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The Daily Grind: What's your favorite MMO ship?
I finally got my ArcheAge fishing boat over the weekend, and now I'm setting my sights on bigger and better ship designs. And I'm doing a lot of fishing, naturally! I'm kinda partial to the Lutesong Junk, but then again the Eznan Cutter is pretty badass, too. What do you think -- what's your favorite in-game ship in ArcheAge or any other MMO? 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!
Black Desert getting naval transportation, combat
Fan site BlackDesert.com spoke to representatives from Pearl Abyss and Daum Communications at Gamescom. The resulting interview is worth a read, and it mentions that Black Desert will in fact be getting some sort of naval system. "Yes naval transportation and combat will be present in Black Desert Online," said Daum's Park Yoo Jin. "Players will be able to control boats and ships and depending on the kind of naval unit, there will be the possibility to board it with more than one person." Pearl Abyss had previously announced that it was adding naval combat at this year's E3, but thus far the systems have not been made available during Black Desert's Korea beta tests.
ArcheAge Korea getting 1.7, new PvE and PvP content next week
While Western ArcheAge fans are getting all hot and bothered by Trion's upcoming closed beta, it's worth remembering that XLGAMES' sandpark has been live in its native Korea for a while now. As such, it's scheduled to receive a version update (1.7) next week that will add new PvE and PvP content. There's an aquatic world boss called Leviathan in the works, as well as something called Attack of the Abyss that features PvP capture-and-defend objectives as well as PvE pirate ghost ships. The update will also feature a new PvP area called Dew Plains. You can view trailers for Leviathan, Attack of the Abyss, and Dew Plains after the break.
Daily iPad App: Leviathan Warships features sweet, turn-based boat warfare
First of all, go enjoy the wonderful trailer for this game. If you're not sold on Leviathan Warships (US$4.99 on the App Store) after watching that, then I'm not exactly sure what else you want. Leviathan Warships is a turn-based naval strategy game. Your job is to guide a series of ships through watery battlegrounds, leading them turn by turn against your opponents. The game is similar to Bungie's Crimson: Steam Pirates, in that you guide ships around by dragging them, but it's much more complicated. You can aim each ship's guns separately, upgrade your ships as you see fit and take on co-op and multiplayer battles in addition to the main campaign. The whole package is impressively thorough, and in that sense, the trailer is dead on. In fact, there might be a little bit too much here to play with. Those looking for a casual title will find Leviathan Warships overwhelming. But the $4.99 price is fitting -- enough to signify the game is substantial, but still cheap enough for anyone interested to jump right in. Leviathan Warships is highly recommended for sure.
Silent Hunter inaugural video showcases U-boat on the offensive
Adventure on the high seas isn't all about pirates and booty; the upcoming browser-based naval strategy game Silent Hunter features U-boats and battleships. To show off some of this sub vs. ship action, Ubisoft has released a video demonstrating a U-boat stalking and attacking a convoy. In this first ever look at actual gameplay footage, players can see what steps are taken to launch an attack against another ship. The video also gives a clear view of the UI inside the submarine. The game is slated for release this fall. Interested players can apply for a chance to participate in the closed beta by signing up on the official site.
Embers of Caerus' naval combat is 'almost a ship simulation'
Embers of Caerus' feature week continues, and the topic du jour is naval systems. Technical director Dave Belcher steps in front of the camera to talk about the indie sandbox MMO's ship implementation, which he describes as "almost a ship simulation." Other MMORPGs feature sailing ships, of course, but Embers of Caerus is aiming for something a bit more ambitious. "You're using the weather, your sails, and your control of the ship to gain best advantage from that weather," Belcher explains. "Weather is persistent throughout the game, and wind plays a huge role for ship captains and naval tacticians." In terms of the ships themselves, Belcher says that the dev team will implement everything from tiny rowboats to frigates and larger galleons. Have a look at the full video after the break, and don't forget about EoC's Kickstarter project, which wraps up in three days. [Thanks to Sam and Dave for the tip!]
Yarr! ArcheAge CBT4 video shows player piracy
Fancy being a pirate in the fantasy world of ArcheAge? You can, and all it takes is a ship and a crew of your best mates. A new player-made video shows off the game's naval combat potential, and the clip is basically three minutes of jaw-dropping PvP action. There's plenty of carnage courtesy of player-manned ship cannons and destructible hulls, and we can also see combatants crossing swords on the decks of enemy ships (if you look closely you'll catch a glimpse of a player using a hang-glider to travel from one ship to the next). The video also gives us a good look at ArcheAge's functional ship rigging, and you can see players unfurling sails, interacting with various ship controls, and even climbing a mast to the crow's nest. Check it out after the break.
World of Planes renamed, evolves 'beyond pure aerial combat'
Gaijin has renamed its forthcoming aviation-centric World War II action MMO. The title was formerly called World of Planes (not to be confused with World of Warplanes), but will henceforth be known as War Thunder: World of Planes. The official website has been redesigned to reflect the change, and most interestingly, Gaijin states that aviation is no longer the title's sole focus. "This name change is significant because the online multiplayer universe Gaijin is developing has evolved beyond pure aerial combat. The massive historical battles featured in War Thunder cannot be fought with aviation alone -- World of Planes is only the beginning," the site says. What this means is anyone's guess, since Gaijin has not offered any details regarding ground- or sea-based combat as of yet. The company has released a new screenshot gallery, though, and you'll find that and more at the new official site.
