Tuesday - February 19, 2002
| Bonusweb also has some new screenshots from GoldenLand, an RPG from Russia (developed by Burut), announced in October 2001... |
| Some new screenshots from Cult, a 3D isometric fantasy action RPG game similar to Baldur's Gate and Diablo 2, can be found at BonusWeb today... |
Team XBox has interviewed Todd Howard from Bethesda Softworks about their upcoming gae Morrowind. Here's something:
Reading up on previews and news articles, it seems that the PC version of Morrowind may have an advantage over the Xbox version; can you say anything to ensure gamers to purchase your title on the Xbox?
Todd H: It many ways it's easier to play it on Xbox, since the control can be so tweaked for the Xbox controller. It's little things like complete analog movement and streamlined menus. The PC's major advantage is what comes with the game, and that's The Elder Scrolls Construction Set, which lets you create mods for the game. Other than that, the game content is the same. Oh, and the Xbox version does Dolby Digital, which goes a long way toward a cool experience. |
 Interplay's former CEO Brian Fargo interviewed
Posted by Moriendor @ 19:52 - Top 
 |
GameSpot has managed to get a hold of Brian Fargo, founder and former CEO of Interplay. Fargo left the company that's been shaken by financial woes last month. If you want to find out about the reasons you don't want to miss out on GameSpot's interview.
Here's a revealing snip:
GameSpot: Thanks for talking with us. Can you tell us briefly about your reasons for leaving Interplay? How long have you been planning your departure?
Brian Fargo: I don't think it comes as a surprise that the last three to four years have been tough and certainly not fun. Somewhere along the line I ended up doing purely executive and financial management functions with very little creative, design, talent scouting, marketing, or any other work I enjoy. That said, I accepted the role I was thrust into and managed to lower the bank debt from $40 million to almost zero while still managing to maintain quality and ship some phenomenal games like Sacrifice, Baldur's Gate, Fallout, and so on. After coming very close to securing several deals for the acquisition of the company in early 2001, only to see them fail due to too many interests and then having a financing deal go sideways after Titus announced its intent to take over, I knew it was time to go.
|
Microsoft has just sent us a media alert (quoted below) regarding the great opportunity to win a sneak preview copy of Dungeon Siege this upcoming Friday. Details will not be unveiled before Friday at an unspecified time on Microsoft's Dungeon Siege website and the sites participating in the contest. Only the 1st ten submissions from each site plus an additional 50 randomly picked gamers will receive a preview copy. Wish I was a keyboard manufacturer with all the 'F5' keys that will wind up dead after Friday *sigh* ;)
BE AMONG THE FIRST! DUNGEON SIEGE SNEAK PREVIEW SIGN-UP STARTS FRIDAY
Microsoft today announced that at an undisclosed time on Friday, February 22, gamers will be able to sign up for the chance to win a sneak preview copy of Dungeon Siege at http://www.microsoft.com/games/dungeonsiege/, or any of 19 other participating games sites.
A select group of gamers will win an exclusive sneak preview copy of this highly anticipated game. Those who hope to be among the first to play Dungeon Siege will want to check the sites frequently, as the sign-up will be posted at an unspecified time. The official Dungeon Siege site will also host a complete list of all participating sites. The first ten submissions from each site, along with 50 additional winners randomly selected from all entries, will be able to play Dungeon Siege before the game hits store shelves.
Dungeon Siege is an action fantasy role-playing game featuring an immersive fully 3-D environment. The game plunges players into a continuous 3-D fantasy world on a quest to stop a mysterious evil that has been unleashed. Beginning with a single character, players can travel through the world and gather a party of up to eight characters, or choose to face the challenge alone. The action role-playing in Dungeon Siege propels players into one over-the-top battle after another as the storyline unfolds. Dungeon Siege will be available in April 2002 for an estimated retail price of $49.99 (U.S.).
For more information about Dungeon Siege, visit the official Web site at:
http://www.microsoft.com/games/dungeonsiege/
|
GameBanshee has conducted an interview with Bethesda's Pete Hines to get a little more info on the current status of the game.
Here's a shorty:
GB: How is development coming along with Morrowind? What areas of the game are currently being worked on, and what areas are still left before the game is finished?
