Design Notes

August 30, 2013

Ride Against Chaos

Chaos Infects Swordhaven... Inside AND Out!

Hurry to Swordhaven tonight to take on Chaos and save Swordhaven! Someone is making sure that NO ONE in King Alteon's fair city can ignore the peril they are in. As Chaorrupted creatures begin to invade, you are needed to defend the city and locate the source of the Chaorruption!

Save Swordhaven for King Alteon!

Chaos cannot destroy ALL that is Good, because something VERY special is about to happen for Princess Brittany, Alteon's heir. Play through tonight's release to see just how far Alteon has fallen, and where Brittany's future lies.

Tonight's release includes:

• THREE new cutscenes
• New monsters AND a boss
• Eight new quests
• And new gear in the Swordhaven Rep Shop!

Quibble's Last Swordhaven Shop Update!

As the AE team rides into Dragon*Con tomorrow, YOU can ride into battle against Chaos this Friday atop a Raptor or a Yokai Battle-dragon! Talk to Quibble in Battleon to get your own Raptor Rider or DragonKhan Rider armor sets!

RAWR! No Chaos can stand against THIS!

In the LAST update to Quibble's Swordhaven shop, you'll find:

• Raptor Rider Armor
• Raptor Rider's Lance
• Raptor Rider's Blade
• FOUR different Raptor Rider Helms
• DragonKhan Armor and helm
• Blue DragonKhan Armor and helm

Tomorrow is the LAST Day for NightStalker!

Have You Found A Treasure Chest Yet?! Mysterious Treasure Chests have been showing up all around Lore lately. These chests have a less than 1% chance of dropping from ANY monster in the entire game. Each one contains one of over 125 epic items that you can't get anywhere else, including the new NightStalker set... and this weekend is the LAST chance to get it!

Stalk the night!

Each time you turn in a Treasure Chest Key to Twilly in Battleon, you'll have a chance to get one of the pieces of the NightStalker set or 1 random item from the rest of the Treasure Chest loot!

More Gear and Battles to Unlock!

There is a NEW armor in the Wheel of Doom: the Dark Dragon Morph armor! AND the level cap has been raised to 55! Happy battling!

To Con!

I am heading off to explore Con! YOU enjoy the release... and the new Dark Dragon Morph armor in the Wheel of Doom!

August 29, 2013

Friday: Ride the Chaos

Ride into Battle Against Chaos in Swordhaven!

Someone - or someONES - are making sure that NO ONE in Swordhaven can ignore the peril they are in. As Chaorrupted creatures begin to invade, King Alteon will need YOU to command the defense of the city. 

Chaos vs King vs Hero

Talk to Denara, Royal Archivist, to gain the knowledge you need to defend the city, then head into the sewers to investigate one of the main sources of Swordhaven's infection.

Battle Chaos Bandits, Chaos Spy-Eyes (with NEW attacks from Arklen!), and descend into the creepily-Chaorrupted depths of Swordhaven's ancient, abandoned sewer system to take on the virulent Sludgelord!

Quibble's Final Swordhaven Update

As the AE team rides into Dragon*Con tomorrow, YOU can ride into battle against Chaos this Friday atop a Raptor or a Yokai Battle-dragon! Talk to Quibble in Battleon to get your own Raptor Rider, DragonKhan Rider, and (if Nulgath can harness the dark power to stop time) ArchFiend Dragon Rider!

• Raptor Rider
• Raptor Skull Helm
• Flaming Raptor Helm
• Horned Raptor Helm
• Raptor Rider Hood
• Raptor Commander Lance
• Raptor Commander Blade

• DragonKhan Rider
• DragonKhan Band

Quibble's Swordhaven shop and all its rare gear will be leaving Battleon in two weeks on Friday, September 13th!

Dark Dragon of Doom?!

Memet scrawled a note on the Whiteboard of Scrying. She's seen something doomtastic coming to the Wheel of Doom this weekend: the Dark Dragon Morph! Watch the Design Notes for more previews!

August 27, 2013

Wheel of Fixes

As the Wheel Turns... It Squishes Bugs!

The Wheel of Doom has spun for many heroes since last Friday, hurling prizes, gold, and XP boosts. But it also released some bugs into the game, and we've been fixing them non-stop since last Friday... and will continue until the Wheel of Doom becomes the Wheel of Destiny!

Wheel of Doomination

One of the bugs we are fixing tonight at midnight tonight is the Alchemy Potion refund. We removed these drops from 3 of the 4 quests during the server shutdown on Saturday, but some of the drops got overlooked in one of the quests. 

Bugs get squished.

Squashed so far:

• You can keep more than one Stack of Doom Tickets in an inventory slot!
  The stack cannot be sold, but since it's an AC item, you can store it in your bank for free. 
• Ticket Counter display glitch
  No one lost tickets, the counter up in the right hand corner of the screen was off. 

Notes to remember:

• The Doom Draught potions and XP Boosts drop 100% of the time. 
• The Wheel will and on the Potion icon if you did not get a 3rd item, but you will ALWAYS get an XP Boost and a Doom Draught.
• If you do not see your XP Boosts and Doom Draughts in your inventory, log out and back in. They have not disappeared, they're just not displaying properly.

Alchemy Potions of Doom Refund

If you received any potions (except for the Doom Strength Draught) after 2 AM Saturday, you will receive a Doom Ticket for each of them.

• Life Potion
• Vigor Potion
• Heart Potion
• Soul Potion
• Resolve Potion
• Essence Potion
• Malice Potion
• Barrier Potion
• Protection Potion
• Shield Potion
• Guard Potion

Ultimate Item of Donated Awesomeness!

We've got a LOT of people who want to donate rares to the Wheel of Doom. You guys are CRAZY-generous! To do that, please send an email to [email protected] with your account name and the list of item/s you'd like to donate. 

Treasure awaits in the Wheel of Doom!

We will be contacting the prospective donaters before removing any items, so be sure to send the email from an address you check regularly. 

If you received an Ultimate Item of Donated Awesomeness drop, please follow the instructions in the item description for how to contact us! We need to know your account name and the rare item you want. 

Update to the Doom Preview Shop

We hear there are some items dropping from the Wheel that are NOT in the preview shop. We'll get those added tomorrow so EVERYONE knows exactly what drops.

On the 1st Wednesday of each month, we'll give out the rare gear requested by the Ultimate Item winners and do Design Notes about the item donaters!

August 27, 2013

Shattering Illusions

Making Games is not the Same as Playing Them

Today was my last day in the offices of Artix Entertainment.

This is the Lab lobby. Labby.

I write a lot of stuff about how they keep me in a cage and I subsist off of rats. Well, brace yourselves: none of that is true. I’m going to let that sink in for a moment. In fact, today they took the entire AQW team out to lunch (delicious, delicious sushi). I was thanked for my service. I was bought lunch.

Then Alina handed me this... bracing tonic. 

Then Cysero said that I should write a farewell design note saying how much working here is crazy and NOT what people think in order to curb the droves of players begging to work here. So yeah, here that is.

Reality Check In-Coming

Nothing ever goes the way you intend.  Never ever. Never ever ever. I can’t stress that enough. In 3 months with a release every week, I can’t think of a single instance in which everything went according to plan*... but that's why they train us like ninjas. There isn't an obstacle so big that we can't find a way around it... somehow. 

* This is how making videogames is like real life. The pictures below show how it is not.

This was not part of the plan.

You have no clue how hectic things can get around here. It would blow your unprepared mind right out of the back of your head. Every other week, there’s a crisis that seems like it’s going to send all the programmers running out the door screaming... or hurling laptops through the windows. EVERY OTHER WEEK. It’s like they take shifts or something.

Only Thyton didn't run away screaming from BrutalCorn.

And in spite of all of this, there are still metric tons of players who loudly pine for a job here and I know why. I know what they think they’ll get because I used to be one of them. They think that working at AE will be just like playing the game, somehow.

It's not. There are no camels here.

That all of the artwork and code and writing can just be magicked into gameplay, and that, upon playing it, the players will hurl their adoration at them with wild abandon.

We prefer hurling pies with wild abandon

And yes, I’m sure some of you are thinking right now “I’m not one of the people Notsgnal is talking about. I know that making a game takes effort.” YOU DON’T KNOW JACK.

Jack and his friends are pretty cool guys.

