Yearly Archives: 2013

DDO Update 20 Preview

By W.B. Wemyss (Tagspeech)

DDO Update 20 Preview

Dungeons and Dragons Online (DDO) is a PVE-centric MMORPG based in both the Eberron and Forgotten Realms D&D settings.  An aged title, it has stuck around through the ebbs and flows of the genre, and was one of the first games to successfully transition into a profitable free-to-play model.  Lauded by its fans for having one of the most in-depth and complex character customization systems in the MMO-verse, DDO fills a niche that power-gamers and roleplay enthusiasts both happily fill.

 

Turbine’s latest press feed, which detailed their upcoming Update 20 to DDO, was once again a glimpse into the world of PVE content mastery.  DDO is different from many MMORPGs in that it focuses almost exclusively on highly immersive, thematic ‘dungeons’ that involve much more than slaying monsters and collecting loot.  The game is intended to simulate the classic tabletop experience fans of the D&D franchise are used to, and dungeons include traps, puzzles, climbing and jumping obstacles, and more.  Boss fights are rarely as simple as they seem, and destructible environments make frequent appearances.

DDO Sable Boss Update 20

The developers for DDO have focused on this winning, unique model of gameplay entirely, and nearly every update since the game’s release has expanded somehow on the core gameplay experience; crawling through complex dungeons.  To that end, they introduced a reincarnation system that allowed players to reroll and re-level their characters, while gaining permanent benefits to stats and abilities each time.  This system is dizzyingly complicated, and even my diligent note-taking did little to assist me in following what was one of the most vast and complex end-game progression systems I’ve ever even heard of.

 

Update 20 is no different from previous updates in this sense; the reincarnation system has been enhanced significantly, with new types of characters (such as the high-level iconic heroes) being able to reincarnate, and now epic, level 28 characters being able to reincarnate back to level twenty for permanent feat benefits.  It should be noted that DDO follows the traditional Dungeons and Dragons progression system, with the levels being far less frequent, and generally more meaningful.

DDO Sable Dungeon Update 20

Update 20 also introduces two new dungeons.  There’s a Forgotten Realms epic dungeon (for level twenty-six characters) called ‘Study in Sable.’  It’s a murder mystery-esque foray into a mansion under the sway of an elder vampire’s psychic oppression; players have to harken back to ye olden days of adventure games and attempt to shake the mansion’s inhabitants from the vampire’s mental influence (or just identify if they’re mentally enslaved in the first place).  If the player fails to identify and save a thrall, then they’re forced to fight them in the final confrontation with the vampire in his crypt.  There’s a clever way to defeat him, which involves breaking something big in the environment, but I’d rather not spoil the fight.

DDO Brothers Dungeon

Next, there’s ‘Brothers of the Forge’ in Eberron, wherein players assist an iconic Warforged character in delving into a derelict factory/training facility to unearth the mysteries of his own creation.  Players will find scorpions hiding in loot boxes(?) and fight things like mechanical hounds and iron golems.  This puzzle and combat-centric dungeon is for level twenty-eight characters only, and further explores the grim history of war-torn Eberron; fans of the canon will be pleased.  Both of these dungeons will be accessible without charge to VIP players, and purchasable in the premium store for everyone else.

 

There are also improvements being made to the Hall of Heroes, which is an area in which players can now transition between Eberron and Forgotten Realms, the two primary settings of the D&D franchise.  In this area, players can also access the reincarnation chamber, where they exchange ‘karma’ and ‘heart of wood’ items for reincarnation options to further enhance and reroll their characters.  Apparently there was some kind of playerbase protest centered around changes in the acquisition of ‘heart of wood’ items by players, but based on the feedback from their base, the devs merely expanded the options for players to acquire these important end-game items.

DDO Reincarnation Update 20

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly to long-time players of DDO, or just fans of wizard-warriors in general, there is the addition of the Eldritch Knight prestige class.  DDO is a game that allows multiclassing, and the addition of the Eldritch Knight is intended to give arcane magic users a build option that will not only enable them to survive in melee combat, but excel, and presumably wear heavy armor with minimal casting penalties (if the class is anything like its pen-and-paper iteration, at least).  However it turns out, it’s a sterling addition to an already staggering roster of class options in DDO, filling a previous gap.

DDO Update 20 Brothers Dungeon

Turbine once again demonstrates their skill in the arena of PVE-centric MMORPG design.  If you haven’t tried DDO yet, and you’re a fan of spreadsheets and complex game systems, you might want to give it a try once the update drops.  I personally feel like I’d need to attend a three-week course in order to understand the ins and outs of the system without crippling my character, but to plenty of min-maxers in the world, that sort of thing is music to the ears.

