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Wizard101 offers sharks - and a letter from the producer, too
If you've somehow missed the flurry of shark-love that's been taking place on Massively over the past few weeks, let's reiterate: sharks. Even Wizard101 seems to be knee-deep in sharks, judging by the picture accompanying the newest producer's letter, which hints at a possible shark mount in the upcoming Celestia. Oh, wait, that's right -- there was a producer's letter. Leah Ruben, who has recently taken the title of full producer for the game, penned a letter to let fans know how the game is progressing, what to expect in Celestia, and of course, to include art of sharks. Although Ruben doesn't explicitly state that the shark mounts will be available, the prominent artwork certainly suggests that the underwater area will be well-served via aquatic mounts, as well as a wide variety of new tricks and spells for players in Celestia's added ten levels. She does discuss some of the new features, promising that the areas in Celestia will be larger than prior doses of content for the game, as well as talking about some of her roles within the game's development structure. Wizard101 fans will want to take a look at the letter, as it bodes well for the game's future. Also, we must reiterate: sharks. (We'll make sure to ask about sharks during our upcoming interview with the team at GenCon.)
The Road to Mordor: Touring the fall's new content with Turbine (part two)
Last week we began a tour through the upcoming content Turbine have planned for Lord of the Rings Online, including the new-player experience, instance scaling and the region of Enedwaith. By themselves, those features represent so much exciting content that we could've ended there and been satisfied, but that wasn't the half of it. Well, it was the half of it, actually. Here's the other half. Buckle up, it's gonna be a bumpy ride on the Buckleberry Ferry!
June version update goes live for Final Fantasy XI
It's a big day for Final Fantasy XI players the world over, as the much-discussed June version update has finally gone live. And with that comes a heretofore unprecedented change, as the level cap jumps once again for the first time in years past the old limit of 75. Unfortunately for those who had been hoping to avoid the process of the Limit Break quests, the patch notes confirm that players will have to undertake a new quest to reach the new cap of 80. Of course, there needs to be something to slow down the rush to all the new content, right? And there's quite a bit of that going around with this update -- even neglecting the raise in level cap, there are new Wings of the Goddess quests, the Walk of Echoes, newly uncapped zones, and new options in Moblin Maze Mongers. Not to mention that Visions of Abyssea goes live with the update, complete with a small update on the official site about the Empyrean Weapons. So if you haven't started patching your copy of Final Fantasy XI, now would be the ideal time -- the patch is large, and there's a lot to be done.
Players hath spoken, Allods hath listened: Revelations of Gipat includes several player suggestions
Some might say that Allods Online is rapidly outgrowing its pair of britches, which is probably why gPotato piled into a car for a shopping trip to the britch store. With the new Revelations of Gipat 1.1 patch, Allods is expanding in ways that should bring happiness, love and warfare to all. We've already heard about the new mounts galloping into the game, but gPotato isn't stopping there: Players will be able to level to 42, enjoy over 200 new quests, challenge three new endgame bosses (including Strina the Fierce, who makes her Massively debut up top there) and romp through the newest zone, Gipat. In addition to all of this, the developers have been hard at work coming up with new features based on player suggestions. While some of these are small, these quality-of-life features should nevertheless make players very happy. These new features include official add-on support, chat bubbles (which can be toggled on and off), a target-of-target system, additional animations, better audio, more hotkey capabilities and being able to invert your mouse. It'll truly be interesting to see how the players react to this patch, and how the modding community will explore their new playground. Revelations of Gipat is scheduled for later this summer.
