MMORPG News

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• World of WarPlanes: Japanese Carrier Announced
• Vanguard: Saga of Heroes: F2P Version Officially Launches
• General: Five Things to Look for at Gamescom
• Elsword: New Dungeons & Costumes
• World of Tanks: Browser TCG - RTS Game Incoming
• Star Wars: The Old Republic: What Does SWTOR F2P Mean?
• General: Shadowrun Online: New Video Spotlights Character Creation
• The Secret World: High Level PvP Plans
• Guild Wars 2: Picking a Race
• City of Steam: Alpha Test Keys - 4th and Final Week!
• Lord of the Rings Online: New Video Highlights Rohan's "Character"
• TERA: The Argon Queen Release Date Announced
• Star Wars: The Old Republic: New Live Event: The Grand Acquisition Race
• TERA: The Argon Queen Cometh
• Heroes & Generals: Beta Videolog Shows Off 'Crace' and 'Dietl' Update Features
• Runescape: Fordham Student Allegedly Robbed of Game Currency

World of WarPlanes: Japanese Carrier Announced Posted: 14 Aug 2012 08:18 AM PDT Wargaming.net has announced that a Japanese aircraft carrier will be included in World of WarPlanes. On board, players will be able to access Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero, Nakajima Type 91, Mitsubishi J4M1 Senden interceptor fighter, and Kyushu J7W1, J7W2 and J7W3, three canard configuration prototypes that never saw combat.

Vanguard: Saga of Heroes: F2P Version Officially Launches Posted: 14 Aug 2012 08:11 AM PDT Today marks the official launch of the Vanguard: Saga of Heroes hybrid subscription-free to play version. Players can now check out much of the game without any monthly subscription.

General: Five Things to Look for at Gamescom Posted: 13 Aug 2012 02:44 PM PDT Gamescom kicks off this week in Cologne, Germany. As with other summer conventions, lots of new things should be coming out of the show. We've got a few thoughts about things we hope to hear more about over the course of the week. Read on!

Elsword: New Dungeons & Costumes Posted: 14 Aug 2012 07:58 AM PDT Elsword Online devs have announced that they will be releasing the next update later this week that will include a level cap increase, three new dungeons and new ninja costumes. All of this takes place in the brand new "Hamel" zone of the game.

World of Tanks: Browser TCG - RTS Game Incoming Posted: 14 Aug 2012 07:27 AM PDT For those who simply can't get enough of World of Tanks, Wargaming.net has announced a new browser-based RTS-TCG combination game called 'World of Tanks: Generals'. Players will be able to play WoT: Generals either in single- or multiplayer modes.

Star Wars: The Old Republic: What Does SWTOR F2P Mean? Posted: 13 Aug 2012 02:35 PM PDT Last week, Bioware and EA announced that Star Wars: The Old Republic would be adding a free to play component. In our latest Free Zone column, we take a look at the announcement and give our analysis of what it all means as well as check in with several F2P industry voices for their thoughts as well. Check it out!

General: Shadowrun Online: New Video Spotlights Character Creation Posted: 14 Aug 2012 06:57 AM PDT As the Kickstarter campaign for Shadowrun Online winds down, the team has released a terrific new video shining the spotlight on character creation in the game. Jeff Ricketts takes you through the entire process. Check it out!

The Secret World: High Level PvP Plans Posted: 14 Aug 2012 06:48 AM PDT Funcom's Martin Bruusgaard has left a post on the official forums for The Secret World. In it, he details upcoming plan for high level PvP. Among other things, Bruusgaard admits that Fusang was never meant to be a "circle zerg" and that the team is looking closely at ways to make changes.

Guild Wars 2: Picking a Race Posted: 13 Aug 2012 02:20 PM PDT With Guild Wars 2 almost literally just around the corner, people are planning their first steps in the world. In today's latest column, we take a look at all of the races and why each one might be the one for you. Check it out!

City of Steam: Alpha Test Keys - 4th and Final Week! Posted: 12 Aug 2012 05:23 PM PDT Get your alpha test key now! This weekend will be the final phase of the City of Steam alpha test!

Lord of the Rings Online: New Video Highlights Rohan's "Character" Posted: 13 Aug 2012 11:22 AM PDT In the latest of several videos intended to explore the creation of LotRO's Riders of Rohan expansion, Turbine shows us how they create character (as in tone of the regions), and how they explore other aspects of the LotR books in a live-action vignette for the game.

