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Enter at Your Own Rift: Finally facing the Storm Legion
RIFT's Storm Legion finally arrived last week, and with it came a series of new questions to be answered. Will Crucia succeed in taking over Dusken and Brevane? Will the Guardians and Defiants cooperate to drive back the Storm Legion? And why does it seem as if Queen Miela is in 20 different places at the same time? Armed with a two-handed staff and a foliage disguise, I set off to check things out now that the expansion has gone live. How well did I weather the storm?
Enter at Your Own Rift: Looking back at RIFT's first year
As I ran around smacking loot piñatas (finally, someone acknowledges these things for what they are), I wondered how on earth RIFT's first year went by so fast. The Carnival of the Ascended is just around the corner, and on March 1st, the game officially celebrates its first birthday. In just one year, RIFT has seen seven game updates, a handful of world events, and all sorts of new additions and improvements to the world of Telara. Rather than being a straight-up retrospective, this week's Enter at Your Own Rift is looking back on the first year with a Justin-style list of highlights and even a glimpse of what's coming in 1.8.
'Just getting started': Scott Hartsman rallies the RIFT faithful for 2012
"What an amazing year it has been," begins Scott Hartsman in his one-year state of the game report for RIFT. Citing Trion Worlds' ability to "think about MMOs a little bit differently than everyone else," Hartsman recalls the mountain of accomplishments of the previous year, including the seven major content updates leading up to the recent Update 1.7 and the RIFT Lite service. The best part? "We're just getting started," he exults. Hartsman identifies the "key themes" of the team's 2012 focus, including playing with other people, improving the soul system, leaping forward in PvP, coming up with new ways to interact with the game world, and expanding RIFT's endgame. The interactions theme is intriguing, especially considering his phrasing: "When we say interact, we mean both interacting with the game in non-combat ways, and interacting from out of game entirely." The letter dives into more specifics with each of these themes before culminating in a promise of even more surprises to come later this year.
Trion releases RIFT Endless Adventure trailer
As we inch closer to some big MMO releases in the latter stage of the year (and on into 2012), Trion is looking to keep RIFT firmly established in the minds of gamers everywhere. To that end, the company has just released a new two-minute trailer called Endless Adventure. The clip highlights all of the big bullet-point features (raids, world events, PvP, etc.), and shows a smattering of gameplay footage from each. The trailer also focuses on the flexibility afforded by RIFT's soul system, and though the huge, blocky fonts and bright text colors are somewhat distracting when paired with the game's lovely visuals, the clip does a good job of summing up RIFT for the uninitiated (or the unsubscribed). See for yourself after the break. [Source: Trion press release]
Enter at Your Own Rift: A party guide for the fashionably late
Last week, Justin presented a great overview of what's on the horizon for RIFT via his interview with Trion CCO and RIFT Executive Producer Scott Hartsman. On August 25th, everyone is invited to celebrate RIFT's six-month birthday, with special events and prizes for the next seven days. New and returning players get to play for free, while subscribers get lots of special perks like extra experience, increased drops, and even a special birthday gift at the end of the celebration. Curious about why players names are certain colors? Having a hard time deciphering an acronym? Wondering how you can find the calling and level of someone talking in open chat? Read on for some helpful game tips for those who are thinking of checking out the game (and perhaps a few tips that even veterans might appreciate)!
Fiesta Online unveils the Joker class
Outspark's Fiesta Online has your standard MMORPG classes. There's the Fighter, the Archer, the Mage, and the Cleric. The free-to-play fantasy title departs from the norm with the latest entries to its class stable, though, and today the devs have announced a followup to the Trickster class that was announced last March. That followup is known as the Joker, and though he doesn't look terribly serious, he nonetheless brings the pain as well as your average comic book supervillain. According to an Outspark press release, the Joker is "an agile melee fighter who can deal a great deal of damage to his opponents in a short period of time." Additionally, Jokers boast their own class-specific system which involves absorbing souls from defeated opponents to strengthen subsequent attacks. Weapon-wise, the Joker favors claws and dual swords. If you're interested in learning more about the class, or if you're ready to download Fiesta Online, head to the official website.
