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The Anvil of Crom: Evaluating the dev update - crafting edition
Hallelujah, amen, and by frickin' Crom! What's got me all excitable this week? Well, the latest dev update, for starters, and I apologize in advance for reneging on last week's promise to devote today's column to a deeper examination of the new Savage Coast of Turan content. The last time we met, I gave you a quick rundown on the Ardashir Coast, but with all due respect to Funcom's content designers, the most interesting bit of Age of Conan news from the last little while is the crafting revamp that Silirrion hinted at in the August 31st update letter. But Jef, how interesting could it be if it's taken you over a week to write about it? Well, you got me there, and I could throw in some excuses about needing to get something Turan-related out last week, as well as the fact that I was doing the DragonCon shuffle, but I won't. Anyhow, holy shitaki mushrooms! Funcom mentioned AoC's tradeskills! Join me after the cut and bring the smelling salts.
Age of Conan's Savage Coast adventure pack officially live
If you didn't pony up 700 extra Funcom points for early access to Age of Conan's new Savage Coast of Turan adventure pack last week, you'll be glad to know that the content officially debuts today at its normal price. Said price is 1300 Funcom points (or approximately $15 depending on how you purchase your point packages). So what do you get for your hard-earned barbarian bucks? A bunch of new content for both mid- and high-level players, that's what. There's the Ardashir Coast playfield and its numerous quest lines that are designed to take you from 50 to 55. Players may also partake of Dead Man's Hand, a solo dungeon that scales from level 50 to level 80. Don't forget the Isle of the Iron Statues, either. It's another solo instance -- level 80 this time -- and it's taken directly from the works of Conan author Robert E. Howard. Finally, endgame grouping fans should note the new Fort Ardashir dungeon (and it's hard to miss as you zone into Ardashir City for the first time). The Savage Coast pack contains characters and locations from the recent Conan film reboot, and you can read more about the new content in Massively's weekly Anvil of Crom feature. [Source: Funcom press release]
The Anvil of Crom: Savage Coast first impressions
Oy, the life of a game blogger. Earlier this week I teed off a bit on subscription-based games that tack on a cash shop. The short version of that particular rant is that I'm not a fan of the practice, at all, and as far as my personal gaming time goes, I've bid adieu to all of the double-dippers formerly denting my wallet -- with one exception, of course. Whether that one exception makes me a hypocrite or is simply part of my job description is something I haven't quite figured out yet. In any event, it's somewhat ironic that I'm now about to tell you what a good time I had after spending 20 bucks in Age of Conan's item store. Yep, there I was, forking over for 2400 Funcom points -- I only needed 2000 for the Savage Coast of Turan adventure pack, of course -- and enjoying it for the most part. Luckily, it only costs 520 Massively points to read my first impressions after the cut. %Gallery-132491%
DCUO's Fight for the Light content pack free for subscribers
DC Universe Online is about to get a bit bigger, and it's also bucking the double-dipping trend that's gripped the MMO industry of late. The good news for subscribers is two-fold: First, there's a lot of new content on the way. Second, it's included in the subscription fee. The Fight for the Light pack, which integrates the legend of the Green Lantern (as well as the rest of the Lantern and Sinestro Corps) into Sony Online Entertainment's massively multiplayer beat-'em-up, debuts on September 6th. What exactly is in store for loyal denizens of Metropolis and Gotham City? For starters, there's the game's seventh power set (light, of course), followed by new instances like S.T.A.R. Labs, Coast City, and Sciencells Prison. In addition, players will interact with Green Lantern-based friends and foes as they battle to save earth from the clutches of Brainiac. %Gallery-128108%
Age of Conan dev update talks new content, crafting revamp
Yeah, you read that right, Age of Conan fans. Funcom is planning on remaking the game's much-maligned tradeskill system. While the exact nature of the changes has not been revealed, and the deployment date is pretty far in the future (sometime in 2012), it's a big step for what has thus far been a squarely combat-focused game. This month's AoC development update has the details, along with teasers for a new adventure pack in the early part of 2012, not to mention additional content before the end of 2011. That content includes the conclusion of tier four raid progression in Khitai as well as the long-awaited House of Crom dungeon. Funcom game director Craig "Silirrion" Morrison describes the space as part open dungeon (similar to the Onyx Chambers) and part team instance with dynamic opportunities for both cooperation and conflict. Today also marks the deployment of the Savage Coast of Turan adventure pack to the live servers (though it's worth noting that you won't be able to access it until September 8th unless you ordered the early bird pack), and Funcom currently advises players of a six-hour down time on the AoC patcher. Finally, the devs have put together a community survey that is open to everyone, so be sure and fill it out to make your voice heard with regards to AoC's future development.
