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BlizzCon 2013: Inventory improvements in Warlords of Draenor
In the World of Warcraft: What's Next panel, Greg "Ghostcrawler" Street announced several new inventory updates on the way for Warlords of Draenor. Your bags are about to get a lot less cluttered. New account-wide collections similar to mounts and pets: heirlooms, toys, and possibly tabards. The toy box puts all of your fun vanity items in a spellbook type interface. They will no longer take up bag slots! You can set favorites in your toy box (as well as your mounts) to help sort them, and there will be a new button to "summon a random favorite" mount. Bags will be sortable without any external addons. Other new bag features include the highlighting of recently looted items, a gold piece icon on items which are safe to vendor, and colored borders around icons based on rarity (blue, purple, etc.) Quest items will no longer take up bag space. They will just be activated from the quest tracker. Crafting can be done using materials in your bank and the stack size of many materials is being increased to 100.
Ten things to love and hate about Path of Exile
Grinding Gear Games' Path of Exile officially launched last week after a long open beta. Like so many similar titles trailing in Blizzard's wake, it's a dungeon-crawly pseudo-MMO that skirts the boundary between sinking to "just another Diablo clone" and rising above the genre. Some journalists are praising it as Diablo II's rightful heir, while others are putting it aside in favor of their weatherbeaten copies of Titan Quest, which better satisfy their urge to click-click-click. The reality is usually somewhere in the middle of these extremes, but extremes are fun. So let's examine the top 10 things we love and hate about Path of Exile.
EQ Next Landmark's first dev highlights harvesting, inventory
With EverQuest Next Landmark's focus on building, it's not surprising that the first dev diary would focus on gathering those materials needed for building up the world. In the video diary, Senior Producer Terry Michaels and Creative Director Jeff Butler reveal that over 50 different resources have already been defined in the game, such as gems, wood, and metals. Each resource type has five tiers; the higher the tier, the deeper in the world it will be found. Players will harvest these metals, gems, and wood to make better tools that will in turn harvest better resources. But resources are not the only thing players can find while exploring -- crafting recipes and objects that players can keep or break down into materials will also be discovered throughout Landmark. And of course, with players gathering so much, there needs to be a place to put it all. Butler and Michaels also talked about the three types of inventory space in game (personal, claim, and a vault) and noted that players can access anything put in a vault from any other vault, whereas items stored in chests at their claim are only accessible at the claim. All three inventories, however, can be expanded through play. You can check the full video clip after the cut.
Carriers: iPhone 5s inventory on Friday will be low
AllThingsD blogger Ina Fried is reporting that sources at multiple US mobile carriers are giving her the word that the inventory of the iPhone 5s will be surprisingly low on Friday, September 20. One carrier source even went so far as to say that, "We will have grotesquely unavailable inventory." Another carrier complained of "extremely disappointing shipments from Apple," but thought that demand for the iPhone 5s might not be as high as originally anticipated. Boy Genius Report had originally reported on "severely constrained" supplies, citing "multiple sources." Although we usually take BGR's advice with a large grain of salt, the concurrence of AllThingsD's sources seems to bear out the fact that demand for the iPhone 5s may far exceed the initial supply. The constrained supply is probably the reason why Apple and its partners have decided not to provide pre-orders for the device until Friday, opting to have as many devices as possible available in physical storefronts around the world. According to AllThingsD, and given Apple's history of reticence, "an Apple representative declined to comment." It appears that if you wish to get your hands on an iPhone 5s on Friday, it will be a very good idea to be at your local Apple or carrier store as early as you can.
The Mog Log: Returning to your Final Fantasy XIV friends
Despite my best efforts, I was unable to throw open the doors and start demonstrating the wonders of Arcanist with my time in Final Fantasy XIV's open beta. I know, I'm disappointed too. I can offer a summary of what I saw from a glance at the abilities of the class, sure, but that's a little more speculation than I want to lay on people in lieu of real playtime. (The short version is that it looks interesting, and yes, there's a cure in there.) Instead, I'm going to offer some advice to my fellow players coming back into the game with older characters. Think of these not as strict guidelines but as suggestions, tips to make the path through beta and early access just a wee bit easier. I spent most of phase 3 preparing for the launch along these lines, and it might make the transition a bit more gentle for everyone.
