RIFT

Non-combat features don't get a lot of love in popular MMOs these days, but there have nonetheless been some interesting experiments in this department over the years. From RIFT's housing to Star Wars Galaxies' Entertainers to Lord of the Rings Online's music system, several genre titles have strayed from the straight and narrow of violence and character progression.

Upcoming titles like Age of Wushu and ArcheAge are adding new wrinkles as well, so for today's Daily Grind we'd like to hear your thoughts on non-combat MMO features. Specifically, which one is your favorite?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

When it comes to winter holidays, I'm always disappointed that they come so darn early in the season. We could really use all that cheer, celebrating, and lighting come, say, February after we've been wallowing in the cold and dark for months. No matter; what's done is done, and we have a giant snow globe as proof.

Reader Trevor sent in the following picture from Guild Wars 2's Wintersday, as he took a photo of a world within the larger world and wrote, "Happened upon this giant snow globe amongst the flurry of gifts, giant flying colorful snowflakes, and Wintersday cheer. If you listen closely, you can hear my computer screaming in pain."

Oh, we'll make more than your computer scream in pain before this column is done!

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The end of the year and the beginning of a new one is the traditional time to take stock of the past and make plans for the future, no? I thought RIFT had a banner year, especially in pushing out a great expansion less than two years after launch. Trion Worlds has continued to get those meaty content updates out, fleshing out the now-annual celebrations and growing the game in new and often-surprising ways.

Really, we have such a wealth of options and content on which to feast, so you'll really have to excuse me as I ignore everything the studio's done to date and talk about what I'd like to see done, changed, or added in the new year. Yup, it's time for a RIFT wish list in this Fae Yule season, straight from my fingers to Santa Crucia's home at the Death Pole!

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You know what I love? Space. Not real space, so much; real space is a vast expanse of horrors that generally confound and cripple the mind if considered too seriously. I'm talking about "space," as in the setting of some of our favorite movies, games, and cancelled television properties.

The problem with space, of course, is that it is a setting and not a story. You can't prime an audience by simply shouting, "Space!" The space needs context. Is it "final frontier" space? Is it the space in which your screams go unheard? The greatest space tales have always used the deep black as a backdrop, not a subject.

My perfect MMO would almost certainly take place in space, but the way in which the space is used is what makes it worth playing.

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It's been almost a week since we first heard about the layoffs at Trion, yet there are still more questions than answers about the depth and scope of them. How many people were let go? Were they all from the RIFT team? And why was it timed just a few months after the expansion launched? It's hard to read about the layoffs and not see it as a bad sign for the game, but there may be other factors to consider.

So what does this mean for RIFT? Let's consider that question in this week's Enter at your own Rift.

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We've arrived at the point in RIFT's post-expansion launch cycle when I'm genuinely embarrassed to admit how slowly I've progressed. While many of you are probably 60 and living the high life in the endgame, I'm still (mumbles) 51. I have many excuses for this: a newborn at home, flip-flopping interest between my Rogue and Cleric, a lot of experimentation in Dimensions, and Storm Legion's generally slow leveling pace. But perhaps my greatest excuse stems from one of the core features of the game. I keep making new builds and experimenting with them.

Is that my fault? After all, with just one the addition of one new soul per calling a legion of new builds arose. Pun intended. Players on the forums are crunching numbers, fiddling with old builds, and magicking new ones out of thin air.

I've become fascinated if not addicted to testing out these player-created builds as of late. Some promise the world and are sadly lacking, while others have shown me synergies that I didn't realize were possible.

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You've gotten a taste of the new festival content, you've seen the huge raid, but nothing will prepare you for RIFT's 2.1 update quite like this post will. Trion Worlds took the curtain off of its first post-Storm Legion update today, triggering the game's seasonal Fae Yule celebration as well.

The centerpiece of Update 2.1 is a 20-person raid called Endless Eclipse. The new endgame raid is not the only challenge being added, as Trion's patched in a new expansion-themed chronicle, updated the PvP conquest system for level 60 battles, and added weekly crafting quests for high-level adventurers.

With Fae Yule's second round in the game, Trion's shoved in plenty of more activities and rewards. There's a nifty sledding minigame, holiday-themed instant adventures, lots of dailies, and merry decorations for players' dimensions.

This update comes out on the heels of Trion's announcement that the studio was suffering layoffs.

It's a gloomy day for Trion Worlds, as word has come down that the independent developer is handing out pink slips to some of its staff. The studio confirmed the layoffs in an official statement:

As a response to market conditions, product timelines and the natural evolution of our company, we have made some organizational changes, which include a workforce reduction. This was a difficult decision and we wish the best for those affected by these changes. At Trion, we remain focused on delivering top quality online game experiences, and are committed to supporting RIFT and launching our highly anticipated new titles Defiance, Warface, and End of Nations in 2013.

