Design Notes
November 12, 2013
Attention Legends of Lore:
The Skyguard Army Needs YOU!
Are you looking to meet friends in high places? Do you wish to be a whirled wide traveler? Do you crave power, glory, honor… and GOLD?! Things will start looking up once you join King Alteon’s Skyguard Army!
All hands on deck! Captain Stratos is looking for brave and fearless Legends to join the elite Skyguard Army. If you’re a Legend—and aren’t afraid of heights or Draconian Sky Pirates—then /join airship and begin your Skyguard training.
The Skyguards patrol the skies looking for signs of danger. After seeing the threat Sepulchure's flying fortress made, Alteon saw fit to create a group of kings that could combat him anywhere.
That's where the Skyguards come in—able to go anywhere and attack from anywhere. No evil, no chaos, and no Sky Pirate is safe from the Skyguards!
Prove your worth to Stratos by defeating Draconian Sky Pirates along with their master, Gladius, on the airship. Then, fly on over to the floating Skyguard Port and meet your fellow troopers:
- Alexia, Skyguard Pet Vendor
- Barnestable, Hair Shop Artiste
- Dreamweaver, Mistress of Dreams
- Fairfax, Weapon-seller
- Invidia, Recruit Assistant to Captain Straots
- Wells, Bank Vendor
Help them achieve their quests, be awarded handsomely, and you will be ready for the renowned Skyguard Academy.
What wonders will you learn at the Skyguard Academy? They say that knowledge is power… so buff your INT stats and get ready for your next Skyguard adventures!
…there’s even MORE Skyguard adventures? OH YES. This is only the beginning, intrepid Skyguard sergeant! We look forward to your service in:
- Strategy Depot
- High Command
- Pirate Base
- Dream Maze
- Bunker
- and Anders’ Loss
Will you heed the call of the Skyguards? Lore needs YOU… the Skyguard needs YOU… and should you prove your allegiance to the Skyguard, YOU will become the Skyguard Grenadier Class!
Join the Skyguard army today by /join airship! And if you’re not a Legend already… click here to Upgrade AND then join the Skyguards!
Battle on and up in the skies, hero!
xoxo Beleen
November 12, 2012
Skyguard and Book Bugs
Coming Today and Friday!
This week, the Member Only Skyguard quest line comes to a dramatic conclusion. We've also got an update to the Player Suggestion shop coming as well as some stuff that was meant to go in last week.
Today we will be removing Death's Rares, Adding the special Quest to the Golden Dragon Statue house item along with its very rare reward.
Friday we will also be celebrating (read as: poking fun at) the release of the final Twilight movie with the "Twilight of the Lycan" Limited TIME Shop. Sparkly Lycan Armor? Maybe?
Today is also J6's Birthday and he has released his birthday items. We'll he released some of them. He admitted that his old age is getting to him and he forgot some of the items but will be adding them later today as well. two of the items but by the time you read this they will all be there.
If you feel like wishing J6 a Happy Birthday feel free to spam his Twitter.
Bugs and Fixes
This week have a few more things we're going to try to release including the second stab at the tutorial with a lot of the changed that you guys suggested including adding a brief shop run through and attaching the Save The Princess From the Dragon Dragon From The Princess part. We were going to leave it in but separate but so many of you mentioned it being your first memory of the game that we decided to tack it on after you say goodbye to Serval.
We will also be adding the Character Page Achievement for completing the tutorial.
We've got the new Book of Lore working (kind of) but there are several issues that will get ironed out this week. One is that people who did not test Guilds on the PTR were able to get the reward scythe. The scythes have been removed from people who did not help test and the shop properly secured.
A lot of you thought it was a bug that you could open shops that you hadn't unlocked. That was intentional. If you tried yo BUY something you would realize that you could not buy things from shops which you had not unlocked. We added the ability to LOOK at the items to see if you liked them prior to purchasing them. This only applies to badges that are visible all the time. Other badges (and shops) like most HeroMart badges are invisible until you unlock the badge by purchasing that HeroMart Item.We will be adding a note to the shops that you won't be able to BUY items from the shop until the badge is unlocked on all badges with shops.
Some of you are reporting that the scrolling feature is broken, which we are looking into (it might be the book or might be the fact that the latest version of the Flash Player has SEVERE issues with the FireFox browser).
Lastly the BIG issue is with the Recruit-A-Friend system currently to be found in Twilly. The revamped system will give you Friend gems for getting your friends to play, and you also get an % of the gold and XP that they earn on your own character not to mention 200 ACs for every friend that decides to become a Member.
Unfortunately, it's causing the game to crash horribly. Yorumi is currently looking at the system. Hopefully a fix will be found soon but expect a couple of restarts today.
Many of you commented on Friday that you really liked the new Book of Lore design, finding it a lot simpler to navigate and more fun to use. Hopefully after we get it working as intented then it will be a tool you go to a lot more often.
38 days until Just Another Day
August 08, 2012
Quibble Coming Soon!
Quibble returns NEXT Friday with new gear
Past, present, and future gear collide in Quibble Coinbiter's backpack! AQWorlds' very own time-traveling sales moglin arrives in Battleon next Friday, August 17th, but he won't be there long, so you'll want to dig through his chest of never-before-seen-slightly-used items and rares while you can!
Dravir Armor, helm, and wings with Technomancer Armor! - Dragonfable
Most of his items will cost AdventureCoins, but as the past few shops have, we will include gear for both members and non-members, as well! All of the equips are modeled on art from our current Chaos zone, The Span. Each of Quibble's newest items were inspired by gear from the original AdventureQuest, DragonFable, and MechQuest!
Kathool Adept and Chickencow Lord Armors! - DragonFable
Not exactly sure who Quibble Coinbiter is, or how he gets all that gear? Neither are we! But here's what he said last time I asked:
How do I get never-before-seen used items? Well, that's a trade secret. But just between us, I have a deal with a time travel fairy who brings me these things… even though they have not been built yet! They might show up later in the game or might be Rares that are never seen again!