Pete: The game is coming along great. All we are working on now is testing and fine-tuning the game. We spend a lot of time playing the game, comparing notes on gameplay balance... wash, rinse, repeat.
|
| Well, maybe not that new but it's the first time we heard of it thanks to RPGvault who managed to score six new screenshots of Mirage Interactive's action packed first person RPG. It actually looks like a pure shooter but make sure to check out our Game Info or the official website's About Page for what makes RatHunt an RPG. |
| Blizzard has updated its Warcraft 3 site with a page dedicated to Warcraft 3 beta coverage. A nice link collection basically. |
Wish they would have fixed Ultima IX that often *eg*
Anyway, Mythic has updated its Pendragon test realms to version 1.46B. The patch release note is -as always- presented by The Camelot Herald. |
| DigitalVideoDocumentaries.com does -as the name implies- hold a video documentary of EverQuest. It focuses on the real people behind the online characters and includes footage from a recent EQ fan faire. The movie is offered in streaming format. RealPlayer is required. Links to all you need can be found inside. | | Source: PlanetEverQuest |
Just can't get enough of them DS previews ?
Then head on over to GameSpy for what's got to be the -say- 97th preview of Dungeon Siege after the release of the preview copies. |
RPGvault features part no. 1 in a series of upcoming Lost Continents interviews. First one on the grill is Keith Baker, Lead Game Designer of VR1's MMORPG.
Here's a snip:
Jonric: As an introduction to readers not yet familiar with Lost Continents, please summarize the game and its key features. When and how did the idea first arise, and what are the core design elements or goals?
Keith Baker: Lost Continents is a massively multiplayer roleplaying game set in a world of pulp adventure. Back in the beginning of 2000, VR1 was considering ideas for an MMORPG setting. We wanted to find a setting besides straight fantasy or science fiction - a setting that hadn't been done before, yet one that was familiar to people and easily accessible. We settled on the pulps - a romantic era drawn from history and mythology. Lost Continents is a game of exploration and swashbuckling adventure. Step into it and you will be tracking dinosaurs through hidden plateaus, discovering the ancient relics of lost civilizations, and struggling to keep evil geniuses from destroying the world!
One of our primary goals with Lost Continents is to create a massively multiplayer game where you get to feel that YOU are the focus of the action. All too many MMORPGs leave players feeling like small fish in a very big pond. We want to make you feel like you are at the center of your own story - that you have the power to affect your world, that choices you make matter. It's not just about killing another monster or getting a little more treasure - it's about progressing through an unfolding adventure. Of course, this sounds good on paper - but when you're creating a world for thousands of simultaneous users, how DO you make each one feel like the hero? I can go into more detail about this later in the interview, but a few of our tools are Private Zones - areas of the world that you face alone or with a group of friends, that alter their content based on your actions - and a system of quests and NPCs that allows the inhabitants of the world to remember your actions and respond to them.
|
At the Mimesis Online site, you can find a free trial offer, extending their free download offer to free download plus 3 days free trial period. Here's the sauce:
We have some great news for you today. From now on Mimesis Online will not only be offered for a free download, but there’s a free trial period as well. This should let you to evaluate the game before finally purchasing the subscription fee. We do not require a credit card from those who decide to take advantage of the offer.
The limited, 3 days free trail offer allows you to enter and explore Gotrath, the first of the Central Lands. You will meet players from around the world there, solve quests, fight monsters… Enter the world shattered by a great cataclysm and try to reveal the great mystery.
During the free trial period you will be allowed to develop your character up to 4 levels of experience. Remember, at any time you can change your account status to the Full Account and start playing without any limitations. You will be able to play your the character you created during the free period. |
The latest Black Moon Chronicles Newsletter has reached our mailbox, and it deals with recent happenings in the game world, here's an excerpt:
New Tasks, Quests and Storyline Elements
BMC scriptwriters used the extra dev time to extend the storyline and to add new elements that make it richer and more exciting to follow. Several quests and tasks have also been added and benefit from the latest game developments such as secure trading and enhanced NPC A.I.
Consideration System
A two-grade consideration system will be accessible from the main interface. The first level of consideration, so far called "Examine", provides information such as the character's name, class and slogan. The second level of consideration, so far called "Consider", compares the level of the target to your character's own level and provides more in-depth information such as odds of winning combat against this character. However, "Considering" another player triggers a message in your target's interface, mentioning that you are looking at him / her.