SOE releases new War of Zek trailer for EverQuest II
When poet and philosopher George Santayana wrote that only the dead have seen the end of war, it's doubtful he had Rallos Zek in mind. Sony Online Entertainment, on the other hand, has made quite a good living off of the fictional warlord god, and EverQuest II's latest game update bears both his name and the famous quote as its tag line. The War of Zek debuted on the live servers yesterday, and despite some equipment and AA bugginess, managed to bring a bunch of interesting tweaks to EQII. Today SOE has released a teaser trailer to hype the newly updated game, and it's heavy on high-end content including Zek himself, as well as a cadre of raid-geared players hellbent on bringing him down. Check it out after the cut, and don't forget that EQII has also reinstated its 14-day free trial.
Massively Exclusive: Funcom details Age of Conan adventure pack options [Updated]
Well, Age of Conan fans, we've finally got ourselves a launch date for the much-anticipated Savage Coast of Turan adventure pack. The new content will be rolled out in two phases, and the regular launch date is set for September 8th, while an early access period will begin on August 31st. Funcom has given us the details on all of the purchasing options, and the Savage Coast will be available in a variety of flavors depending on how soon you'd like to start playing and what side dishes you'd like along with your main course. Join us after the cut for a look at the Savage Coast menu, and check back with Massively later today for an exclusive new Savage Coast content reveal. Please note that as of press time, Funcom has not provided us with prices for the following options. [Update]: Funcom has released pricing options as well as confirmed that both subscribers and free-to-play gamers will need to pay for the Savage Coast content. It's also worth noting that the pack is only available through the in-game store.
Funcom teases Age of Conan Turan armor
We still don't have a release date for Age of Conan's next content drop, but the Savage Coast of Turan adventure pack is nonetheless looking pretty spiffy. How's that, you say? Well, Funcom has teased a couple of new screenshots featuring gear from the new pack, and you can see for yourself at the AoC Facebook page. There's a pair of male and a pair of female models on display (and unlike most fantasy MMOs, Age of Conan continues its tradition of providing actual armor for the fairer sex as opposed to thongs and heavy metal bras). The only question that remains is where will players get the bag or bank space to hold the new sets?
Funcom talks inspiration and AoC's massive Savage Coast of Turan adventure pack
Age of Conan faithful, enjoy yourselves. There's simply never been a better time to be a fan of the great barbarian and Funcom's blood-drenched MMORPG based on his Hyborian stomping grounds. The year has already seen the fantasy title adopt a free-to-play business model and push out a ton of new content, and that's really the tip of the proverbial iceberg. With the new Conan film reboot arriving in theaters this month, Funcom is gearing up to launch a huge amount of tie-in content. Dubbed The Savage Coast of Turan, the upcoming adventure pack adds a large outdoor playfield and over 50 new quests to the gameworld, not to mention two solo instances, a team instance, a new raid, and plenty of new gear. Join us after the cut as we present Funcom's internally produced look at the inspiration behind all the new content, and stay tuned to Massively this weekend for some exclusive Savage Coast news as well as an Anvil of Crom interview with game director Craig Morrison.
Star Trek Online's Ask Cryptic featurette hints at new content
It's time for the Star Trek Online edition of this month's Ask Cryptic, and executive producer Dan Stahl has stepped up to the plate with a whopping 5,000-word community-powered monster of a post. Stahl delivers some good news right off the bat, as STO is scheduled to receive several new content additions between now and the end of October. Chief among these are various Borg-related invasion events, new lore quests, the Klingon Academy zone, the duty officer system and assignments, and Feature Episode Series 4. The vast majority of the rest of the post is devoted to very specific gameplay questions and requests from STO players, and there's even a mention of the fact that Cryptic is hiring. Warp to the official STO website for all the details.
