Design Notes

July 29, 2016

Quibble Coinbiter is BACK

Get your dark, evil, and mysterious rare gear tonight!

Past, present, and future Frostval items lurk inside Quibble Coinbiter's pack... and YOUR inventory if you choose! AQWorlds' very own time-traveling sales moglin is back this weekend, but he won't be there long, so you'll want to dig through his chest of never-before-seen items and rares while you can!

In this weekend's shop, you'll find:

• DoomKnight DoomCaster
• DoomCaster Locks 
• DoomCaster Dark Helm 
• ShadowCaster Katana 
• DoomCaster Cape
• DoomCaster Katanas 
• ArchFiend's Bloodkeeper armor
• ArchFiend's Bloodcaller 
• Bloodcaller's Horns 
• Bloodkeeper's Horns 
• Fang of the ArchFiend 
• ArchFiend's Fang and Shield
• Mysterious Skew Pet 
• Shadowblade of Darkness 
• Dread Axe of Destruction
• Shadowblade of Darkness 
• Nethershard Blade
• Mysterious Stranger Banner
• Crossed DoomCaster Katanas Cape
• Mysterious Quibble Bank Pet

Special note: this is the FIRST TIME EVER that Quibble has included a set suggested by a player, but when we saw her idea, we were WOWED! Axeros crafted the DoomKnight DoomCaster suggested by AQW Hero Lilith, and man, is it awesome! /cheer for Lilith!

July 29, 2016

Pockey Mogs WHOA: Friday

Pockey Mogs: Gotta Save'em All!

This weekend, log in and battle to SAVE all the PockeyMogs on Lore! When Lim and Cysero accidentally create new species of mutated moglins, it'll be up to you, Ash, and Aria to free them all! 

One experiment gone awry. 

Two mad crafters seeking to undo the unexpected.

Tens of thousands of hybrid creatures hiding across the world.

Millions of people captivated by a shared goal: owning the ultimate pockey mog and becoming...

the VERY BEST!

Pockey Mogs for EVERYBODY!

After you complete this week's story release, talk to Aria to begin her quests to catch all the pockeymogs... but it won't be easy! After what they've been through, the pockey mogs still roaming free are pretty skittish.

1. Talk to Aria after completing the story release
2. Accept her quest to catch a pockey mog
3. Hunt through Lore to FIND the pockey mog
4. Attempt to capture the pockey mog in the pockey puck (!!!)
5. IF you do, you'll get the pet from Aria's quest

And free players, you've got work to do, too! There are TWO different pockey mogs you can find, save, and keep, too.

July 28, 2016

Make sure you can play AQWorlds

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July 27, 2016

AQ3D Kickstarter Surprise Gifts

SURPRISE! Gift to Pre-Beta Guardians / Backers

In addition to the Kickstarter Rewards delivered in the newest update, we gave some serious love to our awesome backers. A crazy amount of Dragon Crystals was injected into every backer account and if you were a Guardian in the Pre-Beta you just got bumped up to "Collector's Guardian" which includes Wings and a mount transformation!  Read on for details.

Thank you for being there for us. Now, here are details for this tidal wave of unexpected appreciation :D

Dragon Crystals for every backer!

The amounts we just put on your character are higher than any comparable package in game :D

We know that no-one was expecting to get Dragon Crystals as part of their Kickstarter pledge or Guardian purchase. Which is why, on top of your existing rewards, we are so proud to be injecting your account with a huge amount Dragon Crystals to return our loyalty!

Dragon Crystals awarded per pledge level

• 2,500 DC - Cross-Game Hero / Hero Starter Pack
• 7,500 DC - Guardian (Wow!)
• 17,500 DC "THE DRAGON'S HORDE"  - Epic Founder & above (OMGZORS!)

All Pre-Beta Guardians UPGRADED to "Collector's Dragon Guardian"

If you had Guardian during the Pre-Beta, then thank you and congratulations! We just bumped you up and got you the collector's edition item rewards (Worth $50 USD.) including...

• Guardian Dragon Wings
• Guardian Dragon Armor
• Guardian Dragon Helm
• Guardian Dragon Gloves
• Guardian Dragon Boots
• Guardian Dragon Belt
• and....
• wait for it....
• wait fooooooor it.........
• Elite Guardian Rider! (Mount Transformation) - Released once it is finished being animated (Korin is on it now)

You can pick up your items at any time from the Guardian Alistair who is standing in front of the Guardian Tower. Depending on your pledge level he might have some other Kickstarter goodies for you to try out as well.