Ubear Armor and Loco Costume - AdventureQuest
Inaddition to all of the armors pictured here, you can ALSO expect Quibble's shop to hold next Friday:
- Twig and Fwish Pet
- Gween Pet
- Chief Duncan's Space Cat Pet
- Sil Katar Daggers
- Ice Katana
- Color Custom Galacta Gun
- Guilt and Innocence Scythes
- And more!
Color-Custom Galactimech and Loki Mech Armors! - MechQuest
What happened the to The Sword of the Legion's shop?
The Sword of the Legion should have unlocked The Stranger's shop. Due to a miscommunication, that shop in the /evilwardage map is open to all players. To fix that error, Dage will create a special shop in Shadowfall just for those loyal Legion soldiers who kept their blades close by!
Chaos gets Beastly in SkyGuard!
That Master... something about him just ain't right. His growing paranoia - and a bit of help from a friend in the last release - make it easy for you to infiltrate his hidden bunker. Once inside, you'll need to find out just WHAT he's planning, but beware!
He hasn't given up his goal to embrace Chaos! Keep an eye on him, give him a hand, and maybe you'll find out just what his plans are! /Hone your blade and your wits, because the Master is a puzzle wrapped in an enigma locked inside a steampunk-prison!
Dage vs Nulgath War Update!
The Nation continues to crush the Legion, but Dage's undead soldiers are just DYING to even up the war meter! The Worshiper Visage of Revontheus and the Key of Revontheus will be added for Nulgath's followers. Dage's warriors will see a new armor and helm coming! Expect those later this week.
We will announce which Legion/Nation items will go rare as soon as Dage is back in the Lab. ALL of the AC items will go rare, but we need to determine which Legion Token/Diamond items will also go rare.*
Battle On, brave heroes! Victory is yours to take!
* Dage has been out of the Lab, sick for most of the week. Once he's battled that bug and back in the Lab, we'll add that new gear!
Dage vs Nulgath Print at HeroMart!
Head to HeroMart.com NOW to get your limited edition, hand-signed Dage vs Nulgath print! This illustration of Dage’s all-out invasion to control the Underworld pulls you straight into the battlefield… and our 11x17 limited-quantity print makes the BEST war-loot!
Both Dage the Evil and Nulgath will sign 500 prints, and once they are sold out, they’ll be real-life rares! Frame your print and then log into AQWorlds to help your favorite Evil Commander send his rival down in flames!
Each print comes with the following in-game items:
Dage The Evil's Rewards:
- Proto-Paragon Armor
- Proto-Paragon Helm
- Soul Kris Blade
Nulgath's Rewards:
- Dreadfiend of Nulgath Armor
- Dreadfiend Face of Nulgath Helm
- Dreadfiend Blade of Nulgath
NOTE: We are still waiting to receive the signed prints back from Nulgath, so there will be a small delay on shipping ONLY signed orders.
Coming the August in AQWorlds!
- Return to The Span to see WHY Galanoth had to slay the Dragon of Time!
- Journey to Shadowfall to aid Empress Gravelyn! The time for inaction is past!
- Uncover the TRUE nature of Lore's Clerics! What IS the secret of the Sisterhood of Dishpan Hands?
April 27, 2012
SkyGuard + Doom Package
DOOM Starter Package NOW Available!
DOOM is all around, it's in the air, it's on the ground... and in your INVENTORY! Purchase the $19.95 3 month upgrade now and for a limited time you'll also get 2,000 AdventureCoins (1,000 more than normal!) AND the DeathKnight Armor Set (Armor, helm, and weapon)! AQWorlds membership gets you access to exclusive storylines, quests, and gear!
DOOM: It's starts with YOU!
Once you purchase the package, check your Book of Lore for the DeathKnight Badge to unlock the shop and purchase all the DOOMtastic equips!
SkyGuard: Massive Mechsplosions!
Mecha battle tech means MEGA PAIN! SkyPirates have invaded the SkyGuard High Command, and they’re after a VERY secret, VERY explosive weapon that could turn the tide of the war… and give whoever is behind all this chaos the win! High Command no longer trusts Captain Stratos, so it’s up to you to save the day, brave the legions of SkyPirates, and MAYBE get a ridein a really sweet mech! The SkyGuard's leveled up their tech!
Previously in Doomwood!
DOOM continues... in Doomwood! If you haven't played last Summer's Doomwood Saga, or if you've forgotten parts, then you've got a LOT to catch up on before next week! Click the button in Battleon to see what you've missed, then /join Doomwood and play through the storyline to see all of the secrets we DIDN'T reveal in the cutscene!
Coming NEXT week, Doomwood II: Whispers of the Darkness Lord continues!
Mid-week Member Release in Wednesday!
Don't forget to check out this week's member-only midweek release took place in the Lightguard map, where members can find Mitchem, a Paladin Loremaster. Ghosts, guardians, and epic gear await you!
- Paladin Loremaster Armor!
- Prismatic Supercape!
- The Hood of the Divine!
- Horns of Betrayal!
- Bladed Braid!
Artix vs Sepulchure Action Figure Video!
Good vs Evil clash in an incredible stop motion animation video featuring Artix vs Sepulchure! Watch as our action figures come to life and engage in the ULTIMATE BATTLE!
We hope this video, created by Counter656, will get you guys geared up, because the toys are coming to Heromart soon! Make sure to check out HeroMart's Coming Soon page for all the toys' information!
Dragon Deluxe Limited Edition Print!
Business and whimsy (whimsiness!) mix in this awesome print by Dage the Evil! Only 500 of these hand-signed prints will be sold, and once they're gone, they're gone FOREVER! (And there are only 343 left right now!) The print comes with the LichLord ingame armor AND if Heromart sells out by midnight, Dage will draw an EXTRA item as a gift to all those who purchased!
Whimsy + Dragon = RAWRsome!
AE heads to Relay for Life!
