Monthly Archives: March 2013

WoW Wednesday – The Thunder King

WoW Wednesday – The Thunder King

By Meredith Watson, OnRPG’s Azeroth Reporter

 

 

Quite a while ago I made a little video and wrote a little something about 5.2, The Thunder King, when it was new on the PTR. Well, here we are. Launch day in the EU. Yesterday, saw 5.2 drop in the US and judging from Twitter and the official forum it seems to have gone fairly smoothly. The only good thing about getting patches a day after US is that we here in Europe get the patch without the hiccups.

 

 

For those of you living under a rock, 5.2 adds a new raid – Throne of Thunder, PvP changes, classes changes, dinosaurs and a multitude of other additions and changes.

 

 

There is also a new daily quest hub – Isle of Thunder. The other day, a guild member had stated they found some of the dailies rather hard. I replied that I rarely ever did dailies to which she replied “but you have to do dailies” as if it were written in stone somewhere.

 

 

So what does it all mean? Well, I guess that depends on how you play the game.  Since I don’t know how each and every one of you play the game I can only tell you what this new content means for me. I think that is fair.

 

 

I play several classes and I was pleased to see that Blizzard didn’t do a lot of tinkering with my favourite class – the hunter.  I play Marksman because I always have and I like it. I am very happy that the casting time of aimed shot has been reduced. Supposedly this was done to increase our damage output to keep on par with Beastmaster and Survival. Remember when marks were the dps spec? Silencing shot got a longer cooldown. While I do use this in PvE, it doesn’t matter that much to me but I suspect in PvP it would make more of a difference.

 

 

Some mages, it seems, have also gotten a bit of love this patch. I know of several people who play mages that feel the class has been “broken” for a while now. Frostbolt cast by Mirror Images now does 50% more damage and greater invisibility has had the cooldown reduced along with some other changes. Arcane mages got hit hard though with almost all of their most used spells having damage reduced. Whether this will be game changing remains to be seen. No doubt the number crunchers will have their verdicts out soon. Luckily, my affliction warlock won’t see many class changes. Other classes aren’t so lucky. Some priest healing spells have been reduced. Weren’t priests meant to be the healing class? At least they were in vanilla. Somewhere it all went horribly wrong. Warriors have been nerfed a bit while shaman, Blizzard’s pet class, have yet again been slightly buffed.

 

 

It is a good time to be a warlock actually. Warlocks now get a nifty new quest line culminating in their own scenario. This solo adventure is to change the colour of warlock fire spells from the normal fire colour to fel green. Now, I wonder, does this apply to the dreadsteed as well?

 

 

There are a couple changes that have me especially happy. The first is the changes to transmogrification. Two-handed axes, maces and swords can now be used together as can one handed axes, maces and swords and staves and polearms. This is really great for a unique look. The second change that affects me directly is the change to low level battlegrounds. All combatants will now have their effective level raised to the cap of the bracket for that battleground.  The official notes state, “Player’s base stats and spells are scaled accordingly, and are treated as the same level when determining hits, misses, and critical effect chance.”

 

 

If you are fan of the pet battle system in World of Warcraft you will be pleased about all the changes and additions in 5.2. There are several buffs to different pets and a couple nerfs but nothing too major. However, the most exciting bit is the addition of the new elite battle pets. The Beast of Fable taming quest will become available after defeating Aki the Chosen. The new elite battle pets can be identified by their gold paw whereas normal pets have green paws. Once The Beast of Fable is completed the rewards can be a variety of panda pets.

 

 

Except for those that had their classes nerfed, this should be a well-received patch. Those that got nerfed will be whining on the forums if you wish to express your sympathy. No matter how you play the game, whether you are a raider, PvPer, pet battler or spend your time levelling alts or professions, The Thunder King offers a bit of pixelated goodness for everyone. By the way, you don’t have to do dailies. I’ve checked. It isn’t written in stone anywhere.

SMITE Announces $10k 5v5 Tournament at PAX East

SMITE Announces $10k 5v5 Tournament at PAX East

 

 

Hi-Rez Studios today announced a $10,000 5v5 Invitational Tournament for SMITE to be played the weekend of PAX East between March 22-24. With seven teams already invited, the eighth team spot will be determined by a Wildcard qualifier event two weeks prior on Sunday March 10th. The Invitational tournament itself will be shoutcasted from the PAX show floor and broadcast via Twitch.TV.

