Filed under: RIFT

Amazon to offer special limited-time deals on TERA, RIFT, others [Updated]

by MJ Guthrie May 17th 2012 at 7:00AM

Filed under: Fantasy, Real life, Final Fantasy XI, News items, Free-to-play, RIFT, Final Fantasy XIV, TERA, Need for Speed World, Miscellaneous

Have you been watching TERA via livestreams and wistfully wishing you could jump in and join but you haven't wanted to plunk down the cash at launch? Well as long as you don't mind not having a box to display on your shelf, your waiting has actually paid off! Amazon is kicking off a 12-day digital "MAYhem" sale today and offering select MMO titles at a significant discount on specific days. Those deals are as follows:

TERA: May 19th and May 26th, both the standard and collector's editions will be 50% off, priced at $24.99 and $29.99 respectively.
Final Fantasy XIV: May 17th to 20th and 26th.
Final Fantasy XI: Ultimate Collection Abyssea Edition: May 17th to 20th and 26th.
Need for Speed: May 18th to 20th all three starter packs will be on sale, the bronze for $7.49, the silver for $11.24, and the gold for $14.99.
RIFT Ashes of History Edition: May 24th only the game will be $11.99.

Mark your calendar if you don't want to miss these offers.

[Update: We've added in the TERA sale on May 26th as well.]

[Source: Amazon press release]

Why I Play: RIFT

by Justin Olivetti May 16th 2012 at 12:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, Opinion, RIFT, Why I Play

Is it possible for a top-tier MMO to come out of nowhere and bowl you over? Considering that I follow these games not only for a hobby but as a writer for Massively, I always assumed the answer to that was "no." Until it happened, that is. Until RIFT.

It's not as though RIFT was a big secret or anything, but up until the late hours of 2010, it was very low on my -- and many of my friends' -- radars. I often got it confused with TERA, for Pete's sake! It wasn't until I got my hands on it at PAX that year and then saw how huge the beta got that I realized there was more to this supposedly generic fantasy title than I'd assumed. It truly felt like it came out of nowhere, and before I knew it, I was enjoying what became one of my favorite games of 2011.

So why did I play RIFT, and why do I still log in on occasion today? Trust me, it's not for the Elves.

RIFT introduces three-faction PvP with Conquest

by Matt Daniel May 14th 2012 at 11:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, PvP, News items, RIFT

RIFT players have been speculating about what the much-hyped but little-revealed PvP announcement for the title would be, but now it's official: RIFT is bringing out three-faction warfare. In a post on the RIFT official site, Trion Worlds has introduced the Conquest PvP mode, which is a "no-holds-barred, interdimensional battle" in which players can choose from one of three factions (the power-hungry Dominion, the noble Oathsworn, and the knowledge-seeking Nightfall) and take part in a three-way battle to answer one poignant question: "What is the role of the Ascended in the cosmos? To rule, to protect, or to ascend?"

Players eager to become a part of the Conquest won't have to wait long. This Thursday, May 17th, at 7:00 EDT, Trion will be bringing Conquest to the public test server. All you have to do to get on the action yourself is head on over to the game's PTS "getting started" page and follow the instructions, and voila. So get out there and prepare for war, Ascended; it's time to conquer!

[Thanks to Valorith for the tip!]

One Shots: Woodland critters

by Brianna Royce May 13th 2012 at 4:00PM

Filed under: Galleries, Screenshots, A Tale in the Desert, EverQuest II, MMO industry, Opinion, Massively Meta, One Shots, RIFT, TERA, Miscellaneous

TERA isn't quite two weeks old, but it's already offering up some spectacular views. Kromic on the Dragonfall server paused while riding on his mount to take this shot. He writes in,

While doing some exploring on my trusty steed in TERA, I found a great view of the capital city Velika.

His screenshot is just after the cut, along with three more images of woodland critters doing their duty to spice up our MMO scenery.

Trion dev posts ARG messages on RIFT forums

by Jef Reahard May 11th 2012 at 9:30AM

Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, News items, RIFT

Trion is taking a page out of The Secret World's ARG book if a new dev post on the RIFT forums is any indication.

A company representative has taken to posting poetry, cryptic messages, and even a numeric user handle on the title's official boards. Thus far, RIFT fans believe that the user name 3 3228466 787 is code for three-faction PvP (or possibly three-faction RvR). Is this a herald for a third RIFT faction, factional changes, more races, or something to do with the mercenary system? We're not sure.

We are sure it's entirely coincidental that Trion is doing this on the same day that Funcom has lifted part of its press embargo for The Secret World, a three-faction MMO that has been marketed via similar ARGs since 2007. We'll update the post as more info becomes available.

[Thanks to Jeff for the tip!]

RIFT adds streaming client

by Justin Olivetti May 9th 2012 at 4:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Patches, RIFT

The barrier between interest and hands-on play was knocked down today as Trion Worlds introduced a streaming client for RIFT. The new client will allow players to jump into the game without fully downloading it first.