The world is made up of everyday heroes, and this weekend Artix Entertainment is joining a whole group of them as we race to find a cure to save lives in Relay for Life! We'll be walking, running, /stepdancing, and even /sambaing our way up, down, and around the track for 18 hours from Friday to Saturday.
Have a great weekend, everyone! We'll be walking at the Relay all tonight, so if you're in the area, stop on by and say hi! Play the card game with us, spin the Wheel of Fortune or pick from the Treasure Chest to win AEsome swag!
April 23, 2012
Save the World or Blow it Up!
Return to DoomWood!
Previously In DoomWood: The tale of DoomWood Part 1 is packed with puns, reveres vicious villains, and is overrun with undead, all while revealing the secrets of Artix's past... and future! This Friday, watch a "Previously in DoomWood" cutscene to revisit those memories of your journey with Artix to the deepest reaches of DoomWood!
If you haven't finished the zone (or started it) yet, then you should /join lightguard RIGHT NOW! You won't be required to have finished Part 1 to play, but when Part 2 REALLY starts next week, having that background knowledge is going to make the zone feel a lot fuller.
DoomWood Part 2: Whispers of the Shadow Lord will be available for ALL players and continues the story of Artix, Vordred, Sally, and Gravelyn, taking it to darker, more undead-ly places than ANY of us could have imagined!
DoomWood Member-only Mid-week!
PALADIN PUNCH! (Not the fruit drink.) In this week's member-only mid-week release, Cysero sets up your return (or introduction) to DoomWood but, as in any quest, your companions are the key to success! To unlock all the rewards this week has to offer, you'll want to make fast friends with Michtem, the Paladin Loremaster you'll meet on arrival.
When a misunderstanding pits you against one of DoomWood's Guardian Spirits, though, if fate is not kind, you won't have a ghost of a chance to survive! Rewards will include the Paladin Loremaster armor as well as a wide assortment of helms and capes, since we heard you guys wanted more of them!
SkyGuard: Things that Make You Go BOOMMM!
In the latest installment of the SkyGuard storyline, SkyPirates invade the High Command's mountaintop base, seeking to sabatoge communications and searching for access to their secret weapon. And that secret weapon just happens to be the all-new, high-powered battle-tech war mech, Project M3cha-d34th!
But when Stratos goes rogue, disobeying the High Command's orders, you'll need to deal with the SkyPirates on your own! Something's rotten in the High Command, and it will take all you've got to save the base and all of Lore without blowing it all sky high!
Dark Caster X, Knave1 Rares Shops leave May 7th!
Join Dage's Legion... or try to infiltrate it! Speak to Dage in Battleon to access the Dark Caster X shop. Talk to Knave1 in Swordhaven to browse his show of slayer-ful gear! Both shops leave May 7th, so all of you asking for extensions to the shop can rest easy, you've got time left... but not a lot!
Cerberoz Livedraw this Wednesday at 4pm!
Join us this Wednesday at 4PM server time for Cerberoz's in-game live-draw event! We'll be taking your suggestions over Twitter about what he should draw so that you can see your input shape the item as it appears on the screen!
If you haven't joined us for an in-game LiveDraw event yet, here's what's going on:
You'll want to /join stream once the event starts and you'll be able to watch as one of AE's epic artists draws an item based on your real-time suggestions! That item will go into the Black Market shop in the /stream map and, once the art is polished up, the item will turn into the weapon you've just seen created.
AQW Action Figure Video Premiere after Livedraw!
And make sure to stay in /stream after Cerberoz's drawing event ends to watch the world premiere of the AQWorlds Action Figure video! Created using stop-motion animation, you'll watch the Artix and Sepulchure action figures comes to life before your eyes! Look for more details about the premiere as the event draws closer!
News about the action figures?
The action figures are on their way to the Lab as we speak! We'll have prices and release dates to you guys as soon as they are finalized!
One of the Good guys!
We've got a sneak peek of one of HeroMart's newest items! Drawn by Cerberoz, this poster features all-new, dynamically-posted character art of some of AQWorlds' most well-known Good characters!
We'll have more information on this poster and all of the other new HeroMart items as the decisions are made. Keep an eye on HeroMart's Coming Soon page for more news!
AE heads to Relay for Life!
The world is made up of everyday heroes, and this weekend Artix Entertainment is joining a whole group of them as we race to find a cure to save lives in Relay for Life! We'll be walking, running, /stepdancing, and even /sambaing our way up, down, and around the track for 18 hours from Friday to Saturday.
If you're in the area, /party up with us at the Charles S Rushe Middle School from 6PM Friday night to 12PM Saturday! We'd love to see all our local players there!
Ludum Dare Update: Kitty.coli
This weekend, Cysero, Samba, Rolith, Thyton, Warlic, Epic Duel's RabbleFroth, and I participated in the Ludum Dare, a timed game-making competition. Scroll down to see more details about our infection-themed top-down shooter called Kitty.coli (takes place inside a cat's gut)!
Although we didn't finish on time for the contest - thanks to some unforeseen bugs (how appropriate!) - we have the beginnings of an awesome minigame with absolutely SICK art (literally)!
Thanks to all of you who supported us over this weekend with questions and encouragement! Making games is something we love to do so much that sometimes it's hard to stop when Friday's releases are over.
Coming SOON in AQW!
If you were in-game earlier this month, you might have seen Artix share some secrets about what's coming in AQWorlds over the next few months. But now we're going to tell EVERYONE! So here's what you have to look forward to:
- DoomWood Part 2 - Whispers of the Shadow Lord starts NEXT WEEK!
- Alchemy Tradeskill - IN TESTING NOW!
- Dage vs Nulgath War THIS SUMMER!
- The next Chaos Lord - a Chaorrupted Chronomancer explores your destiny... and the timelines which combined to form AQWorlds!
- We are working every day to get Guilds ready for release, BUT we really want to do this right, so testing and time are of utmost importance before it can release. /Cheer Yorumi on as he commands the code to make it happen!