To learn more about Black Moon Chronicles - Winds of War, visit our game info page. The link is below the headline... |
The site for Runesword 2, a nice RPG/RPG construction kit published by Shrapnel Games, has been updated with the following note:
Progress Report
Yep. Working away still. I've fixed a handful of bugs (including the annoying money bug in Creator) and am now adding two new statements: CombatAnimation and MapAnimation. The former lets you animate a creature in combat and the latter lets you animate a tile on the map. Since they're statements, you can execute them anywhere, with any Trigger.
Just to make it fun, my plan is to add a new Event called "On-RealTime" to allow you to fire up an event in real-time! RuneSword 2: RTS? Look out! It's a tank rush! | | Source: RPGVault |
New team comments for Star Wars: Galaxies went online at the official site today. This time, Audrey Franklin, office manager at the Austin studio for the team, leaves some personal remarks:
When asked to submit a team comments selection my first response was, why me? After all, I'm not exactly on the "Design Team", I have no gaming experience other than playing Ms. Pac-man when I was 12 years old. But that didn't get me sprung, so here we are.
I figured the best way to go about this would be to share with you what a day in the life of a "non-creative type" consists of here in the Austin Studio, so Welcome to my World: |
| Some screenshots from Lord of the Rings - Fellowship of the Rings (XBox) can be found at GamespyDaily... |
Gamespot features an Everquest Legends Q&A with John Smedley, COO and senior vice president of Sony Online Entertainment. EQ Legends is a premium server with hand made quests and some other goodies (and a very steep monthly fee). Here's a part of that interview:
GS: What is the service designed to provide?
JS: We're trying to provide much more of a tabletop RPG experience to our Legends customers. We really want to try to have people feel like they are part of a world that's changing at a much more rapid pace. In fact, players will feel like they impact the world in a much greater way. For example, if players complete a specific dynamic quest, they could end up getting a sword named after them. Eventually, that sword could find its way to other servers. How cool would it be to have other people getting the "Sword of (your character)" and know that the epic adventure you had on Legends is what led to that item actually being created. That's the level we're going to go to. It's going to be absolutely mind-blowing. |
BluesNews reports that Computer Games Online has posted a preview of Warlords 4
HOMM fans preferred the fancy graphics and tactical combat. Warlords fans preferred the level of detail and strategic gameplay. Now both camps are moving closer to each other. While Heroes of Might and Magic IV will deepen its gameplay a bit, Warlords IV will add a fancy new graphics system and, brace yourself, tactical combat.
...
As far as the decision being controversial, my feeling is that a large number of Warlords III fans wanted tactical combat, and most of the remainder will keep an open mind and see how the game turns out." If any players are adamantly opposed to it, SSG will include the option to turn tactical combat off and let the battles automatically resolve.
Warlords' armies reappear here in their traditional stacks. When they meet up, they'll jump to a tactical map, where the player controls each unit's movement and attacks. "Units have quite a few different attributes for tactical combat," Whiley explains, "These include ranges for moving and attacking, melee effectiveness, missile ranges, armor strength, morale, and resistance to various battlefield effects like fear and poison. Heroes can join humanoid units and greatly boost their combat capabilities. Units that fail morale tests and break may be taken prisoner."
|
| There are some new screenshots from Paradise Cracked at Freelancer - at their main page... |
A rather negative review of Gothic (5.75/10) went online at the Stratis Group. Here's why they think the game is mediocre at best:
Gothic could have easily been one of my favorite games of all time, combining great visuals, a huge world, freedom of choice, and an interesting plot with a deep medieval setting. Unfortunately, a combination of minor glitches, serious bugs, and apparent apathy from the publisher and developer make this one impossible to recommend. If they ever decide to patch Gothic, grab it. If they never do, avoid it. |
Planet Anachronox has posted an interview with Tom Hall. An interesting one, this question and answer here's the proof:
