guild-halls
Latest
PAX South 2015: O'Brien and Johanson on Guild Wars 2's Heart of Thorns
ArenaNet's Mike O'Brien and Colin Johanson (and Commander Shepard) took to the PAX South 2015 stage yesterday morning to announce Heart of Thorns, the first-ever expansion for Guild Wars 2. If you're not up to speed, check out our post covering the announcement and the official site to get the broad strokes on the expansion's new zone, new profession, new progression system, and more. News of the expansion raised many a question from our readers (and our staff!). Massively's Larry Everett and I sat down with O'Brien and Johanson to try to get those questions answered and dive a little deeper into the changes coming to Guild Wars 2's living world. And no, there isn't a release date.
PAX South 2015: Guild Wars 2's Heart of Thorns is an expansion
ArenaNet has just announced that Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns is indeed an expansion. Speaking from a packed main theater at PAX South 2015, ANet President Mike O'Brien formally confirmed the rumored expansion, saying it will take players "deep into the heart of the Maguuma jungle" and will avoid traditional expansion powercreep and gear treadmills by not raising the level cap. The expansion will introduce new group challenges, new profession specializations, and an account-based "masteries" system for character progression through the new territories. Game Director Colin Johanson told cheering fans that new legendary weapons and precursors are inbound, as are epic quests that help players acquire their precursors. The expansion will include one new class, the Revenant, which is a heavy armor class that channels the spirits of the mists and famous characters from Guild Wars lore. Each existing class will receive new mechanics and weapons that "fundamentally" change how they play; for example, Rangers can become druids and Necromancers will be able to use greatswords. WvW will also finally get some love, and there will be a new GvG game mode called Stronghold, which of course means... guild halls! The official site is live now, and the brand-new trailer is now below the cut. Massively's Larry Everett and Mike Foster are live at the event; we'll have more from San Antonio later this afternoon. Fans can follow the festivities on Twitch.
Guild Wars 2 requests input on guild halls
ArenaNet Design Director Chris Whiteside has given a glimmer of hope to Guild Wars 2 fans hungry for more and better private spaces in the game. Earlier this week, he posed a broad question to the community about how it'd like to see guild halls implemented -- assuming, of course, they are ever to be implemented. ArenaNet has previously stated that it'd like to include guild halls but wasn't actively working on them. Whiteside isn't making any promises either, but it's likely a big hint all the same. Personal housing was rumored prior to 2012's launch but has since been ostensibly supplanted by weakly upgradeable home instances. Guild Wars 2's elder sibling, Guild Wars, featured decadent instanced guild halls with both PvP and PvE accoutrements. Massively's Anatoli Ingram wrote about housing mechanics in the two games earlier this year.
TERA Korea is getting guild fortresses that float
Let's all take a moment to lament that what I'm about to share is currently specific to the Korean version of TERA. There. Now that that's out of our system, we can appreciate the fact that Bluehole's new guild sky fortresses are pretty dang impressive, even if we won't see them in the En Masse version of the game for a while. MMO Culture reports that TERA Korea is also removing side quests from the fantasy MMO's quest log and placing them in a new interface nugget called Scouting Command, ostensibly to allow for more focus on the game's main story. But you really wanted to see the guild fortresses, right? Click past the cut for the vid.
Officers' Quarters: Revisiting my Mists wish list
Every Monday, Scott Andrews contributes Officers' Quarters, a column about the ins and outs of guild leadership. He is the author of The Guild Leader's Handbook. In January 2012, I wrote up a wish list of improvements to the guild experience that I wanted in Mists of Pandaria. We're at the point now in the expansion's life cycle where all major features have been revealed. The next big additions to WoW will come in patch 6.0. So let's look back at what we got in Mists and what we're still waiting for. Wish 1: Treat legendary items as guild rewards, not player rewards. Status: Granted, in a way In my original list, I wrote about the drama that legendaries created in guilds and wished for a way to reduce that drama. I suggested that a legendary item should be bound to the guild that helped a player to earn it, rather than the player. Instead, Blizzard took legendaries in a direction that no one expected: they created a quest line that anyone could complete. In doing so, they took away the drama factor. They released officers from the burden of deciding who would receive a legendary and who wouldn't. For most guilds, this has been a welcome change.
