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Wasteland Diaries: Triumphant return
I remember way back when the Fallen Earth team released Deadfall there were many people didn't partake because they were waiting for Sector 4. And Deadfall was a pretty major update. It was practically a sector unto itself, with the level cap raised by four. As far as content goes, it wasn't far behind Alpha County in terms of scale. Yet for some reason, many players were holding off on re-subbing until the elusive Sector 4 raised its mythical head. Hopefully those players are willing to wait another week or two. Sector 4 is finally here, but I don't feel it's quite ready yet. It's not S4 itself, it's a slew of other things which I'll cover that later. The important thing is if you decide to head into Alpha, be prepared. You might be a little rusty after all of this time away from the wasteland and in need a refresher course in the finer points of not taking a Kaibab dirtnap. If that's the case, don't sweat it, we all are still working out kinks due to the new combat system. But even if you are stumbling back into the game in the most ungainly of fashions, an ounce of prevention is still much better than a pound of cure. There are a few things you can do to help yourself thrive in the new sector. After the cut, I'll give you some advice that may or may not help you along your way. I'm hoping on the former.
Mythos set to break the speed barrier with its new update
Life in Hack-n-Slashville too slow for you these days? Well buckle up and keep your arms and legs inside of Mythos at all times -- the game is set to get a tad faster. An upcoming content update for Mythos is set to include a new feature that encourages players to cut their way through dungeons at a record pace. Using the Dungeon Master feature, adventurers who beat dungeons and accomplish other challenges under a set time limit will be showered with gifts and glory. If you choose to play in this mode, a timer will start the second you enter a dungeon and will go until you vanquish every foe in the place. If you make a new record or beat an old one -- you'll be competing against other players in this -- you'll get a nice package of rewards including in-game currency and rare items. The update is set to increase the level cap and add more PvP content as well.
Wasteland Diaries: Playstyles
Most MMOs have three playstyles. Well, that's incorrect; they actually have any number of play-styles with varying degrees of three types of play. PvE (player vs. environment) is the style of play in which the antagonists are a part of the gameworld itself. PvP (player vs. player) pits the players against each other. And RP (roleplaying) has the players vying for... whatever they decide they need to vie for. Most players engage Fallen Earth (or any MMO, for that matter) with a mix of the three. Fallen Earth is a great setting for the RPers. Its vastness and its interesting-looking locales make for a variety of backdrops. The interesting locales usually make for some great locations for open world PvP. And there are hundreds and hundreds of PvE missions here, there, and everywhere. All three types of players can get a lot out of Fallen Earth if they approach the game properly. The purpose of this post is to help you along with getting what you can out of the game with your preferred playstyle. So without any further ado, click past the cut and read on.
Lost Pages of Taborea: How will Chapter 4's content affect PUGs, gear, and the economy?
In nine agonizing days, the lands will despair as Chapter 4 hits Runes of Magic with all the force of a horde of zombies unleashed upon the TED conference. There'll be zombies, there'll be Dwarves, and oh yeah, there'll be world battlefields. I'm not sure what that last one will entail, but it sounds cool, doesn't it? There's going to be some changes a comin' in RoM when the level cap is raised and new loot is dispersed among high-level players. MMOs can develop ecosystems that only the most in-tune players will be intimately familiar with. While you might be new to the game and happy enough to just quest or dabble in the many features RoM has to offer, there's a posh, red, velvety lounge filled with high-rollers keeping tabs on how new items and stats will trickle down to affect the game. A new level cap means new armor, which means current top gear will be obsolete for said high rollers. Welfare epics will be unleashed on the market, prices will change, and the race for better gear will commence. This week on Lost Pages of Taborea, I want to look at how new content and items will affect the game. How will all the new items affect the economy? How will new dungeons affect pick-up-groups? And will we ever see a Screaming Gargoyle as a pet?
Wasteland Diaries: Sector 4 lives!
To many players of Fallen Earth, the expression "when hell freezes over" has been supplanted by "when Sector 4 is released." At launch, the sector was supposedly largely completed, and it was expected to be released shortly thereafter. After a year had passed and we were still waiting to see it, many players started to believe that it didn't even exist. Well, I am here to tell you that not only does it exist, but I spent a few hours roaming around on the other side of the big wall. Aside from some nice pictures, I got a little bit of insight on what we might expect to see in Alpha County, which will be the first installment in the fourth sector. It's been quite some time since Fallen Earth's opening day, and we have been waiting quite some time for the new sector. But the team at Fallen Earth, LLC has given us a few things to tide us over: Deadfall and Terminal Woods, which combined have as much content as a full sector. So it's not like we've been stuck in Sector 3 for over a year and a half; the devs have given us some new stuff and made some fundamental changes to the game (some good and some bad, but mostly good). The first bit of S4 we will see was released on the public test server (PTS) earlier this week, so I took the opportunity to do some exploring for you (actually my motivations were entirely selfish). After the cut, I'll tell you a little bit about what I saw (slight spoiler alert!).
