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Enter at Your Own Rift: The no-quest challenge
OK, I know you all probably want to talk about the news that addons are coming to RIFT, but the truth is that it's not that big of an issue for me. My feelings on addons are that I'm for them if they enhance the game and encourage player creativity, but I'm against them if they reduce players to mere statistics in the eyes of others (GearScore) or are absolutely necessary to tackle the game's content. So if you feel passionate about this topic, I give you leave to vent more about it in the comments below, but as for me and mine, we're going to look at quests today. More specifically, not doing them. Now, I generally like quests. They give me a feeling of accomplishment (as I am fond of checking off items from my to-do lists in real life), the stories are occasionally interesting, and they give nice boosts to leveling. But I've come to realize something interesting about RIFT that might run under the radar of most: Quests are superfluous to the game. Well, at the very least, they're optional and not the mandatory tasks that most modern MMOs make them out to be. So I had a thought. What about playing RIFT without questing at all -- taking on a "no-quest challenge" of sorts? Is it not only possible but fun too? Hit the jump and we'll examine this from all the angles.
E3 2011: EverQuest II's Dave Georgeson in 3-D
If you're going to fly, why not fly with a little style -- and in 3-D? At E3, we were able to grab some facetime with Dave "Smokejumper" Georgeson, EverQuest II's executive producer, as he showed us the next dimension of MMO gameplay while we checked out some of the new aerial races in the game. "We wanted to do a little more with the flying creatures than to go from Point A to Point B," Georgeson said, referencing EQII's aerial races. "So we put in these flying race courses, which is a good test ground for showing off 3-D." It's one of those things that has to be seen to be believed. The 3-D effect while flying is, in a word, awesome. The user interface is up close, your character is somewhere in the middle, and the environment is in the background. The effect is very noticeable when you turn, which happens a lot while flying. Hit the jump to hear more of Georgeson's thoughts on 3-D in EverQuest II as well as a get tantalizing sneak peek at the game's future!
Scott Hartsman: 'Happy customers stick around longer'
"Here's the overall philosophy behind all this: Happy customers stick around longer," Scott Hartsman said in an interview with Gamefront. "That's what we think. That's the beginning and end of it." It may seem like common sense, but for Hartsman and the team at Trion Worlds, it's a lesson they feel is easy to forget. He cites this as the driving force behind one of the game's major upcoming changes: the ability to transfer characters between servers for free. Trion hopes that the character transfers will help friends connect without the obstacle of separate servers getting in their way. Hartsman said that the tech behind the transfer is impressive -- not to mention "instantaneous" from a customer standpoint. Hartsman says that the team places a premium on talking frankly and frequently with players. If Trion doesn't always come across as perfect, he hopes that the company makes up for it with communication and sincerity: "We don't want to hide behind a big wall, and we don't want everything to come through a formal mouthpiece. I'd rather have us all out conversing with people and occasionally making a mistake here or there on the assumption that because we are talking to people more means that overall, things are going to be better." The lengthy interview covers a wide range of pressing topics, from the "bumpy" River of Souls event to the LFG system and the free trial program.
Lost Pages of Taborea: The poor, lonely looking-for-group tool
Karen's recent article about RIFT's new looking-for-group tool got me thinking about Runes of Magic's own LFG tool. It seems like such a nifty function, but it hardly ever gets used in RoM. It's such an interesting tool that I'm happy to see in the game, but it also seems to be better on paper than in practice. Part of the reason might be that it's slightly clumsy to use for the first time, which I'll get to a little later. LFG tools are one of those things that a lot of players ask for nowadays, but they only ever seem to be used minimally unless the devs attach incentives. Let's turn caps-lock off, stop shouting in world chat, and take a closer look at RoM's LFG tool.