Officers' Quarters: 5 arguments for guild halls
Every Monday, Scott Andrews contributes Officers' Quarters, a column about the ins and outs of guild leadership. He is the author of The Guild Leader's Handbook. A few weeks ago, a Twitter user named Quentin Charton asked Ghostcrawler whether WoW could eventually have guild housing. Ghostcrawler's reply was "We worry that guild housing is only content for the guild leaders." If implemented properly, I think guild halls could be a home run for WoW. Here are five reasons why. 1. Guild leaders and officers deserve in-game rewards. Ghostcrawler doesn't want to create content just for guild leaders. My question is, why not? Leading a guild is not easy. It requires making sacrifices, both in-game and in the real world, since it takes time and energy. Don't guild leaders and their officers deserve a few small in-game perks? I agree that the entire guild hall experience shouldn't be for officers only. However, a guild hall could have a special place in it for officers. You could call it something simple like, say, off the top of my head . . . the "Officers' Quarters." This location would have a few small bonuses for them, like a flask vending machine you can use once a day (like Blingtron). Such a perk would be a welcome thank you to the players who make all the best group content in WoW happen.
SOE Live 2012: EverQuest II interviews highlight focus on crafting, player stories
It is undeniable: Between panels, keynote addresses, and interviews, SOE Live offered fans a smorgasbord of information this year. Even as we reported on some information, more came our way. Such is the case with EverQuest II and its upcoming Chains of Eternity expansion; no sooner had I shared the new tradeskill AA and prestige lines than I was able to sit down developers to gain more insights into the new features. And of course, another panel came along offering even more tidbits about the expansion and beyond! Did previous announcements leave you wondering whether crafters will be required to grind their own AA tree up from 0? How many crafted items can actually be mass produced at one time? And what's in store for the Dungeon Maker and SOEmote? These questions and more were answered as I sat down with Brain Ferguson (PvP and tradeskill game designer), Holly Longdale, (Producer), and Dave Georgeson (Director of the EQ franchise).
EverQuest: Veil of Alaris goes live today
It's been a long time coming, but EverQuest's 18th expansion, Veil of Alaris, is now live. Players can now progress all the way to level 95 while adventuring through a variety of new zones. Guilds can now purchase customizable guild plots and guild halls, allowing them to display their uniqueness through their residences. And of course, there are a wealth of new quests to complete, new monsters to kill, and new loot to pillage. For the full set of notes on what's new with the expansion, head on over to the EverQuest official site, and don't forget to check out our own Karen Bryan's exclusive tour of the expansion.
EverQuest cracks the door wider to peek in on Veil of Alaris concept art
While November is still a ways off, EverQuest players have a lot to be excited for as the title's 18th expansion bakes in Sony Online Entertainment's creative ovens. Today, the company has released three new pieces of concept art -- along with a wireframe model -- to give us more of an idea of what to expect out of Veil of Alaris. The art shows off some of the structures of Alaris, including a costal town and various towers, as well as the mysterious inhabitants of the lands. Alaris will consist of 12 new zones, half of which are raid zones. In addition to Alaris itself, the expansion will feature a level cap increase to 95 and a welcome revamp of the guild hall system. There will also be more armor sets, a cultural armor tier, and the ability to resize hotbars. You can check out all of the concept art goodness in the gallery below! %Gallery-128419%
Age of Wulin videos reveal interesting skills, non-combat gameplay
Age of Wulin hasn't gotten a lot of press in western markets as of yet, but the free-to-play martial arts title is one that bears watching. Aside from its appealing visuals, ancient Chinese setting, and Wuxia-style story elements, the game boasts quite a few departures from the standard MMORPG formula. The most obvious is a progression system that lacks traditional levels, but according to a preview at MMO Culture, that's not Age of Wulin's most interesting feature. The title reportedly makes use of a life skills system which includes gathering, fortune-telling, crafting, fishing, and begging (as well as 12 other skills that have yet to be revealed). Yes, we said begging, and the mechanic apparently involves a degree of anonymity when dealing with fellow players. Age of Wulin also features epic quests tied in to something called the miracle system, as well what looks to be a fairly deep guild and territory control minigame. Click past the cut to view a few gameplay videos including footage of combat, training, miracle, begging, and guild systems, and keep an eye out for players involved in unusual MMO activities including drawing and Chinese chess.
