Allakhazam.com News (full)

WoWInterface Mod Author WotLK Beta Key Give-Away [World of Warcraft]

Are you a mod/addon author? Want to get in Wrath of the Lich King beta?

WoWInterface is giving away beta keys to any addon authors who have mods current to 2.4 uploaded to their site. For more information check out WoWInterface.

Mythos Beta Goes on Hiatus [Mythos]

In a move that isn't fooling anyone, the Flagship team has announced that the beta for their game, Mythos, is going to take a break.

Travelers of Uld,

We, the ancient elders of Uld are issuing this warning to all citizens and travelers. Hurry! The great darkness that once plagued Uld is returning. Everyone is ordered to close down their shops and prepare. We predict the when night is at its peak the darkness will arrive. The ancient elders of Uld will be leaving immediately in order to preserve the lore of this wonderful world. Citizens please prepare thyself and know that the elders will be back from their travels some day.

From the team:

We regretfully announce that on Friday, July 18, 2008 at 11:59 PST the world of Uld known as Mythos will be going on hiatus. On behalf of all of the Devs and Community team we want to say thank you to everyone for their support and assistance with Mythos Alpha and Beta testing and we will see you soon. The Mythos Team

This is nothing short of a sad story, and an incredibly hard time for those team members who were let go. The forums have been shut down , and we're all going to miss out on a fun MMO that went wrong long ago.

G4's E3 MMO Report [General News]

G4 has been at E3 this week covering the event, and of course, they've checked out the MMOs that have been presented there.

Casey looked at Runescape HD, Jumpgate: Evolution, and Warhammer Online.

Click "more" to check out the video!

Storm Break preview… Part 2! [EverQuest II]

GU 47 is imminent, and Kiara brings us the second part of the preview of this highly anticipated update!

Storm Break preview... Part 2! Storm Break, is as full of yummy goodness as a halfling's pantry! So good, in fact, we had to show it off in two parts!

We have zone changes, smartloot spell drops, and could it be.. free wallpaper?

The Grab Bag [Dark Age of Camelot]

Its Q&A time over on the Camelot Herald, this week several of the team leaders try their hand with some of the A's, check it out :

Q. I just read the news on the Herald about closing the Ghost Keep Event. While from one side I'm not that happy (because it was a nice event and a useful addition), I was just wondering: "Who will now recharge the Ring of Undead Quickening and the Ghostly Medal of Honor?" Once they run out of charges, we can throw them away? (Well, not the Necklace, of course!).

A. Our fair Lady of the Jewels did some quick checking to make sure: The Ghostly Medal of Honor can be recharged at any of the Recharger NPCs throughout the realm. The Ring of Undead Quickening however will no longer be able to be recharged once the event has ended. You never know though, someday the boundary of the spirit world may weaken once again and the Ghostly Keep Lords may return.

Q. I have a Level 49 Nightshade and have noticed that I have trouble putting a Level 47 poison on my left handed weapon, yet I can put it on my primary weapon with no issues. I am dragging the poisons right up and onto the weapon from within my inventory. Why can’t I place this poison on my secondary, left handed weapon?

A. The evil Nightshade Team Lead Demonikeen says: You must have +envenom on your offhand weapon. This is an Assassin no-no. When poisoning your offhand, it un-equips it right before applying the poison. So during the time when it's supposed to be applying the poison to your offhand weapon, your envenom skill is not high enough.

Q. Does the Savage "Hand to Hand" spec affect the rate of double, triple, and quad hits?

A. The saucy Savage Team Lead Kalischth says yes: Hand to Hand spec does affect the rate of double, triple, and quadruple hits, but not the same way as Dual Wield and Celtic Dual affect offhand swing rates. Hand to Hand "unlocks" doubles, triples, and quads based on your spec level, but does not increase past a set percentage for each one. The good news is though, is that the required spec levels for each takes into account your composite spec, so you don’t have to spec totally up to a value to get the benefit. Quadruple hits are "unlocked" somewhere between 40 and 44 spec, so if you have say, 33 + 11 composite Hand to Hand spec, you will still have the same percentage chance to have a quadruple hit fire as you would at 50 + 11 spec.

