screenshots preview Partycrashers quest
Dungeons and Dragons Online update 5 is just four days away, and the latest round of screenshots gives us a little departure from airship images. These new screenshots are of Partycrashers, one of the more elaborate quests in the Carnival of Shadows adventure pack. Partycrashers is a trip through the Illusionarium in House Phiarlan, a quest in which the design team really got to show off. Soaring ceilings, elaborate (and often dangerous) illusions, and brand-new enemies should keep players on their toes throughout the adventure. Not everything shown in the screenshots is easily accessible. Talk to party guests, pick up optionals, and explore a bit -- it's House Phiarlan, so there is much more than meets the eye. Check out the gallery for the newest look at update 5. %Gallery-94875%
DDO offers a head start on update 5 with the Lamannia guild competition
Are you anxious to get your virtual hands on some of the new content coming in Dungeons and Dragons Online update 5? You and your guild may be able to get a jump on things before the update arrives, thanks to the new guild competition on Lamannia. Players can copy their guilds to Lamannia and join in a race to gain the most guild renown for a prize of 200 Astral Diamonds -- enough to purchase the Stormglory Bolt, the first ship in the luxury Stormglory line. This competition is more of a sprint than a marathon, so you'll want to hurry. Entries will be accepted through Monday night and winning guilds are announced on the 24th. Smaller guilds are at no disadvantage here, as the contest is divided into five tiers according to guild size. There will be one prize given within each tier. Ready to participate? Check out the contest information and rules, rally your guild, and good luck!
Exploring Eberron: Winds of change
Writing Exploring Eberron is always a bit of a challenge, because last year's free-to-play switch created a distinctly divided player base. On one hand, you've got the hardcore, longtime Dungeons and Dragons Online players. They've been around since well before F2P, are often DnD fans from way back, and have a thorough understanding of all the intricacies of the game. On the other hand, you have relatively new players who love the game just as much, but really only heard about the game and got involved within the past year. This is not a bad thing, by the way. The DDO in-game community is easily one of the best I've ever come across. On any given day you'll see questions in the advice channel from players who installed the game about five minutes ago, and they are always answered in a friendly and helpful tone. It's a community that almost unfailingly welcomes new players with open arms. The challenge comes in offering enough information that everyone can find something helpful or interesting. Veteran players don't need to be told why items in their inventory are different colors, but it's something that needs to be explained to a player who just downloaded the game last week and is trying to use a weapon with a red icon. With that in mind, I decided to change the focus of this week's column -- and the ones to come -- a little bit. Follow along after the jump to find out more.
New DDO screenshots highlight airships
Airships are a big part of what's coming for Dungeons and Dragons Online update 5: Rise of the Guilds. We've gone from knowing nothing beyond "Ooh, pretty flying boats" to knowing quite a few details on acquisition, amenities, appearance, and so on. Today's latest round of screenshots highlights what we know a bit more. We've got a shot of an airship captain with a few interesting accessories lurking in the background, a group of ships traveling over the ocean, and a guild group digging into a chest full of goodies on their ship. We also got a peek at the absolutely gorgeous airship showroom -- seriously, take some time to look around on your first visit. The designers had a lot of fun with this one. Check out the gallery for the four newest images. %Gallery-94875%
Massively's developer tour of DDO update 5: airships, evil carnivals, and bacon
Dungeons and Dragons Online's update 5 is just two weeks away, and we fans have been waiting impatiently with visions of airships dancing in our heads. We've been hearing quite a bit about the big additions, guild renown and the new adventure pack, gaining small details along the way. What about a firsthand look, though, you may ask? Screenshots and patch notes are nice, but is the execution just as good? We at Massively wanted to know too, so we sat down with the Turbine team for tour of update 5: Rise of the Guilds. Executive Producer Fernando Paiz, Producer Eric Boyer, Senior Content Designer Ricardo Liu spent some time showing off all the latest and greatest in this update. Follow along after the jump for Massively's developer tour of airships, evil carnivals, and bacon.
Exploring Eberron: Community and beyond
This week in Dungeons and Dragons Online, OneDAwesome worked through some of the game's extensive free-to-play content. We picked up five quests from the Ever-Full Flagon in House Kundarak -- if you're a lower-level F2P player, these are quests you do not want to miss -- grouped up, and got our quests underway in record time. One of these quests was Taming the Flames, and I took more than a little good-natured ribbing for inflicting that fiery torture on the group. Cheer up, guys -- Update 5 is going to bump it up a level, so it could be worse! Overall, a very good time was had by all. Next week we're going to stay on the free-to-play path, wrapping up a few last level 5 quests before the group as a whole is too high level. We'll be doing The Depths of Doom and The Depths of Discord from the Hammersmith Inn in House Deneith, Archer Point Defense from Jasper Cruikshanks in the Marketplace, and one level 6 quest: Gladewatch Outpost Defense from Loghan d'Deneith -- also in the Marketplace. We'll meet in the Hammersmith Inn and go from there -- Wednesday at 9PM Eastern time, as always. If you're interested in joining OneDAwesome in DDO, follow along after the jump to see how to get on board as well as what's planned for the future of the guild.
New screenshots for Dungeons and Dragons Online update 5
Update 5 for Dungeons and Dragons Online is just a few weeks away, and as we find out more about guild renown, airships, and all the accessories that come with them, players are anxious to begin experiencing the new content firsthand. Turbine has made the wait a little easier -- or even harder, depending on how impatient you are -- by providing some screenshots of guilds with their shiny new airships. The images emphasize the focus on guilds working together to unlock these items, so check out the screenshots in the gallery below, and begin rallying your guild to earn your own. %Gallery-94875%
Dungeons and Dragons Online devs explain guild renown
As the release date for Dungeons and Dragons Online's update 5 approaches, the guild renown system is gaining more attention. We've gotten a look at what can be earned at each level of guild renown, but the method of earning renown was a bit of a mystery until now. The latest dev diary over at DDO explains how guild renown works as well as the reasoning behind some of the mechanics. In short: do stuff, get renown trophies. The trophies can be found almost everywhere: random chests, loot drops from monsters, even as quest rewards. The more difficult the challenge, the more likely it is that you'll earn renown. Once your guild reaches level 26, renown decay becomes part of the equation -- you must maintain your guild's reputation or it will fade away. It's a fairly simple system, but explained well in the dev diary. Take a look for yourself, and start planning your guild's trip to the top of the renown ladder.
Dungeons and Dragons Online guild renown chart now available
Guild renown is one of the most interesting features coming with Dungeons and Dragons update 5. The system has caught everyone's attention -- particularly since it brings the ability to earn an airship for your guild -- but the actual details of it have been a bit of a mystery until now. Now that update 5 is live on the Lamannia server, quite a few players have taken the time to explore the guild renown system and make a list of each reward and its description. We all benefit from their work thanks to this guild renown chart on the DDO Wiki. The rewards begin with a simple guild chat channel which is unlocked upon guild creation, and move up to some truly impressive buffs and amenities on your airship. Experience bonuses, helpful NPCs, guild storage and more are all available as well as a global announcement when your guild reaches certain milestones. The method of earning renown is still a bit fuzzy on this chart, as is the cost of items once they're unlocked, but we'll keep an eye out for more information.