 

SMITE will also be available for walk-up play on the PAX East show floor within the Twitch.TV booth.  Hi-Rez team members will be in attendance and, in combination with Twitch.TV and Alienware, will host SMITE events throughout the show including giveaways of the new SMITE 2013 Convention Skin, new Alienware skin for Ra, interaction with well-known SMITE streamers and pro players, and competitions to win T-shirts, SMITE Gems, and other prizes.

 

“PAX is always a great time because we get to meet and talk directly with the fans of our games,” says Todd Harris, Hi-Rez Studios Chief Operating Officer. “We’ve been attending PAX events consistently since 2009 and this year we’re excited to return and show off SMITE competitive play.”

 

The seven teams already selected to participate in the PAX East Tournament include:  ROOT Gaming, My Revenge EU, Curse.NA, Borderland Gaming NA, Reason Gaming, MyoElectric, and Vivacity E-Sports.

 

Further details about the PAX East Tournament, the Wildcard Qualifier, and team sign-up toward the Wilcard Qualifier can be found here.

Gplayon Announces Open Beta Dates for Waren Story

Gplayon Announces Open Beta Dates for Waren Story

 

 

Gplayon has announced open beta for their fantasy MMORPG, Waren Story, will begin March 7. Players will be tasked with exploring the dark continent of Waren as evil of all shape and variety threaten to consume it.

 

 

Waren Story features spectacular graphics and animation, four distinct classes and more than 10 captivating PvP modes to foster competition between players and guilds. The game also offers several methods of guild vs guild conflict for those seeking large scale rivalries.

 

 

 

Gplayon has prepared plenty of open beta tests as well. Players will be rewarded for just logging in during the OBT phase, participating in the war system, and reaching certain levels. Also, an event to bring likes to their Facebook page will earn players various rewards if their goals are reached.

 

 

Players can check out more information and participate in the upcoming Open beta test by visiting Waren.gplayon.com and keep up with the event schedule on Facebook.

OnRPG Shotgun News 3/6: Petroglyph, Wargaming, Defiance, and Much More!

OnRPG Shotgun News 3/6: Petroglyph, Wargaming, Defiance, and Much More!

By Shannon Doyle (Leliah), OnRPG Elder Scribe

 

 

Guild Wars 2 Sale of the Day 3/6: Mystic Forge Stone

 

 

Petroglyph Kickstarts Towards Victory

A new World War II team based action strategy game has appeared on Kickstarter from Petroglyph Games. In just one day they have raised $14,000 out of the $700,000 they hope to raise. It has been less than six months since it was announced that their MMO End of Nations, produced by Trion Worlds was being put on hold.

 

 

Defiance DLC Details

Players can prepurchase Season Passes for Defiance and get a 20% saving. It includes a new alien species, new weapons and vehicles, tons of new content, a Lock Box, and a Hellbug cap. Once purchased the content pack will be automatically available as they go live.

 

 

Wargaming Road Tour

Wargaming has packed up the Hummer and gone on a road trip around the US. The first stop was at a player gathering last month in San Francisco and will next bee seen in Texas at the World of Tank tournament in Austin, Texas at SXSW.

 

 

SWTOR Gets Rid of Email Login

Starting April 2nd SWTOR players will only be able to log in using their display name. This has been added to provide a little more security against threats of all sorts, including account takeovers. So if you aren’t sure what your display name is log in before April 2nd to find out.

SmashMuck Champions Headed for Steam Beta at PAX East

SmashMuck Champions Headed for Steam Beta at PAX East

 

SmashMuck Champions

 

Ready to GET SMASHED? Indie developer Kiz Studios announces today that its madcap multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA), SmashMuck Champions, will be entering a Steam closed beta on March 22, 2013, kicking off the studio’s participation at PAX East. Throughout the show, PAX attendees can stop by Kiz’s booth (#508) or Freeplay Sessions in the PCLAN area to get hands-on with the special SmashMuck PAX East demo, meet with the game’s creators and receive beta keys and free swag.

 

 

To learn all about what Kiz is up to at PAX, which includes the “No, The Monkey Should Have a Chainsaw:  East Coast Version” panel, check out the studio’s PAX East video.

 

 

 

 

SmashMuck Champions combines action, skill and strategy with fast battles and intense action in bone-crushing combat.  During the show, attendees can challenge each other for PAX dominance over five different arenas and game modes, as well as test out the brand new crafting system. Using the crafting system, players can build new weapons and character skins for fan favorites like Brutus and his massive sword, Zert and his dual arm cannons and the champ created by fans at PAX Prime: Dr. Jennifer, the transforming robot shark with…lasers!