9. What do you feel you did wrong during Anachronox's development?
Well, as an example, one problem with Anachronox is a lot of the areas were simply too big, especially near the start. Which leads to what I did wrong. I am simply bad at being the mean boss, which you really have to be sometimes. You have to hurt people's feelings a lot for the good of the game. We should have reduced the level size there. You spend too much time walking. I also kept too much of the organization of things to myself, giving some of the team folks no context for a while. I also hired a lot of newbies to the industry. They all had great energy and wonderful raw talent, but I was woefully unprepared to tell a huge team what they should be doing at each moment, sharing my knowledge and stuff. I think some folks got a little abandoned to fend for themselves. I'm sure there are other things, but that's enough about me bein' steenky! |
| Two new Dungeon Siege movies ( 7.8MB and 3.7MB can be found at Multiplayer.it. Both feature app. 45 seconds of high rez in game footage. |
An interview with Warren Spector about the upcoming Deus Ex version for PS2 can be found at Playstation UK. Here's a funny part of that interview *g*:
On ears:
All of our figures now have ears. That was one of my big pet peeves; we only had 300 poly figures in the PC version. Now we have many thousands of polys to play with, so all of our characters have actual, modelled ears. I'm sure all of the players will be thrilled... hey, it's a big deal to me! |
RPGDot Database Power unleashed!
Posted by Rendelius @ 11:48 - Top
|
As reported yesterday, we have given the site a facelift. News look better now (at least that's what we think), but the major change went online today (thanks to Garrett): Our game info page has been heavily modified.
Take the info for Dark Age of Camelot for example: Now it lists the last 10 entries in every news category we are storing news under. Have a look: I don't think you'll find more complete info on RPG's elsewhere.
All in all, we now have more than 6500 newsbits in our database. And we are adding app. 20 per day - so this collection grows larger and larger.
We aren't done with changes yet. There are more nice things to come. Stay with us - we have some surprises waiting :-) |
 Final Fantasy 10 (PS2) review at Riva3D
(PC: MMORPG) | Posted by Rendelius @ 08:45 - Top
| Game Info | Homepage |
A review of Final Fantasy X (PS2) went online at Riva3D today. Here's something about story:
The story centers primarily around two characters; Tidus, a blitzball player (think underwater soccer combined with football) who is trying to live up to (or live down) his father's history, and Yuna, a new "summoner" whose duty obligates her to free her land from an evil force called "Sin" that wreaks havoc on the towns and villages.
The story begins when Tidus' city of Zanarkand is destroyed by Sin. Tidus is mysteriously transported 2,000 years into the future by his encounter with Sin, where Zanarkand is but a legend amongst the people of this age.
As Tidus, you must make your way in this new world, learning its customs and history, while protecting Yuna and the rest of your party until the final battle with Sin. But there is so much more to the story than just this simple synopsis, as each character is nicely fleshed out with a rich history and personal motivations that add suspense, intrigue, and the over-arching storylines that make Final Fantasy such a fantastic series.
Rating isn't numerical, but the game is highly recommended by them. |
"Dark Age of Camelot Shines" is the title of the review at Gameindustry. Their rating: 4.5/5 gems, and their conclusion is very positive as well:
The game is a ton of fun to play, and DAoC has well earned the 4 and a half GiN gems even though it is not number one in its class. |
The latest forum updates can be spotted at our hosted site The Locus Inn. One of the more interesting issues is the fact that the captain kit has been dropped and that two new kits have been proposed, of which the Ravager is an interesting one:Ravager: Living a life of violence, the ravager is a warrior who revels in slaughter, leaving maimed and terrified opponents in his or her wake. Unlike the barbarian, who enters a berserk state to down foes with powerful blows, the ravager inflicts awful, painful wounds on an opponent with malicious glee.
Advantages:
* Ravagers are immune to the effects of fear.
* 3rd Level: Vile Wounds: When a ravager critically hits an opponent, the target must make a Fortitude save (15 DC) or suffer a bleeding wound that causes 1 point of damage per round for 10 rounds.
* 6th Level: Cruelest Cuts: After activating this ability, which lasts for 3 rounds, all of the ravager's blows have an equal chance blinding the target or reducing his or her movement by 2 points unless a Fortitude save (20 DC) is made. It can be used 3/day.
* 9th Level: Spirit Blades: Once per day, the ravager has the ability to invoke a circle of spirit blades similar in effect to the blade barrier spell. The ravager's spirit blades cause less damage (3d6), but the ravager is immune to the blades effects and can move through them without fear of personal harm.
Disadvantages:
* Ravagers start game play with two weapon proficiencies.