The Daily Grind: What do you spend and what do you hoard?
On most MMOs, my inventory is a sea of consumables. Every little boost I get -- stat boosts, healing items, resource items -- gets squirreled away to be used only when the situation is dire enough to warrant that item going away forever. The net result, of course, is that I have a level 5 stim on my level 55 character in Star Wars: The Old Republic, an item that saw its time come and go long before now. By contrast, if I'm crafting, I go through crafting materials with abandon. There's no time to stop and think that I might use these Cotton Bolls in Final Fantasy XIV in a future recipe; I'm too busy turning all of them into thread. Which isn't exactly better, since I still wind up needing more of these things if they ever become relevant again. I think everyone tends to hoard and spend differently, so today I'm asking how so. What do you spend and what do you hoard? Do you acquire huge piles of money but spend your tokens as soon as you can? Carefully measure out your class resources but go nuts with cooldowns? What are your thrifty habits and what habits... aren't? 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!
Pathfinder Online asks what's in your backpack
Are you the sort of player whose inventory is forever overflowing with items of indeterminate source? You'll want to break that habit before Pathfinder Online is released, because you'll have more to worry about than just the upper limit on items in your inventory. The latest development blog on the official site explains the Encumbrance system, another limit on how many items you can carry due to a combination of size and weight. Hauling around a lot of large and awkward items is going to mean less ability to carry everything else, while lots of little things like herbs will be more easily carried up to the inventory limit. The blog also has more details on what happens to your inventory when you die -- some of your items are instantly destroyed, and only those items specifically bound to you will be exempt from looting. The game is also implementing an item decay system, ensuring that nothing you have is all that permanent, although with the encumbrance system in place that might be something of a blessing in disguise at times.
The Daily Grind: How organized is your inventory?
Actually looking through my inventory in most games is a bit like opening up a hoarder den. I don't know why I thought a level 37 blue chestpiece was worth saving in Star Wars: The Old Republic, but for some reason it's there, and it's brought a dozen friends. My inventory in Final Fantasy XIV could be mistaken for a random test dump of inventory items, not to mention that one of my retainers has so much raw meat sitting in his inventory that he may be legally classified as a slaughterhouse. I don't think we're as good as we should be about keeping our inventories nice and organized. But maybe I'm just a horrible example. So I ask you, dear readers -- how organized is your inventory? Is it a marvel of cleanliness and efficiency, or do you have an entire wing of bank storage dedicated to a purpose you no longer remember, one that involved seemingly random items? 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!
Massively's Darkfall launch week diary: Day one
Darkfall Unholy Wars' April 2013 launch was quite a bit like Darkfall's February 2009 launch. For me, at any rate. One crucial difference was that this time I was actually able to purchase Aventurine's fantasy sandbox title even though I wasn't able to log into it. Four years ago, finding a digital copy of Darkfall was damn near impossible. Fast forward to the present and AV has improved its billing apparatus but certainly not its delivery mechanism. After nearly three hours, DFUW's patcher managed to pull down 90 MB out of 6487. I switched to the torrent download, and while it was faster, I still had to leave it overnight. So technically this is day two impressions even though it's day one for yours truly.
The Daily Grind: Do you hang on to boosters?
The other day I had a terrible realization: I'm a complete and utter packrat in MMOs. Easily half of my bag space in Lord of the Rings Online is constantly filled with stuff that I deem absolutely essential. But that's not really true. I have an unhealthy supply of boosters, buffs, pills, and sports energy drinks in there for when I really, really need them. I never know when I might need their artificial aid in overcoming a tough moment, after all. Unfortunately, even when I do face tough situations, I keep thinking that there will probably be tougher in the future and that I still should not use my boosters. So they continue to accumulate and my bags pay the price for my folly. Are you the same? Do you hang on to boosters too long instead of just, y'know, using them? Do they make you feel more secure, just knowing that they are there? 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!
