tera-online
Latest
Next TERA CBT weekend brings level cap increase, new dungeon, and PvP
Here we are at the beginning of another week which TERA fans are certain to be anxiously waiting to end because this weekend marks the game's second North American closed beta weekend. During the last test, players got to experience the game's PvE content all the way up to level 22, including the Bastion of Lok instance. Well, this time around En Masse Entertainment is going to be opening up the gates to five additional levels of content, allowing players to progress to level 27. Testers will also gain access to a new dungeon known as Sinestral Manor, and each player will get two character slots per server rather than just one. Oh, and speaking of servers, we hear there's going to be a new one. Players will be able to test their skills against one another on Valley of Trials, the new PvP server. To top it off, En Masse has also revealed a bit of new information on how PvP combat will work. Open-world combat will be initiated when a player uses an ability known as Outlaw Declaration, which does what it says on the tin: It declares the caster an outlaw, allowing him to attack (and presumably, be attacked by) other players for 60 seconds or until combat is over. But single combat isn't the only way to get your PvP fix. Guilds can also declare war on other guilds by using the item Bahaar's Spark of War Declaration, which can be purchased in capital cities. After war has been declared, members of opposing guilds will be able to attack one another on sight. So there you have it, folks. That's what we've got to look forward to this next beta weekend. We hope to see you all on the battlefield.
TERA reflects on lessons learned from first CBT weekend
It's been a week since the first TERA North American beta weekend, and European players are getting their first swing at the game as we speak. But before En Masse Entertainment opens the floodgates to NA players once more next weekend, the studio is taking the opportunity to recap the events of the first closed beta test. Overall, the studio seems quite pleased with the results of the test but notes that "the weekend was not without some hiccups." One such hiccup that beta players will certainly be well acquainted with is the chaos that ensued as dozens of players simultaneously tried to kill the quest mob Vekus, which led some players to actually form organized queues to ensure that everyone got a chance at him. But the studio assures us that we need not worry, as "the En Masse team learned a great deal from CBT1 and will put those lessons to good use as we ramp up for CBT2." The studio also brings us a couple of interesting statistics from the first beta test. For instance, the most popular race-gender-class combination was the Castanic female Warrior (which we're sure has absolutely nothing to do with the Castanics' apparent aversion to modesty). And of course, beta participants will be very familiar with the basilisk BAMs in Oblivion Woods, which apparently accounted for almost two-thirds of all player deaths over the course of the weekend. Gotta watch out for those bodyslams, guys. They'll getcha. Ultimately, the studio concludes that "this weekend was a big success both in terms of players getting hands-on time with TERA and for showing the team what they need to refine before the game's May 1 release." To sign up for the game's future beta tests, just head on over to the game's official site, linked below. [Source: En Masse Entertainment press release]
Going toe-to-toe with TERA's first beta weekend
Over the past months, many fans of En Masse Entertainment's upcoming "real action combat" title TERA have been wondering whether the game will ever see the light of day. Between sparse development details and word of legal troubles, TERA's future seemed to be in constant jeopardy as cries of "vaporware!" grew steadily louder. Well, those voices can finally have a bit of a reprieve because over the course of this past weekend, players were able to jump into the world of Arborea and experience TERA's action combat firsthand. I was among those players, and after a joy-filled romp through TERA's gorgeous landscapes (thanks in no small part to my fabulous guild -- hi Territ!), I'm ready to conjure up some thoughts that will hopefully somewhat resemble my impressions of the closed beta weekend. So if you want to know whether the game's real action combat hits the mark or it's a swing and a miss, follow me past the cut and let's take a look.
TERA brings more pre-order customers into the beta process
TERA has hit a few snags of late, including some woes with the whole system of getting pre-order beta access for appropriately pre-ordered customers. Luckily for some fans of the game, it looks like things are moving forward for players hoping to get into beta testing this weekend. An official announcement on the forums earlier today confirmed that GameStop has received valid beta codes and should be distributing said codes to customers via receipt or via phone. Any players who preordered from Amazon or Best Buy and still haven't received a code are asked to send in a letter to the customer service staff before 9:00 a.m. PST on February 10th. Players are all warned that the game's download is currently clocking in at 17 GB, which means that you'll need plenty of time to get the client installed on your computer. A lengthy download is preferable to ambiguity as to whether or not you'll even get your beta access, though.
