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Trion explores a snowy Rift in a new video
Trion Worlds examines the new Rift: Planes of Telara dungeon called Abyssal Precipice in a new trailer featured after the break. Temperal rifts have torn apart the world of Telara with each unleashing a new, exciting, and dangerous adventure. Today, we examine the adventure atop the Roof of Telara. In the spires of the mountains of the Iron Pines, the cultists of the Abyssal seek to awaken the cephalon of Akylios. This ancient evil from the Age of Dragons is said to know the location of the Profane One, as the people of Telara call Akylios. All life on the Planes of Telara pray the Abyssal are not successful in discovering the location of the cephalon. The world is counting on you to listen to your call of duty. Only a climb to the snow-covered spires will prevent an imminent destruction. If you fail, Talara will be engulfed in the cold and chaos. Do not let the cephalon be found. Do not let the cultist unchain Akylios. Take a look at full trailer after the break. Maybe you will be the next hero on the Planes of Telara. Your journey begins through the next Rift! %Gallery-99479%
All you ever wanted to know about Rift's gear and were not afraid to ask
While some players may possess the tact not to come right out and say it to a dev's face, when an upcoming MMO is being discussed there's always the inner voice shouting, "What about my loots? Is the gear pimpin' or what?" Forget zones and races and dynamic events -- today at Ten Ton Hammer, the crowd finally got the Rift: Planes of Telara dev team to open up about the outfits that constitute a bulk of the rewards of the game. In this reader Q&A, Game System Designer Drew Clowery tackled numerous questions about Rift's gear. Rift will launch with 48 armor set models -- each boasting a number of variants and texture options -- but will not initially offer armor set bonuses. Veteran MMO gamers will feel at home with Rift's armor system, which is restricted by class (warriors will be able to wear heavier armor than rogues, for example) and can be bound on pickup or equip. Loot comes in one of four levels of rarity -- common, uncommon, rare and epic -- based on its utility and difficulty to attain. Crafted gear will be competitive (and apparently customizable) to dropped gear. And finally, Rift will not launch with an appearance system that replaces the look of worn gear with cosmetic items. Clowery feels that the team has struck a good balance between loot being useful and being a barrier: "Loot is an important part of our game, and so it has to have an important impact upon the characters. That said, it's not completely overwhelming... We don't design encounters to be gear checks. We design them to see if you can get together and do this."
Music to kill by: The making of Rift's score
The musical score is often one of the little-appreciated aspects of MMOs, providing mood, tone and emotion for the player while hopefully refraining from being annoying or too repetitive. In a new dev diary, Trion Worlds showcases the audio talent behind Rift: Planes of Telara's score. Audio Director Yannis Brown and Composer Inon Zur (Dragon Age: Origins, Fallout: New Vegas) talk about how the music lends itself to character identity and the environment's atmosphere, while giving us an aural sneak peek of Rift's tunes. One of the cool concepts the audio team is the creation of multi-layered music tracks that provide the same theme in different degrees of intensity based on how big the rifts have grown. Hit the jump to watch the diary and hear for yourself whether this will be a game in which the default score stays on -- or gets quickly turned off in favor of personal playlists.
Icebound: An exclusive survey of Rift's Iron Pine Peak
As we continue the countdown to Rift: Planes of Telara's beta and launch, Trion Worlds rewards our patience by expanding our view of the world. Today, Massively reveals an exclusive overview of Rift's coolest area yet: Iron Pine Peak. If you're a fan of winter-themed zones, then you're in for a doozy! Iron Pine Peak may seem beautiful, sprinkled as it is with snow-swept vistas and scenic views down vertigo-inducing cliffs, but only the hardiest of souls will survive to appreciate it. It's a place of solitude, history, mountains, watchmen, evergreens, and one terrifying dragon encased in a prison of ice. Both factions will be converging upon this location in an effort to unravel mysteries and prevent a possible terrifying future from taking place. Hit the jump for the official description of Iron Pike Peak, a snippet of lore, a dash of video, and several new screenshots!
