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The Game Archaeologist goes PlanetSide: Your journeys
While war itself is a hellish, nasty activity that we'd be better off without, there's always been something compelling about playing war as both kids and adults. When you strip war of death and suffering, the play version can become downright compelling as we get engrossed in tales of heroics, deep strategies, risky gambits, and clear-cut victories. It's why we invest so much time in simulating war throughout our lives -- in snowball fights, toy soldiers, laser tag, and MMOs. For the soldiers of PlanetSide, the war has been raging for over eight years now with no end in sight, and that's just fine with everyone involved. The game was designed to be a perpetual struggle between military forces -- not due to politics or prejudice but simply for the love of the fight. In the year or so I've been writing this column, I've never seen so many people come forward when asked to share their experiences with an MMO as have done for PlanetSide. There's definitely something compelling and unique about this MMOFPS that's become a dear part of many gamers' memories, and I'm pleased to be sharing those stories with you today. Hit the jump for the glory, trooper!
The Road to Mordor: Just around the bend
It's been a few months since the November Update in Lord of the Rings Online, and the natives are restless -- as usual. Some folks are despairing the long wait until Rise of Isengard while others are itching for more challenges to their currently level-capped characters. Then there are the players who are hopelessly lost in Moria and would give their eye teeth for a flashlight. Happily, a new update is just around the bend, code-named Echoes of the Dead. The actual name is Echoes of the Dead too, so I guess that's not such a great code. Over the past couple of weeks, we've started to get a feel for just how large this update is, and after reading through the Bullroarer test notes on Wednesday, I think we're in for a tsunami of a patch. Of course, these patch notes come in the middle of Turbine's carefully spaced dev diaries dealing with each major change or addition, which means that we're a little in the dark as to the specifics of half of this update. That's not going to stop me -- or any of you -- from analyzing, speculating and gesturing excitedly to no one in particular. So let's dig in to this hearty meal of mushrooms and patch notes to see just how deep LotRO's rabbit hole goes!
The Daily Grind: What's your favorite in-game winter holiday?
There's nothing better to cement the mood of the holidays than a cup of hot liquidy beverage, a roaring fireplace (or, lacking a fireplace, a carefully controlled indoor fireworks display), and an internet-capable computer that allows you access to your favorite MMOs. Of course, this is the time of year when most MMOs pull out their annual winter-themed holiday events, which are packaged in such a way to offend no one while calling on the spirit of the season. So granted that you're fond of these holidays, we want to know which MMO winter event is your fave? It's not as if you lack choices at this point: Frostfell, Yule Festival, Wookiee Life Day, Winter Veil, Wintersday, First Night, Frostburgh, Solorius, Attack of the Misfit Toys, Festivult, Snowflake Festival, Starlight Celebration, Midwinter Festival, Festival of the White Hart, Snowdays, Junkadoo, Festival of Gloriann... the list just goes on and on. For a bonus question, what are your winter event goals this year? Do you have your eye on a special prize, decoration or outfit? 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!
Breakfast Topic: Do you collect non-combat armor?
This Breakfast Topic has been brought to you by Seed, the Aol guest writer program that brings your words to WoW Insider's pages. Gear is a fixture in the World of Warcraft. Your gear plays a huge role in determining your character's combat abilities -- arguably even more than your level -- and high-level gear is often seen as a mark of skill, or at least experience. But there's a lot more than top-tier gear in Blizzard's data banks. Aside from older armor sets, the game is filled with wedding dresses, bloody aprons, monocles, tiaras, rolling pins, fairy wands, and chainmail bikinis. And who could forget the hodgepodge of Outland greens? The first piece of gear I ever saved in WoW was the Everglow Lantern. I kept it in my bank long after my baby druid outgrew its +3 spirit, just because I liked the way it looked. Then I started keeping odd pieces of neat-looking gear I came across, eventually dressing up my bank alt in the classic Tuxedo set and Diamond-Tipped Cane. Recently, I've graduated to collecting tier 1 while I work on my Hydraxian Waterlords reputation. It's not good for my bank space, but it sure is fun to complete an eight-piece set. Do you collect old gear or dress-up gear for your characters? Do you ever wear the gear you collect, for roleplaying or screenshots or just around town? What's your favorite distinctive gear item in World of Warcraft? %Poll-56424%
The Road to Mordor: Rise of Isengard is coming!
Tweet [Update: Made a clarification that there is no indication of "open-world" PvMP in the expansion.] Times are tough in Middle-earth, even after the inexplicable appearance of several hundred thousand new adventurers this fall. The Fellowship of the Ring is broken, Sauron is rising in power, and the White Hand of Saruman is marching across the lands. Even the bravest and hardiest soldier of the Free Peoples cannot be blamed for feeling disheartened, especially in the face of the monumental struggle to come. Welcome to the beginning of The Two Towers in Lord of the Rings Online. Welcome to Isengard. The rumors are true: Next year we will be venturing into LotRO's third expansion, titled Rise of Isengard, to confront evil in its own backyard. While this may not be the Rohan or Gondor expansion that we've anticipated, Turbine is fairly confident that it will be well-received by players and will represent an ambitious step forward on (wait for it) the road to Mordor. Turbine's Adam Mersky and Aaron Campbell were on hand to outline for us the company's near- and far-future plans with Massively, starting with the imminent November update and cruising all the way through 2011. Hit the jump as we look at interactive theater, busy bees, Monster Play improvements and, of course, Isengard.
