The Tower of Necromancy would like to thank everyone participating in the current PvP testing... all of the dead players are being recycled to bolster the size of our undead army. Doomwood is coming next week.


Creepy. Ominous. Pretty good at rowing. The ferryman provides the only means of travel to the Isle of the Dead. Which, of course, is where they keep the Tower of Necromancy. Depending on your dark magical desires... you may wish to leave a memorable impression upon him.


Surprise... Artix is not going to be your Paladin contact in DoomWood anymore. This dashing new young fellow who possesses the ability to grow facial hair (lucky son of a lich) will be leading the crusade to bring light back to this land of the dead. So before next week's DoomWood release drops, pay Artix a final visit in DoomWood.


So, you know how Korin wears a bag on his head? ...Dage's birthday is coming up on the 1st. He "Undead Legionified Korin's bag"


On the topic of Dage's birthday.....

*sings*

Hello... I'm Mr. DEAD

A horse is a horse, of corpse, of corpse...
And no one can talk to an undead horse of corpse...
Unless its the corpse, of a famous horse....
Is the famous MR. DEAD.

*ends singing*

It pains me that I have to post this Mr. Ed theme song lyrics to explain the above to those who think I just lost my mind. (Also, spoiler: I lost my mind at least two posts ago... and the decent into the mental abyss is going to be beautiful That is why you feel the irresistible urge to keep reading these.



Dage asked Thyton if he would "legionify" his Katanas and Darkon was asked to make a legion spear. But no one asked me to make any legion stuff. >_< "Why you no want Legion Puns Dage!?"


Per your request, we created a unique silhouette for the Tower of Necromancy. It is located in the middle of the Crimson lake. Many of our older maps including DoomWood were super tiny compared to the new maps we have been building. We have envisioned a much larger over arching storyline for AdventureQuest 3D's forest of the dead. The #1 goal of this revamp is to make this the lower level "starting point" in DoomWood that will be easily expanded past the Tower of Necromancy, past the Castle of Bone, through the Necropolis and beyond. Each of these new areas should be a considerably higher level than the last... creating a reason to keep returning and exploring the deeper reaches of DoomWood as the game grows.

We will be using the extra time to add more of the "fun stuff" that you enjoyed in Greenguard Forest's revamp to DoomWood. #NotDoomWoof Really hope you enjoy it... and are hyped for journey to the Isle of the Dead which will quickly follow in the next release.



Meanwhile.... PVP is in Testing now. Come try it out, help us break stuff, and think up some good things we can do before the live release!

Well, that escalated quickly. The very first version of PvP is in testing now, and if you can play AdventureQuest 3D on STEAM, you can give it a try. Needless to say it is pretty primitive... but oh man is it a lot of fun. We need help testing, reporting bugs, and thinking up clever things to do.



Gotta say, had some reservations about this but OMG it is a blast. Broke my 10 year streak of not PvPing with any players. Did not regret. Other than Owl will probably post a video of it on his YouTube channel, LOL! At least you know I was preoccupied taking screenshots and messing with stuff XD

When you travel to PvP from your travel menu, you will appear in a secret part of the Guardian Tower. You will already have been automatically assigned to a team. The enemy team is waiting for you... but that is OK, you start in a "safe area" where you cannot be hurt. Once you cross the threshold into the main room, it is anything goes. Potions work, Paladin heals work, Necromancer works. The Ninja's sprint ability is no longer a laughing stock once you use warrior, Paladin, or any other melee class. A well composed team makes all the difference. Two mages and a warrior are a wrecking ball. It surprised me how fun it was... and there are not even any objectives yet.



