Mmozine Issue 5

FREE! NAV I G AT E Issue 5 | Summe r 20 0 8

MMOZine WIN! NVIDIA 8600 GTS Fr e e M a g a z i n e Fo r M M O G a m e r s. R e a d i t , Pri n t i t , S e n d i t t o yo u r m a t e s E VE O n l i ne G i ve away Play E mp yr ean A ge with this EVE ONLINE superb GeF or c e 8600 GTS! + GAMETIME & GOODIES Empyrean Age Art book, USB drives, mouse EMPYREAN AGE mats, baseball cap, plus three WOW: WRATH OF 50-day gametime cards! THE BEST MMO EXPANSION EVER MADE! THE LICH KING New deta ils a t last ! + EVERQUEST II COMPO! Rise of Kunark W in full c opies of the game , HUGE REVIEW! including ev ery expansion LEGENDS OF NORRATH pack ev er r eleased! INTERVIEW!JEFFREY STEEFEL ON Eve rQue st sta r ts AGE OF CONAN THE LORD OF THE RINGS ONLINE playing a t ca rds ! A bruta l cut above the rest? + the Mines of Moria! • SECRET WORLD • MORTAL ONLINE • EARTHRISE PLUS! LOTRO: BOOK 13 • WOW 2.4.2 CONTROL NAVIGATE |02 Contents QUICK FINDER DON’T MISS! Every game’s just a click away This month’s highlights... WIN! EVE GOODS & Secret World World of Warcraft: Welcome GAME TIME Mortal Online Wrath of the Wrath of Warhammer Lich King Online: Age of Lord of the to the Lich King Reckoning Rings Online Age of Conan from MMO masters Funcom New details unveiled Earthrise Age of Conan: represents the first serious challenger to the Mythos Hyborian mighty World of Warcraft for quite some time. Adventures APB EverQuest II: It’s unlikely to ever achieve the same mass-market Lord of Football success as WoW, thanks to its mature content, but Rise of Kunark the Rings Superstars Legends of with over 1 million units shipped already, there’s The Chronicles Norrath definitely a hole in the market for an adult- EVE ONLINE: Online: of Spellborn themed MMO that the bulky Conan has had no EMPYREAN AGE Book 13 EVE Online: trouble wedging itself into. You’ll find the rippling The most impressive free expansion we’ve Be lucky! Empyrean Age review and toned tutorial in this issue. The other ever seen reveals new factional warfare! big news this month is Empyrean Age, the vast WIN A STUNNING NEW new expansion for EVE Online, representing not PLUS! GRAPHICS CARD NOW! only a rare new spatial expansion, but the introduction of factional warfare with a four-way Age of Conan: war that will draw the entire galaxy into exciting Hyborian Age DON’T MISS ISSUE 6 SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE! PvP combat. Enjoy the issue. Steve Brown, Editor Massive review of [email protected] the huge new MMO! WARNING! MULTIMEDIA DISABLED! If you are reading this, then you didn’t choose “Play” MEET THE TEAM when Adobe Reader asked you about multimedia when The MMOZine massive were told to go you opened the magazine. forth and multiplay, which they did… Without the multimedia playing, the magazine will look correct, but you will be missing out on all of the extra content built into each issue, like videos, animated screenshots, annotations, quizzes, competitions and more. PLUS! AGE OF CONAN We recommend you close and re-open the magazine and select “Play” when STEVE BROWN IAN MORRIS STEVE HILL asked about the multimedia to enjoy the magazine as intended. Found that LOTRO Went on a couple of Went to Oslo in Empyrean Age TUTORIAL Book 13 wasn’t quests that seemed search of greased- unlucky at all. to go on forever. up muscle men. Your guide to the war CONTROL PLAYBACK OPTIONS: NAVIGATE |04 Alpha FIRST The Secret LOOK

Publisher: TBA Developer: Funcom Heritage: Anarchy World Online, Age of Conan From Age of Conan to a modern Link: www.darkdays arecoming.com conspiracy tale… ETA: 2009 What’s the story? PREVIEW As its name suggests, the next MMO from Funcom, developer of FEEDBACK! Age of Conan (see review and tutorial in this issue), is shrouded in Click here to secrecy. What we do know is that it will be set here on Earth during tell us what you contemporary times, but you will be battling dark cabals and Lovecraftian monsters from the think of The A London pub is a Secret World refreshing venue. deepest recesses of the mythological past. What do we know? “You will be battling Funcom’s Producer and Director of The Secret dark cabals and World tells us that, “We started envisioning this A mythological contemporary online world more than ten years Lovecraftian monsters” behemoth is a lurking horror in ruined NYC. ago, and as the years passed the ideas grew and improved. We always wanted a different kind of online world, something scary and contemporary, something deeper and closer to our reality. Our goal now is to create a detailed world where players feel empowered and part of something Shanghai is the big, something mystical and epic.” third location we’ve identified so far. When do we get more? We’ll have more details of the combat system soon, but if you visit the game’s official site then you can get involved in a clue-gathering game now. Anything else to declare? The premise of a supernatural world beyond our own, where a knowlegeable few fight the powers of darkness has been inspired in part by modern Japanese horror, The Ring, Funcom has revealed.

CONTROL NAVIGATE |05 Alpha FIRST Mortal LOOK

Publisher: TBA Developer: Star Vault Heritage: First game Online Link: www.mortal The PvP-focused fantasy MMO where you online.com ETA: Summer 2009 can fight in a first-person perspective What’s the story? PREVIEW It’s all about combat in this purist fantasy game, with absolutely no FEEDBACK! levelling up and a real sandbox world simply defined by the actions Click here to of the players. It’s a world of warriors and fortresses, badlands and tell us what cavernous dungeons, where dragons await the brave and foolhardy. you think of “It’s all about You can build houses, We bet that needs Mortal Online combat in this purist but you’ll need a guild to to be walked a lot. construct a castle. What do we know? fantasy game” In many ways this appears to be the fantasy partner to the sci-fi of EVE Online. It certainly carries a flame for the same ideals of true player freedom, less hand-holding and unique community experiences that don’t repeat. It also looks the part, using stunning Unreal technology to great effect. While it is combat-focused, there are no artificial PvP zones, and conflict can be found anywhere and everywhere. The combat supports a first-person mode, is realtime and more based on There will be vast player skill than abstract stats, which will make a treasures to seek, but refreshing change. There will also be PvE play and they’ll need epic quests. a guild system. When do we get more? We’re hoping to secure an interview with the development team for our next issue. Anything else to declare? It looks like there will be mounts in Mortal Online, great horned Warg-like beasts appearing in the teaser video available from the official site.

