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Players of the world vs. Malephar: Fiesta Online creates the ultimate showdown

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, Free-to-play

The colorful Fiesta Online -- the party MMO that is always prepared to breakdance if someone turns on a beat -- has conga'd forward with its latest update: Malephar's Lair. Named for a nasty centaur who doesn't play well with others, the update has plenty of new challenges for high-level players.

Geared-up level 105 players can attempt to take Malephar down in his fortress, but before they do so they'll have to beat a pair of mini-bosses that serve as gatekeepers to the encounter. Take him down, and new legendary weapons will be yours for the taking!

The update also includes 10 additional sets of armor, class balances, repeatable quests for those levels 89 and higher, and a special unicorn mount that lasts for just a week and can only be obtained by excelling in the guild tournaments.

[Source: gamigo press release]

Gallery: Fiesta Online

Players of the world vs. Malephar: Fiesta Online creates the ultimate showdown originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EverQuest cracks the door wider to peek in on Veil of Alaris concept art

Justin Olivetti — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, EverQuest, Expansions

While November is still a ways off, EverQuest players have a lot to be excited for as the title's 18th expansion bakes in Sony Online Entertainment's creative ovens. Today, the company has released three new pieces of concept art -- along with a wireframe model -- to give us more of an idea of what to expect out of Veil of Alaris.

The art shows off some of the structures of Alaris, including a costal town and various towers, as well as the mysterious inhabitants of the lands. Alaris will consist of 12 new zones, half of which are raid zones.

In addition to Alaris itself, the expansion will feature a level cap increase to 95 and a welcome revamp of the guild hall system. There will also be more armor sets, a cultural armor tier, and the ability to resize hotbars.

You can check out all of the concept art goodness in the gallery below!

Gallery: EverQuest: Veil of Alaris

EverQuest cracks the door wider to peek in on Veil of Alaris concept art originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 22 Aug 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wings Over Atreia: Class builds -- Cleric

MJ Guthrie — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Classes, Opinion, Wings Over Atreia, Guides

Last week we discussed how personality influences class choice, so after some deep reflection, you have decided that it is time to reveal your true nature and be reborn as a cleric in Aion! Either that, or maybe you just wanted to solo some dungeons to horde all the loot. *cha-ching* Perhaps you already became one to impress that really cute voice in vent who is always looking for a healer. Whatever your reason, the life of servitude is for you. Now what?

Welcome to Build-a-Cleric. While some Daevas are content to just play with what they get from drops or quests, a number actually want to outfit their characters the best they can. Even if leveling too quickly to worry about uber gear thanks to mentoring and an easier grind, it is never a bad idea to keep an eye on endgame. And with the plethora of manastones, armor sets, weapons, and stigmas available -- not to mention advice, both solicited and unsolicited -- it can be a daunting task to maximize your potential. So to help you wade through the possibilities, Wings Over Atreia will be exploring each class individually and highlighting popular and effective builds. With any luck, some advance knowledge will help you make informed decisions and avoid the catastrophes of expending all of your energies in obtaining the wrong gear for your needs. Nothing shouts broke like having to re-socket entire sets or enchant new ones!

Roll up your sleeves and explore various builds for Aion's Cleric class after the cut.

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Class builds -- Cleric

Wings Over Atreia: Class builds -- Cleric originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 11 Jul 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lucent Heart asks: What's your sign?

Larry Everett — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Classes, Game mechanics, New titles, Free-to-play

Lucent Heart, the free-to-play anime-flavored MMO by BeanFun, takes a different approach to its combat-role system. Although you do find the classic trinity of tank, support, and DPS buried in the system somewhere, the roles are broken into the 12 signs of the zodiac. Each of the four base classes and all of the eight advanced classes can take on any of these roles. The Zodiac System adds enhanced flavor and strategy to the game. When Lucent Heart asks you, "What's your sign?" it's not trying to ask you out on a date.

The developers of Lucent Heart gave Massively an exclusive break-down of each of the zodiac roles. For instance, those born under Sagittarius take on the classic DPS role. They hit hard and keep the damage coming. Sagittarius has its own special armor to help differentiate it from the other classes. Hop past the break to see the zodiac system exactly as the developers gave it to us. Then be sure to jump to the BeanFun forums for more information on how you can join beta testing.

