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TERA devblog discusses race and class combos
Not content with his various blogosphere interviews and E3 hob-knobbing, En Masse Entertainment Senior Producer Brian Knox continues his prolific PR assault with a devblog on the official TERA website. The topic, race and class combinations, is sure to pique the interest of even the most casual TERA fan, as Knox discusses everything from game balance, to race differentiation, to aesthetics. "We want to give players as many options as possible, but there are story and lore reasons why a certain race may not be appropriate for a particular class. This is partially based on our continuing development of TERA's rich narrative backstory, partially because some combinations simply don't make sense, and partially because the actual combinations (such as weapons and armor for some races) are very technically challenging to pull off in a convincing way," Knox writes. You can view the full blog on the official website.
E3 2010: Your complete Massively coverage roundup
The 2010 edition of the gaming nirvana known as E3 has come and gone, and Massively was there to bring you three days of exclusives, firsts, and hands-on impressions for all your favorite MMORPG titles, studios, and developers. This year's Expo saw plenty of news and announcements regarding highly anticipated games, as well as plenty of information on assorted titles large and small. We thought it best to collate our coverage into a complete and concise roundup post for your viewing pleasure, so read along after the cut to make sure you didn't miss anything. You can also check out all of our E3 galleries along the way.
TERAs Brian Knox interviewed at E3
Amira over at TERAfans managed to corner En Masse Entertainment Senior Producer Brian Knox at last week's E3 convention in Los Angeles. The highly visible TERA producer was quizzed on a variety of game-related topics submitted by TERAfans forum-goers including bits on the character talent system, battlegrounds, and a few hints on the game's political system. "We're not talking a lot about it [the political system], but, there'll be different ways to be elected, be it through PvP, wealth, as well as voting. We're just trying to find the right balance so that different players can participate in different ways and have a choice about how they want to be a part of it all. Once you're elected to office, there'll be some cool features available as well," Knox said. You can view the full transcript over at TERAfans.
TERA teases E3 screens of the week
Despite wowing the gamers at E3 with their hands-on demo this week, the folks at En Masse Entertainment still managed to find time to tease a few more screenshots of their upcoming TERA fantasy/action MMORPG. The sixth installment of the Screenshots of the Week featurette gives those unfortunate souls who couldn't make it to E3 a glimpse into the demo from the show. "Feast your eyes as an intrepid party of adventurers battle a Red Lash Dreadnaught, a Red Lash Juggernaut, and two Kazuur Syndicate Overseers," writes Scapes, En Masse senior community manager, in a teaser post on the game's official forums. You can view the three new screens on TERA's official website, or view the Flickr photostream for larger versions. And don't forget Massively's very own TERA hands-on as chronicled yesterday from E3!
TERA's Brian Knox talks hit boxes
En Masse Entertainment's Brian Knox continues his assault on the PR circuit, this time checking in on the official TERA forums to chat about the game's hit box mechanics. The forthcoming action MMORPG from En Masse and Bluehole Studio has generated a lot of interest due to its new take on combat, and we're always glad to see further details emerge. "Hitbox size is one way we can make classes feel unique but still offer a balanced gameplay experience. We spoke to the Bluehole developers in Korea, and they shared their philosophy on hitbox sizes and game balance," Knox writes. In a nutshell, the developers have adjusted the hit boxes ever so slightly based on the model sizes for each race. How this plays out when the game goes live is anyone's guess, but to read about the theory behind it all, check out the original post over on the TERA boards.
En Masse teases TERA E3 trailer
E3 may not start for another couple of days, but En Masse Entertainment is getting a jump on the festivities by releasing a new teaser trailer for their forthcoming TERA action MMORPG. The clip, which clocks in at just under two minutes, features new in-game footage and what looks to be some pre-rendered cinematics, and it places heavy emphasis on the game's revolutionary combat mechanics. En Masse is clearly pulling out all the stops, as the video is slickly produced and compares favorably to a Hollywood action movie preview. All that's missing is the deep trailer-guy voice. View the video after the cut, or over at IGN.
En Masse shows off TERA's Fey Forest
It's that time again, time for your weekly dose of new TERA screenshots, courtesy of the folks at En Masse Entertainment. The fifth installment of the Screenshots of the Week featurette takes us into the Fey Forest near the Lumbertown logging outpost for a look at some of the faeries players are likely to encounter during their woodland hikes. "Feisty, flighty faeries swarm under towering evergreen trees and corrupted unicorns gallop along overgrown roads, trampling any in their path," writes Scapes, En Masse community manager, in a teaser post on the game's official forums. You can view the three new screens on TERA's official website, or check out the Flickr photostream for larger versions.
