News

Nearly one year later, Dungeon Runners still spews 'chunks'

Posted by: Randy at 5/16/2008 11:53 PM - Comments (0)
NCsoft's free-to-play Dungeon Runners is still running dungeons, and the newest update, "Chunk 3," brings even greater benefits to freeloaders and subscribing players.  "For the cost of a latte," says Producer and Lead Programmer Stephen Nichols, players can enjoy the very best Dungeon Runners has to offer, with 15% perma-boosts in experience points and gold drops.  Overall, all players will see Chunk 3's new skills, quests, and PvP tweaks, and "quality of life enhancements" (although the news brief doesn't necessarily mention whether these quality of life enhancements improve an individual's health, diet, or protection from pain and disease).  We've got half a dozen new screenshots up-chucking sights from the new chunk.













Dungeon Runner adds another ‘Chunk’, adding membership benefits and heaps of new content

 

NCsoft has released Chunk 3, a content update for Dungeon Runners, a free-to-play and download game where players’ rampage through satire drenched dungeons destroying monsters and collecting loot. Chunk 3 includes beefed up membership benefits, a variety of new skills, quests, player versus player (PvP) system improvements and quality of life enhancements.

 

Chunk 3 makes being a Dungeon Runners Member much more beneficial compared to non-Members. Currently, the Membership level costs $4.99 per month and includes advertisement-free play, an exclusive server, extensive potion stacking, larger bank storage and access to the most powerful items, weapons and armor. With the release of Chunk 3, Membership level players are granted a fifteen percent experience (XP) boost over free players, and they will gain fifteen percent more gold. Additionally, Members will receive discounts when using “Kings Coin” to purchase items, receive more mythic and rare items drops compared to non-Members, and receive additional bank pages at level 50 and level 100.

 

“It is important that the membership level players get great value from their financial commitment to Dungeon Runners, regardless of the fact that anyone can be a monthly Member for the cost of a latte,” said Stephen Nichols NCsoft’s producer and lead programmer for Dungeon Runners. “Dungeon Runners continues to great game to play for free because of its robust content features you would find in most full-priced MMOGs, and with this Chunk, we have greater content coming out including quite a few highly requested PvP improvements and a set of fun and funny skills. This Chunk is also is paving the way to the cool features coming up this summer with the release of the Dungeon Runners retail pack which will include the enigmatic Bling Gnome.”

 

The Bling Gnome is sidekick that will summon a gnomish gangster creature who can pick up all your gold for quick storage, and can even convert nearby loot into gold. However, the Bling Gnome will only be available for those that purchase the Dungeon Runners retail pack, which will be on store shelves later this year.

 

Dungeon Runners’ PvP battles will now be more profitable for winners (and losers) with winners receiving three Kings Coin and losers receiving one. Additionally, the PvP brawls will be tracked and recorded on an XML data feed where players can view their battle stats in bracketed leader boards based on rating as well as win-count. Also, Chunk 3 improves PvP matchmaking and balance to make sure battles are fair and easy to start.

 

Chunk 3 also adds five new skills for players to master including “Barf-O-Rama” which upgrades poison ranged skills. Each time an enemy takes poison damage from a player’s poison ranged skills “Barf-O-Rama” improves the chance that enemies will become ill and start barfing. Once an enemy starts to barf, other nearby enemies may get disgusted and start barfing too. Each barfing enemy will take poison damage over time and may also get knocked back due to their heaving. We’ve also added some item-specific skills, like “Dark Conniption”, which requires a shield, and “Shiver Shot”, which requires a ranged weapon.

 

The new content expansion also adds quests to the Shadow’s Embrace and Balzack’s Burrow dungeons as well as an improved social window, a “Noob” Channel and a variety of balance improvements, weapons, armor and loot. Chunk 3 also features revisions to tutorial and new player area quests. Some of the new weapons and armor sets have upgraded particle effects. Finally, every time a quest is completed a “15% More Cowbell” modifier is granted, which increases the experience earned by killing monsters by fifteen percent for five minutes.

