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TERA play diary talks world size, combat timing, and more
The Isle of Dawn may be the proverbial newbie area when it comes to TERA, but if En Masse Entertainment's recent Community Play Diaries are any indication, the locale is anything but a smallish tutorial zone. En Masse's Jason "BrotherMagneto" Mical and Evan "Scapes" Berman are back with another diary entry that aims to give readers a glimpse into everyday play sessions involving the upcoming fantasy MMO. The fact that the dynamic duo are still on the Isle of Dawn after several weeks worth of diaries speaks to the sheer size of the place. "The Island of Dawn feels big, and when you look at the game map, it's really just a tiny blip. One of these days, I'm going to have to do a run-across-the-world adventure and time myself," Mical writes, while also hinting at the vastness of Arborea proper. This week's diary sees Mical and Berman carving a path through the Isle's numerous mobs toward Leander's Outpost. Along the way, they find time to discuss the finer points of TERA's action combat, and more specifically, the way that timing, motor skills, and repetition will determine your success -- as opposed to RNG and better equipment. "Since this is my alt character and I haven't played AnungUnRama since last week, fighting the terrons and noruks feels a little sluggish, and it's not hard to see why -- my timing's all off," Mical explains.
En Masse talks more about TERA's BAMs and achievements
This year's GDC didn't bring us any revelations when it comes to TERA. Even though we got to roll through the Smuggler's Hideout and chat with producer Brian Knox, most of what we saw were refinements for the forthcoming fantasy MMO. We did learn that the devs at En Masse Entertainment are a fun bunch, though, and this sense of humor was on display as the team regaled us with footage of various BAMs -- company shorthand for Big Ass Monsters. Today En Masse has released a bit more information on these big bads, which it describes as "bigger than a house, tougher than an armored car, and meaner than a dentist with a grudge." You see, TERA's AI is smarter than that of your average MMO, and the game's BAMs will circle around players as well as recognize attacks and avoid them. Additionally, TERA's mobs bring their own unique and situational attacks to each battle. As players begin to wear down a BAM, the creatures will go through various phases that add further challenge and necessitate strategy adjustments. En Masse also offered a brief nugget pertaining to TERA's achievement system in a press release sent out this morning. "You'll earn achievements no matter which parts of the game you prefer. Story, monsters, player-vs-player combat, economics, and politics all earn you achievements to help you keep track of the great deeds you've done –- and to give you something to shoot for," says En Masse. %Gallery-88481%
En Masse releases new TERA Community Play Diary entry
TERA may have had a relatively laid-back showing at this year's GDC, but development continues apace for the folks at En Masse Entertainment. Community director Jason "BrotherMagneto" Mical and community manager Evan "Scapes" Berman have returned to give anxious fans another peek behind the curtain, courtesy of the latest installment in the ongoing Community Play Diary series. This week's episode, dubbed Learning the Ropes, sees our intrepid hosts showing off a few of TERA's more unique tutorial aspects. Activities include bomb-throwing and climbing along with more traditional NPC interaction and UI familiarization fare that takes the form of story-based quests from the perspective of a raw Valkyon Federation recruit. Read all about it on the official TERA website, and check out this handy forum thread if you've missed any of the previous series installments.
GDC 2011: TERA Smuggler's Hideout video details party dynamics
GDC 2011 has come and gone, but the next week promises to bring a ton of additional coverage from the recently concluded show. GameTrailers has weighed in with its new video recap of En Masse Entertainment's TERA presentation, which took the form of a demo party running through the Smuggler's Hideout dungeon. You may remember Smuggler's Hideout from our own GDC coverage last week, and now you can feast your eyes on the visuals as well as a few of the party dynamics that TERA brings to the table. The gameplay is narrated by associate producer Stefan Ramirez, and he highlights the different class roles, paying particular attention to the Priest character he's controlling. TERA's action combat features a bit of a learning curve if you're used to traditional MMORPG healer classes. You can't tab target your group mates and spam heal buttons, and you'll need to move around quite a bit in order to maximize your AoEs and avoid taking damage. Check out all the details after the break.
