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Leaderboard: News dump vs. paced information
This week's E3 is on all our minds, and I know that I can't wait to hear what big reveals or juicy tidbits developers have to drop on us. Conventions, expos, and trade shows are great platforms to back up a dump truck full of information to the microphones in an attempt to grab the spotlight and deny it to others. But that makes me think of how there's really two methods that studios use for delivering information about their games' futures. The first is to store it all up for a single mass press explosion that floods players and the media with loads of new information. While that can be fun and get the headlines, it also means that there tends to be a lot of silence and waiting between said infodumps. The other method is to spread out the love with regular but smaller updates. Some MMOs, like SWTOR and WildStar, even go so far as to schedule a weekly info day so that fans know when to expect something new. It may not always seem as impressive when paced like that, but some players really do appreciate knowing that there is news coming at regular intervals rather than having to wait. So what do you say? Vote with your mouse and then sound off in the comments: Is it better to have big news dumps or to pace that information out?
The Mog Log: What crafters can do in Final Fantasy XIV
A couple of weeks ago, I was chatting with one of our fellow writers about MMO design. This, as you might imagine, is actually a fairly common topic of discussion amongst Massively staff members. (It's beaten out slightly by talk of cats and horrible puns, but still.) Said writer was lamenting the fact that we haven't seen a game in years that allows players to really focus on a non-combat role and level up without having to march out and kill things. "Yes, we have," I countered. "Final Fantasy XIV lets you do that." "Well, yeah, but you have to kill stuff to get materials and get money to start with, right?" "No, you can just craft the whole way through." And as I said it, I realized that one of the real shames of the game's launch was that everything the crafting and gathering systems do correctly wound up being overshadowed by other issues. There's a reason I started calling the game a sandpark when I was writing my first impressions, because the devotion to non-combat gameplay options is almost peerless among more modern games. And it's worth some tribute.
ArcheAge market expands to Japan, hopes rise for more globalization
Although the publishing agreement with GameOn for the service of ArcheAge in Japan was actually signed in 2009 (according to February 25th's press release about Simplygon), details of the company's plans for the game just recently became clear: GameOn's parent company, NeoWiz, aims to distribute and support ArcheAge using a revived social gaming platform called Pmang combined with GameOn. It's not exactly the announcement Western ArcheAge fans want to hear most, but the news that the game will be published in Japan is definitely a step in the right direction; adding yet another country gives hope that the market will continue to expand, perhaps finally to North America and Europe. Also fanning the flames of hope is talk that NeoWiz may take the platform worldwide. We have our fingers crossed! [Thanks to Dengar for the tip!]
New ArcheAge video shows improvements to Rainbow Fields
ArcheAge's CBT4 ended a couple months ago, and XLGAMES has been busy putting the information gathered to use. To showcase changes and improvements made during the break between CBT4 and CBT5, the studio has planned a series of videos. The first video in this series highlights the transformation of one starting area, Rainbow Fields; once described as empty and flat, this region is now populated with more buildings, has a more diverse landscape, and sports improved weather effects. Although there is still no official word on ArcheAge being released to the western market, sandbox hopefuls can check out the latest improvements after the break. [Thanks to Sandboxer for the tip!]
New Pathfinder dev blog talks contract, questing mechanics
The latest Pathfinder Online dev blog is all about contracts. It's also about 20,000 pages long, so reading it starts to feel like reading a real contract after about the 10,000 page mark. OK, it's not all that bad. Heck it's actually pretty interesting stuff, since most MMOs these days go out of their way to segregate players from each other and from decisions that have lasting gameplay implications. Not so in Pathfinder, thanks to its contract mechanics, which Ryan Dancey says are like "a questing system hidden in plain sight." While some of what you'll read in this particular blog is theoretical (and as such, it carries the standard subject-to-change disclaimers), the system as it stands right now is broken down into four in-game tools: escrow, reputation, alignment, and the law. Contracts themselves are sub-divided into assassination, auction, bounty, guard, loan, purchase, sale, and transportation flavors. It sounds somewhat complex, but there's definitely a method to Goblinworks' madness. "Ideally, most of the commercial, diplomatic, and adventuring activities in the game will develop through player-to-player contracting," Dancey writes. "If somebody offers you a reward for bringing them 10 rat tails, it will be because another player needs 10 rat tails for some reason, not just because an NPC has an exclamation point bobbing over his head."