Continue reading Lucent Heart asks: What's your sign?

Lucent Heart asks: What's your sign? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WAR shakes up the world with patch 1.4.1

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, Warhammer Online

After a few weeks in testing, Warhammer Online's 1.4.1 patch has hit the live servers today. Topping off the list of improvements to the game is a brand-new claim window, which was designed to handle the various account entitlements that players have accrued. This interface now replaces the in-game mail system as a way to deliver the special goodies that players have earned or purchased over the years.

Patch 1.4.1 is also aiming at shaking up the game with two major changes to the status quo. Several PvP armor sets are now much easier to attain, and in many instances they can be purchased at a lower level than before. This means that players will find themselves better-equipped to participate in the brutal hand-to-hand combat that the game offers.

WAR is also rotating its scenario lineup: Some scenarios have been called out of retirement, some have changed tiers, and some are being put in mothballs for the time being.

You can read the full 1.4.1 patch notes over at Warhammer Online.

WAR shakes up the world with patch 1.4.1 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New armor sets previewed in the newest Final Fantasy XIV producer's letter

Eliot Lefebvre — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Game mechanics, News items, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV

If you're a Final Fantasy XIV player excited by the promises of new content in patch 1.16... well, no one can blame you for the excitement, but you're probably more interested in knowing when exactly the patch will be going live. While we can't be certain that it'll be this week, the most recent producer's letter from Naoki Yoshida strongly suggests it as a possibility. In the opening paragraphs of his letter, he mentions the original intent was to have the new patch go live before the end of the month, but it was held back just a bit longer to give the localization teams more time to polish it. We may very well see it go live before the week is out.

Of course, Yoshida has never simply dwelled on the known in his letters, and this one is no exception, as he previews two of the upcoming class-specific armors previewed. The armor will likely be familiar to Final Fantasy XI veterans, with the overall aesthetic strongly resembling the Dark Knight and Black Mage artifact sets. Yoshida also discusses a bit more of the upcoming content plans and the upcoming official forums, both elements that should make Final Fantasy XIV fans happy even in lieu of a specific date for the new patch.

New armor sets previewed in the newest Final Fantasy XIV producer's letter originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Feb 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Exclusive: Mythos displays Lamento armor sets

Larry Everett — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, Game mechanics, New titles, Mythos, Free-to-play

Hanibitsoft and European publisher Frogster gave Massively the skinny on three armor sets revealed in the new fantasy MMO Mythos. Merchants on Heaven Island offer special armor sets to players with enough points from Lamento battles. Players form teams to face off against other groups in these contests of glory and special prizes.

The Lamento sets of armor are specially designed to visually complement each other when worn as a complete suit. In addition to the stat increases given by individual pieces, the armor grants characters extra bonuses when the player equips more than one piece at a time. The bonus stats increase at 2, 5, 8, 11, and 13 collected pieces.

The weapons and shields will vary, and each armor set contains two different sets of attributes for each of the three classes. Gadgeteers don the Pure White Soul armor set; Bloodletters strap on the Dark Plains or Snow Field armor; Pyromancers ignite the world in their Firestorm robes. In the gallery below, we've uploaded your first look at these enchanting suits. If you are interested in finding out more about the myth behind Mythos, march over to the official site and sign up for the closed beta going on right now.

Gallery: Mythos

Exclusive: Mythos displays Lamento armor sets originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wings Over Atreia: Never put off until tomorrow a daily for today!

MJ Guthrie — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Opinion, Wings Over Atreia, Guides

Chances are, if you have spent any time in Atreia since the release of Aion's 1.9 patch, you have been participating in daily quests. If, however, you have been living under the same rock as I have (it's plenty roomy here, really), then you either don't know what I am talking about, put it off, or just never put much thought into it, period. Personally, I kept thinking, "I'll get to it in a bit," but never actually got to it. After all, there is quite a bit to do already in Aion, and my days were pretty full. I admit that I didn't even really know why I should put my time into them. After some cajoling from a shocked legionmate who insisted I was sorely missing out, I finally cracked down and got started. Boy, have I been missing out!

