Neverwinter’s First Patch

Posted by on May 1, 2013 - No Comments »

It’s always a bummer when the servers have to go down for lengthy periods of time, but it seems especially torturous when the game still has that shiny new game smell. I can feel myself getting the shakes already! :)

But in this case, I have to give Cryptic/Perfect World credit for being quick to respond to server issues. Once the servers opened yesterday there were lots of server issues as they were slammed – heck there’s still a queue long enough that I had a wait on my Hero account with priority login status this morning. But honestly – what game doesn’t have a frustrating “launch”? Quotes because this is still open beta – while it can be considered to be a soft launch as there are no further character wipes, it is still a beta. I expect these sorts of issues at an actual real launch. But they are on top of things – I was impressed last night with how quickly they were responding to login issues.

And today there’s a maintenance to deal with many of the problems that cropped up. I am particularly pleased to see the stability and login fixes. Hit the jump for the patch details.

Read more…

Neverwinter Open Beta Now Live! LoreHound Has You Covered

Posted by on April 30, 2013 - 2 Comments »

What an exciting day!

At long last, Cryptic Studios’  Dungeons & Dragons action/adventure MMORPG Neverwinter is open for everyone to enjoy! Joined with that new, I have also managed to find a workaround that allows me to access the internet again; so I can be here to share in the fun!

As excited as I am, I’m sure the developers behind the game are even more excited (and probably exhausted!):

“After four successful Beta Weekends and many months of internal Alpha tests, we are thrilled to be in Open Beta,” said Cryptic Studios Executive Producer and COO, Craig Zinkievich. “On behalf of the entire team at Perfect World and Cryptic Studios, I’d like to thank the Founders, Beta Weekend participants, Alpha testers, fans, and press for their feedback and continued support in making Neverwinter the best game we’ve ever launched.”

Hit the jump for more info on the launch; including a small unofficial FAQ I’ve put together to answer some of the more common questions I keep seeing on the general chats.

Read more…

Steam Welcomes DarkFall Unholy Wars, First Subscription-based MMORPG to Service

Posted by on April 29, 2013 - 2 Comments »

Hardcore MMO gamers never had too much of a reason to check out Valve’s Steam digital distribution service for their cup of tea. Sure, there has always been gems on the platform but never of the massive multiplayer variety. Last year, that all changed with the introduction of free-to-play titles from the likes of Sega, Perfect World Entertainment, Hi-Rez Studios and more. Now another watershed moment is upon us. Valve and Adventurine announced that the subscription-based relaunch of Darkfall is now available on Steam.

Rebranded as Darkfall Unholy Wars, the new title sees the sandbox PvP-based MMORPG reaching an all new audience courtesy of the platform. The twitch-heavy title was passed the Steam Greenlight litmus test in under 24 hours thanks to its focus on rewarding skill and strategy during its real-time fights.

Darkfall Unholy Wars is available on Steam for $39.95 with a $14.95 auto renewal every 30 days. Time to start farming those 78 Steam Achievements.

Seriously, Steam backing subscription-based MMOGs with all the Steam fixings, like Achievements, is potentially the only way this industry could suck more time out of my productive life.

City of Steam Entering ‘Early Access’ Beta Phase Soon

Posted by on April 29, 2013 - No Comments »

Hey, new verbiage coined over the weekend! After wrapping up the official closed beta testing phase of City of Steam late last year, R2Games and Mechanist Games announced that the F2P, browser-based MMORPG will be going into an ‘Early Access Beta’ testing phase ahead of the official open beta process.

Unlocking on May 10th, the Early Access Beta will see the unveiling of a variety of features requested by the community. New abilities, airships, and a revamped user interface are all expected to be implemented during this time. Additions will continue through patches until the true open beta goes live, which is “expected for release shortly thereafter.”

Looking to grab access? Head over to the official site to put your name in the digital hat.

How to Snag the Cacodemon Ymir Skin in SMITE

Posted by on April 25, 2013 - No Comments »

With the latest patch integrating Twitch.tv and adding Ne Zha, Hi-Rez Studios also finally released the Beta promotional skin, Cacodemon Ymir.

