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TERA male Castanic renders unveiled
There's been a fair amount of oohing, ahhing, and eye-rolling when it comes to the armor designs in En Masse Entertainment and Bluehole Studio's forthcoming TERA action MMORPG. Much of it has to do with the fact that some fans feel the skimpy female armor is unrealistic and/or sexist. Happily though, that hasn't stopped TERAfans' Radacci from churning out the attractive renders, and today he delivers the male counterpart to yesterday's female Castanic set. As always, the "armors are from a pre-Beta version of TERA and they represent unfinished artwork that is subject to change at any time," according to the teaser post. Visit the gallery below for a few of our favorites, or head to TERAfans for the full set of renders. %Gallery-97020%
TERA castanic armor renders revealed
TERAfans has unveiled yet another set of gorgeous armor renders for En Masse Entertainment and Bluehole Studio's highly anticipated TERA action MMORPG. This time around, the renders focus on the cloth, leather, and plate armor choices available for female Castanic characters. The renders, in which in-game avatars are shown against a recurring background image, were created by TERAfans community member Radacci, and incorporate pre-beta TERA assets that may change during the course of game development. Visit the gallery below for a few of our favorites, or head to TERAfans for the full set of renders. %Gallery-96854%
TERA shows off southern Arun screens
En Masse Entertainment is back with their weekly tease of new TERA screenshots. The eighth installment of the Screenshots of the Week featurette takes us to southern Arun, a dry, arid stretch of land on TERA's large eastern continent. "The fields of flora end in dunes of sand stretching to the horizon. Adventurers exiting the walled caravan stop of Tulufan will find themselves on Aurum Road leading into the vast expanse of golden desert," writes En Masse community manager Evan "Scapes" Berman. You can view the Arun screenshots on TERA's official website, or check them out in our gallery below. %Gallery-96720%
The Daily Grind: Half down, half to go
The start of July means that we're just about halfway through the year, and it also means some of the most major pieces of news have already come to light. We've had release dates announced, E3 has come and gone, and there's little else to do other than sit and watch as the next six months roll on. Of course, there's always the chance for a surprise announcement later -- but by and large, we've seen the shape of things, and we're just rounding out the dates now. So how have you been feeling about MMOs over the past six months? Has there been a game such as TERA or Final Fantasy XIV that captured your attention for this year or the next? Have you been disappointed with the news and new releases for the past several months? Or has it all felt like business as usual? And if you're feeling brave enough to predict the future, what do you think the next six months will bring? (We're betting on World of Warcraft: Cataclysm selling like hotcakes. Going out on a limb there.)
Extensive TERA E3 demo video unveiled
If you're a fan of TERA but weren't able to make it to E3 2010, you can still check out portions of the lengthy press demonstration video that En Masse Entertainment showcased a couple of weeks ago in Los Angeles. Gametrailers has an edited version of the video, narrated by producers Sam Kim and Stefan Ramirez, which takes viewers on a whirlwind tour of TERA's action combat as five of the game's eight classes are shown battling through a scenario to take down the evil Captain Marduck. "Keep in mind that this isn't a trailer, it is a cut down version of our demo and it is built entirely from footage captured from one of our sessions. We're going to boil this down to a five minute recap that gives you a taste of the experience," Ramirez notes. The video highlights the berserker, warrior, slayer, sorcerer, and priest classes. Check it out after the jump, or at Gametrailers.
New TERA high elf armor renders released
The folks over at TERAfans have released another set of in-game armor renders for En Masse Entertainment's upcoming TERA action fantasy MMORPG. The latest installment of fan renders, where in-game avatars in various armor options are displayed against a set backdrop, feature cloth, leather, and plate protection for high elf female characters. As always, TERAfans notes that the "armors are from a pre-Beta version of TERA and they represent unfinished artwork that is subject to change at any time." Check out a few of our favorites in the gallery below, or head over to TERAfans for all of the renders. %Gallery-96533%
Disillusionment with MMOs
Because I never studied nor considered studying psychology, you may doubt my words, but I will still tell you that many people go through a phase in life in which things become less shiny for them. What, there really is no Santa Claus? Those awesome space battles on TV are just tiny plastic miniatures hanging from fishing-line? World of Warcraft didn't invent Naga? Sooner or later the curtain will be pulled back on something you found new or fascinating in your life. Losing that sense of excitement from something you thought was different or new can leave a gaping hole of disillusionment. The short history of MMOs is not immune to providing plenty of room for players to become disillusioned. Like television, movies, and books, MMOs don't use 100% new content that developers invented out of thin air. I've been on many MMO forums and have seen players at different stages of disillusionment seemingly frothing at the mouth about being sick of elves in fantasy MMOs, and accusing one MMO of stealing a name or even a similar-sounding name from an MMO they would defend as "more original." The fact is that most concepts and ideas have already been done, and it can just be hard to deal with. Who doesn't get a little disillusioned when he grows up and finds out his dad or mom really isn't the smartest or strongest person in the world? If I haven't disappointed you enough then follow along as I spoil even more of your favorite MMOs -- but hopefully I can also show you that disillusionment isn't the end.
