Rift Articles

[Morreion]

Enter at Your Own Rift: A tour guide to beta four (Massively)

Since my adrenaline was pumping, I figured I'd relax with a little peek at PvP Warfronts. There were two available this weekend: The Black Garden and The Codex. The Black Garden is for players level 10 and up, and the objective is to seize a relic and protect it from the opposite team. The longer you hold the relic, the more damage you absorb, so your teammates have to be quick to snag it when you die. Teams gain points both by holding the relic and by killing other players. The Codex involves control of certain control points on the map and is for players level 20 and up.

Cyril Kalmar, Champion of the Guardians (Rift official site)

Stories disagree about Cyril Kalmar’s origins, and he seems to have sprung, fully-grown and larger-than-life, into the hearts and minds of Mathosians. It is known that Cyril was a giant of a man, possessed of courage and might as well as discipline, compassion, and good cheer. A throwback to the heroes of the ancient songs, Cyril’s exploits inspired the people.

RIFT looks at Scarwood Reach (Massively)

Once an enchanted forest covered in the majestic granitewood trees, the woods have been logged to their demise, with only scattered pockets of trees remaining as a testament to what once was. But the servants of Greenscale seek to undo the damage in the only way possible -- by opening a portal to the Plane of Life that might swallow Telara whole.

Massively Speaking Episode 130: Talking RIFT with Scott Hartsman

Podcast at the link.

Rift Beta Weekend Impressions (Mystic Worlds)

There was nothing that I didn’t like about Rift. I could stand to do less running back and forth when you’re rift chasing. However, I will say that the experience felt more like an army on the move because you had to traverse the landscape to reach conflict points versus hopping on a fast travel mechanic.

Rift Beta 4: In Search of… a Spec. (West Karana)

Bard buffs come in three flavors — Anthems and Fanfares are your long duration buffs, and Motifs your short duration buffs. You vanilla Motif lasts 12 seconds, but you can get it up to 30. They are instant cast.

Why WoW players should stay away from Rift. (West Karana)

Clearly the game is NOT a copy of WoW. But that’s fine. You hear the hype, and all you’re hearing is “not as good as WoW.”

Rift Racial Quickfix – How to Encourage Balance (Peripity)

The issue within Rift is simple, and twofold: certain races get offense, others get defense and within those races the more offensively-gifted faction are the Defiant. As a result, the Defiant are the best PvP faction. This imbalance is made even worse when you realize that the single best offensive trait is on the Defiant size, and the second place arguably goes to another defiant race as well.

Rift Review (EG Style) (Hardcore Casual)

The gameplay is standard themepark hotbar mashing. Icons appear in your bar when you get them, you mash them, stuff dies. By far the biggest hurdle for me with Rift is going to be getting over the combat. Darkfall has simply spoiled me in that regard, and while Rift certainly does what it does well, its Just So Damn Boring compared to even the lowliest PvE encounter in DF.

Massively goes EG, I go Tobold. (Hardcore Casual)

I’m being harsh on Rift, perhaps too harsh, but in many ways it feels like a huge opportunity wasted. Rift just does way too many things too safe, and really does feel like ‘more of the same’ in a very bad way. 2004 WoW grabbed you because while feeling familiar, it constantly surprised or impressed with something, be it big or small. So far, each step with Rift has felt very familiar, but without a single surprise. You go around every corner expecting something, and sure enough, it’s right there, just as you predicted. That’s not good, but maybe beyond 10 hours this changes.

Rift in the community (Shadow-War)

I completely get where Jef is coming from on his “review” (all 121 words of it), it’s eminently clear from the start of this game, that Rift is an on-rails, themepark focused MMO, and most likely that it is heavily invested into the PvE aspect of its gameplay. Anyone who is half-way honest will admit that is apparent from the start. And that’s okay. There is nothing wrong with that, just as there is nothing wrong with EQ2, LotRO, or WoW for being those things. So, Jef from Massively said essentially that, and I agree, I’ve played it before as well. The new shiny may be neat, but unless the PvP of the game is highly compelling, I can’t see myself making a stay there, as it’s just not the type of game that I go for.

Rift Review (beta 4) (Asterisk Dot Crusade)

Rifts, while a good game, will sputter and be 2nd tier then slowly fade when the next round of MMO are produced due to its lack of interplay and depth of the world. Which is ironic given that's likely what they were aiming for with the whole "rift/incursion" system...

