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Fishing changes on the way to Final Fantasy XI
There are certain constants in Final Fantasy XI that every veteran of the game knows, whether or not they were intended by the development team. It's a known fact, for instance, that you need an extra character to serve as a storage mule. You need to farm if you want money. And fishing is well-known for both being all but required for making money and being frequently boring and frustrating. But that last constant looks to be poised for changing, with the newest fishing changes promising a cleaner and easier experience while trawling Vana'diel's waters. The first welcome change will give players a more detailed set of information when fishing rather than a simple generic message that you've snagged something. The second, however, will be even more helpful for fishers -- a message informing you of exactly what you've hooked if your skill level surpasses the level required for the fish. Both changes go hand-in-hand with a general revamp and improvement of the fishing code to make fishing easier for Final Fantasy XI's anglers to enjoy, while at the same time cutting down on the often unwanted botting that plagues fishing holes.
Letter to the Black Prophecy community outlines the state of the game
It's been about a month since European players were able to head out to the black... Black Prophecy, that is. American players have been able to sign up for the closed beta, but it's not quite the same as the experience on the live servers. But whether you're in the beta or playing live, the new letter to the community from Patrick Streppel has plenty of interesting information about the current state of the game. As Streppel puts it, while the game is still undergoing major polishing patches, both gamigo and Reakktor Media are confident with the game as a released free-to-play game. The game's first major patch is slated for June and will feature a variety of new endgame elements as well as a new weapon type. Further down the line, the development team wants to enhance the PvP experience to keep the two factions of the game's lore at odds and in conflict. Black Prophecy players and testers alike should read the letter, as it's an interesting look behind the scenes after the first month of launch.
Road ahead mapped out for Final Fantasy XI
It seems that Final Fantasy XI's development team is revealing all of its major plans in one large rush -- and what a rush it is. Yesterday saw the unveiling of the team's plans for the anniversary of the game, and today has seen the posting of the roadmap for the game over the next year. Among the biggest and most surprising reveals are the plans for a public test server, a feature that's been long-requested but heretofore unseen in practice. Slated for release between July and September of this year, the test server will mark a change in the version update release cycle as well as the rate of content releases. As for actual content, while no expansions or addons were unveiled, the current plan includes a new battle system dubbed "Voidwatch," which is meant to help breathe life back into older areas of the game. The final level cap increases to 99 are also on the table for the next year, along with several job adjustments, two new battle systems with only preliminary names, and the cryptic but enticing promise of "new adventurer growth elements." Final Fantasy XI fans have a lot to look forward to over the next year, and while the game is getting a bit older, it's got plenty of life left in it.
Quest changes en route for Final Fantasy XIV on Monday
Final Fantasy XIV is only just coming back from its temporary shutdown, but it's a known fact that the team hasn't been sitting idle during the downtime, and it looks like the developers have been putting the finishing touches on another small patch. Patch 1.16a is slated to arrive during scheduled maintenance on Monday, and while it's not a major update, it does change one rather important issue -- the way that quest targets are currently handled. When implemented in patch 1.16, enemies intended as quest targets did not provide the player with drops, experience, or skill points. That factor is being changed, according to the preliminary notes for 1.16a, with the respawn timer correspondingly lengthened. While it's possible this might change in the short time remaining before the scheduled release date, the modification should be a welcome one for Final Fantasy XIV fans getting reacquainted with the newly restored game over the weekend.
Exclusive: Designing the expanded Incarnate trees for City of Heroes
It was rumored for a while and confirmed at PAX East -- Issue 20 of City of Heroes will feature four new Incarnate slots for characters to improve their abilities. That means a huge breadth of new power and ability choices for everyone, and it should lead to some very interesting gameplay once the four new slots become more common among players, especially as the Incarnate abilities aren't tied to any specific archetype or power selection. Of course, that means there are all sorts of new issues for the Paragon Studios team to deal with as the powers go through the phases of design. In this exclusive developer diary, Tim Sweeney, system designer on City of Heroes, has given us the lowdown on how the new endgame slots were conceived and designed. Jump on past the cut to see how the four newest slots were put together for the upcoming patch, from concept to balancing issues.
