Yearly Archives: 2012

SOE Live Day 1 Recap

SOE Live Day 1 Recap

By Darren Henderson (DizzyPW), OnRPG Editor-in-Chief

Co-written by JamesBl0nde, MMOHuts Content Manager

 

 

My head is spinning following a quick trip to my favorite Irish Pub (9 Fine Irishmen at NY NY!). I’m adjusting and tweaking our camera for the perfect shot at the stage. Suddenly a woman dressed in the most extravagant Everquest Dwarf cosplay steps on stage and the crowd explodes as hundreds of hardcore fans of the series embrace her reading of the 10 Commandments of SOE Live. “What is this madness?” I think to myself as the roar and laughter of the crowd threatens to even drown out the speaker.

 

 

Then the man of the hour arrived. John Smedley took to the stage bringing that oh so rare electrifying personality that is a mix of deep industry experience combined with a continued love of everything he does. He teased us with news of Everquest Next and promises of a playable version at next year’s show. He reassured the proud fans present that Everquest 1 was alive and well and would continue pumping out new content well into the future, starting with the Rain of Fear expansion and its glorious throw backs to the numerous baddies of old, reinvigorated with the power of the fallen shards.  You can always tell a team that loves lore when they both understand the value of an event leading up to an expansion to make the world feel more alive, while simultaneously recognizing what the fans loved in the past and finding new ways to make it relevant again. Of course you can experience the 19th Everquest expansion, Rain of Fear, on November 28th. But for the less patient new audience more addicted to Everquest II, you will only have to wait until the 13th! Alas the panel covering the Chain’s of Eternity Expansion was delayed yesterday so we’ll have to get further coverage of this up at a later time.

 

 

Following the big Everquest news, John took a breather while Matt Higby and Tramell Isaac took to the stage with one goal in mind; divide the united audience through Planetside 2 nationalism leading up to the start of the most massive Planetside 2 Tournament to date. And I can be perfectly blunt when I say I’ve seen rap battles with less intensity and excitement than what these two figures on stage created. They taunted us repeatedly with a launch date while showcasing new zones of every elemental type and setting you could expect from a Universe of possibilities. Fans of the original title will be happy to see the return of Searhus, Hossin, and Oshur post-launch. But while these were still merely concept art in the mind of Tramell, the big announcement was the work in progress preview video of Amerish, the third zone that will be included at launch!

 

 

Oh and that launch? Yea November 20th. If you truly care about your faction’s dominance I’d suggest grabbing one of those Alpha Squadron packages and shaking off your noobness because war is coming, and it’s barely a month away!

 

 

Now earlier this week at an undisclosed location (let’s call it Area 51), I heard rumblings among my fellow press that there was something truly astonishing being announced at SOE Live this year. But prior to this announcement I gained new respect for Sony Online Entertainment and Smedley for his philosophy of the gaming industry. Too many times I had heard these same words coming from podcasts of gaming enthusiasts the world over, yet never reflected in the industry beyond a few rare indie devs.

 

 

He spoke about the power of user driven content, using fan-made videos throughout the show, discussing the growing power of Esports, and talking about the glory of fan-made content and mods that can often outshine even the devs working at Sony. But this was beyond basic talk. He went on to reveal plans for Planetside 2 Esports (including the massive on-going tournament this weekend) as well as the Sony Player Studio. This is a new revolutionary system in which fans would be able to create new content for their titles, submit it to their games, and be paid a portion of revenue made for their creations. At this point the Everquest and DC Universe Online fanboys were literally falling over top of themselves with joy at the potential custom weapons and Super Lair creations they could create for themselves and others under this system. I was a bit shocked that a mosh pit hadn’t formed at the base of the stage surrounding Smedley. Likely most were too drunk to stand; another wise decision by Sony.

 

 

Smedley also discussed the benefits of their recently adopted F2P business models and announced 150% growth in daily user log-ins for Everquest and 300% growth for Everquest 2 as a result of the switch. He went on to say that their changing focus was a result of not only the inevitable death of the subscription model, but also the tightening of the market as gamers grow more aware of their options and lesser quality F2P titles fall to ashes due to companies pushing what they believe will make the biggest bank for the company rather than what the players want. With the launch of Player Studio if gamers aren’t getting what they want fast enough, they need only build it themselves.