CONTROL NAVIGATE |06 Alpha Earthrise Developer: Masthead | ETA: 2009 Warhammer Online New MMOs and content Publisher : EA | ETA: Autumn The latest details to emerge updates to mark on concerning this sci-fi combat MMO It slipped from summer to autumn, but this concern the accurate physics now is still one of the most eagerly anticipated your calendar with a being put into the game, affecting MMOs of 2008. New info concerning the BIG RED PEN! gravity, wind, the momentum of magical land of Saphery has been getting player mounts and even the physics us even more excited, with the promise of UP countless artifacts and items of power of sound in different environments 7 hidden there, which will be a powerful for incredible realism. Champions Online magnet to the armies of the Dark Elves. Developer: Cryptic | ETA: Spring 2009 The latest superhero to be added to the Mythos ranks of this comicbook MMO from the Developer: Flagship | ETA: Summer makers of City of Heroes is named Hoping for massive success in the more casual Justiciar. He’s Canadian, with ice-themed market, this free to download and free to play abilities resulting from an accident that Diablo-style MMORPG will fund itself via micro- left him with limbs cybernetically transactions in the game world. Although a reconstructed by evil genius Cyberlord more accessible MMO, Mythos still offers plenty on behalf of Justiciar’s father, who he of depth, with a complex skillset and plenty of later murdered before dying himself in quests and dungeons to keep newcomers and The Chronicles a raid by the Northern Guard! experienced gamers happy. 2009 of Spellborn Developer: Spellborn International | ETA: Autumn Champions Online A beautiful Unreal-powered fantasy MMO, APB this world features a wonderful range of WINTER Developer: Realtime Worlds | ETA: 2009 character customisation options, along with a region called The Midlands on the World of Warcraft: The developer of this open- Parliament Shard. We can’t wait to recreate Wrath of the Lich King world cops ’n’ robbers MMO the cast and set of 80’s soap opera used to be part of Rockstar AUTUMN Crossroads. We just hope a Benny hat will Games – developer of the Football be one of the custom items available. Warhammer Online: similarly themed GTA franchise. Recent rumours suggest that Superstars Age of Reckoning Publisher: CyberSports | ETA: Late 2008 SUMMER Realtime Worlds may have bought the distribution rights You’ll live in a football-mad to APB in the hope that they world and compete in 3, 5, 7 would benefit more should and 11-a-side matches at every Requiem: level of play, management and Bloodymare Rockstar want to partner with ON them to turn APB into a GTA competition. It’s now feature- THE Online MMO. complete, so a Beta starts soon. RADAR CONTROL CONTROL NAVIGATE |08 Beta It’s still a great-looking game, especially after recent upgrades.

Publisher: CCP Games Developer: CCP Games EVE Online: Heritage: EVE Online and expansions Link: www.eve-online. com/empyreanage Empyrean Age ETA: Summer All-out galactic war looms in the greatest free expansion yet!

VE Online is different. It maintain such a strong community flies solo in a universe of of gamers who really get it. As CCP War could mean great EMMOs that too often wrestle admit, EVE Online is as close to a real profits for ship merchants. controls from your hands and set universe as a game can be, a parallel your ship to autopilot, leading you life for those who wish they’d been PREVIEW between instances, set battles, born in a sci-fi future rather than our FEEDBACK! organised events and repetitive humdrum present. Click here to levelling. Compared to the true For starters, EVE Online exists in a tell us what sandbox of EVE, other MMOs seem single galaxy – there are no divisions you think of like individual castles in the sand, by server or realm – and everyone EVE Online: surrounded by moats that safely co-exists on the same plane. The Empyrean Age confine them from true freedom. significance of this is massive and This may be why many casual Einsteinian, for every action has a players try EVE Online and then give it reaction, and any player can exert up for more comfortable MMOs, and a real influence on a constantly it’s certainly why EVE has been able to evolving game world.

Whole Corporations will be It all kicks off when a Nyx able to sign up to factions. ship sets a collision course.

Red sky at night, there’s a massive bloody space war on!

CONTROL NAVIGATE |09 Beta

EVE Online cont. Pod pilots will be in great demand for new factional militias. COMING OF AGE This has been taken further more recently by the introduction of the Five changes that Empyrean Age Council of Stellar Management, will bring… a brave move by the developers to create a democratically player- FACTIONAL MILITIAS elected body of nine player Each of the four sides will be recruiting pod pilots (that’s you) councillors who will meet regularly to reinforce their space navies. You can even sign up your with CCP to decide how the game entire Corporation. will change through the massive free expansions that EVE has FEELING RANXIOUS become famous for. CCP’s policy A real new draw for pod pilots will be the rewards of new for free expansions has combat Ranks, with 10 kudos levels for each faction to dish traditionally been to out to players of high standing. use them to create “Empyrean Age will greater depth rather be a bellicose giant, OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS than new areas. But Going beyond existing Sovereignty, Occupancy signs over a this summer will see introducing whole solar system to a faction if they’re able to control the the release of the factional war” central star’s System Control Bunker within 24 hours. new Empyrean Age basis, but with expansion for EVE Empyrean HIGHWAY TO THE COMBAT ZONE Online, and in an MMO Age, myriad To help create concentrated battles where it’s never hard to where war has always been the struggles are forced to a head find a fight, new regions of space have been deemed Combat watchword, Empyrean Age will be a and players will for the first time Zones, many within low-security space. bellicose giant, introducing factional be able to unite under any of the Fight hard and well and you’ll war, as well as a new region known four NPC banners for an almighty be rewarded with new ranks. EXPANDING UNIVERSE as Black Rise that contains 49 new dust-up that will shake the galaxy In a rare move for CCP, the EVE universe is growing to star systems and 40 new stations. to its core systems. For those encompass a new region named Black Rise. With 49 new star So what makes this upcoming players worried that the sudden systems and 40 new stations, it’s an area that’s likely to be war so different? Primarily the external introduction of significant extremely hard fought when Empyrean Age launches. factional nature of the fighting, but plot development contradicts the also the strong story development freeform nature of EVE, fear not… it ushers in. With a full sister novel of Within the conflict everything the same name, Empyrean Age kicks is still up for grabs – continue to off a galactic war between four great play in your own style, whether empires – The Minmatar Republic, that’s collecting new war missions, The Amarr Empire, The Caldari State or simply flitting around under and The Gallente Federation. Until your own steam harrying enemy An attack on the now, conflict in EVE has been on an formations and installations Ishukone HQ will start individual and player corporation that cross your path. And the the four-way war.

CONTROL NAVIGATE |10 Beta

EVE Online cont. Hopefully factions will make PvP combat outcomes are far from set – whole more tempting. systems will fall to new factions based entirely on player success and failure, contestable sites distributed through new target-rich Combat Just imagine the carbon Zones and points rewarded for footprint of one of those. successful outcomes until your faction gains the chance to assault a central System Control Bunker and occupy that entire system. CCP’s major aim with this forceful expansion is to bridge the gap between two distinct player groups they’ve identified as safe spacers and PvP engagers. There’s no doubt that PvP can be daunting in EVE – the unforgiving loss of ships can put people off until you learn that the thrill of action is well worth the price Empyrean Age’s total war and you sometimes pay for failure. addictive new combat ranking The scale of EVE is just If you want true freedom, system will help to introduce the astonishing. Space really is BIG! you’ll have to fight for it. safety minded to the real thrill of battle under the semi-safety of large factions, while allowing them to continue in a non-PvP vein if that’s what they want. For example, SHELF SPACE enterprising players will soon realise Verdict that this scale of war will cause Could be the best free expansion Read it here first – the unprecedented demand for raw any MMO has ever had! Empyrean Age novel… materials and replacement ships. If you’re already an EVE Online HOW COMPLETE To accompany the new expansion there’s a player then you’ll no doubt be new Tony Gonzales novel, EVE: The Empyrean slavering at the brilliant in-game 90% Age, available from 19th June. Against the news teasers for the upcoming background of the factional war, it follows conflict. If you haven’t yet FIRST IMPRESSIONS the exploits of a nameless clone at the centre experienced the unparalleled of dark events. Look out for it at all good freedom of this awesome and unique 85% bookshops (and a few bad ones probably) space MMO then now is the time to in the next couple of weeks. find out what all the fuss is about.