TERA: The Argon Queen Release Date Announced Posted: 13 Aug 2012 11:16 AM PDT En Masse Entertainment and TERA today announced the launch date of the game's most expansive content update yet: The Argon Queen. Due to arrive for free on the TERA servers in the NA regions on August 22nd. Players can look forward to a slew of Warrior and Lancer changes, new dungeons, a new raid, and even the addition of 15v15 player battleground PVP.

Star Wars: The Old Republic: New Live Event: The Grand Acquisition Race Posted: 13 Aug 2012 11:06 AM PDT The Chevin are up to something on the Smuggler's Moon of Nar Shaddaa and they're offering a chance to reap great profits for anyone looking to participate in the "Grand Acquisition Race".

TERA: The Argon Queen Cometh Posted: 11 Aug 2012 08:22 PM PDT En Masse Entertainment recently announced The Argon Queen update for TERA. We had the opportunity to chat with Producer Chris Hager all about The Argon Queen. See what we discovered and then leave your thoughts in the comments.

Heroes & Generals: Beta Videolog Shows Off 'Crace' and 'Dietl' Update Features Posted: 13 Aug 2012 10:10 AM PDT Reto-Moto is showing off some of the features coming to Heroes & Generals with a new video blog focused on the game's 'Crace' and 'Dietl' updates.

Runescape: Fordham Student Allegedly Robbed of Game Currency Posted: 13 Aug 2012 09:02 AM PDT The NYPost is reporting that 19-year old Humza Bajwa has been arrested and charged with second degree robbery following the alleged robbery of 4.7 RuneScape coins from Fordham University student David Emami.

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General gaming

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• The Many Versions, Ports, and Re-Releases of Super Mario Bros.
• Borderlands 2's Noob-Friendly Skill Tree Attempts to Make the Game Much More Approachable
• Mario The Explorer
• Dust Review: Gorgeous, Addictive, and a Whole Mess of Fun
• Leaps and Bounds: The History of the Jump
• Cover Story: The Super Mario Bros. Legacy
• New Super Mario Bros. 2 Review: The Brink of Self-Parody
• VIDEO: Take a Guided Tour of Sleeping Dogs
• David Fox on LucasArts' Non-Adventure Roots

The Many Versions, Ports, and Re-Releases of Super Mario Bros. Posted: 13 Aug 2012 05:08 PM PDT Feature Share it: Tweet 1UP COVER STORY 1UP COVER STORY | WEEK OF AUGUST 13 | THE SUPER MARIO BROS. LEGACY The Many Versions, Ports, and Re-Releases of Super Mario Bros. Cover Story: We look back at the many, many different editions of Nintendo's platforming classic. W hen a video game publisher releases a title which becomes -- or is expected to become -- a smash hit, it is only natural to expect them to want to port it to every platform which can manage to hold its code. From Angry Birds to Street Fighter, if a game catches on with players, you know that it will probably be milked dry. Of course, there are some exceptions. In the case of a company like Nintendo, they want to keep all of their greatest hits to themselves; after all, if the only place to play a Nintendo game is on a Nintendo system, that means they'll sell more systems, and in turn, more games. This would seem to be the mindset which the company bears as they continue to refute the suggestion that they should make their games available on platforms such as the iPhone.

Borderlands 2's Noob-Friendly Skill Tree Attempts to Make the Game Much More Approachable Posted: 13 Aug 2012 04:44 PM PDT In addition to the four new characters being introduced in Borderlands 2, work is underway on a fifth class, the Mechromancer, which will be released post-launch as a piece of premium downloadable content and as a free bonus for those who pre-order the game. Little had been known about the particulars of how the class would work given that development only began on it in earnest after the game itself was completed last month. In revealing some details on one of the class' skill trees, which is designed to make the game easier for less skilled players, lead designer John Hemingway referred to it as a "girlfriend mode." This, as one would expect, caused somewhat of a controversy over the sexist name, though lost in all that noise is what sounds like the makings of a really solid idea. The Mechromancer's main skill in and of itself lends the class to those less familiar with first-person shooters. The Deathtrap robot she can summon draws enemy fire away from the player, which is sure to be helpful to anyone who is less acquainted with the trappings of an FPS. What will really come in handy for newcomers is the first of her three skill trees -- various sets of skills that players can choose from to customize and enhance their character as they level up -- to be completed. The so-called girlfriend mode that offended some people today comes in the form of the Best Friends Forever skill tree, and it is designed to make the game more approachable.