RIFT podcast celebrates the end with Scott Hartsman
It's a sad day for The RIFT podcast, as its latest episode, 42, will also be its last. It's not due to a lack of interest in the game, however, but rather to real-life health concerns. One of the hosts, Arithion, is extremely ill and apparently can't look at moving pictures on a screen for more than 10 minutes, making gaming impossible. So the podcast creators decided to end the show on a high note, inviting Scott Hartsman and Cindy "Abigale" Bowens to join them for a candid interview about RIFT's future. Hartsman indicated that news about guild banks and character transfers is coming very soon, saying, "We have a slick little answer" for the latter. He also revealed that RIFT's Weather Cast summer ad campaign actually used real weatherpeople, and the fact that the company is continuing with television ads is a good indicator of how well the game is going. The LFG tool has had a huge impact on the game, as Hartsman's seen "multiples" of increments of players diving into dungeons since it went into place. The team is hard at work tweaking the system to make it work perfectly. While The RIFT Podcast is riding into the sunset, there's always hope. "Forty-two doesn't have to be the end," host Desikis said. "Who knows, there might be a comeback!"
RIFT's Spoils of War update deploys
It's a heady day for RIFTers as Trion Worlds has released the game's second major update. Titled Spoils of War, patch 1.2 includes several exciting additions to the game, most notably a Looking for Group tool, a cosmetic appearance system, and 10-man raid Slivers. The LFG interface will also offer daily dungeon quests with increased rewards as incentives to boost instance runs. The full patch notes are up over on the RIFT forums, and they're a doozy to read (but one has to have some way to pass the time while the game updates, right?). In addition to the headlining features, there is a metric ton of changes, tweaks and sparkling gems to absorb. Spoils of War will make the game's expert dungeons more attractive to run, and players who love tinkering with RIFT's soul system should rejoice at the addition of a fifth role. Trion's also added a lot more love for social media with increased integration between the game and Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Tumblr. There's really too much to cover in a few brief paragraphs, so after you read the patch notes, make sure to check out our larger coverage of this impressive update from a couple of weeks ago! If you haven't had a chance to get your hands on RIFT, Trion's also launched its seven-day free trial and Ascend-a-Friend programs for one and all.
Wings Over Atreia: As the Forts Turn
Today's episode is brought to you by the letter QQ. The remnants of battle could be seen wafting in the currents of the Abyss -- feathers both dark and light tumbling about. The victors shouted, drunk on the energy of conquest. The defeated limped off the battlefield, returning home to mend their wounds. Meanwhile, safely back in town, eyes glance at the chat box... "OMG!1! We lost our fort! The world is ending, there is nothing for me to live for -- I am canceling my subscription!" Speedylips throws herself to the floor, body convulsing with sobs as she cries out in utter agony at the unfairness, the pure torture of it all, while all around her others are kicking and screaming. "WAAHHHHHH!"* Not to be confused with Warhammer Online's trademark cry of battle "Waaaaaaggghhh," this cry* is the sound of desperation among the Daevas of Aion. Or -- in truer words -- infantile tantrums. Yes, tantrums. What else would you call it when people bemoan the change of fort ownership with vicious verbal attacks on others, excessive blame-placing, and numerous announcements of quitting that scroll by in LFG so quickly your head spins trying to catch the actual snippets of relevant chat? Yet this is the common sight whenever one faction starts losing some Abyss real estate to the enemy. And to be perfectly honest, I don't get it. In a game that is built on the give and take of battle, why do people get so put out when they suffer a setback? This is exactly what Aion needs to thrive. I will admit, I cheer when the opposing faction turns out and succeeds in conquering a fortress. Why? Before you brand me a traitor, cut a swath past the cut and I will explain.
RIFT's patch 1.2 moved to May 10th
Don't break out the updater just yet, RIFT fans -- we've learned that you are going to have to wait a little bit longer to get your hands on the game's second big update. Patch 1.2, which was tentatively scheduled for a May 4th release, has been moved back to the 10th. Trion Worlds let us know that the patch is still being "polished, tweaked and perfected," and as such the team needs additional time to get it ready. When we talked with Scott Hartsman a week ago about the update, he made sure to mention that all of the details about RIFT's content patch, including the date, weren't set in stone. Patch 1.2 will contain additional endgame content, the wardrobe system, and a new Looking for Group tool.