* Ravagers lack the focus to gain grandmastery in any weapon.
edit addition: * Ravagers only gain half the benefits from any healing effect (e.g., a healing spell normally gives back 8 hit points; the ravager only gains 4). |
Josh Sawyer talked a bit about new and exisiting kits in Icewind Dale II. First of all the 'Captain' kit is most likely out. So he proposed two new kits, of which one might replace it:Landsknecht: Typically a heavily armored front-line fighter, the landsknecht breaks apart enemy formations and creates an offensive menace that is hard to overcome. The landsknecht focuses most of his or her expertise on brute force weapons and heavy armor.
Advantages:
* Landsknechts automatically start with a point in the two-handed weapon fighting style.
* 3rd Level: Armor Optimization: Landsknechts are masters of scavenging and piecing together bits of armor. Even without armor, the landsknecht layers his or her clothing and equipment in such a manner that they constantly have a +1 generic bonus to their armor class.
* 6th Level: Knockdown: When a landsknecht critically hits an opponent, the target must make a Fortitude saving throw (15 DC) or be knocked unconscious for 1-3 rounds.
* 9th Level: Critical Attack: Activating this ability causes the landsknecht to lose one attack per round, but all attacks during this time receive a +2 bonus to critically hit. It can be used 3/day.
Disadvantages:
* The landsknecht cannot gain proficiency in bows, slings or darts. They require too much finesse for front-line fighter.
* The landsknecht cannot use shields, and cannot specialize in the weapon and shield fighting style.
* The landsknecht gains proficiencies at a reduced rate, once every four levels.
Ravager: Living a life of violence, the ravager is a warrior who revels in slaughter, leaving maimed and terrified opponents in his or her wake. Unlike the barbarian, who enters a berserk state to down foes with powerful blows, the ravager inflicts awful, painful wounds on an opponent with malicious glee.
Advantages:
* Ravagers are immune to the effects of fear.
* 3rd Level: Vile Wounds: When a ravager critically hits an opponent, the target must make a Fortitude save (15 DC) or suffer a bleeding wound that causes 1 point of damage per round for 10 rounds.
* 6th Level: Cruelest Cuts: After activating this ability, which lasts for 3 rounds, all of the ravager's blows have an equal chance blinding the target or reducing his or her movement by 2 points unless a Fortitude save (20 DC) is made. It can be used 3/day.
* 9th Level: Spirit Blades: Once per day, the ravager has the ability to invoke a circle of spirit blades similar in effect to the blade barrier spell. The ravager's spirit blades cause less damage (3d6), but the ravager is immune to the blades effects and can move through them without fear of personal harm.
Disadvantages:
* Ravagers start game play with two weapon proficiencies.
* Ravagers lack the focus to gain grandmastery in any weapon.
edit addition: * Ravagers only gain half the benefits from any healing effect (e.g., a healing spell normally gives back 8 hit points; the ravager only gains 4).
Restrictions:
* Ravagers cannot be lawful or good.
He also commented on the fact if these kits were well balanced:I have no doubt that both the landsknecht and ravager are less than well-balanced. My efforts towards conservative kits with the mercenary and captain resulted in many tears, some of them justified. If people want the ravager or landsknecht -- great! They probably won't go in exactly as listed.
Additionally the Blade kit is more finalized:BLADE: The Blade is an expert fighter and adventurer whose bardic acting abilities go towards making him appear more intimidating and fearsome. His fighting style is showy but also quite deadly.
Advantages:
* Blades automatically have an extra proficiency slot in the Two-Weapon fighting style.
* 3rd level: Trick Shot: When Blades critically hit, they cause Blindness (50% chance) or Slow (50% chance) for five rounds unless a save vs. death is made. Undead, constructs, and elementals are immune to these effects.
* 5th level: Offensive Spin: When a Blade activates this ability, he or she gains a +2 attack bonus and a -2 penalty to damage for ten rounds. He or she can use this ability 3/day.
* 7th level: Defensive Spin: When a Blade activates this ability, he or she gains a +2 to Armor Bonus and Saving Throws and a -2 attack bonus penalty and Damage for ten rounds. He or she can use this ability 3/day.
Disadvantages:
* Only has one-half Lore value.
* Can only play the Ballad of Three Heroes bard song.