February 24, 2012
Betrayal and Bomb Blasts
The SkyGuard Saga continues!
BOOM! *blast* The Hoverbase is under attack! And when you learn that one of your closest companions has betrayed you, you’ll have to take matters into your own hands to keep the both the SkyGuard AND Lore safe from harm!
What the Pirate says changes EVERYTHING!
Get ready to go deep into the heart of the SkyPirate headquarters, where you’ll face bloodthirty pirates, the DreamWeaver’s most precious victims and a villain who will take everything you thought you knew about this saga and turn it upside down!
Don't mess with the SkyGuard!
But before you can learn about any of the shocking secrets and long-standing feuds, you'll have to go through the Chaorrupted SkyPirate General!
You'll want to do more than just SWAT at the boss. Take him DOWN!
SkyGuard Grenadier Comes Tonight!
The long-awaited Member-only SkyGuard Grenadier Class is LIVE! This class will ONLY be available to members. This week you can obtain it if you have rank 10 Skyguard rep, but if you want a shortcut AND you're a member, then NEXT week you can purchase it at Itzachi for 2,000 ACs! Check Cysero's Design Notes post for an in-depth look at the Grenadier Class skills!
Coming Soon!
- 3-way Etherstorm War! Fight for Good, Evil, or Desoloth! His fate depends on your fighting!
- The Return of Xan – are you ready for things to get HOT?!
- Lucky Week minigame fun fair! Do YOU feel LUK-y?
- The Potionmaker takes up a sword and becomes the Battle-ready PoisonMistress!
Have a good week, everyone! We hope members enjoy this Member-only Explosion week! All member-content, all week long! And get ready next week for the 3-way Etherstorm War and Dage the Evil's Even-Eviller Birthday Shop!
February 24, 2012
Skyguard Grenadier
Courage And Explosives!
Later today we will be releasing the Member Only Skyguard Grenadier Class along with the new addition to the Skyguard storyline.
Before we get to the skills breakdown let me remind you of a few things.
- The Member Only Skyguard Grenadier Class is, you guessed it, for Members only.
- TODAY people who have already worked to get their Skyguard Rep up to Rank 10 will get a full week to preview of the class and master its skills.
- NEXT FRIDAY we will be releasing an AC version of the class (Also Member Only)
- The only way to get the rest of the set (Helm and Gun) are through the Skyguard Rep Shop (Rank 10 like the class)
Now that that's out of the way, let's get crackin'.
SKYGUARD GRENADIER CLASS SKILL SET
Many people don't know what a Grenadier is. Long ago, just after the development of the first hand-thrown explosives, they were bravest and physically strongest soldiers. They'd have to be brave to walk around lobbing explosives that could blow you to bits and they had to be strong so thew could toss them as far as possible.
This combo of traits meant that every Grenadier was half fearless and half insane. As the technology of warfare developed, grenade launchers were invented so you no longer needed to be the strongest but you still had to have that special mixture of courage and madness that makes the grenadier so unique.
The Skyguard Flightpack is not part of the set.
They are often chosen to lead special assault teams and used as shock troops. Each Grenadier is worth a whole squadron of less specialized soldiers.
WARRIOR is the enhancement that you want to use for this class. It's also built on the Warrior mana regen model so you get mana from both hitting and getting hit.
The interesting thing about this is that each skill is a different grenade and each applies its own state to your foe, but the last skill applies a secondary effect based on which state you have applies to the enemy.
AUTO ATTACK
2 second cooldown
A basic attack, taught to all adventurers.
Here is your basic attack. Nothing flashy but it gets the job done.
HAMSTRING
10 mana, 4 second cooldown
Light damage, lowers enemy damage output for 4 seconds plus applies Weakened State. Weakened State replaces any other state.
This is the first skill that you get. It's the cheapest and has the fastest cooldown but also the weakest. The debuff is nice but once the last skill applies the secondary effect this skill gets nicer. I know that it;s hard to hamstring someone with a grenade but somehow you manage to do it. You're that good.
FLASHBANG
20 mana, 8 second cooldown
Moderate damage, reduces enemy chance to hit plus applies Blinded State to enemy. Blinded State replaces any other state.
Twice as costly as the first grenade and with twice the cooldown time. Again, another nice debuff but again it's the secondary skill that makes Flashbang a sweet skill.
FIRE IN THE HOLE!
SLEEPING GAS
20 mana, 10 second cooldown
Moderate damage up to two enemies, reduces enemy haste and has a chance to stun for 4 seconds, plus applies Gassed State to enemy. Gassed State replaces any other state.
Again, this grenade has a longer cooldown than the two before it but has multiple effects even before you use the last skill. It's a multi-hit attack with moderate damage, reduces enemy haste on both targets and COULD stun both targets.
ADRENALINE RUSH & BATTLE HORN
Rank 4 passives
Increase Dodge by 10%
Increase Damage by 10%
Decent Rank 4 passives. Increase survivability a LOT and do more damage. What's not to love?
REACTIVE GRENADE
30 mana, 9 second cooldown
High Damage, plus has secondary effect based on whichever State was last applied to your foe. Weakened State secondary effect – Bleed causing Damage Over Time to enemy. Blinded State secondary effect – Rally causing Heal Over Time to to you. Gassed State secondary effect – Elude causing increased Damage Resistance to you. Secondary Effects all last 6 seconds.
Ok, there is a lot going on here so let's take it one step at a time.
Each of the 3 earlier grenade skills apply a State. Weakened, Blinded and Gassed. In addition to doing High Damage, this will add a secondary effect based on which state you have applied.
- If your enemy has the Weakened State applied, then this skill will do High Damage and cause BLEED which is a fairly strong Damage Over Time (DoT) to the target.
- If your enemy has the Blinded State applied, then this skill will do High Damage and apply RALLY to you, which is a VERY strong Heal Over Time (HoT). This is a great heal, and one of the strongest HoTs in the game.
- If your enemy has the Gassed State applied, then this skill will do High Damage and apply ELUDE to you, which is a decent Damage Reduction buff.