Q. The sheer number of the different resistance chants that Paladins have is kind of mind-boggling. What resistance chants are best to use against groups from Hib/Mid? Should I be focusing on single resists or should I just use one of the multi-resist chants?

A. The Rambling Paladin Team Lead Kyera has this advice: The six single-resist chants will stack with the tri-resist chants. They will overwrite the lower value resist buffs acquired from a Friar or Cleric. They will co-exist with the tri-resist Champion Level resist buff spells. The two tri- or multi-resist chants will stack with the single-resist chants. They will also stack with the Friar or Cleric resist buffs. They will co-exist with the Champion Level resist buffs.

The single resist chants all share a recast timer; the tri-resist chants do not. At level 50, you can get a maximum of 26% from resist buffs/chants.

The standard combination to use would be both tri-resist chants and one elemental single-resist chant. It all boils down to what you're fighting, so if you tend to run into the same people and know what they're playing, you may want to check the documentation on the Herald to see what sort of damage they're doing, and pick your chants appropriately!

Q. Does Mastery of Focus affect a Minstrel's chance to have his pet not resist a charm? How about Charisma or bonuses to Instrument spec adding up to over 50?

A. Enthusiastically our Minstrel Team Lead Beforeyoudie says: The Mastery of Focus RA should only affect the initial pulse of the charm when the song is first cast to charm the target. Resistances to the charm song pulses after the initial cast is affected by the level of the player and his composite Instrument specialization (specialized level + bonuses). Having a maximum composite specialization level allows for a more stable charm (fewer resistances) and also allows you to charm mobs that are higher in level. Charisma should have no effect on the charm song.

Q. I was on my Skald in Molvik and after a fight I was trying to run away from other enemies. I died because my speed didn’t kick in. I do not understand why my speed didn’t affect me. The healer I was grouped with was able to get my speed and get away. Is this a bug? Can I get my speed to kick in faster so that I can get away?

A. Our fast foot Skald Team Lead Bragian explains: What it sounds like to me is you were still under the effects of the combat timer, while your healer friend was not. The combat timer is the 10 second duration after you disengage from a fight, which includes all offensive actions including damage, crowd control, amnesia, and even resisting an effect.

When you finished killing your target, you had just finished dealing damage, while your Healer was ending by casting healing spells to keep you alive. This put a 10 second “combat timer” on your character and not on the healer, since the Healer was not currently engaged in offensive actions. The best option you have is to try and turn on your speed chant immediately after the 10 second combat timer passes rather than wait for a pulse.

Q. I've speced my Enchanter Mana Magic to help me level faster, but I'm having trouble getting groups for RvR. Is there a better spec for RvR Enchanters?

A. As enchanting as ever our Enchanter Team Lead Laitriem says: Most Enchanters are Mana spec'ed for RvR. Different groups want casters for various reasons, perhaps you lack a Realm Ability that the group desires. Enchanters fill a very niche role in most groups, like many classes, so the right group will come along eventually. Good luck!

Q. On the style library it says that the savages' parry chain "Tribal Assault" hits two targets, but when delved there is no such information, but it is in the style library on the herald. which is correct?

A. After a few moments to verify The Equalizer says the Herald information is correct: This style, when used, will hit two targets in melee range.

Q. I'm curious about the Heavy Antalya Truncheon, it's a huge hammer with the standard gold weapon hue. The problem is it can’t be dyed by any in the game. No matter what dye you use, it says you can’t dye it. Is there a dye available for it that I’m missing?

A. With a twinkle in her eyes the Lady of the Jewels can't see a reason not to make this weapon dye-able: Please Look for a note about this in a future patch, we’ll see what we can do!

Q. I'm surprised that with all the information available in delves these days that remains don't have the trophy components listed there. I was recently stonewalled on my mid server (no crafters) when I needed a Greater Avian Trophy Potion, and there were none for sale. I would rather know what to have ready to hand over, than have to port around and try to find something that turns out isn't available at the moment. Are there any plans in the works to extend delve info of that sort to remains?

A. With a squeal of glee The Lady of the Jewels exclaimed: What an excellent idea! I'll see about working this in to a future live version. Thank you for submitting this to us.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

San Diego here we come! The next Camelot Road Trip is happening next weekend on Saturday, July 26th in San Diego, California. Come join us as we answer your questions, give away prizes and snack on some great food. If you are in the area for Comicon convention or just happen to live in the area, stop on by and enjoy an evening of great fun. Don’t forget to RSVP !