Enter at Your Own Rift: Looking for groups
Like some of you, I feel that RIFT's Update 1.2 can't get here soon enough. A good content update, in my opinion, has a little something for everyone, and in talking with Trion Worlds last week, I definitely got that feeling from this patch. The team is catering to endgame players with Slivers, build-enthusiasts with a fifth role, rift-runners with new types of dynamic events, and people who aren't content to merely spam my Twitter feed with accomplishments but must now do so from inside Facebook as well. I'd be lying if I said I'm not planning on spending huge amounts of time assembling dashing and fashionable outfits for my characters once the wardrobe is in the game, too. I'm all about outfits in Lord of the Rings Online, so it's great to see RIFT bring this type of system into the game (unlike some other stubborn studios, which shall remain nameless). Players like to feel powerful while looking incredible, and this outfit system will hopefully allay some of the complaints of similar-looking toons. Above all this in Update 1.2 towers one of the biggest changes to the game yet: the Looking for Group (LFG) tool. Designed to assemble teams of players to tackle dungeons and group quests, the LFG tool will certainly change how we play RIFT. Will it be a good change or bad? That's the $1,000,000 question, which I will tackle after these brief messages, by which I mean, "after the jump."
PAX East 2011: Delving LotRO dungeons deeply
Right now, Lord of the Rings Online is in a brief respite between the insanity of PAX East and the upcoming March 21st release date for its next big update, Echoes of the Dead. To say that there's a lot coming with this update is a vast understatement, so it was great to get a sneak peek at the five new instances before they went live. Earlier this year, players started to get rumblings about a major upcoming event as five mysterious relics popped up all over Middle-earth in Evendim, Forochel, Enedwaith, North Downs and the Trollshaws. By finding all five, players completed a special deed and got the title "Calm Before the Storm," foreshadowing dire events to follow. All anyone could do after that was prepare for an uncertain future. It turns out that LotRO's players had good reason to prepare, because as of next week, five new dungeons will open their doors for business -- the business of eating adventurers alive and spitting out their bones, that is. Spurned Gaunt-lords have returned to make life for the Free Peoples of Middle-earth harder by transforming the very landscape into their hellish domain, and it's up to you to thwart their schemes. Hit the jump as we traveled to these new instances at PAX East with LotRO Executive Producer Kate Paiz!
Looking for guild feature available on patch 4.1 PTR
There's a new, never-before-seen feature on the patch 4.1 PTR right now: Looking for Guild. The feature only appears when you aren't in a guild, taking the place of the usual "you aren't in a guild" message you get when you're guildless on live realms. Overall, the feature looks a bit too simplified for serious raiding or PvP guilds, but for anyone looking for a casual, social, or leveling guild, this new feature seems like a great way to ease the guild search.
Wings Over Atreia: Feeding trolls
"WoW was the first MMO." "WTF you --------- [bless the filter]." "Your mom just left here." Channel /3 will be the death of me. Or perhaps just my sanity. If not, then it may be the cause of some random homicides soon. Although I had another topic all planned out (and already mostly penned), I had an about-face for this week's article. This subject is something that is always on the edge of my mind, and as of late, it has been more front and center. In fact, this week has seen discussions on the matter with friends, colleagues, legion-mates, and even my munchkins. The hot topic? Trolls. Aion players know that /3 is the LFG (looking for group) channel, and occasionally you can actually find people looking for groups there! However, because it is the only server-wide channel, people mostly use it for any type of random chatter. And by chatter, I mean a range of sexual comments, preening, raging, and flat-out trolling. Granted, sometimes following along with /3 chatter is simply amusing, but oftentimes it becomes annoying or even outright offensive. In any case, it's hard to pick out anything of value through the fast-paced spam. Now don't get me wrong; I am all for quips and banter and building a community, but it seems that the folks with any amount of consideration and class stay quiet for the most part. If we were to judge society off of universal chat channels, I think I would be all for large-scale nuclear annihilation; people treat others in virtual worlds like they wouldn't dream of vis-à-vis. Why is that? And what can we do to increase civility, decrease trolling, and improve gaming experiences overall? Cross the bridge (don't stop to feed the trolls!) to explore these points with me and share some amusing trolling moments from your server! (Please keep it clean folks!)
