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LotRO devs show off its mounted combat system
While the upcoming Riders of Rohan expansion for Lord of the Rings Online promises a great wealth of content for players, undoubtedly its keystone feature is mounted combat. This system became the centerpiece of a filmed discussion between CM Rick Heaton and Producer Aaron Campbell. One of the concerns that Heaton addresses is how player classes will translate once on horseback. Campbell says that the team has created ways for those roles to continue, albeit in a slightly different form. One example given was how Guardians can taunt, except that on horseback, it means that the enemy will then start riding alongside of you. "You can bring them in and control the battlefield," Campbell says. Other points of discussion include how Fellowships work while mounted, the different stances (aggressive, utility, and defensive), the speed of combat, and situational awareness. The pair also gives us a first glimpse of mounted combat in action. You can watch the full dev video after the jump!
The Road to Mordor: The superiority of goats
I love goats. OK, pipe down there. I mean that I love the goat mounts in Lord of the Rings Online. Shush! Man, this column isn't starting well. It sounded better in my head. It's a well-known fact that LotRO lacks the mount diversity shown by most other fantasy MMOs. It's pretty much horses all the way down, and chances are it's going to stay that way thanks to the IP. Unless, of course, the devs give in to my flying eagles suggestion. There just isn't much wiggle-room in Tolkien's works for the Free People of Middle-earth to be taking a 2012 Mechanospider to work. However, the devs did shoehorn in one different flavor of mount for the Mines of Moria expansion. Goats received a room at the stable and were integral to navigating through the labyrinthine deeps. They never did match horses in terms of popularity or even variety, and I doubt that we'll be seeing War-goats for Riders of Rohan. Still, if I had my pick (and I do), I'd pick goats any day of the week. They're so much better than horses, and I'm going to tell you just why.
Pandaren Mount Revealed: Dragon Turtle
Blizzard has announced today the pandaren mount coming in Mists of Pandaria is called the Dragon Turtle. They're large, scaled turtles with a bit of a dragon-like feel to them. They are ground mounts, which will be needed to roam around Pandaria while leveling from 85 to 90. While Blizzard doesn't explicitly say that these will be obtainable by other races through a reputation grind, it's safe to assume that'll be the case. I for one can't wait to get one on my human warlock. Check out Blizzard's full announcement post after the break.
Mists of Pandaria Beta: Engineering gets more fun toys
Engineers, keep getting excited for Mists of Pandaria, because we've just got even more toys to make our favorite profession unequivocally still the best profession. With the recent beta patch, we've seen some new datamined recipes for engineering goodies such as Blingtron 4000, a fabulously wealthy robot companion who gives people gifts, and the Depleted-Kyparium Rocket, a new rocket mount built by engineers. The real treat, however, is the Thermal Anvil, a new item that drops a portable anvil and forge at the engineer's feet. Yes, you read that right -- engineers are going to be able to deploy a portable anvil. But wait, there's more. Did you want to slap some Watergliding Jets on your shoes to make swimming a breeze? What about a brand new Wormhole Generator for the Pandaria continent? Maybe you've like to pair a gathering profession with your engineering to make the best use of some brand new Mist-Piercing Goggles? Engineers, Blizzard has heard our call for more fun stuff and it is delivering. I can't wait to see what's next. Engineering -- best profession! It's open warfare between Alliance and Horde in Mists of Pandaria, World of Warcraft's next expansion. Jump into five new levels with new talents and class mechanics, try the new monk class, and create a pandaren character to ally with either Horde or Alliance. Look for expansion basics in our Mists FAQ, or dig into our spring press event coverage for more details!
