Friday, September 12, 2014

MMO Updates

MMO Updates


You can race your Star Citizen spaceship today

Posted: 12 Sep 2014 10:30 AM PDT

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Before I get too deep into this news post, I'd like to take a moment to thank Cloud Imperium for releasing Star Citizen's racing module on ArcheAge's launch day.

Now that that's out of my system, let's see here. Arena Commander 0.9 is officially patchable right now. It brings with it the Murray Cup racing simulator, co-op play, leaderboards, and "too many bug fixes to list," according to CIG's announcement post.

[Thanks Oliver!]

MassivelyYou can race your Star Citizen spaceship today originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Sep 2014 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HEX is not Hearthstone: A look at HEX's closed beta

Posted: 12 Sep 2014 10:00 AM PDT

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530
It's been a while, HEX. Last time I saw you was E3 2013. I hadn't yet started to play Hearthstone, and truthfully, I doubted it could hold a candle to you. In a lot of ways, I was right. It's so much simpler, it's less complex, and at the time, it felt less imaginative. But my card game days are behind me. I don't have the kind of time I used to, so Hearthstone's faster games and accessible drafts (called "arenas" in HS) reminded me of the things I love about the genre while allowing me to keep my grown-up schedule intact and being easy on my wallet.

Just the same, HEX, when I got the closed beta invite to see you again, my heart skipped a beat. I was ready to drop some big money on you, but I've been burned a few times. While I've been in betas and alphas for other games, there's been a trend of letting people pay to play unfinished products. I've been burned, and while I don't regret the experience, I do regret the purchases at the moment. I mean, when a game suddenly disappears from the market, it does make you question your decisions, so I decided we should go out a few times first before I really invest in you.

Continue reading HEX is not Hearthstone: A look at HEX's closed beta

MassivelyHEX is not Hearthstone: A look at HEX's closed beta originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Sep 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    EVE's Oceanus laying the groundwork for visual ship customization

    Posted: 12 Sep 2014 09:45 AM PDT

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    EVE Online's next release is called Oceanus, and it's coming to a PC near you on September 30th. CCP has published a feature overview dev blog in case you're not up to speed. Major tweaks include French language support, new cloak effects, and a "big visual update" for wormhole space.

    There's a substantial under-the-hood update, too, and it has to do with how CCP stores and manages ship visual data. The dev blog says that this particular tweak is necessary "for being able to deliver visual customization of ships in the future." You can read about the rest of Oceanus via the links below.

    MassivelyEVE's Oceanus laying the groundwork for visual ship customization originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Sep 2014 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Full SWTOR expansion information coming this month

    Posted: 12 Sep 2014 09:00 AM PDT

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    Full SWTOR expansion information coming this month
    If you're like many other players of Star War: The Old Republic, then you've been wondering and waiting to hear what the fabled next expansion is supposed entail. Producer Bruce Maclean told forumgoers earlier this week that they will have to wait only until the end of the month, explaining that the team didn't want to give away any content spoilers.

    Now that the gurrcat is out of the bag with Update 2.10, information about 3.0 is right around the corner. Maclean wrote today, "We're letting folks have a little time with Rakata Prime and then spilling the beans on 3.0. Look for a teaser within a week, and then a full announce before the end of [the] month!"

    We're guessing the Rakata Prime flashpoint has more than a little to do with it...

    MassivelyFull SWTOR expansion information coming this month originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Sep 2014 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Eleven to revive Glitch with Tiny Speck's help

    Posted: 12 Sep 2014 08:00 AM PDT

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    eleven
    Glitch. Now, if you have tears streaming down your face because you still find yourself crying every time you are reminded of the late, great crafting MMO, then prepare to go from sobs to smiles. A fan project called Eleven is making waves as a genuine attempt to revive Glitch with former developer Tiny Speck's blessing and assistance.