Dragon God Resurrection live on King of Kings 3
King of Kings 3 is receiving its newest major expansion patch, giving players a wealth of new content and options for their characters. Titled Dragon God Resurrection, the expansion focuses around players searching for the seven Souls of Original Sin, artifacts that can be forged into powerful weapons and armor. But players who obtain the artifacts still aren't out of the woods -- other players will be notified that one of the Souls has been found, leading to large-scale PvP battles over control of the items. Aside from that new addition, the expansion also features a boost in the level cap to 140 and a new set of specializations to bring the total number of classes to 27. Characters will also be able to adventure through 22 new areas, as well as undergo a transformation into a part-dragon status. King of Kings 3 players can begin enjoying the patch immediately, and we have a small selection of preview screenshots in our gallery below. %Gallery-108152%
Ask Cryptic: Champions Online gets an April encore
The first round of Ask Cryptic: Champions Online for the month of April was a bit on the short side, at least compared to its Star Trek Online counterpart. Happily, Champions producer Rob Overmeyer is back with a second segment that is quite a bit longer than its predecessor. The encore covers a wide range of superhero-related questions from the free-to-play title's fans including the next power set revamp (telekinesis), feedback acknowledgment and pricing adjustments regarding the controversial costume slots, and some interesting bits about the last 10 levels of the game (as well as future level cap increases). "In order to increase the level cap we need to update how itemization and rewards work post-40. This is something that we are actively discussing now. Revamping rewards is a huge task and there are no quick solutions," Overmeyer explains. There's a lot more interesting Champions info to be found in part two of this month's Ask Cryptic, so head to the official website and see for yourself.
Through Turbine's palantír: Developers outline LotRO's future
In J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, characters would use magical orbs known as palantírs to see and communicate with far away places. While Massively's own palantír is at the shop, we had access to the next best thing -- a one-on-two chat about Lord of the Rings Online's future with Turbine's Aaron Campbell and Adam Mersky. A lot's been happening since LotRO's free-to-play version went online last fall -- the closest thing to a relaunch that this game is likely to ever see -- and both Campbell and Mersky have one important message for fans: We're just getting started. Even as the Turbine team gears up for LotRO's third expansion, Rise of Isengard, the devs want you to know that they're also dedicated to bringing a good amount of content between now and then. Everything was on the table during this discussion, from this weekend's anniversary celebration to next month's update to the new expansion. Join us after the jump for a look through the palantír to see what information we can pry from the future!
GamesCampus announces Legend of Edda Chapter 2: Return of the God
Hey Legend of Edda fans, are you ready for new maps, new dungeons, new skills, and upgraded third job classes? Hopefully you are, because GamesCampus is giving you all that and more on April 27th. Legend of Edda's Chapter 2: Return of the God update is right around the corner, and GamesCampus is upping the ante in terms of features and content. Upon reaching level 40, players will be able to select a third job class from a list that includes Templars, Champions, Shadow Runners, Scouts, Bishops, and Necromancers. Speaking of levels, we've learned that the cap is being raised from 40 to 54, and new skills are available as a result. In fact, a new guild skill system allows for experience and drop-rate boosts for all members. Legend of Edda's world is expanding as well, with four new open-world maps and three new dungeon instances arriving on patch day. Finally, GamesCampus is tweaking several under-the-hood features including the addition of camera rotation functionality, custom keymapping, a mail system, and various itemization adjustments. You can learn more about Legend of Edda at its official website.
Road ahead mapped out for Final Fantasy XI
It seems that Final Fantasy XI's development team is revealing all of its major plans in one large rush -- and what a rush it is. Yesterday saw the unveiling of the team's plans for the anniversary of the game, and today has seen the posting of the roadmap for the game over the next year. Among the biggest and most surprising reveals are the plans for a public test server, a feature that's been long-requested but heretofore unseen in practice. Slated for release between July and September of this year, the test server will mark a change in the version update release cycle as well as the rate of content releases. As for actual content, while no expansions or addons were unveiled, the current plan includes a new battle system dubbed "Voidwatch," which is meant to help breathe life back into older areas of the game. The final level cap increases to 99 are also on the table for the next year, along with several job adjustments, two new battle systems with only preliminary names, and the cryptic but enticing promise of "new adventurer growth elements." Final Fantasy XI fans have a lot to look forward to over the next year, and while the game is getting a bit older, it's got plenty of life left in it.
