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Age of Wushu getting new factions and character trading in China
While you can't be certain about the future of a game in your country based on what happens in its native country, that's certainly the way to bet. So the good news is that Age of Wushu players can look forward to some neat stuff in the future, including new factions and schools. A recent preview highlights the Villa of the Beasts, a school deep in the wilds that focuses on hand-to-hand combat in nature. There are even rumors that the school will eventually allow for pet companions. The game is experimenting with a character trading service, allowing you to directly list characters for sale without having to sell your entire account and risk hacking. Whether or not the service on a whole is a good thing for the health of the game is an exercise for the reader. There's no timetable for any of this coming over to the game in the West, but in all likelihood it's just a matter of time. [Thanks to Dengar for the tip!]
EU's Age of Wulin offers FAQ and early character creation for closed beta
The European cousin to Age of Wushu, the martial arts sandbox already released in North America, is finally cracking open its beta doors to let in select players next week. That's right: Age of Wulin starts closed beta on Monday, June 17th. But eligible testers needn't wait until then to make their characters; gPotato has enabled access to the launcher until the evening of the 15th to let players create their avatars and reserve their names. Players should note that CBT characters will be wiped for when beta opens to all. Got other questions about Age of Wulin's upcoming closed beta? If so, gPotato has some answers via its new FAQ. For instance, this closed beta will be short but all players will enjoy full VIP status. Another important item to note is that AoW will not have an NDA; players are welcome to talk about, review, livestream, and share their in-game experiences with others. And for those who haven't yet received a closed beta key, don't worry -- more were sent out today. While checking your email, catch the closed beta trailer after the break. [Thanks to mad283 for the tip!]
E3 2013: Snail Games' Black Gold and Age of Wushu
Snail Games showcased two new MMOs today at E3: Black Gold and Age of Wushu. The two games have more than their parent in common; Black Gold utilizes the Age of Wushu engine. Set in a fantastical steampunk world, Black Gold is a mish-mash of colorful fantasy elements and grunge-ridden steampunk inventions, as we found in our hands-on with the game earlier today. Each faction within Black Gold (fantasy or steam faction) has three races of its own. The steam faction holds humans, dwarves, and vampires (what steampunk MMO would be without vampires?), and on the fantasy side you'll find more humans, a cat-like race, and a shape-shifting barbarian race. It might be a little limited in race selection, but maybe character creation will be just as interesting for the players as it is in Age of Wushu.
Age of Wushu forecasts weather system
What's life without a little weather to keep things interesting and give socially awkward people something to talk about around the water cooler? While many MMOs have given up on including weather systems, Age of Wushu kindly disagrees. The title is preparing to roll out dynamic weather in a forthcoming update, and a new teaser trailer hints at the possibilities that it could present. The trailer shows a character running through a storm at night. Sheets of rain come down as the occasional bolt of lightning illuminates the surroundings for a few seconds. Check out the video after the break, and don't forget your poncho if you're heading into this title!
Allods Online updates guild vs guild rules of engagement
Starting today, warriors in Allods Online's guild versus guild territory battles will have new mechanics at their disposal. These new battle mechanics include the ability to set a battle time to improve the organization and coordination of military campaigns as well as a new tournament-based league for sectors. Additionally, a new matchmaking system aims to keep things balanced and fair by using an improved battle points calculation that allows guilds to challenge others with similar power and skill levels. On top of those changes, players with their own allod can now create a dungeon to hide their treasures in a customizable maze that plunderers will have to successfully navigate. Need another reason to log in and check things out? How about this: Allods Online is offering a special event called A Gift a Day. Starting today, each day a player logs in, s/he will receive a gift. Prizes can include exclusive new costumes and a brand-new wolf mount. If you need any more coaxing, check out new images in the gallery below and the update's trailer after the cut. [Source: Webzen press release]%Gallery-91331%
Second Wind Roundtable: Allods Online
Hello again, kind gentlefolk, and welcome to the latest installment of the Second Wind Roundtable. This time around, I coerced, extorted, and otherwise blackmailed the wonderful Bree and Eliot (and Lis, though she was unfortunately unable to join us for the Roundtable chat itself, but she was there too!) to join me in a few rousing sessions of gPotato's aether-sailing free-to-play title, Allods Online. We laughed, we cried, we nearly died from rage-induced aneurysms. But despite all that, we all survived to tell the tale. So buckle your swashes, raise your sails, and join us past the cut, won't you?