CONTROL NAVIGATE |11 Beta PREVIEW FEEDBACK! Click here to tell us what Publisher: Blizzard you think of Developer: Blizzard World of Warcraft: WoW: Wrath of Heritage: Warcraft, the Lich King Diablo, Starcraft Link: www.wow- europe.com ETA: Late 2008 (TBC) Wrath of the Lich King

Death Knights, T-Rex and cyborg gnomes. “Blizzard revealed to Are you sure? us several new zones lthough there’s still no is wonderful – far from the token of Northrend” confirmed launch date efforts some naysayers feared Afor, (certainly in terms of and much more than simply a numbers of salivating subscribers), geographical extension to the home Mechazod, a Titan-built being who A glorious treasure the most hotly anticipated MMO of over 10 million WoW players. subsequently starts to convert room. Ka-ching! expansion ever, Blizzard has now But let’s start off with a few Gnomes into evil cyborg Gnomes. revealed far more of what’s in store geographical details. In recent Dragonblight, as its name hints, for us on the new continent of demonstrations, Blizzard revealed to is a mountainous zone enclosing Northrend. And it’s as weird as it us several new zones of Northrend graveyards for the five types of (the new continent between WoW wyrms, represented by fierce Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdom), fires, rich gardens, dark caves etc., all The desolate zone of which will be divided into far more studded with giant dragon bones, the Borean Tundra. sections than Burning Crusade’s which Arthas has begun to resurrect Outland. You can warp speedily as deadly frost wyrms, gathering at between the starting zones of the central Wyrmrest Temple. Howling Fjord and Borean Tundra In Dragonblight you’ll find the by engaging the dockmasters at the raid dungeon Naxxramas, a good camps of a new walrus-creature race. example of how this expansion will As you’d expect, the Tundra is a usher in 10 or 25-player raid groups barren zone, broken up by a few for all raids. Grizzly Hills is a zone of Dalaran wizards, Gnome-built pools dense, Endor-like forest and features and coastal Murloc settlements. The a Dwarf sister-city to Ironforge, as Gnomes here have reassembled a well as a Furbolg colony. One of the new docks you’ll be able to warp from. giant robot, which unfortunately Zul’Drak is a wild, thorn-treed turns out to be the Gearmaster zone of wispy lights and trolls

CONTROL NAVIGATE |12 Beta “The Death Knight is World of Warcraft cont. focused on aggression that have unlocked strange new over defence” powers by sacrificing forest critters. The whole land ascends in stages toward the centre, becoming snow- switches between dual-wield and bound as you climb. In Zul’Drak two-handed weapon settings you’ll find Drak’Tharon Keep, a instead of using a shield. Death fearsome dungeon guarded by a Knights use new presences such as T-Rex sub-boss. Sholazar Basin is, in damage-amplifying Blood Presence contrast, a tropical zone populated and attack speed-enhancing Unholy by the wolverine Wolvar and Oracles, Presence, plus new resources of two warring factions that mercenary runes, self-equipped in combos to players will thoroughly enjoy activate Jedi-like special abilities, questing for on both sides. including a death grip, target freeze The other recent revelation of effect and a resurrection spell that massive significance is the inclusion turns the fallen into a pet-like ghoul. of an entirely new class in the Death There’s plenty to be genuinely Knight, which anyone of level 55 excited about within Wrath of the and above will be able to generate Lich King, and plenty more to be immediately. The Death Knight is a discovered yet, so check back next Grizzly Hills will have powerful all-purpose tank, focused issue for even more revelations! a new type of Dwarf. The new on aggression over defence – it Sholazar Basin tropical zone. The early bird catches the wyrm. Verdict A real cornucopia of creative content HOW COMPLETE 75% FIRST IMPRESSIONS 85%

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Interview “We did a ‘Welcome back’ weekend and we had thousands of people Lord of the Rings come back” Online: The Anniversary One ring to rule them all – two guys to explain it…

OTRO online is now one year We did a ‘Welcome Back’ weekend much yet, but we’re utilising our live old, and there are big things – we had thousands of people come event system much more than we Lon the horizon. From the back. Basically, anybody who had an ever have to date, and there’s also launch of Book 13, to the impending account for LOTRO on the first year some dynamically triggered things launches of Book 14 and the first could come back and play for a long happening in the game that have expansion, the Mines of Moria, it’s an weekend of free play. We saw a huge been put into Book 14. There’s also It’s pr obably not a good Jeffr ey Steefel exciting time for LOTRO developers, flux of people check it out again. the start of the wind-up to the end idea to ask this guy wher e is the Executive his eyes have gone... Pr oducer of Lor d of Turbine. We sat down with Executive of the Epic Story for Volume 1 so we the Rings Online. Producer, Jeffrey Steefel to talk about Things all come to a head with can move into Moria for Volume 2. all things Hobbit. LOTRO Book 14 so we would imagine you’ve got some pretty And then, it’s on to the Mines of LOTRO is now officially just over huge updates planned? Moria for your first expansion. one year old. How have you guys We’re doing some interesting things What are its main features? at Turbine been celebrating the we haven’t done before for Book 14 Upgrading the advancement Anniversar y? – I don’t want to talk about it too level path from Level 50 to

Ice, ice baby…

It’s a tough battle, and ther e ar e many mor e to come with T hese chaps don’t seem too the Mines of Moria expansion. happy Chelsea didn’t win.

CON TROL NAVIGATE |14

Interview The expansion’s for everyone. We’re adding new classes, making changes Take a swig of drink, make a to existing systems, improving wager, then lob the axe at the Interview cont. existing content, or in some cases board. Just like any Friday night. altering so that it fits better into Level 60 is huge. The biggest new where the story of Moria is going. Publisher: Codemasters system is probably the Legendary Online Gaming Item system, which is really cool. The way you’ve linked the Developer: Turbine Basically, it’s an entire system layered website and the game is quite Heritage: LOTRO, on top of our current advancement cool, and the way you can Asheron’s Call path. The most important thing unlock things through playing Link: www.lotro.com about it is you’re growing the the mini-games on the website OUT NOW! weapon – it has its own experience seems a really good idea – is points and its own levels; it goes on that something that’s been quite Deeds and Quests. popular with the fans? We just launched the second game, The one worry I had about so we’re just beginning to get stats the expansion was that at around that, but if you look at the this walled-garden – the game is an And, finally, are there any plans Connect, you guys mentioned first game, there’s 270,000 hours of entire community environment that to make LOTRO free to play and a lot of it would be for high gameplay already! develops organically. run it from microtransactions, level characters. Will low level What’s also exciting, on a more or is this just something you’re characters be able to go into it, macro level, is it’s a first little baby One of the things I’ve heard keeping a close eye on? or is this exclusively for people step for us on LOTRO, building people complaining about is the It’s absolutely where the market’s who’ve been there from the towards the idea that the game is housing system. Are there any going, and we’re doing a lot of work game’s very beginning? not just something that happens in plans to change this? to understand how we can support The next steps are going to be different business models. I think the around what the future of the industry needs to be really careful economy is, and that is what we to make sure it doesn’t go off in the Looks like we’ve wandered into want to build around the housing other way and go “Oh, subscriptions the wrong part of the Shire… and the neighbourhoods. Right now are dead, now it’s about free games, it’s very one-dimensional – we are and getting the money wherever the only real estate land owner, and you can from the player.” everyone else is essentially renting. There’s always going to be a When we can properly support it, subscription model available for the we’ll try to grow that economy and people who want that, and for some make it a lot more inter-dependent, people who only want to play for a and have some more relationships couple of hours a week, we need to between the players themselves. find a way to let them do that, and The thing we’d like to find more find a way that seems fair. Paying $15 time for is taking neighbourhoods to a month if you’re only playing two to the next step, create functionalities three hours a month doesn’t really between players, between houses work. At the end of the day it’s really and between neighbourhoods. going to depend on the product.

