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Get your game on with a prize package from Frogster and Steel Series!
Runes of Magic fans, listen up! The team at Frogster has partnered up with the professional gaming gear team at Steel Series, and the result is a pile of prizes for one lucky Massively reader. The prize list consists of a Runes of Magic t-shirt and aluminum water bottle, a RoM poster autographed by the GMs, a Steel Series Runes of Magic mouse pad, and a code for a permanent RoM mount. But wait, there's more! The winner will also receive a Steel Series Siberia v2 gaming headset, rounding out an already-generous goodie bag from the two companies. So what do you have to do to get your hands on this prize package? Well, as always, start by checking out our contest rules; you need to be over 18 and a United States resident. Then leave a comment here telling us a little about your Runes of Magic play: When did you start? What kept you playing? Do you have a favorite class and/or zone, or do you love it all? Leave your comment by noon EST on Saturday, July 16th. Once the deadline hits we'll draw one winner and send the items directly to him or her. Best of luck!
Lost Pages of Taborea: Improving versatility in RoM's content
I'm bouncing off last week's Lost Pages of Taborea to elaborate on why Runes of Magic's content is lackluster, especially in light of the ability to over-gear but also to come up with some ideas to keep it from becoming meaningless and boring. It's not absolutely necessary, but it will help if you've read last week's article. RoM's gear-system ensures that you get a lot of variety in choosing what kind of character to make and how you want to play it, but there's a threshold at which the only way to allow for even more diversity among class builds is to offset the linear difficulty of new content by replacing your stats with more powerful versions of themselves, adding refinements and tiering, upgrades that just up your sheer power. Players get funneled into more restrictive builds as they gain levels. The downfall is in the content itself because it becomes super-easy-mode killing after over-gearing. It's turning on a cheat code. Any need -- or desire -- to manage blood bars or skill rotations gets thrown out with the trash. It's a foreseeable issue in just about any game across any platform or genre in which you would allow the players to gain extra amounts of power. But is there a way to allow for it and keep in some challenge and variety? Some solutions might be to slow down the pace of combat, stretch the utility of player bars, make content more dynamic, or throw in some sandbox behavior.
Lost Pages of Taborea: Content needs to meet the versatility of gear-upgrading
Last week I compared looting and class-bending in Runes of Magic with similar features found in RIFT. RoM's system of gear customization was a part of that article. This week, I want to talk business. Don't worry, I'm not a business major about to sling pie charts at you or talk about quarterly earnings. I want to talk a bit about business, specifically about how it might relate to decisions developers make concerning what kind of balance to put into an MMO. RoM's gear system is extremely flexible on the outside, but inside there are some restrictions. Some of these restrictions are imposed by the game, but some are imposed by players. In this week's Lost Pages of Taborea, let's take a look at how the flexibility and choice of RoM's gear system -- and other systems -- are in opposition to the game's content and some desires players have.
MV Guide: June 27 - July 3
MV Guide is a weekly rundown of the MMO gaming events planned on Massively's Livestream channel. Every week, the Massively staff logs in to play various MMOs live and in person, and we'd love for you to drop by the channel and visit. We have a combination of regular weekly games and new surprises, so you'll find a variety of games to take a look at. During Livestream events, you can participate in the live chat to learn about the game, ask questions, and spend some time with Massively staff and readers. (Of course, Livestream events are subject to the whims of outside forces like server-side gremlins once in a while.) Follow along after the jump to see what's scheduled for this week!
