Battlefield 3 Guillotine Gameplay Teaser 1080p
Friday, September 9, 2011
Battlefield 3 Alpha Testers Get Priority Access, but MOH Owners Still Get In First
Shortly after the Battlefield 3 Alpha Trail had ended, participants were notified by email (see below) that they would receive priority beta access to the game. EA then announced that Medal of Honor owners would only be getting 48 hour early access to the beta before it opens up to the rest of the world.
I spoke with VO Producer, Tomas Danko via Twitter about the beta itself. Rumors have been floating around that the Battlefield 3 Beta will begin September 27th for Medal of Honor owners, and September 29th for everyone else. Of course, Danko replied with “I do not know the official dates” but when I asked him about the priority access for the Alpha testers, he said “MoH folks should get in earlier than alpha testers“.
Being that 48 hours is very little time for “early” access, I’m assuming Alpha testers will only be granted 24 hour early access. Of course nothing has been official confirmed, but I’m sure I speak for everyone when I say we’re all anxiously awaiting the announcement for the beta dates. Stay tuned to RipTen for more details!
Skyrim: Nine things to do first
How we intend to spend the first three hours
1. Explore Embershard Mine
*There are at least 150 dungeons, Bethesda's Pete Hines has revealed. He hasn't given the actual number, but seems to imply that if we knew it, we would weep with gratitude.
2. Break up some lovers in Riverwood
In Riverwood, Faendal and Sven are both in love with the same girl. Sven is the local Bard, and Faendal is an elven bowman. Faendal hates Sven's light-heartedness, and Sven thinks Faendal is a dick. Whichever you speak to first will give you a lying letter to give to the girl - a letter that's pretending to be from the other one. God knows what it says - probably "hey I'm an idiot and your boobs are smelly see ya" - but you can choose whether to pass on the rude letter, or tell the truth. Come down on Sven's side, and you'll get some coin. Faendal, on the other hand, will offer to follow you around, shooting things. He can also teach you archery skills, for cash.3. Get that Golden Claw
Every press event we've been to features the same mission - retrieving the stolen Golden Claw, realising it's a key, and using it to get your first power word in the language of the dragons. The surprising thing is, how close that mission is to the beginning of the game. Just walk into Lucan Valerius' general story in Riverwood, and he'll be telling his daughter that she's not to go off on any more adventures, and oh look an adventuring sort, maybe he can help.
4. Fanny about in Barrow Hills
One of the most eye-catching things you see when you come out of your birthing cave is the archways punctuating the mountain on the other side of the valley. This is Bleak Fells Temple, and it's just a short walk through Barrow Hills Bluff. You'll need to go here on your way to fetch the claw from the previous point, but it's worth a look around. Check out the top of the Watchtower for another chest. Rummage around the temple for the first part in a serial of books called Thief.5. Hunt Dragon Souls
Killing dragons gives you the souls you need to use your new shouting powers. According to Bethesda, the first dragons will appear as you follow the main quest, after which they'll become a little more radiant, appearing at random.Everyone has a different experience with dragons. One player might see one flapping in the distance. Another could be interrupted in a building by people running in and saying one of the scaly bastards is perched on a nearby house. Or you could not see on at all. Talk about a snub.
6. Visit the walled city of Whiterun
In Whiterun, guards may rebuke you for "lollygagging". Bethesda has yet to confirm whether a "Press X to refute allegations of lollygagging" prompt will appear. There's also an absolute cow of a woman called Saffir. She's not one of the quest-givers, so her chat isn't fully-fledged branching dialogue. She's got a daughter, who is apparently an absolute cow too, and if you bother her enough she'll tell you to leave her alone. Or her husband might appear out of radiant nowhere and tell you he's lost his sword, and could you fetch it from a randomly assigned dungeon, please? It should all add up on some level.