The daily quest is a new(er) system that rewards players for completing a task with special tokens along with XP. These tokens are then exchanged for special items, including titles, gear, AP items, godstones, and even special pets. In many cases, these quests can be completed in just a few minutes each day. Sure, it takes some time to save up for the rewards, but it wasn't nearly as arduous as I had initially thought.

If you haven't started on daily quests, want a few hints on maximizing your token earning potential, or just want to laugh at me for taking so long to jump on the bandwagon, jump past the cut and see why daily quests are well worth the time and effort. Trust me, you want to get started today!

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Never put off until tomorrow a daily for today!

Wings Over Atreia: Never put off until tomorrow a daily for today! originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Third Final Fantasy XIV notorious monster previewed

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Previews, News items, PvE, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV

Zanig'oh is a monster. Not really by his own decision, as he was bred to be a biological weapon, further augmented by alchemical arts and powerful warding runes etched into his scales. But as far as Final Fantasy XIV players will be concerned, he's still the sort of monster that needs to be put down as fast as possible. After all, he's the third notorious monster previewed by the development team, and he drops the runestones that are already known to be the key to powerful armor sets. That means it's drake-hunting season once the December update arrives.

This newest preview also contains the third set available from the allagan runestones, with this set suited toward the more lightly-armored disciples of war. With a strong pirate theme, the set is heavy on evasion, thus making it ideal for players who prefer a more nimble playstyle. We're also promised further previews of the non-levequest notorious monsters, something that should entice Final Fantasy XIV players with the prospect of more rewards and challenges in the wilds of Eorzea. After drake-hunting season is over, anyway.

Third Final Fantasy XIV notorious monster previewed originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 Dec 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wings Over Atreia: Mira, mira, on the wall...

MJ Guthrie — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Opinion, Wings Over Atreia

Who is the happiest to be done with it all? If not me (I will certainly defer to those who endured 10+ attempts at the hot heart of magic craft), then I surely rank right up near the top! Yes folks, there is a Santa Cl... I mean an end to the Miragent/Fenris questline in Aion, and I have found it. To those naysayers, those unbelievers who think otherwise, I say I am living proof that Mira does not stand for mirage!

I admit, I am indeed grateful to be looking back on the experience, instead of ahead to it. Between the grinding, the spawn camping, and the curse of the RNG, to say that the journey to obtain Miragent or Fenris armor is a rough road is putting it mildly. I spent a fair share of time just being grateful the questline doesn't include belts and hats; I think there would be a mass exodus if NCsoft introduced Miragent/Fenris jewelry.

Although each leg of this race has had rough patches, I still believe it has been worth it. Make a final dash past the cut to experience the end of an era: the completion of the quest for Miragent armor.

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Mira, mira, on the wall...

Wings Over Atreia: Mira, mira, on the wall... originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 11 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wings Over Atreia: Miragents -- let there be pants!

MJ Guthrie — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Opinion, Wings Over Atreia

Whew. I made it through acquiring three pieces of the Miragent armor set in Aion relatively intact -- even with the majority of my sanity (although, I really didn't have that much to start with!). A decent accomplishment, I must say. However, a girl simply can't be running around Atreia without pants! So with my eyes affixed on the fourth piece of my set, I take a deep breath and plow ahead on the next lap.

The biggest cause of grief for most Aion players is none other than this fourth quest of the Miragent/Fenris questline -- the leggings. If (when, should I use when here?) you succeed, there will never be heard more exalted shouts of joy among all the lands. In fact, you can't convince me that the Reian tribe in Gelkmaros doesn't hear these carried on the winds. Yet if you fail? Such weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth as to bring to mind fiery pits of brimstone will reverberate throughout Atreia instead; even the walls of the Temple of Scales are sure to tremble at such a cacophony of anguish.

With Assault on Balaurea released and the consequent introduction of new armors for levels 51-55, is there any reason to continue clawing my way up the Miragent/Fenris mountain? Perusing the new offerings of gear demonstrated that yes, indeed, it is worth staying in the race; Miragent armor still comes out as a very strong choice in gold apparel for the high-level Daeva.