Datamining hints at Mists of Pandaria Collector's edition mount
A new round of datamining has uncovered an interesting string and spell in the new code pushed with recent updates to the beta -- specifically, a reference to a placeholder for a Mists of Pandaria collector's edition mount. Here's the string/spell change, courtesy of MMO-Champion: [PH] MoP CE Mount - [PH] Summons and dismisses a ???. This mount changes depending on your Riding skill and location. Traditionally, collector's editions of World of Warcraft expansions included a pet, usually a whelp that resembles a key figure or theme of the expansion. The original collector's edition of WoW included three pets, the Zergling, the panda cub, and the mini Diablo. No collector's edition has ever shipped with a mount before. Here's the kicker: There is also a string and spell in the new build for a collector's edition pet as well, which means more stuff packed in to this next release's premium package. Does upping the ante on cool in-game stuff, from pets to mounts, put the collector's edition of Mists of Pandaria closer to your shelf? As a consummate purchaser of Blizzard collector's editions, I will be shelling out the cash notwithstanding. However, it would be nice to see a bevy of new rewards in the collector's editions other than just the whelps. They will, however, be excellent editions to my Pet Battle Army. What do you think the collector's edition mount could be? It's open warfare between Alliance and Horde in Mists of Pandaria, World of Warcraft's next expansion. Jump into five new levels with new talents and class mechanics, try the new monk class, and create a pandaren character to ally with either Horde or Alliance. Look for expansion basics in our Mists FAQ, or dig into our spring press event coverage for more details!
Contour's new mount, watersports kits help bring its cameras with you in the water, snow or dirt
As Contour continues to do battle with GoPro over the action-sport POV camera market, its latest offensive centers around prepackaged activity-specific mount kits that should make it easier for customers to pick one up and go. Also new is an all-in-one ContourRoam watersports kit that includes the HD camera and waterproof case that's capable of keeping it dry at depths of up to 60m. The mount kits include sets for skiers, cyclists, motorcyclists, hikers and an all purpose helmet mount kit. All of these are available starting today on the company's website and at select retailers, with the mount kits going for between $59 - $99 and the Roam Watersports kit for $249. We appreciated the Contour+'s sleek package in our head to head test with the Hero 2 last month and the addition of these packages should help it compete on price and ease of use right out of the box. The specific details are in the press release after the break and pictures of each set are in the gallery below, assuming your hobbies are exciting enough to merit recording, of course.
X-53 Recruit-a-Friend mount being retired soon
If you've ever wanted to get your hands on Recruit-A-Friend mount #2, the X-53 Touring Rocket two-seater, then you had better get moving. Blizzard has announced that the X-53 rocket will be retired soon to make way for the new Recruit-A-Friend mount and (presumably) program for the launch of Mists of Pandaria. One might even take this as a clue that a new Recruit-A-Friend is coming soon, which means expansion time could be right around the corner. As for what the new mount is going to be, we have no idea just yet. However, MMO-Champion and Wowhead have datamined achievements, items, mounts, and some other clues that have shown a Recruit-A-Friend 3 mount in the files but no associated mount yet. Hit the jump for the full announcement about the X-53 rocket and speculate about what the next RAF mount is going to be.
More mounts in the Mists of Pandaria beta
The most recent beta patch has added a handful of new mounts -- including yak mounts, which are automatically super-awesome because they're shaggy ol' yak mounts, and that's awesome. Don't argue with me. And if for some reason you're not willing to clutch a yak mount to your bosom (perhaps you're cruel, wicked, evil and wrong as wrong can be -- I don't judge), you can content yourself with the Amber Scorpion or the Crimson Riding Crane. The Crimson Riding Crane is going to be a frontrunner in the Mounts That Look So Wrong with a Tauren Perched on Their Back contest. I just know it. Personally, I want both the Grand Expedition Yak and the White Riding Yak, and I want to ride them by standing on their backs, one foot on each. But I'll settle for just being able to ride them -- because, yaks. Did I mention that yaks are awesome yet? Sorry if I left that out. Yaks. It's open warfare between Alliance and Horde in Mists of Pandaria, World of Warcraft's next expansion. Jump into five new levels with new talents and class mechanics, try the new monk class, and create a pandaren character to ally with either Horde or Alliance. Look for expansion basics in our Mists FAQ, or dig into our spring press event coverage for more details!
