Allods Online now offers an additional subscription server as a free online role-playing game. This sounds a bit paradoxical in light of the reports from recent years, but this alternative is a wish of many players.
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We remember: Two weeks ago I reported about Update 2.4 of Star Wars: The Old Republic, where among other things the long-awaited PvP content was discussed. Meanwhile, this update has reached the live servers, and I wanted to take a look at the 3 new warzone arenas. My dear Padawan!
The first impression is quite positive, as the battles follow a different pattern and that makes them so interesting. In the already known warzones, it is also about holding your own against players from the other side of the Force, but there are other framework conditions there. I wouldn’t even say that the number of players makes a difference. In the warzones, 8 players face off against each other, while in the arenas it is notably 4 that enter the battle, so that depending on the perspective the Empire or the Republic decides the match.
Of course, that is also a factor, without question. With that number of players, it is no longer so easy to compensate for the mistakes of an individual. Here, everyone has to make a significant contribution so that after 2 or 3 rounds the laurels can be reaped. What I actually wanted to get at is that this time it is mainly about staying alive until the end. This creates a whole new dynamic that is skillfully staged by the map design.
In the 8vs8 warzones, the goal was always to capture a base or lead an object to a target to earn points. It was not about you, but more about the environment. In the arenas, however, you have to make sure not to be outsmarted. Here, you will not be revived. Once you are out, you are out. In the 8vs8 versions, it was sometimes possible to sacrifice yourself or simply rush into battle – even after a death, not everything was lost yet. This is usually different in the arenas.
You can particularly recognize the new dynamic in the probing of the opposing groups. It is first attempted to get well positioned in the arena – a meaningless death does not exactly inspire enthusiasm among your teammates. The maps also allow you to act from a hiding spot or, for example, surprise an opponent from a bridge, from ambush basically. However, I have also experienced reckless players – it can work, but it doesn’t have to. That team play is important should be clear – usually a “weak point” is chosen that should be defeated first. If you don’t pull together here, defeat is usually already certain – unless you have opponents who act the same way, which can sometimes be quite funny. But against good teams, that looks very different.
By the way, here you can see what the new arenas are called and which places serve as battlefields:
Currently, there is a bug that causes faulty group compositions. I have had many battles where I had to face 4 opponents with only 2 teammates – surely the sneaky Empire is responsible for this circumstance, grr! “Truly dark it is, much anger I see,” Yoda would say. Hopefully, this problem will soon be a thing of the past.
Only then do you realize how important it is to also succeed as a group. The 3vs4 battles all ended in devastating defeats. Whether the class balancing is not optimal here, I cannot say yet. Although there have already been some discussions in the forum, these are merely subjective impressions – after all, several factors play a role: the equipment, the skill tree, teamwork, and the abilities of the player themselves. Nevertheless, for example, a Jedi Shadow has natural tactical advantages that he can use to his advantage.
Conclusion: The new arenas in Star Wars: The Old Republic bring variety to the far, far away galaxy and are definitely convincing!
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As part of the “Living World” of Guild Wars 2, the developers have provided the MMO with another update on October 1st, named “Twilight Incident”. The setting of this event is the Twilight Garden, a dungeon within the Sylvari starting area of Caledon Forest. This instanced area has been expanded with a path that presents you with several tasks: Solve puzzles, try to bypass enemy traps, and face the horror that lurks at the end of this previously hidden fortress.
But of course, all of this comes without rewards: If you enter the new path in exploration mode, you can expect the improved exotic Nightmare weapons, which are also equipped with a pretty blue glow. Additionally, a new miniature will be available for your collection. For regular participation in the event, you can also grab the Flutsch Sack, a new back item similar to the dragon wings from previous events.
However, not everything can be done in the dungeon: Throughout the Maguuma Jungle, you can find key parts; five of them are enough for a complete version, which can then be used in the Twilight Garden to open so-called Aether chests.