 

 

Finally, attendees have a chance to be a part of indie game design during the “No, The Monkey Should Have a Chainsaw:  East Coast Version” panel.  That’s right, Friday, March 22nd at 8:30pm, the team will be giving gamers the chance to design the next official SmashMuck champ during a live session in the Arachnid Theatre.  Remember, it’s not a good con until somebody GETS SMASHED!

Guild Wars 2 Reveals Part 3 of Flame and Frost Living Story

Guild Wars 2 Reveals Part 3 of Flame and Frost Living Story

 

 

ArenaNet has released the overview of the third installment of the four part Flame and Frost living story for Guild Wars 2! While rumblings and rumors of a dark future have been hinted at, it looks like the real fires are finally lighting up! The Molten Alliance of the dredge and Charr Flame Legion have united and won’t rest until every settlement is burned from the land. See the full details at their site on the reveal page!

Early Access: Scarlet Blade Pt 3 – Overall Impressions

Early Access: Scarlet Blade Pt 3 – Overall Impressions

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

 

 

So I’ve talked classes and touched on PvP battles and went over customization and gear, but the big question stands: What are my impressions on the actual game? Let’s break it down.

 

 

 

Graphics

The graphics in Scarlet Blade are something I’ve probably put the most thought into prior to this write-up. It’s honestly a bit of a love-hate relationship. Do I love them? No I think they feel dated and the girls are a bit too doll-like as a result. Do I hate them? Can’t say that either as the environments are masterfully crafted and despite the slightly dated graphics, they did a fantastic job of creating an art style that distinguishes Scarlet Blade from just about any other MMORPG that comes to mind. They do a perfect job creating that feel that you’re on Earth, but it’s not our Earth anymore. Everything feels alien and you never know what might come at you next. The mob design seemed pretty creative and sometimes just plain odd but it was a good change of pace from trolls and goblins.

 

 

 

The characters’ costumes and overall body type also function not only as an awesome marketing tool to get you into the game, but also as perfectly distinguishable skeletons that let you identify what class your opponent is in roughly a second. The class skills are also plenty flashy but you won’t see too many repeated animations as each class has a fighting style all their own. A veteran player will see the way a Defender is swinging their sword and say ‘oh hey that’s a long range stun, I better do what I can to prepare for it and counter’ and in the end little touches that improve gameplay is what I feel matters the most when it comes to graphics. Well that and avoiding jerky movement and clipping, which I saw very little of amidst the chaos of the battlefield. Hopefully that remains the same on the live servers where ping is involved so people can experience the same fun I had at the event.

 

 

Scarlet Blade also presents an aesthetically pleasing UI. Fonts are clear and easy to read. Quests menus are organized and offer quick minimize features to help with sorting and quick navigation. The skills are laid out in compact rows of just the right size, though I was a little confused that the top skill bar didn’t have hotkeys so the devs need to get on that asap as the PvP in this game is far too fast to be relying on push to click controls. The mini-map can be increased and decreased in size as well as have its opacity adjusted. It’s easy to create and invite people to parties and I had no problem setting party rules on the fly. And the target HP bars were just the right size and I liked the addition of being able to see who your selected target was targeting, both from a PvE and PvP standpoint. Overall the UI doesn’t offer anything new but presents the level of UI that the industry should expect in this era.

 

Pedobear has met his match

 

And finally it would be a poor job on my part to talk about the graphics without bringing up the exosuits and mechs. I absolutely love the stylized mechs that Scarlet Blade brings to the table. For those not in the know, your character has a CP meter that allows you to summon exosuits (powerful PvP only suits you may have noticed in vids such as the new PvP trailer’s opening image) that boost your stats to allow you to engage against the intense damage opponents throw your way, as well as the mechs that basically act the same but with boosted HP, a massive hit-box, and new skills to engage your foes with to change the tides of battle. And call me a SciFi nerd if you must, be these mechs are sexy. They managed to make something both hot (by still showcasing your Arkana’s curves in most mech designs) while also having all the size, weight, weaponry, and firepower that a novice player will think twice before engaging you once you transform into one. And just like the class skeletons, each mech is easily distinguishable from each other so you will still know exactly what you’re up against when facing off in PvP.

 

Sorry if anyone is still reeling from Rosario + Vampire’s Season 2 editing. No actual bats will cover nipples in the Scarlet Blade!