 

 

And just when I thought the roar of the crowd couldn’t get any more deafening, John Tang (Programmer and President of Runewaker, the Devs behind Runes of Magic) steps from the shadows and takes the mic. Now all the press including myself were tilting our heads to the sides like confused chickens wondering what Frogster’s flagship game head was doing on stage at the SOE Live Keynote speech. Then the light bulbs began to light up as the dots connected… Runewaker was going to be behind the secret title we had been waiting for all along!

 

 

The title is Dragon Prophecy, a heavily action based MMORPG with at least three hundred unique dragons for players to tame and ride. If you were a fan of How to Train Your Dragon, this game is going to be a dream come true. The graphics were exceptional; the combat in the trailer looked smooth, just everything about this game had our heads spinning. And as if the game was designed from the ground up to stay true to Smedley’s philosophy, John Tang happily teased us with one of the most extensive player housing systems to date. And then as a side note mentioned that this was just a tiny part of a Frontier System in which guild leaders would be able to build an entire kingdom, the foundation of true Dragon Empires!

 

 

Of course I was dumbfounded when Smedley returned to the stage to reveal that there wasn’t just one new title up their sleeves. No that would be too cliché at an event like. No he also brought out a gameplay trailer for Wizardry Online. And while the game looked impressive to be sure, I couldn’t help question what really differentiated it from Everquest II besides a couple years of more advanced technologies and Smedley’s constant musing that we had better bring our A game to this title as it was going to be challenging (sure Smedley, like we hadn’t heard that a dozen times before). Then the gameplay video ended and in bold bloody red letters under the title there it was… permadeath. Gamers brace yourselves as one of the longest standing publishing teams in the world is going old school and bringing back Permadeath for a new AAA MMORPG. It’s on in 2013 and I would hate to be the Sony’s competition in the industry after witnessing the breathtaking Keynote speech last night. Who knows what else they have up their sleeves? The weekend after all has only begun.

Savage Hunt – Dragon’s Prophet

Dragon’s Prophet features an action-based combat system that gives players more realistic battle action gameplay. Set in a realm where dragons roam the land, sea and air, the game lets players align and battle with a variety of dragons as they work to restore order to the land from the evil Black Dragon that has escaped his eternal prison, unleashed his fire and is more dangerous than ever.

 

Features:

Dragons Everywhere: In a world shaped by dragon-kind, more than 300 unique dragons roam the lands. You can fight, capture, train and ride them in order to utilize and build upon their unique skills and abilities to aid your cause.

Action-Based Combat System: Dragon’s Prophet uses an auto-target and combo system to give players more realistic battle action gameplay. This system gives players a higher degree of control with a wider range of tactical options than traditional MMOs.

Beautiful Immersive World: Players are transported to a breathtaking world filled with amazingly detailed landscapes. Mysteries, challenges and creatures await as players fight for their survival and that of the world of Auratia.

Extensive Housing System: Let your imagination and expectations run wild. Players are given complete control to construct and grow their town into unique cities and ultimately an empire.

Frontier System: Guild leaders rejoice! With this large-scale construction system, players have the ability to build their ultimate kingdom.  By empowering your citizens and constructing a powerful military, true leaders will be able to create and sustain their very own empire!

Shotgun News 10/18: Firefall, Path of Exile, RiotZone, and much more

Shotgun News 10/18: Firefall, Path of Exile, RiotZone, and much more!

Firefall Fest Calls In Geek Celebrities


 
What do Nathan Fillion, Wil Wheaton, and Felicia Day have in common? Well, actually a lot. But, what they will all have in common next week is being the guest stars of Firefall Fest. The five day event will be broadcast live on Red 5’s official Twitch channel. The streams will run every day from 10 am to 1 pm and 3 pm to 6 pm, though the press release doesn’t say which timezone that is.