TACTICIAN
Rank 10 passive
Rarely, you see your chance to turn the battle in your favor. You give this attack everything you've got causing VERY HIGH damage to up to 2 targets!
You've seen this type of passive before, but this one causes HIGH DAMAGE to up to 2 targets. If you're fighting a boss then it will just be a nice chunk of extra damage, but if you're farming then BOOM, you just cleared the field.
More To Follow
Keep your eyes here on the Design Notes for more notes on today's release!
301 days until Just Another Day
February 22, 2012
Prisoners of the Pirates
If you can't trust your family, who CAN you trust?
Drip... drip... drip... Rusty brown water drips from holes in the corrugated metal ceiling of the crumbling bunker in the SkyPirate Base where the children are kept. The thin, unceasing sound drills into her ears and would eat away at her resistance if she didn't keep singing loud enough to drive it away, Nhia thinks to herself.
And besides, it helps Jarren stay strong, too. And she would do anything to protect her little brother. Especially after the last blow from the Pirate as he brought in their breakfast. She can still see the bruise staining Jarren's cheek, spreading and growing darker as the morning passes. He didn't cry when the cuff came, and he didn't fight back.
It's too fine a line, she thinks, between not showing fear and not showing defiance. She doesn't know how long they can keep treading it.
"Nhia? Nhia? Nhia Nhia Nhia!" Jarren rapidly tugs at her ragged hem from where he crouches by the bin.
"What, Jarren? What do you WANT?" Nhia snaps, immediately regretting the harsh tone as tears well up in his eyes. What the Pirates couldn't do to him, she has, and she promises silently - again - to do better by him. To get them both out of this place.
"When ith Gramma goin' to tell the Pirates to let uth go? I dreamed of her latht night again. She wath holdin' me and thingin' to me like a Gramma thould do." Jarren's lisp only comes out when he's confused or scared, she knows.
Nhia pulls him to her and hugs him tight. If their own mother is too afraid to protect them from the DreamWeaver - she refuses to call her Grandmother - then she'll have to do it herself. But maybe... last night's Dream comes back to her in a rush.
"The DreamWeaver never held you like that, Jarren. She only makes you think she has. You've got to stop believing in her! We are nothing to her but tools to use, garbage to give to those filthy Pirates to make them think she'll keep her word." Her voice is harsh again, and she fights to soften her tone.
Jarren looks up at her, his eyes searching her own for an answer she can't give, a promise she can't make. She gives him the only comfort she can:
"We won't be here forever. I can feel it, and I Dreamed it. Something is going to change, someone is going to come, and it's going to be soon. We can hold on, Jarren. We have to." Nhia draws a deep breath and finishes.
"Dream of tomorrow's tomorrow. Hold the picture in your mind like Momma showed us. We can make help come. This nightmare has to end sometime!"
February 20, 2012
Monday Update
Apparently, No, You Can't Has Mod
Our first winner was given a full week to respond to the e-mail that we sent them and I'm sorry to say that they have missed out. I think a week is a very reasonable amount of time to give someone to respond but a lot of you want to get this show on the road and so do we.
We have sent a NEW e-mail to the NEW winner, so be sure to check the e-mail that you have attached to your account. If you, for some reason, can no longer access that e-mail then contact your e-mail provider and try to get access again.
Again, contact your E-MAIL provider. Player Support can't help you get your e-mail back. Nythera and her crew have many wonderful powers but all of them are related to AE's games and go no further into the real world.
We will be giving this new winner 3 full days to respond. Winner, if you have not responded by Thursday at NOON (server time) then we will pick again. Good luck, and hurry up! Everyone is waiting on you!
New Legion Quest Changes
Over the weekend we saw a lot of chatter about the new legion quests. TO ME it seemed pretty even, half of you were complaining that the quests were too easy and half were complaining that they were too hard. That usually indicates that we did well but Dage was unhappy with how easy these new quests seemed to be and they are his quests so he can make them as hard as he likes.
Today there will be some changes to the new quests. First, the Legion Soul Collector will be raised in price to 150 Legion Tokens. Second, each of the subsequent quests will require 50 souls instead of 25. To those of you who got it before the changes went through, well done. It takes a keen eye to appreciate a bargain when you see it.
Coming This Week!
Big MEMBER week this week. Wednesday will have another Mid-Week release for members which will add a little more story to the Bludrut map plus some nice new member rewards. Friday will see the next installment of the SKYGUARD storyline as well as the premier of the Member-Only Grenadier class!
MANY of you Members have already reached rank 10 in Skyguard and have been waiting for this class for a long time. You will all get a head start on this awesome new class as you will only be able to get it with reputation starting this Friday (Feb 24th).
Next Friday (Mar 3rd) an AC version of the class (Which will also require Membership) will show up Itzachi but by then the hard-grinding Rep hunters will already have mastered the class all the way to rank 10. I know that some of you will take issue with the class not being rep only but we are doing this because a LOT of people like taking the AC shortcut and it doesn't seem right offering the time-saving shortcut to non-members but not for Member classes. Any ways to save time and/or labor should always be available to Members.
Those of you who wish to earn it without spending a single AC will, of course, always be able to take the path of hard work. Any additional items to the set (helms, weapons etc) will also be in the Skyguard Rep shop for Rank 10 and you will ONLY be able to get them through hard work.
I will be doing a class skills breakdown a little later this week.
HeroMart Items!
In case you didn't notice, we have a new shirt in HeroMart for fans of Classic AQ!
The "I'M ON A BOAT" shirt features AQ Classic's Death on his gondola welcoming you to the underworld. It also comes with the VERY LARGE Death's Reaver scythe for your AQ Classic character!
We are running out of stock of MOD packs for the Battleon Battle Card game and we still have some 2012 Calendars but none of these items will last forever and once they are gone, we don't plan on reprinting them.
You may or may not be a calendar person but I can't tell you how much I love having my mods packs as a part of my card game.