The players of Gaheris invite you to enjoy the PvE Ruleset as they host a Play on Gaheris Week that starts this Sunday July 20th and runs until July 27th. There will be raids of all kinds, with dragons, Lord Agramon and a journey into Darkness Falls to name just a few. Whether new or well seasoned, next week will be a great time to explore what the PvE Ruleset has to offer.

Have you had a chance to do the Ghost Keep event yet? Well if you were planning on it, time is running out as the Ghost Keeps will be coming to a close this Monday. Time is running out to get your Ghostly Medal of Honor and enjoy the extras that go along with all the Ghost Keep quests.

Well everyone, the weather here is hot, humid and downright icky. It's time for me to brave the cruel and warm non air conditioned realm to get home. I hope you've enjoyed the Team Lead Edition Grab Bag this week. Have a great weekend!

Bonus Exp Weekend 7/19-7/20 [EverQuest II]

Kiara posteth:

I know everyone is going to rush right out to see The Dark Knight (as well you should, it was awesome!!!), but after you get done with that, we've got the perfect way to spend the weekend!

Bonus Exp weekend!!

Have a happy and safe weekend and enjoy the bonus exp!

Many happy dings to all!

This Week's MMO News [General News]

Have you checked out our MMO News Section lately? If not you are missing quite a few interesting stories. Here are some highlights from this past week:

Reviews of Hello Kitty Online by both AutumnKiss and Calthine.
An interview with NDoors CEO Peter Kang about Atlantica Online.
An Interview with WoW player/poker player/playboy model Jennifer "Jennicide" Leigh.
Tabula Rasa Friday Night Fights Interview with TR Community Coordinator Amy "Critters" Crider.
News stories, screen shots, updates and more covering dozens of current and upcoming MMO games you might want to play.

Check out our news page daily for even more coverage of the games you love.

Interview with Peter Kang, CEO of NDOORS! [Atlantica Online]

With the closed beta ending at the end of this month, and official launch on the horizon, we felt it was time to sit down with the folks at NDOORS and discuss their upcoming title, Atlantica Online. We chatted briefly with Peter Kang, CEO of NDOORS Interactive, and here's what we learned:

Allakhazam: Will players be able to explore the world like your traditional MMORPG? For example, the ability to swim in bodies of water freely and climb mountains, etc. for better views of the world.

Peter: Atlantica Online isn’t like traditional MMORPGs in that you can’t explore the world by doing things like swimming in bodies of water. The Atlantica world is unique in that it’s based more in reality, with the Earth’s continents being the same land masses in the game. Real-life locations are places players will have to travel to during the course of the game. Locales like the pyramids of Egypt and Bran Castle in Romania, which is believed to have been the home of Count Vlad of Dracula mythology, are a few of the places where players will have to battle enemies like mummies and vampires to find the fabled lost civilization of Atlantis. It’s a globe-hopping adventure and players will be able to explore many of the locations in-depth. But it’s a world that’s not completely fictional, with players getting to interact with places like the Great Wall of China and India’s Taj Mahal in a whole new way.

I’d also like to add that two of Atlantica’s features, the turn-based combat system and the ability to acquire mercenaries who help you in battle, are not the norm in MMORPGs, and help to distinguish our game further from traditional ones.

Allakhazam:How will Atlantica Online play in comparison to the more traditional turn based RPG such as Final Fantasy III, Chrono Trigger and Breath of Fire?

Peter: It’s true turn-based. You have up to 30 seconds to assign a move for your main character and up to eight mercenaries. Then your opponent has his time to make his moves, and you have to just sit and watch the impact those actions have on your characters’ health points. It alternates like that for the entire battle. There is nothing else dictating which move gets made when.

In the combat action, there are some strategic and spatial similarities to Chrono Trigger, in that you have your characters in a specific formation and how certain moves you make will attack and impact the formation of your opponent. But we think we’ve been able to put together an exciting and fast-paced brand of action. Our development team in Korea spent most of the three years it took to create the game on the turn-based system, and fine-tuning it for an online game.

