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GBE Games and Aurora Interactive bringing The Aurora World stateside
A new challenger has appeared in the fantasy MMO arena today in the form of GBE Games and Aurora Interactive's newly announced import, The Aurora World. This is the first we've heard of The Aurora World (though it apparently already has a following in China and Korea), so we don't have a ton in the way of information at the moment. We do, however, have some preliminary details and an announcement trailer. The game's press release, which announces that the game is aiming for an "early 2013" launch, claims that the game will boast eight different professions "with their own unique specializations and master system," plus "an extensive PvE experience with entertaining daily quests, events and crafting" and "a robust PvP system" including 300-player nation wars, clan wars, and a "coliseum mode." There's also mention of "a unique hybrid pet/mount system known as Majinns," though all we know about that is that it exists. If you want to know more about this up-and-coming title, be sure to check out the trailer after the cut and check out the game's official site for some nifty screenshots and a mailing list for further updates. [Source: GBE Games press release]
The Daily Grind: When has a game worried you before it came out?
I make no bones about how much I love WildStar. At the same time, I recognize that my love is based entirely upon a few preview images and trailers. It's possible that when I finally get to play the game, I'll find it to be the worst thing I've ever experienced. Not likely, but possible. This is not unusual. We all fall in love with games based on early previews without knowing just what we'll get. It's the risk inherent in watching previews about new titles and finding out bits and pieces until we can finally get our hands on betas -- the game might look great while playing badly. We can only hope that we wind up playing the game of our dreams rather than one of our nightmares. But sometimes you start seeing previews months after the game was announced that make you wonder if the game you've been looking forward to is going to leave something to be desired. So have you ever been worried about whether or not you're cheering for a game's release that you might not wind up enjoying? 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!
Leaderboard: New hotness vs. old and trusted
There's always something awesome just over the horizon. MMOs are coming out all the time, and it seems like it's only a couple of months before one new title or another is launched. It almost seems silly to stick around in a single game when there are so many titles already out there and so many more due out soon after. Why not live a little and see everything that the online gaming space has to offer? But there's always new stuff coming out for existing games, and that might be even more satisfying. There's something comforting about having all sorts of high-level perks to fall back upon in your game of choice, things you can't accomplish unless you stick with the game for a few years and learn its nuances. Truly embedding yourself in a game is a wonderful feeling, and it means that you always have a home to come back to (unless you get stuck with a shutdown notice, but that's another topic). Absolutely none of us is immune to the siren call of a new game or the familiarity of an older one, but that's not the point. Given the option, do you generally look forward to the next title? Or do you find a game, settle in, and stick with it as long as it's operational?
DayZ receiving a standalone version before the year is out
Are you interested in zombie survivalist fantasies but not interested in buying an unrelated first-person shooter? DayZ has already garnered a fan following despite being a mod for an existing game, but a standalone version of the game is in the works for release before the end of the year. Creator Dean Hall has stated that in terms of what the team wants to accomplish (some of which was outlined in our interview on the game), the alpha version absolutely has to be out by the end of the year. Hill has not named an exact price, but he has made it clear that the standalone version will be cheap. He's also made a point of stating several of his longer-term plans for the standalone version, including the spread of diseases, makeshift first-aid remedies, and the eventual inclusion of vehicles. All of it is very ambitious, but that's part of the reason that the team is dead-set on having the standalone game out before the end of December.
Linden Lab reveals its next game, Patterns
Where does a company like Linden Lab go after Second Life? Obviously any other titles from the studio need to be creative and offer players a wide realm of personalized options... but Second Life is so open that it's difficult to follow up with something that's any more open to player creativity. Nevertheless, the company is certainly aiming for that with its upcoming new title, Patterns. And while the game looks at a glance like Minecraft with triangles, there's more to the concept than that. As explained in the trailer, Patterns is focused on an experience not dissimilar to Minecraft but with a heavier focus on creativity. The game will sport a real-time physics engine as demonstrated in the trailer, giving objects physical properties that come into play as they enter the world. While the game is still in very early development, you can get a sense of what's in the future by glancing at the trailer just past the break.