Twitter was ablaze over the subject, saying that as many as 30 people were let go. One staff member wrote, "I managed to survive this time. Lots of REALLY good people got let go though." Another indicated which jobs were lost: "Not a good day. If anyone has a lead for a Sr. EQ or Assistant Lead QA job, please let me know."

Trion recently brought End of Nations in-house after Petroglyph suffered its own round of layoffs.

[Source: Trion Worlds press statement]

If you're feeling underfunded this holiday season, you'll be happy to know that you can check out RIFT's first expansion for free. There's a catch of course, and it's that you must be a former subscriber. The Storm Legion trial period is only available for a limited time, so mark your calendars for December 14th through the 18th.

Trion also wants you to know that RIFT Lite players can now take part in the Fae Yule world event as well as build in private, public, personal, or guild dimensions.

So you're in the market for a fantasy themepark, but you're angry at Aion, leery of Lord of the Rings Online, and weary of World of Warcraft. RIFT and EverQuest II seem pretty interesting, then, but they also seem pretty similar.

Both feature high fantasy settings, celebrated housing mechanics, ridiculously deep character development options, and more PvE content than you could consume in two lifetimes. The similarities don't stop there, as the two titles also share composers, producers, and a lengthy list of devs who include both games on their resumes.

One major difference is the respective business model. RIFT is firmly in the subscription camp (if you discount its free trial up to level 20), while EverQuest II is fully free-to-play, though you don't have to look very hard to find folks who think it's not free enough. Visuals are also a difference-maker; EQII is eight years old and showing its age, while RIFT is still basking in the equivalent of MMORPG adolescence. So after all of that, how about it? RIFT or EverQuest II? Vote after the break!

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This winter is overflowing with MMO expansions, and whether we're talking about the fantasy stylings of RIFT and EverQuest II or the sci-fi sandbox shenanigans on display in EVE Online, there's a little something for everyone.

That being said, I've played and grown tired of each of these titles before, a couple of them multiple times, so even though EVE's new bounty mechanics and RIFT's dimensions sound awesome, I'm having a hard time fighting through the been-there-done-that feelings long enough to give one of them another whirl. How about you, Massively readers? Do expansions bring you back to games you've written off, or do you hold fast and stay quit?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

Even in the midst of bloody war, the resplendent may persist. Even though our MMOs are endless battlefields that have seen no end to death and corpse desecration, they also can be places of stunning sights.

Reader Connor, fresh off a tour in PlanetSide 2, found that a particular location made him pause and reach for the screenshot button. "I saw this while maneuvering my Sunderer into position. Beauty on the battlefield!"

Check out Connor's oasis as well as plenty of other gorgeous war-torn locales after the jump!

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How would you like to match wits (and weapons) with RIFT's Regulos the Destroyer? You can starting on December 12th courtesy of a new 20-player raid called Eternal Eclipse. The dungeon is part of Trion's 2.1 update, which also includes a new chronicle called A Hero Rises.

RIFT's Fae Yule world event is also coming, and you'll have the opportunity to collect seasonal dimension items and sets of special gifts to be revealed throughout the month. Finally, beginning on December 14th, former players may log in and experience the original game plus the entirety of the Storm Legion expansion for free. The promotion runs through December 20th.

Click past the cut for our exclusive look at the new Eternal Eclipse raid.

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It's been only a few weeks since RIFT's the Storm Legion expansion has launched, but believe it or not, update 2.1 is coming already. It's like that feeling you get when you've just overstuffed yourself with turkey and suddenly Grandma appears with a tray full of dessert. Bits of the update recently hit the test server, and since some of it is Yule-themed, this update is probably due to hit the live servers soon. There's a surprising amount of new content and game changes, especially considering we're fresh off the heels of the expansion. As much as I love Crucia constantly screaming in my head, I ventured to the test server to check things out. For this week's Enter at Your Own Rift I've rounded up some of the highlights. Let's take a peek!

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From where I'm sitting, there seems to be a popular conception (at least within the MMO community) that RIFT's score was a letdown. As a player of the game, I actually shared that view for quite some time, as none of the music really popped out at me while I was playing.

That all changed, however, when I sat down to listen to the full soundtrack. While it's not uniformly excellent (there are a lot of forgettable songs), several tunes arrested my attention and made me look at the score in a new light. So as we examine the soundtrack this week, I just ask that any of you out there who shared my previous outlook on the score give it another try. Keep an open mind, is all I'm asking.

RIFT was composed by industry veteran Inon Zur (check out our interview with him from a couple of months ago). The score was originally released with the collector's edition, although it's recently become available in iTunes and Amazon.

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