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Wings Over Atreia: F2P and vet rewards and bears, oh my!

MJ Guthrie — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Opinion, Free-to-play, Wings Over Atreia

OK, so maybe there aren't really any bears. Wait, I take that back -- there are maybe sorta bears... at least alluded to! Polar bears, to be exact. No really, work with me here: What Winter Festival, Atreian or otherwise, doesn't conjure up images of polar bears? We just won't get into the whole dancing bears thing. What we will get into this week in Wings Over Atreia, however, are musings about a few topics of interest that are swirling around lately, most notably Aion's upcoming conversion to free-to-play in Europe, the changes to the veteran reward system, and the aforementioned Winter Festival (sans dancing bears).

Quick quiz now: Other than involving Aion, what else do these three subjects have in common? Give up? Time. While this column usually delves into single topics at a time, the fact that two of these are time-sensitive necessitates that they share face-time, else the news most relevant to Daevas would become obsolete. The third is less time-sensitive but more time-relevant.

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: F2P and vet rewards and bears, oh my!

Wings Over Atreia: F2P and vet rewards and bears, oh my! originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wings Over Atreia's Aion 2.7 sneak-peek: Dev death match

MJ Guthrie — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Video, Aion, Expansions, PvP, Opinion, Hands-on, First Impressions, Wings Over Atreia

You all just better be grateful that NCsoft is working out the kinks by using me as a guinea pig so you can have a smooth launch! Even if by launch I only mean the PTS, which is set to go live today with Aion's newest patch. Yes folks, I -- your intrepid Wings Over Atreia correspondent -- was invited to a media sneak-peek to check out the Crucible 3 arenas coming very soon to a live server near you. Who am I to pass up a few practice runs through the new arenas before the rest of the masses? So I touch-down mid-week for some additional Atreian coverage. And come on, no one could pass up the chance to stealth up behind a dev and unleash a flurry of dagger blows into his/her back!

Unfortunately, logistical and technical difficulties stretching for days plagued this endeavor. Yours truly was especially cursed. However, just when it seemed like the event wouldn't happen, there we were, standing in Kaisinel Academy in spiffy new duds and queued to enter what is arguably the highlight of 2.7: the PvP arenas. At this point, I forgave all previous problems because I got to commence some slaughter on a few NCsoft employees. What?!? You all know you want to! I tested my dagger and sword against Scott Hannus, producer of the game guide; two members of the game guide team, Sean Orlikowski and Ryan Compton; Adam Christensen, Associate Producer; Dom Wai, Brand Manager; and two members of the community management team, Felicia Johnson (Nyx) and Curtis Grooms (Anhtoo).

Oh, and I learned some pretty neat things about the upcoming patch as well.

So how was the experience? And just exactly how tasty are Aion's forthcoming goodies? Whet your appetite past the cut with my impressions of the two instances and the new PvP gear as well as check out a video. Then join in on the PTS server to experience for yourself.

Gallery: Aion 2.7

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia's Aion 2.7 sneak-peek: Dev death match

Wings Over Atreia's Aion 2.7 sneak-peek: Dev death match originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wings Over Atreia: AP bakery

MJ Guthrie — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 19:00:00 EST

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

Get yer hot, fresh, AP cookies folks, right here! MMmm mm.

For those who are not as familiar with Aion or haven't participated in much PvP combat, AP (Abyss Points) are the currency by which special gear and items can be bought. AP can be gathered a number of ways, through both PvP and PvE. This week, Wings Over Atreia takes a stroll through the AP bakery to share with you many of the tasty morsels available.

While I had already planned on discussing AP this week, NCsoft's introduction of two new events (For War and Glory and Behind Enemy Lines) brought a new angle to it -- specifically, more enthusiasm and enjoyment! I've got to say that of all the recent events that have been held, these two more fully capture the essence of Aion and encourage participation in core elements of the game; small-scale skirmishes are cropping up all over. This is what the game is about -- clashes of light and dark wings throughout all of Atreia. I haven't had more fun in PvP in a very long time, and I am not even a PvPer!