Battle-hardened World vs. World players will be pleased with a new feature: At the end of each match, reward chests will be granted, depending on performance, with up to three available. Additionally, with the start of the new season, WvW skill points have been refunded and can now be redistributed.
And also in the gem store of the online role-playing game, the shelves have been reorganized. The “Complete Makeover Kit” now grants all races new hairstyles, and the Halloween death blows known from last year are available again – this time, however, in a permanent variant. Finally, the Black Lion Chest Keys have gained some attractiveness, as the little boxes can now contain a miniature of the Sylvari Caithe or a holographic Scarlet.
Here is a selection of the new hairstyles that are now available in Guild Wars 2:
Source: https://www.guildwars2.com/de/the-game/releases/october-01-2013/#twilight-assault
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Players will soon have the ability to communicate and interact without restrictions, as the servers will be merged!
What has always been planned by the developers of Neverwinter is not that far off in the near future. From the current 3 shards (Beholder, Dragon, and Mindflayer), there will soon be only one.
You don’t have to worry about your character name or guild name, as it will not need to be changed when the merger occurs. Pay attention to your auctions, as they will either go to the highest bidder or be returned to the provider. Every Astral Diamond transaction will be automatically reversed. All existing active orders for Zen or Astral Diamonds will be credited to your exchange account. No worries if you own a less powerful PC or laptop, as the maximum server population is the same as before the merger.
For more information about the shard changes, click here.
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Finally, there is proper content again in the F2P MMO Tera. A total of 4 brand new dungeons will be deployed today. Starting around 2 PM, according to the planning from Gameforge, players will be able to face the previously unknown challenges.
Attention, breaking news for endgame players: You also have something to do again after you are probably sick of the Queen. Furthermore, it is possible to equip yourself with new powerful weapons and armor – this will thus also replace the best set so far. Finally, it’s about time, many players equipped with visionary gear might think. In this sense, every player type, whether casual or hardcore gamer, has quite a lot to do. Of course, other sets are part of the big update as well.
In addition to the instances, various class changes are also worth mentioning, but everything in due time. Let’s start with the group content first. The developers certainly put a lot of thought into it and set interesting accents in the MMO Tera.
We know sayings like this since the existence of MMOs: “This is impossible, why does it take so long as a DPS to get into a group! Even after the coffee break, I am still standing here without an invitation!” The developers addressed this conflict, as you can’t impose any role on everyone in the group. After all, not everyone wants to identify with the role of tank or healer – for whatever reasons.
The good thing about the 3-player dungeon “The Channels” is that the role is simply irrelevant! Depending on the composition of the group, artificially controlled companions will assist you. If there are only DPS in the group, a helper with healing powers will be at your side. Overall, you will encounter 3 bosses here who stand in your way: Watchman AA-23, Plecostoma, and Kerkion.
In the dungeon “The shattered fleet”, designed for 5 players, you will also face a maximum of 3 boss monsters. However, before you confront Barbosa, you must first defeat Toonga and Jack, who will definitely have a problem with that. By the way, a question: Have you already completed the freeskimmer? It would be advisable, as those who can’t swim won’t reach the final boss Barbosa…
Hopefully that will be enough! This group size is new, as a recommended composition of 7 players has not existed in the action MMO Tera until now. A tip: Don’t let the stone giant advance too quickly! How do you prevent that? For the sharpshooters among us, it should be no problem, as those who could handle cannons well in the Corsair Fortress should be precise here.
Of course, in this case, other players are not the target, but the monster Kezzel (…otherwise, you won’t be very popular).
In this instance, you feel like you are in the wrong movie, game, or whatever (
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The WildStar videos from the developers are really cool, in a positive way. In the latest Devspeak, the abilities mechanics are in the foreground. See for yourself what it’s like to get to know contents in a humorous way.
Carbine Studios, the developer of WildStar, has been working for about 8 years to establish a top upcoming MMO – or in this case on the planet Nexus. However, the game will definitely be released in 2014, likely in spring.
