[intense_lead ]What have people been waiting for here in ArcheAge for so long! But now things are finally moving in the game, as in an interview on mmorpg.com, Scott Hartsman, the CEO of Trion Worlds (publisher of the AAA title), shared a little bit of insight![/intense_lead]
He reports that the game is mostly playable in English and that this version is already being diligently tested by acquaintances and family members of Trion employees.
After the bad news of the past months (difficulties in the westernization of the Asian blockbuster, etc.), this is a really good piece of news for the fans of the upcoming MMORPG highlight ArcheAge, which was released in Asia last year; at least the release in the West, that is, America and Europe, is eagerly awaited.
The CEO also makes no secret of his excitement about the game and can hardly wait to make it accessible to everyone:
[pull_quote_center]I spent 75% of my vacation playing ArcheAge. That’s no joke.[/pull_quote_center]
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It’s no wonder, the game offers a lot of sandbox features along with classic role-playing content and many other seemingly endless possibilities. These include:
Massive siege battles
A player-driven economy
Sea adventures on ships and boats
Spectacular flying maneuvers
Free building of estates in the open world
A variety of agricultural activities
such as the breeding of plants and animals
A very extensive crafting system
All of this and much more can be experienced in an open and seemingly boundless world, known for its beautiful settings – thanks to the CryEngine. Of course, the game likely has weaknesses too, but we’ll think about those when we actually test it ourselves!
By the way, during a chat with Trion, a rough date was also leaked. Whether it was meant seriously in this case is unclear; however, it was stated there that it won’t take more than 6 months until it actually releases here and thus achieves gold status!
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
For all loyal fans of The Lord of the Rings Online, it’s time to breathe a sigh of relief for at least another 3 years! Following Turbine’s statement that no work is currently being done on dungeons or raids, part of the community (in the official game forum) discussed whether the adventure in Middle-earth was nearing its end. But far from it. The community manager dispelled this rumor with the following reply:
I just wanted to drop in and address the concerns surrounding the license, again. We have said as far back as July of 2013, we plan to support LOTRO for many years to come. I really want to be as clear as possible on this subject to avoid any further confusion or misunderstanding. The license was renewed. (…)We have an agreement that runs through 2017.
This should reassure the community for now, as the plans to maintain the servers definitely extend at least until 2017. This whole endeavor is underpinned by a renewed license, which likely poses no obstacles.
But the question remains, what are the developers currently working on? Apparently, something other than the aforementioned popular group content. A small hint has already been provided: They intend to focus on existing content and improve it in the near future.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
[intense_lead ]For about 6 weeks now, subscribers have been able to play Galactic Starfighter and on 14.01., the preferred players will join. However, when the game mode becomes accessible to all players in February, BioWare will release another patch for Star Wars: The Old Republic.[/intense_lead]
As previously announced, Galactic Starfighter will be expanded by a new starship class, adding a Bomber to the existing types of combat machines in the air. In addition to the previous “Conquest” mode, there is now the “Team Deathmatch” mode, where players can shoot down enemy ships without satellites.
The bomber features heavy armor and can utilize a variety of exclusive special weapons, such as drones.
But that’s not all: A new role-neutral Flashpoint, named “Kuat Drive Yards”, will also be released and is designed to thematically connect starship combat with ground battles. To bring attention to this, a dedicated area will be prepared on the Republic and Empire fleets.
Moreover, the classes will continue to be refined to ensure balanced chances in PvP and PvE: Rogues and Saboteurs will enjoy an increase in dealt damage, while Sorcerers and Scholars will receive a talent to negate the increased casting time of certain abilities. Lastly, Mercenaries and Commandos will see improvements to their healing abilities, allowing them to apply their healing shields to more than one target.
Additionally, the cartel market will be expanded and a new delivery of cartel packs, featuring new mounts and fancy clothing, will be available, which can be purchased as usual with real money – or with the free coins that subscribers receive.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The buy-to-play fantasy MMORPG Guild Wars 2 has attracted many admirers and fans since its release in August 2012. Some have remained loyal to the game, while others have not.
Like no other game, Guild Wars 2 emphasizes the solidarity of a server community or guild. Additionally, GW 2 gives its players the feeling of being an explorer in an unknown, exciting land where new stories are constantly unfolding.
We have packed our backpacks and ventured into the vastness of Guild Wars 2 to introduce you to the game.
The classes, races, masses, and the question: What am I playing now?
The original Guild Wars was somehow different. While the game’s competitors were huge giants like World of Warcraft or Everquest, the first Guild Wars occupied an outsider niche. This attracted many hardcore players, who especially praised the PVP.
When Guild Wars 2 launched amidst great hype and rave reviews, the developer ArenaNet had some surprises in store that would shake up a stagnant MMORPG world. The first was the class design. Guild Wars 2 abolished the holy trinity of Tank, Healer, and Damage Dealer. A sacrilege at the time!
Each class was meant to be able to tank a bit, have decent self-healing capabilities, and be able to deal damage. The latter is self-explanatory. The intention was primarily to free healers from their supposed yoke, long lamented since time immemorial.
In total, 8 classes were ultimately available: Warrior and Guardian wear heavy armor. The Thief, Engineer, and Ranger wear medium armor and are designed similarly to their counterparts in other games. As for cloth classes, there’s the Elementalist, the dark Necromancer, and the Mesmer.
The Mesmer is a particularly sophisticated class that relies on illusions, clones, surprise attacks, and other tricks. It is somewhat of a mix between a wizard and a cloak-and-dagger duelist, like one might find in the France of the Three Musketeers and Cardinal Richelieu.
Tell me what weapon you wield, and I will tell you what skills you have
Another innovation in game design is that classes change their abilities with the weapon they are currently using. A warrior wielding a bow has an arsenal of skills that one would associate with a hunter in other games. Thus, it is possible to design and play a ranged fighter with incredibly strong armor in Guild Wars 2.
Guild Wars 2 offers an active real-time combat system that is very action-oriented.
If the same warrior picks up a sword in his right hand and a war horn in his left hand, he becomes a melee fighter who can buff and support the group through the war horn. If he carries a two-handed sword, he has a skill set reminiscent of the barbarian from Diablo 2. Conversely, if he takes a shield in his off-hand, he is considerably more defensively oriented.
A small excerpt from the skills interface
These weapon differences apply to all classes. At first glance, it seems that the characters have an incredibly high number of ways to develop and specialize. This is certainly somewhat true, but there is no elaborated skill tree with combinations of various skills like in other games known.
Once you have committed to a warrior running around with a two-handed weapon and decided on certain class and ultimate skills, the quick bar will be quite sparsely populated. Of course, you can switch at any time, but even with another weapon, the final selection will still be limited.
The selection of abilities in the game sometimes seems as if you are standing with a tiny plate before a huge buffet. Although you’d ideally like to shovel 20 things onto the plate, there is only room for 6.
In any case, the class and skills system is an innovation that brings surprisingly many variations and benefits.
The peoples of Tyria: Less Tolkien, more Manga
The different races available determine the “personal story” of the main character and have effects on the gameplay that go far beyond merely changing the starting area.
The peoples of Tyria include:
the Charr, a cat-like warrior race with a bloody past
the Norn, a hardy northern people accustomed to cold and deprivation
the Humans, a race full of contradictions and opposites
the Sylvari, a nature-bound people wrapped in myths and legends
and the Asura, a small, highly intelligent, and super-cute species
The races differ significantly from each other, both visually and historically.
Even at the selection of races, it’s clear that the universe of Tyria has nothing to do with standard Tolkien fantasy. While Sylvari appear somewhat similar to elves in orientation, there are numerous differences and nuances in detail and the well-crafted story quests. It is exciting to discover and get to know the various peoples, their stories, and ideas. The world of Guild Wars 2 is not a generic fantasy, but a world with history, personality, and character.
The gameplay: The dynamic events
The revolutionary element in Guild Wars 2 is the gameplay or how one shapes the ordinary day of an adventure. While in competing games, a hero arrives in an area, accepts quests, and then gradually works through them, he moves much more freely in GW 2.
[pull_quote_center]The player reaches a new zone and experiences adventures.[/pull_quote_center]
Dynamic events happen around him. In a certain area, there are “quests,” but they are modern and not so formally designed.