 

 

Gameplay and Questing

While the majority of the time I spent on the title was in the PvP battlegrounds, I did check out the introduction to the game and can’t stress enough how well done the localization is on this game. No I don’t just mean they have good translators. I mean its clear that the localization team had a blast working with such a unique title and the mature rating let them really cut lose and throw some great comedy into the game’s dialogue. The addition of the Commander/Arkana relationship also adds a bit of flavor to the mix as your own character will comment on the situations you get into, keeping things entertaining the whole way through.

 

I was particularly fond of the tutorial girl telling me I’d get in trouble if I skipped her tutorial. And surprisingly her wearing a shirt 5 sizes too small helped me pay attention.

 

 

Unfortunately I can’t say if the questing system will be generic or not as I haven’t played enough of the game yet to know, but I will say that the dynamic way quests get delivered through dialogue keeps it more fun than the norm. The towns that do exist are pretty spectacular looking and the first one does an especially great job of showcasing some of the more advanced motorbikes and mechs to give new players that feeling of ‘oh wow I can become that one day?!’ (starry anime eyes included)

 

Remember if your Arkana isn’t intimately stroking your weapon, you’re doing it wrong.

 

 

Skill rotations seem well planned out and responsive. Having played my fair share of F2P MMORPGs from the east, having unresponsive skills or boring slow cast times is a bit of a pet peeve of mine. Thankfully every skill combo I tried seemed responsive with a fair mix of untargeted AoE skills and a fast smart tab targeting system that never gave me much trouble finding the target I needed on the fly. Hopping on my mount or jumping into my mech suit is just as fast-paced and the fact that you can save a separate skill bar of hotkeys for when you are in your mech suit is a nice touch. And while that might seem like a no-brainer feature to include, there’s quite a few developers I’ve had to deal with in recent months that just don’t get it yet.

 

 

And last but (to some people) not least is you can acquire nifty pets to accompany you in your journeys. Sure they don’t fight your battles for you as in some unbalanced MMORPGs out there, but they do offer witty commentary and can do nifty things like pick up your loot for you. And who doesn’t want a hentai-bot of their own to keep you company on the occasional lonely solo grind nights? Of course if the PvE gameplay ever starts to get dull, Scarlet Blade has you covered with a few PvP options.

 

Back in my day MMORPG avatars were seen and not heard

 [page]

 

 

PvP Benefits and Faction Rivalry

The primary form of PvP functions through a queue system similar to titles like Warhammer and The Secret World so you don’t have to go too far out of your way to get into the action. What’s more, you can even earn gold, experience, and other rewards from fighting in PvP so you power levelers don’t have to curve your playstyle just to be the most efficient out there. You can even earn rank points and dog tags dropped from defeated players that can be turned in to unlock must have end-game goods like skills, better exosuits, and other goodies I’m too novice to understand. Also there is the ever important bragging rights and faction pride. The end of each match shows your kills, deaths, and assists in battle and you are rewarded contribution points based on your performance.

 

Reporting the other press members for getting owned by Aeria’s GMs. Reporting Aeria’s GMs for God-Mode hacking!

 

But what if you’re an open world pk enthusiast like myself and want to specifically go out of your way to force the opposite faction to pay attention to you? There are some open world PvP maps (I believe most are end-game but I it needs to be confirmed). These maps are huge and designed to have perfect balance between the two factions, meaning expect symmetrical layouts for the most part. These maps also tend to house the most powerful fighters of the Narek invasion and drop some of the best gear and crafting materials you’re going to find from killing monsters so don’t think this zone is purely for pkers. In the end you’re going to need to overlook faction rivalries and learn to work together if you want to make sure the best mats are backing your side in the never-ending feud between Royal Guards and Free Knights. Oh there’s one other little piece of the PvP puzzle that sets this game above most faction-based PvP titles in my book.

 

 

Clubbing!

Don’t look at me like I’m crazy. Clubbing is so key to the rivalry between the two factions! The club not only offers a stylish location for you to strip your Arkana down into her sexiest lingerie and shake your ass with unique club only emotes (whether cash shopped or learned through difficult in-game content), but it’s also the only neutral zone in the server where you can actually talk directly to members of the opposing faction. And that in my opinion, is a vital component to the success of any faction PvP title. Your enemies need to know your personality and vice-versa. Stories must be shared. Rivalries must be made. And break dancing battles must be fought (ok I might be dreaming a little too big now. A guy can hope!).

