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ArenaNet releases Last Stand at Southsun Cove guide
Are you looking for a how-to on Guild Wars 2's Last Stand at Southsun Cove content? You're in luck, because ArenaNet has penned a guide that will point you in the right direction. Depending on your level of spoiler sensitivity, you may want to stick with the Spoiler-Free Mini Guide. If you're more of an all-spoilers-all-the-time type, go ahead and peruse the New Rewards and New Achievements section of the guide while you're at it. We would tell you more, but then there'd be no reason to click through to the guide itself, now would there?
The Summoner's Guidebook: Teaching ourselves LoL matchups
I'm always looking for things to teach players in the Summoner's Guidebook. We have, however, covered a lot of the low hanging fruit in one way or another. In League of Legends, and virtually every other asymmetric competitive game, matchup knowledge comprises the huge bulk of information that is truly useful to read about. This week was originally going to be a counter-Ryze guide, but then I decided to cover a broader topic to help reach more people. I don't really like discussing specific character matchups largely because the character you're using matters almost as much as your opponent's. What does Ryze do against Kassadin in lane, for instance? The answer is not a whole lot if the Kassadin is decent. I could write a counter-Kassadin guide, but a lot of it wouldn't be usable by Ryze. Instead, this week we'll discuss how to think about the opponent's kit and develop a strategy to win on your own (or at least survive).
Neverwinter Days: The 14 guides you need to read
I've had a strange start with Neverwinter, to be honest. While I did get in on the 25th with the early-early crowd, shortly thereafter I had to boogie on off to a vacation that canceled out eight days of soft launch gaming time. So even though I got an early start, I'm probably behind many of you -- even those who started on the 30th. That's OK; I'm not in a rush. I'm not the type to get into a speed race or feel the compulsion to become an instant expert by the end of week one. My experience so far has been feeling out what Neverwinter has to offer, mostly by going through the solo quest line, participating in skirmishes, and queuing up for dungeon runs when time permits. And I'm enjoying myself so far, although I still have that "slightly lost" feeling that comes with exploring a brand-new MMO. I need to learn how to create Foundry missions and I haven't even touched professions yet. Maybe you're like me. Maybe you assume that everyone already knows the ins and outs of the game as though he's been playing it for years, while you're an ignorant noob wandering the streets. I don't think you're alone if that's the case, and to help both you and me out, I've done some research to find the top 14 most helpful threads, sites, and articles that all fledgling Neverwinter adventurers should at least skim over.
Newbie tips to surviving the DUST 514 experience
It's DUST 514's launch day, and if you've hit dirt with your face more than your combat boots, then you might need a helping hand with CCP's MMO shooter. PlayStation Universe has posted a pair of guides to help new players get off to a strong start, and since Massively cares about each and every one of you, we wanted to pass them along so that you don't end up a shallow grave on an alien world. The first guide is a hodge-podge of beginner's tips, and the second has to do with earning much-needed skill points. "In the early days, we think it's wise to hoard ISK and SP until a time when you're ready to decide on your specialization," the author writes. "Until then, the Militia Gear is good enough." Good luck, soldiers! If you have any DUST 514 tips or tricks that you'd like to pass along to other Massively readers, please do so in the comments.
The Art of Wushu: Understanding the Meridian System
Age of Wushu is not the most accessible game. It is full of confusing systems that are hard to decipher, and a large part of the "skill" in the game is being able to wade through the mess of gameplay elements and produce an optimized character. Meridians are one more extremely confusing system to handle. There are nine meridian lines, advanced characters can activate four of them, and even training them at all is pretty confusing. Training the correct ones adds another layer of complexity to an already confusing game. I'm not a huge fan of the system -- it causes a number of metagame problems, particularly due to the increased HP inherent to everyone who trains a meridian line. However, it's there and we have to make the best use of it. How do we do that? Read on!
EVE Evolved: Five years of EVE Evolved
About five years ago, on April 27th, 2008, I joined the Massively team and wrote the very first issue of the EVE Evolved column. Five years later, the column is still going strong and delivering its weekly dose of EVE Online to thousands of readers. I used to worry about running out of ideas to write about, but regular game updates and hilarious player shenanigans mean there's always something interesting going on in New Eden. When EVE hits its 10th anniversary in May, this column will have been running for just over half of the game's lifetime. In that time, I've written over 250 in-depth articles, guides, in-game stories and opinion pieces on EVE Online and a few on DUST 514. As usual, I'll be celebrating this anniversary by rounding up this year's column highlights and giving away two 30-day Pilot's License Extensions to two lucky readers. To enter the competition, write a comment explaining which EVE Evolved articles from this year you liked best and what topics you'd like to see covered in the coming year. You will need an active EVE account to claim the prize, so be sure to include your character name in your comment if you want to be in with a chance. If you'd rather not give out your character name or don't have an EVE account but would like to give the game a go, you can sign up a new trial account and use the name of your new character. In this week's EVE Evolved, I look back at the highlights from the column's fifth year!