For example: The brave Mesmer reaches an area that has a clear problem: Perhaps meteorites are falling from the sky and crushing deer that need to be saved, or there are way too many sharks in the pond (ArenaNet put a lot of effort into underwater combat) or something else is amiss. Intuitively, the hero now follows his natural urge to do good, and is rewarded in-game for it.
When major events occur – when a dragon lands or an ogre tribe goes amok again – the individual player doesn’t have to worry about stepping on the toes of any guild if they just want to see what happens. The big events are like a big family gathering: Everyone is welcome, everyone can take what they want from the buffet. And the more, the better.
Impressive world bosses like Tequatl present the greatest challenge in GW2 and should only be tackled with combined forces.
War of the Worlds instead of Ganking
Epic mass battles are guaranteed.
This somewhat chaotic and anarchistic game principle, where something happens around me and I react to it, is taken to the extreme in PVP. While in other games things are neatly organized and clear, Guild Wars 2 feels dynamic and fluid: Everywhere seems to be on fire. Wherever you look, there is something to do, and the adventure has no beginning and no end.
In PVP, entire servers collide. Three worlds participate in a battle. But fans of battlegrounds or arenas will also get their money’s worth. ArenaNet remains true to the roots of the first Guild Wars. The coordination of players is supposed to determine victory and defeat, and significant gear advantages from optimized equipment do not exist.
Overall, GW 2 breaks away from the convention of faster, higher, further – for max level characters, gear improvement is more about style. The game offers an incredible variety of earnable style items – there should be something for everyone, here are a few examples:
Innovative design decisions create the discreet charm of GW 2
Through some clever design decisions, a player can continually set their own goals that do not necessarily have to relate to a linear development of the character. When a single zone or map is completely completed, a premium reward is given. But a zone is not considered complete when all “quest points” are checked off as though they were on a to-do list. No, to fully explore a zone, it might also include climbing a series of plateaus to reach a mountain peak and take in the beautiful view.
This dynamic game principle has been adopted by ArenaNet even in the expansions and is followed consistently. While other games bring new content into the game at fixed intervals, which is simply added to the existing mass, Guild Wars 2 regularly features small stories occurring in the game that are only available for a limited time. With this concept of the “living world”, there is always something to do, and some story in Guild Wars 2 is continually advancing. This fits well with the rest of the game.
The living story regularly brings new momentum to the game!
[pull_quote_center]Guild Wars 2 breaks with many conventions of the fantasy genre that have made it predictable and cozy over the years, but also somewhat bland.
This anarchistic approach of Guild Wars 2 should definitely be worth a visit for anyone who is looking for something new.
The conclusion on Guild Wars 2
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Guild Wars 2 is definitely worth the price. There are many moments when I paused while playing as the camera flew through a cave or my Charr looked down from a mountain, and I thought: Okay, now you’ve done something. This is really good.
In the long run, like with any MMORPG: One needs people to play with regularly. Otherwise, you level it up like a single-player and then feel somewhat lost about where the journey should go. I particularly missed the instance finder (which is already available now).
GW 2 was for me (and many of my friends) a short excursion into something completely different after a long period of the well-organized WoW, but none of us stuck around. However, no one regretted the excursion.
Since there are no monthly fees, I certainly intend to check in regularly with Guild Wars 2 to see what direction the game is developing in. I am curious. The 35 euros or so were definitely a good investment. If you calculate it in euros per hour of engagement, MMORPGs are unbeaten. And in GW 2, the sometimes very annoyingly implemented freemium stuff is absent, which bothers me in other games.
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Seven if the new approaches don’t sit well with some, it must be acknowledged that this game is of very high quality – in almost every respect. In my opinion, Guild Wars 2 has done the best job of presenting the player with a believable and extremely atmospheric world.
Everywhere around you, there is activity and movement. The idyllic landscapes, which are very diverse, compel you to stop and enjoy the surroundings! There’s also a ton to do in the game, and you decide for yourself what you’d like to do: from dynamic events to exploration to thrilling mass battles.
However, not everything that glitters is gold: I’m not comfortable with the dungeons, as I belong to the old school and prefer to structure fights against captivating bosses with a tank, DPS, and healer. Furthermore, the bosses could benefit from a few more mechanics. And the fascination with dynamic events diminishes after a while, but essentially that is nitpicking at a high level, as there really isn’t much to criticize otherwise. Players who don’t want to turn away from classic gameplay may not be satisfied in the long run.
As Schuhmann already mentioned, Guild Wars 2 is also great for playing something different. After all, there are no subscription fees and new content is continually added. You can’t go wrong with a purchase, especially since the acquisition cost is around 25 € – quite low.
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Pros
[intense_icon type=”thumbs-up” size=”1″ color=”#81d742″ /]Many dynamic events round off good quest design
[intense_icon type=”thumbs-up” size=”1″ color=”#81d742″ /]Great atmosphere in a world that is inviting to be explored!
[intense_icon type=”thumbs-up” size=”1″ color=”#81d742″ /]Successful world vs world and arena PVP
[intense_icon type=”thumbs-up” size=”1″ color=”#81d742″ /]Innovations bring momentum to the genre (no fixed roles in dungeons, no linear progression, no classic quest hubs, etc.)
[intense_icon type=”thumbs-up” size=”1″ color=”#81d742″ /]Regular continuation of the story through the living story
[intense_icon type=”thumbs-up” size=”1″ color=”#81d742″ /]Impressive world bosses and generally many group events
[intense_icon type=”thumbs-up” size=”1″ color=”#81d742″ /]A unique area for each race, along with a personal story
[intense_icon type=”thumbs-up” size=”1″ color=”#81d742″ /]Customization through style items and skill choices leaves little to be desired
[intense_icon type=”thumbs-up” size=”1″ color=”#81d742″ /]Active, action-oriented combat system
[intense_icon type=”thumbs-up” size=”1″ color=”#81d742″ /]Very fair business model without subscription
[intense_icon type=”thumbs-up” size=”1″ color=”#81d742″ /]Interesting crafting system
[intense_icon type=”thumbs-down” size=”1″ color=”#dd3333″ /]Boss enemies in dungeons sometimes have too few interesting mechanics
[intense_icon type=”thumbs-down” size=”1″ color=”#dd3333″ /]Only a small number of selectable weapon skills
[intense_icon type=”thumbs-down” size=”1″ color=”#dd3333″ /]Due to the different approach, there’s a risk of not getting warmed up to the game drastically compared to the classics
[intense_icon type=”thumbs-down” size=”1″ color=”#dd3333″ /]Long-term motivation for solo players is questionable
[intense_icon type=”thumbs-down” size=”1″ color=”#dd3333″ /]Dynamic events sometimes feel too similar
[intense_icon type=”thumbs-down” size=”1″ color=”#dd3333″ /]Even if the graphics are good overall, they can feel a little blurry today
Dragon’s Prophet is still one of the newcomers in the genre, but clearly enough time has passed for the developer to share their first conclusions. In a developer letter, John Tang, the President of Runewaker Entertainment, reflects on the turbulent journey of the free-to-play MMORPG.
The difficult weeks following the release are mentioned just as much as a whole range of upcoming content that fans of the game can look forward to.
Author of the letter: John Tang, President of Runewaker Entertainment.
After the obligatory thanks to the loyal community, which with their support contributes a lot to continuously improving the dragon game, he summarizes what has been added in the last 12 months: He lists 9 main regions, 32 dungeons, housing items, dragons, the PvP frontier system, tireless bug fixing, and so on.
We have certainly noticed: The game has indeed improved significantly since the premature open beta launch, and a few interesting features have found their way into the MMO. However, we feel that despite this, there is still quite a bit missing – which is also addressed in our test of Dragon’s Prophet .
It will be exciting to see whether the quality of the online role-playing game also experiences a sufficient increase in 2014, especially since the strong competition is not resting and a few blockbusters are waiting to be launched. The current advantage is that no other online game has established a similarly comprehensive companion system, and one could almost speak of a niche (for those who have always loved Pokémon and cannot get enough of companions). However, it must be doubted in the long run that merely the intense relationship with a dragon guarantees a long-lasting bond.
2014: The Dragon Evolution Continues
In order to provide players with incentives to continue exploring the world of Atreia or to offer MMO seekers an attractive package for new entries, they aim to deliver surprises in 2014. This initiative should be achieved through the following innovations in the near future:
an Dragon Arena, where players can pit their dragons against each other (these will also be somewhat controlled by the player with elite skills)
10 exciting dungeons and 3 previously unspoiled regions
World bosses, which encourage group play (by offering better rewards)
Optimization of the PvP ranking system
The Dragon Arena will soon expand Dragon’s Prophet with a promising feature.
