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Jukebox Heroes: Guild Wars Eye of the North's soundtrack
The final Guild Wars soundtrack not only took the first game out in style but instantly became one of the best of the series to date. I'm not willing to put it above Prophecies, but it's not too far behind, either. As a whole, it's a wonderful symphonic journey through new lands and new themes, and just about every track is quite listenable. You can't deny that this is Guild Wars to its very core, as composer Jeremy Soule only adds on to the franchise's legacy rather than supplants it with a different direction. Even so, it represents a mastery that wasn't quite there in past albums. If I listened to this soundtrack without knowing its source, I would have pegged it as a major motion picture release rather than a video game with angry bears. It was definitely a difficult score to pick a mere six examples from; I'd recommend that soundtrack enthusiasts listen through its entirety. For a Guild Wars 2 player, it's really interesting to go back and hear the early versions of tracks that Soule would later reprise for the sequel.
Perfect Ten: Great MMO time travel adventures
Writers and geeks alike can't seem to get enough of time travel, although the ratio of horribly crafted time travel tales to fun and smart ones is pretty lopsided. I've come to realize that MMOs are positively littered with ways that players are invited to jump around the internal timeline of the game, and I wanted to share a few of them in this week's countdown. When you think about it, the proliferation of time travel quests makes a lot of sense from a developer viewpoint. There is a ton of lore that goes into each one of these virtual worlds, but for the most part the players are affixed to a very specific (and unmoving) point in time. Hopping about in time is a great way to experience other eras and actually see history instead of just reading it in a quest box. Plus, if done right, these quests can be quite memorable.
Pink Day in LA is coming to a Lion's Arch near you
It's October, and you know what that means! The time for Pink Day in LA is almost upon us! The Gaming World Entertainment Network's annual Guild Wars fundraiser for the fight against breast cancer will be held on Saturday, October 20th. Of course, the LA of Pink Day in LA is Lion's Arch, and there are two of those now. GW-EN's solution is to host parties in Lion's Arch in both Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2. Up to three international districts in Guild Wars will be hosted, as will the Henge of Denravi, Dragonbrand, Stormbluff Isle, Jade Quarry, Darkhaven, Sanctum of Rall, Underworld, and Desolation servers in Guild Wars 2. You don't really need to be playing a Guild Wars game to participate: GW-EN is encouraging people to tun into the radio stream and celebrate the event no matter what game they play. Maybe we'll all accept that LA can be found in our hearts, not on some server somewhere. Hit up the official Pink Day website for full details, including a prize list and information on how you can help.
The Perfect Ten: Amazing amateur MMO cosplay
I find the whole cosplay subculture at conventions to be both foreign and fascinating. On one hand, I deeply admire the dedication and time it takes to put together a complex outfit and then spend all day wearing this custom-made sweatsuit. On the other hand, it does tend to bring out some folks' narcissism and unnecessary cleavage. While many facets of geek and video game culture are adequately represented by those crazy cosplayers, I don't see as much when it comes to MMORPGs. Was it truly underrepresented, I wondered, or have I just never looked? Consider the following 10 costumes the result of an afternoon or two combing through so much amateur cosplay that it vastly exceeded the recommended amount as set by the American Medical Association. I'm glad to make the sacrifice for you, and besides, you just know those doctors are the ones in these outfits, anyway. (Please note that if you're looking for more skin than skill, this will not be the list for you!)
Mesmerizing revelation: Guild Wars 2's Mesmer is the final class
No, faithful Guild Wars 2 fans, this is not an illusion: The Mesmer is in the game, so stop rubbing your eyes and pinching your arms in disbelief. To be honest, if ArenaNet had announced that the eighth and final profession for Guild Wars 2 was anything but the Mesmer, there would have been worldwide riots. Fortunately, such is not the case, as the studio confirmed in a brief tweet that the Mesmer would be the last addition to the class roster. According to the tweet, the full reveal of the Mesmer was slated for Wednesday, but the CMs said that "someone jumped the gun" and let the information slip earlier than desired. Apparently GameReactor Denmark jumped the embargo and posted a video about the reveal (the video has since been removed from the site). We'll be waiting for the official unveiling with bated breath!