The combat system itself seems to be quite interesting, as they are trying to refresh some stale concepts with a bit of flair and various adjustments. Cast time, instant casts, and channeling. These are the genre-specific terms associated with combat abilities. In most cases, it often follows the same pattern. Many players probably have enough of the repeatedly recurring gameplay mechanics.
As you can see in the video, the creators focus on dynamics. This means that more opportunities are provided to react to specific situations in combat (otherwise you might as well pack up). Furthermore, there is a lot of movement in the game, as compared to some other online role-playing games, a different approach is taken in the action-packed combat system: You can always move while executing abilities. More explanations can be seen in the video.
At this point, I would also like to recommend the other videos. The question is, of course, whether you find the game itself interesting, but even then, there’s a chuckle in it. I found them quite funny.
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Every beginning is hard, especially with an MMO. The publisher Perfect World has kindly published a guide for its new players, which I don’t want to withhold from you.
We all know it, as a newcomer you are often overwhelmed by all the new features and it can be quite frustrating at first, depending on the complexity. In such cases, it is extremely helpful to have a clear overview of what to pay attention to when starting. This guide summarizes it in 8 points.
For a veteran, these explanations are surely nothing groundbreaking, but not everyone arrives as a full-fledged MMO pro in Protectors Enclave, the capital of Neverwinter.
In the guide, you will find useful definitions and explanations regarding mounts, the inventory, potions, or praying in Neverwinter. Questing or the PvP mode are of course included as well. Finally, we go a bit deeper into the subject, which includes the quest editor. Because here you can create your own quests and let other adventurers participate. A paradise or even a podium for creative storytellers. With this feature, you can not only write your own story, but also create the backdrop and the participating protagonists.
The guide from Perfect World can be found here on the official site.
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Guild Wars 2 is a very successful MMORPG, with over 3 million copies sold. It is also one of the few online role-playing games that has not followed the free-to-play trend. With the current buy-to-play model, which is highly praised, meaning buy once and play forever, there is, however, a slight disadvantage: Downloading the game to simply check it out is unfortunately not possible in most cases.
Such a permanent situation would naturally not be ideal in this genre, as we know that an MMO thrives on generating regular income over the years and maintaining a healthy player base. This is definitely still the case with GW2, where everything feels very lively – but a few new players are certainly always welcome. There are many players who would prefer to test a game before emptying their wallets. A game can have the best reviews – they are still not a guarantee. Individual preferences are indeed very diverse, especially with such complex and extensive products.
That said, there are several reasons why NCSoft and ArenaNet organize these test weeks every few months. For players, it means: For a short time, anyone who has wanted to take a closer look at the game can do so – without having to enter into any commitments. After the test period, it is up to everyone to buy the game or remove it from their “to-play” list.
This test week runs until October 3rd and then ends. It will surely be a few more months until the next phase. Update: You can still play for free until October 7th – the test has been extended by 4 days!
You can register on the official site: https://www.guildwars2.com/de/
Before you make your internet connection glow, it would be wise to familiarize yourself a bit with the MMO. I can only say that the open world invites you to explore and have adventures. ArenaNet has succeeded in creating an atmospheric and vibrant environment.
The developer was quite bold in several areas, as Guild Wars 2 showcases different concepts. The dynamic quests, which at least deviate a bit from the classic “quest giver with an exclamation mark above their head,” are refreshing. The creators also take an interesting approach with the equipment improvement, which is probably unique in this form – true to the motto “Equal opportunities for all.”
Unlike other representatives in the genre, the focus is not on improving equipment values after every content update. What matters more is the appearance of the equipment, which can indicate how much someone has achieved in the game – both in PvP and PvE. A hard-to-reach armor looks correspondingly more stylish. It is also worth mentioning that there are no fixed roles for group formation – the holy trinity consisting of tank, healer, and damage dealer in its classic form, for example, to tackle bosses, does not exist here. Particularly this somewhat different approach has led to lively discussions in the communities. Some prefer a clearly defined structure, while others enjoy it being more flexible or dynamic.