LotRO launches its Fifth Anniversary Festival
Lord of the Rings Online's fifth anniversary is upon us, and Turbine is determined to make it a party to remember! Today the studio has released LotRO's Update 6.1, the centerpiece of which is the completely revamped and upgraded Anniversary Festival. While the anniversary was perceived as a haphazard affair in previous years, Turbine's devs have fleshed it out to rival the other four annual festivals. The focus of the Anniversary Festival is on fireworks and lots of them. There are several new quests to discover, a new fireworks-themed mount to obtain, and beer battles to win. Because reaching five years is a big deal for any MMO, Turbine's also showering players with free gifts if they log in during this period. The gifts range from fireworks to cloaks to a special mount that is reserved for five-year veterans of the game. During the anniversary, monsters will drop special tokens that can be redeemed for a wide variety of prizes. There's also a double-XP weekend coming up, which will run from April 24th through the 30th.
Wizard101 throws massive mount sale
It's a good time to be in the market for a new mode of transportation, especially if you're a cash-strapped wizard or witch in Wizard101. The annual Mount-a-Palooza is back, and KingsIsle Entertainment is magically shrinking costs and teleporting in rare inventory to make as many customers as happy as possible. From now through Sunday, April 22nd, players can snag any permanent mount in the in-game store at a whopping 60% off the list price. Some of the mounts in the store will be only available during this brief window, as KingsIsle is retiring four mounts at the end of the sale while bringing back three other previous retirees for impulse shoppers to peruse. And if you like Wizard101 mounts, you might want to keep an eye on Massively tomorrow. Our crystal ball says that your future may look bright if you do!
Amazon offers exclusive mount for TERA pre-orders
With TERA's May launch coming up in under a month, the window to pre-order the action MMO is shrinking daily. Those who are loyal members of the En Masse Army have a tough decision to make at this juncture: Where should you pre-order? Amazon hopes that you'll choose it, of course, and has a unique bonus to tip your favor in its direction. Amazon has worked out a special deal with En Masse to entice players to its store. Those who pre-order with Amazon.com will be guaranteed an in-game horse mount that's decked out in all manner of wicked-looking armor (note that the armor appearance gives no armor bonuses.) It's called the Pinto, and it won't be found anywhere else. In addition to this special mount, pre-orders guarantee a three-day head start to the game, name reservations, and in-game gear. There's added incentive to getting in on any of TERA's pre-orders if you haven't already, as they'll secure your spot in the next beta test, which is scheduled for April 20th. Also be sure to check out a new teaser trailer after the jump that was released exclusively for Amazon for those looking to learn a bit more about the game.
The Road to Mordor: Ride to ruin and the world's ending!
Mounted combat's been on my mind a lot lately, particularly when I was galloping around Dunland and various clansmen knocked me off my horse. It was then that I wished I had a skill called "Trample to a Bloody Pulp -- For Rohan!" and that Turbine would finally earn that AO rating it's always craved. Barring that skill, I would just love a massive war horse that would send enemies fleeing from me instead of making a beeline for my knees (which are a prime target for arrows). I'm both excited and nervous about the mounted combat system coming in Riders of Rohan. I'm excited that it will open up a new style of gameplay in this five-year-old game and nervous that it'll drag Lord of the Rings Online down if it's not done right. Whatever type of horseback combat we might envision will surely be different than the final product, and that uncertainty leaves me feeling in limbo. More than anything else, Riders of Rohan is about mounted combat. Turbine's centering the expansion around it, dedicating an entire zone to it, and developing loads of assets and skills for it, and the company will undoubtedly be hyping it strongly over the course of the summer. It's a bold step to take but a necessary one as well, as the IP and nation of Rohan are steeped in mounted combat, and it's been a little weird that we've had to dismount to swing a sword ever since leaving the shire. So will mounted combat prevail, fail, or muddle in the middle?
Wings Over Atreia: Did someone say 3.0?
