halloween-2010
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Costume design and hints of what's to come: Massively's interview with the Guild Wars team
Halloween may be over, but it lingers on in Guild Wars. The new costumes and the new Halloween masks can still be seen all over Tyria as players show off their latest dye mixes and combine the masks with various armor sets and costumes. The event resonates in another way too. We got so many hints and details on new and old characters in Tyria: we were introduced to the Lunatic Court, we met Mad King Thorn's ex-wife, and even Palawa Joko made an appearance. All of this seemed to hint at more to come, and fans were left wondering: is this the last we've seen of all this? We at Massively were anxious to know too, so we went straight to the source. Live Team Lead John Stumme, along with artists Susan Jessup and Kristen Perry, spent some time answering our questions about the thoughts and ideas behind the creation of the new costumes and masks. In between their answers, they managed to drop all sorts of exciting tidbits about what's coming in Guild Wars. Read on past the break to see for yourself!
[UPDATE #2] DDO: Endless night or endless bannings?
What began as a fun Halloween event in Dungeons and Dragons Online has turned into a sour experience for several players. Last night, three-day bans were handed out by Turbine GMs who determined that DDO players were reportedly taking advantage of an exploit during the Mabar, The Endless Night Festival. However, many hit by the bans were unaware of the exploit, and were disgruntled when they were hit with the ban right as customer support left for the evening. According to the notices sent out, Turbine feels justified for these actions: "Recently we conducted an investigation into an exploit that was being utilized in Dungeons and Dragons Online: Eberron Unlimited, involving our recent Mabar, The Endless Night Festival. As a result of that investigation, your account has been identified in utilizing this exploit. Please be advised that use of an exploit is strictly prohibited by our Code of Conduct." One thread concerning the bannings was deleted, although another persists. Players express disbelief over what they see as punishment for rules they didn't know existed. One player, Madmonkey2, summed up the collective disbelief: "If the player has no idea what is going on, how can they be guilty of abusing an exploit? I personally did not gain one single benefit from that event, yet I am accused to doing something (unknown) repeatedly to benefit somehow?" As you may recall, the Endless Night Festival was plagued with issues in the preview, although the event appeared to proceed more smoothly on the live servers. [Update: The forum thread we mentioned has since been deleted] [Update: It looks like those bannings happened by mistake. According to Turbine, less than 1% of the player base was affected, but those players can expect the error to be rectified and to receive compensation as soon as possible. Turbine's Tolero has posted a statement on the DDO forums.]
I am 8-Bit headgear: it's always in season
We know, Halloween is so last month, but with a costume like this... who cares? Dan Liuzzi's "I am 8-Bit" headgear was crafted from insulation foam, joint compound, a cardboard box, glue, some gesso spray and acrylic paint. Even Dan himself calls the project "pretty amateur stuff," noting that it took him around two to three weeks to complete. You've got a bright future in that face, Dan -- we can just feel it. P.S. - Hit the source link for even more pictorial goodness.
Flameseeker Chronicles: I can't hear you, I have a pumpkin on my head!
Yes, that is my favorite Mad King Thorn joke. I laugh like crazy at it every year. The Halloween festivities are almost over, and as I write this I've got both accounts parked in Kamadan waiting for my Spectercles. You know what, while I'm on the subject of that festival hat, I'll go ahead and address the question of "How do I get a hat?" Unfortunately, if you are reading this and you do not have the Furrocious Ears or the Spectercles, you are too late. Some festivals keep collectors around for a period of time after the event ends so latecomers can still get the hats, but for Halloween you must attend one of the Mad King's appearances on October 31st to get them. This year's hats will look very familiar to Aion fans. Not being one of those, I prefer to enjoy my Spectercles from a different perspective and spend a lot of time saying "Awwww!" when looking at my characters in the Furrocious Ears. So what else has been happening in Tyria? Follow along after the jump to see!