Dark Age of Camelot launches an update and answers player questions
If you've been playing Dark Age of Camelot for a while, odds are good that you've acquired a lot of things. You've got a set of Epic Armor, you've got tons of items clogging your bank, and you've got a pair of fuzzy bunny slippers that you don't remember buying but you now refuse to remove. The game's latest patch does not improve your slipper situation, but it does improve Epic Armor, add new Epic Weapons and Accessories, allow for remote bank access, and increase the stack limits on many items. So everything else gets better. Does that satisfy you? No? You want to know more about the future of the game? Well, then, you can feast your eyes on a new set of community answers from the development team addressing the future update plans for the game as well as which areas will not be seeing much improvement (throwing weapons, for instance, are pretty much up the creek). So there's plenty for DAoC fans to enjoy. However, no one enjoys those bunny slippers. Seriously. Wear armor like everyone else. [Thanks to Etaew for the tip!]
Captain's Log Supplemental: An exclusive interview with Daniel Stahl
Huzzah! It's here! Star Trek Online's third anniversary celebration begins today! So while we all await the patch and loosen up our trigger fingers in order to undertake the new mission that will reward players with either an Ambassador class or a Kamarag class ship, you can sit back and read a new interview with Star Trek Online's Executive Producer, Daniel Stahl. Stahl took the time out his busy schedule to answer a litany of questions about the past year as well as the future of STO. We were also given a few new screenshots and you can view them in the gallery below. There are a lot of questions, so let's get to it! %Gallery-177708%
The Tattered Notebook: Tips and tricks to start the new year in EQII
Hellllloooooo fellow Norrathians! It is I, MJ -- the intrepid explorer, with a penchant for lightning and fire. And am I excited to be here! Right about now you may be noticing a slight change in authorship of your favorite EverQuest II column. You aren't seeing things; through a marvelous confluence of events (and no, I don't mean kidnapping Karen Bryan and locking her in a dank cell in Freeport!), I have the opportunity to share my love of this game with you alongside another Norrathian denizen, Jef Reahard. And any of you who have seen me gallivanting about EQII's many lands on Massively TV every EverQuest Two-sday can attest to the fact I really do love this game. So it is with no shortage of glee that I begin my first Tattered Notebook entry. Feastday, Blossoming 7, of the year 3897 Throughout my most recent journeys, I have noticed that there is a good chunk of population that has either returned to the lands after a lengthy absence (not unlike yours truly a few years back) or is pretty new. For both groups, there are a number of little things that may be unknown or forgotten; heck, I've played for a long time and am still discovering these things! So today I am going to share with you a few of the tips and tricks I have learned for a smoother Norrathian life.
iPhone 5 ship times improve to 2-4 business days
Apple's inventory of the iPhone 5 is improving with ship times jumping from one week to two to four days. These shortened delivery estimates were first spotted in Apple's Australia and New Zealand stores. These are some of the shortest ship times for the handset since it launched in late September. According to Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster, the iPhone is also readily available in retail stores. This combination of improved online ship times and in-store availability bodes well for holiday sales of the handset.
EVE Online sorts out its inventory system
While inventory management might not be at the top of everyone's most-anticipated expansion features, CCP is going to lengths to drum up enthusiasm for EVE Online's upcoming inventory overhaul. In a new dev diary, the changes coming with the Retribution expansion are laid out in excruciating detail. When players get their hands on Retribution, they'll find a much more streamlined inventory experience. The windows will persist longer, performance time will improve by leaps and bounds, the system will be easier to use, a compact view will be introduced, and there will be multiple ways to access one's inventory. Even something as small and mundane as the scroll bars are being revamped. The devs are also adding an intuitive feature to allow players an easy way to loot wrecks either all at once or one at a time based on whether or not the index tree is expanded.