You might be a bit weary of hearing about the launch of Aion's next big thing. Then again, maybe you just can't get enough. Everyone in the former group can conclude his reading here because this week's Ascension launch date announcement and subsequent information deluge offered plenty of new tidbits to share. And share I must. It is my civic duty. Previously, we explored the different aspects of 3.0 using the translated Korean patch notes. Those are all well and good for giving us a good basis for what to expect, but there are always little changes in the western release of the game (see instance names), not to mention exact details of some of the systems (like mounts) are lacking. Luckily Aion's newly released official game guide, though incomplete, has new information to pass along to interested Daevas. And let's not forget the unexpected goodness of the impending free-to-play model. Yup, I can definitely find a few more things to chat about there. If you are still reading, then either you had your interest rekindled or you are patiently waiting for me to get to the goods. So let's get on with it!
Wings Over Atreia: Ode to 3.0, second verse
Encore! You are my expansion, My favorite expansion, You'll make me happy With a house and more. You have to know, dear, How much I want you! Please hurry the expansion to my door! Just when I thought I was getting a handle on waiting for Aion's sorta-soon-to-be-released 3.0 patch, NCsoft went and announced a slightly less nebulous launch date of "this spring." Our patch-to-be even has the auspicious privilege of having a name: Ascension. And you know a name means extra special! WOOO! I, of course, started a requisite wing-flapping celebratory dance, but my tune soon changed: As exciting as this news was, I quickly realized that the more concrete the knowledge, the more I wanted it to release already. GAH -- this wait is truly taxing my patience! There is just so much to look forward to. Last week I regaled you with a stirring, soulful rendition of anticipation for 3.0. Together we explored just a few of the goodies in store for patient and -- luckily for me -- not-so-patient Daevas alike. This week the recital continues, and as promised, Wings Over Atreia takes another peek at more of the features coming our way and highlights some of the more tantalizing additions and changes, including new fortresses with their own unique siege system, XP changes, mounts, and more.
Yak mounts lumbering your way in Mists of Pandaria
Yak mounts? In my Asia-inspired continent? It's more likely than you think, according to Blizzard community rep Bashiok. Today, he confirmed on Twitter that the shaggy beasts of burden we saw in Mists of Pandaria preview screenshots will be available as mounts when the expansion hits. What wasn't indicated was whether or not the yaks are the official pandaren mounts; I'm leaning toward no, but we'll see. We were actually just discussing what the pandaren mount might be when this news came out. Blizzard joked about it at BlizzCon, with its mockup of a pandaren mount as a huge bouncy ball with a seat on top. Mat McCurley's personal opinion is (verbatim) "probably, like, a big frog maybe?" I feel it'll probably be something a little more dignified. Like a rickshaw. World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria is the next expansion, raising the level cap to 90, introducing a brand new talent system, and bringing forth the long-lost pandaren race to both Horde and Alliance. Check out the trailer and follow us for all the latest MoP news!
LotRO's buried treasure resurfaces in a new dev diary
Deep under the soil of Middle-earth are riches galore, and only the Dwarves know where to dig. Fortunately for players, the Dwarves are totally fine with interlopers coming along to try their luck at finding a bit of buried treasure -- and they've even made an event out of it. While we previously saw a test run of the Buried Treasure event in Lord of the Rings Online, Turbine's put forth a dev diary that indicates we should be seeing more of it fairly soon. The event challenges players to flock to a treasure field, grab some picks, and get diggin' for booty. There's a strategy behind it that utilizes trained animals and dowsing sticks to find the best goods, although treasure hunters can just start digging randomly as well. The treasure will vary in size and quality, ranging from special mounts and cosmetic gear to more picks and barter tokens. While players can earn picks in-game through a repeatable quest, Turbine will also be selling them through the LotRO store for those who want to speed up their winnings. The dev diary posted several pictures of the nifty rewards that can be mined and states that the event is "seasonally agnostic," coming and going at various times during the year.