Leaving Today!
Quibble and the Event Rare Shop for Love's Curse will be leaving a little later today! Just throwing that out there.
Forum Question...
This year is a Leap year which means that this month gets a 29th day this year (as it does every 4th year). It's a little late to do an entire event for Leap Day but what would you like to see happen on Leap Day? We might take one of your ideas and run with it.
305 days until Just Another Day
September 28, 2011
Purple Elephants on a SkyShip
That seems like a silly SkyPirate strategy...
Afternoon, Heroes and Heroines and Anti-Heroes! (Not the same thing as Villains according to literary theory!) Cysero told Twitter that I would write Design Notes. Now, I didn't think that was really wise since I'm taking some medicine for pain (I had 3 wisdom teeth pulled yesterday), but I trust Cysero! He's never steered me wrong yet, except for the time he suggested I eat the snozzberry yogurt. But might have dreamed that memory.
OOOH speaking of literature, I was reading a book Monday to distract myself from the pain in my mouth and it was about Hannibal using elephants in war. And THAT led to my dream - which happened when Rolith made me take a NAP (even though I need to work and not sleep!) - which was KIND OF about the release...
In that I dreamed about the SkyGuard (visions of BattleOn, Arcangrove, Lolosia, and more exploding as SkyPirate bombs fell on them) and SkyPirates using (this is a REALLY bad idea, pirates) purple elephants to attack the SkyGuard's Department of Strategization...
which sounds like defenestration...
which means to throw out of a window...
and the eyes are the window to the soul...
and sailors say "Aye Aye Cap'n"...
and the SkyGuard are sailors of the air...
and air is in hairspray...
which they use to style beehive bouffants...
which sounds like elephants...
that the SkyPirates want to purple! It all makes SENSE!@!!!
...
...
The TV and the DVR are glaring at me with malice in their beady little red LEDs. They're going to get me, and Rolith's out getting more juice! Oh NOOOOO!
I'm gonna need a Hero! And the SkyGuard are holding on for a Hero 'til the end of the Flight! You've gotta be brave, gotta /unsheath at the sight of SkyPirates as they start to fight!
Members will get a chance to be Heroes and earn
a SkyPirate Slayer character page badge this Friday!
I need a heeeeeeee-rooooooo-oooooo! Don't need teeth to sing. Success!
FOCUS. Need to FOCUS. Writing DESIGN NOTES.
Also successful (we think) will be this Friday's Limited Time Shop (member-only items sold for gold)! Cysero talked about that here. Cysero talks about a lot of things (he is REALLY smart! No joke.), and this is one of the ones you should definitely remember to pay attention to.
If you follow that link, you'll ALSO get to learn, or to remember if you've already learned it, about the update to the Treasure Chests this week! We're not going to stop filling those until you have HUNDREDS of items to collect! (That is a HUGE chest! Perhaps it is a Treasure Chest of Holding. HAH! D&D reference. I love being a nerd.)
We will also TRY to update the Player Suggestion shop. It depends on how much time we have.
Ok. Ok. Talk about the SkyGuard release. Talk about the Limited Time Shop. Talk about the Treasure Chest update. Talk about the Suggestion Shop. Check. Check. Check. Check. ... Check please! I'm checkin' out, it's nap time!
I'll leave you with a pretty pretty picture:
Rolith bought me lovely flowers but the cats eated them.
August 19, 2011
In the Land of Dreams and Nightmares...
Everyone wants to hear you scream!
And screams there will be when Stratos wakes in the Land of Dreams and Nightmares to see his worst memory play out before him. So grief-stricken is he that when he wakes again in the real-world, he is completely incapacitated. And it's at THAT moment that Invidia, his recruit assistant, brings word of the SkyPirates massing to invade Lore!
Your journey will start in Twilight's Threshold
Their first strike will be at the SkyGuard High Commanders, who have gathered to plot combat strategies. But they won't attack the Commanders head-on, no! They will strike at them where they have no defenses... in their dreams! That means it's up to you, along with Invidia's aid, to venture into the Land of Dreams and Nightmares to stop them!
Lose Yourself Inside Your Mind
Invidia will have a great deal of information on the Land of Dreams and Nightmares for you, thanks to King Alteon's Royal DreamWeaver (... good thing he had one!), so be sure to read that before venturing into the Maze itself. Once you're there, you'll need to find the Portal:
The Sword of Broken Dreams is a quest reward from the Nightmare Child
And quest to gather the Guide Stones which will unlock it, sending you on to your destination. SkyPirates are swarming around the map, and they'll do anything to stop you from reaching your goal, so you'll need to gather Guide Stone shards from them, find them hidden about the map, and complete puzzles which will reveal safely-hidden Stones.
Remember to investigate everything! Like this stone and that creepy little girl...
Try not to stare at the creatures spying on you from behind the mirrors. They can't hurt you... yet. If puzzles, battles, and side-quests aren't enough to keep you wide awake (and believe me, falling asleep in this Realm is a BAD idea!), then you can also try to crack the code on this puzzle:
You'll want to /goto your friends for help with this battle!
It will unlock a special challenge fight:
Fact: Abominations live inside your head. Sweet Dreams!
There's also a ton of EPICLY dream-y gear, like the Shattered Screams Staff (a reward from the Nightmare Child) and Phloyd the Dream Moglin (drops off of any monster)!
The SkyGuard Rep Shop has received some sweet new gear, too! Like the SkyGuard Gunner Armor pictured above. So equip this awesome armor, strap on your automatic rifle, and prepare to plow through the monsters which will haunt your dreams!
The Land of Dreams and Nightmares will open into a full zone for all players at some point in the future, but only members will ever get this zone-preview and the rockin' rewards that are hidden within!
Suggestion Shop Update coming NEXT week!
Too much to do and not enough time this week, so we're moving the Suggestion Shop update to next Friday! By then we'll have a ton of awesome ideas from you guys already Flashed and ready to go!
Sponzard: Class and Rep Boosts!