Admit it, how many of you want to skip to the end to see if I made my first attempt at crafting the Hot Heart of Magic? Mmhmm, thought so. Go ahead -- peek past the cut to follow the next step of the journey and see how exactly I fared.

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Miragents -- let there be pants!

Wings Over Atreia: Miragents -- let there be pants! originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 20 Sep 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wings Over Atreia: Miragent -- the saga continues

MJ Guthrie — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Opinion, Wings Over Atreia

In past weeks, we delved into the world of max-level armor in NCsoft's Aion, weighing some pros and cons of the different sets, and you have trotted along with me as I began a mad dash for Miragent armor. Well, it began as a dash (yay for the first quest!), but it was interrupted by stops and starts (the second quest). I have successfully acquired the first two pieces of this set. Now, the question is -- can I make it any further? The ultimate grind is the next step, followed by the craft from which nightmares are formed. This week, we chronicle the next lap of the race, our pace slowing to a steady gait during quest number three, then finally picking up speed near the end and sprinting onward toward the fourth.

As many players from both factions can attest, just about the single most frustrating thing about Aion has got to be the Miragent/Fenris armor quest-lines. While it is hard to ignore the bonuses and stats on these two sets, can the end really justify the means for most Daeva? Is it truly worth it?

Any time I pop into the Dredgion, the answer is clear -- it is. Nothing makes the team groan more than a full-Fenris group. Well, save for half being all +10 enchanted! So with an eye on that ultimate prize, I -- like many Daeva before, and many Daeva to come -- continue forward with determination and the hope of ultimate glory. OK, so we would settle for the matching set and just being finished!

Jog past the cut to follow the next step in our journey towards a complete set of Miragent armor.

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Miragent -- the saga continues

Wings Over Atreia: Miragent -- the saga continues originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Warhammer Online drops 1.3.6 today

Eliot Lefebvre — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Patches, Warhammer Online, News items

The odds weren't in favor of us seeing the newest patch for Warhammer Online so soon... but that works just fine, since the patch itself is Against All Odds. Even if you're not using it to set up a lame joke, however, patch 1.3.6 is going live today after slightly extended server maintenance, bringing with it several updates and improvements to the game. The eponymous Against All Odds mechanic is one of the central changes, giving a side without sufficient numbers in an RvR lake bonus rewards for persistence.

1.3.6 also brings two major changes to items in the game. The first is the addition of an appearance system, allowing players to make their armor look like whatever set they want without losing the benefits of high-end rewards. The second is equally significant, splitting the high-end Sovereign armor into two sets to celebrate alternate playstyles for each class. As always, there are a number of adjustments and bug fixes listed in the full patch notes, but Warhammer Online players should be happy enough knowing that the game's latest patch is live and ready to enjoy.

Warhammer Online drops 1.3.6 today originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wings over Atreia: Going for the gold -- Miragent or bust

MJ Guthrie — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Opinion, Wings Over Atreia

So, you still want a set of Miragent or Fenris armor in Aion? I commend you -- you are made of some tough stuff; these are definitely not sets for the instant-gratification crowd. However, I truly believe in the old adage "you appreciate what you work for," and those who complete one of these sets have appreciation by the bucket-full. Not to mention the best set bonuses that Aion has to offer!

We warmed-up already by knocking out the crafting requirements; this week we plunge ahead into the actual questing. Now here's a hint -- if you are prone to passing-out due to sticker shock, please, do not read ahead. Do not read any guides and do not ask any friends about the the total cost... although, if you find a way to pass Go and collect 200 kinah, do it! Trust me, every spare coin is going to come in handy.

For those who believe knowing the course ahead is just one step closer to crossing the finish line, dash across the cut and follow me as I race for the ultimate gold prize -- Miragent armor.

Continue reading Wings over Atreia: Going for the gold -- Miragent or bust

Wings over Atreia: Going for the gold -- Miragent or bust originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wings Over Atreia: Going for the gold -- crafting

MJ Guthrie — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Opinion, Wings Over Atreia

Last week, we first dipped into the realm of max-level gold armor in Aion by exploring Anuhart and PvP armor sets. This week, we will look at what is available on the crafted market, as well as prepare to begin the journey of the Miragent quest line (sorry folks, but it will be quite a while before my new little Asmodian can follow along and chronicle the Fenris quest line).