A new kingdom awaits in Vindictus patch 1.23
There's more to Vindictus than just hacking and slashing everything into a bloody red mist, and with the game's latest update, that statement is more true than ever. Patch 1.23 has just arrived, bringing with it a variety of new content for the free-to-play action title, starting with the brand-new kingdom of Rocheste. Players at level 22 or higher will be able to travel to the new area filled with new vendors and quest NPCs as well as enjoy the start of the brand-new Expertise system for crafting items. But maybe you're not too concerned about all of that fluff and want to cut things to ribbons. The update is catering to you as well with the level cap bump to 70 and the addition of two new transformations for your character. Along with an increased AP cap, new armors, and a new dueling system, there's plenty of opportunity for Vindictus veterans to enjoy the game's signature gameplay. Take a look at the full patch notes and get ready to enjoy all of the new additions, along with several upcoming events for the game.
Lost Pages of Taborea: GDC 2011 chapter 4 sneak-peek
The big news is chapter 4 is on its way. Runes of Magic is getting a triple-class system -- that should help players find groups -- and more content to explore as players make their way to the new level-70 cap. Besides that and the exciting news that RoM will soon be playable in all its glory on Facebook without any need to download a client, we now know what players will encounter when they first venture into the Land of Malevolence, thanks to the Frogster folks at GDC 2011 who last week gave us a sneak-peek into the coming update! As most veterans of RoM know, chapters have always been delivered to us in chunks, and so shall it be with chapter 4. This first chunk will introduce us to a new instance, the new area (spanning levels 62 to 64), and some interesting story -- which always makes me happy. Read on to see what new things there are to look forward to in RoM and why Mages may be smiling a bit more when this new content is released.%Gallery-116190%
GDC 2011: Allods Online orders a mega-patch with a launch on the side
It's utterly bizarre to consider that Allods Online, for as long as it's been out and playable by the masses, has yet to leave the boundaries of open beta. As we mentioned yesterday, this is about to change, as gPotato announced that the next patch would finally bring the title to an official release. And what a patch this is! Allods players will feast upon a gourmet meal with all the fixins, including a rise in the level cap from 42 to 47. This means that the talent grids are getting bigger as a result, so expect new skills and abilities across the board. Players will receive a talent point reset to let them rebuild their characters if so desired. Check out 16 brand-new screenshots of the patch below, and hit the jump for an in-depth look at Allods' growth and illuminating videos! %Gallery-91331%
Zentia pushes patch 1.2 live
If you've been looking forward to the big expansion patch for Zentia, you're in luck. The patch has recently gone live, giving players a chance to enjoy a plethora of content -- including the marriage system, a rather apropos addition that allows players to have both a ceremony and a reception to commemorate the happiest in-game day of their characters' lives. And if you're not quite feeling in the spirit of Valentine's Day, the newly increased level cap should still offer you plenty to work toward. East Island, a level 70-80 zone, has also been added to the game, complete with mounts and pets to locate. There's also a new Discipline system in place to allow players to focus on new class-based combat skills, helping to distinguish characters and focus specialization. Between that and a variety of new items (including some additions to the cash shop, as could be expected), Zentia players have more ways than ever to enhance a character and plenty of new content to enjoy.
The Road to Mordor: The final ding
It happened far sooner than I'd hoped. I tried to put it off, to ignore the creeping bar, to spend my days in frivolous activities instead of fighting evil -- but to no avail. It was a simple quest turn-in somewhere deep in Mirkwood, and with only two elves to witness the event, a stream of white light erupted from my head. I was level 65. For me, it's always been extremely disconcerting to hit endgame in any MMO, which is probably why Lord of the Rings Online marks only the fourth game of my MMO career in which this has happened. I like the feeling of leveling up, gaining experience, going on a mostly solo journey through the lands. But once I ding that final level, the XP gains go away and the questions arise. What do I do now? Should I become concerned with raiding? I wasn't before! Is there a purpose to keep on questing at this point without XP? Am I going to avoid fighting mobs unless I absolutely have to do so? What is there to do? Will I get bored? Who replaced my wallet with a ketchup packet before I sat down? Join me after the jump as I take you through these questions and more on my journey to discover a life after the final ding.