GDC 2011: Massively takes on TERA's Smuggler Hideout, and Brian Knox teases the political system
Ah TERA, you're such a tease. And we're not just talking about your skimpy outfits, oh no. Your political system, your endgame, your Westernized (whatever that means) makeover... all of these have conspired to leave us breathless with anticipation. Fortunately, we were able to take TERA for a spin at this week's GDC 2011. Along with help from a PUG comprised of En Masse Entertainment staffers, we ventured deep inside the game's Smuggler's Hideout, battling BAMS (En Masse shorthand for big-ass monsters) and checking out the title's streamlined UI and spiffy combat mechanics. Join us after the cut for a brief recap of the demo as well as an interview with producer Brian Knox during which we (politely) demanded a definition for the much-discussed concept of Westernization.
TERA producer talks console controllers
Love them or loathe them, it seems console controllers and MMORPGs are a match increasingly made in developer heaven. DC Universe Online was designed from the ground up to allow players to toss their keyboards, and now En Masse Entertainment's TERA is looking to join the party, according to a new dev diary by producer Stefan Ramirez. Ramirez details the genesis of the TERA controller experiment, outlining its tentative beginnings through a successful demo at last year's Game Developer Conference. "We were very excited to see that people wanted this. TERA's combat is something that can be played on both the keyboard and mouse, and controller, equally. It's fun, fast, and just plain feels right," he recently told GameZone. Ramirez acknowledges that some testers (and En Masse devs) still prefer the traditional mouse/keyboard combo, but he also hints at something of a minor revolution in MMO control schemes, thanks to the pairing of TERA's action combat with the player's choice of controller. "This could help blur that [PC vs. console] line a little more," he says.
TERA Arachnaea fly-through video released
If you've got a spider, insect, or creepy-crawly complex of any kind, you might want to skip the latest TERA fly-through video from En Masse Entertainment. The clip is straight out of an arachnophobe's worst nightmare, as it takes place deep inside a huge stone cavern filled with egg sacs and giant hairy-legged spiders. The cavern is a newly revealed zone called Arachnaea, and its denizens are apparently being conjured by evil priests aligned with the goddess Arachne in order to gather sacrificial offerings from a nearby town. The clip clocks in at a tad over one minute in length, which is plenty of time to be creeped out by the spiders and their sinister surroundings. Check out all the gory details after the cut or at PC Gamer.
Massively's exclusive TERA lore: Contents Under Pressure
Ah, Berserkers. If you've ever wondered what goes on in the minds of warriors who let their emotions run wild, the newest TERA "Day in the Life" lore entry might pique your interest. Either that, or pay a visit to the nearest MMORPG forum. In any event, En Masse Entertainment lead writer David Noonan has penned a tale of battle, bloodlust, and bodacious armor that features Naurene, a High Elf Berserker with a giant axe and an attitude to match. While she's easy on the eyes in that typical TERA fashion, Naurene isn't exactly a girl you'd bring home to meet the family, as she's in the habit of talking to her recently deceased foes and rarely anyone else. Jump the cut for her story as well as a few new screens.
TERA community play diaries detail character creation
We talked briefly last week about TERA's upcoming community play test, an event designed to give TERA fans the opportunity to see and discuss the game's latest build prior to the start of North American beta activities. As a prelude, En Masse Entertainment community team members Jason "BrotherMagneto" Mical and Evan "Scapes" Berman have penned a couple of Community Play Diary blog entries to whet our collective appetite. Mical's In the Beginning piece focuses on character creation and offers a bit of commentary on the new build, new character options, and the author's roleplaying background. There's also a couple of nifty screenshots including one from the new introduction cinematic that shows a freshly created character flying to the Isle of Dawn. Berman's A Labor of Love entry gives us the low-down on the En Masse employee guild as well as a few anecdotes from staffers who spent time grouping and questing together in the new build. Scapes goes into a good bit of detail regarding customization sliders and also notes that he spent 54 minutes perfecting his character's look. You can read both play diaries in full at the official TERA website.