7. Join a Guild
At the top of Whiterun, is a building with a lovely and unpronounceable Viking name. It seems like a drinking hall, and when you walk in, there'll probably be a massive fight going on. It's not an ITV documentary - this is the fighters' guild. The Companions are run by a man called Kodlak Whitemane, he appreciates a bit of modesty, so be sure to emphasise how much you've got to learn, rather than how many dragons you've duffed up.8. Unwind with some Alchemy
Everything edible item you find in the world has four hidden properties. Have a little nibble on one, and you'll discover one of those properties. You can also find more properties at the alchemy desk, with trial and error at the alchemy benches in local shops. Here's one to get you going: Bone Meal and a Blue Mountain Flower. They both share the property "Fortify Conjuration", so you'll get a magic-boosting potion. Your skill level doesn't affect the success - if you find a match, you'll make a potion. If you can't be bothered learning everything, we're sure a dedicated data-phile will produce an ASCII FAQ within a week of release..9. Fail to join the Dark Brotherhood
Up on a hillside is a building. The building has a door, and that door is marked with the emblem of the dark brotherhood. The door wouldn't open, but it does ask you a riddle, which is pretty off-beat behaviour for a door. In Oblivion, you joined the Assassin's Guild by killing an innocent and going to sleep. I suspect there's something similar at work in Skyrim. Don't sleep or you might wake up somebody's brother.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
PlanetSide 2 Free To Play, Beta This Year
I hadn’t really considered PlanetSide 2‘s payment model. I just assumed it would be the same as PlanetSide. For I am a fool. Speaking to the efficiently named Chinese site 17173.COM, translated somewhat on the equally perfunctory title MMO Site, SOE president John Smedley gave a few hints about how it’s all going to work. And inevitably, it’s some form of Free To Play. But what form?
Well, that’s yet to be determined. The game itself will be free, but it seems they may be trying to avoid a microtransaction model. However, quite what was said is getting confused in translation, despite the best efforts of the sterling folks at Planetside Universe. However, it’s clear that Smedley believes The Old Republic will be the last MMO to usefully use a subscription model.
Also gleaned is the knowledge that the game should go into beta toward the end of this year, for release early in 2012.
If any Chinese readers want to give it a better translate for us, please get in touch. Because I’m dependent on Google’s translate, which offers wonderful poetry like,
“That FPS games “Star OL”, of almost all the players played their classic Bong. Unfortunately, issues such as charging method, which ended early in the operation of the national dress, has become a dusty memory in years to come.”
Big thanks to PSU for the tip.
Dungeons & Dragons Online: Eberron Unlimited: PAX - Update 11 Preview
Dungeons and Dragons Online Executive Producer Fernando Paiz was on hand at Pax Prime to give us an in depth preview of Update 11: Secrets of the Artificers and he totally spilled the beans on the events and slipped tips on defeating them that beta players have been trying to discover. Update 11 is one of the largest to date, according to Fernando, and brings a new class and a new enclave to the game apart from additional dungeons.
The new enclave is that of House Cannith. They are artificers who are able to imbue items with magical powers so in this enclave, players will see airships and use floating platforms. The floating platforms are a function of their Turbine’s improved engine, and in the new enclave, they used it at ever chance, Fernando admitted, and indeed it was fun as he showed off a few of them. Players who know the background of Eberron will also know that the Warforged were originally created by House Cannith, and the Artificer is the new class introduced in this update and as the “engineer” or “tinker” class, will have bonuses to crafting.
The Artificer is a hybrid class that has rogue like abilities. They are able to open locks and disable traps, they have a little bit of arcane casting and have ranged abilities in the repeating cross-bow. They also have a Rune-arm. This is a runic armament in their off-hand which makes them the first duel-wielding ranged class. The Rune arm needs to be charged to be use, and players will have to stand still enough if they wish to use the five projectiles that it is capable of firing off in one shot. This charge does not hold but will fade or decrease if the player moves.
The Artificer is also a pet class and players will be able to build their own pet, the Iron Defender that they will be able to customize and level up. It will have enhancements and action points to spend, and like a hireling, will have its own hot bar, but unlike a hireling, does not count as a party member. Players will be able to equip it with armor modules and weapon modules such as fire breath, and repair it when necessary. Warforge Artificers will also be able to repair themselves.
The launch of this pet class, Fernando confirmed, is part of their development of mechanics that leads them a step closer to the Druid class. Future plans also encompass familiars for Sorcerers and Animal Companions for Rangers.