TERA berserker interview, part two
TERA, the upcoming action fantasy MMORPG from En Masse Entertainment and Bluehole Studio, is looking to put a fresh spin on both genre combat and the traditional healer/tank/damage dynamic. One way the designers are attempting to do this is through individual classes that play a bit differently from what you might expect. Take the berserker for instance. Rather than opting for your standard meat shield, Bluehole has given the class significant DPS capabilities as well. En Masse's Brian Knox and and Scott James Magner recently chatted about the berserker's unique features in part two of a lengthy interview with ZAM.com. "You want to be a target as a Berserker, but you also want to be targeting. And that's not a word we use a lot for this game. We talk about action and the way we play, but you are a destination for damage, just as you are an output of damage going the other direction," Magner says. Check out the new interview segment, as well as the previous installment, at ZAM.com.
TERAfans shows off Amani cloth and leather sets
En Masse Entertainment's upcoming TERA action fantasy MMORPG continues to show off its unique armor and clothing options, this time courtesy of the TERAfans.com website. The latest installment of fan renders, where in-game avatars are displayed against a set backdrop, feature leather and cloth armors specific to the Amani race. "These armors are very impressive with their vibrant colors and uniquely Amani flare. The male armor characterizes the race as strong and vicious while the females seem just as ready to protect their honor," writes TERAfans administrator Amira on the site's forums. The post also teases an upcoming look at both male and female High Elf armors in the coming weeks. Massively readers may also be happy to note that this installment features fully-clothed models, in a bit of a departure from previous TERA armor renders. Finally, be prepared to wait a bit for the page to load due to the large number of high-quality images.
Knox details TERA's archer
Alexan over at TERAbow has posted an interesting Q&A with En Masse Entertainment's senior producer Brian Knox. The interview features TERA's archer class, no great surprise given TERAbow's focus, and highlights a few worthwhile nuggets of information for those looking to pew pew their way through the upcoming action fantasy MMORPG. "The archer is a very action-oriented class. It requires a player to aim attacks (place the crosshairs where you want the arrows to go), and also to evaluate the situation and think ahead. Higher level archers can leap backwards to create distance between themselves and a target, as well as lay traps for incoming foes," Knox says. He goes on to chat about a multitude of archer-related topics including hit-box sizes, arrows vs. mana pools, and mobile fighting styles. Check out the full interview over at TERAbow.
TERA's Southern Arun detailed
The official TERA website has been updated with a new world lore entry. En Masse Entertainment, North American publishers for the forthcoming action MMORPG, have made a concerted effort to focus marketing efforts on the title's unique lore, and today's update is the latest example. Southern Arun lies at the heart of the Valkyon Federation, below the Great Rift that bisects Arun in two. "The great human city of Velika is the jewel of Southern Arun. Built by humans in collaboration with the goddess Velik, the city is the capital of the Federation and the nexus of trade and diplomacy, as well as being the center of the struggle for Southern Arun. The landscape is dominated by the Great Machine, which not only powers the city but helps protect it," proclaims the update. You can read more about TERA's lore at the official site.
TERA shows off Oblivion Woods screens
En Masse Entertainment has revealed a new location courtesy of their Screenshots of the Week featurette. Oblivion Woods, just beyond the village of Crescentia, takes center stage in the fourth installment of TERA screen reveals. "Vibrant wildflowers bloom under a swaying verdant canopy and docile woodland creatures hide in tufts of foliage. But there are more than tall trees and furry critters in this land: groups of Devan skirmishers have set up camp near Crescentia and hulking Basilisks roam wild, attacking adventurers who stray too near," proclaims the accompanying release. You can check out the original article, or jump directly to the large-format gallery on Flickr.
TERAblah teases more armor sets
TERAblah is at it again, this time courtesy of the second installment in their series of galleries featuring armor sets from the TERA action fantasy MMORPG. This set focuses on leather armor, which is used primarily by archers, slayers, and warriors, and features both protection and maneuverability. "Once again our model of choice is a lovely female Castanic, purely a coincidence of course," writes TERAblah's ExiledRealm. "As before the look of the armor is usually shared amongst two or three other items, so in this case we just listed them based on their rare crafted names (yes, all these can be crafted)," Head on over to the post on TERAblah's forums, or jump directly to the gallery.
