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Skyforge unveils the Gunner
The Beatles once opined that happiness is a warm gun. Skyforge's Gunner class has a warm gun that also transforms into different modes and allows the class to call down orbital strikes, so one can only conclude that it is a very happy class indeed. Its opponents are somewhat less so. You can see the class in action in the video just past the break, or you can read through the reveal page to get a better idea of how this multi-mode class will play. The cannon has three main modes as well as a variety of sub-firing options, allowing gunners to mow down targets at long range with missile barrages or take out hardened targets with bursts of plasma. Since it's meant to stay at range, the class also sports a variety of defensive tricks like teleporting back and forth. It's exactly the sort of class for you if you like having a big gun, even more so if you want that big gun to shoot all sorts of different stuff.
New Skyforge dev diary is all about combat
Skyforge has just released a new video dev diary focusing on the title's combat, which the devs say is "90 percent of the game" in modern MMOs. Senior designer Dmitry Borodin walks you through a six-minute clip that traces the journey from traditional MMO combat to the "action-oriented combat of Skyforge today." Further details on the title's combo system as well as Skyforge's healing mechanics are in the video past the break as well as the textual diary on the game's website. [Thanks Toastngravy!]
Perfect Ten: New MMOs to watch in 2015
As I've done for 2013 and 2014, I'm going to use the turn of the year as an excuse to look ahead at what MMO releases we may have to look forward to enjoying in the next 12 months. As always, it's a mixture of research, guesswork, and weeks of anguished ranking to come up with 10 titles that I think will define the new year. After the huge launch year we had in 2014, 2015 will most definitely be a smaller year for big-name releases. That doesn't mean it will be a complete write-off, but perhaps it will challenge us to look beyond the heavy hitters to find more diamonds in the rough. A couple of notes before we launch into the list, if you please! First of all, I limited this list to MMOs that at least have a shot of launching in 2015; games that are popular but are definitely not going to make it this year had to be excluded. Second, I am expanding the "honorable mentions" section this year to include more upcoming MMOs and my brief thoughts on them. So you are really getting 50 games for the effort of reading 10! You are welcome.
Skyforge demos the Paladin and the Cryomancer in a solo dungeon
The latest video from Skyforge isn't a trailer. It's all gameplay footage, and it's all about showing off how two of the classes function in combat and what players can expect from the game's solo dungeons. Development director Eric Demilt and class designer Aidan Karabaich take two of the game's starting classes, the Paladin and the Cryomancer, through the Lanber Catacombs while narrating how the combat systems and ability mechanics work. The Paladin, as you'd likely expect, is as tanky as you'd like and features a variety of sword swipes, holy bolts of damage, and drawing in enemies for large attacks. The Cryomancer, meanwhile, focuses on control, creating decoys, and blasting groups down after they're frozen in place. The video also shows off solo mechanics like environmental puzzles and solo bosses. If you've got a chunk of time to sit down and watch it (it's 14 minutes long), check the whole thing out just past the break.
Skyforge offers two contests for those who seek beta keys
Is the only thing you want for Christmas a nice shiny Skyforge beta key? If so... wow, you are aiming really low when it comes to gifts this year. We usually at least would ask for a game, not test access to a game. Besides, you could get one completely for free by taking part in one of two contests. The first is a straightforward raffle-style giveaway on Facebook: Just "like" the game's page and submit your account email, and 500 lucky entrants will get a beta key. But for those who want a key and prefer not to leave it up to chance, there's a forum thread asking players to name the critter they see in the header above. The five best entries will receive a beta key, followed by a vote-off of all the suggested names. So there's a chance at getting in just based on your creativity at naming things, which might be more your style. The name contest will run until December 22nd, while the Facebook entries are accepted until January 15th. [Thanks to Gabriel for the tip!]
Global Chat: Die, DPS meters, die!
Hey you! Yes, you! Are you sick of damage meters ruining your life? Do you rebel against the virtual man by questioning such long-established gaming tropes as levels? Then have we got the column for you! In our last community blog round-up of the year, we've collected some fine pieces of discussion, debate, and introspection -- not to mention a first impression or two to tide you over until 2015. We've also got an essay about the joy of healing, what it's like to play an MMO as a bear, going back to the Isle of Refuge, and more!
Get a 3-D virtual preview of Skyforge's Naori Island
If a picture is valued at a thousand words, how much is an interactive panorama worth? That's a question that you might just have to answer yourself when you check out this jaw-dropping gorgeous tableau of Naori Island from Skyforge. Naori Island is a tropical resort that got caught up in the war, leaving it scarred yet still beautiful. You can check out the interactive 3-D screenshot of the island on the game's official website, which allows you to scope out the key landmarks and warm visuals all around you.