We made a smart call putting PvP on our testing server first. A lot of stuff is going to need rapidly fixed, changed, balanced, and de-bugged. Unfortunately, it is only possible to experience this on STEAM right now. I really wish there was an easier way to do this on mobile. But it will not be long before everyone can try out PvP on the live servers from your phone, tablet, and PC/Mac/Linux etc. Again, we have a date in mind... but I do not want to say it and jinx myself (again). Currently on the public test server, anyone can try it out (even through it says it is Guardian Only). But, as promised, PvP will initially available to Guardians only.
How to access AdventureQuest 3D's Public Test Game & Server

Switching between the live and public test versions of AdventureQuest 3D is pretty easy. In your STEAM game library, right click on AdventureQuest 3D. If AdventureQuest 3D is not already in your FAVORITES list >_> this is clearly a human error and you need to "Add to favorites." XD OK, that is not mandatory... but it will certainly make it easier to get to the game later. To switch your game version, right click on AdventureQuest 3D and click on "Properties". Then choose the "BETAS" tab. Then choose "publictest - PTR". It installs super quick, the game client is surprisingly small. When you log in, it will let you know you are on the PTR version and tell you how to switch it back if you cannot find this post for some reason :D

To switch back to the normal version simply right click AdventureQuest 3D, choose properties, choose the BETAS tab, and then choose "NONE - Opt out of all Beta Programs". This will set you back to the normal version of the game.

I highly recommend clearing your cache after switching between the normal and PTR games. This button wipes out all the map files, temp data, etc. You will automatically download the newest map files the first time you go to them.


When you are inside the game, just open your menu and choose travel. PvP is the top option. Open your Menu and choose Travel. It will take you to our little PvP testing room deep within a dungeon.

See you on the Battlefield! - Artix

Gaz and his love-filled cart have just arrived back in town. Check it out and then... SURPRISE! Paladin Class has just been released.




This year's new Hero's Heart day shop has lots of both DragonCrystal AND Gold items for you. A little something for everyone.



I wonder where Gaz "found" these new items?




Surprise! Head to DoomWood to begin your quest to earn the Paladin Class.




We did not plan on a collection, but a lot of players wanted a storage solution... so we added up the price of the DC items and then put every item from the shop (including the gold ones) into it. Needless to say it is less expensive than the usual collections.




...and there's no special cream for that.

We spread our Mini-Live Events over the course of the day so players from different time zones could join in and score some Live Event Chests and the magical DuckyDucky feather which transforms you into love itself... or a yellow duck looking trobble... it's all how you look at it. "Is the coffin half full or empty?"



If you wrote some pick up lines from the AdventureQuest 3D Pick-up lines post earlier this week... then there is a chance we might use one of yours! If you did, we will credit you by putting your name in (these things).

The Ninja class has just been released! Find Thyton (the guy in the golden spartan looking helm who may or may not be a ninja...) in town. He will show you the way... of the ninja. But beware! The path to becoming a ninja is fraught with peril... and new craftable item and armor sets.



Rule #1: Ninjas are sneaky. Ninjas... are ALWAYS sneaky. If you saw this coming, it wouldn't be a "ninja release".



In this week's new area, there are a ton of new permanent Thyton armor and item sets that you can craft.



Because if you're only training half the day, your wasting half the day. Lightbringers do not believe perfection is attainable.. (their armor is for the record)... but they believe in the relentless pursuit of becoming perfect. In doing this, they prepare their mind, body, and spirit for unthinkable threats.









We have received an overwhelmingly positive response from players that all of the items in Thyton's new area are craftable (no $$$ required) and permanent.



Meanwhile! Reko is a long-time friend and ninja competitor. For his submission video this year he creatively used AdventureQuest 3D footage. Want to see it?


Look ma, I'm only 10 years too late to this party. But I am plastering my instagram with behind the scenes pics and videos of the team and myself. Follow @artix to see all the seeeecrets (and potential blackmail material).




We hope you love this week's new Thyton adventure and achieve your goal of adding the Ninja class to your arsenal. Thyton is part of a team tracking down villains with unusual powers ("Most Wanted" seen in the image above.) This is the 1st of what will be a series of yearly releases that take place on the real-life Thyton's birthday. If you have been enjoying our new feature and adventure releases, please consider supporting us by becoming a Guardian or buying some DragonCrystals. Next up, we are working on the Kingdom of Battleon and the revamp of DoomWood-- including the Tower of Necromancy.

Battle on!
Artix & the AdventureQuest 3D Team

P.S. Meanwhile... Vane has been securing his fortress and pantheon of villains.

