MMORPG.com is pleased to announce our latest giveaway contest! From now until Oct 29, 2006 you can enter for a chance to win one of 12 copies of the newly released City of Heroes Good vs Evil Edition DVD!

As with all of our contests, the more days you login to MMORPG.com during the contest the greater your odds of winning (see official rules for details).

Read to enter?  CLICK HERE!

Microsoft’s X06 event in Barcelona sees GameSpot adding some impressions of Age of Conan:

On the other PC, a slightly older version of the game was running, and it was here that we got to know some of the cool details that will make Hyborian Adventures such a different take on the traditional MMOG. As we’ve discussed in a previous look at the game, combat will be different than the typical point-click-kill approach that is such a big part of other MMOGs. Here, if you want to win a battle, it’s going to take some effort on your behalf. Each character will have a number of melee weapons he or she can attack with. To attack, you have several options, all based on a direction-based menu that pops up in the lower middle section of the screen whenever you initiate combat. Mouse users, for example, can click on the different available directions, and your character will perform the attacks in the order you clicked them. If you’re using a USB analog controller, you can move the analog stick in any direction to do the same. If you prefer to attack using the keyboard, you can use either the numerical pad or certain alphabetical hotkeys on your keyboard.

GameZone has kicked up an interview with NCsoft’s Adam Davidson. the NA producer for Lineage II. The questions are aimed at the latest 5th Chronicle expansion, and here’s a snip:

Question: Oath of Blood added content across the board for players, but if you had to single out the items that received the most attention with this chronicle, what would they be?

Adam: Well, the two that I would look to first are the changes to the clan system and the inclusion of the Demon Sword Zariche, but for very different reasons. The new clan system has a fairly major impact on the social and game dynamics facing the high-end game. Alliances can no longer be a conglomeration of several smaller clans, but instead are restricted to three, however, the size and capabilities of the clans are significantly increased, and promote taking in lower level players to develop them. The Demon Sword Zariche, however, impacts very few players, but our community has become pretty enamored with the concept of the item and the uniqueness of it in contrast with the rest of the weapons of Lineage II. We saw a great deal more buzz and excitement for this item than we expected.

LucasArts’ producer Jake Neri has been interviewed about Chapter 3: Smugglers and Scoundrels for SWG. Here’s the first question:

Jonric: In overview, how would you describe Chapter 3: Smugglers and Scoundrels, and how did you decide on this particular theme or direction?

Jake Neri: Chapter 3: Smugglers and Scoundrels delivers another round of the player expertise system, and we are focused on our Smugglers and Officers this tie. We are currently enhancing all nine of our professions to provide them with cool new abilities with which they can take their characters to new levels.

We have a rabid smuggler player base that has been asking for this type of content for some time, and so it was easy to theme the chapter “Smugglers and Scoundrels” as it serves just that, the smugglers and scoundrels in our community. No offense to officers who see some really great new content as well, but it wouldn’t sound right if it wasn’t all about our smugglers.

Guild Wars has released an information page on their “Guild Wars Sealed Play” game, which has been seen at both PAX and GenCon this year:

Do you have a hankering to try out Guild Wars Sealed Play for yourself? Well, today’s offerings will provide you with the tools to do just that. First of all, we have an information page that provides some background and instructions on how to play. Secondly, we have the full set of Guild Wars Skill cards which you can download and print for your next game playing get-together.

For more on Guild Wars click here.

Where did September go? With Halloween quickly approaching, Blizzard’s World of Warcraft is already gearing up for the season with a heads-up on a couple of upcoming contests:

A scary season is coming up, and we wanted to give you a little heads-up that we are planning two contests for this year’s Halloween. More details about the rules and prizes for both of these contests will be announced soon.

4th Annual Pumpkin-Carving Contest In a longstanding Blizzard tradition, this year will see our fourth annual pumpkin-carving contest take place. The most creative, original, and well-designed pumpkins will be awarded with glittering prizes. If you want to check out some past pumpkin-carving contest winners, you can see them here: [2003], [ 2004], [ 2005].

Costume Contest If pumpkin-carving isn’t your preferred art form, perhaps our costume contest might suit you better. We have had very fun and successful costume contests in 2004 and again at BlizzCon in 2005, and we’re excited to offer this contest again this year. We’ll be giving prizes to the best Blizzard-themed costumes from the Warcraft, StarCraft, and Diablo game universes. Time to get out those scissors!

For more on WoW click here.

Massive Magazine, the publication that brings MMOs offline and into print, has announced the release of their first issue, which is now available on newsstands:

Premiere Issue of MASSIVE Magazine On Newsstands

Early reviews sing its praises; MMO fans finally have a magazine to call their own

Fort Lauderdale, FL.—Sept. 29, 2006— Online gamers nationwide rejoiced today as MASSIVE Magazine’s premiere issue arrived on newsstands across the country. MASSIVE Magazine, produced by the same team responsible for the acclaimed Computer Games Magazine and published by the media division of theglobe.com, is the next big thing in gaming. MASSIVE is the only print publication dedicated solely to massively multiplayer online (MMO) games.

