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Chaos Theory: The best places in town, Secret World style
When discussing the best things about The Secret World, I'm almost at a loss for where to start. There really is just so much that's great, so many amazing little details woven into the game, that unless you really narrow it down, you could wear yourself out trying to name it all. And you'd still know you missed too much! That's one reason Chaos Theory has recently focused on a few top five/top ten lists. We've already covered compelling missions, the best NPCs, and even my first favorite moments. As integral as those elements are, however, any real estate agent can tell you that one facet can trump them all -- location, location, location! And it's true. The game's setting has a huge influence on the other aspects of the game: Missions are more meaningful and character personalities are enhanced by their surroundings. So as promised, this time around we'll tour some of the best places TSW has to offer.
A dragon interloper is approaching ArcheAge
ArcheAge is gearing up for its December update, and that means getting ready for a dragon. A long time ago in the in-game lore, the dragon Misagon tried to take the land of Erenor for himself and his kin, which led to the Nuon rising up and killing him because that's just a really rude way to move in. The dragons panicked and left, but one among them started planning for Dragon Invasion II: The Dragoning. That invasion is going down as part of the December update, with the somewhat uncreatively named Red Dragon leading his minions in an assault on Erenor. This is the same dragon who resorted to feeding on other dragons to get stronger, so you know he's... well, not a good guy. Go ahead and check out the lore post for a slightly less irreverent explanation of what flies forth on crimson wings, and get ready to undertake some dragon hunting in the game's next major patch.
Chaos Theory: Hands-on with TSW's Issue #10 before today's release
Yes, you read that right. When we told you earlier this week that The Secret World's second Tokyo expansion was coming soon, we bet you didn't think it'd be today, did you? Well, neither did we! But that's exactly what Director Joel Bylos shared with me while we we zipping around the newest area of Tokyo during a hands-on tour of Issue #10 Nightmares in the Dream Palace. If all goes according to plan, fans will be able to dig into the new content today -- much sooner than anticipated. And what's awaiting them? That's what this week's Chaos Theory reveals. Don't worry; I promise to warn you of any major spoilers.
Neverwinter: Rise of Tiamat goes live today
Who's afraid of the big bad dragon goddess? Wait, scratch that, who isn't afraid? She is a dragon with five heads that can breathe fire, chlorine gas, lightning, acid, and frost. She is enormous. That is scary. Unless you're a player character in Neverwinter, which launches the Rise of Tiamat expansion today; then she's just another target down the inevitable road of dragon-slaying. Technically your goal is to stop her from being summoned altogether, but let's face it, we know how this sort of thing works out. So what else awaits adventurers aside from stopping the Cult of the Dragon and saving the eponymous city of Neverwinter (and by extension the world)? Well, Scourge Warlocks can pick up the new Soulbinder paragon path, and players of all stripes can pick up new artifact equipment for four different slots (neck, belt, main-hand, off-hand). This is, of course, assuming going toe-to-clawed-toe with the queen of dragons herself wasn't motivation enough. [Source: Cryptic Studios press release]
SMITE previews Ao Kuang in detail
Turning into a dragon is always a viable strategy if you can manage it. Most people can't; you cannot respond to criticism from your boss by turning into a dragon, for example. Ao Kuang can do exactly that in SMITE, however, and that forms the core of his playstyle in the game. If he has a target with low enough health, he can turn into a dragon, destroy them, then fly to a new area with area damage and a recharged sword so that, hopefully, he can take out someone else by turning into a dragon. Ao Kuang's passive mechanic is a sword that carries charges that are auto-spent to buff his abilities, with a slow regeneration out of combat or a quick regeneration if, again, he turns into a dragon. He's a melee mage-type character, encouraging players to swing in, take out a target, and then move on to the next. You can get a clearer picture of how this will work in play on the official preview page. [Thanks to Sorenthaz for the tip!]
Chaos Theory: Five fantastic NPCs in The Secret World
Before I was sidetracked by Sidestories and totally engrossed in the Halloween event, I talked about quests that I felt were top notch in The Secret World. At that time I also promised to give the NPCs of the game their due with their own spot. And here it is! Why would I devote an entire column to singing the praises of Non-Player Characters? Because it is the characters within the story that make the game so compelling! The characters' lives, their mannerisms -- they really bring TSW to life. From deep and perfectly quirky personalities to the top-notch voice acting, it's the NPCs that tie everything together and make missions so memorable. And while all of the characters play vital roles (even those who just pop in for brief appearance as supporting cast), these five stars steal the show.