You have absolutely no concept of how hard each and every person works to bring you this game. None. The only reason that AQW is able to be goofy and fun is because everyone here has years of experience, so when they work themselves to the point of manic dementia... they only get half-Chaorrupted.

Close enough.

At any given point in time, half the team is busy drawing or typing whatever their insane brain dreams up while their subconscious tries desperately to revive what is left of their broken minds.

Goodbye forever.

-Nots

P.S: Working at Artix Entertainment has been perhaps the most amazing experience of my life. I'm making a game. Everyday I step into the office is a day that can say to myself "I'm going to make something important."

I made a release with Druids. Druids are important.

Words cannot describe how immensely satisfying that is. I am eternally grateful to the wonderful, beautiful people that pour their hearts and souls into this game. I am honored to have worked with them, even if our time together was heartbreakingly short.

I am not ready to leave.

For a brief moment, I was part of a whole. Today is the last day I can say this. (There is no WAY we are letting you go that easily. School may get you for NOW, but... - Alina)

We are Artix Entertainment. And we make games. I love all of these crazy folks that I had the privilege of getting to know. 

I also got a balloon bear shark. WHAT IS THIS PLACE?!

And, of course, I love all of you.

Your friend,
Nots

August 26, 2013

DragonCon 2013

What Is DragonCon?

Quite a few people don't know what DRAGONCON is so we should probably cover that first. 

Since 1987 people have been coming to Atlanta, Georgia (roughly 8 hours drive from The Secret Underground Lab) for DragonCon which has become one of the largest Sci-Fi, Fantasy conventions in the world. They say that they get about 40,000-45,000 people every year but it's closer to 65,000 or 70,000 and every year, it keeps growing. 

There is so much to see that it can actually short out your brain. it happened to my on my first year.When I got back my friends asked me how it was and I actually needed a few days to process all that I had seen and done, heard and tasted, battled and escaped from before I could talk to them about it.

There are panels about everything from making your own functional steampunk R2-D2, to meet-and-greets with some of the biggest names in TVs, Movies, Gaming and Books. There are thousands of people dressed up as their favorite characters, movie marathons, a sea of tables for table top games like Dungeons and Dragons, card games like Pokémon, Magic and Yu-Gi-Oh, board games like Risk, Settlers of Catan and King of Tokyo. There are several WAREHOUSE sized rooms stocked to the gills with Naruto headbands, Lightsabers (like mine and Yorumi's), Steampunk Goggles, Nerdy T-shirts, Comic Books, Video Games, Card Games, Board Games and other types of games, Art and anything else you can imagine for sale. There are nightly raves, Firefly themed shindigs, vampire masquerade balls and a constant stream of Concerts featuring people like I Fight Dragons, One-Eyed Doll and Voltaire... and, of course, our own Artix Entertainment Fan Panel.

We are a small company with a small but loyal fan base who keep showing up no matter how awful the panel was the year before. In fact, they keep giving us bigger rooms  and better time-slots every single year. 

At the panel we get to meet and hang out with some of our biggest fans, we talk about what is coming up, have a question and answer session, Artix usually shows some movies that he's made over the weekend and we usually have a Kick-The-Twilly contest. In 2012 our panel was AMAZING complete with a fight between Artix, Chairman Platinum and Sepulchure himself fighting surrounded by screaming AE fans cheering Artix on. A few people even stepped in front of our friendly paladin to protect him from the DoomKnight. 

Every year we make a special item for those who have come from all over the globe just to hang out with us, but there is also an Artix Entertainment Flyer that we will be handing out that has a code for another DragonCon item for everyone. Just talk to one of your friends who goes to get the code.

This year the Artix Entertainment Panel:

• The time will be Saturday at 2:30PM. (only 1 hour this year!)
• The hotel will be the Hilton Atlanta
• The room will be the "Grand Salon E"

We will also have a AE Fan Table in the Hayatt Recency Atlanta, on the lower level (we think). Members of the AE staff (and maybe some AE fans) will be manning the table all through the con. We have made special achievement stickers to attach to your Con Badges for all three days of the con. Make sure to stop by and grab your wee achievement stickers on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and keep us company! We get lonely.

That is not a giant pen... the stickers are teeeeeeeeeny tiny. I put the pen in the photo to give you guys a sense of exactly how small they are. 

A LOT of the famous people at con will sign something for you if you pay them, but lucky for YOU we're NOT FAMOUS AT ALL! All you have to do is give us a marker. We will sign ANYTHING. I mean that. Artix and I signed a dude's neck back in 2011.

NOTE: WE DO NOT RUN DRAGONCON! AE has nothing to do with the set-up or funding of the convention. We just attend like everyone else. It's an institution in Atlanta and has been held there for the last quarter century so asking us to have it in YOUR hometown next year impossible on every level.

This is also the closest, biggest convention that we can get to. We would LOVE to come to the convention in your town or in your country but we simply can't afford to travel that far. 

If this is your first Con, then you should carefully read...

Cysero's Con Survival Guide! (revised 2013 edition)

DragonCon starts THIS WEEKEND and as has become tradition I am imparting my knowledge and experience to you all. This is Cysero's Con Survival Guide '13!

WHAT TO BRING

• A Large Bag. You're going to to be carrying a LOT of stuff around with you and picking up a lot of stuff as you con so a large bag is necessary. And when I say bag I DO NOT mean a large plastic grocery bag. I mean a sturdy courrier bag or backpack. I will be bringing my N7 Canvas courrier bag, hardered for con survival.

• A Towel. Your hotel room will probably come equipped with these but I always prefer to bring a large, beach-sized towel with me wherever I go. Hitchikers listed most of the uses, but for a more practical example: I have fallen asleep in the hallways of more than one convention hotel and it's always nice to have a towel for a blanket or pillow.  
  

• Energy Bars. Meals come unpredictably during con and staying alive can be hard. You never know when you'll be stuck at a table-top gaming session that lasts 14 hours straight... and if you leave the brutal GM will just kill you.

• Bottle Of Water. See above. Also good for waking up wierdos who are sleeping in the hallways of your hotel under beach towels. Trust me.

• Extra Strength Energy Shots (Optional). You know, those little bottles of energy booster that they sell everywhere. These things are not great for you, but caffeine and sugar have no effect on MY metabolism and you might be built the same way. Con goes day and night, all weekend long. And it's a holiday weekend. I consider them a necessity during Con.
  
  
• Multi-Vitamins. There are thousands of people from all over the world at con and many of them have brought strange, exotic diseases with them. All these diseases mingle together and become some sort of super-flu affectionately called "Con Rot" that WILL infect you. Keeping your body's defenses up during con severely reduces the time and number of limbs you will lose to the Con Rot after you leave the convention.
  
  
• Hand Sanitizer. See above.

• Cash (Well Hidden). As you explore the convention you WILL encounter some stuff you NEED to own. Swords, pithy shirts, novels, William Shattner selling autographs... and there is a 50% chance that the thing you want to buy, you can't buy with plastic. If you plan on falling asleep in a hall somewhere, be sure that your cash is in your sock or in the secret pocket in your boxers, or cloak... you don't want to wake up broke.

• A Mobile Computing Device. Most modern cell phones will do, but you might not get a signal in the underground mazes that connect the convention hotels. Having a wireless card in a small laptop is priceless. A smartphone attached to a 3G, 4G or LTE network will do (con-tested my iPhone in 2009, worked like a dream). You might or might not Tweet or Vine. You might or might not need to check your Facebook and Twitter but your FRIENDS will NEED to contact you about something that you HAVE TO SEE RIGHT NOW! 
  
  A VERY large bonus to a smartphone is the DragonCon App. it has schedules, maps and gets updated on the fly unlike your paper schedule.  
  
  
  
  You will eventually lose your paper one but so does everyone else so there are an endless supply of them in every corner BUT this way you don't have to get your hands sticky and wonder why the last person ditched it. 
  
  It has maps, schedules for panels and speakers, concert times... everything you need to plan your Con experience. If you don't have an iOS device you can still access the event app through their web page. 

• Phone Charger. Everyone has something to charge now so finding an open power outlet can be a real challenge but just like you never know when you will get to eat, the same goes for your phone. If you have an emergency battery boost for your phone, bring that but at the very least make sure that your phone charger is close at hand.
• A Camera. Fully charged. Memory card empty. NEEDS a flash. Too many dark corners with Halo Spartans hiding in them. If you have newer generation smartphone with a decent flash, that will do fine.
  
