In an attempt to prevent its servers from collapsing under the weight of a million Force-hungry MMO-players, EA will artificially limit the number of copies -- both digital and retail -- of Star Wars: The Old Republic available at launch. An EA representative reportedly revealed the strategy at a Gamescom demo, but didn't divulge any details such as how many copies would be available, or how long it would take for more copies to be released once the quota is met.http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/18/star-wars-the-old-republic-launch-copies-artificially-limited-a/
The biggest tweak coming with patch 4.3 is the Ethereal ability to transmogrify a players armor.
Starting with the patch, players will be able to choose the armor they think looks the best, as well as the armor that is most powerful to combine them into a single set.
"We have a wealth of armor sets we created that people no longer use," said Tom Chilton, leadWorld of Warcraft game designer.
Worse still, Chilton said, as players start to top out they being to look very similar because many players seem to stick to the high level, epic gear.
The hope is that players will use "transmogrification" not just to mix and max their favorite armor, but that this new ability will encourage some players to go back through the game on the hunt for some of the armor they may have passed up because it was under-powered.
To transmogrify a piece of armor it has to be the same type (cloth, leather, mail, plate) and stay within the class. Players just take it to an Ethereal who has set up shop in town; they transmogrify the two pieces into one.
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Another addition coming with the patch is "Void Storage", a new 100 to 150 items slots players can purchase with in-game currency. Like transmogrification, void storage comes from the Ethereals. Void storage is a pocket dimension created for a player that allows them to store extra items, but there is a downside.
Anything stored in the void is stripped of its enchantments and gems and the name of the person who crafted it, Chilton said. The stripping isn't tied to the lore of the game, either, but is the byproduct of a technical issue that makes this new storage system possible. (Read: Silly databases!)
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Finally, Chilton explained a new feature coming with the patch called "Raid Finder". The Raid Finder essentially operates like a dungeon finder, automating the search for fellow players on the hunt for a good raiding party. It will be built into the game's updated user interface when the patch hits, they said.
The bulk of the patch, though, will be a lot new content, Chilton said.
"It has a whole bunch of content," he said, "three dungeons for five player instances and a new raid instance culminating in the Deathwing fight."
That Deathwing fight will be the most epic boss encounter to date, including a battle phase that takes place on the massive dragon's back as he flies through the sky.
Players can choose different paths to take in order to exploit the richness and mystery of the planet Nexus. Explorers conquer the world by climbing its highest peaks and penetrating its hidden inner recesses. Soldiers conquer the land by force, taking on the native creatures left agitated by the Eldan's passage. Scientists comb the planet for secrets, attempting to unravel the mystery behind the powerful race's sudden absence. And Settlers just want to make a new life for themselves.
No matter what race and class you pick in WildStar, your journey is guided by the path of your choosing.
Kicking off today, LEGO Universe: Free to Play gives new players the ability to download the client and explore a limited portion of the game without paying a single cent. They'll be able to create their own LEGO minifig character, explore starting areas The Venture Explorer and Avant Gardens, join the heroic Nexus Force, try of some role-specific faction gear, and play a few mini-games. Free to Play players will also be able to claim their own Avant Gardens property, where they can experience the joy of creating their own LEGO constructs and sharing them with thousands of friends.This was another game where I got into the Beta, but then had too much else I was interested in, and thus never found time for. From what I hear, it's not bad, especially if you have kids who are into LEGO stuff. For the grand total of $0, I'd say it's worth a try.
FPSGuru.com spoke to Sony Online Entertainment's John Smedley and Matt Higby, who described Planetside 2's dynamic, gameplay-affecting warfare, multiple planets, skills that can be trained online or offline (not unlike EVE Online), as well as—and it warms the cockles of my gun's heart to hear it—friendly fire.http://kotaku.com/5830955/planetside-2-keeping-friendly-fire-adding-offline-skill-training
Last week, The New York Times reported that the totally badass-named North Korean agency "Office 39" was attached to an effort in South Korea that breached the servers for South Korean MMOs Lineage and Dungeon and Fighter, leaving it vulnerable to gold-farming bots. The North allegedly pocketed $3 million, which was put into a slush fund that buys KJ's Eric Clapton records, NBA memorabilia, and weapons of mass destruction.http://kotaku.com/5830727/north-korean-gold+farming-allegations-officially-denied-by-official-north-korean-news
Back in 2010, Nintendo filed a patent application for something called a "massively single-playing online game," something whose interactions don't take place in real time and what sounds a little Animal Crossing-ish (above).
According to GameSpot, which found the filing, the MSO(?) would be an environment where players' actions and choices affect the world they and everyone else inhabit. Economic systems are a good example, one Nintendo used in the filing.
Wondering why going "free to play" is so trendy right now? Consider MMO Age of Conan. In May, it launched a F2P version. It's since doubled its revenues and increased subscriber numbers.While this can lead to serious two-tier systems of gameplay, personally I welcome F2P. I'm so sick of paying $50+ for an MMO just to see it suck, lose subscribers en masse, and/or shut down a few months (or years) after launch.
With Blizzcon only a few months away, a trademark filing has surfaced hinting at what could be one of the last big hurrahs for the aging MMO.Honestly, it's about time Blizz caved in to fanboy demand. At least now the Alliance (who will inevitably get to play as them) will look even more ridiculous and childish than they did before, what with all the Chinese Tony the Tigers running around. I wonder what race the Horde will get...
Dated from last week in the US, it's for something called Mists of Pandaria...