999 Health & Mana Potions!

Backers who supported at the "Hero's Backpack" and above tier were expecting some bonus potions. You also reached a stretch goal which doubled the starting potions for backers.

We were originally going to give you 100. Then we doubled it to 200! Then, after a moment of silence... we whispered, "They really had our backs." And we doubled it again to 400. Then Cysero said, "I mean, these guys believed in us when no one else did." so we doubled it again to 800. Then Artix asked, "What is max potion stack size?" Zhoom replied, "99." *Moment of silence* "Then hack it and give them 999!" 

Larger Backpack!

You start the game with 30 backpack slots. Backers who pledged at the Hero Starter Pack level now have +20 more backpack slots. If you have Guardian or higher you get +20 more. So as of today you may have as many as 70 Backpack slots :D (Note: Banks are going to be coming this year too... so you have a place to put all those capes. )

More Kickstarter Rewards delivered :D

More surprises await you in Closed Beta. You will be pleased to discover that many more of the Kickstarter Rewards have stealthfully been added to the game for you. Most of them the items are the low level versions. Quests are in development to get better versions. You will also be able to use item fusion (coming soon) to merge them and make them stronger. Check in with Melodia in Yulgar's Inn and Guardian Alister who is standing outside the Guardian Tower to see what they have. We expect all backer items except the classes and custom items to be delivered by the start of Open Beta!

Thank you & Testing!

"Actions speak louder than tweets." We are grateful for your loyalty and support. We did not just want to deliver on this Kickstarter... we wanted to OVER DELIVER!

We hope you enjoy the Dragon Crystals and bonuses we have awarded you in this release. If you had the Guardian badge during pre-beta, then we really hope you love the Collector's Edition items including the  Dragon Wings and Elite Guardian Mount Transformation (which will release after Korin finishes animating it.) Without question these are some of the best things we have ever produced for the game.  Please help us test all of the items. We are still in Beta after all, and we expect to find issues-- and as always, fix them :D

OH MY GOSH!!!!!! I forgot about the Badge!

Pre-Beta Badge

Your character page will now proudly display the Pre-Beta Badge. Every time you glance at it, remember the good times we had together and how important you were in the creation of this game. We have a lot to do... Closed Beta approaches. Time to get testing. BATTLE ON!

Submit Bugs & Issues
www.Artix.com/Bugs

Let us know you are happy
Comment on Artix's Twitter!

July 26, 2016

Quibble Coinbiter Returns Friday

He's back with all-new, dark and mysterious rare items!

Rare hunters and Evil-lovers alike, rejoice! Quibble Coinbiter, rare item merchant extraordinaire is on his way BACK to Battleon this Friday with gear inspired by the Mysterious Stranger and the Throne of Darkness Saga!

Quibble's Dark and Mysterious Gear

If you've seen Quibble appear before, you know that his arrival heralds the beginning of the NEXT BIG THING... and THIS time around, he's bringing extra dark gear crafted to celebrate one of the darkest and most mysterious villain yet... the Mysterious Stranger! 

July 25, 2016

This Friday: Pockey Mogs, WHOA!

Pockey Mogs: Gotta Save'em All!

On Friday, July 29th, prepare to battle through a world filled with NEW creatures and a new craze: Pockey Mogs!

One experiment gone awry. 

Two mad crafters seeking to undo the unexpected.

Tens of thousands of hybrid creatures hiding across the world.

Millions of people captivated by a shared goal: owning the ultimate pockey mog and becoming...

the VERY BEST!

July 22, 2016

The Summer Madness Offer Continues

Get Up to 40% More AdventureCoins With Any AC Package!

Starting tonight and through this Thursday, August 11th, get more AdventureCoins with each AC package! The larger the AC package you buy, the more bonus ACs you'll have to spend as we battle our way through the final villains in the fan-favorite “Throne of Darkness Saga”! 

Starting today, you'll get the following bonus AdventureCoins:

• 12000 AC package: 4800 bonus ACs
• 5000 AC package: 1500 bonus ACs
• 2000 AC package: 300 bonus ACs
• 900 AC package: 50 bonus ACs

So many of you emailed, Tweeted, Facebooked, and messaged us in-game thanking us for the bonus ACs last year that we wanted to keep that love and excitement flowing for the rest of the summer!

Note: this offer does not apply to AdventureCoin purchases bought on Amazon.com, or the bonus ACs that come with membership packages. 