Mounts coming to Allods Online with Revelations of Gipat
Allods Online players! Are you tired of trudging around the world, wearing out your feet? Well, it appears that the anticipated mount patch from Astrum Nival is finally coming to the US gPotato servers late this June. That's right -- with patch 1.1.0, also known as Revelations of Gipat -- players will finally get a chance to ride around the world in style on one of two new mounts. Players who call the Empire home will be able to get their hands on a dark Xadaganian Steed warhorse, while Legion players will land the above-pictured Kanian Runner. Both mounts will be attainable for Allods Online players via an in-game quest at level 21. Of course, if you're impatient for a mount, you'll also be able to pick one up through the cash shop. The new patch will also introduce the allod of Gipat with over 150 new quests for players to check out, numerous bug fixes, a level cap increase, and some "major changes to existing game mechanics." As we haven't seen the full US patch notes yet, we'll have to wait and see just how those shake out. In the meantime, we have a shiny new video of the upcoming mounts for you behind the break, and a handful of new mount screens tucked lovingly into the gallery below. %Gallery-91331%
Digimon Battle launches, adds new content
Last month WeMade Entertainment's Digimon Battle flipped the switch and set the servers from open beta to full launch. Since then, players have been completing challenges and quests to ensure that the vil Digimon don't take over Earth and the digital world. To celebrate the smooth launch and growing player-base, WeMade has announced that tomorrow, May 19th, they'll be starting several contests and adding new content for players to enjoy. For the free-to-play side of the house, there will be new maps offering challenges such as new digimon to capture and train like Pagumon, Minomon, and Poromon, to name a few. The level cap has also been raised to 100, with Digimon able to level to 99 as well. Additionally, all players will be able to participate in the events that kick off on the 19th with a race to level their Trainers and another to digivolve five of their captured Digimon to the mega stage. On top of that, a surprise loot chest is dropping quite frequently on the new Sky Dungeon, just waiting for players to snap it up. There will also be a host of new cards and other upgrades in the cash shop as well. If you're curious about Digimon Battle but haven't had a chance to try it out yet, why not pop over to the site, get signed up, and join the Digivolution. With the potential for prizes and new Digimon to train, it's as good a time as any.
S.U.N. gets a level cap increase and new content
Have you hit the skill cap in Soul of the Ultimate Nation? Looking for a few more challenges in the game? The May content update to S.U.N. should make you very happy. All classes will find four new skills available as well as a new quest line introducing the Ether Change System. Complete the four consecutive quests in the line to create the Systems, which can be equipped to your weapon and used. High level players will find even more new content to enjoy. Level 115 players will now find the option for a "change up," a new system that will allow them to gain even more skills and begin the journey to the brand new level cap of 130. The change up system comes in the form of a quest that must be completed before you can start working toward level 130 -- you won't gain XP until you've completed it. So check out the new quest and skills, and enjoy the new content.
The Mog Log: Level 99 problems, of which a sub ain't one
Can you feel it? Do you wake up in the middle of the night, finding that you have scrawled the number 99 on your pillows and wall? Does each passing day grip you with a paralytic knowledge that soon, everything you know will be shattered? If so, you may want to see a doctor about that purple prose syndrome, but you're probably keenly aware that the level cap raise in Final Fantasy XI draws ever closer. With that comes chaos, madness, and the ruinous conclusion that you're going to need to do something about that there subjob. In theory, anyway. Consider: with 24 more levels on your main job, your sub will be also flying up twelve levels to 47 -- enough for new abilities even if said job is on the lighter side for that level band. The obvious thought process here is that it's going to change the face of job combinations significantly. But like much of the knee-jerk reaction to the Vanafest 2010 announcements, in a lot of cases not much is actually changing. That having been said... there are a few jobs that produce an interesting thought process.
Runes of Magic Chapter III launches May 18
Frogster has finally announced the official release date of their Chapter III - The Elder Kingdoms content update for Runes of Magic. The free-to-play fantasy MMORPG will be expanding on May 18th, adding everything from a huge new region, to multiple dungeons, to a multitude of new quests. The new area is the continent of Zandorya, presided over by the monarchy of Dalanis which is in turn ruled by the child-king Callaway. Adventurers will be tasked with restoring the glory of the old Dalanis dynasty and subduing the forces of chaos at work in the kingdom. Players at level 55 and above can already access the first territory from the new kingdom, an area known as Thunderhoof Hills. On May 18th, players will able to access a new collectible card system, new instance difficulty levels and reward systems, new guild castle features and minigames, as well as an expanded level cap.
Wasteland Diaries: What's on the horizon?
Fallen Earth's Patch 1.4 was originally going to include the Deadfall area, item fatigue, pets and new mounts, item overcharging, dueling, New Gallows revision, and raising of the level cap to 50. That, in itself, is already worth the price of admission. But now we are getting even more! The 1.5 patch was originally slated to have the PvP enhancements, such as clan warfare and arena PvP. We will be getting it all in the upcoming 1.4 patch. The release date is Q2, but that's better than "when it's done" if you ask me. Luckily for us, with the Public Test Server, we can check some of this stuff out early. So if you simply can't wait, jump onto the server and take a gander at some of it, at least. The test server has copies of your characters as they existed on February 25, 2010. If you are a new subscriber, you may have to make new characters. There are also special development tools available to you, so that jumping in and testing this stuff is much easier.