There has been some rending of beards and garments among the flower of France because of the Blade's OS and DS. How would you feel if the OS and DS were changed as follows:
* 5th level: Offensive Spin: When a Blade activates this ability, he or she gains a +2 attack bonus and a +2 bonus to damage for ten rounds. He or she can use this ability 3/day.
* 7th level: Defensive Spin: When a Blade activates this ability, he or she gains a +2 generic Armor Class and Saving Throw bonus for ten rounds. He or she can use this ability 3/day. |
Josh Sawyer gave his goodbye on the forum (well for the next week at least, while he is working on "The Other Project"). But he did manage to answer the following things: Any big towns out there?
The first town, Targos, is bigger than Easthaven (three maps with interiors on each map), but smaller than, say, Baldur's Gate or Athkatla.
About why paperdolls and avatars are not changed in IWDII
BG1 paperdolls do not have off-hand weapons. If you use BG1 paperdolls and attempt to equip an off-handed weapon, the engine tries to update the paperdoll, can't find a resource, flips out, and crashes. Theoretically, this could be solved by making new off-hand weapons for BG1 paperdolls.
It would be a serious pain in the ass to change the avatars -- no joke. All avatars for creatures (including PCs) in the IE are renders of 3D animations taken at a number of angles. Every armor and weapon combo is a layer that is rendered separately and slapped on when the appropriate change animation effect is called. To make new layers, we would need the original 3D models. We don't have those. To make new avatars entirely, we would have to create the following from scratch (minimum):
* Human Male
* Human Female
* Elf Male
* Elf Female
* Dwarf Male
* Dwarf Female
* Halfling Male
* Halfling Female
Each model would require:
* Leather
* Chain
* Plate
* Robes 1-3
* Buckler
* Small Shield
* Medium Shield
* Large Shield
* Helmets 1-4
* Two-Handed Sword
* Bastard Sword
* Quarterstaff
* Spear
* Halberd
* Bow
* Crossbow
* Longsword On-Hand
* Longsword Off-Hand
* Scimitar On-Hand
* Scimitar Off-Hand
* Mace On-Hand
* Mace Off-Hand
* Shortsword On-Hand
* Shortsword Off-Hand
* Dagger On-Hand
* Dagger Off-Hand
* Flail On-Hand
* Flail Off-Hand
That is a great deal of work.
About using 2E or 3E XP tables
Currently, all characters use the 2nd Ed. fighter's XP table. Priests and rogues got significant boosts to their abilities that arguably put them on par with the weakened warrior classes. Wizards are still wizards, and they have spell disruption now, but they don't advance as slow as the mystics from Dark Crystal.
*waits for explosion*
However, this could change. When Daddy Weirbucks did a conversion of all the creature files to support 3E saving throws, we included something that gave each creature a 3E Challenge Rating based off of the XP they granted. It's not a terrific 100% conversion, but it always comes within 1 CR of a creature's 3E counterpart. We could use 3E CRs, but that still doesn't solve the messy multiclassing issues.
About multi and dual class options
The multi- and dual-class options available in IWD2 will be the same as in IWD. Currently, classes still use 2nd Ed. race/class restrictions, with a few notable changes (elves can be druids, duergar can be cleric/rogues). This may be loosened more over time, but there are a few things that are highly unlikely to change:
* Races that do not use human avatars will not be able to be monks. There are no monk avatars for demihuman races.
* Races will not be allowed to take new multi- and dual-class combos like ranger/bards or druid/bards or paladin/clerics.
Kit restrictions operate in the same manner as BG2. Dual-classed characters will be able to start with a kit, then hop over to the new class. I'm not sure how equipment restrictions work once the original class has been passed.
About weapon styles
Four weapon styles have been implemented:
Weapon & Shield Style:
One Slot: +1 to AC when shield is equipped.
Two Slots: +2 to AC when shield is equipped.
Single Weapon Style:
One Slot: +1 bonus to Critical Hit when single weapon is equipped.
Two Slots: +2 bonus to Critical Hit when single weapon is equipped.
Two Handed Weapon Style:
One Slot: +1 to Damage when two-handed weapon is equipped.
Two Slots: +2 to Damage when two-handed weapon is equipped.
TWO WEAPONS: This weapon class allows the character to fight using two weapons.
One Slot: Penalties for two-weapon fighting are reduced to -2 for the primary weapon, -6 for the secondary weapon.