RIFT's Spoils of War update deploys
It's a heady day for RIFTers as Trion Worlds has released the game's second major update. Titled Spoils of War, patch 1.2 includes several exciting additions to the game, most notably a Looking for Group tool, a cosmetic appearance system, and 10-man raid Slivers. The LFG interface will also offer daily dungeon quests with increased rewards as incentives to boost instance runs. The full patch notes are up over on the RIFT forums, and they're a doozy to read (but one has to have some way to pass the time while the game updates, right?). In addition to the headlining features, there is a metric ton of changes, tweaks and sparkling gems to absorb. Spoils of War will make the game's expert dungeons more attractive to run, and players who love tinkering with RIFT's soul system should rejoice at the addition of a fifth role. Trion's also added a lot more love for social media with increased integration between the game and Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Tumblr. There's really too much to cover in a few brief paragraphs, so after you read the patch notes, make sure to check out our larger coverage of this impressive update from a couple of weeks ago! If you haven't had a chance to get your hands on RIFT, Trion's also launched its seven-day free trial and Ascend-a-Friend programs for one and all.
Trion unveils new RIFT Rogue trailer
It's been a while since we've seen a class video from Trion, but today the drought is over thanks to the spiffy new RIFT Rogue trailer. The two-minute clip mixes in-game footage with title screens showing the various permutations of the Rogue's soul system, giving would-be rascals a cursory glance at RIFT's take on one of the fantasy genre's most beloved archetypes. Because of RIFT's build-your-own-class mechanics, Rogues in the world of Telara stand out from their contemporaries due to a good bit of versatility. The trailer shows us three incarnations of the class: a death-dealer, a sniper, and a support specialist. In addition to those roles, you may even see a RIFT Rogue playing a lute, teleporting, or possibly tanking a mob. Check out the clip after the cut for more details.
Enter at Your Own Rift: 'Role' play
In retrospect, it was all my fault. I had gotten too used to just throwing RIFT dungeon groups together and assuming that with the flexible soul system we'd be able to provide everything necessary no matter what archetype mixup we had. I suppose it's a testament to Trion Worlds' design that an exact group composition wasn't a top concern -- the goal is just getting five willing players together for a fun run. We were running Darkening Deeps, and I decided to start a group so that I could show off the dungeon to Rubi. We had two Rogues, two Mages and a Warrior, and I felt pretty confident going in that we would prevail. And while the Warrior stepped up and said he would tank -- taking the burden off of my Riftstalker build -- everyone else was curiously quiet when I asked if there was another healer who could back up my Bard heals for boss fights. Nothing. Not a peep. The other Rogue didn't have a Bard spec, and the Mages were whistling innocently when I asked if they happened to have a Chloromancer role tucked in their back pocket. Oh crud. This was going to hurt. Six trash pulls into the dungeon later, I called it and said that we simply didn't have enough healing power to make it through the bosses. My bad, I said, thanks for playing!
Enter At Your Own Rift: The first day FAQ
You've watched the trailers, downloaded the podcasts, scoured the forums, and sold your soul for a VIP key. Tomorrow, your patient wait is over, and the RIFT head-start officially begins. As you stock up on Red Bull and Mountain Dew and fight off the shakes during your server queue wait, you might have a few questions about what your first moments in RIFT will be like. For this week's Enter At Your Own Rift, we'll take a look at a few common questions that players might have. Are you wondering about how to form a guild? Have you already made a soul build that you regret and want to reset? Are you lost trying to find an auctioneer or a mount merchant? Read on for some answers!
Enter At Your Own Rift: Dispelling the WoWhammer myth
If you've participated in RIFT's beta events at all, you're probably wishing you had a nickel for every time you heard a player claim that RIFT is just like World of Warcraft or Warhammer Online -- WAR because of the comparison of rifts to public quests, and WoW mainly because it's the gold standard of MMOs today. Last week, my colleague Justin gave a great argument as to why the familiar isn't necessarily a bad thing. But while RIFT does have several familiar features, it manages in several ways to set itself apart from the pack. This week, I'm going to tackle the argument that RIFT is just like WoW and Warhammer Online. Join me for a look at what makes this game stand out from the crowd, and see why it's time to dispel the WoWhammer myth.