Allakhazam:It was announced that player teams of 3 will be able to control up to 27 characters. Does that mean the end game content will be doable with as little as three players or will there be content for larger groups of players? i.e. Guild Raids.

Peter: Actually, it is conceivable for one player to reach the end game and save the world by finding Atlantis alone. But we want players to partner with others. In the main storyline, PvE combat is the means to uncover the clues leading players Atlantis. It will be extremely difficult to get past some monsters and find the clues without partnering with up with other players.

But there are other community aspects to Atlantica. We’ve built upon the town and guild management system of an earlier NDOORS game, “Luminary: Rise of the GoonZu,” and players can form guilds, which in turn can take over towns. Certain areas in the game, with special items, will only be accessible by guilds. A guild can work with other guilds in other towns and form nations. A player can then become king and decide to wage war on other nations. Atlantica has a rich RPG environment players can get immersed in without having to take part in the Atlantis quest part of the game.

Allakhazam:Are there any plans for an integrated spell/skill combo system? Will teams be able to strategically use their abilities together for a more powerful outcome?

Peter: Yes, that will be possible. There are special magic skills that can only be unleashed with a certain combination of mercenaries. But it doesn’t even have to be with other players. If you control the right mercenaries in your own crew, you alone can take advantage of those special skills.

Allakhazam:What about PvP, will there be any to speak of? Any plans for such content?

Peter: Oh yes, there will be plenty of PvP for players who want to take on other players. It’s open to all, including players at Level 1. Players at lower levels can even challenge higher-level players to test their skills. If the higher-level players are up for it, they just might gain some items pretty easily. For newer players, PvP might be a good way to familiarize themselves with the turn-based combat system and learn how to best utilize their mercenaries.

There will be tournaments for players to engage in some PvP. PvP will also come into play when nations declare war on other nations. Some of the PvP action will be held at what we think is a fitting site: Rome’s ancient Colosseum, when it wasn’t so ancient.

But for the most part, PvP is optional. You can just focus on getting to Atlantis without doing any PvP.

Allakhazam:Let’s talk expansions! Are there any future plans to expand the game's content in either patchable or purchasable forms?

Peter: The level cap in the closed beta will be 80. Then that will go up to 100 for the open beta. Later, there will be expansions with level increases in increments of 10. And there will be content more tailored for North American audiences, bringing part of the journey here to North America.

Allakhazam:We can’t wait to give it a try! Can you tell us when in July we can expect to see Atlantica go live?

Peter: The closed beta begins on July 18, with an exclusive preview period for FilePlanet subscribers beginning on July 15. A few weeks after that, we expect to go into open beta.

It’s great to hear you’re anxious to give it a try. We hope you enjoy your trip to Atlantis!

Allakhazam: Thanks so much, Peter. We're looking forward to it!

Andrew "Tamat" Beegle
Zam Gamelist Manager

Big, Bad, and Super! Foxbat Revealed! [Champions Online]

Direct from Champions Online, comes the profile and concept of the newest supervillian, Foxbat!

Hey girlie! Yeah, you! Get away from that computer! You're not qualified to write the epic tale of the rapid yet monumental rise to power of the greatest supervillain ever.

That's me. I'm Foxbat. And I'm awesome.

The day I was born, the earth shook and the heavens cracked open. The stars realigned. Rivers changed their courses. A comet appeared. Choirs of angels proclaimed my greatness. All ice cream was free.

Mumsie and Dadders were super rich, so of course I got the absolute best of everything, which is only what I deserve. I studied at the best schools, had every action figure ever made, and gave away ponies in the gift bags at my tenth birthday party. Boy howdy - those ponies were hard to get out of those little bags!

To check out the full profile, click here!

Tabula Rasa Friday Night Fights With Jesus Chavez! [Tabula Rasa]

Tabula Rasa’s community-driven (and dev supported) Friday Night Fights has become so popular and brought so many questions from the community that Tabula Rasa Community Coordinator, Amy “Critters” Crider has answered them, and we have video and screen shots! First though, on Friday, July 25 watch Richard "General British" Garriott and two time featherweight boxing champ, Jesus Chavez, in game as they fight it out in this amazing event!

