game-update
Latest
DCUO update brings feat unlocking and moon PvP
DC Universe Online rolled out Game Update 34 today, bringing with it a powerful feat unlocking system for players with multiple characters and a trip to the moon. Feat unlocking allows players to spend replay badges to unlock feats attained by an account's characters for other characters on the same account. There are a few limitations, such as being unable to unlock feats that are specific to roles or alignment that conflict with specific characters. The pricing for feat unlocking is one replay badge for a 10-point feat, three badges for a 25-point feat, and five badges for a 50-point feat. Today's update also brought with it a new green aura, additional items at tier vendors, new HQ map markers, an update for sorcery pets, new feats for DLC 9 content, and a 5v5 PvP map that just so happens to take place on the moon. As they say, that's one small step for Superman, one giant leap for playerkind.
Marvel Heroes game update 1.15 buffs XP, adds new costumes
Game Update 1.2 is just around the corner for Marvel Heroes players, but Gazillion isn't waiting until then to roll out a few much-needed tweaks and changes right now. The 1.15 update is out today and should provide a welcome boost to mid-tier levelers. The team has increased XP gain for levelers in Manhattan, although bigger adjustments are on the way next week. There will also be more cash from downed bosses to the tune of three times the number of credits than dropped previously. Other small changes include removing a few recovery animations to make powers faster and a buff to the Black Widow. Gazillion has also added a few new costumes as both drops and store purchases: the Black Panther Vibranium Armor, the Human Torch 2099 costume, and the Punisher Marvel NOW! costume.
Uncharted Waters Online launches its newest update, Tower of Babel
Who's ready for another round of leveling in Uncharted Waters Online? Because that's what players are going to be doing with the game's latest update, as the level cap has been raised once again from 70 to 75. All characters at level 65 or higher can take part in the quests needed to unlock the highest tier of leveling, and that means more trading, more adventuring, and more fighting to approach the new cap. Of course, new levels alone would make for a pretty anemic update, which is why the patch also features three new ships, new equipment, several new quests and discoveries, and new decorations for your dwelling. Players can also experiment with changes to several ship types and cultural contributions, both of which should freshen up the game experience. If you can't wait to dive in, the patch can be downloaded and played immediately. [Source: Netmarble press release]
PlanetSide 2 update brings lattice system to Esamir
PlanetSide 2's Game Update 13 is now live, and with it comes a major overhaul to the way battles play out on the icy continent of Esamir. The lattice system, added in Update 9 to help direct the flow of battles and make it easier for players to strategize where and when to attack or defend, is now active on the continent's snowy tundras. Esamir's facilities have been enhanced and modified accordingly. Sony Online Entertainment's latest PS2 update also includes new premium weapons, Vanu weapon audio changes, a respawn screen chatbox and additions to the game's tutorial. Full patch notes from creative director Matt Higby cover the details. Implants, once planned for GU13, didn't make the cut. [Source: SOE press release]
EverQuest II: Scars of the Awakened beta kicks off
Game Update 66 for EverQuest II is ready to dominate April, and SOE has opened the beta gates for testers to give the new content and features a try. All EverQuest II players are allowed into the beta, so you can see what it's all about if you're so interested. The studio put a few disclaimers on the beta, such as the fact that it might be unavailable at times and is subject to being wiped. Scars of the Awakened is scheduled to be released on April 30th and includes the option to create and sell gamer-decorated houses through the player studio.
Vanguard revamps its Lomshir region
Vanguard's post-F2P development continues to truck along. SOE recently released an update that revamped one of its starting zones, Lomshir. Lomshir is a level 10 to 20 region that any player can zip to via the riftway. So what's included in the Lomshir revamp? It's basically a pass to tighten up the flow, bring the area up to date, and provide new quests and bosses for players to tackle. The Lomshir changes are part of the Vanguard team's commitment to fleshing out the world with more content and providing additional leveling paths to new and veteran players. [Thanks to Zjeven for the tip!]
