guild-housing
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Skycastles coming to TERA on February 24
Have you recently come home to TERA? OK, maybe you never left. Either way, En Masse is betting you'll get excited about the Skycastle guild housing system that's heading your way on February 24th. The castles float above major cities and are available "to the top-ranking guilds on each server via two new ongoing four-week guild competitions that track guild points earned from dungeons, battlegrounds, and guild-vs.-guild battles," according to an En Masse press blurb. The patch will also include a new dungeon set aboard the Sky Cruiser Endeavor as well as a hard-mode version of Bathysmal Rise. [Source: En Masse press release]
Sky castles and a gun-using class coming to TERA in 2015
Peer into the ball, strange bear thing with a skull cowboy hat, and tell us what future TERA holds. Or better yet, we could just read the brand-new producer's letter with all sorts of spoilers about the coming year! But the ball, that's cool too. The team is gearing up for an ambitious 2015, if this letter is any indication. Plans for February include sky castles for guilds, the Sky Cruiser Endeavor dungeon, and a 5v5 version of Champions' Skyring. Past that, TERA will host more frequent small events, a community costume design contest, the opening of the Dreadspire, and a brand new "gun-toting" class. Finally, the team promises to be better about talking to its playerbase. "As for our communication of the process -- yes, it has to get better, and it'll start with me," Producer Treeshark said.
Touring DC Universe Online's league halls and Halls of Power
It was a couple of years ago that we got our first in-depth look at DC Universe Online's personal housing system, dubbed lairs. Since then, heroes and villains alike have been looking forward to the league version. Thanks to the announcement earlier this month, we knew that the wait for league halls was almost over; guild-level housing was to hit this summer. Surprise! GU39 and league halls launched today! And thanks to a special tour with Creative Director Jens Andersen and Community Manager Ted Stone (AKA Mepps), I got a good look at the league hall system and how it all works in the Halls of Power Part 1 DLC due later this summer.
DC Universe Online adding League Halls this summer
Just because reruns dominate the TV during the summer doesn't mean that geeks need to submit to rehashed entertainment during these months. Why, DCUO has canceled the annual family road trip to pump out a new DLC that's coming later this summer, just to keep everyone happy. The game's 11th DLC is called Halls of Power Part 1, and it will send player heroes into a new saga looking back at the ancient past in the Fourth World. The DCUO dev team is creating five additional raids, alerts, and operations to go with the update, and players will have six new skill points to earn. However, the crown jewel of Halls of Power Part 1 is the implementation of League Halls, which looks to be DCUO's answer to guild housing. League Halls will be added shortly before the DLC for free to all players. [Source: SOE press release]
Final Fantasy XIV previews private chambers
You devoted a lot of money to your free company's house in Final Fantasy XIV, and now you have it. It's yours. It's all of yours. Except, of course, for the fact that it's not quite yours. Sure, you get a vote about what's in the building, but not sole control. Wouldn't it be nice if instead you could have a part of that house to call your own? That's what private chambers are for, an apartment just for you set off of the main house. Private chambers cost 300,000 gil and require a player to have reached level 50 as well as the rank of Second Lieutenant in their grand company of choice. They can have 50 items placed therein, and just as with company houses, you can control who's allowed to enter the room. You can't leave your free company while you still have a private chamber, although you can vacate your chamber if you so choose. Read more details on the official preview; this feature will be added to the game with the launch of patch 2.3 next week.
Square Enix tweaks Final Fantasy XIV housing prices
Thanks to what Square-Enix has called a "prodigious amount of gil in circulation" on certain Final Fantasy XIV worlds, it appears as though new players and those returning from a break are priced completely out of the housing market. In the interest of getting the system under control, Square announced yesterday that it will be dramatically reducing the price of land across numerous servers. According to the announcement, land pricing for legacy worlds will be adjusted to match land pricing of non-legacy worlds. This will result in land values on certain worlds being reduced by 2.5 to 5 times their current value over the course of several weeks. Additionally, Square plans to "re-evaluate" the final price of land across all worlds sometime in late January. Check out the full post to see which worlds have which pricing and how values are about to change. [Thanks to Zengarzombolt for the tip!]
Final Fantasy XIV executive producer defends expensive housing costs
Those following the recent housing fiasco in Final Fantasy XIV have been waiting on the official word from Square-Enix concerning the exorbitant costs for free company plots. Executive Producer Naoki Yoshida finally did just that, delivering a lengthy defense of the studio's decision while promising that upcoming personal housing will be much less expensive. Yoshida said that the high cost in intended to prevent wealthy players from snapping up all of the plots and that all players will be earning more money with patch 2.1. "I understand that, in taking these measures to ensure even distribution of land, we are asking for considerable patience from those players who are eager to enjoy housing right away," he said. "While I sympathize with players concerns, we believe that this is in the best long-term interests of the game." Yoshida's team forecasts that 80% of current free companies will be able to buy a small plot of land within three months of the patch going live. He also said that prices will begin to fall on unpurchased plots of land every six hours and that the team is looking into expanding servers and housing areas.