Snail confirms Age of Wushu dev layoffs
Earlier this morning Massively received multiple tips regarding layoffs at Age of Wushu publisher Snail Games. We contacted the company and were provided with an official statement by Director of Game Development David Baker. Yes, there were a handful of layoffs at Snail Games USA yesterday. After the launch of Age of Wushu the team size was corrected to meet the size of the game and the community. The Age of Wushu team was expanded before launch and the necessary contractions were needed post-launch. Snail Games USA values all the employees that worked on Age of Wushu and continue to work on the Age of Wushu upcoming expansion for July. Layoffs are a hard part of working in the game industry and are necessary when team size becomes larger than what the development team needs. [Thanks to everyone who tipped us.]
Snail Games to show off Black Gold, Age of Wushu expansion at E3
Snail Games has a busy lineup in store for next month's E3. The studio will use the expo for several reveals, including a steampunk MMO, a dance-off MMO, and an expansion for Age of Wushu. The steampunk title is Black Gold, which is set in a fantasy universe where industrial technology and magic are at war (yes, it has giant mechs vs. dragons). It will have six races and six classes, although the classes will also have subclasses to allow for interesting combinations. Black Gold is set to begin closed beta testing tomorrow in China and Taiwan. Age of Wushu: Legends of Mount Hua promises to deliver new content starting in July, although Snail Games has yet to go into specifics as to what that content might be. The dance MMO is called Music Soul and features nine game modes that pit boogieing players against each other. [Source: Snail Games press release]
Age of Wushu says 'I do!' to marriage, ultimate scrolls
If you haven't had enough to do in Age of Wushu yet, then you are one easily bored cookie. But never fear, Snail Games is here! The team has been frantically adding more systems to the game to flesh out the martial arts title, and now players can get married, gain ultimate scrolls, and try out a couple of new PvP modes. The marriage system in Age of Wushu is more complicated than in other MMOs. A dowry must be given, a wedding package purchased, and a special team task performed. The benefits for the happy couple are several, however, including rings that teleport each of them to their spouse. Players can now attempt to obtain the most powerful skills for their respective schools through ultimate scrolls. Unlike other skills, players are restricted to getting an ultimate scroll only from their dedicated combat school. These skills are good to take into the PvP battlefield, where death modes and faction modes await.
Obsidian and Allods team up to create Skyforge
If you've ever been curious about what would happen if you mixed the Allods Online team with Obsidian Entertainment, wonder no more! The two forces announced their partnership at the Russian Game Developers Convention where they unveiled their upcoming MMORPG, Skyforge. The game is planned to release for the PC in 2014. More details are available from the devs themselves in the video after the break, if you speak Russian. For those who don't, you can catch a few snippits of game video between the interviews and a stretch coming just before the seven minute mark.
Allods Online introduces new dungeon-building tool
Player-created content is coming to Allods Online in the form of a dungeon-building feature that will allow players to generate their own private islands called allods. Launching June 5th of this year, the Path to Victory expansion opens up new private islands that act as customizable labyrinths for other players to explore. In addition to this dungeon-building tool, Gala Networks is also introducing the Weaponsmith tradeskill and several graphical updates with this patch. Be sure to watch the Path to Victory trailer just after the jump. [Source: Gala Networks press release]
Allods Online pops the cork on its second anniversary
Considering how long Allods Online was launched-but-not-officially-launched, we think it's slightly inaccurate to acknowledge gPotato's claim that this is the title's second anniversary. Still, any excuse for a party, right? Starting today, Allods Online is featuring plenty of events, giveaways, and store sales to mark the occasion. Active players have another shot at taming a free grey wolf or earning a "Noble Hero" costume set during the anniversary. There's also a few special NPCs who will be accepting anniversary coins in exchange for an array of special goodies. If you're of a mind to spend some money, all of the item shops wares are available for 20% off through the 13th. GPotato is also giving veteran players 250 premium crystals and an anniversary gift package for those who have been in the game prior to today. The anniversary event goes from now until June 10th.
