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Age of Wushu removes Elite benefits unexpectedly
So, enjoying Age of Wushu? Enough to purchase the game's Elite package with all its attendant benefits before launch? That's great, but if you bought it on the premise of having a permanent mount, you're going to be sadly disappointed. Snail Games USA has announced that the unlimited mount previously announced for purchasers has been removed, replaced by an increased quantity of gold and a few temporary mounts. While it's an understandable balance concern, it's also somewhat upsetting for players who have already purchased the package partly on this basis. This comes in the wake of another announcement by the company clarifying that Elite/Deluxe edition rewards are only given to the first character you create. Deleting and remaking your character will not result in your rewards being resent. This has further angered several players, as this statement was not made until after many players had begun recreating characters without prior knowledge of this policy. The post announcing that these items are one-time-only explains the philosophy behind it, and encourages all players to do ample research before creating a first character for this exact reason. [Thanks to Adam for the tip!]
Some Assembly Required: Six reasons to love sandboxes in 2013
What a difference a year makes, amirite? This time twelve months ago, I was licking the wounds brought on by Star Wars Galaxies' unceremonious and premature departure from the MMO scene. It was bad enough that a profitable title was sacrificed in order to clear a path for one of 2012's biggest disappointments, but it was worse that said title was the premier sandbox in the genre's history. Frankly, the last few years have been abysmal for fans of non-linear MMOs and player-generated content, but thankfully, 2012 righted the ship and gave us more than a bit of hope for 2013.
Age of Wushu's Scholar school teaches the art of death
If you've hopped into Age of Wushu's open closed beta, which started yesterday, you've probably noticed a new school available, one distinct from the previous reveals of beggars, monks, assassins, guards, and such. Folks who prefer a more cultured outlook can join the Scholars, a sect that focuses on the arts. In fact, before joining this school, players must acquire one of the four Cultural professions: Musician, Painter, Calligrapher, or Weiqi. This school is also one of only two neutral sects. With an elegant combat style rooted in dance, scholars use flourishing, theatrical moves in swordplay. They also use musical frequencies to cause internal damage; one legend tells of an ultimate song that can deal fatal damage to a foe without spilling a single drop of blood. You can check out the Scholars moves in Massively TV's Age of Wushu stream.
Age of Wushu kicks off second closed beta
Have a hankering for an ancient Chinese holiday gift? Age of Wushu is dropping a lovely sandbox down some of your chimneys, as the title has just started its second closed beta test. Snail Games said that pre-purchased players will receive the benefits from their elite and deluxe versions of the game shortly after logging in. If you're interested in giving it a whirl without pre-purchasing, all you need to do is register for a limited trial. Trial players get 10 hours of game time with an additional hour per day after that. For Massively's look at this title, definitely check out Patrick's hands-on with the title and MJ's livestream tonight!
First impressions from the Age of Wushu beta
When I first started playing the Age of Wushu beta, I had a lot of expectations. As I first started playing, the game felt ho-hum. It was clumsy, the translation wasn't very good, and the combat felt clunky. My friends saved an infamous IM conversation during which I expressed how the game was a let-down. I had heard a lot about the skill-based martial arts battles, but the combat and movement felt so clumsy. There were some interesting features for sure, but my expectations soon faded, and I mostly kept playing out of a sense of obligation, to see whether there was anything hidden beyond the awkward translation and uninspired gameplay. Three days later, I was a believer. Age of Wushu's combat, while awkward at first, proved to be incredibly deep and allowed for endless variations of personal expression. Mastery of battle wasn't just about abusing a broken mechanic, and the foundations of the game's economy soon proved to threaten the hold that EVE Online currently has on the sandbox market. Open PVP with real consequences, horizontal character progression, a player-driven economy, and the best combat system in any MMO ever -- you'll find it all in Age of Wushu.
Age of Wushu opens next closed beta to all
Is it possible to have an open closed beta? Yup, and Snail Games is doing just that for Age of Wushu's next round of beta testing. Due to the overwhelming response of folks wanting to participate, the game is adding a special trial version for the upcoming CBT. How it will work is that any and everyone who wants to get a taste of the game will have 10 hours of unrestricted access when the next CBT starts on December 20th. After exhausting those 10 trial hours, players who have not purchased the deluxe edition will be capped at one hour of play per day throughout the rest of the beta test, which closes in early 2013. Folks who own the deluxe edition will get more perks besides just unlimited playtime throughout the entire closed beta period. All customization, progression, and skills of all characters will be saved when this beta closes and will be available when the next play period opens. Players who already own Elite, E3, or New York Comic Con editions of the game will have the same unrestricted access as the deluxe owners.