The Mog Log Extra: Final Fantasy XIV's great housing fiasco
This past Saturday morning, Final Fantasy XIV announced free company housing prices in its patch notes for 2.1. These prices did not explicitly include an upturned middle finger and looping sounds of laughter, but they may as well have. This was not a positive move by Square-Enix. With the patch scheduled for release on Tuesday, players had an enormous part of their enjoyment kneecapped immediately and almost arbitrarily. One of the major features of this patch that has been announced and discussed repeatedly is housing, and nearly every free company I spoke with said that this announcement more or less killed any dream of having housing accessible to the players on my server. And they're not the only ones. To say that this has been disheartening is an understatement. Final Fantasy XIV has had an immensely strong relaunch, and this debacle -- and the complete lack of communication from the community team on the issue -- is absolutely astounding. These are not launch woes that almost every game suffers from; this is a result of failing to consider so many basic elements of playstyles and the playerbase.
Final Fantasy XIV gives housing preview
Housing fans are all twitterpated over Final Fantasy XIV's 2.1 update, and in an article today Square-Enix provides a solid overview of what lodges and decorations will be available when the update hits. While individual housing is still a ways off, free companies will be able to purchase a house once they attain a certain rank and get a land acquisition entitlement. House lots can be purchased in Limsa Lominsa, Gridania, or Ul'dah. Once a house is built, the exterior and interior can be customized and furnished. The team expressed future plans for the housing system, including crafting workshops, customizable music, and chocobo stables. Housing will come when 2.1 hits on December 17th.
GDC 2013: DCUO's Andersen talks housing, hints at league version
We first learned about DC Universe Online's housing system last fall at SOE Live, where we got the scoop on the personal lairs coming in the Home Turf DLC from creative director Jens Andersen. At that time, he also shared his vision of expanding to include league housing sometime in the future. While sitting down with Andersen for a chat at GDC yesterday, the conversation turned to the now two-month-old housing system. The discussion included how the community was utilizing this unique blend of housing and PvP duels. Andersen then shared some tips for decorating with an eye towards battles; he also hinted that league housing may be slated for making an appearance in one of the game's upcoming DLCs.
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.
Star Trek Online gets a new installment of Ask Cryptic
If you're looking forward to more Fleet options in Star Trek Online, you're in luck, as the newest installment of Ask Cryptic makes it clear that Fleet Starbases will be getting more love in the near future. There are plans for more PvP options, plans for more projects in the base, and plans for more fleet-specifics ships. Despite all of that, the fleet projects can be completed by almost anyone with dedication: producer Dan Stahl says you should still be able to unlock your rewards even if you have a fleet consisting of just yourself and your alts. This particular installment also focuses on other long-awaited features such as the addition of Cardassians as an official species, something that's still on the table even with the Cardassian lockbox ships. Stahl makes it clear that the team would like to allow players to switch the species of their captains if desired, although there isn't a precise timetable on that feature. That's in addition to more discussion of a future inclusion of poker, new item sets, and other future improvements to the universe of Star Trek Online.
Forget guild housing -- Spirit Tales is bringing guild islands
Because there are so many free-to-play games to choose from, developers who come up with something unique have an edge in attracting players. That's exactly what KoramGame Ltd. did with the guild island system in its upcoming title Spirit Tales. Why settle for just a house when you can own an entire private island? "Guilds have had a long standing tradition in most MMORPGs, but never has there been a feature this extensive and dedicated to guilds. We're convinced that our Guild Island system will not only add to the traditional guild experience, but also take it in an exciting new direction," says General Manager Yann Wang When guild members need a break from battling creatures and capturing magical pets, they can relax on their very own customizable guild islands, where they can access special buffs and content. Amenities that can be constructed on the islands include hot springs that provide power buffs, statues to immortalize guild members, a throne room meeting hall, a warehouse to store additional guild gear, and a buff vendor to access unique buffs. If you want to get a glimpse of guild islands live and in action, join the Spirit Tales livestream event on April 13th at 5 p.m. EDT. There will even be prizes!
Some Assembly Required: A virtual world roundup
If you are perusing this column, chances are you are a fan of virtual worlds and the sandbox genre. Join the club! (Dues will be due on the third Tuesday.) The aspect that compels many aficionados to delve into a game is the ability to make an impact on the world in some small respect instead of making them into Hive Member 1593072 running a static, predetermined gauntlet. How that impact is accomplished, however, varies; there are multiple features that can facilitate it, and which ones are considered most important depends on the player. With the loss of one of the best sandbox games just last month, some players may be feeling a void. Others still are looking/hoping for the "ultimate" sandbox that contains nearly every virtual world feature. Certainly, there are some upcoming games that make some drool-worthy promises, but what about playing something now? There are actually games out on the market that have at least one aspect of the genre, if not more. To start off the new year, Some Assembly Required looks at some of the top features of virtual worlds and lists games that incorporate these features. While this list isn't exhaustive (considering the sheer number of games when you include all of the smaller free-to-play titles, I'd run out of column space!), it is a comprehensive enough overview to point you toward some games worth playing that perhaps you hadn't considered before.