TERA monthly chat talks public previews, PvP, and more
TERA's November edition of the monthly Twitter dev chat has been posted on the game's official site, and it brings a few choice morsels involving the current alpha test and the upcoming closed beta. The team notes that the current testing is going quite well, and the first public preview event will be starting in early 2012. Many players also ask about the game's open world PvP, and the team mentions that a free-for-all-from-level-1 PvP server is not out of the question, though it won't happen at launch. Master glyphs, guild wars, and fashion customization are all on the table as well, so for the full transcript, head on over to the official TERA site.
En Masse releases new TERA Halloween video
Gamers, prepare to be TERA-fied (and not just of bad marketing puns like that one). En Masse has just released a new Halloween video hyping its long-in-the-making TERA MMORPG, and the clip features some of the creepier characters from the fantasy title's eclectic cast. The video is called The Old Witch, and it's a riff on the famous fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm (and comes complete with a storybook-style presentation). Click past the cut for the chilling tale of an adventurous lass lost in the woods and the nefarious witch who harbors her own dark designs.
New TERA video flies through Fyrmount region
TERA fans have been suffering through something of a news drought lately. Since announcing the game's Spring 2012 release date last summer, En Masse Entertainment has been relatively quiet when it comes to hyping the game and showing off any of its features. Frogster, TERA's European publisher, has stepped up to the plate this morning by releasing a new fly-through video that takes viewers on a journey around Fyrmount. What's Fyrmount, you say? It's a volcanic region intertwined with the destinies of the Castanic race according to Frogster's press release. Young Castanics are sent to the hellish region "to be pushed to their limits" and are only accepted into adult society if they find something of value and return with it. Check out the video after the cut and head to the official TERA website for more info on Castanics and the game itself. [Source: Frogster press release]
TERA podcast highlights convention news
Episode five of the official TERA podcast is in the can, and it's also available for your listening pleasure on the TERA website. The show finds En Masse community manager Evan "Scapes" Berman talking with producer Chris Hager and COO Patrick Wyatt for approximately 20 minutes. The subject? Convention season, of course, and the gang talks about everything from the TERA Gamescom demo to the preparation necessary to convey a certain message to members of the gaming media. The trio also mentions the challenges inherent in answering difficult questions on stage at a major convention, and Wyatt even chats briefly about his experiences working on Blizzard's seminal StarCraft RTS.
TERA implementing chronoscrolls to combat gold farming
TERA isn't releasing in North America for several months yet, but the folks at En Masse are already taking steps to curb the inevitable tide of gold farmers sure to be washing up on Arborea's beaches in 2012. A new dev blog released over the weekend outlines the introduction of chronoscrolls, and those of you who are familiar with EVE Online's PLEX system will probably see several parallels between the two mechanics. "If you've never purchased gold, and you're wondering why this new chronoscrolls system is a good addition to the game, consider this: Whether chronoscrolls exist or not, other players are buying gold from real-money traders. By creating the opportunity for players who already buy gold to purchase it legitimately, we help eliminate the incentive for real-money traders to target TERA," says producer Patrick Wyatt.
One Shots: A peek into TERA's beauty
It's all about TERA in this edition of One Shots, with reader Philip describing the feelings he gets from this gorgeous shot: While questing in the vast world of TERA Online, I was led into this little area by a specific quest line. This area was full of simply gorgeous horses and vibrant colors. The water glimmered, and I had goosebumps from the sheer beauty of this area and its landscape. Hopefully, you will be able to enjoy the elegance the game provides, like I did. We're looking at the best MMO environments all this week, but next week we'll be revisiting another old favorite of One Shots: bug week. Whether it's unwanted guests in cutscenes, funny graphic glitches, or a prank you played on a buddy, we want to see. Send your screenshots in to oneshots@massively.com and we'll feature them in next week's One Shots!%Gallery-112285%
PAX 2011: TERA producers reveal server vs. server endgame content
This year's PAX Prime doesn't feature an En Masse Entertainment booth for TERA, but the company did host an informational shindig for journalists and fans at its offices in downtown Seattle over the weekend. Producers Chris Hager and Stefan Ramirez ran the show, and the presentation focused heavily on the action MMO aspects as well as the game's depth. The show started with a repeat of the recent Castanic healer video, and from there Hager and Ramirez set about profiling the game's mechanical aspects (including the combat, glyph, and crystal systems). The presentation was geared towards folks who haven't really kept up with TERA, as there wasn't much discussed that we haven't known about for a while. Aside from the action talking points, we also got bits about story, the details on the political and vanarch systems, and some info on the argons. En Masse also trotted out the first mention of its plans for server vs. server combat. The system is designed to provide additional endgame content via PvE and PvP. "It's going to have players from other servers coming to your territory, on your server, and invading your space," Hager explained. He went on to mention how guilds will need to ally with one another to repel the invaders, and if the alliance proves strong enough, take the fight back to the invaders' home turf. En Masse was very coy about the details on this new system, and we expect more information will be forthcoming as we move toward TERA's spring 2012 release date. Finally, we managed some quality hands-on time with the game during the event, so check in with us periodically this weekend and we'll bring you a detailed report. Massively's on the ground in Seattle during the weekend of August 26-28, bringing you all the best news from PAX Prime 2011. Whether you're dying to know more about SWTOR, Guild Wars 2, City of Heroes, or any MMO in between, you can bet we'll have it covered!