One Shots: On a grand scale
Runes of Magic columnist Jeremy Stratton shared a truly impressive image with us for today's One Shots: This screenshot is from inside the main hall of Obsidian Stronghold and has been my current wallpaper for a while now. I love the grand feel to it, and there are so many cool details in the flags, emblems, and wall dressings. There are many NPC factions in Runes of Magic, and they all have great standards (flags), but the Order of the Dark Glory's standard is my favorite. Keep your eyes on One Shots all week to see what the Massively staff loves playing and showing off. Next week's theme is all about gear. It'll be your chance to show off your most epic armor and weapons and tell us all about how you acquired them! The week after that is pet week, and we can't wait to see your awesome pet companions and hear all about them. Just send a screenshot to oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a paragraph or two telling us about what we're seeing! %Gallery-112285%
Lost Pages of Taborea: Comparing RIFT's looting and multi-class systems to Runes of Magic's
Sometimes I feel like I'm playing the best MMO that no one's ever heard of. Lately, all I see are new games on the horizon that promise new flexible class systems, better functionality in old standard mechanics, improved pet systems, and so on. Every time I read these press releases, announcements, or blogs, I lean back, tilt my head a bit and say, "Interesting. But Runes of Magic already does that." It's why I have a lot of faith -- even if I disagree from time to time -- in Runewaker. The company has made all these great systems that are exactly what newer games are promising, and players are stoked about it. It really has me wanting to embark on a series comparing systems between RoM and other MMOs. RIFT has bulk-looting and class combining that I want to compare with similar features in RoM for this week's Lost Pages of Taborea. I'm tired of feeling like I'm playing an MMO no one's heard of, even if it isn't true -- RoM is very popular and it keeps growing at a fast pace. But dagnabbit, sometimes I want to tell everyone RoM did it before the other guy gets all the credit. Let's look at RoM's dual-class and pet systems to compare looting and multi-classes between these two games.
MV Guide: June 20 - 26, 2011
MV Guide is a weekly rundown of the MMO gaming events planned on Massively's Livestream channel. Every week, the Massively staff logs in to play various MMOs live and in person, and we'd love for you to drop by the channel and visit. We have a combination of regular weekly games and new surprises, so you'll find a variety of games to take a look at. During Livestream events, you can participate in the live chat to learn about the game, ask questions, and spend some time with Massively staff and readers. (Of course, Livestream events are subject to the whims of outside forces like server-side gremlins once in a while.) We now return you to your regularly scheduled program! The Massively crew is recovered from E3 and ready to dive back into livestreaming. We've got plenty lined up this week, so follow along after the jump and see what's coming up on MV TV!
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!
Choose My Adventure: Should have played it by now edition
I admit it: I stick with my games for a long time. When I step into an MMO, I make it home for a while, and it takes a lot of effort for me to move along. That's part of the reason the games I'm actively playing are generally on the older side -- I've already got a history there. Unfortunately, it also means that there are a lot of games, new and old, that I just haven't had the time to play just yet. So to kick off my tenure on Choose My Adventure, I'm going to kick that straight to the curb with a poll I'd like to call the Should Have Played It By Now Edition. But which game I'll spend the next several weeks playing isn't up to me; that task lies in your hands, folks. So what's it going to be? Should I stop being the only person in the world who hasn't played RIFT? Will I dive into the free-to-play domain of Runes of Magic? Should I break my usual conventions and take a shot at Global Agenda or get some solid aggression out of my system with Warhammer Online? All of these are games I've only had a little playtime with at best, and in most cases, I haven't even touched them. So click on past the break and let me know what I'll be playing, and I'll see you back here in a week to find out more about my next destination. (But make sure to vote by 11:59 p.m. EDT on June 19th!)
Lost Pages of Taborea: Is the guild lock-out good or bad?
I want to talk about Runes of Magic's lock-out that prevents anyone from forming a guild or inviting players to a guild between set hours each night. The lock-out takes place between the hours of 7 and 11 p.m. EDT every night. That's a four-hour window each evening that is within the only hours some people can play. It prevents players from forming or getting into guilds, which are standard features expected of MMOs these days. Forming communities and playing with others is one of the biggest reasons to play an MMO. This week on Lost Pages of Taborea, I want to discuss the allure of this feature, why I think it's bad that players have to work around it, the pros and cons of why it's in RoM, and why it's not being discussed.