 

Path of Exile Open Beta Announced

Path of Exile will go into Open beta in December. At the same time Act 3 will begin. In it features like a PvP Arena, and 50% more content will be added to the game which is currently in closed beta. Anyone who donated to the Kickstarter already has access to the game and will continue to do so.

 

RiotZone Launches Latest Update


It’s always been said fire is a purifying force. And now the people at Mail.RU are putting that to practice in the latest update to come to RiotZone. Purification By Fire sees the end of the Ship Assault event mission. But in it’s place come flamethrowers, a new mission that gives you temporary VIP status and much more.

 

Born to Fire Enters Closed Beta

Aeria Games has announced that it’s new MMOFPS Born to Fire has gone into closed beta. Sign ups are available on the official website and it is completely free to play. Born to Fire is team based with five classes who each have unique weapons to pick from.

 

Legend of Edda Returns

 
GamesCampus is proud to announce the reintroduction of fantasy MMORPG Legend of Edda. It features a revamped skill system and a completely rebalanced economy. A closed beta event will be coming up and more information released in the mean time via the official Twitter and Facebook page.

 

Battlefield Heroes Review – The Browser Arsenal

Battlefield Heroes Review – The Browser Arsenal

By Remko Molenaar (Proxzor), OnRPG Journalist

 

 

Battlefield Heroes is a somewhat different game than what most would expect from the Battlefield Franchise. It might wear the name of the Battlefield franchise that most of you know about but this game is totally different. This cartoony styled MMOFPS targets a different audience instead of the hardcore realistic shooter they are known for. Though the most notably different part is this game is Free-to-Play!

 

 

The free-to-play model that Battlefield Heroes uses, or as they call it “Play 4 Free” model, makes this game available to the gamers that can’t afford upping their PC’s specs to handle their Buy to Play titles. Instead this title is funded through advertisements (on their site and in-game) as well as a microtransaction store. Just like in many other MMOs there is a cash shop where you will be able to buy your virtual character some nice clothes sets and other accessories that will make your character look good. These items can be bought with Play4Free funds. These ‘funds’ can be used for Battlefield Play4Free, Battlefield Heroes and Lord of Ultima, and thus makes it more convenient for players that play multiple of these titles.

 

 

Battlefield Heroes is a game that doesn’t ask too much out of your gaming system, except that you install a plugin for the browser that you are using. Yes that’s right; Battlefield Heroes is fully playable in your browser making it one of the first in the genre to be capable of no download play.  All you have to do is install the Battlefield Heroes plugin and you’re good to go!

 

 

When you start the game for the first time you will have to make an important choice for your first character. Will you fight for the Royal Army that is based on the English or the National Army that is based on the Germans? When you have made your decision you will also have to choose a class; the differences in classes are fairly simple. Most of them have a different main weapon resulting in different tactics and play-styles.

 

 

There are only three classes you can choose. The Commando specializes himself in fast attacks from a distance with a sniper rifle. The Soldier is able to heal others and uses machine guns, pistols and grenades. The Gunner uses almost the same weapons but has a rocket launcher added to its arsenal of weapons. These are all fairly basic classes but thankfully they implemented unique skill-sets to further differentiate each class.

 

 

Game Modes

It wouldn’t be a Battlefield game without tons of game modes to keep things interesting. Here’s what Battlefield Heroes offers:

 

Capture the Flag

This game mode doesn’t really need an introduction at all. In this era of FPS games Capture the Flag is the one Game Mode that always returns due to its constant popularity in every game that adopts it. Of course if you really need an explanation it’s all about capturing flags from the enemy’s base to accumulate points.

 

Team Deathmatch

Just like Capture the Flag, Team Deathmatch is something that cannot miss in a First Person Shooter game. Just like the name says, Team Deathmatch is the common teaming up mode to kill the other team with no particular reason at all, except for winning of course.

 

Hero of the Hill

In Hero of the Hill both teams have to fight for control of a rocket, having control of this rocket is really essential of winning this game because if you are not in control you are losing time. And if the timer reaches zero, well guess what, you are going to have a bad time and lose the game.