PAX East 2011: Shipping up to Boston with City of Heroes
It's only fitting that PAX East 2011 would see another panel for City of Heroes, as last year's convention was the first time the team from Paragon Studios had been to the east coast. While this year's panel didn't see the many announcements and surprising new reveals of last year, it's good to see the team making the trek out to Boston once again in what fans can only hope will be a regular event. As always, the line to get into the panel was gargantuan, with players lining up an hour before the panel doors opened for a seat in the relatively small theater. Once players had filed in and the room had settled down, it was time for a look at the past year or so for City of Heroes and at what players could expect for the near future, as well as the usual lively question-and-answer session.
Embark Beach and Mercenary Heroes coming to Guild Wars
Do you play Guild Wars with nothing to lose and nothing to prove? Then you might wind up dancing with yourself in the newest update to the game, which will add a new system of Mercenary Heroes -- turning other characters on your account into special heroes just for your use. And since this update also gives players the option to have a full party of seven heroes, there's plenty of reason to improve alts and play with them even on other characters. Of course, that's the least of the features packed into the new update, and you may not even need the new heroes with the introduction of the group-focused Embark Beach. Allowing players transport to a multitude of locations and missions, the outpost serves as a waypoint for players to find groups and get right into the action of a mission without any trouble. It's also a hub for services, making it an ideal place for players to congregate and look for any needed assistance. That's not even touching upon the new daily quests in Pre-Searing Ascalon, the changes to the Survivor title track to make it earnable on an existing character even after that character has died, and a new Minion UI feature. In short, Guild Wars players have plenty to dance about in the new update, whether by themselves or with others. %Gallery-9135%
Through the woods to Alpha County: Fallen Earth issues the March state of the game
February is a quick month for everyone, but it seems to have been even busier than normal for the Fallen Earth team. There are some major content updates in the wings for the game, several of which are being discussed in the most recent State of the Game address. Obviously, the biggest issue on the minds of players is the promised Sector Four and Alpha County, both of which are going to be rolled out in a staggered fashion starting with the Terminal Woods (which Edward Marshall toured just last week). That will include a surfeit of new missions, achievements, PvP objectives, and special new Scavenger bosses. Alpha County itself, meanwhile, will be getting rolled out sometime in the following months, an update that will see a level cap increase to 55 and new expansions to crafting among other improvements. The letter also states that the team is moving forward on player-crafted housing, as it's long been on the agenda for the team to handle with detail. Fallen Earth players are encouraged to read the full letter on the future of the game, sure to make any clone happy about the content just around the corner.
Champions Online discusses the future of the game, adding voice chat
The free-to-play conversion has certainly wrought some far-reaching changes for Champions Online, but as producer Rob Overmeyer puts forth in the latest State of the Game letter, there's still more to come. Aside from numerous C-Store additions for players, a new power framework and a new adventure pack are both in the works for the next couple of months. In addition, the development team is looking to add "Comic Series" missions on a regular basis, akin to the featured episodes implemented in Star Trek Online. This letter comes hot on the heels of the announcement that Cryptic Studios will be partnering with Vivox to bring built-in voice chat to both of its current games. That benefits both Champions Online and Star Trek Online, although no details are currently available for the precise implementation of the feature or the integration timetable. Still, fans of the game should be happy to see that the change in models hasn't hurt any of the game's long-term plans for content or functionality.
Lambda Sector trial on deck for preview in City of Heroes
So you've got a newly animal-themed hero from last week's Animal Pack launch in City of Heroes and you're just not sure what to do with him. Well, there's good news -- the developers at Paragon Studios will be hosting another preview event for an Issue 20 trial on the test realm. The last preview event covered the previously announced Behavioral Adjustment Facility, but this test wll be centered around the heretofore unseen Lambda Sector trial. Taking place on the test server, the trial will be running on March 1st on the European test server and March 3rd for the U.S. servers. Both events will also include a random code giveaway for all players in attendance, including new Animal Pack codes and the rare Rikti Mentalist costume. City of Heroes players owe it to themselves to check the times and attend if at all possible, as it promises to be a fun ride for everyone involved.