The quest design of Dragon’s Prophet has received the most criticism, as it is anything but exciting and varied. This will be tackled, which could particularly catch the attention of new players, but also veterans as soon as a new region is introduced. We look forward to seeing how well this hopeful sentence will ultimately be realized:
We will also work on improving the quests, focusing mainly on storytelling and variety in the quests. Additionally, we will introduce special NPCs and features designed to encourage exploration of the map.
But that’s not all, as the upcoming Dragon Evolution System, which holds further improvements regarding companions, will further enhance the companion system. This will introduce even more options for developing your dragon, and new dragon attributes promise more variety among the creatures – possibilities that will create greater depth in gameplay.
Will this be successful? We will keep you posted!
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
While outside in the world the grim specter of cold progression makes the rounds, players of MMORPGs have been struggling with a different phenomenon since time immemorial: The linear progression.
There is always the goal of getting one item level higher, looting one more artifact, rising another rank in PVP, to finally get closer to the ideal goal of a maxed character. We leave cold progression alone and take a hot look at the linear.
The next upgrade beckons
Everywhere in our lives we see upgrade opportunities. The old bike could be replaced with a new mountain bike, the old tube could be replaced with a sparkling LED screen, the wardrobe could also use an upgrade, and the Mickey Mouse watch on the wrist obviously no longer matches the new lifestyle, and when the gaze falls on the girlfriend – well, let’s leave that, otherwise we might get swapped for a newer model.
Let’s be honest: In life, you often get pretty stuck. Upgrade opportunities don’t easily arise, the voice of reason keeps saying: You can’t afford that.
And those who actually have a bit more money in their account will hardly go to their trusted blacksmith and demand new cutlery – preferably a decadent plus-five knife – but will invest the money sensibly, maybe even plan for a vacation or make another one-time expense that can’t be accounted for in the inventory afterwards.
[pull_quote_center]WoW recognized the players’ longing for an upgrade a long time ago and has become a master at repeatedly dangling the carrot of progress in front of the player.[/pull_quote_center]
No day goes by, so the idea is, without the player’s avatar becoming a little stronger. Working towards a goal. He still logs out a little stronger than he logged in, or is at least close to the goal.
The possibilities that Blizzard and other manufacturers exploit are the meanest and most insidious of all: filling bars and growing numbers! What exactly is growing isn’t that important. Whether the faction bar with the guardians of the golden nightpot, our resilience against dragon breath, or – for the truly hardened – even the value in fishing.
As long as there is a number and preferably a leaderboard where you can compare it.
And it’s not just a male thing: For many WoW female players, nothing is more important than the number of their achievement points. There are rumors of entire guilds that are enslaved on Sundays to raid some ancient content because there is still an achievement missing. Let us take a moment to pray for these poor souls.
Various methods of progress, or not?
For most of us, it starts so harmlessly. At some point – probably in ancient times – it must have happened to each of us: The first level-up. Just a moment ago you were a lowly level one – and then something happened that you didn’t quite understand, a hotkey was pressed, a monster bit the dust, a light lit up, a number flashed, and: Ta-da! Make way, you beginners, I am level 2.
At some point you were even level 5, and the monsters that at first took you three hits now fell over at just a glance. The starting area was quickly abandoned, and you turned to new tasks, dreams of omnipotence arose. The journey continued, new abilities were unlocked, and with each logout, you felt closer to that magical state of having reached the max level.
[intense_progress size=”large” animation=”1″ colors=”success,” values=”60″ texts=”Not far until the next level!” /]
Well, for some casual players, those lucky clueless ones, the journey ended somewhere along the way. Or – as some players hold – the journey ended exactly at the maximum level, then these players logged out, started a twink, or were never seen again. For hardcore players, however, the game only begins upon reaching max level.
The collecting, the hunting, and the ladder of progress
Upon reaching the highest level, there are of course still opportunities to further develop the character: Now the character must be equipped with a series of items. With each item, the character becomes stronger and is therefore able to defeat stronger monsters, which drop better equipment, enabling the player to take down even stronger monsters.
WoW has elevated this to a high art.
Even in the times of The Burning Crusade, the hoops players had to jump through were clearly outlined. First, the most important main quests were completed, then it went into the instances, then into heroic instances, then into 10-man raids (after Karazhan), and finally with the guild into the increasingly difficult 25-man raid instances. Solo players were out of luck (or had luck), for them the game truly ended at max level. The other players embarked on a clearly defined ladder. Step by step they had to climb. It is still like that today.
Each class has a specific playstyle that promises optimal benefit. Clever minds – usually bored mathematicians – create huge tables and wage small wars over what exactly this configuration looks like, but it is clear: It is somewhere out there. For the players, the ascent on a ladder begins, on whose top rung this ideal vision awaits.
The ladder of progress is narrow and steep …
So many hunters dream of this…
Now, there could have been various possibilities – and maybe there still are – to shape this ladder of progress. In WoW – and for most other players – the ladder has become narrow and high over the years: for each class, there is exactly one item of a certain quality in a specific level range, after which the next must be obtained.
A hunter in World of Warcraft can always check how strong his bow is. If he has the fifth strongest bow in the game, he knows exactly which opponent he must defeat to get to the fourth best.
It almost seems as if all hunters in World of Warcraft play the exact same character, only at different stages of their development. The hunter with ilvl500 already knows which items he will wear with ilvl510 – because there is only one “best” configuration.
… but it is fun to reach the top
Now, this ladder has several reasons. Especially WoW is a game that has polished away almost all corners and edges in recent years. Huge guilds, where real money is at stake, compete across continents in a race to see who will defeat the latest bosses first. Equal opportunities are to be maintained.
The elite hunter of the North American super guild should have the same opportunities as his rival from Sweden. But doesn’t this also rob the game of any surprise? Can a player shape his character however he likes? Can he give it his own personal touch – or even develop a distinctive style and still remain effective and not burden his raid?
Well, World of Warcraft at least makes an effort on a cosmetic level. For some years now, it has been possible to change and personalize the appearance of the game characters and their items.
Would it be okay for you if desirable items simply looked a bit more special?
Other games follow a different philosophy. In them, items do not play such a big role, but progress then occurs through vanity items, i.e., items that only serve to boost the player’s ego, but do not make the character stronger.
The strange thing is, however, that many of these games live in the shadow. While the magical allure of WoW is likely based on the fact that in the world of Azeroth, it always goes higher, stronger, and further.
What do you think?
Do you like linear progression, or do you hope for a bit more variety in character development from new games like Guild Wars 2, Everquest Next, or TESO when it comes to your character?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Former players who own a valid version of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn but no longer have an active subscription now have the opportunity for a few days to test the latest developments in Eorzea thoroughly.
Who knows, it’s quite possible that one can get excited about the game again – after all, there have been quite a few new features recently; especially Patch 2.1 is already quite close to a major expansion. Apart from that, we can recommend the game to those who are sympathetic to the Asian style and want to experience classic MMORPG gameplay in a new guise. Just recently, we crowned FF XIV: ARR the biggest MMO surprise of 2013.
[intense_testimonies]
[intense_testimony]
[intense_testimony_text]With Patch 2.1, we have added many new contents such as the Crystal Tower for alliances with 24 players, PvP battles in the Wolf’s Den, new extreme fights against the Primals, further developments in the main story, and much more. We want to give as many players as possible the chance to try everything that FFXIV: ARR has to offer. For this reason, we will hold a limited-time free login campaign this weekend! [/intense_testimony_text]
[intense_testimony_author company=”Square Enix, developers of FF XIV: ARR” link=”http://de.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/topics/detail/a22a9a9d9e2fa9828dacdd05e54b038c71c97bd3″ link_target=”_blank” image=”https://images.mein-mmo.de/magazin/medien/2013/12/ffxiv-logo-300×200.png”][/intense_testimony_author]
[/intense_testimony]
[/intense_testimonies]
This action runs from Saturday (09:00 AM) to Monday (09:00 AM), i.e., from January 11 to 13, 2014. Have fun?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Colin Johanson from ArenaNet summarized at the turn of the year what happened in the world of Guild Wars 2 over the past year. Guild Wars 2 tells the story of the fantasy MMORPG in its living world as a series of short events that together form a larger narrative arc.
