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WildStar unveils its final class, the Engineer
If you're headed to a distant planet of untold dangers, you'll want to be protected. You'll want to bring along plenty of armor, you'll want ranged weapons, and you'll want some nice bulky robots to keep you safe in the most dire of circumstances. In short, you will want everything that the Engineer brings to WildStar. It's a pet class, a ranged tank, a sniper, and a whole barrel of explosive mechanical fun all in one package. Engineers have access to a stable of reliable bots to perform several functions, ranging from dealing damage to tanking to providing quick heals. The class also features a variety of ranged attacks, heavy armor, and a special exo-suit that allows them to bulk up and smash everything in range. Take a look at the latest edition of DevSpeak just past the cut to see the class in action, and check out the official site for a brand new installment of the Tales from Beyond the Fringe comic. [Source: Carbine Studios press release]
The Mog Log: A look forward to Final Fantasy XIV pets
Pet classes and I have an odd relationship. I don't generally like them, but I like having them there, and when they're done right, I'm very fond of the option. Final Fantasy XIV currently has a grand total of none of them; we have not even a summoner or beastmaster to call our own, but we've been told that this is all changing in version 2.0. And with November just half a year away, it's time to start thinking about what form these pets are going to take. Of course, this isn't virgin territory for the game series. Final Fantasy XI featured four different pet classes, which have had differing levels of success over time. And even though Final Fantasy XIV isn't meant to be Final Fantasy XI in a new skin, the game can certainly take some inspiration from its predecessor even while forging a unique legacy. And hey, we've got at least three of the four pets from the previous game in Eorzea at this point. So let's talk about the past set of pets, where we are in the present game, and how those systems might make it into the main game.
The Daily Grind: What's your favorite MMO pet class?
If you started playing MMOs at the beginning of the genre, you may be saddled with a prejudice against pet classes. In early Ultima Online, an Animal Tamer's pets, usually dragons, had a way of getting their master into notoriety trouble. In EverQuest, if ever a pull went awry, blame was placed on the Necromancers and Magicians, deserved or not -- obviously, those classes just had poor pet control. Even City of Heroes' Masterminds, implemented only in 2005, have a bad reputation for reckless behavior (not to mention for blocking party members' movement). Pet AI has come a very long way over the last decade and a half, though, and pet classes continue to be popular, perhaps because they allow players to micromanage a group without actually having to be in one. And some games, like Star Wars: The Old Republic, have made all classes pet classes by virtue of companions. Are you a fan of pet classes, and if so, what's your favorite implementation across the genre? 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!
The Daily Grind: Does a class' popularity influence your desire to play it?
There are a few constants that dog my adventures into every MMO. I will play a female character even though I am a man, I will go nuts over pet classes if they are available, I will probably create a legion of alts before ever hitting the level cap, and I will wear stylish hats even if the stats aren't the greatest. But above all of that, the biggest constant in my playing career is that I almost always refuse to pick MMO classes that are extremely popular. I think it's because I -- like probably most of you -- like to feel unique in games, even though it's usually difficult to achieve. Choosing a class that's in the minority helps with that feeling, and conversely, going with the FOTM or whatever the kids are calling it these days makes me feel like I've got my unique snowflake status revoked. So is this insane? Do you allow class popularity to influence your desire to play it, or do you just go with whatever sounds like the most fun? 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!
The Daily Grind: What do you want from a pet class?
It's a fact of life: If an MMO has a pet class, I'll be playing it. It's simply too alluring to avoid! I love the constant virtual companionship, the feeling that I'm "cheating" by tag-teaming mobs with a solo party of two, and the customization that pet classes bring. From Lord of the Rings Online's Lore-master to Anarchy Online's Meta-Physicist, pet classes suit me like a second skin. So assuming that you have at least a passing interest in pet classes, what would you want from one? Maybe you'd like a pet to grow physically over time or to respond to a plethora of commands. Perhaps your playstyle skews more toward controlling a horde of minions at a go. Or do you like being able to hunt and tame your own unique beast from the wilds? What would make the ideal pet class? What haven't we seen in MMOs yet that could make these classes even better? 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!
King of Kings 3 shows off its world-class menagerie
King of Kings 3 recently launched amidst some rather elaborate promises the game may or may not be able to follow up on. (The verdict is out on whether or not it truly is the answer to all our dreams, for instance.) But gamigo's most recent game promises a fair bit of love for a longstanding player favorite: pets. We have a small preview gallery showing off a sample of the variety of pets available in the game, ranging from small helper fairies to class-specific helper pets. There are three basic categories of pets: imamus, class pets, and mounts. Imamus boost both the character's leveling rate and regeneration rate while serving as a remote vendor for unwanted items. Mounts come in a wide variety of flavors while offering players unspecified buffs, and class pets serve as a boon for several classes -- Sword Mages can conjure an animated sword as a companion, while Bishops get a guardian angel. If the description of the pets of King of Kings 3 interests you, take a peek at the gallery for some samples of the companions in action. %Gallery-108152%
