Top secret behind the scenes information about AdventureQuest Worlds and our other web based games.
Artix
Birthday-adin
...and...
Minimal
Zhoom
Miltonus
...and...
Safiria
Nythera
Zazul
Happy New Year!
The YEAR OF CHAOS is about to begin...
Friends, thank you for the best year ever! Before the highly anticipated insanity of 2010 begins, let us take a moment to look back over the year... and chuckle at all of the victories, train-wrecks and embarrassing moments that we shared together.
As you may recall, we launched AQWorlds just before the start of 2009. The game was brand new and did not even have a story yet. I was shocked when I realized how many things did not exist until this year. Thanks to your ideas, suggestions and very appreciated encouragement, the team accomplished....
211+
Weekly Releases
between our 5 games this year!!
* The storyline began!
The intro of the game where Drakath first appeared, slew Sepulchure and mortally wounded King Alteon
* Our first game-wide Wars!
We battled side by side against millions of monsters in a massively multiplayer version of the wars for the first time.
* Housing was released!
* The 1st Lord of Chaos: Escherion
In a zone inspired by the artwork of MC Escher, players battled their first Chaos Lord. Escherion is a battle mage with the power of inversion.
* The 2nd Lord of Chaos: The Twins
The Twins were originally balanced, once offering good advice and one offering bad... until Drakath intervined, and secretly replaced the good one with... well, that is a story for next year. The Twins have not been fought and currently only appear during one-time-only special events.
* The 3rd Lord of Chaos: Vath
The 3rd Chaos Lord is a Dark Elf DragonLord. Controlling a giant Dragon named Stalagbite he took control of the Dwarfhold Mountains and the mystic forge within.
* The 4th Lord of Chaos Revealed: Kitsune
Inspired by Artix's adventures to the far East, Yokai Isle features anime-spoofs and famous Japanese monsters that you may never have heard of!
* 18,000 Mages Teleported the town of Battleon
In order to move the town from the path of an on-coming meteor, all of the mages of the world united to cast a giant teleportation spell. On the first attempt, we landed above Gravelyn's evil fortress.
* AQWorld's goes widescreen!
Eveyr map in the game was resized to our new, bigger screensize.
* Voltaire Friday the 13th Event
Our first live event with a musical guest star! 32,000 players showed up for the 1st live event crushing the servers like a peanut under an elephant's foot. Then, there was a second Friday the 13th... and we did another one with hourly shows!
* Artix, Twilly & Zorbak visited Japan
* Warpforce, our 1st Expansion was released!
The team that runs the original AdventureQuest created a full spin off game taking classic AQ style game play to the stars.
* The MechQuest ArtBook
Our first artbook! Created at the lab by Johnny Atomic, Aisha and the team, it is BEAUTIFUL! (and full of Artix's bad grammar and typos). See for yourself
* NPC's got those pop-up thingies
It might not sound like a big deal, but it really added a lot to the game!
* DragonCon 2009!!!
Best convention ever! We ran a panel and players came dressed as J6, Escherion, Tek, Yulgar, Cleric Joy, and Ash! One player (Sunbrella) even flew all the way from New Zealand to come meet us! As usual Zorbak took lots of pictures! Oh, we also went to JCON this year which was a blast!
* Special Events
o SuperBowl (& Moglin Punting)
o Hero's Heart Day
o St. Patrick's Day Drakel Cannon
o Mother's Day
o Earth Day
o 40th Anniversary of landing on the Moon
o Father's Day
o Ninja Day
What!? I do not remember a Ninja day.
o Independance Day (US & Canadia)
o Graduation Shop
o Talk like a PIRATE Day, "ARRRRRR!!!"
o Mogloween (Cauldron Sisters, the Thriller!)
o Harvest Festival (Oishii & Turdrakens)
o Frostval (Hungry for Cookies?)
* The Save Chuckles Movement
It was an inside joke started by players that spiraled out of control, ending with a T-shirt and the world's cheesiest infomercial.... it called for the return of Sepulchure's laugh-aholic skeletal sidekick (who originated from DragonFable!)
* The PTR: Stats and PvP began
The biggest and most important project of the year finally opened giving players (and the staff) a glimpse of upcoming PvP and player stats. (PTR Server - currently , Member only)
* Forum Contests
We many fun contests on the forums this year... here are a few of the most memorable!
o House Decorating Contest
o The Ballyhoo Commercial Contest
o Pumpkin Carving Contest
o Holiday Cookie Contest
* DoomKnight Released!
Doooooooooom...... then Beleen forces us to make Pretty Pretty Pink DoomKnight armor for the girls.
* 1st TV Commecial
With footage inspired by the players, voice acting recorded in Artix's bathroom and edited on $99 off-the-shelf video software... it was shown nationally on major channels including Cartoon Network, Nickleodon, and MTV! (Older version)
* AQWorlds gets a 10+ rating by the ESRB
We also joined TrustE, which is a highly respected privacy protection program. While you and the players already know we are honest and responsible, it is nice having major organizations give us their stamp of approval!
* Golden OnSlaught
(AQWorld's 1st Birthday Party)
Twig was left alone to decorate... cake, presents and Sweetish Fish as far as the eye could see. Meanwhile, a ground of overzealous Knight's kidnapped the entire staff (It was so funny how Cysero was trapped in a chalk circle and could not cross it.) In order to save them EVERY player in the game turned undead and joined Gravelyn's army of darkness in the most bizzare rescue mission EVER. Epic win. In the end, the heroes were rescued, the knights of the Golden Onslaught joined the players and their former leader, Maxmillian Lionfang, excaped... and ran into the Chaos Lord(s) known as The Twins. You can still get wallpapers from ArtixWallpapers.com
* Interview in in Beckett's GAMER Magazine
AQWorlds appeared in a magazine for the first time (both last month, and it will again next month.)
* The AQWorld's Deady 8" Vinyl Figure
We released a collector's figure with Voltaire. ALL the units we had available to sell from the lab were sold out in a weekend.... behind the scenes we created a brand new online store called HeroMart. (If you are not a Hero, we also made VillianMart)
* EpicDuel, our 5th Game was released!
Titan & Nightwraith officially became part of Artix Entertainment and got access to hardware and talent to build EpicDuel even better.
* AQWorlds is at 14 Million Free accounts
X weapons, x friends, x armors, (Zhoom is getting the numbers for me still... he said right after the release.) and one extremely hyper, radio-active hampster powered database server.
* Master Account System goes into Alpha!
"The One Login to Rule them All!"
While still in development, it is going to allow for cross game achievements, item unlocking, friends lists, contentests for our community and more!
* Cysero had a baby!
Well, not him personally. Little Jack, the future harvester of missing left socks, was born on Dec 26th!
* Signed Charity Auction Poster for $15,000!??
When new posters were created for the secret underground lab, there was one made at a different size. Cysero suggested that instead of just hanging it on the wall, that we auction it for the Child's Play Charity. With hopes of sending $100 to $200... the team was SHOCKED when bidding closed at $14,999.42. 100% of the proceeds will go to the Child's Play Charity which helps sick kids in Children's Hospitals.
Thank you!
On behalf of the entire team, I would like to thank you and all of the other great players who made this possible. It is because of you that we were able to create AdventureQuest Worlds and put our hearts into making it better each week. Whether you made suggestions, helped us squish bugs, upgraded and became a member, clicked on ads, tested new features, or helped your fellow players on the forums -- you have made this all happen. Thank you!
Now.... are you ready for everything that is about to happen in 2010? Battle on in the New Year friends!
