New Titles

Have you heard tell about this "Foundry" thingy-ma-bob in Neverwinter, but you're not exactly sure what it is? Then Cryptic's latest dev blog is for you! In it, Foundry producer Rob Overmeyer gives a heaping helping of the what, the why, and the how of the fantasy game's player-made content generator.

Of course the Foundry is a tool for creating stuff. But more than that, Overmeyer emphasizes that "it's a place where your stories come to life." With extensive customization available in the map editors (both internal and external) and dialogue editors (for both people and objects), players can become immersive storytellers. For a look at what's possible, check out Overmeyer's overview. Then jump in game and test it out for yourself.

A couple weeks ago we introduced you to an aspiring sandbox game with a focus on exploring and building that hit Kickstarter. Titled The Untitled Game (a.k.a. TUG), the open-world venue plans on using technology and social sciences to directly involve players in the design. And after listening to community feedback, developer Nerd Kingdom has introduced three new reward tiers for backers as well as a video that spotlights design features such as crafting, companions, and more.

The new tiers offer digital beta or alpha access as well as in-game extras like tattoos on your character and a baby sabre tiger companion. Prices range from $30 to $65. Folks can also get gift packs to share that give bonus copies of the game in addition to the personal copy. Check out all the details on the latest update post. And be sure to watch the design video after the break.

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Snail Games may be best known for Age of Wushu, but that may change later this year as the company's Black Gold Online makes it way west. The steampunk fantasy title recently received a website update and a feature listing in its native China, and MMO Culture has translated the details.

Those details include 300 square kilometers of explorable landmass, two factions, six races, and 18 classes. The game will also feature dynamic events of some sort, as well as faction wars and cross-server PvP.

Action combat is on the menu, too, as are a variety of mounts including "mecha suits," anti-air tanks, flying dragons, and more. We've embedded a six-minute gameplay trailer from late last year just past the break.

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Many players in my guild are really looking forward to Elder Scrolls Online. Nearly everyone has signed up for beta. I cannot confirm or deny whether some of them might be in playing right now. When I announced that I was taking on the ESO column for Massively, I could feel their questioning eyes burning through the internet: Why would you want to do a column on the Elder Scrolls? You have said that you were burned out on fantasy. Skyrim gave you trouble because of the first-person view. And there are no playable dwarves. They might have caught me on that last one, but the others are partially true, as well. I have played a lot of fantasy games, but TES bends a lot of the traditions of high fantasy. And thankfully, you can play all of Skyrim in third-person view.

There are three major factors that have kept me intrigued with the entire world of the Elder Scrolls. Tamriel is full of deep and rich lore. Granted, most of ESO's lore is future-tense, but a good chunk can be applied to the current timeline -- much as in Star Wars: The Old Republic, my other editorial focus. Secondly, Elder Scrolls Online intends to keep the mechanics and the flavor of the franchise within an MMO setting. This includes a PvP system that pits three factions against each other. Although I usually have a take-it-or-leave-it approach to open-world PvP, I have always been fascinated by how three-faction systems work. Lastly, the community is passionate. I enjoy connecting with people who are looking to connect with each other and share their hopes for a game that hasn't even been released yet.

Those will be the three main focuses of this column. Let me tell you how it will work.

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Pocket Galaxy, a new sci-fi mobile MMO, is relatively impressive at first. It's a nice looking game that feels like a cross between Dark Orbit, Asteroids, and EVE Online and seems to be pretty casual and cheap to play. These things make me happy. I've adopted a casual playstyle because of my need to be the guy who plays every single game he sees, and that has had the side effect of making casual gaming perfect for me.

For example, a Pocket Galaxy player who wants to craft more ammo for one of her guns needs to create the items by waiting a certain amount of real time that can be shortened by using cash. Many players might see this as some sort of money-grab. I see it as a casual game with the option to speed up build times, but then again... I'm patient.

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If you've been eagerly awaiting your chance to get into the browser-based steampunk goodness of City of Steam, your wait is nearly over. Clear your Friday night plans because in just a few hours at 10:00 p.m. EDT, the city of Nexus will be welcoming its new residents. And you won't be needing any early access key, as Mechanist Games is throwing the beta doors open wide for any and all!

Returning testers will notice many new features have been added since the closed beta runs, like events, a plethora of new cosmetic items, and more streamlined skill, talent, and crafting systems. And jetpacks -- who can forget the jetpacks! Players will also find over 80 dungeons, over 100 quests, new PvP maps, open Wilderness levels, customizable gear, and more... and that's only to start! The devs have an aggressive release schedule plan of adding new features and content on an almost bi-weekly basis throughout the beta.

For more details on what you can expect, check out Massively's hands-on experience as well as the official open beta features list.

[Source: Mechanist Games press release]

Party like it's 2013! Snail Games invites players in the world of Jianghu to join in a special Age of Wushu Royal Celebration starting today. This celebration will have various events sprinkled throughout the month, from earning rewards just for just logging in to chances to face and fight world bosses for their loot. And the rewards themselves range from gift packs to buff items to VIP bonuses.