The MMO Report: GW2 field trip edition
This week on The MMO Report, Casey treks to Burbank, California, to check out Guild Wars 2's voice-acting studio and interview ArenaNet lead writer Bobby Stein. Stein tells the crew that his team has been working on GW2's voice-overs for three years, resulting in approximately 70 or 80 times the amount of voice work for Guild Wars 1's final installment, Eye of the North. Casey also interviews a trio of women portraying female Charr characters, but it just wouldn't be an MMO Report field trip if Casey hadn't given the voice acting a try himself. Rising to such stage directions as "he's a cat" and "now try it drunk," Casey receives a hard-earned standing ovation from the sound booth. All this and more in the MMO Report video tucked behind the break!
Leaderboard: GW's Gwen vs. EQ's Firiona Vie
Like breakfast cereals and discount tire retailers, MMO companies have a long tradition of cultivating mascots to promote their games. Typically, said mascot is on the cover, shows as much cleavage as the ESRB allows, and is shooting rainbow magic from her navel. Or something. Today, Leaderboard is pitting two of the more well-known MMO mascots against one another, sort of like Top Model if Top Model contained three-dimensional characters. In the left corner is Guild Wars' Gwen, an orphan, refugee, warrior, and storybook princess all rolled into one. In the right corner is Firiona Vie, the Vanna White of EverQuest box art. Firiona may be flaunting a bit more skin than battle protocol requires, but it's certainly served the purpose of getting players to pick up the box and wonder whether true Elfy love lies within. Gwen's recent marriage to Keiran Thackeray unfortunately takes her off the market to those hoping that a sentient computer would digitize and throw them into a video game in the hopes of (ahem) mesmerizing her with charm. It's Elfish mage vs. human mystic, blonde bombshell vs. goth cutie in today's knockout poll! Hit the jump to cast your vote.
The Perfect Ten: MMO mascots
Everyone knows that a good mascot can make a difference between a video game's death and rabid popularity. Mario, Master Chief, Duke Nuke 'Em, Pac-Man, Samus Aran, Pyramid Head -- each one of these mascots isn't merely an aspect of the game, they are the virtual spokesperson (or spokesthing) which represents the game itself. Yet when you think about it, MMOs have had a tougher time producing mascots than other video game genres, partially because unlike other games, you don't play as the mascots, and partially because when you have a cast of thousands of NPCs, picking out one to elevate above the rest is a difficult job. Difficult, that is, but not impossible. Today we're going to look at ten MMO mascots (MMOscots?) that studios have tried to promote as the face of these games, to varying degrees of success.
Flameseeker Chronicles: Holidays, Hearts of the North, and happy endings
It's been a busy week! We haven't gotten any new Guild Wars 2 news, but things are hopping at ArenaNet and in Guild Wars. We've gotten new content, new items in the NCsoft store, and a new ArenaNet blog entry. The new ArenaNet blog post centered around this year's (unbelievably cute) holiday card. I want to thank reader and MVOP member MediaMaster9000, who received a card, scanned it, and sent it to me for a close-up look. He commented that it was one of the best Christmas presents he could have received, a statement that highlights yet again the effort that ArenaNet puts into personal communication with its fans. If you've not read this blog entry yet, you need to. Concept artist Jamie Jang bypassed digital creation for the card's front image entirely, choosing instead to create and hang real stockings then photograph them. The story behind it is a fun must-read! Holiday cards aren't the only things making Guild Wars fans happy -- we got a dose of new content last week, so follow along after the jump to see what's happening in Tyria! (Be warned, there are spoilers galore.)
Flameseeker Chronicles: My name is Gwen
As we approach the height of the holiday season, we continue seeing a shift in the focus of the ArenaNet team. While there's not a complete move from Guild Wars 2 to Guild Wars 1, things are a bit more evenly divided thanks to Guild Wars: Beyond and the approaching Wintersday festivities. I've mentioned before that it's interesting to watch Guild Wars 1 continue to progress and develop as its own game while at the same time begin telling the story of Guild Wars 2. That's a fine line to walk, and ArenaNet is balancing nicely. While the devs are doing their balancing act and we've got a little lull before Wintersday hits, I want to take a look at someone who is arguably the most iconic character in Guild Wars: Gwen. Most of us have known Gwen since day one of our Guild Wars experience. She trailed around chattering and healing us. She skipped and twirled and stumbled. She became the face and voice of the victims of the Searing for us. She (sort of) welcomed us to the Eye of the North. And she became a legend that carried forward 250 years into Guild Wars 2. Love her or hate her, she is one of the cornerstones of the Guild Wars world. Follow along after the jump as I take a closer look at Gwen.
