Jim Moreno tackles the difficult task of roleplaying a merchant in this edition of RoleCraft: "Even roleplayers are known to struggle with this cookie cutter gameplay, and with keeping their characters from looking and acting just like every other character in game. What to do? One sure way to avoid the pitfalls of routine is to realize that there are many other classes in game besides adventurer. It's time to become a professional roleplayer!"
The weekly Grab Bag has been posted and, as usual, contains questions/answers gleaned from the official forums and announcements from developers.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
We have some more Road Trip dates to announce for you. We'll be in San Diego, California on July 26th just in time for the Comic Convention going on there. We also have our Austin Road Trip stop on September 13th. Our Road Trip map is still in the process of being updated, but more details will be coming soon.
Speaking of Road Trips, the Bethesda, Maryland one is almost here. Word here in the office says that there will be Devs-a-plenty at this event, so if you have a chance to be there, don't miss out! It is on May 10th and we would love to see you there. Please RSVP!
The players of Gaheris had such fun during last weekend's Play on Gaheris event that they are going to do it all over again this weekend. If you are a veteran or new to the Coop server it's a great time to get some playtime in. The list of raid times can be found here.
Do you believe you are an expert in your class? Well we've got some openings in our Team Lead Program that we are looking to fill. If you think you have what it takes, apply today!
The weekend is here. Have a good one everyone, stay safe.
Check out the questions/answers at the link above.
The Camelot Herald announced that the doppelganger invasion seems to be slackening off...another way of saying that the current 'adventure' with doppelganers is coming to an end:
Eyewitness reports indicate that fewer and fewer Doppelgangers have been spotted recently in the Frontiers. It appears that the actions of intrepid adventurers throughout the realms have helped to beat back these ancient foes! Scholars remain cautious though and still request that any Doppelganger pieces that adventurers find be brought to them for further study and appropriate reward. They want to be ready should this retreat be nothing more than a strategic recoup leading into a more calculated and devious attack in the future.
(Note: The current phase of the Doppelganger Invasion event will be ending soon. The quest-givers will remain after the event to redeem any current Doppelganger parts that players have, but the Doppelgangers will cease to spawn, in their current incarnation, in roughly a week.)
Get in on the adventure while you still can.
Sean Bulger's periodic community column today looks at the concept of Open PvP (player vs. player) and what it does to games and their communities.
A while back we talked about conflict between players and what sort of a role that it can play in a game and for communities. During this, it was noted that player competition can be implemented in numerous different ways. This week, I would like to revisit this discussion and talk about one of those particular methods: the open PvP world.
Open PvP is one of the more controversial topics in MMO circles and plenty of people have fairly strong opinions one way or the other on the subject. That said, I would like to explore both the positive impacts and negative ones on the player community. Open PvP has the potential to help bond a community fairly tightly, but it also has the potential to truly tear it apart as well.
Read more after the leap.
Last week, Jonathan Steinhauer's column looked at the design of outdoor areas in The Dangerous Wilderness, Part 1. In Part 2, he continues his thoughts on the basic challenge most every MMO faces.
The easiest solution, though it avoids the root of the problem, is to disperse the ground spawns to a more realistic population level. There are areas where one would expect to encounter monsters, and that is where the heavy concentrations should be. Hard core hunting should occur in the fortresses and camps of the various villains, monsters, and animals that are the bane of the adventurer, not every time you step off the path. This opens up the wilderness for travel and casual hunting while giving players the kind of combat that exist in epic stories: battle in the lairs.
Read more after the leap.
The latest edition of the Grab Bag is out for reading pleasure. As always, the Grab Bag features questions gleaned from the forums and answered by developers. Additionally, there are usually several announcements as this week's edition bears out:
Many of you have been wondering when /charcopy will become available on Pendragon, so that you can test out the spiffy changes in 1.94a. The team is working like crazy to get the upgrades to the account system done. We do not have a date yet, but as soon as I know, I will let all of you know.
The Team Lead Program is looking for a few good Team Leads! If you have ever said to yourself, "I want to be a Team Lead." Then now is the time, our open positions include the PvE Ruleset, Bonedancer, Wizard, Valewalker and Thane. If you think you have what it takes, send in your application today!
The folks of Gaheris are hosting their first of three Play on Gaheris Weekends that starts tonight and they invite you to join them for all the critter stompin' fun. Bring a new character or your Level 50s, it's a great time for new and old to head to the PvE Ruleset!