  
• Glow Sticks or a Dance Party App. in 2010 Alces and I accidentally found ourselves in a mobile rave. One guy was wearing the sound system and power supply on his back and his two friends were each wearing giant speakers converted into backpacks. The party never stopped moving. Alces and I took a chance, caught a cab, went to an all night market and bought $44 worth of glowsticks to give to share with our fellow mobile partiers. We were gone about 4 minutes, but when we returned to the street corner, they had moved on. We spent the next hour following the sound of those booming speakers until we caught up. If on'y we'd had the glow sticks on us!
  
  
• Portable Gaming Device. Long lines. Really long lines. After last year this one was moved to the MUST catagory. Again, one of the newer generation smartphones will do. 
  
  
• A Good Friend. The buddy system is always a good idea. That's why I bring Alces. He's part Dr. Gonzo, part Chief Medical Officer and part Tech Support. He is all best friend and has been for more than half of my life. If you have a friend who has been before and can show you around the ever changing paths of the convention, bonus.

• A Zorbak Plushy (Optional). It's the ultimate ice-breaker. "Can I get a picture of you holding this guy, please?" "Sure... what is he?". 

• Good Walking Shoes. Trust me. 
  
  
• An Umbrella or Poncho (Optional). in 2011 the Venture Brothers panel line was long enough that it went outside the hotel and Alces and I found ourselves in the middle of a rain storm. With all of the weather coming from Tropical Storm Isaac headed toward Atlanta just in time for con. I suggest packing weather protection. A poncho will fit in your bag but an unmbrella makes you look swanky if you rock it right.

• Duct Tape. This is just something you should have all the time anyway, BUT there are a LOT of people in a LOT of costumes and things start falling apart on day one. A well timed piece of duct tape can make you a lot of friends very quickly. 

That should be, more or less, everything that you need to pack. Other options include: clean clothes, costumes, things you want autographed, video camera, your Battleon Battle Card deck (teach a stranger how to play!), a map of the con (some of us like getting lost), a pair of scissors (for a lock of Kevin Sorbo's hair while he's passed out in a fountain somewhere), a sketchbook (for ideas), a steampunk R2 unit, 8 channel progrmable remote control, Sonic Screwdriver, or grappling hook... just cause.

You Guys Are Coming With Me! 

It always seems that we have a TON of fans at our panel but they represent a tiny fraction of you guys and we really do wich you could ALL be there. This year Im going to try really hard to keep a contact stream of Twitter and Vine spam coming your way so you can come with me and live DragonCon through my eyes (camera). 

Here is a link to my Twitter.

Alces and I will be hopping in the car on Thursday Morning, so be packed and ready to ride to Atlanta with us! 

August 26, 2013

DragonCon Cometh!

And Dragon Rider Armors, Friday the 13^th, and Talk Like a Pirate Day too!

Happy Monday hero! This week is super special because the Artix Entertainment team is headed to DragonCon Thursday morning! Whooohooo!

Later today, Cysero will publish his foolproof DragonCon Survival Guide for you and your friends attending DragonCon. If you’re impatient—like meeee!!!!—you can brush up on last year’s Survival Guide by clicking here.

Friday’s New Release

If you can’t attend DragonCon… no worries, friend! Friday’s new release in AQWorlds will totally make up for your absence. This cannot drag on any longer… because the highly anticipated RARE Dragon Rider armors are coming to Quibble’s Shop in Battleon!

Created with you in mind and inspired by DragonCon, the DragonKahn mount armor is only 1 of the new Dragon Rider sets arriving Friday evening. Due to popular demand (and the endless onslaughts of Tweets), Dage the Evil began creating a dreadful dragonoid of his own.

Then the Dark Lord of the Undead Legion began giving life into his creation…

Fierce! The Legion Raptor is almost ready—and now Dage needs your help designing the armored rider. Give him your ideas on his Twitter!

Friday the 13^th and TLAPD

September is nearly here… and that means Friday the 13^th and Talk Like A Pirate Day is rapidly approaching!

We have heard your awesome ideas on the AQWorlds Facebook Page regarding this Special Event. We have narrowed down our favorite suggestions and want to get your feedback on possible armor sets. What do you think about:

• Galactic Naval Commander
• Chrono Naval Commander
• Shadowscythe Pirate Captain
• Royal Pirate Slayer

Which one is your favorite? Or favorites?! Which pirate armor set would you like to /equip during Friday the 13^th and TLAPD? Tell us your thoughts on the AQWorlds Facebook Page!

In the meantime, Alina, Artix, and myself are meeting with Voltaire, everyone’s favorite Pirate Musician and a legend amongst Friday the 13ths, to begin planning out September’s special in-game event. I will keep you updated on our progress!

Heed the call of battle and Battle On to victory!

xoxo Beleen

August 25, 2013

Send J6 Into Space

Help Send him there in Real Life!

J6 the Bountyhunter gets to travel through galaxies on a mysterious mission. In real life, J6 the Lead Artist creates art on the ground ... but is always looking up to the sky for inspiration! 

He has worked on EVERY game Artix Entertainment has made; working together, we can make his dream come true!

Where to Vote for J6?

Click this link: Vote for J6! You'll need to click the green "Vote" button, sign into your Facebook account, then submit your vote for AQW's favorite Bountyhunter/artist! You can only vote once per Facebook account, so let your friends know, too!

Why does he want to go into space?

"Art is all about breaking boundaries; traveling into space would let me create and inspire a new generation with a first-person view of the universe!"

Winning this contest would send him to a training camp where he would have the chance to fly into space with an international crew. This is not a joke contest; the last time he tried, he got the most votes, but the number of votes didn't matter. This time it does! Help to send our Bountyhunter up where he belongs: among the stars!

If we all vote together, we have the power to send an artist up into space! Will you help us?

Plus, if he gets there AND makes an epic item when he returns, we would be the first videogame company to have an item drawn by an artist in space!

August 23, 2013

Early Doom Adopter

We're giving your spins BACK! Thanks for testing!

For helping us test the Wheel of Doom tonight, for every time you spun the Wheel of Doom, you get a FREE SPIN! That means if you bought a stack of 10 Doom Tickets, you get 10 free Doom Tickets!

Thanks for helping Swaggy grease the gears of his Wheel!

Later tonight, Captain Rhubarb and Yorumi will take the servers down, run a MASSIVE query to see how many spins everyone has done, then give you ALL of them back! This is our way of saying "thanks!" for helping us bring more DOOM to AQW!

August 23, 2013

More Artix Points and Cards

Feeling like you need some more Artix Points?

Want some extra spins on the Wheel of Doom? When you buy ANY package of Artix Points between now and September 1, 2013, you'll get an extra 10% bonus points if you use one of the following payment methods:

Visa, MasterCard, AMEX, Discover, PayPal, Visa Credit Delta/Debit/Electron, Paymentez Credit Card, ClickandBuy

Swaggy has already bought a few packages.

So, if you buy 2000 Artix Points, you'll get an extra 200 for free. Not bad!

That's not enough! I still need more!

You'll also get the extra 10% free bonus Points when you buy our new extra-large 16,000 or 22,000 Artix Points packages! That's an extra 1600 or 2200 Artix Points for free! To take advantage of this sweet deal, log into your Artix account at our portal site!

Last Weekend to GameStop and Go!

Do you live in the United States and have a GameStop nearby? Do you want to unlock epic features like all the other Legends in AQWorlds? AND you want an exclusive item set to show off your Legendary status and make the noobs jealous? GREAT—and here’s how!

Due to an overwhelming demand, we have extended the exclusive GameStop offer until this Sunday, August 25. So when you’re out shopping for back-to-school items, swing by a GameStop and:

• Purchase an Artix Entertainment Game Card
• Return back home with your glorious plastic artifact
• Become a Legend by following these instructions
• Unlock the Combo Breaker Armor Set
• Become the (AQ)World’s greatest Combo Breaker
• Show off your C-c-c-combo Breaking Screen Shots on my Twitter and the AQWorlds Facebook Page!

Get up and go to the GameStop nearest you and become the greatest hero—or villain!—you were destined to become!

Back to Schooling Monsters for YOU, Hero!

Don't miss our BACK TO SCHOOL SPECIAL!