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PLAYBACK OPTIONS:

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CRISIS CORE -FINAL FANTASY VII- © 2007, 2008 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved. CHARACTER DESIGN: TETSUYA NOMURA. CRISIS CORE, the CRISIS CORE -FINAL FANTASY VII- logo, FINAL FANTASY, SQUARE ENIX and the SQUARE ENIX logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Square Enix Co., Ltd. www.crisiscoregame.com “�”, “PlayStation”, “�” and “UMD” are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

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REVIEW Review FEEDBACK! Click here to tell us what you think of Age of Conan: Hyborian Age of Conan: Adventures

Publisher: Eidos Hyborian Adventures Developer: Funcom Heritage: Anarchy This is barbaric… Online Sur ely some k ind hile Arnie’s subtle and Five years in the making, it’s based With such a raft of fiction to dip into, of dark magic. Link: www.ageof pioneering performances on the lore that is spread across an it’s no surprise that the game takes conan.com as Conan may hold a astonishing 70 or so books – plus a a more narrative approach than the OUT NOW! W place in the heart of 80’s movie fans, slew of comics – with little relation to average identikit level-grinder. this is not the game of that film. those muscle-bound cinematic gems. This is evident from the start, and System requirements: you begin the game as a humble 3.0Ghz CPU, 1GB RAM, galley slave, washed up on the shore 32GB of free hard drive H ell of a night… with little in the way of memory or space and a shader model personal belongings. Setting out to 2.0 128Mb graphics card reclaim your life, you’re soon taking the lives of others, and it immediately becomes apparent that the emphasis is on brutality rather than pixies T her e is no shortage and fairies. Instead of attempting to of impr obable ward off your foes with a fey spell, monst ers in H yboria. combatants in Age Of Conan

H eads, you lose…

CO N T RO L NAVIGATE |17 Review Slave to the rhythm. Age of Conan cont. SADDLE UP! Mount your mount are more likely to smack their enemies on the head with a blunt MAMMOTH – or indeed sharp – object. Cue rivers HORSE RHINO of blood, with the gore effects, along with some tenuous sexual content, enough to earn the game an 18 YourTheseThe best entry-level big a hairy man canelephantine nag get, is commonplace this brutalbeasts beastare in a Hyboria, greatcombines boost providing strength on the rating. And while claims to be the abattlefield.and speedy speed ride to On strikebut the not downside, terror a great into deal they any in opponent.are the painfully way ofGet protection.slow on the and end first truly adult MMO are wide of the Idealhaveof that thefor horn beheadingturning and there’scircle unwitting of no the way QE2. pedestrians. back. mark, there’s some strong stuff. There aren’t many MMOs where you’re sent to slaughter somebody and bring back his head so it can be mounted on a pole… Attack, attack, attack! The combat system has been designed to totally facilitate the bloodletting – in so much as there actually is a combat system, as The Take That reunion opposed to the traditional method had suddenly taken a of clicking on an enemy and seeing very dark twist. what happens. In Conan you have three basic attacks, namely left, right and central. As such, fights largely consist of stabbing the 1, 2 or 3 keys to exploit your enemy’s unprotected Rocking the timeless areas. These areas are graphically beard-sword-shield look. represented on-screen, making it something of a hi-tech version of fairground favourite Whack-a-Mole. Throw in special moves on the 4, 5, 6 and 7 keys, and the slightest scuffle has you going at the keyboard like a concert pianist – particularly when you throw in the dodge moves. While the melee combat does favour the ‘tank’ characters, the tactile combat system does extend to other types, with Rangers able to actually

CONTROL NAV IGAT E |18 Review PULSOMETER: Signs of life Washed up Make your Kill some Age of Conan cont. delivering letters, running banal proving not so much a guide as on the shore first kill giant apes errands, or even stealing stuff using a blatant untruth, not helped by aim their arrows. And in a sizeable the Thief-lite sneak move. When you tooth-grindingly long loading times step forward for the genre, mounted do finally get to join a guild, you between areas. Elsewhere, the chat combat is a fully-fledged affair, can physically build a home city by box interface is a bit on the clunk y enabling you to wield your individual gathering and using resources. It can side, and at this early stage there are weapons from astride your beast, then be improved tier-by-tier, and the inevitable bugs. be it a horse, rhino, or a mammoth, then of course attacked by a rival While, as ever, it remains to be with the speed and agility of each guild. As for large-scale player versus seen how it pans out in the next Find a buxom Wander through also having a unique bearing on the environment rucks, spectacular raids few months, Age Of Conan is an woman strapped up the jungle outcome of a battle. can involve over 20 people and last ambitious attempt to elevate the For at least the first 20 levels a good couple of hours. genre beyond the usual rat-stabbing there’s a lot of solo-player stuff, with All of this is represented via drudgery, with extreme violence, story. While it might still be a push to a weird day/night, solo/multiplayer graphics that are a step up from a graphical splendour and sense claim you actually care about your system in place. Quest-wise, a lot the standard MMO fare, albeit at of individualism attached to your character, there is a certain sense of of it is meat and potato stuff, be it a price, with the minimum spec character through the evolving attachment, particularly if you put in the 250 hours required to get to level 80. If Funcom can sort out the Roll over screen for annotations “Age of Conan is an inevitable early teething problems ambitious attempt to then a lot of people may be doing elevate the genre just that. Steve Hill beyond the usual”