MV Guide: June 13 - 20, 2011
MV Guide is a weekly rundown of the MMO gaming events planned on Massively's Livestream channel. Every week, the Massively staff logs in to play various MMOs live and in person, and we'd love for you to drop by the channel and visit. We have a combination of regular weekly games and new surprises, so you'll find a variety of games to take a look at. During Livestream events, you can participate in the live chat to learn about the game, ask questions, and spend some time with Massively staff and readers. (Of course, Livestream events are subject to the whims of outside forces like server-side gremlins once in a while.) This week's schedule is on the light side as we're all still reeling from E3, but since good things come in small packages, follow along after the jump to see what's scheduled for this week!
E3 2011: A look at Runes of Magic's upcoming Redhill Mountains
Runes of Magic is on the floor at E3, and the team behind the game is showing off the goods for the upcoming Lands of Despair expansion. GDC saw a preview of the earliest zone for the new chapter, but E3 is focusing on the new Redhill Mountain zones, spanning from level 65 to 68. Players will be tossed into the center of a war between the Fireboot Dwarves and the rhino-like Kaylo race. And at the center of everything sits the dungeon of Sardo Castle, a font of undead and villainy. The centerpiece of the Redhill Mountains is the Battlefield of Steel, where the Dwarves and Kaylo take part in an ongoing war of aggression that's stretched out for 10 long years. Players will be tasked with investigating both sides of the issue and uncovering the sinister motives behind the conflict, with the true villain waiting at the heart of the Sardo Castle instance. Runes of Magic fans should take a look at the special preview gallery below, showing off the zone and instance in elaborate detail. Massively's on the ground in Los Angeles during the week of June 6-9, bringing you all the best news from E3 2011. Whether you're dying to know more about Star Wars: The Old Republic, RIFT, or any MMO in between, you can bet we'll have it covered! %Gallery-125722%
Lost Pages of Taborea: How will Chapter 4's content affect PUGs, gear, and the economy?
In nine agonizing days, the lands will despair as Chapter 4 hits Runes of Magic with all the force of a horde of zombies unleashed upon the TED conference. There'll be zombies, there'll be Dwarves, and oh yeah, there'll be world battlefields. I'm not sure what that last one will entail, but it sounds cool, doesn't it? There's going to be some changes a comin' in RoM when the level cap is raised and new loot is dispersed among high-level players. MMOs can develop ecosystems that only the most in-tune players will be intimately familiar with. While you might be new to the game and happy enough to just quest or dabble in the many features RoM has to offer, there's a posh, red, velvety lounge filled with high-rollers keeping tabs on how new items and stats will trickle down to affect the game. A new level cap means new armor, which means current top gear will be obsolete for said high rollers. Welfare epics will be unleashed on the market, prices will change, and the race for better gear will commence. This week on Lost Pages of Taborea, I want to look at how new content and items will affect the game. How will all the new items affect the economy? How will new dungeons affect pick-up-groups? And will we ever see a Screaming Gargoyle as a pet?
MV Guide: June 6 - 12, 2011
MV Guide is a weekly rundown of the MMO gaming events planned on Massively's Livestream channel. Every week, the Massively staff logs in to play various MMOs live and in person, and we'd love for you to drop by the channel and visit. We have a combination of regular weekly games and new surprises, so you'll find a variety of games to take a look at. During Livestream events, you can participate in the live chat to learn about the game, ask questions, and spend some time with Massively staff and readers. (Of course, Livestream events are subject to the whims of outside forces like server-side gremlins once in a while.) Follow along after the jump to see what's scheduled for this week!
