Monthly Archives: April 2013

EverQuest II – Scars of the Awakened Press Preview

By MerryQuiteContrary, OnRPG Journalist

Everquest II Scars of the Awakened Preview

Yesterday I attended the press event for the 66th game update for Everquest II, titled Scars of the Awakened.  Producer Holly Longdale and Creative Directive Akil Hooper were our tour guides with designer Carlos Mora aka Gninja (the G is silent) behind the “driving” in game. With this game update a new zone is introduced as well as a new dungeon.  There have also been some class updates along with new tradeskill quests and collections added.  Scars of the Awakened will be available for play this afternoon (April 30th PST).

Everquest II Scars of the Awakened

Cobalt Scar is a new (to EverQuest II) advanced solo zone for players 93 to 95 though Akil tells us at 93 this zone would be a challenge. Advanced solo is what EQII likes to call zones meant for one to two players or one very well geared player. Cobalt scar is part of the EverQuest legacy and has several mob types the player may recognise from EverQuest such as the Othmir – an almost otter like creature. The difference in EverQuest II is that they seem to be zombies.  Osh is also here and meditating with pretty new particle affects.

Everquest II Scars of Awakened Sunset

Siren’s Grotto is the new dungeon with this game update and features, you guessed it, Sirens. And the model used for the Sirens is gorgeous. I am not sure I’ve seen a prettier model in EQ2. This dungeon has solo, party and raid content and comes in two parts: The beautiful underwater feeling of the Sirens and then the fear touched part with the “fights focusing on the nature of Sirens” according to Akil. This new dungeons also introduces new NPCs such as the octopus-headed mobs, Tavalan. Holly states that the Tavalan are a direct reference to D&Ds Illithid or mind flayers.  There is also continued use of voice overs in this dungeon as seen with the new content for EverQuest. This definitely seems to be a trend for both the EverQuest and EverQuest II teams.

Everquest II Siren Model

As with EverQuest listening to focus feedback from players, so too is the EverQuest II team. Primarily I’m talking about some class changes. Those worried about their class though can rest easy knowing the changes are more of the fixing annoying things variety rather than major overhauls.

 

In addition to the new zone and dungeon, an outdoor raid encounter (a big serpentine dragon also from EverQuest) has been added.  There is also a new PvP set called Chaos Bringer which can be purchased in Champion’s Respite. New tradeskill quests are also available and can be identified by the very bright green feather over the NPC’s head.

Everquest II Othmir

The overall goal of this update is to “create moments for players” and being “focused on immersing players” according to Holly while Akil mentions “focusing on supporting our storyline with strong visuals”.  From the look of things, it would appear they are right on track.

League of Legends: She’s Cold as Ice

By Jason Harper (Hhean), OnRPG League Reporter

 League of Legends Lissandra Review

 

Lissandra is a close range mage with an abundance of crowd control. Her kit grants her a lot of versatility, switching from ganker to kiter to initiator in the blink of an eye. While her damage output is on the low side, she can do an incredible amount of burst if she commits wholly to an engagement. She’ll mostly be found in mid, but can be placed in top if your team composition really needs it. Players with a knowledge of other close range mages, like Ahri or Swain, will likely take to her the easiest.

 

Pros:

Strong passive
Her gap closer is nuts
Scary initiation
Oodles of crowd control
Decent wave clear
Versatile ultimate
Good auto attack animation

 

Cons:

High mana costs force her into a passive early game
Her gap closer is predictable when used in the open
Unreliable escape
Has to be near point blank range to use her full potential
Squishy
Slowest movespeed in the game (She’s encased in ice after all)

 

Ability Summary

League of Legends Lissandra Iceborn

Iceborn [Passive]: Applies a buff that makes her next spell cost no mana. The cooldown is longer than all of her non ultimate spells, but is reduced every time she hits a champion with a movement impairing effect. This cannot be shortened by cooldown reduction items.

 

League of Legends Lissandra Ice Shard

Ice Shard [Q]: Short range, fast moving skillshot that deals damage and slows the first target it hits before dealing damage in a cone behind the target. Incredible ranged harass on a low cooldown. Very useful in the laning phase, where you can use the minion waves to extend its range. Due to its high mana cost, though, you need to be careful with how often you use it when her passive isn’t up.

 League of Legends Lissandra Ring Of Frost

Ring of Frost [W]: AoE that deals damage and snares all enemies around Lissandra.