The Road to Mordor: My wish list for 2011
January is always a month of denial for me because it usually takes a full 30 days for the reality of a new year to settle into my skull. It can't be a new year! I just, just got used to the old one! I'm going to forget the real year when I sign my checks and then I'll be denounced as a fraud! What horrible teenage fad will be inflicted on us this year? Seriously, Ke$ha was the final straw for me. She's like all four horsemen of the apocalypse melted down and recast as a talentless banshee with an ironic dollar sign smack in the middle of her name. But that's my problem. A new year also means a virgin slate for all of our MMOs. What happened last year was so last year -- now we turn our eyes to the future. We know a little of what's upcoming for Lord of the Rings Online, but that doesn't mean we can't have wishes. You know what they say: If wishes were horses, I'd have the Steed of Night. So in honor of '11, I've come up with an 11-point wish list of what I'd love to see in LotRO this year. I fully expect Turbine to drop everything -- everything -- to get on it!
Blizzard working on ways to improve dungeon finder
The current dungeon finder is of course a vast improvement over the old LFG channel, but it can always be made better. In response to a forum thread about the dungeon finder's ever becoming performance-based, Zarhym weighed in with some interesting news. Zarhym - Dungeon queue should be performance-based We would love to implement better ways for Dungeon Finder to detect if players know what they're doing in dungeons beyond just the gear they've accumulated. We have some long-term design goals in mind for this we're not quite prepared to share this early on though. ;) source What was more interesting was the idea that Blizzard wants to improve the educational aspect of the service, however. With the current vote kick system, often players who are forced out of a group may have no idea why they failed, especially when they are new to the game.
Making the dungeon finder suck less
Anyone who's read the official forums lately has probably seen a raft of complaints directed at players abusing the dungeon finder and vote to kick features. It's a reminder that people will always figure out a way to twist a system to their own benefit. The most upsetting technique I've read about is two hybrid DPS in cahoots with a third DPS queuing as a tank/healer duo, getting an instant invite to dungeons, and then pressuring the two other members of the party to shoulder the tank or healer job. If they don't or can't fill these roles -- kick 'em after the 15 min grace period and requeue themselves as straight DPS. Voilà -- they are now at the head of the dungeon queue for the next tank or healer! Is it any wonder that players find this enraging? Heartbourne of Lore Hound offers an analysis of some potential solutions to dungeon finder abuse. As he observes, a proposed rating system for players could be easily abused on its own, so maybe that's not the best way to go. However, I find his suggestion of a social networking angle to be pretty interesting. What if there were a priority system to be grouped with players you met and "liked" before? What if guilds across servers could "friend" each other and form pools of players from which to draw 5-man groups?
RIFT beta powow with Scott Hartsman
This is, by any measure, a busy week for RIFT. Fresh off the second beta event, Trion Worlds has dropped the NDA for the game and announced a third beta to take place over the holidays. As the process speeds exponentially faster toward launch, Scott Hartsman and his team have a white-knuckled grip on RIFT for all the bumps, shimmies, dips and hills that such a high-profile title offers. Even with a heaping amount of work on its plate, the team has been willing to share its passion for RIFT with the press and community. During this slight lull between betas two and three, Hartsman sat down with us over the phone to jaw about lessons learned from the beta, why Trion has dropped the NDA, how RIFT's already made history, and when we might be seeing this game on the shelves. Hit the jump and let's do this thing. As Hartsman is fond of saying about the game, "S**t just got real."