Massively's exclusive TERA lore: A day in the life of Gernakul the Dracoloth
Welcome, TERA fans, to another installment of Massively's exclusive A Day in the Life lore series. The recent news of TERA's spring 2012 launch delay may have dampened your spirits (or perhaps bolstered them if you're of the release-it-when-it's-ready mentality), but En Masse is here to tide us over with another interesting story snippet from the world of Arborea. This time around we're treated to the tale of Volorius, a devan soldier who makes a pact with an unlikely ally named Gernakul. Gernakul is a dracoloth, and as you can tell from the screenshot above, he's not to be messed with. Aside from decimating a camp of heavily armored soldiers and snacking on a overconfident sorcerer, Gernakul is possessed of a treacherous and nasty disposition, as Volorious soon learns. Read about his fate after the cut.
TERA devs talk guild housing and more in Twitter chat
In case you missed it, En Masse is hosting a TERA production chat via Twitter on the third Friday of every month. The transcript of last Friday's session is now live on the official TERA website, and there were a few noteworthy nuggets dropped by producer Brian Knox and community manager Evan Berman during the course of the event. Among the interesting blurbs on display are the fact that guild housing is back on the dev team's radar, and the feature may yet make it into the game's spring 2012 launch. Also of note are a couple of general numbers relating to the size of the dev team (70 at En Masse and over 200 at Korea's Bluehole Studio, where the game is originating). Finally, there was a bit of a teaser for a big TERA-related announcement at next week's PAX community event, so keep your eyes and ears peeled!
En Masse delaying TERA launch to 2012 [Updated]
En Masse Entertainment has finally broken its silence about TERA's launch window, and there's both good and bad news for fans of the upcoming fantasy game. The bad news is that there's still no definitive launch date. The good news is that the time window has been narrowed considerably. In a new press release issued this morning, En Masse said that TERA will release sometime in the spring of 2012. That should put to rest months of speculation as to whether the game will reach North American shores in 2011 (as well as whether it will be competing for launch customers with The Old Republic, which BioWare expects to release prior to the end of the year). En Masse publishing vice president Chris Lee commented on the launch delay, indicating that the extra time will result in a more polished product. "The game's action combat and depth has generated a lot of interest, and we are committed to making sure every aspect of the game lives up to our standard of quality," he said. [Update: Producer Chris Hager has penned a post on the official TERA website that offers a bit more info. In a nutshell, the North American client will enter alpha testing "later this year," with beta scheduled for early 2012.]
Massively's exclusive TERA lore: Remember in Vein
It's no secret that several Massively staffers are looking forward to TERA. Just yesterday, in fact, we were lamenting the lack of TERA news and wondering when we might get another glimpse of Arborea. En Masse to the rescue, then, as today we're happy to bring you the latest lore exclusive for the upcoming fantasy MMORPG. Penned by lead writer David Noonan, this Day in the Life installment is called Remember in Vein and concerns the fearsome vulcans. TERA vulcans are quite a bit different from the vulcans familiar to most sci-fi and fantasy fans, though the former do have pointy (if rather large) ears. Head past the cut to read the lore and get a glimpse of our exclusive screenshots.
