Filed under: Expansions

CCP Games alters plans for EVE's capital ships in Dominion expansion

by James Egan Nov 20th 2009 at 9:00PM

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Expansions, Game mechanics, PvP

The EVE Online developers have announced that some of their proposed changes to capital ships will not deploy with the Dominion expansion as originally planned. This may come as good news to some of EVE's supercarrier (formerly "mothership") pilots who've expressed no small amount of dissatisfaction at how their ships were slated to be changed. With the supercarrier changes not going through, this also means that the fighter bombers -- anti-capital ship drones intended to bathe EVE's largest ships in waves of torpedo explosions -- will not arrive on December 1 with Dominion.

Changes to other capital ship weapons systems like XL Turrets, however, are another matter entirely. They're discussed at length in a dev blog from CCP Nozh titled "Capital Ships in Dominion" as are the new Citadel Cruise Missile Launchers intended to be a long range weapon system.

Story moments in new Siege of Mirkwood screens

by Kyle Horner Nov 19th 2009 at 6:00PM

Filed under: Screenshots, Lord of the Rings Online, Expansions, News items

Lord of the Rings Online is well known for its story, which it has Tolkien's works to thank for -- although Turbine does a great job of making it all come alive. These new Siege of Mirkwood screens depict a few of the new epic story moments players can expect come December 1st when the expansion is made available for purchase.

From giant spiders to cozy campfires, much about these new screens inspire. Whether thick with peril or cool and mellow, Siege of Mirkwood looks set to offer its community wonders unparalleled. Yes, we're kind of rhyming on purpose. We blame the poetic imagery seen in the gallery below; its vistas both terrible and cold.

Gallery: LotRO: Siege of Mirkwood - Epic story moments

Darkfall's newest expansion to release next week

by Eliot Lefebvre Nov 19th 2009 at 10:00AM

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, Expansions, Launches, News items

Darkfall is among the most specialized niche titles available now, but like many niche titles it fills a void that just can't be simulated anywhere else. That void might be confined to a certain frequently-reviled but very vocal sort of player, but it's still there. And if the promise of bonuses for recruiting new meat for the grinder wasn't enticing enough, fans of the game have even more to be happy about now -- the game's next free expansion is slated to release late next week according to an official developer post.

Conquer the Seas was originally slated to be released a bit sooner, but as developer Tasos explains, the expansion contains a larger number of bug fixes and minor updates than they had originally intended. It's a good sign that Aventurine is willing to take the extra time for development to produce something better in the end, and Darkfall players certainly should enjoy the new update. If you don't play the game... well, did we mention that any friends you have that do play can get some extra cash if you sign up? Just try not to read too much into the look of glee on their face at the time.

Lord of the Rings Online offers Welcome Back Week for EU players

by Rubi Bayer Nov 17th 2009 at 11:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Expansions, News items

Siege of Mirkwood is nearly here, and Codemasters is offering former European Lord of the Rings players a chance to jump back in and do some catching up before it arrives.

Welcome Back Week begins November 23rd and continues through the 30th -- any former LotRO player can return and enjoy a week of free play, courtesy of Codemasters. They're also offering a bonus: those taking advantage of Welcome Back Week will get a 25% XP boost that week.

Players interested in returning for the event need only download the game, or patch to the latest version. Codemasters has re-activated the accounts, so you'll find your characters ready and waiting to head back into Middle-Earth and prepare for the arrival of Siege of Mirkwood.

Codemasters is also using this week to remind players to get in on the Siege of Mirkwood pre-order deals. The expansion is set to launch in Europe on December 3rd.

EverQuest unveils the city of Kernagir in Underfoot

by Rubi Bayer Nov 17th 2009 at 7:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest, Expansions

EverQuest continued their "Unfolding the Lore" series yesterday with the introduction of Kernagir, the Shining City. This latest area of the Underfoot expansion is "where the chosen of Brell Serilis go to live out eternity in Underfoot."

The city of Kernagir was built to honor and worship Brell, and is created using the unlimited natural resources that his followers enjoy to make Kernagir a place of beauty. Kernagir was designed as a sort of Utopia for Brell's chosen, and the citizens have traditionally been fairly choosy about who they allow in. Things are changing in the Shining City, though.