[Oatik]

It’s been two years since I suggested people who complain how modern MMOs don’t stack up to the first MMO they played decide to just pick a new MMO — ANY MMO — and just PLAY it. Play it as their number one game. Be there every night as the game finds its groove and just be part of something new.

This was in the WoW players don't come here article...I really like the idea behind this, not so much don't come here, but to go all in. Play like it's 2002 or whatever.

There’s going to be a few months before the min-maxers tell me how crappy I play, before websites spoil every quest and dungeon, before add-ons tell me the best way to do absolutely everything, before gearscore let the world know how gimp I am. It’s going to be a time when everything is a new experience. It’ll be a hell of a lot of fun.

[Morreion]

Amen, Oat! It's like that 'new car smell'!

The only problem is that there are 2 or 3 other games of interest to me scheduled to release this year. Of course, I'd rather have the problem of too many good games to play than not being able to find any. Yes, I'm looking at you 2006, 2009 etc.

[Morreion]

My Concerns About Rift (Game By Night)

Right now, the much lauded soul system needs work. It’s fun, sure, but the balance is a bit off. Why is it that a rogue — in leather — can tank better than a warrior in plate? Why is it that a cleric makes a warrior look like absolute drudgery — where one fights longer and struggles harder, the other breezes through without so much as a stop to drink. These are problems that need fixing.

My hope is that Trion takes the Mythic approach and buffs the underperformers rather than nerfing the classes people enjoy most. Playing a cleric is fun. That’s why people do it. The answer should never be to make a class less fun so the crappers look better in comparison.

Rift Beta – Impressions (Common Sense Gamer)

Graphically the game is gorgeous. Think AoC and you’re just about there. The sound and world around you are very well done as well. Certainly a AAA title when it comes you presentation. The UI has everything where it should be, although there are some areas of the UI that I think need some work….like the paper doll screen.

Podcast 27: PVP – Openworld, Warfronts and Longevity (Rift Podcast)

BloodPact officer Apatheus, and members Rival and Vekna join us to discuss RIFT pvp. Cindy ‘Abigale’ Bowens stops by to take notes on the feedback and we announce a guild contest!

We talk about the good and the bad of:

* PvP Warfronts
* OpenWorld PvP
* Soul versatility, PvP and the game
* And More!

Lore: The Mathosian Empire (Rift Junkies)

On the last day of his reign, King Jostyr Mathos walked to his throne, leaning on the arms of his sons. The king and the princes wore their plates of war, and though Jostyr’s eyes could barely see, his hand did not shake around the hilt of his sword. From the seat of power, he spoke his people’s history, thus:

BFF Report Episode 52: Rift (Part 1) (ZAM)
In the first installment of his two-part Rift report, Mike B. aka Fony gives you the basics on how to get going in the world of Telara.

7:01 video at the link.

I Don’t Think the Rift Community Wants That…. (HorRiftic Intentions)

So, in recent days I have seen an explosion of forum threads where people are making suggestions for Rift. Some are very good. While others are very, very bad. Hey, I like suggestions. Anything that gets the community talking and the developers listening is a good thing. But, sometimes people just don’t get it.

Build your own Rift warrior class video demo (Rift Zone)

1:56 official Warrior video at the link.

Dungeon Guide: Realm of the Fae (Rift Junkies)

Spoiler alert- lots of info here!

Gamebreaker.tv: The Sanctum Ep1 (Rift Junkies)

Sunday showed the premiere episode of “The Sanctum“, a show hosted by Gamebreaker.tv. In this episode the Host and Guests discuss Beta 4.

1 hour 7-minute video at the link.

Gamebreaker.tv: The Sanctum – Ep 2 (Rift Junkies)

49-minute video at the link.

[Morreion]

Enter at Your Own Rift: Sightseeing in Sanctum (Massively)

A guided tour of the Guardian home city of Sanctum.

I definitely swooned a bit -- just a bit! -- when I saw a dye vendor. There have been some complaints about how many of the characters look identical in early game armor, which is why it's nice to have access to fairly inexpensive dyes to create a distinct look for your toon. You can only dye each piece one color, but most of your armor is dyeable.

Rift’s Enviable Position (HorRiftic Intentions)

Unlike WAR and AoC, Trion does not have to spend the majority of their post-release time fixing major bugs. They don’t have to worry about rushing content that was promised for release out the door. Unlike AoC, WAR and Aion, they do not have to worry about rushing content out to fill in content gaps during the leveling experience. They have all those bases covered. What it means is that Trion is going to be able to concentrate on adding content in a much more focused environment. They don’t have to rush it.