 League of Legends Lissandra Glacial Path

Glacial path [E]: Long range, slow moving skillshot that damages and slow all enemies it hits. If it is triggered again, Lissandra will teleport to the current location of the projectile. Great for farming, escape and ganking.

 League of Legends Lissandra Frozen Tomb

Frozen Tomb [R]: When cast on an enemy, it will stun them, then slow and deal damage to all enemies within a radius of the original target. When cast on Lissandra, it will immobilise her, while also making her untargetable and invulnerable, while also dealing damage and slowing all enemies in a radius around her. While in this state she cannot cast spells, in the same way as a Zhonya’s Hourglass. As a rule of thumb, the stun is better used for duels or small fights, while the self-cast is better used in larger team fights.

 

League of Legends Lissandra Shenanigans

Combos & Shenanigans

Lissandra’s game plan will change over the course of the game. She’ll start out very passive, poking away at the enemy with auto attacks and Ice Shard, rarely casting when her passive isn’t up. When she starts looking for kills, and begins roaming about the map, she transforms into a different beast entirely.

 League of Legends Lissandra Escape Tool

Glacial Path is her primary ganking tool, but it can be extremely obvious when thrown out into the open. When fired, it leaves a glowing claw marker on the ground, so an enemy will always know exactly where you’re heading. However, if the ability is aimed into a place the enemy can’t see (past a wall, into brush, outside vision range), the marker won’t appear. The best option though is to always aim for a wall, where it will cover the claw marker and have its range extended by the positioning auto-correct. When abusing the auto correct, she can get around many common ward spots by jumping over two walls at once, or by using very thick walls to jump almost the length of a screen. By doing this though you are sacrificing a multi target slow, and a good part of Lissandra’s damage potential. Weighing up the benefits of surprise against its other benefits should be factored into any assault. If you’re ganking into a lane where an ally already has some crowd control, it is often better to follow up rather than to start fights by yourself.

 League of Legends Lissandra AoE Assault

Once the fight is joined, Lissandra is very straightforward. Use your Ring of Frost to hold enemies in place before you hit them with Ice Shard (and Glacial Path if necessary). If you fear retaliation, use Frozen Tomb on Lissandra. Otherwise, use it on the enemy and proceed to blasting them to bits. Bear in mind that in order for Lissandra to go for her full kill combo, she needs to be close enough to taste the enemy, so her target either needs to die or she’s going to be in for a world of hurt. In a team fight, it is often best to use Lissandra as a follow-up initiator before she gets her Zhonya’s Hourglass, as the short duration on her ultimate’s invulnerability gives her team a very small window to follow up on before she’s smashed into the floor. This is, unsurprisingly, much worse in solo queue than in organised play.

 League of Legends Lissandra Defensive Ulti

Thankfully, Lissandra doesn’t always need to act like a mad dive bomber, and can instead use her numerous crowd control abilities to keep an enemy at arm’s length. While she ties for the slowest base move speed in the game, a single hit from any of her abilities immediately means she’s moving faster than her foe. This often means that against melee enemies, Lissandra can keep herself close enough to use her snare, but continue to position herself just barely outside of their melee auto attacks.

 

League of Legends Lissandra Bloodstone Splash

Conclusions

While her voice work is very similar to Syndra’s, her aesthetics are certainly distinctive. Her spell effects are impressive without being cluttered, and her walking animation is eye catching. I’m not entirely sure why her design removed her eyes but still kept in a low cut top, especially since she’s not exactly a sexy looking woman. Her launch skin isn’t too impressive, just a red tint on a normally blue character.

 League of Legends Lissandra Follow-Up

I’ve really enjoyed the character, and think she’s got a lot of potential. As is well known by now, crowd control is king in LoL, and Lissandra is eyeballing that crown, if not wearing it on weekends. If she gets ahead, she starts doing terrifying amounts of damage, and even if she falls behind, her team can make use of her incredible amount of control. Her only real downsides are her passive early game and her nonexistent durability. Even the former isn’t too bad, since her early game is safe, she’s just not going to be getting many kills in the laning phase. I don’t think she’s going to be a ban/ first pick, but I do think she’s a strong addition to the roster that will have a dramatic impact on any game she’s in.