    According to the FAQ, Eleven "is a project to get the publicly released Glitch code back up and running; a strictly volunteer effort by 'Glitchen' who want to see the revival of Glitch. We don't have any rights to the name Glitch as a brand, hence our name Eleven (after our eleven giants)." Tiny Speck has also gifted the volunteer team a new product called Slack to help in coordinating the project.

    The team is working with the released source code from Tiny Speck to create new code to connect the client and server. The project is chugging along nicely, with a testable version of the wardrobe and vanity system available on the website. There's also a housing demo video that you can watch after the break. Getting the Glitch feels yet? You should!

    Continue reading Eleven to revive Glitch with Tiny Speck's help

    MassivelyEleven to revive Glitch with Tiny Speck's help originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Sep 2014 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Lord of the Rings Online Update 14.2 adds collections system

    Posted: 12 Sep 2014 07:00 AM PDT

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    lotro
    Update 14.2 might not be the biggest that Lord of the Rings Online has ever seen, but it's substantial enough that the developers took the time to livestream some of the additions and changes that it will be bringing.

    Coming in 14.2 is a new collections system to reward players for snapping up mounts and pets. The new system will also help to point you in the direction of where and how to find these creatures as well as give a preview of each one. The team also gave a preview of a rarely visited Middle-earth location, the Dead Marshes.

    You can watch the full stream after the jump!

    Continue reading Lord of the Rings Online Update 14.2 adds collections system

    MassivelyLord of the Rings Online Update 14.2 adds collections system originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Sep 2014 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    The Daily Grind: What's the ideal MMO raid length?

    Posted: 12 Sep 2014 06:00 AM PDT

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    Destiny
    I thought it was interesting earlier this month when Bungie explained Destiny's raids: They're smaller than what MMO players would expect from a raid (six players), but they come with some rather old-school MMO lengths, lockouts, and death penalties. One test group, the devs said, took 45 minutes just to get to the front door!

    Bungie doesn't expect MMO-savvy players to take nearly that long once they've soaked up some internet guides, of course, but the article did make me wonder what gamers are willing to tolerate raid-length-wise nowadays. I remember giant raids that went on for days in EverQuest all the way up to quickie group-finder raids in World of Warcraft. Making them shorter (and cutting out the trash) didn't really make them easier or less fun, but it sure did enable more people to play them, which seems like a better way to justify the dev time spent on them. What do you think: What's the ideal MMO raid length?

    Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

    MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What's the ideal MMO raid length? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Sep 2014 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      Mortal Online sets out territory control in a new patch

      Posted: 11 Sep 2014 07:00 PM PDT

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      No one man should have all that power.
      Ready to make your mark on the world of Mortal Online? Your time is now. The game's latest patch implements the territory control system, allowing guilds to war over choice bits of land, build keeps and cities, and generally shape the landscape into what they want to see. There's even a trailer for it past the cut, showing off what players can expect to get when breaking ground on a new city and building its defenses.

      Cities alone would be a welcome addition, but the patch also brings with it a variety of improvements to quality of life. The game's mail system has been rebuilt, several UI elements and chat commands have been implemented, and the world map has seen some trimming and adjustments. The patch is live now, so you can check out the notes for all the details or just log in and start staking your guild's claim.

      [Thanks to Zakiyya for the tip!]

      Continue reading Mortal Online sets out territory control in a new patch

      MassivelyMortal Online sets out territory control in a new patch originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Sep 2014 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      The Think Tank: Consoles and the future of MMOs

      Posted: 11 Sep 2014 06:00 PM PDT

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      Destiny might not be a pure MMO, but its huge launch on the fringes of the MMO space this week has prompted us to ponder whether the future of core MMOs lies in the console market. In this week's Think Tank, I polled the Massively writers about just that.