Beleen
December 30th, 2009
Happy New Year!!!
2010 - The Dawning of a New Decade… and a New Release
Happy New Year, everyone! Can you believe the end of the year is already here? Fireworks have already been added to Battleon… so let’s ring in 2010 by blowing some stuff up! Makes complete sense, right?
LimPlayed DragonFable as of late? If so, you might recognize the newest… he loves SCIENCE and goes by the name of Lim! Since Cysero is off being a new Daddy, Lim has decided to help set up things for the New Year Party.
But some baddies have showed up, putting a damper on the New Year festivities (which include bundles of fireworks, new items, and a gigantic crystal Countdown Ball). While Lim makes wire cable repairs in an all-new map, specially made for New Years, it will be up to you to slay the power-cable gnawing monsters, including Ice Master Yeti!
Lim Weapons
So come celebrate 2010 with your friends and family as you watch the giant Countdown Ball drop in the famous Time’s Rectangle! (It’s kinda like a Square, but with longer sides) In the middle of this new map, a massive crystal ball is perched on a pole, slowly counting down to the new decade. A timer is beneath it too, showing you the exact time left until the arrival of 2010! Everyone is going to be there!
Celebrate!
The Gift Boxes open on New Year’s Day!
These are the last days of 2009. The time has come to reflect on all of the great memories and achievements of the year… and also your last chance to obtain your Gift Boxes from the giant red bag in Battleon! At midnight (or close to it) on New Years Day, the presents will magically unwrap (you will have to relogin in to see them) so you can start 2010 off on the right track—with a brand new Armor, Sword, Cape, Helm, and Pet!
The entire Staff at Artix Entertainment wants to wish you a Happy New Year! Our warmest wishes go out to your friends and family and everyone else who is a part of the AQW Family. The new year is rapidly approaching, so what better time than ever to celebrate everyone’s hard work with a huge New Years celebration! We could not have done this without you, so thank you for making AQWorlds your favorite MMORPG in 2009… and we will see you again next year… which happens to be in a few days!
Happy New Year! And also, Happy Birthday Artix and Nythera! =D
Artix
Uncle-adin
Final Release of the YEAR!
Only 4 days left until 2010 begins...
But there are only three days left until our release. During the holidays, our friendly team is reduced to a skeleton crew*. While Cysero, has his hands full (photo-shopping by Aisha) we are getting the in-game fireworks and creating the chilliest release of the year for you. Wish us luck! Do not forget, your giftboxes will open soon. We really hope you like what is inside! If you have other fun or interesting ideas for New Years, please let us know on the forums!
P.S. The 31st is Nythera's birthday (and mine too) So
Charity Auction
Meanwhile, we are auctioning a one-of-a-kind Xan poster signed by the AE team for the Child's Play Charity. The bidding is currently up to.... WHAAAAAA!? $13,399.83. It ends VERY shortly. All proceeds go directly to Child's Play through eBay's charity system.
2010 is the YEAR OF CHAOS
To kick off new year we will return to Yokai Isle and quest, uninturrupted, to reach the ultimate showdown with the most powerful Chaos Lord we have ever seen! Meanwhile, is Ryoku STILL charging up*?
* Wait.. what? UNDEAD!?!?!?!? I LOVE THE HOLIDAYS!
**
Baby Socks
December 27th, 2009
My Late Frostval Gift!
My son has a dad and it's ME!
Yesterday, December 26th, 2009 at 11:41 AM, my son Jack was born!
Jack
Yeah, I Drew That On His Hat In Paint.
Jack was 7 pounds, 11 oz, and just about 20 inches long.
Bekah went into labor at about 12:45 AM on Christmas night, and 11 hours later our son arrived, healthy and strong. Bekah is still tired and sore, but also healthy and happy to be a mommy. It was a long night but very worth it and I'm so glad that I was there right next to Bekah the whole time.
Thanks to everyone on Facebook and Twitter for all the Gratz and support!
I'll be working from home for a while, being a dad and taking proper care of my beloved, but don't think that I'm leaving for long. I couldn't stay away from making games if I tried!
Besides, I have to introduce Jack to weird Uncle Artix as soon as I can.
I hope you guys have had a great holiday season... this has been my very best Frosval ever!
Artix
Cookie-adin
Happy Holidays!
Video card from us to you....
Featuring a special song, "Coooookiez!", played and sung for you by those of us remaining here at the secret underground lab. Be safe, have fun, and get hungry for the holidays!
"More epically cringe-worthy than the Chuckles video!
Beleen
December 23th, 2009
‘Twas the Knight Before Frostval…
‘tis the night of new releases, too!
Happy Frostval everyone!
I know what you’re thinking: “Beleen, you’ve totally lost it, today is Wednesday and new releases don’t happen ‘til Friday.”
Well, yes, it is true that I may be the dimmest light on the Frostval tree, but we really are releasing new content tonight! This is the season of giving and sharing after all, so why not ring in the holiday /cheer early? YEAH!
Let’s start off with the good stuff: a shipment of brand-new items has arrived—and just in time, too! Since the magical season of giving is currently underway, what better time than ever to release a bunch of brand-new weapons, armors, pets, and house furnishings for you to deck your halls (and inventory bags) with!
* 6 New Weapons: Coal Mace, Pulsing Coal Staff, Coal Staff, Pulsing Golden Staff, Golden Staff, and the Golden Mace
* 3 New Helms: Santy Claws Moglin Morph, Golden Moglin Brawler Morph, and the Golden Moglin Morph
* 3 New Armors: Santy Claws Moglin Suit, Golden Moglin Brawler, and the Golden Moglin Suit
* 3 New Pets: Tiny Santy Claws, Pair of Golden Moglins, and a single Golden Moglin
* 1 New Cape: Golden Moglin on your back
* 6 New House Items: Xan Wall Poster, Golden Moglin Statue, Decorated Frostval Tree, Two Moglins in a Frostval Tree, Tiny Frostval Tree, and the Undecorated Frostval Tree.
3
WOAH… that sure is a lot of items… and that sure is a lot of PINK text! I bet Artix is ganna love this Design Notes post when he sees it… =D
So what’s the deal with all the Gold stuff? Well, have you ever read the classic tale of ‘Twas The Night Before Frostval? No? Well that’s about to change!
2
This completely original story has been passed down through Moglin generations. ‘Twas the Night Before Frostval tells a tale of holiday Heroes, a villainous creature by the name of Santy Claws, and the true meaning of this magical season. Aaaand it all rhymes, too! As you read through the pages of the story, new zones, new monsters, new adventures, and new items will welcome you! Interested? Head to the town of Frostvale and speak with Major Moglin to embark on this timeless one-of-a-kind classic quest!
1
Creative Cookie (and holiday dessert) Contest Winners!
Yummers! The winners have been announced! With so many delectable entries, it was too hard to pick just one winner… so instead, we picked 53. That’s right—53 scrumptious holiday desserts are on display for you to feast your eyes on! Congratulations and thanks to everyone who participated. Check out the winners on the Events Page!
Battle On and Warm Wishes from your friends at AQWorlds! Have a happy holiday season… or else! =D
Happy Birthday MOM!
Sock's Play
December 21st, 2009
SIGNED XAN POSTER!
And It's For A Good Cause
Those of you who have been around for a while know that around this time every year I start trumpeting as loudly as I can about Child's Play.
Child's Play
Child's Play!
This is a great charity set up by the guys over at Penny Arcade, that brings the gamer community together to help kids in children's hospitals all over the world.