Sunday Morning Funnies: Middle-up
It's the last Sunday before Christmas, but whether you celebrate it or not, we'll have a treat for you next week on the 26th! Several comic artists are collaborating on a Secret Santa (or Greatfather Winter?) swap. They each have the name of another comic but do not necessarily know who all is participating and don't know who will be drawing their comic. This should be a blast! Incidentally, if you emailed me and entered as a participant but did not receive my reply email, email me again or check your spam folders. Enough business; here is the list! It even features several new comics: Jinylee. *New! WoW, eh?: A Hot Side of Beef Away From Reality: There's No Aggro Like Snow Aggro Penny-Arcade: A Priori. Also: Wolf of the Year Dork Tower. Also check out the one previous. *Never previously featured! Out of World: Beneath the Shadow part 4 and part 5 Disciplinary Action: Episode 17 Chainsawsuit: Wow What a Difference. Also: Wow This Is Great! *Not previously featured! Beyond the Tree: Quest Complete and Dear Edwin Teh Gladiators: Gun vs. Cannon: Round 1 Complex Actions: A Moment with Silk's New Rogue and Or Your Azerothian Destination of Choice Tales from the Crossroads: Into the Fire Safe Passage Coffin Comics: Just a Bad Dream Coffin Minis: Buddum Chh What's Shakin': Page 15 Torment of the Week: Long Story Short GU Comics: Whassat? and Shave and a Haircut and Intervention Dark Legacy Comics: Battle Fourth Wall: Simple Like That Lorgrokni's Travels: Goblin Loan 1 and Goblin Loan 2 and Lovable Oaf Blood and Thunder: On Procrastination The Daily Blink: Yes, I'm Aware, I'll Get Letters and Poster #3: Mekkatorque and A Flyer in the Auction House Arena-Inside: Indeed He Does! and Indeed He's Not... and THIS ... IS ... CHRISTMAS! Travels with Tenthunders: Neither an Alliance, nor a Horde. Discuss LFG #417 and #418 The Warcraft Hero in: How to Fight Your Dragon NPC: The Future of Shopping Is Now and The Couple That Wows Together... Guilded Age %Gallery-98595%
Sunday Morning Funnies: Change is good
It's super secret Santa time! The suggestion was put forth by Azarizotza last week in the comments section, and there seems to be some support for the plan. So, if you run a comic that gets featured here from time to time and you would like to participate, shoot me an email by 8:00 p.m. EST December 18. I'll shuffle the names and email them back out. Edit: If you don't have my email from our gallery correspondence, you can always use the WoW Insider tipline. Now, for the list: From the Thunder and the Storm's crossword is now playable online. Slash AFK: Not Prepared. Tales from the Crossroads: Out of the Frying Pan... Blood and Thunder: On New Class/Race Combinations. Safe Passage. Torment of the Week: Pray for Peace. Travels with Tenthunders: Stuff Green People Like. Teh Gladiators: That Tank Looks Familiar. Arena-Inside: Cry 'Havoc' and Let Slip the Dogs of War... craft. Also, ... undersized furbolgs? Lorgrokni's Travels: Girl Gamers and Little Flashing Buttons and On a Budget. Out of World: Beneath the Shadow part 3. DLC: Ashes to Ashes. The Daily Blink: Your Epic Fan Poster. Also: Take Two Potions Daily and The Maelstrom. NPC: Perfect. Also: Computed and A Whole Old World. Complex Actions: Offer May No Longer Be Valid. Also: The Morning After. Beyond the Tree: Excuse Me Mr. Equine Transport Officer, Would You Mind Stopping Pronto. Fourth Wall: Bad Idea and King of the Hill. Away From Reality: Midnight. The Warcraft Hero in: Super Guest Comic. Guilded Age. LFG #415 and #416. What's Shakin': Page 14. Coffin Minis: Fly Troll Air. Coffin Comics: Re-Zoned. Disciplinary Action: Episode 16. GU Comics has a slew of WoW-related comics this week: Real Quick. Release Day. Crevasse Hole. Rotating the Buffet. He's Back. This one may only make sense if you follow the comic, but reading the short blurb at the bottom should help.