World quests coming with Final Fantasy XIV's patch 1.16
The time for more changes to Final Fantasy XIV fast approaches, and this patch promises to be a bit more substantial than its predecessor. While patch 1.15 brought a number of improvements to the game's mechanics, the actual amount of content remained the same. Patch 1.16, on the other hand, is slated to bring in something new -- world quests. While there are no exact numbers, the addition of more world and storyline quests promises to be a huge boon for the game's players and a welcome update. While that alone would be something to look forward to, the preliminary patch notes also reveal a reduction of the rate of wear on items, thus making repairs less frequent. There are also plans to streamline the Journal display for quests and let MP regenerate over time (as opposed to its current non-renewable state), along with several general optimization improvements. Final Fantasy XIV's players can expect to see this update sometime in early March, most likely next week or the week after.
Dan Stahl talks Star Trek Online's Season 4 and beyond
Since taking over last year, Dan Stahl has made a point of being very accessible to players when it comes to the future of Star Trek Online and the team's overall plans. The United Federation of Planets, a fan forum celebrating the variety of games set within the universe, has conducted an interview with Stahl in the most recent issue of its magazine. As always, there's a large number of different projects behind the scenes as the team turns its focus toward Season 4 and beyond. The overarching plan for the game's second year seems to be to improve and reinforce the game's elements to date, with Stahl mentioning that he hopes to put the Romulan faction into the game before the year is out. There are plans for another increase in level cap, possibly including Admiral-rank uniform variants as seen on the shows. And with Season 4 on its way, the team is hard at work trying to step up the storyline elements about the mysterious agenda of the Iconians, as well as the war between the KDF and Starfleet. The full interview begins on page 10 and should prove interesting to any Star Trek Online fan.
Adjust your behavior in City of Heroes
The war between Primal Earth and Praetoria continues in City of Heroes, and the battlefields are expanding. Emperor Cole's Praetorians struck the first blow, but the residents of Primal Earth are fighting back, starting with the Behavioral Adjustment Facility in the Imperial City. That's the site of the new Incarnate Trial previewed today, a trial in which heroes and villains alike are racing to stop the plans of Siege and Nightstar, two searingly intelligent Clockwork overseeing the process known as "Mindwashing." Starting with players attempting to break into the facility, the trial sends players against several facility guards. Successfully cutting down the opposition will start a confrontation with Nightstar and her cadre of Victoria-class Clockwork defenders. Her defeat, unfortunately, signals the release of the Mindwashed prisoners, forcing players to engage in a battle against several control-immune enemies before moving on to fight Siege. But that alone doesn't spell the end of the trial -- there's one more fight in the wings, a battle that should prompt players to think outside the box if they want to emerge victorious. City of Heroes players should take a gander at the full preview and get ready to take the war to Praetoria when Issue 20 goes live.
City of Heroes talks about the Animal Pack and endgame accessibility
Yesterday saw the announcement of the newest add-on pack for City of Heroes, but that's hardly the only news to come out for the game this week. A new developer diary has been released which details the creation of the Animal Pack -- what elements are in the pack, what elements were left out, and why some animals were picked over others. It sheds some light on both the genesis of this specific pack and the usual development process for the additions. But if you're more content-minded, you'll probably be even happier about the latest Producer's Letter by Nate Birkholz, detailing the upcoming Incarnate Trials of Issue 20 and the team's plans to address endgame accessibility. The Incarnate Trials are a step toward ensuring that any player with a level 50 character and the expansion can take part in the Incarnate system, with looser group requirements and a new queueing system to let players jump in without a pre-formed group. There's also more talk about allowing more liberal acquisition of Incarnate Shards, even if you're level-matched to a lower-level character. It's the sort of accessibility and general freedom that's always been center stage for City of Heroes, which the new letter takes pains to stress.
Final Fantasy XI talks drop rates and fishing woes
Drops in any MMO are sometimes a frustrating business. You can kill an enemy for its head, a clearly visible part of its body, and yet no head is dropped when it dies. You can kill a boss dozens of times before you finally get its weapon, even though that weapon is visible each time. And in Final Fantasy XI, you can fight an Ironclad Triturator without getting any sort of iron plates, despite the fact that he's both visually and eponymously covered in them. But as the latest round of questions and answers states, that's a temporary problem -- the February mini-version update will fix this oddity. That's not the only change forthcoming, naturally, and one of the other issues addressed is the sometimes frustrating art of fishing. Rusty equipment is going to stop eating up the potentially expensive bait in the February update, and directions for fishing will be changed to provide more useful information for players. Take a look at the full rundown for more information about what's coming with Final Fantasy XI's upcoming mini-patch, with promises of a more comprehensive schedule in the near future.