 

 

Graphics

Because Battlefield: Heroes can be played in your browser it doesn’t really ask anything out of your computer at all. In fact all you need to have is a special plugin for your browser, a computer hooked up with the internet and you’re set. Now you might think that because of this, the game might not look really appealing. Well you are absolutely wrong as this game looks absolutely amazing. Because this game is cartoony they’re able to add much more detail within their limitations. The following computer requirements are asked out of your system:

 

Operating System: Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7

CPU: Intel Pentium 4/AMD Athlon 1.0 GHz

RAM: 512 MB (1Gb recommended)

64MB DirectX videocard, Pixel shader 2.0 and higher. (AGP and PCIe only)

Soundcard: DirectX 9.0

Hard Drive space: 1Gb minimum

256kbit kabel/DSL connection

 

 

As you can see, even a computer made out of twigs and stones can easily run this game just fine as long as your Internet connection isn’t acting up.

 

Conclusion

Battlefield Heroes is a game that can proudly wear the Battlefield name. Even though it is completely different than any other game of its franchise, this game is absolutely fun to play. The game is a lot of fun as it perfectly captures the pick up and play mentality of old school FPS titles with just enough modes and classes to keep things mixed up. Unfortunately the game is not flawless as the limitations of a browser title are still apparent. If you are a big fan of the Battlefield franchise and don’t really mind the cartoony style, this can be a great time killer while waiting for something better to do. However dedicated gamers with decent PCs can find better titles in the genre.

Shotgun News 10/17: Archlord, PlanetSide 2, GW 2, and much more

Shotgun News 10/17: Archlord, PlanetSide 2, GW2, and much more

Archlord Celebrates Third Birthday

Webzen is celebrating the third birthday of it’s MMO Archlord. As a thank you to the fans limited edition royal cloaks are being given out. And their Halloween event will run through most of November. During which special pumpkin monsters will roam the world for players to kill for unique buffs and other benefits.

SOE Keynote Speech to Announce Planetside 2 Date

The keynote speech from the SOE conference this weekend will feature a peek at the third continent, long term plans and most importantly the release date for Planetside 2. This was announced on the Planetside 2 forums in a State of the Game.

STO Gateway Announced

Star Trek Online has announced a new tool to be used outside of the game to look up character status, ship status, accolades and more. The tool is for desktops, smartphones and tablets. And most awesomely it’s all in LCARS.

SOE President Addresses Fan Over ProSiebenSat.1 Concerns

John Smedley has gone to twitter to address fans over their concerns about ProSiebenSat.1. In it he stated he felt that the company would be able to provide better customer service and payment options for EU players. Also that ProSiebenSat.1 has been listening to concerns and are in the middle of changing their customer service policies. It was also stated that once Planetside 2 launches new EU accounts will only be allowed to be created on ProSiebenSat.1. It was also stated that anyone who has already transferred DCUO over cannot transfer back.

First SMITE Tournament Announced

The first ever SMITE tournament has been announced to take place at Paris Games Week. If you can’t make it to Paris the entire thing will be broadcast live on ESL TV.

Prizes for the event will add up to €10,000.

Guild Wars 2 Gems Now Available in a Store Near You

Starting this week at select retailers you will be able to purchase Guild Wars 2 Gem cards. They’ll be found most places that stock game cards. If your local retailer doesn’t have them you’re encouraged to enquire when they will.

Return to Darkfall Online Free

Starting today anyone who has ever played Darkfall can play again for free. This is only for a limited time though as the servers will be brought down to make room for Darkfall Unholy Wars. More information about the event can be found out on the official blog.

Ravaged: The Apocalypse is Here

Ravaged: The Apocalypse is Here

By Jordan Hall (ApocaRUFF), OnRPG Journalist

 

 

Ravaged is a Vehicular FPS brought to us by 2 Dawn Games, a mixture of AAA and Indie developers. The game boasts fast-paced combat, amazing maps, and constant mayhem. The developers warn players that teamwork and skill are essential to play this game and warn noobs to beware! They also say that 2 Dawn Games is community focused and depend on the ideas and feedback of the community to make the game the best that it can be.