Players with a faster connection are invited to start the streaming client and then log into the game soon thereafter. The new client will continue to download the remainder of the game even while the player is logged in. However, Trion said that slower connection speed computers should wait for the full client to finish downloading first.

RIFT's launcher will automatically convert to the new system. Players experiencing background downloading while in-game will see a symbol on the screen to indicate the fact.

Enter at Your Own Rift: Handy tips for fishing and survival in Telara

by Karen Bryan Apr 25th 2012 at 11:00AM

Filed under: Fantasy, Opinion, RIFT, Guides, Enter at Your Own Rift, Crafting

In my last column about RIFT, I looked at a few highlights that were coming with Update 1.8, but because of the buzz surrounding the two new skills of fishing and survival, I wanted to delve into both a little more closely and perhaps even give a few tips I picked up so far that might be helpful if you're thinking of giving it a try.

Whether you're an old salt or a greenhorn, and if you're curious about what exactly it takes to fish in Telara or what you need to build yourself a nice camp and a warm meal, this week's Enter at Your Own Rift might help!

RIFT kicks off service in Korea

by Eliot Lefebvre Apr 24th 2012 at 11:00AM

Filed under: Fantasy, Launches, MMO industry, News items, RIFT

It's possible that there's a dirty joke in here. I don't actually know how to read Korean.

MMOs generally don't sojourn too far from home. Outside of launches in the US and Europe, it's rare for a western game to be adapted to the Korean or Chinese market; far more often games from those markets get shipped here. But it does happen every so often, and such is the case with RIFT. As of today, the game has officially started its full commercial service in Korea under the guidance of NetMarble.

The game is also launching with several of the usual launch events such as promotional giveaways, although they're of limited utility if you don't read or speak Korean. It's an unusual export, but with several Korean games making major promotional pushes in the US (such as Aion and TERA), it might be the time to see if cross-cultural appeal works in the other direction. And if you're familiar with the language and want to see how the game plays when adapted, now's the time.

The Perfect Ten: Free-to-play holdouts

by Justin Olivetti Apr 19th 2012 at 1:00PM

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Asheron's Call, Dark Age of Camelot, EVE Online, Final Fantasy XI, PlanetSide, Warhammer Online, Ultima Online, Free-to-play, Star Wars: The Old Republic, RIFT, Final Fantasy XIV, Perfect Ten

In the increasingly diminishing field of subscription-only MMOs, two distinct camps have formed. There is the Old Guard that has its established playerbase and is simply not interested in jumping on board the F2P train, and then there are the New Kids on the Block (which would make an excellent band name, by the way), who argue that their premium features and AAA content warrant a subscription in the F2P age.

A few years ago, doing a list of the final few F2P holdouts would have been a ridiculous proposition, but now it's actually difficult to get to 10 of these. Each company has a different reason that it hasn't given these games more flexible payment options (FPO should replace F2P; pass it on!), and while some have addressed this publicly, others say nothing and leave us to speculate on it.

For today's Perfect Ten, we're going to look at the 10 biggest current F2P holdouts in the industry and muse about what's going on behind the scenes. Will this list be impossible to do in a few years or will subscription-only titles come back in a big way? Hey, I don't predict things; I just make lists.

RIFT's patch 1.8: Infernal Dawn goes live

by Matt Daniel Apr 18th 2012 at 5:30PM

Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, News items, RIFT, Dungeons

Maelforge and Laethys better be watching their backs because RIFT's patch 1.8: Infernal Dawn is now live, and players are now able to head into the eponymous Infernal Dawn raid to lay the smack down on the pair of dragon-gods. On top of that, the patch will be ringing in a new world event known as the War of the Wanton Maw, which will presumably involve players fighting back against Maelforge's Wanton cult and Laethys' Golden Maw.

If you're a less combative type, don't worry. Infernal Dawn is also bringing some more relaxing activities in the form of two new tradeskills. Those looking to spend a calm day on the water can bait a hook and spend an afternoon fishing, while those who want to rough it in the great outdoors can craft food and shelter with the new survival skill. For the full details on what this monumental patch is bringing to the game, just head on over to the official forums to check out the patch notes yourself. Oh, and if you're curious about what you're going up against, just click on past the cut for a look at Maelforge and Laethys in the official Infernal Dawn trailer.

RIFT community team livestreaming Infernal Dawn tomorrow

by Eliot Lefebvre Apr 16th 2012 at 7:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, Previews, Endgame, News items, RIFT

It's not really a raid unless there's a ten-minute diversion when the tanks both go out for a smoke.

If you're playing RIFT, odds are good you're looking forward to the next major content update -- and if you're also a raider, so much the better. But it's one thing to read about all of the neat things that will be going on in a new raid and another thing entirely to actually see them. That's why the community team is hosting an official livestream of the new Infernal Dawn raid that's getting released this week.

