graphical-upgrade
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Graphical upgrades en route for Age of Wushu
How do you feel about Age of Wushu's graphics? Do you think that they could really use an upgrade? It seems that they'll be getting one. Shi Hai, CEO of Snail Games, was recently interviewed in China, and a translation of that interview reveals that graphical upgrades are definitely in the works. While he declined to specify exactly what sort of upgrades would be coming, he did joke that the rumors about the Unreal 3 engine might well be true. Shi Hai also commented on the potential of a subscription server for Age of Wushu, noting that while several free-to-play games have dabbled with the idea, they seem to inevitably wind up going back to the free-to-play model in time. He stated that the company is currently focusing on porting the game to home consoles rather than exploring the possibility of any sort of subscription server. You can read a few more translated statements at MMOCulture.
World of Tanks to become better-looking than ever before in 2014
World of Tanks is poised to get a major graphics upgrade this year, and the devs want to show you a preview of the changes. Hopefully you're cool with that. Wargaming promises that the look of the game will become clearer, more realistic, and more detailed when the changes go into place. The team is utilizing advanced texture mapping and new material models to provide a higher level of visual fidelity than previously present. One of the big improvements is a giant leap in the polygon count for each tank, going from 8K-18K per vehicle currently to 50K-100K in the future. For more on this beautification process, check out the video after the jump!
First Impressions of RuneScape 3 from a returning player
Over a decade ago, two brothers working out of their parents' house in Nottingham set themselves the impossible task of building their own graphical multi-user dungeon, a genre that later evolved into the MMOs we know today. RuneScape launched to the public in 2001 as a low-res browser game with only a few hundred players and 2-D sprites for monsters, but several years later it boasted over a million paying monthly subscribers. The 2007 Sunday Times Rich List even estimated the Gower brothers' business empire to be worth over £113,000,000, due almost entirely to RuneScape. The secret behind RuneScape's success is that it's been continually updated throughout its lifetime, not just with regular infusions of new content but also with several major graphical and gameplay overhauls. The game was recently reincarnated as RuneScape 3, which is as far as it gets from the primitive game many of us grew up with. It now boasts a visually improved HTML 5 client with graphics acceleration, orchestral music, some voice-acted quests with cutscenes, and a fully customisable UI. This combines with last year's Evolution of Combat update and over a decade of new quests and zones to produce an MMO with more depth and character than many other AAA titles. In this hands-on opinion piece, I put RuneScape's three major versions side by side and look at how far RuneScape 3 has come since those early days of punching 2-D goblins and mining for fish.
The Daily Grind: Would a graphical upgrade bring you back to your first MMO?
Funcom's recent round of restructuring reminded me of the fact that the company is still working on the long-awaited graphical upgrade to Anarchy Online. The game is positively ancient by MMO standards, having originally released in 2001, and it looks the part. After a decade of additions, though, and because the base game was quite feature-rich already, AO is still an interesting title to play despite the dated aesthetic. Or maybe I'm just nostalgic for my first MMO. Nah, probably not. Anyhow, this brings me around to the requisite early-morning question. Assuming it's still in operation, would a visual overhaul bring you back to your first MMO? 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!
Anarchy Online feels the impact of Funcom layoffs, recommits to engine upgrade
Game Director Fia Tjernberg begins her monthly development update for Anarchy Online on a somber note, saying that the layoffs at Funcom have put a hold on the team's growth and a number of planned projects, such as the improved character creation system. Tjernberg did transition into a more upbeat tone as she emphasized that the team is still progressing with the graphical update: "Our Dreamworld engine upgrade is still one of our top priorities! We believe this is an important step in evolving AO and building for the future, and as this work is done in parallel to the rest of our commitments, we do not have to delay any other content because of this!" Other topics of the letter include a report from AO-Con, improvements to seasonal content, testing the new player experience, strengthening the community, and discussions revolving around the game's PvP.
EVE Online: Inferno 1.2 hits servers August 8th
The next update for EVE Online is just over two weeks away. Inferno 1.2 is slated to launch on Wednesday, August 8th. This new patch is focusing on visual enhancements and improving the new player experience as well as continuing to rebalance New Eden. Adding to the graphical upgrades given to the Minmatar ships in 1.1, patch 1.2 distributes the same V3 shaders to the Angel pirate faction ships. EVE will also sport an improved user interface and include more information for new pilots just starting to navigate the universe. You can take a look at new details added with the shader model update on the Dramiel, Daredevil, Ixion, Cynabal, and Macharariel ships after the break.
EVE trailer shows off new Crucible expansion
What do dubstep and EVE Online have in common? A new expansion trailer, for starters. Yes, Crucible is finally here, and so is CCP's return to a singular focus on internet spaceships. To celebrate, the company has released a slick new video, and the clip marks another return of sorts. All of the footage was captured in-game using real players, and the metagame stylings we've seen in some of EVE's more recent trailers is noticeably absent. The video shows off most of Crucible's major bullet points including new visuals, captain's quarters, tier three battlecruisers, and a ton of balancing tweaks. See for yourself after the break.
Wings Over Atreia: 2.5 -- Going live on 25!
The wait is nearly over! Before long, we... oh... pardon me a moment while I grab the door... Ah, it was just the grammar police. Yes, I know that technically it should be the 25th, but that really doesn't have the catchy ring to it. And who doesn't want a catchy title? Luckily, I was let off with just a warning this time. So back to our topic at hand! This past week, before Aion's public test server reopened its doors to the masses, Massively had the opportunity to explore patch 2.5 right at NCsoft's PR offices in San Francisco (*cries for having moved to the East Coast*) -- diving into the new content, enjoying the graphical upgrades, and even asking a few questions about what's still to come. Our very own Bree Royce donned some leather, grabbed a bow, and descended upon the new instances -- Esoterrace and Empyrean Crucible -- to get a taste and share some hints about these new fights. Catch a windstream past the break to check out her impressions as well as some other interesting tidbits about what is in store for Daevas in Aion's upcoming patch, Empyrean Calling.
Pirates of the Burning Sea dev blog details expansion graphical tweaks
Flying Lab Software is ramping up for the first expansion to its Pirates of the Burning Sea historical MMORPG, as the August launch of Power and Prestige is just around the corner. In a new blog on the official site, the developers talk about some of the graphical tweaks in store for ship captains everywhere, focusing in on the new avatar lighting system. The blog talks about the technical wizardry behind the new lighting system, as well as the decisions that went into creating the system itself. "The new lighting system had to be designed within several constraints. First, the new lighting system couldn't require much artist time, because ArtCo was busy with other expansion work. Second, the new system couldn't be much more resource-intensive than the old lighting system. Third, the new system couldn't add huge amounts of data to the game's size," the blog says. Check out the full article on the official website.