One Shots: I am the shadow on the moon at night
You can't miss the presence of Halloween here at the Massively virtual offices. We trade screenshots of MMOs year-round, but at Halloween there's a sudden deluge of different events, costumes, and other things to share. As several of us here play Guild Wars (surprise), many images of the game have been traded. Today, we wanted to share a great Halloween one we got from regular reader Canineteeth (or Canineteeth Felorn in-game), who captured this recently while gaming. Canine writes in: "Halloween is back in Guild Wars, bringing along with it Halloween quests with horrible puns and minigames. This shot was taken in the Tomb of Primeval Kings, showing how even the moon dresses up for the festivities." With the holidays coming, that means time off! Time off means gaming! Gaming means screenshots! You see where I'm going with this. Send your screenshots in to us here at oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a brief description. We'll post them out here and give you the credit. %Gallery-85937%
One Shots: Smashing pumpkins
The other night many Global Agenda players got the chance to celebrate Halloween with the developers from Hi-Rez Studios and our very own Sera and Beau! Since we're bidding goodbye to Sera today, and as we're in the middle of the season for all things spooky, it's a perfect time to showcase this great image that was sent in to us by Destroid. He writes in to tell us about the fun: "There's nothing to be scared of in the Oasis Checkpoint of Doom when you have pumpkin-headed Hi-Rez developers around to keep you safe from the scary androids. That's HiRezColman on the left, who was spawning bosses and elites during our raid to help us survive the night." We would love your screenshots for One Shots! Just email them in to us here at oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing. Please make sure your images are at least 1024 pixels wide and try to hide/turn off as much of the UI as possible. Yours could be the next one we feature here on Massively. %Gallery-85937%
The Mog Log: Relaxing with community answers
Sometimes, all it takes to see an answer is a subtle change of attitude. For the past month or so, I have been trying to spend every ounce of spare time available on Final Fantasy XIV, but I'm starting to relax a little bit because I realized just how silly it is. I would rather enjoy the journey and get there when I get there; level 50 will come as it does, and hopefully by that point my fellow AETHER members will be able to craft spectacles. Until then, let's just relax a bit and indulge a few questions with answers, yes? Gente asks: Why is Final Fantasy XI the only game getting a holiday event? There's no Halloween event for Final Fantasy XIV this year, no. There will likely be one next year, however, as the development team has stated there are events in the works for as early as the end of the year. Considering past experience with Square-Enix and this most ghoulish of holidays, we can expect it will feature an inordinately useful item and a surfeit of ghosts within the city walls.
EA launches Halloween sale of $1 iPhone games
Like all good Halloween festivities, EA's weekend sale on a number of iPhone titles, including Wolfenstein RPG, R-Type and Scrabble, features a few tricks and a few treats. Go bobbing for the complete list after the jump.
Get ready for Halloween in Aika with our Pran costume giveaway!
Halloween is almost upon us, bringing tricks, treats, and costumes in most MMOs. Aika is no exception -- the game's charming little Pran sidekicks are just as anxious to enjoy the festivities as any player, so gPotato has made arrangements for them to do just that. We have 1,000 Pran Halloween costume packages to share with you guys. Each package contains a rare Spooky Mask, a set of Skeleton Wings and Headband, all of which will last for 20 days -- plenty of time for your Pran to celebrate the spooky season. To top it off, the package also includes an Enriched Rubicine Extract. You have until November 27th to get your code, so head to our giveaway page to get your Pran outfitted for Halloween! Pick up your Pran Halloween costume package!
This is Halloween 2010
Halloween is a special time for MMOs -- more so than one might think. In the grand scheme of holidays, it's not a particularly important one, but it's a chance for developers and fans alike to indulge in some seasonal bliss amidst a backdrop of monsters and pumpkins. And considering that there aren't many MMO players who dislike dressing up and getting loot from anything, it's a perfect holiday for fans of our peculiar little hobby. This year has been no exception to the rule. Not only have we seen a plethora of new and returning events, a couple of games that aren't even technically released yet have gotten in on the action. So click on past the break for the rundown of all the holiday events that we've covered or been notified about. You still have a little time to take part if you've been avoiding them, but hurry... these events will likely not rise from their grave again until next year.
The Perfect Ten: Halloween MMOs
We're only a few days away from Halloween, and already the Massively office staff is dressing up in anticipation. Shawn's post-apocalyptic gear is at odds with Rubi's tastefully modest Guild Wars Elementalist outfit. Greg's Squig is in the corner battling it out with Larry's Chewbacca. Bree is dudded up as a giant red corrective marker; Jef's free-to-play outfit requires microtransactions to view in full; and Kyrstalle is photographing it all with her Poloroid One-Shot camera. I think Eliot showed up in full plate armor and riding a mechanical bull, but that just may be his normal work attire. So as everyone else is goofing off in the spirit of the holidays, it remains to me, your lovable intern, to hack out a top 10 list in honor of All Hallow's Eve. It's the least I can do since they're paying me in candy. While every MMO incorporates horror at some point (even, yes, Hello Kitty Online's Cat-Tastrophie zone), and it's nearly impossible to escape a clutch of giant spiders in any game you visit, I've picked out 10 MMOs that best deliver a slice of October 31st. Some are old, some new, some canceled and some yet to come, but these are 10 of the spookiest MMOs in the world.
Flameseeker Chronicles: Your guide to Halloween 2010
I've been focusing quite a bit on new Guild Wars players these days and this week is no exception. I'm excited to see how many players are picking Guild Wars up for the first time, or are returning after checking things out briefly way back in 2005. This week is a fun one thanks to the Halloween festival, and those of you who haven't played during one before are probably a bit overwhelmed. Even those of you who have been away for a few years may be surprised by how much the festival has expanded since you were away. This week's Flameseeker Chronicles is for you guys -- follow along after the jump and we'll take a tour of this spooky version of the world of Tyria.