Are you ready to become a master of the shadow arts? You have received a cryptic from a man named Thyton in the farming village of Westmere. It's not the type of place you would expect to find a Ninja master.




Did you read the previous Design Notes on Thyton?

Things are about to get weird. You may not know who or what Thyton is. You definitely do not know what this Thyton guy is getting himself into there, but he's on a mission. Thyton is part of a team tracking down villains with unusual powers. Maybe you should check this out in this week's upcoming AdventureQuest 3D release. Ninja class is coming this week!



...and some awesome new items and armor sets too.

Rule #1: Ninjas are sneaky. You did not see this one coming. No one did ... otherwise, it would be a "ninja release"



I'm @Artix on Instagram now. Want to see behind the scenes stuff here at the lab? Join us by following. https://www.instagram.com/artix/

In today's new version of AdventureQuest 3D you can rank up your classes and unlock special cross-skills.... yup, these are new skills you can equip and use with any class!



Necromancers unlock "Bone Prison" at rank 10 which summons a cage of bone to hold your enemy in place. This would be useful to equip to any class. Necromancer will be available for all players to earn when the Tower of Necromancy goes live in DoomWood soon.



Rogues get Affliction at rank 10 which deals double damage and poisons the target. Equip this skill to any class to add some damage over time.



Paladins unlock Holy Bolt at rank 10 which is a ranged attack, dealing damage to your foe and healing nearby allies. Equip this skill on any class to add a little extra healing power.



Dragonslayers unlock the Rend skill at rank 10. Ever notice how some monsters resist your damage? This skill sneaks past the armor damaging more direct damage. This version is extremely effective against Dragons. Equip it to any class to become more effective at dealing damage.



Warriors unlock Seismic Slam at Rank 10 which is an area-of-effect attack hitting everything in melee range. Add this skill to any class to have an AOE (Area of Effect) that is useful for pulling, or even just tagging lots of monsters so you are assured to get their loot.



Mages unlock the Rune Siphon at Rank 10 which places a magical rune on your foe dealing damage over time. It is similar to the Rogue's, but try this one out to see how it can be extra effective with your other classes.



The Ninja unlocks the Spint skill at rank 10, giving you a sudden burst of speed. Now any class can become an Olympic pro-athlete short distance runner :D "Run forest, run!"



Feeling lucky? Pirate class unlocks the Lucky Shot skill at rank 10. This is a guaranteed critical hit which, when used cleverly with some other classes abilities is likely to be a magnificent balancing nightmare :D Add this skill to any class to add a wicked K.O.


The team worked really hard on this release and we hope you are enjoying it. We are already neck-deep in fixing a number of bugs including the one where you see "other people's rank ups". Like all big game-play changing releases, we listen. So let us know both the things you like and the things you think need changed in the comments section of class ranks posts on the official website.
https://aq3d.com/news/rankupandunlockcrossskills/

Also, we are working double hard to get all of the early access classes released so you and all players can earn them. The Necromancer is coming with the Tower of Necromancy, but we might need to put all classes on the trainers with daily quests to speed up the process. Good luck ranking up all your classes!

Battle on!
Artix & the AdventureQuest 3D Team
https://www.aq3d.com

...also, get ready to unlock cross-skills that you can equip on any class.



Read more on the official AdventureQuest 3D website.

Watch the Box Springs video trailer on the Artix Entertainment Youtube channel. Which you have 100% liked and followed already.

The Box Springs parkour challenge is pretty fun! I SAID PRETTY FUN! O_O WHY ARE YOU STILL CRYING?

I heard you like parkour challenges... So we made you a brand new jump puzzle challenge in Greenguard forest. Can you get all three of the new badges? Be devious... one of them is a seeeeeecret.

Also released this week... ThunderKnight armor, revamp of Livingstone Caverns, de-scaled Dage's Underworld, Moglomancer armor and more.



Now available as a drop from any Treasure Chest
When you log into AdventureQuest 3D you now have a chance of getting Thunderknight armor in your free daily treasure chests. All chest types now drop it. It is fun to wear in dark places like the recently de-scaled Dage's Underworld as it features an emissive glow on the helm and shoulders.


