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New Defiance TV spot features Mayor Rosewater
This week's Defiance media assault continues, the latest salvo of which is a new trailer for the television show featuring Defiance mayor Amanda Rosewater. Rosewater is played by actress Julie Benz, and the 30-second spot provides a bit of insight into the trials and tribulations she encounters while trying to hold her community together. Defiance the TV show premieres on April 15th. Defiance the game is now playable on PC, PS3, and Xbox 360. If you're on the fence about the title, check out our ongoing launch-week impression series as well as our livestream footage. The new trailer is embedded after the break.
Trion Worlds promises that it's addressing critical Defiance issues
Executive Producer Nathan Richardsson has mixed emotions in regards to Defiance's release. "This first day of launch of Defiance has been as awesome as we expected it to be," he wrote in a state of the game post. "And by awesome, I mean we're neck deep addressing all the issues that come up when you scale something up to a million people from a test environment of thousands." Richardsson promised that the large Trion team is working hard to "update, patch, fix, and improve" Defiance post-launch. The most critical problems that he identifies are connectivity problems, missing pre-order items, the scaling of bosses and arkfalls, and broken chat and VOIP. "We appreciate the trust that you are showing us by coming with us and we will address all these issues," he concludes. Speaking of awesome, check out the main theme to Defiance, composed by Bear McCreary, after the jump!
Massively's Defiance launch week diary: Day two
Welcome to day two of Massively's Defiance launch week diary. I've put a little over seven hours into Trion's MMO shooter thus far, so that zomg-it's-a-new-game! glow has worn off and I'm able to see things more objectively (i.e., find things to criticize). That said, I'm still having a good bit of fun, so join me after the cut to find out why.
Massively's Defiance launch week diary: Day one
I'm an ark hunter, or so they tell me. They being the ruggedly handsome NPCs on display in Defiance's opening cutscene. There's a gruff military man, a captain I think, and some balding suit with trendy eyewear named Von Bach. There's a bunch of frenzied activity on board the stratocarrier New Freedom, and I pass by a familiar roughneck and a red-haired alien girl that I've seen before in Defiance's ubiquitous television commercials. I'm a human male because I'm one of those weirdos who plays to real-world type in video games. I've got corn-rows here, though, blonde ones, and a face that only a mother could love. Much like my real face, I didn't have a lot of say in the matter because Defiance's character customization is rather bare bones. There's Human or Irathient, male or female. After that there's a choice of four origins: Veteran, Survivalist, Outlaw, and Machinist. I have a hard time with this because if the earth really were on the edge of sci-fi post-apocalyptic alien invasion extinction, I would no doubt be some sort of grizzled Survivalist/Outlaw/Machinist hybrid. Though this isn't a class-based game from what I hear, for now I have to choose. It's Survivalist.
Defiance launch day roundup and trailer
We've still got two weeks to wait for the television premiere of Defiance on April 15th, but shooter fans can lock, load, and get in on the Defiance action right now as the gaming half of the Trion and Syfy cross-media experience has officially launched today. Since we don't want anyone sent into battle unprepared, we've gathered plenty of intel for you! Get the scoop on what awaits you on this terraformed Earth, from villains (like mutants, scrappers, and hell bugs) to weapons to important facts on lore and the planet's new races. We've got a smorgasbord of videos, hands-on experiences, and even a livestream to help you map out your plan of attack before you jump into the fight. After all, the better you know your enemies, the better you can defeat them! And don't forget the launch trailer; that's tucked behind the break as well.
Game of Thrones Ascent ties updates to Season 3
Watch out, Defiance: You're not the only transmedia synergy wiz-kid on the block! Game of Thrones Ascent announced that it's started to release weekly updates that will tie into the previous night's broadcasted TV episode. As the first episode of Game of Thrones' third season premiered last night, the first episode of Ascent's new content went live today. It's titled Episode 1: Valar Dohaeris and adds "dozens" of new quests, multiplayer alliance challenges, a power leaderboard, and a siege workshop. Developer Disruptor Beam released some stats for the title (which is still in beta!). The studio says that 43% of the players so far have pledged allegiance to the Starks, 25% to the Targaryens, and 15% to the Lannisters. More players choose to fight (35%) than any other action, and the Neck is the most popular destination in the game world (16%). [Source: Disruptor Beam press release]
Syfy releases a new Defiance trailer
It's almost time for the cross-media extravaganza that is Defiance to grace the world with its fully realized TV-and-game presence. Defiance-the-MMO is set to open its doors officially on April 2nd, bringing people into the world of, well, Defiance in high style. The tie-in TV series will debut on April 15th, but you don't have to wait until then to catch a glimpse of its alien beauty. There's a new trailer out to prepare you for the show's release on the 15th; skip below the cut to check it out.