If you have the (mis)fortune to need or want one of these two sets more than anything - and we really do mean anything -- you could be in for a long, arduous, and expensive journey. But no pain, no gain... right? Trust me, now is the time to take advantage of any extremely wealthy and generous friends who are begging you to take their kinah. Or, find and cultivate a kinah tree somewhere in Atreia. Short of that -- save, save, and save! Then save some more, and cross your fingers for some good drops to sell.

Hold on to your kinah while you can, then join me past the break to see where it will soon be going should you desire crafted gold gear.

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Going for the gold -- crafting

Wings Over Atreia: Going for the gold -- crafting originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wings Over Atreia: Going for the gold

MJ Guthrie — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Opinion, Wings Over Atreia

You did it. After dodging gank squads, hooking up to an IV on double XP weekends, and wearing out your mouse (true story, a legion-mate had to replace his!), you finally hit level 50 in Aion. Amid the fanfare in your mind and the "gratzes" you receive from friends, you can now sit back and relax, reveling in your accomplishment... OK done. That's right, after maybe two deep breaths, a smile, and 3.5 seconds, you are probably now looking ahead to the real big grind (especially if you were like me and just happened into the level without really thinking ahead) -- gear. Yes, maximum level in Aion doesn't mean much if you are still wearing quest blues from pre-Xeno. Gold is armor of choice, and having anything less can be a distinct disadvantage.

Today we begin a journey looking into gearing-up for the current max level (at least until 2.0 launches September 7th). There are actually multiple options available for getting that shiny (and glowing) gear, but each set has its own price tag in money, time, and -- admittedly at times -- frustration; depending on which gear you focus on, the amount you pay in each category will vary, but it will be significant no matter which you choose.

For those who focused on fast leveling, or simply did not know to plan ahead (yours truly), our work is cut out for us. However, for those who are not yet level 50, I cannot stress enough that the sooner you begin your preparations, the better. Depending on your preferred set, save materials, scour the broker for deals, grind AP, or make kinah, kinah, and more kinah. Because you are going to need it. This series of articles will give you some insights to help you plan ahead and be ready for that magical moment you ding.

Join me past the cut to see where you should focus your energies.

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Going for the gold

Wings Over Atreia: Going for the gold originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LotRO dev diary dishes on scaled instance rewards

Justin Olivetti — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Patches, Previews, Free-to-play

Do you have a lot of questions about the upcoming scaled instances in Lord of the Rings Online? Good, because Turbine has a whole truckload of answers for you! In the second of a hefty five developer diaries devoted to the subject, LotRO's Joe "jwbarry" Barry tempts players with sweet, sweet candy. Metaphorical candy, that is, taking the form of instance rewards.

The greatest problem that they had with rewards, Barry shares, is that itemizing a dungeon across a huge level range became a massive headache, requiring them to make "a prohibitive" amount of items. Instead, the LotRO dev team is taking a cue from its successful skirmish system, and reprogramming the scaled-instance mobs to drop tokens instead of loot. Players can then use these tokens to purchase armor sets, cosmetic items and even legendaries.

Barry spends the rest of the article discussing the stat-tracking feature (again, similar to stat-tracking functions with skirmishes) and how the team went back through the dungeons to raise the quality of the entire experience where needed. You can read the full dev diary over at Lord of the Rings Online's site.

LotRO dev diary dishes on scaled instance rewards originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Jul 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TERAblah teases more armor sets

Jef Reahard — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, New titles, News items, TERA

TERAblah is at it again, this time courtesy of the second installment in their series of galleries featuring armor sets from the TERA action fantasy MMORPG. This set focuses on leather armor, which is used primarily by archers, slayers, and warriors, and features both protection and maneuverability.

"Once again our model of choice is a lovely female Castanic, purely a coincidence of course," writes TERAblah's ExiledRealm. "As before the look of the armor is usually shared amongst two or three other items, so in this case we just listed them based on their rare crafted names (yes, all these can be crafted),"

Head on over to the post on TERAblah's forums, or jump directly to the gallery.