Sunday Morning Funnies: A long wait
With Cataclysm descending on Tuesday, excitement is mounting. To help you cope with the anticipation, this week's list of comics is extra long! As always, post your tips in the comments section. Three Panel Soul: On Cataclysms Demolition Squad: WoW Cataclysm Blood and Thunder: On Bad Puns and Future Mums and On the Emergence of Deathwing NPC: Worgenation Travels with Tenthunders: Nuggets! Complex Actions: Artisan Worldbreaker Wanted. Also: Aspect of Noob and Light My Fire Fourth Wall: Masochist Healers Daily Quests: Stood in the Fire Safe Passage Nerf NOW!!: Preparations and Fiery Revenge Away from Reality: Minimum Settings Drunken Pirates Guild: Let Sleeping Dogs Lie (a little NSFW) Disciplinary Action: I, Gerald The Daily Blink: Double Secret Reverse Psychology. Also: Role Reversal and For Unemployed Readers Beyond the Tree: Faster and More Intense LFG: #413 and #414 GU Comics: Rwil Mluuglilwr! Torment of the Week: Happy Thoughts Ctrl+Alt+Del: Shattered Uponst Out of World: Beneath the Shadow and Beneath the Shadow part 2 Cru the Dwarf: Cold as Ice (NSFW) The Warcraft Hero in: Deathwing Is Not Happy Coffin Comics: Gamon's Revenge What's Shakin': Page 13 Coffin Minis: Game Time Lorgrokni's Travels: Grouping Up Also: Pet Selection Tales from the Crossroads: Filler! When Real Life Attacks! Then for the comic: There Goes the Neighbourhood Slash AFK: WTB Personal Space Also: Rrrgrl-stuffed Dark Legacy Comics: A Deal With Deathwing Guilded Age I missed Arena-Inside last week (sorry!), so we have some catching up to do. In descending order: Once a Hunter, Always a Hunter... She Brought Her Paper of Pain A Cataclysmas Carol King's Orders Expect the Unexpected! Too Much? %Gallery-98595%
Sunday Morning Funnies: Hack kak
Comic news Skoteinos wrote: We started an opinion blog that we've introduced a World of Wordcraft Crossword into and thought it'd fit in with the Sunday Funnies theme nicely. Right now we're planning one a month and they need to be printed out to be played, but if people seem to like it and it's popular enough, we'll [do] our best to do them weekly or bi-weekly with associated word searches every other week. We'll also look into investing the money in a program to make them playable online if the demand is there. Check it out! The comics World of Warcraft, eh?: It's What's on the Inside, Right? Tales from the Crossroads: Have I Got a Deal for You! Disciplinary Action: Episode 14 What's Shakin': Page 11 Coffin Minis: Hard-Mode Coffin Comics: Holy Totem Torment of the Week: Mind the Gap Arena-Inside: They Better Taste of Bacon and Enough With the Biscuit Jokes Fourth Wall: Preparation Protocol Teh Gladiators: Death and Taxes... and Death DLC: A DLC Guide to Alignment Travels with Tenthunders: How to Wait Around for the End of the World Beyond the Tree: Our Pet Corpse Lorgrokni's Travels: Immersion and Grinding and Killing Quests The Warcraft Hero in: Early Holidays Slash AFK: No moar BlizzCon. /cry. Also: Belly-quakes and Cult Juice NPC: Exercise Regimen and Early Bird Daily Quests: All Bark and No Baubles Out of World: The 'Other' White Meat 3 Complex Actions: Wake-up Call. Also: Mysteries of Complex Actions Presents: Kes's Type and May We Re-Roll That Stealth Check? LFG #409 and #410 Safe Passage Guilded Age Away From Reality: Game Over %Gallery-98595%
