Post by Megari on May 26, 2015 22:08:19 GMT -5
Hello!
Here are some highlights from the latest Heart of Thorns BETA.
For starters, let me just say that the Maguuma Jungle is GORGEOUS.
Now, during the last beta the area available for exploration was very limited. This go around they've opened up much more of the map. As well as more land to roam around, there is now a day/night cycle similar to how the sand storm functioned in Dry Top, but on a larger scale. Each cycle lasts for 75 minutes, and different events are available. For example, during the day events are focused more so on salvaging, collecting and escorting. Whereas the night events are more so defense based.
The story has had some improvements as well. Last time we played through the initial story line, we rescued a few Pale Reaver prisoners and went on our merry way. This go around we still rescue those prisoners, but when we return to the camp, an events spawns in which we must defend our little camp from several waves of new Mordrem enemies. After a four minute defense event, a Champion (mounted on the back of what appears to be a raptor) spawns. His text reads that he is nearly invulnerable while mounted. Conveniently enough, an old friend shows up to take care of that issue.
Welcome back, Rytlock!
Needless to say, he made quite an entrance. You can't really tell in that shot so much, but he pops up (seemingly out of nowhere) and summons a mist dragon, then proceeds to hurl it at our mounted foe. Once his mount was gone, he was a pretty straight forward Champion fight.
Mastery System.
The Mastery System is currently broken into two different categories. Heart of Maguuma, and Pact Tyria.
Heart of Maguuma.
Exalted Lore.
Exalted Markings: Gain the knowledge to read Exalted markings. You can now decipher their words and gain access to secrets of their civilization.
Exalted Acceptance: Gain the trust of the strange and mysterious Exalted, giving you access to their services in the Forgotten City.
Fine-Ore Gathering: The Exalted have taught you to methodically remove rare materials from ore in Auric Basin, giving you a chance to get (blank) while you're mining.
Exalted Honing. Learn how to pierce tough bark, making some of the previously invulnerable Mordrem now weak to your attacks.
Maguuma Springs: The Exalted have taught you to use the springs found throughout the jungle to cure your ailments and receive beneficial effects.
Exalted Purification: You've become honored among the Exalted. You can now challenge their champion each day and unlock their finest treasures within the Forgotten City.
Itzel Lore.
Nuhoch Lore.
Mushroom Lore.
Gliding.
Pact Tyria.
Fractal Attunement Mastery.
Follows Advice: Details are obscured by the Mists.
Agony Channeler: Details are obscured by the Mists.
Mistlock Singularities: Details are obscured by the Mists.
Recursive Resourcing: Details are obscured by the Mists.
Essential Singularities: Details are obscured by the Mists.
Hyperactive Singularities: Details are obscured by the Mists.
Legendary Precursor Crafting Mastery.
All in all, I was very pleased with the latest beta session. Though there was still nothing about specializations, or any changes (that I noticed) to the Revenant, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
If you want more, I have a TON of screenshots, I was just too tired to add them to this post. Just let me know what you'd like to see, and chances are I've got a shot of it.
Exalted Lore.
Exalted Markings: Gain the knowledge to read Exalted markings. You can now decipher their words and gain access to secrets of their civilization.
Exalted Acceptance: Gain the trust of the strange and mysterious Exalted, giving you access to their services in the Forgotten City.
Fine-Ore Gathering: The Exalted have taught you to methodically remove rare materials from ore in Auric Basin, giving you a chance to get (blank) while you're mining.
Exalted Honing. Learn how to pierce tough bark, making some of the previously invulnerable Mordrem now weak to your attacks.
Maguuma Springs: The Exalted have taught you to use the springs found throughout the jungle to cure your ailments and receive beneficial effects.
Exalted Purification: You've become honored among the Exalted. You can now challenge their champion each day and unlock their finest treasures within the Forgotten City.
Itzel Lore.