All you ever wanted to know about Rift's gear and were not afraid to ask
While some players may possess the tact not to come right out and say it to a dev's face, when an upcoming MMO is being discussed there's always the inner voice shouting, "What about my loots? Is the gear pimpin' or what?" Forget zones and races and dynamic events -- today at Ten Ton Hammer, the crowd finally got the Rift: Planes of Telara dev team to open up about the outfits that constitute a bulk of the rewards of the game. In this reader Q&A, Game System Designer Drew Clowery tackled numerous questions about Rift's gear. Rift will launch with 48 armor set models -- each boasting a number of variants and texture options -- but will not initially offer armor set bonuses. Veteran MMO gamers will feel at home with Rift's armor system, which is restricted by class (warriors will be able to wear heavier armor than rogues, for example) and can be bound on pickup or equip. Loot comes in one of four levels of rarity -- common, uncommon, rare and epic -- based on its utility and difficulty to attain. Crafted gear will be competitive (and apparently customizable) to dropped gear. And finally, Rift will not launch with an appearance system that replaces the look of worn gear with cosmetic items. Clowery feels that the team has struck a good balance between loot being useful and being a barrier: "Loot is an important part of our game, and so it has to have an important impact upon the characters. That said, it's not completely overwhelming... We don't design encounters to be gear checks. We design them to see if you can get together and do this."
Guest Post: 5 ways to become a master of disguise
This article has been brought to you by Seed, the Aol guest writer program that brings your words to WoW Insider. We've all experienced it: You're walking into Orgrimmar or Ironforge, intent on visiting the auction house to spend that gold jingling in your pocket, when suddenly you stop dead, dumbstruck. Your jaw goes slightly slack as you /awe in wonder. A strange creature unlike anything you've encountered before is dancing in the town square and emoting kisses to everyone nearby. A crowd has gathered. People are cheering. "That's neat ... and maybe a little weird," you silently muse as you crack a smile and continue on your way. I'm talking about player costumes. When the skin of your orc, troll, gnome or draenei becomes too heavy a burden, plenty of opportunities exist for a brief stay in the body of another creature (unless you're a druid, in which case you change forms all the time). These devices, elixirs and enchantments come in many shapes and stack sizes, but one key element runs through them all: They're a blast for the light-hearted player inside each of us. Ever wondered where they're from and how to get them? Wonder no more! Without further ado, I present five of the most delightfully awesome, portable, use-anywhere player costumes of all time. With Hallow's End just around the corner, you're sure to find something here that will suit you as you strut through your city of choice, sipping from a bottle of Autumnal Acorn Ale.
Breakfast Topic: Does the outfit make the man?
This Breakfast Topic has been brought to you by Seed, the Aol guest writer program that brings your words to WoW.com. As I walk into the room, I take a look around and I feel out of place. Here I am, standing there with my weapon dripping what looks to be blood and my shoulders trying to bite people who walk by me, while the others in the room are calmly cutting Crystalsong carrots and tenderizing rhino meat. I slide into my cooking set, and I feel much more welcome and much less imposing. With my Salma's Oven Mitts, Cookie's Tenderizer and my spiffy Chef's Hat, I feel like I can step up alongside Katherine Lee and cook to my heart's content. When the time calls, what equipment sets do you put on? When you go to Ironforge, do you slap on your Blue Brewfest Hat and chug until you pass out? Are you the type to put down a D.I.S.C.O. ball, equip some Blue Suede Shoes and act like you are John Travolta? Have you ever wanted to write for WoW.com? Your chance may be right around the corner. Watch for our next call for submissions, and be sure to sign up for Seed, the Aol guest writer program that brings your words to WoW.com. The next byline you see here may be yours!
Michael Jackson honored in Battlefield Heroes, kind of [update: Costumes will be free]
Update: Electronic Arts has contacted us to let us know that the outfits will be free. Multiplayer has updated its own story, noting that the prices mentioned were seen on the Battlefield Heroes test servers. Upon release to the actual public, they will be offered at the consumer-friendly price of no dollars. Original post is below.In a touching display of respect for the recently deceased King of Pop, Electronic Arts has uploaded a pair of the music legend's iconic outfits to Battlefield Heroes -- one for each of the game's two factions. Members of the Royal Army can now drape themselves in the white suit worn by Michael Jackson in the "Smooth Criminal" music video, while National Army recruits can don the black leather apparel featured in "Bad." This is a really neat way for EA to show -- wait a sec, you have to pay for them?You're telling us that EA is charging 420 Battlefunds (about $3) for these outfits? Well, surely, they're donating the money to sick kids or something, right? No? They're just ... keeping it? That's sorta messed up, guys.
Exclusive in-game outfit offered for LotRO players
As if you haven't been overwhelmed with enough prize-giveaway goodness in the last few days from us at Massively, we thought we'd point you in the direction of a new exclusive in-game outfit being offered by MMORPG.com for you Lord of the Rings Online players.This new Hauberk of the Mithril Guard is given away free to all who simply log into their MMORPG.com accounts and click on the button at the bottom of this page. There's no mention of a limited number of keys, but please keep in mind that since this is a Turbine promotion in conjunction with MMORPG.com, it's for American servers only.
I-Case spring fashion show
Team Xtender, the group behind the chrome casing and Black Knight Wii mods, plans to diversify its line of I-Case replacement shells with a more colorful look. The mod manufacturer has posted photos of its concept models in their new outfits, dressing the Wii and its stand in red, yellow, green, blue, and pink.Nothing has been finalized yet, so don't expect to see these vibrant kits on the market for a while. The I-Case's pricing has been a little more competitive than the SHOCKii's ($40 versus $50), so we're glad to see some competition in the replacement shell market. Click past the post break for more glamour shots from the Wii runway. [Via DCEmu]