The premiere issue of MASSIVE includes a 30-page feature on “What’s Next” for the MMOs of today and tomorrow. Other articles cover such topics as: why you’d want to hire a Chinese gold farmer and what it’s like to run a guild with hundreds (or more) members. Each newsstand copy of MASSIVE includes a free DVD with five playable trial versions from SOE, including EverQuest II, EverQuest, Planetside, Star Wars Galaxies, and The Matrix Online, plus a VIP code that lets readers access the beta of Gods & Heroes.

Judging by the early reviews, MASSIVE is already a success. “I was pretty blown away by MASSIVE, and I never read magazines cover to cover,” writes reader Chris Zachos. “The minute I got a chance, I subscribed. I can’t wait for the next issue. I love how smart your writers are (I got a lot of chuckles). I think you guys really have tapped an emerging market and I wish you all the luck!”

MASSIVE Magazine has an aggressive distribution plan and is available along with Computer Games Magazine at all major retailers, including Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million. The magazine will also be distributed in a digital version. For more information about MASSIVE Magazine, please visit http://www.massive-magazine.com .

Guild Wars is seems to be constantly growing these days, whether it be in terms of follow-up games like Factions and Nightfall, or in terms of their website where today, they opened a new feature section called “PvP Primer”, where players can go to learn more about PvP combat.

Today, we’re kicking off a major new series for our Competitive Section. The PvP Primer is designed to welcome new players into the wonderful world of player-versus-player gaming, and to furnish hints, tips, and strategies to the existing player, as well. The first article—the introduction to the series—is online today. You can look for future articles every Wednesday. What are you waiting for? Read the Primer and start playing!

For more on Guild Wars click here.

Blizzard Entertianment’s extremely popular MMO World of WarCraft has announced a new screenshot contest.

As the location of some of the most intense combat found in the Eastern Kingdoms, Stranglethorn Vale’s Gurubashi Arena serves as the inspiration for our latest competition: “We’re looking for some belligerent adventurers to let their artistic fury fly by taking screenshots of themselves doing what they do best, vanquishing their foes!” Participants should submit shots displaying the widespread carnage they’ve wrought, the havoc they’ve mercilessly unleashed on the masses, the piles of enemies who’ve fallen before them — anything that shows the world that they are without a doubt Azeroth’s most destructive force. Contest winners will be rewarded with real solid 24k gold collector’s coins from Bigfoot Networks, engraved with the World of Warcraft logo by the finest Dwarven craftsmen. Click here for more details.

For more on WoW click here.

ArchLord has dropped their original plan for a PLAYplus payment method in favor of a more traditional monthly fee structure. This is due to the feedback recieved from testers and the community during the game’s beta test.

 The race to become ArchLord commences this October, single monthly subscription package announced.

Standard MMO subscription package replaces proposed PLAYplus system as Codemasters Online Gaming respond to community feedback.

Thursday, 28th September (2pm UK) – ArchLord™, the MMORPG where one player will rule the world, [will ship to stores in North America on October 3rd] will launch on Friday 6th October, Codemasters Online Gaming confirmed today. It is also announced that the game’s subscription package will now follow the traditional standard monthly MMO payment model rather than the proposed PLAYplus system, which was tested within the game’s beta phase.

The PLAYplus payment system allowed players to choose from a range of monthly subscription packages, each offering different levels of in-game incentives at varying price points. Following experimentation with the system within the beta test and monitoring the feedback from thousands of ArchLord community members, the PLAYplus system will not be implemented for the game’s release.

ArchLord will now launch with a standard monthly subscription of UK £8.99, US $14.99, Europe €12.99 (plus applicable taxes). The single monthly subscription will also include free credits for all players to redeem against in-game enhancements. All players will receive the same amount of credits as part of the single monthly subscription, providing a level playing field for all subscribers.

Ed Relf, Director of Marketing, Codemasters Online Gaming, commented: “We have listened to our community and delivered. From the start of the test of the PLAYplus system, we had an open dialogue with players to monitor reactions to the system. Thanks to their feedback and continued support, we are pleased to confirm that ArchLord will now launch with a single standard subscription package.

“Here at Codemasters Online Gaming we place great importance on our open dialogue with players and our ability to react positively to their constructive feedback. We wish to thank all players that spent time testing PLAYplus and the detailed feedback they provided us, which assisted in reaching the final subscription decision.”

Codemasters Online Gaming is currently evaluating a series of other additional in-game benefits to reward the games most loyal players with more details to follow soon. There are still places left in the ArchLord beta for the final week, to join the beta test pre-order ArchLord now by visiting www.archlordgame.com/preorder

For more on Archlord click here.

EA Mythic’s Dark Age of Camelot has unveiled the notes for their 1.86d release that are now live on the Pendragon server.

NEW THINGS AND BUG FIXES

Fixed an issue where NPC merchants would not take number of charges of a pot