It runs year-round now but they try extra hard during the holidays to get the gaming community together to show the rest of the world what we're made of.
For the past couple of years we were able to actually be sponsors of Child's Play which due to circumstances beyond our control, we were not able to do this year... although many of us dug down into our pockets and gave personally.
We've decided to try something a little different this year.
We printed up this high-gloss, 24" X 30 3/4" poster of XAN, on foam-core and got as many of the AE Team to sign it as we could.
EpicDuel
Xan!
It was signed by me (Cysero), Artix, Zhoom, Safiria, Warlic, Thyton, Beleen, Tomix, Ghost, J6, Llussion, Ai No Miko, Jemini, Korin, Geopetal, Aisha, Faith, Alac, Rolith, Nythera, Zazul & Yergen Von Shmergenbergen.
The picture was taken before we got everyone to sign it, but the names are all on there!
There is only 1 of these in the entire world, and it could be YOURS! It is now on EBAY for the next 6 days and 20 or so hours.
CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE AUCTION! This is our ONLY auction so don't be fooled by fakers and scammers.
100% of the profit from the auction will go directly to Child's Play so not only will you get a one-of-a-kind collectible BUT you're also giving to help out some sick kids and support the gamer community!
Please, do whatever you can to show the world what we already know... that Artix Entertainment fans are the best fans on Earth! Even if you don't win the poster, Childs Play could use your help!
Thanks for bidding and Happy Frostval to you all!
J6
December 18th, 2009
Ho-Ho-Holy-Moly!
we've got over 75 items this week!
Where do I start? This week is going to be packed with new stuff. I was kidding around in my last design notes about not being able to count the new items coming out, but this time I'm serious, I actually can't count the number of items! At my last count it was 75, but who knows what more we can come up with for you tonight! It’s hard to really show you how much that is, but think of any other games out there that come out with an update only once a month, or a few swords scattered about for you to collect...what we have for you is so much better! Some of the items will be rereleases of last year’s Frostval items, but for players who experience their first holiday with us, you won't be disappointed. So let’s see if I can make a list! (Beleen checked it twice.)
Released this Friday, we have:
Frostval Items: Armors, swords, axes, staves, helms, pets, maces, capes, daggers, etc. I can count them all, but let’s just say there's more for you to buy than what fits in your backpack.
Frostval Gifts: Buy these in Battleon and keep them safe, they open up on New Years to reveal a new Set!*
Pet of the Month: A new pet of the month is here! He's a little late, but he made it! You can go buy him at Aria's in Battleon.
Frostval Maps: We have 5 new maps for you to explore**.
King Coal: This is a NEW new map, which will stay as a permanent addition to the Frozen Northlands. The king has caught a nasty cold, and it’s up to you to cure him!
New Items: King Coal will have bunch of items for you, including at least 5 new armors, 10 weapons, and a helm or two.
Cold King
Ummm...I'm sure there was something else, but I'm having a memory lapse, there's so much to keep track of...I'll keep you posted if I remember what I forgot!
Did you know that there is only one week left till the holidays? I hope you got all your presents bought and wrapped! Don't forget, you can now buy AE upgrade cards at a store near you. I ran all over the place this year trying to find some.*** If you do get your hands on one, they make great stocking stuffers. You can slip one in to your younger brothers or sisters, or even put one in your parents stocking. They might not know what the game is, but you're never too old to play! My mom has an account, her name is J6s Mom, you can't miss her. If they aren't interested, you can always buy one for yourself, just forget about it, and you'll be instantly surprised when you pull out the card this year.
So come join us tonight for the release, and if you see me around I promise I'll try to talk this time! I'll be too excited for the holidays to hold it in.I'd like to give a huge thank you to Ghost and Tomix who helped me out last minute this week!
*This is a different set than Tinsel's presents. So if you've been keeping up with her, you'll have two new armor sets to open this year!
**5 new maps to re-explore if you were with us last year.
***Ask Cinazool, I drove her nuts looking through every store
Happy Birthday MOM!
PTSockPTR
December 18th, 2009 (continued)
Minimal's Trials and Triumph
Most of you know a lot of us because we talk to you through the Design Notes or within the game, but there are some very understated but amazingly important members of the AE team that don't get as much recognition as those of us with bigger mouths.
Minimal is one such cat. He is one of the genius coders who made AQW possible. Without him, we might not even have an MMO. Our 4th game would have been a Pong rip-off or something.
The new and imporved game engine that you have come to know as the PTR has been his baby for as long as I can remember. When the PTR engine is moved to all live servers, it makes all manner of new things in AQW possible, such as but not limited to: PLAYER VS. PLAYER COMBAT (PvP) maps and the brick wall hindering our forward momentum, known as STATS.
With STATS and PVP live in the game, AQW will become a much fuller and more interesting gaming experience. With Stats you will be able to affect your own characters in ways you never could before. You think you need more HP? You want to do more Damage? Stats is the key.
And with PvP live you can beat down friends and strangers alike, and who doesn't like that?!
This PTR Engine has taken more of Minimal's life and sanity than any of us would like to admit and it's finally nearling launch time. We are all very proud to be able to deliver the fruits of his hard work to you guys.
If you are a member who has played on the PTR and helped us test or if you are a non-member who is eagerly awating the changes... show Minimal some love on the forums, and wish him some luck.
Thanks to his hard work and all of your feedback, Artix tells me that we are very near launching the PTR ... maybe even this weekend. He'll need some serious help testing the PTR and all of the new features this weekend.
Beleen
Hey! Don’t forget about Quibble!
Silly J6, I know you are already having snowball fights in Frostvale while wearing your new Color Custom Clawsuit Armor, but how could you forget about Quibble Coinbiter?
That’s right! Quibble is back in Battleon. YAY! He’s got a bunch of brand-new slightly-used items from the future for you to get your mittens on. Remember, you never know when his inventory will run out or if these items will end up going rare… so make sure to get the gear while the gettin's good! A few of the holiday surprises you can find include:quibble
* Hailblade
* Dragonbow
* Noble Blade
* Dragonburst Gun
* Amethyst Rune Blade
* Tri-Gun
Woah! Look at all those items…and there’s even more (but this post is already waaay too long to list the rest)! Hehehe, I just love Frostval, don’t you? Don’t forget to Battle On and Bundle Up! =D
Oh! And EpicDuel is releasing a huge update today as well! What can I say—we all love releasing on Fridays!
item
Artix
Achoo-adin
December 17th*, 2009
Chilly release tonight!
Frostvale's tonight, but it is 101° on the inside for me...
When I felt a cold coming on earlier this week, I did what you would expect any red blooded Florida-ian to do. I went to the Sushi restaurant. Along with a hot bowl of udon noodles I asked for a glass of water. See, the water was for my little container of "take this before you actually get sick and you will not get sick" medicine that I bought at the grocery store. It said on the side in bold letters that it was made by a school teacher. Having never used one before... I simply poured THE WHOLE THING into my water. (All 5 days worth) Seconds later my glass of water turned into a orange, bubbling science volcano that was moments from overflowing. I grabbed the cup and ran full-speed towards the rest room... but only made it half way (right in front of the sushi chef) before the orange volcano erupted and bubbled ALL OVER the floor... there was a bubbling trail all the way to the men's rest room. The other customers and waitresses were frozen with eyes wide open until the silence was finally broken by Rolith's /facepalm .