      Continue reading The Think Tank: Consoles and the future of MMOs

      MassivelyThe Think Tank: Consoles and the future of MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Sep 2014 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        The Stream Team: Going deep in Elite: Dangerous

        Posted: 11 Sep 2014 05:00 PM PDT

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        Elite: Dangerous
        Massively's Mike Foster is a big fan of space exploration. Which is why in tonight's Elite: Dangerous stream, he's going to see what the game's current beta has to offer in terms of venturing into the great unknown. Frontier Developments claims that Elite will eventually contain around 400 billion star systems; Mike is content to visit just a few. And with exploration being touted as a viable career path in the launch version of Elite, it's certainly worth investigating even in its bare beta form.

        Tune in at 7:00 p.m. to boldly go where no Mike has gone before.

        Game: Elite: Dangerous
        Host: Mike Foster
        Date: Thursday, September 11th, 2014
        Time: 7:00 p.m. EST

        Enjoy our Stream Team video below.

        Continue reading The Stream Team: Going deep in Elite: Dangerous

        MassivelyThe Stream Team: Going deep in Elite: Dangerous originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Sep 2014 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Final Fantasy XI welcomes back old players with a free week

          Posted: 11 Sep 2014 04:00 PM PDT

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          When Shantotto is the face of public relations, the subscriber slide has a clear explanation.
          If you once walked the fields of Vana'diel in Final Fantasy XI but haven't been back in some time, you've missed a lot of updates. The game's run for 13 years now, after all; whenever you stopped playing, it's likely a lot of new content awaits you. And if you've got the hankering to check back in and see if it's how you remember, you can do so for a week. Completely free.

          Until September 17th, former players can log in for free and explore all of the content available in the game. Players will need to transfer their old PlayOnline IDs to Square-Enix IDs if they have not done so already. A promotional video has also been released, detailing some of the changes made to the game for its current incarnation. So if you've got a hankering to step back into the world of Vana'diel, now might be the time to do so.

          Continue reading Final Fantasy XI welcomes back old players with a free week

          MassivelyFinal Fantasy XI welcomes back old players with a free week originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Sep 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          New World of Speed trailer wub wubs its way through Moscow

          Posted: 11 Sep 2014 03:30 PM PDT

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          I like fast cars. I like driving fast cars fast. I'm pretty sure I would like driving fast cars fast through the streets of Moscow. Sadly I've yet to visit Russia's famed capital, so I'm having to make do with World of Speed's latest teaser trailer which features a lot of turning, burning, and wub wubbing through the city's rain-soaked streets.

          Click past the cut to ride along.

          Continue reading New World of Speed trailer wub wubs its way through Moscow

          MassivelyNew World of Speed trailer wub wubs its way through Moscow originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Sep 2014 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          The Crew fires up a new gameplay trailer

          Posted: 11 Sep 2014 03:00 PM PDT

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          Terminate your dialogue and operate your vehicle.
          The latest trailer for The Crew might blow your mind. It turns out the game will feature cars. And driving. And... all right, maybe it's all stuff that you've known about if you've followed the game with any sort of enthusiasm up to this point. But it's still a glimpse into how the game will play beyond its cross-country driving.

          The trailer shows off a great deal of both driving mechanics and interface pieces, giving potential players a clearer picture of what the game will look like in play as well as how the game is meant to be played. If you like the idea of hooking up with other drivers and hitting the road to explore, race, and take out targets, catch a glimpse of the gameplay just past the break.

          Continue reading The Crew fires up a new gameplay trailer

          MassivelyThe Crew fires up a new gameplay trailer originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Sep 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Jagex CEO resigning in December

          Posted: 11 Sep 2014 02:30 PM PDT

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          Jagex CEO Mark Gerhard is leaving his post in December according to an open letter on the RuneScape website. Gerhard writes passionately about the game's community and his efforts to combat gold-farming during his five-year stint as CEO.

          Gerhard, who has been with Jagex a total of seven years, did not specify the reasons for his departure nor who will take his place.