Massively Exclusive: Maplestory Age of Triumph trailer
Last week, Nexon announced the conclusion of the Chaos series in their free-to-play fantasy side-scroller MapleStory -- Age of Triumph. Today, the studio offers Massively an exclusive video trailer for a peek at the action that is scheduled to release on August 17th. The video highlights the three main features coming up in this patch: The new PvP game Capture the Flag; footage of the new Silent Crusade story line, a full-length quest for players level 37-110; and even the new Crusader Codex, a book highlighting the various monsters that roam Maple World which players can add to after defeating new monsters. Click past the cut for a look at these upcoming features in Age of Triumph.
Aika's Epic II: Exodus expansion debuts August 11th
Next week is a big one for fans of Aika Online, as the free-to-play fantasy title will be rolling out its first expansion. The patch is called Epic II: Exodus, and judging by the amount of new content in gPotato's latest press blurb, epic is an apt descriptor. Aika players are getting a new zone, a level cap increase (to 75), new mounts, and a few choice pre-launch bonus events. These include triple (yes, triple) XP and play-for-rewards summer events which offer a laundry list of cool prizes just for logging in. As for the new zone, Traband was formerly a temperate and beautiful island but is now a frozen wasteland "where only the most bloodthirsty beasts survive." That's OK, though, because what self-respecting MMO adventurer wants to hang out in a tropical safe zone bereft of killable monsters? The Aika website has more details on Epic II, and you'll also find the client download front and center on the new splash page.
Nexon releases new MapleStory map and two new classes
MapleStory's Big Bang patch series is reloading for a second round of content updates, and this time the new stuff includes a new map, two new classes, and a new story. Nexon's free-to-play fantasy side-scroller now features the Wild Hunter and Battle Mage classes, which players can commandeer in an effort to stem the tide of the relentless Black Wing menace that threatens to destroy the Resistance. Surprisingly, the Battle Mage isn't a bring-up-the-rear kind of DPSer like most mages you may have met. Nexon's press release says he'll be "the first into danger, placing himself between his teammates and the forces of darkness." The Wild Hunter, on the other hand, is very much a keep-'em-at-range kind of gal who "will shoot down her targets with deadly accuracy [while riding] on the back of a jaguar." MapleStory will also be featuring another Hot Time event on August 6th, so mark your calendars and be sure to log in, grab an SP reset scroll and get some double XP. Finally, don't forget to click past the cut for a couple of videos focused on the new classes.
Allods Online launches new Renaissance patch, reincarnation system
Allods Online has just published its first content update since officially launching earlier this year. The Renaissance patch delivers a lot of new stuff, and it's a good thing too since Allods recently surpassed 3.5 million registered players. Those players now have a unique endgame feature to look forward to in the form of the reincarnation system, which allows players to re-roll while keeping their main character. The main becomes what's known as an Ascendant, while the new character (called an Incarnation) inherits certain abilities from the main. Both characters share gold, mounts, potions, and other items, and the reincarnation mechanic "offers the most powerful players in Sarnaut the opportunity to become even more unstoppable," according to the latest Allods press release. That's not all there is to Renaissance, though. Allods players will want to explore new zones like the Twilight Isle and the Cave of Tka-Rik, and there's also a new astral layer in store for spacefaring characters. Last but not least, there's the Happy Hours and Happy Days event, and though it doesn't feature the Fonz or Richie Cunningham, it does bring some nice XP bonuses at least once per month on every Allods server. You can learn more about Renaissance at the official Allods website, and don't forget to head past the cut for the new Renaissance trailer.
The Mog Log: Into the depths of Toto-Rak
Aw, jeez. Not only do I have an extant interesting question posed to me by a reader, I had another interesting question posed to me over the course of the last week. They're both questions that deserve a lengthy answer, with the full complexity and subtlety of a column devoted to them. But I'm not going to be talking about either of them this week. See, I had the good fortune to run through the Thousand Maws of Toto-Rak while it's still pretty much new content. And there's some confusing stuff going on in there, some awesome moments, and more to the point no hard written information in a central space to refer back to. So I figured this would be as good a time as any to put together my notes about Final Fantasy XIV's lower-level raid for public viewing, so that other players can hopefully assemble a more definitive guide over time. And besides, who wouldn't want to talk about a dungeon that sees you exploring the Empire's chthonian machinations?
