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WildStar will reduce grind, focus on 'a multitude of playstyles' in 2015
Where does WildStar go from here? That's the question that director Mike Donatelli seeks to answer with his latest address to the community. Donatelli says this morning that while he's thankful for the praise the game received toward the end of 2014, there are several areas where the game needs to improve, and thus the team is working on making a better game experience for everyone moving forward. He lays out three chief foci for the team over the next year: listen to feedback to make the game more fun and "less grindy"; support "a multitude of playstyles," group sizes, and levels; and invest, expand, and improve the existing game. Donatelli targets for these plans the first half of 2015, which will contain better-tuned endgame reward systems to fight fatigue along with a wider breadth of content for solo and small-group players. Over the rest of the year, the team plans to introduce a new Contract system to support different playstyles, continue tuning the rewards, and greatly expand the game's customization options. It's a lot of changes, but the Carbine team seems dedicated to making them work.
Gamescom 2014: WildStar reveals new dungeons and raid tweaks
WildStar is on the ground at Gamescom 2014, and it's got something new for players to explore. Specifically, it's got the game's newest dungeons. The Protostar Academy and the Ultimate Protogames are intended for level 10 and level 50, respectively; the former is meant to help introduce players to mechanics found throughout group content, whilst the latter will provide a new top-level experience with heretofore unseen mechanics and content. And, of course, plenty of bosses that tested very well in marketing, because this is Protostar we're talking about. You can see the dungeon in action on this archived Twitch stream, starting at 4:45:00. But what about players looking into getting into the raiding scene? Will this help bridge the gap? According to the latest dispatch from the developers via the Nexus Report, while there are no content nerfs incoming, attunement processes are being eased. Silver medal requirements are being lowered to bronze, rune slots are being added as definite additions to both crafted and dungeon gear, and attunement item requirements are being tuned down as well to make life just a little bit easier. [Thanks to Syphaed for the tip!]
Neverwinter unveils the Campaign system
The first major content addition to Neverwinter isn't just bringing new dungeons, it's bringing a new way to experience the game's content. The new Campaign system will see its debut in the region of Sharandar. This isn't just another name for a series of quests, but rather a new way for players to unlock both new rewards and new areas simply by adventuring and completing larger goals. The Campaign window is a new UI element that lists a number of Projects players can undertake. Questing in the area, running solo instances, or diving into the new dungeons will provide new rewards that can be spent on clearing projects, unlocking new regions, new dungeons, and so forth. Players can also earn new equipment by completing other Projects, which offers several methods to reap the benefits of hard work. The new system, like the rest of the content, is still due out for sometime this summer.
The Daily Grind: How much grouping should be required in a game?
A good group arguably makes any game more fun. No matter how much fun you're having in any game, be it Star Wars: The Old Republic or Global Agenda or whatever else, there are players who believe it's better when you're running with other people, telling jokes or roleplaying or even just working in unison. Of course, others would point out that's all if you have a good group. A bad group can turn even something fun into a real misery, which sort of defeats the purpose of playing a game. And that's not getting into the time it takes to form a group or coordinate several people... or the fact that some players just prefer not to group. So how much grouping should an MMO require out of its players? Should pretty much all content require a group, forcing players to work together and build a real sense of community at the expense of any solitary play? Or should pretty much all content not require a group, letting everyone group with players as they wish without hard restrictions -- and making large chunks of the game single-player for all intents and purposes? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Post-beta for Final Fantasy XIV and the coming launch
With the hours slowly ticking by until the launch of Final Fantasy XIV, hopeful players will be happy to know that the Lodestone site for players is already open. (Technically, the servers even open this evening, but that doesn't give you the actual client to log in.) It's the time for reflection as well as preparation, and a recent translated interview from GAME Watch sheds some light on the overall process of testing as well as the vision of the game in the near future. Among the several pieces of interesting information from the interview is the analogy used for guildleves, addressing the question of whether or not they're the main content of the game. Guildleves are compared to a staple food such as rice or bread -- useful and filling, but not the complete meal by itself. Other topics of discussion are regular quests, with the main story quests described as being only the tip of the iceberg. It sounds as if the amount of content available to players of Final Fantasy XIV will be greater than anyone would expect, so players should keep their eyes open to enjoy the post-beta environment.