 

To download Dungeon Runners for free or find out more information on Chunk 3, go to: www.dungeonrunners.com

News Roundup: Righteous Fallen Angel Crash

by: Randy - - Comments (0)
Videos
Screenshots
Articles
Thanks to Defunct Games, I4U, and AtomicGamer for today's news roundup.

Spore and MashON "Wish You Were Here!" with e-card creator

by: Randy - - Comments (0)
Spore has teamed up with MashON, an e-card creator, to give folks the chance to keep feeding the irresistible Spore hype machine.  You select from a variety of backgrounds, place some creature and Spore vehicle clip art, add some words, then submit your e-card (after you register with MashON; which kept error'ing out when I was trying to register myself -- though I still nabbed the screenshot below).  In addition to pre-fab setups, you can use your own concoctions from the Spore Creature Creator.
[READ MORE]

Eight new screens launch a Zoids Assault

by: Randy - - Comments (0)
Elegantly-spartan icons, a harsh Consolas font, and screenshots that suspiciously play themselves out to be a mech-populated game of spectator-sport Archon.  The still unfortunately-named Zoids Assault released a healthy variety of pics depicting some CGI interactions, level-up screens, squared-off chess boards, inventory and equipment menus, health-regenerating units, and monster-sized walkers.  The visuals are starting to grow on me.
[READ MORE]

New Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 trailer sets off a 'fusion' reaction

by: Randy - - Comments (0)
Latveria.  London.  New York.  Chicago.  Los Angeles.  Qatar?  The attacks are hitting all over the globe, and no single superhero is up to the task.  That's why this video of Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2: Fusion shows off cooperative attacks between the usual Marvel pantheon:  Iron Man and the Invisible Woman, Iron Man (again) and Spider Man, the Incredible Hulk and Wolverine, the Thing and the Human Torch.  Believe it or not, with Fusion being an action RPG, those folks at Blizzard are probably taking notes and having to seriously decide whether Diablo 3 will incorporate cooperative attacks or not.

Steel Disaster coming to DS

by: Sean Colleli - - Comments (0)
This September the DS's action library will grow a bit with Commando: Steel Disaster.  A single player side scroller with influences of Contra and Metal Slug, publisher XS Games promises the game will have some of the best 2D visuals on the console.  It will also ship at a competitive $19.99, so it should make a good end-of-summer bargain. [READ MORE]

Dust up on PT Boats

by: Sean Colleli - - Comments (0)
As Akella's new naval strategy game, PT-Boats: Knights of the Sea nears its release, they have a little history lesson up at their website.  You can check out the details of naval warfare and some of the game's assets at these two features, here and here.  Knights of the Sea launches later this year.

Dead Space: Downfall trailer released: not for the kids

by: Chuck - - Comments (0)
Here's the new trailer for Dead Space:Downfall, the prequel to EA's upcoming sci-fi survival game Dead Space. The movie will fill in all of the plot details that lead up to the game.  If you've been tracking the game there aren't a lot of surprises here but it does flesh things out a bit.

Two tons of new stuff and a sale at the PlayStation store

by: Chuck - - Comments (0)
PS3 owners are going to be a happy bunch today as Sony has released a ton of new content onto the PlayStation Network today.  There's a demo of the most excellent PixelJunk Eden along with a bunch of DLC content.  The real meat though is Siren, Sony's new episodic horror game which you can download in three separate chunks for $14.99 or pay $39.99 for the whole enchilada.  Also available is Capcom's 1942:Joint Strike for $9.99.

Sony is also having a one week sale on the following titles which you can now get for $4.99 each:
  • PAIN
  • PixelJunk Monsters
  • High Velocity Bowling
  • High Stakes on the Vegas Strip: Poker Edition
  • Rocketmen: Axis of Evil
I'm download Siren right now so check back tomorrow for some first impressions.

Adding a new category of gamers to the mix

by: Chuck - - Comments (1)
Over at Edge (formerly Next Gen), Chris Charla has an outstanding editorial on why we need another category of gamers to the mix.  He argues that we need a "mass market" category of gamers that sits between the definition of casual games (online flash/mini-game collections) and hardcore (or core) games.  This category is where games like Rock Band sit as they don't really fit into the casual game category (too expensive to buy/play) and they don't fit into the hardcore category (broad appeal). 