WildStar Wednesday shows off Eldan technology
Players might be exploring the world of Nexus in WildStar, but it's not their world. It belonged to the Eldan, and while the race itself might not be present, its technology is still everywhere. The newest installment of WildStar Wednesday takes a look at some of the automated robots left behind by the Eldan. They're not directly malicious, but they're also not particularly friendly, pursuing ancient objectives and antiquated functions with single-minded devotion. While Probes are primarily meant for gathering information and surveillance, the floating eyes are equipped with shielding and directed-energy weapons to keep themselves safe. Protectors have a more direct combat function; the lumbering humanoid robots found gathered around important scientific sites. Last but not least, the Augmentors are rare but potent machines capable of injecting nanomachines into a subject to start a process of mechanical integration known as augmentation. Take a look at all of the machines on this week's installment of the preview column -- even if you don't necessarily want to blow these gadgets up, they don't have any such compunctions about you.
WildStar Thursday brings the Metal Maw action
Metal Maw, the brain child of a live drawing session conceived at last year's Gamescom, is featured once again in this week's WildStar "Wednesday" -- and this time he's not just some concept art or a 3-D model but a fully animated death-bringer! Along with a test video featuring the big guy in action, this week's blog post has some information about the team's considerations in bringing him to life. This destructive blue hulk is designed for about 15 level 6 players to fight at once and should give them about a three-minute battle. His abilities are designed so that things get steadily more interesting as the fight progresses. Now that the team's happy with the way he fights, Metal Maw's been put in a crate and shipped on over to the animation and effects team to get his final beauty polish before being totally ready for players in-game. Skip below the cut to see the big guy in action!
Pathfinder Online kicks off a Kickstarter video series
Pathfinder Online's Kickstarter page got a video update today: the start of a promised "behind the scenes" glimpse of the goings-on at Goblinworks. The video is all about Mark Kalmes, Goblinworks' Chief Technology Officer. Kalmes is introduced as something of an industry veteran, having his hands in the City of Heroes, Champions Online, and World of Darkness pots as he progressed through his career. It was during the WoD years that he met Goblinworks CEO Ryan Dancey, and... well, you can hear the story for yourself in the video. Along with talking a little bit about himself and how he became part of the Pathfinder Online team, Kalmes says a bit about the company's goal (to "go into beta as quickly as possible, start getting a few people in the game, and then start building the game that they enjoy") as well as his hopes for the game and its development. This video is the first in a series of introductions to team members and their roles within Goblinworks. Keep tabs on the project's Kickstarter page (where if you're especially passionate, you can still donate even though the team has reached its goal and then some) for further updates!
Pathfinder Online's technology demo gets soundly kickstarted
Two days ago, we announced that Pathfinder Online was starting a Kickstarter project to fund a technology demo for the game. Yesterday, the project went live. Today, the project has already hit its $50,000 goal and exceeded it, meaning that the game's demo will most definitely be funded when June 8th rolls around. There are still another 29 days left in the project, so if you're interested in the game, there's still more time for you to throw in your support. But maybe you're one of the backers already. If you're still eager for more information on the game, the weekly developer blog has gone live, discussing the rationale behind the Kickstarter project and some of the future steps of the game's production. You can also take a peek at details behind the upcoming tabletop book available for backers, which might help motivate you to donate if you haven't already. [Thanks to Nick for the tip!]