 

 

The world of Ravaged is a massive “What-if” scenario of our own planet. Our world, as we know it, has ended and is now a place of war and destruction. Two factions, the “Resistance” and the “Scavengers” are in a constant battle to claim what is left of the world’s resources. The Resistance wants to use them to rebuild society, and the Scavengers just want to make it their own. What faction will you fight for?

 

 

Features:

Vehicular Combat. The game currently has 10 vehicles you can drive. Most vehicles have multiple seats, so you can have teammates gun for you or they can just hitch a ride to the next capture point.

Beautiful maps. Very detailed and beautiful maps to play on. Explore what remains of the world after the apocalypse.

Choose Your Side. Choose which of Ravaged factions you want to fight for, each with their own particular style.

All Online. The whole game is online only. Up to 64 players per server makes for epic online battles between players.

Squads. Squad up with your friends and clan-mates while in a match. You can spawn on your squad leader to quickly get back in the action.

 

 

The feature list in Ravaged, while not the biggest, is pretty nice. It has nearly everything you could want in a post-apocalyptic shooter with a focus on vehicle combat. The lack of customization features is a bit saddening, though.

 

 

Graphics:

Ravaged looks impressive. That is the simplest way to describe it. The maps are huge and vastly detailed. You will find landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty (decapitated, of course) in them, which makes this alien world feel almost familiar. The graphics-style itself is very nice. The best way I can describe it is realistic-but-slightly-cartoonish. Similar to the graphics in Borderlands, but very much its own style.

 

 

As I mentioned, the maps are great. While playing, you will often find yourself just admiring the landscape. And let me tell you, walking around on the Statue of Liberty’s stomach while sniping enemies was a superb experience. I was astonished with how well designed the maps were.

 

 

The weapons, vehicles and characters are all wonderful. Each character feels like it has a personality and story behind it. The weapons worked well with each character and never looked out of place. Vehicles were a blast to drive around in – and not just because they go fast, they looked brilliant too.

 

 

I could go on and on about how mind blown I was with the graphics in Ravaged. It was one of the things that made me enjoy the game the most. It felt so satisfying being able to spawn as a Sniper, find a nice cliff and then look half-way across the map with my scope and see an enemy, line up the shot, and then watch him explode into a gory mess. The graphics just fit the game so well.

 

 

Controls:

Ravaged does not introduce anything new or different in terms of controls. It is your usual FPS control scheme that anyone who has played an FPS on the PC is quite familiar with. There were some things missing that I would have enjoyed having, such as the ability to lean from side-to-side to make shooting around walls more fun.

 

 

All the controls were smooth as can be, for both infantry and vehicles. There was not a thing I did not use or that got in the way. While I wish for what is not there, I am glad for what is. Overall, I was happy with the controls in Ravaged.

 

 

Customization:

This is where Ravaged really does not shine. Which, depending on what you like, can be a good thing or a bad thing. For me, it was a bad thing. I enjoy customization in my games, even my FPS games. Even being able to randomly gain weapons to equip would be preferred. Or even hats!

 

 

In Ravaged, you get to choose between 5 classes, which are your typical FPS archetypes. There is the fast-moving recon, the machine-gun wielding heavy soldier, the soldier equipped with an assault rifle, a sniper and an anti-vehicle and explosions specialist.

 

 

In terms of customization, what we get with Ravaged is the ability to choose what weapons we spawn with. Right now, the selection of weapons available are around thirty in number. Some classes get little-to-no choice in their weapons. I am hoping that the developers add in more weapons with future updates so we can at least have more of a selection in that area. But even with that, I am disappointed in this area of the game.

 

 

 

Community:

The community of Ravaged was actually pleasant. Most FPS suffer from horrible communities that do not really serve any purpose other than hate mongering. During my time playing, all of the players I came across were good sports and I never saw one insult. Everyone saying, “gg” at the end of the round was not uncommon and no butts were hurt at all. I did not think that kind of community could exist within an FPS!

 

 

 

Sound:

The sounds in Ravaged were fantastic. They really added to the atmosphere of the game and made you feel like you were really in a big battle with explosions and gun shots all around. Vehicle sounds helped make you feel like you were going fast, even though you were sitting in a computer chair staring at a screen. And the voice overs sounded like they really belonged in the Apocalyptic world that Ravaged is set in.