You can lead a rhino to water… Verdict Good looking, violent, temperamental

Superb graphics

Strong narrative

Occasionally clunky

CO N T RO L NAV IGAT E |19 Review REVIEW FEEDBACK! HEADING NORRATH Click here to Challenging a legend… tell us what you think of Of course, Rise of Kunark is also intrinsically linked with the Everquest 2: Everquest 2: other Everquest game we’ve reviewed this issue, Legends Rise of Kunark of Norrath. Besides being able to unlock in-game items by playing the card game, you can also challenge people to a match while you’re playing Everquest 2, with the game simply booting up Legends of Norrath alongside your Publisher: SOE Rise of Kunark game screen, and dropping you right in! Developer: SOE Heritage: Everquest 2 Bigger, faster, better. But also quieter, too… Link: www. everquest2.com hough it may be getting older, The new playable race, the Sarnak, There’s a huge host of new OUT NOW as another expansion pack hits are a race of dragons, centred mostly content here for you to explore Tthe shelves, Everquest 2 just around the sparse new starting too, with plenty for both high level SYSTEM seems to be getting stronger. Rise of location of Timorous Deep. Further and starter characters to do. With REQUIREMENTS Kunark, the fourth expansion for the expanding Everquest’s already diverse hundreds of new quests, new P3 1Ghz, 512 MB RAM, game adds a whole new region to selection of characters, the new race characters, and new locales catering 64 MB DX 9 Compatible the game, a new playable race, a new compliments the others well, and to players of all abilities, this is a video card, 10GB HD Space starting town, and raises the overall gives those looking for an alternative loaded expansion pack. level cap to a huge level 80. to humans another option. And though the engine may be aging, Everquest 2’s graphics remain up there with the best of any We wouldn’t like to be MMO, with breathtaking vistas and going up against an stunning locales the norm as you angry Dragon like this. move from one incredibly detailed world to another. And though many of these zones are updated versions of old favourites from Everquest, such as the Lake of Ill Omen, there’s Verdict plenty of new stuff to explore too Plenty of bang for your buck Though the game world does seem quieter than we remember, there’s no reason for the subscriber Loads of new stuff to get stuck into numbers to be falling, as Everquest 2 “The new playable is stronger now than ever. With most Great new race of dragons to play as PCs now better equipped to get race, the Sarnak, are the maximum out of Everquest 2’s a race of dragons” graphics, maybe it’s time you gave New level cap raises the bar successfully Norrath a try? Ian Morris

CO N T RO L NAVIGATE |20 Review REVIEW FEEDBACK! Click here to tell us what you think of Everquest: Everquest: Legends of Norrath

Publisher: SOE Legends of Norrath Developer: SOE Heritage: Everquest 2 Pick a card, any card... no, not that one, you’ve got that one already! Link: www.legends ofnorrath.com hough it has the Everquest Whether you’re a player of You play Legends of Norrath by OUT NOW name, if you were expecting a Everquest or not, if you’re a fan of simply downloading the standalone Tfull-on MMORPG experience collectible card games then there’ll client, though if you don’t hold a SYSTEM from Legends of Norrath, you’d better be something to get your teeth into. current Everquest account, you’ll be REQUIREMENTS guess again. A collectible card game Legends of Norrath is about as deep, limited to just online practice battles. Will play on pretty in the vein of Magic: The Gathering, and complex as trading card games To unlock all the features, you’ll have much anything it’s a free download that lets you get, and while that’s sure to put to purchase at least one booster pack collect, trade and battle against some off, hardcore CCG players are from the online shop. And herein lies players from all over the world. likely to love it. the beauty of Legends of Norrath, as rather than purchasing real life cards, The basic game screen. you pay real money for virtual ones. Functional, we’re sure Whether or not this’ll be a popular you’d agree. NO MOUNTING COSTS mechanic remains to be seen, but while you run the risk of buying digital How to get a free ride in Norrath duplicates of cards you’ve already got, you also stand a chance of getting A s we mentioned earlier, if you’ve got ‘loot’ cards, which can be redeemed an Everquest, or Everquest 2 account for in-game items in either Everquest, then certain c ards from the game Verdict or Everquest 2. Gotta buy ’em all… c an be then exchanged for in- game With a solid community already items – the best of which by far are behind it, you’ll have no trouble the mounts you c an get, which you getting into games or finding people Deep card game linked to EverQuest 2 effectively get for free! There are to trade with, and the community is new loot c ards being added with more than helpful with easing you Good community that welcomes newcomers every expansion, so the amount of gently into the game. That said, there effectively free items out there is is still a steep learning curve here, just going to keep on growing. but persistence pays great in-game Poor tutorial lets it down slightly dividends for EQ2. Ian Morris

CON TROL NAVIGATE |21 Compo 5 COPIES OF EVERQUEST II RISE OF KUNARK WIN!Full game and latest expansion packs up for grabs

Sony Online Entertainment has sent us five copies of their awesome fantasy MMO to give away to lucky readers. These complete and inclusive editions of EverQuest II come bundled with the latest expansion Rise of Kunark, along with all previous add-ons (expansions and adventure packs) to this massive To be in with a chance of winning one of these copies universe. Read our reviews of EverQuest II Rise of of EverQuest II Rise of Kunark, simply answer the Kunark and Legends of Norrath in this issue. question opposite… Competition closes 7th August 2008. See website for full T&Cs.

CONTROL CONTROL NAVIGATE |23 Review LOTRO: Book 13 – REVIEW FEEDBACK! Publisher: Codemasters Click here to Online Gaming tell us what you Developer: Turbine Doom of the Last Kingthink of LOTRO: Heritage: Asheron’s Call, Ice-cold free update is a monstrous addition to Lord of the Rings Online... Book 13 D&D Online: Stormreach Link: www.lotro.com t’s fair to say that 13 may be northlands of Eriador, and in it you’ll secrets of Forochel are highly sought OUT NOW an unlucky number for some, find an incredible 100 new quests, by both warring factions of LOTRO but in the context of the latest plus plenty of improved solo play. – the Free Peoples and the servants System requirements: I LOTS OF LOSSOTH free content update for Lord of the Book 13 represents an attempt to of the Witch-king, so unravelling Windows XP, P4 1.8GHz Rings Online, it’s a fortuitous figure present higher level players with the them is no easy task. Things to see and do in Forochel… CPU, 512MB RAM, 64MB that represents a feature-packed same opportunities for solo play that The new monster class that Book NVIDIA Georce 3 or ATI addition to this popular world. Book Book 9 gave mid-level players, and in 13 brings is the orc Defiler. This truly CULTURE MONSTER USE YOUR Radeon 8500 video card, 13 - Doom of the Last King brings a this it succeeds, with many hours of horrible entity further fills out the TRAIL MEET INUITIONINUITION 7GB HD space massive new region, a whole new solo adventure for levels 44 to 50. ranks available to monster players, class, the first hobby and new levels The region of Forochel is joining the other orcs, Uruk, spiders TheThere entireLossoth are loads Lossoth are ofsurvivors new culture creatures of has the been Forodwaith, in Book extrapolated 13; sixand new livefrom types mainly a six- of social interaction enabled by populated in part by the extremely and Wargs in the range available. paragraphwithalong plenty the coast reference of new of the skills. in Icebay The These Lord of Forochel.include of the Rings winter-worms, Their appendix. buildings Look are excellent tweaks to the interface. wary new reputation faction of the The orc Defiler comes from diseased outmoosemade for like andthe igloos, snow-menthe enormous as you of can Forochel, new see war-mammoths from who this move icy construction. on shown bone skates.here. Forochel is the name of Book 13’s Lossoth, and it’s the Lossoth that lands and uses its knowledge of new region. It’s a beautifully realised have to be befriended if you’re going sulphur swamp funghi and slimes frozen landscape within the desolate to uncover the land’s secrets, locked to create pastes and dusts that can in lore for thousands of years before be rubbed into their allies’ wounds, your appearance. Of course, the healing with Fertile Slime and

This shipwreck is integral to the new plot.