• Get 10% more Artix Points when you pay with a credit card before September 1st!, 2013!
• Plus, two new Artix Point packages are now available, providing even more value!  
• Use Artix Points to upgrade your account or purchase secondary currency in any Artix Entertainment game!

August 23, 2013

Tonight: Spin for Doom

Swaggy, Moglin of Delight, and the Wheel of Doom!

Login tonight and /join Doom to talk to Swaggy, the Moglin of Delights! Spin his Wheel of Doom to get gold, potions, and a chance for exclusive gear... or a small chance to get the Ultimate Item of Donated Awesomeness! 

The MechaJouster Armor is an exclusive Doom drop!

Pull his level to spin the Wheel of Doom, or turn the Doom Tickets in to quests right inside your game menu!

Wheel of Doom: Vital Information

Visit Swaggy in the /Doom map or look in your Game Menu to buy Doom tickets, then spin the Wheel to get prizes!

How to spin the Wheel of Doom:

• Doom Ticket: 200 AdventureCoins
• Stack of 10 Doom Tickets: 1,500 AdventureCoins (25% discount)
• Legends get 1 FREE spin every day their upgrade is active!*
• ALL players get 1 FREE spin every month!
• Doom Tickets CANNOT be sold back. This prevents losing them accidentally and potential exploits.

* Daily spins do not roll over. You must log in each day to use your free spin for the day.

Each time you spin, you will receive:

• 10,000 gold
• Doom Strength Draught
• 1 hour XP Boost 

Wheel of Doom: Bonus Prize Drops

Every time you spin Swaggy's Wheel of Doom, you get gold, a potion, and an XP Boost. But you also have a chance to get one of the following bonus prizes! 

• You will only be able to get each equippable item one time, no repeats!
• Treasure Gear will be available in the Wheel of Doom for a few months, then will be rotated in and out to make room for other items. 
• More items WILL be permanently added to the Wheel over time... so tell us what non-rare items you'd like to see in it!
• Occasionally, new items exclusively created for the Wheel will be added for a limited time. (Drop rate of 20% or more.)

Ultimate Gear - .1% chance to drop

Swaggy says: "This... is... /DOOM!"

Generous heroes can donate their Rare items** to a pool of gear kept in Swaggy's Hidden Chest of Wonders. If you receive the Ultimate Item of Donated Awesomeness drop from the Wheel of Doom, you'll find an email address to contact us. 

Once a month, we'll take all of the Ultimate Item winners and let them choose one of the rare items from the Chest of Wonders! The SUATMR donation prizes Cysero put together are the beginning of the list, but many heroes want to add items to it! Stay tuned for an updated list soon.

Want to donate one of your rare items? Email your username and the list of items you'd like to donate to: [email protected]! Once a month, we'll count how many players got the Ultimate Item of Donated Awesomeness drop... and let them pick what they want from the list of donated items!

• Ultimate Item of Donated Awesomeness
• 1 million gold***

** This is the ONLY way Rare items will EVER return to the game.
*** The gold cap is ALSO being raised when the release goes live! 

Treasure Gear - 1% chance to drop

Swaggy says: "There's always room for DOOM!"

This gear will be almost impossible to get... unless you're very lucky! This gear will be available for a few months at a time, then will be rotated out to make room for other items. Each batch of items will return at a later date... but when that will be, only Swaggy knows!

Y'arrrr! Pirates love doom-filled loot!

• 500,000 gold
• Doom Blade of Awe
• Doom Star Slasher
• Doom Soul Ripper
• Doom Iced Foule-Bordeau
• Doom Iced Jester
• Doom Souleater Warrior
• Doom ExoKatana Binsoku
• Doom Celestial Sandknight Armor
• Doom Celestial Sandknight Helm
• Doom Celestial Sandsword
• Doom Celestial Sandwings
• Pirate Captain's Elegant Hat
• Doom Toga
• Doom Red Star Sword
• Doom Pirate Captain
• Doom Pirate Captain's Hat
• Doom Pirate Captain's Elegant Hat
• Doom Shiden Bardiche
• Doom Rotting Naval Commander
• Doom Rotting Captain's Hat
• Doom Rotting Elegant Captain's Hat
• Doom Chaos Symbiote
• Doom Naval Commander
• Doom Vampire Transformation
• Doom Lycan Transformation
• Doom Prismatic Composer

Epic Item Drops - Low chance to drop

Swaggy says: "May the odds AND the evens be ever in your favor!"

Some of these awesome items CAN be found elsewhere in-game, but are CRAZY-HARD to get as monster drops. Now your chances of getting them are doubled (or tripled!)! Other items, like the MechaJouster, are going to be low drop rates, but will be VERY worth it if you can get your hands on them!

The Phoenix Blade rises from ashes of DOOM!

• 250,000 gold
• MechaJouster Armor****
• Phoenix Blade
• Runes Found!

**** Class to come soon in the Wheel of Doom! If you have the MechaJouster armor, you can quest to get the Class for free!

Tier 1 - Better chance to drop

Swaggy says: "Cheaters never prosper, and a winner never quits!"

Gear:

• Zealith Doom Reaver
• Zealith Doom Reavers
• Blood Cloak
• Black Rook Great Helm
• Black Rook Helm
• Trislayer Blade of Doom +5
• Desoloth's Bane
• Titan's Doom Crusher
• Doom Phoenix Blade +5
• Doom Wyrm Wings +5
• MechaJouster Helm

Doom has WAY too many sharp edges!

Potions:

• Potent Life Potion
• Potent Vigor Potion
• Potent Heart Potion
• Potent Soul Potion
• Potent Resolve Potion
• Potent Essence Potion
• Potent Malice Potion
• Potent Barrier Potion
• Potent Shield Potion
• Potent Protection Potion
• Potent Guard Potion
• Potent Destruction Potion

Gold:

• 100,000 gold

Tier 2 - Good chance to drop

Swaggy says: "Good luck, Hero!"

Gear:

• Twilly Bank Pet
• Zorbak Bank Pet
• Courage Moglin
• Spider Legs
• Shadowscythe Mecha Suit
• Horned Trislayer Helm
• Trislayer Armor
• Doom Tibicenas Face
• Doom Tibicenas
• Doom Wolfwing Mask
• Doom Wolfwing Wings
• Doom Wolfwing Armor
• Escherion's Doom Helm
• Escherion's Doom Robe
• Phoenix Plate
• Doom Wings of the Abyss
• Tentacles of the Doom Overlord

Swaggy knows you'll make bank!

Boosts:

• 1 hour Rep Boost
• 1 hour Gold Boost
• 1 hour Class Points Boost

Potions:

• Life Potion
• Vigor Potion
• Heart Potion
• Soul Potion
• Resolve Potion
• Essence Potion
• Malice Potion
• Honor Potion
• Barrier Potion
• Shield Potion
• Guard Potion

Gold:

• 50,000 gold

Tier 3- Excellent chance to drop

Swaggy says: "This is gonna be EASY!"

Gear:

• Realm Guardian Helm
• Realm Guardian Armor
• Karma Army
• Ninja Warrior Armor
• Doom Rocket Pack
• Doom Wings of Ishtar

Who said Doom couldn't glitter?

Potions:

• Health Potion
• Mana Potion
• Potion of Speed
• Potion of Evasion
• Potion of Inscrutable Mutation
• Undead Potion of Hate
• Basic Barrier Potion
• Unstable Barrier Potion
• Unstable Shield Potion
• Unstable Protection Potion
• Unstable Guard Potion

Gold:

• 25,000 gold

August 22, 2013

A September to Remember

Friday the 13th AND Talk Like a Pirate Day Event!

Ahoy, matey! September be right ‘round the corner, and this September be history in the makin’… ‘cuz ye favorite online adventure game be hostin’ a Friday the 13^th and Talk Like a Pirate Day Special Event! YAAAAR!

Me crew be tellin’ me that the Pirate Musician Voltaire will make landfall on September 13^th, and this be the motherload of ALL Special Events when we combine it with Talk Like a Pirate Day on September 19^th!

AdventureQuest Worlds be YER game, so it only be fair for YE to help in creatin’ this legendary event.

Smartly now, sailor! Make haste to the AQWorlds Facebook Page and tell me yer ideas for Friday the 13^th and Talk Like a Pirate Day!

xoxo Beleen

August 21, 2013

Donate Your Unused Items

Ultimate Item of Donated Awesomeness!