Tagspeech is the alias of author W.B. Wemyss, who was responsible for the bizarre cyberpunk fever dream called Children of Athena.

America’s Army: Proving Grounds

America’s Army is a tactical MMOFPS released by the U.S Army. What sets America’s Army: Proving Grounds apart from rivals is its emphasis on realistic, team-oriented gameplay. Players must chose between four roles at the start of a mission and work closely with their teammates to accomplish their mission objectives. The game has quite a few maps and each comes in three modes ranging from ‘VIP Escort’ to ‘Secure and Defend.’

Joyfun Unleashes Unlimited Ninja

Ultimate Naruto

 

Before there were superheroes with telekinetic powers and billion dollar suits, ninjas were the ultimate human weapons. Now the tale of the ninja can be lived out in a browser-based multi-player online role-playing game (MORPG) from Joyfun, a new game publisher devoted to bringing engaging and immersive online games to players everywhere. Available for all computers with an Internet connection, Unlimited Ninja brings the popular concept to web browsers, featuring original anime-esque plots complete with Japanese art style. Courageous ninjas can start shadowing their clones in this world by visiting the official game website.

Shotgun News 11/7: Rift, TSW, Wow, and More!

Rift Sees Player Surge After Steam Launch

After relaunching on Steam Rift has seen a huge influx of players, many of them returning after having previously played and left. Trion Worlds is reporting that 20,000 players have joined since Rift reappeared on Steam. That is more than even the Storm Legion expansion attracted. So while Rift may be closing down in other parts of the world it would appear Europe and North America are safe for now.

 

Virtual Reality Expands The Secret World in Issue 8

Issue 8: The Venetian Agenda has officially launched in The Secret World. Enter the headquarters of the Council of Venice to prepare for the upcoming unlocking of Tokyo by taking part in new Scenarios and upgrade your character through the new Augment system. Game Director and all around awesome guy Joel Bylos narrates the video below explaining both new systems.

World of Warcraft Numbers Drop Again

Though we may be on the brink of the announcement of another WoW expansion it is being said by Gamespot that they are down 100,000 subscribers from July. This is a huge improvement over the last quarter which saw numbers drop from 8.3 million to 7.7 million.

 

Eon Altar Launches Kickstarter Campaign

This unique table top video game for tablets and smartphones has launched their Kickstarter campaign. They hope to raise $300,000 Canadian in the next month to help complete the game.

Shotgun News 11/6: Cannons Lasers Rockets and a New Wargaming Studio

Cannons Lasers Rockets Greenlit on Steam

Net Games Laboratory today announced that their team based PvP arcade style space shooter Cannons Lasers Rockets has been Greenlit on Steam. They are planning on having an open beta via Steam’s early access program in early 2014.

 

Wargaming Funds Studio in Seattle

A new mobile games studio is opening in Seattle funded by Wargaming. The new company will be lead by David Bluhm, Co-founder of Z2live. The studio doesn’t yet have a name but it is confirmed that it will run separately from Wargaming Seattle.

Black Aftermath Review – Be Your Own Kingpin

By Remko Molenaar (Proxzor)

 

Have you ever wanted to run your own crime circuit? Your own kingdom where you will rule, kill and steal from anyone that crosses your path. I know I would, and Black Aftermath lets you create your own empire in the crime circuit. There are many paths that you can take such as becoming a hitman that works solo to take down everyone that stands in your way. Or perhaps you’d prefer to start your own crime syndicate and inch your way to the top by smuggling drugs, laundering money, selling weapons or even hacking bank accounts? The choice is yours but each has its own perils and challenges. Which will you take?

blackaftermath1

Turn-based online strategy games like Black Aftermath are always entertaining to play. The simplicity of the game remind me of back in the day when games weren’t that big, and didn’t have that many features to offer players. In Black Aftermath, you will control your future, and you decide what you will transform yourself into.

