Asylum Preview – Halloween Just Got A Little Crazier

On October 11^th, an anonymous user posted a mysterious audio file and tiny image on the APB Forums.

Players were intrigued.  What was that haunting score with eerie Tubular Bells' style syncopation? And what was up with that 200 x 200 pixel image?

Over the next few days a new image was posted in random forum threads. Some valiant players started putting together the pieces.

After some time it all became clear… we have arrived at the Asylum.

On October 22 we took down Fight Club to make way for our October 25 preview of "Asylum" to San Paro in the form of, “Fright Club.”

While this is not the full version of our soon-to-be new game area and game mechanics designed for the Asylum, we wanted to give players a serious taste of what’s to come and a chance for the community to provide layout feedback on the core game map.

When you log into the Asylum District for the first time you will unlock a new Title – “Asylum Seeker” since nothing says, “I’m a little off my rocker,” to the world than "Asylum Seeker” floating over your head.  Whether you’re hearing voices in your head, or just morbidly curious, this new Title is just the thing for you.

Fright Club includes 7 new Missions and some pumpkin smashing activities that would make Gallagher want to trade in his watermelons for pumpkins. Just leave your Gallagher-style sledgehammer at home and do it San-Paro-Style and shoot that pumpkin!

Players will also get Joker Distribution tickets when they advance new roles in the Asylum district.  

Enjoy the Asylum, collect those Joker Tickets, and go to the forums and provide map feedback on the Asylum.  Regular Fight Club will return the week after Halloween.

Also here is quick note from Qwentle:

A Message From Qwentle, Lead Designer

“Hey guys,

Due to its construction (multiple level indoor areas with very limited vehicle access) and lack of mission targets, the current version of Asylum is not a straight up Action District.

Our final goal for Asylum is a free-fire district with elements of "turf control" and it also adds some non-PvP oriented goals (emphasising completing non-opposed objectives in enemy territory over engaging in combat, even rewarding players for avoiding combat during certain engagements). We paper-prototyped a number of solutions for more flexible and less goal-oriented designs, and our final design can best be described as modified small scale Turf Wars.

Completing the full non-opposed objectives for Asylum will still take quite some time, but since the map is very close to complete, and we felt Asylum fit Halloween perfectly, we wanted to take the opportunity to share it with you as quickly as possible. This meant temporarily making it a Fight Club map (or in this case a 'Fright Club' map with some modifications).

Keep in mind that the current game modes are not yet finalised, but certainly feel free to give us constructive feedback on the map layout itself.

With those important caveats in mind, please go out and enjoy this preview of Asylum!”

Don’t forget to stay tuned for more details regarding all of the Halloween Contests and Events we have going on starting this week!

Trick and Treat Time Again

It’s that most wonderful time of year again. Halloween is here San Paro, and we’re bringing back a couple of familiar faces from last year.

Trick and Treat are back!  Little is known about the origins of Trick and Treat, but some claim that they are the spirits of dead Criminals and Enforcers called forth on Devil's Night to count the cost of the fallen. These two Halloween Contacts will be chilling in the Asylum District, a place we know you’ll be visiting soon (stay tuned for the blog update shortly with all the "2-Weeks of Asylum" Details!).

Trick and Treat in the Asylum

For those of you who may not be familiar with these crazy characters, there will be four levels of Missions to complete just like last year.  Criminals and Enforcers get the same number of Missions to complete for their respective Contact.

                  Level 1 – Start

                  Level 2 – Spooky Symbols (Unlock 4 Symbols)

                  Level 3 – Terrifying Themes (Unlock 4 Music Themes)

                  Level 4 – Petrifying Pumpking Mask (Unlock Pumpkin Head)

This year we’ve added 2 more Levels and all new Mail Rewards:

                  Level 5 –  Thrilling Titles (Unlock Title: “Wraith” or “Ghost”)

                  Level 6 – Wicked Weapon Skin and a Horrifying Headband
                                  (Unlock Halloween Weapon Skin and A-Knife-Through-the-Head )

When you go visit Trick or Treat in the Asylum district you’ll notice that it has been decorated with some spooky looking pumpkins all over the place.  One can only assume the patients residing there did not do the carving themselves; mentally unstable people and sharp objects tend to not mix.

These pumpkins aren’t just lying around for you to admire the Halloween spirit of the place.  It’s smashing pumpkins time!  (Not to be confused with the legendary rock band.) Smash these pumpkins for quick cash rewards and keep smashing them to progress a special new role.  Every Level of pumpkin smashing gets you a new Title:

                 

                  Level 1 – Unlock Title: “Pumpkin Chaser”

                  Level 2 – Unlock Title: “Pumpkin Murderer”

                  Level 3 – Unlock Title: “Pumpkin Assassin”

                  Final Level – Unlock Title: “Pumpkin Terminator”

The top pumpkin smasher in each world will be awarded an exclusive Title Unlock: “Pumpkin King” or “Pumpkin Queen.”  This special title for the top smashers will be given sometime after the Halloween event has ended, giving everyone to the last second to maximize their Pumpkin Kill Count.