The cave that leads into DoomWood has just been revamped. Cysero rewrote some of the quests, added 8 new dialogues (dialogue cutscenes did not exist when we first created it), and added new rewards. The cave art got a little art bump-- now it looks pretty! The story itself is pretty much the same, just told far better. Hope new players experiencing the cave for the first time have a much better experience than we all did! LOL


Backers of the Moglin Kickstarter or Backerkit can now get their Moglomancer-K armor set at the bank. This green version is the exclusive variant for being a backer. Missed out? You can still back Moglins through backerkit for a limited time.


It's happening! The first portion of Dage's Underworld is now officially fixed at level 15. We like the idea of having special events and some permanent areas released initially as scaling content so everyone can experience it... then, later hard-set it in the world at the originally intended level. This March, during Dage's Birthday, we will expand the underworld and continue the story.


You are officially invited to dinner at the Blue Ogre Cave next Wednesday at 4pm EST. This will be a 30-ish minute live event in AdventureQuest 3D where you can score some live event coins and hang with friends. Exact location to be announced day of the event.

Just before sending you this email, I hopped on, recorded, and made you a little trailer. Thank you to all of the players who fell mercilessly to their doom to make this video :D


Amongst the killer releases we have coming your way, one to keep an eye on it the story of Thyton. For more on this interdimensional ninja, read the design notes post I wrote for you.


As I write this, Reko (Ninja Competitor) is putting together his submission video for the TV show using footage from AdventureQuest 3D. Which is really cool! Also this morning, I re-wrote the storyline for the Tower of Necromancy... which is where you will go in the revamped Doomwood to learn how to be a Necromancer. If you have been enjoying our ongoing updates and have not already done so, please consider upgrading your account and becoming a Guardian. Not only do you get access to the Guardian Tower, class, armors, and mounts... but you also get that warm and fuzzy feeling of knowing you are making AdventureQuest 3D possible.

Enjoy the new parkour course :D and...

Battle on!
Artix & your friends at AdventureQuest 3D

Every day you log in and join us in AdventureQuest 3D, you get a free treasure chest to open! Now there are even more items for you to discover including the new ones pictured above. Xur's Curse is one of our favorite new items you can score. There are two versions: one you can wield and a pet that floats and follows you. Both feature a creepy animated eyeball.



Wielded by a treacherous and deceptive rogue, legend says that Xur's Bane was the dagger which did Xur in. She was the only one who could get close enough to kill Xur. Others tried, oh, so many tried. But Xur's sword was all seeing, for at the center of its hilt is an inhuman, glaring eye.



If that horrifying blade had a name, it has been lost to history. Now the sword is simply known as Xur's Curse. It foresaw every attack, giving Xur an unstoppable advantage. Until, of course, the rogue appeared. Beguiled by her beauty and skill, Xur took her on as an apprentice. She got close to Xur... too close.

As Xur laid in bed, dying from her dagger wound, he looked into his apprentice's eyes and said, "Thank you... for freeing me from the sword..."

She must have lived long enough to tell that tale but after that, no one knew what happened to the rogue or the two weapons.

Until today.



Darkon has set up shop in town. He will only be around for a little while longer selling his suspicious "debris." He seems to have a few new ones you should check out... if you dare.


Watch the results last week's Artix Game Jam on Youtube! The last project is a fun upcoming surprise for AdventureQuest 3D :D


The Grim Reaper of Death has chosen you as his Champion (Lucky you!). Your unique abilities & skills make you the only one capable of solving the mystery of the elusive rune portal (which technically you have not seen yet... but it's coming) and using the ancient power within to defeat Vane and his pantheon of twisted villains.

Are you chomping at the bit to take on our world's new story? Do you want to explore the new Town of Battleon? Will you survive the new DoomWood? Or... will you enter the Tower of Necromancy and learn the dark arts for yourself?

Thank you for supporting our ongoing development. Our world is going to explode in size in 2019. Follow our progress by reading our anything-goes Design Notes each day at www.AQ3D.com.

Battle on!
Artix & the AdventureQuest 3D