Mario The Explorer Posted: 13 Aug 2012 02:36 PM PDT Feature Share it: Tweet 1UP COVER STORY 1UP COVER STORY | WEEK OF AUGUST 13 | THE SUPER MARIO BROS. LEGACY Mario The Explorer Cover Story: The role of discovery in Super Mario Bros. and beyond. T ry to break the original Super Mario Bros. down to its core actions, the verbs that define most of your interactions with the game. You run as quickly as your stumpy plumber's legs allow. You jump across an alarming number of bottomless pits, head-first into bricks, face-first into flagpoles, and butt-first onto the heads of scowling mushrooms that possess just enough sentience to know how ridiculous they look. Whether you're aware of it or not, you also explore. Of course, Super Mario Bros. does not take place in the sort of sprawling open world that modern audiences associate with exploration. Its ratchet scrolling doesn't even allow the screen to scroll to the left. Try to backtrack more than a few feet and Mario's nose gets squashed against the side of your television. The game does, however, offer meaningful moment-to-moment choices on a small scale, often with unpredictable results.

Dust Review: Gorgeous, Addictive, and a Whole Mess of Fun Posted: 13 Aug 2012 12:50 PM PDT Anyone who's been following the progress of Dust: An Elysian Tail over the past few years is probably aware of the main talking points that have been revolving around the XBLA title. Yes, the game is packed full of furries, but that is the least interesting of the factoids. Starting initially as an animated film before transforming into a gorgeous 2D action-RPG, the Dust is primarily the work of a single artist. Aside from the voices and the soundtrack, Dust was created by Dean Dodrill in a feat that absolutely boggles my mind. The reason I'm so taken aback is because Dust is a sprawling, gorgeous epic of a game that plays almost as well as it looks. Truly the work of an auteur, Dust: An Elysian Tail delivers a delightful, singular vision that acts as a loving tribute to classic 16 and 32-bit action-RPG adventures. It quickly becomes evident that Dodrill is, like a lot of us here at 1UP, is a big fan of Whoopee Camp's PS1 gem Tomba!. Dust features a similarly large, open world packed with colorful characters, ample distractions, and a layout that encourages the player to retrace their steps once they've amassed an arsenal of new techniques. There's never any downtown in the adventure, which is something I realized after taking a peek at my quest log and realizing that I was at various stages of no less than a dozen different missions. Thankfully the weighed of these tasks never becomes a burden, because the world is just that damn fun to explore.

Leaps and Bounds: The History of the Jump Posted: 13 Aug 2012 12:44 PM PDT Feature Share it: Tweet 1UP COVER STORY 1UP COVER STORY | WEEK OF AUGUST 13 | THE SUPER MARIO BROS. LEGACY Leaps and Bounds: The History of the Jump Cover Story: How Mario's simple mechanics have defined games of every genre to the present day. W hen the Nintendo Entertainment System launched October 18, 1985 (or thereabouts) in North America, it revitalized an entertainment medium which had been all but left for dead overnight. While the NES was a veritable powerhouse in terms of its hardware and game library, it is hard not to recognize its initial success without acknowledging the pack-in title that accompanied the system at release: Super Mario Bros. The game established the archetypal form for the 2D platformer with addicting gameplay, tight controls, and a soundtrack that remains permanently etched in the cranium of the hardcore and casual player alike. But more than that, it established a causal relation between the player and a game's world that remains an institution even today within a digital landscape that has all but forgotten the left to right linearity of the medium's oldest games and systems. With two buttons and the nearly singular use of a simple game mechanic -- the jump -- Mario and his green-tinted sidekick Luigi left an indelible mark on the industry. A mark that remains nearly unchanged despite the massive differences in hardware capabilities and the evolution of every genre and game type.