Yesterday Cysero announced that Sponzard, the sponsored-item-giveaway zard, has added two AWESOME rewards: Class Point and Reputation Boosts! Right now these 10 minute boosts can ONLY be acquired from the randomly appearing SponZard Button, which rarely appears in Battleon.
Coming next week!
We hope you'll enjoy this week's member-only release! Next week we'll return to Bloodtusk Ravine with more Horcs, more Trolls, and the rise of Chaos!
August 16, 2011
SkyGuard Saga: Sweet Dreams!
The Land of Dreams and Nightmares
Hidden inside the depths of your mind is the entrance to another Plane, one set apart from the everyday world: the Land of Dreams and Nightmares. Most only venture there while asleep, but for the Dreamweavers of Lore, it is a place they can visit at will, a realm into which they can bring - or force- other people.
When you last saw the DreamWeaver, she was sending Stratos into his own personal, hellacious nightmare: the worst day of his life. And that is where we'll open this Friday. See inside the good Captain's mind, and gain an insight into what drives him to wander the world with the SkyGuard.
Find her, she is trapped inside the maze of your mind!
Journey to Twilight's Threshhold
The SkyPirates are massing for an invasion, and SkyGuard High Command has gathered for a week-long meeting to strategize and distribute resources. Heavily defended in their Command Outpost, the DreamWeaver is going to attack them in the one place they have no defenses: their dreams!
The terrain of the Dream-Land mirrors ours to an extent, though travel there is much different. You will need to enter the Land of Dreams and Nightmares with Invidia and find a way to reach this otherworldly version of the military outpost and take out the SkyPirate assualt team sent to decommission the SkyGuard's highest Commanders!
Help the Nightmare Child for the Sword of Broken Dreams
Journey to Twilight's Threshhold, the entrance to the Land of Dreams and Nightmares. Enter a maze inside your mind to find the Portal that will take you where you need to go. What you'll see there depends entirely on you; but be careful, because it is laden with traps and puzzles. (And a challenge boss... IF you can figure out how to reach it!)
A final word of warning: things that are trapped there become... twisted. Do not stay long, Hero, or you may not come out the same as you went in!
Paymentez
PayMentez is live now for direct payments on AQ.com! To access it, visit this link.
To see the Brazil options outside Brazil, add "Portuguese/Brazil" language setting to your web browser. The web site enables Brazil mode if the IP Address detects Brazil or if the "pt-br" language setting is found.
June 15, 2011
The Badlands Bamboozle
The DreamWeaver Plans
On the outermost edge of King Alteon’s kingdom lies a forgotten stretch of land ravaged by heat, winds, and time. Few towns are left inhabited, but enough people remain – and pay allegiance to the King – that the SkyGuard still patrols their skies.
Awake yet inside the Dreamscape, the Dreamweaver walks the streets of Anders’ Loss – the site she has chosen for the coming deception. A ghost-sun shines in the ever-present twilight of this twisted Otherland; in this place, contradictions exist side-by-side, and only the initiated are able to travel there unhindered.
All looks well, and the Dreamweaver smiles cruelly. The next time she sees this place, it will be full day, and she will no longer be in this land of memory-demons and night-terrors, but in the real world. Ready to play her part in a charade starring the Hero. And Stratos. Yes… Stratos. The Master was wise to have selected this course. Everything depends on the Sky-Captain.
But first, she must draw them to Anders’ Loss. The ambush should go smoothly. The Sky Pirates she ensorcelled are working well with the Badland Bandits they recruited. She anticipates the SkyGuard’s response, and is confident that the two airships currently docking at the Base will be kept occupied by the Pirates’ ships.
It is imperative that they be drawn into this battle. The Hoverbase MUST be deserted to allow the Master free access to the resources they need so badly. It will work. The plan will proceed. The Master will be successful. And Granny V shall meet with the Hero and Stratos, helpless and ready to reward them for their heroics. Oh yes. All will go well.
SkyGuard Swag and Seriously Awesome Shops
IF you survive the DreamWeaver's plans for you, Hero, you'll have a LOT of loot to pick up! This week we're stocking the SkyGuard Rep shop with some crazy-cool new accoutrements for Members, like these electrifying ShockSticks and that jaunty SkyGuard-themed fascinator:
We've also got this (sky) high-class axe for you to wield, and Heroes and Heroines alike will look forward to a set of Aviator goggles accompanied by a snazzy scarf! (Don't worry, Heroes, your helm comes with an aviator cap, NOT the Easy-Breezy Goggle-Girl hairstyle!) These items aren't all, though! We'll have the SkyGuard Helmsman Armor and more coming, too!
Members will also have a bevy of impressive Player-Suggested booty to buy, because we're adding to THAT shop, as well! Check out some of the goods that Yulgar's having commissioned:
And to top it all off, we're also releasing the 2011 Father's Day shop on Friday! What better way to show your dad you love him than by buying him a set of virtual golf clubs? But if golfing is too active a sport for your big bad dad, we've got a slew of sweet accessories that'll let him relax - Ol' Fishing Garb, a nice sheet of Newsparchment, or the Gravity Defying Coffee Mug!
There's something for everyone in the Father's Day shop because everyone we know has a Father or a dad-like figure in their lives, and it's always nice to recognize those who mean a lot to you!
We've got a lot of work left to do before Friday, so I'm going to get back to writing (and explaining to Samba just what a "Dravir" is and why it wants to be a bandit...)
See you Friday! (Or sooner if you're on Twitter!)
June 13, 2011
AE needs a GUI Designer!
AE is looking for an Interface Designer!
From this moment forward, AE will try to find talent in the community before posting job postings elsewhere when possible. This position is primarily an art job and will require no coding skill but knowledge of web technologies and flash is a very large plus. You will be working the with AE team and helping to design functional and intuitive interface layouts for some of our websites and possibly some of our game projects.