First of all it is time to learn the basics. Black Aftermath doesn’t let you play around for an unlimited time. You are given a set number of action points per turn that can be used to recruit and train units, collect items, and more advanced options as you unlock them. To give a real world sense to time flow, you gain 100 actions every 10 minutes, so if you run out of them do not worry because you will get them back quickly. You can also earn more actions by referring friends and even obtain reserve actions at the start of each round. You can also buy turns with real money if you think it is going too slow for you or you would just like to support the developers.

blackaftermath2

Every new player will start out in Noobville. As the name of the city most likely tells you, it is the ‘tutorial’ city for new players to safely learn the functions of the game without being attacked. Granted there are limitations that will make you want to leave Noobville eventually – primarily the limited money available to earn and inability to gain rank ups. But as a noob this won’t be something that concerns you much. When you are new, you are also only able to attack or get attacked by people around the same level as you. Once you are feeling brave enough to take on the world, you’re given the option to travel to various cities to continue your career in crime. However do note that once you travelled out of the newcomers’ city, you will not be allowed back in. There are currently a lot of different cities, and you aren’t bound to any of them, but a plane ticket fee forced on all your units makes it costly to move around too often.

blackaftermath3

Attacking people is a scary thing function; it is something you must plan correctly because you do not want to make any mistakes. If you attack someone, they also gain an unlimited ‘revenge’ state on you, and they are able to attack you as many times as they want in a span of 24 hours. Whether you’re on the offensive or defensive, it’s important to make sure your defenses are never fully down. Luckily wounded units cannot be attacked until they are treated in the hospital, which has both positives and negatives. On the bright side it means you’re less likely to lose units with each attack you suffer. The negative is that your empire has fewer units protecting your resources. Your operatives and intelligence units are unfortunately not able to deal directly in affairs of combat so make sure to never leave them fully unprotected.

To expand your safety and strength, players are able to create a group called a syndicate. A syndicate is basically a group of players that form a team and enables more gameplay features. Having a syndicate or being in one also gives you more protection from the community, since you can be allied with a lot of people, and different syndicates allowing you to slowly and peacefully expand your kingdom while you plot an attack on others. The fun thing is, people are able to attack and be attacked by members inside the same syndicate as well, so you should never trust the people around you. Not even your best friends.

blackaftermath4

Verdict: Good

Black Aftermath offers a bit more than the typical browser based text game. While initially it can be pretty confusing, the huge diversity of actions and customization you have at hand makes up for the rough learning curve later. My only complaint is you’ll want to do so much more than the turn system allows you to without paying, and those that do pay receive a hefty advantage and eventually acquire a huge lead over others. Still the freedom of creating your own personage with specialized talents keeps things fun and syndicates help protect you from the cash shopping bullies. Never knowing who will betray you or be betrayed makes each log-in a complete surprise.  If you like to expand your crime kingdom just like me, you should give Black Aftermath a proper look.

Galactic Supremacy Review – Your Chance At Galactic Domination!

By Jordan Hall (ApocaRUFF)

 

Introduction

Galactic Supremacy is an MMORTS brought to us by indie developers, Blue Turtle. Originally only available in French, it is now being ported to English to accommodate a growing interest in the game. It offers unique races, trade and politics-centered gameplay, and it is possible to play in your browser, or via Facebook. While the community for the game isn’t too large yet, those that are playing are quite confident that population will come with time. For now, the game seems to follow the recipe for a successful F2P-RTS to a T.

 

Customization

Customization isn’t a strong point of the MMORTS genre, so I can’t say I expected much. You do get some freedom when choosing your race, what technologies to research, or what building to build, but in the end you’ll more than likely end up with the same exact setup as everyone else. Of course, that’s true for most MMOs. If you’ve played a browser-based MMORTS in the last decade, you’ll understand what to expect. If you haven’t, don’t be surprised by the lack of options.

 

Galactic Supremacy Race Selection

Graphics

We’re starting to enter the era of 3D Browser-based MMOs, even for RTS. That’s why it’s getting harder for me to review a game’s graphics; I’m not sure if I should be expecting a higher quality or if I should be OK with 2D graphics from the last generation of games. Personally, I don’t mind that graphics in Galactic Supremacy. The artwork is well done, and it’s pleasant to look at. However, there is a limited amount of it, so after a while it can get repetitive. In the end, I suppose I have to say that I’m OK with what is available, but would have been happy to find more.

 

Galactic Supremacy Art Work

Controls

As far as I can tell, Galactic Supremacy is completely controlled via the mouse and I didn’t find any options (or reasons) to use the keyboard for anything. For the most part, the interface worked perfectly fine. The only issue I had was that some of the webpages seemed to lag a bit when loading which got annoying. It’s one of the reasons I wish modern MMORTS would adopt Java or something to develop their clients, so that I don’t have to reload the page each time I click something and then become annoyed at the slow servers hosting the game. But, other than the slight lag issue, I didn’t notice any problems with the controls.