There is a .1% chance to get the Ultimate Item of Donated Awesomeness! If THAT drops from the Wheel of Doom for you, follow the instructions in the item description on how to contact us. If you receive the Ultimate Item of Donated Awesomenessdrop from the Wheel of Doom, you'll find an email address to contact us. 

Generous heroes can donate their Rare items to a pool of gear kept in Swaggy's Hidden Chest of Wonders. This is the ONLY way rare items will EVER return to the game. 1 donated item 1 1 Ultimate Item winner.

Once a month, we'll take all of the Ultimate Item winners and let them choose one of the rare items from the Chest of Wonders! The SUATMR donation prizes Cysero put together are the beginning of the list, but many heroes want to add items to it! Stay tuned for an updated list soon.

Want to donate one of your rare items? Email your username and the list of items you'd like to donate to: [email protected]! 

Once we hear from you and verify that you have the item, we'll select a donated item from the pool of gear donated by your fellow heroes.

You asked for changes, and we're making them!

We love all our players, and listen to your feedback every day in-game, on Twitter, Facebook, and the forum... then change our plans based on what YOU say!

After last night's post about the new Wheel of Doom, we got a lot of comments... and a LOT of questions! Read on for the answers.

We are NOT bringing back Rare items!

Each item released in AQWorlds has a rarity tag. Different tags have different meanings. See the chart below to learn the different between a "rare" item, an "unknown" item, and more.

ONLY past Quibble items  with an "Unknown" rarity are returning. Items marked "RARE" are perma-rare and no more of them will ever be added to the game. 

(We didn't plan for ANY of Quibble's items to go rare... EVER... but many of you love your rare items, so we will ONLY return "Unknown/Unassigned" Quibble items to the Wheel of Doom.)

Example of a Rare Item that will not return

You can find out what kind of rarity an item has by clicking on it in your inventory, then looking at the item's details.

This is a "Rare" item will NEVER become available again.

Raising the Gold Cap!

Because you'll be able to get gold from the Wheel of Doom, we're going to increase the gold cap. We're also investigating how to make gold received from the Wheel of Doom quest ignore the gold cap so you can keep all the gold you get no matter what!

Gold rewards from the Wheel of Doom have been adjusted. The new reward amounts are listed in the Wheel of Doom Design Notes post!

Cycling Quibble's "Unknown" rarity items in and out!

Every few months, the "Unknown rarity" items will change out to keep their quantity in-game low. Check the Wheel regularly to see which items are currently on the reward list!

All items in Quibble's current shop are rare!

Yup! If you purchased an item from Quibble's current shop, it will automatically turn rare by the end of the day. Quibble and his shop are still here, though! Next Friday, he'll get the DragonKhan Rider, the Legion Raptor Dragonrider, and MAYBE the Archfiend Dragon Rider armors!

Free Spins for the Wheel of Doom!

Everyone loves to get prizes... and that's why we're giving Legends a free spin EVERY DAY that their upgrade is active! ALL players will get a free spin once a month!

August 20, 2013

Spin the Wheel of Doom

Test your luck to get DOOM-filled rewards!

Deep in the forests near Doomwood, there sits a VERY ominous Wheel and an undead moglin in a top hat. This Friday, you'll find Swaggy, Moglin of Delight, and his Wheel of Doom standing in the shadows when you /join doom!

How do I spin?

Talk to Swaggy to buy a Doom Ticket for 200 AdventureCoins or a Stack of 10 Doom Tickets for 1500 AdventureCoins to spin the wheel. If you're a Legend, you can access the Legendary Wheel of Doom quest, which gives you one FREE spin every day your account upgrade is active! You can earn free AdventureCoins by watching ads from Ballyhoo or completing AExtras offers, too.

Wheel of Doom prize tiers

EVERY time you spin, you get at least THREE prizes - 20,000 gold, a 1 hour XP Boost, and a Doom Strength Potion - plus a chance for VERY special EXTRA prizes!

100% chance to get:

• 10,000 gold
• 1 hour XP Boost
• Doom Strength Potion

10-90% chance to get:

• Armors
• Helms
• Weapons
• Accessories
• Pets
• Gear available for limited time

1% chance to get:

• Class (give us suggestions of what classes you'd like the wheel to have!)
• Past Quibble items ("Unknown" rarity only. Items marked "RARE" are perma rare and no more of them can ever be added to the game.)

.1% chance to get:

• Ultimate Donation Item of EPICNESS!

From time to time, new gear made JUST for Swaggy will be added to the Wheel of DOOM that you can ONLY get when you spin. Gear like that will have a 20-50% chance to drop.

Wait!!! Quibble gear is returning?!!?

Yes... but only SOME of Quibble's gear will be added to the Wheel of Doom, and not in the exact same way:

• No Quibble items tagged as Rare will EVER be added to the Wheel of Doom unless donated by another player. 
• Any item from a Quibble shop will have "Doom" added onto its name. We know our rare-hunters value their exclusive gear, and this will let you prove that YOU got the gear from the original shop!
• There is only a 1% chance to get each Quibble item from spinning the Wheel of Doom.

Little-known fact: when we first introduced Quibble Coinbiter's items a few years ago, they were all supposed to return at a later date, in future zones. But so many of you loved your rares that you BEGGED Artix to keep them from returning. So we didn't add any of those items into the zones Quibble preceded.

We have always said that SOME of Quibble's gear could return in the future... so a select list of the gear with "unknown" or "unassigned" rarity tags will be added to the Wheel of Doom.

Quibble's Gear Available from the Wheel of Doom:

• Doom Chaos Symbiote Armor
• Doom Naval Commander set
• Doom Prismatic Composer Armor
• Doom Celestial Sandknight
• Doom Rotting Naval Commander set
• Doom Shiden Bardiche
• Doom Pirate Captain set
• Doom Red Star Sword
• Doom Toga
• Doom Pirate Captain's Elegant Hat
• Doom Open Celestia Sandwings
• Doom Celestial Sandsword
• Doom ExoKatana Binsoku
• Doom Souleater Warrior
• Doom Iced Jester
• Doom Iced Foule-Bordeau Helm
• Doom Soul Ripper
• Doom Star Slasher
• Doom Lycan Transformation
• Doom Vampire Transformation
• Doom Celestial Sandknight Helm

Donating rare items to the Wheel of Doom

In the near future, we'll make it so that YOU can donate some of your RARE gear (like Alpha Pirate) to the Wheel of Doom!* When we began the Shut Up and Take My Rares contest, we had an INCREDIBLE amount of people offering to donate their rare gear.

So once we add this feature, instead of giving people prizes from Cysero's inventory, once a month we'll take a rare item one of your fellow heroes gives us, remove it from THEIR inventory, and add it to the Wheel of Doom. When that happens, we'll announce who the generous donor is and write a short history of their time in AQWorlds in our Design Notes... then add their name to a plaque in the Hall of Heroes!

Of course, this does mean the end of the SHUT UP AND TAKE MY RARES monthly contest but don't worry, all the gear will be in the Wheel of Doom meaning that you don't have to wait a month to play and there will be a LOT more than one winner per month! 

Let us know what you think!

We always want to make as many of you as happy as we can, so let us know what you think about the Wheel of Doom!** Tell me on Twitter, the forum, and Facebook! 

* Heromart items cannot be donated, as people can just re-buy their gear from the shop.
** Or if we accidentally included any rare gear in the list.

Changes incoming!

Look for a detailed post later today for new information and more explanations about the Wheel of Doom system. Remember:

• NOTHING tagged as rare will ever be re-created in the game.
• We'll define what the different item rarities mean ("rare" vs "unassigned")
• Tell you how to find rarities for your items
• Gold cap being increased
• Cycling Doom Quibble gear in and out of the Wheel of Doom's rewards

August 19, 2013

What Class are YOU?

Be the hero you are inside at AQW!

Be who you REALLY are in AQWorlds! Are you an animal loving ranger, do you thirst for knowledge like a wizard, or do you want to rule the shadows? You can be anything you want. So... what are you? Declare your class, then head to Facebook and share this post to find out what class your friends think THEY are!

Artix is a Paladin. He stands for truth, justice and for protecting the innocent from the forces of evil. I am an Alchemist, using potions and poisons to solve problems and change the world around me. What class are you?

Tell Artix who YOU are on Artix.com, and let ME know on Twitter when you reply to Alina_AE!