The world lives with it and changes every two weeks like a serialized novel that is published at regular intervals. Only that you can experience this novel as the hero of Tyria right in the front row.
In early 2013, the Flame Legion along with the Branded caused trouble, before the Sky Pirates wove their intrigues in Lion’s Arch. The end of the Sky Pirates posed the heroes of Tyria with the question of who could be behind these dark machinations. They did not have to wait long for the answer: Scarlet Briar was the puppet master behind the scenes.
Briar proved to be a worthy antagonist for the year 2013. Her xenophobic plans took root in the literal sense when she even made nature turn against the united peoples of Tyria. Moreover, it seems that Briar is dancing at many different weddings: she is also knowledgeable about ley lines.
These are magical ley lines that stretch across the entire continent. When at Christmas the Flame Legion and the Branded returned and also turned out to be pawns in Briar’s master plan, it presented the heroes with further riddles.
Is Scarlet Briar simply crazy, or is she truly pursuing a devilishly cunning plan that will keep the heroes of Guild Wars 2 on their toes in 2014?
We are curious!
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I am sure that pretty much every passionate gamer from my generation has heard the following accusation at some point:
You don’t have time for XYZ anymore, you are addicted to these computer games!
I believe that many people, especially parents, are not aware of the damage they can cause with such statements. I personally take myself as an example here, as I obviously have the most knowledge about it.
Like many others, I started with “World of Warcraft” (Okay – I also played “Silkroad”, but who remembers that anymore?) and became increasingly involved in the various game contents. At first, it was just evening dungeon runs (Scholomance, again and again Scholomance!) and later it became a raid group of 40 people, which meant that I had to have time for at least 4 hours, 2-3 times a week – that did not even include the farming time for flasks and buff food.
But back to the main topic: I thought a lot about whether I was really addicted, and I reflected very intensively on my actions. In doing so, I also did a lot of research: What exactly constitutes an addiction?
There are many opinions on this topic; some people are convinced that playing computer games for 2 hours a day already qualifies as being strongly at risk of addiction, while others argue that an addiction can never be measured by time – even if it can be an indicator. I hold the latter view and my studies in “Social Work” have only further confirmed this opinion, as one of the prevailing theses here is:
A supposed ‘addiction’ is only considered a disease when the affected person experiences distress.
This means, roughly translated: You are only addicted if something else is missed, which you would like to spend time on, but cannot due to the addiction.
To give an example: You are dissatisfied with your grades in school and would like to study more, but you can’t because you are gaming all day. That would give us a distress (bad grades that you want to change) and a clear indication of the addiction.
World of Warcraft – can captivate players.
I have always handled it differently. I didn’t really care about my grades, so I could spend my time on raids and role-playing without any distress. Since I also don’t drink alcohol, it became boring to attend parties with age – at least after a certain point when the alcohol level exceeds the magical “nervous threshold”.
Of course, one might say that I made it too easy for myself, as an addicted person will always deny their addiction, as the saying goes. That’s exactly what I did until my guardians had the brilliant idea to send me to an addiction counselor – how humiliating it is when your own parents think you are addicted, most people can probably imagine.
However, this turned out to be the best possible solution for me: After two sessions with the addiction counselor, he came to the conclusion that I was not addicted – I really felt a weight lift off my shoulders, and from then on I could pursue my passion without a guilty conscience!
What you can definitely take away from this:Do not let others convince you of anything.
Ask yourself, reflect on your actions honestly, and you will almost always have the right answer regarding your situation.
Phew, today I really spilled the beans a bit. Have you had similar experiences? What do you think of all the labels that can be quickly attached in our society? Let me know in the comments, until next time!
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The 7th Legion – the third bite of the first SciFi season of Defiance
Ok, that was a bit of numbers that require explanation and that need to be supplemented by more. Currently, the first season of the MMOTPSDefiance is running. Those who have purchased the so-called ‘Season Pass’ for €34.99 receive not only some extras but also all the DLCs included in the first season, that is expansions. Your advantage, some nice extras and about €15 savings. What I actually want to get at is that Defiance is divided into seasons like a TV series with smaller DLCs. This fits quite well with the concept as the MMO is directly linked to the same-named television series. Now, the third part (DLC) for the ongoing first season has officially been announced. The expansion is to be launched on the live servers in February 2014.
Title of the third DLC: The 7th Legion or rather Die siebte Legion.
This will be about Bushido. No, not the rapper, but the Codex of the seventh Legion, led by Commander Yoshida Hiro, who still defends against the darkness in the dystopia of Defiance. Admittedly, there is not much information yet, but more will follow soon, and so we must wait together and make do with triggering Arkfall events – which is what the second DLC brought us. 🙂
To make the waiting time a little shorter, here again is the video for the 2nd DLC of the first season.
http://youtu.be/3dkDxXzLWAk
If you liked the little contribution and want to inform your friends and clan members, feel free to like, share, and comment. We appreciate every support! 🙂
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
UPDATE: From February 7, 2014, to February 11, there is once again the opportunity to participate in the Elder Scrolls Online Beta!
[intense_testimonies]
[intense_testimony]
[intense_testimony_text]We invite even more players to explore Tamriel as part of the ESO Beta!
Check your inbox – we are sending out more beta invitations. Don’t forget to check your spam folder briefly, and if you’re using Gmail, you might also need to look under “Promotions” to see if you were invited.[/intense_testimony_text]
All players who registered for a beta in TESO should check their inboxes as soon as possible! A large number of beta invitations have just been sent out for a stress test this weekend – no wonder, as we are slowly entering the final phase. After all, it’s only almost 4 months until the release.
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[intense_testimony_text]We welcome the new year with a round of beta invitations. Check your email inbox to find out if you received one. And don’t forget to look in your spam folder, just to be sure.[/intense_testimony_text]
[intense_testimony_author company=”Bethesda, Elder Scrolls Online” link=”http://www.elderscrollsonline.com/de/news/post/2014/01/07/neue-betaeinladungen–7-januar” link_target=”_blank” image=”https://images.mein-mmo.de/magazin/medien/2013/12/teso-logo-e1388783226426-300×147.png”][/intense_testimony_author]
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A good reason to heat up the servers more frequently for the time being; considering that on Cyrodiil, the PvP map, theoretically up to 2000 players can play in one instance, such a test is certainly good practice.
Of course, new players also bring fresh wind to the feedback collection, which certainly helps to tackle the final touches. If you didn’t make it this time, don’t panic, another round will definitely be coming soon. And if that still doesn’t work out, Tamriel will just have to be visited upon the release on April 4, 2013.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The WoW double pack in January! Yay, the Groinkh is coming back today – because the fantastic video material from December has been used up – and shows you how his spectacular rocket jump test will turn out. If the little green guy survives, he would surely share a little professional insider tip with you as well as take down a massive cucumber…uh, hen. Check it out and if you like it, we would – as always – appreciate your support in the form of likes, shares, and comments!
With that said, wish you a successful new year again – coming directly from my side! 🙂
TADAAA! A happy new and successful year wishes you Mein MMO! The Groinkh is back in this year’s Let’s Play group and is participating in the new WoW episode to blow up a ‘camp’, hunt wild cucumbers, and engage in all sorts of other nonsense. But why am I talking here, just dive in and if you like it, always remember to like, share, and comment! We look forward to your feedback! 🙂
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNwC1geV8lM
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
With the release of the new Lord of the Rings film “The Desolation of Smaug”, we take a look at the free-to-play fantasy MMORPG Lord of the Rings Online. We wonder what fascination still emanates from this game of a completely different kind.
It can’t be a game to enslave us all, can it?
The strongest backstory of all MMORPGs?
Lord of the Rings Online had a strange starting position from the beginning. While the backstory of competitors often grew from the history of offline computer games (Warcraft, Ultima, Everquest), no source material in the fantasy sector is as prominent as the story of the Lord of the Rings.
This posed a difficult question for the developer: If we set our game in a world where legendary heroes already exist, what should the players do?
Exciting stories await you in Isengard, the Mirkwood, or in the halls of Erebor, which serve as the backdrop in the new Hobbit film. HDRO interprets Tolkien’s visions at a high level.