No, he’s an ice giant, not a nice giant – run!

CONTROL NAVIGATE |24 Review The icy lands even have LOTRO: Book 13 cont. atmospheric effects. Fungal Bloom as initial abilities. Later you’ll also be able to restore morale with Fell Restoration and speed healing with Fungal Spores. The Defiler really rounds out the monster classes and has significantly changed PvMP combat for the better. Hobbies have been long requested in LOTRO, and Book 13 ushers in the most popular requested – fishing! Note the red hand A staple hobby of the books, marking his allegiance. particularly among certain Hobbits, fishing can be tried anywhere in Middle Earth with Book 13’s update improved functionality bring and is an incredibly addictive benefits such as discovering shared pastime, where you have to increase quests and mustering your team. your skill to find more exotic fish and With a light touch, the developers discover new fishy recipes. have made the social experience A final mention must go to the far slicker and what could be more improvements to the interface, important to an MMO? Bodes well particularly in the LFF/Social panel, for Mines of Moria. Steve Brown where a new look and vastly

Verdict Awesome new land, class and interface additions

Massive new region

High level solo play

M ammoths can be Birth of hobbies beasts of burden as well.

CONTROL NAVIGATE |25 Review GIVE IT A TWEAK!T WEAK! And now some housekeeping points… World of Warcraft SWEEP THE TERRACE REVIEW LEVEL PLAYING FIELD FEEDBACK! Click here to SADDLE SORE tell us what Publisher: Vivendi Patch 2.4.2 Rough-treatedDropDungeons more and than raidsriders 150 in points will Magisters’ be below glad Terraceto your hear fellow thathave whenteam been memberstidied up Developer: Blizzard you think of Fury of the Sunwell gets tidied up after the first raiding parties! WoW 2.4.2 adventuringinso athat tournament Vexallus in the isarena no Blade’s longer now Edge and immune you’llMountains to no taunting longer (pictured), be and bolstered so they’ll that Heritage: Warcraft, noandWretched longer rewarded beSkulkers, instantly with theHusks, knocked rest, Bruisers but off on mounts anda personal S unblade by dragons! basis. Imps reset. Starcraft Link: www.wow- he last 2.4 content patch Legion demons, plus a new type of important, but housekeeping tweaks challenge for the old guard. europe.com for WoW was a biggie, tournament was also offered. to the additions 2.4 brought. As a reminder, this major content OUT NOW Tunleashing the Shattered 2.4 was thought by many to be Many classes have had their patch contains the 25-players Sun Offensive, a quest hub with the last major patch for The Burning abilities, talents, pet characteristics dungeon Sunwell Plateau, the 5- SYSTEM five and 25-player instances. The Crusade before the unconfirmed and more adjusted slightly – mostly players instance Magisters’ Terrace, REQUIREMENTS brand new five-player dungeon of release late in 2008 of the next to fix minor bugs thrown up by new brand new daily quests, but also the Windows: Intel Magisters’ Terrace also opened for WoW expansion, Wrath of the Lich content. In the new tournament Global Arena Tournament and UI Pentium III 800 MHz or adventurous parties to then face King (see preview in this issue). So arenas, the points system has been improvements. AMD Athlon 800 MHz, powerful servants of the Burning patch 2.4.2 is, as expected, a series of adapted so that if any character’s xx writerxx 512 MB or more of RAM, personal rating is over 150 points below his team’s then they will earn 32 MB 3D graphics card The Terrace has had with Hardware Transform points based on personal and not a good old Spring team rating. So be warned, dead and Lighting, such as clean in patch 2.4.2. NVIDIA GeForce 2 class weight will no longer be carried! card or above, DirectX Quest categories have been fixed 9.0c or above, 6.0 GB to fall under the new Magisters’ available HD space, 4x Terrace header, and there have been CD-ROM drive, A 56k or numerous balances and corrections Verdict better Internet connection made to creatures and demons Mostly minor fixes of the Sunwell Plateau, Magisters’ Terrace, Black Temple, Karazhan and Tempest Keep dungeons and raids. Better balanced arena fighting So continue to enjoy the major “Important update that patch 2.4 brought, but New dungeons and raids feel smoother there’s nothing to concern you too housekeeping much in 2.4.2 – just an inevitable tweaks to 2.4” smoothing of the new content’s Still some minor tweaks needed slightly rough edges. Steve Brown

CONTROL NAVIGATE |26

Replay “Like a hyperspace The Empyrean Age will be the PLAY AGAIN jump, it’s come a ninth expansion for EVE. long way without EVE Online really moving” You can never have enough space, so let’s all return to this Elite MMO…

Publisher: CCP Games ince its launch in 2003, EVE a strength of purpose far stronger expansions now provided for Developer: CCP Games Online has always valued than mere numbers can achieve. subscribers, CCP has always sought depth over breadth, and The freedom of this community to deepen rather than broaden Heritage: EVE Online S and eight expansions while it may lack the overall player to control the evolution of its own this close-knit and now hugely Link: www.eve-online.com numbers of monsters like World game world was illustrated early in experienced community. Every Released: 2003 of Warcraft, it still boasts a unique the life of EVE Online. It fell out that expansion has sought to address FUTURE SHOCK System reqs: unified game world, boasting large groups of international players community concerns, and added Where EVE Online hundreds of thousands more players naturally migrated to different incremental depth in new features one of the most beautiful PIII 800MHz CPU, 512MB will take you next… RAM, 6GB HD Space, in a single online community than areas of the galaxy – Scandinavians such as NPC content, trade, PvP games you can play GeForce 2+ Video Card any other MMO does on individual to the south, Russians south-east, evolution, new ships and structures. today. So go and taste MASSIVE WAR servers with no meaningful Americans north, Germans, French The most recent free expansion, the true freedom of EVE As you can read all about in connections between them. But and Benelux nations to the west. Trinity, overhauled the graphics, Online. Like a hyperspace our Empyrean Age preview, REPLAY even more important are the well- Over the next three months a bringing the look of EVE right to the jump, it’s come a long, the next free expansion for EVE FEEDBACK! established connections between conflict now famous even outside cutting edge of MMO visuals and long way without really will induce a four way factional Click here to the members of that community – of EVE’s online world ensued. The modern tech capability. It really is moving at all. galactic war that will help to tell us what Russians fought the Scandinavians, encourage non-PvP players to try who were secretly funded by the their hand at combat by joining you think of new militias as pod pilots. EVE Online Americans until discovered by the Russians, who persuaded the CHANGING STATIONS French to get involved, breaking CCP has recently been showing American supply lines and allowing off a new feature that will add the Russians to win! More recently, unimagined new depth to the CCP has allowed the community EVE universe in a future update to democratically elect nine – the ability to step out of your representatives to the Council of ship and ambulate with other Stellar Management, who will meet players in communal areas of CCP at summits and decide the space stations. evolution of the game through future free updates. SURFACE TO AIR The Trinity expansion And there’s never been a better If you haven’t played EVE, prepare Even further off, but now in brought a graphics update. for tough but rewarding PvP. prototype stage, is the ability time to get involved. With a free to enter a planet’s atmosphere client download and eight free and fly over the surface.