The myth of Skyforge's Celestial Fortress
Guess what, story fans? Skyforge has lore! Today's dev post explains the myth behind the Celestial Fortress, an epic construction project floating in the sky meant to safeguard the planet Aelion from its own inward-spiraling moon. "While historians still argue about its true origin and meaning," intones the narrator, "only one historical fact remains clear: the Celestial Fortress which the symbol represents prevented the destruction of Aelion." Well, that and the Roche limit, but this is sci-fantasy lore, not astronomy. Carry on, storytellers! We've included the new concept art of the Celestial Fortress below. Don't forget that Skyforge's browser minigame competition to win a beta key and other prizes is still ongoing for the next several weeks.
The Daily Grind: Does a studio's home country impact your faith in an MMO?
I've been cautiously excited about the development of Skyforge, although something's really been holding me back from gushing too strongly about it: the fact that its dev team (well, one of them at least) is located in Russia. Maybe it's silly and even a bit nationalist, but I am somewhat less trusting of MMOs that hail from other regions than my own. Maybe it's a fear of making payments to studios in countries across the world. Maybe it's a fear that the studio won't have my own best interests in mind in operating that product. Maybe I've been let down by too many titles that were developed overseas but never made the transition to my home shores. Does a studio's home country or region impact your faith in an MMO? A reminder: Let's keep the discussion free of nation-bashing, please! 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!
Secure a Skyforge beta key through a gems minigame
Wanna win a beta key for Skyforge, the upcoming sci-fantasy MMORPG from My.com/Allods Team? I hope you like minigames, then, because Skyforge is going to make you play a minigame to earn that video game beta key. From today to December 23rd, players can log into the game's website to play a daily round of the minigame, called Aelion's Treasure. There's more at stake than just keys, though: In the mini-game, players have seven attempts daily to find as many blue gems as possible on a board of 21 gems. To win a closed beta key one should collect 5 blue gems. Along the way they'll find several surprises, and a special leaderboard will keep track of players' progress. The top 20 players on the leaderboard each week will also receive an invitation to Skyforge closed beta. Additionally, the player who places in first in the leaderboard rankings each week will receive a Sound Blaster EVO ZXR Headset. Other prizes include an exclusive Skyforge Souvenir Gift Set, an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770 graphics card. Hey, at least it's novel, right? The game's first technical beta ran earlier in November. We don't yet know exactly when the beta will begin, though given the duration of this promotion, we can hazard a guess.
Skyforge details the Berserker's rage mechanic
A new Allods Team/My.com dev post today reveals yet another class for upcoming sci-fantasy MMORPG Skyforge: the Berserker. Wanna rush into battle, smash enemies in the teeth with a giant chainsword, dish out massive AoE damage, and annoy opponents with AoE crowd control? Of course you do. But there's a catch: This classic RPG archetype comes with a rage mechanic. The Berserker's powerful attacks consume Rage. Outside of battle, they only have half their maximum level available but once engaged in a fight, damage inflicted upon or by the Berserker will cause their Rage to build and rapidly reach its limit. Only then will the Berserker be able to use their most effective abilities - inflicting massive damage on all who would oppose them Skyforge concluded its first tech beta period last week. Check out the Berserker trailer after the cut.
Skyforge's first technical beta weekend begins November 13th
The conglomerate of companies building Skyforge -- Allods Team, Obsidian Entertainment, and My.com -- have announced that the MMORPG's first technical beta weekend will kick off on Thursday, November 13th. What's a technical beta? The technical beta weekend is a "technical test" in that the purpose of the beta will be to test Skyforge's core systems such as server infrastructure, client distribution system, login services and more. Therefore, we are only inviting a relatively small number of players to participate in this phase of testing to ensure that our core systems are operational, fully functional and able to withstand the stress of many players all logging into the game simultaneously. The developers are also hoping to provoke feedback about core gameplay systems such as classes, quests, combat, and character progression. This weekend's beta winds down on November 16th, but more tests with more invitees are planned.
Skyforge's adepts do your dirty work, bear gifts
There's a new Skyforge blog post on the game's official site. It's all about adepts, which in case you've forgotten are the loyal followers of your avatar who further your personal power and assist you on the road to godhood. Adepts distinguish themselves from your regular followers by way of a profession: Engineer, Templar, Sorcerer, Mystic, Preacher, Healer, Envoy, or Agent. Some adepts are better suited for particular missions (send a Healer on an epidemic curing mission, for example), and adepts who successfully complete missions will bring you gifts and additional followers for your trouble. Adepts also help you gain reputation within the game's provinces, so it's in your best interest to develop their power as efficiently as possible. How do you do that? Well, you can start by reading the dev diary which we've linked below.