 

 

The only problem I had with sound was that when other people that were near me got hit, it would often sound like it was coming from my own character and it could get confusing. Nothing game-breaking, but it gets annoying thinking you are being shot and moving to avoid fire, only to find out that you were not really being shot at, but you now are being filled with holes. After a while you get used to it and can easily tell when it is actually your character and not that of someone else, but it is still aggravating none-the-less.

 

 

Gameplay:

The combat in Ravaged is incredibly satisfying – the hours flew by while I was playing. The first-person combat was fun and felt epic. And if First-person is not your thing, that is no problem for Ravaged – you can quickly and easily switch between first and over-the-shoulder perspectives. Gameplay is very team and goal oriented, which is made fun and easy due to the combination of tactics and action available in the game.

 

 

The game is marketed as a “Vehicular FPS”, which it lives up to. There is a completely fluid transition from infantry to vehicle combat (and back again if things get to hot). Each of the two factions in the game feature their own exclusive style of vehicles to choose from, so you won’t get bored with your options. The vehicles are a joy to drive and you won’t tire of the fast-paced combat they offer.

 

 

Skill – if you do not have it, you may have a problem with Ravaged. Just as it is advertised on the games website, the weapons require skill. There is bullet drop and velocity, so you have to time and compensate your shots if you want to hit a far-away target, just like in real life. You won’t find any aim-assist or hand-holding when trying to fire the unique weapons that Ravaged offers.

 

 

Ravaged is all about the action, and it does not disappoint. There are a few handy features to help make sure things keep going at a fast pace. Such as the ability to spawn on friendly vehicles. Or the fast vehicle re-spawn rates. The maps are designed to help promote action as well. The infantry-centric maps are big, but not so big that you feel like running around everywhere is a chore. And the vehicle-centric maps are sized to give you more than enough room so you never feel claustrophobic, but you never have trouble finding a fight.

 

 

Right now, Ravaged offers two game modes:

 

Thrust – A capture-the-point type game mode focused on infantry combat.

Resource Control – Ravaged gave its own spin on capture-the-flag, mixed with capture-the-point elements. This game mode is focused more on vehicular combat.

 

 

I played and enjoyed both. They were basically game modes that we are all familiar with from past FPS games, but with a skin that made them fit within the game’s theme. I am hoping that more game modes will be brought in with future updates, otherwise I fear that things will get repetitive.

 

 

In the area of gameplay, I only have one complaint. That complaint is the lack of spawn area protection. Because of this, spawn camping of the enemy’s main spawn is not uncommon and this can lead to frustration if you are on the receiving end.

 

 

Final Verdict:

With its neat character designs, vehicle-focus and fast-paced combat, I have no doubt that Ravaged will deliver the experience it advertises. I was very excited when I was given the chance to review Ravaged, but I had not actually heard much about it before I started reviewing it. I came in to the game optimistic and left bristling with excitement.

 

 

If you cannot tell by now, I really liked Ravaged. My only real complaint was the customization, but even without that you are able to get in to and enjoy the game without a problem. Like all FPS games, people will get bored of it eventually, but I feel that the game offers a lot and it will keep you occupied for a while, especially with the Dev promised DLC and updates. This is a perfect example of what an FPS should offer in terms of combat and maps and I am glad I got to review the game. I feel that Ravaged won’t disappoint, as it certainly has not disappointed me.

 

 

Graphics: 5/5

Controls: 4/5

Customization: 2/5

Community: 4/5

Features: 3/5

 

Overall: 4/5

OnRPG Shotgun News 10/16: Allods, Age of Wushu, and Project Eternity on today’s MMO news

OnRPG Shotgun News: 10/16: Allods, Age of Wushu, and Project Eternity in today’s MMO News

Allods Update Blows in on the Autumn Wind

Allods Online has announced it’s latest update for North America and Europe. It is called Autumn Wind and is scheduled for release just before Halloween on the 30th. There will be some big UI changes, a revamp for the Xadaganian female character model and much more.