Guild Wars 2 previews the Tangled Path for November 18th
A dragon egg exists in Tyria. Yes, we know, dragons are overdone, but the existence of one of their eggs in Tyria is extremely rare, as evidenced in no small part by the fact that the main enemies of the setting are the six elder dragons. So everyone wants that egg... including Mordremoth, the main antagonist of Guild Wars 2's second season of Living World content. And that means that everyone who can try to get that egg will try to get that egg. Yes, the next Living Story update is one big egg hunt, but it's one with pretty high stakes. The trailer just past the cut is short, but it should get players excited for when the update goes live on November 18th. And who wouldn't want a dragon egg of his very own? We recommend naming it Lord Snugglescale; that'll keep it on your side for sure. [Source: ArenaNet press release]
Chaos Theory: Exploring the Halloween that almost wasn't in The Secret World
Funcom just about blew it. I have cut The Secret World plenty of slack for hiccups and bumps over the years (and I am willing to do so in the future because it just doesn't have an equal in the MMOverse and it does what it does so well), but this last one can't be brushed off. This latest misstep could have cost TSW dearly in good will, patience, and even players. You don't take the holiday that the game is essentially based on and not celebrate it! Luckily, TSW's much-anticipated Halloween event did finally show up, albeit 10 days late -- barely in time for the holiday. I am betting that the delay has cost the company some cash. The build-up to this holiday is a huge part of the excitement; the weeks preceding All Hallows' Eve is the perfect time to get people who are in the Halloween mood to return to the game or dive in and try it for the first time> Not to mention it's the time when folks are more apt to buy costumes! Funcom squandered that. And why the delay, anyway? During my Issue #8 tour last year, Creative Director Joel Bylos teased, "Our Halloween next year is going to be amazing! I wrote it for this year, but we didn't get done in enough time." Wasn't 12 more months enough time? We've been waiting with bated breath! So after all that wait, and then even more, is the event worth it? My answer is...
Check out Dragon's Prophet's newest zone, Thadrea
Thadrea, the newest zone for Dragon's Prophet, is coming soon, and if these previews are any indication, it will be a land of both beauty and challenges. And also -- spoilers -- dragons. "Your journey will take you to some of the most exciting places you will ever see," the team posted today. "This place is full of history, and there are many ancient sights to behold." You can check out this "ancient land" in the gallery below and in a video after the break.
Trials of Ascension will include playable dragons
Pay attention, students: Trials of Ascension is coming up to the head of the class to give a progress report. Don't be timid, fledgling game. We're all listening. First of all, Trials of Ascension has hit its $60,000 crowdfunding goal. This means that Forged Chaos will be including a playable dragon race at launch, so prepare your Dragonheart names now. And in a new progress video, Trials of Ascension showed off its new dynamic spawning tech for mobs and plants, its resource gathering system, improvements to combat with full-body animations, items that persist when dropped in the game world, and a naming and chat system that won't automatically identify strangers. There's more to it than that, of course, so check out the full progress video after the break. [Source: Forged Chaos press release; thanks to Azrile for the tip!]
Chaos Theory: New Sidestories show The Secret World's innovative side
When I talked about 10 of the most compelling missions in The Secret World last time, I purposefully left out the new Sidestories mission packs. One reason is that I've already spoken a bit about Further Analysis; the other is that the third and latest pack was slated to arrive soon and I intended to talk about all of them together. As it turns out, it actually released the same day that Chaos Theory did! Since then, I've had the chance to dive in and experience some of those missions. As usual, I was not disappointed. Besides providing the expected interesting new characters and great stories, The Last Pagan highlighted something else: TSW continues to be innovative!
Dragon's Prophet kicks off anniversary events in Europe
Those of you who remember the distant and far-off past of 2013 may recall that Dragon's Prophet launched last year. Those of you still playing the game a year later are probably very aware of that anniversary. The game launched on September 18th in Europe and September 23rd in the US, so there's still a day until the anniversary hits on these shores. But the anniversary celebrations have already begun on the European servers, possibly offering a taste of what US players can look forward to shortly. You can see a new video celebrating the game just past the break, and there are two major events running as part of the anniversary. Players can take part in the Creation Night event, which includes a variety of rewards as well as a chance at taming the Illusion Night dragon. Meanwhile, the monsters in Wynnadia and Porthis have taken to celebrating themselves, and they've gotten bigger and meaner than usual. It's unclear yet whether US players will be getting the exact same celebration events, but EU players still have time to jump in on the festivities.