 

League of Legends Lissandra Final Verdict

Final Verdict

She looks like a strong pick that’s both versatile and fun. If you usually go for these sorts of characters, she’s a great addition to your roster.
To discuss Lissandra yourselves, post in the massive League of Legends thread in the free to play MMOs section, or post in the comments section below. If you haven’t tried League of Legends yet, you’re missing out.

Yitien

Yitien is a browser-based, Asian-themed MMORPG. Select from one of three different classes, and embark on a variety of quests to grow in power and fame. The game gives players a reason to group up frequently, by increasing power when long-standing friends are in a group together. With several daily events to do as well, Yitien offers plenty of activities for casual and hardcore gamers alike.

Features

Four Classes: Will you be a warrior, with their high defense and health? Or perhaps a sword dancer, cutting through waves of enemies with ease. Perhaps a healer, supporting your group while devastating opponents? And of course, there’s always the deadly assassin if you prefer the shadows. The choice is yours!

Daily Events: There’s always something to do in Yitien. From daily events, to summoning and defeating powerful bosses, the game gives players something to do at all times of the day.

Character Upgrades: Build your character however you choose. Focus on defense, offense, or mix the two. Each character you play can be unique!

OnRPG Shotgun News 4/30: Defiance, LoL, and Neverwinter Open Beta

By Shannon Doyle (Leliah), OnRPG News Nut

 

See Your Character on TV

Defiance (the game) wants to put your character on Defiance (the show). Trion and SyFy have started a competition where one lucky player will get their character’s likeness on an upcoming episode of the Defiance tv show. All players have to do to take part is register for the competition, then complete both “Most Wanted” persuits between April 30th and May 12th, then be the player to get the most ark salvage per hour during the contest.

 

League of Legends Spotlights Lissandra

The League of Legends Spotlight is shining on Lissandra, The Ice Witch. The video shows her abilities, how she works in a team, and other helpful tips for playing her. Check it out for yourself below.

 

Neverwinter Open Beta Begins

Today marks the day Cryptic and Perfect World’s new Dungeon’s and Dragons based MMO Neverwinter goes into open beta. Keep an eye out on OnRPG and MMOHuts for reviews of the game and one from a roleplayer’s point of view later this week.

A Paladin Appears In Digimon Masters

Digimon Masters
 

Joymax, a leading online game developer and publisher of free to play MMORPGs, reveals a new heroic Digimon for its popular MMORPG, Digimon Masters. Dramon sees one of his ultimate Digimon forms starting today with the release of Imperial Dramon Paladin Mode, an upgrade that only the most experienced Tamers will be able to handle. Take a chance at acquiring this rare Digimon on May 7th!

 

Imperial Dramon Paladin Mode is quite an unusual Digimon. First seen in Digimon Adventure 2, and again in Digimon World 3, this digivolution is no stranger to the video game world. A Mega-level Digimon, it is sometimes known as the “Ancient holy knight” of the Digital World. Now players who own an Imperial Dramon Fighter Mode will be able to digivolve into the newest Dramon form and begin a new chapter in the fight against evil Digimon!

 

Digimon Masters
 

Imperial Dramon Paladin Mode has powerful and outrageous skills to defeat monster Digimons. He has explosive energy that is 10 times bigger than Mega crusher, and slashes enemies with Omega Blade and initializes enemies’ data elements.

 

Players will need an Imperial Dramon Fighter Mode of at least level 70, along with a new item called Omega Blade, to Digivolve into this new form. Tamers are encouraged to snap a screen shot of their new partner and post it to the Digimon Masters Facebook.

Planet Arkadia

Entropia Universe is in constant motion. It keeps expanding as new planets are discovered, each one different from the rest.

Planet Arkadia is an exciting planet centered around Treasure Hunting, but it is also a place for players to interact with their friends and other players in teams and in societies. Hunt or mine, or become an entrepreneur and trader. Explore breathtaking scenery alone or with a friend and make important historical discoveries. Remain a freelancer and strike out alone, or complete missions to gain attributes, the choice is yours. Your name could go down in the history books!

 

Features

Real Cash Economy: The alien treasures hidden throughout Arkadia have real money value! But don’t think the natives will give them up easily.

Missions: Take part in epic missions against the destructive Oratan to protect the human settlement and become a hero!

Hunting and Mining: Players loving hunting and mining in Entropia Universe will be in paradise on Planet Arkadia’s beautiful vistas.