Flameseeker Chronicles: Love is in the air
Last week was pretty busy for me, but I rewarded myself this weekend by jumping into Hearts of the North with both feet. Once I finally made time to indulge and play through the line, I enjoyed it for the most part. I had mixed feelings about a few parts, and I'll address those in a bit, but the reactions of a portion of the Guild Wars community as a whole were much stronger. I think that Hearts of the North and everything surrounding it is a "love it or hate it" situation for many people. I've heard from many players who are ecstatic about all of this, and many who want nothing to do with it. So follow along after the jump and let's take a look at the ups and downs of all the new goodies in Guild Wars!
Exclusive interview: Guild Wars unveils Hearts of the North
When we last left our heroes, a distraught Gwen was crying in the Hall of Monuments, and Keiran Thackeray had disappeared. Thankfully, knowledgeable Guild Wars fans weren't too worried over the fate of the most prominent couple in the game. Logan Thackeray and Ebonhawke in Guild Wars 2 carry our assurance that the original couple reunited and married at some point. That point has arrived with Hearts of the North, the newest content addition to Guild Wars. Hearts of the North brings new quests and missions to the game as you progress from the search for Keiran to the wedding festivities. There is plenty of variety, including a Bonus Mission Pack-style event in which you play as Keiran and a more lighthearted chance to help a Norn wedding planner arrange the ceremony. The highlight of all the new content, of course, is the wedding. There are five new costumes for you to choose from for the ceremony, so get ready to choose your favorite formal wear and help bring our lovebirds back together! Hold on though, because we have so much more for you! We are as excited to see new Guild Wars content as the rest of the community, and we inundated ArenaNet with questions. John Stumme had plenty to say to all of them, even tossing in a few extra surprises for us. Follow along after the jump for the full scoop on Hearts of the North!
Flameseeker Chronicles: The aftermath of the War in Kryta
The War in Kryta ended with a bang, but was unfortunately overshadowed a bit by the information avalanche coming from Guild Wars 2 last week. It was an extremely exciting week for Guild Wars 2 fans, but I want to backtrack a bit and look at the current state of the War in Kryta. It's been an interesting story from the beginning, and I don't think it's over by a long shot. No war ends with a single final battle that leaves everyone happy and ready to resume daily life, and the same is true of the War in Kryta. Follow along after the jump and we'll take a look at the land of Kryta today.
ArenaNet offers Guild Wars holiday papercraft patterns
Remember April Fools Day in Guild Wars earlier this year when we all turned into excruciatingly cute Chibi Gwen dolls? And the Nicholas the Traveler feeding frenzy when word got around he was handing out Chibi Gwen minipets? If you love the uber-cute little figurine and just can't have enough adorableness, ArenaNet can help you out. Chibi Gwen is the first in a series of holiday papercrafts that Guild Wars fans can download the patterns for. Every Tuesday this month, ANet will release a new pattern for a special Guild Wars themed paper model. Upcoming patterns are a secret, but there is a pretty broad hint as to the last one: "We won't tell you what it is, but save room at the top of your tree!" Hmm, what winged, angelic figure would go nicely at the top of a Christmas tree? At any rate, the pattens can be found all month on the official site, and are a fun way to add a bit of Guild Wars flair to your home.
