News

Update 60 for Matrix Online is now live. The patch addresses several issues and introduces the story's continuation in episode 10.2:

HvCFT OS Update 60: --

Featured Changes

The Matrix Online Story Continues in Episode 10.2!
Chapter 10.2 begins with a new critical mission on Thursday, 5/15, and a new critical mission follows on each of the next four Thursdays: 5/22, 5/29, 6/5, and 6/12.

New Level 50 Weapons

Added 342 level 50 Enhanced/Silenced weapon variants. They drop as rare, high level critical mission or three-chevron NPC weapon loot, mostly. Most level 50+ NPCs are now equipped with the new level 50 Enhanced/Silenced weapons.

Click below to read the rest of the patch contents.

As game worlds become more and more advanced, they also grow larger and larger. The by-product of this improvement is the long distances that must be traveled between locations. For some reason, with this increase in world size, there is not a corresponding improvement in traveling systems. Indeed, there seems to be almost a perverse joy in sending players on quests that involve running back and forth between two distant points with no other objective but carrying a bickering message between a pair of NPCs.

Jim Moreno tackles the difficult task of roleplaying a merchant in this edition of RoleCraft: "Even roleplayers are known to struggle with this cookie cutter gameplay, and with keeping their characters from looking and acting just like every other character in game. What to do? One sure way to avoid the pitfalls of routine is to realize that there are many other classes in game besides adventurer. It's time to become a professional roleplayer!"

Sean Bulger's periodic community column today looks at the concept of Open PvP (player vs. player) and what it does to games and their communities.

A while back we talked about conflict between players and what sort of a role that it can play in a game and for communities. During this, it was noted that player competition can be implemented in numerous different ways. This week, I would like to revisit this discussion and talk about one of those particular methods: the open PvP world.

Open PvP is one of the more controversial topics in MMO circles and plenty of people have fairly strong opinions one way or the other on the subject. That said, I would like to explore both the positive impacts and negative ones on the player community. Open PvP has the potential to help bond a community fairly tightly, but it also has the potential to truly tear it apart as well.

Read more after the leap.

Last week, Jonathan Steinhauer's column looked at the design of outdoor areas in The Dangerous Wilderness, Part 1. In Part 2, he continues his thoughts on the basic challenge most every MMO faces.

The easiest solution, though it avoids the root of the problem, is to disperse the ground spawns to a more realistic population level. There are areas where one would expect to encounter monsters, and that is where the heavy concentrations should be. Hard core hunting should occur in the fortresses and camps of the various villains, monsters, and animals that are the bane of the adventurer, not every time you step off the path. This opens up the wilderness for travel and casual hunting while giving players the kind of combat that exist in epic stories: battle in the lairs.

Read more after the leap.

Jim Moreno looks at the biggest question for the modern MMO roleplayer: how do you keep in character in an instance? They're here to stay, so it's time to learn how to deal with them.

Hear me now and believe me later, there is no reason why roleplayers cannot and should not engage in the same high quality RP within an instance as without. Personally, I'm not at all knowledgeable as to where the notion started from, but I absolutely aim to crush it here and henceforth. More than that, I want to share with fellow roleplayers why I think instances are the best places for RP, and provide some tips on how to take on these adventures with RP in mind. I hope they help!

Read more after the leap.

In a new editorial, columnist Jonathan Steinhauer embarks into "The Dangerous Wilderness". He looks at the concept of pf the wild and how it's presented in MMOs.

As I've wandered through the wilds of various games, I've been stunned by the panoramic vistas that have opened out before me. Trees sway in the light breeze, their leaves rustling softly through my speakers. A stream trickles by, the sunlight gleaming of the whorls and eddies of the current while in the distance, purple mountains capped with white glaciers scrape the billowing clouds. The imagery is so detailed, I could almost believe it is real.

Read more after the leap.

The official Matrix Online site released the following press announcement. It details events for their third anniversary celebration:

Players Can Celebrate with The Return of the Smith Virus, New Loot and a Party with Developers

WHAT:
The Matrix Online (MxO) celebrates its third anniversary with in-game events and parties, along with Game Update 59 set to debut in April.

Some in game features include:

The Return of the Smith Virus
- The ever-popular Smith Virus returns in this year's anniversary as it seeks to infect all those in the Matrix.
- Players can approach a virologist near various city monuments who will present them with a ticket to begin a mission leading to the Oracle.
- Complete the mission from the Oracle and get "Smith's End Brownie" which cures players of the Smith Virus infection. Players can even throw the brownie at infected people to cure them of the virus.
- Watch out for "Smithlings" but if one is encountered one, he might drop a "Smith Frag" for usage.

Don't Forget About the Goodies
- Have an extra Smith Frag or Smith's End Brownie? Take them to a virologist to get items available only during the anniversary! Don't worry, once these special items are acquired they are then accessible year-round.
- Items available during the MxO Anniversary
o 20+ t-shirts with 12 new types this year
o Oracle Anniversary Cookies which provide additional healing from any damage you might incur from fighting those devious Smithlings or other foes.
o Smith Rage Pills that temporarily confer combat buffs similar to those received from the Smith Virus.
o Smith Firewall Candy - new this year! These candies award players temporary immunity against Smith Virus infections - a must for any brave operatives!

In-Game Party
o Party with developers, Rarebit, Walrus, Virrago, Moonlite, Brewko, 9mmfu and Dracomet and other players on Friday, March 21st from 3-5pm PST on the Syntax server in Camon Heights Park to chat and celebrate MxO's 3rd birthday.

WHEN: The MxO Third Anniversary is scheduled to begin on March 20th and conclude on April 3rd

WHERE: TheMatrixOnline.com

THE MATRIX ONLINE, characters, names and all related indicia are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
All other trademarks or tradenames are properties of their respective owners.

Check it out at the official site.

The Matrix Online site has been updated with the following information about yesterday's hotfix:

HvCFT OS Update 58 Hotfix:

Featured Changes

NVIDIA 8xxx Graphic Card Performance Workaround

The modellighting_enable variable can now be disabled (set to "0"), which may resolve a low framerate issue experienced on some video cards under Windows XP. See the Technical Support forum here for more details.

Bug Fixes

Some texture issues on pipes in the Datamine construct have been fixed.

Grab it today.

The Matrix is a machine and as all machine it needs maintenance and updates once in a while. Well today was one of those days.

You can check out the details by clicking below.