Fantasy role-playing games of this time were full of archers named Leegolas or Darklegohlas. Did one really want a Lord of the Rings game, where in the starting zone twelve atrocious spellings of Legolas meet eighteen variations of Gandalf? And above all – what should these heroes do? Destroy the Ring?
That was hardly feasible. After all, millions of moviegoers would have noticed if behind Frodo and Sam there was an army of backup heroes.
Furthermore, hardcore Tolkien fans already found Peter Jackson’s interpretation too daring and quick. A version of the Lord of the Rings tailored to the modern wants of moviegoers with ADHD. The purists wrinkled their noses. The fantasy fans, to whom such things did not matter, were already playing WoW.
Another problem was that almost every inhabitant of Earth has precise ideas of what the world of HDRO must have looked like.
Every village where hobbits lived had to look exactly like the one from their imagination or at least like the village from the film. And how could one still surprise the player when the key points of the storyline were so clear?
The Shire, the home of the hobbits: Does this beautiful backdrop also match your imagination?
If, in a fantasy game, the player’s usual goal is to be the hero of that game and to change the world for the better – how should that work in the Lord of the Rings when that function has already been taken over by other characters?.
Down to earth, grounded and gruff: The Gimli among MMORPGs?
Lord of the Rings Online had a completely different flair from the often brightly colored competitors from the beginning. While in most competing games, it was normal for a fifth-level wizard to hurl fireballs, a warrior could glow in the dark by level 22, as if he had to serve as a guide for nighttime dragon landings, and where no NPC considered that wild demons were being summoned before their eyes, the developers of Lord of the Rings Online chose the opposite approach: Low-tech, for deceleration.
In Lord of the Rings Online, RP friends find many like-minded people.
Even today – after five expansions and in the seventh year of the game – there are still only the four starter races: hobbits, dwarves, elves, and humans. And when a character is created, led through the Shire, and finally finds his way into Bree, he might look up in surprise: Nothing is glowing at all.
Even today, this remains the strongest fascination:
[pull_quote_center]Lord of the Rings Online is pleasantly grounded and low-tech.
No level-8 warrior named Aragorn rides past and pulls a huge purple firestorm behind him while shouting, “OMFG ROFL I’m glowing.” The chat is usually pleasantly quiet. Even the audience seems more mature and agreeable than in many other games, more like a fantasy opera audience.
Unlike most competitors, here the “RP” in “MMORPG” is capitalized, the Roleplay.
Tip of the editorial staff – The article series on the topic of roleplay in MMOs:
Already when looking at the individual classes and their abilities, the difference to other games becomes apparent. An archer in the Lord of the Rings can shoot with the bow, which he does well, but he cannot magically rain down millions of arrows or jump 42 meters backward like a ninja while pulling ice arrows from a magical quiver. An archer in the Lord of the Rings aims for the head or sets a trap.
His enemies are quite fearsome: goblins, orcs, or ogres – but he defeats them with the means of a competent warrior, like a hero, not with those of a superhero or demigod.
The hobbits flee while they still can – they are not gods.
This also applies to the other classes. While wounds in other games usually disappear magically, that is not the case in a universe that takes Tolkien seriously: If every injury could be cured with a bit of fairy dust, there would be hardly any exciting story to tell.
Thus, the characters in the Lord of the Rings have morals instead of hit points. The healer is a bard who encourages fighters in the face of terror with cheerful tunes to keep fighting. Although this may sound a bit soft to some, it is fundamentally a consistent way to approach the game concept of “healing”.
The game characters also look different from those in contemporary fantasy games. They are dressed in earth-tone or pastel-colored clothing. The highest fashion is sometimes a fashionable feathered hat that a hobbit lady would wear. Weapons do not sparkle, but are forged or made from better wood.
[pull_quote_center]Crafting – which plays a shadowy role in many games – is fully utilized in Lord of the Rings Online.
While in other games entire trees are chopped down, the diligent hunter in HDRO bends down and hacks off a piece from a branch.
Bloodthirsty monsters can make life difficult…
The funny thing is: This makes the storyline seem more personal and dense. The main quests lead from the civilized and orderly world to more and more corrupted zones.
At the beginning, the goal is still to solve a few everyday problems (in roleplay, this means reducing giant spiders or rampaging wolves), leading one to the story around the Fellowship in hostile territory. The player often moves parallel to the famous main storyline and almost feels reverent when he really sees Frodo or Aragorn.
The deceleration of the Lord of the Rings
Through the deceleration of the game and the fact that Lord of the Rings Online takes the source material seriously, it creates a different game feeling and a different rhythm than most competing games. This seems to be what makes the classic so appealing.
This also ensures that, while so many competitors from the last seven years are no longer around, many still enjoy checking out Lord of the Rings Online.
Today’s Lord of the Rings Online player does not have to forego familiar conveniences. Even in HDRO, there is now an instance finder, and the later expansions correspond much more closely to modern role-playing conventions. And to be honest: In the endgame, it does sparkle, gleam, and superhero more than in the original game “Shadows of Angmar”.
Lord of the Rings Online scores with a great atmosphere!
[pull_quote_center]The game can now be started with a partially downloaded client.
So, if after watching the movie The Desolation of Smaug you feel like controlling a hobbit yourself, you can do so within half an hour. Maybe it will indeed be a game to enslave?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Although people primarily associate “The Elder Scrolls” with exploring a large, atmospheric game world, it should not be overlooked that the MMO coming out in April will also be designed for epic large-scale battles.
[pull_quote_center]largest PvP battles ever seen in a major online role-playing game[/pull_quote_center]
Expectations are already high in this regard, especially since TESO is considered the unofficial successor to the open-PvP classic Dark Age of Camelot – many players still reminisce fondly about the battles of that time.
[quote_box_right]In the meantime, we have also published a guide to PvP in Cyrodiil .[/quote_box_right]Why this connection? Matt Frior, the current game director of The Elder Scrolls Online, was significantly involved as a producer in the success of DAoC. During this time, he became a bit of a celebrity in the MMORPG scene. He also has quite a few threads in hand this time. But let’s talk more about the actual game now.
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So, in a specially designated PvP area called Cyrodiil, the alliances Ebonheart Pact, Daggerfall Covenant, and Aldmeri Dominion will vie for dominance over Tamriel.
In the Q&A series “Ask us anything,” the developers revealed some further details about the upcoming PvP spectacle a few days ago. In short, this is called AvA – Alliance vs. Alliance. Upon entering this world, the player will be assigned to their alliance and a campaign that lasts up to 3 months, which is best explained by a war cycle (by default, you access the alliance war menu by pressing the letter “L,” where you can join a campaign).
As a result, we want to present you once again some facts about the instanced open PvP in a small overview, also taking older information into account.
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Facts about Cyrodiil
Cyrodiil is the seat of the Empire of Tamriel, located in the center of the continent, and is an area in itself that does not interfere with the PvE experience. To get an idea of the size of the map, the following sentence was made:
[pull_quote_center]If you were to run a straight line from the northernmost point all the way down south, it would still take you longer than our team took to present the dungeon at QuakeCon.
We remember: The presentation lasted about half an hour, and considering that there are quite a few obstacles along the way, players can already be certain that the desire for a massive map will likely be fulfilled. However, it is also possible to move on a mount.
The open battlefields can accommodate up to 2000 players per instance, whereas a maximum of 200 can be displayed on screen, which is already quite considerable. The map is available to characters of level 10 and above – in Cyrodiil itself, there will be a leveling up to level 50.
The leveling will also be possible in this area, whether through PvE quests or PvP battles
Multiple teleportation routes simplify travel across the vast map
There’s plenty to discover in Cyrodiil (settlements, crafting resources, runes, and caves) – connected with many quests
There are a number of settlements in Cyrodiil whose inhabitants yearn for protection and support
Mass battles are certainly the highlight, but that doesn’t mean that other types of fights won’t also occur:
[pull_quote_center]At choke points, at the endpoints of the supply lines of opposing alliances, and in the cities of Cyrodiil, individual fights often occur.
Backgrounds for the War over Cyrodiil
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The video explains the motives behind why the alliances are fighting for dominance. The video is in English, but there is an option to enable German subtitles.
Fortresses and Sieges
In principle, the goal is to conquer and control fortresses and other useful outposts. By holding territories, the alliances gain bonuses.