Age of Wushu hosts a Royal Celebration
Party like it's 2013! Snail Games invites players in the world of Jianghu to join in a special Age of Wushu Royal Celebration starting today. This celebration will have various events sprinkled throughout the month, from earning rewards just for just logging in to chances to face and fight world bosses for their loot. And the rewards themselves range from gift packs to buff items to VIP bonuses. Want to earn a special gift pack? Log in for one hour a day and you'll get one for each day. Players who manage to spend at least two hours online every day for the entire week will earn a much larger reward that includes a 30-day mount and a number of buffs and bonuses. Gain even more rewards for leveling school inner skills and for being a VIP. The event is open to all players regardless of school or skills. For a full listing of the events and their accompanying rewards, check out the official event schedule. [Source: Snail Games press release]
Drinking and fighting are encouraged in Age of Wushu
Sobriety is overrated. Sure, a lot of games give players the options to get characters plastered, but Age of Wushu takes it one step further by incorporating the pop culture notion of drunken fighting into the game. A character with a high alcohol tolerance won't just be able to fight after tipping back a few drinks; he'll actually be able to fight better due to an Evade buff granted after imbibing. Characters with lower tolerance, meanwhile, will just stagger and find themselves unable to react appropriately. That's not the limit of what you can do with liquor in a fight, though. You can also spray your opponent with spirits in mid-battle, hopefully intoxicating and disorienting the other fighter. Of course, if you attempt to use this technique on someone with a predilection for potables, you might find that you've just handed your nemesis a major advantage. Take a look at some plastered punching in the preview video just past the break.
Allods Online explains designing a raid in great detail
Have you ever wanted to know exactly what goes into designing a new raid for Allods Online? Because there are apparently a lot of moving pieces at play. The latest article from the community team is penned by one of the game designers, and it explains extensively just what is involved in bringing a raid from the concept stage to the actual playable level. For Allods Online, the first step is the writing team coming up with a concept for the raid that makes sense in the game world and ties into major figures. That leads to the creature and object designers getting a sense of how much can be done for any given raid -- how many new enemies can be created, how many bosses can be made, how big the maps can be. From there it's on to layout and battle mechanics. For a more in-depth overview, take a look at the full entry on the official site.
Age of Wushu retail edition offers Jet Li training session
If you're up for dropping some money on the recently launched Age of Wushu, a new special retail edition is available both online and at Gamestop. This box version of the game goes for $20 and offers "more than $80 worth" of in-game goodies. These incentives include a special horse mount, in-game currency, 30 days of VIP access, reputation scrolls, fashion outfits, and boosts for experience and Chi. If that hasn't sold you yet, Snail Games is hoping that some one-on-one time with martial arts film star Jet Li will. Players can train with a digital Jet Li in a special instanced adventure that comes only with this edition. We direct the curious to the special retail edition trailer after the jump.
Choose My Adventure: Extreme DIY makeover edition
Life may be like a box of chocolates, but gaming is like a Do-It-Yourself project. It may not be as mouth-watering an analogy, but it is certainly fitting: MMOs are a giant construction zone where players build their own experiences in a virtual world using tools from the game and their own imagination. Each project is a unique undertaking, bearing the personal touches of the builder, whether the builder is an individual or a group like a guild. Some players prefer to build a single residence and settle in, while others enjoy moving from project to project, exploring new territory and testing new tools. Me? I tend toward the former; I'm the kind who tinkers around in one place over a long period of time. But all that's about to change. Again. That's right, folks; it's my turn to break ground on yet another Choose My Adventure! For the next six weeks I am leaving the comfy confines of my familiar surroundings and allowing you to direct my next MMO project. Yes, my dear Massively friends, you will be the foreman of this endeavor, determining every step of the construction, from where I'll build my newest experience to what tools I'll get to use.
Age of Wushu getting new PvP, PvE content
Snail has updated Age of Wushu's website with its immediate designs for the western version of the recently launched wuxia sandbox. The firm has grand plans to bring content from the game's Chinese server to North America including the Mount Hua PvP competition, new rage skills, and the new Yanmen Pass instance. Snail also implores gamers to "stop living in the close friend zone" by availing themselves of the game's wedding mechanics. The company has also published its official stance on gold sellers and gold spam, as well as its intention to ban both buyers and sellers. [Thanks Mikey!]
Age of Wushu opens new server to meet launch demand
The free-to-play action MMO Age of Wushu had such a successful launch day last week that Snail Games has expanded to another server over the weekend. The Red Phoenix server is now available for new and existing players to enjoy with the same launch events as the original three servers. Be sure to check out our launch day coverage if you're curious to learn more about the martial arts MMO.
Some Assembly Required: Your guide to MMO sandboxes in 2013 and beyond
Welcome to Massively's guide to MMO sandboxes in 2013 and beyond. I've collected the essential details on all the major sandbox titles releasing this year and in the near future in one easy-to-reference article. If you're wondering whether ArcheAge forces you to PvP, or if you can't tell The Repopulation from Origins of Malu, this is your post. I'll be updating it as game features are added, removed, or revealed, so be sure to use the comments to let me know if I've overlooked a particularly noteworthy item. Finally, I want to point out that this isn't an exhaustive list because of the sheer number of sandbox projects ongoing. For now, I'm choosing to focus on the ones that will be playable in 2013/2014 as well as the projects that have a big-name developer attached.
