Dev Talk: Accessibility Improvements & Crystal Arena
Accessibility to high-level content is one of the cornerstones of the upcoming Into the Fray update, both in terms of the open-world experience and Albion’s 5v5 play. In this Dev Talk, Game Director Robin Henkys takes an in-depth look at some of the ways this will be addressed - with new Portal Towns, a Journey Back ability, new Arena and Crystal League modes, and more.
Read on for a summary of the video, and watch our previous Dev Talk on Magic Staffshere.
Portal Towns
Replace the existing Outlands portal regions
Each Royal City has a corresponding Portal Town in the Outlands
Each Portal Town shares a Bank and Marketplace with its corresponding Royal City, allowing Outlands-based players a more convenient access point for these
Each Portal Town features a number of exits into the Outlands
Invisibility Shrines are now more prominent, and their Invisibility effect lasts longer
Journey Back Ability
Designed to encourage players to venture deeper into the open world
Journey Back is an ability on all mounts except for battle mounts
Transports the player to their last-visited City or Hideout, after a medium-length channel
Using this ability costs a Silver fee, determined by the distance traveled and the value of goods and equipment carried
Cannot be used in the following cases:
After trading with another player
After taking items from a Bank or player-placed chest
When returning from a trade mission
When positioned within a large group of players
When subject to the Disarray or Outlaw penalties
Other Convenience Improvements
New on-death tutorials and survival tips
Lost Equipment Loadout saves the last equipment you wore before death into a loadout, for quick regearing
Training Dummies for combat practice added to Player Islands (from Level 1) and Guild Islands (from Level 3)
UI improvements like tooltips for region exits, a Muted Players UI, searching and filtering in crafting UIs, and an improved Party UI
Crystal Arena
A new competitive, non-full-loot, 5v5 Arena mode
Players can sign up solo or as a group, and will be auto-matched with an opposing team of a similar skill level
Winning matches earns Rank Points, which determines a player’s Arena Rank
Rewards for winning a match scale up as a player’s rank increases, and players also earn rewards when they reach a new level (once per season for each level)
Rewards include a new gladiator-themed wardrobe set, exclusively given for Arena participation
Non-Lethal Crystal League
Will run parallel to the existing, full-loot Crystal League
Provides an additional pathway to the Crystal League Championship
Offers rewards, though less than the full-loot League
Other Changes
Rewards for both Crystal League modes now include the new Crystal Gladiator wardrobe set
This is exclusive to the Crystal Leagues and is non-tradable
Adjustments made to the Crystal League map
New Double Healer Penalty debuff in the Crystal League
New Custom Matches UI allows you to challenge another party with a specific map and set of rules
General Arena rewards have been improved
With these accessibility improvements to high-level action in the Outlands, Crystal League and Crystal Arena, we can’t wait to see both new and experienced players try them out when Into the Fray launches on June 8. Stay tuned for our next Dev Talk, where we’ll discuss Victory Emotes, Dynamic Events and all the changes and improvements coming to Castles. See you then!
Limited-Time Sale on the Darkfang Swiftclaw Skin!
With the Into The Fray update around the corner, it’s time to saddle up and get ready to join the fight. And as luck would have it, for the next ten days you can enjoy a big discount on the fast, fearsome Darkfang!
This premiere mount skin transforms your Swiftclaw base mount into a battle-scarred beast with black fur and fiery, glowing eyes and mouth. As Albion’s adventurers pour into the open world, this speedy yet menacing creature is ideal for raiding Castles or joining in Outland fights.
Like all mount skins, once the Darkfang is unlocked it can be used by all characters on your account. The offer runs until 10:00 UTC on Monday, May 30, and is available to all players using the native client, Steam client or Google Play. Check out the in-game store now and take advantage of this deal before it ends!
June 8 marks the launch of Albion’s newest content update: Into the Fray. This update brings significant changes for new and experienced players alike, with fully reworked Magic Staffs, improved Castles and Castle Outposts, and new Crystal League and Arena modes bringing broad improvements to combat. New Portal Towns smooth the experience of entering the Outlands, and Daily Events encourage players to broaden the scope of their gameplay and bring additional dynamics to Albion’s economy. With all of these features and more, Into the Fray will make Albion’s thriving world more accessible and engaging for every kind of player.
Join the Fight
A comprehensive rework of Magic Staffs breathes new life into this weapon line, with powerful visualsandanimations alongside new and reworked spells. Castles and Castle Outposts have new graphics and layouts along with changes to their chests and timers, making fights more immersive, unpredictable, and competitive. A new, ranked Arena mode - the Crystal Arena - offers players a way to hone their 5v5 skills in a competitive but accessible setting, with the promise of lucrative rewards as they progress, and a non-lethal Crystal League now runs alongside the full-loot League.
A World of Riches Within Reach
New Portal Towns in the Outlands act as extensions of the Royal Cities, with Bank and Marketplace access along with visually reworked Invisibility Shrines. Resources have received a graphical overhaul, with increased distinction between tiers and enchantment levels and greater readability within their environments, making gathering easier and more enticing. New Daily Events offer bonuses on a wide range of activities, encouraging players to diversify their gameplay and adding new dynamics to Albion’s economy.