The run will begin at 11:30 a.m. PDT, moving through the entirety of the raid and showing off all of the bosses without spoiling the fights themselves. The community team will also be explaining the lore behind the area and the bosses and answering community questions when possible. So if you've got the time around noon tomorrow to check it out, head over to the game's Facebook page and get ready for a guided tour of the newest raid.

[Source: Trion Worlds press release]

Fishing, survival, and dragons: The Trion Team talks about RIFT's 1.8 update

by Karen Bryan Apr 12th 2012 at 9:30AM

Filed under: Fantasy, Interviews, MMO industry, RIFT

As the Carnival of the Ascended draws to a close and the last of the piñatas and balloons are put away from RIFT's first birthday, Update 1.8 is just around the corner. It's full of new content, including the new raid zone Infernal Dawn, fishing and survival skills, and lots of game improvements. Massively took part in a roundtable discussion with Trion CCO and RIFT Executive Producer Scott Hartsman, Design Producer Hal Hanlin, and Producer Adam Gershowitz to get all the details on Update 1.8 and more. Read on for highlights!

Gallery: RIFT 1.8 screenshots

RIFT unveils changes to queued quest reward system

by Matt Daniel Apr 11th 2012 at 7:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, News items, RIFT

RIFT's patch 1.8 is just around the corner, and the patch is bringing not only a new raid and new activities but a few quality of life improvements as well. Community manager James "Elrar" Nichols stopped by the forums today to give players a heads up on the changes coming to the game's queued quest rewards system. What are queued quest rewards? Pretty much what they sound like. Completing certain quests and dungeons will bring up a queued quest loot button that players can press at their convenience to receive the loot and XP from the activity.

This has led some players to keep these rewards queued so that they can claim them all at once for massive XP gains. In light of that, Trion Worlds is changing the way these rewards work by causing them to be automatically granted to the player upon completion. Of course, players will still have to choose their reward for quests that grant the option, but there will now be a limit on how many rewards you can have queued at any given time. Players are advised to claim all pending queued quest rewards before patch 1.8 hits because the team can't guarantee that doing so will be possible after the patch. For the full details, head on over to the full forum post.

Enter at Your Own Rift: Fishin' and survivin'

by Karen Bryan Apr 11th 2012 at 12:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Previews, Opinion, Hands-on, RIFT, Enter at Your Own Rift, Crafting

One of the parts of the recent RIFT producer's letter that caught my eye was the hint that there will soon be more to do in game besides "stab" stuff. Maybe I'm mellowing in my old age, or perhaps it's because of my inner Bartle explorer player-type, but I'm enjoying activities in MMOs that don't involve mass slaughter all the time. Usually, that means crafting, but the inventory management that's required often leaves me cross-eyed by the time I'm done.

With Update 1.8, RIFT will add two new skills to the game: fishing and survival. Non-combat activities have already been introduced in past updates, like the wedding instance, but these two new skills look to be fun games within the game, so I was eager to check things out. Join me as I don some hip-waders, pack up some flint, and head to PTS for a peek at fishing, survival, and a quick peek at the looking-for-guild tool.

One Shots: A new dawn

by Brianna Royce Apr 8th 2012 at 4:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, One Shots, RIFT, Miscellaneous

One Shots is making a tentative return in its new format and timeslot this weekend! Kicking off the screenshot-madness is Johanis, who's delivered a gorgeous shot of what looks suspiciously like a sparklepony in RIFT (and seriously makes me want to resub). He writes in,

I wanted to share a picture of Samya, my level 20 Mathosian Mage in RIFT. This particular shot was taken just as she had received her achievement awarded for climbing to the highest mountain in Silverwood. I had to climb quite a few mountains before I hit this spot, and the view made the climb worth it. Just beautiful. She was also quite proud to be riding her newly acquired Nebula mount, which she earned during the current Carnival.

Johanis' screenshot, along with a few other gems from this week, is just behind the cut!

Massively Features

Events Calendar

Name	Date
Cataclysm Launch	Dec 7, 2010
DCUO Launch	Early 2011

Massively Staff

Name	Title
Shawn Schuster	Editor-in-Chief
Brianna Royce	Senior Editor
Rubi Bayer	Community Manager
Brendan Drain	Contributing Editor
Eliot Lefebvre	Contributing Editor
Jef Reahard	Contributing Editor
Justin Olivetti	Contributing Editor
Krystalle Voecks	Contributing Editor
Larry Everett	Contributing Editor
Beau Hindman	Columnist
Edward Marshall	Columnist
Greg Waller	Columnist
Jeremy Stratton	Columnist
Karen Bryan	Columnist
MJ Guthrie	Columnist
Patrick Mackey	Columnist
Ryan Greene	Columnist
Lisa Poisso	Columnist