Castles and supply lines are interconnected through a travel network
Mines, sawmills, and farms are managed to strengthen the defenses
Established camps serve as bases for the more flexible resurrection of alliance members
When it comes to the design of the castles the designers were inspired by medieval structures that house both an outer and inner level. Even if the outer level is breached, it does not mean that the battle is over – it actually becomes progressively harder as you move inward. To enhance the combat experience, there was also a significant reduction of bottlenecks like stairs and a focus on height variations.
Fortresses can be stormed at any time
There are NPC guards, but they are not too great a hindrance: The focus is on player-versus-player battles
Mass control is an important tactical element in combat
There should be enough healers in the party
Things are not looking good around the outer gate of the castle (Image source: Video Combat in Cyrodiil)
Even for a completely unprotected castle, it takes about 15 minutes to take it
Several siege weapons such as battering rams are necessary
A single player cannot accomplish this; it requires a group
2 captured flags must be held for a period of time in the castle
It costs a lot of resources to rebuild a destroyed castle
[pull_quote_center]When a castle is attacked, a symbol appears on the map for everyone in the zone that indicates the status of the assault
As you can see, you need not worry about missing the action. Generally speaking, you will be informed of the most important events on screen, such as when a new emperor is crowned.
Rewards and Character Development in PvP
High-level characters have advantages in The Elder Scrolls Onlinein combat – the character development is designed to be significant, although a healthy balance is still maintained. While you are in Cyrodiil and engage in activities, you will earn alliance points, experience, and gold.
Bethesda promises us thrilling PvP fights – we are excited! (Image source: Combat in Cyrodiil Video).
Special alliance war abilities lines can be earned throughout the game
There are two lines to choose from here, and the emperor receives an additional one
The abilities are useful in battles against other players and sieges
50 PvP ranks, including 25 titles and several grades to achieve
Defeating higher-ranked alliance members yields more points
Guild quests increase your reputation in the respective guild
The rank of players is publicly displayed and visible to everyone
Achievements are shown on leaderboards
[pull_quote_center]With alliance points, you can purchase armor and weapons or enhance various abilities lines tailored for Cyrodiil
A special honor: The coronation as emperor in Elder Scrolls Online
Lastly, the greatest achievement is to receive the coveted emperor title and take a seat on the throne of respect.
In principle, every player has the chance to be crowned emperor. Of course, everyone will recognize and envy you just for the exclusive armor that will adorn your valuable character – until the ‘glorious’ term of office ends.
The unique abilities line designed to help maintain your alliance at the top of the ‘food chain’ and solidify your position is another factor. This remains even after losing the title – albeit weakened, it is still desirable – a highly useful reminder of former times of domination.
But how do I become the head of an empire?
This is approximately how the emperor’s armor will look.
This happens once your alliance claims all the necessary castles – afterwards, the highest-ranked player is honored to rule over a gigantic empire. This means that consequently, the one with the most alliance points may take a seat on the throne. Points can be increased by conquering enemy fortresses, defeating opposing players, and healing allies.
The question that I also asked myself is, how can the other alliances even contest the rule without fortresses and fewer bonuses? This was at least addressed somewhat during a Q&A session.
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[intense_testimony_text]When a player is crowned emperor and their alliance holds the castles around the imperial city, how will the other alliances be able to regain a foothold in Cyrodiil without real access? And if the emperor loses their status when killed, what prevents that player from simply avoiding Cyrodiil once crowned emperor?[/intense_testimony_text]
[intense_testimony_author company=”Source of the Q&A” link=”http://elderscrollsonline.com/de/news/post/2013/09/09/fragt-uns-was-ihr-wollt-allerlei-7″ link_target=”_blank”]Mitchell Antico[/intense_testimony_author]
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The answer from a TESO developer: Access to Cyrodiil is always possible and occurs through secure retreat areas that opponents cannot attack or capture. It is therefore always possible to contest someone’s claim to the emperor title. If an emperor is dethroned (i.e., their alliance loses the necessary castles for the title), then this player loses their emperorship as soon as they die, change zones, or leave the game. But the emperorship does not only benefit individual players – the entire alliance receives a bonus if they have the emperor.
That should be it for PvP in The Elder Scrolls Online for now. There is surely much more, but I think this gives a good feel for it. What do you think? Does it sound like this open PvP can surpass that of Guild Wars 2 and not just connect to Dark Age of Camelot but even exceed it?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A few days ago, we were still speculating about the new class in Tera, which the developer Bluehole brought closer to the players piece by piece with teasers, lovingly torturing them. Anyway, the cat is out of the bag now. In the video listed here, which was released recently, you can clearly see the new Elin class. Since the English name has not been assigned yet, the western community has temporarily given it names like “Dark Elin”, “Reaper”, and “Flying Sword”.
To be allowed to play this hip Elin class, you must have at least one other character at level 40 or higher. Only then can you access the new class, which begins its adventure at level 50. By the way, this is a midrange DPS character that wields a chain sickle (a kind of kusarigama) and uses dark magic to instill fear in the opponents.
The Koreans won’t have to wait too long and can start getting to know a new playstyle on January 9, 2013. When this class will be available for our Tera version is still unclear. However, it has been announced, so in my prediction, players here can look forward to it in 2-3 months.
Especially MMORPGs that promote an eSport idea support this mode. Players are thus somewhat comparable to each other.
The chances of becoming a hero in this mode are pretty high: No one really cares. After winning a battleground in which you played a great role, the thing closes, someone might type “gg”, and then you stand alone waiting for the applause that doesn’t come. If you make the mistake of demanding applause from the often completely unknown teammates at the end of a match, with the humble remark: “Well, didn’t I do great, you noobs?” you often receive nothing but open hostility in return.
Realm versus Realm: Chaos, Tumult, and the Full Program
And this is where the other, chaotic, unfair, strategically demanding, and overall addictive and delusional PvP comes into play. RvR or Realm versus Realm. There, entire realms of a server compete against each other. Or in the fantasy game Guild Wars 2, even entire servers (in that case, it is called World versus World).
In GW2, battles for fortresses get heated!
There is no fairness here; there are no set times, but rather, here is war, which famously follows no rules – much like love. It is about holding fortresses, achieving mission objectives, and above all, it is about coordination, coordination, and coordination
Where in one form of instanced PvP it is helpful to pay attention to chat or the map, but not at all obligatory, things are different in RvR or WvW. As soon as you are on the relevant map, you are confronted with the Teamspeak channel. Once logged in, you often see two hundred people in one channel while the current commander or zerg leader issues endurance slogans or discusses tactical objectives (often in a dialect that utterly shatters any form of immersion).
And in fact, something exciting and deeply unsettling happens in this form of player versus player conflict. Here, there are actually heroes. The only problem is: You rarely are one yourself. In a game like Guild Wars 2, true armies often clash. The screen is overloaded with the various abilities swirling around, and players each want to be a hero.
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No player life counts for so little and no triumph means so much as on the battlefields of such a server-wide battle. Things do not go fairly here, but through a clever game principle, it is possible for an individual to contribute something decisive to the battle.
Whether you lead an attack at the right moment, flank and eliminate the opposing healers with a sneaky maneuver, or otherwise draw attention to yourself. Since there is a fixed group of players pursuing a common goal, the opportunity exists to stand out from a mass of players. This, of course, also has a downside: As in Highlander, there can be only one.
Or as I once read accurately in a forum about one of the first MMORPGs I ever played: “What is this nonsense? I play my archer to be Robin Hood! Not the third from the left who falls from the wall!”
But let’s be honest: What would Robin Hood be without all the guys who fall from the wall?
Just a guy in silly pants, right?
Our tips:
If you’ve never plunged into the madness of a server-wide battle and are now tempted: Guild Wars 2 is currently considered the hottest candidate for such an experience. If you like it even bigger, you can check out Eve Online, where there is only one server, and the space battles last days and are legendary
Orient yourself to the zerg, meaning the largest mass of your own players
It is best to join a Teamspeak channel and listen to what the leader has to say
Even in a mass battle, a small group of players can accomplish more than an individual, having a few friends by your side makes a significant difference
Always keep in mind that you are the hero of your own story! No matter what others say: They are just NPCs paid by the developer!
Why do we actually enjoy playing online role-playing games so much? For some, it might be about being part of a virtual community, spending time with friends in-game, and feeling comfortable and secure.
