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Earthrise newsletter sheds more light on the road to beta
Masthead Studios has given beta-hopefuls another taste of what's to come in their sci-fi MMO Earthrise. Following the format of their previous two newsletters, Masthead Studios showcases some of what they've created to date on the road to the Autumn 2008 Earthrise beta. The Earthrise newsletter 'Issue III' announces a fan art contest with autographed concept art to be given away as prizes. On that note, they've also posted concept art of the Eastern Gardens creatures. Earthrise's Community Manager, Moll, highlights a number of interesting discussions on the official forums, namely player accountability (spying, scamming, alt play) and the factions that will polarize players in the game. Check out the latest Earthrise newsletter for the full low-down on how the game is shaping up.
The Tortage effect: unravelling the magic of the early AoC levels
Age of Conan, like any MMO, has its fans and its haters. Even its fans still find plenty to criticize, and even the haters tend to admit that it does some things really well. When fans and critics collide, one of the questions that's almost always thrown at the fans is 'Okay, you love it now, but what level are you?' The clear message is that the early game can give such a good impression of AoC that it distorts what the overall game is really like. We might get a little tired of Tortage after the third or fourth run-through, but it's still arguably the game at its best - which is presumably why it's the first bit you see.So why is it that Tortage works so well? What's different about that setup that vanishes after level 20 or so? One obvious factor is the voice acting. Age of Conan features some of the best voice acting in any MMO to date, and it can be a shock to finally get off Tortage and find all your quest-givers are suddenly silent. A level of immersion that was there before is gone, and it's odd how much you can miss that kind of thing. The quality of dialog writing, as we've investigated in the past, is also extremely high.
Forum post of the day: How the other half lives
Uhohhotdog of Mathrezim has a leveling problem. In the General Discussion forum he announced that fails whenever he tries to level an Alliance character. He asked if others have this problem. Secksie of Tanaris said that she has the same problem, only she can't seem to manage to roll Horde. It looks like the issues is not so much faction pride as friends and familiarity. Probably the most important factor is having friends or guildies to play with on the other side. Millaneous of Norgannon said that he doesn't care which side he plays, as long as he's playing with friends. Rummi of Ysera finds difficulty in breaking the link with his main character when playing on Alliance side. It's kind of Lonely and outside of one's established element.
Which WAR faction favors more mature players?
It's generally accepted as common knowledge that Horde players in World of Warcraft are, by and large, the more mature of the two factions. Whether or not this is actually supported by hard data is a matter of debate, but the logic says that older players are the ones best able to overlook the stigma of playing races long-perceived to be the "bad guys." There are mouth-breathers no matter what faction you roll, but perception is what it is.We've been watching a poll over at Warhammer Alliance that sought to identify a specific age correlation between the two factions amongst the hardcore Warhammer Online community. With just over 2100 votes cast at the time of writing this, we did find an interest trend. Although Destruction was more popular than Order in every demographic, the disparity between the two become decreasingly pronounced as you move up in the age bracket. The ratio went from 1.7:1 in the 12-16 bracket to 1.5:1 amongst those 17-25 to 1.3:1 for ages 26-35, finally to 1.1:1 in the 35+ bracket. Does this mean Order will be the faction of choice for older players? Definitely too early to tell, but this early data is intriguing.
Reputation roundup for new players & new level 70s
Some of the best rewards in WoW can only be achieved if you have the appropriate level of reputation with a specific faction. Whether you're a brand new WoW player or a freshly-minted level 70 dipping your first toe into the endgame, you need to educate yourself about reputation (or "rep" as it's usually called). Fortunately, here at WoW Insider, we have a lot of tools that can help you find your way through the rep maze to the piece of loot you desire.For new playersWoW Rookie: Introduction to ReputationNew players should start with this article to learn what all the terminology means and how rep affects your gameplay. WoW Rookie: Azeroth ReputationsThis article is the next step in understanding rep and how it works for the world of Azeroth. Since you should start worrying about rep long before you hit level 40, this article shows you how to start preparing for getting your first mount -- especially if the one you hunger for is not your toon's racial mount. Breakfast Topic: Reputation grindingHere you can see what your fellow players have to say about what it's like to grind rep after level 60.For new level 70sAsk WoW Insider: Do you optimize your rep grinds?Advice from us and other readers on how to streamline your rep grinds in Outland.Faction frustrations eased in WrathA preview of how rep may change in the Wrath of the Lich King expansion.Rep calculatorsHere are a couple of rep calculators we've reviewed. Liquidor's rep calculator WoW Reputation Calculator For extra credit WoW Rookie: Pre-Burning Crusade engame reputationsThis is a good primer on how rep worked prior to the release of The Burning Crusade expansion. Rep grinding in Azeroth after level 60 is not overly relevant now, but you may still be curious as to how it worked.