Guild Wars third year anniversary retrospective: Nightfall and Eye of the North
Guild Wars began life as an unknown; an experiment into combining some of the best elements of Diablo 2-style online hack and slash with the persistent storytelling of traditional MMOs. Its first two years were wildly successful, despite the reservations of veteran players. With several million boxes sold and expectations high, Guild Wars' second year of live service had already begun with a bang. Guild Wars: Factions released to much fanfare, but didn't deliver on all the notes fans of the original Prophecies campaign were hoping for. In October 2006 Arena.net answered those expectations with a brand-new campaign, still lauded to this day as the greatest addition to the series. Guild Wars: Nightfall introduced yet another entirely original campaign setting. It also added the Hero mechanic into the game, allowing players the opportunity to level up their fully customizable NPC allies. Capitalizing on the momentum of that release, the series' first real expansion was unveiled for players in August of 2007. Last year's Guild Wars: Eye of the North added a bevy of new ways to play the game, and paved the way for the upcoming Guild Wars 2. Today, in honor of Guild Wars' third birthday, we've got a retrospective on the two most recent explorations of the original game concept. We'll offer up some imagery from the past, reflect on how the game is today, and look ahead to the future of the series. Click on through to explore the history of Guild Wars, and don't miss our other retrospective on the first two boxes in the series!%Gallery-21579%
One Shots: Charr confrontation in the Eye of the North
Today's screenshot comes to us from the climax of one of Guild Wars: Eye of the North's most memorable quests - Assault on the Stronghold. Your character leads a charge of fiercesome Charr warriors against another group of their kinsmen, in a desperate bid to stop the unleashing of terrible, terrible things. To do so, you have to bust through the fortifications surrounding the heretic Charr encampment. Luckily you have some help: a giant siegeweapon built on the back of an enormous insect. The screenshot above depicts the confrontation between your Charr allies and Pyre Fierceshot, the noble Charr warrior who you call friend.These mighty opponents arrive just in time to save the soul of their people; they're also just in time for Guild Wars' fourth anniversary! Make sure to check out all of recent feature coverage on the game in honor of the event. Especially make sure you check out our retrospectives on both Prophecies/Factions and Nightfall/Eye of the North.Do you have a screenshot of a dramatic quest? An MMO cutscene that just floored you? Whatever your flavor of screenshot, we'd love to see it. Just toss it into an email to oneshots AT massively DOT com!%Gallery-9798%
Guild Wars patch lowers access level for Eye of the North
This week's update to Guild Wars brings the usual assortment of bug fixes and pvp tweaks, but it also offers up a curious change to the way that Arena.net's latest release (Eye of the North) works. At launch two months ago, players needed a max-level character to gain access to the new content. Level 20 in Guild Wars is fairly easy to attain, and I didn't think much of it. Now, though, the company is offering access to the expansion as early as level 10.Additional notes include: Players who are between levels 10 and 19 and are in Eye of the North maps will automatically receive a buff called Journey to the North. This buff [effectively makes them 20th level for armor, stats, and health. The buff also effectively gives characters 20th level attributes.] Players new to Eye of the North can now receive a basic max damage weapon by completing the Hero Tutorial quest given by Burol Ironfist in Boreal Station. Once completed, players receive a Burol Ironfist's Commendation item that can be turned in to Arkor Leadfoot in Boreal Station for a weapon of their choosing. A new armorer, Jolvor Stoneforge, has been added to Boreal Station to give players a cheaper source of basic max level armor in the Eye of the North expansion. So ... what does this mean? The opinion in the community is that almost everyone has a 20th level character. Veteran players talk about running an alt up to 20 like it's nothing, and even challenge themselves with strange and arcane hoops to gain unique titles. Obviously Arena.net feels that there is a significant population of players out there that want to participate in the GWEN content, but don't have a 20th level character.Is there any other reason to drop the level requirement and offer these boosts? Guild Wars vets, fill us in ... why the change so soon after the expansion launches?
One Shots: A sense of impending doom
Our own Jonathan Northwood took this shot taken in the catacombs outside Ashford Abbey in Guild Wars: Eye of the North. Jon tells us that this shot was taken right before the party was slaughtered by a band of Golems. "In essence, they were the Jets to our Sharks." Can't we all just get along?We're considering renaming One Shots to Guild Shots to celebrate its recent Guild Wars exclusivity. In fact, our mailbox has so many Guild Wars screenshots in it we're seriously starting to wonder if you play any other MMOs. We only post what you send us, so if you want to see other games, send your screenshots and stories to oneshots@massively.com. You may see it posted here tomorrow! %Gallery-9798%
One Shots: An impressive view of....?
For today's , we're playing another guessing game. We've borrowed the fascinating image above from Michael Zenke's incredible MMO screenshot collection and we want you to tell us which game it comes from. So speak up! A view this impressive couldn't come from just anywhere.Update: Jeff, who does seem to know way too much about Guild Wars (specifically, Guild Wars: Eye of the North), chimes in with a comprehensive answer for us: It's Rata Sum, the main city of the Asuran regions of Tarnished Coast, previously untouched by humans. They made there surface home there have being pushed out by the Great Destroyer's minions. It's originally a lost civilization's city, and the whole area is bursting full of magic energy, so the Asurans thought it was a natural fit for them, being a hyper intelligent magic race.Do you have a screenshot that you think expresses a memorable moment or an amazing view in your favorite MMO? Send them to us with a description (including game name and location) and you may see it posted here for tomorrow's One Shots. %Gallery-9798%