Want to earn a special gift pack? Log in for one hour a day and you'll get one for each day. Players who manage to spend at least two hours online every day for the entire week will earn a much larger reward that includes a 30-day mount and a number of buffs and bonuses. Gain even more rewards for leveling school inner skills and for being a VIP. The event is open to all players regardless of school or skills. For a full listing of the events and their accompanying rewards, check out the official event schedule.

[Source: Snail Games press release]

It's no secret that many folks like to see what they are getting into... or in the case of MMOs not yet available in all markets, what they'd like to get into. So those looking forward to playing NCsoft's martial arts fantasy Blade & Soul should appreciate this newly released visual tour of the White Blue Mountain Range area.

Although lacking any English subtitles, the video contains over six minutes of footage from various locales. From verdant vistas to wintery caverns, quaint villages to majestic cities, get a taste of the ambiance and architecture of the White Blue Mountain Range region in the trailer after the break.

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If you missed last weekend's open beta for Marvel Heroes, you've got one more chance to get in and get your super hero on before the June 4th launch. Gazillion Entertainment has announced the last open beta weekend will take place from Friday, May 10th at 8:00 p.m. EDT to Monday May 13th at 1:00 p.m. EDT. For this round, players will get to choose from their favorite Avengers: Thor, Iron Man, Hulk, Captain America, and Black Widow. To get in on the action, just register on the official site.

To celebrate the Avenger-themed final weekend, the studio also released a new trailer highlighting Thor. Check out the Asgardian action after the break.

[Source: Gazillion Entertainment press release]

[Update: The team has just posted an FAQ for the beta weekend.]

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It's been a little while since we've heard about about UFO Online; the last time we checked in, open beta was slated for August 2012. But whatever hurdles Gamigo's alien-invasion title faced to get to the open beta point have apparently been surmounted as the doors are being thrown open today for all to join in. Launch is expected to follow shortly.

During the extended course of closed beta testing, the studio reworked and added quite a bit. On top of a comprehensive tutorial to introduce the game, UFO Online has new task and mission systems, expanded research and upgrade systems, an improved UI, and improved effects graphics. The turn-based game also offers more tactical depth to giving hit zones varying degrees of armor.

To jump in on the open-beta fun, just visit the official site (but be sure to have Google translator ready!).

[Source: Gamigo press release]

Turbine's Infinite Crisis is launching into closed beta today, and to help celebrate, the team has released a new Champion Profile to spotlight The Joker's involvement in the highly anticipated DC Comics-based MOBA.

We've seen everyone from Cesar Romero to Heath Ledger play the part of The Joker, but that evil grin is always there to remind us of just how warped this character really is. In the game, The Joker is equipped with explosive dolls and boxing glove-adorned rocket launchers to keep you on your toes.

Be sure to check out the highlight video featuring The Joker just after the jump, and sign up for closed beta if you haven't already.

[Source: Warner Brothers press release]

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After a thank-you post on the Star Citizen site earlier this week clarified how lifetime insurance would work in the highly anticipated space MMO, a follow-up post was needed to further answer many of the fan questions.

With the helpful use of graphs and bullet points, CEO Chris Roberts clarifies that LTI will apply to three different groups: Original backers who pledged before November 26, 2012; Veteran backers who pledged between November 26, 2012 and the launch of the new website; and regular ole backers who will have pledged after the new site launches.

Be sure to check out the entire post by Roberts on his website for more information.

[Thanks to Jon for the tip!]

From tanks to planes and now ships, Wargaming is definitely known for the exquisite detail of its WWII-period vehicles. And today the company released new screenshots and renderings showing off that detail in the battleships of the upcoming naval MMO World of Warships.

While the screenshots show a variety of vessels, the renderings draw attention to the USS New Mexico, a battleship that served the US Navy for decades and was a force to be reckoned with during World War II. Get a glimpse of some of the giant warships setting sail in WoWS in the gallery below.

[Source: Wargaming.net press release]

This week is packed with MOBA news as almost every major title released a new patch. Infinite Crisis introduced new champions Poison Ivy and Gaslight Catwoman and announced that the game's closed beta will start in two days' time on May 8th. SMITE introduced new Norse god Fenrir the Unbound, and League of Legends released a champion spotlight on new Ice Witch champion Lissandra. Dota 2 also released new hero Elder Titan based on the original DotA hero Tauren Chieftain, and Heroes of Newerth released several months of balance changes at once in its colossal version 3.1 update.

Star Citizen celebrated hitting $9 million US in its ongoing crowdfunding campaign, and to celebrate, developers controversially gave all current backers free lifetime insurance on their ships. The title's success has also spurred EVE Online developer CCP Games to show off its own virtual reality dogfighter called EVR that uses the upcoming Oculus Rift headset.

Diablo III's first anniversary is just over a week away; details of any celebrations haven't yet been released. Developers confirmed that the PlayStation 4 version will not be getting mouse and keyboard support and that the PC version won't be getting support for analog controllers. For those of you up for some oldschool dungeon-crawling, Diablo II also announced that its ladder will be reset on May 14th this week and all players will start the game fresh again.

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