I probably caught my cold when the rest of the team put me up to modeling for those new AQWorlds ads. LOL, View at your own risk: Advertisement #1 and Advertisement #2 . If you, um, did not get the inside joke... these ads are a spoof of some other games which are using ads featuring scantily clad women that are all over the internet. They are also a direct result of my response, "What do you mean our ads need more skin? I would not have any character do something that my character would not do!" which was followed by a sinister, "Really....?"
Frostvale begins tonight!
The team has been working very hard on the special Forstvale release for you tonight in AQWorlds. Also, it is looking very positive for a launch of the PTR tonight (Featuring a lot of new stuff that I have not seen yet). If that was not enough, there is a huge release in EpicDuel, and big releases in DragonFable and MechQuest. How are you going to decide what to do first?
* Nope! No time travel faeries, that is the correct date. I wrote this yesterday in a feverish dream featuring a crowd of talking reigndeer who assured me it was a good idea to post the story.
Beleen
EpicPink!
December 16th, 2009
EpicDuel! Epicness!
Who is Who in EpicDuel
Hello everyone! How are you liking AE’s newest PVPMMO, EpicDuel? It’s pretty Epic, if you ask me =D Speaking of… many of you have started asking questions about who is who in ED. Just to make things clear AND official, Titan and Nightwraith (your EpicDuel founders) are currently changing over ALL Artix Entertainment copyrighted names. What does this mean? Well, any name that belongs to AE Staff or an AE Mod will be given to the respected person. Example: Beleen (that’s me!) is Beleen in EpicDuel; J6 is J6 in EpicDuel; Artix is Artix in EpicDuel; etc.
Look, it’s me in bright pink armor!
These AE name changes are still underway. Here is a quick list of AE affiliated names that belong to the Staff Members in EpicDuel:
* Alac
* Artix
* Beleen
* BigTuna
* Cysero
* Galanoth
* J6
* Lim
* Nightwraith
* Oishii
* Randor the Red
* Reens
* Rolith
* Safiria
* Titan
* Tomix
* Warlic
* Zazul
A full Artix Entertainment Staff List will be provided once the new EpicDuel update is rolled live (we are aiming for Friday, but we can’t make any promises). Along with this release of 25+ new weapons including Bazookas, bug fixes, and performance improvements, a new feature will be added: every AE Staff member’s name will be colored GREEN instead of white. This will ensure you that we really are who we say we are!
Epic Bazookas are Epic!
Please remember: A Staff Member/Moderator will NEVER ask for your password. Anyone who does ask NEEDS to be reported immediately! And also, never ever give your password or any personal information out. Doing so will result in a stolen account, and that, my friends, is sooo not epic. In the meantime, have fun and stay Epic!
PS: Who is ready for Frostval? *waves hand frantically* I know I am!
Happy Birthday MOM!
Sockyhoo
December 15th, 2009
New Twilly Quests!
Sharkbait Gear for everyone!
We have just released 2 new Twilly quests, and some VERY nice NON-MEMBER rewards!
EpicDuel
Sharkbait Armor, Head Morph, Back Fin and Sword!
The first quest is called "Tipping The Scales", In this new quest you can decide which of these four new items you would like as a reward in addition to the gold and experience rewards!
The second quest is called "Chest Thumping" and you can still get these four new items, but instead of picking which items you want... there is a random % chance that you may get one of these items as a quest reward in addition to the gold and experience rewards!
Here's the catch (CATCH... get it?), "Tipping The Scales" is a member-only quest making it MUCH eaiser for members to get the new sharkbait gear!
Both quests will send you to the River in Greenguard, to defeat Kuro the river monster!
EpicDuel
Kuro!
These new engine changes allow for a lot more flexability of quest rewards, and this is your first chance to try out these new kinds of reward structures.
Good luck and Enjoy!
Mittens!
December 15th, 2009
I can count to 20!
unless I'm wearing mittens
Did you know that all of the snow from battleon comes from one place? At the peak of the Frozen Northlands lies one of the oldest Ice Elementals in Lore. His cold breath is responsible for pushing all of the hot wind away during the Frostval season, and keeping the villages nice and chilly. The town of Frostvale thrives on chill and without him, the little moglin huts would melt away to puddles, and the present making factory* would fall to ruins. See where I'm going with this? Something has happened to the Ice King! He hasn't been killed, kidnapped or fallen over to the chaos side...no, this is much, much worse. King Coal has caught the common cold. This might not seem like a huge disaster, but colds give you fevers, and a fever could endanger an Ice Elementals life! Even if his temperature changes only a few degrees, it would knock the balance out of lore. So this week, its up to us to play doctor!
This week will unlock a permanent new area to the Frozen Northlands as you venture into the Ice Kingdom to try to save the King. Ice Elementals aren't too friendly with warm-blooded mammals, so this might be harder than it seems. Come join us friday for an extra large release! Not only will we be releasing this new area, but we will also be re-releasing last year's Frostval events, with a massive, uncountable** list of items for you to collect!
*which runs on 100% recycled snow
**I can only count using my hands and toes, so the list is greater than 20
Beleen
December 15th, 2009
Bah Hum…Bugs!
Don’t worry, they’ve been squashed.
There were reports going around of some quest bugs in the Frozen Northlands. Apparently Aisha was doing everything in her power to prevent you from stopping her frozen reign of terror… including bugging Nythera’s quests! But don’t worry; the quests in the Frozen Northlands have been fixed. Mwahaa! Take that Aisha!
EpicDuel
Happy Birthday MOM!
Sockyhoo
December 14th, 2009
Totally EPIC!
EpicDuel is LIVE for EVERYONE!
Maybe you missed the memo. EPICDUEL is now open and anyone can play!
EpicDuel
Lots of people have been writing to me on Facebook asking for membership in EpicDuel, which is silly because there IS NO MEMBERSHIP for EpicDuel. It's free for everyone all the time.
But if you're going to duel, you're going to want to gear up. And if you want the edge, you're going to need VARIUM!
EpicDuel
Get Varium!
You can use Varium allll over the game to get access to special weapons, armors, hair syles and a bunch of other stuff.
If you buy ANY Varium package until Jan 12th, then you will become a EPICDUEL FOUNDER which comes with a special in-game achievement badge, which also appear on your character page when those pages are released!
And if you buy either of the two HIGHER Varium packages then you get a special in-game armor... the exclusive Duel Master armor!
Duel Master
Epic DUELMASTER!
If you missed being an AQW Founder, this is your chance to become a founder in out 5th and newest (and most addictive) game!
Bloodriver Runs Dry: Film at 11
First off, it's BLOOD RIVER... not BLOO DRIVER. I don't even know if Bloo NEEDS a driver but that's really not relelvant.
bloodriver
Does Not Drive Bloo
My very good friend and Shuffleboad partner, Ballyhoo has informed me that she will only be carrying the Bloodriver for a few more days. If you don't have it by Tursday evening... then you're out of luck!
Coming Friday!
Frostval is finally here! This week we will be expanding the new Northlands area, and re-releasing last year's Frostval even including the village of Frostvale.
See the difference there? FrostVAL is the season... FrostVALE is the town.
Happy Birthda Beleen!
See: Above.
J6
December 14th, 2009
Happy Birthday Chongo!
Chinchillin’ with Chinchillas
As you may know, Chongo is the adorable furball that bounces beside me during battle, as well as in real life. And not only is it my birthday today, but it is also Chongo’s! (granted, I am a lot older than Chongo…) Chongo is a Chinchilla who has been with me since I started my College career 3 years ago. And since he has brought me so much joy these past few years, I want you to share in the happiness, too! For today only, you can get your very own Chongo the Chinchilla in Aria’s Pet Shop in Battleon Town. Just, please, make sure he doesn’t eat too much cake!