Yippee! The Road Trip in Bethesda, Maryland is almost here. Come join us on May 10th at 7:00pm EDT for all the excitement. I'll be there along with the Bearded Wonder and the Balancinator to answer your questions. We'll have free snacks, prizes and just a great time. Don't forget to RSVP.
This week seemed to go by so quickly that I can hardly believe it is Friday. See y'all on Monday!
Check out the rest at the link above.
An invitation has been issued by players and staff of the Gaheris server to show off all that Gaheris has to offer:
Who: Everyone, Veterans and New Players !
What: Come see what Gaheris has to offer; the uniqueness of the PvE server and enjoy raiding areas that you haven't visited in years! The final weekend will be dedicated to exploring New Frontiers and seeing how Gaheris' Keeps and Relic Temples differ, with a chance to help defeat Lord Agramon on Agramon Island.
Where: Gaheris (PvE Coop Server)
When: The first of 3 events will be held Friday, Saturday, and Sunday April 25-27th
Why: To see the game from a fresh point of view, and just have a good time!
How: Load up Dark Age of Camelot and either start a new character, dust off a character or play with ones already active on Gaheris.
The first event is planned for both the existing Gaheris players as well as new players to the server. We will be hosting different events both evenings, but players are encouraged to start a new character if they choose. Please contact a member of Blue Knights at any time before the events to be provided with some Aurulite for items and help to get started. Aquilonia's vaults in Hibernian House 4541 are filled with low level Spell Crafted items and Aurulite for everyone getting started!
There is a lot more information about each of the three specific events so check it out.
The latest Friday Grab Bag is available. As always, the grab bag features questions taken from forum users and sends out several announcements of interest to players.
The Camelot Road Trip rolls into Bethesda, Maryland on May 10th and starts at 7:00pm EDT. Free food, tons of prizes and of course an opportunity to test your knowledge with the Devs! We would love to see you there so don't forget to RSVP!
For those of you wondering when the next Team Lead Reports will be available, we've changed things up a bit. Every month we will ask a new Focus Question to our TLs and then sit down with the Devs to discuss and respond to them. If you are interested in seeing the responses to the February Focus Question please head over here.
The folks from PvE Ruleset want to remind you that their Play on Gaheris Weekend is coming up on April 25-26th. If you haven't had a chance to try out what the PvE Ruleset has to offer or if you are interested in returning to participate in all the fun, don't forget to mark your calendars. More details will be posted on the Herald during next week.
We announced the Load It Up contest Winners on Monday. We've had a great time sorting through them all and I heard more then one Dev giggle from their offices. The winning entries are in game now, so next time you are zoning to a different area you could be seeing one of the player submitted hints/tips or myths.
Check out the questions and answers at the link above.
Jim Moreno looks at the biggest question for the modern MMO roleplayer: how do you keep in character in an instance? They're here to stay, so it's time to learn how to deal with them.
Hear me now and believe me later, there is no reason why roleplayers cannot and should not engage in the same high quality RP within an instance as without. Personally, I'm not at all knowledgeable as to where the notion started from, but I absolutely aim to crush it here and henceforth. More than that, I want to share with fellow roleplayers why I think instances are the best places for RP, and provide some tips on how to take on these adventures with RP in mind. I hope they help!
Read more after the leap.
The Camelot Herald was updated today with the list of winners in the "Load It Up" contest. Winners will see their entries as loading screens over the next several days.
Tip: A quick way to make new friends is to join a guild! - Wicoclya, Gareth
Tip: At level 10, you may start a quest to get your first horse! - Cardenale, Guinevere
Tip: Abilities can be set to a single keystroke by using the /qbind command in game. - Isadia, Gareth
Tip: Blocking rate is capped at 75 percent in RvR. Parry rate is capped at 50 percent. - Isadia, Gareth
Tip: Buff shears and disease spells do not break root or snare effects. - Isadia, Gareth
Tip: Check the Camelot Herald Grab Bag every Friday for helpful questions. - Cardenale, Guinevere
Tip: Damage shields can break roots and mesmerization. - Isadia, Gareth
Tip: Did you know salvaging and trinketing non-crafted weapons/armor before you sell to a vendor can fetch you more money? - Crystaa, Guinevere
Tip: Disease will decrease an enemy's run speed as well as their strength. If your teammates are being chased, diseasing the enemy will give them a better chance of escape - Kalison, Gareth
Want to read more? Check it out at the link above.