EverQuest displays new screenshots for the Veil of Alaris expansion
In March of 1999, the upstart studio Verant Interactive created a little game called EverQuest. Who knew that 11 years later we would still see growth from the spearhead MMO of the company now called Sony Online Entertainment? Last week at SOE Fan Faire, the developers announced that EverQuest will see its 18th expansion, Veil of Alaris, sometime in November of this year. SOE promises to reveal more about this about this hidden continent of Norrath in the coming months, In a post on the official forums, the community manager reiterated that the level-cap increase and the guild-hall revamp will be added to the game with this expansion. However, the true reason behind the post was to show off the new screenshots from the land of Alaris. Keep in mind that this game is 11 years old when you gaze at these screenshots of the deadly Resplendent Temple, mysterious Windsong Oratory Crypt, and beautiful Rubak Oseka in the gallery below. %Gallery-128419%
The Anvil of Crom Extra: Silirrion on Unchained, buying power, and more
It's been a huge couple of weeks for Funcom and the Age of Conan community. Unchained brought a new freemium business model, thousands of new (and old) players, and new dungeon content to Hyboria. One week later, PvP fans were treated to the opening of the new Blood and Glory servers, with hardcore rule sets that included increased PvP XP, corpse looting, and a return to the game's unforgiving free-for-all roots. AoC game director Craig "Silirrion" Morrison recently took the time to answer a few of our burning questions about Unchained and the game's immediate future. Head past the cut to see what Silirrion has to say about earning Funcom points in game, veteran point allotments, paying to skip the grind, and some spiffy new community-focused server tech.
Anarchy Online celebrates 10 years this weekend
It seems like there's an MMO anniversary happening every other day around these parts. While it's indeed commendable for some of these games to last a year or three, Funcom's Anarchy Online has just reached the lofty summit reserved for the likes of EverQuest and Ultima Online: Yep, Rubi-Ka is 10 years old and still going strong. Funcom has issued a press release that's heavy on the innovative aspects of the world's first sci-fi MMORPG. "Instancing, massive player vs. player combat, digital download of games, in-game advertisement, virtual world radio, concerts, virtual items, and freemium business models" are just a few of the initiatives that showed up early in Anarchy Online. The release also serves to accentuate how much has changed since the game's genesis, as it notes that AO's original 1995 design document questioned the future viability of the internet and hoped for 2,500 subscribers. No 10-year anniversary would be complete without a respectable bash, and Funcom's release also outlines the festivities coming your way in the form of events and new content. The party (jointly produced by Funcom and Gridstream Productions) starts tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. EDT and will continue into the weekend. Even if you're not up for virtual dancing, you'll want to check it out for a new birthday raid, new vehicles, clothing, gear, action figures, and pets. Head to the official website to learn more.
Final Fantasy XIV shows off dungeons
Patch 1.18 is going to contain a lot of content for Final Fantasy XIV, enough that the original launch date has required a delay. But looking at the latest preview of what's coming next, we think it might just be worth the wait. The first of the game's instanced battlefields has been fully unveiled on the official site, hinting at both the rewards as well as the locations of these dangerous yet profitable sites. The Thousand Maws of Toto-Rak will be the lower-level of the two instances, with a minimum rank of 25 and a maximum party size of four. A former Gridanian prison, the halls of the cavern have been overrun with feral beasts and Garlean soldiers. For characters at rank 45 and up, the Dzemael Darkhold will offer up to eight party members greater challenges and greater rewards in a subterranean fortress of Ishgardian design. Final Fantasy XIV players can take a look at both of the official previews now on the Lodestone site.
Runes of Magic Chapter IV launches today
Today's a big day for Runes of Magic fans, as Runewaker and Frogster are launching the long-awaited Chapter IV: Lands of Despair update. The patch brings four new explorable regions to the realm of Taborea, new monsters and dungeons, server-wide battlefields, over 300 new quests, and a level cap increase (to 67). In story terms, Chapter IV introduces Demon Sismon, a new baddie who is fond of trailing disease, pestilence, and various forms of yuck in his wake, and players will need to discover his true motives in order to save Taborea and its citizens. The Chapter IV launch also features a new community event. Frogster is running a sightseeing contest and giving players the chance to win prizes including Logitech gaming mice and in-game items. Check out the new Chapter IV trailer after the cut and head to the official website to download the game!