Dreams of Port Scion (HorRiftic Intentions)

Scott Hartsmann has mentioned in numerous interviews that Port Scion will be a warzone. A great open PvP warzone. We know that there is also an instanced War Front that takes place inside Port Scion, called “The Battle for Port Scion” but there has also been numerous mentions of something more, an open world PvP area. Other than that, we have very little information. But we do have hopes and here are mine.

An Explanation of PVP and Warfronts: Maps and Videos (Rift Junkies)

Includes videos.

These quests, some are dailys, reward you with Favor and Notoriety (or reputation). There are two different factions, tied to individual Warfronts, that you could gain notoriety with this weekend. Gaining notoriety came from either the quests, completing objectives in Warfronts and winning. There was at least one piece of gear that could be equipped at level 25. The rest of the gear was of higher level, higher notoriety level and higher prestige.

RIFT developers explore the dynamics of PvP! (Massively)

Includes a 1:41 video- with a funny ending!

Exclusive: A look at RIFT's Druid (Massively)

Druids are a pet class, but not in the traditional sense. Where a Mage with a pet-using soul would rely on his pets to deal damage, the Druid uses her pets as conduits to empower her, making her a fierce combatant in her own right.

Exclusive: A look at RIFT's Void Knight (Massively)

The Void Knight isn't just capable of enduring magical attacks -- he actively absorbs them, using them to power his most spectacular abilities.

Exclusive: A look at RIFT's Dominator (Massively)

A mind is a terrible thing to waste, even if you have little to no intention of letting your opponent use it. That's the Dominator philosophy in a nutshell, with a number of abilities designed to confuse, terrify, and control opponents.

Exclusive: A look at RIFT's Saboteur (Massively)

The Saboteur is a cunning Rogue who uses explosives and other incendiaries to cripple opponents and control the battlefield. With proper preparation, a Saboteur can destroy enemies without ever giving them a chance to join battle.

Rift Soul Tree Calculator (Zam)

Handy for planning out your character builds!

[Morreion]

RIFT beta 5 introduces public grouping, will be "twice as big" as beta 4 (Massively)

Other changes in store for players this week include a better organization of planar currencies, Rogue energy fixes, ranged sound improvements and "significant love" for invasion mechanics. Hartsman also revealed a few items that the team is working on for future updates, such as better racial abilities and master looting.

RIFT reveals a new dungeon with The Fall of Lantern Hook (Massively)

In Lantern Hook in the Droughtlands, there is a deep, clear well. It is said that this well is enchanted, and that any Ascended who swims to the bottom will be transported to a nightmare world of endless flame. This is so, but only the mighty Ascended are brave enough to chance the deep waters. And when they emerge from the well, they do find themselves in a world consumed by fire. Yet this is no alien land but a dark vision of Lantern Hook itself, the last spot on Telara to fall to the rampaging hordes of Maelforge. By experiencing the Fall of Lantern Hook, the Ascended can see firsthand the horrific fate in store if they fail and even one of the dragons is allowed free reign over Telara.

Beta 5 patch notes posted for RIFT (Massively)

Many players had requested some sort of open grouping system to coincide with the game's dynamic events, and the new public group system facilitates just that. Although the system still requires clicking a few buttons and flagging yourself as open for public groups, it streamlines the process of getting everyone organized and cooperative during a rift battle.

Rift Beta on Ten Ton Hammer Live Episode 32
Executive Producer Scott Hartsman returns to talk about the state of the game in beta

Enter at Your Own Rift: The "must-see" list for beta five (Massively)

Put down the quest journal and find some rifts! Devote at least one play session entirely to rift hunting. No solo questing allowed! I'll admit that I was hesitant to switch gears and run around closing rifts because I felt that I'd be missing out on all the nice experience and gear that comes from solo questing. I quickly learned that I was wrong and that rift hunting is a viable path to leveling and gearing up. The great thing about rifts is that they're very inclusive. I joined up a pickup rift raid one evening and had a lot of fun following the wave of purple dots on my map as we traveled from rift to rift. I ended up with some nice experience and loot and had a surprisingly enjoyable time with... strangers! If you've been traumatized by PUGs whose members scrutinize your GearScore, harass you for not falling into line, or berate you when you have to leave, rift hunting is the perfect therapy.

BFF Report Episode 54: Rift Warfronts (PvP) (Zam)

6:37 video at the link.