The Mog Log: Lessons from Guild Wars 2 for Final Fantasy XIV
If you read all of the columns I write in a given week, then I believe that you're a wholly fictional creature. But beyond that, you'll remember that my Wednesday column was all about the systems that City of Heroes could comfortably borrow from Guild Wars 2. You may also be expecting the same sort of column here. That is definitely not the case. For starters, neither Final Fantasy XI nor Final Fantasy XIV is in a state where it can borrow anything. The former is set in its ways, and the latter has a major update around the corner that makes suggestions about mechanics pretty suspect. Furthermore, neither game is really into the whole "borrowing" routine, preferring instead to reverse-engineer a concept into some bizarre reinvention of the wheel that makes both games at once wonderful and incomprehensible. No, today I'm looking not at mechanics but at lessons for Final Fantasy XIV. The game is going to be relaunching soon, and that's when Naoki Yoshida's core principles will really be put to the test. And as the development team puts the final touches on the game, I think there are a few things to be garnered from the design of Guild Wars 2 that might nudge development around a touch.
A reflective festival launches for Guild Wars
You might have heard about a game named Guild Wars 2 that's coming out in just a little more than a week. And that's all well and good, but what does this mean for the original Guild Wars? Shall old acquaintance be forgot? Will the game be forgotten altogether? Whatever happens next, you'll want to refresh your memories about the game before its sequel comes out, and that's the focus of the Wayfarer's Reverie running until August 30th. Players will have special festival quests to undertake, highlighting the memories and experiences of player journeys through each storyline. These questgivers can be found in each of the four major cities from the four expansions. That's not all that players can expect, however. Special drops will also be in effect for the whole of the event, and there will be several NPCs scattered through the cities to share recollections of the game's history. Guild Wars players should check out the event -- it's not a prelude to the end but the prelude to a new beginning.
The Daily Grind: Did you take part in the last Guild Wars 2 beta weekend?
The final beta weekend for Guild Wars 2 isn't quite over yet, but if you haven't already started playing odds are low that you're going to pick it up any minute now. And it's a big milestone for the game's development, with the full contingent of races finally available for everyone to enjoy along with new content to test out. In a month, the game is going live, but this is your last chance to form a pre-launch impression. So did you have the opportunity to jump into the game? Did you find it positive if you did? Were you happy with what you saw, either in the entire game if you hadn't played before or just in the new races? Or did you find yourself a bit underwhelmed once you finally got your hands on the game? And if you weren't in the beta, did you just decide you weren't interested or were you not able to pick up an invitation? 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!
Joymax announces Knight Age, opens beta for one week
The studio that brought us Silkroad Online has announced its newest venture in the MMORPG market: Knight Age. Based on a vast world of knights battling against a malicious god, the game will feature pets that will fight alongside players, guild sieges, and giant PvP battles of 50v50 and even 1v100 in the ultimate fight for Excalibur. And what's a knight without his or her horse? Knight Age will feature mounted combat in which players will be able to perform elaborate attack skills while mounted and on the move. The first English closed beta is open to everyone on July 10th and will last one full week until the 17th. Players can participate in this beta via the official site. [Source: Joymax press release]
The Daily Grind: What game have you waited past launch to play?
I'd be lying if I said I'm not interested in The Secret World. What little time I got with the game on the floor at PAX East was promising, and I do like the ideas on display. But I haven't taken part in the betas, and I haven't focused on getting into the game right now. As interested as I am, I'd prefer to see how the game shakes out after launch and then make that decision. There are a lot of games that I've wanted to play on launch day if not sooner, but I'm sure I'm not alone in having waited on some titles so that I could see what the launch and subsequent support looks like. So what about you? Are there games that you have waited on in the past, even if you were interested in them before launch? Did they meet your expectations, exceed them, or fall short? Or are there games on the horizon now that meet these criteria? 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!