Allods Online shows off the zones of its upcoming expansion
Allods Online is gearing up for another new expansion, Lords of Destiny. Of course, a new expansion means new areas to explore, filled with exciting new animals to kill for loot. So it's not surprising that the first official preview shows off the allod of Irdrih. Players will be sent there on a top-secret mission from their faction leaders, but when they arrive, they'll be walking right into a war between two native factions that will force them to pick a side. So what else will you find? A jungle, lots of smaller islands, and a lot of lush tropical scenery. You'll also wind up meeting the Tequani, small furry humanoids that are distant relatives of the Gibberlings (one of the player races). The new region is hardly the only feature of the expansion, but if you want to take a look at the scenery and read up on the local lore, you can check out the full reveal.
Hyperspace Beacon: Gearing up for SWTOR Update 1.5
Star Wars: The Old Republic fans have been anticipating this week since the middle of the summer, and many players who dropped the game shortly after launch are looking forward to trying it out again. Veteran players are most likely familiar with how gear progression works in this game, but those returning will probably need a refresher course. After all, BioWare has made some significant changes, especially to PvP, since the game launched. It's quite understandable if you return to the game and are completely lost when considering how viable your current gear is. Today, I'm going to speak to the returning players and help them put their gear to rights once Update 1.5 launches. If you are a solo PvEer who hasn't looked too hard at endgame gear progression, a PvPer who hasn't looked at the PvE side much, or a raider who wants to dabble in PvP, this mini-guide will help you get started and will give you the gear-progression goals you should shoot for.
Take a peek at graphical updates for SWTOR update 1.5
It's time to start getting excited for Star Wars: The Old Republic's upcoming 1.5 update. In order to whet your appetite for change, Senior Technical Artist Ben Cloward has graced fans with a glimpse of one of the big graphical changes that'll be coming in with the patch. Foliage is going to be a lot more beautiful and realistic. Instead of looking solid and therefore unnaturally dark when viewed against the sun, players with their Shader Complexity set to High will notice that leaves and grass will be moderately translucent, allowing sunlight to filter through them. While this may be but one small step for graphics, it's joined by "some even better improvements in the pipe," according to Cloward. Head on over to the official post to preview the change.
Vanguard soft launches free-to-play a week early
If you've had your calendars marked for Vanguard's F2P launch on August 14th, you might want to get out your eraser. As of today, SOE has soft launched the title's free-to-play version for any and all to enjoy. Along with the soft launch comes a shiny new website to mark the occasion. The good news is in today's update notes: "The free-to-play matrix is now in effect. Anyone should be able to download the game for free from our new site." Vanguard's latest update also marks the beginning of the in-game marketplace, freedom from race and class restrictions, and a massive sweep of re-itemization. [Thanks to MikeyMoo for the tip!]
Vanguard update brings new loyalty rewards for subscribers
As Vanguard straddles the line between its old subscriber-only business model and this summer's free-to-play transition, the team is still plugging away at minor updates to the game. Today's patch brings a smattering of updates and fixes as well as the May loyalty rewards for current subscribers. Active players will get to haul away five goodies from SOE, including a brown sloop ship, unique tack and barding, and a "Kamelott Overland Onslaught Life-Sustaining Exo-Skeleton" mount. Players can also pick up free supply crates and veteran's caches (the latter are available only for level 50+ characters) every 44 hours. The update also fixed a few small issues with quests, retweaked some skills for Rogues and Bards, and changed a couple of items to make them work properly. SOE will continue to dish out loyalty rewards until Vanguard goes F2P.