How can you, too, take advantage of these great events and fill up your AP coffers? Grab a plate, join me past the cut to check out the selection, and prepare to gorge on some yummy AP goodness!

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: AP bakery

Wings Over Atreia: AP bakery originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alganon patches Phase III PvP update

Jef Reahard — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, PvP, News items, Free-to-play, Alganon

Destruction, terror, and mayhem came to Alganon this past November with the arrival of the game's first PvP patch. This week, the free-to-play fantasy MMORPG is tweaking the functionality with Phase III of its planned PvP rollout which includes a couple of noteworthy additions.

First up is the new tower mechanic. In a nutshell, the towers are PvP-enabled zones that automatically flag players for conflict five seconds after they've entered. Temporary promotions will be in effect for characters from levels 10 to 49, and statistics and action levels will be raised to level 50 for the duration of a player's time in the tower zone. The towers can also be captured, which brings bonuses to every member of your faction in the zone. The Quest devs have also added local and world defense chat channels to facilitate battlefield communication.

Finally, the new patch has also increased the renown level cap to 10 and there is new PvP gear for sale at various capital city quartermaster NPCs. Read all the details on Alganon's 2.5.2 patch at the official website.

Alganon patches Phase III PvP update originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Jan 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Age of Conan's Shrines of Bori goes live

Jef Reahard — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, MMO industry, Patches, PvP, News items

Funcom has officially released Update 1.07 for its Age of Conan fantasy MMORPG. The sword and sorcery title, based on the literary works of the late Robert E. Howard, now features a new guild-based PvP challenge known as the Shrines of Bori that allows players and guilds to capture and defend both shrines and resources in the lawless Border Kingdoms.

In addition, the patch features new PvP levels, Tier 2 PvP gear, and an Expansion Teaser Event called 'The Silver Atrium' that allows players to battle spies, assassins, and various scum and villainy from the far east in preparation for the upcoming Rise of the Godslayer expansion.

Finally, Funcom has added a new regional fast travel system accessible via new wagoneer NPCs in major quest hubs and outposts, as well as various game system tweaks including mini-game XP, GUI optimizations, and a laundry list of bug fixes.

The much-anticipated Offline Character Progression system did not make it in to patch 1.07. Senior Community Manager Oliver 'Tarib' Kunz states that "there are some adjustments that need to be done to this new system first. But we didn't want to hold back the entire Update 1.07 so we decided to exclude it and deploy all the other fixes and additions for our players to enjoy. You can expect the Offline Character Progression System to be part of a future update."

Check out the full Update 1.07 patch notes here.

Age of Conan's Shrines of Bori goes live originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 30 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Warhammer Online's developers reach into the grab bag

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Interviews, Patches, Warhammer Online

Warhammer Online has been making some big changes with their upcoming patch 1.3.2, which naturally leads to a number of player questions about the finer points of interaction between the changes and the present game state. The developers have sat down for another question grab bag, this one focusing heavily on the changes and how they'll impact both items and abilities, as well as the ongoing issues of class balance.

Unfortunately, a number of answers to rather pressing questions (such as whether or not RvR weapons that match the PvE equivalent-tier weapon will be introduced) is the age-old developer mantra of "we're talking about it, but we have no firm details." Still, there's some useful information for those curious about how the removal of Forts will affect the game and obtaining high-end equipment, some information regarding stacking and tuning abilities, and a few interesting tips regarding communication and transport between players. If you're hungry for more information regarding the latest and greatest changes coming to Warhammer Online, you can take a look at the full grab bag on the official site.

Warhammer Online's developers reach into the grab bag originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Funcom implements PvP XP rollback in Age of Conan

James Egan — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Events, in-game, Exploits, Forums, Game mechanics, PvP

Funcom has sent a clear message to the number of Age of Conan players who've been exploiting a flaw in the PvP XP system: START OVER. Oliver 'Tarib' Kunz, Senior Community Manager for Age of Conan, addressed Funcom's recent decision to roll back the experience gained by some players who unfairly saw a meteoric rise in gains, as confirmed in a player-by-player investigation.