Choose My Adventure: Preparing for TERA
The initial Choose My Adventure poll always goes to the game that gets its community moving. This time around, it was TERA, and that means that I'll be spending the next six weeks knee-deep in huge monsters and active combat. And per tradition, this week will be an overview of the game for those who know nothing about it; the polls to determine how I start out. Fun for all! I'm hard-pressed to think of a game that I've had a more back-and-forth relationship with than TERA. When I first heard about the game, it didn't make an impression on me. Then I started seeing the screenshots, and I was interested. Then I saw more, and I was suddenly less interested... and then I started hearing about the game's actual gameplay, and I swung back around in the other direction. It's a polarizing game for a lot of people, but it's a game that deserves a little more love past those elements.
Marvel Heroes unveils its first official trailer [Updated]
After months and months of teasing us, Gazillion Entertainment has finally officially released new details about its upcoming new title, the free-to-play Marvel Heroes. The press release claims that the game will take "the MMO category to a completely new level of excitement and engagement" by combining "the energy of action role-playing games with the breadth and immersion of the MMO genre." Players can now get their first look at Marvel Heroes with the title's first teaser trailer, which features gameplay footage interwoven with some rather menacing shots of a certain Victor Von Doom, who seems to have gotten his titanium-plated hands on what appears to be the Cosmic Cube, an artifact that gives its bearer the power to bend reality to his will. We're not sure what Doc Doom plans to do with the Cube, but we know that it can't possibly be anything good. Presumably it will be up to the players to put a stop to Doom's nefarious plans and return the Cube to its rightful place, but until we find out more, head on past the cut and enjoy the trailer in all of its super-goodness. [Source: Gazillion Entertainment press release] [Update: IGN has a preview of the game that discusses in detail its Diablo roots.]
Aeria Games unveils new multiplayer shooter, Born to Fire
Aeria Games, with numerous free-to-play titles already under its belt, just unveiled a new multiplayer first-person shooter called Born to Fire. This character-driven game is set following the Cold War, when rules of engagement are thrown out the window and the world is a free-fire zone. Director of Publishing Tom Nichols describes the game: "In Born to Fire, players step in the boots of five distinct classes of elite operatives engaged in a global firefight for domination. With the instant gratification of one-click matchmaking and the in-depth analysis provided by elaborate replay tools, Born to Fire represents a new class of character-driven, highly customizable MMOFPS that's easy to get into but nearly impossible to fully master." The five classes available for play are Rifleman, Duelist, Ranger, Heavy-Hitter, or Warden; each comes with unique backstory, tactics, and a fully customizable arsenal. Sign-ups for closed beta are going on now! Players can keep informed of the latest news, updates, and contests by "liking" Born To Fire's Facebook page. Also, be sure to check out the screenshots and artwork in the attached gallery.%Gallery-155806% [Source: Areia Games press release]
TERA hits the #1 spot for Amazon downloads
Whenever a game launches, there's always a question of whether it will sink or swim. MMOs don't necessarily live or die on the basis of their launches, but it takes a lot more effort to recover from a bad launch. TERA seems to have gotten off on the right foot, as it hit the #1 download spot for Amazon during its launch week, and all projections point to it hitting the top spot next week as well. If you're tempted to jump on the bandwagon, now is definitely the time. Through the 31st of the month, players who purchase the game will receive discounted subscription rates as well as a special Golden Dragon weapon skin. The Digital Collector's Edition from Amazon also features a special mount and two necklaces to help improve your journey through the game world. If you like little added bits of value, now might be the time to give the game a shot. [Source: Amazon press release]
Matt Higby discusses PlanetSide 2's progression and customization
PlanetSide 2 has but one real game it must live up to, but if you consider the unique elements that its predecessor brought to the table, that's still a tall order. A recent interview with the game's creative director, Matt Higby, highlights the ways that the game is being designed to fulfill the requirements of an engaging MMO and an engaging FPS. That means giving characters plenty of progression without locking out new players who just want to shoot things. The game's overall progression path is meant to be one of options, not straight power. That's the case for classes as well as advancement; Heavy Assault characters will play distinctly from other classes, but they'll have a variety of unique abilities that players can choose among. The interview also sheds more light on what players can expect from the game's overarching persistent elements, which set the game and its factions apart from standard FPS fare. The game still has a long way to go in development, but what's been shown thus far is definitely an encouraging start.