'Virtual Reality Camera System' uses 6 Red Dragons to make 360-degree video magic
Oculus/Facebook, Samsung, Sony, Google. We're about to be flooded with virtual reality hardware, but what about content? While John Carmack works on the gaming side, the folks at NextVR (formerly Next3D) have been developing camera rigs to record live video in full surround that will let VR units put you anywhere in the world you want to go, and here's the latest one. Red Camera's Jarred Land spilled the beans, posting pics of this "Virtual Reality Camera System" which links six of his company's 6K Dragon cameras together in a rather monstrous-looking array. There should be demo footage on display at the IBC conference, but based on what we've seen from NextVR already, the potential is high. There aren't any cameras pointing up (or down) but previous systems from NextVR have used fisheye lenses to expand their range, and we expect something similar would be in store for this. NextVR is providing video to go along with Samsung's Gear VR headset when it launches and it's working with Oculus too. Judging by this setup more video experiences -- whether live streamed or recorded -- will be coming to the VR space soon.
Chaos Theory: Ten compelling Secret World missions
One thing that The Secret World does extremely well is story. Few would argue that point: It's compelling, surprising, even chill-inducing, packing enough emotional punches to leave you stunned on occasion but always eager for more, which is what makes doing missions in TSW so much more enjoyable than many other MMOs. And it isn't just the overarching main story line, either. All the missions spread throughout the zones, from investigation to sabotage to even the piddliest of little side missions, tie into the story in some fashion. So missing a mission means you might miss some tantalizing tidbit. Fortunately, you needn't be a completionist to have a drive to seek out and experience every single mission. Instead of being faced with the usual desire to just move on ahead once you've "out-leveled" a zone, you literally scour to make sure you don't leave any task undone lest you miss out on any of the story. Now that said, there are some missions that are just jaw-dropping for one reason or another, ones that stop your heart or tear at it. All missions have merit, but some are just so amazing you wish you could do them for the first time over and over. There's even a grieving period when you know you can never relive that initial rush! Here are just a few of the missions that I'd personally recommend that all players experience (with as few spoilers as possible).
SOE Live 2014 in pictures: H1Z1's Zombie Prom, a costume contest, and attendees galore
Every year there seems to be something different at SOE Live. IN 2013, there was the big reveal of the new EverQuest Next and the surprise announcement of Landmark, complete with sand art and champagne. This year, one popular festivity focused on another new title in development: H1Z1. Attendees got all dolled up and put on their best undead faces for a night of dancing at the Zombie Prom (those who preferred the living enjoyed a pool party). It was quite the evening, complete with a wedding proposal! But even as some things change, some stay the same. Friends and guildies meet up (or just plain meet!), games are played, tournaments are won, costumes are shown off, swag is collected, and folks have a good time geeking out with devs. There were also plenty of heart-warming moments, from stories of players helping players to actual weddings. If you weren't able to attend the festivities, or you just want a little pick-me-up as you come down from your convention high, here's a quick look at the weekend in pictures.
SOE Live 2014: Dragon's Prophet to join All Access, add hatching system
While much of the SOE Live attention has been on other titles, Dragon's Prophet was on hand with some announcements of its own. The two biggest pieces of news are the upcoming hatchling system and the addition of the game to SOE's All Access pass, and Producer Todd Carson shared the details with us as well as gave the heads up on a couple other upcoming changes. The new hatching system will allow players to find and raise their own dragons. Carson explained that how long it takes the egg to hatch depends on what activities players do to care for their eggs. Additionally, the stats of the dragons will be influneced by the egg's care. More specifics on that system will be coming soon. The other really big (and welcome news) is the addition of Dragon's Prophet to the All Access plan. Carson noted that it has taken time to work out the details because of the unique differences of the game since it is made by Runewaker. Within the next month or so players will be able to become a part of the system that gives special monthly bonuses in all SOE games, 500 station cash, and a 10% discount on all items in the store. Dragon's Prophet players will receive a nine in-game items every month worth $50, including a 30-day repair hammer, teleportation, revive tokens, and more. Carson also described the recent renovation of the starter experience and the change to the class masteries that give them more defined roles in combat that await new players who try the game out thanks to the All Access changes. He gave us a heads up that a new zone expansion is coming at the end of the year and special roaming merchants that will be added to the territory islands. Another new feature will be the ability to pay to have your house packed up and moved to a different island. Carson is also taking into consideration panel attendees' requests to add Vanguard dragons into the game. What happens in Vegas doesn't stay in Vegas, at least where SOE Live is concerned! Massively sent intrepid reporter MJ Guthrie to this year's SOE Live, from which she'll be transmitting all the best fan news on EverQuest Next, Landmark, H1Z1, and the other MMOs on SOE's roster.