August 19, 2013

Monday Syllabus

Back to Schooling Monsters!

Happy Monday! Some of our fellow heroes have returned to School today (buff those INTELLECT and WISDOM stats, smarty pants!)… but AdventureQuest Worlds has a bunch of monsters that need schooling, too! We have lots to cover in today’s Design Notes… so let’s begin =D

GameStop and Go!

Do you live in the United States and have a GameStop nearby? Do you want to unlock epic features like all the other Legends in AQWorlds? AND you want an exclusive item set to show off your Legendary status and make the noobs jealous? GREAT—and here’s how!

Due to an overwhelming demand, we have extended the exclusive GameStop offer until Sunday, August 25. So when you’re out shopping for back-to-school items, swing by a GameStop and:

• Purchase an Artix Entertainment Game Card
• Return back home with your glorious plastic artifact
• Become a Legend by following these instructions
• Unlock the Combo Breaker Armor Set
• Become the (AQ)World’s greatest Combo Breaker
• Show off your C-c-c-combo Breaking Screen Shots on my Twitter and the AQWorlds Facebook Page!

Get up and go to the GameStop nearest you and become the greatest hero—or villain!—you were destined to become!

Wheel of Doom Coming Soon

Whispers amongst Yulgar’s Inn hint at something called the Wheel of Doom… which is said to award heroes and villains with super-hard-to-obtain items… including some that are no longer available. O____O

Wheely important information about the Wheel of Doom will roll out later today. Stay tuned for more info AND the release date!

Friday’s Release

Swordhaven is a safe haven to heroes of all levels… but has recently acquired Chaos! This Friday evening, it’s up to YOU and your friends to defend Swordhaven from the Chaorruption seeping in.

Gear up in your favorite Quibble Armor Set, sharpen your Empowered Magus Greatsword, and prepare for the impending Chaos arriving Friday night. And… if my ears haven’t been Chaorrupted… I heard news of Dragon Khan, Legion Raptor, and MAYBE Archfiend DragonRider armors coming to Quibble next week. *crosses fingers*

No Featured Artist Shop on Tuesday

Say WHAAAT? No Featured Artist Shop tomorrow? Yup. It’s true. 

All good things must come to an end… but not forever, I assure you! With all of our new exciting developments in the works—Battle Gems, Guilds, Wheel of Doom, DragonCon, and the next Lord of Chaos—you favorite AQW artists are hard at work creating new items for your new adventures.

Tuesday’s Featured Artist Shops will resume in late September, which is only a few weeks away! Who do you think the next Featured Artist will be? Let’s see if you can guess correctly on my Twitter!

Until next time, Battle On hero!

xoxo Beleen

August 16, 2013

Panjat Pinang is Here

Happy Independence Day to our Indonesian players!

In celebration of Indonesia's Independence Day, we've added a Panjat Pinang event! Panjat Pinang is an Indonesian tradition in which celebrants try to climb a very tall, very slippery pole to try to reach the goodies stuck to the top. Since the pole is so slippery, this is usually a group effort! So get some friends and take down our Panjat Pinang pole or a chance at some of its awesome loot!

Don't fall! You're almost there!

Beating this thing down can get you an Indonesian blade in 3 different designs, both single- and dual-wield!

August 15, 2013

BrutalCorn!

Why Making Video Games is Awesome

Hey guys. I’m gonna preface this by saying that what you’re about to read will not sound like any of my usual DNs. That’s because everything I’m about to tell you is absolutely true.

How BrutalCorn Came To Be

So it’s Friday morning at around 10:30. I’m just getting out of the elevator, thinking about what kind of work I’ll have to do. I go up to the front desk, and engage Syra in small talk before I go to AQW’s base of operations. As I’m doing this I hear the door to the stairway down the hall crash open, as if someone had kicked through it. A few people get up to check it out.

The only reason I know that they got up to look is because I could hear their confused yelling from reception. I’m a little cautious, but also incredibly curious. I could not have been prepared for the abomination that was waiting for me just around the corner.

When I had first entered Artix Entertainment as an intern, I was informed to be ready for anything. I said I would do my best. No, insisted Cysero and Alina, be ready for anything. To be sure, there have been a few exciting moments in the office. The entirety of the Grimskull release, for example. Or that one time I found a dead mouse in the pantry and didn’t tell anyone about it because I didn’t feel like dealing with it (Sorry guys!).

But this…this was on different scale. A whole other plane of existence. It was the first thing that I’ve seen since I started working here that legitimately unsettled me, mostly because Dage, who was wearing the get-up, would not stop laughing.

It wasn’t like actual laughter though. It was more like a low, continuous, chuffing sound, like: Huh huhhuh huh huh. He wouldn’t stop. I bailed shortly after I snapped a picture. It was simply too weird.

But that’s not where the story ends. No, I would later look to the QA chat and be horrified at the monstrosity Bladebrawl was creating. Here is the evolution of evil.

bladebrawl

bladebrawl no

BLADEBRAWL

OH NO

NOT YOU TOO, MEMET!

STOP THIS MADNESS

The Madness Didn't Stop!

But despite how supremely strange this seems, I urge you, the player, to look a little bit closer. This entire incident is game development in a nutshell. It’s a tapestry of madness and genius. It a fascinating blend of the beautiful and the odd. And it takes a lot of effort to channel these raw concepts into a usable form.

From the artist who made this creepy helm, to the programmer who codes gameplay, to the writer who gives it a story, to the unhinged mind that came up with the deranged idea in the first place. This is how games are made. But the most important part of the equation are the people who take the finished product and poke it, or prod it, or toy with it.

The people who journey deeply within this strange creation in search of their own individual desire. You might be search for meaning, or a good story, or a few laughs, or a quick jaunt to another world, but you’re searching all the same.

A game is nothing without these people, and these people are you, the players. And you are an enourmous part of what makes game development beautiful.

Game on, friends. Game on.*

-Nots

* Begin the most brutal(corn) game by looking at the Game Menu for the BrutalCorn shop!

August 15, 2013

Shadow Sorcerer Surprise

Due to popular demand, the exclusive Shadow Sorcerer Armor Set arrives today!

You asked for it—and we listened! The Shadow Sorcerer Armor Set was meant for Friday’s release, but it seems like you just can’t wait that long. And neither can I, tehehe! So starting at noon today, when you purchase your 5,000 AdventureCoins bundle, all the power (and awesome items) of the Shadow Sorcerer will be yours for the taking!

With your 5,000 AdventureCoins purchase, not only will you get all those beloved ACs, but you will also receive:

• Shadow Sorcerer Armor
• Shadow Orb Staff
• Shadow Sorcerer Helm
• Shadow Sorceress Helm
• Shadow Sorcerer Mask
• Shadow Sorceress Mask
• Shadow Sorcerer Ink (helm)
• Violet Shadow Wings
• Magenta Shadow Wings
• Crimson Shadow Wings
• Teal Shadow Wings
• Cobalt Shadow Wings
• Shadow Sorcerer Character Page Badge

And to sweeten the deal even more, you will also receive:

• Color-Customizable Shadowfire Emperor Armor 
• Shadowfire Skull Helm 
• Shadowfire Katana Cape 
• Shadowfire Blade 
• Character Page badge

Starting today at 12:00pm EST (which is also the Server Time), harness the devastating might of the Shadow Sorcerer and prepare yourself for your victorious battles ahead!

Buy your 5,000 AdventureCoins package by clicking here!

And when you become the Shadow Sorcerer, show us your best screenshot on the AQWorlds Facebook Page!

Wish to become an Upgraded Legend? The Lightcaster Armor Set is still available for the 3 Month Legend Package until August 28^th.

Battle on, Shadow Sorcerer!

xoxo Beleen

August 14, 2013

A Toast to MechQuest!

StarCaptains will receive 1,250 NovaGems on Friday

Cheers, MechQuest StarCaptains! Allow me to give you a toast for saving the entire Universe!

…oh wait, what? Not that kind of toast, you say? You say free NovaGems would be better than burnt bread? OKAY!

On Friday evening, join Maegwyn, Korin, Artix, and the MechQuest Team as they give a toast to the players, artists, animators, writers and programmers and community staff of MechQuest. You can symbolically raise your glass of your preferred space-age beverage at any time on Friday and /cheer with a post on our Forums, Facebook, or Twitter.