Latest Skyforge dev diary enables your god complex
Want to become an MMO god? Watching the newest Skyforge dev diary video is probably a good place to start. The clip focuses on the game's followers and adepts and hints at how players with an eye on godhood will develop their adepts, send them on missions, build temples, and receive both abilities and bonuses. Click past the cut to view the video and read the associated description of Skyforge's order mechanics.
Skyforge will spawn multi-stage alien invasion events
If you like random scripted events in games like RIFT, Defiance, and Guild Wars 2, you're going to love Skyforge's alien invasions. Announced today, alien invasions in the upcpming sci-fantasy MMORPG are huge events that will roll out to the open world in multiple stages and spawn waves of enemies full of loot and esclalating challenge. If ignored, invasions "will grow and defenders will be overrun by more dangerous creatures from the most distant corners of the universe." So maybe don't ignore them. Upon defeating invading hordes, players can rally the troops and board the enemy ships, where they will encounter bizarre alien monsters in various forms and vicious, unexpected traps. If these can be surpassed, parties must then defeat the avatar of an alien god; presenting a true challenge, staying alive on board an alien ship and defeating the enemies within will reap huge rewards and bring recognition to all victors. Players that deal most deftly with the alien god's avatar will be able to participate in a championship match. This is a special raid adventure with a new, stronger avatar. Here, even the slightest tactical mistake can deprive you of victory, but the winners will receive a unique reward. The outcome of this battle may have certain consequences for the entire server. After all, the gods are not just immortal heroes. Their actions have an impact on the whole world. Obsidian has posted a new video showing off the invasion system; we've included it below.
Casual escapists, Skyforge hasn't forgotten you
A new MMOGames interview with Obsidian Executive Producer Eric DeMilt sheds light on inbound sci-fantasy MMO Skyforge, which he says is angling to provide a deep experience for players with tons of time -- as well as players with very little. As he put it, "We are striving to make a great high quality free to play MMO that would have action oriented combat and allow for short rewarding session time. We wanted to make something that could accommodate short session game play as allow for enjoyable longer play sessions. It's about escapism and being larger than life." DeMilt also discusses power creep, player retention, character progression, the Facebook-inspired social network within the game, and monetization; on the last, he's reluctant to give details, but he vows that Skyforge is "not going to be a flat-out pay-to-win game."
Skyforge teases retro skycar, seeks tester guilds
If you had any fear that Skyforge is just a pure fantasy title -- and judging by our past comment discussions, I know this is a common assumption -- then you can put that fear to rest. Obsidian and My.com have released new vehicle concept art for the game, including these teasers of an almost-steampunk souped-up classic car with retro styling. In other Skyforge news, if you're part of a guild that might be interested in playtesting, the team wants to hear from you. "We're looking for everything from small groups of friends to big clans," says the post.
Skyforge eschews gank PvP, teases PvPvE battles
"Fighting fair is the name of the game," say Skyforge's devs in a press release today, which is totally what the characters pictured here represent. (Sorry, that was a... low blow.) My.com says Skyforge will allow small-scale PvP in designated maps with varying team sizes; it will also include a matchmaking system to protect noobs and make it "almost impossible to gank someone." Large-scale PvP, known as Pantheon Wars, is another story, one the studio isn't telling just yet except to hint that it'll involve "complex PvPvE-battles where proper role assignment is crucial." Enjoy the new screenshots.
Skyforge trumpets Paladin class
The mix of sci-fi and fantasy themes in Skyforge marches on, as the upcoming MMO announced its latest class: the Paladin. Heavy armor? Big sword? Giant shield? Divine backing? Yes on all counts. According to the reveal, Paladins "are the spiritual heirs of Aeli and a true weapon of good." As would be expected from this type of class, Paladins are tank characters with high health, fast regeneration, the ability to shield allies, and plenty of defensive skills. The Paladin builds up righteous anger to unleash in the form of special abilities and must pretty much always fight in melee range. We've got the Paladin trailer after the break, so give it a look-see and let us know what you think!
Get Skyforge closed beta keys in a social media scavenger hunt
Did the upcoming title Skyforge grab your attention during its Gamescom panel earlier this month? Are you now looking forward to delving into the class-swapping system for yourself? If so, we've got good news: You have the chance to nab a key that guarantees access to the closed beta! Obsidian is having a scavenger hunt giveaway on the game's official Twitter and FaceBook page, getting a total of 100 keys into the hands of fans. Numerous keys have been posted already, so if you want one of them, keep your eyes peeled. If you don't win, however, you can still sign up for a chance to get one on the official site. [Thanks to Dystopiq for the tip!]