Kunz stated, "We have then taken what we consider to be appropriate action against those players by reducing their PvP Levels to what they were before it was possible to take advantage of this flaw and removing all PvP Gear." Of course, Kunz says, Funcom is open to discussing the removal of experience and gear from those who believe they were unfairly targeted, and have stated that if they've misidentified an exploiter, the character(s) in question will be restored to their former status.

Having fun in Conan's homeland? Make sure to check out all of our previous Age of Conan coverage, and stick with Massively for more news from the Hyborian Age!

Funcom implements PvP XP rollback in Age of Conan originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 10 Nov 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Age of Conan PvP gear meticulously laid out

Adrian Bott — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, PvP, Endgame

It took a while getting there, but PvP gear finally made it to Age of Conan. Was it worth the wait? Apparently, yes. The PvP patch has caused a marked increase in enthusiasm for the game, and players are killing each other like never before in their haste to earn PvP levels. Unfortunately, the AoC PvP notoriety patch didn't go live yet, so nobody is being branded as a murderer or criminal no matter how many lower level passers-by they ambush and massacre.

Martuk at Ten Ton Hammer has put together the first part of an exhaustive catalog of all the PvP gear that's made it into the game so far, complete with requirements and bonuses, so you can plan out exactly what you want to wear in your PvP career. You can pick the gear up from vendors, who you can find in the game's racial hubs. Each piece has a minimum PvP level required to wear or wield. Note that the minimum character level is 80; this is definitely endgame stuff.

Although there are ten PvP levels, the gear available only goes up to level 5 so far. More gear will be coming in the future to take the system all the way up to level 10.

Age of Conan PvP gear meticulously laid out originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 24 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Age of Conan reveals first PvP gear, stats and all

Adrian Bott — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Patches, PvP

The bad news for Age of Conan PvP enthusiasts is that the patch has been put back yet again, and is now due to come out on September 10th. However, if you head over to the Testlive Server - and owing to a new feature, you can now copy over your regular characters instead of starting new ones - you can visit the ad-hoc PvP vendors in Tortage, and see how you like the long-awaited AoC PvP gear. (No, it's not live yet. This is Testlive.)

It's not all in yet, with PvP level 5 the highest for which gear's currently available on Testlive, but there's enough to get an idea of where Funcom are heading with this. The bonuses seem to be emphasising damage resistance over damage dealing, which would logically lead to longer PvP fights where one-shotting and large amounts of burst damage were less likely. There's also a lot of health boosting, again pointing towards longer fights and heightened survivability. Tester Stounedi has compiled screenshots of all the Tier 1 gear (available at PvP level 2).

On the downside, there only seems to be one set per tier per class, meaning that each PvPer of a given PvP level and class will probably end up looking identical. Though they are more than healthy in size, the benefits so far are all run-of-the-mill percentile boosts, with no procs, interesting bonus feats or such like. But the gear is, from what we can see so far, very nice looking indeed.

Having fun in Conan's homeland? Make sure to check out all of our previous Age of Conan coverage, and stick with Massively for more news from the Hyborian Age!

Age of Conan reveals first PvP gear, stats and all originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 02 Sep 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Age of Conan patch on Testlive details PvP XP, gear, notoriety

Adrian Bott — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Patches, PvP

At last, the first portion of the promised PvP improvements are starting to appear over on Age of Conan. The Testlive server, where new patches are tested out prior to their going live, now has a new patch, and the developers have taken the opportunity to describe the basic elements of the new PvP system. These include PvP experience, gear, and player notoriety.

It's very important to note that this is all currently in testing, and is not guaranteed to make it to live in its current form. With that in mind, we bring you details of the new PvP system after the cut, hot from the Testlive forums. It's not completely implemented yet, but does give an idea of where the AoC developers are going with this.

The notoriety system in brief: players apparently start out Innocent. If you attack an Innocent player, you are temporarily flagged as Criminal whether you kill him or not. (The Criminal flag vanishes after five minutes, so long as you don't do more naughty things.) If you kill an Innocent player, you gain Murder Points. If you kill a Criminal, you don't gain any Murder Points. Accumulating enough Murder Points makes you a murderer, which means guards will attack you on sight, you will be locked out of access to traders and vendors, and other players will get more rewards for killing you.