SOE Live 2014: Thursday keynote liveblog announces EQ and EQII expansions, more
Are you looking forward to getting a hint of what's to come for your favorite SOE games this next year? SOE Live's Thursday keynote has just kicked off, and SOE notables like John Smedley are taking the stage to give fans a hint of the announcements coming over the course of the weekend. We're here live to give you the scoop directly from the devs, and we'll be keeping this post updated as it progresses. You can also can watch the presentation streamed live below. Keynote announcements on Friday have all the juicy details, so don't miss them! Four awards for Player Studio: Highest creator - BeastBuster with over $25,000 to date; Most Prolific creator - Rollen; Most Improved Creator - Jerry "Rawl" Dechant; and Most inspirational - Neko Zero. Player Direct awards -- you can see all full-length film on the official site. H1Z1 is coming out on the PS4. The Play it Forward initiative is gamers helping others, in game or in life. Tournaments: Prize money on the line for participants. Dragon's Prophet is introducing a new system where you find and raise dragon hatchlings. EverQuest is introducing a new category to Player Studio. EQ working on a new advanced looting feature. EQ's next expansion is The Darkened Sea. EverQuest II's 10th anniversary in November, the 11th expansion Alter of Malice is launching on 11/11. New classes for EverQuest Next will be announced tomorrow. A touching video tribute to EQII's Ribbitribbit was presented. SOE encouraged support for AbleGamers, Gamers4Life, and Military Gamers.
Perfect Ten: Why MMOs need to give up their dragon addiction
If a genie ever appeared to grant me three wishes, I would not hesitate. I would not be selfish by asking for more wishes or focus on my own well-being. No, I would think of you all when I said, "Mr. Genie, I want you to eliminate all Elves from MMOs, preferably via boiling acid. I want you to make all online giant spiders obey the cube law. And I want all developers to be stricken with a specific form of amnesia that will make them forget, now and forever, that dragons are a thing." You're welcome in advance, online gamers. Yes, I will gladly take up the mantle of your king and protector. Dragons are not cool. Dragons have never been cool. And yet, for some reason unknown to me, MMO developers lose their collective minds over the fire-breathing lizards. They're not just a trope that infests MMOs to the detriment of original storytelling and world building; they're cheesy villainous centerpieces that devs prop up while deluding themselves that the other couple of thousand MMOs aren't doing the same thing. MMOs need to give up their dragon addiction, and I am not short on reasons why. I am also so dead serious that dragons need to go that I'm contemplating getting a chest tattoo of one just so that I can laser removal it right off the next day.
Chaos Theory: The value of The Secret World's DLCs, part 2
Last week we began our exploration of the value of The Secret World's DLCs by looking at the cost of the additional content relative to those who subscribe, those who don't, and those who are lifetime member grandmasters. But money isn't everything to everyone. As noted previously, value is a subjective judgment determined by whatever factors are most important to the individual making the assessment. So making the call on value will depend on which category/categories are used in the judging process. With that in mind, this week we're going to delve into the content aspect of the various DLCs. Specifically, we'll look at quantity, quality, and type of content in each issue and sidestories pack. Other key factors that are of equal -- if not paramount -- importance to some players are whether or not the additional pack is necessary to further TSW's story (who wants to miss some important tidbit?) and how fun playing through it actually is.
Neverwinter unveils the Dragonborn Pack
Were you worried that Neverwinter's fourth major update, Tyranny of Dragons, would feature too few dragons? We're not sure how you could have been worried about that, but the good news is that you can bring even more dragon into your play experience by playing a Dragonborn. No, not that kind of Dragonborn; the kind that's literally half-dragon. Or all dragon, but... humanoid dragon. You get the idea. And you can play one. Buying the game's Dragonborn Legend Pack unlocks the new race as well as a set of cosmetic armor for your new man-dragon, the special Heart of the Red Dragon artifact, and a variety of other rewards including a race change token. The pack is on sale until August 18th, allowing players a chance to get in on the race at a discount. Whether you want to just one-up roleplayers claiming to be half-dragon or can't get enough lizards in your gameplay, you can pick up the pack now if it's your sort of fun.