Q: What are Friday Night Fights?
A: Friday Night Fights is a popular hand-to-hand boxing event that takes place every Friday night in Tabula Rasa. Based on the original Friday Night Fights event created by the Tabula Rasa Community Team, the now player-run event has its own meeting location in game, aptly named the C.E.L.L.A.R (Coalition of Enlistees Likely Looking for Aggressive Retaliation), and a weekly winner's bracket posted on the official Tabula Rasa website

Read on for the videos, and the rest of the Friday Night Fights FAQ! For the most recent screen shots check out our Tabula Rasa gallery !

Q: Rumor has it that this event has been going on since before the game launched. Is that true? How did it start up and how did it transition to being player run?
Richard Garriott, our executive producer, played the game regularly and frequently interacted with players during beta. He came across a small mini-game where players would use hand-to-hand combat to beat each other up during their downtime. He even went a few rounds with them with his General British character. April "CuppaJo" and I caught wind of this and thought it would be a great event to run for the last few Fridays in beta. We found the perfect combination was to invite level 4 players to the lower level town, Alia Das, to box each other. Because we would be boxing with bare hands, armor was not allowed. That, and as we all know, players will find any reason to strip down to their skivvies!

After Beta ended, a prominent Friday Night Fights participant named Fuzzball asked if he could take over FNF after our last scheduled event. We jumped at the chance to have this event continued and Fuzzball and Bennett (aka DeadRinger) from the fansite, PlanetTR, have made this a regular event for the community.

Q: What do you think appeals to the players who participate?
Fun competition, socialization, and prizes of course! Also, who doesn't like to take out their aggression on fellow players? :

Q: Tabula Rasa now has a boxing ring in the game. Was this just for Friday Night Fights or was there another reason?
The boxing ring was added to the game with Friday Night Fights in mind, but also to act as a venue for ALL events. Now we have a dedicated area with a nice ambience, cool music, and it's easy to get to for any level player!

Q: How does the boxing ring function?
The Arena can be accessed via teleporter from barracks in Alia Das, Foreas Base, Mt. Hellas Outpost, Fort Defiance, Tantalus Base, and Fort Intrepid. Once you get in, you'll see the "Red Corner" and "Blue Corner" that players use to pick sides. But don't forget to buy your equipment before you go into the ring! Vendors in the arena have boxing gloves, boxing shorts, face gear, and dye to get you outfitted for a bout.

Q: What usually happens during a Friday Night Fight? Take us through the event.
Before the event begins, Bennett will accept sign ups on the PlanetTR forums, you can also show up a little early and get your name on the fighting bracket. Three or four rounds are usually held, depending on the turnout and a semi-final and finals round. Players duke it out using only hand-to-hand and boxing attire. In the end, only one champion prevails.

After the champion is crowned, he or she has the opportunity to take on another battle. These battles may be against Mystery Fighter such as a Former FNF champion, Game Master, QA Tester, or Developer. Another battle consists of choosing another partner from the crowd and going up against another group of for a 2 on 2 brawl. The prizes are increased if the champion chooses to accept the extra battle, but if they lose, all prize money is saved for the next Friday Night Fights. (I'm talking in-game money here, not USD!)

Q: What do people win? What's at stake?
The winning purse can be a combination of the following: Money, weapons, XP boosters, skill and attribute respecs, black and white dye, and even an official General British beret.

Q: How did they get a boxing ring into the fiction of Tabula Rasa, which is a sci-fi military game?
Even in real-life military scenarios, members must have recreational sports and other events to keep their mind off war and promote social activities. In Tabula Rasa, the C.E.L.L.A.R was created for these R&R type events. The C.E.L.L.A.R. also has a bar, vendor, recreational rooms, and observation deck.

Q: Is there anything else you'd like to say about Tabula Rasa's Friday Night Fights?
As mentioned earlier, the Friday Night Fights events may have special guests such as former FNF Champions, GMs, QA Testers, and Developers. On July 25th, we've teamed up with the FNF crew to present a special exhibition match with a mystery fighter that will knock your boxing gloves off! Also, a very exclusive prize will be awarded to the winner of this event! To find out more, check out our latest video, or head over to PlanetTR to sign up today!