Faction frustrations eased in Wrath
If you've played a Feral Druid to 70, especially in the early days of The Burning Crusade, you probably remember grinding out Exalted with the Cenarion Expedition for your Earthwarden. Personally, my pet faction was Lower City. As a Shadow Priest, I drooled heavily all over the Gavel of Unearthed Secrets. I had hit level 70 before Karazhan raids were commonplace on my server, so I found myself in Shadow Labyrinth at every opportunity. Say what you will about the irritation of running Steamvault constantly, I think Shadow Labyrinth is just a little more frustrating. Admittedly, if I had waited a few weeks, I probably could've gotten a Nathrezim Mindblade pretty easily when Karazhan runs picked up, but what can you do?To help avoid this irritation, Wrath of the Lich King will be introducing something currently called 'championing.'
Under The Hood: Factional Warfare
As sort of an addendum to the last Under The Hood on player choices and consequences, I present to you this article. I didn't have room to add my thoughts on factional warfare, unfortunately, and it's a system that really deserves an article all its own. Why is this such a major factor in most MMOs? Why is it that most major MMOs today have clearly defined sides? Why are those Horde jerks so mean in World PvP? It all boils down to the classic factional warfare model.
[1. Local]: This week in WoW Insider comments
[1.Local] serves up a smattering of reader comments from the past week, from the sublime to the ridiculous. We start off this week's look at reader comments with a handful of theories, notions and opinions on a variety of topics: why Warhammer won't rival WoW, what could be behind the upcoming universal spellpower change, and the root of the whole Horde vs. Alliance struggle. Readers had high praise for the most recent installment of our informative Tank Talk column, before adding their two copper to the last installment of Thrall's story in Know Your Lore. And finally, readers had a lot to say about cross-faction camaraderie among fishers, more kudos for a tote bag that'll leave you in Stitches, and some off-color ideas about the influence of team colors on PvP success. Be sure to dive into the comments area of each thread (not this one!) and add your own thoughts – unlike your mama, we like us some hot, fresh backtalk.
Study shows Horde have advantage for wearing red
All the red tabards on the Horde side really annoy me. How come everyone picks a red tabard? Isn't it enough that the Horde flag is red? Can't we have as much variation in our color schemes as we do in our tusk/horn/pigtail configurations? Red is so 2007.Or maybe it's not. A study published in the Cyberpsychology & Behavior journal determined that teams who wore red while playing Unreal Tournament 2004 won 55% of the time over teams that wore blue. Another study from 2005 showed that wearing red gave an advantage to athletes in the 2004 Olympics, too. However, I'm not sure I buy the reasons given for this advantage, though. The neuroscientist who studied the Unreal Tournament matches thinks that because men turn red when they're angry this color acts as a psychological distractor. Sounds like some reaching, if you ask me.Now, of course, in WoW we don't always wear the colors of our faction, but the predominance of red tabards on the Horde side and blue ones on the Alliance side may just put a Brutal Gladiator's Painsaw in the hands of those who claim the Horde has an advantage in the battlegrounds. But only if everyone wears red or blue. Hm. I wonder if I can change my guild's tabard color from green to red...[Thanks, Avadann Kedeth.]
More details from Fallen Earth interview
Italian gaming site Alter Ego has an interview up with Lee Hammock, lead game designer of Icarus Studios, about Fallen Earth. It's a short piece, but chock-full of great information for those hungry to learn more about what FE is all about. Note: The first section of the page is in Italian; scroll down for the English version.Hammock dishes up some radioactive dirt on the game's factions and what their philosophies are; mentions that there might be a comprehensive hit box for attacking an enemy (for example, you could shoot someone in the foot, but a head shot would do much more damage); the state of PvP; and what sounds like a rich crafting system.The game's site says in its FAQ that "It'll be done when it's done", and as difficult as that may be to hear for those of us who are itching to get our hands into some Road Warrior-style mayhem, it's a strategy that's worked well for Blizzard; there's no reason to think it shouldn't work as well for Icarus Studios.[Thanks, Nolvadex!]
The Gaming Iconoclast: Deity not included
Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret.- Judy Bloom(Hey, just be glad you didn't get another Neitzsche quote*)The fantasy-based worlds our characters inhabit are, almost without exception, richly steeped in legend and brimming with lore. This is doubly true for those that have come to parturition after having existed outside of the digital realm. Frequently, the book or books upon which they are based feature the prominent (occasionally bordering on overwhelming) presence, if not direct and outright influence, of the God or Gods the characters worship... or at least call upon to save their bacon once in a while.Having been so much a part of the lives of the inhabitants of these universes, at least before they found themselves to be at our command, the relegation of these heretofore great cosmic forces to the essential position of role-playing wallpaper at best is puzzling, the occasional trimming of an Elder God's Toenail notwithstanding. In all these worlds full of powerful wizards channeling arcane energies and hurling bolts of numinous fire at their enemies, or healers using their connection to the divine to aid their allies -- some of whom are called Priests outright -- where are the Gods themselves? And, more to the point, where is the role of religion in the characters' lives?