TERAblah teases more armor sets originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Jun 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TERAblah shows off Castanic armor gallery

Jef Reahard — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, New titles, News items, TERA

TERAblah.com, a fansite dedicated to En Masse Entertainment's forthcoming TERA action MMORPG, has put together a nifty custom gallery featuring some of the game's armor. The gallery is the first installment of a planned series of articles on TERA's equipment, and focuses on the mail armor used by the Lancer and Berserker classes.

"Our model of choice is a lovely female Castanic, where seemingly less equals more," writes TERAblah's ExiledRealm. "The look of the armor is usually shared amongst two or three other items, so in this case we just listed them based on their rare crafted names (yes, all these can be crafted!)"

Head on over to the TERAblah forums, or link directly to the gallery.

TERAblah shows off Castanic armor gallery originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 Jun 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Runes of Magic introduces new set skill system

Jef Reahard — Thu, 27 May 2010 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, News items, Free-to-play, Runes of Magic

You might think the developers of the free-to-play fantasy MMORPG Runes of Magic would take a moment to rest on their laurels. After the successful release of the huge Chapter III - The Elder Kingdoms expansion last week, a little downtime would certainly be in order.

Runewaker Entertainment and Frogster are taking the opposite approach, however, as they continue to roll out new features and content for the residents of Taborea. Next on the list is a new set skill System, which allows players level 50 and above to collect armor sets which give their characters additional skills. The armor can be collected in the bowels of the game's many dungeons, or bought from a trader in the city of Dalanis.

Single pieces of armor add to attributes and character stats, while full sets of armor unlock the new set skills and make them available on the game's action bar. As it stands now, players can activate two set skills, with three additional slots coming soon. Check out all the details at the official site.

Runes of Magic introduces new set skill system originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 May 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Another batch of armor skins for WAR

Brooke Pilley — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, Warhammer Online, News items

Mythic Entertainment just released eight new armor set designs for Warhammer Online. This part, two of three, features redesigns and comparisons for the Marauder, Shaman, Chosen, Witch Elf, Archmage, White Lion, Witch Hunter, and Knight of the Blazing Sun. They are seeking feedback from players, which can be shared in this forum thread.

The studio drew a bit of criticism for their first batch of redesigns because they seemed to be comparing low resolution versions of the older sets versus high resolution renders of the new sets. It seems as though they've avoided that this time around.

One thing we've always loved about the gear in WAR (even the old skins) is that it has such visual depth, dimension and personality. Rather than looking as if it was simply added as a distortion map on your character (that bends and stretches with his body), each piece appears individual, nicely interlocking with the others on top of your character. The higher end gear looks quite dark and Gothic, as if it was meant for pain and battle and the new designs show a much more obvious progression than the previous sets, that's for sure (most obvious in the Chosen and Knight).

Another batch of armor skins for WAR originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New armor set skins are coming to WAR

Brooke Pilley — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Warhammer Online, News items

It seems Mythic is ignoring any and all naysayers as it's steadily ploughing ahead with improvements to Warhammer Online. Patch 1.3.1 just introduced a bunch of tweaks to the endgame and Jeff Skalski's producer's letter mentions a number of cool features coming ahead in 1.3.2. A new post on the WAR Herald is now telling us that the Art team has been busy redesigning all the tier 4 armor set skins.

Part one of this reskinning series shows off new concepts for six different classes, including the Blackguard, Squig Herder, and Zealot for Destruction and the Bright Wizard, Engineer, and Swordmaster for Order. The new armor sets are looking pretty amazing if we do say so ourselves, however, there's one minor sticking point. In terms of comparison, some players don't feel that the old sets are being fairly represented. Each of the old sets are shown in-game at what appear to be extremely low screenshot resolutions, while the new sets are richly detailed and colored 3D renders or screenshots from a game client with maxed graphics. Nonetheless, Mythic is looking for your feedback on the new designs, so make sure you give it to them on the official forums.

