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One Shots: Shields up!
Reader Mary is in a tight spot. It all rests on her shoulders now, and if she dies, she will be responsible for letting down her entire team. The fate of this day -- nay, of the future, rests upon her quick thinking and reflexes. "I'm shielding!" she cries triumphantly. "I juuuust managed to get my shield up in time to deflect a dying Spookat's final attack. Meanwhile, Astro is distracted by the emerging Black Kat in the upper left corner, seeing as it was the first time we found one during Spiral Knight's now infamous Black Kat event." Give me a break, give me a break, break me off a piece of that Black Kat bar! Folks, it doesn't get any less punny from here, so hold your nose and jump into the rest of this week's player screenshots.
The Game Archaeologist: Classic MMOs in August
How few players do you need to have before operating an MMO becomes ridiculously unprofitable and in need of closing? In the case of The Matrix Online, we found out that the magic number was 500. I wouldn't have even guessed that so few people were in that game when its shutdown was announced, especially considering the vocal anguish that arose when SOE lowered the boom. I guess it goes to show that we're often quite clueless what goes on behind the curtain. There's always this balance between the number-crunchers (who need players and money to justify continued operations) and the passionate creators (who are often developers putting in the effort because they simply love the game and its community). If nothing else, it reinforced my belief that SOE does bend over backwards to keep these games running as long as possible, much longer than some other studios would in a similar situation. So what other news regarding classic MMOs happened this past month? It's time for another one of my patented roundups, complete with archaeological commentary!
Neverwinter invites players to the Summer Festival
The summer is winding down and we are rapidly approaching autumn. But Neverwinter has a bit of slightly unorthodox summer fun for players in the new Summer Festival, an in-game event that goes live today and runs until September 18th. Rather than have players traipse about in swimsuits and visit beaches, the event asks players to take part in a variety of tasks and pastimes to enjoy the waning days of the season, most of which center around standard maintenance like gathering loose animals and fighting off trolls. Fighting trolls qualifies as standard maintenance in a world that includes trolls, honestly. So what do you get for your troubles? An array of cosmetic rewards, including new weapons and armor that have an appropriate summer theme. You can also earn an armored boar mount and a pig companion if you really want to go hog wild. Players can enjoy the content on the live servers starting today, so anyone who needs a respite from more serious fantasy fare is encouraged to log in and round up some pigs.
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.
Celebrate Fury of the Feywild's launch with a trailer full of lore
Neverwinter's first big content expansion, Fury of the Feywild, is officially live, bringing a new campaign system, new professions to learn, the call to arms system, and dozens of gameplay tweaks and balance changes. Also included is the 20v20 PvE/PvP event Gauntlgrym, along with a new zone to explore and piles of new items. Cryptic and Perfect World have marked the launch by releasing an all-new trailer detailing the lore of Fury of the Feywild; you can see it yourself just after the break.
Neverwinter talks new classes and more in latest State of the Game
It's been almost three months since Lead Producer Andy Velasquez last checked in with a State of the Game for Neverwinter, but yesterday's post touched on several new features leading up to Module 1: Fury of the Feywild. There's mention of the dedicated exploit team checking for cheaters, the NeverwinterPreview server, Module 1's new content across the board, The Foundry's uptime, and the live team. But possibly of the most interest in this article is talk of new classes and Paragon Paths, which Velasquez says will be coming by the end of the year. You can check out the full article over at the game's main site for more information.
Shadowfell Conspiracy now live in Dungeons and Dragons Online
The next major content expansion for Turbine's Dungeons and Dragons Online, known around these parts as Shadowfell Conspiracy, is officially live. Dragon-slayers across the globe can now cruise the prison city of Wheloon and venture into the mountainous passes of Stormhorms, killing new monsters, collecting new loot, and earning new levels along the way. Shadowfell Conspiracy brings a host of features to Dungeons and Dragons Online including new iconic heroes, the now-standard geographical expansion, and a level cap raise to 28. Two versions of the expansion are available: one collector's edition ($49.99) that includes three character slots and three iconic heroes and a standard edition ($29.99) including one character slot and one iconic hero. Both include varying quantities of Turbine Points and skill tomes. If you're curious to see Shadowfell Conspiracy in action, be sure to check out our in-depth look from July. [Source: Turbine press release]
The Game Archaeologist: The PLATO MMOs, part 2
In our last installment looking at PLATO, the educational computer network that linked a thousand terminals across the US together, I don't think I stressed enough how awesome this system was for the time. In the 1970s, most universities had computers that required punch cards for input and spat back results on printers, grade schools simply didn't have computers, and if you wanted a PC at home, you'd have to build one from a kit that ended up being little more than a box with blinking lights. To sit down at a PLATO terminal was to jump forward a decade or more: sharp plasma displays, touch screens, speech synthesizers, email, message boards, and of course, the latest games. Often brewed up by students and programmers in their off hours, the PLATO games demonstrated the potential for online gaming, even if the games couldn't be put into every home. Last time we saw some of the innovations that would fuel MUDs and MMOs in years to come: networking, persistent characters, multiplayer matches with up to 32 people at a time, 3-D gaming in a virtual world, video game bosses, chat systems, and even crafting. So let's move on to the second batch of what I'm calling the "PLATO MMOs" -- not truly MMO as we know them today but uncanny pre-echoes of what the genre would become.
