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Flameseeker Chronicles: Taking Guild Wars 2 job specialization to a new level
Have you been missing something in Guild Wars 2? Do you wish your character had a way to unlock new abilities that was more involved than spending a handful of skill points? Did you ever dream of subclasses? If you've wanted any of that -- or, conversely, if you haven't -- it might interest you to check out the progress of the horizontal progression collaborative development initiative thread on the GW2 official forums. Colin Johanson and Chris Whiteside have both been involved, giving feedback on everything from reward systems to ways in which subclasses might be unlocked and helping direct the discussion. If ArenaNet were to implement anything similar to what's being proposed, it would mean a massive shakeup in how GW2 plays, so let's break down how it could be implemented and why it might be useful for enhancing character progression.
Luvinia Online releasing Age of Enlightenment expansion on November 30th
Outspark's gearing up for Luvinia Online's new expansion, and according to the company's latest press release, there's quite a lot to be excited about. The patch is called Age of Enlightenment, and it includes a level cap increase, two new dungeons, new explorable maps, and a generous helping of new quests and content. Oh, and let's not forget the new second tier subclasses which unlock 12 new roles for level 80 players. Obtaining a new subclass will require a bit of effort, as Outspark says that players will need to "traverse the new Knowledge Pagoda" which is basically a "giant book depository" filled with quests and various items required for advancement. How soon can I get my hands on this new expansion, you say? November 30th, according to Outspark, and the new content will go live during the regular server maintenance period. [Source: Outspark press release]
La Tale Online prepping Sky Kingdom expansion
Side-scrolling MMORPGs are something of a niche in the American gaming market, especially in the age of realistic 3-D graphics and lavish production visuals. Quite a few of these throwbacks are still going strong, though, and La Tale Online is one that's actually expanding. OGPlanet has just issued a press release trumpeting the game's long-awaited latest patch, and Sky Kingdom looks to continue the saga of Iris by introducing the floating continent of Preios and adding a ton of new content. What kind of new content? For starters, there are nine new subclasses available for existing third class characters, and players may switch between their subclass and main class at will. Sky Kingdom also brings daily quests and new rewards to the table, as well as a reputation system and time-attack dungeons. To offset these new challenges, a new gem-crafting system has also been introduced, which OGPlanet says "will allow players to further customize and empower their characters." More info is available at the official La Tale Online website and you can also check out the Sky Kingdom trailer after the break. [Source: OGPlanet press release]
Looking back at six years of Lineage II
Released in South Korea in 2003 and North America a year later, Lineage II came out as an old-school hardcore grind just as MMOs like City of Heroes, World of Warcraft and Guild Wars arrived on the scene and signaled a decisive shift toward more user-friendly, casual-accessible gameplay. Even so, Lineage II charged ahead to capture an impressive amount of players -- a reported 610,000 gamers were playing the title three years after launch -- and the game both endured and grew as time progressed. A six-year anniversary doesn't have quite the gravitas as a five- or ten-year one, yet it's still an accomplishment that many of Lineage II's contemporaries failed to achieve before closing their doors. Travel with us then as we step back in time to an era when MMOs were the equivalent of a dangerous playground, with players leaping about despite rusty swings, harsh death penalties and a never-ending monkey bar grind. Join us as we examine Lineage II's history and seek to understand the secrets of this game's popularity, and what it still has to offer for the contemporary gamer.
Dungeon Fighter Online previews class awakenings
When Nexon isn't busy buying up smaller companies by the truckload, they've been putting quite a bit of effort into making Dungeon Fighter Online the best game it can be. The sidescrolling brawler format as an MMO is itself fairly unique, but it's sweetened a little with a trailer showing off the next three "Awakenings" for subclasses. At level 18, characters pick their subclass, and that subclass can "Awaken" into a more powerful form at level 48. Soul Reapers, Hellcats, and Machinists are on display in this trailer, each showcasing wonderfully animated attacks of devastating potential. The Hellcat is the Awakened form of the Brawler, focusing on melee-heavy area damage from all appearances. Machinists come from Mechanics, working with an army of mechanical servants, and Soul Reapers are magical swordsmen derived from Soul Benders. If the trailer lights you on fire, of course, and you can't wait another minute to start playing Dungeon Fighter Online, you're in luck. The game's official launch is on June 9th, but the beta is going on straight until then and characters will not be wiped. Take a look at the trailer (with the pre-Awakening class names rather than the post-Awakening names) past the cut, and see if it doesn't prove a bit awakening all by itself.
Dungeon Fighter Online introduces "Awakening" subclass options
If you've been enjoying the Dungeon Fighter Online beta, you'll be happy to hear that the game is expanding a bit more. Nexon has announced the addition of "Awakening," a quest series that promises to let players "heighten their fighting senses" through more specialized fighting styles. Players will be given the option to choose a subclass at level 18. Once they reach level 48, the Awakening quest line opens the door to refine that subclass into a super subclass. Each advancement will unlock one new active and passive skill, advancing that subclass and increasing its power. The newest DFO Magazine offers a great look into this new feature, giving a description of active and passive skills. Even better, tips are included for each class, giving you a little head start on using your skills more effectively. This update will arrive April 28th, so take a look at the overview to be ready for your Awakening!
Lineage II's Subclass Separation Account Service has arrived
Lineage II is getting a bit long in the tooth these days, but the game still has a dedicated playerbase and still looks excellent. It's also feature-heavy in the way that only long-running games can be, complete with the fan-loved feature of sub-classes. Having an "extra" class on top of a character's main class is almost universally liked in every game that features it. Of course, it can feel a bit odd when you realize that the secondary class is more fun than the main class, leaving players with the question of what to do. Thanks to the newly-introduced Subclass Separation Service, the answer is now "play that class." Not only does the new service free the subclass from you old character, allowing you to potentially choose a different one, it creates a new character of that class at the same level the subclass had reached. That means that it's ready to go as a main class right away, and without the burden of low-level questing. While not for everyone, there are no doubt several Lineage II players who can find quite good use for this new feature. (Or this feature helpfully adapted from Tabula Rasa, whichever you prefer.)
Russ Brown talks on Heroes of Telara
Information is scarce on Heroes of Telara, one of Trion World Network's upcoming MMO titles, but Trion's Russ Brown is helping to fill in the gaps by sitting down for an interview and talking about what the game will have to offer.Russ's interview with the MMO Gamer (all the way back from E3, according to Trion's Stephen Reid) is a great read for anyone exciting about the game's "emergent world" possibilities, as Russ talks frankly on how the team can get into the game and hijack the monster AI to control them, or how they can even do little things like have merchants who have limited time sales.Russ also talks about the game's class switching system and subclass system, where you can pair classes with your main class to emphasize or change their traits. If you want more of a fighting paladin than a healing paladin, for example, you could pair the paladin class with the fighter subclass.If you want all of the gritty details though, head on over to the MMO Gamer and check out the full interview. As we said earlier, it's worth the read.[Via MMORPG.com]