Trion Worlds v. Palladium lawsuit draws to a close
The long-running legal skirmish between MMORPG maker Trion Worlds and pen-and-paper RPG publisher Palladium Books is apparently drawing to a close. Trask over at LivingDice.com brings us word that the two parties have submitted a "Joint Stipulation of Dismissal," which in a nutshell, closes all claims and counterclaims and stipulates that both parties will cover their own legal costs. Trask goes on to speculate that the final settlement may never be known, as the joint filing effectively ends the lawsuit behind closed doors and casts doubt on whether either party would gain much by making the details public. The lawsuit was originally filed last May and centered on trademark infringement regarding the Rifts name as used by Trion in their forthcoming Rift: Planes of Telara MMORPG.
Beta access and more addressed on Rift podcast 17
Anyone who has been paying attention to the Rift: Planes of Telara forums in the last while has heard the cacophonous community outcry about the different types of beta keys. One will net you a weekend's worth of playtime at some point during the beta, whereas other VIP codes will net access to the entire upcoming beta. This week, Cindy "Abigale" Bowens, the Senior Community Manager for Rift: Planes of Telara, sat down with Ari from the Rift podcast and talked at some length about alpha and beta access, what Trion considers to be the differences between the two, a bit more on how testers have been selected, and her own experiences in terms of the game. If you've been wondering just how Rift: Planes of Telara is shaping up, or are particularly upset about the beta code situation, then you'll definitely want to give this latest edition of the podcast a listen for some very frank talk on the entire situation. If you're new to Rift, and would like to find out more, then the Rift podcast has you covered too -- you can always start with earlier episodes and catch up quickly!
So a Warlord, a Stormcaller and a Justicar walked into a Rift...
OK, so the title above isn't so much a setup for a hilarious joke as a ham-handed introduction to three recently revealed souls -- specialty subclasses -- from Rift: Planes of Telara. MMORPG.com unveiled these never-before-seen souls over the past week. The Warlord is a melee soul that focuses more on controlling the tide of battle by buffing allies and debuffing the enemy, but can get in over her head quickly if separated from the pack. If you've always been partial to battle clerics, then the Justicar is right up your alley -- he is a powerful front-line fighter who builds up healing power through fighting, which can then be used to restore others. Finally, the Stormcaller is a mage specialty who uses a potent mix of air and water magic to call down the thunder on her foes. Continuing with Trion Worlds' worldwide promotional tour for Rift, Eurogamer wrote up a spiffy hands-on piece while Germany's Gameswelt.TV interviewed design producer Hal Hanlin. You can watch the latter after the jump!
Trion releases second issue of Rift: Planes of Telara comic book miniseries
Trion Worlds' Rift: Planes of Telara publicity campaign is picking up a head of steam, and today marks an auspicious occasion for Rift fans who dig comic books as much as they do MMORPGs. In cooperation with noted comic publisher WildStorm, Trion has taken the wraps off another issue of the ongoing Telara Chronicles, a miniseries in four parts that tells the tale of a plane-touched warrior named Asha Catari. Today's second issue finds Asha leading a band of Ascended warriors deep behind enemy lines to retrieve a mysterious and ancient artifact that may play a large role in Telara's future. The series is authored by Ricardo Sanchez and inked by Pop Mhan, with covers by Drew Johnson and Lizzy John. You can find a copy of the Telara Chronicles at your local comic shop.
Trion's Hal Hanlin: Rift will be "sitting very comfortably in 2012 and beyond"
In a recent interview, Trion Worlds' Hal Hanlin told Eurogamer that Rift: Planes of Telara has three major factors in its favor: world-class talent, world-class technology and world-class money. Because of these factors, the team is gearing up to eat at the big boy's table come Rift's 2011 launch. Hanlin, Rift's design producer, considers his job to fashion an immersive, exciting and engaging playscape: "I obsess over the details of design and making sure that everyone has what they need to make a game you want to bring your 20 closest friends to play." The interview covers many of the features which Hanlin considers to be Rift's selling points, such as the dynamic invasions. Currently, the title is boasting over 100 events, but the team still has the option to include additional ones. However, quantity for the sake of quantity is not worth it. "More is not better," Hanlin said. "Better is better." As a result, one of the chief mandates of the company is to create "multiple paths" for players to choose from a variety of activities instead of a linear leveling path. How does Hanlin see the game doing post-release? "Our longevity is going to be better than a lot of MMOs introduced to the market, because there's always something to see that's changed... I think we're going to be sitting very comfortably in 2012 and beyond."