Get an advance look at Neverwinter's Fury of the Feywild details
Neverwinter's module 1 update, also known as Fury of the Feywild, will hit the game next Thursday, August 22nd, but you don't have to wait until then to read up on all of the specifics. Cryptic has posted many of the patch's details today, although they are of course subject to tweaking. Expect to see a lot of changes with module 1, including many class balance adjustments, a reduction in cost for some astral diamond purchases, a new passive power for non-augment companions, better inventory management, foundry tag searches, and LFG and trade chat channels. Fury of the Feywild will also include the new high-level zone of Sharandar, the ability to upgrade companions with astral diamonds, the salvage feature, and the new professions of artificing and weaponsmithing. The patch will also lay the groundwork for the Summer Festival to begin on August 29th.
Neverwinter's Fury of the Feywild teaser has dragons, brambles
Neverwinter's first free content update, Fury of the Feywild, is due for release on August 22nd. This new module brings a host of new features to the Neverwinter universe including new zone Sharandar, new professions, new dungeons to explore, and a campaign system that will allow players to complete in-game challenges for special rewards. Cryptic and Perfect World today released a teaser trailer for Fury of the Feywild, and while it's not deep on details, it does showcase some of the new environments and talk a bit about the story surrounding them. Also, there's a dragon and a place with giant brambles because hey, this is a fantasy MMO and there are some things you just have to have. Check out the trailer after the jump and have a look at the new screenshots as well. [Source: Perfect World press release] %Gallery-195703%
Neverwinter beefs up skirmishes with Call to Arms
Starting this Friday, Neverwinter is taking its skirmish system and turning up the dial to 10; just 10, that's as high as that dial goes and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Neverwinter's new Call to Arms events will be much more inclusive versions of its standard skirmishes, allowing players from level 5 to 60 to join in the fun. This will not only allow players to revisit skirmish areas they have since outleveled but give everyone great incentive to do so with a ton of rewards. Cryptic is handing out companions, dye packs, and transmutation items among other prizes for completing a Call to Arms event. Joining a Call to Arms is pretty simple, as players can queue up for one just as they can for skirmishes, dungeons, and PvP matches. Cryptic will be rotating through a stable of events, changing up the location and rewards as it does so.
Dark Relic wants to bring back classic roleplaying
If you're often yearning for the "good old days" when roleplaying actually meant something more than "making hit points disappear," then Triad Game Studios would like to make your acquaintance. The studio is working on bringing the spirit of classic RPGs back to MMOs with its upcoming sandbox Dark Relic. Dark Relic is based on a Dungeons and Dragons campaign called The 6th Aspect from the early 1990s. The developers liken the project to Choose Your Own Adventure books where players can pick the path that interests them the most. Crafting is given a strong emphasis for players who would rather stay at home and tinker instead of venturing out into the world. The project is still on the fourth stage of 12 planned prior to launch. There are currently four classes and four races planned. Dark Relic: Prelude will be the first of a proposed series set in the game universe.
The Game Archaeologist: The PLATO MMOs, part 1
In tracing the history and pre-history of MMORPGs in this column, we've spent a lot of time outside of the 2000s and into the explosive '90s, the experimental '80s, and even the extraordinary '70s. Early pioneers like MUD1, Dungeons & Dragons, GameLine, bulletin board systems, Habitat, Island of Kesmai, and even Maze War have contributed to the development of these games we enjoy today. But I think we're going to outdo ourselves this week. We're going to go back further than ever before in the The Game Archaeologist time tunnel. When we arrive at our destination, we'll see that MMOs started germinating within a decade of computers being able to talk to each other. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you 1961.
Neverwinter's companions are real bears (and cats)
Have you ever found yourself playing Neverwinter and thinking, "This is great, but it'd be way better with an enormous bear mauling things while I cast spells"? Or perhaps you'd prefer a panther, or a hawk, or an enormous spider? Whatever your preferred flavor, the game probably has a companion to match your tastes, and each of them is on display in the new companion trailer embedded just past the cut. Although the idea of a spider companion is kind of really creepy. This trailer comes along with the addition of a new companion to the cash shop, the Cave Bear. Your ursine companion will obligingly maul your opponents while stealing health and comes with a max rank of 20. There's also a new dye pack, which has very little to do with companions but might help you coordinate your outfit with your feral chums. So check out the full trailer past the break for an idea of what you can do with an animal buddy.