As with its predecessor, PvP is one of the central components (Note: in GW2, PvE is separate from PvP). This includes structured arenas and WvWvW, where players fight for their servers in a specially designed area for territories and more – not infrequently resulting in epic mass battles.
This is just a small part of what GW2 offers. If any of this appeals to you, I would recommend trying it out. Uninstalling is still possible. You must be aware that the game polarizes and can therefore please one person while giving another headaches. In any case, there is a lot of love put into it. The following video is also recommended, as it attempts to provide some explanations:
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The European version of the free online role-playing game Aion has proudly turned 4 years old today. Not only a wine, but also an MMORPG can mature over the years and provide a better experience when consumed.
Aion had a spectacular launch in 2009: A huge number of players flocked to the highly announced spin-off from NCSoft. Everything just sounded very good. Different factions waging war against each other; the seemingly limitless possibilities in the air while flying; a fantastic backdrop thanks to the Cryengine, and so on.
But unfortunately, the then version did not resonate with the Western world – some did not like the high PvP ratio, while others found the game too grind-heavy. In any case, critical voices increased.
Then everything took its natural course and players left the sinking ship. The operators then decided to switch to a different payment model instead of giving up the project. This last chance turned out to be a stroke of luck – the switch from subscription to free-to-play model got the Asian MMO back on track.
Not only the adjustment to the changing market, which increasingly fell victim to P2P games, brought new players to the role-playing game. A large part is also due to the developers, who managed to continuously improve the gaming experience. Whether it’s various adjustments to PvP and PvE, the introduced housing, the new classes, as well as numerous comfort improvements – many of these changes gradually increased the quality of the game. Also those that were missing at launch.
It is not only important to deliver extensive updates, but also to recognize where the weaknesses lie or with which innovations one can best keep players entertained. The mistake of the premature release has been compensated. The free-to-play MMORPG is certainly still not for everyone, but a large player base has formed – with now 7 completely localized versions in Europe.
Publisher Gameforge, which has been taking care of the game operation since the changeover, released interesting numbers about the MMO. Since the MMO became free and is in the hands of Gameforge, more than 4 million accounts have been created to date within 1.5 years! The very extensive update 4.0, which was released not too long ago, alone attracted more than 350,000 new players to Aion. The newly added classes, the bard and the ranger, seem to be quite popular – over 100,000 characters have since chosen these paths.
The content update 4.5 will be released at the beginning of next year, by the way. A highlight here is certainly the Aethertech, a new character class.
Several events and surprises are meant to help keep this anniversary in good memory. More information about the Shugo-King’s Tomb, the boost events, the AION birthday cake, the in-game gifts, and the offers in the shop can be found on the official page.
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More than one million unique players since release, over 600,000 of them daily and around 350,000 at the same time. As the numbers show: The game is booming at the moment.
These numbers were announced by Producer Naoki Yoshida during the Tokyo Game Show, where he presented Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn and delivered interesting news. Given the initial server issues, where error messages and server maintenance due to overloads were commonplace, these numbers are not particularly surprising. Generally speaking, it is quite a surprising success that almost no one thought possible. Even though Final Fantasy is a big brand, these are remarkable numbers, especially considering the predecessor, which most players probably do not have as fond memories of.
Meanwhile, the servers are running smoothly, which Square Enix of course uses to proudly present this milestone. Additionally, Yoshida did not miss the opportunity to refer to the new update. By the way, it will soon be possible to switch servers for free. Quite a few players settled on servers of other continents to avoid the overloaded realms. They will be able to transfer to their home servers in the foreseeable future.
Update 2.1 is expected to be released either in November or by December at the latest. For the housing fans among us: Free companies will soon be able to have their own house in Eorzea (private accommodations will follow shortly thereafter). There will be a total of three different house sizes and with over 300 furnishing items, there is more than enough for hobby interior decorators to let their creativity run wild.