Initial stock of fourth-generation iPads now at 1 week for all models
Days after exhausting the initial supplies of the iPad mini, the online Apple Store is showing that all models of the WiFi fourth-generation iPad have a one-week shipping time. If you were hoping to have your hands on one this Friday, you'll have to wait in line at an Apple Store for it. Cellular-capable versions of the fourth-generation iPad and iPad mini are still on schedule to be released in mid-November. [via 9to5Mac]
iPad mini ship times at 2 weeks for all WiFi models
You are now out of luck if you want to order an iPad mini from the comfort of your home and receive it on Friday. As of Monday morning, ship times for all models of the WiFi iPad mini have slipped to two weeks. Pre-orders for the mini tablet started on Friday and the white models sold out within 20 minutes. Inventory of the black models remained strong until Monday morning when the first production run of the tablets also sold out. Customers who want a WiFi iPad mini on Friday's official launch date will have to buy one from their local Apple Store. Cellular versions of the iPad mini will go on sale in mid-November. [Via TechCrunch]
Final Fantasy XIV explains changes to money and items
A lot of changes are coming to Final Fantasy XIV when the relaunch finally comes around. Changes to currency and item properties are among the less interesting of those changes, but they're certainly going to have a big impact on the game. A new update from the development team explains in depth what will be changing, what items will be removed, and what will happen to currency values. The currency one is what's going to throw the largest number of players for a loop, as the game is reducing all money values to a tenth of what they once were. To reduce numbers, all money is getting the ones digit removed, meaning that players will be 10% as wealthy as they are now, but all vendor prices will be 10% of their current values. Net purchasing power should be identical. There will also be a number of items removed from the game, altered, or otherwise changed with the new version. Players will lose several key items and ammunition, and other items will be bound to a player to prevent trading. Take a look at the full rundown for all the particulars on graphics, money, and other mechanical shifts to inventory management.
Apple's components spending increasing dramatically
Statements made by Apple CEO Tim Cook and CFO Peter Oppenheimer during the recent 3Q 2012 earnings call are beginning to make sense in light of news from AllThingsD's John Paczkowski that shows that Apple's prepayments for inventory components are ramping up in a big way. The Apple executives had noted that the 4Q 2012 earnings guidance would be down due to a "product transition," basically a way of saying that they'd be spending more on building inventory for a new product coming down the pike. Cook and Oppenheimer also repeatedly referred to "confidence in the new product pipeline," meaning that something big is coming from the company. (Chris referenced this in passing in yesterday's Rumor Roundup.) Paczkowski pointed out a chart in Apple's latest 10-Q filing (at the top of this post), which shows prepayment for inventory components in the June quarter rising US$1.15 billion over the previous quarter. That's a huge buildup, and Wells Fargo Securities analyst Maynard Um is cited as saying that "Historically, such increases have been followed by a solid ramp-up in revenue in the following 2-3 quarters. In our view, an increase in inventory component prepayment may suggest that Apple is securing supply for potential new product launches." As reported by several sites yesterday, the anticipation is building for a rumored Apple event in mid-September. There's a good chance that one of those products is the next-generation iPhone, but perhaps we'll also see other products getting a refresh. What updated or new Apple products do you want to see? I'm holding out for a new iMac, while several of the other TUAW bloggers want a new Mac mini. Tell us your wishes for new products in the comments. #next_pages_container { width: 5px; hight: 5px; position: absolute; top: -100px; left: -100px; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } #next_pages_container { width: 5px; hight: 5px; position: absolute; top: -100px; left: -100px; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } #next_pages_container { width: 5px; hight: 5px; position: absolute; top: -100px; left: -100px; z-index: 2147483647 !important; }
The Road to Mordor: What Update 7 means for you
Without fail, the second I'm done writing this column for Massively, Turbine releases the big news of a major patch, and I have to wait a whole week to talk about it. In the case of Lord of the Rings Online's Update 7, I'm not that upset. I definitely was underwhelmed by it all initially, but now that I have had a whole week to digest it, read through the test server notes, and scope out the Moria dev diary that was posted, I feel like I'm in a much better position to talk about it. So what does this game update mean for you? That's a good question, and it really depends on where you are in your leveling journey. New players won't be fazed by it whatsoever, but both mid-game and endgame adventurers are going to have some new (and reworked) content to devour. I am heartened that Turbine doesn't have tunnel-vision for the endgame and is still willing to go back and examine what does and doesn't work about its earlier content. So let's walk through the major highlights of Update 7: Shades of the Past and give it the ol' Road to Mordor analysis, shall we?