Trion Worlds Releases Rift Cinematic Trailer (Zam)

2:52 video trailer.

RiftWatchers Podcast Episode 2: Interview with Rift Lore Leads

Healers Done Right (Rift Watchers)

My hat is off to Trion on their Cleric Healer design. Everything plays almost exactly as I was hoping it would. The spells fit right, the UI is spot-on, and the squishyness of the Priests in WoW is completely done away with. I feel like I can heal in any situation whether it be grouping, raiding, rifting, or solo, and I’m not afraid to take a hit if I have to. All of that adds up together to be one well-rounded, and increasingly fun experience. I can’t wait to be able to play the real Maclypse, come launch day.

On Valor and the Infamous “PvP Only” Stat (Rift Watchers)

So, valor. Am I still concerned? You bet I am. Their intent is good but the actual balance is destined to remain an unseen until a couple months after launch. But, I’m willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. What they’ve laid out – what Scott’s laid out is resilience done right. It’s not the world-battle killing joke that propels WoW’s self-enclosed arenas.

[Regolyth]

That PvP video was excellent. I'm getting more excited about this game now.

[Morreion]

First Impressions: RIFT (Tap Repeatedly)

What I do fear with Rifts though, in their random nature, is that unlike Warhammer Onlines Public Quest system, there feels too little structure. Where there was a clear beginning, middle and end in pre-scripted scenarios, this all feels very unorganised. A series of monsters that spawn to be quickly despatched by the crowd of waiting players isn’t particularly rewarding or satisfying and often feels like a scrum, but that in part isn’t helped by the quantity of BETA players in zones. On the flip side, when you do encounter a town ablaze with an open Rift surrounded by monsters, it really is moment of magic.

Does Faction Balance Even Matter? (Rift Watchers)

The point of this post really comes down to this: the sky is not falling. If you’re a PvPers, don’t wet the bed before the sheets are even on it. I believe that Defiant will outnumber the Guardians probably, well, forever. But there’s a big difference between a 1:3 ratio and 1:1.5. Have some faith that our developers aren’t wearing blinders and are seeing the same things you are. I firmly believe that if faction imbalance was a problem, they would be first people to know about it and recognize if it was a problem. They have done a LOT to address the problems that have plagued this industry since inception. Why, at the most basic level, should we assume they’ll stand listless?

Enter at Your Own Rift: Creature comforts (Massively)

So in a weird way, RIFT can be a wholesale reboot of whatever fantasy MMO you used to play and love, just with a new coat of paint, a few clever innovations, and a lot of fellow enthusiasts beside you sharing your passion. I'm not saying this is how it is for everyone, but it's why some players find themselves attracted to a game when their heads tell them they've already been there and done that.

Maybe we have been there and done that. Doesn't mean it's bad. Doesn't mean we can't get excited for new adventures. After all, we may want to do it again, just in a different world, capisce?

Rift: Planes of Telara - rebuttal against many arguments made. (MMORPG.com- The Adventures of Pokket blog)

Argument number four: Ability scaling is a pain.

Ability scaling is put in the game for a reason. It's a time sink. More time playing = better for the game. Do players necessarily like it? Not all of us, but once we get our new abilities what do we do? We go and test them out. At least, from what I've noticed, there are enough accessible trainers to not make it too much of a hassle and it is usually an easy run. Did I mention players get a mount at 20?

A world torn asunder: RIFT's Mathosian Civil War revealed (Massively)

When the Mathosian Civil War began, the lovers found themselves divided for the first time, if only by politics. Shyla argued that the Elves had to side with Zareph for the good of all Telara, while Hylas would not endanger their charge over the wilds to meddle in the affairs of men. Unable to convince him, Shyla led her followers to join the Mathosian rebels, leaving her dear prince behind.

Why is Rift something special? (Perpetual Noob)

So, I think for me what makes Rift so special. It nails its core game play mechanics and then it takes a bunch of ideas and features from other games, that were great ideas and refines them and puts its own unique twist on them. But that’s just me. To anyone who has given this game a go, what do you think? Is it special to you, and if it is what do you think makes it so? And to anyone who hasn’t gotten the chance to give the game a try, they are handing out beta keys like candy at this point so I’m sure you’ll be able to find one.

What Calling will you be playing when Rift releases? (ProProfs Poll)

Not a bad spread!