It will be a great time to share your old war stories and favorite moments. The first round is on Artix. All players of MechQuest who logged in the past month will receive 250 NovaGems on their character. To thank all of you StarCaptains who made this game possible, we are giving you an additional 1,000 NovaGems. (That is 1,250 NovaGems total being added to Star Captains this Friday.) Just be careful not to have too much of the fusion juice -- we do not want any unruly mecha PvP matches to break out!

August 13, 2013

Control the Shadows!

Friday’s Shadow Sorcerer Armor Set

Running low on AdventureCoins? They say that 2 things are better than 1… so how epic are 12 things in 1 sweet deal?! This Friday, August 16th, 2013, when the Shadow Sorcerer package goes live, the LightCaster set will leave... forever!

Meet the Shadow Sorcerer. This devotee of the dark—along with 12 in-game items—can be yours starting Friday with our new 5,000 AdventureCoins package! 

With your 5,000 AC purchase, you will receive:

• Shadow Sorcerer Armor
• Shadow Orb Staff
• Shadow Sorcerer Helm
• Shadow Sorceress Helm
• Shadow Sorcerer Mask
• Shadow Sorceress Mask
• Shadow Sorcerer Ink (helm)
• Violet Shadow Wings
• Magenta Shadow Wings
• Crimson Shadow Wings
• Teal Shadow Wings
• Cobalt Shadow Wings
• Shadow Sorcerer Character Page Badge
• 5,000 AdventureCoins (lol of course)

EXTRA Armor Set: Shadowfire Emperor!

AND becuase when you buy ANY AdventureCoin package of over 900 ACs or more, you will get the Shadowfire Emperor Armor Set, too, including:

• Color-Customizable Shadowfire Emperor Armor 
• Shadowfire Skull Helm 
• Shadowfire Katana Cape 
• Shadowfire Blade 
• Character Page badge

Shadow Sorcerer In-Game AC Shop!

We want to make sure that as many people as possible can get the items they want! So if you see a certain set of wings or a helm that catches your eyes, but don't want all the rest of the gear, we're putting the limited-time Shadow Sorcerer shop in Battleon this Friday!

It will have SOME of the gear that the package contains, but you will ONLY be able to get the Shadow Sorcerer Ink Helm, Shadow Orb staff, and the Crimson Wings when you buy the full package. All of the other Shadow Sorcerer gear will be sold in the shop!

Goodbye, LightCaster set!

It's only natural for shadows to encroach on the light. As the Shadow Sorcerer set gets closer, your time is running out to get the LightCaster set with the 5,000 ACs package!

WOW. Nowhere else can you find a deal that AWESOME. And coming from the fashion guru who is all about finding the best deals, the 5,000 AdventureCoins package is seriously the sweetest deal ever.

So on Friday, make sure you purchase our new 5,000 AdventureCoins package so you can become the most feared Shadow Sorcerer of all! 

August 13, 2013

Today’s Featured Artist Shop

A Drow who can Draw: Roroth!

Happy Tuesday my heroic heroes and vile villains! It’s time for another AQWorlds Artist to take the spotlight in the Featured Artist Showcase Shop!

Later on this afternoon, Ven du Violetmist will pack up her shop to make room for the Drow Gunslinger, Roroth. Mining materials from all over Lore’s deserts (…and treasure chambers), this Drow outlaw has crafted wild wild western armors, helms, and weapons for courageous cowboys and bold brigands.

Every cowboy and cowgirl needs a trusty steed at his or her side. Forget horses and cattle; get a Blob instead! The bulletproof Blob Cowboy Pet is the perfect companion during any cattle drive… or Chaos Lord showdown.

All of these items—and more!—and arriving in Roroth’s Shop later this afternoon.

Who is Roroth?

Last night, Roroth and I met at the local AdventureBucks Coffee Café and mingled over refreshing frozen coffee drinks called Trobblechinos.

As soon as that Drow Gunslinger was fully caffeinated, Roroth began to tell the tale of his mysterious history…

Beleen: * slurp * Mmmm, my Trobblechino is delicious! So tell a little bit about yourself, Roroth. * slurp*

Roroth: Well Beleen, when I was a low level Drow, I lived and worked with my Drow brethren inside Dwarfhold Mountains. The Drow Kingdom was ruled by King Vath, who, even before he was Chaorrupted, was a ruthless ruler. But when Vath foolishly consumed the powers of Chaos, he forced his entire kingdom to be Chaorrupted as well. The Dwarves fled from their homes while Drow kin accepted their fate due to their loyalty to King Vath.

I, however, refused to be Chaorrupted. Even though I was young and much weaker than the King, I took my family’s relic, the Legion Skull Dagger, and confronted Vath himself.

It was impossible to win a one on one fight against the Chaos Lord. Vath PWNED me. I lost my arm and the Chaos Scar on my face is a result of that battle.

Beleen: WOAH! That’s crazy! So Vath didn’t kill you? Or force you into becoming Charrupted like all the other Drow?

Roroth: Drows are known for being tricky. I pretended to be Chaorrupted. I acted as though I had complete allegiance to King Vath and returned to my Chaorrupted brothers and sisters.

But as soon as the opportunity presented itself, I rallied a team of young Drow who yet to be Charrupted and we ran. Ran far, far away from the Drow Kingdom. We became hunted outlaws as our exhausted feet led us into the blistering Sandsea Desert.  

We started our own tribe, consisting of gunslingers, cowboys, and brigands. We freelance our skills and strengths in every town we come across in order to survive… and to pay for AdventureBucks coffee. We may look like Chaorrupted Drows, but our eyes—all of which are blue—prove that we have not fallen to the forces of Chaos.

Beleen: Wowie, Roroth! What a remarkable tale! Your bravery inspires me, and I’m sure it will inspire other heroes as well!

Roroth: Ha, thanks Beleen. And all the items in my Featured Artist Shop will help support my fellow Drows. As outlaws, we could reallt use all the Gold we can get.

Beleen: I will be sure to let everyone know on the Design Notes! * slurp *

In the Real World, Roroth hails from the beautiful lands of Belgium. Roroth has been drawing all his life and loves the fantasy theme found within many video games. At 12, Roroth began playing around in Photoshop and hasn’t stopped making digital art since.

In 2006, Roroth discovered AdventureQuest and fell in love with the classic game. AQ had consumed Roroth so much that he missed the AQWorlds Beta because of it! Seeing all the art inside AQ classic inspired his path down the Artist Alley.

Back in April 2013, Roroth joined the AQW Q&A volunteer team and continued making art for the game (in addition to blowing away the competition in many Art Contests prior!). Even though Roroth has only been an official AQW volunteer for a few months, his artwork has soared into the hearts (and inventory bags) of players just like you. Roroth’s favorite thing about AE is: “All the new stuff! AE is always searching for new things to do or make! New games, HeroMart, DragonCon panels… I love it all!”

And we all love you too, Roroth =D

Check the in-game Game Menu later this afternoon to get your hands on Roroth’s exclusive gunslinger items to help him and his Drow kin rekindle their tribe.

Until then…

Battle ON!

xoxo Beleen

August 12, 2013

Wheel of Doom?!?!

More Doom Coming Soon… 

Oh yes. We are for real. Erm… for wheel, is more like it. I heard whispers hinting at something called the Wheel of Doom… which is said to award heroes and villains with super-hard-to-obtain items… and even some items that are no longer available!

What does this mean? When will the Wheel of Doom come? Looks like I have a serious eavesdropping mission ahead of me. As soon as I hear more about it, you will be the first to know!

Until then… Battle on my brave barbarians and heroic babes!

xoxo Beleen

August 12, 2013

Ambassador Applications Open

AQWorlds Needs a Few Good Ambassadors!

The AQWorlds player community has an awesome squadron of helpers: the AQWorlds Ambassador Guild. These heroes will help other players who have questions on how to play the game, where to get items, or need help beating bosses.

We have been overwhelmed by how many of you want to help your fellow heroes! You guys truly are the BEST gamers on the internet! So... how do you become an AQWorlds Ambassador? You apply!  

Requirements to Apply

If you can say "hey, that describes me!" to the list below, send an email to [email protected]!

• Be helpful
• Be friendly
• Be an experienced AQW player (to answer questions)
• Have a clean AQWorlds account
• Be 15 years old or older

We need to Know Your:

1. AQW Game account name and email
2. Artix Entertainment Master Account name and email (AE Portal Site) 
3. Forum account name and email (not required to have one)
4. Languages you speak
5. A cover letter describing yourself, what your favorite thing about AQW is and what you think is required of an AQW Ambassador.