TERA community play event coming in March
After a brief sojourn to celebrate the Korean launch of Bluehole Studio's TERA, it's back to the grind for the En Masse Entertainment team tasked with bringing the fantasy action MMO to western shores. January saw En Masse achieve a significant milestone in relation to the game's final server hardware configuration, and the focus is now shifting towards a community play event tentatively scheduled for March. The event will serve two purposes: a test of the new hardware and an opportunity for players and people flitting about the periphery of the TERA community to get an updated look at the game. Event participants will be noticeably free of NDAs, so we're expecting a good bit of new TERA info and impressions over the next little while. En Masse will host a second event "a couple of months later," this time focusing on account management and support systems, with the North American beta to follow. Said beta will be "a multi-part odyssey" according to the official TERA website.
TERA's first level 50 player interviewed
How long does it take enterprising players to reach the mythical endgame of Bluehole Studio's new TERA MMORPG? If you're a Popori Berserker named Dog, the answer to that question is not very long. The Korean version of TERA officially launched on January 25th, and Dog has already scaled the level grind summit to become the world's first max-level TERA toon. In an interview at TERAfans, Dog speaks to the leveling curve, the PvP, and the ease of the overall experience. He also admits to putting in "42 hours or so at the beginning before I have to sleep or before my guild forces me to sleep." So how about that endgame? The interview states that he hasn't seen much of it as of yet and offers no insight into TERA's super secret political system. Dog does indicate that he ran every dungeon in the game at least once during his whirlwind leveling journey and is "a little worried about how easy they are." We'll add the usual this-is-the-Korean-client qualifier here, and we'll also direct you to TERAfans for the full interview.
TERA interview attempts to decipher "westernization"
Uh oh, it's time for the W-word again. Last week's entry in the TERA Race and Class series purported to explain En Masse Entertainment's definition of westernization. The vaguely worded nature of the press release raised more questions than answers, though, and the folks over at ZAM recently caught up with En Masse producer Brian Knox in an attempt to put some meat on the westernization bones. Knox's insights steered clear of specifics, instead focusing on a general definition as En Masse sees it. "Westernization refers to our process of adapting a game to fit the Western market. In some cases, text localization and new marketing assets are all that are needed. Other times, specific game mechanics and features require tweaking for the market," he says. So what exactly does that mean for TERA? It's anyone's guess at this point, and it could be as simple as text translations or as complex as class differences or a softened XP grind. We'll keep our eyes peeled for more details.
Massively's exclusive TERA lore: Five Tenets
Curious about the stoic Baraka race of En Masse Entertainment's upcoming TERA MMORPG? If so, Massively has a treat for you in the form of our latest exclusive lore entry from the world of Arborea. Despite their fearsome physiques and brooding countenances, Baraka are one of TERA's more scholarly races, and their barrel-chested bodies belie a gentle nature and pacifistic tendencies. It's not all bookworms and turning the other cheek though, as today's yarn by En Masse lead writer David Noonan demonstrates. When pressed, Baraka can be quite fearsome -- if cerebral -- fighting machines. Join us after the cut for a day in the life of Thuul, a Baraka archer tasked with defending his home against the horde of argon invaders.
En Masse discusses TERA westernization
Westernization. It's a word that gets thrown around quite a bit in regard to TERA discourse. Whether it's the latest producer letter or a fan forum discussion, there's no getting away from the "W" word when it comes to En Masse Entertainment's work on TERA. As part of the latest Race and Class series update, En Masse spends a bit of time hinting at what westernization means before indulging us with some new info regarding the Baraka and Popori races. We've also got a look at the Archer class, including a nifty new video, so join us after the cut for all the details. %Gallery-105090%
TERA video shows off Sinestral Manor
Lately it's been rather quiet on the Arborean front, as Massively hasn't posted any new TERA-related info for the better part of two weeks. Happily, Game Informer is here to quench that drought courtesy of a new gameplay video. While it's a little on the short side, the clip does feature new in-game footage and a glimpse inside the creepy bowels of the Vampir Mansion (also known as Sinestral Manor). You might recall the curiously spelled Vampirs from one of En Masse Entertainment's screenshot of the week featurettes, and you might also be a bit puzzled (as we were) at the distinct lack of Vampirs to be found in Game Informer's Vampire Mansion tour. That said, there were plenty of other beasties on hand, including a fearsome boss featured over the last half of the clip. There's also plenty of combat to be found, so head over to the Game Informer website and have a look.