Personally I love this definition as a lot of games and corporations are trying to label games as either casual or core games when there seems to be something in the middle.  What do you think?  Leave your thoughts in the comments

Buy Qore, get into Resistance Fall of Man 2 beta

by: Chuck - - Comments (0)
If you buy the upcoming issue of Qore you will get an invite into the Resistance:Fall of Man 2 multiplayer beta which is a pretty good deal for $2.99.  Of course some of the commentors at Shacknews have pointed out that you may also be able to get in for free through alternate methods.   The beta is set to start in September and it will give people the chance to check out the unprecedented 60 player online play which should be pretty damn sweet.

GarageGames bringing Torque engine to the iPhone

by: Chuck - - Comments (0)
A lot of people (myself included) have thought that gaming on the iPhone was going to be a fad at best but given the amount of development dollars being thrown at the device I'm starting to think it might become a serious platform. 

Adding further fuel to the fire is the announcement that GarageGame has added iPhone support to their Torque game engine which means game developers now have a solid engine to start building games with.  Time will tell if this really catches fire but if I'm Sony or Nintendo I might start to watch my back. [READ MORE]

PixelJunk Eden embiggened with the power of YouTube

by: Chuck - - Comments (0)
YouTube announced today that you will be able to upload videos to the service directly from PixelJunk Eden when it comes out next week. The feature will allow you to record your best moves in the game and then share them with everyone else.  I'm pretty high on the game already and this sounds like another cool feature for people to use and abuse.  Here's a sample of the game in action:

Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 to be released next week

by: Chuck - - Comments (1)
The Bizzare Creations Facebook page has word that Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 will be released on July 30th, a full week earlier than expected.  I'm interested to see how the multiplayer works as I really loved the single player side of the game.

Gaming Gibs for 7/24/2008

by: Chuck - - Comments (0)
Here are a few things I missed while reading about the new Star Wars Robot Chicken special:
  • Capcom cleans up at E3, does a victory lap in their blog (can't blame them, they had a great lineup this year)
  • Full body gaming chair?  Sign me up.
  • PixelJunk Eden trophies revealed and explained. Look for a demo later today.
  • Kotaku outlines a decent alternate history E3, even they would like to see a new IP from Nintendo
  • Iwata apologizes about weak Nintendo E3, Wii will still be in short supply this holiday season
  • Molyneaux feels bad for Dennis Dyack,may want to hold off on the pity party until after Fable 2 is released
  • Looks like Nintendo developers were suprised by the Wii Motion Plus as well (and that's not a good thing)
  • San Disk blames crap SSD performance on Vista driver support, which is so very 2007

News Roundup: The Last Too Human Guy

by: Randy - - Comments (0)
Demos, Patches
Videos
Screenshots
Articles
Thanks to AtomicGamer, Digit-Life, and TheTechLounge for today's news roundup.

The Ring-Forge of Eregion brings to a close Volume I of Lord of the Rings Online

by: Randy - - Comments (0)
Details for the sixth content update to The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar emerge in the form of Book 14: Ring-Forge of Eregion.  This finale to Volume I of LOTRO is a simultaneous lead-in to Fall 2008's pay-to-play expansion pack, The Mines of Moria.  A handful of pre-expansion pics showoff plenty of artful details in this still-pretty MMO, while the continuing story, new battlefield adventure instances, and new animation technology read themselves between the lines.
[READ MORE]

EA bringing Operation to PC's everywhere

by: Chuck - - Comments (0)
EA and Hasbro are continuing their partnership by bringing the classic game Operation board game to the PC in September.  The game is called OPERATION Mania and it will allow you to play Dr. Humerus (*sigh*) as he tries to build his surgical reputation by admitting, diagnosing, and treating patients.   The real heart of the game (pun intended) is the micro-games that are based on the classic board game action.  Personally I think this would be kind of a cool use of the Novint Falcon as the vibration feedback  would do a fantastic job of recreating those vibrations you got from the old board game.   [READ MORE]

Sam & Max Season Two collector's DVD out this August

by: Randy - - Comments (0)
Telltale announced the eminent release of a Sam & Max Season Two Collector's DVD.  This edition, due in August, will contain all five episodes that comprise Season Two, along with hours of special features viewable in a standard DVD player.  Already bought Season Two?  Then you'll get the bonus DVD for free.  But if you haven't seen this duo's second season yet then you'll only be out $34.95 for the whole package.