Age of Wushu fans can find balance in the Wudang School
You've seen the ninjas, the show-offs, and even the panhandlers, but nothing really fit with your ideals of inner harmony. If that's the case, then Age of Wushu's fourth school, the Wudang, may be more your style when the martial arts sandbox opens its doors! Known universally as Shaolin Monks, this school focuses on balance of the mind and body and redirects energy used against them to throw enemies off balance. The Wudang favor swords, using them as an extension of themselves in battle. If you want to see the breeze sword, the yin yang sword, and the taiji sword skill sets in action, check out the three videos after the break.
Age of Wushu highlights a third school: Wanderer's Valley
Just as players would expect of a sandbox, Age of Wushu is offering a variety of classes for folks to play the game how they want. Previous spotlights introduced fans to the Beggars and the Tangmen. Now Snail Games is showing off the evil side of life in ancient China; Wanderer's Valley is a darker school that welcomes notoriety for its nefarious actions. Created by a man embittered by his own short life-span and led by fallen members of other sects, the sect is full of adherents who practice a live-in-the-moment attitude with little care for the consequences of their actions. Skills available to this school include the use of pressure points to poison energy and dual blades to slice through opponents. You can even use insects to slowly eat away at enemies. If the prevailing motto of "eat, drink, and torture others, for tomorrow we die" sounds right up your dark alley, then Wanderer's Valley is the school for you!
Age of Wushu unveils its Deluxe Edition
Is something missing from your life following the end of the last Age of Wushu closed beta? Something like Age of Wushu? If you enjoyed what you saw during testing, you might be interested in picking up the game's Deluxe Edition, available from the official site right now. Priced at $19.99, it's a chance for fans to get in on the game early and pick up several perks, including automatic access to the second closed beta beginning December 20th. Purchasers will also receive a bundle of upgrades worth about $15 if bought piecemeal from the game's cash shop as well as 60 days of VIP status. Anyone who buys the Deluxe Edition will also have access to special events and sweepstakes made available only to purchasers. If you can't wait to lay your hands on the game again, you'd probably best head over and order soon, since December 20th is approaching fast. [Source: Snail Games press release]
Age of Wushu devs making 'painstakingly accurate' recreation of ancient China
Age of Wushu may feature wire-fu and mythical monsters, but it also features a pretty realistic recreation of 15th century China. The latest Snail Games dev blog takes us backstage for a look at how the developers are bringing the Ming Dynasty to life. "The details in Age of Wushu are painstakingly accurate, from the largest city to the smallest structure the game is designed to match the real world," Snail says. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, the studio has also included several in-game images with their real-world analogs superimposed on top. See for yourself at the game's official site.
Age of Wushu video pits Beggar vs. Tangman
Already suffering from Age of Wushu withdrawals now that the closed beta has closed? If so, you can get pick-me-up doses of it by watching various videos that show off the game, from a how-to kidnap clip to looks at the different schools. That's not enough, you say? Then how about feasting your eyes on a match-up between Beggars and the Tangmen? Check out the one-on-one duel between members of these two sects in the video past the cut. And if that still isn't enough, check out Massively's recent Age of Wushu livestream with a special dev guest star and keep checking back for all your sandbox kung-fu news.
Age of Wushu's Tangmen school boasts poison, sneaky ninjas
Are you looking to unleash your inner ninja in Snail Games' Age of Wushu martial arts MMO? If so you might want to have a look at a new website reveal that highlights the Tangmen Assassins. The Tangmen school is one of only two neutral sects in the game world, and there's a certain amount of mystery that goes along with the group. The Tangmen favor darts, daggers, and poisons, and Snail says that they "specialize in trickery and sleight-of-hand to catch others off guard." The site update also features information on a few Tangmen skills as well as video footage of said skills in action. We've embedded the Golden Snake Sting after the cut, and you can see the rest at the link below.