Chinchilla
Prologue: Chongo is actually the hybrid combination from my two real-life Chinchillas, Annabel Lee and Lenore. Chongo received his name thanks to Cysero, who was the one responsible for giving life to this animated bundle of joy. Cysero didn’t know how to spell “chinchilla” so instead of asking me or Google, he decided to dub the creature “Chongo” instead. Hey, it’s an awesome name and has stuck with Chongo ever since! =D
J6
December 11th, 2009
Tonight’s Snowdown!
Face-off in the Frozen Northlands!
Thanks to your valiant effort in the Frozen Northlands, Adak and the Village of Guwio can begin their repairs—just in time too, since Frostval is only a week away.
Remember that “plan” Nythera was talking about? Well you are going to get involved in it tonight! Head over to Guwio Village via the newly opened snow path, or through the new area unlocked on the travel map and speak to the toasty Nythera by the bonfire. She will fill you in on her plan… well, plans, to break into Aisha’s Fortress. There’s one for the brains and one for the brawns of Lore so even if you are as klutzy as Beleen, you can still help in Nythera’s plan!
Who knows what perils await you inside the Fortress? No one knows.. but one thing is for certain: someone is going to meet their icy doom!
Items Items Items
Keep fighting this week and you might find a few of these icy weapons:
* Frazier Fury
* Blade of Silent Might
* Ancient Platinum Blade
* Obsidian Sword
* Staff of the Snowflake…
* …And more!
In Guwio Village, trudge on over to the forge man, George. He’s got a shop for you, full of chilly item’s he’s forged himself!
* Northlands Hunting Spear
* Seal of the Seal
* Wreath of Wrath
* Winterror
* Sword of the Northlands
THE MOGLIN THAT KEEPS ON GIVING
Tinsel, the adorably adorable gift-giving Moglin, has already wrapped all her Frostval presents and wants to give them to you and your friends… but Tinsel has hidden them somewhere secret! No, we won’t tell you where she’s hiding them… but we will give you some hints:
* Tinsel’s first secret hideout is somewhere on Mount Frost
* Find Tinsel’s second secret gift in this week’s new map
It’s up to you to search high and low for her secret hideouts since they’re not marked anywhere on the map. Find Tinsel, get a gift, wear the gift, and open it on the first day of the New Year.
Bloodriver
Don't forget that this weekend, for an undertermined limited time, you'll be able to visit Ballyhoo for a chance at receiving the Bloodriver, a new non-member sword. Press the "Ballyhoo" button when you log into battleon, or visit her by typing "/join ballyhoo". You will have at least 5 tries per day at getting this item, and you will also receive FREE gold and a chance at FREE AC's! Some of you may even be able to visit Ballyhoo 10 times a day, so take advantage of that, ts a quick and easy way of getting free stuff!
Happy Birthday MOM!
Sockyhoo
December 10th, 2009
Ballywhat?!
Ballyhoo Is Getting Into The Frostval Spirit!
I'm sure you know by now that Ballyhoo is where you want to go for FREE GOLD and ACs... but in the spirit of the holiday season she is also giving you a chance at a hot, new, non-member, limited-edition sword.... the Bloodriver!
bloodriver
The Bloodriver, Ballyhoo's NON-MEMBER Gift!
Begining today, lasting until... well, we're not sure when exactly... you have a chance to get the Bloodriver in addition to free gold and/or Adventure Coins everytime you watch one of Ballyhoo's Ads!
Remember, you have 5 (or more depending on where you live) chances a day to talk to Ballyhoo! Just click on the Ballyhoo button in Battleon to visit her. Good luck!
Pink-eye-adin
December 10th, 2009
Why is there so much Pink!?
My eyes are burning Beleen... burning....
Can anyone stop this madness...? Too... much... pink... in... Beleen's.... Design... Notes....
Beleen
December 10th, 2009
A December to Remember
It’s an avalanche of updates!
BeleenBefore I begin, you might want to grab yourself a nice warm cup of cocoa or some moglin berry cider. With so many updates headed your way, you’ll need to keep hydrated in order to read through them all. But trust me… you’re ganna think Frostval has come early!
Got a cup of your favorite holiday beverage? Good! Let’s get this show on the road!
First things first: a sneak-peak at Friday’s release! You and your friends have fought bravely through the Frozen Northlands. I can’t believe you guys made it all that way up that mountain! (I am terrified of heights, so, yeaah, I just stayed by Adak and made a little snowman instead.) Too bad you didn’t have a fair fight against Queen Aisha… tell me, what’s it like being a giant snowball? =D
But luckily for us (I think??), Nythera has a “plan” to defeat Queen Aisha’s frozen reign of terror. And with every plan, you gatta have a Plan A and a Plan B (since it’s always a good idea to have at least 2 when the first one inevitably blows up in your face…) Nythera’s plans are no different, so it’s up to you to choose which one is best suited for you. Here’s the low-down on said plans:
Plan A requires unyielding strength with no signs of mercy. Brute force dominates all, you say? Hehe, I like the way you think! In order to break into Aisha’s Fortress, you will need to harness a power greater than both magic and strength combined… something known as
Plan B takes a different path... one that requires a bit more sneaky-sneaky. We refer to this as the “element” of surprise (LOL get it?!). However, there is a Cipher on the back gate to Aisha’s Fortress that needs to be decoded in order to enter. You will have to find clues to the 4-rune order, and then a fifth clue to decode the combination in order to sneak in undetected! This looks like a job for ninjas… or robots… or ninjobots…?
code
If everything goes according to plan (which hardly ever does), you and Nythera will encounter Aisha for a final bout, known as a snow-down. If you can’t talk the Queen out of her cold-hearted plan of freezing Lore over, then you will have to fight Her Majesty until she admits defeat. Rumor has it that the Queen is a dragon herself, so you might need a bit more than brawn and brain (and cocoa) in order to win!
Waaaaiit a minute… isn’t Nythera supposed to be part dragon, too? According to DragonFable lore, she is! If you cannot defeat Aisha by yourself, then Nythera will have no choice but to take Aisha on. Two huge dragons battling it out in an enclosed icy fortress? Going head-to-head, claw-to-claw, fang-to-fang? This sounds incredibly unsafe… and incredibly epic at the same time! But hopefully it will never come to this…
Silent Might… Holy Might
Monster quake at the sight… of brand new weapons! C’mon, what release would be complete with all-new weapons? Exactly. So in addition to an extended Frozen Northlands map where you get to explore the Guwio Village, you can also get your mittens on some pretty cool weapons. Since I don’t want to spoil all the surprises to come, here’s a glance at two native Northland weapons from the days of olde!
Spears
Oh, and Tinsel the gift-giving Moglin has another present for you! Of course, she is hiding somewhere in the new map, so you’ll have to search everywhere for her if you want the 2nd giftbox for the 4-gift set. You can wear these gifts until New Years Day—they will magically unwrap on January 1st and will become all new items! Now that’s what I call the gift that keeps on giving.
Speaking of gifts… December 14th is my birthday! And if you have heard the rumors about me releasing Chongo, my Chinchilla pet, on Monday… you have heard correctly! On my special day, you and your friends will have the opportunity to get your very own bouncing bundle of chinchilla joy! Because she is an in-game Pet, you have to be a Member to get her. Pets cause a lot of lag on our servers, so this is why only Members will be able to equip Chongo. She is going to be priced accordingly to what I actually paid for her IRL—150 gold! Not too bad for your very own ball of fur… with a tail! =D
New Classes & Cookies!