Quality-of-Life Improvements
A new Activities UI provides a convenient overview of all ongoing events. Victory Emotes allow players to mark kills with a visual flourish, while Twitch Drops are now available to the community. Lost Equipment Loadouts give players an easy way to regear after death, facilitating a quick return to the action. A new Journey Back ability helps cut down on long travel times, Gathering Tomes offer additional gathering Fame, and Training Dummies are available on Player Islands for combat practice.
For more details on what’s coming with Into the Fray, check out the official update page.
Dev Talk: Magic Staff Overhaul
In our last Dev Talk, Game Director Robin Henkys introduced the upcoming Into the Fray update and gave an overview of its major features, including a major Magic Staff Overhaul. In today's video, he is joined by Combat Designer Michael Schwahn to give more details of this massive, from-the-ground-up rework of this entire weapon line.
Read on for a written description – and if you missed the last Dev Talk, you can watch it here.
Background
In 2021, the War Gloves weapon line launched, with spells and abilities that felt crisp, impactful, and fun
Some old favorites started feeling outdated in comparison, so have been revamped
This rework is for one of the largest weapon groups in the game, Magic Staffs
Most of the rework will launch with the upcoming Into the Fray update, with the rest coming in a subsequent patch
Overview
Goals:
Bringing the gameplay experience of Magic Staffs to a whole new level
Making Staffs fun to use while also rewarding strategic high-level gameplay
Giving Staffs a powerful and mighty feel on the battlefield
These were accomplished through:
Massively upgraded visuals (both graphical and VFX)
Fully reworked player animations
New audio effects created specifically for each spell
Last but not least, numerous new and reworked abilities
Visual, Animation, and Audio Improvements
Redesigned and modernized Staff models
More distinct shapes and colors for better readability during gearing and combat
Greater distinction between One- and Two-handed Staffs, both through length and animations:
One-handed Staffs are now held towards the enemy; their action feels swifter, like a light sword
Two-handed Staffs are held upright; the caster conjures quick attacks from the offhand and heavier attacks from the full staff
VFX overhauled to make spells feel more impactful and polished
Completely re-imagined sound design, with all-new sound effects for each line
Gameplay Improvements
Numerous entirely new spells added
Older spells reworked:
Improving underused spells
Adding more depth to simpler spells
Examples of updates to specific staff lines follow
Fire Staffs
Pyroblast made more nuanced as a channeled skillshot
The longer the channel, the more damage it deals
Causes additional knockback when fully charged
Caster can break channel at any time for a less powerful shot
Other new spells: complete rework of Ignite, new E-spell for Infernal Staff
Holy Staffs
Many smaller adjustments to make abilities more dynamic
Now possible to move (slowly) while channeling Holy Beam
Desperate Prayer now adds a buff to the caster if used on a target above 40% health
Reworked Smite, can now be cast at the ground to hit multiple enemies
Nature Staffs
Thorns reworked into multi-castable ground area that slows enemies and gives stacking damage buff
New W spell, Brambleseed: throw to deal instant damage, and after a delay knock enemies airborne and deal additional damage
Both abilities make solo PvE and PvP more interesting and fun
Cursed Staffs
Field of Death replaced with Anguished Soul: conjure a ghostly creature that inflicts fear and magic damage
New Q-slot ability added, many existing abilities improved
"Into the Fray" and Beyond
The next update includes changes to Fire, Holy, Cursed, and Nature Staffs
Arcane and Frost Staffs will follow in a later patch, with changes including:
Arcane: Energy Bolt and Energy Beam replaced with more dynamic and interesting damage spells
Frost: new Q spells that do not depend on cast speed
We’re looking forward to sharing more about Arcane and Frost Staffs once the update is released at the start of the next season. For now, stay tuned for more Dev Talks on Portal Towns, the Castle Rework, and more!
Strike Your Enemies Down with the Reaver Vanity Bundle
The Reaver has arrived! Available now from the in-game store, this premium vanity bundle includes a full costume set along with a matching Reaver’s Armored Horse skin for your Armored Horse base mount.
With dark, metallic armor from head to toe and a thick, black cape, the Reaver strikes fear into even the most hardened souls in Albion. The Reaver’s Armored Horse comes clad in the same burnished armor and thick, black fabric - a terrifying sight indeed as you bear down upon your foes. As Season 15 nears its climax, this is the perfect outfit to engage in epic territory battles.
The Reaver Bundle includes the following vanity skins, which work on male and female characters alike:
As with past bundles, you can use all costume and mount skins with all characters on your account, and they are never lost or destroyed. All items will be unlocked in the in-game "Appearance" menu after purchase.
Enter the fight today with this premiere bundle and unleash your power!
Dev Talk: Into the Fray Introduction
Our last Dev Talk introduced some of the new features and improvements coming to Albion Online in 2022. In this video, Game Director Robin Henkys announces the arrival of many of these features in our next content update: Into the Fray.