Exclusive: A look at RIFT's Saboteur
You can call them rogues, thieves, scoundrels, but by any name they're stealthy little bastards. RIFT's Rogues are no exception, with the difference being that the soul system allows them access to several unique flavors of sneaky little bastard. There are the backstabbing Assassins, the sniping Marksmen, and the defensive Riftstalker all under the same overarching aegis, allowing players a wide variety of different options. But none of them yet has been the truly annoying sort, the one who looks to be finally caught flat-footed just as you realize he's been playing you the whole time. Rounding off a week of new soul previews is the Saboteur -- and while it might seem a bit less glamorous to come last, that's exactly how the Saboteur would want it. An expert in preparation and subtle traps, the Saboteur is vulnerable without time to prepare his various battlefield modifications, but immensely destructive if he's in control. Click on past the break for more backstory and information on RIFT's resident schemer. %Gallery-101448%
Exclusive: A look at RIFT's Dominator
Mages in RIFT are not particularly nice people. Admittedly, that's not speaking to their character so much as the souls available to them, but between the corpse-raising Necromancers, entropy-spreading Warlocks, and strength-leeching Archons, the precedent has been set. And today's reveal of the Dominator isn't going to change that image, even though it's a soul quite likely to make a number of new friends. But those friends may or may not be willing companions. A mind is a terrible thing to waste, even if you have little to no intention of letting your opponent use it. That's the Dominator philosophy in a nutshell, with a number of abilities designed to confuse, terrify, and control opponents. Although physically fragile, the Dominator will hopefully be in a position where none of his opponents are still coherent enough to take advantage of physical weakness. Take a look at more lore and ability details on RIFT's latest soul past the break, and check back tomorrow for our last soul reveal. %Gallery-101448%
Exclusive: A look at RIFT's Void Knight
Magic is a fact of life in any sort of fantasy setting, and RIFT is no exception to this. The Warrior, of course, is the last class you'd expect to be dabbling heavily in magic, an assumption that would be largely correct. But with the plethora of souls available to characters in the game, it seems nigh-on inevitable that a Warrior would have at least one option if he wanted to ensure his opponent was just as bereft of magic, to even the footing down to a contest of arms. And the Void Knight is precisely that. The Void Knight isn't just capable of enduring magical attacks -- he actively absorbs them, using them to power his most spectacular abilities. Although he's not up to a straight contest of arms against a non-magical character, he's more than the equal of a caster, easily capable of turning the most devastating curses or enchantments into the equivalent of an energy drink. Take a look past the break for the full rundown on both the lore and abilities of the Void Knight, and check back each day this week for another new RIFT soul reveal. %Gallery-101448%
Exclusive: A look at RIFT's Druid
Within RIFT's soul system, there's room for a wide variety of different classes within the four core options -- two different Clerics might have very different sets of souls equipped and play like two completely different classes. Trion Worlds has been slowly providing information to players about what they can expect from the various souls, but every time a new soul is revealed, it's something completely different from what's come before. The Druid is one of the souls available to Clerics, for instance, but it couldn't be more different than options such as the Purifier or Sentinel. Druids are a pet class, but not in the traditional sense. Where a Mage with a pet-using soul would rely on his pets to deal damage, the Druid uses her pets as conduits to empower her, making her a fierce combatant in her own right. Although vulnerable if her companions are damaged, the Druid herself is the core of her strength, using a variety of companions for a multitude of effects. Click past the break for more information and backstory on RIFT's Druid, and check in every day this week for more heretofore unseen souls. %Gallery-101448%
RIFT beta 3 patch notes show major soul changes and more
RIFT's third beta event kicks off today, and Trion Worlds has the novel-sized patch notes to prove that the team's been busy. Many fan sites rushed to repost the beta forum notes, which is allowed now that the NDA has dropped. The biggest change that previous players will see concerns the much-ballyhooed soul system, RIFT's flexible character builder. Previously, players would get only one of three souls at the start, with another at level five, and gain soul points at the rate of one per level. With Beta 3, this has been changed so that you can pick from all of your archetype's souls at the start and will leave the beginner area with three souls instead of two. In addition, Trion is handing out an extra soul point every third level, bringing the total number of soul points for a level 50 character up to 66. Of course, souls aren't the only focus of this patch. Among the many changes are the inclusion of the rest system, the ability to rename your pets, a preview of the soul trees before you purchase them, and a number of new invader boss encounters for both sides. Read up on the patch notes here, and we'll see you on the battlefield!