CONTROL NAVIGATE |27

Letters really like to see a major player prove Age of Conan: it’s that it’s not only possible, but that not for kids! there’s a real hunger for it. I have loads of friends who would love something more tactical within a persistent world. I know there are a few out there like Mankind and Shattered Galaxy, but they lack the polish that an established franchise could bring to this field. Can you tell me if there is anything on the >Inbox horizon along these lines? Thanks for your feedback, keep the emails > *BUCK MMOpinion coming... [email protected] > We ran a preview a couple of issues back on Kingdom Under Fire II, SECOND (HALF)LIFE which should have some interesting Our new regular columnists are the gaming MY FRIEND TOLD ME that Valve of strategic elements, but you may staff of www.MMOSite.com – this month Half-Life fame are going to be making desperately awaiting news of the also be interested to hear that the MMOSite’s Torrez argues the benefits of some kind of MMO. Is this right, and if release of the next expansion, Wrath king of strategy, Sid Meier, has MMOs that ‘borrow’ ideas from others… so what kind of game will it be? I of the Lich King. However, I’ve heard recently been hinting at an MMO presume that it will a shooter? Also nothing yet to tell me if this will be a direction for a future game. Of Lately, people are talking and comparing (and also when will it be released? visual update to the ageing graphics, course this is mostly speculation on complaining) about games with similar features which tend > Jonny as well as providing masses of new Sid’s part, and would probably be to copy each other, but I think that it’s a good thing. content and gameplay updates. Will it two or three games down his Why? B ecause it will promote the genre heavily, and I >I think your mate’s added be all sparkly and new to look at? project list, but he has expressed a have seen plenty of examples in my life of how copying (or two and two and come up with > JoBo desire to make an MMO, and we’d borrowing) an idea can lead to many great products that are thousands there, Jonny. Valve has imagine that Civilisation would be more than capable of standing on their own two feet. no concrete plans to step into the > I’m afraid you may have to wait the most likely franchise to get the Clone war will help to promote the genre heavily. If the MMO arena and there’s certainly even beyond Wrath of the Lich King treatment, not Pirates! – seeing as genre becomes alive and interesting then it will attract many no announcement of an MMO title for a visual overhaul of World of Pirates of the Burning Sea has filled companies to consider penetrating the genre’s market, by from them. Doug Lombardi of Valve Warcraft. Although the expansion that gap recently. being more creative. So basically it’s all good. A non-game did recently state that Valve’s (which still has no fixed release example of this is Coca Cola and Pepsi Cola, as the cola genre founder Gabe Newell is a massive date) is supposedly getting a few AGE RATING OF CONAN was getting heavily promoted during the infamous cola war. MMORPG fan and has always tweaks and touch-ups, these will be HOW ON EARTH DO people manage to If we then refer to Maple Story vs Wind Slayer, I feel that I wanted to make one, but mostly optional special effects for get it so wrong and slate Age of Conan don’t even consider to try Wind Slayer, but because of clone this is unfortunately still those lucky enough to be playing for featuring excessive nudity and war debates raging online, I am ‘forced’ to download it. in the realm of very on very high-spec gaming systems. violence – damaging to kids? Can’t they In the world of games, we find similarities between Don’t wishful thinking. For most of us it will be the content read the age rating on the back of the Dune II with Warcraft, but I also believe that the Warcraft that is King! box? Idiots, all of them! series copied some features from Dune. And Warcraft is one miss Issue 6 A LICH OF PAINT > Biggy of the best games that I’ve ever played. They start with I’M A HUGE WOW YOU HAVE TO ADMEIER HIM similarities, but that act is an embryo of many great games. Out Sept 2nd FAN, so as you can I THINK THAT STRATEGY is really under- > It would seem to be a parental Sign up now! imagine that I’m represented in the MMO world and I’d responsibility, as it’s clearly rated 18+. So, do not underestimate the power of the clone… CONTROL FREE MAGAZINES! ALL OUR CURRENT ISSUES:

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CONTROL NAVIGATE |29 Tutorial Age of Conan: “Your first weapon is a broken oar, and you’ll do well to learn how to use it, with the combat Hyborian Adventures system involving reacting to your enemy’s weak spots” You’re not Conan, but this is his land. Here’s how to get round it…

elcome to Hyboria, a land where life is cheap and HORSES FOR COURSES ale is expensive. And don’t turn up hoping to wave a Nag nag nag… Wmagic wand and make everything disappear, as you’re fighting for your life from the outset with your bare hands and anything you can get hold of. Your first weapon is a broken oar, TRUSTY CHEERS! PONYPONY and you’ll do well to learn how to use it, with the combat system STEED PPOWEROWER involving reacting to your enemy’s weak spots. You’ll soon stumble across a fair maiden trussed up in the jungle, so do the UseArriveShould your at anyone glamoroustrusty getsteed in cities, toyour trot stopway, around off utilise for the a the pintcountryside, mounted and stock combat taking up on decent thing and slay her captor to free her. Then risk your life invitalsystem the provisions spectacular to ensure to that sceneryhelp they on ofyour don’t Hyboria. quests. do it again. countless times escorting her to the city of Tortage, where she promptly sods off without so much as a by your leave…

CONTROL NAVIGATE |30 Tutorial Who are you? Roll over screen for annotations CLASS WAR Weapons ready! Our brief guide to four classes in the game. Read GUARDIAN BEAR SHAMAN on and choose wisely… Heavily armoured, fighting with Summoning the power of the bear, sword and shield. these boys go feral, but can also heal. SOLDIER Essentially the tank class, they can give a lot of CONQUEROR PRIEST OF MITRA damage and also take it. Choose from Dual-wielding with heavy armour, With the strongest healing powers, Guardian, Conqueror or Dark Templar. they are inspirational in battle. they can even resurrect the dead. MAGE The game’s concession to magic, it’s all of the DARK TEMPLAR TEMPEST OF SET dark variety, whether cast by a Demonologist, Wielding vile sorcery, they can feed Armed with lightning strikes and Necromancer or Herald Of Xolti. off the life of their enemies. massive healing powers. One of the unique aspects of Age Of Conan Siege warfare is a fully-fledged feature PRIEST DEMONOLOGIST BARBARIAN is the ability for guilds to build living of Age Of Conan, and rival guilds will The healers in the world of Conan, these do- Mighty sorcerers, they can summon They possess strength, aggression, cities, replete with defences and trading inevitably come knocking at your door. As gooders come in the form of Bear Shaman, up a servant of hell, which is handy. and possibly steroids… posts. While you can’t simply plonk a city such, it pays to be ready for them, and you Priest Of Mitra and Tempest of Set. anywhere, of the designated areas it’s should be prepared to protect your city to worth considering what resources are the death. Building a great big wall round NECROMANCER ASSASSIN nearby, as well as strategically positioning it would be a start, preferably manned ROGUE They command the undead, like Hyboria’s most lethal killers do it Able to use a reasonably advanced level of your city in order to make it hard to attack. with some Rangers. stealth, plus melee and ranged weapons, the some crazed zombie leaders. with daggers, crossbows and poison. choice is Barbarian, Assassin or Ranger. HERALD OF XOTLI RANGER Mage and soldier hybrids who wield They can pick a flea of a horse’s tail spells, and are handy with a sword. with their deadly bows. COMBAT ROCK There’s a system to this combat…