Bounty Bay Online prepping Raging Seas expansion
Is your life lacking a little high seas adventure? Yearning to unleash your inner pirate, learn to be a naval captain, or possibly even score some booty? If so, you'll want to check out Bounty Bay Online's new Raging Seas expansion. The update features a group instance called the Naval Battle of Gravelines, and players bold enough to brave the waters will be rewarded with a face-to-face encounter with the fearsome Spanish Armada. According to a new Frogster press release, "a special points-based system will play a decisive role in whether you leave battle victorious or are cast down to Davy Jones' locker." You can learn more, as well as download the game, at the official Bounty Bay Online website.
Voyage Century Online naval battles detailed
With Sony Online Entertainment's Pirates of the Burning Sea down for the proverbial count, nautically inclined gamers are likely looking for smoother waters to sail. IGG's Voyage Century Online may be just what the doctor ordered, and the free-to-play publisher has just issued a new press release detailing the game's naval battle mechanics. Voyage Century features three types of naval wars: broadside battles, ramming battles, and boarding party battles. Broadsides require a certain amount of control and accuracy, whereas ramming and boarding party skirmishes are all about your sailors' equipment and your captain's fighting skills. Port towns also offer conflict opportunities for Voyage Century players, and more than 40 of the cities are constantly being attacked by players bent on conquest and resource domination. If any of that tickles your fancy, plot a course to the official Voyage Century website, where you can learn about the game as well as download it.
Picaroon polishing beta 'questorials'
Picaroon's beta phase is sailing merrily along, and Nice Technology is talking up a few of the MMORTS's features in a new press release. The newbie experience is fresh on the minds of beta testers and developers, and Nice producer Toby Simpson says that the company has come up with "questorials" that are organized into mission groups to effectively communicate the game's basics while avoiding the dreaded need for players to spend time reading a manual. "We know that documentation is the very last thing that anyone reads," Simpson explains, noting that Nice has recently added PvE pirate battle questorials to introduce the game's combat. Picaroon's beta is also gearing up to release new content in the form of a new building called the Technology Centre. In a nutshell, the Centre offers new strategies for defending islands (courtesy of an orbital laser cannon satellite) as well as a new game mode called persistent Picaroon. Head to the official website for more details.
PotBS devs detail ship tuning, new expansion
Flying Lab Software, developers of the historical naval combat MMORPG known as Pirates of the Burning Sea, have released a new devblog detailing the ship-tuning options soon to be available in August's Power and Prestige expansion. The blog zeroes in on ship archetypes, including discussion about the considerable changes in store for scouts, warships, and merchants. Flying Lab are serious about leveling the playing field and bringing balance to the game's ship combat, but they're also taking into account historical and authenticity concerns. "Before everyone mentions warships going 35 knots, please remember this key fact: we've added stacking penalties on ship outfitting. We've tuned ships (and skills) with this in mind, as we expect ships to be outfitted more reasonably, and less to one extreme or another," the devblog states. The piece goes on to talk a bit about the desire for "vanilla" ships on the open sea as opposed to the relatively common high-end ships that most veterans possess. You can view the full article on the game's official website.
Kingdom Heroes releases first developer blog
The Kingdom Heroes team has released their first developer blog. The Aeria Games title, slated to enter closed beta in late Spring of 2010, is shaping up to be an interesting entry in the increasingly crowded free-to-play market. Gameplay includes a number of different siege mechanics, including the ability to recruit and customize NPC soldiers to form a personal army, conquer enemy strongholds using troops, siege engines, mounts, and ships, as well as the ability to establish and defend player-controlled cities. Additionally, Kingdom Heroes will feature fully crewed player ships, something the initial blog goes to great lengths to explain. "There are a variety of ships with different crew sizes, gun types, and features for players to choose from. The smallest of these vessels can hold a crew of seven, while the largest offers stations for up to eleven players. Although you aren't required to have a complete crew on board to use a ship, if you aim to put up a good fight against other player vessels, you'll probably want an experienced navigator at the helm with a full complement of seasoned gunners, repairmen, and raiders," the blog states. You can check out the full text on Aeria's official Kingdom Heroes forums. Also be sure and browse the screen shots in the gallery below. %Gallery-88486%
Darkfall balances game in preparation for October expansion
The most recent patch deployed earlier this week in Darkfall lays the foundation for the PvP-centric MMO's October expansion. Darkfall's developer Aventurine has revamped the game's magic spells, with faster advancement in spell schools, reduced mana and ingredient costs, but reduced area of effect damage done with magic. They didn't stop there though. There's a shopping list of changes made to crafting, AI, and the user interface. The patch introduced a number of new weapons to the game, chiefly one-handed clubs and elemental bows. But the patch also sets the stage for Aventurine's future plans with naval combat. The changes seem aimed at making ships more vulnerable to damage while also making (most of) them cheaper to produce. Have a look at Darkfall's September 2nd patch notes for more on the changes Aventurine has made to the game.
Siege the shores of Agon with Darkfall's brigantine class ship
In a game like Darkfall, it's hard to get people to fess up to owning powerful weapons of war. But if you're Paragus, you'll find ways to get the information out to the public on some of Darkfall's coolest features. This time he's gotten to tour the deck of one of Darkfall's larger ships, the brigantine, thanks to the invitation of The Mercs and Rainbow Ninja clans.Equipped with 8 cannons, a small captain's cabin, and a crew of angry siegers, Paragus was able to see the ship in action from the main deck as the clans took on a shoreline city. The cannons, which hit with the damage of a handheld siege hammer but fire from a range greater than that of most defensive cannons, pounded the city from afar and wrecked defenses.Even if you're not a rabid Darkfall enthusiast, the look at naval combat presented in the article is a good read for anyone interested in general PvP warfare. For the full story, check it out over at Paragus's blog at MMORPG.com.