Aeria Games announces its new MMORTS, Dragon Crusade
While years have gone by without many entries into the MMORTS genre, the list of contenders is slowly but steadily expanding. Add Dragon Crusade to the list; it's an upcoming free-to-play browser title just announced by Aeria Games. The game will feature six different races, each with its own strengths and weaknesses as well as a unique racial capital. The core of the game, however, isn't meant to simply be your choice of race; it's building an actual kingdom over multiple cities. Kingdoms are meant to add an important strategic resource to the game. Players are responsible for the defense of their cities, forcing a balance between gaining new ground and protecting what's already there. Players will also be granted a variety of different heroes, mounts, and pets, all of which have special development paths to give player forces a unique flair. There's no word yet on when the game will go into general release, but potential players can register for the upcoming closed beta on the official site. [Source: Aeria Games press release] %Gallery-154144%
Torchlight 2 available for pre-purchase on Steam
With all the buzz around a certain well-known third installment of a franchise, you could be forgiven for momentarily forgetting about Torchlight 2. However, the game is now available for pre-purchase on Steam, which should serve as something of a reminder. The game doesn't yet have a firm release date other than this summer, but you can still drop your $20 and have the game ready to play on launch day. The original Torchlight was hailed by many as the spiritual sequel to Diablo II (and some assumed it would also be the closest we'd ever get to an actual sequel). Torchlight 2 boasts more character customization, more pet customization, improved fishing and pet management, a new set of classes, and of course all of the same hack-and-slash gameplay that the first game featured. If you're a fan of the genre, that third installment likely has your eye for the moment, but you might want to see how the other half lives as well.
ChangYou plans to bring Shadowbane back in China
MMOs die. It's a very sad reality, but a reality just the same. And more often than not, there's no chance for a revival. But every so often the stars align just right and fans get lucky, which is almost the case with Shadowbane. Nearly three years after the game's shutdown, it looks like it'll be getting a new lease on life... as the basis for a new title developed by ChangYou. There are no firm details on what the new game will look like, although it appears to have been in development for roughly a year at this time. Preliminarily titled World of Shadowbane, the game is still too far in the future for any sort of launch information, much less discussion of whether or not the game will see an American release. Still, it's closer to a chance at revival than the game has had in the past three years, and that's something.
Aeria announces new Waren Story MMO, releases trailer
"The continent of Waren is divided, and a dark force is stirring in its polluted western lands." So says the latest press release from Aeria Games, which trumpets the firm's new Waren Story MMO. Naturally the dark force and the polluted lands call for plenty of heroes, and players can saddle up as one of four classes (Warrior, Gunner, Archer, or Brawler) to take on the forces of evil in Aeria's latest free-to-play offering. The company says that players will "traverse an endless series of monster-infested plains" while exploring an "exotic medieval world," but Aeria hasn't released many details in regard to Waren Story's mechanics. There is a brief trailer available, though, so click past the break to check it out. [Source: Aeria Games press release]
Dark Legends goes live for Android and Chrome
So you like vampires? It's kind of a thing these days. Maybe you like vampires so much that you really want to play around with some vampiric content on your mobile device. That's for the best, as Spacetime Studios has released Dark Legends today. Building off the success of the studio's previous mobile/browser titles (Pocket Legends and Star Legends), the newest game allows players to take on the role of a bloodsucking monster of the night. The game is currently available in the the Google Play Store and the Chrome app store; it won't be available in the iOS app store for a few more weeks. Like previous offerings, it's free-to-play, and you can log in from separate devices to play both on the road and at home. Unlike previous games, this one is definitely not aiming for the family market, being a fair bit more overtly violent and bloody. Still, if you feel the urge to rampage through dark alleys while you are walking through said alleys in real life, Dark Legends has you covered. [Update: We've clarified that the game is not yet available for Apple users. Sorry for the confusion!]
