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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.
Wings Over Atreia: This little Daeva went to market...
Milk Bread Red Shell Potcrab Life Leaf Bulldozer... You all know the old adage "Never go grocery shopping while hungry," right? It is sound advice for avoiding filling your cart with impulse purchases that might decimate your budget (and your waistline). How many of you have also used the shopping list tactic to try to minimize said impulse purchases? Well, you just might want to put that skill into practice when visiting Aion's BlackCloud Marketplace. When the BlackCloud Marketplace launched last month, the inventory had pretty slim pickings for a game that needed to make all of its profit from the cash shop. Since all content in Aion is free, we knew more things would appear; it was just a matter of what and when. And even while there was still some trepidation about what items would be introduced over time (how many would play into the whole pay-to-win debate?), Daevas looked forward to new offerings and wondered what would be available next. Wonder no more! Those little Shugos came in last Wednesday and stocked the marketplace shelves with over 100 new items. Some items were expected, some were not, and some were even clamored for by the masses. To help you construct your shopping list before heading to the store, Wing Over Atreia has perused the aisles for you to find what's new, what's interesting, and what's on special.
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!
The Dangers of Datamining: A cautionary tale of a not-so-evil Magister
Some time last month, I was chatting with a friend about various story bits in WoW when we wandered onto the subject of the blood elves and what they're up to in the story. I pointed out the short story In the Shadow of the Sun for more recent sin'dorei lore, adding that of course the story took place prior to Wrath in the time line, so it really wasn't the most up-to-date bit of lore, although it was a wonderful read. My friend asked if I thought we'd see anything with the blood elves in Mists, and I replied that I didn't think so, but then we didn't really know that much about storylines in Pandaria yet. "Well, yeah," they replied. "But what about Rommath? I mean, he's part of the Twilight Cult and all." I paused for a moment, confused, and then realized what they were referring to. "That was a set of datamined voice files that never made it to game," I clarified. "Well yeah, but he's evil," they insisted. "No, he's not -- as far as the game and the lore is concerned, that conversation never happened, and Rommath is still the same old Rommath. A little cranky and snooty, but definitely not evil. Until proven otherwise." They pondered this, and the conversation moved on from there. I've had this conversation again and again -- in game, on Twitter. And this, my friends, is just one example of the many dangers of datamining.
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!
Mists of Pandaria Beta: New mounts video shows off your awesome new rides
Honestly, mounts are my favorite thing in World of Warcraft. It pains me every day of my life that I will never get those damn Naxx meta-drakes. Whatever. I'll learn to deal with this pain one day. In the meantime, check out this video from WazVids showing off the new mounts coming in Mists of Pandaria. You'll immediately notice that the Dragon Turtle mounts have a much-expected kodo feel to them, mixed in with some raised-platform, elekk-style riding. There is even a keg on top and pandaren emblems on the turtle knee pads, signifying that these will more than likely be the racial mount of the pandaren.
Win a Wizard101 rare mount package from Massively!
If you haven't had a chance to make your purchase in Wizard101's Mount-a-Palooza sale going on right now, fear not! We're giving you a chance to get the five rarest mounts in the game in one set, all for free! KingsIsle Entertainment was kind enough to send us 25 codes for these rare mount sets, which we'll be giving away through our Twitter page, our Facebook page, and a random drawing. Each rare mount set contains: Swift Gryphon, Bone Dragon, Great Hornocerous (2 person), Nightmare, and Blood Raven (2-person). For a chance at your own set, simply send an email to shawn@massively.com with the subject line "Gimme My Wizard101 Mount Code!" before Sunday, April 15th, at 8 p.m. EDT. On Monday, we'll present 15 random winners their very own code. Be sure to copy and paste those exact words into the subject line of your email, or it won't get filtered properly. The remaining 10 codes will be randomly released on our Twitter and/or Facebook pages throughout this entire weekend, so keep your eyes open! Also be sure to check past the cut below for images of three of the mounts in the package.
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!
Breakfast Topic: Have you gotten your Springstrider yet?