Lost Pages of Taborea: Tinkering with standard classes and my Priest/Rogue
Aside from some ancillary problems, one of the things I love so much about Runes of Magic is that it gives me ability to augment weapons and equipment via the arcane transmutor. When that is coupled with a dual-class system, players are given a lot of room to bend traditional classes to their wills. I've been running a Priest/Rogue for a while now and loving it. The selection of offensive spells, the Rogue's skills, and the weapons I can wield have me wanting to push the boundaries of typical class specifications. I'm building a hammer-wielding Priest that's specced much like I'd spec a Mage, but the class can also pump out adequate melee damage. In this week's Lost Pages of Taborea, I want to give you a run-down of the gear, weapons, and stats I'm choosing. It should serve as a good guide to some unique possibilities for classes in RoM.
Runes of Magic starts official video podcast [Updated]
Don't change that dial! Frogster is hitting the airwaves with its very first official podcast dedicated to all things Runes of Magic, and you are in danger of being transmogrified into a frog if you ignore it. RoMCast, as it's titled, is hosted by Runes of Magic CMs Mike Kiefer and Matthew Rider. The duo is dedicated to talking about all of the exciting -- and controversial -- subjects surrounding this free-to-play title. The podcast is accepting player questions for possible future discussions. To appeal to as wide of an audience as possible, RoMCast is filmed in English but subtitled in German, Spanish, Polish and French. You can catch the first episode of RoMCast after the jump as Kiefer and Rider talk about the Chapter IV: Lands of Despair update, zombies, the new box version of the game, and the tricky topic of balancing! [Update: Our RoM columnist Jeremy Stratton points out that the U.S. division of Frogster has also recently launched a video cast, this one called RoM Nation. Now RoM fans have double the aural fun!]
Lost Pages of Taborea: The poor, lonely looking-for-group tool
Karen's recent article about RIFT's new looking-for-group tool got me thinking about Runes of Magic's own LFG tool. It seems like such a nifty function, but it hardly ever gets used in RoM. It's such an interesting tool that I'm happy to see in the game, but it also seems to be better on paper than in practice. Part of the reason might be that it's slightly clumsy to use for the first time, which I'll get to a little later. LFG tools are one of those things that a lot of players ask for nowadays, but they only ever seem to be used minimally unless the devs attach incentives. Let's turn caps-lock off, stop shouting in world chat, and take a closer look at RoM's LFG tool.
MV Guide: May 23 - 29, 2011
MV Guide is a weekly rundown of the MMO gaming events planned on Massively's Livestream channel. Every week, the Massively staff logs in to play various MMOs live and in person, and we'd love for you to drop by the channel and visit. We have a combination of regular weekly games and new surprises, so you'll find a variety of games to take a look at. During Livestream events, you can participate in the live chat to learn about the game, ask questions, and spend some time with Massively staff and readers. (Of course, Livestream events are subject to the whims of outside forces like server-side gremlins once in a while.) Follow along after the jump to see what's scheduled for this week!
Runes of Magic's Lands of Despair opens its borders on June 16th
In less than a month, Runes of Magic adventurers will turn the page and begin a whole new chapter in the game's history. Frogster has announced that Chapter IV: Lands of Despair, the latest content update for Runes of Magic, will go live on June 16th. If the name sounds foreboding, it's for a good reason: A horrible plague is spreading through the land, zombies are making a comeback, and Mad Lords are becoming all the rage. The update also includes a whopping four new zones, two additional dungeons, and an odd rivalry between the Dwarves and Rhinos. It's not too late to catch up on all of the details of this exciting update. Check out our writeup of the lore behind Chapter IV, a preview video of two of the upcoming zones, our thoughts on the new starting zone, and our detailed analysis on all of the changes.
One Shots: It's safe now, come on in!
Today's One Shots comes to us courtesy of Terenth, who did the inhabitants of Runes of Magic the favor of making an idyllic setting even more so: This is a shot of the secondary-class starter zone, Sascillia Steppes, with the mist just rising over the early morning hills. While it may look barren, that's only because I just got finished slaughtering everything in sight. Are you ready to show off your favorite free-to-play title? Send a screenshot to us at oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing. We'll show it off here on One Shots and give you the thanks! %Gallery-112285%