[Thanks to JP]

New armor set skins are coming to WAR originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Aug 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LotRO Book 13 gets beautiful new screens

Kyle Horner — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 16:15:00 EST

Filed under: Lord of the Rings Online, Patches, News items

We've long since known the new area being introduced in the newest Lord of the Rings Online's Book 13 patch was Forochel. The fact that Forochel has an enormous water mass (that players can't swim across) makes it perfect for the new fishing mechanic being introduced to the game. If players aren't in the mood for fishing, it's not as though they can't level up on their own instead. Forochel is very solo-friendly.

There's also been the recent revelation that Book 13 will have a pretty cool name, "Doom of the Last-King" and will be the first zone in LotRO to have it's own faction reputation to earn. So expect to be at an 'unfriendly' status with the Lossoth in the region, at least upon first entering. Improving your faction level with said survivors of the Forodwaith will be rewarded with treasures such as new armor sets, a new mount, weapons, housing decorations, and some class-specific items as well. All very cool stuff, but there's still some more to be seen.

Today Turbine has released some rather enticing new screens for the upcoming Book 13 patch and we've got them right here for your visual enjoyment.

Continue reading LotRO Book 13 gets beautiful new screens

LotRO Book 13 gets beautiful new screens originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 09 Apr 2008 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LotRO EU dev chat reveals Book 13 details

Dan O'Halloran — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Interviews, Patches, Previews, Grouping, Player Housing

At the end of every month the Lord of the Rings Online Europe team sits down for a dev chat. February's happened last night at Stratics and this time we got some juice on the upcoming Book 13 content patch. Here are the highlights:

Book 13 will contain a new area to explore that is bigger than Evendim but have a different climate than the recent heavy emphasis on snowy mountains
No new 12 or 24 man raids will be introduced. (Note: The recently launched Book 12 introduced new raid content for those hungry for more large group encounters.)
6 man instances work will be limited to the Book 13 continuation of the epic storyline as well as retuning the existing Annuminas 1 group instances.
New armor sets are coming to primaily address playstyles not served by existing armor sets
Housing is changing in regards to non-payment. Instead of losing your house and all your items going into escrow, non-payment of the maintenance fee will simply lock you out of your house until you can pay. Your house remains and all your items remain within while you are locked out. Only houses that are abandoned will have their items placed in escrow.
The ability to turn off the graphic of certain item slots will be independent for each Outfit
New non-combat clothing will be coming as well as headgear that doesn't cover your characters hair (i.e. Circlets.)

The devs also talked about technology being implemented into the game that will allow them to work in new functionality. Here are some of the features they would like to add at that point:

More character slots
Guild banks
Sending multiple items in the mail at once

Expect dev diaries to start appearing soon detailing the major features of the patch as we get closer to its arrival on the Test server. A full transcript of this dev chat can be found at Stratics.

Gallery: Lord of the Rings Online Player Housing

LotRO EU dev chat reveals Book 13 details originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 28 Feb 2008 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Age of Conan preview makes mention of women, animations

Kyle Horner — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Previews, News items

Curse has a new write-up about their recent trip to FunCom where they go over some key issues fans of the upcoming Age of Conan might want to know about. One such thing is in regards to the severe lack of a female presence in the world of Hyboria up to this point. We're told that the main reason we haven't seen any female player characters is that FunCom wanted to do it up right. After all, you only get to make first impressions once. Well, apparently now that females are ready for the spotlight, beta testers can expect to see them as soon as the next patch even. This bodes well for the rest of us seeing the lovely ladies of Hyboria sooner rather than later.

If FunCom takes their armor sets as seriously as they take their Hyborian women, then it sounds like we're in for some satisfying sets of equipment. We're told to expect over 500 unique armor pieces, which in terms of sets doesn't tell us too much. Although a very rough guess on our part would be somewhere in the ballpark of 70-90 armor sets, which would span over three races and twelve classes. If they keep their word then hopefully we won't have a bunch of clones running around.

What really interested us the most, however, was that after hearing lots of concerned feedback on the run animations the developers are going back to the motion capture, uh -- board. Sure, you can expect all sorts of custom fatality animations for different classes, but FunCom continues to impress us with their ability to listen to the community. There's nothing worse than an unnatural looking run animation when you have to stare at it constantly for hours on end.

Age of Conan preview makes mention of women, animations originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Jan 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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