For others, progress is the priority: There is always a nastier boss, a shinier item, yet another achievement to obtain (and one that no one else in the friend circle has!).
But if you dig a little deeper, isn’t it true that most of us also want to be the hero?
The Hero in Solo PvE: Make way, here I come
It is not hard for game designers to bestow the hero role upon the player. In every single-player game, it is ultimately the player who defeats the villain, saves the princess, guides the father’s trade empire through tough times, arranges the Tetris blocks correctly, slays the rogue, dons the crown, and ensures peace and justice.
Who else would do that? Luigi? Mort? Claptrap? Or some other useless sidekick?
If you help the lovely lady, you will be her hero (Image from WoW).
No, the player is molded to be a hero. In PvE mode, this is not a problem. The player in an MMORPG goes on a quest safari. Moves from zone to zone and ensures peace and justice. Like a cowboy, he rides into the village – in an MMORPG, villages are called quest hubs, of course – he looks around briefly, recognizes the poor villagers by the exclamation mark above their heads, and takes down the bad guys.
He does this for one to three levels, then the zone is cleared, and he moves to the next one. The villagers wave goodbye, and the one or baby NPC looks up at his mother (or a corresponding alien) and sighs: Ach! I wish I could be like him.
Heroes in Multiplayer PvE: Often only room for one on the podium
This hero role that the player claims for himself is already put to the test when he joins a party with other players. There, he may be just a small cog in the machine. Perhaps he is the healer, trailing behind an over-equipped tank, without much to do. Or he might be the weakest DPS and feels that the others would do just fine without him.
It gets much worse in a raid. There, you are one of ten, one of twenty-five, one of forty heroes. And usually, some players hold an exposed rank. Who did they cheer for during the heyday of WOW? Kungen, the tank of the then elite guild Nihilum. The other thirty-nine? Experts might have heard of them. In the victory photo, there is only room for one.
Nevertheless, maybe the individual player doesn’t feel quite like the hero in the front lines, but at least he has clearly won.
The boss is dead in the dust, isn’t he?
In the fight against the boss, everyone can be a hero, even if they are one of many (Image from Rift).
And the voice that whispers softly in your head that you were just one of many – you can silence that. If necessary, you hum a few tunes from the Lord of the Rings soundtrack – or, like any sensible person, make lightsaber sounds while you slice gray mobs outside the capital.
The PvP Paradox: One must lose for another to win
In PvE, there are ultimately only winners and heroes over the long term. Every boss will eventually drop the loot. But how does it look when it comes to fighting other players? On one side the shining hero – and on the other?
This time, there is no dead pile of pixels scurrying home with its head down, explaining to the little rascals that someone has looted again. No, this time we find ourselves. Not as shining heroes, but as victims of self-satisfied, dull-shining little heroes.
Losing can hurt, especially against other players (Image from Tera).
We are stabbed in the back, torn apart by lasers, betrayed, cheated, and squashed by a massive zerg. We are thrown off bridges, subject to stun hacks that make us swing at nothing, and shredded by double and triple combos.
Long live PvP!
The place where heroes only rise when weighed against losers. Let’s take a closer look:
Instance PvP: Battlegrounds and Arenas
The exciting question in PvP is that of design. On one side is the neatly segmented “Instance PvP”. In most games, these are battlegrounds or arenas. A certain number of players on each side compete against each other, with clear objectives: Capture the Flag, King of the Hill, Deathmatch, or whoever eats the most blueberry pies first.
The good thing about this design philosophy is that, in theory, each side starts on equal footing. It is a chessboard, and everyone has the same number of pieces – at least in theory. In practice, the queen on black is twice as strong as the one on white and can shoot lasers from her eyes – but in theory, everything is fair.
Especially MMORPGs that promote an eSport idea support this mode. Players are thus somewhat comparable to each other.
The chances of becoming a hero in this mode are pretty high: No one really cares. After winning a battleground in which you played a great role, the thing closes, someone might type “gg”, and then you stand alone waiting for the applause that doesn’t come. If you make the mistake of demanding applause from the often completely unknown teammates at the end of a match, with the humble remark: “Well, didn’t I do great, you noobs?” you often receive nothing but open hostility in return.
Realm versus Realm: Chaos, Tumult, and the Full Program
And this is where the other, chaotic, unfair, strategically demanding, and overall addictive and delusional PvP comes into play. RvR or Realm versus Realm. There, entire realms of a server compete against each other. Or in the fantasy game Guild Wars 2, even entire servers (in that case, it is called World versus World).
In GW2, battles for fortresses get heated!
There is no fairness here; there are no set times, but rather, here is war, which famously follows no rules – much like love. It is about holding fortresses, achieving mission objectives, and above all, it is about coordination, coordination, and coordination
Where in one form of instanced PvP it is helpful to pay attention to chat or the map, but not at all obligatory, things are different in RvR or WvW. As soon as you are on the relevant map, you are confronted with the Teamspeak channel. Once logged in, you often see two hundred people in one channel while the current commander or zerg leader issues endurance slogans or discusses tactical objectives (often in a dialect that utterly shatters any form of immersion).
And in fact, something exciting and deeply unsettling happens in this form of player versus player conflict. Here, there are actually heroes. The only problem is: You rarely are one yourself. In a game like Guild Wars 2, true armies often clash. The screen is overloaded with the various abilities swirling around, and players each want to be a hero.
No player life counts for so little and no triumph means so much as on the battlefields of such a server-wide battle. Things do not go fairly here, but through a clever game principle, it is possible for an individual to contribute something decisive to the battle.
Whether you lead an attack at the right moment, flank and eliminate the opposing healers with a sneaky maneuver, or otherwise draw attention to yourself. Since there is a fixed group of players pursuing a common goal, the opportunity exists to stand out from a mass of players. This, of course, also has a downside: As in Highlander, there can be only one.
Or as I once read accurately in a forum about one of the first MMORPGs I ever played: “What is this nonsense? I play my archer to be Robin Hood! Not the third from the left who falls from the wall!”
But let’s be honest: What would Robin Hood be without all the guys who fall from the wall?
Just a guy in silly pants, right?
Our tips:
If you’ve never plunged into the madness of a server-wide battle and are now tempted: Guild Wars 2 is currently considered the hottest candidate for such an experience. If you like it even bigger, you can check out Eve Online, where there is only one server, and the space battles last days and are legendary
Orient yourself to the zerg, meaning the largest mass of your own players
It is best to join a Teamspeak channel and listen to what the leader has to say
Even in a mass battle, a small group of players can accomplish more than an individual, having a few friends by your side makes a significant difference
Always keep in mind that you are the hero of your own story! No matter what others say: They are just NPCs paid by the developer!
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
From now until January 31, 2014, all new PlanetSide 2 players receive a 100% starter bonus in the form of an XP boost and a free premium item (selectable from three different weapons).
So, if you’ve been considering diving into the mass combat shooter adventure Planetside 2, now would be the right time to do it. Because the game launch will be sweetened for a limited time with some free items. Those who hesitate too long will miss out.
Alongside this, here’s a Let’s Play of the popular F2P MMOFPS, which can surely help make the landing into a new world a bit smoother.
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If you’ve been involved with an MMORPG for a long time, you sometimes feel like you’re in a somewhat uneventful relationship. There are good times, there are bad times, and there are times when you’re waiting for the next big content patch.
Well, there’s perhaps no equivalent for that in a marriage, but both in MMORPGs and marriage, there is the option to look for something new.
In marriage, that could cost you your house and home, but in the world of online role-playing games, surprisingly, it costs nothing at all. The sexy fantasy game Tera Rising, for example, invites WOW married players to a hot flirt. We’ll take a look at this and provide visitors from Azeroth with some first hints on how to make the romance work.
So beautifully new
A test flight from Azeroth to Arborea. You’ll learn the first steps here!
Alright, we start our article with a lie. Tera isn’t that sparkling new, of course. It was released in Asia in 2011, in Europe in 2012, and last year it became free-to-play and uses the so-called freemium model (everything is initially available for free; if you’re willing to pay a monthly fee, you get some advantages).
But those few years that this hotshot has been out have done the game quite a bit of good. Most MMORPGs that start with a lot of hype to become the next WOW killer fail under these expectations: No endgame, no long-term motivation, the player base dwindles, and the game’s quickly back to being history.