PvP is not currently a feature of the existing version – a feature that many players in an MMO do not want to miss. However, that will change soon: With “The Wolves’ Den,” the residents of Eorzea will soon have the opportunity to put their learned skills to the test – in combat against each other. For fairness, the level groups will be formed at levels 30, 40, and 50 – meaning that you will only encounter players that are approximately at your level.
Here is a small preview of the 4vs4 arena:
If you like “Groundhog Day,” you can look forward to a larger selection of dailies. Notable are also hard mode versions for already known group content as well as a completely new dungeon for 8 players called Pharos Sirius, which is said to be more than just a tough nut to crack. But that’s not all, as a Primals named Good King Moogle will not let you have its loot easily upon encounter. Anyone who wants to read more details about the patch can find this in the original announcement and source at dualshockers.com.
One can be curious how many players Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn can retain beyond the first month. At least there is enough content planned in the near future.
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Yes, the festival also takes place in Atreia, the world of the Free to play MMORPG Aion. From now until 2nd October 2013, you have the chance to participate.
Now, of course, one might wonder what the goal is. Events are usually associated with rewards. Does that mean going to a place and then celebrating until the early hours with familiar and fleeting acquaintances? Not quite. You can perhaps make up for that after work.
You need to help the Brewmaster with barley supplies, otherwise, there will be a shortage of barley juices for the celebratory part of the population. In Atreia, much is expected. So, you take on the role of an employee to ensure that the festival is a complete success and the mood remains high. All you have to do is log in daily and take down monsters. Depending on the intensity, you will receive moist barley, which you hand over to Torang for further processing (in Sanctum or Pandemonium). He will help you turn it into dried barley. Afterwards, you go to a Brewmaster of your choice. The food engineers responsible for the festival are well-known to be Aimaz, Nitam, or Mekov. You will be rewarded with tickets.
On 2nd October, it’s payday! The amount of the reward depends on your commitment at work. So, help out vigorously if you want to be showered with valuable items. You will receive these from the Brewmasters.
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The new patch brings new content to the F2P MMO Runes of Magic starting now. The update includes a previously unseen area, where challenges and many quests await you. In the continuing story, you will accompany Morrok Wallinder to Sarlo, the new zone.
There, you must defeat Maderoth at the end, who resides in the Belathis Fortress – his new stronghold. In this dungeon, you will face 5 powerful bosses together with your fellow players. In addition to the area and the associated dungeon, the patch also features an event instance that includes a new minigame. Furthermore, the level cap has been raised to 82. You can find out more in the patch notes for the Community of Sarlo.
Due to the inconveniences of the past weeks, with increasing server maintenance that marred the gaming experience, the publisher Gameforge is providing you with special items. You will receive the items as soon as you log in to the game with a character.
This weekend (21st and 22nd of September) and next weekend (28th and 29th of September), you will also be granted an additional experience and TP bonus.
Killing monsters will accordingly yield 250% more experience and talent points – and with a 200% increased drop rate.
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The update “The War of Horror” brings many new contents to the Old Republic. In addition to the PvE content, this time the PvP content is particularly in focus. Fans of PvP battles had to be very patient in this regard, but the wait will soon come to an end. However, that does not mean that PvE players won’t get a piece of the pie. On October 1, 2013, it will finally be time for the F2P MMORPG Star Wars: The Old Republic.
It is already clear: 3 new PvP arenas are coming our way, which will differ in their setup and provide variety. 4 players on each side will then fight for victory on Corellia, Tatooine, and in an orbital station, with a maximum of 3 rounds. I’m particularly looking forward to this because I actually enjoy PvP battles a lot in SW:TOR. I have experienced many nerve-wracking but also fun students in the 8vs8 warzones; unfortunately, it became a bit boring due to the few alternatives. The 4vs4 arenas are definitely a reason for me to swing the mouse again in the Old Republic. More information can be found here on the official developer blog.
