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It's starting to feel like Christmas in Turbine games
Turbine is spreading the holiday cheer with winter seasonal events in three of its games. Lord of the Rings Online is introducing its first Yuletide event. From December 14 until January 3, players can embark on a quest that will reward them with a snow-covered tree for their yard. While not on the scale of other seasonal events introduced in the game, the reward will be sure to please the many new homeowners who are looking for status symbols to display in their online neighborhoods.Next, in Asheron's Call, Santa Sclavus will be traveling the lands handing out presents to the good little boys and girls. But the naughty ones will only be getting coal. Be sure to be on the lookout for the jolly gift giver and see what he has for you.FInally, in Dungeons and Dragons Online, The Festival of the Twelfth Moon has arrived in Stormreach and brings with it the Festivult Jester. Players can collect Festivult Coins from chests and turn them in for special holiday prizes. Overall, Asheron's Call looks like the most fun of the three events. A GM controlled NPC can have great fun interacting with the players if he is not mobbed by 80 at once. But we're also curious how the LotRO devs have incorporated Christmas into Tolkien lore. They have a tricky balance to maintain to meet the expectations of their customers, but not violate the spirit of Middle-earth's well-detailed culture.
Chat log includes more details on Jumpgate Evolution
Jumpgate Evolution will feature joystick support, accessible system requirements, and a story by D&D Eberron setting creator Keith Baker. Those are the sorts of details you'll find in MMORPG's dev chat with three Jumpgate Evolution team members. There's a lot more info in the chat, as well, though some of it is stuff already covered in our own interview with Netdevil's Hermann Peterscheck.It looks like Netdevil is delivering a more accessible, streamlined version of the basic game-play found in the original Jumpgate; for example, the flight model will be similar to that of the original, but there will be "more effective braking" to prevent the out-of-control feeling that intimidated some newbies in Jumpgate. But we'll see some totally new things in the game as well. We're all getting very excited about this game, and the info is only just starting to roll out. Rest assured that we'll bring you every update as it comes!
Live events in DDO tomorrow night
Reader Schad dropped us a note about some live events going down in Dungeons and Dragons Online this weekend. If you haven't heard yet, be sure to bring a full party of level 7 or higher to Sorrowdusk Isle tomorrow night (times for each server are listed there), and expect to have some fun and "keep any items you find in your explorations." You know what that means-- phat lootz inc!I haven't played DDO all that much myself, but I do love a good live event, and I especially love not only the fact that this is set in the Eberron setting (I DM'd a pen and paper game in Eberron, and I know it well), but the way they've implemented these live events-- as chapters in a roleplaying story. Fun! If you do head out to this event (or any others, be sure to report back here with screenshots-- either email them to our One Shots feature or just drop us a line at the contact form. If you do head out to Sorrowdusk Isle tomorrow night, have fun and be careful!
Your new Neverwinter drinking buddies
Neverwinter Nights 2 has been delayed by a week, but now you have a little extra time to get to know your in-game cohorts. IGN introduces us to three companions found in the game, each of whom you can use to put Obsidian's character influence system (from KoTOR 2) to the test. It looks as though Obsidian may have been slightly influenced by the popularity of the Warforged race from D&D's Eberron setting, judging by their inclusion of Construct the blade golem. Then again, we've seen big friendly brutes in previous Neverwinter campaigns.
DDO: Litany of the Dead previewed
Turbine Entertainment has posted a preview of the next Dungeons & Dragons Online module, to be released this month. The appropriately titled Litany of the Dead will have players exploring various tombs and forming unholy alliances to combat the rise of a dangerous lich.Now that solo play has been added, do Joystiqers find this MMO more appealing? It's pretty big in China these days.
DDO: Shadows of Stormreach online novella
Dungeons & Dragons Online fans who are curious to learn more about the city of Stormreach and its mysterious inhabitants should read Eberron creator Keith Baker's new online novella. Shadows of Stormreach is available at the DDO web site, and tells the tale of a halfling thief and her companions. A good read after the first two chapters. Anyone care to make a Neverwinter Nights module out of this?
DDO adds solo play in new expansion
Turbine is making its presence felt at E3 with the announcement of Twilight Forge, the next Dungeons & Dragons Online expansion module. D&D aficionados can look forward to the addition of eight new monsters and the ability to create characters based on the popular Drow race of dark elves. However, the most significant enhancement is an improved single player experience, which was absent in the core game.Turbine head dungeon master Jeffrey Anderson said DDO subscribers can expect additional character levels and PvP battles in future modules. The game's first expansion, Dragon's Vault, was free of charge, although no pricing information has been announced for Twilight.Check out GameSpot's updated image gallery.
Turbine offers free DDO trial
If you're still on the fence about Dungeons & Dragons Online, Turbine is offering a free seven-day trial so you can build a character and experience the world of Eberron. Should you decide to buy the game after this period, you can continue with your trial character. Many MMO enthusiasts have been hesitant to purchase DDO because it isn't single player-friendly, and some initial reviews mentioned the difficulty in forming parties and keeping them together. However, the game has been out for over a month now, and if you're looking for an alternative to your current MMO, it might be worthwhile to give DDO a free spin.See also: Metareview - Dungeons & Dragons Online[via Eurogamer]