No time to watch the video? Read on for a summary…
Magic Staff Overhaul
Fire, Holy, Nature, and Cursed Staffs will receive a thorough overhaul in this update
This means new animations, VFX, audio and even some new spells
Arcane and Frost Staffs will also receive an overhaul in a patch following the update
New Crystal Arena & Crystal League Improvements
A new Arena mode which uses Crystal League match rules
There will also be a non-lethal Crystal League, in addition to the current lethal Crystal League
These new systems will make it easier for players to enter the Crystal League and build up their skills without worrying about gear costs
Castle Overhaul
Castles are receiving a complete update to their graphics, layout, and battle flow
Castles and Castle Outposts will also receive new loot chests
These chests will be available throughout the day, driving constant action
Dynamic Events
Daily events will be added to the game
These will encourage engagement with particular features, such as Hellgates or Corrupted Dungeons
Short-term crafting bonuses will also add market fluctuations and new dynamics to the game
Outlands Travel Improvements
Into the Fray will make traveling into the Outlands more convenient and more accessible to new players
New Portal Towns offer a safe arrival point
New ‘Journey Back’ ability on mounts reduces long walk times for return journeys
Other Improvements
Victory Emotes give players a way to mark PvP victories
Training Dummies for Player Islands
Tooltips for zone exits
Party UI improvements
And more…
The other features mentioned in our 2022 Roadmap Dev Talk, like the solo expansion of the Roads of Avalon and the new Guild Finder UI, are still being worked on and will be introduced in a future update. You can expect to hear more about these once Season 16 has kicked off.
Stay tuned for more Dev Talks coming soon, where we’ll go into more depth about the features coming to the world of Albion with Into the Fray!
Stalk the Living on the Undead Direwolf
For the last two weeks Albion’s inhabitants have been busying themselves collecting eggs and growing bunnies. But every party has to come to an end, and now it’s time for a gruesome reminder of what awaits us all… starting today, the brand-new Undead Direwolf skin is now available in the in-game store!
This premiere mount skin transforms your Direwolf base mount into an unholy beast, raised from the dead through forbidden magic. With its eerie glowing eyes, tattered pelt, and exposed ribcage, it's sure to strike fear into your enemies as you stalk them from the shadows.
Characterized by their high overall speed and maneuverability, Direwolves are consistently one of Albion's most-used mounts. The Undead Direwolf adds another option for those looking to upgrade their Direwolf's appearance, and joins a growing collection of skins for this ever-popular mount.
Like all mount skins, once the Undead Direwolf is unlocked it can be used by all characters on your account. With the treasure hunters of Albion out on their spring bunnies, grab this skin today and do a little hunting of your own!
Lands Awakened Patch 8 is Here
Lands Awakened Patch 8 is here! This patch brings extensive combat balance changes, improved Arena matchmaking, and more. Read on for details…
New Season Winner Statue
First up, there’s a new face in Conquerors’ Hall! You can now check out the statue dedicated to IAMNIUBI, who claimed their first crown in Season 14. The banners of 2nd and 3rd-place runners up Elevate and Judicate are also now on display.
Combat Balance Changes
This patch brings far-reaching combat balance adjustments, to overhaul some underused weapons and abilities and help others to perform better in the current meta.
Here are some of the changes:
War Gloves: Cross Step has been reworked into a new ability called Fleet Footwork, which features a kick-dodge combo
Dual Swords: Spinning Blades now has an attack speed and attack damage buff, and Weakening affects enemy damage more significantly
Axes: Resilience Penetration of Halberd and Carrioncaller have been increased to make them more effective in group combat
5v5 Crystal League: The point reduction per kill has been increased from 4 to 6
Improved Arena Matchmaking
Various changes have been made to the Arena matchmaking system in order to speed up the formation of teams in queues. Solo DPS players in particular should see their waiting times significantly reduced.
Other Changes and Improvements
New “Hood and Scythe” guild logo available
Catching rare fish now sometimes drops additional seaweed as a bonus
Vengeful Guardian Lord (Territory Boss) and its summons no longer reset completely when leaving their pursuit range
Spring is on its way, bringing new life and hope to the lands of Albion. But spring flowers aren't the only thing rising from the earth. Deep underground, something else is coming to life… something fearsome that refuses to stay buried. As the denizens of Albion go about preparing their spring decorations, glowing eyes stalk them, eyes that have seen the other side…
Get ready to bring the spring festivities to an end with a frightful new premiere mount skin, emerging from the shadows next week to arrive in the in-game store! Stay tuned for more details…
The Rites of Springare in full flow, as new life flourishes throughout Albion. So what better time to get in touch with the mysteries of nature and coax those Spring Cottontails out of their shells? Well you’re in luck, because for the next week you can enjoy a big discount on the Druid Vanity Bundle!
This premiere bundle works for male and female characters alike, and comes with a thick, forest-green cape, a crown of antlers, and a matching Stag mount skin, transforming your character into a wise and noble figure attuned with the earth.
The Druid bundle contains the following vanity skins:
Druid's Horns
Druid's Garments
Druid's Shoes
Druid's Cape
Druid's Stag
This offer runs until 10:00 UTC on Wednesday, 20 April, and is available to all players using the native client, Steam client or Google Play. Check out the in-game store now and harness the powers of nature!