GodsWar gets graphical love, new mounts, and more
It seems like things are going great for the team working on Godswar Online. With update 2.0 now live on the servers, players are getting a chance to check out all the changes the team at IGG have been hard at work polishing up. This new update offers a nice graphical upgrade to armors, pets, and more offering even more kawaii than before. The level has been raised to 130, with the possibility of even more adventuring than before, as well as the addition of new class suits of armor and even mythical gear! There are even new mounts for Level 40 and higher players, to give your tired feet a rest. IGG has also opened up two new Godswar Online servers to help balance out populations: Heracles in the US, and Pisces in the EU. These new servers also carry with them some nice rewards for new players looking to check out the game in the form of super experience potions, some fireworks, and other goodies you'll need down the road -- although the special goodie bags are only available until March 18th. Be sure to head on over there and sign up before the goodies run out, if you're curious.
Soul of the Ultimate Nation unearths Aiort graveyard
The crew over at ijji.com have just released a new content update for Soul of the Ultimate Nation, and this one has some nice additions for long-time players. The update introduces a new area called the Aiort graveyards, perfect for those level 100 and higher characters. Did I say higher? Yes! That's because this new update also raises the level cap in Soul of the Ultimate Nation to a mind-bending level 115. Along with the new area and level cap increase, players are being treated to over 150 new quests for players from level 70 on up in places like Etherain, Valley of Dragonkin, the Cursed Tower, and of course within the Aiort graveyards.
Silkroad Online travels to Egypt in Heroes of Alexandria
For the players who have traveled the silk road a very long time, Joymax has good news for you! Their upcoming patch for Silkroad Online, titled Legend V: Heroes of Alexandria is coming out, offering a chance to experience life in a highly stylized version of Egypt that is open to level 100 players. Among the many treasures unearthed in the strange lands of Alexandria are never-before-seen weapons and armor, the Desert of Storms and Cloud, the Valley of the Kings, and two new dungeons called Tomb of the Pharaoh and the Temple. Of course, you can't just expect a simple tank and spank to await you in an exotic place like Alexandria. That's why Joymax has added some interesting difficulty mechanics to the new dungeons. In the Tomb of the Pharaoh, players will be able to choose from three different difficulty levels and can return up to two times per day to hunt for new Egyptian goodies. The Temple is for players at level 105 and will involve not only fighting nasty monsters, but also other competing players! Mmm, PvP raiding. For those who take up the challenge, there are also new set items which will give players a bonus when worn together -- you know, as opposed to just looking nice. In all, it sounds like a great update for players who have long traveled the dusty roads of Silkroad Online. Hopefully we'll get some One Shots of people fighting Egyptian boss mobs like you can see in the trailer we've included behind the break! (hint hint) They're pretty cool-looking in our book.
Skill cap changes hit Star Trek Online's open beta
Cryptic has been getting some fan heat over a recent revelation that Star Trek Online would, in fact, have a skill cap. This runs counter to the original message, which was that players who've reached the maximum rank of Admiral continue to gain skill points. In the new design, those skill points will dry up along with the new ranks once you've reached the cap. It's a sound design choice, as game balance, respecs and future expansions all require some kind of level cap. However, Cryptic noticing this problem so late into the game's open beta is not such a great thing. The dedicated player base is used to the old system, and to them this change appears incredibly insidious. We doubt the more casual players will ever notice or care about the change, but that doesn't help with the ire fermenting amongst the core community. Star Trek Online's Community rep StormShade has addressed the skill cap change and that sound design reasoning explanation is front and center just as expected. We only wish this move had been made a little earlier on, before so many players got used to the idea. [Thanks, Damian!] Enter the Star Trek universe with Cryptic Studios' Star Trek Online. From hands on reviews of the early levels and space combat, through noob questions and developer interviews, we've got everything you need to know about the game trekkies are dying for. Check out Massively's Star Trek Online page for the latest!