Unlock the July upgrade bonus gear!

This month, buy any AdventureCoin or Membership package of $10 USD or more to unlock your exclusive July upgrade bonus items! These packages replace the Galactic Commander June bonus gear, and will be available until August 5th.

12000 AC or 12 month membership packages: 12 items + Boosts

Get more gear and save more of your real-world gold with our largest upgrade packages! Unlock the following gear with our 12000 AdventureCoin or 12 month membership packages:

• 2 armors
• 2 helms
• 2 weapons
• 4 capes 
• 7 Rep/XP/Gold/Class Points boosts added straight to your inventory

2000 and 5000 AC or 3 and 6 month membership package: 6 items + Boosts

• 1 Armor
• 1 Helm
• 2 Capes
• 1 Staff
• 5 Rep/XP/Gold/Class Points boosts added straight to your inventory

And all packages will also come with the Falcon Commander character page badge, so you can show all your friends that YOU are the master of time and space! 

* You can see what time it is on the server clock in your options menu)

July 22, 2016

The Darkovian Catacombs await...

This weekend, battle to recover... the Sanguine Garnet!

Every TreasureHunter knows the name of Scarletta the Sorceress, a leading expert on ancient artifacts and enchanted objects. After Stryche the Merchant uncovers a page stolen from one of her tomes, you’ll need to stock up on stakes and equip your sturdiest neckguard. 

This Friday, your adventures will take you deep into the heart of the Darkovia’s deadliest catacombs to recover and ancient artifact lost during the Chaos War known as… the Sanguine Garnet!

July 22, 2016

NEW Gear in the Suggestion Shop

The ArchFiend DoomKnight set and MORE!

This weekend, head to Yulgar's Inn and check out the Suggestion Shop to find all-new gear suggested by heroes like you! 

In the Player Suggestion shop tonight, you'll find:

• Dark Blade Katana by Mateus 1002
• Deax Goldwing Blade by Deax
• Jorin's Fear of Death blade by Jorin900000
• Zayark's Shadowwalker armor
• Ichneumon Dragonslayer set by Shadowslayer Rei
• Timekeeper's Presence Staff by Neoslasher
• Fiendish DoomKnight set by HeroViolaterFer (going rare on August 5th!)

You'll be able to get the rare, non-color customizable Fiendish DoomKnight set from the Player Suggestion Shop until August 5th for AdventureCoins OR you can quest to unlock the full, color-customizable set! (The quest version will be a permenant in-game item, so you have as much time as you need to farm!)

ArchFiend DoomLord quests and gear!

For the first time ever, we're also offering a variant of one of the suggestion sets as a quest reward from Nulgath! Starting tonight, talk to Oblivion in the Tercessuinotlim zone to begin gathering the resources necessary to unlock the gear! 

Note: this is a long, HARD end-game quest. If you've ranked up all your classes, completed all the storylines, and are looking for something new to do, this is the challenge for you!

Want to get in on this?

We've received a ton of AWESOME ideas from heroes like you in our Suggestion forum! Our artists pick designs suggested by you, then recreate them in Flash and get them ready to release in-game.* Players who suggest an item also get that item for free! (/cheer!)

* We get more suggestions than we could ever have time to create, and we regret that we can't implement all the suggestions and ideas, but we DO love seeing what you send! 

PS: the DoomCaster set pictured earlier in the week will arrive in next week's EVIL Quibble shop... because the Mysterious Stranger is coming... soon... very soon.

July 18, 2016

Friday: Valencia and the Sanguine Garnet

This weekend, quest to recover an ancient artifact!

Every TreasureHunter knows the name of Scarletta the Sorceress, a leading expert on ancient artifacts and enchanted objects. After Stryche the Merchant uncovers a page stolen from one of her tomes, you’ll need to stock up on stakes and equip your sturdiest neckguard. 

This Friday, your adventures will take you deep into the heart of the Darkovia’s deadliest catacombs to recover and ancient artifact lost during the Chaos War known as… the Sanguine Garnet!

July 15, 2016

Unlock the Secrets of Yasaris

Unlock the Secrets of Sekt's 4th Dimensional Pyramid

This weekend, accept the quest to unlock the secrets of Sekt the Eternal's pyramid and battle to recover the artifacts of an ancient god... Wielding them will give you enough power to restore... or extinguish... the sun's energy! 

• Complete Serepthys the Guardian's quests!
• Solve the puzzles blocking you from reaching the artifacts!
• Defy your fate and save the sun! 