Trion Worlds reveals the Plane of Water
What are the rifts? It's one of those burning questions, maybe not quite on the level of what is the Matrix or who is John Galt, but it's up there nonetheless. In an attempt to answer it -- or if you prefer, get people talking -- Trion Worlds has just released a bit of information on the Plane of Water in its upcoming Rift: Planes of Telara MMORPG. Telara is a world being ripped asunder by various and sundry dimensional corridors called rifts, each of them bringing new challenges, trials, and tribulations to adventurers throughout the realm. "A water rift can take hold even in the driest desert. Salt water rushes from nowhere and spreads into a reeking lake, from which tentacles rise and quiver in frantic rhythm. Toothed tendrils writhe from a rent in the sky, living creatures drown on land, and monsters spill from the rift like rotten fish from a net," Trion says. Check out the full description as well as a video of a water rift in action after the jump.
Rift releases dynamic dimensions trailer
While you may not be among the chosen (yet) for Trion Worlds' much-anticipated Rift: Planes of Telara beta, you can still check out the latest video, released yesterday as an exclusive over at GameTrailers. The clip is pretty short but nevertheless packs a wallop in terms of cool factor, thanks to some nifty fly-through camera effects as well as quick cuts that show different areas of the game world as they change under the influence of various rifts. There's also an oh-so-brief glimpse of combat and horse animations. We know, we know, we're reaching here, but when it comes to Rift, it doesn't take much to get us hot and bothered. Whet your appetite after the cut, and don't forget to brush up on all the latest beta information.
Trion Worlds Senior Designer guests on newest Rift podcast
The newest edition of The Rift Podcast has a special guest. Trion Worlds' Senior Designer Simon Ffinch joined the hosts of the Rift: Planes of Telara podcast to give some details on the quest system and more. The quest system is something players have been very interested in, so all these new details were very welcome. Simon covered a lot of ground, providing information on the different types and difficulty levels of quests, starting areas, guild-specific quests and much more. On a lighter note, he also addressed the question of his username "Dead Simon." All in all it's a fun listen for Rift: Planes of Telara fans and a nice source of new information.
Trion Worlds explains Rift beta sitch
The beta for Rift: Planes of Telara is looming -- looming, people! -- and yet the masses are somewhat confused as to how to get into it. This was made more complicated this past weekend as Trion Worlds posted a Sign Up For Beta Now link on the front page of Rift without sending users to an actual beta sign up. Community manager Abigale posted a lengthy explanation on the forums as to why this happened and how Trion is planning to recruit for the beta. Essentially, Trion Worlds meant to send out an explanation email before the link went live. But now that it is live, Abigale laid out the three tiers of beta invites and access: Guaranteed beta invitees: These are the folks who got their hands on a VIP All Access pass at one of Rift's community events. This guarantees a beta spot in any and all betas. If you didn't get one yet, don't worry -- Trion will be handing out more of these codes in the future! First beta pool: Any fans of the game who have either entered in a code for a chance at beta access or have merely signed up for a Rift forum account previous to October 2nd is now part of a pool of potential beta players. Trion will pull more testers from this pool as the beta events roll out. Second beta pool: Anyone who signs up for a Rift account after the 2nd (which means that if you haven't already, this will be you) is placed into this pool. This gives you a shot at the beta, although not as great as if you were a part of the first pool. You can read the full explanation over on the Rift forums. [Updated: The link to the explanation should be working now. Sorry for the confusion!]
This week on the MMO Report -- Rift: Planes of Telara special
The MMO Report shakes up the formula this week as host Casey Schreiner devotes his entire show to a special look at Trion's upcoming Rift: Planes of Telara MMORPG. Featuring gameplay footage and interview snippets with producer Adam Gershowitz, the segment fills viewers in on Rift's unique backstory as well as various dynamic gameplay features including, of course, the titular planar rifts. Gershowitz also goes into detail regarding the game's classes, including the ability to "take a variety of different classes and mix them together [using] the ascended soul system." Check out all the Rift footage after the cut or at G4TV.com.