Cover Story: The Super Mario Bros. Legacy Posted: 13 Aug 2012 11:00 AM PDT Feature Share it: Tweet 1UP COVER STORY 1UP COVER STORY | WEEK OF AUGUST 13 | THE SUPER MARIO BROS. LEGACY Cover Story: The Super Mario Bros. Legacy All this week at 1UP, we do the Mario. Super Mario Bros. celebrated its 25th anniversary almost two years ago, and this coming weekend will see the launch of the latest chapter of the Mario saga, New Super Mario Bros. 2. Depending on how you want to numerate the series, it's either the 11th, 32nd, or 200-somethingth Mario game since Super Mario Bros. defined the workings of the 2D platformer back in 1985. Any way you look at it, that's a lot of Mario. Super Mario Bros. had a profound impact on video games. Any popular game sees its share of imitators; a truly great game creates its own genre. Super Mario Bros. didn't so much invent a genre as it defined how every action game to follow would play. It wasn't the first platformer, but everything it did hit just the right notes in ways that nothing that had come before it had ever accomplished. From the perfect physics of Mario's jump, to the incredible syncopation of its music and sound effects, to the gut-level satisfaction of simply snagging coins, everything about Super Mario Bros. was basically perfect. It's not even that Mario himself was intrinsically great; his previous outings Donkey Kong and Mario Bros. had been fun games, but the depth and precision of Super Mario Bros. utterly eclipsed them on every possible level. In retrospect, they resemble rough sketches next to the fully realized masterpiece that is Super Mario Bros.

New Super Mario Bros. 2 Review: The Brink of Self-Parody Posted: 13 Aug 2012 10:56 AM PDT 1UP COVER STORY 1UP COVER STORY | WEEK OF AUGUST 13 | THE SUPER MARIO BROS. LEGACY New Super Mario Bros. 2 Review: The Brink of Self-Parody Cover Story: Mario Marios his way through the most Mario Mario to ever Mario. C hances are, you probably don't think of Nintendo as being particularly self-aware. Most people do. It's understandable. The company has made its fat stacks of loot on gentle, family-friendly fare -- its reputation for creating kids' games didn't materialize from thin air, after all. The fact that Mario serves as Nintendo's corporate mascot, with his bland gormlessness and vacant stare, probably doesn't help matters. In reality, though, Nintendo can be quite clever when it wants to be. Cuttingly so. Just witness the writing in games like Paper Mario and Animal Crossing and you begin to realize that some very pointed humor and rather adult sensibilities lurk beneath the company's Disneyesque façade. I mean, Satoru Iwata's no George Carlin ("laughs"), but if you pay attention you'll find a real undercurrent of acerbity informing much of Nintendo's work.

VIDEO: Take a Guided Tour of Sleeping Dogs Posted: 13 Aug 2012 10:42 AM PDT Last week, United Front Games Senior Producer Jeff O'Connell stopped by the 1UP office and took us on a guided tour of Sleeping Dogs. Watch and learn a few fun facts about the game before its August 14th release -- including a spoiler-free look at a never-before-seen level near the end of the game.

David Fox on LucasArts' Non-Adventure Roots Posted: 13 Aug 2012 09:52 AM PDT Long before Resident Evil coined the clunky term "survival horror," Lucasfilm Games (now LucasArts) gave gamers of the '80s the biggest jump-scare of their lives. Though it sold itself as a fairly straightforward (though visually amazing for the time) space shooter, 1984's Rescue on Fractalus! features a deeply disturbing moment barely hinted at in the instruction manual: at random, some of the downed pilots the game tasks you with rescuing turn out to be grotesque aliens in disguise, who suddenly smash your cockpit's windshield with their bare fists, letting the corrosive atmosphere leak inside. And if you can believe it, this concept came from the mind of one George Lucas, a non-gamer who's not exactly known for good ideas these days. David Fox, one of the brains behind Fractalus!, might not be as well-known as other LucasArts alumni, but he played a role just as vital as that of Tim Schafer or Ron Gilbert; as the second official employee at Lucasfilm Games, he was instrumental in building the early titles which would get the company's foot in the door of the gaming industry, eventually leading to the legacy of point-and-click adventure games we know them best for today. Lucasfilm Games started as a bold experiment by Lucas himself, who knew that computers would eventually grow powerful enough to wow audiences just like Star Wars itself. And, operating under this rationale, Fox and his crew found themselves with a remarkable amount of freedom; their first two projects were allowed to be failures, as their wealthy bearded benefactor believed the experience gained could be just as valuable as the profits from a hit title. Thankfully, both Ballblazer and Fractalus! came into being as moderately successful technical achievements, with 3D graphics that bowled over gamers who assumed their humble little Ataris weren't capable of such a feat.

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