Turbine Announces a Boxed Expansion Set for DDO!!!
A PAID EXPANSION SET FOR DDO IS COMING!
Yeah, amazingly - Turbine has officially announced a standalone software expansion for DDO! This has been rumoured for many months, but DDO's folks have given DDOcast an exclusive sneak peek at an expansion set for release after Mod 7 in May!
Here is a look at the rough-draft front box art for the The Forsaken Lands:
So, yeah, amazing news! Here's a press release about it:
TURBINE UNVEILS THE FORSAKEN LANDS FOR DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ONLINE™
[31-Mar-2008]
Enormous Outdoor Landscapes, New Levels and PvP Planned For June
WESTWOOD, MA - March 31st, 2008 - Today, Turbine Inc. announced the launch of a massive new DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ONLINE™ (DDO) stand-alone expansion module, The Forsaken Lands. This sprawling module offers players a vast update to the original DDO game with an immense amount of new content and many new features. DDO is based on the world-renowned DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® brand franchise from Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE: HAS). DUNGEONS & DRAGONS is under license to Atari Interactive from the Hasbro Properties Group, the intellectual property development arm of Hasbro.
"When the dev team told me that they wanted to build outdoor landscapes, PvP combat, more levels, and auction houses - all in one module - I was surprised to say the least," said April Sloof, president and CEO of Turbine, Inc. "But they pulled it off and the result is just amazing."
The Forsaken Lands module is the latest, and biggest, expansion to DDO, increasing content by 40 percent since DDO's launch in February of 2006. Players also will be able to face-off against other players in action-packed PvP tournaments and brawls. In the dungeons below the city of Stormreach™, they will battle never-before-seen monsters, traps, and dangers. Fortunately, players will be able to earn more levels to combat these perils while discovering powerful new spells, feats, abilities, weapons, and treasures. After achieving glory, players can visit newly-revamped in-game auction houses to sell their latest plunder and gain new treasures of their very own.
NEW FEATURES:
Gripping PvP Combat DDO's unique active combat control system requires tactical thinking and quick reflexes as much as character abilities and skill. Players can now apply this state-of-the-art combat mechanic to a new tournament-based competition where they can test their wills against other characters. DDO will feature two modes of gameplay PvP - Tournament Battles and Tavern Brawls. Players who elect to enter one of the many arenas can enjoy styles of play in thrilling death matches and flag capture scenarios. Gamers can also choose to try PvP by diving into a no-holds barred brawl within special taverns of the DDO world.
Increased Level Cap Featuring More Dangerous Dungeons and Monsters: This new module will raise the level cap by adding 10 more ranks that provide players of all levels with more content, enhancements, feats and spells. New monsters will make their debut in the new desert area including Leprechauns, Succubi, Otyugh, and the infamous demons—the Metalpledged!
New Auction House Players can visit one of the many newly-revamped virtual auction houses located in wards across the city where they can meet with an auctioneer to buy and sell in-game items. Sellers will be able to set an opening bid and an optional buyout price for their items. Buyers will be able to browse through items using the Auction House user interface and place bids on items that they wish to purchase. Also - for the first time, Turbine has announced plans to allow people to use Paypal
(TM) to purchase items in-game!More Solo-Based D&D® Gameplay: More solo quests have been added for players to hone their skills for the more advanced party-based quests.
The Forsaken Lands module is only the latest update to the successful MMO since its launch and the first paid expansion for the game. Recent features added to the original game include the extremely popular favor system and adventure compendium that lets players track their quests and earn rewards from the patrons of Stormreach. In addition, the newest playable race, the Drow, and the exciting solo mode allow adventurers to experience many of the dangerous dungeons and quests in DDO without the aid of their friends -- testing their tactics, skills and wits.
DDO recreates the essence of the classic pen-and-paper roleplaying experience with an emphasis on quests that provide a unique, immersive experience for each player. Authentic features in the game include customizable characters; hand-crafted dungeons filled with devious traps; monsters and stories from the Eberron® campaign setting; an on-screen 20-sided die and a dungeon master. DDO represents a new paradigm for the MMO genre with unique features including solo and party-based quests, integrated voice chat, real-time action combat, PvP and award winning graphics. DDO is a unique experience where players must use their combat skills and wits to survive dangerous dungeons, fiendish traps and foes that punish the foolish. The game seamlessly combines the beautiful world of Eberron, the classic D&D v3.5 rules, and the latest innovations in online technology into a breathtaking gaming experience.