To snag yourself this skin, all you have to do is hit level 30 before SMITE goes live.

When will SMITE release? Well Todd Harris suggested around 40 gods in this recent interview we had with him.

For those of us already level 30 (you should mock iTZkooPA for not being 30 already!), all you have to do is play an Arena, Assault, Conquest, Ranked Conquest, Team Ranked Conquest, or Domination match once to unlock it.

Good luck on the grind, SMITErs!

WildStar Lead PvP Designer on All Things Player vs. Player

Posted by on April 25, 2013 - No Comments »

Get bored of doing what the game designers deem interesting conten? Enjoy wiping the blood of a stricken warrior across your face? Perhaps you’re just looking to spice up your entertainment by keeping it fluid between the two? Either way, WildStar, the upcoming highly-customizable MMORPG from Carbine Studios, is planning to deliver interesting content for PvP and PvE. While we’ve talked about PvE at length, the core PvP experience hasn’t seen as much attention. Until now.

In a recent interview with ZAM, the Lead PvP Designer Jen Gordy detailed the plans for pitting players against one another. Everything from basic systems, like Leaderboards, to PvP environments, such as the heavenly Warplots, to balance and gear are discussed in the lengthy interview.

It concerns me that WildStar is looking to keep the same abilities across PvE and PvP. Sure, PvE mobs won’t have the reaction or skills necessary to compete like a normal player, but as World of Warcraft found out, it often causes unwanted nerfs/buffs to PvE skills due to PvP. And get ready to farm two sets of gear if you want to be remotely optimized for PvP, another gripe of mine. It wasn’t confirmed, but Gordy makes mention of two unique PvP stats that, seemingly, won’t come from PvE gear.

Thankfully, the PvP and class teams are already investigating any required balanced changes.

Neverwinter Details Your Targets in Helm’s Hold (Video)

Posted by on April 24, 2013 - No Comments »

Let the confusion begin! Hot on the heels of Turbine Entertainment announcing Helm’s Deep, the latest expansion for Lord of the Rings Online, Perfect World Entertainment unveils further details on Helm’s Hold. The zone, announced for Neverwinter late last year, will feature an assortment of nasty demons, deformed victims of the Spellplague and the devil worshipping followers of Rohini.

Be forewarned, Helm’s Hold is anything but safe. Adventurers of the action-oriented MMORPG will run into foul creatures of varying ferocity and size, including Rohini’s charmed pet dragon Chartilifax.

Players looking to see exactly what separates a Deep from a Hold can check out the Helm’s Hold lore trailer and monster trailers after the cut. More into static pixelated goodness? There’s a gallery of your upcoming fearsome opponents after the cut as well. The media is guaranteed get you ready for the April 30 open beta launch date. It’s nearly your last chance to grab that Founder’s Pack. Read more…

New Expansion Helm’s Deep Coming to Lord of the Rings Online

Posted by on April 24, 2013 - No Comments »

Turbine Entertainment is certainly keeping itself busy. Launching Riders of Rohan late last year and into early this year, the company followed that up by announcing the DC Universe-based MOBA Infinite Crisis between PAX East and GDC. Today, the developer and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, revealed plans to release Helm’s Deep, a digital expansion for Lord of the Rings Online, during fall 2013.

The expansion will include all the usual for LotRO. The level cap will be raised from 85 to 95, complete with new skills and specializations. Helm’s Deep will unlock a massive amount of new content for all characters level 10 and over and the Westemnet of Rohan will be fully explorable. The epic storyline will continue with the presence of such namesakes as Aragorn, Éowyn, and Éomer.

“With Helm’s Deep, we’re bringing the War of the Ring to players on a monumental scale,” said Kate Paiz, Executive Producer of The Lord of the Rings Online, Turbine. “Our team is thrilled to create another iconic moment in Middle-earth, and put players in the center of the action.”

Time will tell if we see the same massive technical updates to the game as we did with RoR. Stay tuned to Lore Hound for all the updates on Helm’s Deep as they’re announced.