Tthe Eternal Inversionist Class is HERE!

Each of the Throne of Darkness stories has had a class variant attached to it, and Sekt the Eternal's is no different... EXCEPT that THIS week's class can be bought for gold and rep by ALL players! If you don't have the time or inclination to farm, you can also buy the class for 2000 AdventureCoins!

Check out the Class Skills breakdown here!

July 15, 2016

Friday: Black Dragon's Pearl Treasure Chest

Unlock all 12 Surfboards when you buy the Black Dragon's Pearl!

This Friday, when you buy the Black Dragon's Pearl from the July Rares Shop for 1000 AdventureCoins, you'll be able to unlock... the Black Dragon's Pearl Treasure Chest filled with all 12 0 AC surfboards from the July Rares Shop!

4 of the 12 dragon surfboards

Recently, I put out a Twitter poll recently to see what kinds of themes you guys would like on the 2016 surfboards, and dragons were a really popular answer. Last year, we launched our AdventureQuest:Dragons idle, mobile game, and it had some of the prettiest art we've ever created. Combining the two made a lot of sense, and so... starting this Friday, if you have a Black Dragon's Pearl, the treasure will be yours!

July 15, 2016

Grand Opening: HeroMart Store... in AQW

Unlock more In-Game Rewards with HeroPoints!

Stop by HeroMart in Battleon! Talk to Stryche to see all of the rockin’ rewards that come with any real-world HeroMart purchase, and learn about our new points system, HeroMart’s HeroPoints! The in-game location opens THIS week for you to explore. The HeroPoints in-game currency will go live later this month!

Heromart is about to ramp up production, with many new posters, shirts, and other gear coming in the near future! All those items will come with HeroPoints, so keep an eye out for new merch!

How to find HeroMart's New Store

• /join heromart
• Talk to Stryche to learn all about HeroMart and its merch
• Browse the store to see his big-ticket items and their in-game rewards
• Click on items that interest you to get more information or go straight to HeroMart to buy them

HeroPoints: A New Way to Get In-Game Rewards

HeroPoints are a new way for you to get even more rewards when you get merchandise from HeroMart! Existing store items will keep the codes they currently use, but from here on out, select HeroMart merchandise will come with a quantity of HeroPoints that you can spend in Stryche's in-game merge shop.

• 1 HeroPoint is roughly equal to $5 USD
• For every $5 dollars you spend at HeroMart, you'll get 1 HP

We are currently planning to introduce new in-game items in the HeroPoints Shop each year, and retire old items. 

• A new HeroMart CLASS and armor set
• Showcase Villa HOUSE
• Sneevil Bank Pet
• Zard Bank Pet
• Skeleton Bank Pet
• Slime Bank Pet
• Mystic Dragon Conqueror
• Mystic Dragon Conqueror Helm
• Drow Illusionist
• Drow's Wings of Illusion
• Enchanted Thorn Staff
• Hood of Visions
• Dage's Desolation G
• Dreaded Axe of Evil
• Blinding Edge of the Good
• Twisted Crystal Staff
• Heromart Gem Pet
• Time-Travel Bot
• Edge of Infinity
• Bow of Galactic Conquest
• Undead Artix Toy house item
• Infinity Knight statue house item
• Legion Paladin statue house item
• And more to come in the future!

More In-Game Reward Details

• You'll see variants of many existing HeroMart in-game rewards in the merge shop. If you bought a HeroMart item that unlocked the original versions of these itms, you will also get the variants for free in your badge shop.
• We will not be recoloring versions of gear that has gone permanently rare, or of gear we've said can only be obtained exclusively by getting specific merchandise. (Example: the Not a Mod Class)
• HeroPoints will only come with select future merchandise, as all current merchandise already comes with exclusive gear!

July 12, 2016

Server Disruption Update

Update on the recent server outages, and what we're doing to fix them

Hello everyone! Over the last several days, we've been experiencing an unusual amount of server disruption. We're working as fast as we can to get them all back and stable, and have been talking with our server host company since this began. 

Right now, we are: 

1. Working with the server host company to mitigate the effect on your gameplay
2. Investigating switching over our server to incorporate WebSockets, which will give us even more protection options
3. Adding server boosts onto the less populated servers to spread out the playerbase  

Additional steps on the backend to help optimize and protect the server addresses, information, etc.