Mountain hiking in DDO: Shadowfell Conspiracy's Stormhorns
Dungeons and Dragons Online: Shadowfell Conspiracy, the game's second expansion, isn't just mucking about in a trashed prison city with your new premium classes. Turbine is taking us beyond Forgotten Realm's civilization to the Stormhorns, a mountain region that comprises DDO's first mountain wilderness area. For our third tour through Shadowfell Conspiracy's new content, we put on our hiking boots and headed out for some fresh mountain air. Will this region bring out the beauty of Faerûn or show the creaky underpinnings of this aging title? And why are we going out there to begin with?
Neverwinter trailer boasts two million players
Claiming that over two million players have tread upon its virtual soil, Neverwinter and its fans have good cause to celebrate. In that spirit, Cryptic Studios has released an accolades trailer to highlight the game's success and critical acclaim. You know the drill: epic music, floating quotes, and lots of dragon fire. Neverwinter has been expanding since launch, most recently with its Fury of the Feywild content update and the addition of two new companions. You can check out the accolade trailer after the jump.
Raptr hosts Neverwinter dev Q&A, prizes offered
Raptr, a gaming community that touts it rewards people for playing, is turning its rewarding eye toward Neverwinter players. The site is hosting a Q&A session with Lead Designer Zeke Sparkes, Foundry Producer Rob Overmeyer, and Community Manager Som Pourfarzaneh tomorrow, July 26th, from 1:00 to 9:00 p.m. EDT. Fans wishing to lob questions at these devs about the upcoming Fury of the Feywild module or the Foundry can leave their queries in the Q&A thread starting now. The community can also "like" others' questions, and the ones with the most likes will be answered first. But wait, what about the reward mentioned? That would be three Feywild starter packs, one for each of the top three questions submitted; these top questions, however, will be determined by the Raptr staff, not the likes. [Thanks to Dengar for the tip!]
Creating the DDO: Shadowfell Conspiracy character of your dreams
Last week, we sat down with Turbine to look at Dungeons and Dragons Online: Shadowfell Conspiracy's new adventure hub of Wheloon. But running through these special missions and dungeons are only part of the expansion, as your character's growth and build are always at the core of DDO. So for our second sit-down session covering the upcoming expansion, Turbine chose to focus on the three new iconic classes coming to the game and the overhaul to the enhancement system that should make building the character of your dreams a lot easier. Prior to adding new enhancements, reincarnations, or epic destinies, DDO had only a meager 250,000,000,000,000 possible builds to choose from. No, we didn't fall asleep pressing the "0" key. But now the choices are even greater, which is why it's of increasing importance that players understand what their characters are capable of doing and how to best build a functional toon. After all, even Turbine admits that many of the 250 trillion builds "are not really great to play with." So what will be fun to play? And why should players be interested in rolling one of the new iconic classes instead of sticking with their tried-and-true Bards?
Neverwinter test shard gets new zone and more in hefty patch
One of the great things about test servers is a chance to see what's coming up in your favorite games -- that, and hopefully squashing any bugs before going live, of course! And the Preview Shard for Neverwinter got quite a patch with plenty of goodies for players to experience. Want to explore a new zone? There's Sharandar for the level 60 adventuring crowd. How about upgrading a max-ranked companion? For the cost of some Astral diamonds, you've got that, too. If you prefer to immerse yourself in the Foundry, a whole new suite of assets is coming with the release of Fury of the Feywild, including costumes, encounters, an Elven city interior, maps, objects, and more. The Foundry, however, will be disabled for the first part of the expansion play test. Other odds and ends of this patch include changing the reset time for daily quests to a standard 6:00 a.m. EDT, new items, and class adjustments along with a fair amount of tweaks and bug fixes. Catch all the details in the full patch notes. [Thanks to Dengar for the tip!]
Neverwinter adds ghost and angel-snake companions
Hold on tight to your wallets, kids, because Cryptic's knocking on your door with a couple of new companion offerings for Neverwinter. The studio is releasing the Ghost and Lillend companions, although snagging one is going to require coughing up some cash (or playing the ZEN market smartly). The Ghost is a former Halfling who's fallen on hard times. She deals necrotic damage and has a neat ability that tosses a DoT onto an enemy while healing allies simultaneously. Lillend is... well, she's interesting. She looks like the cross between a snake and an angel, and as if that didn't give her enough fodder for dinner conversation, she can play the harp. Lillend is the game's first purple-quality healer companion. While you can buy the Ghost with ZEN, it looks as though Lillend is obtained only as a chance reward for purchasing a professions pack.