The Art of Wushu: The right stats for each style
There are a few questions I answer on a very regular basis in Age of Wushu. "How do you make money?" is a pretty common question, but I think we've answered that. "Can you annotate my book?" happens rather frequently, too. However, the most common question I answer is "what stats should I get?" The answer for this question is anything but simple, and I end up spending hours explaining it to individuals. If I went back through my chat logs, I could probably fill this entire column just by copy-pasting because I've answered this question so many times. For the first time, this information will be available as a public resource. Instead of spending hours of my time explaining it to people, I can just link it! Even if you think you know what you're doing with your stats, this is a must-read.
Hyperspace Beacon: A wretched operation of Scum and Villainy, part 2
Thankfully, we can all stop wondering when the expansion for Star Wars: The Old Republic is releasing and get down to the business of preparing our characters for the new content. Part of preparing for Rise of the Hutt Cartel is knowing what you're getting into when it comes to the new operation. A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to run Scum and Villainy with Memories of Xendor, one of the top guilds in the game. You might remember these guys from my Hyperspace Beacon about the tools of the raid. This group created the real-time combat parser that my own guild and I use regularly. Last week, I reported that the first three bosses were just the calm before the storm. That storm begins right away with the Operations Chief, thunders mightily with Olok, gusts onward with the Warlords, then reaches its pinnacle with Dreadmaster Styrak.
Captain's Log: STO's fleet advancement and reputation systems
In my continuing efforts to mark time until we all find out what the blazes the most recent teasers for Star Trek Online's upcoming March Beneath the Raptor's Wings are hinting at, this column is going to delve into two huge new tech developments the game has seen since its free-to-play conversion. Many players are just now coming back to Star Trek Online after a prolonged absence and have asked me to touch on some of the changes the game has seen in the past two years. Seasons Six and Seven saw the release of the fleet advancement and reputation systems. Both of the new systems work on the same basic principles, so let's go over the basics, then touch on each individual system's idiosyncrasies.
The Road to Mordor: Ten virtues strategies for LotRO players
Virtues are never far from my mind in Lord of the Rings Online, although recently they've been more a concern as I've been dithering around with several alts in a reality TV show-type vetting of a backup character. While not very sexy in comparison to class, race, and legendary traits, virtues are essential to bolstering your character's stats. As I've said in the past, not pursuing and equipping virtues is akin to ditching a very useful set of armor; you can do it, but it's not recommended. As LotRO really does not go out of its way to explain virtues and particularly which deeds you'll need to pursue to rank each one up, you'll have to go out of the game and do some basic homework or else be left behind. While I'm not an expert on all things virtue-related, I've certainly been around the block a few times and would like to share 10 strategies that help me to choose and acquire a good set of virtues over the long haul. And getting 16 ranks in five virtues is a long haul, make no mistake.
Captain's Log: Dabbling with STO's duty officers
Last week I began a series of columns that cover the material that has been implemented in Star Trek Online over the course of the last two years. Many players are returning to the game after a long absence, and several have requested that I touch on what is new to the game. I've already tackled the free-to-play conversion, lockboxes, a few featured episodes, and the new shooter mode. This week I'll be focusing the entire column on just one subject: Star Trek Online's popular duty officer system.
Neverwinter beta Half-Orc character creation video preview
Are you looking forward to playing Neverwinter but uninspired by the racial options that were available in the first beta weekend? Does the idea of creating a mundane Human or diminutive Halfling fail to get your adrenaline pumping? Is the potential of the dour disposition of the Dwarves ruined by their short stature? Would a passing thought of playing a delicate Elf be enough to unravel the very core of your being? If you answered yes to all of these questions, then you'll be happy to hear that Half-Orcs are now in Neverwinter! Want to see them in action? Enjoy Massively's Half-Orc character creation preview video after the cut.
The Tattered Notebook: Attacked by AAs in EQII
When EverQuest II first went free-to-play in December 2011, a number of long-lost players poked their noses back into the game. But even before that, and certainly since then, veteran players have found cause to return to Norrath after a (sometimes very) prolonged absence. And why not? There are plenty of great things to lose yourself in within EQII... as well as plenty of ways to feel lost! Invariably, those who have been gone for any length of time are confronted with a doozy of a headache-inducer upon their return: alternate advancements. Back in the dark recesses of time, The Tattered Notebook brought you a newbie guide to these AA points. But much has changed in the ensuing two years, including the AAs. So it behooves us to take another look and update our information. The following is my personal journey with that at times intimidating system, sprinkled with tips, tricks, and tales of woe I've picked up along the way.
The Tattered Notebook: A guide to getting Erollisi Day spoils for the time-impaired
Ahh, l'amore. You can feel it in their air tonight, no? Oh wait, that was Thursday! No matter, 'tis still the season of love and loot in Norrath. Did I say loot? You bet your barbarian love notes I did! Holidays in EverQuest II may be inspired by their real-world counterparts, but their true purpose lies in supplying us with oodles of special loot. Don't believe me? Just look at the plethora of items available from quests, crafting, and collections during any given celebration. Sure, there are fun lore lines to follow as well, and that aspect certainly deserves a nod, but there is no denying the prominence of holiday paraphernalia that fills our bags, banks, and vaults. Not that I am complaining, mind you; it's precisely this loot I am after -- specifically, the housing items. As a die-hard decorating nut, I look forward to the holidays like Erollisi Day to get my hands/paws/claws on these unique items offered only during the events. Unfortunately, like many of us plagued by real life, I don't always have tons of time to devote to the festivities, and EQII's holidays are pretty elaborate affairs with a whole lot to do. So to help us both get the most treasure for our time, I've devised this speed guide to getting the holiday goods before the festival ends at 2:59 a.m EST on February 21st.