You’ve been begging us to release some new classes. So here’s your chance! The PTR is undergoing new renovations so it can be brought up for a few days instead of a few hours… and when that’s finished, we can start adding new classes in! For more info, read Artix’s post below this one. Or just head over to the Official Forum Class Skills Suggestion Post to submit your ideas! We are looking forward to seeing what you can come up with! Brainstorm On!
And don’t forget about the Creative Cookie Contest! We have already gotten in so many scrumptious entries… it makes me want to eat my laptop! *munchamunchamunch* Okay, so maybe my computer isn’t made out of sugar, butter, flour, and chocolate chips… but I can pretend. You only have until December 20th to submit your edible entry and have a chance to win some awesome prizes! Here’s a few of our favorite mouth-watering sugary submissions!
Cookies
Test your culinary skill and give your taste buds a treat! Frostval is only a week away! See you in the Frozen Northlands. Don’t forget to bundle up!
Artix
Skill-adin
December 9th, 2009
PTR & New Classes
How is your character class designing skill?
Thanks to whoever made the comment, "If you can't create new classes on the live server, how about making them on the PTR?" Great idea! Minimal is working on just a few more things before we can bring the PTR up for days at a time (instead of hours.) After it is up, we can start making some new classes for it. Have any ideas?
We are thinking about Necromancer, Bard, Vampire Slayer and Druid. If you get involved by suggesting skills for these classes on the forums. Official stats include: STR, DEX, INT, WIS, END, LUK. Also, there are To Hit, Crit, Haste, Dodge, Parry, Block/Resist. Elemental damage, monster type, area type (normal or PvP), and equpped gear can be taken into account. Have fun!
Official Forum Class Skills Suggestion Post
Artix
December 9th, 2009
Snowed In
And loving it
Winter is back! This morning I woke up to find my car hidden under a few feet of snow (which is really hard to find considering that the car is white too). My office* is right next to the window, so today looking out is like watching the static snow channels. The downside is I have to go out and shovel, but if I put it off until spring, then it will all melt away anyways, right?
Good news though, the snow has also slowed down Aisha's army! I'm not sure if it really is the snow, or she's plotting some evil plot, but she has backed off. The mountains are starting to clear up and only a handful of her minions remain. Even her guard dragon is getting restless. So keep scaling that mountain, and maybe we will be able to take her down before friday! If not, then Adak and his village are doomed!**
* which consists of a laptop and two pencils on a dining room table...
** to be relocated to a smaller, warmer pacific island, which will wreak havoc on their snow cone business.
Artix
Grindstone-adin
December 8th, 2009
You can do it!
Including anything you put your mind to...
I remember when I was young and my martial arts Master Instructor told me, "Your target is not the board, but somewhere far on the other side of it." At that point in my life I actually thought Martial Arts was all about wearing fancy pajamas and seeking revenge on blocks of wood. Secretly, the other children and I were learning a valuable lesson. If you are a martial artist too, you already know this. But it a valuable story worth re-telling over and over. To a 3rd grader like I was at the time, the board is pretty intimidating. Hitting a board is not enough to break it. No, all hitting the board does is bruise your hand*. The secret to breaking the board is aiming through it. Your target is far past the board, deep on the other side. When you strike, it is following through that leads to the success of a clean break.....WOOSH-KA-KRUNCH-FFFFPT! Thus the student learns that the secret to victory is not merely aiming for the goal... .but aiming beyond it**. This is something we should all remember and carry with us... no matter what we are trying to do***.
* Or feet, elbows, knees, or head, ear, nose, eyeball... or whatever bodyparts the new age schools are using in their anti-tree techniques.
** However, do not set your target TOO far through the board or your will end up punching all the way around the world and hitting yourself in the rump. (Taking gravity into consideration).
** Including work, school, pursuing your dreams, and defending ourselves from innanimate trees.
Lots of broken boards left on the floor!
The past weeks have been amazing, crazy and indescribable. We had a new Friday the 13th event with Voltaire, the launch of the PTR, we built our 1st TV Commercial together, got our very own ESRB rating, I was interviewed for AQWorlds in Beckett's GAMER magazine,
Secret Behind the Scenes Story
I feel bad that I have not been able to write to you more. So, to make it up to you.... I would like to share something that was never intended to be read by players. It is from my personal journal. Written during the wee hours of the morning just after the release of the last Friday the 13th Event. I really hope you enjoy it:
Special Story for you: Diary of the Friday the 13th
The picture just seemed appropriate.
Old picture... new story!
AQWorlds Engine Update Today
The servers were restarted to allow for new quest reward types. You can imagine lots of create ways we can use these two new features! (database updated too)
* Random Quest Reward
* User Selectable Quest Reward
Happy Birthday MOM!
Warm Winter Stockings
December 7th, 2009
Ho Ho Whoops!
Dispeling Preconceptions And Misconceptions Surrounding The Recently Decreed RARE Claw Suit And Then Moving On To Stuff Regarding The Battle On Master Account System.
If you were a Member last Frostvale then you probably remember the ClawSuit Class.
ClawSuit
Hi, Remember Us?
We've been getting a LOT of questions about if the ClawSuit Class will return as a Seasonl Rare, like Pumpkin Lord Class. I've been telling everyone for MONTHS that it will be coming back.
Turns out I was wrong. Boy, is my face red.
The fact is that we actually CAN'T bring it back this year due to a number of technical hiccups. The game's engine has made a LOT of progress since last year, but unfortunately from time to time that means that stuff we built before will never ever work ever again.
This will come as Bad news to some of our newer members and really GREAT news to those who grabbed it last year.
However, to ease some of the sting we are able to release a... well, I'm not the kind of guy to ruin surprises.
Ok, sometimes I am. SPOILERS AHEAD. IF YOU WANT A PEEK INTO YOUR FROSTVAL FUTURE READ ON.
IF NOT... SKIP THE NEXT PARAGRAPH:
However, to ease some of the sting we are able to release a Color Customizable ClawSuit Armor Season Rare for members!
This won't be released this week, but when Frostval goes live, it will be there waiting for ya.
Master Account Mastery... See I Told You That I Would Be Talking About This Later.
A lot of people have ALSO been asking me what the point of the Battle On Master Account system is. Allow me to drop some knowledge.
1. The Master Account System will tie all of your AE game accounts together on one page so you will be able to see all of you character pages at a glance, and access any game from 1 page.
2. The Master Account system will make getting lost or hacked account back MUCH eaiser. They may take your AQW character from you, but as long as no one has the password to you MASTER ACCOUNT, you will be able to get it back at the click of a button. It will also provide another, very solid layer of security to all of our games.
3. There will be special Achievement Badges that you will ONLY be able to get if you have a Master Account (like participate in an Artix Entertainment-wide event across multiple games, or even Minigame Badges!)
4. Right now, you can only Beta Test or 5th game, EpicDuel, if you have upgraded in one or more of our games AND tied Epic Duel to those accounts through your Master Account. No Master Account... No Beta Testing for you!
These are just a few I picked from a VERY long list of things that will make everyone's lives a lot eaiser and more fun.
Remember: When you start your Master Account, pick a login name that is totally unrelated to your game names (my login in nothing like Cysero), make sure you never tell anyone your password OR login name, and lastly... MAKE SURE YOU SIGN UP WITH A REAL E-MAIL THAT ONLY YOU HAVE ACCESS TO.
Quite a few people have been signing up using MY e-mail. I think it's cool that all you guys want to hand your accounts over to me to sell or delete as I like, but I really don't want to do either one of those things.