Two Slots: Penalties are reduced to 0, -4.
Three Slots: Penalties are reduced to 0, -2.
I'm not sure if the two-weapon fighting style description is accurate, but the others should be.
On the matter of how much of 3E is in the game
3E damage reduction, 3E elemental resistances, pseudo 3E concentration checks for spellcasters, 3E saving throws, pseudo 3E armor types, pseudo 3E ability scores stacking rules, 3E spell progression and bonus spells for high ability scores, 3E alignment restrictions (no lawful bards, rangers of any alignment, etc.), 3E BAB and attack progression. Many spells have 3E statistics (Flame Strike, for instance). |
| The site for Bard's Legacy - The Devil Whiskey was updated with some new concept art and has word that they added a new artis to their team... |
Voodooextreme starts with the first part of their Freedom Force preview today. Here's a bit from this article about the just to be released superhero RPG:
One of the most impressive and intricate features of Freedom Force is its character creation system. By the time this game ships you'll be able to create a character skin, import it into the game, assign powers using the robust character creator and adjust various effects for them. You'll be able to recreate your favorite comic book heroes (and the ones you dreamed of creating when you were a kid) with a little bit of patience and a dab of elbow grease. While you might think that the system is limited it becomes apparent when you load up the Character Creator that there are way too many choices. We're just going to brush over the basics and show you a handful of powers we created |
Our team member Logan interviewed Travis, the community manager for Lost Continents about their upcoming MMORPG. Lost Continents is a Massively Multiplayer Online Action Adventure in a fictional Pulp history setting. Players will begin their adventure in the wilds of Africa and the deserts of Egypt as they seek treasure, complete expeditions, defeat mighty beasts of myth and legend, overcome traps and puzzles—and try to save the world from ancient evils. Here's an excerpt from that interview:
Q: What things are being done to help the newbie? Tutorial like they have in EQ, etc?
One of our tasks when designing Lost Continents was to make it as accessible as possible to a first time player, while still being deep enough to keep the experience players coming back. That idea permeates Lost Continents. You can even see it in the setting we chose, which is familiar to nearly everyone. Character creation was designed with simplicity in mind. You choose between 3 archetypes, choose a specialty within the archetype, choose your character's physical look, and you're done. Your initial choices determine your starting skills and talents. As you advance throughout the game, you will be offered more choices periodically so you can continue to diversify and make your character unique. In the higher levels, two characters that started the same could now be completely different (an explorer who took the skills to give him stealth and the ability to control animals vs. an explorer who followed the path of theft and magic, for instance). It's easy to get into, but has lots of depth.
And, indeed, we do have a tutorial. A narrative tutorial, as we call it. The tutorial starts after character creation and will encompass the entire first level of experience for the player. The tutorial is done in our normal storytelling fashion as the player embarks on their first expedition, which is customized to the type of character they chose. During the expedition, the player learns the basics of the game and how to use the skills the character has to begin with. At the conclusion of the tutorial, the character will reach second level and the tutorial will walk them through character advancement. In this way, all "newbies" will actually start the full game of Lost Continents at second level. |
The armchair Empire has published a preview of Deus Ex for PS2. Here's something about the differences between the PC and PS2 versions:
So what is new on the PS2? Well the graphics, which were acceptable at best on the PC version, are supposed to have been given a minor face-lift. There will be new dynamic weather and lighting effects that are supposed to, as the fact sheet states, "Heighten the tension of suspicion and darken the atmosphere of conspiracy." The game should run at 30 fps. |
A review of Disciples 2 - Dark Prophecy can be found at Alloutgames today. The rating is high like in most reviews (86%), and their conclusion is very positive, too:
Disciples II: Dark Prophecy is a heartfelt game. I really enjoyed playing it, and look forward to having with the interesting and fulfilling multiplayer feature. The art and graphics are excellent, and they do well in the season of fantasy. Some may call this game a Might & Magic clone, but all I can say is that this game is fun.
|
Mail working again
Posted by Rendelius @ 02:33 - Top
|
| Our mail is working again, but we lost everything between yesterday afternoon and now. If you sent us something important, please resend it... |
This is from the Lineage website:
The full Windows client version (1.81) of Lineage is now available on our download page at http://www.lineage-us.com/download. This is the final client version for the release of Lineage Episode X (Lair of Valakas) and it is fully compatible with the existing game. This game version will be included on the CDs shipped to existing Windows Lineage customers – however, those players with high speed Internet connections may wish to download and begin enjoying this client now.