Telltale's store also has some new Sam & Max merchandise available for preorder:
  • The complete Sam & Max Season Two soundtrack; a 2-CD set featuring three hours of jazz music from the games and another Steve Purcell (creator of Sam & Max) original on the cover, retailing for $19.99.
  • A limited edition case file stuffed with "evidence" from each Season Two episode, priced at $5.99.
  • A poster print based on the Season Two DVD cover art, available unsigned for $14.99 or signed for $19.99.
[READ MORE]

EA Sports Fantasy Football Live Draft Tracker now available

by: Randy - - Comments (0)
"The days of paper draft boards are over," according to EA Sports.  The web-based EA Sports Fantasy Football is free, and players interested in the new Live Draft Tracker can buy the application through Xbox Live (400 points/$5.00) or Playstation Network for 50 cents.  Quite the price discrepancy. [READ MORE]

Time Hollow announced for DS

by: Sean Colleli - - Comments (0)
Konami is hard at work on a new adventure game for DS, titled Time Hollow.  Konami promises that the game will have a unique art style and feature puzzles that require working in both the past and present.  The hero, Junko Kawano, discovers the Hollow Pen, which allows him to draw portals connecting the past to the present.  I really like the sound of this idea--kind of a mix of Timeshift and Portal, and it's always great to get a creative new franchise instead of just another sequel. [READ MORE]

Xploder now supporting Brawl

by: Sean Colleli - - Comments (0)
The Xploder cheat service is now offering cheat saves for Super Smash Bros. Brawl.  Xploder is a web community that offers exploits, transferred to your Wii  through  an  SD  card.  You can get the saves for a small fee at their website, or at retailers.   I know Nintendo looks down on cheatsaves, but without any Gameshark or Action Replay devices on Wii, this might be the only option for now.  Use at your own risk. [READ MORE]

Penny Arcade game coming to PSN

by: Chuck - - Comments (0)
The folks at Hothead Games announced today that they will be bringing Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness darkness to the PlayStation Network later this fall.  The game will be a straight port of the game that's already available on the Xbox 360 and Live and will be priced accordingly.  With the Penny Arcade Expo just around the corner you have to wonder if we are close to an announcement of the second game in the series and if that game will hit all three platforms simultaneously or if the PSN version will come later. [READ MORE]

1942: Joint Strike now available on PSn and Xbox Live

by: Chuck - - Comments (1)
I've been playing 1942: Joint Strike on our debug for the last couple of months and if you're a fan of the series you're in for a real treat with the new game.  The graphics and gameplay have been updated without losing the feel of the old game.  If you like top down shooters the game really is worth your $9.99/800 MS points to play the game. [READ MORE]

Bethesda hooks up with Penny Arcade for new comic strip

by: Chuck - - Comments (0)
Penny Arcade has been doing game themed comic strips for game companies for a few years now (primarily with Ubisoft).  The folks at Bethesda Softworks noticed and have brought in Gabe and Tycho to do a cartoon for Fallout 3.  While the game certainly doesn't need any more promotional material, the cartoon itself is actually pretty funny and I'm interested to see where it goes.  Personally I wanted to get sent to Vault 69 but that's just me.

Women are more endowed in Disciples III

by: Nathan - - Comments (0)
"...women are more endowed with abilities that are beyond the natural, and they have become the best elven magicians."
And so with these words the class of Archon in the game Disciples III: Renaissance is revealed. The Archon is kind of the elvish take on the moTre traditional RPG class Paladin but with a elven and magical twist. The Archons are the elite of the elvish battle mages and have some pretty nifty special armor and magical abilities.
Anyway check out the WEBSITE  for the concept art and more details about the class and the up coming game by Akella.