One application per person. Lothalis, the Head Ambassador, will read all the applications. If you are chosen to go through a further interview, we will contact you. Unfortunately, he cannot reply to everyone. Applications will be open until this Friday, August 16th, at 11:59 pm server time.

Want to Know More About Being an Ambassador? Read the FAQ!

Battle On!

August 12, 2013

Monday Diary

So much fun all week long!

Dear hero, it’s Monday again! And that means it’s time for another Monday Write Up. Allow me to highlight all the fun happening this week in the world’s favorite online adventure game, AdventureQuest Worlds!

Tuesday’s Featured Artist Shop

For the past few months, we have seen the amazing artistic abilities of AQWorlds’ artists in the Featured Artist Showcase Shop. Last week we were blessed with Ven du Viioletmist’s special items, including the Rare Knight of the Leviasea Armor set.

Come tomorrow afternoon, Ven’s shop will disappear to make room for our newest volunteer artist, Roroth! This Drow artist will showcase elite armors, helms, weapons, and more from his personal stash of Drow-exclusive items.

I have the pleasure of meeting with Roroth later on this evening at the local AdventureBucks Coffee shop. Since not much is known about Roroth, I thought I could get him to tell me all his Drow secrets in exchange for a Venti Trobblechino! Mmmmm!

I will fill you in all the details in tomorrow Design Notes post… as soon as I finish my Trobblechino, that is =D

Friday’s Shadow Sorcerer Armor Set

Running low on AdventureCoins? They say that 2 things are better than 1… so how epic are 12 things in 1 sweet deal?!

Meet the Shadow Sorcerer. This devotee of the dark—along with 12 in-game items—can be yours starting Friday with our new 5,000 AdventureCoins package! 

With your 5,000 AC purchase, you will receive:

• Shadow Sorcerer Armor
• Shadow Orb Staff
• Shadow Sorcerer Helm
• Shadow Sorceress Helm
• Shadow Sorcerer Mask
• Shadow Sorceress Mask
• Shadow Sorcerer Ink (helm)
• Violet Shadow Wings
• Magenta Shadow Wings
• Crimson Shadow Wings
• Teal Shadow Wings
• Cobalt Shadow Wings
• Shadow Sorcerer Character Page Badge
• 5,000 AdventureCoins (lol of course)
• AND the Shadowfire Emperor Armor Set, including: Color-Customizable Shadowfire Emperor Armor, Shadowfire Skull Helm, Shadowfire Katana Cape, Shadowfire Blade, and Character Page badge

WOW. Nowhere else can you find a deal that AWESOME. And coming from the fashion guru who is all about finding the best deals, the 5,000 AdventureCoins package is seriously the sweetest deal ever.

So on Friday, make sure you purchase our new 5,000 AdventureCoins package so you can become the most feared Shadow Sorcerer of all! 

Also arriving on Friday….

More Quibble Rares and the grand reopening of Swordhaven Castle is set to launch Friday at sundown!

Quibble knows you need the best gear to defeat the next Lord of Chaos, so he specially ordered brand new weapons, armors, and helms just for you and your friends. With Quibble’s items at your side (and in your grasp), head to Swordhaven to celebrate the kingdom’s brand new redesign! But with Chaos ready to crash the celebration, it will be up to you to save the day.

The celebrations will continue outside of Swordhaven, too. A special first-of-its-kind Pinjat Pinang party will ensue Friday evening. This unique tradition is one of the oldest in Indonesian history and will soon go down in AQWorlds history as well!

August 12, 2013

Just Saying HI!

I Don't Work On AQW Anymore.

I probably linked you to this over Twitter because you asked me a question about AQW that I can't answer. I can't answer it because for the past several months I've been working full-time on BATTLE GEMS. If you want to know why I'm not working on AQW anymore, If I will be back or what BATTLE GEMS or PROJECT:OMNI are then please read on. 

Where Have I Been?!

You may have noticed that I haven't been on the Design Notes much in the past few months. I wanted to pop in and kind of let you guys know what's going on because I MISS YOU! If you HAVEN'T noticed that I've been gone, then you can just carry on and ignore this post. 

I AM NOT CURRENTLY WORKING ON AQW. I haven't been for the last few months. I'm still a member of the team, BUT all of my time and attention has been on our first PROJECT: OMNI game called BATTLE GEMS! 

I can already hear questions so I'm going to change gears and make this a personal Q&A post. 

WHAT IS PROJECT: OMNI? 

PROJECT: OMNI is the new direction of game development that AE is taking. OMNI games will not only play on the web but also on mobile phones, tablets and possibly a ton of other devices and/or delivery methods (DS, PSN, XBL, Steam Etc). That's the idea anyway. 

WHAT IS BATTLE GEMS?!

Battle Gems is our first OMNI game. It's still in development and a few months away from release. It will have pretty decent RPG fighter mechanics but you will use a gem based puzzle interface to pull off your attacks. 

There will be TONS of armors, helms, back items, pets (which ALL attack) and weapons in the game and you will be ENCOURAGED to collect ALL of them. The more weapons you collect, the stronger your weapon attacks are, etc. 

This game will be FREE for everyone who has access to it. 

This is NOT going to be like any of our other RPGs. You won't have an environment to walk around in like AQW, but instead a HUGE 256 node story map that will take you through the game with special holiday areas released during certain times of the year. You will be able to compete with your friends and if the game takes off we plan on adding a PvP aspect where you can face your friends as well. 

You will recognize a lot of elements from Lore (moglins, moglinsters, zards, gorillaphants etc), although the pets have been redesigned by Jemini and Samba and animated by Samba and all the monsters have been reconcieved in the game style by Thyton and colored and animated by Yergen. 

WHAT ARE YOU DOING FOR BATTLE GEMS, CYSERO?

I'm serving as the game's art director and facilitator. I'm trying to make sure that everyone on the art team knows what everyone else is doing so everyone has a deadline, no critical tasks fall through the cracks and the art style remains consistent throughut the entire game. 

I'm also getting to do some art myself. I'm working with Rolith on the game's navigation map. I've made a bunch of individual map assets like these...

and I'm assembling them all into one huge map texture that will lead you through the zones of the Battle Gems once Rolith puts them into Unlity and adds the functionality. I also did 30 of the more than 50 concepts for the Battle Gems logo, before we arrived at our final logo..

And finally, I'm also adding some silly to the game like the concept of the Octobear...

and the Brutalcorn which is a huge, buff, armored unicorn. Here, along with the Croc Warrior and the Battle Gems Dravir, are some concept sketches from Thyton. Don't worry, Brutalcorn's horn will be moved to his forehead. He's a unicorn, not a rhino. 

And here is Dage, who ran around as the Brutalcorn all last Friday. 

I can't tell you happy I was making that image. 

WILL YOU COME BACK TO AQW?!

The future of the Artix Entertainment is in OMNI games and I want to keep helping Artix to build games for you for as long as we can. If AQW needs me I will return and help out but right now, AE needs me looking forward, even if I can't see anything through my hair. 

SO, WAIT... ARE YOU TELLING ME THAT NOTHING IN AQW HAS BEEN YOUR FAULT FOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS?!

Mind blowing, right? But don't worry, you can keep blaming me for it if it makes you feel better. (never stopped anyone before).

SO WHAT IS THE AQW TEAM WORKING ON?

No clue. Quit askin' me. As I mentioned, I've been spending all of my time on Battle Gems. I could ask Alina to tell me what is going on but I just read the Design Notes, same as you do. 

I'M SUPER EXCITED NOW! WHEN WILL IT COME OUT?!

You're not paying attnetion but I understand. This is a lot to take in all at once. I mentioned earlier that we are still a few months away from full release but we have a REALLY solid start and for those of you who will be coming to our panel at DRAGONCON, we will have a pretty interesting prototype to show you! 

As always, I will be doing my Con Survival Guide Design Notes post (revised 2013 edition) in a few weeks with more details on our panel but if you want to stay aware of new development in Battle Gems.

You can follow MY TWITTER...

The BATTLE GEMS Facebook Page (LIKE us because we like you!)...

YERGEN'S TWITTER...

or, of course, ARTIX's TWITTER.