Additional instructions will be released allowing Lineage players using Macintosh Beta clients to avoid any client update with the release of Episode X. Please note: the actual Episode X changes and expansion will not be active on servers until February 26th. |
The sixth installment of the Black Moon Chronicles Developer Diary at RPGVault brings us Lead Programmer Eric Langlois with thoughts on the engine they use:
We didn't want to increase the resolution beyond 800X600, mainly because of the fact that BMC is an MMORPG. In a massively multiplayer online game, each time the screen size is increased, it increases the burden on the server and network, slowing down the whole game or limiting the number of simultaneous players… we want to make BMC accessible to a majority of players, not only hardcore gamers with powerful computers.
Another visual addition we gave to BMC's engine is the ability to display animated objects. The animations help bring the game to life; we can use them for interactive objects and attach sounds to them and it really makes a difference, especially since we are trying to turn a graphic novel into an interactive gaming experience. The animation feature also has an impact on spell effects that can wrap around characters giving them a more impressive and interesting look. |
The latest Glimpse Inside at the official Earth & Beyond site (Westwoods upcoming space MMORPG) features impressions from someone who is part of the ongoing beta. Here's a bit:
Another important factor he looks forward to in Earth and Beyond is the storyline that will evolve in the game. Saxifrage's favorite sector (Yup, we made him pick one) is Niffleheim Cloud because it has a sense of mystery about it and the gate that leads players back into orbit is not as obvious compared to other sectors. This allows explorers (and other classes!) to wander around the planetmode atmosphere of this gaseous planet.
Saxifrage has enjoyed testing, even when only limited systems were in place, because of the chance to see a work in progress. "It's a chance to have some input on the development of the game that makes it all worth it".
Another surprise from this Jenquai Explorer was his lack of a plan to develop a specific type of character when Earth and Beyond is released. Even with his many hours of testing, he would like to wait until the game is released before fully deciding what he will play. Saxifrage is looking forward to the roleplay aspect of the game, and he has some ideas about what he would like to do, but wants to see how groups and guilds shape up before deciding what role his character will take on when Earth and Beyond goes live. |
Planet Dungeon Siege brings you two interviwes with members of Gas Powered Games: Jeremey Snook and Darren Lamb. Here's something from the latter:
PDS: How long have you been a part of the GPG Team and what projects have you worked on in the past? How do they stack up to DS?
DL: It's been almost 3 years now, I first worked on Birthright for Synergistic Software then Diablo's expansion pack Hellfire, then went to Sierra to work on Mask of Eternity and Gabriel Knight 3, then to here at GPG. I've never experienced any game that measures up to DS." |
| The official site for Neocron by CDV has posted 5 new screenshots from this futuristic MMORPG currently in beta... |
CGO is one of the few *g* sites to bring you a preview of Warcraft 3 - Reign of Chaos. Here's something:
To inspire you not to just sit in your corner garnering the inevitable multitudes, they made several changes. First, they have ditched the Mana Stone concept. Previously you needed Mana stones to recruit a Hero; now Hero creation relies on your gold supply, but you will receive a free champion at the beginning of each game. The developers believe that with Creeps (neutral NPCs) dropping gold instead of Mana Stones, you'll have more incentive to spread out earlier in the game. And speaking of Heroes, each one has a unique and powerful Ultimate Spell, which, when they reach level 5, they can cast only once every game-day.
Also an interesting concept to that end is "Upkeep," which Blizzard feels offers a boost in the game's tactical management as well as motivating you to play more aggressively. Upkeep comes in three flavors, None, Low, and High. In each mode, the AI takes a look at how much food you have, and bases the speed at which your little workers can mine gold on that amount. In other words, the more units you have, the more food you'll need, and the more food you produce, the less gold will be available. You begin at No Upkeep (where the gold flows freely), and as you expand your forces the Upkeep quotient rises. This makes it a difficult decision whether or not to try and amass that huge indestructible last-minute army—a good idea that will provide an organic unit cap.
Another preview can be found at MGON, and Lone Gamers serves you 4 new screenshots... |
|