TERA screens reveal Serpentis Isle
The folks at En Masse Entertainment have made a habit out of releasing new TERA screens near the end of every week, and today is no different. The seventh installment of the Screenshots of the Week featurette takes us to Serpentis Isle, which is just a bit north of Mistmoar Island and the location of last week's E3 demo. "Creatures both familiar and fantastic can be found in this dangerous territory and they are not keen on sharing it with hapless explorers nor gallivanting heroes," says Evan "Scapes" Berman, En Masse community manager, in a teaser post on the game's official forums. You can view the new screenshots on TERA's official website, or check them out in our handy gallery below. %Gallery-96207%
TERA E3 video walkthrough with Evan Berman
Thegamer.vg has an interesting video interview with En Masse Entertainment senior community manager Evan "Scapes" Berman recorded live at last week's E3 convention in Los Angeles. The three-part interview, which features over twenty minutes of footage from En Masse's upcoming TERA action MMORPG, touches on everything from character creation, to class skills, to equipment customization. "With the focus group [testing this past March], we saw the Crystal Socketing System, which will allow your armor and weapons to be a little more customized toward what you want to focus on. If you want to have healing per second, or mana per second, or additional damage when somebody's knocked down...these are all crystals that you'll socket into your armor and weapons and you'll have a combination of them," Berman says. The walkthrough focuses on character creation, and also shows a bit of PvE in the form of quests and starter area gameplay. View the first portion of the video at Thegamer.vg.
TERA collates Elleon's day three journal entries
It's no secret that TERA, the upcoming action-fantasy MMORPG from Bluehole Studio and En Masse Entertainment, is filled with interesting lore. En Masse has devoted much virtual ink to the dissemination of the game's unique take on the fantasy genre, and has also hired a team of professional writers, lead by David Noonan, to flesh it out. To that end, Noonan has been tweeting the journal entries of an in-game character called Elleon over the past several months, and the official TERA website has been updated with a comprehensive collection of all of Elleon's "day three" journal entries. "More gut-emptying pegasus rides. Kyrisha the botanist turned me down (teaching commitment), but Belevrus the anatomist said yes. Mysterium teleporters sent me to Allemantheia, where I recruited Jehan as our botanist. He's no Kyrisha, but his academics look solid," Elleon says. You can view the full summary here, as well as check out the day one and day two collations that you may have missed. Finally, don't forget to check out the recently launched day four on Elleon's Twitter page.
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.
The Daily Grind: What's your E3 highlight?
Whew! This past week has been a rollercoaster of craziness, a carousel of attractions and a mirror maze of sights from E3. We certainly hope you've enjoyed the coverage here at Massively, from interviews to exclusive peeks to mind-snapping trailers. As we all continue to sift through the mountains of E3 information, we'd love to know what you consider to be the expo's highlight, your own personal "Best of Show" award. Was it the brand-new trailer of the previously hidden Warhammer 40k: Dark Millennium Online? The exceedingly awesome new SWTOR cinematic? The in-depth look into DC Universe Online? Or perhaps you're a Marvel fanboy and Super Hero Squad Online's gotten you revved up? Could it be the exciting conversations with Final Fantasy XIV's devs? The Agency's PvP side or LotRO's brand-new zone? Or perhaps you found yourself charmed by one of the smaller titles, such as Forsaken World, Taikodom, Swordsman Online, Battlestar Galactica Online and Zentia? If you were asked -- and hey, we're asking you! -- what's your E3 highlight? Who gets the blue ribbon and who ends up empty-handed?
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!
E3 2010: Massively's hands-on with TERA
Our Massively staffers have a busy schedule at E3 this week, including some hands-on time with En Masse Entertainment's upcoming title, TERA. We got our first hands-on back in March at GDC, so this was a great opportunity to see how things have progressed and experience more of the game. The En Masse team at the TERA booth played host to a team of players who joined together to venture into the world of TERA. Each participant played a different role and learned how the classes work as well as how they interact with one another. In the midst of learning the game, we took some time to enjoy the landscapes -- it's a very well-designed and diverse world that merits attention between battles. So how did it go? Follow along after the jump for a recap of our hands-on.
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.
