ZAM has acquired five highly coveted Rift Collector's Edition digital download codes and five six-month game codes to give away! This digital download costs $59.95 online but you have the chance to win one for free! It's important to note that these codes will only work on new accounts.
Read the official rules here, then head to the ZAM Rift forums to enter!
UPDATE: The entry period has ended! Winners have been announced!
We recently had the chance to participate in a roundtable interview with EverQuest II Executive Producer Dave Georgeson to discuss “The Children of War” Game Update 60 that's scheduled to launch on May 17. This is the first update in the Age's End Prophecy saga, which was introduced in the Destiny of Velious expansion. Of course, we also asked some general EverQuest II questions that touch on various aspects of the game's future.
Georgeson explains that the bulk of GU60 focuses on PvP and battlegrounds. He gives details on the update's new battleground map and game type, as well as a new lobby system. He also confirms that there will be a new expansion next year that has nothing to do with Velious, and he hints that players will soon be able to enjoy some new transport mechanisms at levels 30 and 60.
Keep reading after the jump for the full Q&A!
UPDATE May 15, 2011: This Game Update has been delayed since the original posting of this article and is expected to hit Live servers in late May or early June.
Decorators, rejoice! Today's update brings multiple house ownership to all Live servers. Currently a limit of ten homes per character is in place, though that limit may be relaxed later on.
Many changes go into place today, including another revamp of the character window. Each player will now have six house vault slots, which are shared among all of his/her homes and will in turn give access to all six broker slots. Players with a guild hall that has the Portal to Member Housing amenity can now choose to go to any house they have Friend+ access. Owners of prestige houses can place portal objects to link that home to any house to which they have trustee access.
All of these changes and more are updated in our Player Housing Guide!
UPDATE: Trion Worlds just let us know that the launch date for Update 1.2 has been pushed back to May 10.
Rift's Update 1.2 is scheduled to launch on May 4 May 10, and we had the chance to sit down with Trion Worlds CCO and Rift Executive Producer Scott Hartsman to get details on a wide variety of features that will soon be added to the game.
We seriously cover a lot of ground in this interview. Hartsman talks with us at length about the upcoming Looking for Group tool, the wardrobe feature and some new zone events. He also explains that the new slivers system allows Trion to introduce 10-player raids that are focused on alternate realities or timelines. Lore fans should definitely keep an eye on the intriguing stories that can be told through slivers.
In addition, Hartsman told us that players can likely expect to see Facebook integration in Update 1.2, continuing Trion's push to connect Rift to all sorts of social networking sites. He even gave us some details on the new Refer-a-Friend program, and you may be surprised how long it will tie you to your friend in-game.
Hartsman also asked us to remind all players to log in and grab their River of Souls Event Reward Pack from their mailbox as soon as possible. You need to spend your Otherworldly Sourcestone before the vendor items disappear with the launch of Update 1.2, so buy some epic gear or other rewards before it's too late.
Keep reading after the jump for in-depth details on all of these topics and more!
Players arriving upon the back of Lodizal to the rediscovered continent of Velious are greeted by the Othmir, a venerable race that have withstood the trials of the past. They begin adventurers on a journey that will take them all the way through the Great Divide. Those who walk in this harsh land are confronted with a constant battle for survival against the Tower of Frozen Shadow's undead, the Order of Rime and the Ry'Gorr orcs.
A multitude of quests, including the Flying Mount series, await those who adventure in these lands. Check out our Great Divide Quest Guide to aid your travels!
On April 28, 2011, Free Realms will have its 2nd anniversary. To celebrate, the Birthday Bash event has made a return! Speak to Camilla in Sanctuary to get started and earn cool birthday presents along the way.
Cakenstein has been spotted in Sacred Grove again, trying to ruin the celebrations. Team up with your fellow players and save the day! Each time he is defeated players who participated can loot a treasure chest filled with assorted goodies.
New items are found in the Marketplace such as the Gifting Pinata that you can receive daily prizes from during the event.
Put on your birthday hats and celebrate with Free Realms!
Rift divides Telara quite well between the two factions at low levels. The Defiant-only zones are Freemarch and Stonefield; the Guardian zones are Silverwood and Gloamwood. Upon entering these zones, a rival faction will, at first, only find angry guards, absolutely no quests, and other characters that will try to murder you as soon as your attention is diverted. However, there remain hidden treasures for enterprising adventurers, especially when it comes to achievements and puzzles.
Being a completionist at heart, and OCD in real life, I wanted my Defiant rogue to fully complete these Guardian zones, for both bragging rights and achievement points! Read on to find out what I discovered... and how I made a fair profit off of my explorations!
En Masse Entertainment has given us an exclusive flythrough video of TERA's Mistmoor Island. Here's a quick description:
"The hidden harbors and deep jungles of Mistmoor Island are among the most dangerous places in TERA, infested with dangerous arachnens and slavers eager to add to their “stock.” And among the ancient ruins, something stirs... something far more sinister than buccaneers and slavemasters."
Sit back, relax and enjoy your personal tour of Mistmoor Island!
Iron Tombs is a level 19 dungeon and the first dungeon Defiant players encounter. ZAM's own Miric brings us his first zone walkthrough, itemizing the quests, bosses, and items available in this fun zone.
Please enjoy the Iron Tombs Guide at ZAM Rift, and watch this space for more informative walkthroughs!
Once Phase 3 of The River of Souls world event is complete, a new level 50 20-player raid instance will be unlocked that brings the fight directly to Alsbeth the Discordant. If you're interested in the design process behind The River of Souls instance, then we have a special treat for you. For our latest exclusive Rift dev blog entry, Senior Game Designer Berenger Fish has outlined how the raid went from an idea to reality in a matter of months. Get all the details after the jump!
Phase 2 of the world event begins tomorrow, April 16, at noon server time, followed by the start of Phase 3. For more details, check out our event guide. Also, new players can try out Rift for free this weekend simply by heading over the the Allies of the Ascended page, grabbing a key and following the instructions. See you in Telara!