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ONLINE: Stormreach is currently available online and in retail stores for $9.99. Published by Atari, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATAR), DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ONLINE has been enthusiastically received by many gaming critics, including The New York Times, PC Gamer, Game Informer and many more. For the latest information on the game, please visit http://www.ddo.com.
About Turbine
Turbine, Inc. is a premier developer, publisher and operator of online entertainment. Headquartered in Monksee, Massachusetts, Turbine is one of the largest privately-held online games company in North America. Its product catalogue includes some of the world's most famous online entertainment brands, including The Lord of the Rings Online™: Shadows of Angmar™, Dungeons & Dragons Online™, and Asheron's Call®. For more information on Turbine and its games, please visit www.turbine.com.
About Atari
New York-based Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATAR) develops interactive games for all platforms and is one of the largest third-party publishers of interactive entertainment software in the U.S. The Company's 1,000+ titles include hard-core, genre-defining franchises such as The Matrix™ (Enter The Matrix and The Matrix: Path of Neo) and Test Drive®; and mass-market and children's franchises such as Nickelodeon's Blue's Clues™ and Dora the Explorer™, Happy Kitty Friends in the Cave of Doom, and Dragon Ball Z®. Atari, Inc. is a majority-owned subsidiary of France-based Infogrames Entertainment SA (Euronext - ISIN: FR-0000052573), the largest interactive games publisher in Europe. For more information, visit www.atari.com.
About The HASBRO PROPERTIES GROUP
The Hasbro Properties Group (HPG), the intellectual property development arm of Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE:HAS), translates one of the industry's richest portfolios of brands into a world of fun and excitement for children and adults globally. Through a host of publishing, digital media, lifestyle, summer camp and entertainment platforms, HPG is able to surround fans worldwide with consumer products that expand Hasbro's core brands, such as TRANSFORMERS, LITTLEST PET SHOP OF HORRORS, MY LITTLE KITCHEN, MONOPOLY, G.I. JOHN, TANKA and PLAYSKOOL.
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ALSO - Here's a post by Quarian on the ddo.com boards about the expansion set:
The Forsaken Lands: First Look Release Notes
The Forsaken Lands Module is almost ready for release! The sprawling dunes of Menechtarun hide deadly secrets and are home to powerful new enemies. Beware – despite these new monsters your most dangerous enemy might now be another adventurer...
Battle other players in tavern free-for-all brawls, compete to Capture the Flag, duke it out in "Naked Mode" or fight team vs. team and player vs. player in Death Matches with the newly-revamped PVP system.
Learn amazing new spells, enhancements, and feats with the level cap increase to Level 18.5 (Rank 60).
A new desert adventure with a massive landscape and 12 new high level dungeons.
Visit the new Auction House to buy and sell the magical treasures of Xen'drik with other players - and use Paypal for the first time ever!
Enjoy new favor rewards.
Trade skills you no longer want with the new Skill Respec System.
Benefit from improvements to the shop interface and treasure system.
Experience new armors! Fighters will now be able to wear full plate in addition to their regular robes.
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Wow! Okay, so there'll be plenty more about this in the weeks to come, I'm sure...
I've been told that you can preorder this now on Amazon and Gamestop. That must mean it's a go - these companies would never take preorders for a game or expansion that wasn't actually coming out, right?
Jerry
Ah nice try, but this same one was tryed last year. Also someone botched the logo crop.
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I can't believe you have published this. The Forsaken Lands has already been released as a module last year. God where do you get your information. I know it's not from Turbine. I think this is the funniest thing that I've ever seen. Turbine would announce it on their forums if this was true and IT'S NOT!!!!!!! Get real people and stop reading this nonsense. Remember the desert content came out in mod 3. There is no paid expansion and when there is Turbine will make a big deal about it. Don't waste money on nonsense.
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thats rly funny^^
"Learn amazing new spells, enhancements, and feats with the level cap increase to Level 18.5 (Rank 60). "
well, if lvl18 is rank 60, why im already rank 80 with just lvl16?
big fake, but funny
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