We moved through the enclave with Fernando showing me the fantastic architecture as House Cannith is a rich society. There were sparkling fountains, buildings trimmed with gold and evidence of their symbol, the bull was abundant in statues and house ornamentation. Remember those moving platforms? We’re not speaking just elevators. These platforms move like magical flying carpets; horizontally, vertically and diagonally at different angles. Again, this development in their engine will lead to future class possibilities.
The two new scalable 12 player raids introduced in this update will both be found in the enclave, in the Cannith Manufactury which also serves as a dungeon for 6 player adventures. Fernando took me through a scenic tour of the Manufactory, something players will also get as they play through this dungeon, getting the back-story of the Warforged and discovering Cannith Melting Stations, crafting stations inside the Manufactory that players have to fight through mobs to secure and use. Drops found in this update are the resources required to create equipment in the stations and accessing them and examining the items provide the recipes.
The 12-man raids are against Lord of Blades, a Warforged who led his peoples’ fight for freedom from their creators, revered by some as a great prophet and worshiped by some as a god. He is found in the Creation Forge, surrounded by a blue liquid moat which burns like lava, standing under a beam of blue light which imbues him with power. The key to success is to lure him out of the blue beam of light and to be under it yourselves when it comes on, as the Power of the Forge provides players too with power. A whole 25% more power to use, faster movement speed, and while the power is surging in you; spells will also cost less power to use. After taking advantage of the forge, the trick then is to destroy the generator by destroying the columns that hold it up to collapse the entire structure. Deprived of the healing and buffing power of the forge, Lord of Blades is still no pansy-ass and it will take a full 12-man raid to take him down.
The second raid is that against Toven d’Cannith, the creator of the Warforged. If you thought Lord of Blades was a tough fight, how so the fight against his creator? Toven d’Cannith is also found in the Cannith Manufactory, in his workshop which is a gigantic metal construction. He encases himself in a bubble of invulnerability and unleashes waves of minions and cannons at players as well as electrifying the floor, which luckily happens in a pattern that is quickly discernable. Players will have to take down all the minions and destroy power crystals that he is drawing on.
If you get through all that, he unleashes his Titans. Two huge forged creatures. One uses ranged weapons, the other is a melee creature. The trick here is to kill both at the same time. If you take one down, Toven can repair it. If both die, it takes his entire concentration trying to repair them and you can take him down. If this isn’t tough enough, the raid is scalable, up to epic difficulty for players who want an epic challenge.
Other tweaks and improvements that players can look forward to in Update 11 also include the following:
- Meta magic can be turned on individually for each spell.
- A new level of customization now allows individual items to show or not, such as helms and goggles.
- Players can also decide on how and which vitals they want to see, and how much detail they wish to see.
- A new affordable portable deconstruction device will be available, and finally, last but certainly not least,
- A full crafting system that players have been looking forward to will go live this update
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Rollercoaster Tycoon rolling to 3DS - first trailer
Atari/Namco Bandai has confirmed the revival of theme park building sim Roller Coaster Tycoon, which is winging its way to 3DS next year.
The full 3D theme park sim, which has sold 11 million units since its release in 1999, lets you build a full theme park an almost overwhelming number of options and a deep rollercoaster customisation tool. Then put on your business hat and manage every aspect of your park's finances until you're successful enough to move on to the next country and do it all again.
Rollercoaster Tycoon 3D contains a new 'Coaster Story' mode, which promises to "blend together tutorials and park challenges into a cohesive and entertaining narrative".
According to Atari: "Choose your own player character and set off on a journey around the world to expand your roller coaster empire. As you progress, you'll unlock tons of unique attractions, themes, amenities and more."
The game will also have a 'Park Sandbox' mode which lets you jump in and just build a park. You'll also be able to share your park via the 3DS' "advanced networking capabilities" - whether this means StreetPass and/or full online functionality is unclear.
The game's in development at n-Space - the team often responsible for DS versions of blockbuster games such as the Call of Duty series, Goldeneye 007 and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. It's set to launch in a vague '2012'. Check out the first trailer below:
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