RIFT unveils four new souls
If you want to get anywhere in RIFT, you've got to have soul. Specifically, you have to have one of the game's soul trees, the unique mix-and-match system the game uses to help players customize strengths and weaknesses as they please. The team at Trion Worlds has recently revealed four new souls, one for each of the game's four classes -- the Riftblade for Warriors, the Marksman for Rogues, the Necromancer for Mages, and the Warden for the Clerics. RIftblades are magically-empowered warriors, deft at ranged strikes and penetrating armor but weak under concentrated assaults. Marksmen, obviously, are best suited to hit-and-run ranged strikes, with little capability in a close-quarter battle. Necromancers utilize the undead pets you would expect, although they're quite vulnerable without them. And Wardens serve as healers with a specialty in slow accumulation, stacking healing energies over time but vulnerable to a lack of time. Future RIFT players should take a look at the full descriptions as well as the fiction behind each of the fallen champions.
Ten levels of RIFT: A guide to your first day in Telara
With two RIFT beta events under my belt, I was given the supreme honor of creating a guide to the first 10 levels of the game. Naturally, I fell apart under the stress, assumed the fetal position for a couple days while whimpering about "frame rates," and then was prodded into action by our editors. That's quite literally "prodded," mind you -- Massively purchased a pair of cattle prods last year at a police auction. It's going to be years until the scorch marks fade from my spine. The purpose of this guide is two-fold. First, we want to give anyone who's interested in RIFT but couldn't get into the beta a chance to vicariously experience RIFT's newbie path. Second, while RIFT is careful to hold your hand during your first steps into Telara, there are always a lot of things that can be easily missed while one is partaking in the wonders of a new virtual world. So this guide is here to share a few tips and pointers that beta testers may have missed. What are you waiting for? Roll up a new character by hitting the jump!
RIFT beta: Massively's first impressions
When it comes to RIFT, Massively readers have been patiently watching this game for a while. You've seen the trailers of the rift invasions and in-game cinematics, checked out our hands-on coverage, and gobbled up 500 VIP keys in less than 20 minutes. But does the game live up to the hype? We know you have lots of questions, and thankfully, the NDA is officially over, so it's time to talk about our first impressions of RIFT. Read on to get a close look at the two beta events held so far -- Rise of the Defiant and Guardians of the Vigil.
RIFT Podcast features Gershowitz, Bowens, and beta talk
Episode 23 of the RIFT Podcast is up for your listening pleasure, and its hosts, Arithion and Desikis, have a lot to talk about this week. Joining them are Trion Worlds senior community manager Cindy "Abigale" Bowens and producer Adam Gershowitz. Gershowitz has plenty to say over the course of the podcast, including info on RIFT's soul system, global cooldowns, a brief recap of the first beta weekend (as well as objectives for the second), and tweaks to the title's invasion system. "We're kind of going back, not to the drawing board per se, but we're kind of going back and refining our numbers. Really what our goal is with the invasions is to look at various areas of the game and various areas of the zone [...] and send the appropriate amount of content to that area when we launch an invasion," Gershowitz explains. For more on the RIFT beta process as well as further details about the game, check out earlier episodes of the RIFT Podcast .