 

 

The club actually acts as a type of hub town as well since all the major crafters are here (but in appropriate dress-code approved attire) to make sure that your time at the club isn’t wasted. You can even buy your way into the VIP room where additional crafters stand along with strip-club quality dancers on a central stage and even a mixologist offering unique powerful potions that are only obtainable in the VIP room. Each faction has their own VIP room as well so it offers a charming little location for political plotting while giving your pets an experience boost. Though be ready as anyone that’s been to Vegas will tell you, VIP rooms don’t come cheap.

 

 

The Economy

One final note on this game before I wrap things up is my appreciation for how seriously the developers are about creating a balanced economy that doesn’t result in too much inflation. Gold Sinks are to be found everywhere in this game and players will have to choose their purchases wisely. Need a skill? Want that bike?

 

 

Going to cost you. The club doesn’t run on charity my friends. Oh and don’t forget about the crafting materials you’ll likely be purchasing from the auction house. I guarantee there will be an auction house tax. Guild formation? Yup that’s gold. Earned enough dog tags and faction rank from pvping? Don’t expect to make your sweet purchase without including a little bit of gold as well. And of course my personal favorite:

 

 

You still have too much gold on your hands? Pay to unlock sexy wallpapers of the Scarlet Blade girls block by block. You know you want to see the whole thing!

 

 

 

Closing Thoughts

I haven’t been impressed with very many titles being released in the last few months. Many press events lately have me watching the clock like a kid waiting to get out at the end of a boring session of school. Scarlet Blade on the other hand left me wanting more, with plenty of questions that still bother me as I sit reminiscing about my time playing a week later. I learned almost nothing about their guild system other than that it exists. Their crafting system seemed to have a bit more depth to it than the average game but alas I didn’t get to fiddle with it much either. And the PvP was addicting and made me mad that I didn’t get to test out the various styles of exosuits to test out how CP balancing impacts PvP tactics. I went into this press event thinking it was nothing more than a mediocre title riding on its skimpy ladies to carry an audience and ended up surprised that I was playing a rather bug-free, witty, and fun title.

 

 

Hopefully I’ve answered most of your questions regarding what it’s like to play Scarlet Blade but if not feel free to shoot them over in our Disqus comment section below or on our dedicated forums. JamesBl0nde will be hopping onto the beta servers shortly and can get the rest of your questions answered in his upcoming First Look video on MMOHuts!

The Battle Arrays in Age of Wushu

The Battle Arrays in Age of Wushu

 

 

Battles are seldom won by an individual, strategy and formations executed by a group of skilled fighters are the key to winning. In Age of Wushu large battles or team oriented fights yield great reward. These rewards are financial, physical, and historical. A victory with a team fight usual means you have conquered an instance, prevented theft within your school, or even overtaken another guild’s territory for your own. Mastering Arrays for these fights not only strengthens yourself, but an entire party.

 

 

Arrays vary in both sizes and buffs. They improve “strength” in combat. Whether that is literally brawn or rather some other attribute, depends on the Array. Some arrays can be accomplished by a mere three players, while others require over ten to perform. The more players that are needed, the bigger the buff. There are several arrays to learn and acquire, whether through instances or Random Encounters. There are currently six external Arrays, (within schools there are also Arrays).  You will learn the Three Talents Array while training in the starting village. It is a simple array that requires only three participants. This is an excellent starting array due to the number of members required and its availability. The effects of the Three Talents showcase the variety in Arrays as well. While it doesn’t directly adjust Strength, it does increase attack damage and reduce taken damage on members that have performed the Arrray.

 

 

The two instances player’s enter the most, Twilight Village and Green Cloud Castle, are the best examples to see how an Array can help a team.  Choosing who leads, and what skills are used in the Array, adds to the excitement of being a master tactician. For example, using the Return to Origins Array lets players use two very different skills, Charge and Penetrate and Return Tiger to the Mountain. Charge and Penetrate, exponentially increases aggro on a player allowing them to distract enemies or one very powerful boss. Return Tiger to the Mountain deals extra damage while also reducing the target’s defenses. The latter can be taken by weaker range players while stronger players can use the extra aggro to focus enemy attacks.

 


 

The Weiqi Player Profession is very important to Arrays. Like the other Culture Professions (Painter, Musician, Calligrapher) the Weiqi Player enhances a particular aspect of combat or life.  Weiqi is very similar to Chess and utilizes similar strategies. Players use the skills of a game board and direct them to the board of battle. If a Weiqi Player activates an Array it will add a bonus dependent on the level of the Weiqi Player’s skill and their manual level.  Using the right Array and the right partners in an Array can create a great advantage over opponents.