          MassivelyJagex CEO resigning in December originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Sep 2014 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Chaos Theory: Ten compelling Secret World missions

          Posted: 11 Sep 2014 02:00 PM PDT

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          Chaos Theory:  The Secret World's missions are steeped in awesomesauce
          One thing that The Secret World does extremely well is story. Few would argue that point: It's compelling, surprising, even chill-inducing, packing enough emotional punches to leave you stunned on occasion but always eager for more, which is what makes doing missions in TSW so much more enjoyable than many other MMOs. And it isn't just the overarching main story line, either. All the missions spread throughout the zones, from investigation to sabotage to even the piddliest of little side missions, tie into the story in some fashion. So missing a mission means you might miss some tantalizing tidbit. Fortunately, you needn't be a completionist to have a drive to seek out and experience every single mission. Instead of being faced with the usual desire to just move on ahead once you've "out-leveled" a zone, you literally scour to make sure you don't leave any task undone lest you miss out on any of the story.

          Now that said, there are some missions that are just jaw-dropping for one reason or another, ones that stop your heart or tear at it. All missions have merit, but some are just so amazing you wish you could do them for the first time over and over. There's even a grieving period when you know you can never relive that initial rush! Here are just a few of the missions that I'd personally recommend that all players experience (with as few spoilers as possible).

          Continue reading Chaos Theory: Ten compelling Secret World missions

          MassivelyChaos Theory: Ten compelling Secret World missions originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Sep 2014 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Citizen Con 2014 celebrating SC in LA on October 10

            Posted: 11 Sep 2014 01:30 PM PDT

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            Are you a Star Citizen fan? Will you be in Los Angeles on October 10th? You might want to grab some tickets to this year's Citizen Con if you answered both of those questions in the affirmative. The two-year(!) anniversary of Star Citizen's announcement will serve as a platform for Cloud Imperium to "celebrate the progress of the game's development to date and honor the contribution of the community."

            There will be a livestream, a recap of what's been accomplished thus far, and a sneak peak at what's upcoming. Tickets go on sale tomorrow. They're $40 each, but there are only 300 available so mark it on your calendar! Further details are available via the links below.

            MassivelyCitizen Con 2014 celebrating SC in LA on October 10 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Sep 2014 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Transverse used to be Wing Commander Online

            Posted: 11 Sep 2014 01:00 PM PDT

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            transverse
            Transverse, the new crowdfund project from Piranha Games, could have been called something far different and more familiar: Wing Commander Online.

            Piranha Creative Director Bryan Ekman confirmed that the studio currently holds the Wing Commander license but decided to go another way: "By late 2013 we found ourselves in possession of an exclusive license to Wing Commander and assembling a small team to craft a new experience. We spent six months developing, designing, and working on a marketing video with help from outsourcing partners [...] We reached a pivotal moment when some of our best design ideas were being pushed to the side as they just didn't fit within the constraints of a WC game. We looked carefully at what our WCO product was, looked at other competing products, and decided that we needed to move away from the Wing Commander universe."

            Ekman said that if Transverse does not completely fund by the end of its campaign, the studio will fully refund its backers and investigate "traditional models" for investment. In the meantime, the entire studio has been shadowbanned from Reddit for creating a Transverse sub and is looking to overturn the ban.

            MassivelyTransverse used to be Wing Commander Online originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Sep 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Ragnarok Online 2 shutting down in Southeast Asia

            Posted: 11 Sep 2014 12:30 PM PDT

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            ro2
            Ragnarok Online 2 isn't exactly taking the world by storm as of late. Following the title's closure in Korea last year, Ragnarok Online 2 is closing its doors in Singapore and Malaysia on October 9th. There is a pretty bright spot to this story, however, as Asiasoft's version of the game will accept account transfers from affected players.

            "Following the opening of Ragnarok 2's Odin Server to Philippine players last month, we are thrilled to be continuing the global expansion of Warpportal's Ragnarok Online 2 by welcoming all players from Southeast Asia regions!" Asiasoft posted.

            Southeast Asian players will not be able to access their characters until October 9th, and none of their Kafra Points will make the leap over to the new server.

