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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.
Road ahead mapped out for Final Fantasy XI
It seems that Final Fantasy XI's development team is revealing all of its major plans in one large rush -- and what a rush it is. Yesterday saw the unveiling of the team's plans for the anniversary of the game, and today has seen the posting of the roadmap for the game over the next year. Among the biggest and most surprising reveals are the plans for a public test server, a feature that's been long-requested but heretofore unseen in practice. Slated for release between July and September of this year, the test server will mark a change in the version update release cycle as well as the rate of content releases. As for actual content, while no expansions or addons were unveiled, the current plan includes a new battle system dubbed "Voidwatch," which is meant to help breathe life back into older areas of the game. The final level cap increases to 99 are also on the table for the next year, along with several job adjustments, two new battle systems with only preliminary names, and the cryptic but enticing promise of "new adventurer growth elements." Final Fantasy XI fans have a lot to look forward to over the next year, and while the game is getting a bit older, it's got plenty of life left in it.
Istaria's development team looks back and forges ahead
For a lot of gamers, Istaria's main point of fame is the fact that it's the game in which you can play as a dragon, which is a bit reductive of the game as a whole, a game that underwent significant changes and improvements over the past year. A retrospective was recently put together by the development team to highlight the upgrades that the game has seen, including a revamped mid-game content band and a general re-evaluation of some of the less clear-cut quest objectives. But there's always room to improve, something the team is acutely aware of. In a companion piece, the core principles of the game are outlined along with design goals for the next year, including greater integration between the bipedal and draconic potions of the game, more connection between adventurers and crafters, and a broad enhancement to keeping the first few moments in the game as memorable as possible. Istaria fans should be happy to see the design goals stated so openly, and it's to the team's credit that it's aiming high for this year's patches. [Thanks to Joe for the tip!]
