Design Notes
October 31, 2013
Happy Mogloween 2013!
Can YOU Survive the Frankenwerepire Challenge?
Meet Doctor Voltabolt. He's a GREAT guy... if you enjoy the sound of dentist drills and get your thrills from making heroes scream! Y'know, your all-around dentist-by-day, mad scientist by night. And THIS night, he's got his newest experiment ready to send at you: the Frankenwerepire!
You've got to be REALLY dead-icated to win!
There are TWO versions of this bad boy: a challenge fight for ALL players, and an ULTRA challenge fight for Legends! The Ultra Frankenwerepire drops some exclusive gear, but both versions drop rare and seasonal treats, including:
- "Face Only a Doctor Could Love" helm 2013
- Supercharged Powerpack cape 2013
- Red Moglinster 2013 pet
- Ghost Moglinster 2013 pet (only drop off ULTRA Frank!
Come back tomorrow for MORE Mogloween!
Trick or treating just isn't the same without glowsticks! We've got a ton of new glow-in-the-dark treats in our new Mog-GLOW-ween Merge shop (coming tomorrow), and after you equip them you can /join glowmap to play in the dark and watch yourself glow!
Get your glow on this Mogloween!
We'll also have a Mogloween 2013 Rares shop, which will include:
- Collared Fiend Armor
- Fiendish Befouler Armor
- Witch Caster helms
- Mogloween Morph Masks (click to transform!)
- and more!
Don't forget: last chance for 5th Upholder!
October's almost over! If you want to become a 5th Upholder and gain access to all of our new StarSwords, be sure to upgrade your account before Friday night!
Shoot for the Star Swords!
Next week: Return to the Mirror Realm!
Mogloween is one of my personal favorite holidays! I love fall: burning leaves, cold air, and hot apple cider. (Not that we get those here in Florida...) But this year, we decided to release a super-charge challenge boss fight so we could push on ahead to the finale of the 13 Lords of Chaos Saga... and THAT means: Xing and Xang are BACK! (You CAN'T just leave those two running around, you know?)
We've got a lot of other great stuff going on, too:
- Arklen's Featured Artist shop (animated flame gear leaving tomorrow!)
- Luck of the Draw Wheel of Doom contest!
- Swordhaven Chaos Saga finished last week!
- Pumpkin Contest 2013 ends next week!
- Don't miss all the other Mogloween goodies, quests, and battles in Mystcroft!
October 04, 2013
Dragon Rises Triumphant
The Royal Wedding's Chaotic Conclusion!
Good King Alteon has been fighting Chaorruption since AQWorlds began, and THIS week, you will see how much of an effect Chaos has had on him! Log in now to play the conclusion of the Royal Wedding event, the rise of Swordhaven's Chaos Beast... and the beginning of the most Chaotic chapter in AQWorlds' history!
Chaotic DragonFORCE!
We had planned to finish the wedding release in one week last week. This week's storyline release IS a bit shorter than usual, but had we not split last week's release into two parts, we would not have been able to put nearly as much effort into this week's cutscenes as we did. I'd rather do them right than do them quickly! (Especially when the reactions to the release have been so emotional!)
Ghost, our lead animator, drew his reaction to what he did this week:
Sad Ghost felt ALL the feels!
Make sure to tweet your reactions to the storyline to @ArtixKrieger and @Alina_AE so we can keep track of how many feels you have felt! You can also share your reactions on the AQW Facebook page or our forum!
The new loading screen is live, too!
In addition to finishing LAST week's release THIS week, we also released:
Enjoy the beginning of the REAL Chaos in Swordhaven... and the rest of Lore!
September 30, 2013
Week of OMG!!!
We Have SO MUCH For You This Week
I'm going to keep this short, because the team has got a LOT of work to do if we're going to get everything out on time! Make sure to check out the current Reminders Design Notes post to stay up to date.
Can't handle the chaos... or so many releases!
Monday, September 30th
That is TODAY!
- Later tonight, the limited time gear in the Wheels of Doom and Destiny merge shops will be leaving... permanently. If you haven't gotten your "Skulls and Doom" or "Ancient Skulls and Doom" blades yet, now's the time!
Merge your Fortune Potions from the Wheels to create these blades!
- Check out our Pumpkin Carving Contest! Read Beleen's Design Notes for more information.
- Our Friday the 13th maps become Legend-only until December, when we have another Friday the 13th event!
Tuesday, October 1st
5th Upholder begins! Upgrade your account to get a sweet character page badge, access to FIVE Star Swords, and all the Legend-only perks you always get! (Like a free spin on the Wheel of Doom or Destiny, pets, exclusive storylines, and more!) If you already have an upgraded account and the upgrade will be active - or expires - on November 1st, then congratulations, you're already a 5th Upholder!
Legion Star Sword not pictured.
If you were an Upholder before and lost access to your Star Sword, never fear! You'll be able to go into your Book of Lore Upholder badge and access the shop to get it once more! We've had a LOT of people ask us to do this over the years, and now it is finally happening!
If you supported AQWorlds from the start as a Founder, you'll be able to access ALL of the Founder dragon pets... including this year's Green Armored and Galactic Armored Dragon pets!
Wednesday, October 2nd
Treasure Map time! Talk to Cleric Joy in Battleon to purchase a Treasure Map. Then use the clue in the item's description to find the location of the treasure hidden somewhere in-game.... and access ALL of the gear we've EVER added to the shop, plus the new Royal Dragoon set!
X marks the spot for treasure beyond measure!
Thursday, October 3rd
Run around corraling the server hamsters desperately trying to flee from the Friday insanity!