With Brell keeping his distance lately, followers of the Faith of Self are seeking out the talented craftsmen who live in Kernagir, and the "heresy of individualism" is spreading. The tale of Kernagir says "This has led to a philosophical schism and the taking of sides. The acrimonious debate between the two sides is descending towards violence and may lead to rampant chaos in the Shining City now that Brell's influence has disappeared."

What happens next? The story of Kernagir and its fate will continue with the December release of EverQuest: Underfoot.

The Digital Continuum: LotRO's feature future

by Kyle Horner Nov 17th 2009 at 6:00PM

Filed under: Lord of the Rings Online, Expansions, Opinion, The Digital Continuum

There are many wonderful features within Lord of the Rings Online, especially with Siege of Mirkwood edging upon the horizon like a merchant's ship carrying treasure chests full of shiny new features. However, for many a person, the game just doesn't click into place. Whether it's because of a missing feature or the pace of combat, some people find themselves unable to acclimate a groove.

So let's talk about features and changes that would help attract fresh blood while keeping the old guard happy -- because changing the core of an MMO is never truly a good idea, but bring in fresh blood doesn't hurt.

The Digital Continuum: LotRO's feature future, part 2

by Kyle Horner Nov 17th 2009 at 6:00PM

Filed under: Lord of the Rings Online, Expansions, Opinion, The Digital Continuum

Lord of the Rings Online to make drastic combat changes with Siege of Mirkwood

by Seraphina Brennan Nov 17th 2009 at 3:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Expansions, Game mechanics, Patches, News items

It's very rare that you hear about a game changing how combat works at a fundamental level, but that's exactly what Turbine is doing in Siege of Mirkwood. We hope you guys weren't in love with weapon speeds and slow animations, because those are two of the things that are getting major overhauls.

In the latest developer diary, it's been revealed that weapon speeds will now be standardized by weapon level and type, making sure that all one-hand maces of the same level swing at the same speed. This is key, as previously players were taking slower weapons to maximize their damage, even if it wasn't appropriate for their class. (Turbine was looking at you, mace wielding burglars.) Weapons have also gotten increased speed but lowered damage to compensate for their fast swing rate.

A visual tour of LotRO: Siege of Mirkwood

by Shawn Schuster Nov 17th 2009 at 11:00AM

Filed under: At a glance, Betas, Fantasy, Video, Lord of the Rings Online, Expansions, Hands-on

Today marks the official NDA (non disclosure agreement) lift on Lord of the Rings Online's newest expansion: Siege of Mirkwood. The latest addition to virtual Middle-earth is set to release on December 1st, but many players have already been enjoying the new content on the Bullroarer test server these last few months.

If you haven't had a chance to see Turbine's latest creation, check out our video tour of the expansion just after the jump below. Also, be sure to watch Massively for more coverage on Siege of Mirkwood from now to December 1st and beyond!

CCP discusses NPE in EVE Online expansion

by Rubi Bayer Nov 16th 2009 at 12:00PM

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Expansions, Interviews

With only a few weeks to go until the launch of Dominion, the EVE Online team has got to be pretty busy. CrazyKinux was lucky enough to get a bit of time with Game Designer Eris Discordia to talk about the details of the NPE - New Player Experience.

The discussion covered some interesting ground, such as how CCP is working to keep the NPE easy for players to use and understand, how far it's come since 2003 ("You started in space and you had to shoot a drone and that was pretty much it."), and how they would like to see it improve from here on out. They also talked about the reasoning behind the way the NPE is set up, as a crash course designed to get you through the basics and into the game, rather than a more scattered, drawn-out approach.

It's an interesting read for any veteran EVE Online player, and a valuable one for anyone new to the game. The full interview can be read here, and a big thanks to CrazyKinux and Eris Discordia for taking the time for it!

Lord of the Rings Online developer chat transcript available

by Eliot Lefebvre Nov 13th 2009 at 11:00AM

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Classes, Expansions, Game mechanics

There's a lot of interesting material coming with the Siege of Mirkwood expansion for Lord of the Rings Online, not to mention a large number of player questions and curiosity about where the game is headed. Luckily for the playerbase, WarCry was recently lucky enough to get a chance to chat with the developers, with a full transcript now available for all who missed the live chat. As is par for the course for developer chats, there's the occasional question that seems rather out-of-place or unnecessary, but on the whole it's full of tidbits that should excite the game's fans.

