With this issue of MMOCO, a new format for the column is being introduced. I’ve loved running a new MMO every month with the focus being on the unique co-opportunities that game affords; however, the sad fact is that after about a dozen MMOs, the number of games I can draw upon and report on from personal experience has dwindled dramatically. The old format will certainly appear from time to time as I have the chance to play new games or I find another MMO that has substantial unique co-opportunities. The new format will be focused on recent updates to MMOs that increase co-opportunability as well as recent news for upcoming MMOs and the unique co-opportunities they may have in store. So without further ado, let’s delve in!
What I’m Playing: RIFT
Co-opportunity Updates: Patch 1.2 and 7-day Trials
The latest content patch for RIFT brought in a whole slew of cooperative content. The first 10-man instanced raid, Gilded Prophecy, was introduced (the other instanced raids are 20-man), opening up raiding opportunities to smaller guilds. The Dungeon Finder Tool was also implemented, letting players hop in in queue with their different roles selected (e.g. Healer, Tank, DPS, Support) to find an appropriate group for either a specific dungeon or a random dungeon, with random dungeons yielding further rewards upon completion. To facilitate the success of random groups, many tweaks were also made to expert dungeons, making them easier to complete with pick-up groups. The additional rewards for random dungeons and the ability to just port into a dungeon from anywhere in the world as opposed to having to physically run out there also made things easier for players who don’t want to find random groups and play with a preformed group.
7-day trials were also introduced for people who are interested in the game, but want to see what it’s like before purchasing. The Ascend-a-Friend program was introduced to current subscribers, offering rewards to players who successfully recruit friends to play the game as well as rewards to players who answer the call of their friend. This includes a special title “the Chosen” for the new players as well as the ability for both Ascender and Ascendee to teleport to each other once every half hour. Iif you’re interested in trying the trial, feel free to leave a comment or shoot me a message, and I can message you my personal Ascend-a-Friend link.
On the horizon is patch 1.3. Though little has been announced about it so far, free character transfers will definitely be making an appearance. These transfers will be unlike any seen before in an MMO, letting players instantly transfer their characters (and guilds, if they are guildmasters) to different servers once a week. Transfers will be allowed across PVE and PVP servers, which is good news for people who have friends on other servers than the one they’re playing on.
What I Have My Eye On:
Guild Wars 2
Co-opportunity Updates: The Engineer and hints at upcoming Reveals
As always, I’m always on the lookout for new Guild Wars 2 news. The past month brought some details on the city of Lion’s Arch (which some of you will be familiar with from the first game). The city was completely drowned in the sea when the Elder Dragon Zhaitan emerged from the deeps. As the waters gradually receded, Lion’s Arch became a refuge for smugglers, pirates, and the like. The city was rebuilt from the ruins and the shipwrecks that had washed up on the shores; no more a human city, it’s a city where all the races work side-by-side as equals, battling the horrors that the elder dragon sends their way. I’m quite sure this will be a gathering place for players as they unite to go and adventure.
The month also brought a new profession reveal, the Engineer. The engineer sounds like an excellent team player who can really help a group reach its full potential. With the ability to throw down heal and support items, become a controller of a battlefield with freezes, snares, or nets, or dish out the damage through landmines or flamethrowers, the engineer will certainly have a lot to do. It seems that a truly successful engineer will be completely in-tune to his or her party members, breaking out the right kit, turret, or grenade at exactly the right moment to support the team.
ArenaNet won’t be at E3 this year, but they’ve teased that they’ll have some big reveals coming in August at Gamescon and PAX Prime. I can only guess and hope what these reveals will be.
TERA (The Exiled Realm of Arborea)
Co-opportunity Updates: Fast-paced support action
TERA hasn’t been shy about its untraditional combat system. Touting itself as “the first true action MMORPG,” I’ve known for awhile that aiming and dodging will be the bread and butter of the game. Some articles and previews that have come out in the past month, however, have been highlighting just how this system affects the support classes (mystics and priests). PC Gamer recently ran a preview on these classes and discussed in-depth how healing one’s party members (especially the smaller ones!) takes no small amount of skill. As one casts, suggestions of similar spells will pop up on the screen (much like a chain system), allowing players to hit the space bar for the suggested spell while they concentrate on the action (which probably involves chasing after the people who need healing!). As a healer at heart, this prospect excites me as there’s nothing I love more than skill-based healing. Too often I find that games make things more “difficult” for healers by simply just making the enemies or bosses do more damage. If TERA is advocating battlefield awareness, reaction time, and movement as staples for healing and supporting a party, then hell yes, I’m on board. I certainly have my eye on TERA and hopefully E3 will bring some new information on the game.
If you guys are playing a different MMO, what updates have you seen recently in your game that provide new or improved co-opportunities? Or what news have you heard recently on upcoming MMOs that gets you really excited about potential co-opportunities?