Friday, October 4th
Hang on to your helms, it's going to be a BIG release!
- Quibble's Talk Like a Pirate Day shop leaves! Last chance to get all of his awesomely piratical gear!
- The Blood Shadowcaster set arrives with the 3 month membership! If you purchase this package in October, you are automatically a 5th Upholder!
- All the previous year's Mogloween events return! Get your trick or treat ON!
- BattleMage Class releases! Memet will do a skills writeup later this week.
- Chaos War rares shop leaves... forever! (The Chaorrupted Locked Blades will NOT go rare.)
- We continue the Swordhaven Chaos Saga where we left off last week. If you haven't caught up yet, DO IT NOW! The cliffhanger ending was EVIL!
October 01, 2013
5th Upholders
What is an Upholder?
AQW is coming up on another birthday! That's means that we are once again offering the chance to become an AQW Upholder (The same way that the Founders got their chance at the birth of the game and the way 1st Upholders got their chance four years ago, 2nd Upholders got the chance three years ago, 3rd Upholders got their chance two years ago, and 4th Upholders got theirs last year at this time).
What Does a 5th Upholder Get?!
Normally, an Upholder gets a Character Page Badge and a rare Star Sword. This year, when you become a 5th Upholder you get FIVE rare Star Swords, (both are non-member so you can swing that sword forever, and 0 ACs so you can store it for free), an achievement badge on your character page and some CRAZY bragging rights.
Why Five Star Swords?
We always try to listen to your ideas... especially when you have SO MANY good ones! Last year, you wanted two versions of the Chaos Star Sword, and that worked out pretty well. This year, the theme is "Time and Space," so that's two star swords right there. Then we had a 3rd Naval Commander - the Legion Naval Commander - so we added a 3rd Star Sword due to popular demand. Then, because of those who LOVE the old look, we made some different versions. Now you've got LOTS! Five star swords for the 5th upholder!
Both of these relate back to the main storyline - the 13 Lords of Chaos Saga. You WILL face Drakath this year, but the outcome of that is up to you! Will you be wielding a star sword when the battle begins?
This is YOUR chance to grab some - or more - of the spotlight for yourself (even if you're already a Founder or a 1st Upholder, 2nd Upholder, 3rd Upholder, 4th Upholder, or ALL FIVE!)
Return of the Star Swords!
I'm sure you've also seen somebody with the 1st Upholder Golden Star Sword, 2nd Upholder Onyx Star Sword, 3rd Upholder Platinum Star Sword, or last year's Chaos Star Swords and said to yourself... "DANG! WHY did I have to miss out on that?!" You might have also said "MAN! Why did I delete MY Star Sword... and how can I get it back?!"
I've got good news for you, omni-Hero! This month, if you have a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or 5th Upholder, you'll be able to go into your Book of Lore, click on your badge, and access a shop containing your Upholder rewards! As we have time, we'll also add "normal hilt" recolors of the older star swords for those of you who love the classic look.
Sounds Great! How Do I Become a 5th Upholder?
It couldn't be simpler. Upgrade your account to become a Legend!
- If you are ALREADY a Legend and your membership expires ON or AFTER November 1st, 2013, then you're are ALREADY a 5th Upholder. Grats and thanks!
- If you help support AQW by buying ANY membership ANY TIME during the month of October (from October 1st to October 31st, as long as it expires on or after November 1st) then you become a 5th Upholder!
I Think My Membership Already Makes Me A 5th Upholder. How Can I Check?
Also, easy. Just click the Manage Account link on the left under the ACCOUNT section.
As soon as you sign in you'll see when your membership expires. Here's mine:
Cool! When Do I Get My Super Sweet 5th Upholder Swords and Badge?
Badges and star swords will be awarded as you log in, starting today! You will find your 5th Upholder Badge in your Book of Lore in the Badges tab. Click on this badge and you will see that it comes with a shop. You will be able to grab your swords from that shop and start showing them off as well as your Character Page Badge.
Only Memberships Count?
Yes. You can use Artix Points on the Portal site or any method in AQW to upgrade, but it MUST be an AQW Membership. AdventureCoins DO NOT COUNT TOWARD 5th Upholder.
Anything Else I Should Know?
Absolutely! We couldn't keep AQWorlds running without every single upgrade and AC that you buy. Nearly every penny you spend goes back into the game. Though some people prefer buying AdventureCoins and others prefer upgrading, anyone who spends real money on this game deserves to get as much as we can give them, because without their support... there wouldn't BE an AQWorlds for everyone to play!
You may not know this but AQW (like all AE games) is ENTIRELY supported by the players. We have no financial backers and nobody owns stock in the company. Clicking on ads and doing AExtras offers does bring in some money, but not nearly enough to keep AQWorlds free for everyone to enjoy.
That's why we continue to reward the AQWorlds' Founders, who supported us in the very beginning. To make sure they know how much we appreciate that, we are continuing to give them free gear each year! And because we can attach shops to badges, for all those with us since Beta, we're going to add the gear from the Beta Rares shop to the Beta badge shop later this week!
I Love AQW! It's The Best Game EVER!
Without everyone who has supported AQWorlds over the years, we wouldn't be able to make these amazing games, or allow anyone on the internet to create an account and begin battling through AQW! I can't imagine having a better job, or better bosses (that's YOU)!
Thank you for battling alongside us, and for sharing your ideas and love of AQWorlds with us. You truly are the best gaming community on the internet! Thank you for the first 5 years of AQWorlds, and here's to another 5 years, 10 years, and beyond!
AQ3D
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