Common signs of a server having issues are:

• Attacks not hitting the monster
• Trouble opening shops
• Quests not turning in
• Items not loading properly

If you are experiencing issues with your gameplay during this time, please try a different server. Safiria and Artix servers have been hidden while this issue continues, but will return in the future. Zhoom server has been retired for the foreseeable future, as we are using it for multiple sites/functions.

Server Boosts Now Active on ALL Servers!

As our way of saying "sorry for the interruptions" and to help sweeten your time on our servers, we've added: 

20% boost to Class Points, Rep, Gold, and XP are now on all regular servers, with a 30% boost on the member server!

Note: the Server Hamsters are very, very sad, at how out of shape they are. They've started going to the gym to get trained by this Master Server Trainer! We should make them play Hamstermon GO! -- then get them all hamster balls to help them get fit!

July 08, 2016

Enter... the Fourth Dimensional Pyramid

Sekt the Eternal's Saga continues this weekend!

Battle through an ancient dungeon outside space and time, and uncover the secrets locked inside Sekt the Eternal’s Fourth Dimensional Pyramid this weekend!

• Rank up a new rep faction to unlock two new sets of reward gear 
• Get to rank 10 to unlock the Fourth Dimensional Pyramid House... IF you have enough Anti-Matter Gems!*

Will you fulfill the ancient prophecy? ... Your life depends on the answer!

* I hope you've saved your Anti-Matter gems from last week! If you haven't, though, never fear! This week's boss monster also drops them.

July 08, 2016

New Music Video Making Contest

AE Presents: "Camera, Set, Music!" Contest

2016 might be the year of music, with new stars emerging daily thanks to the power of the internet and the Eurovision festival currently going on. So we thought... why not put on an AE music video contest? We've got some amazing video makers in our community, and you might be one of them!  

Contest Plot: Create an original music video

You read that right! For this contest, create an original music video that takes place in one of our games (or all of them?!)! 

• Submit your existing Music Video to us! (Just as long as you have the permission of anyone that helped you make it.)
• You can enter videos made BEFORE the contest start date as long as it meets all of the other rules/requirements.
• You must include your AQW or AQ3D character name in the form when you submit, NOT the video description

CHALLENGE! Being able to put every AE game ever made into 1 video would be a great challenge for the veterans in our video-making community. 

Contest Details: How to Audition

• Contest begins: July 8th, 2016 
• Contest ends: August 31th, 2016
• Send your entry to us: by following this link

CGI-Prizes! 

The prizes for this contest are crAEzier than any we've ever done before! Fame and internet immortality. PLUS character page badges AND Artix Points! /cheer

Grand Prize Winner(s) will receive:

• Your music video on Artix.com and in the AQW & AQ3D game design notes
• A spot in the coming music video gallery on Artix.com contest page
• 5000 Artix PointsBadge in AQW/AQ3D

Please remember: you cannot use anything that would cause copyright issues! Check out this link to see how you can make sure the song/s you choose are alright to use.

Read on for more information on the rules, full prize list, plus submission details!

July 05, 2016

The Darkness is Coming...

Sekt the Eternal's Saga continues this Friday!

After many moons (and many days NOT staring at the Black Hole Sun), the time is at hand to enter the 4th Dimensional Pyramid! This weekend, battle through this ancient dungeon outside space and time, and uncover the secrets locked inside Sekt the Eternal’s Fourth Dimensional Pyramid!

July 01, 2016

Hunt for the Infinity Shield

Battle through the Shifting Pyramid to recover the shield!

Anubyx is determined to see you enter the 4th Dimensional Pyramid, survive its dangers, fulfill the prophecy, and come out alive. There's only one thing he can think of to help you -- the Infinity Shield -- a condensed anti-quasar that will keep you safe as you fight to survive Sekt's dungeon!

Take on the crazed creatures spawned from the heart of the Black Hole Sun as you fight to come out on top (literally!) - once the Infinity Shield is yours, you'll be ready to enter the Fourth Dimensional Pyramid next week! 

The Shifting Pyramid Merge Shop has the following gear for you:

• Void Wanderer armor
• Dark Matter cape
• Dark Flaming Fists
• Colossal Black Hole Sword
• Black Hole Sword
• Black Hole Spear

You'll need to defeat tonight's boss monster to get the fangs necessary to create the gear. You'll ALSO find new rewards dropping off the monsters in the map!

• The Tomb Thief armor and turban (looks like SOMEBODY failed the judgement test)
• The Goblin pet and cauldron cape
• The Vortex Hawk 
• and the Infinity Shield Cape, a 1% drop off tonight's boss monster!