WildStar Wednesday discusses quality of life
Mobility is key when you're adventuring on an exciting frontier planet. Taking this to heart, WildStar developer Carbine Studios is building in some quality of life improvements to speed Settlers along their way. All players traveling on roads in WildStar will benefit from a speed boost, whether they're on a noble steed or going afoot. Executive Producer Jeremy Gaffney mentions that, more than just cutting down on travel time, this allows developers to plan on players running into each other as they travel through the world as well as aiding in the design of exploration-driven content and proper timing of encounters. If players are really gung-ho about speed and being (profitable) good Samaritans, they'll have opportunities to add new taxi points to remote areas, pitch a vendor stall to sell mounts to lowbies, and set up speed-boosting machines at outposts, among other player-driven additions. Hopefully, this means that the more folks are in an area, the more luxuries are available -- or you can be the pilgrim running out into the wilds to spur on the advance of civilization. Speaking of running out into the wilds, we know no one likes doing that only to get called in 15 minutes later to pick up a new quest. Players' communicators are a big part of the accessibility of the world in WildStar. Many quests can be picked up and turned in via comm call, freeing players from the drudgery of having to actually track people down. To sum up, Gaffney listed the goals of this design approach. "Focus on the fun parts of the game. Eliminate tedium. Keep the challenge in there for advanced gamers. Overall, let you play the way you want to play."
Pathfinder Online puts together a Kickstarter project [Updated]
Kickstarter has been getting a lot of attention from the gaming industry of late after a number of high-profile successes. It's even gained the attention of the team behind Pathfinder Online, the upcoming sandbox MMORPG based on the eponymous tabletop system. So instead of trying to secure venture capitalist funding for the project, the development team is reaching out directly to the fans via a new Kickstarter project to assemble a tech demo for the game. It's important to note that the project is only for funding a demo of the game, enough to show bigger investors that the interest in the game does exist. However, the development team has still assembled a number of bonuses for prospective players, including special forum membership, specialized tabletop game products, and promotional posters. If you're interested in seeing the game continue in development, it's well worth dropping by the Kickstarter page and dropping in some money when it goes live soon. [Update: The Kickstarter page is now live!]
WildStar to support and encourage addons
While some fledgling MMOs may act coy or hesitant about including user-created addons for their game, WildStar is going the opposite route and embracing them full-on. Lead Client Engineer Jon Wiesman penned a dev blog explaining why Carbine is enthusiastically supporting addons for the game from launch. Wiesman previously worked at EverQuest's Verant and is currently the driving force behind WildStar's UI engine. He reports that not only will players be able to change the look and layout of the UI from the get-go, but WildStar will support Lua to allow for addons and mods. He assures potential players that creating such addons won't be a frustrating experience devoid of proper instruction and support: "If you can program at all, I promise you'll be able to make an addon for our game. Our commitment is to make sure the process is documented, clear, and accessible. Promise." [Thanks to Bill for the tip!]
Pathfinder Online goes diving into dungeons
For those of you unfamiliar with the Pathfinder game system, what you need to know is that it's based on the core rules of Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition. Needless to say, dungeons feature pretty heavily in the tabletop game. So Pathfinder Online has presented itself with a bit of a conundrum: How can it combine the traditionally instanced format of MMO dungeons with the open-world approach of the game? As detailed in the latest development blog, the team is aiming at something between the normal instancing methodology and more sandbox-style open regions. In short, while dungeons themselves won't be instanced, the entrances will be hidden in various locations. When a dungeon is generated, a player who finds the entrance will have that dungeon locked to him or her until the dungeon is cleared, at which point it will despawn and be replaced by another dungeon. It's an interesting idea, and it's well worth reading the full blog for a look at how this system might work in practice.
New ArcheAge video makes western audiences sad
Tencent Games has released a new ArcheAge trailer that's one of the more enthralling clips we've seen in a while. It runs for just under two minutes and it features a plethora of fly-through landscape shots, boss monsters, a wee bit of combat, and a stirring soundtrack. Why Tencent Games instead of XLGAMES? Because Tencent is publishing the fantasy sandbox in China, and the aforementioned trailer is meant to endear the game to the huge number of MMO players that make up the Chinese market. European and American release plans for ArcheAge are still unknown, so commiserate with us by gazing wistfully at the full clip after the cut.
WildStar Wednesday showcases a rogue's gallery full of rogues
WildStar is shaping up to be a lot of things, but "peaceful" isn't one of them. Players watching the various previews already have an idea of what the more natural threats in the game world will look like. This week's installment of WildStar Wednesday focuses on a much more human element, however: three different criminal organizations that all have a decided interest in the region of Algoroc. As if the wildlife wasn't bad enough, you have to contend with all manner of criminals as well. Marauders are intergalactic pirates, the Darkspur Cartel is essentially an interstellar mafia, and the Crowe Gang is a group of smugglers and moonshine brewers. But all of them have an interest in Algoroc, and none of them are open to outsiders or anything law-abiding in the area. That means players are going to have to face off against all three, and from the looks of the preview, none of these groups will go down easily.