Reid on Reddit: SWTOR fans ask him anything and everything
"Ask me anything." That's a dangerous command for anyone to issue, nevermind the community manager of the hottest new MMO on the block. Yet that's just what Stephen Reid said today to the Star Wars: The Old Republic community on Reddit, and the length of questions and answers would make for a mini-novel if packaged as such. While Reid certainly hedges on issues that BioWare is not quite ready to address, he doesn't shy away from direct answers when applicable. The compiled Reddit thread lists dozens and dozens of Q&As, including the much-asked-for guild housing ("on the list for future development"), the ability delay issue ("we'll talk about it publicly soon"), and an upgraded Galactic Trade Network ("improvements will come to the GTN in time, definitely"). In response to the request for non-mechanical (read: animal) mounts, Reid said, "Maybe -- it's a technical challenge, I've been told." He's most excited about the upcoming legacy system reveals, but he's not allowed to talk on it just yet. Amidst the probing questions of the newly launched title is a personal query about what it's like for him to be at the helm of SWTOR community management. "What's it like?" Reid responded. "Bewildering and overwhelming and exciting and demanding, all at once, all day long (and often into the night). I had some idea what I was getting into, but it was bigger than expected. I'll stay as long as I'm wanted."
The Daily Grind: Which MMO supports guilds the best?
In my opinion, guilds are the backbone of the social component of MMOs. Without them, games might as well be flopping on the ground, unable to move and in severe pain. Ever since MMOs first came on the scene -- and even before -- players have naturally gravitated to guilds as part of their gaming experience. At Massively, we love guilds so much we dedicate a weekly column to exploring their intricacies. Unfortunately, not all MMOs treat guilds the same; some receive a huge amount of support from the dev team, while others are given a skeleton framework and told to buzz off. Not every game has guild housing, guild ranks, in-game calendars, shared storage, perks, and other means of structure and support. If one were to consider all of the features that help guilds form, grow, and function, what MMO would top the list? Which game treats its guilds as members of royalty instead as sewer-digging peasants? 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!
TERA devs talk guild housing and more in Twitter chat
In case you missed it, En Masse is hosting a TERA production chat via Twitter on the third Friday of every month. The transcript of last Friday's session is now live on the official TERA website, and there were a few noteworthy nuggets dropped by producer Brian Knox and community manager Evan Berman during the course of the event. Among the interesting blurbs on display are the fact that guild housing is back on the dev team's radar, and the feature may yet make it into the game's spring 2012 launch. Also of note are a couple of general numbers relating to the size of the dev team (70 at En Masse and over 200 at Korea's Bluehole Studio, where the game is originating). Finally, there was a bit of a teaser for a big TERA-related announcement at next week's PAX community event, so keep your eyes and ears peeled!
Enter at Your Own Rift: A case for player housing
Earlier this week we were treated to the news that Trion Worlds is going to offer free character transfers between "select servers" once Update 1.3 hits. Now, how useful this will be is anyone's guess -- as some have noted, this may just be a clever ploy to redistribute the population from high-pop servers to low-pop ones -- but generally it's been met with applause from the community. I remain impressed as a consumer with how fast and aggressive Trion is pumping out content, and the fact that this is a free transfer once per week is really cool considering how most other subscription MMOs charge for a similar "premium" service. Whatever Trion's motive and however it'll play out, I do know this: The company needs to continue to bring the heat to the competition. It's vital that RIFT distinguishes itself from the rest of the pack in some way, whether it be polish, originality, speed, customer service, or innovation. Today I'd like to make a case for what I think should be high up on Trion's development schedule: player housing. We know it's something the devs have discussed, with some very much for and some very much against, but I'm hoping it's gone past the brainstorming phase. Why should we care about what might seem like fluff? How could housing work in RIFT? Tune in after the jump, same Bat-time, same Bat-channel to find out!
TERA Visions trailer sighted in the wild
Kotaku's got the scoop on the latest TERA trailer, and the new four-minute video treats fans and curious bystanders to a lot of spiffy Arborean fly-through shots as well as some tough talk from En Masse Entertainment developers. The dev dialogue snippets basically collate all of the talking points that En Masse has been hinting at in various interviews over the past year: There's the action combat, the size of the world and the way it caters to explorer-types, and the focus on the action instead of the UI. There's also a quick blurb about story from lead writer David Noonan, specifically the fact that TERA's story (and the world itself) is the dream of two ancient gods. En Masse VP Chris Lee even drops a hint about guild housing, which mitigates the fact that we've seen a lot of the footage in this video before. There is some new stuff, though, so make sure to keep watching past the titles at the three-minute mark for additional footage. Click past the cut to check it out.
The Guild Counsel: My kingdom for a house
You work hard in-game, so it's understandable that you'd want a place of your own, outside the auction house and hustle and bustle of city life. What better accomplishment than constructing your own guild home! On the surface, it seems like a great idea. But to quote Dr. Ian Malcolm, "Oh yeah, 'Ooh, aah,' that's how it always starts. But then there's running and... screaming." In this week's Guild Counsel, we'll look at guild housing -- the good, the bad, and the "good heavens, what made you think that tapestry goes with that sofa?!"