TV-Defiance's first 14 minutes, game-Defiance's launch teaser [Updated]
Can't wait until April for Defiance? Head to Syfy.com, then, because the network has posted the first 14 minutes of the upcoming television show to further whet your appetite. The new series formally debuts on April 15th, while the MMO shooter tie-in kicks off on April 2nd. You can get a preview of the game by checking out Massively's MJ Guthrie and her two-hour Defiance beta livestream. [Update: Whoa, even bigger day for Defiance than we thought! Defiance's YouTube channel is spewing videos today. We've embedded the new game launch trailer beyond the cut, and there's a new Ark Hunter Chronicles episode up too.]
Leaderboard: Defiance vs. DUST 514
Shooter gameplay is on the rise in the MMO space, as titles like PlanetSide 2, Firefall, DUST 514, and Defiance are all marrying twitch-based running and gunning with some sort of persistent open-world progression component. Defiance and DUST are particularly interesting, to me at least, because they're part of a larger IP. IN DUST's case, the title shares a game world and a server back-end with long-running sci-fi MMO EVE Online. Defiance, of course, is joined at the hip with the upcoming television show of the same name, though just how joined remains to be seen. For today's Leaderboard, let's pit these two titles against one another and see which is more anticipated amongst Massively readers. Vote after the cut! Ever wish that you could put to rest a long-standing MMO debate once and for all? Then welcome to the battle royal of Massively's Leaderboard, where two sides enter the pit o' judgment -- and only one leaves. Vote to make your opinion known, and see whether your choice tops the Leaderboard!
Final Defiance beta weekend starts March 22
If you're looking to get some play time in the Defiance beta, you'd best get a move on. Trion has announced that the final beta weekend for its sci-fi shooter MMO will run from March 22nd through March 24th. The company is inviting Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 users along for the ride, and it is also doing away with Defiance's NDA. Trion's press release says that more specific beta details will be forthcoming in the invites slated to go out over the next few days. The final beta "will let players explore the Mt. Tam and Madera regions with co-op battles on Angel Island and the Cronkhite Bunker," Trion says. "For Ark Hunters looking to test their might in some competitive multiplayer action, the Freight yard and Observatory will provide opportunities to prove themselves worthy of Von Bach Industries' recruitment." Defiance launches on PC and console platforms on April 2nd. [Source: Trion press release]
Seeing what it takes to be a Defiance Ark Hunter
What does it take to be an Ark Hunter in Trion Worlds' upcoming Defiance? If the following lore video is any indication, you have to be really into puking, eating mutant lizards, and having needles shoved into the back of your neck. But then you get weapons, and these are really big weapons that you can shoot things in the face with. So it's a trade-off. Check out the latest episode of the Ark Hunter Chronicles after the jump. Then finish your lizard stew because you've got puking to do!
Get your mod on by watching Defiance's weapons trailer
Normally the emphasis on customization in MMOs is on the characters. However, Defiance may tempt you to focus more on that high-powered weapon you're toting around. Trion Worlds has just released a new video spotlighting the weapon modification system in its upcoming MMO shooter. While the trailer is more flash than detailed substance, you can see how weapons change in both form and function with the aids of mods. Trion boasts "thousands of options" in Defiance's arsenal. Watch the video after the jump, check out our hands-on with the title, and let us know if this looks to be up your alley!