I may be just the teensiest bit obsessive about collecting mounts. So when I heard this year's Noblegarden featured a new mount, the Swift Springstrider, I might just have logged on and waited until the event started to start gathering chocolates like a madwoman. And I might have gotten all 500 chocolates in about an hour and a half, because after so many years of Noblegarden celebrations, I know the egg spawn locations in Tirisfal Glades like the back of my hand. Might? Who am I kidding -- the Swift Springstrider took its place as mount #145 in my collection at about 4:30 or so in the morning. I've heard complaints about the tallstrider mounts here and there, but I love them myself. They're ugly, naked birds that nobody in their right mind would ever love, and therefore I love them to pieces. While my Noblegarden 2012 goals ended the moment I got the bird (I finished all the achievements for the event years ago), there are still plenty of people scurrying around the various starting zones this morning looking for dresses, tuxedos, bunnies, and other Noblegarden prizes. Do you have things you definitely want to get done with this year's Noblegarden celebration? Have you gotten your Springstrider yet? Or have you decided to let this poor unfortunate bird pass you by? I wouldn't let it pass by, if I were you. I mean come on, who doesn't want to gallop around Pandaria on the back of a naked green ostrich?
Wings Over Atreia: An interview sheds light on the new BlackCloud
Information is like gold 'round these parts, and I've been out prospecting, sifting, and searching in the hopes of at least finding a few flakes if not hitting pay dirt. But even with Aion Ascension just around the corner, finding many nuggets of information on the new BlackCloud Marketplace hasn't panned out. Until now. Eureka! Welcome to the Massively Gold Rush. OK, so maybe a "rush" is a bit of an overstatement, but I have discovered a few golden nuggets about Aion's renovated cash shop and impending 3.0 expansion. I had the chance to catch up with Producer Adam Christensen and learn a bit more about what Daevas will find in the BlackCloud Marketplace as well as get some details about various new upcoming features like housing, mounts, and the level 60 Daevanion armor. And with the BlackCloud Marketplace finally opening its doors, Daevas can check out the selection for themselves and pre-purchase items to be delivered at Ascension's Launch.
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!
GDC 2012: Frogster shows off Eligium: The Chosen One
At GDC, there is much to see and do. And one of the best things to do (besides try to win a really cool fuzzy hat) is to actually experience a game through a demonstration or even some hands-on play. I had the opportunity to do just that with one of Frogster's upcoming games. No, not that one; the other one. Ellen-Jane Austin, Country Manager UK, and Marco Neubert, Director Product PR, took me on a brief tour of Eligium: The Chosen One. Although this game from Shanda Games Ltd. is pretty similar to other games in many respects, there are a few features that give it a unique flair, especially the virtue system, mounts, and my personal favorite, an ability to shape-change into a two-headed dragon!
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!
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.
Noria and gPotato release new Sevencore trailer
Last summer we showed you a couple of trailers for a new Korean free-to-play import called Sevencore. The title is an interesting mixture of fantasy and sci-fi, and it is also the product of an alliance between development firm Noria and publishing partner gPotato. The game's Korean open beta is close at hand, and the two companies have released a new cinematic trailer to drum up some interest. Click past the cut for your daily dose of fantasy violence, brooding male voiceovers, and orchestral action-movie music. There are also a few glimpses of Sevencore's unique mounts, including a fire-breathing dragon and some sort of swoop analog that we'd love to take for a spin.
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!
New mounts, loot coming in Crown of the Heavens trading card expansion
Cryptozoic's newest expansion for the WoW TCG, Crown of the Heavens, is a Hyjal-based return to the peaks of Kalimdor with satyrs, dryads, demons, ogres, and more monsters than you can comprehend. The Alliance and Horde represent with new allies and celebrities as well, but it is the monsters that take center stage in this mountaintop brawl. With new trading card game expansions come new loot and mounts included as common, uncommon, and rare cards in expansion packs. The common loot card for Crown of the Heavens will be the Vicious Grell companion pet. This little satyr monster, who reminds me of key-toting Pusillin from Dire Maul, is a one-time use companion pet that can be given away to friends if you have an extra code. The uncommon loot card in the new set is the Magical Ogre Idol, which transforms the player into a two-headed red ogre mage for 5 minutes. The item has a 30-minute cooldown and reminds me of a fun archaeology find. The rare loot card for Crown of the Heavens is the Corrupted Hippogryph, a ground or air mount that can be traded in game if you do not learn it yourself, much like the Spectral Tiger. The deep green hippogryph is going to be a rare find -- see how many you can spot after the TCG expansion launches on Feb. 7, 2012. %Gallery-144939%
