MMO Fallout

NCSoft Introduces Newbie Servers To Aion

Aion is in the process of updating to version 3.9, and players are already patching their clients and getting ready to enjoy all that NCSoft has to deliver. Patch 3.9 brings with it a number of updates, including a mass ban of over seventeen thousand botters, allowing players to run instances with each other across server boundaries, a new instance, and additional storage space. One update which stands out in particular is the introduction of beginner’s servers. One of the chief complaints that I’ve seen here at MMO Fallout regarding Aion is that the game shoves players into pvp areas either before they are ready to face other, higher leveled players. Others simply don’t want to engage in PvP.

In response, update 3.9 brings beginner’s servers, where players can start new characters or transfer their old characters over. Beginner’s servers offer most of the Aion experience with none of the PvP. The server is not without restrictions however, players are unable to trade items to each other, nor can they open up shops. The beginner’s server is a collection of players from other “home” servers, however the auction house on the beginner server will only connect to the individual player’s home server. Sending letters with attachments is disabled and players are unable to capture strongholds.

Luckily, however, you can always transfer back to your home server whenever you’d like. The patch notes indicate that in the future players who opt to stick with the normal servers will enjoy bonus EP and a buff to loot drops.

(Source: Aion infographic)

OldScape’s Second Content Poll

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When Jagex announced the old school servers for RuneScape, they did so under a very clear promise: That the servers would be maintained with minor updates on a regular basis, depending on what the community voted for. Since then the plan has been unveiled for how the polls will work: Players are presented with a laundry list of update proposals based on forum feedback, and vote on each update individually. A poll must receive 75% approval otherwise it will be rejected.

The second content poll has ended and if you aren’t a member of the old school servers, odds are you have no idea what was in it. Players voted in approval to bring a free to play ruleset server, which is a little more complicated than it sounds. Old school RuneScape will still require a base RuneScape membership to play, but the server will act as a free to play server restricting members weapons/items. Many players prefer fighting with free to play rules because the combat is more simple and less varied. Players also voted in approval of an update to improve the game’s pathfinding code, allowing multiple players to use the same agility obstacles, official themed worlds, trade chat, and spell queueing.

Interestingly enough, players voted against an update that would allow them to rotate the camera while holding down the middle mouse button (63%), allowing players to queue for a world if it is full (70%), and allowing players to complete the Monkey Madness quest without gaining defense experience (61%).

Finally, wasting no time, Jagex has uploaded the third content poll for Old School RuneScape. The first question asks if players would like rare items to return in some form (currently at 85% approval) while the second asks whether or not the tradeable rares should remain tradeable (currently at 75%). The second content poll runs until April 17th.

OldScape's Second Content Poll

MMOrning Shots: ROBLOX Tornado

I’m not sure why I find ROBLOX’s many “survive the disaster” servers so endearing, but I do. Today’s creation comes to us from stickmasterluke and has, if nothing else, reintroduced my old fear of lightning. Or maybe it’s just because, as a child, I was trapped in a building for a short thirty seconds while lightning tore it apart from the outside. Yea, that must be it.

MMOrning Shots is a (somewhat) daily line of screenshots from various MMOs. Most are taken in-house or come to us in press releases, but if you would like your screenshot featured, send it over to contact[at]mmofallout[dot]com with the subject “MMorning Shots.”

Watch Defiance Episode #1 on Amazon

Want to see the series premiere of Defiance but don’t want to wait until April 15th? Boy are you in luck. In what is either a case of itchy programming or intentional promotion, Amazon has put up the entire one hour twenty six minute series premiere of Defiance. According to a few people we’ve talked to, you can only access the video if you’re in the United States (or have a US proxy). Just click on the link below to view the video. It is listed as “Amazon Preview” but you’re able to watch the full episode.

Watch it before it’s gone! Otherwise just watch it on TV, it airs on Monday anyway.

(Source: Amazon)

Reminder: School Shooting Threats Are Illegal

There is a special level of stupid that describes a person who thinks that it’s funny to make public threats to shoot/bomb a school, whether they make them in offhand comments on online games or actually contact the school via phone/online/mail to make the threat. Eventually you have to ask yourself how many people need to be arrested and charged with making a threat before the other idiots get the clue and keep their unique sense of humor private.

I don’t know when that will happen, but I do know that 18-year old Thomas Frongillo of North Oxford has likely ruined his chances at a decent career. According to Telegram, Frongillo was arrested after he allegedly made the comment “I’m shooting up my school tomorrow” on the online game RuneScape. The incident was reported to Jagex by players, who presumably used Frongillo’s account information to identify him, and the evidence was sent to Oxford police, who in turn alerted the campus police. The transcript also included anti-Semitic comments and Frongillo drawing a swastika in-game.

Frongillo has been arrested and charged with threatening to commit a crime and threatening a bombing or hijacking. The kicker in this story? Frongillo is in the police academy studying criminal justice. According to Frongillo’s defense attorney, the comment was “a harmless jest,” and was not meant to be taken seriously.

What is it about RuneScape and real world violence?

(Source: Telegram)

MMOrning Shots: Everyday Low Prices

Auto Assault shut down nearly six years ago, so Walmart was kind enough to discount it to $29.88. This shot was taken 4/11/13.

MMOrning Shots is a (somewhat) daily line of screenshots from various MMOs. Most are taken in-house or come to us in press releases, but if you would like your screenshot featured, send it over to contact[at]mmofallout[dot]com with the subject “MMorning Shots.”

Dino Storm Redefines Combat

In my review of Dino Storm, I pointed out that the game has a fantastic concept (cowboys on dinosaurs) but the execution was a little rigid. To say that there aren’t a whole lot of abilities in Dino Storm is an overstatement, there are just enough to not be considered negligible. So it is exciting to hear that the team over at Splitscreen Studios is making a major update to the game, or “redefining combat.”

In the first developer blog, the team discusses loot, levels, and upgrades. For starters, players will enjoy a much greater variety of loot dropped by dinosaurs, including upgrade items which can be used or sold for Dino Dollars, and fame items. Leveling will now directly effect unlockable upgrades, unlocking enhancement slots, and upgrading equipment all the way to level 25. And finally, players will be able to buy already upgraded weapons and dinosaurs, depending on their ranger level.

Evolution serums, gun tuning kits, weapons tech upgrades, and dino implant upgrades are being removed from the game, and players will receive a refund in Dino Dollars for any left in their inventory at the time of the update. Upgrade items now drop from creatures on the field, and quest experience and coin rewards will be boosted to compensate for the lack of upgrade items as rewards.

More to come on the upcoming Dino Storm combat upgrade.

(Source: Dino Storm)

Guild Wars 2 Flame And Frost Finishes This Month

Flame and Frost is a multi-part living story in Guild Wars 2 which began way back in January and is currently on part three of four. The story so far is that back in January, the sky began falling in the northern regions, resulting in entire villages being destroyed and families left homeless. Players were asked to aid refugees making their way south through Wayfarer Foothills and Diessa Plateau, rebuilding destroyed signposts and aiding wounded refugees, as well as collecting personal belongings and returning them to their owners. The Flame Legion and Dredge, two races that had previous stayed in the background, now began assaulting Tyria.

Each update brings with it some pretty major changes to the game, for those who don’t care about the story, including the end of culling, major changes to the achievement system, and more. The final part of this mini-series is coming April 30th, according to Arenanet, and tasks players with striking at the heart of the Molten Alliance of the Flame Legion and Dredge. Attack their foundries deep beneath the Shiverpeaks, and perhaps face some frickin sharks with laser beams attached to their heads.

Check out the main Flame and Frost page below.

(Source: Guild Wars 2)

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