We’re crazy about our pumpkins so we’re also bringing back the Pumpkin Head Customization Contest. In homage to Sleepy Hollow we are calling this year’s contest the, “Headless Gunman Pumpkin Head Contest.”  We’re even increasing the stakes this year by improving the prizes for the winning submissions.  Use your old Pumpkin Head that you’ve kept from last year, or get one by completing Missions for Trick or Treat this year.

Costume Customization Contest

We will also be holding a Costume Customization Contest again this year, so be sure to join the “Halloween District Parade Costume Contest.” Check out the APB forums for further details on rules and prizes, and submit your entries there. On Halloween, Wednesday, Oct. 31st, San Paro Citizens are invited to dress up in their Halloween costumes and go to Social District to participate in our GM-led Halloween District Parade.  Trick out your characters and there could be some treats waiting for you.

Saving the best for last, this year we will be celebrating Halloween with “Fright Club” our introductory preview of The Asylum District!  Fright Club will replace our regular Fight Club for the duration of the Halloween event, so starting Monday (October 22^nd) regular Fight Club will be unavailable.  Fright Club will be going LIVE on Thursday, Oct. 25th.

But have no fear. You will be able to still earn Joker Tickets during this time!  All those goodies in Joker Distribution are within reach.  And just so you know Fright Club has the following Missions set up:

Moving Target Item
Moving Target Item Large
Team Death Match
Territory Control 1 Point
Territory Control 3 Points
Territory Control 5 Points
VIP Survival

You’ll get a lasting souvenir upon your first visit to The Asylum District as well! When you log into the Asylum District for the first time you will unlock a new Title – “Asylum Seeker.”

Please keep in mind that this Asylum preview is your chance to give all your initial candid feedback on Asylum as we work on completing it as a district (it's left as a Fight Club only temporarily).  We are eagerly looking to hear back from all of you to see what you think.

Halloween 2012 – Let’s do this San Paro!

Urban Warfare Escalates

It wasn’t too long ago, but those early riots seem like a walk in the park compared to life on the streets of San Paro nowadays. Take but a few steps down the sidewalk and you can feel bullet shells roll underneath the soles of your shoes. More shells collect around storm drains and all along the curbsides. You’re moving too fast to even notice anymore. No time to stop and smell the tear gas.

Block after block smoke rises and dims the sky. Be it from fire, gas, napalm – who knows. No time to make out who that silhouette is at the other end of a cloudy alleyway. Secure your helmet and strap that bulletproof vest on tight.

Everyone is trying to represent Criminals or represent Enforcers in their own unique way.  But in the end everyone is the same; everyone is raging on the inside thinking about the loss of friends and family to the cause. No need to show off those tattoos, scars, or war paint to let the world know which side you're on.  Now is the time to cover every last bit of exposed skin you have and make sure you survive.

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Next week a whole new set of Combat Gear is coming to the Armas Marketplace.  Urban Warfare escalates and it’s time to armor up. 

Enforcers can get the Armored Urban Warfare Pack and Criminals can get the Impact Urban Warfare Pack. Both packs will contain the brand new set of heavier Combat Gear, the never before released 4 Slot Performance Vehicles, and a FREE never before released ATAC 424 mid-to-close range Assault Riffle.  We will also have the Combat Gear sold separately also with a FREE ATAC 424. Here is the breakdown of the NEW Urban Warfare Packs and Bonus Packs coming out next week:

Armored Urban Warfare Pack

·       Combat Gear: Armored

·       V20 Patriot Pursuit Special (4 Slot Performance Vehicle)

·       FREE – ATAC 424 (Mid-to-Close Range Assault Rifle)

Impact Urban Warfare Pack

·       Combat Gear: Impact

·       V20 Nightrider (4 Slot Performance Vehicle)

·       FREE – ATAC 424 (Mid-to-Close Range Assault Rifle)

Armored Bonus Pack

·       Combat Gear: Armored

·       FREE – ATAC 424 (Mid-to-Close Range Assault Rifle)

Impact Bonus Pack

·       Combat Gear: Impact

·       FREE – ATAC 424 (Mid-to-Close Range Assault Rifle)

Players can also have a chance to win these soon to be released packs for free by participating in our “Heavy Metal Fighters” in-game event starting TODAY until Tuesday (Oct. 16^th, 12 PM PDT):

Complete as many opposed missions as possible from now until Tuesday at Noon.  The top 500 players with the most opposed missions completed will be entered into a random drawing to win.  10 Winners will get their choice of either new Urban Warfare Pack (depending upon whether they want Enforcer or Criminal), and 10 Winners will get their choice of either new Bonus Pack (Enforcer or Criminal). (For further details visit our APB Forums)

We’ll have more screen shots and images of the new Gear and the ATAC later, but for now here are some concept art and screen images of the new Vehicles and kits.

  

(Please note that players who have previously purchased the Performance Kits will be sent a free update for the new kits, shortly after we have updated the current Performance Kits on Armas.)

Stay tuned for more updates regarding the Armored and Impact Urban Warfare Packs coming out next week and join us for the Heavy Metal Fighters event. 

Armor up San Paro.  Armor up.