Enter at Your Own Rift: A guild-tool wishlist
As we fended off dripping, soggy, Abyssal infiltrators all over the cities, many rejoiced at seeing the arrival of guild banks with the latest update. Finally, guild members could unload their stacks of tradeskill resources, extra shinies, and other random loot that ends up cluttering the bank and making guild leaders cringe in frustration. Now that our patience has paid off, and the non-stop calls for guild banks has been answered, I'd like to show my appreciation by doing what any true MMOer would do -- rattle off a wish list of new guild tools that I want to see in RIFT! Read on for a look at what I'd like to see added, and also what I hope isn't put in game.
EverQuest displays new screenshots for the Veil of Alaris expansion
In March of 1999, the upstart studio Verant Interactive created a little game called EverQuest. Who knew that 11 years later we would still see growth from the spearhead MMO of the company now called Sony Online Entertainment? Last week at SOE Fan Faire, the developers announced that EverQuest will see its 18th expansion, Veil of Alaris, sometime in November of this year. SOE promises to reveal more about this about this hidden continent of Norrath in the coming months, In a post on the official forums, the community manager reiterated that the level-cap increase and the guild-hall revamp will be added to the game with this expansion. However, the true reason behind the post was to show off the new screenshots from the land of Alaris. Keep in mind that this game is 11 years old when you gaze at these screenshots of the deadly Resplendent Temple, mysterious Windsong Oratory Crypt, and beautiful Rubak Oseka in the gallery below. %Gallery-128419%
RuneScape's Clan Citadels puts game design in the hands of players
Last week, we brought you the news that browser-based fantasy MMO RuneScape would be introducing clan citadels in its next expansion. We heard that these customisable castles in the sky would feature a tier-based progression system, but until now we didn't know what the actual castles would look like or if any kind of new gameplay would come with them. Jagex has just revealed that the expansion's gameplay element is potentially as huge and revolutionary as their massive Dungeons of Daemonheim update. The new floating castles act as meeting places for clans, and will contain exclusive skill-training areas for woodcutting, mining and other skills. Working on the clan's skill plots will add resources to upgrade the castle and pay for its upkeep, but may provide slightly less experience gain than traditional skill-training areas. Customisable clan battlefields provide a sandbox map editor tool, letting clans design and build their own battlegrounds and minigames. Players will be able to design their own arenas and gameplay for the first time in RuneScape's ten year history, creating anything from capture the flag style matches and monster hunts to basic clan versus clan PvP battles. Perhaps the most exciting part of the feature is the ability for clan members to invite other players to try their games and challenge rival clans to competitive battleground matches. The expansion launches on 26th July. Skip past the cut to watch the official clan citadel trailer and get a sneak peek at the castle's in-game visuals.
Play for keeps: Forsaken World launches
Just like how Clark Kent and Superman are one and the same, so too is Forsaken World's open beta and launch. The free-to-play MMO was scheduled to go live on March 23rd, but Perfect World Entertainment surprised us all by moving it forward to... today. While the website calls this an open beta, the studio insists that this is indeed the official launch of Forsaken World. Semantics aside, players can now roll characters without fear of any future wipe as Perfect World Entertainment declares that from now on it's all "for keeps." From pets to prayers to floating guild halls, Forsaken World is trying to keep life spicy in the F2P market. Head on over to the official website to get into the game today, and don't forget to check out our exclusive Perfect World Entertainment interview of this darker MMO.
Guild bases coming to Perfect World
Guild bases are on their way to Perfect World International, and the new functionality is the latest in a long line of updates scheduled to go live with the Genesis expansion on March 2nd. In terms of mechanics, the bases are instanced and feature four wings: an armory, an alchemy lab, the Manor of Justice, and the Heavenly Vault. Each wing offers different buffs, unique quests, and guild-only exclusive content to make your PWI experience all the more memorable. The guild bases also feature a fifth room, the Hall of Loyalty, centrally located between the four wings and home to more quests, trivia activities, and unique rewards. If all that isn't enough for you, guild bases also boast an area dedicated to raising monsters that can be hunted for experience and spirit. Head to the official Perfect World International blog for further details.
The Tattered Notebook: Merge this!
Server mergers are coming this week to EverQuest II, and with it come some serious questions about what stays, what goes, and who gets stuck with a name with a lousy X at the end. But sometimes mergers are a good thing, and I think since we're on the subject, it's worth looking at what else could be merged in the world of Norrath. In this week's Tattered Notebook, I'll consider how merging tokens, towns, classes, gods, guild halls and more could benefit EQII. Join me past the cut!
Sneak peek at EverQuest 2 Game Update 49, and Guild Halls!