The Daily Grind: What should expansions do to the level cap?
A successful MMO gets expansions -- it's one of the oldest truisms in the genre, and even as free-to-play games begin to ease in on the market, it remains the prevailing expectation. Of course, the expansion also comes on the heels of several players having already reached the level cap, which presents designers with an interesting conundrum -- how do you get people interested in the new content you're selling? World of Warcraft's choice has routinely been to increase the level cap, making a new rush of content for players to level through before populating the endgame with roughly the same diversity. Other games -- including Guild Wars, Final Fantasy XI, and City of Heroes -- broaden the level cap, adding new content that players can work through without necessarily requiring a new bout of leveling. So which do you prefer from a retail expansion? Do you like the model of adding another group of levels to move through, obsoleting the old level cap but letting everyone catch up to the same point? Or do you prefer an ever-larger endgame with the same cap but more options when you reach it? 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!
Iris Online expansion slated for the 26th
If you've been enjoying the gypsy-themed MMO Iris Online, you probably want more of the game to enjoy. That coincides nicely with the fact that the game is getting a major update Wednesday. The game's first expansion (in the usual free-to-play model of a large patch) will be released on January 26th, bringing along a new dungeon, new monsters, and four new maps to accompany a boost in the level cap to level 60. The update also contains several bug fixes and mechanical tweaks, including the removal of the "Force" mechanic to help balance Battlefield encounters. All of the new areas to explore will contain monsters between levels 50-62, with the new dungeon Wood Garden limited to players at level 40 or higher. There's also a new PvP zone dubbed Spirit's Shelter, featuring a field boss for players to spar against as well as wandering cactus monsters. Iris Online players will luckily not have to wait too long for the game's additions, but the new visual additions to the gallery below will help tide players over until the patch drops. %Gallery-104882%
Next RIFT beta event begins January 25th
The dust is still settling from last week's "Warfronts" beta event, but Trion Worlds is already gearing up for the next RIFT-related shindig. The latest round of testing will commence on Tuesday, January 25th at 10:00 a.m. PST, with a wrap date of Friday, January 28th (also at 10:00 a.m. PST). For those keeping score, this marks the fifth RIFT beta preview to date, and the new event (titled "Battle of the Ascended") brings several additional features to the world of Telara. Among them will be a raised level cap (30), the Scarlet Gorge zone, and a new dungeon called Foul Cascade. Trion is also trumpeting the fact that beta players logged over a million hours of playtime during last week's "Warfronts" event, and today's press release also mentions that the Codex PvP warfronts will continue to be available in the next round.
Double-plus good: Luna Online expansion heading to test servers December 24th
And now for a public service announcement from your friends at Massively. Are you suffering from a severe cute deficiency in your MMO diet? Then you may want to consider Luna Online, which has 400% of the recommended daily allowance of big eyes, oversized heads and giggly animals. To make your Luna Online life even better, gPotato has announced that the new expansion for the game, Luna Plus, is hitting the public test servers from December 24th through January 7th. Testers will be able to preview all of the new content and zones, including a 30-level increase (to the new level 150 cap), an additional race, a castle siege and seven previously unexplored areas. If that's not enough, Luna Plus will feature eight-person mounts, such as a giant snail. We just hope you and your party don't want to get anywhere in a pressing hurry. Luna Online players have a lot to look forward to with this first expansion, especially with the ability to get their hands on it even earlier. For more information, ask your local librarian or head over to Luna Online. The more you know -- and knowing is half the battle.
RIFT announces the second beta event
If you got to take part in the closed beta event for RIFT over the weekend... well, don't tell us about it. Seriously, don't; it breaks the NDA to even say you're taking part. But if you enjoyed it, you'll get another shot at playing the game sooner rather than later. The second closed beta event has just been announced to run between 10 a.m. PST on December 17th to 10 a.m. PST on December 20th. For the second testing phase, titled "Guardians of the Vigil," players will be testing the first 20 levels of the game, presumably on the Guardian side. Reborn as ascended souls of the Vigil, players are tasked with stopping the tyrant Aedraxis, although we suspect many players will mostly be focused on whatever cool tricks their characters can do with another 10 levels. RIFT is still allowing players to sign up for the beta, so if you're interested in the second beta, you might be well-advised to give it a shot. Not that you could tell anyone about it.