 

Age of Wushu Presale Extended

After receiving enthusiastic responses at GDC Online and NYCC Snail Games has decided to extend the Presale of the Elite Edition of Age of Wushu. The sale will now continue until mid November, just before the start of the first closed beta.

Project Eternity Kickstart Breaks Record

Obsidian Entertainment’s Project Eternity has broken Kickstarter records to become the most funded game as they hit $3.4 Million with time to spare.

 

Character Development: The Importance of Walk

Character Development: The Importance of Walk

By Shannon Doyle (Leliah), OnRPG Journalist

 

 

The first time I encountered the ability to walk in an MMO was City of Heroes in 2009. By then I had already been playing City of Heroes for 3 years and I thought it was a very neat little addition, but not vital. Now here we are in 2012 and I can’t imagine an MMO without it. More importantly, I can’t imagine role playing without it. So imagine the surprise I had when I logged into my High Elf in Tera to find that there was no walk. The importance of walk varies from game to game though. In some games I almost never use walk. In others I almost exclusively walk.

 

 

Not having it in Tera got me thinking about walk. The basic questions any five year old loves to ask.

 

 

Who?

Roleplayers. Simply put roleplayers are the one people who will get anything from walk. Sure, some nonrpers can also use it. But that would mostly be to enjoy the eye candy. Who puts it in their game? These days the answer is everyone. City of Heroes added it several years after its release. The Secret World and Guild Wars 2 both started out with it. Yet Tera doesn’t have it. Tera does have a dedicated rp server though. I wonder if maybe it is because it’s an Asian MMO? I don’t really have a lot of experience with Asian games so I couldn’t really say.

 

 

What?

Walk is…well its walking. Most MMOs have you running all the time. Sure, you can run faster with various speed boosts but walking is something of a novelty. A little treat for roleplayers. It makes movement inside buildings much easier to control and gives a realism that was lacking in the MMO world for a long time.

 

 

When?

I’m not entirely sure when walk finally started appearing in MMOs. I know it has been asked for since the beginning of time. And in every MMO that doesn’t have it already there is always a thread or two about how they really need to make it possible. When is it appropriate to use? Well that depends. In some games, toggling walk shuts down all your other abilities, leaving you unable to use them. So, in that case using them in the open world isn’t advised. But in most games that isn’t the case. In The Secret World my small party walks everywhere. We don’t shut it off unless we’re crossing zones or are out of character. It gives a great sense of actually being there when four of you are walking down an abandoned street rifles, claws, and other weapons drawn waiting for the zombies that are always coming. Before Rift slowed walking down to be painfully slow my husband and I had started a duo who were going to walk everywhere. In GW2 though I almost never have walk on unless I’m actively roleplaying in a city or building. I tried to do a character who walked everywhere but quickly got bored.

 

 

Where?

Where you use it is really entirely up to the individual. Generally speaking though using it in an even level or higher zone is a bad idea. After all it is difficult to make a quick get away if you’re stuck walking. At the same time though that can make for a great laugh. PvP is also a bad time to do it. The best times to do it are in combat free zones, Major cities in Guild Wars 2 or Pocket D in City of Heroes. Indoors where rp events regularly take place is also a good spot. The reasons for which lead me to….

 

 

Why?

Why walk? It is a pretty good way to identify that you’re a roleplayer. I’ve had tons of people walk up to me and start randomly roleplaying with me just because I was walking. Why else? The realism. It makes for more realistic roleplay being able to walk. After all do you know anyone who runs everywhere? I don’t. Then again I don’t know any giant barbarian cat people either, so maybe I’m just missing something in life.

 

 

Any MMO that has a dedicated RP server should almost be duty bound to offer the ability to walk. More importantly though I think if a game wants to attract any rpers at all it needs to have walk. But I want to hear your thoughts on the matter! Should MMOs offer walk? Do you like to use it? Do you find it annoying? Head on over to the forums to the Only @ OnRPG section and let us know.

Ravaged Online

The world of Ravaged is a massive “What-if” scenario of our own planet. Our world, as we know it, has ended and is now a place of war and destruction. Two factions, the “Resistance” and the “Scavengers” are in a constant battle to claim what is left of the world’s resources. The Resistance wants to use them to rebuild society, and the Scavengers just want to make it their own. What faction will you fight for?