The Skyshrine's the limit: EverQuest II delivering new update April 17th
It wouldn't be EverQuest II without a dragon or two, and come April 17th, players will be able to bask in as much flamebreath as they can handle. It's on this date that SOE will release the much-anticipated Game Update 63, and with it, the dragon city of Skyshrine and the new area of the Withered Lands. Skyshrine is a dragon citadel where good and evil dragons dwell, and as of the update's release, it will be coming under siege by mysterious forces. Only the most daring players will be brave enough to explore the nooks and crannies of this city -- and plunder it for its tempting treasure. If Skyshrine isn't enough for excitement, the Withered Lands offer plenty of challenges (over 100 quests) for those who can navigate the formerly glorious region that's been twisted by dark corruption. Game Update 63 will also include many additional features for players. For those who have the Destiny of Velious expansion, the level cap will be raised to 92, the Skyshrine and Withered Lands areas opened for adventuring, prestige class talents added, and an awesome Drake mount dangled as a major reward. Age of Discovery expansion holders can also get their hands on a new dungeon maker theme and adventurers, tradeskill apprentices, and an elite mercenary for hire. [Source: SOE press release]
Hyperspace Beacon: Star Wars zombies
Tomorrow, Star Wars: The Old Republic will launch its first content update, and you will most like be up to your eyeballs in Rakghouls and Hutts... or maybe you've not made it to 50 yet because you've been absorbed in the story and leveling alts. According to BioWare developers, there are 200 hours of gameplay in each class story, so even if someone were to have played eight hours a day every day over the last month, he would only have one level 50. I say, don't feel bad if you haven't hit 50 yet. It means that you are enjoying the game the way it was meant to be enjoyed and not skipping anything. That said, it's not going to hurt to learn about this new update, although I suggest that, if you're into the story as much as I am, you don't read the patch notes... spoilers! Dang, BioWare, could you be a bit more ambiguous about the PTS patch notes next time? It's like someone leaning over halfway through the first screening Empire Strikes Back and saying, "Oh, by the way, Darth Vader is Luke's father." NOOOOO! It's impossible! Being someone who is interested in the story revolving around SWTOR, I do love the continued use of Rakghouls in the newest update. Sure, some would call it an easy storytelling trope (zombies and all that). I'll admit it. I'm not going to hide behind "these are ghouls, not zombies." I love the story, but in truth these are Star Wars zombies. But I do find the history of the Rakghouls interesting. Honestly, I don't know how much of the story has been retcon'd after their first appearance in BioWare's first venture into the Star Wars IP, Knights of the Old Republic, but the roots of the Rakghouls stem from the birth of the Sith Empire. I love the way it all comes together. [Update: BioWare postponed the patch to the 18th after the column was written. The first paragraph has been changed to reflect that.]
Battlefield 3 'client update' deploying on PS3 tomorrow, 360 'will follow shortly'
The official Battlefield 3 Twitter account this morning announced plans to launch the PlayStation 3 iteration of its latest title update (dubbed a "client update") for BF3 tomorrow. Additionally, it seems that the Xbox 360 will be getting the same update in the near future, as the post on Battlelog states it'll "follow shortly" after tomorrow's PS3 update. PC players already got the update last week, which improves a variety of issues with the game across campaign and multiplayer. Like with the PC update, the patch notes don't indicate that the the tactical light has been altered, but plenty of other major issues have. For instance, now, if you're holding a SOFLAM (which is, of course, so fly), and an enemy tries running you over, you'll totally live. After the patch? No more! We've listed the menagerie of fixes and tweaks after the break, wherein you can preemptively decide whether or not the patch will "totally break the game."
FFXIV's 1.19 patch features new group content, Ifrit primal
It's patch day in the world of Eorzea, and today's 1.19 update looks to bring quite a bit of new content to Final Fantasy XIV. Said content includes a new confrontation with Ifrit, a fiery primal who waits for brave adventurers at the end of one of the game's newest quests. Final Fantasy XIV's lodestone has all the details, and apparently the Ifrit encounter comes in two distinct flavors. One is designed for level 30 light parties (four members), while the other is a hard-mode run intended for eight-man level 50 groups. Ifrit wears his badassery on his sleeve if the accompanying video clip is any indication, and the lodestone entry describes him as "a demon spawned by the seven hells" whose exhalations "produce heat of such torridity as to reduce iron to pools of white-hot liquid." See for yourself after the break.