The discussion ranges from the tangible issues with the upcoming expansion such as class upgrades (each class will get one new skill upgrade at level 62), meta-issues (there will be a Skirmish sneak peek coming soon to let players try the new format), and some wholly random bits (the developers will not add your farm on Facebook as a neighbor). It's a weighty and lengthy chat that can't be summarized easily, so it's best to take a look, digest, and start thinking about the first thing you want to do in Lord of the Rings Online when the expansion goes live.

EverQuest II: Sentinel's Fate opens up pre-orders

by Eliot Lefebvre Nov 13th 2009 at 9:00AM

Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Expansions, Launches, News items

The latest expansion for EverQuest II, EverQuest II: Sentinel's Fate, is slated for release in February both digitally and in retail, but why wait until then to pick up your copy? No, far better to pre-order the expansion and be ready for the day it launches -- which, not coincidentally, is now an option. There are both Regular and Collector editions available, as is the standard for MMOs these days, and each one comes with its own little bonuses as well as the usual little extras for ordering ahead of time.

Sentinel's Fate promises to be a broad expansion for everyone playing EverQuest II, offering a level cap of 90, several hundred new quests, new dungeons, and new alternate advancement systems for characters. If you're a dedicated player of the game, they probably had you at "EQII expansion," but the expansion also looks to be the perfect point for new players to jump in and start getting involved in the world of Norrath. Take a look at the full list of the expansion's features, go ahead and pre-order, and get ready for February to be booked solid.

Lord of the Rings developer diary explores Dol Guldur

by Rubi Bayer Nov 12th 2009 at 8:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Expansions

We've seen the screenshots and trailer for the fortress of Dol Guldur in the upcoming Lord of the Rings Online expansion Siege of Mirkwood, and today's developer diary explores it in more detail, giving us an extensive look through the area.

Tsieng Liu from the LotRO Dungeons Team describes Dol Guldur as "the fortress where Sauron dwelt when he was known as "The Necromancer." It's an old fortress that is now full of the foul servants of the Enemy on the edge of Mirkwood forest. It is in this region that the elves of Lothlórien are mounting an offensive in order to keep the Enemy from penetrating their forests."

Dol Guldur will contain three 3-person dungeons and a 6-person dungeon, leading up to a 12-person raid in which you storm the tower of Dol Guldur and take on the "leadership behind its forces." This area will also feature some fun new mechanics and challenges that should turn your tried-and-true group methods of playing neatly on their ear.

Dungeon overviews, as well as a look at the new surprises Dol Guldur has in store, can all be found in the diary entry. It's well worth the read.

CCP Games elaborates on conquest in EVE's Dominion expansion

by James Egan Nov 12th 2009 at 5:00PM

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Expansions, Game mechanics, Guilds, PvP

"-- Smash the control images -- Smash the control machine --"

William S. Burroughs, The Soft Machine

The Dominion expansion for EVE Online is so-named for its heavy focus on the game mechanics of "Sovereignty" or control of territory in the New Eden galaxy. There's been no small amount of controversy surrounding CCP's proposed system, however, particularly as it's slated to go live on December 1st with the Dominion release. While some of the core game mechanics of control are still undergoing revision, CCP Games recently explained how ownership of solar systems will change hands in a dev blog titled "Storming the Gates."

EVE developer CCP Abathur lays out how new equipment will be used in claiming space and repelling invaders.

Turbine releases more Siege of Mirkwood screenshots

by Rubi Bayer Nov 12th 2009 at 4:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, Lord of the Rings Online, Expansions

Turbine is continuing to tease us with Lord of the Rings Online screenshots in the weeks leading up to the December release of the Siege of Mirkwood expansion. Until now, we've seen quite a few general screenshots of different regions in the Mirkwood area, covering Dol Guldur, Gathburz, the Scuttledells, and the Ashenslades.

These newest pictures are a bit of a change of pace, giving us our first glimpse at an instanced area. The Chambers instance is the kind of gorgeous area we've come to expect from Turbine, and the prominent eye of Sauron in one shot makes us think it's just as unfriendly. The gentleman standing in front of it doesn't seem very happy at the prospect of visitors at any rate, nor do the group of armored toughs blocking the stairway in another screenshot.

We are now less than three weeks away from the launch of Siege of Mirkwood, and our thanks go out to Turbine for making the wait so much fun with their pictorial tour of Mirkwood.

Gallery: Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood Chambers screenshots