Massively's video guide to Neverwinter character creation
Are you impatiently waiting to get your Dungeons and Dragons on in the upcoming Neverwinter beta events? Then we're sure you have already planned out what your character will look like. No? Well then, let us help you. Yesterday, we previewed the character creation tools for Cryptic's upcoming MMO, but we didn't showcase all of the customization options for every race. Today we remedy that with not one but six videos showing off all of the hairstyles, faces, scars, and tattoos for both genders of every race! Enjoy the previews after the cut.
Steam Guides now showing you how it's done
Steam has opened its very own GameFAQs-alike, accessible right in the Steam client. Steam Guides allow users to create their own guides or walkthroughs to games or other Steam software.The creation tools allow image uploads and YouTube embeds. User-created Steam Guides are then available in-game through the Steam overlay, as well as through the Steam site and client. Not all of the guides are about Team Fortress 2 hats as of writing.
The Summoner's Guidebook: Teamfight positioning wins LoL matches
Two weeks ago, I talked about zoning in League of Legends. One of you mentioned in the comments that I should focus more on teamfight positioning and less on laning, since there is more complexity in that. I agree, but there's a caveat. It is extremely difficult to explain how to position properly in League of Legends. It is one of my greatest disappointments that I learned this skill purely through practice and experience. Positioning is a fluid thing; no guide can tell you exactly what you should do in the situations you find yourself in. Mistakes are the greatest teacher. I can do only so much. However, it was a request, so I will do my best to convey my instincts on this. I had to play and watch a bunch of games just thinking about this to try and put my feelings into words. I hope it will help you out, if only a little bit.
EVE Evolved: Fitting Caldari cruisers for PvP in Retribution
EVE Online's recent Retribution expansion brought forth a massive PvP revival aimed at new players and veterans alike. The new bounty hunting and flagging mechanics have added huge incentives to PvP and given industrialists a way to get revenge without getting their hands dirty. New players are also finding PvP a lot easier to get into thanks to changes to faction warfare and a complete revamp of all the tech 1 cruisers. For the past few weeks, I've been exploring each race's tech 1 cruisers and coming up with new setups you can use in PvP. I've looked at the incredible damage output of the Gallente ships, the impressive tank on the Amarr cruisers, and the still-unmatched speed of Minmatar vessels. In this week's final part of the guide series, I look at the impressive and underrated Caldari cruisers. All of the fittings in this guide series are aimed at older players with at least six months' worth of skill training under their belts, but new players can use them too by swapping all of the tech 2 modules for tech 1 versions. In this week's EVE Evolved, I give PvP setups for the Caldari Caracal, Moa, Blackbird, and Osprey.
The Summoner's Guidebook: Controlling space in League of Legends
Zoning is a concept that's been covered quite a bit. The concept of space control is something central to most competitive video games, and Shurelia already made an excellent video on zoning that is very specific to League of Legends. While Shurelia's video is well worth the watch, there are some areas she didn't cover and a few things that could be explained in a little more depth. I would consider this more of an addendum to her excellent tutorial, and you should watch it before you continue on. Controlling space effectively is incredibly powerful in League. Skillful use of zoning can lead to lots of free damage, and even if your opponent is good at avoiding you, zoning can allow you to last-hit in lane or win a teamfight. If you've ever wanted to drive your opponent completely out of the lane, continue on. We've got a lot of ground to cover.
EVE Evolved: Fitting Amarr cruisers for PvP in Retribution
EVE Online's recent Retribution expansion overhauled many of the game's old PvP mechanics and rebalanced all of the tech 1 frigates and cruisers. These are the first ships new players get into when they start playing, and many found they just couldn't compete with more expensive ships in combat. In Retribution, the basic tech 1 cruisers have been buffed beyond all recognition and now stand a serious chance against battlecruisers and tech 2 ships. New players and veterans alike have found the updated tech 1 cruisers to be a lot more fun to fly and more effective in solo PvP and small fleet warfare. Two weeks ago, I started a new series of ship fitting guides with effective PvP setups for each of the four Gallente tech 1 cruisers. In between hilarious sessions of baiting gankers with my ECM Vexor, I've recently been been getting to grips with the updated Amarr cruisers. The Omen is now a fast tackler that can project damage over 25km, the Maller is a fantastic support DPS platform for fleet warfare, and the Arbitrator has become a great anti-frigate platform. Even the humble Augoror should now be a welcome sight in PvP fleets, repairing almost as much as a Guardian at only a fraction of the cost. In this week's EVE Evolved, I give new PvP ship setups for EVE's recently buffed Amarr tech 1 cruisers.