 

 

Features:

Vehicular Combat: The game currently has 10 vehicles you can drive. Most vehicles have multiple seats, so you can have teammates gun for you or they can just hitch a ride to the next capture point.

 


Beautiful maps:
Very detailed and beautiful maps to play on. Explore what remains of the world after the apocalypse.

 

Choose Your Side: Choose which of Ravaged factions you want to fight for, each with their own particular style.

 

All Online: The whole game is online only. Up to 64 players per server makes for epic online battles between players.

 

Squads: Squad up with your friends and clan-mates while in a match. You can spawn on your squad leader to quickly get back in the action.

OnRPG/MMOHuts @ NYCC – Day 3

OnRPG/MMOHuts @ NYCC – Day 3

Event covered by Michael Sagoe (mikedot) and Isaac Sagoe (Afromania)

 

 

Third day of NYCC was here, and it was going to be a busy day. My brother and I got up as early as possible so we could prep up for our interview with the creative director behind HAWKEN. Even though we showed up early, we were able to get our interview in almost as soon as we showed up. During the interview, I threw in some questions that some members of the OnRPG forums wanted to know, such as bigger map sizes, clan features and immersive features like fully viewable cockpits. Overall, the creative director was very excited to talk about HAWKEN and the recording for the interview turned out well, so expect the full interview soon.

 

 

Next up: The Dungeons & Dragons: Neverwinter panel, which showcased a very impressive amount of new content that will be available for the expansion, including the new Foundry system that allows players to create their own scenarios and quests for other players to complete, just like Game Masters would do while playing the original Table-Top Dungeons & Dragons games. They also went into fine detail regarding the massive amount of lore that was pulled straight from classic D&D material to be used in the upcoming expansion, had a small Q&A session and even gave away some prizes just for showing up.

 

 

I and my brother were the only ones capturing footage of the event, so you can expect some exclusive footage of the whole panel next week.

 

*No (good) pictures of the panel to show here. Sorry!*

 

That was all the major events that I had on my schedule for the day, so I went off to do some more exploring.

 

 

There was one booth in particular that I kept passing up, the Craftsmen booth, thinking it was only about promoting some new power tools, but then I took a closer look and found THIS:

 

(Yes, this is real.)

 

Well… Say hello to the newest member of the Justice League! I skimmed through a few pages of the issue, and from what I’ve seen “The Craftsmen” is quite literally a “superhero” that can build and fix things. Yeah, that’s about it. Really seems like the weirdest product promotion ever. The actually Craftsmen PRODUCT that they’re promoting in the comic seems pretty cool, though.

 

 

The day eased up a bit after that as I looked around cosplayers to take shots of.

 

Jack from Mad World/Anarchy Reigns!

 

Scorpion from Mortal Kombat!

 

PSY! (I only saw two people dressed up as this guy. I honestly thought there would have been more.)

 

 

There wasn’t much else that I was looking forward for the rest of NYCC…

…except for ONE panel, which was probably the most ridiculous event panel in NYCC history:

 

 

Yep. It sounded like the most hilariously stupid thing ever, and I wanted in on it. I and several friends lined up along with a whole mess of overly-excited participants. When we got in, we found that there was a bunch of goodies waiting for us on each of the seats: Two bingo sheets, a plastic gun, a plastic spatula… and a condom.

 

Best combination of freebies EVER

 

The announcers said that the freebies would be used during different parts of the sing-a-long for participants to get a more INTERACTIVE experience. Before the main sing-a-long even started, they played a whole bunch of classic R.Kelly songs, and people were welcome to walk up to the front of the panel just to get up and dance… And boy, people sure were getting into it. I’m actually quite surprised that security officers didn’t try and stop anyone from standing on the tables and dancing with their shirts off!

 

 

The whole event was just an incredible laugh riot. I did manage to record SOME of the sing-a-long, but you just had to be there to truly experience it.

 

 

That’s all for Day 3. Stay tuned for our last day of coverage, featuring a look at the Marvel Heroes booth.