Continue reading New Age of Conan patch on Testlive details PvP XP, gear, notoriety

New Age of Conan patch on Testlive details PvP XP, gear, notoriety originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 Jul 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Making/Money: MUDflation IG vs. IRL

Alexis Kassan — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Economy, Expansions, Game mechanics, Patches, Endgame, Making/Money

We have tackled the subject of mudflation tangentially a few times of late. It seems to have suddenly become the economic buzzword of MMOs. We have all experienced it. We have come to expect, if not accept, it as part of the games we love to play. And though Wikipedia, in its infinite wisdom, has dubbed it an in-game only phenomenon, I posit a different approach to looking at this occurrence.

Mudflation is an immediate devaluation of previously owned items due to the gain or release of newly available items. This is not unlike technological advance in that the release of the latest new toy makes all others somewhat obsolete. The differences here are the perceived need for the item, the amount of devaluation, and the time frame in which this occurs.

Continue reading Making/Money: MUDflation IG vs. IRL

Making/Money: MUDflation IG vs. IRL originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Age of Conan Dev goes on berserk question-answering rampage

Adrian Bott — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 13:15:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, PvP, PvE

What was in LordOrion's coffee this morning? The FunCom developer began by making two parallel threads on the Age of Conan forums, one on the US forums and one on the EU. Each one was a 'leak', with the EU getting a preview of PvP gear, and the US getting an image of what looked like a dungeon of some sort, with no further hints as to what it might be.

That done, he began to answer direct questions. The players on both sides of the Atlantic wasted no time in firing them off, while expressing their gratitude (and disbelief) that FunCom was actually talking to them for a change. Now that the flurry of posts has died down, we've collated all the new information from both sides, presented in interview format and edited for relevance and context.

Continue reading Age of Conan Dev goes on berserk question-answering rampage

Age of Conan Dev goes on berserk question-answering rampage originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Jun 2008 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First glimpse of Age of Conan PvP gear!

Adrian Bott — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 11:15:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, PvP

Naughty, naughty FunCom Devs. To get Age of Conan players salivating, and possibly to distract attention from some recent hiccups, they've posted a sneak preview of some very pretty new items. The character looks like a Ranger, but a Ranger dressed like we've not seen them dressed before. This is not the repetitive brown stuff we've been hearing complaints about. Take a look at it in its full glory, and we think you'll agree this is gear worth showing off.

Reticent at first, AoC developer LordOrion has confirmed (in the midst of a coughing fit) that this is PvP gear. Along with the announcement some days ago concerning an imminent PvP consequence system, this whoops-how-clumsy-of-me 'leak' further confirms that the PvP system is seeing some serious tinkering behind the scenes. As we'd hoped, PvP rewards are definitely in the pipeline.

So when is this going to go live? There's no clue as yet, but LordOrion has said there will be more treats coming on Friday. As soon as we see anything, we'll stealth up to it, give it a Pin Down bowshot and hammer it with Salvo before it has a chance to escape.

UPDATE: LordOrion has just announced that the controversial jail system, originally planned to be part of AoC, will not form part of the PvP consequences: 'there are no plans for a jail system'.

First glimpse of Age of Conan PvP gear! originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Jun 2008 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Are you on the path?

Seraphina Brennan — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Game mechanics, PvP, Endgame, PvE, Opinion

One factor that keeps MMORPGs running is the desire for progression. Every player who sets foot in any subscription-based game can eventually see the will of the developers creating systems that will make you dedicated time and energy to their game.

Yet, the one thing that no one seems to take notice of is the way we get sucked into keep playing. Sometimes isn't not about the difficulty of the challenge itself, but the path it takes to get to there. Everyone sees the physical difficulty of doing a raid, and everyone knows that the developers make it difficult to complete a raid so you keep playing longer, but very few can see the will of the developers resonating in the path it takes to get to the challenge.

Rohan at Blessing of Kings, however, locked onto that path in his latest post, entitled "Being on the Path".

Continue reading Are you on the path?

Are you on the path? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 Jun 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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