ZAM interviews TERA's Brian Knox
En Masse Entertainment's Brian Knox answers some moderately tough questions about the studio's upcoming TERA action MMORPG. The interview, courtesy of ZAM.com, touches on a little bit of everything including what makes TERA a next-generation title, enemy challenge levels, and the difficulties in appealing to both hardcore and casual gamers. "The good thing about action combat is that it lets the player's skill determine the complexity. We worked very hard to make the game intuitive for any gamer, and we believe players will really be able to stretch the system. For example, one person playing as a sorcerer might be more inclined to use area-of-effect skills and dodging, whereas another may choose to use direct damage skills and focus on healing. Each class has a lot of variables, and gamers are going to be able to play the game the way they want," Knox says. You can check out the full interview at ZAM.com.
TERAblah shows off Castanic armor gallery
TERAblah.com, a fansite dedicated to En Masse Entertainment's forthcoming TERA action MMORPG, has put together a nifty custom gallery featuring some of the game's armor. The gallery is the first installment of a planned series of articles on TERA's equipment, and focuses on the mail armor used by the Lancer and Berserker classes. "Our model of choice is a lovely female Castanic, where seemingly less equals more," writes TERAblah's ExiledRealm. "The look of the armor is usually shared amongst two or three other items, so in this case we just listed them based on their rare crafted names (yes, all these can be crafted!)" Head on over to the TERAblah forums, or link directly to the gallery.
TERA's Brian Knox talks PvP
En Masse Entertainment's Brian Knox, producer for the forthcoming TERA action MMORPG, recently stopped by the TERAonline.it forums for a PvP-centric interview. The piece touches on everything from dedicated servers, to PvP gear and bonuses, to a brief hint about the game's political system. "We want to create a system that allows for full PvP freedom but discourages ganking. The declaration of PvP you're referring to is something in the Korean version of the game that warns a PK target you're about to kill them, which we actually removed in our first Focus Group Test to see how the game worked without it. It's not quite perfect yet but we're getting close," Knox says. Check out the full article over at TERAonline.it. Be sure to click the "spoiler: show" link if you'd like to read the English translation.
TERA releases more Screenshots of the Week
En Masse Entertainment, North American publisher for the Bluehole Studio action fantasy MMORPG TERA, has released the third edition of their Screenshots of the Week feature. The latest entry in the series showcases the city of Velika and the neighboring villages of Crecentia and Lumbertown. "These villages border Fey Forest and Oblivion Woods respectively, two different wooded lands each home to different creatures," writes Community Manager Evan "Scapes" Berman on the game's official boards. You can view the new images on the official TERA website, or for larger versions, check out the game's Flickr photostream. TERA fans can also vote to decide the focus of the next installment of Screenshots of the Week on the official forums.
TERA class trailer available on YouTube
We here at Massively are unabashedly looking forward to TERA, the forthcoming fantasy action MMORPG from Bluehole Studio and En Masse Entertainment. For those of you who were unable to attend this year's GDC10, En Masse has helpfully released the teaser trailer (that originally debuted at the conference way back in March) on YouTube. The two-minute video focuses on the game's eight classes, and was created using in-game footage. Taking center stage are the Slayer, the Archer, the Lancer, the Warrior, the Sorcerer, the Berserker, the Priest and the Mystic, each featuring a few moments of gameplay footage interspersed with some brief concept art shots. Check out the trailer embedded after the cut or over on YouTube.
TERA's David Noonan talks lore, geography
TERA is rapidly becoming synonymous with lore in MMORPG circles, as En Masse Entertainment has gone to great lengths to talk about the game's back story as well as highlighting some of the individuals creating it. Lead writer David Noonan was recently interviewed over at The Examiner, and spoke at length about what makes a unique MMO, artistic inspiration, and literal versus figurative takes on the lore. "The characters in the world regard the world-creation story as a literal truth -- even if it happened long before they were born. And I think that's important to the feel of the world. We want TERA to be a place where gods and magic have a very real, authentic presence," Noonan says. You can check out the full interview over at The Examiner, and don't forget to peruse the nifty new screenshots accompanying the article.
New TERA character creation video debuts
En Masse Entertainment's Evan "Scapes" Berman has called our attention to a new TERA-centric video over on the game's official forums. The short, produced by the development team at Bluehole Studio in Korea, shows various changes made in the character creation process as a result of player feedback. "One of the key pieces of feedback we received was the desire for more character customization and this video shows one of the upcoming enhancements to TERA that allows players to customize the unique look of their character: more facial feature options and feature sliders to allow for custom modification," Berman writes. Jump directly to the video on the Hangame website, or access it via the official TERA forums.