Let me save you a little time and say that if you don't know what a GUI is, then you are not what we need. It WILL be a full time job, and in the U.S. you have to be at least 18 to work full-time hours, regardless of where you live.
You MUST be at least 18 year old. If you are under 18, if you don't include your age, or if you start with "I'm not 18 yet, but..." the application will not be considered.
What they need you to included in your email is:
- Your real name, age, and country of residence.
- AQW Game account name and linked email address.
- Master Account name and linked email address.
- Forum account name and linked email address if one is entered. (not required to have one)
- Languages you speak/read.
- Resume (or C.V.) *please note we'd like the CV in English. If we can't read it then we can't hire you. If you do not know what a resume is or do not have one, then you are not who we are looking for.
- Samples of your work. Ideally this will be a link to your online Design Portfolio, however if you choose you may attach no less than 3 samples of your Interface Design to your e-mail.
Please send your COMPLETE application to [email protected]
If the application is not complete, It will be deleted. And please - one application per person. We will read all the applications. If you are chosen to go through a further interview, we will contact you.
Unfortunately, since we will get thousands of applications, we can only reply to those who have what we might need. Otherwise you will not hear from us. If you have not heard from us within 2 weeks of submiting your resume and portfolio, it probably means that you have not been selected.
Good luck, designers! We can't wait to see what you've got.
Very Small DoomWood Member Release Today!
If you're really on the ball then you've already noticed these but We have added a few more DoomWood Daily quests for Members only today. That will make repping up a little simpler for you members.
Fixes Coming Friday
Yorumi has tracked down the bug which is breaking the stats panel and he is in the process of ironing out the bugs now. Assuming everything is stable that pesky bug should be fixed by Friday at the latest. We will also be rolling a few fixes to the Tower of Necromancy through the week.
Fixes Coming AFTER Friday
Pretty soon we will be adding new server to the selection menu except THIS server will have a tiny little Brazilian flag icon next to it. Since our Brazilian population continues to grow, the time has come for AE's first nation specific server. This will be an English server, exactly like all the rest but hopefully it will be a welcome sight for our new Brazialian players to enter a server where all the other players speak their language!
We would like the make a Barzilian-based NPC and add him or her to the game but we thought we would go to YOU for ideas. If you happen to speak Portuguese, what do you think would be a good name for the NPC/server? Let us know on the FORUMS! Please, no profanity. We WILL check out what the words mean before we consider them.
This is the first step into true localization. It's a small step but who knows where it could lead?
I should also mention that we are working on the SoulWeaver class as the 15 month AQW membership bonus. We've found a workaround for adding new battle effects which might work, so we can finally proceed with that class.
You may remember talking about the Membership Perks before. If you have at least three months of AQW membership (V.I.P X-over from HeroSmash does not count toward the total, must be AQW membership) then you will earn an Achievement Badge and The Battle Tested Axe Master Armor & Helm!
But there's more... If you have had FIFTEEN or more total months of AQW memberships, you will earn a SECOND Achievement Badge and also gain access to the SoulWeaver class (similar to, but not exactly like the DF class of course).
These items are just little perks for people who have supported the game. They all both be FREE NON-MEMBER (set at 0 AC for free storage) itemsOur way of saying Thanks and another Member Only perk, even after your membership has expired.
They won't be ready this Friday, but I wanted you to know that they are still coming. After all, what is constantly updated design document for?
Technically, that sentence should read "After all, for what is an constantly updated design document?" but that just sounds odd.
COMING FRIDAY!
Speaking of Member Only Perks, THIS FRIDAY we are heading back to the Member Only Skyguard Area. I'll save the details for Alina to tell you in future Design Notes posts this week, since she is writing the zone.
We will also be buffing the Player Suggestion Shop with a bevy of Member Only items this Friday.
Father's Day is this Sunday so we will be running the 2011 Father's Day shop from Friday until Monday.
Now that I'm someone's dad I can say... be very nice to your dad.
Lastly, since you guys have been asking for it I was able to talk Zhoom into finding room for 10 more Friends List spaces for everyone, also coming This Friday. Yay, Zhoom!
I Just Noticed...
... That Artix has already written a Design Notes post today. If you're just reading this now, be sure to check out Artix's E3 Review below!
April 29, 2011
Skyguard Academy in Peril
Higher Education means Better Plotting
Head to the Academy in our latest update to the member-only Skyguard storyline! Before you arrive, you'll meet the "Master." It's not his real name, but it's the one you'll use if you don't want to relive your nightmares everytime you close your eyes. His only concern is causing Chaos, and he plans to use the Skyguard to do so!
He's sure that if he makes enough mayhem, Drakath will be sure to choose him as the next ChaosLord. If you value Stratos' safety and sanity, you'll do everything in your power to stop him!
Grand Gear in a Royal Wedding Shop
Earlier today, Prince William of Wales married the love of his life, Kate Middleton in Westminster Abbey. We wanted to celebrate the joyous occasion with the happy couple, but we have a release to do! So instead, we've released a shop full of wedding wear that's fit for a Prince or Princess!
It's stocked with awesome armors, top-notch top-hats (including the color-custom ULTRAHAT) and millinery masterpieces!
HeroSmash Beta Launch Shop is Live
To celebrate the Beta release of HeroSmash to ALL players, yesterday we released a shop full of smashin' gear and heroic items! So whether you're a villain at heart or a hero all the time, make sure to peruse the epic weapons and helms we've made for you!
* Positive and Negative Plazmatron Guns
* Elephant Head and Prismatic Balloon Head helms
* Aqua Warrior and Aqua Scout helms
* And more!
Player Suggestions to Savor
You keep coming up with great ideas, so we keep Flashing them! We've got some awesome content updates to our Player Suggestion shop, so be sure to check them out! You'll find armors and weapons aplenty!
Most of the team is either heading to or at the Relay for Life event already, so we're going to roll this out, pack up, and go do our part for an awesome cause! Enjoy the release, and we'll see you on Monday!
AQ3D
BattleGems
BioBeasts
Dragons
Undead Assault