Age of Wulin emphasizes guild features
Noting that guilds will play an important role in Age of Wulin, Europe's version of Age of Wushu, gPotato has launched a feature to help their formation for the upcoming fantasy sandbox. Groups can now create private message boards directly on the official Age of Wulin forums, giving players a one-stop shopping experience to find a guild. Why is gPotato encouraging folks to band together? Because a number of gameplay features are accessed only through guilds. Membership in a guild offers special perks, including the ability to take on special jobs and to support one of the in-game schools. Only a guild can own, defend, and develop a castle, or conversely, attack, capture, and even burn down other castles. Castle ownership opens up the ability to offer special services to guild members, including libraries and training areas. Guilds, which can grow up to 400 members strong, can participate in massive guild vs. guild warfare with up to 1,300 players (all members and up to 250 invited allies per guild). And between major PvP battles, members can pass the time by kidnapping servants and robbing the holdings of rivals. Beta testing for Age of Wulin will begin in early 2013; the game will launch later in the year in French, English, and German. [Source: gPotato press release]
Age of Wushu provides important life lessons, like how to conduct a proper kidnapping
Video games are especially known for giving players the ability to do things they could never really do in meatspace. Thanks to Age of Wushu, you can now add kidnapping to the list of dragon-slaying, spell-casting, and other things you (hopefully) don't do in real life. A recent news post details the mechanics of kidnapping offline players and selling them for profit. When players go offline in Age of Wushu, their characters become NPCs, and those NPCs are ripe for the kidnapping. Nefarious players can attempt to knock out, kidnap, and even sell offline players. While conducting these slimy activities, players will be clearly marked for the Scumbag Steves that they are, which makes them target for both heroic players and other kidnappers. Check out the link below for full details on the mechanic or skip below the cut for a video.
Man forced by kidnappers to purchase a PlayStation 3
You can tell the recession is dramatically affecting folks all over the United States when stories about kidnappers forcing their detainee to buy them gaming consoles arise. That's exactly what Kyle Yarkosky is alleging that David Daniels and another unnamed suspect did to him, after forcing him at gunpoint into their vehicle, having him steal his stepfather's credit card, and then drive to the local Walmart where they made him buy them a PlayStation 3. Naples News reports that the suspected assailants entered the Pebblebrooke Lakes gated community in a white truck, with Yarkosky following behind on foot, said to be headed to "meet a friend." Instead, the truck allegedly stopped, with Daniels and "an Asian-looking man" exiting and ordering Yarkosky into their vehicle. The two suspects are said to have forced Yarkosky to steal his stepfather's credit card and drive to a local Walmart, where Daniels intended on having a gun purchased. When the gun counter was closed, he then requested Yarkosky purchase a PlayStation 3. According to reports, Daniels then told Yarkosky he was "free to go," thus ending the ordeal. [Thanks Kreyg!]
PSP helped save a kidnap and torture victim
Jose Ignacio Ortega Garcia, a recent victim of a horrifying kidnapping and torture, managed to survive his horrifying experience by using a PSP to distract his captors. According to a local news report, it appears the kidnappers were distracted by the PSP. "On June 21, Gonzales gave Sanchez a hand-held video game that would prove to be Garcia's savior," the report explains. Sanchez supposedly played "virtually all day that day and much of the night."Garcia was able to loosen his bindings while his kidnappers were playing, and was able to run away, screaming for help. Although he received serious physical and mental injury, we're glad to report that he's alive.We want to offer our sympathy to Mr. Garcia, and hope he makes a full recovery. We hope that any comments made on this story are respectful to Mr. Garcia and his family. Thank you.[Via Joystiq]
AMBER Alert comes to Kingston's Child ID USB flash drive
Similar to just about every other USB flash drive manufacturer out there, Kingston's renditions aren't any stranger to somewhat superfluous security layers, but the firm's latest thumb drive looks to keep your child safe by teaming up with AMBER Alert. While the kid-protecting service has already been available via SMS, the Child ID Kit allows users to upload a smorgasbord of information about a single child including photos, birthdate, hair / eye color, contact information, nicknames, and even fields for parents to explain gaudy tattoos and embarrassing piercings that should only be divulged when searching for a missing youngster. Sporting 512MB of internal storage, password protection, and obligatory encryption, paranoid guardians can snap up one (or more) now for $29.95 apiece. Still, we're not entirely convinced this ultra-modern edition of the milk carton splash will actually help you find missing kiddos any faster, but at least you won't be forced to go searching for their blood type at inopportune times.[Via Gadgets-Weblog]
Family gets Ben Ownby a Wii
Ben Ownby, the recent victim in the kidnapping that shook the residents of Missouri, USA has had a few days to return back to his normal life. Not for trying on his parents' part, however, as they recently got Ben a Nintendo Wii during a small welcome-home party for the 13 year old that saw numerous relatives chip-in together for Nintendo's console. How did he receive it? Mostly with shock and excitement, as one might imagine. Upon hooking it up in his basement, he asked if "anybody [was] up for bowling?"Here's to hoping something as small as a video game system can help Ben get back to life as he knew it before the kidnapping.