Off the rails: Star Wars Galaxies introduces atmospheric flight
If you're still on the fence about reactivating Star Wars Galaxies in order to participate in the sunset events from now until December 15th, today's news just might push you over to the dark side... er light side. One of those! This morning, Sony Online Entertainment published Game Update 21, the highlight of which is atmospheric flight. For real. With atmospheric flight, you will be able to travel the skies above and see the worlds of Star Wars Galaxies in a new way. To launch into atmospheric flight, or to return to the ground, you can use your ship's icon in your datapad. Whether you are looking to host a peaceful event in your yacht with the Theed Waterfall as a backdrop or prove your piloting skills against another player over the desert of Tatooine, atmospheric flight will offer a unique way to experience Star Wars Galaxies. The patch notes indicate that players can launch directly into space while piloting through planetary atmosphere, and you'll need some skill to navigate as ships will take damage if crashed into the ground. GU21 also heralds the "Final Battle," which presumably is another stage in the ongoing Galactic Civil War sunset events. Remember, today is literally your last chance to reactivate and give the game a proper send-off.
SOE releases new War of Zek trailer for EverQuest II
When poet and philosopher George Santayana wrote that only the dead have seen the end of war, it's doubtful he had Rallos Zek in mind. Sony Online Entertainment, on the other hand, has made quite a good living off of the fictional warlord god, and EverQuest II's latest game update bears both his name and the famous quote as its tag line. The War of Zek debuted on the live servers yesterday, and despite some equipment and AA bugginess, managed to bring a bunch of interesting tweaks to EQII. Today SOE has released a teaser trailer to hype the newly updated game, and it's heavy on high-end content including Zek himself, as well as a cadre of raid-geared players hellbent on bringing him down. Check it out after the cut, and don't forget that EQII has also reinstated its 14-day free trial.
Vanguard goes on a bug bash with a new update
If you're rubbing your eyes in disbelief, fret not, you're hardly alone. After a sea of silence from the Vanguard team, the struggling MMO is getting its first update in a very long time -- since January 2010, as a matter of fact. This "bug bash" update is precisely what it says: a patch dedicated to fixing a number of troublesome errors in the game. These changes will impact the UI, repeatable events, items, abilities, and quests. While the patch itself would be seen as a routine update in any other game, the fact that Vanguard players are seeing something after all this time is cause to celebrate. A month ago Sony Online Entertainment promised the community that it hadn't forgotten about Vanguard, so hopefully this patch is an indicator that the company plans to make good on its promise to support and expand the game.
LEGO Universe update adds progression system
LEGO Universe has the creative aspects of MMOs and online gaming down pat. After all, we're talking LEGOs (edit: LEGO BRICKS OMG, LEGO BRICKS) here, and if there's one word that's synonymous with the long-running Danish toy line, that word is build. What's there to do in LEGO Universe when your creativity runs dry, though? Thanks to the game's latest content update, traditional MMO character-building is now a viable option. Player minifigures may progress through 40 levels of content, unlocking points, achievements, and equipment along the way. That's not all, as the latest LEGO Universe patch also features four new faction kits (Specialized Adventurer, Shinobi, Inventor, and Space Ranger), each of them aligned with one of the game's four Nexus Force factions and each offering players the opportunity to rank up and explore "new gear, powers, and abilities." Last but not least, the new LEGO Universe update brings a new instance challenge in the form of the Avant Gardens, and a big nasty known as the Spider Queen awaits players who are creative enough to make it through to the final battle.
World of Tanks trailer shows off two new maps
All's been fairly quiet on the World of Tanks front since the free-to-play World War II action MMO went live last April. Today, Wargaming.net has released a new video heralding the upcoming 0.6.4 game update. The setup is a series of idyllic scenery shots that look to be taken directly from the picturesque landscape of any number of fantasy MMOs. The tranquility doesn't last for long, though, as various tank squads are shown rolling through the countryside and shelling their enemies with abandon. This particular video exists to show off the two new maps coming in the 0.6.4 patch, and despite a relatively short running time (1:30), it does a darn fine job. The Mountain Pass and Prairies regions are vast and rather beautiful -- and a stark contrast to the scarred steel of the player-controlled tanks using the landscape for cover. Check out all the details after break, and be sure to head to the official World of Tanks website to read the 0.6.4 patch notes.