Battle.net Balance boots up
Diablo III may not be out yet, but that's no good reason not to be filling up your virtual coffers for the day that it hits the streets! Blizzard has thrown the switch on Battle.net Balance, activating its online payment service that allows players to charge up their Battle.net funds to purchase various Blizzard game services. The new Balance system can be used to buy World of Warcraft game time (although you can't set up a recurring subscription with it), in-game pets and mounts, paid account services in WoW such as character transfers, digital copies of Blizzard titles, and the opportunity to buy and sell items on Diablo III's auction house. It's important to note that not all regions will be able to participate in Diablo III's real-money transactions, however. Once real money has been funneled into Battle.net Balance, it cannot be converted back into cash. Blizzard does state that in some regions, players will have an option to get cash back on Diablo III auction sales via PayPal. The company also mentioned that there is a cap on how much any player can have in his or her Balance account and that there are potentially region-specific expiration dates for Balance funds.
Earn prizes in Allods Online's 14-day giveaway event
To celebrate the upcoming release of Allods Online's patch 3.0, gPotato is giving away prizes to players who log in on the days leading up to and following the patch. The event starts on February 7th and will run until February 21st, with the patch arriving in the middle on February 14th. Players who log in for a full hour each day during the event will receive progressively valuable rewards, with the best reward saved for those who log in for an hour during all 14 days. Prizes start with special coins for the first day and rapidly ramp up to consumables and costumes, with a Sinister Lion mount for players who log in during all 14 days. To qualify each day, one hour must be spent playing the game before midnight by your server's clock; the time can be split across multiple characters on your account and the prizes are limited to one set per account. gPotato requests that all players entering the contest log out before midnight each day as staying logged in may make you ineligible for that day. As this is a tiered event, players who miss even a single day will never be able to get the top prize of a Sinister Lion mount. For a full list of prizes and contest terms, head over to the official contest announcement.
Leaderboard: Mechanized vs. monster mounts
Unless you're stuck in the invisible wall, no jumping, running-with-your-hands-flopping-about hell of Guild Wars, chances are you've gotten the opportunity to pick up a mount or two in an MMO. It's one of the ways that MMOs are so superior to the real world: There are no driver tests, no insurance policies, no (usually) gas. You just plop down some money and the vendor looks the other way while you go off-roading in a major metropolitan area. But it wouldn't be a Leaderboard if we didn't force you to choose between your '67 Mustang and your pet Tauntaun, and so it shall be. In the world of mounts, there are two categories: the mechanized and the monsters. Vehicle mounts may be more rare due to fantasy's dominance over the genre, but they're still there and quite popular for the set that doesn't appreciate staring at horse doody all the live-long day. Then again, the fantastic creatures that have served as animal mounts are unceasing in variety as they are in style. So what shall it be? Will you plug Old Yeller and go with your motorcycle, or will you mothball your favorite dune buggy in favor of Seabiscuit? Vote after the jump!
The Wallee: A complete iPad stand, mount, and case solution (Updated)
In the vast world of iPad accessories, there are few complete systems that provide a variety of ways to protect and mount your device. A new case system from Australia, The Wallee, comes with a set of sidekicks that make it one of the most versatile iPad accessories I've reviewed so far. Read on for a full look at this unique collection of items that work together to keep your iPad happily protected and mounted just about anywhere it goes. Design The system starts with the Wallee iPad Case (AUD$39.95 - about US$41 as of this writing), which is a white, black, or clear shell that snaps onto the back of your iPad or iPad 2. In the middle of this shell is a rounded X-shape that is the heart of the interchangeable accessories in the Wallee system. While it might seem like the price is a little high for the case, it does include free shipping to anywhere in the world. The case is compatible with Apple's Smart Cover, so between those two accessories your iPad 2 can be completely protected, back and front. Should you decide that you'd like more protection, there's the Glove (AUD$29.95), a 100% wool felt (totally renewable) sleeve that keeps your lovely Apple product from scratches. It looks and feels nice, too. %Gallery-141382% If you prefer something