Movies that could be MMOs: Tron
"Greetings, programs." These are the first words you hear as you enter the vast, coldly glittering chamber, prodded forward by a hulking, cowled figure wielding a shockstaff. You glance nervously around you. Your companions seem equally confused and frightened. High above you upon a raised platform, glowing redly, is an Enforcer -- one of the Master Control Program's elite warriors. "You have been chosen to compete against each other for our amusement. Failure to compete is rewarded with deresolution. A victory ensures another day of life. You shall compete until you lose. A loss is punished with deresolution. Today you will receive training. Tomorrow you shall compete. End of line."One of the cowled figures roughly thrusts a glowing blue disc into your trembling hands, which you hold to yourself like a lifeline, which it is. Your training begins.Released into theaters in 1982, Tron is a movie about computers, written before the emergence of the World Wide Web. It posited a world inside the hardware, occupied by anthropomorphized programs. Though some of its ideas bear little resemblance to reality, the story and themes still hold up to repeated viewing, and it's a fun ride with interesting visuals. Despite the numerous adaptations into videogame form the movie has endured, the world of Tron could make a fun and engaging MMO. We'll take a look at how its mechanics might work after the jump.
Full Empyrean Age rank list exhibited in dev blog
Soon, EVE Online's entire galaxy will be sucked into the black hole of war. This is good news for pilots; wartime is the best time to make a name for yourself. EVE's Empyrean Age expansion adds the framework for catastrophic, galactic factional warfare. And for players looking for recognition for their victories, a ranking system will be deployed as well.The latest post at EVE's dev blog describes the ranking system in detail, and lists every single rank (and each rank's associated insignia) for all four factions. From Amarr's Paladin Crusader to Caldari's First Lieutenant and Gallente's Shield Commander, all the way up to the Minmatar rank of Valklear General, they're all there for your examination.CCP's Ginger also noted that the team is exploring ideas ("these are not promises") like "tying [ranks] into dungeons in space and adding additional equipment and ships to the loyalty store that will only be available at certain ranks."
The new and improved Murlocs
Just in case you missed it the other week, my absolute favorite part of all the new expansion news was that we will, for the first time ever, be doing something with Murlocs besides killing them. In the Borean Tundra, there will apparently be two Aldor- and Scryer-like factions, with one being called "Wolvar" and consisting of "wolverine people" of some kind (probably not the same as Worgen), and the other being our favorite gurgling landfish.Which is not only awesome because, man, we sure missed Murlocs in Outland, and also because apparently the Oracles (that's what the faction will be called) will be a reputation faction, so we'll actually get to earn reputation with Murlocs. We have no idea how we'll possibly communicate with them, though -- rumor is that they're "more evolved" than the murlocs we've been fighting so far, but it would be super out-of-place to see a Murloc saying anything other than "Murrrglgglrrlgglll!!"Then again, we already know it's possible (at least unofficially) to capture a live Murloc and develop a translator. Never underestimate the power of goblin ingenuity, I guess.
Singularity's Empyrean Age begins Saturday
CCP will begin testing EVE Online's recently announced Emyprean Age expansion on the Singularity test server beginning this Saturday, the 17th of May. To celebrate the event, the dev team is hosting an event at 19:00 GMT. Everyone is invited to test the new features -- particularly Factional Warfare -- with the dev team.There will be awards for achievements like "most kills" and "most bizarre bug found" once the dust has cleared. If you're an EVE subscriber, read the announcement for more details. If you want to jump right in, don't forget to download the patch and apply it to your client (not the installation with which you play on Tranquility, though!). Once you're all patched up and ready to go, log in on Saturday and join the chat channel "Faction Testing."How often do you get the chance to blast the entire EVE dev team out of the skies? Sounds like fun.