 

Community

Community is a massive part of this genre. In fact, it’s what makes or breaks the game. Unfortunately, Galactic Supremacy (at least for the English version) doesn’t have the biggest population yet. For the most part, I got the impression that the community was pleasant and most of it wants to be helpful to new players. Interacting with your fellow players will be something you do often, and typically your interaction leads to hostilities.

 

Gameplay

If you’ve played a browser-based MMORTS in the past decade, you’ll know what to expect from Galactic Supremacy. It’s basically the standard “gather resources, do some trade, build some armies, conquer” recipe that you’ll find in most games in this genre. A lot of the fun will not come so much from the gameplay, but from your interactions with your fellow players – forging alliances and destroying enemies. I’ll be honest from the start and say I didn’t really find anything too interesting in terms of gameplay in Galactic Supremacy, but I did find the backstory to be well crafted. If you’re new to the MMORTS genre, you’ll probably find this game to be fun, but if you’re a vet you’ll more than likely get a bit annoyed at how similar it is to other titles.

 

As with most MMORTS, you’ll start out with a bare-bones base that the tutorial will help you build up quickly. Building something requires both resources and time, with costs becoming higher with each level. Later on, this can result in extremely long build timers which, you guessed it, can be shortened significantly via real money. Using resources to conduct trade and create military units is also a big part of the game, as well. You’ll also be navigating the tech trees to give yourself an edge over other players, same as you would in any other MMORTS.

 

Galactic Supremacy Base Construction

 

When not building up your base or military, you’ll be trading or fighting with other players. It sounds pretty simplistic when put like that, as it feels more diverse when actually put into practice. The thing is, you can have as little or as much interaction with your fellow players as you like. You can participate in the global chat, message your fellow players, make friends and enemies. Or you can go full anti-social and simply log in each day, finish up your in-game chores, attack someone and then log off if you prefer. I think this genre has such wide appeal because it’s the player’s choice as to how casual or hardcore the experience is.

 

Galactic Supremacy Map

 

Conflict isn’t “real time”, but is the usual “choose a target to attack and the computer will roll some dice” type system. It kind of makes it confusing when the game is considered an MMORTS, but there isn’t much “real time” in it at all. Essentially, combat will consist of building up military units over time and then sending them to attack someone or something and then your troops will carry back the spoils of war for you to make use of. As with real life, most conflicts come about because you’ll want easy access to more resources, and that’s about all you get from fighting with other players. If you’re looking for something more exciting and strategic, you won’t find it here unfortunately.

 

Galactic Supremacy Build Units

Verdict: Fair

Galactic Supremacy doesn’t bring anything new to the table. It does have an interesting backstory with some unique races to choose from, but not much else going for it past that. While the game is fun, if you’ve played an MMORTS in the past you’ll find yourself having a sense of deja vu. Artwork is well done and the UI is nice, but load lag can cause a bit of a headache over time. All-in-all, playing Galactic Supremacy is an OK experience and I would suggest it to you if you’ve never played an MMORTS before, but if you’re not new to the genre I can’t say you’ll find anything particularly unique or interesting to keep your interest.

 

Features: 2.5/5 – A lot of the same old stuff.

Customization: 2.5/5 – Not really much here.

Graphics: 3/5 – Nice artwork, but could use a much better interface.

Controls: 3/5 – Lag brings down the score a bit.

Community: 4/5 – Small, but generally good.

 

Overall: 3/5 – A decent MMORTS, but unfortunately doesn’t try anything new to make it different from the competition.

Elsword Introduces New Era of Skills

Elsword_NewEraOfSkills_2013

The hit free-to-play action MMORPG Elsword, will be boldly entering “A New Era of Skills” as the recently announced program completely reimagines Elsword’s skill customization system.  Players will find some skills dramatically improved and other skills entirely new as the skill system becomes easier to use and the action-based gameplay becomes even deeper.

As part of the new skill system, every character will gain brand new skills, as well as a chance to reallocate their skill tree points to take advantage of the new array of abilities.  Six of Elsword’s classes will see a variety of upgrades to existing skills to make them even more dynamic and versatile than ever before.  The new skill tree interface will become easier to use and players will see skills reach new levels of destruction as their maximum power level is increased.

Additionally, players can participate in a new fall friend referral program also launching today.  By inviting their friends to play Elsword, all players can receive amazing prizes.  Elsword players on Steam are also eligible to purchase exclusive item packs recently launched on Steam.

To play Elsword for free please visit ElswordOnline.com and keep watching the official Facebook page here.Catch a preview of a few of the skills below!

ElswordAishaNewSkills ElswordChungNewSkills ElswordEveNewSkills ElswordNewSkills ElswordRavenNewSkills ElswordRenaNewSkills