Halloween comes to City of Heroes
Most people look forward to Christmas for presents, but City of Heroes players look forward to Halloween. After all, the celebration of all things ghoulish brings with it the opportunity for players to gain that most coveted of rewards -- an extra costume slot. The Halloween Event has run in Paragon CIty and the Rogue Isles for many years, and this year doesn't just bring the event to the new region of Praetoria, it gives all characters a chance to earn some new badges and take part in some new monster-themed activities. The biggest addition to this year's event is a tip mission that sends you on a seasonally-themed mission arc, which can be started by hunting for tips while wearing one of the many costumes offered through the event. (Other costume powers are confirmed to work too, in case you'd rather be a Rikti.) Of course, the classic elements from years past have remained intact, with players getting a chance to collect special Halloween salvage and build themselves an extra costume slot. Take a look at the event page for a rundown of all the new badges and the event features, and log in to City of Heroes before midnight on October 31st to take part in all the festivities.
Exploring Eberron: Endless Night and guild changes
Wow, there is so much to talk about this week! I wanted to focus exclusively on character stats and what to do with them, but a couple of other events have made me put that on the back burner until next week. OnedAwesome, the Massively Dungeons and Dragons Online guild, met last night as usual, but there are some big changes coming. Update 7 launched yesterday along with a special surprise: a preview of the "Endless Night" Halloween event. That preview was a bit of a surprise in more ways than one, as some severe bugs caused an early shutdown and an irate group of players. Follow along after the jump as I sort through these latest events!
Father and son create elaborate Samus arm cannon
11-year-old Joseph DeRose decided he wanted to (cross) dress as Samus Aran for Halloween this year. So he and his dad set out to build a replica of Samus's Metroid Prime-era Varia Suit, starting with the arm cannon. The final cannon has a speaker and LED lights controlled by an Arduino microcontroller, so it can be made to fire simulated Power Beam, Plasma Beam and charged shots. Joseph even has to correctly "log in" to use it! The rest of the costume is still incomplete, but at this point Joseph has a perfectly acceptable backup costume: "Guy With This Awesome Arm Cannon."
Dungeons and Dragons Online Update 7 and Halloween event now live
Turbine is calling Update 7 the "biggest update yet" since Dungeons and Dragons Online went free-to-play last year. If you doubt the company's claim, you can now decide for yourself. Update 7 came to DDO today, bringing with it a huge amount of new content. There are two new races -- the Half-Orc and Half-Elf -- some exciting UI updates including a search string for the auction house, a brand-new 12-man raid, and a completely free adventure pack. Even better, the Halloween event that we peeked at on the first of the month arrives today as well. "Endless Night" is available in Delara's Graveyard now, so log into DDO to check it all out! %Gallery-105549%
Star Wars Galaxies ramps up for the Galactic Moon Festival
Even if you're in a galaxy far, far away, that's no reason to get away from the festivities that Halloween brings. It's time for Star Wars Galaxies to host the Galactic Moon Festival once again, an event wherein mystical Jedi warriors and proud Wookiee soldiers can pretend to be fantastical, made-up creatures like ghouls and vampires. And while there's a touch of thematic disconnect there, if there's one thing we MMO players seem to love, it's a good holiday event. Starting on the 21st of October, the Galactic Moon Festival features everything you could want in a holiday celebration -- cosmetic costumes, minigames, and plenty of little treats for players to acquire over the course of the event. Aside from a variety of rewards to be earned via a particularly terrifying costume, there are new pieces of cosmetic clothing to be purchased, from the elegant Z'zopheratu's jacket to the adorable Rotta the Huttlet backpack. Take a look at the full preview to see what's coming for Star Wars Galaxies with the festival.
Final Fantasy XI prepares for a haunted harvest festival
It's time for the events to start rolling in for Halloween, always a favorite holiday for MMOs to celebrate. Final Fantasy XI has been running its own ghoulish take on the occasion for many years now, and the most recent iteration promises to be more of the same. This year's harvest festival has just been announced, complete with the requisite piece of fiction to help ground the holiday in the lore of Vana'diel and its inhabitants. Running from October 19th to November 2nd, this year's festival promises to contain many of the elements seen in years past, such as trick-or-treating and the joy of setting up decorations. Longtime veterans will remember that this event also lets you obtain the desirable Treat Staff II as well as a number of cosmetic items, which makes for a fun experience all around. Take a look at the official announcement, and get ready for another October of rather meddlesome spirits in Final Fantasy XI.
Carve pumpkins to win Halloween prizes from Turbine
If you're a fan of any of Turbine's games -- be it Lord of the Rings Online, Dungeons and Dragons Online, or Asheron's Call -- the Halloween season is going to hold the potential for some extra treats. Turbine's annual pumpkin-carving contest is on again, and the prizes are as good as ever. Carve a pumpkin in the theme of your favorite Turbine game and send in a digital photograph. There will be one winner for each game. The winning DDO and LotRO pumpkin carvers will receive 3,000 Turbine Points each and a special forum title. The winning Asheron's Call pumpkin will receive 60 days of free game time, a special pumpkin golem, an in-game title, and a forum title. One runner-up in each category will receive a special forum title. It's a pretty good deal for having a little Halloween fun afk, so check out all the details and get to carving!