Wrath bits: re-runing, mounted quests, factions
The Australian branch of CNET (CNET, by the way, just sold to CBS for $1.8 billion) is little late to release their notes from the Wrath of the Lich King preview party, but I forgive them, because they contain a few new nuggets of information that I don't remember seeing elsewhere. As I speculated last time, it seems a Death Knight will have to "go to a specific locale" in order to pick a new configuration of their six runes. I would still guess that it would be an inn, or stable master, or some other building/NPC found in every town. They saw an escort quest wherein the escorted NPC mounts the same horse as the player; the player was then able to use some attacks on enemies. Sounds like a sort of ground-based bombing run -- not quite mounted combat, but a step in that direction, anyway. The Oracle/Wolvar faction choice is meant to be less permanent than the current Aldor/Scryer divide; CNET reports "it appears that you'll be able to juggle favour between the two groups." This sounds good to me, since I'm currently regretting my choice on one of my characters (missing access to some recipes). On the other hand, it will contribute to further homogenization, and what's the point of splitting faction allegiance if it's easy enough to go back? "Second half of 2008" could theoretically mean July, right? Yeah, who am I kidding -- it'll probably be November or December.[via Blizzplanet]
Guild Wars third year anniversary retrospective: Prophecies and Factions
You've come a long way, baby. This weekend marks the third anniversary of the retail launch of ArenaNet's Guild Wars, and as we reported earlier, they're celebrating it in style. So we thought we'd take a visual look back at the game, how far it's progressed since April 28th, 2005 and where it stands today.The original Guild Wars, now known as Chapter 1: Prophecies, is where the game's heart and soul lies. The core skills and classes originated here, but over time, we've seen many changes to the primary land of Tyria. Does anyone remember the original campfire log-in screen? Or the non-refundable attribute points? How about life before Sorrow's Furnace? Can you tell us where the first Hall of Heroes was? These were all additions and improvements made to Guild Wars, along with many others throughout the course of the game's life.%Gallery-21505%
Player vs. Everything: Factions should matter
Yesterday's Daily Grind asked an interesting question: Should reputation matter? In the post, Akela discusses how you often have to grind for reputation in World of Warcraft in order to purchase some items, weapons, and armor that are specific to that faction. He points out that there's no real purpose to having such reputations from a story perspective, other than to demonstrate the idea that your character is willing to get his hands bloody for the promise of some nice items (eventually). Bloodthirsty mercenaries, the lot of you! He goes on to say that such faction systems only really matter in games where your choices are meaningful and have a lasting impact with consequences, and are made obsolete by the very nature of an MMOG. If you can spend 10 hours farming and reverse the impact of the choices you make, have you really made a meaningful choice at all? I don't at all agree that faction systems are pointless in MMOGs, but I think that Akela makes an excellent point about something: Without meaningful choices, you may as well not have factions. I think that this point is especially relevant today because we have a whole generation of gamers being trained by Blizzard to think of reputation/favor/factions only the way that WoW does it--- as a grind you perform for specific items or rewards from various groups of NPCs, each with their own agenda. Unfortunately, in Blizzard's world, none of these factions seem to be at odds or conflicting with one another. Even in the limited cases that they are, the choices you make are largely meaningless. Aldor or Scryer? Pfft. Either way you hang out in Shattrath and get roughly analogous rewards. Magram or Gelkis? Either way you kill a bunch of centaur and get next to nothing for your effort. I can't even think of any more opposed factions in the game. Booty Bay and the Pirates, maybe? My point is this: This is not what factions are supposed to be about. These are watered-down, little-kid, lame excuses for a faction system. So what exactly is the point of faction then?
More questions arise for Earthrise
The gang at Masthead Studios recently answered another question from the community about Earthrise. This one is about how the main storyline will effect player development within factions. The answer - for those of you who aren't jaded - may surprise you.After getting familiar with the game, players can attempt storyline quest arcs that eventually lead to an epic story played out across the whole of Enterra. Completion of these tasks will vary depending on the faction the player is affiliated with. Case in point: some quests might involve a moral dilemma wherein the player must protect a settlement from attacks by mutant bugs... or kill every living person in the settlement. Virtually every quest will have dual options. Players can complete quests in favor of an opposing faction, sacrificing quest rewards for a good reputation. While players can change their allegiances and join different factions, that betrayal will be difficult and won't come without a cost. Plus, factions will have certain requirements that must be met before they welcome you with open arms. Some might not be easy.The game mechanics for this post-apocalyptic MMO (one of many it seems) sound very intriguing. We can't wait to jump in and go all Mad Max in the world of Earthirse.
Are we the bad guys of Azeroth?
After publishing a recent Breakfast Topic on whether there should be a sense of personal honor in PvP, I wasn't really all that surprised to see a few comments echoing the sentiments of "If it's red, it's dead" and "Don't roll on a PvP server if you don't want to get ganked." These crop up in any discussion about PvP, and while there's an undeniable sense to them -- why would you roll on a PvP realm unless you wanted to, I dunno, PvP? -- I've always felt that they did actual PvP a disservice. You can't frame ganking as true PvP. There's no such thing as strategy, skill, or even combat when a player one-shots another, so I've never considered ganking to be defensible along the same lines that actual PvP is.
