At last week’s Game Developer’s Conference, we got a closed-door session with Trion Worlds Producer Hal Hanlin, who gave us the scoop on what RIFT fans can look forward to in Update 1.8 and beyond. Some of this was teased in a promotional video last week, but we’ve dug up even more info!
To celebrate the defeat of the dragons — and RIFT’s one-year anniversary — the Carnival of the Ascended is underway, and once players have collected enough resources, a parade will be marching through Telara that they can escort, defending it from Telara’s hazards. Just wait until you see the giant dragon balloons…
With 1.8, players can also experience instant adventures in Ember Isle or take a shot at the 20-man raid, Infernal Dawn, that sees the Earth and Fire dragons join forces. As hinted at in last week’s TWIMMO, this raid will feature some spectacular bosses, including a dragon made of flowing gold and a giant lava ship that will have players scrambling to and fro on the poop deck. Heh… “poop.”
Along with Fishing and Survival professions, two of the most exciting features planned after 1.8 are leader boards that track virtually everything that can be counted, and a mentoring system that will allow players to “power down” to experience events in lower-level zones and receive appropriate awards. If Trion really is trying to squeeze news into that window between The Old Republic and Guild Wars 2, it’s doing a good job of it.