Whatever e-mail you use to sign-up with... That person will have access to your Master Account. If you use a Fake e-mail then NO ONE will have access to your master account. Even you.
Get it? Great!
Make sure you check the Design Notes every day to see what is coming THIS Friday! Forwarned is For-armed. Four Armed is really good at Ping-Pong.
Artix
Happy Birthday MOM!
Sockpic Duel
December 4th, 2009
Tonight's Release
Revenge is a dish best served cold...
Hmph. It appears as though some trouble is brewing in the Frozen Northlands, an area that has been previously inaccessible. And from what Warlic tells me, we have Queen Aisha to blame. Sounds like you need my help...again. If you forgot, or just started tuning in recently, I helped move Battleon to its current location several moons ago.
Oh, do you not know who I am? Well you should. I'm Nythera, Warlic's Apprentice. I'm a Mage too, obviously. Some have called me the Purple Mage, and that's fine with me. I like Purple.... and magic. And dragons. DragonFable at www.DragonFable.com is where it all began with me...and with Aisha.
FrostGolemMoving on… not everyone shares in the Frostval holiday spirit… and Aisha just so happens to be one of those few. And for whatever reason, she has declared war on the villagers who called this frozen region their home. To make matters worse, Aisha has even sent an avalanche of chilly beasties to help ensure the new Ice Age. Her Frost Golems and FrostWrym Riders are fighting on home turf, too, so already they have the upper hand… and claw.
A heavily-armored Frost Dragon is waiting for you at the mountain summit. But reaching him will be no easy task. I’ll be pleasantly surprised if you happen to reach the Dragon… alive, that is.
Armored Dragon
Item Avalanche
A new zone. A new war. A new villain and new monsters. This can only mean one thing. Hmph… do I really have to say it?
Since you’re going to be fighting in this war, you should be educated in what these chilly beasts are wielding and wearing. The more you know about the enemy—the more you know about how to defeat them. And what to loot from them. There are 15 new drops, including:
* Frost Matriarch Sword
* Drake Morphs (Frost & Matriarch versions)
* Frostwyrm Blade
* Frost Golem Armor
* Golem’s Ice Sickle (2 different styles!)
Sickle
Don’t forget about the Shop in the Frozen Northlands. You’ve got 10 new items to equip. If you so choose. Here’s a few:
* Vivid Mountaineer Armor (color custom)
* Snowsuit
* Climber’s Ice Pick
* Vivid Pom Pom Toque (color custom)
TinselAnd before I forget, Warlic also told me to mention something about a secret hiding Moglin named Tinsel. This little furball is hiding somewhere in the Northlands. If you find Tinsel, she will give you a special present that is the 1st gift in a set of 4. Or something like that. No, I do not know where she is. You have to find her yourself.
What are you still doing reading this? Shouldn’t you be out fighting Aisha’s army? Hmph!
Items For All!
Tis the season! Well, nearly.
Frostval is coming fast and with it, that warm feeling that seems to sneak into you in the middle of the night and stay with you all season, like the smell of fresh baked moglinberry cookies lingering in a warm house well after the oven has gone cold.
So, I like the Frostval season A LOT. Sue me.
As you know, we try to make membership worth the price you pay for supporting AQW and helping keep us going but it's hard not to be a little ectra giving during this season.
So, this release and the next few to follow will have LOTS of goodies for every player, non-member and member alike. You may not get EXACTLY what you want for frostval, but very few people get EVERYTHING they want for the holidays.
You'll notice that we have included the first non-member color customizable armor (Vivid Snow Suit) and a few matching color custom hats as well, plus a bunch of other warm clothing to help you brave the cold climb up Mount Frost to face Aisha.
There are a LOT of items this release but some of them you won't get to until you battle your way up Mount Frost.
We've got:
1). 6 NEW Armors
2). 5 NEW Swords
3). 1 NEW Axe
4). 2 NEW Capes
5). 10 NEW Helms
6). 1 NEW Pet
And Members, As you work you way up the mountain, you might find a special moglin who just can't wait for Frostval to begin. Some people just like giving gifts.
Let the War for Mount Frost BEGIN!
I'll be making cocoa.
An Epic Duel!
I was only able to jump on AE's 5th Game, Epic Duel for one 2v2 Battle earlier today, but I wanted to thank Doom Paladin, for helping me defeat our awesome opponents Mancer and TruHuNtEr! GF guys! (Good Fight, not Girl Friend).
Dudes
BATTLE!
That was before Titan helped me hijack my own name, I changed from CyseroAE to Cysero a few minutes ago! It's not about what you know, it's who you know.
I hope to be on a little this weekend, Maybe I can fight you?
Remember, you need to be a member in at least ONE of our games to help us Beta Test Epic Duel.
Have a great weekend!
Artix
Alpha-adin
December 3rd, 2009
Master Account & EpicDuel
"The One Login To Rule Them All!"
All players are invited to create a Battle On Master Account . this is the Alpha test of the new system which will unify all of our games.
Surprise - we are lauching our 5th game NOW!
Members of AQWorlds, Guardians, DragonLords and Star Captains are hereby invited to join us in the Beta-Evolution of the PvP based MMO... EpicDuel! A surprise game release? How did this happen? Brace yourself and read the amazing article that came out on IGN's homepage.
JUST Released!
* Master Account System - Alpha Test
* Epic Duel NewMMO! (Beta Evolution!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Coming Tomorrow: The Four Weeks of Frostvale
* AQWorld's - New Release!
* DragonFable - New Release!
* MechQuest - New Release!
* AdventureQuest - Already Released!
J6
December 3rd, 2009
Snowsuits
and melting snow
So I woke up this morning to find it pouring rain, making it look more like early spring instead of the start of December. The snow is all gone, but I'm hopeful that it will come back soon. Snow is a love-hate relationship. When you wake up in the morning and see the world covered in a giant sheet of blinding white snow, it makes you instantly happy (not just because its beautiful, but because its a snow day for school!*). And then some of us have to get out and shovel out the car. But 20 minutes later the love is right back again. No matter what age you are its great to build snowmen, knock someone out with a snowball and find a high spot to jump head first into the snow from**. But without one important detail, venturing out into the snow would cause a nasty cold...Snowsuits!
Snowsuits
I really feel bad for my friends who work at the secret underground lair and can't wear one. Its a rare occasion where you can look as dorky as you want and not care, because your fingers aren't falling off. Cinazool and I (you might remember her from the Save Chuckles video***) went shopping this year looking for matching snowsuits, but its so hard to find one in seafoam green. Luckily for you, we've made some for you to wear! The special Vivid Snowsuit is going to be available for all players, and be color customizable! So you can grab yours and show your favorite colors to the world. You can be festive and choose the traditional green/red, or be an all white snow assassin. Either way its going to be a lot of fun, and you won't lose your mittens because they're glued to your hands!
Also released tomorrow will be a too large to mention list of new items ranging from dorky winterwear to impressive monster morphs. We've also hidden a secret item somewhere! Its a special 4-part set that unlocks on new years. I won't tell you exactly where it is, but I'll give you a small hint, it is in this weeks war map, and you won't be able to access it until the war is at least 80% done. It is not marked, so make sure you walk everywhere to find it.
*And you can stay home and play your favorite Artix Entertainment games!