Final Fantasy XI's development team answers player questions
While players might not know what's coming around the bend for Final Fantasy XI in terms of future expansions or add-ons, the development team has been stepping up with a big departure from its usually laconic manner. The team answered a batch of players questions back in December, and now another big round of answers has been posted, with a great deal of information about what to expect from upcoming changes. If anything, the answers offered seem to imply that the game is moving slowly to a more open structure. Fields of Valor, a major experience booster since its inception, is apparently on deck to have its time restrictions removed, allowing you to do as many pages from the book per Vana'dielan day as you want. Level caps are being removed on certain nation quests, with more possible in the future, and the auction houses of the nations are going to be merged to make searching for items easier. Final Fantasy XI clearly has some big accessibility improvements planned, so it's going to be very interesting to see what's next to be revealed for the game's near future.
Vindictus hails to the Blood Lord on January 19th
If there's one thing Vindictus isn't lacking, it's blood, usually freshly harvested from the cavalcade of enemies players encounter. So it makes a certain amount of sense that the January 19th content update features the Blood Lord, who is intended as the newest high-level challenge for players to face off against. And while the update will include some new additions to the cash shop, it's a foregone conclusion that the Blood Lord is taking center stage in the new mission "Shadowed by Darkness." Up to six players may engage the Blood Lord, with the spoils allowing players to craft the Nightmare armor set. It will not be easily earned, however, as the Blood Lord unleashes a variety of devastating fire attacks coupled with aggressive claw swipes. He's also capable of vanishing in a cloud of smoke and moving about in the form of a bat swarm, as if the vampiric allusions weren't quite clear enough. Vindictus players above level 45 can take on the Blood Lord starting on January 19th, but until then they can survey the teaser trailer and the gallery for some idea of what they'll be facing. %Gallery-114025%
Producer's letter for City of Heroes hints at the future and promises big improvements
It's the start of a new year, one that already promises to be an exciting one for fans of superheroic MMOs. DC Universe Online is launching tomorrow, Champions Online will be going free-to-play early this year, and City of Heroes is not sitting down either. In what we hope might be a new monthly tradition, fans have been treated to a brand-new producer's letter that looks back at the year before and begins peering ahead to the next 12 months while also hinting at some of the more interesting new additions to the game. Among the more interesting revelations are the promise of a double XP weekend this month, as well as more information regarding Praetoria's Hamidon when PAX East rolls around. The development team is also hoping to step up its communication this year, both from well-known members of the team and from some of the newer talent with less public exposure. While another expansion might not be in the works for City of Heroes in the near future, fans can take a look at the full letter on the site and rest easy -- it promises to be a very interesting year.
The road ahead for City of Heroes: Our interview with Melissa Bianco
Last year was undeniably a pretty good year for City of Heroes -- it boasted a six-year anniversary, a new expansion, and a newly improved graphical engine to make the game that much more attractive. This year... well, it's still up in the air, but it's still kicking off with a brand-new competitor for the game, which adds a whole host of new challenges for the development team at Paragon Studios to overcome. Not to mention that when you've just come off of a good year, you're faced with the question of what you can possibly do to top it. But the team behind the game is prepared for the challenges of this year and already looks forward to raising the bar again in 2011. We had a chance to talk with Melissa Bianco, lead designer of City of Heroes, about what's coming next for the game and how the team plans to face new and ongoing hurdles. Check on past the break for our talk about potential sequels, the upcoming issues of the game, and what we can expect to start seeing in the next few months.
Late-month update for Final Fantasy XIV to include an item search
Final Fantasy XIV has not had an easy road out of launch, with several large patches having been added to the game in short order. The most recent patch was only a week ago, but the newest patch is slated to go live tomorrow as the second update for the month and the last one for the year. Although the full details have not been released at this time, one thing that is known for sure is one of the much-requested features due for inclusion -- an item search feature. The crafting-heavy system of the game has suffered from the lack of a dedicated auction house, but the continued reorganization and restructuring of the market ward system has helped address that. With the newest update, it will be possible for players to search for the item they want as soon as they step into the wards, thereby improving the time between entering the markets and determining whether your desired item is available. What else will be included -- if anything -- will become clear to Final Fantasy XIV players tomorrow afternoon.