Hands-on with the pre-launch Defiance demo
Defiance: It's a game, it's an MMO, it's an FPS, it's a TV show! Before attending this past week's Defiance pre-launch event in San Francisco, I was aware of only one place on earth where all of those elements have seemingly been mashed-up before in quite this order: South Korea. And even there, the TV portion was more in a standard game show format. It's a risky combination in the West. Thus it was with trepidation and a hefty dose of skepticism that I attended the TV show pilot's screening, which itself was followed by some intense cooperative PvP gaming on the mainstream platform of my choice. The folks at Trion Worlds set up an impressive demo area, with PS3 and XBox systems trailing behind the PC platforms.%Gallery-181065%
Trion hopes you'll pre-order some Defiance DLC along with your Defiance pre-order
Trion has yet to release its sci-fi shooter TV tie-in called Defiance, but the firm is already trotting out pricing plans for season pass DLC content. A company press release mentions five DLC packs "rolling out after launch" which are now available for pre-purchase in a $39.99 bundle. Trion says that this represents a 20% savings over the suggested retail price of $9.99 per pack, which begs the question of whom exactly suggests the retail prices that generous game companies subsequently discount. In any event, Defiance is slated to launch on April 2nd. You can of course pre-order it, and if you're feeling especially impatient, you can now pre-order its DLC too. The packs will provide a new playable alien species, additional weapons, vehicles and missions, a lock box, and more. [Source: Trion press release]
Defiance shows off the 99er faction
Defiance's latest video teaser is showing off another villain group. The 99ers, despite their name, do not lure you into their lair with the promise of free popcorn and a markedly robust gluten-free menu; instead, they're crazed former miners who have augmented themselves with extensive cybernetic hardware. And continue mining. That part seems a little bit odd, since they're not willing to interact with others or sell off all the ore they're mining, but we'll go with it. 99ers are known to be extremely territorial and have physical abilities far beyond that of human beings. Players are advised to be on the lookout for unprovoked attacks by the miners, who control most of the valuable resources within their region of operation. Players should aim for exposed and unaugmented heads or visible fuel sources during a combat encounter. Or they can just shoot the crazy cyborgs until they fall apart; that would probably work as well.
'Shadow War' PvP is the star of new Defiance gameplay trailer
Come April, players won't just be facing the likes of giant mutated bugs and partially sentient robots in Defiance, they will also have the chance to face off against each other. Dubbed Shadow War, the open world competitive multiplayer combat system is the star of the show in the latest gameplay video from Trion. The PvP-focused Shadow War is fully integrated into the game's co-op experience, "giving players a choice to participate on their own terms, and allowing progression between co-op and competitive gameplay to be the same." Check out some of the alien technology-infused vehicle and infantry battles in the clip after the cut. [Source: Trion press release]
Hell bug highlighted in new Defiance enemy intel video
As any soldier, spy, or gun-for-hire knows, gathering intel is an important aspect of assessing risk and making a plan of action to get a job done. Luckily for future Defiance players, Trion is helping the process out by offering a series of enemy intel videos. Now showing: hell bugs. A result of the terraforming disaster, hell bugs are a very aggressive and territorial subterranean species capable of quickly excavating solid stone. With a hard exoskeleton, razor-sharp appendages, toxic secretions, and a speed that belies their size, these giant bugs are not so easily squashed. For a closer look at the hell bugs, check out the clip after the cut. [Thanks to SixShot for the tip!]
Defiance teases players with a video for Ark Hunter Chronicles
Defiance is certainly giving potential players lots of videos to watch. That's not entirely surprising considering the game's whole cross-media synergy angle, but it's exciting for anyone who prefers a moving picture to straight text. The latest video from Trion Worlds is showing off a teaser for Ark Hunter Chronicles, which are promised to be coming soon. What's not promised just yet is a reveal of what to expect beyond the title. What are Ark Hunter Chronicles? Some sort of chronicle related to ark hunters, probably. That's pretty straightforward. But are they preview episodes of the upcoming show? Preview videos for the game? Trading cards that tell a story? Commemorative plates? We don't know, as the video doesn't say, although the plate thing seems a little bit unlikely. All we know is that they're coming soon, and you can watch a teaser trailer for them just after the break. Eagle-eyed viewers may spot something extra toward the end, as well...
New Defiance enemy intel video highlights the Scrappers
Ready for another Defiance enemy intel video? Last time Trion filled us in on the game's interspecies horde of scavengers known as the Raiders. This time, the narrative is all about the Scrappers, which are hostile robots constructed of scrap metal and salvaged tech. The Scrappers are partially sentient, and prone to patrolling an area for salvage and collecting components. There are also hints about a higher-level AI directing Scrapper behavior from afar. Trion advises players to deal with Scrappers by targeting their patchwork weapon systems first. Click past the cut for the preview clip.
Defiance teaches players how to deal with raiders
Raiders. They're an ever-present threat, always asking you to fill out the last healing slot or asking if you'll pass on a needed gear upgrade so... wait, that's not what we're talking about here. Defiance raiders aren't all about getting epic loot and counting DKP, they're about bursting onto the scene in a spray of automatic weapon fire while tripping on a variety of drugs. And the newest video for the game shows the raiders off in all their glory. As the video explains, raiders are an ever-present threat due to their sheer inability to be wiped out -- they have no centralized structure, just a large number of members who enjoy violence and follow whoever wants to lead. Players are advised to either use explosives on groups or snipe individuals at a distance. For more details on this group of enemies, take a look at the full video just past the break, and possibly apply more DOTs.