that's even more heavily padded, the Carry (AUD$39.95) is a memory foam-lined bag with a handle for carrying. It's finished in a waterproof silk fiber for durability and good looks. Now let's start talking about the various stands and mounts. For those who would like to mount their iPad on a wall, the AUD$10 Wall Mount Disk is a minimalist ABS plastic and stainless steel solution. Use one screw to attach it to a wall, cabinet, or door, and then quickly mount the iPad in its Wallee case on that surface. Your device can be twisted between landscape and portrait orientation in moments, or removed for travel. Have a VESA wall mount or arm that you'd like to attach the iPad to? There's a Wallee accessory for that. The AUD$14.95 VESA adapter opens the iPad to use with any of the many VESA mounts on the market. For propping up your iPad on a desk, Wallee offers two solutions. The first is a tiny brushed aluminum kickstand called (not surprisingly) the Kick (AUD$24.95). Using the standard Wallee X-mount, it snaps onto the back of the Wallee case to hold up the iPad in a variety of positions. The Kick is light and small enough to be portable. A mount that offers a lot more capability is the iMac-styled Pivot (AUD$59.95). It truly looks like the arm that holds up the iMac, complete with a hole for power or USB cable. As with the other accessories, it's adorned with the Wallee mount, and snapping your iPad onto the Pivot is a breeze. The Wallee folks have three more accessories in the works that use the Wallee case: there's the Headrest, a AUD$39.95 mount that uses aluminum fittings and that Wallee X-mount to secure the iPad to a headrest for back-row viewing of movies. The next is the Hand Strap (AUD$19.95), which brings the Wallee mount to a Velcro-adjustable strap for comfortable hand-carrying of your iPad. The final accessory that is forthcoming is the Wallee Lock (AUS$89.95), which uses the Wall Mount Disk, Wallee Case, and a special enclosure to attach your iPad securely to a surface. This would be perfect for kiosk-type applications where you'd like to keep your iPad from walking off... Functionality For multiple uses of a single case design, there's no equal to the Wallee products. The case took some real effort to install, but I finally got it to snap in on all four corners. That being said, the case didn't stand up to repeated installations. When I took off the case in order to take some photographs pre-and-post installation and tried to reinstall it, I had some issues getting it to snap on as it had the first time. While fiddling around with the white case, I managed to break the thin plastic piece between between the iPad 2 speaker opening and the front of the case. No problem, since Wallee had also sent a second case in black. I could never get that case to install onto the iPad, even when squeezing the corners with a death grip to try to get it to snap on. This is a problem I've never had with the AViiQ Smart Case, which is a thin aluminum snap-on shell. I've removed and installed the AViiQ case literally hundreds of times, and it always stays put on the iPad 2. What's the difference? The AViiQ case is made to hold flush to the back of the iPad, while the Wallee case has a small spacer in the middle to accommodate the thickness of the X-mount. The AViiQ case is also made of a much more rigid material than plastic, so it seems to hold its dimensions a lot better. As I could not get either Wallee Case to properly hold onto my iPad 2, all of the photographs accompanying this post are done without the iPad actually being attached. My advice? If you manage to get the Wallee Case installed on your iPad, don't take it off... The rest of the accessories are well-constructed. The Case is functional, yet attractive and thin. The Mount is a solid piece of hardware that I would have no problems installing on a kitchen wall. Both the Kick and the Pivot are solid brushed aluminum pieces that look as if they've come out of the design shop at Apple. I have no doubt that the Headrest, Hand Strap, and Wallee Lock are going to be equally well done. Conclusion The Wallee line of iPad accessories is a complete line of cases, mounts and stands for the iPad. My main concern is that the key component of the line -- the Case -- wasn't easy to install, and that a thin piece near the iPad speaker actually broke under moderate pressure as I was attempting to install it. I'm sure that if this is a concern for Wallee users other than myself, the company will work out the issues. I'm also happy to see that the company is working not only on future products, but also partnering with other companies like Tether Tools to make the Wallee X-mount work with photographic accessories. Update: According to a Wallee spokesperson, I was sent old case stock due to "pre-holiday shipping insanity." The case fit issues have been completely resolved, and you can purchase a Wallee with the assurance that the all-important case is going to fit your iPad or iPad 2 with no problems.