Massively Exclusive TERA lore: Day in the life - Uchamba
TERA fans, it's time for another treat! A few days ago, we got our first look at the fearsome wendigos of TERA. Today, we delve even further into the culture of these clever creatures with a day in the life of Uchamba, the leader of the wendigo clan that guards the Thysrivvar -- known to the mortal races of TERA as the Azurice Shrine. Unlike the wendigos of many other MMORPGs, which are often portrayed as yetis or other abominable-snowman-esque creatures, TERA's wendigos are massive, crystalline creatures with a penchant for equally massive, crystalline weapons. Also unlike their traditionally savage and dim-witted counterparts, these wendigos seem to be presented as clever, honorable, and brave creatures fighting not for pleasure, but for their very survival. For the full story of Uchamba and his clan's struggle for survival against their mortal enemies, the giants, click on past the cut. %Gallery-88481%
Massively Exclusive: TERA shows off two new BAMs
Last month we brought you exclusive news of two new TERA BAMs (that's an En Masse acronym for big-ass monster, if you're wondering). This month we're moving on from the fimbrilisks and vampirs and cozying up to a pair of new cold-hearted killers that inhabit the icy wastes in the far reaches of Arborea. First up is our friend the wendigo, and what a clever, inventive, and unabashedly large friend he is. Despite being a BAM, the wendigo is known for his nuance, particularly when it comes to his unique vocalization techniques. Next we have the ice giant, and as his name implies, he's also quite massive. Unlike the wendigo, ice giants are about as lacking in subtlety as it's possible to be, and most examples of the species spend their days plotting the return of their glory days while trampling unwary adventurers who stray too close their domains. Read up on both new BAMs and check out the exclusive screens after the break.
TERA E3 recap video explains political system
E3 2011 is a distant memory, but En Masse is still getting a bit of mileage out of the event thanks to a newly released TERA video compilation. The trailer shows off portions of the closed-doors media presentation from this month's trade show, and the footage is heavy on action combat and lush sequences featuring the game's gorgeous visuals. The clip also devotes a good portion of its running time to the recently announced political system, and producers Chris Hager and Stefan Ramirez fire off some pretty tantalizing soundbytes relating to player interaction and the possibility of affecting the game world. "That means getting votes, buying votes, smearing your opponent, taking out your competition, raising taxes, making tons of cash money, controlling your province, putting players in prison, running your own events, managing your own towns, and just doing whatever you want," Ramirez says. Staying in power to continue doing whatever you want is the trick, of course, and the video spends a good amount of time detailing ways to maintain control over your province. While it all sounds pretty spectacular, it also raises plenty of questions (like, how is all of that going to matter in an MMO that lacks serious consequences in terms of a death penalty or gear/stat loss?). Whatever the answers, we can't wait to learn more. Check out the full video after the cut.
TERA's PvP features light death penalty
The TERA news beat has fairly quiet recently. Aside from the Korean server merges, there hasn't been a whole lot new to report regarding the exiled realm of Arborea. Fansite TERAPvP to the rescue, then, courtesy of an interview with En Masse community manager Evan "Scapes" Berman. The interview is brief, and if you've been the following the game closely, you've probably heard most of this before. For casual fans, or those just getting wind of all things TERA, there are a few interesting PvP nuggets that might be worth your time. First up is the question of character transfers between PvE and PvP servers. TERAPvP points out the balance issues inherent in allowing players to level (and gear up) their characters on a PvE server before moving them to a PvP shard. Berman doesn't give a definitive answer as to whether this will be allowed or not, saying that it's something En Masse will "have to evaluate for TERA." Friendly fire is also a no-go in TERA's PvP combat, and there is no experience loss or item degradation. As Scapes says, "items in TERA do not have a durability mechanic."
Rumor: TERA Korean servers merging [Updated]
Bluehole Studio's TERA action MMORPG is gearing up for its second round of Korean server merges since launch according to a blurb at MMO Culture. The fantasy title, which is currently being prepared for a North American release by En Masse Entertainment, is scheduled to trim its list of 35 shards to 15 this week. Despite more upbeat news of fresh content in the offing, the merges come amid reports of lower-than-expected financial performance according to publisher NHN Korea. TERA launched in Korea last February and is gearing up for a Japanese beta on July 1st. No North American or European beta dates have been announced. [Update]: TERA's main Korean website does provide both official confirmation of server merges as well as time projections.