Surprisingly, a relatively large amount of PvE content is coming our way, which has recently been delivered by Bioware at a fairly good pace. Therefore, most expected a purely PvP update here, especially since Bioware announced player versus player challenges for 2.4 long ago. Actually quite nice, so there is something for everyone. To the delight of the PvE fans, this means that two new operations will be implemented – “The Fortress of Horror” and “The Palace of Horror”. This means the item hunt begins again, as the new enemies also drop a new armor set that must be farmed.
The new planet is Oricon. In addition to the raids taking place on this relatively dark and devastated planet, you can also expect new story missions. Many play SW:TOR primarily for the story, which in this form of presentation is unmatched. So, even for those who do not find raids and PvP battles appealing, there is something available. Sounds like a pretty extensive update.
A hot tip for those who want to get an impression beforehand. In a recorded Twitch video you can watch some exciting battles between Bioware employees and selected guild members, who had the honor of demonstrating their skills against the game’s developers as part of an event.
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After a several-month open beta phase, the time has come: the free-to-play MMORPG Dragon’s Prophet is officially released. With the launch, a new era begins for developers and players alike – and it promises a lot.
The developers are showing determination: even after the release, they want to keep players engaged with regular and extensive updates – and to retain them in the long term. The game is said to be ready for the “next step,” according to the operators. The last few months have been somewhat turbulent – with ups and downs – but with the official release, they aim to mark a clear new beginning. In line with this, the most extensive patch package to date brings numerous innovations. Allegedly so extensive that it fills an entire 6 meters of paper – if that’s not symbolic.
At the start of the live version, there are not only bug fixes and technical optimizations – Dragon’s Prophet is also significantly enhancing its content. Highlights of the content update include:
• A new area inviting exploration
• A fearsome new world boss
• The much-anticipated increase in level cap
• The finally implemented mounted combat
A special highlight is the new PvP system, which will be introduced under the name Citadel System. It promises large-scale mass battles with a strategic challenge. One can only hope that the technology and balancing hold up – as many development studios have failed with such systems.
Community feedback makes an impact – prices in the shop lowered
Also pleasing: the operators have responded to community feedback – and significantly adjusted prices in the in-game shop. Especially in a F2P model, it is a strong signal that shows they take the player base seriously.
As a small thank you for the release, there are also exclusive gifts: through a voucher code, players receive diamonds, a special skin, and an exclusive pet directly to their account – so be sure to check the inbox.
What’s next?
The release has been accomplished – but the focus is already looking forward. Further content is already announced for the coming months: PvP arenas, new raids, and additional quality-of-life features are set to follow. Dragon’s Prophet is thus no longer a small fish in the pond of F2P MMOs – but a title with ambitions.
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Do you consider yourselves true pros when it comes to MMORPG trivia? Then try out our quiz and find out if your MMORPG knowledge is at guru level!
What is this about? Greetings, esteemed audience! Come in, see and marvel! We present to you our new quiz about MMORPGs, but wait! It’s not what it seems. This is not an ordinary quiz, but one for the true connoisseurs among you.
Do we have true connoisseurs among the readers today?! Who of you dares to tackle this super difficult quiz to earn the title of MMORPG pro? Give it a try, master the questions, and shine with your knowledge about trivia related to MMORPG games.
For this quiz, you need strength, endurance, skill, courage, and a good memory of the smallest facts of the MMORPG genre. Because some of our questions go far back into the past, long before there was this modern broadband internet! Do you dare?
What questions will be asked? The questions revolve around general trivia and facts related to MMORPGs. You will encounter questions from the early beginnings of the genre as well as those about relatively recent events.
But there are also questions about individual MMORPGs, both big and small. They are all challenging, and we’re sure that one or the other of you will find them quite difficult.
So get started and let us know in the comments whether you could crack the quiz and knew all the answers (but without the help of Google!).
Have fun puzzling!
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