Itzel Language: The spry Itzel speak a very different dialect from the Hylek of old Tyria. Through trial and error you learn to communicate, making the first steps towards earning their trust. This opens up vendors and trade with the Itzel.
Itzel Writings: You discover that the glyphs and pictographs you've seen around the Heart of Maguuma are the Itzel tribe's written language. With practice and conversation you've learned to decipher them and discover the hidden treasures they conceal.
Itzel Herbicides: The Itzel have taught you to use the various extracts around Maguuma to create poisons. These poisons allow you to deal bonus damage against poisoned or burning Mordrem.
Itzel Leadership: Through careful study of the Itzel language and society, you've earned the right to challenge their champion and claim rewards in Verdant Brink.
Itzel Hunting: Through dedicated teaching, the Itzel train you how to take special trophies from foes in Maguuma, unlocking rare collections.
Itzel Stalking: The Itzel teach you how to operate their harpoon cannons scattered throughout Maguuma, letting you pull wyverns to your level to hunt!
Itzel Writings: You discover that the glyphs and pictographs you've seen around the Heart of Maguuma are the Itzel tribe's written language. With practice and conversation you've learned to decipher them and discover the hidden treasures they conceal.
Itzel Herbicides: The Itzel have taught you to use the various extracts around Maguuma to create poisons. These poisons allow you to deal bonus damage against poisoned or burning Mordrem.
Itzel Leadership: Through careful study of the Itzel language and society, you've earned the right to challenge their champion and claim rewards in Verdant Brink.
Itzel Hunting: Through dedicated teaching, the Itzel train you how to take special trophies from foes in Maguuma, unlocking rare collections.
Itzel Stalking: The Itzel teach you how to operate their harpoon cannons scattered throughout Maguuma, letting you pull wyverns to your level to hunt!
Nuhoch Lore.
Nuhoch Language: The brutish Nuhoch tribe's language is a difficult series of tomes, but with some practice you learn to communicate. You are able to trade and converse with the bullish Nuhoch tribe members now.
Nuhoch Proving: The Nuhoch tribe give gifts based on trials of strength. Unlocking this Mastery gives you the right to enter the trials.
Nuhoch Energies: The Nuhoch tribe teach you the ways of surviving chak energy. By absorbing a powerful chak energy discharge, you're able to create orbs that you and others with this ability can use to break through impenetrable champion chak energy shields.
Nuhoch Alchemy: Masterful fighters rely not only on brute strength, but also tactics. The Nuhoch train you to remove the chak's powerful acid with your healing skill.
Nuhoch Trail Signs: Master the art of reading Nuhoch trail signs, allowing you to gather information in the field. The Nuhoch trail signs reveal that which was hidden before.
Wyvern Defiance: The Nhoch have taught you to stand in defiance of the wyverns. They can no longer knovl you down with their wing buffets.
Nuhoch Proving: The Nuhoch tribe give gifts based on trials of strength. Unlocking this Mastery gives you the right to enter the trials.
Nuhoch Energies: The Nuhoch tribe teach you the ways of surviving chak energy. By absorbing a powerful chak energy discharge, you're able to create orbs that you and others with this ability can use to break through impenetrable champion chak energy shields.
Nuhoch Alchemy: Masterful fighters rely not only on brute strength, but also tactics. The Nuhoch train you to remove the chak's powerful acid with your healing skill.
Nuhoch Trail Signs: Master the art of reading Nuhoch trail signs, allowing you to gather information in the field. The Nuhoch trail signs reveal that which was hidden before.
Wyvern Defiance: The Nhoch have taught you to stand in defiance of the wyverns. They can no longer knovl you down with their wing buffets.
Mushroom Lore.
Bouncing Mushrooms: Learn how to land precisely and use the bouncing mushrooms found around the Heart of Maguuma to get to places previously impossible to reach.
Master Forager: With training, you've learned to spot the mushrooms in the Heart of Maguuma even faster. They're now more visible on your map.
Blazing Speed Mushrooms: With stomach training, you can ingest the speed-increasing mushrooms found scattered in the Heart of Maguuma. Run at blazing speeds with the help of nature!