Therefore, there’s no need to worry about Tera. Although the game isn’t brand new anymore, what’s much more important is: It plays new.
It still has that new car smell. That’s due to the combat system, the game’s greatest strength, but let’s take it step by step.
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When it comes to installation, WOW exiles have to get used to the harsh reality of everyday life again. The entire client has to be installed first before you can start playing. There are no newfangled gimmicks here, where you go hunting with a partially downloaded game and pick up the rest on the go – that’s not how this client works.
The first pleasant surprise may await some players during character creation (especially male players): In the race selection, there are several races where the female figures would have to suffer from significant back pain – if everything were realistic.
So… let’s say: The average elf in Tera could certainly make a living as a go-go dancer in Las Vegas. The male counterparts are often muscle packs that look like they could lift a small dragon—before breakfast, no less.
This devilish demoness will stand in front of the group as a lancer.
You can tell that Tera is an Asian game and maintains a corresponding aesthetic. There are several races that may seem quite strange to us Europeans. Half-demons, stone giants, and other stuff. While WOW players probably feel right at home with the Poporis, a “nature-loving” race is simply talking panda bears. With the Elin, a kind of schoolgirl fantasy come to life, some might wonder: Is this really within the bounds of good taste?
The holy trinity: Tank, Healer, DPS
When it comes to classes, Tera doesn’t reinvent the wheel. The main tank is the lancer, a guy with a huge shield and a – who would have guessed? – lance. The warrior can also tank, relying less on a shield and more on a series of dodges, and therefore must hear a lot if he doesn’t manage to do everything right in the dungeon: cloth tank will be the least of it – but what would MMORPGs be without the tank being flamed?
The priest is mainly responsible for healing, with the mystic stepping in as a secondary healer, which is also the only pet class in the game. Of course, there are mages and archers, and then there are melee classes such as the relatively agile Slayer (a guy with a massive two-handed sword) and the heavily armored Berserker, who strangely also prefers two-handed weapons, with which he can block, unlike the Slayer.
So: two ranged DPS, two melee DPS, tank, healer, off-healer, and off-tank – that’s how the class lineup of Tera looks in hard technical jargon. This becomes important when it comes to dungeons (which can also be organized through an in-game tool, by the way). The group consists of a tank, a healer, and three DPS. Thus, the holy trinity is intact in Tera.
Fans of the Holy Trinity will quickly be happy in Tera: The combination of tank, DPS, and healer is necessary to master the toughest challenges!
At first glance, few differences
The nice thing about Tera is that it offers a smooth transition for WOW players. Quest givers have an exclamation point over their heads, monsters drop loot, items are equipped, it goes from quest hub to quest hub, and the character gets stronger over time.
Some tips to ease your start:
The quest tracker is clickable and opens a small window. The actual mobs or NPCs you’re looking for are highlighted in color. If you click them again, they are shown on the mini-map.
Most of the stuff you find and that doesn’t seem useful at first is crafting material – just collect it and when you’re in town, deposit it in the bank, as inventory space is scarce in the game, like it used to be in Diablo.
It’s best to log out in cities, then you’ll earn bonus EXP, you can return to cities using a “Back to town” scroll, which you’ll loot regularly later; in these cities you can also skill up and repurchase consumable items.
Unlike WOW, Tera is significantly harder, so it’s advisable to regularly repurchase bandages, buff runes, and similar items in towns.
The special: The BAMS
Now it all may not sound very exciting at first, but Tera’s great strengths lie in its action-oriented combat system, which feels more like a shooter. While games like WOW are based on targeting an enemy via Tab and then pressing a few hotkeys while the avatar on the screen takes care of the rest, it looks quite different in Tera.
David versus Goliath? Standing still and hammering hotkeys is so yesterday. Dynamic boss fights are today!
Your character has to work hard, throwing itself left and right like Mario used to (or… more primitively, rather like Lara Croft) to dodge huge monster paws. In the two seconds that the beast spends pulling its claws from the ground, you’d better land a few hits on the monster and then dodge away from the lightning bolts that will fry the cute little bunny that was just standing behind you.
While in WOW most long-term players only get their heart rate up during hardcore raids because the raid leader is having a tantrum, in Tera, even the first elite mobs cause sweaty palms. By the way, in Tera, they are called BAMS: Big Ass Monsters, and they deserve that name entirely.
It does have a bit of Shadow of the Colossus feel to it when you bring down such a behemoth. That’s also because the first characters in Tera aren’t well-equipped elite twinks whose main character gives them heirlooms, but poor folks who struggle from quest reward to quest reward.
Today is a good day to die… or to start with Tera
The masterminds at Tera have also realized that the game may be a bit too hard for us spoiled WOW veterans, and have recently introduced a kind of elite weapon that players have to earn themselves (all available in-game and without needing to pay for it), From level 10, enemies drop strange relics that can be combined into an “epic” weapon (which is not purple, but yellow). This weapon can in turn be upgraded with various drops. As a result, the normal Tera character has more firepower than in previous months, and the game has become significantly more accessible. Ideal for a hot flirt.
Our tip: Especially during a quieter phase in WOW, there may be some guildies looking for something new. Hunting together is easier, and the Big Ass Monsters may not be as terrifying. Tera Rising is definitely suitable for a quick affair. And maybe it will turn into something more! Play TERA now for free.
At the beginning, it’s advisable to slap BAMS in groups!
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Just before the end of the year, the guys and gals from the American publisher En Masse revealed a special treat. This year, a new class is set to be unleashed in the world of Tera Rising. We’ll reveal more details, get entangled in unfounded speculations, and take a look at what fans can expect from Tera in 2014.
Mid-Range DPS Class
While the European sources are still rather tight-lipped about the new class, in Asia, they are already a bit more forthcoming. Originally, the new class was designed as a tank, probably to counter the tank shortage that typically plagues every MMORPG, causing long waiting times before the instances. However, this plan has now been abandoned.
The focus now is primarily on offering newcomers an attractive class and planning a leather-wearing DPS who feels most comfortable at mid-range. He is more of a physical damage dealer than a magical one. Thus, he has a lot in common with the archer. However, the developers promise that the new class will be distinctly different from him.
We speculate: Kusarigama Fighter?
A new loading screen has appeared in the Korean version
Now, one didn’t need too much imagination to think of a kind of spear fighter, perhaps an Amazon wielding a throwing spear or a Bushido fighter twirling a staff? Xena, the Warrior Princess, with a throwing chakra? The information that only the nymph-like Elins are eligible as a race for the new class sparked heated debates among fans.
Latest teasers suggest that the new DPS class could be a fighter with a Kusarigama. This is an Eastern weapon that those who enjoy Eastern culture might recognize from the films that served as inspiration for Kill Bill. A Kusarigama consists of a sickle attached to an iron chain that can be swung wildly: a sort of morning star with a much longer chain and a much sharper end. Truly a spectacular weapon.
Currently, it is planned that the new Elin-only DPS class (affectionately dubbed Dark Elin by the community) will function as a sort of premium class, meaning it can only be created by players who already have a character at level 40 or higher. Corresponding chain sickles would then be newly introduced as drops in the game.
But that’s not all Tera has in store. A new battleground is planned where players will have the opportunity to become one of the Big Ass Monsters that make Tera appealing for many games. As such a house-sized monstrosity, the goal will be to protect the precious loot from the greedy claws of a party of seven players.
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An interesting and new concept. We are curious to see how it develops further.
More dungeons, more sets, more loot, more everything
In the Asian version of Tera, numerous other dungeons and instances have been announced. It seems there’s something in the development pipeline for three, five, and seven-person dungeons. Even solo dungeons are planned. Additionally, a rookie server with faster level progression is supposed to help newcomers get to the endgame faster.
An image of an upcoming dungeon
Players who have always had that nagging feeling while looking at their avatar that something was missing, reacting to it with a twitch in their left eye, can finally breathe a sigh of relief: the unsightly equipment slot in the middle of the character will finally be filled.
However, all of these things have only been announced for the Asian version of Tera. According to En Masse, the new BAMS battleground Kumasylum is already on the way for North America in January. Since the European publisher Gamesforge usually patches simultaneously with En Masse, this is likely to apply to us Europeans as well. Update: Gameforge has now also followed suit and announced the battleground for January (see video).
We are definitely keeping our fingers crossed for the Kusarigama Fighter and are looking forward to new content in 2014!
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