**Please do not try this at home, it takes a trained professional to know that the snow isn't covering a bike rack.
***T-shirts are still available, and make great holiday presents. Click Here to buy one!
Artix
Alpha-adin
December 2nd, 2009
Master Account System
Alpha Phase Opens Tomorrow (Thursday)
Tomorrow we are going to open up the apha of the Battle On Games! Master Account System. It will happen at night... possibly REALLY late*. You probably have a lot of questions**. But my best answer is as follows:
"The One Login to Rule Them All!"
Think hard about what login name you would like to use to access all of our future games. Then join us tomorrow night to choose your login name. By the way, for security reasons, no one except you and the player support team will ever actually see this login name. It will never be publically displayed. Pretty good security move, huh? This is why you should choose a login name that is completely different from the name you normally use. You can even use an email address. For example... and this may shock you. My login will NOT be Artix. I am going to choose something impossible for anyone to guess, and then I am never going to tell anyone else what it is. Since your login name and password will be how you access all of your games in the future, I highly suggest you do the same***.
This is the start of something huge. Tomorrow's Alpha release of this new system is available to all players. It is an Alpha... so there will be very limited functionality and anything can (and will) go wrong. Also.. as a special bonus... we have a secret announcement to reveal! (Oh boy, are you going to be surprised****)
* Really late like... Friday. Or perhaps even Monday.
** Questions like: What really killed the Dinosaurs? Does Cysero use a specific brand of enchanted Hair Gel? How many Ninja does it take to get to the tootsie roll center of a tootsie pop?
*** H@x0r the Bear says, "Only you can prevent account theft!"
**** Hint: It is not AQW, AQ, DF, MQ, WF or EbilGames releated.
Hi
December 2nd, 2009
Creative Cookie Contest!
Have your cake and eat it, too!
A new Contest has just been posted on the forums! And I gatta admit… this is our most scrumptious one ever!
It’s our Frostval Creative Cookie Contest!
The rules are short ‘n sweet:
* Create a AQWorlds style cookie or other yummy treat
* Take a picture of your dessert BEFORE eating it
* Submit it on the Forums
* Have a chance at winning sweet prizes!
Interested? Awesome! Just click here to magically be taken to the Contest Entry Thread! This post further explains the cookie contest and after you are finished reading it, you can get to work on making delectable AQW desserts!
Battle om nom nom!
Beleen eating Cookie Cysero
Hi
Silent but Deadly
December 1st, 2009
A Mountain Hike
and a belated "Hello"
To those of you who have seen me around in the game, that's about the most I've ever said. I'm notorious for running around without saying a word. I don't mean to be so silent though, really! I'd love to stop and chat with you, but when you see me running around it's usually because I'm checking to make sure everything is working properly and that no one is standing on top of things that they shouldn't be on top of. So I'm taking the time here to official say "hi" to everyone. To those who don't know me, I'm J6, an artist and animator. I've had the pleasure of working on every game for AE, starting with the original Adventure Quest, but for now I'm settled in as the Background Artist and occasional weapon crafter for AQWorlds. And now you have proof that I talk.
So this week is special for me. Cysero is taking a break for a while as he has his first baby (well, not him, but his fiancé) on the way so I've been asked to fill in for him, which means I can boss myself around this week! The downside is now I can't slack off, or else I'd have to fire myself. This week will be my first release in charge, but luckily Cysero will still be here to guide me through it, so if I screw up I can still blame him.
This week you will be sent up Mount Frost's mountain path for a nice hike* as you make your way to the Frozen Northlands. Although the secret underground lair is in Florida, I work from home in the real frozen northlands, and when I woke up this morning we had our first snow fall, so it's a perfect start for inspiration. Get your hats and mitts ready, it's going to be cold this week in Adventure Quest Worlds!
*Filled with Frost Wyrms, Golems and Armored Dragons
beleen
December 1st, 2009
Pack a Parka…It’s gonna get wicked cool!
And this is only the tip of the iceberg…
Buuuuuurrrr! It’s the first day of December and the team is already bundled from head-to-toe in fluffy warm attire.
Well… some of us are.
Florida is notorious for always being hot and humid. But as of late, the Sunshine State has been experiencing a little something known as “winter.” It’s amazing, really; lows in the 40’s and highs in the 70’s! Floridians are not prepared to handle such frigid weather!
If you think that’s cold… just wait until this week’s release.
WARNING!
MASSIVE SPOILER & PUN ALERT
Do not continue reading if you suffer the following conditions:
* allergic to spoilers (not the ones on cars)
* hate not-so-secret-anymore secrets
* severe dislike of pun-laden paragraphs
* potential concept art
If you do not suffer from said conditions, please continue reading!
Frozen Northlands
Never heard of the Frozen Northlands before? Well, good—because this area hasn’t been released yet in AQW (let alone beta tested…)! Come Friday, though, you will be quite aware of this brand new permanent permafrost zone! Located waaaaay up north is a frozen region of land appropriately named. The Frozen Northlands has not seen much action in the past, which is why it was unavailable on the map of Lore… until now.
IceQueenThe cold-hearted Queen has taken over the Frozen Northlands and is threatening to freeze the inhabitants of Lore—starting with the Northland villagers! As if her cold-blooded demeanor (big word, yay!) wasn’t enough to freeze the world over, she has even sent an avalanche of chilly beasties to help ensure the new Ice Age Level (remember, you don’t “Age” in Lore… you “Level” up). Aisha’s ice army is jammed-packed with new members… and these monsters are nothing like you’ve seen before!
Lookie! I snatched a copy of her roll call... there were no pictures attached, but I can give you a list of monster names:
* Frost Wyrm Riders
* Ice Golems
* Frostbyte Snowmen
* Armored Ice Dragon
Oh… um…yeeaah… after typing this… I think I’ll leave the fighting to you and your friends. Good luck though! *double thumbs-up*
Is that… Nythera?
Waaaiit a second… am I seeing things…or did I just see… over there, in the shadows….naww, no way… is that… Nythera? You know, Nythera! Warlic the Mage’s apprentice, Nythera! Who else?
DragonFable veterans will undoubtedly recall who Nythera is (if you don’t know… I’m not telling! Ha!). But in AQW, Nythera has been hiding out… plotting something in solitude… and it’s hard to recall the last time we met.
But… I’m telling you… in the shadows… right over there… I think I saw her! Do you think she’s somehow connected with Queen Aisha’s return? Or is this just coincidence? Destiny? Fate? Or has my vision gotten that bad?! Optometrist, stat! (Artix says: “Darnit Beleen, I’m a game designer, not a doctor!)
The new “new”
There’s gonna be new items. New weapons. New maps. New NPCs. New puns. New cutscenes. New “new”!
Speaking of “new”, a new contest is just about to start on the forums! To start Frostval on the right track, Cysero came up with the delicious idea of the “AQW Creative Cookie Contest” (leave it up to Cysero to think of a contest that involves dessert). This contest is pretty much self-explanatory: create a cookie (or other yummy treat) AQWorlds style, take a picture of it, submit it on the forums, and have a chance at winning awesome prizes (and you get to eat your creation afterwards)! Some cookie ideas to help get you started:
* Gingerbread Paladin
* Cysero’s “Left Stocking” Sugar Cookie
* Dragon shaped Rice Crispy treat
* 2-Layer Moglin Cake
* A scale model of King Alteon’s Palace… with ice cream
More information on this contest in a bit (aka after we write it)! We will let you know when the contest has been posted on the forums, too. And feel free to send us any leftover desserts! (Cysero said that.)
I hope you are prepared to handle this literal “wicked cool” week!
I know I’m ready. I’ve even equipped my home-made Huck-a-mucks… and yes, I really had to shave a Moglinster in order to make these boots. But they sure are warm! =D
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