Adrenal Mushrooms: Learning to eat these mushrooms tweaks your adrenal glands, giving you a surge of adrenaline and instantly refreshing your skills.
Recovery Mushrooms: Gain the ability to consume these multifaceted healing mushrooms, healing you instantly and curing some conditions.
Massive Bouncing Mushrooms: After much practice and core strength training, you can use the massive bouncing mushrooms to fly even further through the air.
Master Forager: With training, you've learned to spot the mushrooms in the Heart of Maguuma even faster. They're now more visible on your map.
Blazing Speed Mushrooms: With stomach training, you can ingest the speed-increasing mushrooms found scattered in the Heart of Maguuma. Run at blazing speeds with the help of nature!
Adrenal Mushrooms: Learning to eat these mushrooms tweaks your adrenal glands, giving you a surge of adrenaline and instantly refreshing your skills.
Recovery Mushrooms: Gain the ability to consume these multifaceted healing mushrooms, healing you instantly and curing some conditions.
Massive Bouncing Mushrooms: After much practice and core strength training, you can use the massive bouncing mushrooms to fly even further through the air.
Gliding.
Glider Basics: Gain access to the glider so that you can glide like a squirrel across the highest points of Maguuma.
Updraft Use: Improved design to your glider handles and wing slits lets you confidently fly into updrafts, allowing you to gain altitude and travel to previously unreachable locations.
Lean In: With practice, you've perfected your flying style. You can now lean forward and increase your airspeed at the cost of endurance.
Downdraft Avoidance: You learn to bind the wings of your glider with stronger straps, allowing you to fly through downdrafts without being blown out of the air!
Lean Back: Finding deep core strength after many flights, you've learned to maintain flight while tilting backwards and stalling in midair. You've also learned to land without noise to gain temporary invisibility on landing.
Gliding Mastery: You and your glider fly as one. Outside of leaning abilities, you're able to fly without endurance cost.
Updraft Use: Improved design to your glider handles and wing slits lets you confidently fly into updrafts, allowing you to gain altitude and travel to previously unreachable locations.
Lean In: With practice, you've perfected your flying style. You can now lean forward and increase your airspeed at the cost of endurance.
Downdraft Avoidance: You learn to bind the wings of your glider with stronger straps, allowing you to fly through downdrafts without being blown out of the air!
Lean Back: Finding deep core strength after many flights, you've learned to maintain flight while tilting backwards and stalling in midair. You've also learned to land without noise to gain temporary invisibility on landing.
Gliding Mastery: You and your glider fly as one. Outside of leaning abilities, you're able to fly without endurance cost.
Pact Tyria.
Fractal Attunement Mastery.
Follows Advice: Details are obscured by the Mists.
Agony Channeler: Details are obscured by the Mists.
Mistlock Singularities: Details are obscured by the Mists.
Recursive Resourcing: Details are obscured by the Mists.
Essential Singularities: Details are obscured by the Mists.
Hyperactive Singularities: Details are obscured by the Mists.
Legendary Precursor Crafting Mastery.
Revered Antiquarian: Grants access to the First Tier of Precursor Collections.
Magister of Legends: Grants access to the Second Tier of Precursor Collections.
Historian of the Armaments: Grants access to the Third Tier of Precursor Collections.
Scholar of Maguuma's Secrets: Grants access to the Heart of Maguuma Precursor Collections.
Magister of Legends: Grants access to the Second Tier of Precursor Collections.
Historian of the Armaments: Grants access to the Third Tier of Precursor Collections.
Scholar of Maguuma's Secrets: Grants access to the Heart of Maguuma Precursor Collections.
All in all, I was very pleased with the latest beta session. Though there was still nothing about specializations, or any changes (that I noticed) to the Revenant, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
If you want more, I have a TON of screenshots, I was just too tired to add them to this post. Just let me know what you'd like to see, and chances are I've got a shot of it.