Rift: The Stonefield Massacre, Part 1 (MMORPG.com)
In the fourth installment of our continuing Rift story, "Defiant to the End", the party has arrived at Stonefield, a rocky, mountainous location. Nestled within the area is the small hamlet of Quarrystone but nearing it has revealed sinister happenings. Read on in our exclusive Rift lore piece, "Defiant to the End: The Stonefield Massacre, Part 1".

World PvP in Rift (Ace of Grapes Wine Co.)

Anyway, the size of Rift's zones so far pretty much guarantee that they'll be populated with people doing different things across fairly broad level ranges. Those things involve wardstones (quest hubs), those things involve rifts (exp, currency for planar items, drops), instances (exp, drops), and gathering (crafting, profiteering).

Rift Team Outlines PvE/PvP Changes (Zam)

One of the things that got a lot of testing during the most recent beta was the amount of PvP and PvE overlap that people would be experiencing on both PvP and PvE servers. If you played through Scarlet Gorge, you know that's a great place to see how social dynamics play out.

We like the idea of PvE people being able to progress as they expect, and we also like the idea of PvP objectives for those who choose to take part.

Fortunately, both of those activities have a place in Rift.

Rift: Tradition Can Work
While many MMOs in development spend a lot of time touting 'groundbreaking' features and innovation, not all do, preferring instead to polish and improve on that which works. Trion Worlds' Rift is a very polished, very traditional high-fantasy MMO and one that is attractive to those who actually like traditional high fantasy MMOs. MMORPG.com Lead Writer Bill Murphy has a few things to say about why Rift is attractive to millions of fans. Check it out and then tell us what you think.

At the risk of sounding falsely prophetic, mark my words: Rift will have plenty of admirers who don’t share the rather vocal sentiments of those who are tired of the same old song and dance. Rift is not for them anyway. Rift is for the people who want something like WoW, who want something like EQ2, who want something like LotRO, but who do not want any of those games. It will capture the attention of thousands, maybe millions, simply because it does what it tries to do rather well and there’s a proven sect of people who want nothing more.

[Regolyth]

Feb 4, 2011 11:49:15 GMT -5 Morreion said:

First Impressions: RIFT (Tap Repeatedly)

What I do fear with Rifts though, in their random nature, is that unlike Warhammer Onlines Public Quest system, there feels too little structure. Where there was a clear beginning, middle and end in pre-scripted scenarios, this all feels very unorganised. A series of monsters that spawn to be quickly despatched by the crowd of waiting players isn’t particularly rewarding or satisfying and often feels like a scrum, but that in part isn’t helped by the quantity of BETA players in zones. On the flip side, when you do encounter a town ablaze with an open Rift surrounded by monsters, it really is moment of magic.

I have noticed this as well. I have been wondering if they were going to change anything about it. I really enjoyed the public quests in WAR and how they further progressed the story of a certain race or faction, and they seemed to build upon one another from zone to zone. I would like to see more story behind the rifts in Rift (other than the obvious "invasion").

[Morreion]

Open Beta is almost upon us!

RIFT's Telara the Merciless open beta starts February 15th (Massively)

On February 15th, gamers across the land will be able to take part in RIFT's six-day open beta extravaganza. The event is billed as Telara the Merciless and will feature two playable factions, 42 levels, three PvP warfronts, and several explorable zones and dungeons.

Rift Guide for Beginners (KF Guides)

A nice in-depth guide, worth checking out!

Rift’s beta events: we like what we’re seeing (PC Gamer)

It was amazing to see the sky for the entire zone turn a malevolent purple when the rift opened. This time it was from the plane of Death–Fire, Life, and the other planes turn the sky different shades. Rift’s world almost always looks marvelous, thanks to the flexible graphics engine that Trion is using for the game. In another beta event (this one focusing on dungeons), I was simply blown away by the snow effect that buffeted my group as we battled our way up the side of the mountain in the Realm of the Fae, a low level instance in the Guardian starter zone.

One Shots: Adventure is out there (Massively)

"I was just messing around in Freemarch when I noticed two small islands on the northeast part of the map. No quests pointed that way, but I decided to make the long swim out there regardless, with the vague intent on testing the exact zone boundaries and expecting to find lifeless barren rock."

Social Aspects of Rift: An Interview with Scott Hartsman (Ten Ton Hammer)

Ten Ton Hammer: Are there any mechanics in place to make guild membership meaningful in relation to character development?