The march of progress rolls forward in EverQuest 2! Coming soon to the world of Norrath is the 49th update to SOE's flagship title. GU49 adds in the latest chapter in the ongoing Void Storms world event and gives player housing a whole new breath of life ... but what players are really waiting for are the huge new structures they'll be able to own in-game.With Game Update 49 comes the brand-new guild halls. Guild fortresses would be a better term, as these enormous structures tower over the Commonlands and Antonica, proving well and truly who the mightiest of these player organizations are. Whether you're a Freeport guild or a Qeynos guild, you'll find the change in scnery most welcome. Join us as we explore the guild halls through video and screenshots, check out the newest live event in the game, and see how all your EverQuest 2 crafting buddies are going to be going ga-ga for growth! Check out the videos >> Take the screenshot tour >> %Gallery-32571% Well met, fellow Norrathian! Make sure to check out all of our coverage of the next EverQuest II expansion, The Shadow Odyssey as well as Seeds of Destruction, the next expansion to EverQuest!
Take a visual tour of EverQuest II: The Shadow Odyssey's new dungeons
EverQuest II's The Shadow Odyssey expansion is set to launch this November. In addition to heritage quests and the shard reward system, the expansion will add an EverQuest classic -- the dungeon of Guk. And in the days leading up to the launch, EQ2 players will get to start exploring another dungeon: Veksar.To build up anticipation, SOE is rolling out articles, screenshots, and concept art related to the two new dungeons. For Guk it put together a series of lore-oriented postcards and images explaining what the place is all about, culminating in some concept art wallpapers. The Veksar article is a little more traditional in its presentation, but the substance is all there. We've put together in a gallery all the images from both of those tours.SOE also released concept art for guild halls, which will be implemented soon. Guild halls date back to Meridian 59 and text MUDs before it, but for some reason they've been out of vogue in the 21st century.%Gallery-30866% Well met, fellow Norrathian! Make sure to check out all of our coverage of the next EverQuest II expansion, The Shadow Odyssey as well as Seeds of Destruction, the next expansion to EverQuest!
What you need to know about The Shadow Odyssey
The Shadow Odyssey, EverQuest II's fifth expansion, is not just the usual bump to the level cap, a couple of new raids, and a reset for all the armor you already got. It's none of those things. What SOE has done with this expansion is go through the level 50 to level 80 portion of the game and say, let's make an expansion that has something for pretty much everyone. Let's make an expansion where even if no upgrades drop, you can be working toward some awesome stuff just by playing.The original EverQuest started out as a supremely casual and social game. It was the players that pushed SOE to make the game more raid focused, but sometime after the heavily raid-oriented Planes of Power expansion, the casual players asked when they'd get an expansion for them. SOE came out with the Lost Dungeons of Norrath, which offered three or four variants at each of six dungeons, meant for single groups of averagely-equipped players. The difficulty and mission type could be selected, and every time you completed a mission, you got points with which you could buy hard-to-find spells, armor of near raid quality, adornments which would push that armor into the quality of raid gear, and some cool stuff only available through the LDoN merchants.The Shadow Odyssey is EverQuest II's Lost Dungeons of Norrath -- and more. Click on through to see why TSO might be the best EQ2 expansion yet. Well met, fellow Norrathian! Make sure to check out all of our coverage of the next EverQuest II expansion, The Shadow Odyssey as well as Seeds of Destruction, the next expansion to EverQuest!
Podcast looks back at Meridian 59 history
Want to work on your old-school cred? Check out Virgin Worlds' "Online Gamer's Anthology" podcast episode #5 and learn a bit about the history of arguably the first graphical MMO ever, Meridian 59.The podcast starts out with a somewhat awkward skit which pays homage to Meridian 59's gameplay, but if you skip ahead about 30 minutes you'll get straight to the meat of it -- an in-depth, tell-all interview with developer Brian "Psychochild" Green, who has worked on the game since 1998. He talks about what makes the game unique and relevant, its demise at the hands of 3DO, and its resurrection by his own company, Near Death Studios. Here's a highlight from the interview -- Green explaining why re-launching Meridian 59 was important to him:If you don't have a good sense of history it's really hard to move forward. Looking at more modern games, you have the level and class based system of EverQuest or World of Warcraft. I think a lot of times people look at only the most recent things and think, "Oh, that's the way it's always been, and that's what we have to follow." I think having a wider range of history -- the Meridian 59s, the Ultima Onlines, even those older games back into the proprietary systems -- knowing more about those can kind of give you a wider perspective.