XLGAMES teases ArcheAge soundtrack download
Well, the bad news is that there's still no sign of ArcheAge coming to the western market anytime soon. The good news is that you can now treat your ears to a portion of the fantasy sandpark's soundtrack. ArcheAge's official Korean website has made nine tracks available for your downloading pleasure, including several of the game's racial themes as well as the music from a few different in-game locales. A helpful chap on the ArcheAge Source forums has posted translations for all the track titles, and while this certainly isn't all of the music available in XLGAMES' sprawling fantasy epic, it may just tide you over for a bit.
Pathfinder Online developer blog outlines the path of production
Everything comes from somewhere. That's one of the axioms underpinning Pathfinder Online -- almost every single object that players see will have been produced by a player. In the most recent development blog, the process for gathering and producing items is outlined, and it bears all of the detailed hallmarks of the game's other systems. This isn't a game in which players grab a pickaxe and swing at the nearest rock face for ore; instead, you construct a camp and start up an entire mining operation. The game has a basic three-tiered structure to its non-combat operation, starting with harvesting the resource, moving on to processing and refining the items in question, and finishing with crafting a usable item. And as an outgrowth of the game's open systems, these elements work in multiple directions. Starting a camp to harvest resources, for example, can generate a lot of commotion and attract hostile monsters, necessitating that players deal with the fallout or find someone else willing to do so. No one can accuse the designers of making crafting activities a secondary goal with this degree of detail involved.
WildStar Wednesday tours Algoroc
Who doesn't fancy a trip to the wild and lawless frontier to try to strike it rich? Blue crystal fever has spread in Carbine Studios' sci-fi title WildStar, and galactic prospectors will have the opportunity to stake their claims in the new land of Algoroc. Complete with boomtowns, murders, slave-traders, rampaging killer security bots, and ancient ruins, this place sounds perfect, right? Shake off those civilized shackles and prepare for a gritty adventure. Adventurous types can head toward Tremor Ridge, a small mining camp in the western part of the land. Though the area was dangerous before, recent attacks by space pirates make the stay there just that much more exciting. Fancy a trip to a boomtown? Head east to Gallow, where the the peace needs to be kept after the local lawman was brutally murdered. Or if you prefer ancient civilizations to current ones, an Eldan facility is being excavated in the western mountains -- just watch out for the security system that the archaeologists accidentally triggered!
WildStar records score, dishes out free music
This week's WildStar spotlight takes the focus off the look of the game and puts it on the melodious strains of its soundtrack. In it, Carbine Studios Lead Composer Jeff Kurtenacker steps in front of the camera to talk about creating and recording the score for this upcoming MMO. "The recording process is pretty fascinating and pretty complicated, actually," Kurtenacker began. He said that the score starts with his recording basic MIDI tunes for use in the game's early testing. Following that, he assembles musicians to record the proper score, including "cues" (short pieces) and longer tracks. His favorite part of the recording day comes when there's silence right at the beginning and then the first notes fill the air. "That always to me is a fantastically amazing moment," he said. On top of the video, which you can check out after the jump, Carbine's provided two free music tracks to download and enjoy: Enemy Camp Battle and Rescue Mission.
Cash rules everything around Pathfinder Online
The latest in the series of Pathfinder Online developer diaries has just recently gone live, and this time it's covering something near and dear to the heart of many gamers: money. Even if you don't play an MMO specifically for the size of your bankroll, everyone likes having cash to spend and money in the bank. The diary explains that the heart of the game's economic system will be a currency known simply as coin, which is meant to be the driving force behind the virtual economy in-place. Beyond the basics of the game's economic theory, however, the entry also reveals something of the game's business model, explaining that players will also be able to spend real money to purchase Skymetal Bits. These Bits work as microtransaction currency, running the gamut of the usual microtransaction services (skill training, cosmetic items, special content, and so forth). If you've been following the game along thus far, you'll probably want to see what information the latest entry is providing.