Scott Hartsman: Yes. It was important for us to make guilds something more than a chat channel and an implicit friends list. There are a couple of core concepts that are very important to us: first is that you feel like you are a part of building something up together. Even in the very first builds, where no players had even touched the game, we had mechanics for guild leveling and guild quests implemented. These are things that solo players can run around and contribute to or others that are built around warfronts, dungeons, and raiding. So no matter what type of guild you are, you can pick up these quests and do them weekly to advance your guild. A small guild of soloists that never raid or PvP, you can level a guild. If you are a bunch of PvP folks, you can level a guild. If you’re a bunch of hardcore raiders, you can level a guild. That was something we wanted to make sure and have built in from the start.

Mouse-over macro and my thoughts on healing~ (This Is Not A Rift)

What is a Mouse-Over macro? A Mouse-Over macro is a macro where instead of having to (target someone, click a heal, target someone else, click another heal, target previous person, click another heal) you can set up a macro to remove the targeting steps while healing. This will make your life much easier when healing. All you have to do is have your mouse over the portrait of another character (or your own) and then click your heal and it will heal the person with that heal that you used that you had your cursor over top of.

Trion releases new RIFT Orphiel Farwind lore (Massively)

The latest example of Telarian lore is an account of Orphiel Farwind, a controversial and somewhat mysterious figure who plays a notable role in the Defiant mission to create an army of Ascended heroes.

Enter At Your Own Rift: Dispelling the WoWhammer myth (Massively)

As Trion Worlds CCO Scott Hartsman recently said on the Massively Podcast, "You reinforce the behavior that you want by the gameplay that you provide," and that is certainly the case when it comes to RIFT's inclusiveness. You can come and go from a rift group without having to excuse yourself. You can join at a lower level than others and still walk away with experience and loot. You can put together a less-than-ideal mix of classes and still create a viable group. And there's always room for more during a rift invasion -- no arbitrary caps on how many can participate. You can be king of the parse or you can spend your time casting nothing but smoke and no one will mind, because rift loot is awarded individually. Other games have chipped away at barriers to grouping, but RIFT comes closer than others in removing those barriers completely.

Exclusive pet available with RIFT purchases at Walmart (Massively)

On RIFT's March 1st launch date, boxed copies of the game will be sold at Walmart stores in the US and online at Walmart.com. Anyone buying the standard edition of RIFT at these locations will receive an exclusive Shambler Hatchling pet.

Rift: The Bounty of Souls
Many have claimed that Rift is not breaking much new MMO ground but are polishing the best of many other MMOs' features. In his Rift Weekly #2 column, MMORPG.com Lead Writer Bill Murphy contends that the soul attunement system -is- ground breaking and breaks the stereotypical class system of other MMOs. Check out Bill's thoughts and then let us know what you think.

In the end though, there’s not really too many bad things I can say about the Soul System. It’s definitely a unique take on the tried and true class system, and one that will allow a lot of character flexibility so long as players aren’t afraid to experiment and the cost of re-specs isn’t too high. It’s also going to be extremely handy for folks to be able to switch roles on the fly. For solo situations one can have a purely DPS build, and then when said player wants in on some dungeons they can switch to a more balanced support role depending on their archetype. And then they can have yet another build that’s more appropriately slanted towards PvP if they so desire. It’s just another way in which Rift builds upon the games of the past and tweaks the system to make it its own.

TGN Rift Videos (YouTube)

There's a lot to see here, including videos on playing some of the souls in the game.

Rift Hype (Keen & Graev)

I’m debating whether I should buy it at launch or wait to see if it falls flat quickly. Since I personally feel the game is decent, I’d be willing to bet it won’t plummet like WAR did. However, and this is a warning to the masses, it will never meet the inflated expectations. That’s why ever since the first beta event I’ve kept my distance. I’m going into Rift knowing where it belongs on the curve. This is good advice for any game.

So Rift Does Break a Mold… (Ardwulf's Lair)

At this point (even though I’m still not buying it,) I’m more confident in Rift’s prospects than I am in SWTOR’s… or even those of Guild Wars 2. Part of that is how well Trion seems to have handled Rift’s development and marketing, and part of that is how well Trion seems to have handled the budget, which I suspect is far, far lower than what’s being spent on SWTOR, or Guild Wars 2 (which I’m starting to think is closer to SWTOR in this department than people suspect.) Maybe even less than was blown on Warhammer.

It may even be that Hartsman’s history at SOE – of bringing product out with a small team and a tight budget – may have helped Trion to do this with without selling the children for scientific experiments.