Atlantica Online opens Van Gogh's Gallery, adds the Minstrel Paganini to their mercenaries
When Atlantica Online adds a new update, you know it's going to be a unique tie in to the history of the world. This update is no different, as Atlantica adds a brand new, reality bending dungeon to their mix -- Vincent Van Gogh's Gallery.Van Gogh's paintings have been collected by his friends, and have been put on display together in a local church. But, when the paintings start to react with one another and open doors into other dimensions based on Van Gogh's work, it's up to the players to find out what's going on and what drove Van Gogh to madness before his death.Other aspects of this expansion include the addition of the Minstrel Paganini (the woman shown above), a brand new music wielding class based on the 17th century violinist Niccolo Paganini. The level cap is also being increased from 120 to 130, which also means that a few of your mercenaries will bet getting upgrades as well!All in all, this looks to be a trippy addition to an otherwise solid free-to-play title. We applaud the use of Van Gogh's paintings as the new dungeon because, quite frankly, it's a pretty unique concept. Enjoy your decent into madness, Atlantica players! Don't cut off your own ear!
Fallout 3 will not get higher level cap
Bethesda likes you just as you are, Capital Wastelander. At the very least you don't need to keep working on that level grind in Fallout 3, as Bethesda's Jeff Gardiner confirmed to MTV Multiplayer that the game's level cap won't be raised beyond 30. (Back in May, the game's Broken Steel DLC increased the maximum possible level from 20 to 30.)He did, however, note that he's "sure we'll [Bethesda] look into addressing these concerns in future games." Though the company is farming out development of next year's expansion Fallout: New Vegas to Obsidian, the Fallout IP is still very much in Bethesda's hands -- making us wonder if we'll see what Mr. Gardiner is talking about as soon as next year. %Gallery-50700%
Ether Saga Online launches, increases level cap
Ether Saga Online is now officially live, and as we found out last month at E3 from the game's developers Perfect World, this event has gone hand in hand with a large update. We already knew about the introduction of an "Easy" setting for instances, a new world boss, and the reduction of "kill X number of monsters" quests, but there was also an increase to the level cap. In this patch the maximum level has gone from 90 to 105, and getting through these levels will grant the player lots of brand new class skills.The launched ESO is a free-to-play title, and the client can be found here. Check after the break for the full launch patch information.
Runes of Magic to add new zone and level cap increase in August
The major Runes of Magic patch Chapter II - The Elven Prophecy is scheduled for September, but before that comes out there will be some additional new content to tide players over. A new zone called "The Weeping Coast" has been announced; a trailer showing the varied inhabitants of the area can be seen above. Along with the release of the Weeping Coast will come 200 new quests, and a raising of the level cap to 52. All of this can be expected to happen in August.As well as the trailer video, we have a bunch of screenshots of the new zone to show off. You can view the new gallery below, along with our gallery for The Elven Prophecy.%Gallery-66860% %Gallery-65922%
Vanguard's "Halls of the Pantheon" update goes live
Vanguard has been patched with its "Halls of the Pantheon" game update, which marks the first level cap increase for the game. The new level cap is 55, and we're already hearing from the community that getting through the five extra levels is going to take a bit of work. The titular Halls of the Pantheon will have players proving themselves to the gods of Telon in return for great rewards. The feature list for the patch is fairly long, but here are some of the highlights:Feature Details: 200 new quests 1000+ new items 2 new flying mounts Choose your alignment and reap the rewards Find out the truth behind the schemes of Kamelott Become a god warrior and unlock the way to the Halls of Shattered Souls Craft enhancements making them more powerful Craft god armor Craft a unique epic weapon for each class New item mods New resistances Level Increase: New level cap is 55 95 new abilities Spell crafting added Item levels increased New crafting related quest series The full feature list can be found at the Vanguard community site.
Dream of Mirror Online takes it all the way to 64 in their new patch
Most games choose to stop their leveling content at round numbers, like 60, or 70, or 80. Dream of Mirror Online, however, doesn't feel bound by those limitations. They're pushing their content all the way to level 64, and we can't blame them. We've always felt that 64 was a good number that brings back good memories. 64-bit game consoles, Nintendo 64, GoldenEye...We see what they did there. They wanted to bring back our fond memories of GoldenEye as we played their game.Anyway, today's patch adds two new major quests to the game, as well as a few new items for everyone to collect. We're looking forward to grabbing the samurai goodie bags ourselves. If you're interested in getting access to level up to 64, then talk to the Tiger Demon in Eversun suburbs. Once that quest is completed, your character will have access to level up to the brand new cap of 64!