            MassivelyRagnarok Online 2 shutting down in Southeast Asia originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Sep 2014 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Pathfinder Online further delays early enrollment to include more map

            Posted: 11 Sep 2014 12:00 PM PDT

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            pathfinder
            When will Pathfinder Online's early enrollment period begin? The answer to that question continues to change as its studio makes last-minute adjustments. Originally it was supposed to be September 15th, which then was pushed to September 22nd for more work on alpha features, and it's now delayed until September 25th in order to give players a larger initial game world. Players who have early enrollment access will be able to access the wipeable alpha (if they don't have it already) starting on the 18th.

            "Our community has been very vocal about their desire to have the whole early enrollment map ready for play on the first day of early enrollment, and we're making changes to our deployment plans to accommodate that desire," Goblinworks posted. The studio also said that it will be delaying the start of the War of Towers until October 16th and that the Mac client should be ready to go by the start of early enrollment.

            In the meantime, the team is consolidating its alpha patches into a single large patch for tomorrow and then will be doing updates on Thursdays going forward.

            MassivelyPathfinder Online further delays early enrollment to include more map originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Sep 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            WildStar trims back attunement requirements

            Posted: 11 Sep 2014 11:30 AM PDT

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            So that got fixed up real nice.
            If you're still slamming your head against the wall of WildStar's raid attunement, the game's most recent small patch will make your life a bit easier. The medal requirements for Veteran dungeons have been lowered to only Bronze, achieved simply by clearing the dungeons. Players will also be required to kill only 12 out of 18 bosses to complete a step of the chain, with progress applied retroactively via achievements where applicable. It won't strip away the overall length and complexity of the process, but it will make it a bit less onerous.

            This patch also improves the process of acquiring new AMP and Ability Tier points, adding them to PvP vendors, including them in Path progression, and upping their world drop rates. Aside from a handful of bugfixes and balance changes, the patch doesn't contain any new content, but it should give players trying to get into content a little more incentive to keep moving.

            MassivelyWildStar trims back attunement requirements originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Sep 2014 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            ArenaNet responds to Guild Wars 2 feature pack complaints

            Posted: 11 Sep 2014 11:00 AM PDT

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            This is an allegory.
            The second feature pack for Guild Wars 2 has received a somewhat cooler reception than the first one; the changes to leveling and unlocking abilities, for example, have irritated several players rolling up new characters in a stable of alts. Director Colin Johanson recently took the opportunity to address player feedback on the game's official forums, starting by noting that both bugs and misinformation are known issues that are being fixed as quickly as possible.

            Johanson goes on to explain that the changes have been aimed at making the leveling experience feel more rewarding for players at all skill and experience levels, and testing supports the altered model. Despite that, the team is keeping a close eye on feedback and metrics, and if it turns out that the changes are harmful, they can be iterated upon and changed. If you're one of the people less than thrilled with these alterations, it's probably a welcome sign that the director is paying attention.

            MassivelyArenaNet responds to Guild Wars 2 feature pack complaints originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Sep 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Trion clarifies ArcheAge's head-start housing situation

            Posted: 11 Sep 2014 10:30 AM PDT

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            During its livestreamed pre-launch discussion of ArcheAge earlier this week, Trion Worlds clarified a number of issues that will affect players early on when the game enters its head-start period tomorrow. Top priority in a sandbox? Where you hang your hat. Housing will open at the beginning of the head start period, so early players will naturally secure the best properties. There is no limit to the number of houses an account can own, although accounts are taxed "exponentially" after they acquire three and up.

            Also of note:
            • The game plans to launch with the eight ten original beta servers.
            • The "patron" subscription is indeed $15; 1250 credits cost 1 APEX or $10. For scale, consider that a character slot costs 1000 credits.
            • Trion vowed to continue its efforts to deal with chat spammers and botters.
            • Everyone, even F2P players, can access the auction hall.
            As to the controversial labor point system, Trion says all characters will begin with zero points.

            [Thanks, JunkiesNation.]

            MassivelyTrion clarifies ArcheAge's head-start housing situation originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Sep 2014 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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