Rift's devs challenge fans to name an orphaned soul
When you think about it, it's pretty hard to come up with the massive list of made-up names necessary for a wholly fabricated fantasy world. Sure, it's initially easy to come up with your "Death-this" and "Swamp-of-that" and "blank-of-the-Damned," but after a while the creative well drains. Rift: Planes of Telara's developers claim this to be the case as they ask fans to help them think up a starstruck name for one of their orphaned souls. This is an excellent opportunity to become part of the game itself by injecting your brain juices directly into the code. Entering the contest is ridiculously easy: Just head over to the Rift forums (you must have a registered account) and submit your suggestion. In a few days, the devs will pick a number of intriguing monikers out of the hat and then throw them to the community and Trion Worlds team for a vote. Souls are Rift's unique version of classes, and this particular unnamed soul will be a type of mage. According to the devs, this soul will "focus these life energies into a devastating force, or recycle destructive magic to heal their allies." It boasts more survivability than mages are used to but lacks as much destructive power or strong healing as a result. What do you think it should be called? Head over to the Rift forums, and let's see a Massively reader win this thing!
Rift: Planes of Telara introduces the Deepstrike Mines
There's a new zone up for viewing in Rift: Planes of Telara, and it follows the theme of all the previous ones: nice to look at and will probably try to kill you. The Deepstrike Mines are an old part of this world, created by the Eth sorcerer kings years ago. The kings were eventually overthrown by the titans they had enslaved to guard the mines, and the new inhabitants are even less pleasant. Walking dead, flesh-eating scarabs, and angry earth elementals are just a few of the creatures patrolling and working there these days. The sourcestone -- a powerful fuel source -- is valuable enough to make it worth reclaiming. Are you willing to brave the mines? Check out the new images and video below from Rift: Planes of Telara to see what you'll be up against.
Rift: Planes of Telara introduces the Plane of Life
"The newest area in Rift: Planes of Telara sounds a lot more peaceful than it is. The Plane of Life evokes images of a peaceful, pleasant place with plenty of growing things. There are, in fact, growing things, but they're probably not quite what you had in mind: "There is no ground in the Plane of Life, and there is no sky. Both are overgrown with plants as exotic as they are deadly. Roots clash like enemy armies, shoving and scrambling, while vines bulge together, sprouting thorns to stab each other." The Plane of Life is survival of the fittest at its purest. Check out the newest images and trailer below. %Gallery-99479%
Rift: Planes of Telara introduces graphic novel and beta keys
As development continues on Rift: Planes of Telara, Trion is moving beyond the confines of the computer screen and into comic retailers. Telara Chronicles is the game's graphic novel, and issue #1 introduces a four-part miniseries set in the world of Telara. Even better, that first issue comes with an exciting bonus. When you buy it at your local comic store, you can also get issue #0 and a Rift: Planes of Telara beta card. You can find more details on the miniseries story on the Planes of Telara Facebook page. There are a limited number of cards, and the graphic novels will arrive on retail shelves tomorrow, so check out your nearest comic shop!
Rift: Planes of Telara team releases game development update
The latest news from the development team for Rift: Planes of Telara is a development update that looks back over the past few months and forward to the future. COO Scott Hartsman's forum post contains some insight into the development process so far, giving the developers' view of and excitement about everything that has happened until now. It's a fun read, but what's next? Well, the developers at Trion "have a long road of testing" still to come, and Hartsman says that there will be plenty of opportunities for fans to assist along the way. You can read the complete update on the Rift: Planes of Telara forums. [Thanks Malcolm!]
PAX 2010: Hands on with Rift: Planes of Telara
The dungeon portal loomed ahead as a developer pushed a headset into my hands. "You heal," he said to me then moved on to the other four players standing next to me. "You tank. You three DPS. Don't worry too much; you're all a little over-leveled for this dungeon. Let us know when you're ready." I hardly heard him as I frantically tried to memorize the full array of skills in front of me, rearranging my hotbar to put my heals up front and center. "Ohh, you're a druid," another Trion Worlds developer said over my shoulder. "They're fun -- they get a faerie pet that heals your team as well." I followed his pointing finger and clicked on the skill to summon what appeared to be a cross-breed between Tinkerbell and a Troll doll. Fun times. The developer who pulled me into the live demonstration at PAX Prime took up his microphone and directed everyone around the booth to look up at the big screen and watch a team of total strangers jump into a mid-level dungeon. Welcome to Rift, I thought nervously. There's nothing like diving in head-first with your potential humiliation on public display.