En Masse issues official clarification regarding TERA's action combat
Rumors have been flying about TERA this week, mainly due to a pair of ThisIsGame.com interviews with Bluehole Studio higher-ups that were translated from the original Korean by TERAfans. Today, En Masse Entertainment (TERA's North American publisher) has issued an official statement clarifying the second piece, and more specifically, shooting down any notion that TERA's long-touted action MMO combat has changed. "TERA's combat system hasn't changed and action remains a crucial element to the game. There was a mistranslation in the article where the phrase 'lock-on system' was used instead of 'lock-on skill,' which was the original context of that statement. We are committed to making adjustments to TERA based on player feedback, but the game will still offer all the depth of an MMO with the intense action combat system. This will not change," said Matt Atwood, director of public relations for En Masse.
TERA interview translation hints at targeting and combat changes
Despite the recent rumors of a prolonged delay in the North American/European testing and release schedule, there are still plenty of interesting goings-on in the world of TERA. ThisisGame.com has once again published an interview with Bluehole Studio heavyweights (including TERA's executive developer, CEO, and lead graphic artist), and once again the Korean original has been translated by the folks at TERAfans. There are quite a few interesting nuggets to be found throughout the piece, none more curious than the apparent closed beta tweaks to the game's much-ballyhooed targeting system. We'd like to stress "apparent" here because in the absence of confirmation from North American publisher En Masse Entertainment, these translations fall squarely under the rumor sub-heading. That said, if the info is accurate, it represents a shift from what we've heard of the game's combat thus far. "TERA is an MMORPG with action elements, but the game itself is not an action game. If we call TERA a non-targeting game, many people expect an action game. Throughout the game's various tests, we tried to make TERA easier to get into, adding a lock-on system and many other improvements. After those changes we also decided to rename the non-targeting system to "free targeting system". Let's be honest free targeting rolls off the tongue better doesn't it? It doesn't sound so negative," the article says.
TERA North American release rumors abound
A storm is brewing on En Masse Entertainment's official TERA forums, one that threatens to bring more drama to the intarwebs, kill helpless Popori in their beds, and delay TERA's North American release for months. OK, maybe the first two are a bit overwrought, but there are rumors regarding the game's possible late 2011 arrival swirling around the internet. It all started with an interview at a Korean website called ThisIsGame.com, which spoke with Bluehole Studio boss Kang-Suk Kim. Fan translations of the interview seem to indicate that TERA will launch in Japan during the first half of 2011 and North American/European beta testing will begin a month later (which would lead to an even later final release date). So far though, the dates are a mixture of speculation and conjecture as En Masse (TERA's North American publisher) has declined to offer any clarification. Rest assured that Massively is checking with our Korean sources, and we'll bring you the very latest as it happens.
New TERA trailer boasts battlegrounds, bosses, and more [updated]
Fans of En Masse Entertainment's upcoming TERA action MMORPG are anxiously awaiting news of a North American beta and release date. In the meantime, Bluehole Studio and Hangame are gearing up for the title's Korean open beta, which is scheduled to begin on January 11th, according to a recently released trailer. The four-minute clip is crammed full of new footage, and in addition to the usual suspects of combat and harvesting, you can check out new bosses, destructible terrain, and what appears to be a type of capture-the-flag battleground scenario. Have a look at all the mayhem after the cut, and head to the official TERA forums for further discussion. [Update: We've replaced the Korean version of the trailer with the newly released English-language version. Enjoy!]
TERA fly-through videos showcase the Valley of Titans and Pirate Grotto
What's better than a new TERA fly-through video? Two new TERA fly-through videos, of course! We've got a look at two new zones for you, courtesy of En Masse Entertainment and Bluehole Studio. First up is the Pirate Grotto, a smuggler's haven tucked away in the jungles of TERA's Jagged Coast. Brigands of all shapes and sizes call the area home, as do many stashes of treasure, relics, and various hordes of wealth ripe for the plunder. Next up is the Valley of Titans, and as the name suggests, it's big. Giant monuments of an earlier age dot the landscape, proving that size does matter and that TERA's designers know how to create stunning scenery. The valley also plays host to a secretive cult bent on destroying both the beautiful landscapes and the ranchers who call it home. You can view both trailers after the cut.