Conan’s combat system requires you the brunt of the blows, it is possible to to react to your opponent by pressing injure multiple foes with a big sweep. the correct key – his shielded areas are Naturally, you yourself are open to shown via an onscreen cue. To cause attack, but you can block blows by further damage to him (or indeed her, holding the X key, at a cost to your as we’re all for equality here), pre-set stamina. Double-tapping the movement combo moves can be thrown in. You keys also causes you to dodge out of the will often face multiple enemies, and way, although be careful if you’re at the while your primary target will receive edge of a bridge over a river of lava…

CONTROL NAVIGATE |31 Tutorial GAINING SYSTEM OF A DOWN CONTROL Your basic guide to taking over a star system Capturing a control point Before you can claim occupancy of an entire system in the new factional isn’t rocket science (except EVE Online: warfare of Empyrean Age, you’ll need to capture control points – basically in the strictly technical plexes. So first scan for these using your on-board scanner, which will sense obviously), but there reveal opposing control points only, as your own cannot be scanned. are certain factors you Once you’ve identified the control point that you need to attack, should be aware of… Empyrean Age warp to the gate, which controls the ship type allowed into the control point. Once you arrive, a beacon will appear showing everyone that the LOW-SEC fight is on to take it. The new control point You will next need to take the control point by getting within a complexes can be found in - an introduction certain range of this object, at which point a countdown timer will begin, all of the factional warfare that starts ticking down from around 15 minutes. low-sec regions, and their Get ready for factional warfare in advance of the free expansion... Once you’ve captured enough control points, including the main one, beacons will alert attackers the central system bunker becomes vulnerable to attack for the next 24 and defenders in the area hours. This assault will require massive concerted firepower, but results in when they’re threatened. here’s big change afoot in the system capture. It’s time to take a stand, OUTPOSTS EVE Online universe, as you The control points have but which of the four can read all about in our cover navvies will you join? T outpost beacons you feature this issue. Empyrean Age will be able to capture will usher in a new age of four- by flying within 20km of way factional warfare for them. This will alert the this space-bound sandbox NPC defenders, who will MMO, making PvP combat retaliate, respawning far easier to get involved periodically. in for those who tended to avoid it before. So now is SHIP RESTRICTIONS the time to practice your war Currently the star gates that allow access to the face in the mirror and use control points restrict our introductory tips to ready entry to certain ship types. yourself for the battle. At this point in testing We’ll show you how to go about only frigates, cruisers, capturing an entire system, along destroyers and industrials with how to join a factional militia can pass through. This in the first place as a pod pilot, and should maintain CCP’s how you can expect to be rewarded focus with Empyrean Age via the all-new ranking system. Look on smaller-scale conflicts. out next issue for our full review and Some control points will be even more advanced tips. accessible to battleships.

CONTROL NAVIGATE |32 Tutorial JOINING A MILITIA FEELING RANXIOUS How to make the first advances towards a faction CCP developers explain the new ranking system… ne of the first things you’ll consequences of signing up – you Ranks are tied to the standing you have notice when you fire up the will be at war with the enemy militia to the ‘Militia Corp’, not the faction, Onew login screen is that it of the faction you join and entering and this is important because everyone has changed hue to a light brown enemy-controlled high-sec space starts at a zero standing point when they – although you can still customise will get you attacked by the enemy’s first join the game. It’s also important this – and the style has changed powerful navies. because Militia Corp standings, and from the old animated logo zoom You should also be aware that all changes to them, are not affected to a cleaner, crisper presentation. you’ll need a fairly good standing by relevant skills as per normal with But more importantly, you can with a faction to be allowed to join standings – i.e. you cannot sweet talk, now log in to your chosen faction’s its militia, so if you have a faction in bribe or sleep with your commander to get him to give you a fancy rank… you station and click on a new ‘Militia’ mind now that you want to join, it have to earn it, soldier! button to join the station race’s may well be worth increasing your extended forces. You are then shown standing with a few missions before As you gain in standing towards your a propaganda window that calls Empyrean Age launches. Militia Corp, so you gain in rank. You you to war, urging you to join up Finally, click ‘Enlist Me’ and you’ll start at the game’s lowest rank and and fight. Here you should note the be given a lowly rank and new stats. then gain a rank for every full point of standing gain. So you would next get promoted and advance in rank to standing one, and then standing two and so on, all the way up to standing nine. It’s also worth remembering that WHILE YOU WAIT…WAIT... you can also lose standing and get demoted in the same way. In advance of the release of this awesome free expansion, here are In addition, for every rank gained a few ways to bide your time and your overall faction standing gets “You can’t an incremental increase. sleep with your prepare for factional war! Ranks are displayed on your commander character sheet in a new tab to get him to TEST IT READ IT JOIN IT entitled ‘Decorations’, where you can view your current rank. If you give you a leave the faction and later rejoin good rank!” ToSoYou swothave can up(atyou onthe decided the time background ofyet, writing) which to oftest this the out conflict four certain factions and aspects perhaps you’re of goingtheunravel to ally it, you retain your previous rank. somewithupcoming to clues start Empyrean to off? the You’ll emerging Age be expansion able story, to join why now the not by militias grab logging a copyof onThe ofto Minmatar the the new EmpyreanRepublic,Singularity The Age server. Amarr novel Find Empire,by outTony more TheGonzalez Caldariabout that how State, goes to orlog on The on sale Gallenteat from www.eve- 19th June?Federation.online.com It might todayThey just all and save want get your YOU,stuck life! but in. it’s your decision to make.

CONTROL NAVIGATE |33 Compo

To be in with a chance of winning one of these great EVE packages, simply answer the question below. CCP will be sending the prizes direct to the winners from overseas (Iceland and the US) and warn recipients to be aware that it’s possible WIN! they may have to pay local import tax on the gifts. EVE ONLINE GOODIES, GAME TIME AND A GRAPHICS CARD! Get ready for the Empyrean Age with this awesome giveaway…

CCP has scoured space to secure a bountiful package of great EVE Online goodies for us to give away. We’ve got a stunning NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GTS graphics card that will really get the best out of EVE’s revamped visuals, one dazzling ‘The Art of EVE’ book, four custom mouse EVE USB flash drives, one black EVE cap and mats, one for each EVE faction (Amarr, three 50-day gametime cards. We’re going Caldari, Gallente and Minmatar), two 1GB to divide up the spoils as follows…

FIRST PRIZE SECOND PRIZE THIRD PRIZE NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GTS graphics card The Art of EVE book Black EVE cap 50-day gametime card 50-day gametime card 50-day gametime card 1GB EVE USB flash drive 1GB USB flash drive EVE mouse mat Two EVE mouse mats EVE mouse mat

Competition closes 7th August 2008. See website for full T&Cs. CONTROL NAV IGAT E |34 Subscribe toMMOZine FREE! PC & MMO GAMES MAGS!  Free gifts  Professionally written  Free to download  Regular exclusives  Fully interactive magazines DON’T MISS OUT AGAIN SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE! Over 40,000 pe o p le have alre ady chosen to subscri b e to o ne o r mo re of o u r G amerZi ne s an d now re ceive noti fica ti o n of e ach new issue a s so o n a s i t’s publ ishe d. Why not j o i n them an d ensu re yo u never m iss another issue a g ai n?

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